What car should we buy? Toyota’s troubles are still very present. They just recalled millions of cars for the same problems they’ve had in recent years. GM, Chrysler-Fiat and Hundai are putting out good products. I don’t know what Volkwagen is doing. We can go with the fantasy car. Porsche 918 RSR hybrid race car which won the annual Eyes On Design award for Best Concept. A competition version of the 918 Spyder.

Lets talk reality cars. The new Volkswagen Passat will be built in a brand new $1 billion facility in Chattanooga, Tenn. So buy the thing because it will be assembled in America. The cost will be $8,000 cheaper than last years car but it feels cheaper and looks the same. The reduction in price is a goal of the company to reach 800,000 sales in the U.S. by 2018, part of the company’s plan to overtake Toyota as the worlds biggest car maker.

Here we are 2 years after the big bailout of General Motors and they are bouncing back. The Chevrolet Volt extended-range electric vehicle named the North American Car of the Year is becoming a household word. Lets not leave out the government-financed Chrysler-Fiat merger. Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne says he expects to pay back the U.S. Treasury this year. They have successfully rebooted the Jeep Grand Cherokee. It looks completely different and all Jeep lovers will trade in the old for the new styling.

Gasoline prices are going through the moon roof. Yes $4-5 dollars a gallon is a reality. At least all the car companies have addressed the problem with smaller and leaner vehicles. Go on a diet to fit into these things. I’m 6’2” and I already have a problem with many of the older cars. Ford has a people mover called the C-Max a speculation car just yet that is expected to get better than 40 mpg and will be capable of motoring electrically at nearly 50 mph.

There are electric cars everywhere now. From the Ford Focus electric to the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG E-Cell. I can’t believe the car companies really care about social issues. They probably invested in these electrics because they get extra credit for zero-emission vehicles under the feds’ rules for Corporate Average Fuel Economy. CAFÉ really got the big companies moving in a good way. America make it LAW for car companies to do good for our environment.