General Motors North American President Mark Reuss is making a habit of conducting regular web chats at gmreinvention.com. Having recently returned from a gig running the Australian Holden operations, he is been quickly moving up the corporate ladder since last summer’s bankruptcy, and has impressed chairman and CEO Ed Whitacre with his hand’s-on approach to calling disgruntled customers. With Bob Lutz about to retire, Reuss is now GM’s chief automobile guy.

When one has that much contact with consumers, the automotive press and bloggers, the amount of real news from any given chat makes up a small percentage of time spent on-line — in this case, 60 minutes. And it’s hard not to blow out of proportion some of Reuss’ comments.

For example, in response to a question about the dead Pontiac division, Reuss seemed to be on the side of Lutz, who wanted to retain it as a little “niche” brand based solely on the G8. Reuss stated the decision to completely kill off Pontiac came during bankruptcy.

“I would never state we would NEVER speak about Pontiac again (his emphasis). But, we need to pay back U.S. taxpayers too…and go public. And make money. And make Americans proud of who we are again. Any other focus would be wrong.”

I agree, especially with the last part. While I grew up with Pontiacs, Oldsmobiles and Buicks in the ’60s, it’s pretty obvious that the U.S. market has been unable to accommodate so many middle brands with such minor distinctions since the ’80s, at the latest. When Bunkie Knudsen was promoted to Pontiac general manager in the ’50s, he was told to make it relevant, or kill it off. He made it relevant by making it sporty and youthful, while going upmarket with vehicles like the Bonneville and Catalina Grand Prix, encroaching on Oldsmobile’s territory in an era in which GM had such high market share that its divisions competed with each other instead of Ford, Chrysler and AMC.

There’s no room for that today, and there is no room for a Pontiac in the future.

For saving Pontiac, Knudsen was promoted to general manager of Chevrolet. His Super Sport models, beginning in 1961, went after Pontiac’s now-sporty cars, just as Pontiac attacked Olds. Fact is, there is nothing a modern Pontiac could do that would not prompt loyal Chevrolet buyers and their dealerships to say, “we want that.” Anything Pontiac could have done in the next five years could be a Chevy SS. Consider how you are all waiting for Chevy to build a civilian Caprice or Impala off of the RWD Zeta Pontiac G8.

And that still may happen: when a web chatter named Pete asked whether a Zeta RWD sedan is “still moving forward,” Reuss responded, “quite possibly, Pete.”

I asked whether last week’s reorganization of GM and its divisions’ sales and marketing executives — punctuated by Cadillac General Manager Bryan Nesbitt returning to the design department — means that divisions now have less power in determining their model lineups, Reuss responded that the opposite is true.

“Previously, a small point but a massive topic on the reorganization would indicate we had no North American planning in my organization — it was done centrally. So, to correct this I appointed Mary Sipes to do North American planning and fully integrate — next to the dealers and customers — planning by division.”

In other words, product planning was so centralized before the reorganization that North American product planning had no control of it. After the reorg, it starts with Reuss and Sipes with more involvement by the four individual brands, though it obviously never again be like the pre-Roger Smith days of divisional independence, when Chevy, Pontiac, Olds, Buick and Cadillac each designed their own engines. But with just four North American divisions from eight earlier last year, GM has things under much better control. Competition between Chevrolet and Buick-GMC dealers ought to be minimal.

Finally, one more interesting tidbit, from a question about GM’s bland paint colors. Reuss states Chevrolet will soon offer Atomic green, as previewed by a custom paint job at last November’s SEMA show, on the Camaro. Reuss likes the more colorful palette he saw at Holden, and is letting exterior design chief Mike Simcoe, an Aussie, “lead the charge” on more colorful paint for GM vehicles and trucks. He can begin with the all-silver Cadillac displays I saw at the Chicago and Geneva motor shows.

Most Americans are now seized by the “Devil Toyota” panic rampaging across this vast, enlightened nation of ours. Not me. I’m watching all this nonsense from the sidelines, popcorn bowl at hand. TV hasn’t been this pleasing since the O.J. trial — the first one.

Rather than attempt to explain how seemingly rational, intelligent humans can transform a mere automotive recall into a pandemic of four-wheeled Avian Flu, I’ve decided to make the ideal of the situation. Hey, at the Vancouver Olympics gold-medal snowboarder Shaun White performed unbelievable jumps, flips, spins, and the Double McTwist — just like today’s Toyotas! I see a new sport here!

Here’s a look at some recent standout entries from my new favorite athletic pursuit, Toyota Half-Pipe:

–Woman drives her 2009 Toyota Corolla out of her driveway, clear across the street, and through the front door of her neighbor’s Atlanta house. “She had her foot on the brake the whole time, and the automobile just kept on going, and next thing you know it hit the house and bam!” stated the unfortunate homeowner, who did not actually witness his neighbor’s run accident.

Judges’ Scores, 1 through 10 (higher is better)
Originality: 6. Smashing into houses in itself is derivative, but stated Corolla driver ingeniously chose an abode that had just been put up for sale.
Authenticity: 9. “I thought it was a movie,” stated a friend of the driver’s. Nothing is more authentic than a movie.
Execution: 8. Brilliant marksmanship — right through the front door! Bonus points allowed thanks to crack forensics team at CBS Atlanta News, which checked Corolla’s VIN number and discovered “It’s been recalled because of a possible problem with the accelerator.”
Medal: Lead. Just like the pressure applied to Corolla’s accelerator.

–Woman crashes into Pennsylvania laundromat. The 68-year-old driver of a 2007 Camry was “trying to put the automobile in park when she states it just lurched forward and smashed into the Melody Cleaners.”

“I just felt sorry for the lady, but it was not her fault,” stated the laundromat’s owner.

Judges’ Scores
Originality: 5. The car-through-plate-glass thing fell on deaf judging ears, though the resulting foam party raised the points total slightly.
Authenticity: 4. Impressive broken glass, rubble, and dented industrial dryers, though low points for degree of difficulty.
Execution: 7. Admiration and applause for temporary halt to public exposure of jock straps and man-thongs.
Medal: Linoleum.

–86-year-old man states accelerator on his 2009 Camry became stuck, causing him to crash into the steps of his synagogue in Queens, New York. Along the way, hit two parked cars, flew over bushes, and narrowly missed bystanders.

Judges’ Scores
Originality: 8. Judges impressed by novel use of “place of worship” instead of conventional “convenience store.”
Authenticity: 3. Major deductions for near-absolute score on “age/crash” index.
Execution: 5. Flattened bushes poor substitute for burning bushes.
Medal: None. Israeli and Palestinian judges removed from panel following food fight.

–Southern California realtor cannot stop his raging Toyota Prius from barreling down Interstate 8 near San Diego at 90 mph — even with the brakes full on. Said the Olympic hopeful after the incident: “It was accelerating out of control. Period.”

Fortunately, thanks to some brilliant stunt work by the California Highway Patrol, after 30-40 miles the Prius eventually came to a safe stop.

Judges’ Scores
Originality: 4. Major points deducted for calling 911 mid-incident (sorry, seen that one before).
Authenticity: 3. Stinky, melted brakes aren’t proof that you couldn’t stop — more likely you’re a two-footer (see also “God’s Waiting Room Syndrome”).
Execution: 2. Major points deducted for having a 911 operator tell you to “turn off the ignition” and “put the automobile in neutral” but failing to do so for up to 40 miles.
Medal: Gold. Despite low points total, judges award most coveted accolade in the sport after driver reports he didn’t shift to neutral because “I thought the automobile would flip.”

MOTOR TREND CLASSIC has returned.  And with it comes coverage of “your Classics” and great barn finds from around the world. 

Please send us pics and a brief description of your old car.  Not really looking for hot rods and street rods here.  We take wide definition of “classic” but the less altered the better, but it can be a well-patina’d weekend toy, the most important factor is coolness.

Please email your words and a medium to high res pic to me at Classic@motortrend.com

Also need great barn find stories and pix too.  Send ‘em to the same address. 

MTC will be a high quality, massive format magazine available at choose newsstands. Or you can pre-order your issues at https://www.circsource.com/store/Subscribe.html?offerId=3896. 

The Associated Press reports, “Toyota says it will expand a recall announced last year to fix Tundra pick-up trucks with frames that could rust.”

USA Today adds, “Toyota is going to expand its recall of the 2000 to 2003 Tundra pick-up to include the entire country — not just 20 cold-weather states.”

Pickuptrucks.com says, “Owners of Tundras originally sold or currently registered in the remaining 30 says will be notified by Toyota in the coming weeks. In the original recall, corrosion could lead to spare tires falling from the vehicle’s underside, as well as excessive corrosion affecting brake lines and fuel tank straps.”

The Detroit News points out that the Tundra has been an pricey and problematic model for Toyota. “Toyota spent more than a decade edging into the market with two smaller pickups before the 2007 Tundra, only to have its self-proclaimed most important automobile ever for the U.S. run headlong into stronger competitors, a stumbling economy, a market shift away from pickups and now the company’s own quality problems.” The News adds, “With around $6 billion spent on the Tundra and more than 8 million vehicles now recalled for a variety of defects, it’s worth asking whether Toyota’s huge pick-up was a considered strategic move or a pricey detour.”

If you own Tundra and have questions about the recall, contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.

If you are in the market for a new car, check out the U.S. News rankings of this year’s best cars as well as this month’s best car deals.  

Just yesterday we gave you a rundown of reviewer impressions of the 2011 Ford Super Duty pick-up trucks. With a giant diesel engine that makes 390 horsepower and 735 pound feet of torque, it looked like Ford was going to stay on top of the heavy duty pick-up heap. At least, it looked that way until GM released its new HD pick-up engine numbers.

Pickuptrucks.com reports, “GM announced that the updated 6.6-liter Duramax V-8 diesel for the 2011 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra HD pickups will make 397 hp (at 3,000 rpm) and a mind-blowing 765 pounds-feet of torque (at 1,600 rpm). That’s 105 more pounds-feet of twist than the 2010 Duramax V-8. We just warped our keyboard writing that.”

Still, Autoblog points out that engine power doesn’t always translate into utility. “A closer look at the numbers does reveal some give-and-take, however. The Ford’s maximum tow rating is 24,000 pounds, while GM’s is 20,000 pounds. And while not exactly engine related, the Ford truck also has a higher max payload than the GM twins.”

Pickuptrucks.com states “The Duramax V-8, dubbed ‘LML’ internally, is the latest generation of GM’s HD diesel since it was introduced in 2001. Sixty percent of its parts are new, and Duramax chief engineer Gary Arvan stated it will be 11 percent more fuel efficient than the previous LMM Duramax.”

The updated 2011 Silverado HD was displayed at the Chicago auto show, and reviewers were mostly pleased with what they saw. However, first drives of the Super Duty trucks were extremely positive — so the GM trucks may need all that power to crawl to the top of the class.

What might help is that GM is offering the luxurious Denali trim on GMC Sierra HD trucks for the first time. Motor Trend states “GMC has always been about “Professional Grade” trucks, but the Denali trim level takes it up a notch or two — it’s the package for people who work hard but like to do it in style, too.” The 2011 GMC Sierra Denali HD is currently on display at the National Truck Equipment Association Work Truck Show. Both the 2011 Silverado and Sierra HD trucks are expected to hit dealerships in early summer.

If you are in the market for a new car, check out the U.S. News rankings of this year’s best cars as well as this month’s best car deals.  

If you are a current Toyota owner, GM would like to offer you some cash to switch brands.

Not surprisingly, some people have a problem with that.

The U.K.’s Financial Times reports, “Toyota’s US dealers launched a broadside against General Motors on Tuesday, accusing the Detroit carmaker of using taxpayers’ money to counter generous incentives that Toyota has offered to win back buyers.”

General Motors, along with other automobile brands like Ford and Hyundai, began offering incentives to Toyota owners soon after Toyota’s sticking accelerator recall began. While this type of incentive is not unheard of, the federal government using incentives to persuade automobile owners to change brands is. And since the federal government currently owns 60 percent of GM, that is exactly what the Toyota dealers state is happening.

Autoblog explains: “The Toyota National Dealer Council, which represents approximately 1,250 Toyota dealers across the United States, claims that using taxpayer dollars for this purpose is ‘reckless, unfair and detrimental to the entire auto industry.’”

Paul Atkinson, the head of the council, told USA Today, “It is outrageous that GM is using our taxpayer dollars against us.”

Autoblog comments, “While we believe it’s a potentially rational argument for the TNDC to make, we must remember that no specific evidence has been presented to completely prove their point. GM may be mostly owned by the U.S. government, but it’s still an autonomous company, and no one can state for sure if its marketing decisions are, in any way, influenced by the officials in Washington, D.C.”

The Financial Times points out that this complaint may be just one in a series of tit-for-tat arguments between Japanese and U.S. automobile makers. The Times states that American automobile makers have “long accused Japan of favouring Toyota by, for instance, helping to fund Toyota’s financing arm, keeping foreign vehicles out of the Japanese market and manipulating the exchange rate of the yen.”

Check out the latest Toyota recall news and information, including how the company’s recent troubles affect our rankings. If you are in the market for a new car, check out the U.S. News rankings of this year’s best cars as well as this month’s best car deals.  

The incentive deal appears to be working, according to Edmunds.com. The company stated in this Bloomberg story that Toyota may report a 30% boost in sales in March thanks to the offers. That comparison comes off a particularly bad March 2009 when the recession was hammering auto sales. Still, it’s good news if Toyota can gin up more sales interest when the company’s recall drama is a mainstay in the 24-hour news cycle.

There is a larger point here. As I pointed out in this Bloomberg BusinessWeek story, Toyota’s troubles will put its brand on a more even playing field with its rivals, creating an opening for Ford, Honda, General Motors, Hyundai-Kia and others to steal buyers. The first casualty of Toyota’s problems may be pricing. Getting fat sticker prices is partly a function of brand strength. Toyota’s brand has taken body blows and the company is discounting to lure shoppers to showrooms.

How long will this last? It could be quite a while. GM started 0% financing back in 2001 and never got off the discounting treadmill. To minimize the damage to its pricing, and therefore profits, Toyota will have to find an end to these recalls and tell a credible story that its quality is up to snuff. That means the company has to get a fix that stops these problems with runaway Priuses and other sudden acceleration claims. Only good engineering and time while heal these wounds.

Saab may have benefited from an eleventh-hour rescue, but the brand is not wasting any time in trying to get back on its feet.

Left Lane News reports, “The brand that nearly vanished into the history books is back with just one model range until the summer release of the 2011 9-5, even though a new slushy road-oriented 9-3X finally joins the lineup.” 

That one model is the Saab 9-3, and prices have dropped slightly for 2010. USA Today reports that Saab “says it is lowering prices 4% to 12% compared to the 2009 models.”

Autoblog homes in on one 9-3 variant: ” The most noteworthy ride on just-released the price list? That would be the 2010 Saab 9-3X, the Allroad/Outback style jacked-up, all-wheel-drive SportCombi. Parking one in the garage at your ski home in Aspen will set you back, at minimum, $37,800, including destination.”

In addition to the 9-3X, the 9-3 is available as a wagon (called the SportCombi), a sport sedan, and a convertible. So even though Saab just has the 2010 9-3 for now, there is a lot of diversity in that one model.

Still, Automobile Magazine reports, “With news of Saab’s struggle to survive keeping people from dealerships, sales for Saab totaled 97 for February. Nationwide, Saab dealers have about 500 model year 2009 vehicles for sale.” Production at Saab had been halted while the company’s future was dealt with, but reports indicate that the 2010 models should be headed to the U.S. soon.

If you are in the market for a new car, check out the U.S. News rankings of this year’s best cars as well as this month’s best car deals.  

After some claims that incidences of unintended acceleration were due to the electronic systems in come Toyotas, not sticking throttles, Toyota is fighting back.

The Associated Press reports, “Toyota Motor Corp. plans to try to undercut suggestions that its electronics systems caused the sudden acceleration problems that led to the recall of more than 8 million vehicles.”

USA Today explains, “A professor’s experiment, demonstrated in an ABC News report and described in congressional testimony, alleged that Toyota Avalon’s electronic controls were vulnerable to short circuits. Toyota’s report this day states the experiment’s ‘highly artificial conditions’ would not occur in real use.” The experiments were conducted by David Gilbert.

Kicking Tires adds that in tests conducted by Exponent, a firm hired by Toyota, “The test had the same effect on other manufacturers’ vehicles,” and, in order to replicate the effect, engineers “had to cut into two separate insulated wires. Exponent tested five vehicles, including a Honda Accord and BMW 325i.”

That’s not the only problem being raised about various investigations into Toyotas, and the company’s handling of the recalls.

Gawker took issue with how an ABC News report portrayed unintended acceleration in a Toyota Avalon. Gawker writes, “Brian Ross . . . has been credited with owning the Toyota recall story, including one memorable report with Ross behind the wheel of an out-of-control car. He did it by splicing in staged footage to make it look scarier.”

Autoblog says, “It appears that an editor or producer at ABC felt they could pull a fast one on the audience and used some B-roll in the report showing the tachometer needle sweeping rapidly from near idle to over 6,000 rpm. That clip was injected at the precise moment when David Gilbert triggered his simulated sudden acceleration. . . .the shot of the tachometer clearly shows the warning lights for the parking brake on, the doors open and the transmission indicator in park. The camera operator shot this segment separately so it could be used to illustrate a point in the report, and ABC claims that getting a steady shot during the test would’ve been both difficult and dangerous.”

Gawker adds, “ABC News spokesman Jeffrey Schneider confirmed to Gawker that the tachometer shot was indeed taken from the parked automobile and spliced into Ross’ death ride. But he states the shot was not just taken while someone stepped on the gas pedal—it was filmed while Gilbert performed the same test that caused the acceleration while Ross was driving.”

Autoblog comments, “The B-roll shot doesn’t indicate anything conclusive one way or the other about the validity of the test and certainly doesn’t stand as proof of anything being rigged. However, the lack of transparency by ABC and Mr. Gilbert regarding the specific procedure doesn’t add to the credibility of either the claims or the report, and the lack of clarity by Toyota in its response to Gilbert’s assertions doesn’t do the automaker any favors, either.”

Check out the latest Toyota recall news and information, including how the company’s recent troubles affect our rankings. If you are in the market for a new car, check out the U.S. News rankings of this year’s best cars as well as this month’s best car deals.   

Ford has announced that its 2011 Mustang will not only boast a 305-horsepower V6 but will also net 30 to 31 miles per gallon on the highway and 19 miles per gallon in the city – making it the most fuel-efficient 300-plus-horsepower automobile ever.

“If you want the extra 1 mpg on the highway from your Mustang, order the six-speed automatic,” advises AutoWeek. “Ford states it engineered the transmission with close gear ratios and shift programs to maximize highway fuel economy.”

Left Lane News explains, “Ford states that it was able to achieve these historic numbers through a combination of external aerodynamic changes to the vehicle, in addition to significant efforts to optimize efficiency within the engine and the rest of the drivetrain.”

Autoblog notes that the Mustang’s competitor, the 304-horsepower Chevy Camaro, nets just two miles per gallon less on the highway. “Sure, the new Mustang V6 is only marginally more powerful and efficient than its Camaro counterpart, but clawing above that 30 mpg mark will no doubt get Ford’s thoroughbred some extra ink in the press,” they write.

The Mustang will also offer a 412-horsepower V8 engine, though Ford has yet to announce its fuel economy numbers. The 2011 Mustang goes on sale this spring. According to Edmunds Inside Line, “Ford states more than 11,000 orders have been placed already — with half of those for the V6 version.”

If you are in the market for a new car, check out the U.S. News rankings of this year’s best cars as well as this month’s best car deals.  

DETROIT – For Toyota, U.S. February sales were conveniently reported last Tuesday, while much of the automotive press were in Geneva. It was convenient timing for General Motors, too. The erstwhile automotive giant reorganized its divisional executives on the same day we learned that Ford Motor Company sales in the U.S. exceeded GM sales in February, for the first time since 1998 – if you count Volvo sales as part of Ford (which I haven’t, until now). As I noted from Geneva earlier this week, Ford may be reconsidering its pending deal to sell Volvo to China’s Geely.

The Explorer was largely responsible for FoMoCo beating GM in ‘98, and it’s hard to imagine a massive sport/utility automobile – body-on-frame or crossover – leading such a win today. In recent years, GM has had trouble offering up a single-model bestseller, because most popular models also were Pontiacs, Saturns and Buicks as well as Chevrolets.

No more, and this is why heads rolled just as last month’s sales were reported. GM’s new, constantly shifting management, has stated it anticipates to catch Pontiac and Saturn buyers with its latest Chevy and Buick offerings, which means it anticipates to hold on to about 21-percent market share. It should have benefitted from Toyota’s problems, which includes the fact that some buyers were scared off last month, while others could not purchase certain models for more than a week as Toyota froze sales while it fixed throttle problems.

Leave out Volvo’s sales from Ford and sales of 3,102 Pontiacs, Saturns, Saabs and Hummers from GM, and GM edges out Ford by 1,205 units. We’re falling into the model I’ve long mentioned; North America, like Western Europe, will be dominated by three major automakers (not necessarily the same ones for each market) taking about 18-percent market share each. Toyota is not cooperating in that plan for the U.S. for the moment, though.

Mid-size sedans continue to make up the heart of the market, and the Honda Accord, 22,456 (+40.6 percent) far outsold the Toyota Camry, 16,552 (-19.8 percent), Ford Fusion, 16,459 (+116.5 percent), Nissan Altima, 16,198 (+1.2 percent) and Chevrolet Malibu, 15,150 (+31.6 percent).

That large percentage increase in Fusion sales certainly has something to do with the fact that Ford was clearing out old ‘09 models this time last year as it prepared for the much-improved ‘10 model, Motor Trend’s Car of the Year. But even with sales just short of the Camry and Fusion, it’s obvious GM needs to do something about the Malibu as it speaks about how important the Chevrolet brand is to the company’s future. If the new Buick LaCrosse is any indication, the shift from Epsilon I to the Epsilon II platform could help, even though that is at least two years off.

By the way, I thought it might be an interesting tiny exercise to compare various midsize models sharing platforms. If you combine the popular midsize sedans with their often higher-profit-margin platform mates, here is what you get: Accord/TSX/TL: 26,989; Altima/Maxima: 21,499, Fusion/Milan/MKZ: 20,895; Malibu/LaCrosse: 19,195 and Camry/ES 350: 18,901.

Here’s a quick look at America’s Big Six. I’ll be back with a full report on March sales in early April …

Ford: 142,285, up 43.1 percent.

F-Series sold 32,895, up 39.3 percent. GM was not even close, with 27,118 for Chevy Silverado/GMC Sierra combined. Chrysler sold 10,267 Ram pickups (-29 percent), Toyota sold 5,468 Tundras (-4.5 percent) and Nissan sold 1,721 Titans (+14.1 percent).After F-Series, Fusion was the next-bestseller, then Escape, up 50.2 percent, to 15,156. Then Focus, up 38.4 percent, to 13,708. Taurus was up 93.3 percent (again, compared with an outgoing model), to 6,359 and outsold Mustang.Subtract Volvo’s 4,641 sold (+38.3 percent) and FoMoCo moved 137,644, up 43.3 percent.

GM: 141,951, up 11.5 percent.

Chevrolet, GMC, Buick and Cadillac accounted for 138,849 of that, up 32.2 percent.Chevy Camaro leads its segment, at 6,482 units, versus 5,115 Ford Mustangs (-71.1 percent) and 2,145 Dodge Challengers (-35 percent). Hyundai does not break out coupe sales from Genesis, which sold 1,762 last month.Chevy Silverado was 19,822, up 0.2 percent. Sierra was 6,296, off 1.6 percent.At Cadillac, automobile sales fell, with CTS down 17.5 percent to 2,690, while sport/utility sales were up. SRX rose 541.7 percent (yes, that is right) to 3,542, making it the most popular Cadillac model, and Escalade was 1,418, up 14.5 percent. Escalade ESV was up 32.7 percent, to 552 and the EXT was off 38.6 percent, to 102.

Toyota/Lexus/Scion: 100,027, off 8.7 percent.

Corolla, at 16,996 (-6.1 percent) outsold Camry’s 16,552 (-19.8 percent).Prius was up 10.2 percent, to 7,968.RAV4 was down 19 percent, to 6,799.Toyota division, including Scion, was off 10.3 percent, to 52,827.Scion accounted for just 3,027 units among three models.Lexus was up 5.2 percent, to 13,787.Gainers included Tacoma, up 5.7 percent, to 8,325, 4Runner, up 54.7 percent to 2,973, Lexus GX, up 185.5 percent, to 1,473 and Lexus LS, up 14.1 percent, to 799.

Chrysler: 84,449, up 0 percent, or +399 vehicles.

Losing the hood strakes continues to be to Chrysler’s advantage, with the Sebring up 118 percent, to 3,160. Dodge Avenger was up 78 percent, to 3,442.Chrysler 300 was up 62 percent, to 4,487. Dodge Charger was up 55 percent, to 10,363, and it looks like they are still selling cop cars.Jeep Patriot was up 38 percent, to 2,986. Grand Cherokee was up 40 percent, to 6,614. All other Jeeps were down.Wrangler, for example, fell 34 percent, to 5,967.Dodge Journey was off 10 percent, to 4,139, though Caravan was up 4 percent, to 9,390.

Honda/Acura: 80,671, up 16.7 percent.

Honda division was up 12.7 percent, to 71,732, while Acura was up 16.7 percent, to 8,939.Acura’s vehicles all were down, while its SUVs were up. MDX rose 64.9 percent, to 3,266, for example.Civic was up 5 percent, to 16,471. Fit was down 31.1 percent, to 2,925, and Honda sold 2,104 Insights.

Nissan/Infiniti: 70,189, up 29.4 percent.

Nissan was up 31.9 percent, to 63,148. Infiniti was up 10.7 percent, to 7,041.Nissan Versa was strong, up 130.1 percent, to 11,609.Maxima was up 89.5 percent, to 5,301.Xterra was up 34.8 percent, to 1,490, and Rogue was up 11.4 percent, to 6,143.Murano fell 1.7 percent, to 4,056.

The latest chapter in Toyota’s recall saga has hundreds of people who own vehicles not covered under the recalls complaining about unintended acceleration.

According to the Detroit Free Press, “About 731 owners of Toyota vehicles not covered by two recent recalls have reported sudden acceleration complaints to U.S. auto safety regulators in the past six weeks, a Free Press analysis found.”

The Free Press used the RAV4 as an example. Only the 2009 and 2010 models built in Canada are covered under Toyota’s accelerator pedal recall. However, unintended acceleration problems have persisted beyond just those models. “The Free Press analysis shows NHTSA has had 77 complaints about sudden acceleration in all RAV4 models since Jan. 15. Of those, six were covered by the pedal recall. At least 59 were vehicles built in Japan.”

In three congressional hearings, Toyota executives have insisted that the accelerator pedal and floor mat recalls will solve the unintended acceleration problems. But complaints from owners continue to mount — even from those who have already had their vehicles fixed under the recalls.

“A recurrence of unintended acceleration, even after sticky gas pedals and obtrusive floor mats have been addressed by dealers, would suggest there may be other causes of the loss of speed control in Toyota vehicles,” explains AutoWeek.

The Detroit News states five more people “have reported problems to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s complaint database, describing surges of speed that came without warning. That is on top of at least 15 similar cases found by an Associated Press review of the data on Wednesday.” Edmunds Inside Line states “at least 13 new complaints have been submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration as of Thursday.”

It’s unclear what Toyota plans to do about the continuing complaints. CNN Money writes, “Cindy Knight, a Toyota spokeswoman, stated the company is aware of the post-repair complaints and has asked NHTSA to help Toyota contact the customers in question.”

The recalls and their aftermath have certainly taken a toll on Toyota’s once unsullied reputation. A recent Consumer Reports survey “shows that the embattled automaker should anticipate more customers to jump ship in the short-term,” states Autoblog. They note that data from December 2009 shows 70 percent of Toyota owners were planning on buying a Toyota as their next new vehicle. However, “Just two months later and the number has dipped to 60 percent, dropping Toyota below Honda in overall consideration.”

Check out the latest Toyota recall news and information, including how the company’s recent troubles affect our rankings. If you are in the market for a new car, check out the U.S. News rankings of this year’s best cars as well as this month’s best car deals.  

Ford has announced that its 2011 Mustang will not only boast a 305-horsepower V6 but will also net 30 to 31 miles per gallon on the highway and 19 miles per gallon in the city – making it the most fuel-efficient 300-plus-horsepower automobile ever.

“If you want the extra 1 mpg on the highway from your Mustang, order the six-speed automatic,” advises AutoWeek. “Ford states it engineered the transmission with close gear ratios and shift programs to maximize highway fuel economy.”

Left Lane News explains, “Ford states that it was able to achieve these historic numbers through a combination of external aerodynamic changes to the vehicle, in addition to significant efforts to optimize efficiency within the engine and the rest of the drivetrain.”

Autoblog notes that the Mustang’s competitor, the 304-horsepower Chevy Camaro, nets just two miles per gallon less on the highway. “Sure, the new Mustang V6 is only marginally more powerful and efficient than its Camaro counterpart, but clawing above that 30 mpg mark will no doubt get Ford’s thoroughbred some extra ink in the press,” they write.

The Mustang will also offer a 412-horsepower V8 engine, though Ford has yet to announce its fuel economy numbers. The 2011 Mustang goes on sale this spring. According to Edmunds Inside Line, “Ford states more than 11,000 orders have been placed already — with half of those for the V6 version.”

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At this week’s Geneva Motor Show, Toyota unveiled the European version of the 2011 RAV4, which sports a redesigned front end. The same new styling could carry over to the U.S. version of the SUV when it goes on sale later this year.

However, Car and Driver isn’t so sure. “We don’t anticipate these changes to migrate to American-spec vehicles because our RAV4 just received a face lift for 2009 that brought its visage in line with Toyota’s current SUV lineup,” they comment.

Autoblog speculates on what’s under the hood, noting “early reports indicate that the 2.0-liter gasoline-powered four-cylinder will be tweaked to increase fuel efficiency and decrease CO2 emissions. This particular show automobile features Toyota’s D-CAT clean diesel that we doubt will make it to these shores. There is even speak of a hybrid in the mix.”

Another redesigned SUV making its first appearance at Geneva is the 2011 Kia Sportage. It weighs less than the 2010 model and looks a heck of a lot cooler.

Autoblog says: “What do you think of when you hear the phrase ‘Longer, lower, wider, more spacious?’ You probably did not think of the 2011 Kia Sportage, but you should, because it has all of that on top of a phalanx of powertrain and accessorizing options.”

Left Lane News states the new Sportage “bears a much more rakish overall profile.” They also add, “Although information about the North American-specification Sportage is sparse, we’re anticipating new six-speed transmissions in both the automatic and manual versions, mated to four-cylinder engines, even though we’re not certain if V6 powerplants will be offered.”

According to Edmunds Inside Line, the new Sportage “will offer a wide variety of options, including a new rear-view camera with an LCD display built into the rear-view mirror, leather upholstery, xenon headlamps, keyless entry, engine begin button, satellite navigation and a full-length panoramic glass sunroof.”

Finally, Mitsubishi has unveiled the ASX compact crossover, which is sold only in Europe – but we’ll get a North American version as part of the Mitsubishi Outlander line-up. The company has released details on the new Outlander Sport, which makes its debut at this month’s New York Auto Show and goes on sale in fall 2010.

“Ending much speculation about what will actually power the Outlander Sport in the U.S., Mitsubishi states just a single engine — the automaker’s 2.0-liter four-cylinder gasoline unit — will be available at launch, providing an average fuel economy figure of 30 mpg,” states Motor Trend. “Electronic all-wheel drive will also be available.”

Auto reviewers are already excited about the fuel-efficient new model. Autoblog states it combines “the atmosphere of the Outlander with the ‘on-road attitude’ of the Lancer,” while Edmunds Inside Line simply concludes, “It cannot get here too soon.”

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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has received at least seven complaints from Toyota owners who state they are experiencing unintended acceleration even after their vehicles have been repaired as part of Toyota’s floor mat and accelerator pedal recalls.

“The Los Angeles Times reports that many experts feel the gas pedal, floor mat and brake override repairs aren’t enough, as they do not deal with the actual root of the problem,” explains Autoblog. “Still, we will have to take these new complaints with a grain of salt until NHTSA actually verifies that the allegations are, in fact, true.”

The Associated Press reports on one particular incident in which a man’s “2009 Camry accelerated to about 15 mph on a street near his home on Saturday, five days after a dealership trimmed the gas pedal and installed new brake override software as part of the floor mat recall.” They go on to note that the automobile “didn’t stop for several seconds even though he pressed on the brakes.”

NHTSA is encouraging Toyota owners who have experienced similar situations after Toyota has fixed their vehicles to come forward. Meanwhile, Toyota officials continue to insist “in the strongest terms yet that there was no evidence that an electronic defect might be causing unintended acceleration of its vehicles despite compelling new data suggesting a link,” writes the Detroit News.

The new data comes from auto insurance company State Farm. The Detroit News reports that they “found claims relating to unintended acceleration in Toyota Camry sedans more than tripled in 2002 after the automaker introduced electronic throttle control in the model. Similar claims relating to the smaller Corolla almost tripled in 2005, after it was equipped with electronic throttle control, according to State Farm, which warned the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration about the trends.”

While the government continues to investigate, consumer auto site Edmunds.com is taking the situation into its own hands. It plans to award one million dollars to anyone who addresses unanswered questions about the unintended acceleration problems.

Edmunds writes in a press release: “This problem has been festering for more than 20 years when Audi fell prey to notorious headlines about the subject. Personal anecdotes about unintended acceleration occur throughout Edmunds’ CarSpace forums, the most established automotive community online. … We have heard compelling testimony from consumers. Many incidents are not fully addressed by recalls. NHTSA is responding to the challenge with more of what they have already done: additional investigations. Isn’t it time to try a different approach?”

The company is still drafting rules for the prize and is “attempting to attract the ideal thinkers in the world to apply themselves to determine what is really causing sudden unexpected acceleration in vehicles.” They ask participants to “demonstrate in a controlled environment a repeatable factor that will cause an unmodified new automobile to accelerate suddenly and unexpectedly.”

The government has now tied 52 deaths — an increase from the previous 34 — to Toyota’s unintended acceleration problem. As part of its solution to the problem, Toyota is outfitting recalled models with an override system and plans to equip all new models sold in the U.S. with the system by 2011.

NHTSA is also considering a recommendation that would require all new vehicles sold in the U.S. to be equipped with the system, which would deactivate the accelerator when the brake pedal is pressed.

“A reliable override system could be important to U.S. motorists, relieving anxieties created by the Toyota acceleration reports,” writes the Associated Press.

Left Lane News clarifies that, “Although these systems would not fix the root cause of computer related cases of unintended acceleration, it would at least offer a safety solution to drivers.”

Check out the latest Toyota recall news and information, including how the company’s recent troubles affect our rankings. If you are in the market for a new car, check out the U.S. News rankings of this year’s best cars as well as this month’s best car deals.