Industry News
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2006 J.D. Power Initial Quality Study Not too long ago, J.D. Power announced that they would be overhauling the way they evaluate car quality. The results of the revamped study are now in and can be seen above and at the following link. Read "Redesigned Initial Quality Study..." @ J.D. Power and Associates
Last reply by Snate, -
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I find this interesting, and there may be a bias in the people in the industry that voted, but almost every time the industry voted a Domestic vehicle, the media made sure they counteracted that with something else... And FWIW, I've been in a FJ, and the interior is nothing special- and a trunk in the bed feature, that makes getting to the spare tire impossible if you have a load in the bed, is not the most innovative feature, but these are opinions: Overall Vehicle Interiors Popular-Priced Car Industry At-Large Vote: Pontiac Solstice News Media Vote: Audi A3 Premium-Priced Car Industry At-Large Vote & News Media Vote: Lincoln Zephyr Popular-Priced CU…
Last reply by loki, -
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http://www.leftlanenews.com/2006/03/24/tra...utomaker-plans/ In any industry, one sure way to get a glimpse of future product plans is to query the U.S. patent office for various automaker names and brands. We already told you about the Infiniti G37, FX37, and M37. Well, we did a little more digging, and found a number of fascinating product name trademarks that hint to new products that could be just around the corner. Lincoln MKV? Mercedes GLK? It’s all after the jump… Below are some recent filings with the U.S. patent office: Lincoln MKV (March 1, 2006) This name clearly follows Lincoln’s new “Mk” or “Mark” naming scheme. Lincoln has announced the MKS (a new sedan)…
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Delphi Dancing with the Prancing Horse GM's old pal Delphi is joining forces with Ferrari. The upcoming Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano will use the auto supplier's MagnaRide suspension. That is the same suspension used in various GM vehicles such as the Cadillac STS. Read "Ray of Light: Bankrupt Delphi Wins Contract to Supply Ferrari" @ Edmunds
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newsweeek-print newsweek-article
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Just for the hell of it. http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/cars/re...06/overview.htm
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well... i was thinking about it after i saw an article saying ford was preparing for a strike... so that means many of their suppliers have stockpiles... and if the scare goes away... and an agreement is made between delphi and the union... will GM slow its orders, causing delphi to idle? how long is GM prepared to let delphi strike? that is obviously the same time period delphi will be basically idled... how much will that cost delphi?
Last reply by Newbiewar, -
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As I write this light sweet crude oil has topped $75 a barrel. Hear me out. As I've said before Global Peak Oil Production is going to hit the industrialized world like a ton of bricks in the face. It's already begun. The smallest rumors in petroleum or gasoline disruption magnify themselves many times in price increases. Gasoline will be over $5 a gallon nationwide soon. Meanwhile, GM is making investments in large SUVs, crossovers, V-8 powered RWD sedans and mending its "performance" and "luxury" nameplates because that's where the profit is. For now. Soon, these vehicles will be languishing on the lots with HEAVY incentives despite their goodness. GM would d…
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AutoPacific 2006 Vehicle Satisfaction Awards AutoPacific has released its list of recipients for their 2006 Vehicle Satisfaction Awards. Some are suprises; some aren't: BRAND: Lexus PASSENGER CARS: Premium Luxury Car Lexus LS Entry Luxury Car Cadillac CTS Luxury/Large Car Hyundai Azera Premium Mid-Size Car Volkswagen Passat Mid-Size Car Mercury Milan Image Compact Car MINI Cooper Compact Car Honda Civic Sports Car Chevrolet Corvette …
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Demographic Groups Rank Most Buzz-Worthy New Vehicles Domestic Launches Creating Most Buzz, Mercedes-Benz CLS Universally Viewed as Sophisticated IRVINE, Calif., May 10 /PRNewswire/ -- New-vehicle launches creating the most buzz differ greatly by demographic and vehicle consideration groups, according to the 2006 AutoVIBES Demographics reports, now available from online research leaders Harris Interactive® and Kelley Blue Book Marketing Research. The annual AutoVIBES Demographics series of reports provide significant insight into the diverse vehicle shopping preferences and opinions of different age groups, ethnicities and segment consideration groups. Most Buzz-W…
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For the first time since 1998, J.D. Power is revamping its influential survey that tracks new car and truck quality, and the changes could increase the number of problems and gripes reported by owners by as much as 40 percent on some models. The third-generation study, which collects nearly 60,000 surveys from new car and truck buyers after 90 days of ownership, contains more detailed questions than previous Initial Quality Studies and allows consumers to reply in essay form. more at link http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/artic.../605110403/1148
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Changes with the J.D. Powers That Be J.D. Powers is changing the way they survey car quality. Their surveys will now go more in depth, asking consumer for specifics on defects in quality. A two category breakdown, defects & malfunctions and design problems, will seperate niggling design issues from more serious problems that effect automobile reliability. More at the link. Read "J.D. Power overhauls car quality survey" @ The Detroit News
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http://www.wane.com/Global/story.asp?S=4855455&nav=0RYb
Last reply by CaddyXLR-V, -
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http://www.thecarconnection.com/Auto_News/...175.A10334.html So, we can blame the damn Chinese for helping to jack up prices. On top of that our useless goverment isn't doinga thing to keep the prices in check, and Bush is just making excuses that what he is doing is better than what needs to be done. If nothing else, I'm glad I own a fuel efficient Shadow
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By Steve Holland 2 hours, 20 minutes ago WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President George W. Bush, in trouble over soaring gasoline prices, ordered a probe on Tuesday into any price gouging, called for an end to tax breaks for Big Oil and suspended putting oil into the U.S. emergency stockpile. ADVERTISEMENT As a short-term measure, Bush also gave the Environmental Protection Agency authority to suspend federal clean-burning gasoline rules this summer that are forcing consumers to buy expensive new gasoline blends. Bush was acting to reverse prices that have soared above $3 a gallon in many parts of the country and are contributing to a new low of 32 percent in his job appro…
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Pony Car Talk
Last reply by PontiacTechNJ, -
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star tribune new york times story april 20 april 16
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Japanese automakers have long been known for their fuel economy even before they were known for their quality. However, this major elling point for Toyota, Honda, & Nissan will be taking a hit. Toyota's the most liberal in posting high MPG figures. The all-new Toyota 3.5L V-6 suppostedly achieves 22city/31hwy MPG. This figure is for ideal conditions, not real conditions. GM and Ford both have been using realistic figures for its engines since the early 2000s. If you look back, Ford's 3.0L DOHC V-6 actually out performed Toyota's 3.0L DOHC V-6 in ideal conditions. Ford downgraded its 3.0L V-6 durin g the 2000 MY Taurus revamp. Oldsmobile's 3.5L DOHC V-6 had better MPG …
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VolksWagens new Commercials
by Guest Josh- 2 replies
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Are going to go a long, long way towards their survival here in N/A. Those comms are ingenious.
Last reply by Camino LS6, -
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What if the government mandated that all V8s, V6s, and I6s sold after a certain date become E85 capable. This would jump start E85 filling station building. It would help start to ween the worst offending gas consumers off petrolium. GM would look great because they're most of the way there. Eventually, the 4 cylinders would follow suit simply because of demand.
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New CAFE rules could backfire Automakers may have an incentive to build bigger trucks Harry Stoffer | | Automotive News / April 3, 2006 - 6:00 am WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration insists that its new fuel economy rules will force SUVs, pickups and minivans to get better gasoline mileage. But skeptics wonder whether the Law of Unintended Consequences will overtake that goal. Critics say the new standards could encourage automakers to build bigger trucks, potentially wiping out the promised fuel savings. That's because the standards set different fuel economy targets for different-sized light trucks. The classifications are based on the area bounded by a tru…
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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A good read...it seems other automakers aren't willing to let Toyota rise to the top without a fight. http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Colum...rticleId=109823
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Toyota, Honda must fess up to less vroom New testing standards force carmakers to reduce claims Nick Bunkley / The Detroit News March 13, 2006 It turns out Toyota Motor Corp. isn't as strong as it appears in at least one area -- under the hood. Testing under stricter new horsepower standards reveals that most of the models in Toyota's lineup have less oomph than the company has advertised. Even though the engines are unchanged, the automaker had to lower the horsepower ratings on all but few 2006 Toyota, Lexus and Scion models. The reductions range from 4 to 20 horsepower compared with 2005 models. Honda Motor Co., the No. 2 Japanese automaker, also has downgr…
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http://www.jalopnik.com/cars/news/black-tu...-mph-165142.php
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Hybrids Consume More Energy in Lifetime Than Chevrolet's Tahoe SUV BANDON, Ore., March 31 /PRNewswire/ -- As Americans become increasingly interested in fuel economy and global warming, they are beginning to make choices about the vehicles they drive based on fuel economy and to a lesser degree emissions. But many of those choices aren't actually the best in terms of vehicle lifetime energy usage and the cost to society over the full lifetime of a car or truck. CNW Marketing Research Inc. spent two years collecting data on the energy necessary to plan, build, sell, drive and dispose of a vehicle from initial concept to scrappage. This includes such minutia as plant to …
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General Motors Vice President Ken Cole announces the extension of GM's partnership with the Governors Ethanol Coalition--a bipartisan group of governors devoted to the promotion and increased use of ethanol--to provide several new E85-capable vehicles for use in GEC member states Thursday, March 30, 2006, on the steps of the State Capitol in Austin, Texas. There are 1.5 million GM flexible-fuel vehicles already on the road. GM will add more than 400,000 E85-capable vehicles to the fleet in 2006. Cole also announced E85 ethanol fuel will be offered at approximately 20 Kroger fueling sites in the Houston and Dallas area through collaboration with the retailer and Abengoa Bi…
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http://today.reuters.com/investing/finance...ABOR-URGENT.XML Turn out the lights The Party's over It seems that all Good things must end
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Detroit 2011: Feds May Overhaul Fuel Standards for Big SUVs Date posted: 03-23-2006 WASHINGTON, D.C. — General Motors is expected to be hit the hardest by a Bush administration plan to subject the biggest vans and sport-utility vehicles to fuel economy standards by 2011 for the first time, according to The Wall Street Journal. The Journal says the administration plans to exempt pickup trucks, which constitute the vast majority of vehicles over 8,500 pounds. The largest SUVs, vans and trucks — those weighing between 8,500 and 10,000 pounds — have been exempt from fuel economy rules since they were set in the 1970s. GM products such as the Chevrolet Suburban, GMC Yuk…
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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...6032801573.html Some are pretty harsh. http://www.marketwatch.com/News/Story/Stor...google&keyword=
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http://quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=1...8R2A&refer=home
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http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/artic...UTO01/603270379 The Majority(If not all) of the $27 an hour people are eligible for the buyout and Flowback plans. The second tier people are at $14-$18 an hour now. Whatever the people at the plants decide. Its thier lives and thier choice.
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link to article
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Listening to the Internet Internet trends: Companies are eavesdropping on online discussion forums to find out what their customers really think about them March 9, 2006 ONE of the things that makes the internet so appealing is that for any subject, no matter how obscure, there is almost guaranteed to be at least one website, blog or discussion forum where people congregate to talk about it. Online discussion forums cover a huge range of topics: it is not just stereotypical geeky bickering about Macs versus PCs, or Windows versus Linux. Worried mothers compare the fat content of different brands of potato crisps; car enthusiasts discuss the merits of forthcoming models…
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Child safety advocates lobby for vehicle sensors March 10, 2006 BY JUSTIN HYDE FREE PRESS WASHINGTON BUREAU WASHINGTON -- Child safety advocates launched a blitz Thursday for bills in Congress that would require automakers to install safety devices aimed at protecting children. The Kansas-based Kids and Cars coalition, along with Consumers Union, say the bills -- one in the House and one in the Senate -- would sharply cut non-crash vehicle accidents that they estimate killed 213 children last year, with at least 1,000 deaths since 1999. Both bills would require automakers to install systems to improve visibility behind vehicles and design power windows that automati…
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1) Dual VVT(1-3years for mainstream GM product) This will be on the next gen 3.6L HF V-6. GM will likely set Toyota's 3.5L Dual-VVT V-6 as the benchmark to follow for it HF 3.6L V-6 and its HF 2.8L V-6. GM will match Toyota's HP and MPG. 2) Direct Fuel injection(2-3years for mainstream GM product) This will premier on the next CTS on the 3.6L HF V-6. This engine will have Dual-VVT and Direct Injection. HP will be blown to up to 340hp! DirectInjection will surplant conventionl Fuel Injection with in a decade on all applications 3) Active Fuel Management(currently, next gen 3-4years) This has already been introduced on several vehicles including th Impala SS. How…
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Automakers Get Creative with Camo This is war, after all — and a good disguise can keep the competition at bay. by Paul A. Eisenstein (2006-03-06) In the auto-razzi game of cat-and-mouse, Nick Twork has been both hunter and hunted. A decade ago, as a tall and lanky teenager, he began bicycling out to the General Motors Proving Grounds, in Milford, Mich., snapping pictures of future vehicles that strayed a little too close to the perimeter wall. These days, however, Twork is literally working the other side of the fence, as a product specialist in Ford's public relations department. "I've been pretty vocal about things that can lead to a spy shot," he says, like dri…
Last reply by Variance, -
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http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060303/bs_nm/autos_dana_dc Buy some shares now before it sky rockets when Magna buyout rumours start up.
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Page 93 of this month's C&D in a review about the new Mitsu Eclipse Spyder. Uh... guys, Mitsubishi is number 26 on JDP Vehicle dependability. Right below Nissan at 25, Subaru at 21, and Mazda at 19. Lets get this clear C&D. Mitsubishi != Toyota
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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Sales of big pickups are beginning to stall Half of full-size pickups on the market saw sales decline in 2005; nearly all stumbled out of the gate in 2006 Brett Clanton / The Detroit News In the often fickle auto business, where yesterday's hot seller can be tomorrow's discounted dud, sales of big pickups have remained rock steady in the face of gas spikes, economic downturns and changing consumer tastes. But despite a fiercely loyal customer base, full-size pickups have started to lose steam in what could be a troubling sign for Detroit's automakers. Half of full-size pickups on the market saw sales decline in 2005, and nearly all models stumbled out of the gate in …
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Analysts: Feb. Auto Sales Should Be Up By DEE-ANN DURBIN, AP Auto Writer Sat Feb 25, 12:20 AM ET Despite a blizzard, February auto sales should be higher than last year thanks to heavy advertising, a blitz of new products and the continued strength of Asian automakers, industry analysts said Friday. Several Wall Street analysts predicted U.S. sales will be up between 1 percent and 3 percent over last February when automakers report sales Wednesday. General Motors Corp. could be among the biggest beneficiaries after piquing customers' interest with advertising during the Super Bowl and the Olympics, Goldman Sachs auto analyst Robert Barry said in a note to investors. …
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Aging tires spark new safety concern Michelin, Continental latest to set 10-year limit Scott Burgess / The Detroit News Major U.S. tire manufacturers have a new warning for consumers and dealers: Any tire made before 1996 should be swinging from a tree. Michelin USA and Continental Tire North America Inc. have become the latest manufacturers to issue technical bulletins to dealers calling for the replacement of all tires 10 years or older. Some automakers -- including Ford Motor Co. and DaimlerChrysler AG -- advise owners that tires be replaced after six years. Industry and safety experts agree that most tires are replaced long before any unofficial expiration date.…
Last reply by balthazar, -
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Satellite radio bleeds cash Sirius, XM's combined losses total $1.53 billion in 2005 Bradford Wernle Automotive News / February 20, 2006 - 6:00 am Satellite radio companies are spending bundles of money to lure new subscribers, especially those who tune in the services while in their cars. Those soaring marketing expenses worsened the horrendous fourth-quarter 2005 losses at both XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. and Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. The XM losses triggered the resignation last week of an XM board member, who warned of a pending crisis. In his resignation letter, Pierce Roberts Jr. warned that there is "a significant chance of a crisis on the horizon" if…
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Backseat Driver The Small Car Conundrum Jerry Flint, 12.13.05, 12:12 AM Small cars make sense for obvious reasons, but they have never caught on big in the U.S. While such vehicles may gain ground in this market, I don't see them becoming a dominant force here--unless gasoline climbs past $5 a gallon. Detroit first flirted with small cars a half-century ago. As World War II ended, the big U.S. automakers believed there would be a tremendous demand for a new generation of small, light cars to put car-hungry Americans back on wheels. In 1944, then-young Henry Ford II said his company would build "a lower-priced car than had been offered the public since…
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here "It will be interesting to see whether Toyota can pull off this bit of PR wizardry. For some years the Japanese brand has been given a free pass by the general media when it comes to environmental image. The fact is that Toyota has plenty of fuel guzzling large trucks in its corporate line-up (the Sequoia, for example, gets no better mileage than its Motown rivals and is less fuel efficient than GM's new full-size SUV range). Seemingly unaware of such details, the press at large always picks on GM or Ford when writing about fuel thirsty vehicles. Only last summer's brief but aggressive broadside from the Bluewater Network environmental group broke the spell, by labe…
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Tuesday 20th December 2005 Laws bring 24h lighting up time British motorists will be driving with their headlamps on day and night within 10 years after a new Europe-wide agreement that will allow only cars with permanent "lights on" to be sold. The move, from the Cars 21 Group of Euro motor industry chiefs and civil servants, is the final part of a deal to bring the big switch-on to the Continent by 2015. Formal proposals for EU member states will come next year. The plan is intended to cut European road accidents by making cars more visible.
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Auto cuts slam blacks African-Americans are hit the hardest as good-paying factory jobs fade away. Louis Aguilar / The Detroit News As American auto factory jobs have steadily moved south of Detroit into nonunion plants over the past 25 years, African-Americans have been hit hardest by the loss. Whites and Latinos also are losing ground, but the decline in stable, high-paying union work is far greater among blacks, according to a study by the Center for Economic and Policy Research, a Washington-based think tank. The transition is chipping away at the middle-class lifestyle auto factory work has provided for generations of black families, many who left their native s…
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EARNINGS, COMPENSATION: Visteon grants raises Supplier's year-end results improve with help from former owner Ford BY JASON ROBERSON FREE PRESS BUSINESS WRITER February 11, 2006 Executives at Visteon Corp., the nation's second-largest auto-parts supplier, recorded handsome raises even as the company announced year-end losses Friday. In filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission Friday, Visteon reported fourth quarter and year-end earnings and details about increased compensation for executives. The pay raises come as the company's numbers improved last year, even though that improvement depended almost solely on relief from former owner Ford Motor Co. For…
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AutoExtremist: Auto Mags Are DEAD 1 2
by Guest Josh- 1 follower
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I've been saying this for three years! The traditional monthly car magazines are dead - they just don't know it yet. Detroit. If you were to look at the balance sheets of the leading car magazines right now, you would be absolutely stunned at the staggering amounts of revenue they generate every year. Legendary money machines, these magazines make hundreds of millions of dollars annually for the corporate behemoths that lord over them with an iron fist. And if you look at the Big Picture only from those companies' perspective, then the good times seemingly will go on forever. But there are deep and growing cracks in the facade of these money machines - and these fissur…
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http://www.forbes.com/2005/12/14/cx_dl_121...lide_print.html
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Galileo Signals End of Liberty in Europe The first signals received from the oncoming swarm of Galileo satellites signal the end of liberty in Europe. Galileo offers consumers the promise of better and cheaper satellite navigation - this is how those behind the multi-billion (insert currency of choice) project sell it to the public. What they don't shout so loudly about is that it also offers governments the promise of easier satellite tracking. You'll soon be able to buy a mobile phone or watch that knows where you are. Indeed, the Japanese government have already passed a law that from 2007 onwards you won't be able to buy a new mobile phone in Japan without a s…
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HYBRIDS COME OUT ON TOP IN INTELLICHOICE.COM’S 2006 “BEST OVERALL VALUE OF THE YEAR” AWARDS - Ford Escape Hybrid and Toyota Highlander Hybrid Join Toyota Prius at Top of Automotive Value Chain - Honda Odyssey Sweeps Minivan Category - CHICAGO AUTO SHOW, Chicago, IL, February 8, 2006—PRIMEDIA’s IntelliChoice.com, the online source for automotive ownership cost and value analysis, today announced the results of its “Best Overall Value of the Year” awards for model year 2006. And for the first time, two hybrid SUVs join the reigning hybrid champion Toyota Prius and four other vehicles in giving American carbuyers the best value for their money. IntelliChoice.com’s “Be…
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Auto parts maker's shares tumble 20% as continuing slump in industry takes its toll. Detroit News wire services / TOLEDO -- Auto parts maker Dana Corp. on Tuesday reported a third-quarter loss of nearly $1.3 billion as a slumping automobile industry forced it to realign its business, triggering massive charges during the period. Its shares tumbled more than 20 percent. The company, which makes brakes, axles and other parts, reported a loss of $1.27 billion, or $8.50 per share, for the three months ended Sept. 30 compared with a profit of $42 million, or 28 cents per share, a year earlier. Sales edged higher to $2.4 billion from $2.11 billion last year. "Obviously, ou…
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The Daily Auto Insider Tuesday, February 7, 2006 February 2006 The average automotive manufacturer incentive in the U.S. was $2,423 per vehicle sold in January 2006, down $109, or four percent, from December 2005, and up $15, or 0.6 percent, from January 2005, according to Edmunds.com, an online resource for automotive information. The industry's aggregate incentives spending is estimated to have totaled $2.6 billion in January, down from $3.7 billion in December, according to an Edmunds.com news release. Chrysler, Ford and General Motors spent an aggregate of $1.84 billion, or 71 percent of the total; Japanese manufacturers spent $489 million, or 19 percent; Europe…
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Interesting comparisons... I don't believe it's been posted here before: http://www.npr.org/news/specials/gmvstoyota/
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The Good News About America's Auto Industry Sure, Detroit is hurting. But in the Sunbelt, foreign carmakers are expanding, hiring, and stoking local growth Nandra Barnes knows about dead-end jobs. For seven years, the single mother of three labored as a welder at an air-conditioning factory in Grenada, Miss., a gritty job that, at $11.50 an hour, left her living paycheck to paycheck. Job security? Forget it. With every dip in orders, the factory would lay off more workers. "It seemed like there were always cutbacks," she recalls. Barnes was fearful of the day she would get the tap on the shoulder. So when Nissan Motor Co. (NSANY) opened a sprawling $1.4 billion asse…
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Bridgestone Firestone Lets Consumers Test-Drive Tires for 30 Days Date posted: 02-01-2006 NASHVILLE, Tenn. — As part of its effort to win back customers, Bridgestone Firestone is beginning a unique "Buy & Try 30-Day Guarantee" on its tires, starting today. "If after 30 days or less you are not satisfied with the performance of our tires, we will refund your money," said Phil Pacsi, executive director of consumer tire marketing. The tire company has been battling a bad reputation ever since initiating the largest tire recall in transportation history in 2000 due to problems with blowouts. Fallout from the recall continues to crop up, with the latest being last w…
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GM, Ford US sales slide continues in January By Poornima Gupta Mon Jan 30, 11:28 AM ET DETROIT (Reuters) - General Motors Corp. (NYSE:GM - news) and Ford Motor Co. (NYSE:F - news) lost additional U.S sales and market share to Japanese rivals in January, analysts said, as consumers' shift toward more fuel-efficient vehicles left Detroit's top automakers in the slow lane. Wall Street expects GM and Ford, whose U.S. share has declined steadily over the last decade, to report sales slides of as much as 10 percent when the industry releases results on Wednesday. Toyota Motor Corp.(7203.T) is seen posting a gain of about 10 percent. "Imports and transplants have eaten D…
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2005 Panoz Esperante GTLM Esperante Extremus: The new GTLM addresses all your Panoz power needs By MARK VAUGHN AutoWeek | Published 01/27/06, 7:25 pm et AT A GLANCE: 2005 PANOZ ESPERANTE GTLM ON SALE: Now BASE PRICE: $89,000 POWERTRAIN: 4.6-liter, 420-hp, 420-lb-ft V8; rwd,six-speed manual CURB WEIGHT: 3461 lbs. 0 to 62 MPH: 4.2 seconds (mfr.) One of the many advantages of buying from a small car manufacturer is that you get to spend quality time with the company principals. Imagine cruising Dearborn in a Model T with Henry Ford. Such was the sensation (on a smaller scale and at a much higher speed) when we spent an afternoon zipping through the Hol…
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http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/arti...ct=newsletter07
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autonews "Main point: U.S. automakers must use their engineering and scientific talent to level the playing field with Japanese competitors. Tougher federal regulation could help."
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CBS link Here is what LA Times has to say LA Times story haha i just find this interesting...
Last reply by Newbiewar, -
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http://msnbc.msn.com/id/10617131/
Last reply by regfootball, -
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- Editor-in-Chief
- 4 replies
- 1.1k views
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/artic.../601050428/1148
Last reply by CARBIZ, -
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Cars for the Young Take a Detour
by Guest Josh- 1 follower
- 10 replies
- 2.6k views
It wasn't until Jim Tudor got his new Honda Element that he noticed a quirk in its design. Why was the boxy vehicle's sunroof over the empty back seat instead of his spot up front? "I found out that it's supposed to be for my surfboard," said Tudor, 56, who is the grandfather of two and never surfs anywhere but the Internet. "It was really only after the fact, when I started doing a little reading on the car, that I found out I wasn't supposed to be the one driving it." It turns out many of the people buying the Element — which looks like a cross between a minivan and a Hummer — aren't the young surfers and mountain bikers …
Last reply by ponchoman49, -
- 9 replies
- 1.5k views
USA Today article
Last reply by regfootball, -
American auto industry seen at a crossroads
by Guest Josh- 1 reply
- 1.3k views
Detroit’s primacy threatened by Asia; a painful restructuring underway With sinking sales to job cuts by the thousands, it’s no great exaggeration to say that when historians write the history of America’s big automotive manufacturers, 2005 will go down as one of their most dreadful years. That’s not to say the American automotive business is in dire straits — on the contrary, it’s thriving. Automobile sales are still strong, but while times are good for some manufacturers, the nation’s two biggest — General Motors and Ford — are in the midst of a massive and agonizing reorganization, hobbled by a shrinking domestic market share, plunging profits, and the high wages…
Last reply by regfootball, -
- 2 replies
- 1.1k views
Editors' Most Wanted Vehicles for 2006 Most Significant Vehicle of the Year Most Significant Vehicle of the Year: Pontiac Solstice GTO. Firebird. Fiero. The history of Pontiac is peppered with nameplates that helped establish the brand as a legitimate performance division within GM. Whether they were ramming air, making a chicken scream, or putting the engine behind the driver, the folks at Pontiac always had something interesting to draw enthusiasts into the showroom. That all ended in 2002 when the Firebird flamed out. Not only was the division's pony car dead, but there wasn't a rear-wheel-drive model to be found in the entire lineup. So much for "build…
Last reply by HarleyEarl, -
- 8 replies
- 1.4k views
Yep just in time for the Return of American muscle. 10 mpg Eh?
Last reply by razoredge, -
It's not your father's auto industry anymore
by Guest Josh- 2 replies
- 1.4k views
Ryan Daleo, a 28-year-old factory worker for Ford Motor Co., has the auto industry in his blood. His great-grandfather, great-grandmother, both grandfathers and father worked the lines of Detroit area auto plants. Don't tell his family about the virtues of a foreign car; they don't care for Toyotas or Nissans. Don't dare park one in their driveway; they'll ask you to move it. Daleo, a Canton resident who grew up in Inkster and Garden City, said he was meant to work on cars and trucks. Five years ago, he started with Ford, where his great-grandfather first worked in the 1940s. "I'm a gearhead," said Daleo, wearing blue jeans and a …
Last reply by razoredge, -
- 18 replies
- 1.8k views
SOUTHFIELD, MI – The winners of Ward’s 10 Best Engines awards for 2006 demonstrate U.S. auto consumers still can have it all: Many of the winning engines highlight sophisticated new technology that generates exhilarating performance – but also improves fuel economy. The 2006 list marks the 12th year for the Ward’s 10 Best Engines program, the auto industry’s highly anticipated annual barometer of powertrain prowess. This year’s winners, as well as the vehicles tested, include: Audi AG: 2L FSI turbocharged DOHC I-4 (Audi A3) Audi AG: 4.2L DOHC V-8 (Audi S4) BMW AG: 3L DOHC I-6 (330i) DaimlerChrysler AG:5.7L Hemi Magnum OHV V-8 (Dodge Charger R/T) Ford Motor Co.: 4.…
Last reply by razoredge, -
- 2 replies
- 1.1k views
Wide tires come to aid of the trucking industry Larger size means that truckers need fewer wheels to carry the load on the conventional rig. Jim Davenport / Associated Press Mark Duncan / Associated Press Jim Smith holds the new Michelin X-One truck tire, right, designed to replace the double tires, left, commonly used on large trucks. See full image Printer friendly version Comment on this story Send this story to a friend Get Home Delivery -- Take a closer look at some of the 18-wheelers rolling down the nation's roads lately and you might notice something missing: eight wheels. Some truckers are converting to wider tires that let them replace dua…
Last reply by balthazar, -
- 4 replies
- 1.4k views
http://www.autoextremist.com/page2.shtml#Rant
Last reply by balthazar, -
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- Editor-in-Chief
- 7 replies
- 2.2k views
Every December the automotive "experts" give their predictions for the next year and people fawn all over it. What no one ever does is to look back and see how much of their "wisdom" came true. This year I'm going to do that with four automotive writers from Forbes. Last year some names you know (Flint and Dan Lienert) made their predications for 2005 and they were waaaaaaaaay off. Let's dissect their 2005 wisdom while asking ourselves, "Why the hell would I read and believe their 2006 predictions since their 2005 was so wrong. First we'll take our favorite geezer, Jerry Flint. Let's take this one apart: The Big Trend …
Last reply by Member55, -
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Delphi Strike Would Put Toyota In A Bind
by Guest Josh- 3 replies
- 1.8k views
Conventional wisdom has it that an imploding GM-UAW-Delphi triangle would force Delphi to cut its U.S. business with GM, push General Motors Corp. closer to bankruptcy and gut the union's future. Less conventional is the reality that Delphi Corp. and its United Auto Workers-represented plants also stand to lose growing numbers of contracts with the world's would-be largest automaker, Toyota Motor Corp., if it gets pinched by UAW strikes. And Delphi knows it. Chairman Robert S. "Steve" Miller and President Rodney O'Neal were in Japan last week to reassure executives of Toyota, Honda, Nissan and Suzuki -- companies Delphi figures could account…
Last reply by Ghost Dog, -
- 1 reply
- 1.1k views
From Forbes Dan Lienert On Autos 12.29.05 The Big Trend 2006 will be the year American automakers borrow a page from the airline industry and break their social contract with unionized workers. In order for the American auto industry to survive, manufacturers will have to cripple their unions, just as Northwest Airlines did. Delphi Chairman Steve Miller has already demoralized his unionized workers; in 2006 he will force the UAW to abandon a decades-old tradition of gold-plated wages and benefits for its workers. Following suit, General Motors, Ford Motor and Chrysler will begin to chip away at the power of their union workers, too. The Unconventional Wisdom …
Last reply by Ghost Dog, -
- 2 replies
- 1.2k views
by Dr. Bud E. Bryan Road Kill is one man's musings about life, love and automobiles, not necessarily in that order. Dr. Bryan is a bit of a loose cannon (and that would be different than how?-ed.), so his stories will be sporadic, sometimes chaotic, but hopefully, always entertaining. He has racing experience, life experience and other experiences we don't really care to know about, actually. We don't know what he is a Dr. of exactly, either (he gets kind of "excitable" when pressed), so we don't go there. At any rate, here goes... The Car Thing. Austin, Texas. The last few years around this time, I've talked about our favorite cars…
Last reply by knightfan26917, -
- 11 replies
- 1.6k views
Very thorough site with breakdown percentages my manufacturer. Link On the very first link on the page, they show you fleet percentages for certain cars. Here are some surprising ones. Chrysler Sebring - 72.4% fleet! Dodge Stratus - 72.2% fleet Chevy Impala - 62% fleet Kia Amanti - 64.7% fleet Pontiac Grand Prix - 52.2% fleet Here's a breakdown by manufacturer of some of the largest fleeted cars. GM was easily the worst...the Impala and Malibu percentages are disappointing. They didn't have any Cobalt figures. Ford had high percentages on the obvious ones like the Crown Vic and Taurus, but they're doing a good job keeping the new cars out of fleets. …
Last reply by frogger, -
- 1 reply
- 1k views
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/economic_forecast The report, conducted by UCLA, predicts 300,000 jobs to be lost in the financial sector, and 800,000 jobs lost total. This could directly affect GMAC, and could possibly adversely affect the entire economy
Last reply by razoredge, -
- 3 replies
- 1.2k views
And it is cheap! This article is just the tip of an iceberg that we have been following for the past 10 years. It appears that they now have all their ducks in a row, and with this source, you won't even have to worry about hybrids. What am I talking about? Black Light Power, of course. Check'em out! Go read the tip...... http://www.guardian.co.uk/renewable/Story/...27425%2C00.html :o Then if you want to get the whole story, go to: www.BlackLightpower.com. This will really open your eyes! B)
Last reply by Nick, -
- 1 reply
- 939 views
from http://www.automobear.com:
Last reply by FUTURE_OF_GM, -
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- Editor-in-Chief
- 4 replies
- 1.3k views
Dec. 1 (Bloomberg) -- Auto executives in Detroit, just like unionized hourly workers, are having a tough time these days justifying their paychecks. The bottom line? Assembly-line workers may not like to hear this, but pay for the bosses is about in line with that of other U.S. manufacturing executives, according to surveys. The issue of executive compensation is coming to a head as Delphi Corp., the bankrupt maker of auto parts, has asked the court to approve bonuses and financial incentives designed to keep top officers and managers from bolting to other jobs. The United Auto Workers union, which represents most of Delphi's 33,000 hourly workers in the U…
Last reply by razoredge, -
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- 2 replies
- 919 views
News Automobile Magazine announces its 2006 Automobile of the Year and All-Stars awards Editors Select Automobile of the Year, Six All-Stars, and the Man, Design, and Technology of the Year (ANN ARBOR, MI--December 5, 2005)--AUTOMOBILE MAGAZINE, America's leading automotive lifestyle publication, today announced the winners of the 2006 AUTOMOBILE MAGAZINE All-Stars Awards. Each year, the editors of AUTOMOBILE MAGAZINE convene to test, evaluate and debate the performance, significance and contributions of the vehicles and executives who have impacted the automotive industry the most. The prestigious list of the deserving winners is featured in the 2006 January…
Last reply by FUTURE_OF_GM, -
- 4 replies
- 1.1k views
Silver Named Most Popular Car Color of 2005 by Christina Medina ForbesAutos.com To car buyers, all that glitters doesn’t have to be gold. Silver was named the top-rated vehicle color of choice six years in a row according to a report from DuPont Automotive, followed closely by white. Medium to dark gray infused with colors like green and blue has increased in popularity this year by 5 percent, while a more vibrant blue greatly appeals to younger auto consumers in 2005. The most popular color in the U.S. is featured on the fifth most popular vehicle, the 2006 Honda Accord. Dupont is the world’s leading supplier of automotive color coatings. In the U…
Last reply by Sixty8panther, -
- 1 follower
- 2 replies
- 1.2k views
http://www.autoextremist.com/page2.shtml#Rant
Last reply by 91z4me, -
- 5 replies
- 1.1k views
3 ports and bright grille = 6 cyl Lucerne http://www.popularmechanics.com/automotive...html?page=1&c=y
Last reply by Flybrian, -
- 2 replies
- 943 views
It seems NBC hasn't made money on their deal with NASCAR and are pulling out. Fox, ABC/ESPN and TNT fill the void. Pretty pictures and more info at the link. http://www.mph-online.com/web/news/00204
Last reply by PontiacTechNJ, -
- 18 replies
- 1.9k views
No Yankee Cars: The Anti-American Road Show From the desk of Paul Belien on Mon, 2005-11-28 16:06 Car dealers importing American cars in Belgium are on the brink of bankruptcy. For the past three months the Belgian government has been refusing to deliver the required safety certificates for the cars. Since 1 September companies importing non-European cars must be able to show European certificates guaranteeing the safety of the cars. The Belgian authorities are making no problems for Japanese, Korean or other non-American cars, but are refusing to give safety certificates for Dodges, GMCs, Chevrolets, Chryslers, Lincolns and other American car brands. Belgian deale…
Last reply by FUTURE_OF_GM, -
- 2 replies
- 950 views
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/artic.../511300432/1148
Last reply by razoredge, -
Trucks
by HarleyEarl- 2 replies
- 1k views
US car companies trucking out of trouble 26.11.05 By Alastair Sloane Once upon a time, an American car was just that. American cars stood out. They were mostly as big as Texas and covered in chrome. They had big motors in the front, big boots in the back - and big bench seats in between. Some had fins, swept-back things designed to give the car the same presence on land as a shark has in the water. These made some cars look hideous - even to Americans. The fins later came to symbolise American excess, in car design and in everyday living. Classic Americans included the 1949 Ford pick-up, 1955 Chevrolet, with its small block V8, and 1963 Buick Riviera. The Rivi…
Last reply by ocnblu, -
Delphi Backs Off Threat To Unions
by Guest Josh- 5 replies
- 1.7k views
Delphi Corporation on Monday backed off a threat to cancel union contracts if no agreement on concessions is reached by mid-December. A Delphi spokesman says the decision was prompted by "progress made with GM," Delphi's biggest parts customer, toward helping Delphi climb out of Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. At the same time, November sales figures show U.S. carmakers struggling to keep up with last year's numbers. Edmunds.com forecasts Chrysler will finish the month with new car sales up nine percent, Ford down eight percent, and GM up one percent. But Japanese carmaker Toyota appears to be heading to an improvement over last November of 14 perce…
Last reply by razoredge, -
- 1 reply
- 1.3k views
http://www.nationalreview.com/comment/payne200511290819.asp November 29, 2005, 8:19 a.m. Labor Pains Detroit needs to play by market rules. By Henry Payne Detroit, Michigan — Massive job cuts at General Motors, America's largest carmaker — coupled with the bankruptcy of Delphi, America's biggest autoparts maker — have provoked predictable handwringing from liberal pundits who worry that America is "losing its manufacturing base." But the wrenching change now buffeting the auto industry defies the usual press formulas. Just listen to Steve Miller a turnaround specialist who is steering Delphi's restructuring process. He exploded the myth o…
Last reply by razoredge, -
- 2 replies
- 1k views
Catching the Next Wave: Will High-Tech Muscle Squeeze Sport Compacts? BOB GRITZINGER and RICHARD S. CHANG Published Date: 11/28/05 Sport compact tuners are taking over the world. That’s the unmistakable conclusion you might reach after gazing upon miles of aisles of tricked-out tuner cars, over-the-top parts and wild accessories at the recent Specialty Equipment Market Association show in Las Vegas. There’s one problem: People with ears closest to the thrumming ground think you’re wrong. They think the wave of sport compact tuning that washed over America in the past decade may have crested and is receding from its high water mark. Yes, Honda is back. It is reclaimi…
Last reply by HarleyEarl, -
- 8 replies
- 1.5k views
Saturday, November 26, 2005 Print this Comment on this E-mail this Report suggests taxing hybrids, billing drivers by mile to boost funds Chamber of Commerce study says Congress needs find new revenues for highways By Jim Abrams / Associated Press WASHINGTON -- Taxing hybrids and other fuel-efficient cars and billing drivers for miles driven are among the approaches being suggested to avert a shortfall in money to maintain the nation's highways. Less than four months after President Bush signed a six-year, $286.4 billion highway and public transit act, a report commissioned by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce says the federal Highway Trust Fund is running out o…
Last reply by Flybrian, -
- 4 replies
- 1.4k views
http://www.forbesautos.com/news/headlines/...autoturkey.html Automotive Turkeys 2005 by Dan Lienert Forbes.com NEW YORK — The word "turkey" is like the word "lemon," appealing if you're sitting down to dinner, troubling if you're talking about investments. Bankers and theater producers call failures "turkeys," and each year Forbes.com applies the term to cars as well. We do this, naturally, around Thanksgiving. The 10 vehicles in the slide show that follows are the ones that have seen the biggest declines in sales in the American market in the first 10 months of 2005, compared with the first 10 months of 2004. …
Last reply by razoredge, -
Angry UAW fights Delphi exec bonuses
by Guest Josh- 1 follower
- 2 replies
- 1.2k views
The United Auto Workers on Tuesday filed a scathing objection to Delphi Corp.'s proposal in U.S. Bankruptcy Court to reward its executive team with bonuses and stock potentially worth more than $500 million. In its filing, the UAW called Delphi's executive compensation program "grossly excessive" and said it would impede the union from reaching agreement with the bankrupt auto supplier on wage and job cuts for hourly workers. The UAW's objection, along with a similar filing by the United Steelworkers of America, set the stage for a battle on the compensation package at a Nov. 29 court hearing in New York. At issue is whether Delphi w…
Last reply by aaaantoine, -
- 4 replies
- 1.3k views
Automakers catering to aging baby boomers By Jeremy Cato So, you are a well-educated professional, perhaps in your 40s, but more likely in your 50s, and you want some luxury in your transportation. The world, as they say, is your oyster. Automakers have discovered – rediscovered? – 50-something buyers, and there are a lot of ‘em. So automakers are introducing a nice array of new models for aging baby boomers, all the while keeping in mind that old auto industry axiom: you can sell a young man's car to an old man, but you can't sell an old man's car to a young man. Well, "young" is a relative term here. By "young" we're referring …
Last reply by capriceman, -
- 8 replies
- 1.7k views
WCCO read the article and i think there is a video of it too.
Last reply by capriceman, -
- 2 replies
- 1.1k views
Auto Skins - digital clothing for your car November 5, 2005 Auto Skins is a product that has been on the Australian market for several years. Developed by the aptly named promotional company Decently Exposed, the AutoSkin is a digitally coloured skin for automobiles. You can have high resolution artwork emblazoned on the skin which is then bonded to the car and indestinguishable from normal paint other than its at photographic reproduction quality. The AutoSkin has the double advantage of forming a protective coating which can be stripped off to reveal the original, as-new unblemished duco the car came with. Over 2500 cars have been reskinned to date with corporate br…
Last reply by HarleyEarl, -
- 2 replies
- 1.1k views
The turbocharger turns 100 years old this week The turbocharger , which has dominated the development of the internal combustion engine for the last 30 years, turned 100 years old this week. On 16 November 1905 Swiss engineer Dr. Alfred Buchi received patent No. 204630 from the Imperial Patent Office of the German Reich for a machine consisting of a compressor (turbine compressor), a piston engine, and a turbine in sequential arrangement. Porsche chose the occassion to introduce its very latest take on the turbocharger, this time with variable turbine geometry (VTG). This extensive article covers the development and major achievements of the turbocharger and the new VTG t…
Last reply by balthazar,
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