GM to road trip Volt to Washington

DETROIT — Detroit automakers continued to take it on the chin over the weekend after massive publicity about their flying to Washington by private luxury jets last week to plead to lawmakers for a bailout. But one auto supplier told Detroit's WJR-AM radio on Monday that plans are in the works for a major caravan of fuel-efficient vehicles for the Motor City's next trip to D.C.

David Axelrod, President-elect Barack Obama's senior adviser, kept up the drumbeat against the Detroit CEOs who flew luxury jets to Washington last week for appearances before Congress. "I hope that they will come back to Washington in early December — on commercial flights — with a plan," he said, according to media reports.

Automakers are expected back in Washington on December 2 to present their turnaround plan to lawmakers.

Tim Leuliette, the president and CEO of Dura, an auto parts supplier based in Rochester Hills, Michigan, told WJR-AM on Monday that automakers and suppliers are planning to put together a fleet of fuel-efficient vehicles to drive to Washington soon. Leuliette said that the plan still needs some "meat on its bones" and details are sketchy.

In the meantime, Ford is exploring the sale of some or all of its five corporate jets, and GM is returning two of its five remaining leased aircraft, according to the industry publication AutoBeat Daily. Corporate policy at GM and Ford requires top executives to use private jets for security reasons.

Inside Line says: Detroit automakers scramble to save face for the next go-around with Congress. Put the Chevy Volt in the pole position for that caravan. — A