Could The Bailout Be Reversed? And Other Trivial Links -- NOT THE BAKKEN

Updates

December 9, 2012: EPA will review mileage claims for the Ford Fusion and the C-Max hybrids.

Original Post

I always thought the 29-day GM bankruptcy was fishy. I'm not alone.

Speaking of cars, it turns out those high mileage claims for Ford's Fusion and C-Max hybrids can't be confirmed. Sort of like global warming.  The claims: 47 mpg. Wow, the conventional Honda Civic on the open road, downhill, with a wind assist, at 55 mph, can get 49 mpg.

In the Consumer Reports tests, the Fusion hybrid delivered 39 mpg overall and 35 and 41 in city and highway conditions, respectively.

The C-Max hybrid achieved 37 mpg overall, with 35 and 38 for city and highway.

“These two vehicles have the largest discrepancy between our overall mpg results and the estimates published by the EPA that we've seen among any current models,” the magazine said.

Still speaking of cars, more chariots on fire:

Ford is recalling more than 89,000 new Escape SUVs and Fusion sedans because the engines can overheat and catch fire.

The company says the 2013 vehicles have 1.6-liter engines and were sold in the U.S. and Canada.

Ford says it's working on a fix and is asking owners to call their dealers, who will loan them another car at no charge until the problem is solved.

The company says it has reports of 12 fires in Escapes and one in a Fusion.

Is it just me, or is the phenomenon of chariots on fire more common than it was back in the "good ol' days"?