Industry News
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Are car dealerships a thing of the past? Will we all be ordering our cars through Costco soon? I wonder how Costco will be able to handle my GM Employee Discount? http://www.costcoauto.com/index.asp
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The average American motorist is driving substantially fewer miles for the first time in 26 years Link to USA Today article because of high gas prices and demographic shifts, according to a USA TODAY analysis of federal highway data. The growth in miles driven has leveled off dramatically in the past 18 months after 25 years of steady climbs despite the addition of more than 1 million drivers to the nation's streets and highways since 2005. Miles driven in February declined 1.9% from February 2006 before rebounding slightly for a 0.3% year-over-year gain in March, data from the Federal Highway Administration show. That's in sharp contrast to the average annual growth r…
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Bush orders cuts in oil use, greenhouse emissions! Harry Stoffer | Automotive News May 14, 2007 - 2:09 pm UPDATED: 5/14/07 4:27 P.M. WASHINGTON -- President Bush today issued an executive order for administration departments to prepare regulations by the end of 2008 that would cut petroleum use and greenhouse gas emissions. In an announcement from the White House Rose Garden, he alluded to the U.S. Supreme Court decision last month that said the EPA has authority under the Clean Air Act to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles. In a subsequent telephone conference with reporters, agency heads made clear the executive order is meant to be the administrat…
Last reply by Camino LS6, -
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Feel free to move this if this is in the wrong area. http://www.cbc.ca/national/blog/video/poli...g_chrysler.html Pretty interesting video about Frank Stronach, and his company Magna, and why it'd be in his interest to partner with another Canadian company and purchase Chrysler. And since it is CBC, it is 'relatively' unbiased. But it's eight and a half minutes, which kind of sucks.
Last reply by Oracle of Delphi, -
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Daniel Howes Big Three can't play defense anymore Sen. Barack Obama's finger-wagging lecture this week to Detroit's automakers shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone who's paying attention. It's the future if maligned Motown doesn't start playing aggressive offense. Doesn't matter that an Illinois Democrat from the industrial Midwest, a man who would be president, shows scant understanding of the technology, market realities and human limitations of his remedies -- and then jumps on the campaign plane. It's the formula: Whack Detroit, ignore details and draw praise from most any corner outside of, say, three Great Lakes cities, meaning Obama understands very well the …
Last reply by FAPTurbo, -
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Toyota surpassed GM in sales, but what if? Edward Lapham | Automotive News / May 1, 2007 - 11:51 am / It's been a week since we learned that Toyota nudged past General Motors to become the world's No. 1 automaker in the first quarter. Since then, not much has changed. The sun still rises in the east and sets in the west. I know, I've checked. In autodom, factories are still building cars and trucks, and dealers are still selling them, although not as many as they might like. I know, I've checked. The price of gasoline has continued to climb and is now more than $3 a gallon in most U.S. markets. I know, I've paid it. There has been the predictable patter in…
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Romania received three non-binding offers in the sale of a majority stake in carmaker Daewoo Automobile Craiova, the privatisation commission said on Thursday. The new European Union member's centrist government had previously said it hopes to wrap up the sale of 72.4 percent in Daewoo by the summer, after it bought back the majority stake in the company from its bankrupt owner late in 2006. Link: http://www.reuters.com/article/tnBasicIndu...269681920070426
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Europe's dash for biofuels could accelerate the destruction of tropical rainforests, the European Commission admitted on Thursday. The EU's executive arm said that the 27-member bloc's decision to increase tenfold its consumption of vehicle fuel made from crops by 2020 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions would increase the pressure on virgin land, especially in Asia. However, it said it was working on laying down minimum standards for sustainable fuels. Link: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18332282
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Interesting! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7v_LLkEIYc0
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Stanford (CA) - A new Stanford University study finds that a switch to ethanol vehicles would likely increase the number of respiratory deaths in the United States. Stanford University scientist Mark Jacobson published his findings in the Environmental Science and Technology Journal and says that ethanol poses an “equal or greater” risk to public health over gasoline. Full Story
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I know we've talked a lot about media bias on this site and it's always so much fun that I offer the latest example: http://www.autoblog.com/2007/04/16/parents...ehicles-for-07/ A couple of questions: 1. How in all decency did the CR-V and Santa Fe end up in the SUV category when the RAV4 is a crossover? 2. The Entourage gets on the list, but neither of Chrysler's vans are there? Seriously? 3. Since when is the Mazda3 a family car? I'm sure there is plenty more wrong with this list, but I'll let you guys have some fun picking it apart. For those of you not inclined to click the link, the list looks like this: Crossovers: Toyota RAV4 Dodge Caliber Ford Edge SU…
Last reply by gm4life, -
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Some GM Fuel Cell Goals (slides)
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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Can you say "President Pelosi?"
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U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Mary E. Peters Announces A Substantial Life-Saving Technology For All New Passenger Vehicles In a move that could ultimately save up to 10,000 lives each year on U.S. roadways, the nation's top transportation official today announced plans to make new crash prevention technology standard equipment on every new passenger vehicle sold in America by 2012. U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary E. Peters and National Highway Traffic Safety Administrator Nicole R. Nason announced the final rule to require the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) on all new passenger vehicles during a tour with auto makers at the New York International A…
Last reply by CARBIZ, -
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Chevy dealers "mad as hell" - target Tundra with ads link According to a recent Brandweek article, Chevy dealers are tired of waiting around for GM to dispute Toyota's Tundra claims, and they're doing something about it with a series of ads attacking Toyota and its pickup. One radio spot written by Mark Frost, general manager of Jim Ellis Chevrolet in Atlanta, claims Toyota recalled more vehicles in 2007 than it sold. "Folks, the reality is Chevrolet is better for you, your pocketbook and America," the ad says. Frost is well-known in the area for displaying a Toyota Camry in front of his dealership. Oh yeah, it's crushed beneath a Chevy Silverado. A Toyota representati…
Last reply by regfootball, -
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I haven't posted in a while, but I had to share this. The Car You Won't Own Scott Adams - "The Dilbert Blog" A group called the X Foundation is planning to award $10 million to anyone who can design a commercially viable car that can get 100 miles per gallon. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/02/business/02xprize.html I don’t know exactly what “commercially viable” means in this context. I haven’t seen the rules. But something tells me that the winning car will weigh six pounds and seat one anorexic dwarf. If you put a grape in the trunk, the front wheels will come off the ground. And I have a bad feeling that there will be leg holes in the bottom of the car so you can …
Last reply by FAPTurbo, -
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Well, I just found this on Yahoo business and it kind of angered me. The mentality of these people makes me sick. Here is the article. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070327/ap_on_..._contract_talks This is my favorite part of the piece I from what I have experienced with the UAW, this is a VERY popular opinion:
Last reply by regfootball, -
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Who uses top tier gas ( toptiergas.com ) GM, Toyota and BMW among other created a standard for fuel to clean the engine. I use it and can tell a difference it has to meet the criteria on all Octane levels. Top tier gas gives me better acceleration and a smoother running engine also slightly better MPG. thoughts on this regards stillen
Last reply by Robert Hall, -
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The days of parking the ol’ Family Truckster at a Safeway lot with a Day-Glo orange “For Sale” sign in the window may be numbered. Increasingly, consumers are taking advantage of a growing online market to sell their cars themselves rather than accepting a lowball trade-in offer from a dealer. The trend gained momentum last year as consumers found car dealers especially stingy with their trade-in offers because they were struggling to resell the fuel-thirsty SUVs, pickups and large sedans that consumers were dumping as gas prices soared. By the end of the year private-party sales represented 34 percent of the used-car market, up from 18 percent a year earlier, according…
Last reply by CARBIZ, -
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Read the last few paragraphs for the vision environmentalist have of the car of the future. http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/artic.../703140301/1148 Neil Winton: European industry deflecting climate hysteria, for now GENEVA, Switzerland -- Climate change hysteria has erupted across Europe and although experts believe the automotive industry can ride out the storm, structural changes can't be held at bay for long. The industry's hope is that while politicians and environmental lobbyists demand ever tighter fuel economy that could undermine the viability of the German premium car makers, any regulatory regime that finally emerges next year in the European Union migh…
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Automakers Urge U.S. to Emphasize Biofuels, Not CAFE (Update2) By Gopal Ratnam The best way to reduce oil imports and carbon dioxide emissions ``over the next decade is through increased use of bio-fuels,'' said Rick Wagoner, chief executive officer of Detroit-based General Motors Corp. Jim Press, president of Toyota Motor Corp.'s North American unit, broke with his peers on criticizing CAFE. He said Toyota exceeds today's standards and the Japanese automaker favors the program as long as it is ``fair, technologically feasible, cost- effective and does not discourage early compliance.'' ] Wagoner said CAFE has ``failed to meet its intended goal'' of reducing oil de…
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Last reply by thegriffon, -
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Drive What You Sell Ad agency execs use vehicles they push By JEAN HALLIDAY | ADVERTISING AGE Link to Original Article @ AutoWeek When the Butler, Shine, Stern & Partners advertising agency competed for the Mini USA account in 2005, its executives visited Mini dealerships. They talked with Mini owners and enthusiast clubs. A few staffers already drove Minis. A year after his agency won the account, CEO Greg Stern says 10 employees of the Sausalito, Calif., shop own Minis. Stern owns an Audi station wagon and a classic Mercedes-Benz, but says "I have the most fun driving the Mini" he also owns. The agency doesn't offer employees inducements to buy the premiu…
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Automakers back single crash rating Automakers on Wednesday offered support for a Bush administration proposal to overhaul the government's crash test program for new vehicles and create a single safety ranking. The major problem with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration program is that nearly all vehicles pass current tests, making it difficult for consumers to differentiate between vehicles. NHTSA wants to toughen the voluntary standards, some of which haven't been changed significantly since the program's creation in 1979, as well as reduce three crash ratings to one. At a public hearing Wednesday in Washington to hear experts' comments on the program,…
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http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/arti...G/70306036/1139 Senators ponder need to limit vehicle power Harry Stoffer | Automotive News / March 6, 2007 - 2:59 pm WASHINGTON -- Senators of both parties said today that the government may have to cool the American passion for high-powered cars and trucks -- in the name of saving fuel. The lawmakers, members of a key Senate committee, also said they don't trust the Bush administration to be tough enough in raising fuel economy standards. "I sense a lot of reluctance and foot-dragging," said Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, during a hearing on fuel economy. Lawmakers should raise standards by passing a law rather than wait…
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Do Five-Star Ratings Really Mean a Safer Ride? Part of shopping for a car is, or should be, checking out the crash-test scores for the vehicle you have in mind. But do those government "star" ratings or the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's "poor" to "good" rankings indicate anything meaningful about how you'll fare in a real-world collision? A new study suggests the answer is yes, but only for cars, not sport-utility vehicles and pickup trucks. David Harless and George Hoffer, economics professors at the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Business, took a look at the relationship between the crash-test scores of various vehicles going back more than 20 y…
Last reply by 76ChevyTrucker, -
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The Full Article Some of his excerpts The next Para is
Last reply by Oracle of Delphi, -
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Bill would make cars kid-safe In a bid to keep children safer, automakers could be forced to install rear-view cameras and power windows that automatically reverse under a bill to be introduced today. The Cameron Gulbransen Kids and Cars Safety Act -- which U.S. Sens. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., and John Sununu, R-N.H., will introduce at a news conference today -- is named after a 2-year-old New York boy who was accidentally run over and killed in 2002 when his father backed his SUV out of his driveway. "Nearly every other day, a child dies in the United States from a completely preventable tragedy -- backed over by a driver who could not see behind (the) vehicle, strangl…
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Drivers giving leases new life With loan rates rising, buying more costly By MARGARET PRICE Car dealers say leasing is seeing renewed popularity. Car leases are making a comeback. After hitting a low point in 2003, the deals are finding a renewed appeal as consumers face higher rates for car loans. Edmonds.com reported a 21% rise nationally in the leasing of cars and light duty trucks for the 12 months ended early December 2006. According to research firm J.D. Power, from 2004 through early this year, leases as a percentage of car sales rose about 4 percentage points to 19.9%. In the Northeast, leasing climbed more than 6 percentage points to 27.9% of new car sa…
Last reply by regfootball, -
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What's Your Real MPG? Starting with 2008-model vehicles, the Environmental Protection Agency is revising its tests to better reflect real-world driving conditions. but here's the thing.... my CTS and Avalanche seem to get exactly the 2007 numbers. I'd be disappointed if I was getting the 2008 numbers simply on past performance.
Last reply by Variance, -
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http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17228226/ XM and Sirius reach agreement on merger Deal between two satellite radio providers would be ‘merger of equals’ NEW YORK - XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. and Sirius Satellite Radio Inc., rivals in the fledgling satellite radio industry, have agreed to combine in a deal that investors hope will result in lower costs, assuming it overcomes significant regulatory hurdles. The companies billed the deal announced Monday as a merger of equals, with shareholders of both companies owning approximately 50 percent of the combined entity. However, Sirius will be giving $4.57 billion of its stock to XM shareholders, a substantial premium to …
Last reply by FAPTurbo, -
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Oh what a feeling: Kim's Japanese car blitz February 19, 2007 - 4:03PM North Korean leader Kim Jong-il has ordered the seizure of all Japanese-made cars in the communist country after he spotted a broken-down model blocking a road, a press report said today. The order came on January 1 when Kim visited the embalmed body of the North's founding leader Kim Il-sung, South Korea's Yonhap news agency said, in a sign of his growing discontent with Japan's hardline stance on North Korea. It quoted unnamed sources as saying Kim's sudden order might be connected with Japan's push for sanctions against North Korea following its first-ever nuclear test last year. "After he paid…
Last reply by FAPTurbo, -
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vote here Along with an article on the Chrusler job cuts, there is a poll of readers to discern the cause of the big 3's troubles. I voted that the problem was high health care costs. Other options include building lousy cars, not knowing what the coutomer wants, and the most popular - all of the above.
Last reply by MyerShift, -
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I challenge anyone to point out the major, significant flaw in Flints analysis! Well maybe it is not so much a challenge but an obvious oversight by Mr. Flint. For someone that claims to follow automotive since the Truman Administrations, he has not been reading GM's PRs of late. Enjoy! http://www.forbes.com/home/columnists/2007...FTOKEN=14966281
Last reply by Mr.Krinkle, -
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CNN: Cars to Wait For Small list of 10 cars CNN recommends waiting for. 1.) Mid-Size Sedan: Chevrolet Malibu 2.) Large Luxury Crossover: Buick Enclave 3.) Full-Sized Truck: Toyota Tundra 4.) Small Luxury SUV: Land Rover LR2 5.) Entry Luxury Sedan: Cadillac CTS 6.) Large Luxury Sedan: Lexus LS600hL 7.) Compact Car: Mitsubishi Lancer 8.) Luxury Convertible: BMW 3-Series Convertible 9.) Entry Luxury Sedan: Mercedes-Benz C-Class 10.) Hybrid Sedan: Nissan Altima Hybrid
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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I'm not one to post bad news but I hate when head honchos steal money for personal use. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/6329173.stm BBC NEWS Hyundai head faces trial verdict The chairman of Hyundai Motor Company, Chung Mong-koo, is to face the verdict in his corruption trial on Monday. On trial since June 2006, Mr Chung is accused of raising 103.4bn won ($110m;£56m) illegally for personal use and for paying lobbyists. Earlier this year, South Korean prosecutors recommended that he spend six years in prison for embezzlement. Analysts say if Mr Chung goes to prison it could harm both the country's car sector, and the wider economy. Suspended sentence His im…
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http://freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID...1014/BUSINESS01
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UAW losing pay edge The UAW is losing its edge in pay compared with nonunionized U.S. assembly plant workers for foreign companies, even as Detroit automakers aim for deeper benefit cuts to trim their losses. In at least one case last year, workers for a foreign automaker for the first time averaged more in base pay and bonuses than UAW members working for domestic automakers, according to an economist for the Center for Automotive Research and figures supplied to the Free Press by auto companies. In that instance, Toyota Motor Corp. gave workers at its largest U.S. plant bonuses of $6,000 to $8,000, boosting the average pay at the Georgetown, Ky., plant to the equival…
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Polk Automotive Loyalty Award Winners Announced: GM and Toyota Take Top Honors for 2006 Model Year http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2007/01/16/034229.html SOUTHFIELD, MI - January 16, 2007: R. L. Polk & Co. presented the 11th Annual Polk Automotive Loyalty Awards last night at the 2007 Automotive News World Congress. Winning the Overall Manufacturer award for the seventh consecutive year, General Motors demonstrated an outstanding ability to retain its customers for the 2006 model year, which ended Sept. 30. GM also secured five additional awards including honors for its Chevrolet Impala, Corvette and Tahoe, and the Saturn ION and VUE. "GM customer loyalty incre…
Last reply by gm4life, -
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http://detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?A.../701190403/1148 Magazine retracts results because some test crashes were conducted at speeds higher than it reported. David Shepardson / Detroit News Washington Bureau Advertisement Get free headlines by e-mail NEW! Get text alerts on your cell phone About the problem What happened Consumer Reports retracted its recent report on how infant car seats perform in side-impact collision tests. Why it happened The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration contacted Consumer Reports and raised questions about the simulated vehicle speed used in the tests, which was reported to be 38 mph, the same speed the governm…
Last reply by GMman, -
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The redesigned NASCAR stock car is bigger, but is it better? http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Featu...photopanel..1.* Old One New One -- Now, I'm not a fan of NASCAR at all, but I found it interesting how many people do not like the COT. I hope NASCAR pays the price for shoveling out this ugly thing and looses so many fans it's screwed.
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http://www.thecarconnection.com/Auto_News/...192.A11746.html This geriatric senile individual poops through his thoughts not his hiney. See him get philosophical and more naive than ever. I hate this media banging. His gripe, GM's quote that most people drive 40 miles everyday to work and from that he built his ignoble thesis.
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Don't force radical shift on crash tests The Detroit auto show is always a time to talk about vehicle safety and examine the improvements in cars and trucks. And no one does that better than the manufacturers. Of course, that doesn't stop many from chiming in with non-productive ideas, including federal administrators. Transportation Secretary Mary Peters did just that on Monday when she toured the North American International Auto Show here in Detroit. She said the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) would begin changing its New Car Assessment Program, which is the government's "star system" for rating vehicle safety. The Detroit News
Last reply by grandmarquis, -
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I just watched a piece on ABC news so full of inaccuracies and negative slant against the automakers(domestic only,of course) that it nearly made me physically ill. Damn! They could, at least, be accurate in their reporting. Rotten bastards!
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http://www6.autonet.ca/News/story.cfm?stor...3156972-cp.html i get the feeling Toyota, GM, Honda & Ford aren't going anywhere seeing as they've pumped billions into new plants or plant upgrades.
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http://anunreasonableman.com/synopsis.cfm http://video.msn.com/v/us/v.htm?g=4305fa25...64&fg=email
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Steel Tariffs Lifted Automakers won a surprise victory Thursday as the U.S. International Trade Commission lifted most of the 13-year-old tariffs on imports of a high-grade steel used in cars -- a move that should boost ailing Detroit automakers by lowering prices. In a 4-2 vote, the commission lifted tariffs on flat-rolled corrosion-resistant steel from Canada, France, Australia and Japan, but sided with the steel industry and kept them on imports from South Korea and Germany for another five years. In an unusual display of solidarity, General Motors Corp., Ford Motor Co., DaimlerChrysler AG, Toyota Motor Corp., Nissan Motor Co. and Honda Motor Co. jointly worked to en…
Last reply by Intrepidation, -
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UAW May Form Merger(s) to Boost Membership The United Auto Workers has not ruled out merging with another union, UAW President Ron Gettelfinger said Thursday. The comment came during a question-and-answer session Gettelfinger hosted on the union's Web site, UAW.org. "The UAW has not ruled out merging with other unions," he wrote in response to a question from a union member. UAW membership fell to 557,000 in 2005 down from 1.5 million 20 years ago. With General Motors Corp. and Ford Motor Co. offering buyouts to more than 70,000 workers, UAW membership is expected to continue to decline. Industry experts have speculated about a merger that could give the organizati…
Last reply by Intrepidation, -
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2007 North American Car and Truck of the Year finalists announced By DALE JEWETT | AUTOMOTIVE NEWS AutoWeek | Published 12/13/06, 12:30 pm et Link to Original Article @ AutoWeek DETROIT -- The Honda Fit, Saturn Aura and Toyota Camry are the finalists for the 2007 North American Car of the Year award. Finalists for the 2007 North American Truck of the Year award are the Chevrolet Silverado, Ford Edge and Mazda CX-7. The finalists for both awards were announced today here. The winners will be named Jan. 7, at the start of press preview days for the North American International Auto Show. The finalists were culled from a candidate pool of 12 cars and 14 t…
Last reply by Hudson, -
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UAW Membership to Fall Below 500K UAW membership is expected to fall below 500,000 -- one-third its peak levels of three decades ago -- after Ford Motor Co. completes its buyouts of 38,000 hourly workers represented by the Detroit-based autoworkers union. The Ford buyouts, part of a sweeping restructuring plan, came months after 46,800 UAW members took early retirement or other buyouts from General Motors Corp. and Delphi Corp., its parts-making spin-off, which is in bankruptcy. Analysts speculate that the UAW, which must negotiate new deals with automakers next year, may need to merge with another union or at least drastically slash its own staff. But members say it n…
Last reply by aaaantoine, -
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Everybody touts automotive safety, and laments driver incompetence as a fact of life in the USA; mainly because the theme idea is that everybody has a right to a drivers license, and access to all the roads in the USA---- Freedom to travel, right? Well, what if we started to say, O.K., you can drive--- somewhere--- if you qualify! Instead of the drivers license that we all can get basically by fogging a mirror, what if you had to demonstrate your ability to handle a vehicle competently in several emergency reaction situations, and were graded on how well you avoided an accident? This would include performance handling as well. Then, this score value was …
Last reply by Mr.Krinkle, -
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full article here Lots that I don't agree with, but at least he tries. The leaders of General Motors, Ford and Chrysler recently had their long awaited summit with U.S. President George W. Bush last week. Sensitive to public sentiment, auto leaders argued they were not looking for special treatment. Instead, they sought adjustments in public policy that would benefit both the country and their operating environment. A close look at their problems and actions indicates automakers are not willing to address tough issues and Washington cannot save them. <more>
Last reply by Ghost Dog, -
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Insurers <stack the deck> by requiring electronic stability control to be considered The list: LARGE CARS: Audi A-6 MIDSIZE CARS: Audi A-4, Saab 9-3, Subaru Legacy (with optional stability control) MINIVANS: Hyundai Entourage, Kia Sedona LUXURY SPORT UTILITIES: Mercedes M-class, Volvo XC90. MIDSIZE SUVs: Acura RDX, Honda Pilot, Subaru B9 Tribeca SMALL SUVs: Honda CR-V, Subaru Forester (with optional stability control) Yet GM doesn't get a mention for producing the 9-3.
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siemens
Last reply by 2005 EquinoxLS, -
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Top-20 selling vehicles in U.S. through October DETROIT, Nov 1 (Reuters) - The following are the 20 top-selling vehicles in the U.S. through October of 2006 as reported by the automakers. Following is a list of the top-20 selling vehicles, ranked by total units.
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http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=206...zMgA&refer=news Q how far can you run into the woods? A.only half way, then youre running out. just something until the official numbers are released. and some good news for the folks over at the blue oval, perhaps care to make any bets?
Last reply by Mr.Krinkle, -
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Black Box Brouhaha A new federal rule to standardize minimum requirements for "black boxes" in vehicles wasn't expected to be controversial, but it has ignited a firestorm of protests from groups that largely agree the information collected by the devices improves auto safety. All U.S. and foreign automakers have asked the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to rewrite the rule because they say it's too vague and will cost too much to implement. Safety advocates say it doesn't go far enough. Read "Black boxes spark uproar" @ The Detroit News
Last reply by Bizz, -
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ABS, Airbags = False Sense of Security? A Purdue University research team that studied five years of motor vehicle accidents in Washington State concludes antilock brakes and airbags don't minimize accidents or injuries because those systems may encourage more aggressive driving. Fred Mannering, a Purdue professor of civil engineering, led the study. The results, which are bound to be controversial with auto makers and safety experts, say the innovations designed to improve safety also make drivers less vigilant. Read "Researchers Question Safety Contribution of Airbags, ABS" @ Ward's Auto
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More Legal Issues for Delphi Delphi Corp.'s creditors committee said this week it found several financial discrepancies in the monthly fee statements of Delphi's attorneys and other hired professionals. The creditors committee -- the court-appointed group that consults and investigates Delphi's bankruptcy reorganization -- found, among other things, that one law firm charged more than $10,000 in travel expenses for just two lawyers without detailing the expenditures; two other law firms charged more than they previously said they would, and an attorney at one law firm reported working exactly 8 hours nearly every day she worked, an uncommon practice. Read "Delphi legal…
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Going Yellow Given a Yellow Light A move by the nation's largest product-safety laboratory to remove its approval of ethanol fuel pumps has frozen the rollout of new ethanol stations and cast doubt on the legal status of the roughly 1,000 stations already selling E85 fuel. Without certification from Underwriters Laboratories, the company that tests thousands of products for safety and manages the "UL" symbol, state officials and ethanol industry executives say E85 pumps may run afoul of state and local fire codes that require "listed" equipment for pumping fuel. A fire marshal in Columbus, Ohio, ordered two E85 pumps shut down last week because of a lack of UL approva…
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http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061017/ap_on_bi_ge/fuel_economy "Next year's list will likely show a decline in gas-mileage numbers. The EPA is revising the way it estimates how far a vehicle will travel on a gallon of gas to take into account high-speed driving, use of air conditioning and rapid acceleration. Under the proposed testing changes, fuel economy stickers would show most 2008 models getting 10 percent to 20 percent less gas mileage in city driving and 5 percent to 15 percent less in highway use. Hybrid buyers will find a greater sticker shock. Hybrid ratings for city driving are expected to drop an average of 20 percent to 30 percent."
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2007 FUEL ECONOMY GUIDE - PDF Download Find a 2007 Car by Brand
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Delphi Tossing Unprofitable GM Contracts It's been a year since Delphi filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, and the supplier is still trying to find ways to return to profitability. One of the things it's identified as a way to get back into the black is ridding themselves of unprofitable contracts with General Motors. They have been quietly shifting some of these orders to outside firms. One example is the contract for GM full-sized pickup truck steering knuckles that recently went to EaglePicher Corp., which is no stranger to Chapter 11 itself. Delphi also dumped the contract to build catalytic converters for GM's new pickups, which still had three years on i…
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Strategic Vision Announces '06 Total Value Winners Hyundai leads over many brands, including Toyota. GM proves that Asian and European makers are not out of reach. BMW and MINI top all brands as Total Value leaders. These are a few of the results from Strategic Vision’s Total Value Index (TVI), which factors economic issues against the total new vehicle ownership experience. The San Diego-based research firm announced today the winners of its Total Value Awards, which reflect that true value is about much more than the cheapest deal. Reliability, a solid warranty, strong anticipated resale value, durability, and innovation are all part of the definition of “total value.”…
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http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/st...fe1bfeb&k=83316 Dave Hall, CanWest News Service; Windsor Star Published: Wednesday, October 04, 2006 WINDSOR, Ont. - Japanese automakers bumped a pair of North America's largest domestic producers out of the top three in Canadian sales last month for the first time. According to a report Tuesday from DesRosiers Automotive Consultants Inc., September sales from Toyota Canada Inc. and Honda Canada Inc. put them second and third respectively behind General Motors of Canada. DaimlerChrysler Canada and Ford Motor Co. of Canada, meanwhile, posted modest gains to round out the top five.
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Flat Tire: Goodyear Workers Go on Strike Some 15,000 members of the United Steelworkers went on strike at 16 Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. plants in the United States and Canada Thursday after the union rejected the company's latest contract proposal. The union terminated its contract at 1 p.m. ET Thursday, saying that it could not allow additional plant closures after it helped keep the company afloat through cost-saving measures three years ago. "The company left us with no option," Steelworkers union executive vice president Ron Hoover said in a prepared statement. "We cannot allow additional plant closures after the sacrifices we made three years ago to help th…
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or Mitsubish becomes top shareholder of Isuzu Link
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http://www.autonet.ca/News/story.cfm?story...1942920-cp.html
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From Leftlanenews.com: Click Here for Full Story (WSJ Article)
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About 14K Delphi Union Workers to Leave Delphi Corp. (Pink Sheets: DPHIQ) today announced results of the Hourly Special Attrition Plan reached on March 22, 2006 and the Hourly Special Supplemental Attrition Plan reached on June 2, 2006 between the UAW, General Motors and Delphi. Approximately 12,400 Delphi employees, representing roughly 85% of the retirement-eligible UAW workforce, elected to retire by January 1, 2007. Approximately 1,400 employees elected the buyout option. Read "Delphi says nearly 14,000 UAW workers to leave" @ The Auto Channel
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http://money.cnn.com/2006/09/27/markets/oil_eia/index.htm gas prices continue to drop--maybe theres still some hope. but but then again: so if 60 is "good" why the hell was it almost 80? supposed to go over 100? are we making a difference in some way with ethanol, conservation, boycotts, and prius' and hybrids in general. or does this have more to do with the usual seasonal changes in demand. which really werent so usual since the past couple of years. ive heard several "analysts" suggest months ago oil and gas prices would plummet at some point. i remember laughing at the time because one of the qualifiers was when things settle down in the mid east. lik…
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Tuesday, September 26, 2006 World War II created health insurance perk Ron French / The Detroit News The fact that GM pays anything for health care is an accident of history. By the 1940s, health care costs in most industrialized nations were paid by the government. That might have happened in the United States, too, if not for World War II. To halt inflation during the war, the government put a cap on wage raises. To compensate workers, companies began offering health insurance. By the time the cap on raises was lifted, health insurance had become a common perk to attract and retain workers. In 1950, GM President Charles Wilson offered to pay 50 percent o…
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http://www.autoblog.com/2006/09/20/top-gea...ical-condition/ dont think i saw this anywhere. lousy jet cars.
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BorgWarner Slashing North American Jobs U.S. automakers' production cuts are rippling through the supplier industry, with BorgWarner Inc. saying Friday that it is eliminating 13 percent of its North American work force and Lear Corp. earlier this week cutting its sales forecast by $300 million. The U.S. Big Three are losing market share to Asian automakers at the same time that the U.S. economy is softening and domestic car sales are slowing. Suppliers that do a heavy business with General Motors Corp., Ford Motor Co. and DaimlerChrysler AG's U.S.-based Chrysler Group are sharing their customers' pain, an analyst says. Read "Auto supplier BorgWarner to cut jobs" @ …
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Is this for real? http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=206...id=aZ4gr6yG.qto
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...I hope to god NOT. Who cares if it's functional...it's absoutely horrendous. It looks straight out of Eastern Europe with the sophistication of a kid's plastic toy car. Can you imagine the streets of New York clogged with these things? It's powered by a GM 4.3L V6 and is RWD. http://www.standardtaxi.com/
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http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2006/08/17/018956.html http://www.afstrinity.com/ Interesting...Looks like a reworked Olds Aurora.
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2007 N. American Car & Truck of the Year Finalists Here are the nominees: 2007 North American Car of the Year Short List Chrysler Sebring Dodge Caliber Honda Fit Infiniti G35 Jaguar XK/XKR Lexus LS 460 Mercedes S-Class Nissan Altima Nissan Versa Saturn Aura Toyota Camry 2007 North American Truck of the Year Short List Acura MDX Acura RDX Audi Q7 BMW X5 Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Chevrolet Silverado Dodge Nitro Ford Edge GMC Acadia Honda CR-V Hyundai Santa Fe Jeep Wrangler Mazda CX-7 Saturn Vue Green Line Toyota FJ Cruiser The winners will be announced in December. Read "North American Car & Truck Of The Year…
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Linkity a valuable Patek Philippe watch my grandfather, Harley Earl, owned that's going up for auction on September 27, 2006 at the Downtown Athletic Club, DAC (see web-link directly below). This rare watch has the inscription written on its back how it was a 20th anniversary gift to Designer-Earl from GM Styling, circa 1945.
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Ford? DETROIT, Sept. 18 -- Executives from Ford Motor Co. and General Motors have discussed a possible merger or alliance, Automotive News reports in its Monday, Aug. 18, 2006, edition. link
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Saudis
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http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/fn/4183291.html I was listening to a talk show the other day, with a scientist. More and more the conventional wisdom of oil being decaying animal and plant matter over millions of years is being questioned. He contends that the earth produces oil from within and constantly....so there could be a possiblity that oil will never run out. That would be so hard on all the Chicken Littles out there.
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AutoNation CEO Wants Greater Gas Taxes "We have to do something to favor the new technologies and send a message to American consumers that gasoline prices are going to be systematically higher," he said. "A gas tax is a statement from the government that this is an issue of national security and we're going to do something about it." Read "AutoNation CEO calls for higher gasoline taxes" @ Yahoo (how very appropriate)
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Crash Testing Stickers Mandatory by 2007 Stickers displaying crash ratings must be on vehicles in U.S. showrooms next year, a requirement that could prompt voluntary changes by automakers if they fail to meet consumer expectations, government officials and safety advocates said on Thursday. The safety displays must be on all vehicles, except pickups, no later than September 1, 2007, which will cover the 2008 model year. They must be prominently displayed and convey the government's five-star ratings that includes data on front and side crash protection and rollover risk. Read "Safety stickers required on new cars in 2007" @ Reuters
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MIDSIZE SEDANS 1 2 3
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I posted this in the Saturn Aura topic and thought it would make good banter as its own thread. With all the new entries, tell us what or rank your family sedans. Please try to exclude lux and near lux cars. This is middle class bread and butter cars. I originally started comparing Aura vs. Fusion then it brached out. Here's my pecking order, taking into account to a small degree what the buff books may say and how complete a car it is for what you get. this does not neccessarily reflect what i would buy first. 1. 07 Altima 2A. Accord 2B. Aura 2C. Passat 2.0T 3A. Milan 3B. Fusion 4A. Cam-lee 4B. Impala 4C. 07 Sebring 5A. Mazda 6 5B. Malib…
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New Rollover Safety Rules on Hold New Federal mandates for greater roof strengthening efforts on the part of auto manufacturers have been put at a standstill by safety advocates who claim that the proposed rules are as weak as the roofs that some vehicles currently have. The rules would go into effect by 2010 at the earliest but manufacturers claim that isn't enough time for them to comply fully. These are the proposed rules: Would extend strength rules to all vehicles under 10,000 pounds; currently only vehicles up to 6,000 pounds are covered. Would require that a vehicle roof withstand a force equal to 2.5 times the vehicle weight while maintaining sufficient hea…
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Auto buyers more satisfied Study says growth in consumer satisfaction with cars, computers and Net is good sign for economy. David Shepardson / Detroit News Washington Bureau WASHINGTON -- Americans' satisfaction with their cars and trucks hit an all-time high in the second quarter, with domestic automakers continuing to narrow the gap with their higher-ranked foreign rivals, according to a new study by the University of Michigan to be released today. Overall, the American Customer Satisfaction Index rated autos 81 on a 100-point scale, up 1.3 percent over the same period last year. Toyota ranked No. 1, with a score of 87 for the second straight year. But U.S. brands…
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As much as I dislike Wal-Mart, if they do this...I may cut them some slack for a change. Why Wal-Mart wants to sell ethanol http://money.cnn.com/2006/08/08/news/compa...dex.htm?cnn=yes
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2006 Nameplate Ranking Problems per 100 Vehicles Lexus 136 Mercury 151 Buick 153 Cadillac 163 Toyota 179 Acura 184 Honda 194 Jaguar 210 BMW 212 Infiniti 215 Lincoln 220 Ford 224 Oldsmobile 224 Industry Average 227 Chrysler 232 Pontiac 232 Subaru 232 GMC 239 Mercedes-Benz 240 Chevrolet 241 Nissan 242 Mazda 243 Porsche 248 Hyundai 253 Dodge 258 Mitsubishi 260 Jeep 264 Volvo 272 Audi 279 MINI 280 Isuzu 283 Saturn 289 Volkswagen 299 HUMMER 307 Kia 310 Suzuki 318 Saab 326 Land Rover 438 http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/060809/law079.html?.v=66
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The trouble began when BMW released an ad for its new 3-series and congratulated Audi for winning the South African car of the Year award. Certainly an esteemed honor in it's own right, but BMW signed the congratulations with the line, "From the winner of the world car of the year award 2006." Ohhhh, snap!
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How much will this impact the auto industry? This won't be a quick fix, and after the prices rise, they will never come back down. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060807/ap_on_bi_ge/oil_prices_6
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Since I know how you guys feel about CR> http://www.truedelta.com/pieces/shortcomings.php Oh and join the site if you'd like, it seems pretty cool.
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I don't remember this being posted before, but it appears to be a good reference source for the current status of North American manufacturing plants (only saw a few mistakes that I know of... such as Lansing Grand River opened in 2001, not 1990.) Automotive Manufacturing Solutions July/Aug 2006 I'm glad to see that there hasn't been a closing announcement made for Hamtramck yet. The PAAS implementation caught my eye. A comment from this article caused me to wonder what is Hamtramck's true product capacity now with PAAS? Another question is 'why would GM update Hamtramck with no new products planned as mentioned in this recent article (June'06)?' ...future expan…
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2006 J.D.Power Customer Service Rankings: Lexus 912 Buick 911 Cadillac 909 Jaguar 908 Lincoln 906 Mercury 905 Saturn 904 Pontiac 903 Audi 890 MINI 890 Volvo 890 Acura 889 Chevrolet 887 Infiniti 887 Porsche 887 BMW 884 Honda 883 HUMMER 882 Saab 880 GMC 879 Industry Average 873 Mercedes-Benz 872 Hyundai 869 Chrysler 867 Ford 866 Dodge 862 Toyota 861 Subaru 858 Jeep 851 Nissan 849 Mitsubishi 848 Kia 843 Mazda 843 Land Rover 840 Suzuki 823 Volkswagen 810 Isuzu 781
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Link
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JULY 18, 2006 Insight By Ed Wallace Detroit Ignores Its Dealers At Its Peril Heavy discounting and added costs by U.S. automakers are bleeding its dealer bodies Most auto industry observers think they know what is wrong with Detroit. As General Motors weighs a possible alliance with Renault and Nissan, and Ford hands out the pink slips and slashes its dividends, the Greek chorus of critics has its favorite targets of what to fix first: expensive labor contracts, poor understanding of the market, mediocre designs and quality, resistance to hybrid technology and an ossified bureaucracy that is out of touch with reality. Yet, the sharp-eyed will have noticed that progr…
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RWD
by HarleyEarl-
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July 18, 2006 Rear-wheel drive on the rise, analyst says Richmond Hill, Ontario - While front-wheel drive (FWD) still accounts for the majority of vehicles, rear-wheel drive (RWD) is making a comeback in passenger cars, says industry analyst Dennis DesRosiers. The first generation of mainstream FWD vehicles were embraced by Canadian consumers in the early 1980s, DesRosiers says; in 1982, 46.6 per cent of Canadian passenger cars were FWD, while that number increased to 94.8 per cent by 2001, with RWD remaining almost exclusively in low-volume luxury and sports cars. The last year RWD cars represented the majority of passenger car sales was in 1981. Light trucks…
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found on DIGG.COM i'm guessing this means how long it would take to drill up, "ship", refine, and ship again and then come out of the pump, an average gallon across the country, based on some determined wage...? or is it just how long you have to drive, wait in a line, pay, and pump the gas? so if trends continue, it maybe a few years, of this, then prolly drop off again. first drop took ~20 years, second ~ 7 yrs, the next may take something closer ~5yrs? prolly some math formula could make a decent prediction (if it does drop off)... hard to say what the site's (leftbusinessobserver.com), this came from, at a glance, purpose is... take it as you will. this in…
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US: Ghosn lays groundwork for today's GM talks 14 July 2006| Source: just-auto.com editorial team As the CEOs of General Motors and Renault -Nissan gear up for their much anticipated meeting today (14/7), speculation surrounding the structure of any possible alliance between the motoring giants continues to mount. The meeting between Rick Wagoner and Carlos Ghosn comes a week after the board of GM agreed to engage in exploratory discussions with Renault and Nissan regarding GM's potential participation in an alliance among the three companies. Neither side has so far commented on the schedule for today’s meeting. However, Ghosn appeared to use the media yesterday to d…
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Sheetz anounces E85 to be available in Western PA this is pretty big for us in Pittsburgh. Sheetz is one of the largest gas chains/Fast food restraunts in the area <with ooooh so good shmuffins>. The other major chain which is trying to compete with Sheetz on food is GetGo. I'm hoping they'll respond and add E85 capability as well.
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