Motorhead takes King of the Dittoheads to school
As you may have heard, Motor Trend magazine has named the Chevy Volt its “Car of the Year:”
“some of the most advanced engineering ever seen in a mainstream American automobile … Attention to detail is impressive … The front end graphic is outstanding — strong, confident, and tastefully upscale … Just counting the gas, the Volt returned 126.7 mpg. Converting the gas used to energy used (79.5 kW-hr) and adding that figure to the electrical energy used gave us a notional 72.9 mpg. … Moonshot. Game-changer. A car of the future that you can drive today, and every day.”
But Rush Limbaugh wasn’t impressed with the latest offering from the much-despised “Government Motors”:
“Folks, of all the cars, no offense, General Motors, please, but of all the cars in the world, the Chevrolet Volt is the Car of the Year? Motor Trend magazine, that’s the end of them. How in the world do they have any credibility? Not one has been sold. The Volt is the Car of the Year.”
Todd Lassa of Motor Trend then responded to Rush’s attack on his magazine’s credibility with a rebuttal that is, shall we say, a little pointed.
“Our credibility, Mr. Limbaugh, comes from actually driving and testing the car, and understanding its advanced technology. It comes from driving and testing virtually every new car sold, and from doing this once a year with all the all-new or significantly improved models all at the same time. We test, make judgments and write about things we understand….
“If you can stop shilling for your favorite political party long enough to go for a drive, you might really enjoy the Chevy Volt. I’m sure GM would be happy to lend you one for the weekend. Just remember: driving and Oxycontin don’t mix.”
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361 comments Add your comment
Logical Dude
November 24th, 2010
5:25 pm
capitalism and war says: “where will we get a secure supply of dilithium crystals?”
I’m telling you, this is why we need the singularity drive. the lack of dilithium crystals is a huge factor in being able to move to singularity drives. Of course, there is the risk of making your ship a black hole if the singularity gets too much mass, but I think that risk is better than trying to invade the whole Klingon empire when they have the Ferengi’s on their side.
FYI says: “who gives a @3$% what Limbaugh says?”
Funny you should ask this. I think it’s more about the witty retort in response to what Limbaugh says.
dave
November 24th, 2010
5:36 pm
Man who listens to Rush have limpbaughlls.
"Information becomes a distraction, a diversion, a form of entertainment" - BHO, May 1, 2010
November 24th, 2010
5:38 pm
The Volt isn’t what GM promised it would be. The gas engine in the Volt powers the wheels !!
This makes the Volt an “Ultra-Hybrid” not an all-electric car.
The Nissan Leaf is the real, electric-only car and it’s half the price of the Volt.
The Chrysler/GM bailout was and continues to be a gigantic mistake.
John Galt
November 24th, 2010
6:11 pm
“Government Motors” is a correct name. Apparently Motor Trend couldn’t defend its position like adultsw, with facts, but resorted to a sophomoric low blow. You leftist don’t get that you don’t have to be perfect in order to have an opinion. Their spokesman’s response shows that the Democrats do in fact own that particular magazine.
If you voted Republican, which the MAJORITY of America did last week, you should consider this choice and this rebuttal before buying another copy of that magazine.
Sincerely, stupid and mindless because I don’t agree with the liberals, I am
John Galt
PS- Can we discuss this choice again in this column after 1,000 Volts have been sold and those buyors have figured out how to recharge the batteries?
BADA BING
November 24th, 2010
6:12 pm
I guess they can congratulate obama on the Sherman Tank and the Space Shuttle as well as the Volt, considering they were all designed before he came into office.
BADA BING
November 24th, 2010
6:15 pm
I want to ask obama if the Volt is going to be sold in all 57 states.
Adam
November 24th, 2010
6:27 pm
John Galt – You leftist don’t get that you don’t have to be perfect in order to have an opinion. Their spokesman’s response shows that the Democrats do in fact own that particular magazine.
Point 1) You are saying that one need not be perfect to have an opinion. Yet, you expect that the Motor Trend guy be perfect before he expresses his.
Point 2) One does not have to be a Democrat to make a statement such as the one made. You need only be attacked for no reason other than you have said something is good that Rush thinks is bad, just because GM made it.
If you voted Republican, which the MAJORITY of America did last week, you should consider this choice and this rebuttal before buying another copy of that magazine.
Am I going to nitpick for no reason other than to nitpick? WHY YES I AM. The public didn’t vote last week. They voted on November 2, over 3 weeks ago.
Adam
November 24th, 2010
6:29 pm
BADA BING: Who is praising Obama for this? I’m liberal and I know he had no hand in the design, creation, or anything except having helped the company stay alive through the bailout which is being paid back.
Oddly, the most capitalist thing Obama could have done is what he did: he invested in the company and he’s getting the company to give him a return on the investment. And no, I don’t mean the car. I mean the money is being paid back, with interest.
I'm rich and your not.
November 24th, 2010
7:09 pm
Think he’s going deaf from listening to himself all these years?
Adam Redux
November 24th, 2010
7:10 pm
Only a financially astute imbecile as Adam would consider shelling out $50B and getting back $7B and calling that a return of money with interest. I suppose the bond holders who were screwed in the whole thing should be happy now……..
"Information becomes a distraction, a diversion, a form of entertainment" - BHO, May 1, 2010
November 24th, 2010
7:19 pm
If you really do the math it is fairly simple regarding all-electric cars.
First – You need to be on solar power to make it worthwhile.
Second – The tax breaks you ‘ll receive from Uncle Sam are pretty good. It’s approx. 30%.
Third – Most buyers are going to “plug-in”. Where does the juice come from?
Conclusion – If you have the money, add solar panels and buy a Leaf. It takes about 6 years to break even.
Adam
November 24th, 2010
7:26 pm
I think you missed the part where I said “being” paid back. As in, it isn’t over yet. They still owe money and are still paying it. Anyway your admission that we are getting some back is at least better than some other ridiculous arguments I’ve heard.
Taxpayer30189
November 24th, 2010
9:18 pm
This is the only way Jay can get attention.
Sid Farcas
November 24th, 2010
10:38 pm
Rush aggrivates the piss out of Book Man. Jay is such a turd.
Lil' Barry Bailout
November 24th, 2010
10:47 pm
If it’s such a great car, why do taxpayers have to subsidize it with a $7500 rebate?
Adam
November 24th, 2010
11:00 pm
If it’s such a great car, why do taxpayers have to subsidize it with a $7500 rebate?
Uh… they don’t? WTF do you think a rebate is? Do you think other dealers don’t have rebates?
Adam Redux
November 24th, 2010
11:10 pm
Uh…no…..imbecile…..other manufactures don’t recieve tax credits for selling their cars. Only guvmint motors has that little nugget.
Adam
November 24th, 2010
11:24 pm
That is incorrect. Other dealers also get tax credits and have always gotten rebates. Look it up.
lynnie gal
November 24th, 2010
11:59 pm
How big is the Chevy Volt? I don’t think Limbaugh can fit his fat ass into the driver’s seat so I doubt he’ll borrow one for the weekend–
Ken
November 25th, 2010
12:33 am
Of you old enough to remember, the GM Vega was Car of The Year. The only GM Car of Year that wasn’t a looser was the Corvette.
Ken
November 25th, 2010
12:44 am
lynnie gal, you must be a liberal, Rush only weighs 195. Be nice.
Sa Vant
November 25th, 2010
12:52 am
I’ll keep my V-8 gas guzzler. Liberal weenies, green-necked hippies (they never wash), elitist magazine writers and effete newspaper columnists can suck the tailpipe on my AMG.
Ron Hyatt
November 25th, 2010
4:38 am
When you commie wackos support new nuclear power plants to power the Chevy Vole, come see me. Otherwise, go lick your balls you Obamajamas. Fark each and every one of you unlubed, you Anti American tards.
Quick drum roll and bada bing
November 25th, 2010
6:07 am
Good to see someone call that fat, uninformed, druggie what he is. Can’t believe people listen (very long) to that fool.
zeke
November 25th, 2010
6:17 am
Mr. Lassa is definitely brain dead, brain washed or whatever! MAINSTREAM AMERICAN CAR? WHAT AN IDIOT! UNTIL THEY CAN MAKE AN ELECTRIC POWERED CAR THAT YOU CAN DRIVE FROM NYC TO LA, IT WILL NOT BE WORTH THE INTEREST ON THE LOAN TO BUY IT! IF THEY CAN FIGURE OUT HOW TO RECHARGE IT WHILE DRIVING, MAYBE THEN IT WILL CATCH ON! BUT, ONLY IF THE PRICE COMES CLOSE TO OR LESSER THAN CURRENT MODELS! ALSO, THE SIZE MUST COME CLOSE TO AN IMPALA, LINCOLN CONTINENTAL OR A BIG BUICK! AND, THE GOVERNMENT MUST QUIT USING YOUR AND MY TAX DOLLARS TO SUBSIDIZE IT SO THAT PEOPLE WHO REALLY DO NOT WANT IT WILL BUY IT!
SuperB
November 25th, 2010
7:24 am
Rush Limbaugh get more “gas mileage” than any automobile!
Adam Redux
November 25th, 2010
7:39 am
Always the out is to ask someone else to prove your case for you…..nice try. Please explain all the tax credits that Toyota is recieving for their cars. Toyota has the US government after it trying to insuniate the car is having issues. Last I checked Japanese cars (made in USA) lead the world in quality.
vince neil
November 25th, 2010
7:52 am
First of all..to all the Obama cool aid drinkers out there..the Volt was planned waaaaaay before GM pulled it’s fake bankruptcy and the O facilitated the largest payoff to Unions every foisted upon ANY citizenry ever!!!! Second, this POS requires at least a 7.5k bribe to have people look at it..much like Toyota has to subsidize the horrible Prius….(like you giving your friend $100 to date your sister)…Third, what do you do with the stupid used up batteries after this junk heap has expired…Fourth. Motor Trend is the weasel of all Car Magazines..I have read all of them since high school…..Fifth, a coal burning plant will be required to produce power for this idiot mobile because the envrio weenies will not allow nukes or hyrdo plants to make the electricity these boring cars will require..and lastly….if the market wants any of these stupid cars they will get wait in line for them..not happening…
OBAMAMOTORS
November 25th, 2010
8:11 am
Limbaugh’s right. No one will drive the VOLT. Todd Lassa doth protest too much. He needs a pink slip. Course he won’t because he is protecting his Marxist leader.
Lil' Barry Bailout
November 25th, 2010
8:22 am
Taxpayers, not dealers, are paying the rebates to get folks to buy this turd. Nice try at misdirection, Adam, but you failed.
Kevin
November 25th, 2010
8:38 am
I hope Motor Trend is ready for the protests from advertisers that is going to follow.
And, honestly, they deserve it. Rush didn’t directly slam the magazine, but they responded with a personal attack.
Personally, I think they need to pay dearly for their mistake.
Dave
November 25th, 2010
9:29 am
Have you seen the Volt? If you had you would not want it and the people that buy it would be just a status symbol. This is Obama’s and his Unions dream car and our nightmare as tax payers.
The Thin Guy
November 25th, 2010
10:12 am
Why didn’t the Chevy Volt win the Nobel Peach Prize? I’d like to have one. But with a price tag of $ 40k only rich propagandists for the DNC like Jay Bookman can afford one. When a Volt drives over an Ohm does it produce an Amp?
itpdude
November 25th, 2010
10:13 am
Limbaugh is a tool. He has not even driven the car, eh? But he rips the car anyways. Nice. Does he review books without reading them, too?
Skitty Fritty
November 25th, 2010
10:31 am
Buyer Beware, factor in the higher initial purchase price and the ongoing maintenance before you buy. I would ask a couple of key questions:
1) How much is a new battery and how long will the new one last?
2) Does the car come with a spare tire?
These electric/hybird cars aren’t what you think they are.
Skitty Fritty
November 25th, 2010
10:34 am
What if the free market would have been allowed to function and GM would have gone under? We would probably have a new car company right now started by ex GM workers who want to make a quality car the public is asking for, kinda like Saturn?
Interesting when Eastern Airlines was allowed to fail, the airline industry didn’t cease to exist. If there is market/public demand then someone will fill the void because there is OPPORTUNITY for many involved.
Don
November 25th, 2010
10:35 am
“Both Jay and Cynthia are pushing START today. Reports are Obama is using every waking moment pushing for ratification. Perhaps he called/email them.”
As are the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Pentagon. Why do republicans hate america?
Don The Beater
November 25th, 2010
11:58 am
Don………when did you stop beating your “partner”?
Chevy Volt tops Prius in fuel economy rating – Reuters | occasion auto : blog généraliste
November 25th, 2010
12:37 pm
[...] Shows Results Will VaryGreentech Media (blog)Leading the ChargeLos Angeles TimesTG Daily -Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) -Jalopnik (blog)all 515 news [...]
JohnnyReb
November 25th, 2010
12:38 pm
Adam@11PM – the $7500 is not a manufacturers rebate; its a Government tax credit – money out of the pocket of everyone who TRULY pays taxes. The whole GM scenario is a publicity scam, just like GM paying back some owed the government. GM paid it back using Stimulus funds received from Obama. It was like paying your VISA bill with your Master Card.
Adam
November 25th, 2010
12:47 pm
Always the out is to ask someone else to prove your case for you…..nice try. Please explain all the tax credits that Toyota is recieving for their cars.
That’s exactly what YOU’RE doing right there. Nice try. Plus you’re focusing on a single company, when many companies have rebates and tax credits.
Toyota has the US government after it trying to insuniate the car is having issues. Last I checked Japanese cars (made in USA) lead the world in quality.
You may be right about those two things, but I wasn’t talking about that. I’m actually fairly sure that you’re right about Japanese cars, but have no idea about the Toyota issue. It wouldn’t surprise me though.
LBB: You keep saying that (about taxpayer money paying for the incentive), but you have no proof. Unless you’re trying to say that the government bailout means that necessarily there must be some taxpayer money poured into every aspect. That I agree with, except for the key issue of it’s getting paid back so I still think of it more as an investment than a sinkhole of taxpayer money. Plus taxpayers are not STILL paying for anything. The money is spent already, and the government is just waiting to get the money back. Hence the investment aspect. If you feel this strongly about taxpayer money being fungible, why aren’t you also upset about what the Chamber of Commerce did?
zeke: Your all caps explanation was hard to read, because it was all caps. However, after reading it I found you to be incorrect. Your premise is that the Volt is an all electric car, which it is not. It is a hybrid. It’s range is only limited by how far it is to the next gas station in relation to how much MPG it gets on its tank, plus whatever charging was done prior to that.
Adam
November 25th, 2010
12:49 pm
JohnnyReb – Other cars have tax credits that the consumer can put on their taxes. It’s not all GM.
JoeSquid
November 25th, 2010
1:30 pm
GM used to be a sponsor of the Rush Limbaugh show before the government takeover of the company. Rush gave away GM vehicles on his show before, but Rush is just calling it like it is. Nobody would choose this GM car over the Camaro or even one of the Buicks if given the choices to rank them car of the year. Yeah, the whole green thing is great for advertising and appeasing the liberals BUT now you have to consider the disposal of these batteries. I see disposal fees for recycling/removing of metals for proper disposal. The Green Movement is just another money making scheme that many Americans don’t want to be forced to be a part of, but between the government and media they have no choice.
Adam
November 25th, 2010
2:16 pm
JoeSquid: Motor Trend rated the car on more than just “it’s green.” And I don’t think the general U.S. public is being “forced” into a “Green Movement.” You may have a different view if you live in an area where there are a lot of people who want to be green and pass laws to make it happen, but that doesn’t happen everywhere, not even in most places.
Plus, disposal of the batteries is about the same as any other car service – you’re unlikely to be handling the dirty work when you just bring your car in for service. You just pay for all the fees etc.
Lil' Barry Bailout
November 25th, 2010
3:20 pm
Adam, the federal goby is sending $7500 of SOMEBODY’S money to Volt buyers. Taxpayers will eventually have to repay the Chinese for these rebates. Why sous a car that doesn’t suck need it’s own mini-bailout?
Adam
November 25th, 2010
3:33 pm
LBB: It’s a government incentive to get a fuel efficient car. Aside from that, what are you worried about? I thought these things won’t sell very well? Surely the taxpayer doesn’t have to foot that much of a bill if very few of these cars are sold, right?
Adam
November 25th, 2010
3:47 pm
It took a lot of effort, but I found a list of 5 cars (which is nowhere near a complete list, there are quite a few more) that get you a large tax credit. Even though this particular page says the credit is $4500, the range of a tax credit right now for fuel efficient cars is $2500-$7500. The following link shows 5 qualifying cars:
http://hubpages.com/hub/5-Cars-to-Maximize-4500-Clunker-Tax-Credit
None of them are GM cars. Other articles illustrate how this tax credit applies to other vehicles and allows you to get anywhere from $2500 to $7500. However, I cannot post too many links in a single post if I want it to appear. A Google search of “tax credit for fuel efficient cars” does the trick.
So now, you can all shut up about how it’s ONLY GM, or ONLY the Volt, or how it’s all about a government controlled company giving you tax credits and the taxpayers only paying for it somehow because it’s GM.
You are wrong, and I have just proven it. Be thankful. Happy Thanksgiving!
Sa Vant
November 25th, 2010
5:09 pm
For much less than the kind of absurd money this hippie-turkey auto costs, you could get a VW GTI, a vehicle that combines turbo-power, handling, utility and good gas mileage.
Lil' Barry Bailout
November 25th, 2010
6:19 pm
Cars that people WANT don’t need taxpayer-funded rebates to sell.
GM Volt: Coal-powered turd with a 40 mile range.
Adam
November 25th, 2010
6:30 pm
LBB: There you go about the range, proving that you have only heard and repeated something. The 40 mile range is not true, and I and several others in this very post have told you that already. There is no “range” on a hybrid, plus it goes a lot further on a full charge than 40 miles. Get your facts straight. Again.
Adam
November 25th, 2010
6:32 pm
By the way LBB, what PEOPLE want is not the same as what YOU want. That’s one of the first rules of business. Everyone is different and wants something different. Clearly, you have no concept of this.
Sa Vant
November 25th, 2010
10:07 pm
The range issue is not the prime reason for why it will flop. It is neither stylish nor powerful, but the main strike against it is simple market economics: It is way overpriced for the features it promises.
Not good value for the money. That a few auto journalists have a hard on for it is totally meaningless as far as translating into real sales to real people. These lemmings will continue to flock to the Civic (even though the VW Jetta is completely superior).
Lil' Barry Bailout
November 25th, 2010
10:08 pm
GM says the range is 40 miles on a full charge. Pathetic.
Adam
November 26th, 2010
9:53 am
There IS NO RANGE ISSUE. It’s a HYBRID!
Lil' Barry Bailout
November 26th, 2010
12:46 pm
There IS a lameness issue though…40 miles until the turd turns back into a dirty, polluting, gas powered GM POS.
Lil' Barry Bailout
November 26th, 2010
4:24 pm
Mr.Lassa is clearly an unhinged, hate filled libbtard as demonstrated by his statement personally attacking Mr. Limbaugh, who could buy and sell Lassa’s rag if he chose to.
Adam
November 26th, 2010
7:34 pm
Yes, clearly fighting back against someone attacking you makes you a spineless liberal.
Lil' Barry Bailout
November 27th, 2010
10:06 am
EPA says the “Car of the Year” goes 35 miles on it’s battery before needing to connect to a coal fired power plant for a recharge. EPA finds that after the battery dies it gets 37 mpg burning gasoline.
BT55
November 28th, 2010
12:51 am
Mr Limbaugh is in negotiations to supply the Santa Ana Winds in So. Ca. (hot, dry,abundant, and delivered from an improbable place).
Adam
November 28th, 2010
12:32 pm
Wow, 37 MPG was better than I expected. Nice.
Lil' Barry Bailout
November 28th, 2010
10:05 pm
Not compared to the Toyota Prius…51 MPG and it costs about $19,000 less than the Volt.