Dallas Morning News autowriter now GM fluffer

In the Sunday business section of The (Fast Hemorrhaging) Dallas Morning News, auto writer Terry Box goes into full fluff mode about GM’s 100th anniversary, coming up on Tuesday, and the tie-in with GM’s plant in Arllington (home of sucker citizens and rich sports team owners).

Among the fluffery from Box, who regularly bashes hybrids as “underpowered” in his Automotive section scrivenings, is this:

In addition, GM offers hybrid versions of several of its SUVs, its full-size pickups and the Malibu. While continuing to develop fuel-cell vehicles — a small fleet of which are already on the road — GM expects to bring the Chevy Volt to market by 2010. The Volt's electric motor can go 40 miles before it needs a recharge from its small on-board auxiliary gas engine.

Beyond fluffing GM for the number of light, and not true, hybrids it builds, Box worships at the ethanol-guzzling god of flex fuels and is, per CCR, “blinded by the Volt.”

That got this response from me:

In the Automotive section, you have no power bashing hybrids for being underpowered. Then, you fluff GM for all the hybrids it builds …

While completing the hypocrisy trifecta for not reporting that most of them are “light” hybrids that don’t offer that great of gas savings, just an investment in, ahem “greenwash,” which seems to have returned a good dividend.

As for Volt? It’s going to get its ass kicked.

First, I think Toyota’s right that most people won’t pay for a plug-in hybrid’s cost.

Second, in case Toyota’s wrong on that count, its plug-in version of the Prius is expected to release before the Volt.

Third, the Honda Insight, version 2.0, will release later this year at $19K

Sayonara, GM.

And, sayonara to the idea of an insightful auto writer.