Sleuth: The Week of March 9

What’s Nissan thinking? A 480-horsepower sport ute?: While new environmental regulations will eventually force automakers to fill their sport-utility-vehicle-heavy lineups with smaller, thriftier modes of transportation, the market, for the time being, is still hot. The Sleuth hears that Nissan is considering a sport utility version of its GT-R sports car that would use the same 480-horsepower engine. If such a vehicle is under development, the Porsche Cayenne Turbo would be a likely benchmark, just as the 911 Turbo was a benchmark for the GT-R. A four-door variation of the GT-R might be brought to fruition via an Infiniti model. Infiniti is Nissan’s upscale division.

Rear-drive Buick sedan arrives in China first: Although General Motors has put on hold plans for some of its rear-wheel-drive vehicles, it appears Buick might get a new rear-wheel-drive model by 2010 or 2011, the Sleuth hears, although it would be a smaller model, slotting below the LaCrosse sedan. According to AutoWeek magazine, the new model would be based on the next-generation Buick Excelle sedan, which is slated to bow in China by the beginning of next year. The Excelle is comparable in size to the Toyota Corolla and is built on parent GM’s new rear-wheel-drive Alpha architecture. Despite the car’s rear-drive setup, its smaller size would allow GM to fit the Excelle with a smaller engine that would still comply with newly passed fleet-average fuel-economy regulations aimed at improving efficiency.

Audi Q7 V12 on the way: The massive rumbling sound you hear in the distance is something that will blow your socks off. The Sleuth’s big tip this week — and just in time for the Geneva, Switzerland, motor show (March 6-16) — is that Audi will produce a V12 turbo-diesel version of its Q7 sport-utility vehicle. A near-production concept of the 500-horsepower monster will be on display in Geneva. Pre-orders for this Q7 will begin in the second half of 2008 and vehicles should begin arriving on these shores within the next year. All the talk surrounds a 6.0-liter engine similar to the one featured in Audi’s R10 Le Mans (as in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, France) racing car. The new Q will produce 758 pound-feet of torque and be capable of hitting 60 mph in less than 5.5 seconds. Maximum torque is available from just 1,750 rpm on up, making it perfect for around-town driving or even hauling a boat. If this is what “going green” is all about, the Sleuth likes it.

A little water for the VW Scirocco fire: When Volkswagen brand’s former Chief Executive Officer Wolfgang Bernhard rolled the IROC concept Scirocco onto the stage in Berlin, Germany, two years ago, the hype over the gorgeous car hit a fever pitch. The Sleuth has had a look at what the production vehicle and, well, it’s massively toned down. The car was scheduled to make its official debut at the Geneva, Switzerland, auto show that runs March 6-16. By the looks of it, VW has gone more conservative with the exterior, turning it into more of a smaller version of the Rabbit. It still has a long nose, but a very short back end and an interior that also says “Rabbit”. The Sleuth hears that VW is still deciding whether to launch the car in North America by 2010. Go ahead, but, honestly, the Sleuth thinks VW should stick with the original concept.

Porsche to offer a diesel: Man bites dog! The world is flat! Porsche plans to launch a diesel version of its Cayenne sport ute in 2009. Yup. The Sleuth heard this week that Porsche has decided to make fuel economy a bigger priority and will add a twin-turbocharged V6 diesel to the Cayenne lineup. The 3.2-liter unit,which comes from its Audi family member, is expected to produce more than 300 horsepower yet deliver fuel economy of 30 mpg. Rising fuel-economy and emissions regulations worldwide are cited as the primary motivators for the project. Porsche is also known to be planning a Cayenne gas/electric hybrid, but recent rumors suggest the powertrain might not be offered until the next-generation Cayenne arrives in 2010.

Market indicators

Executives sticking to their word and not taking salaries: In the days of corporate executives taking a lot of dough to help turn their companies around, there are more leaders not taking compensation. Ford Executive Chairman Bill Ford made a promise nearly three years ago not to take a salary until the automaker was profitable. That cost him an estimated $25-$33 million in earnings and he still will not accept any payment for 2008. This is despite wishes to do otherwise from the auto giant’s board of directors, according to Ford Motor Company’s 2007 annual report. In May of 2005, Bill Ford decided to deny himself compensation until the company’s automotive sector achieves a full year of profitability. Once Ford is profitable again, Bill Ford will accept payment dating back to 2008. General Motors executives have also not taken bonuses in recent years while the automaker faces its own challenges. How many more years will Ford have to wait? Good question.

Overuse of the word “green:” The Sleuth has a quick question as the auto-show season bends its way to Switzerland this week: Whatever did we talk about when there were no “green” auto shows? The Sleuth has been from Frankfurt, Germany, to Detroit,Mich, to Geneva now and can’t find an auto show that doesn’t have a green theme. Yes, global warming is still out there, but the words “green” and “hybrid” are two of most overused words in the industry. We have marketing departments to thank for that. The Sleuth thinks the auto industry is being singled out just a little too much, so he’s also now advocating “green” and “hybrid” passenger jets, cruise ships, heavy equipment and even lawn mowers.