Nutson's Nuggets: Last Week's Automotive Factoids (August 22-26) - In Case You Weren't Paying Attention

Each week Larry Nutson, The Auto Channel Chicago Bureau Chief will give you last weeks automotive news highlights you may have missed, or you can catch up on the past 15 years of automotive news HERE in our news archive.

2013 Chevrolet Malibu
* Chevrolet announced this week that the new 2013 Malibu will lead the brands offerings in Europe where they have heretofore marketed mostly little Asian-made cars under the bow tie badge. To be revealed at the Frankfurt Motor Show next month, the significantly redesigned mid-size Malibu sedan will be built in Korea, China and the U.S to be sold in 100 countries.

Non-Car Guy Obama
* Reported in this week's Automotive News was a story emanating from car czar, Steven Rattner's recent book. President Obama, when contemplating bailouts for Chrysler and GM, he writes, asked "Why can't they make a Corolla?" Dan Ackerson, GM's CEO, reflected on that quote during an interview this week on NPR reminding listeners that the best selling car in the compact segment now is the new Chevy Cruze. Good one, Dan!

Cadillac Ciel Concept
* Last weekend's prestigious Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance crowned a rare and exotic French classic Avions Voisin Aerodyn as Best of Show, but sharing attention on the fairways overlooking Monterey Bay was Cadillac's dramatic Ciel concept car - a beautiful 4-door convertible that may hint at a new flagship car for the Cadillac brand. It is powered by a twin-turbocharged version of the 3.6-liter Direct Injection V-6 engine, paired with a hybrid system using lithium-ion battery technology.

2012 Toyota Camry Revealed
* We had our first look and drive of the new Camry this week as Toyota introduced this seventh-generation, white-bread sedan to media and enthusiasts. Many observers agreed that the design, content and pricing are painfully conservative but likely to do well because of a huge reservoir of brand loyalty in the U.S. market. After all, why risk radical changes in a car that has led the market for 13 of the last 14 years. Aggressive pricing, a huge marketing budget and expected incentives will go a long way to ensuring a strong launch.

Woodward Dream Cruise Video
* The largest automotive event in the world, the Woodward Dream Cruise, was attended last weekend by an estimated one million attendees and 40,000 special cars cruising up and down Woodward Avenue through Detroit and suburbs. In spite of a thunderstorm late in the day and occasionally oppressive police oversight, owners and spectators couldn't be discouraged.

RM Monterey Auction Results
* RM Auctions sold 14 cars at over $1 million at the Monterey sale last weekend in conjunction with the Pebble Beach activities. A 1937 Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster brought $9,680,000 and Steve McQueen's 1970 Porsche 911 featured in the epic racing film "LeMans" brought $1,375,000.

Ford and Toyota
* Ford and Toyota announced a partnership to develop hybrid systems for light trucks in order to meet stringent new federal mileage standards. Toyota is generally held to be ahead of most competitors in the evolution of hybrid systems and Ford makes the best-selling pickup with the F-150.

2013 Lexus GS 350 Revealed
* The 2013 Lexus GS 350 will go on sale in February with a new look, larger interior, and better handling and acceleration, following the sedan's debut at Pebble Beach in California. The car has a 306-horsepower, V-6 engine, with optional "F Sport" high-performance and hybrid versions also due next year, he said. "It's the first of many models that will change the game for Lexus," Templin said. The new GS has sportier performance than past versions and "is leading us into a whole new territory," he said.

VW To Show EV Version Of XL1
* Volkswagen will unveil a one-seat experimental car with an electric powertrain next month as the carmaker works to cut emissions and develop future driving concepts. The concept vehicle will be designed for limited journeys and will be presented Sept. 8 in Berlin. The one-seater would be "even better" than the XL1 Super Efficient Vehicle, a diesel-electric plug-in hybrid unveiled in January, which achieves 261 U.S. mpg. In other VW news, in advance of a Franfurt Auto show introduction the Up 3-cylinder city car was unveiled online. At a recent VW media event at U.S. headquarters conflicting opinions prevailed. Marketing and PR say it is not the right car for the US and required changes would be too expensive (safety, emissions, power train). Engineers say the company is nothing if not innovative, and that while it is very unclear that the US will want really small (A-0) sized cars, the "engineers would not be clever if they did not protect for other markets and uses."

Porsche New Models
* Porsche revealed pictures and details of a new lighter, more fuel efficient and powerful 911 Carrera ahead of its debut at next month's Frankfurt auto show. The new 911 looks very much like all the previous generations of the car first launched in 1963. But the latest version of the iconic sports car has been completely redesigned and is slightly larger than the current car with a lower stance. It has a 3.9 inch longer wheelbase and a wider front track. It also has a roomier interior with more rear-seat legroom. Porsche sources said the 911 was made larger so there's enough room for a hybrid-electric powertrain. The 911 has a new, lightweight body made from aluminum and steel instead of the all-steel structure of the current car. The 911 will be offered with a seven-speed manual transmission, a world first, Porsche said.

Subaru BRZ
* Subaru has picked a name for its upcoming rear-wheel drive sporty car: The BRZ. It will be shown at next month's Frankfurt auto show, with the production version debut at the Tokyo show in December. The Subaru BRZ gets its name from the B in boxer engine, the R in rear-wheel drive and the Z in zenith, as in the "ultimate passion" for sports cars, according to Subaru. The sporty coupe is being jointly developed with Toyota Motor Corp.

Hyundai Veloster Reveal+Video
* Hyundai’s Veloster sports coupe will have a base price of $18,060, including shipping. Available for sale next month, the Veloster is front-wheel-drive hatchback with a third door on the rear passenger side. The car is intended to lure Generation Y buyers to Hyundai showrooms and compete with sporty small cars such as the Mini Cooper and Scion tC, Hyundai said. The base Veloster is powered by a 138-hp, 1.6-liter gasoline direct-injection four cylinder engine with a six-speed manual transmission. A new dual clutch transmission -- Hyundai’s first -- is offered as a $1,250 option.

Complete Danica Patrick Press Conference Video
* And lastly, in the world of NASCAR the worst kept secret ever was finally confirmed with the announcement that Danica Patrick will leave the open-wheel IndyCar Series to compete full time next season in the Nationwide Series driving a Chevrolet for JR Motorsports, a team co-owned by Dale Earnhardt, Jr.

That's Them, Thanks for TACH'n Larry