APRIL 17, 2024

The original - and still our favorite - Autoextremist logo. 

The AE Quote of the Century: Everybody loves The High-Octane Truth. Until they don't. -WG 

Editor-in-Chief's Note: After years of abject misery that came with its occupation of the Detroit Rennaissance Center office towers - or, as I called them "The Silver Silos" - General Motors is finally moving its headquarters to the brand-new Hudson's building, a project spearheaded by Dan Gilbert, the chairman of Rocket Cos. Inc. The 1.5-million-square-foot downtown development, which is north just a bit on Woodward Avenue, will finally free the working minions at GM from the sentence that was the much-hated RenCen, which quite simply was a logistical nightmare and the most ridiculously unworkable office space pretending to be a "world class" facility that exists in corporate America. The hand-wringing has already begun as to what should happen to the loathsome monoliths hard by the Detroit River. The fundamental issue is that the facility is untenable and uninhabitable, and I am not exaggerating one bit here. So, I suggest two options to consider: 1. Leveling the monstrosity and fresh-planting an urban forest, making our Detroit riverfront unlike anything else in the world. Knowing that won't fly with the city planners who actually think Detroit "needs" the abomination as a signature for our weak-ass skyline, then I suggest 2. Gutting the insides of the complex and turning it into the largest greenhouse in the known world. (I would go with Option 1 all day long.) -PMD

Editor-In-Chief's Note: As I have said repeatedly over the nearly two-and-one-half decades of writing on this website, the automakers that have a brand image and don’t have the first clue as to what to do with it, or worse – have squandered a great brand legacy because of cluelessness, ineptitude, or both – draw zero sympathy from me. We have a living, breathing example of this playing out right now at General Motors, which is in the process of upending its marketing operations, courtesy of CMO Norm de Greve and his much-loathed henchman, Tony Weisman, a guy who painted himself in the "un-hirable" category before de Greve resurrected his stagnant career. And now, de Greve has appointed Molly Peck to a new marketing position as "chief transformation officer," a head-scratching move, except when you consider the ultimate goal, which is to blow up the existing ad agency structure and grease GM's marketing skids with de Greve's and Weisman's handpicked agencies, ones that will kowtow to the new regime. This is such a giant, steaming bowl of Not Good that it makes me physically ill. Why is it happening? CEO Mary Barra is listening to ex-Silicon Valley operatives on GM's board, which is akin to consulting New York Ballet operatives to advise GM's True Believers on how to build a Corvette. And since she has never had even a shred of a feel for marketing, she - and GM - are getting exactly what they deserve. -PMD

(Corvette)

A new Corvette ZR1 is arriving this summer. Watch the tease video here.

(Toyota images)

"The instant name recognition that 4Runner has built over the past four decades is undeniable," so say Toyota PR minions. And they're right. The all-new 2025 Toyota 4Runner stays true to its original concept, "as an extremely capable, dynamic, and durable off-roader and will continue to provide owners a window to bigger worlds," according to the manufacturer. The all-new, sixth generation 4Runner introduces a new look and adds new technology, premium materials, options, and safety. The 2025 4Runner will be built in Toyota Motor Corporation’s Tahara plant in Japan and will arrive in the U.S. in the fall of 2024. The high hard ones:

• Standard i-FORCE turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine produces 278HP, 317 lb.-ft. of torque.
• Available i-FORCE MAX hybrid powertrain produces up to 326HP, 465 lb.-ft. of torque.
• All-new Trailhunter is a Toyota built overlanding rig available with the latest integrated off-road equipment from ARB®, Old Man Emu® and RIGID Industries®.
• Standard power rear window with an available power liftgate.
• A Platinum premium grade is now offered for the first time.
• Available 14-inch touchscreen displays latest Toyota Audio Multimedia.
• Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 standard on all models.

The AE Song of the Week:

There's trouble on the streets tonight,
I can feel it in my bones.
I had a premonition,
That he should not go alone.

I knew the gun was loaded,
But I didn't think he'd kill.
Everything exploded,
And the blood began to spill.

So baby, here's your ticket,
Put the suitcase in your hand.
Here's a little money now,
Do it just the way we planned.

You be cool for twenty hours
And I'll pay you twenty grand.
I'm sorry it went down like this,
And someone had to lose,

It's the nature of the business,
It's the smuggler's blues.
Smuggler's Blues
The sailors and pilots,

The soldiers and the law,
The pay offs and the rip offs,
And the things nobody saw.
No matter if it's heroin, cocaine, or hash,

You've got to carry weapons
'Cause you always carry cash.
There's lots of shady characters,
Lots of dirty deals.

Every name's an alias
In case somebody squeals.
It's the lure of easy money,
It's gotta very strong appeal.

Perhaps you'd understand it better
Standin' in my shoes,
It's the ultimate enticement,
It's the smuggler's blues,

Smuggler's blues.
See it in the headlines,
You hear it ev'ry day.
They say they're gonna stop it,

But it doesn't go away.
They move it through Miami, sell it in L.A.,
They hide it up in Telluride,
I mean it's here to stay.

It's propping up the governments in Columbia and Peru,
You ask any D.E.A. man,
He'll say "There's nothin' we can do",
From the office of the President,

Right down to me and you, me and you.
It's a losing proposition,
But one you can't refuse.
It's the politics of contraband,
It's the smuggler's blues,
Smuggler's blues.

"Smuggler's Blues" by Glenn Frey, from the album "The Allnighter" (1984).* Written by Glenn Lewis Frey and Jack Tempchin. Publisher: Wixen Music Publishing. Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind, Watch the Official Music Video here. 

*This song tells the story of a drug deal gone bad, not uncommon in the smuggling trade. Frey wasn't a drug-runner, but he was closer to the action than most. "You don't spend fifteen years in rock and roll without coming in contact with entrepreneurs," he said in Behind The Hits. "I've wanted to write a song about drug smuggling for a long time, but I'm glad I waited for this one. It says everything I wanted to say on the subject. I'm proud of the lyrics - it's good journalism." With Ronald Reagan in office and the drug trade a big political issue, America was fascinated with the dynamics of the industry. This song played to that fascination with lyrics peppered with guns, agents, and of course, drugs. The "War On Drugs" drummed up a lot of interest in the topic, which was exploited in movies and TV shows, but until "Smuggler's Blues," there was no hit song that took it on in such dramatic fashion. When this song was released on Frey's second solo album in 1984, it got the attention of Michael Mann, who was working on a TV series called Miami Vice about two undercover cops policing the drug trade in Miami. Mann had the writer Miguel Piñero adapt the song into an episode, then he asked Frey to guest star on the episode and use his song.

The episode, which first aired February 1, 1985 on the first season, was titled "Smuggler's Blues" and featured Frey as a drug-addled pilot who lived with his plane (Frey described him as "This pilot who was a wacko and loved hard rock"). The main characters, Crockett and Tubbs (Don Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas) go undercover as drug smugglers and hire him to fly the plane. The song was used at various points in the episode, with some of the lyrics peppered into the dialogue. It was good timing for Frey, who wrote a song about drug smuggling at a time when Miami Vice was looking for ideas. The series ended up being a huge hit and gave Frey a nice career boost as both a musician and actor. In 1989, he appeared in seven episodes of the TV series Wiseguy. He got his own show, South of Sunset, in 1993, but it was quickly canceled. Miami Vice had lots of musical connections: Sheena Easton, Phil Collins and Miles Davis are among the musicians who acted on the show; the stars, Don Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas, both released albums (Johnson had a Top 10 hit with "Heartbeat"). Just about every episode had at least one popular song; season 1 featured "In The Air Tonight," "Better Be Good To Me," "All Night Long (All Night)" and "Wonderful Tonight."

Frey wrote this song with Jack Tempchin, a longtime Eagles associate who also co-wrote "You Belong To The City" and "Peaceful Easy Feeling." They met in the '60s when Frey came to San Diego to perform some shows. After the Eagles broke up, Frey enlisted Tempchin to co-write songs with him. It was a fruitful partnership, resulting in tracks like "The One You Love" and "You Belong To The City." When the Eagles returned to action in 1994, they included a Tempchin/Frey composition called "The Girl From Yesterday" on their album Hell Freezes Over. "Smuggler's Blues" was one of several solo hits for Frey during the Eagles' hiatus (1980-1993). Explaining the group's breakup, he said, "I started the band, I got tired of it, and I quit."

Frey's '80s output isn't as durable as that of his Eagles co-founder Don Henley, but he found a contemporary sound that served him well on tracks like this one. This song got an additional boost when it was included on the Miami Vice soundtrack, released in October 1985. The album spent 11 weeks at #1 in the US and sold over 4 million copies. (Knowledge courtesy of Songfacts.com)

Editor's Note: You can access previous issues of AE by clicking on "Next 1 Entries" below. - WG