It’s been a pretty good week for news—but the last entry in today’s list? Talk about juicy! Let’s hope there’s some truth to the rumors. Wow… when did I become such a tabloid-loving hack? Anyway, here’s the news:

• Yesterday, I reported about how SUV owners are having trouble unloading their gas-guzzlers. Well, it turns out Mercedes actually saw a rise in sales of its M-Class. Yup, the rich are different. They don’t care how much it costs to fill the tank. CarScoop
• Last year, the auto industry spent 70 million dollars lobbying legislators. That’s a lot cocktails and fancy dinners. Think the all the palm-greasers on the hill are pissed their representatives didn’t put out? Detroit News
• Want some proof that the gas tax holiday John McCain and Hillary Clinton are calling for is pure politics? Even auto industry execs think it’s a bad idea. Come election time remember: these are folks who thought they could buy your vote for less than 30 bucks. Freep
• Since the Nazi-orgy video surfaced, it’s been pretty obvious that Max Mosley’s days as F1 boss are numbered. But exactly why did that video make it into the hands of the tabloids?  After last year’s record fine, some might think McLaren would have a bone to pick. The head of its race program  denies any link, but still… BBC Sport

Like a lot companies, CarDomain runs its servers on Linux. And while that OS is still a little above my head—I’m just happy I can use my iPod—I thought it was interesting to see it’s the system of choice for F1 teams. How long will it be before it’s practical for regular users? Anyway, here’s the news:

• Stop the presses! It looks like RENNtech has made a brake rotor big enough to handle a hi-riser! At 16.2 inches, it’s more than half the size of a pair of "30s, so being donkalicious no longer means having to coast to a stop. Jalopnik
• Hillary Clinton and John McCain want to give consumers a break from the gas tax this summer, and while it sounds nice, it basically means they both think you’re dumber than you look. Carpetbagger Report
• Honda is probably the most boring company in the world, but guess what? America loves boring! Last month, the Accord was the best selling vehicle in the States, and this April isn’t looking bad for it either. Auto Observer
• If you have a few grand to spare and want to get a feel for what Audi’s burly new 420 horsepower R8 can do, you might want to check out Audi’s "driving camp" in Cali. Hey, burning rubber beats the hell out of weaving baskets. AutoWeek
• Volvo has built its reputation on safety, so it can’t be happy about having to recall 65,000 cars. The problem? A software glitch is delaying the deployment of side-impact airbags. This is one situation where late really isn’t much better than never. CarScoop

Most of the time, I feel like I could fill the space at the top of this post with a bunch of random words and no one would notice. Today, I was really tempted to try. Anyway, here’s the news:

• While most auto journalists are just snapping photos and drooling over Dodge’s new Challenger in the Windy City, some have actually been lucky enough to get one on the track. Lucky bastards. Auto Week
• According to their Prez, the United Auto Workers haven’t endorsed one of the Democratic candidates because they aren’t sure which one to pick. Here’s a hint: pick the one that can win. Detroit News
• Many analysts are speculating that Tata’s $2500 car might trigger higher gas prices around the globe, and the reasoning seems sound. One person who doesn’t agree? The president of Tata. Winding Road
• States handle cars with rebuilt titles differently, which makes it easy for unscrupulous sellers to white-wash junkers by transferring them around the country. But now consumer groups are pushing for a solution. Automotive News

On the eve of Super Tuesday, United Auto Workers President Ron Gettelfinger said a McCain presidency would be unacceptable to his

union. This hardly comes as a surprise, given the Arizona Senator wasn’t terribly optimistic—or, um, optimistic at all—about jobs

returning to the Motor City. While he stopped short of endorsing either Democratic candidate, he somewhat tellingly didn’t endorse Mitt

Romney, who was born in Detroit and promised to make economic woes in Michigan a priority. When Gettelfinger actually makes his

endorsement, we’ll let you know. More at Winding

Road.