This past summer’s widescale auto discount, or “employee pricing” programs and car manufacturer’s attempts to ween themselves from such initiatives are discussed over at Autoweek.

Ron Lieber:

Geico, however, lived up to its marketing. Its slick Web site was easy to use and returned a quote of $711.90 for six months. USAA, which covers only current and former members of the U.S. military and their families (that’s us), came in at about $10 more when we called. But the rep noted USAA offers a $50 rebate to customers who buy child car seats. Plus, he told us, it pays an annual dividend averaging 7% to all policyholders depending on how the company performed that year. USAA also had a high J.D. Power ranking.

Bob Lutz on diesels, hybrids and fuel cells:

The addition of a second hybrid mode to the drive system improves efficiency, and reduces the need for large electric motors found in typical single-mode systems available today. And we’re putting it on our largest vehicles first, where it will have the greatest effect on fuel consumption.
However, the two-mode system will be scalable, meaning it’s suitable for use in a variety of front-drive, rear-drive and all-wheel-drive vehicles.
In the long-term, GM sees the hydrogen fuel cell as an opportunity to transform our entire industry. Our progress in fuel cell research has been seen before, especially in our show cars the GM AUTOnomy, Hy-wire and Sequel. These vehicles clearly demonstrated that fuel-cell-powered cars can become a reality.

Peter DeLorenzo on the state of the SUV, long a profit engine for many auto makers, including Toyota and Nissan, who both have large volume truck businesses. GM Janesville, will, I hope continue in the face of these changes.

Patrick Paternie on US culture and station wagons:

The term station wagon has evolved from a G-rated to an X-rated word and back again among U.S. automotive marketers. But love it or call it a five-door sedan, the station wagon is the iconic American automobile.
Station wagons flourished along with the growth of two other definitive aspects of the modern American lifestyle, the suburbs and the interstate. The epitome of nuclear family-era transportation, a roomy, luxurious station wagon and a AAA TripTik was a recipe for family bonding and adventure before National Lampoon’s Vacation and the Griswolds turned it into a rolling-disaster movie script.
By the end of the 1950s station wagons accounted for nearly one of five new car sales. It was the aspirational vehicle of the period, as evidenced by the Country Squire’s status at the top of Ford’s lineup.

Tyler Cowen posts the list.

Jeff Sabatini (finally) takes a look at the real mileage performance of Toyota’s latest hybrid: The $50K RX400h:

Certainly, it is the Prius’s above-average fuel economy that Toyota has to thank for its image as a green car company. Environmental advocates do not proclaim the righteousness of all things Toyota based on the 958,888 light trucks and S.U.V.’s that it sold in the United States last year, fully 47 percent of its total sales. By comparison, only 53,991 Priuses were sold in 2004, though the company has stated that it plans to double that number this year.
It is understandable that Toyota would like to transfer the Prius’s hybrid chic and green patina to other products. To this end, a hybrid version of the Toyota Highlander S.U.V. was also introduced this year, and the automaker has announced plans to add both a hybrid version of its Camry, the nation’s best-selling sedan, and a hybrid Lexus GS sport sedan next year. Whether these vehicles will be gas misers like the Prius or thirstier performance-oriented hybrids like the RX 400h remains to be seen.
My first seat time in the Lexus hybrid came over a weekend in which I drove the 200 miles from Chicago to Grand Rapids, Mich. I spent a lot of time on the freeway, but I also traveled some back roads and slogged through a couple of stop-and-go city stints. By the time I returned to Chicago, I had put 531 miles on the odometer and calculated my fuel economy at 20.9 m.p.g.