As a condition of grazing at the public trough, Congress will be appointing a “Car Czar” to oversee the U.S. auto industry. As with many projects undertaken by Congress, there is a great chance the effort will be misguided and the execution flawed.

Will the incoming Czar know anything about the auto industry they’ll be entrusted to repair? Given they’ll have the reported authority to veto any expenses over $25 million, they will effectively control what vehicles the automakers will produce in the future. In this day and age, it’s pretty difficult to launch any vehicle development program for less than $25 million.

Performance vehicles don’t really fit well with the targets of the administration to reduce “man-made global climate change”. The fact that tens of thousands of climatologists, physicists, and other qualified scientists still say there is no clear indication that climate change is man made seems to play no part in the decision. See this for more information on the debate, and yes, it’s still far from closed, despite what so many would have you believe.

The incoming Obama administration is reportedly mulling over creating an entirely new Federal bureaucracy, dealing directly with climate change and energy policy. The Car Czar will no doubt be in constant communication with this new federal agency (if it ever comes to pass), the EPA, and the Energy Department to ensure the newly designed vehicles don’t step out of line.

Will all of this collaboration and oversight produce vehicles that people actually want to buy? Are performance vehicles even profitable for the automakers to produce in the first place? Because a high performance vehicle by its’ very nature is going to use more resources that one that gives tepid performance.

Or is it? Actually, this could force our automakers to start producing high performance vehicles that are much more “green” than their predecessors. It’s all in how they’re designed. One thing about electric vehicles is that they tend to develop prodigious torque at a very low RPM; 0 RPM to be precise. It’s due to the way electric motors function.

Since the majority of driving in American cities includes a large amount of stop and go situations, this gives electric and hybrid powered vehicles ample time to put their low RPM torque characteristics to good use. What if the high performance vehicle of the future is a diesel-electric hybrid? It’s recently been proven by Audi and Peugeot that diesels don’t have to be slow. In fact, they can be fairly fleet of foot. Audi has used their V-10 TDI power plant to great effect at LeMans.

BMW has just introduced a new, diesel powered 3 series, the 335d. It gives about 35mpg on the highway and can do a 0-60 sprint in 6.1 seconds. Combine a small, turbo diesel that uses modern high pressure injection and fuel management electronics, (like the new BMW) and a high efficiency electric motor(s) and you could be talking real performance with a minimum of environmental impact.

Toyota has been talking about reintroducing the Supra with a V-6 gas / electric hybrid power train. It would definitely be performance oriented, but give decent gas mileage.

Of course there will always be those that contest the need for anything high performance on the grounds that standard performance is all anyone really needs. Take that mindset to extremes and you’ll be walking or taking the bus to work. After all, does anyone really “need” personal transportation?

With new CAFÉ standards, an incoming environmentally friendly administration, and a possible governmental bailout then control of the automotive industry looming, are drivers witnessing the swan song of the performance automobile? Will there ever be another Cadillac CTS-V, Corvette ZR1, Porsche Turbo, or even Charger SRT-8?

Are we to behold a drab and boring future, devoid of automotive excitement? Is it the ‘80’s all over again? Remember the frighteningly tepid vehicles, with dubious quality, and lackluster design we were forced to endure in the dark days of the automobile? Does anyone not see how producing such vehicles pushed the Detroit automakers over a precipice from which they never extricated themselves?

If a “Car Czar” again forces our automakers to produce such rolling trash heaps, we may as well just shut the doors now. Maybe then the UAW would give some union concessions. By the way, how can I get paid $35 an hour to play cards?