This weekend was awesome, but all the fun I had left me feeling pretty drained. Damn, I really didn’t want to get out of bed this morning. Anyway, here’s the news:

• For the last couple of years, the Corvettes have basically had the American Le Mans Series’ GT1 class to themselves. Let’s hope they enjoyed it, because it looks like GT1′s days are numbered. Auto Week
• Here’s some evidence the General is taking its finances pretty seriously these days: the company isn’t buying any Superbowl ad time. Since the commercials are probably my favorite part of the game, I can’t say I’m too pleased about the decision. Anyone remember how awesome they were in ’99 and ’00? Jalopnik
• Jaguar has registered the names C-XF and C-XE. In case you’re wondering, the "C" stands for concept, so we’ll probably be seeing some trick new rides from Jag in the near future. Think the XE will be a reborn E-Type? World Car Fans
• John McCain has said that he’s bought American cars all his life. Except for those five foreign cars he currently owns. Oops. Detroit News

In one of his recent campaign ads, John McCain compared Barack Obama toParis—famous for being famous—Hilton. Well, Paris apparently wasn’thappy about it, and has fired back with an ad of her own. The spot details her energy policy, and while the whole thing is pretty funny, the description of McCain—"he’s old enough to remember when dancingwas a sin, and beer was served in a bucket"—is hilarious. Anyway, here’s the news:

• Unless you’re making high-end luxury cars, it’s a tough time to be in the auto business. Even the mighty Toyota is laying people off. 800 contract workers in Japan have been let go. Wall Street Journal
• The Lotus Evora is probably going to get a supercharger, which will boost power to around 400 horsepower. While that’s all well and good, maybe they should just put the camo back on this design disaster. That car was so much cooler when it was "Project Eagle" and nobody knew what it looked like. Autocar
• Packard made some gorgeous machines back in the day, and now the rights to the luxury marque are up for sale. Do yourself a favor and don’t look at the prototype. Damn, it’s ugly. Automotive News
• Next-gen versions of Porsche’s Cayenne have been spotted in the wild, and you have to admit, the uber-powerful SUV looks a lot better when it’s riding low. World Car Fans

Drunk driving is a serious crime, and if you get busted doing it in Arizona, the authorities make sure you pay. Check out this article on how the Grand Canyon State treats people convicted of DUI. The first paragraph is a little weepy, but I thought the rest was interesting. Anyway, here’s the news:

• Engineers over at the General are working their tails off to get the Volt ready for production in 2010, but John McCain apparently thinks that a super-battery is just around the corner. Of course, this is the same guy who thinks you’ll believe he’s completely different from a man he voted with more than 95% of the time. Jalopnik
• GM is going to begin airing a commercial that’s basically a "Dear John" letter to Big Oil. It’s a funny concept, but something tells me this relationship isn’t completely on the skids. Automotive News
• As sales of full-size trucks and SUV slow to a trickle, Ford is planning to reconfigure some truck plants so they can produce small cars. Sounds like a smart move to me. Detroit News
• The Indy Racing League probably won’t be too stoked if she jumps ship, but it looks like Danica Patrick is getting pretty friendly with Honda’s F1 team. Winding Road
• Getting lost sucks, and it sucks even worse when you’re burning up $4-per gallon gas. So have you ponied up and bought a GPS? Or are you just using mapping sites more? Our buddies at Automotive Traveler want to know. Automotive Traveler

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

Rental cars companies know that most people get a kick out of abusing their cars, and since it’s probably not good to preemptively scold customers, they just try to stick it to us in other ways. So if you want to save a little money next time you have to rent a car, check out the 6 Secrets Rental Cars Don’t Want You to Know. I found it pretty informative—or maybe I just like sticking it to the man. Anyway, here’s the news:

• The General says that it will be able to keep up with demand for the its award-winning and popular Malibu, despite the strike at American Axle. Good news for Chevy dealers, bad news for AA. Auto Observer
• Remember when all those Explorers were flipping in the early ’90s? Even those owners that didn’t wind up topsy-turvy took a financial hit, as their vehicle’s resale value tanked. Now a California judge has ordered Ford to compensate them. Automotive News
• Will we see a "people’s bike" in the next few years? The idea might not be that far-fetched, as VW honcho Ferdinand Piech says the company might buy a motorcycle manufacturer. Stay tuned. AutoWeek
• Remember how popular Vanilla Ice was before he went back to being Robbie Van Winkle? That’s what this review of the new GTR—which says it’s more fluffy kitten than Godzilla—reminds me of. Looks like Mr. Angry isn’t the only one underwhelmed by Nissan’s halo car. LA Times
• Everybody likes taxes. Everybody hates paying more for gas. That’s stuff nobody likes. But is suspending the gas tax—as John McCain has suggested—a good idea? Probably not. Wired

My grandmother loved to drive. Way back in the ’20s, she was the first woman on her street to get a license. But when she decided she wasn’t safe behind the wheel, she sold her Buick, and everyone in the family was really proud of her. So I have to hand it to this English chap who just made the same decision.  You have to admit, 76 years without an accident is pretty impressive. And the wreck which prompted his retirement? Well, that was pretty impressive too. Here’s the news:

• Oil is now $113 a barrel, which is a new record. Of course, the rising prices don’t have as much to do with oil production as they do with the fact that the dollar is in the toilet. Auto Observer
• Ma Mopar is in talks with Fiat—which owns Alfa Romeo, Ferrari and Maserati—to produce Alfa-branded cars in US factories. So I know a cheap, Italian-designed, RWD, 2+2 is out of the question, but I that doesn’t mean I’m going to stop begging for one. Automotive News
• In other Italian news, Ferrari race cars will no longer wear Marlborough livery, as it turns out there are only three countries—Bahrain, Monaco and China—that still allow tobacco ads on race cars. I have to wonder, how long will it be before tobacco companies become invisible? AutoWeek
• John McCain wants the Big Three to take care of themselves. If he becomes president, there won’t be any bailout. Strange… it’d seem like someone so eager to go to war would want to keep some heavy industry Stateside. Detroit News
• The folks at Tesla are busy trying to shake the perception that the Roadster is vaporware—for the record, I think it’s not—but that hasn’t stopped them from suing Henrik Fisker. They say his ultra-gorgeous Karma is a direct competitor to the sedan he designed for the California company. Wired

Well, we knew it was coming: the Indy Racing League and CART have gotten back together. Most of the details have been keep secret, but we were able to learn a few things. IRL has promised to help out around the house more, and CART says IRL’s friends are welcome anytime. Let’s hope those two kids make it work. Here’s the news:

• GM’s Bob Lutz is standing by his declaration that global warning is a "total crock of shit." Since Lutz is in his ’70s, his statement makes us think of four words: mandatory, retirement, John, and McCain. Automotive News
• Tata is planning to release the world’s cheapest new car, but of late, the company has been making the kind of noise usually associated with polysyllabic supercar manufacturers. Today’s big news?  Sales will start in October 2009. AutoObserver
• Yup, Bentleys are pricey. They’re actually so pricey that even when they’re sold as salvage, they can set records. Check out how much this banged up Continental GTC brought at auction. AutoExpress
• It’s been a long time since Pontiac actually built excitement, and it’s hoping to change that with the new G8. But did they pull it off? Popular Mechanics

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.