Industry News
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Automakers Ask White House To Reject 62 MPG Standard William Maley - Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com May 13, 2011 A trade group representing Detroit's Big Three, Toyota Motor Corp., and eight other manufacturers asked the Obama administration to say no to a proposal that would impose a 62 mpg requirement by 2025. The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers said in a letter addressed to Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and Environmental Protection Agency administrator Lisa Jackson, "Fuel economy and greenhouse gas targets should not be arbitrary numbers, chosen before the necessary analyses are completed. That would circumvent the rulemaking process a…
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Since Volkswagen and Ford announced a new partnership back in the summer, there have been rumors flying around if it could expand into other areas. The two said it would primarily focus commercial vehicles, but they were open to other opportunities. As we reported last week, the two are discussing the possibility of expanding into autonomous tech and electric vehicles. Recently, Volkswagen Group CEO Herbert Diess gave an interview to Automotive News. He reiterated that the focus of the partnership is for commercial vehicles, but could expand. “There’s nothing signed yet with Ford. We are in talks. Most of the talks have been centered around our light-duty vehicl…
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Earlier this week, the Environmental Protection Agency announced that it would be rolling back the fuel-efficiency regulations that were approved during the Obama administration. The agency also announced possibly revoking California's waiver that allows it to set tougher standards on vehicle emissions. The state vowed to fight this. But a new report from the New York Times says California and officials from the Trump administration are in talks about possibly reaching a deal to avoid a legal fight. Speaking to a half-dozen of sources briefed about the talks, the Times reports that the two parties, along with representatives of major automakers, "are searching for a …
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GM POSTS $1.3-B NET INCOME FOR SECOND QUARTER General Motors earned $1.3 billion in the second quarter, mostly in North America, which more than offset a $200-million loss in Europe and smaller profits from the rest of the world. Read the news here.
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May was a horrible month for automakers as many reported sales drops. Part of this can be attributed sales of cars (especially sedans) imploding. According to Automotive News, the 15 largest automakers all posted lower car sales. Overall car sales dropped 16 percent. "We don't get a lot of ups on cars right now, as far as people even wanting a price on them," said Gary Uftring, president of Uftring Auto Group in Peoria, Ill. "Styling has changed, and what people want to be seen in is a crossover or a sport utility." Case in point, light-truck sales rose 2.4 percent in May. Sedans were the hardest hit for May. Here's a rundown of the big losers, Toyota Ca…
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The Volkswagen diesel emission scandal has given many a black eye. Robert Bosch GmbH, a supplier of diesel engine technology was one of those as it found itself under investigation by German authorities to see whether or not it aided and abetted in the scandal. The company also had to pay out $327.5 million as part of a settlement in the U.S. But the company isn't giving up on diesel just yet. This week at the Bosch’s annual press conference, CEO Dr. Volkmar Denner claimed they had found “decisive breakthrough in diesel technology.” The technology in question is said to reduce nitrogen (NOx) emission levels to just one-tenth of the European legal limits coming in 2020…
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As lawmakers continue to work on comprehensive tax reform, one item related to the automotive industry on the table was the tax credit for electric vehicles. The credit, which can be up to $7,500, was dropped in the House version of the bill but kept in the Senate version. The credit was started in 2009 as part of the economic stimulus package as a way to encourage investment by auto manufacturers in the development of electric powered or assisted vehicles. The the current version of the bill in reconciliation keeps the credit. Analysts estimate that scrapping the credit would save $200 million over the next 10 years. The credit is capped at 200,000 qualifying …
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Well, if you're a Big 3 fan and have a strong stomach, a full breakdown of the numbers. http://www.autoblog.com/photos/fleet-sales-first-half-2007/
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It wasn't even close. The Chevy straight-up annihilated the facelifted Tacoma (217 points to the Taco's 190). Dead tree media again, so go buy the November '15 magazine to see, or wait until it goes online.
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No Train for the Motor City Link: http://online.wsj.co...0265044228.html
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It's an 'open quantity' 10-yr contract with an initial advance of $462 million, for a guaranteed volume between 50K and 165K vehicles. The current fleet of Grumman LLV mail trucks were built between '87 & '94, designed for a 24-yr lifespan (which they've all exceeded). Those use the GM 'Iron Duke' 4-cylinder/THM 3-spd trans. The next generation Oshkosh trucks will be powered by a mix of battery-electric and low-emission internal combustion powertrains. They're also getting A/C, automatic braking, collision avoidance & 360-degree cameras. No word yet from D.C. regarding their announced forward policy of 'replacing all government fleet vehicles with …
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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
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January 2, 2013 By Drew Dowdell Managing Editor - CheersandGears.com Avis Budget Group and Zipcar, Inc. have announced an agreement where Avis Budget will aquire Zipcar for $12.25 a share or about $500 million total. Zipcar has about 760,000 members (including yours truly) across 20 metro markets in the U.S., Canada and Europe with locations at over 300 university campuses. Car sharing is now a $400 million per year business in the U.S. market alone. Avis Budget expects to gain $50 million to $70 million in savings by combining the two companies. Zipcar gains access to Avis Budget's fleet to supplement their own in times of high demand while Avis Budget gains an incre…
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My buddy's brother runs a hydraulic shop where they sell a lot of plows. My buddy told me the shop just got a notice from toyota NOT to install any plows on tundras or the warranty will be voided. Bro is pissed, he'll have to return like 25 toyo-spec plow packages to the manufacturer. Don't know what will happen with those trucks that already have them mounted... Apparently there are frame engineering issues under load that toyo doesn't want to be bothered with fixing or warrantying, but I have not seen the bulletin. Anyone else heard of this?? Oh... what a feeling.... of letdown.... again.
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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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Cars for the Young Take a Detour
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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 …
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February 14th, 2012 - Drew Dowdell - CheersandGears.com Michiganers will soon be able to get around a little faster without risking a speeding ticket. The US Department of Transportation has approved Amtrak to run 80 miles of the 97 mile section between Kalamazoo, MI and Porter, IN at 110mph, the first such service outside of Amtrak's North East Corridor. This move comes after the successful implementation of Incremental Train Control System (ITCS) along this section of the route. The two routes that use this section of line are Amtrak's thrice round trip daily Wolverine service, service Ann Arbor, Detroit, and Pontiac to the east and Chicago to the west, and the Amtrak …
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"Every EcoBoost-powered Ford that we’ve tested, Mustang or otherwise, has either delivered decent fuel economy or served up great power-but never both simultaneously. The EcoBoost installed in the droptop Mustang delivers neither, being both the slowest 2015 Mustang we’ve tested while also not being particularly efficient." "A last-generation Mustang V-6 convertible we rented outran this EcoBoost... the Mustang driver will need the turbo’s racket to mask his or her whimpering shame when Volkswagen GTIs and Honda Accord V-6s display their taillights in stoplight drag races." "You could forgo the EcoBoost for the V-6, but Ford rigs that ballot: The cheaper V-6 Mustangs ar…
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Yesterday, the National Transportation Safety Board recommended a nationwide ban on using any personal electronic devices while driving. The recommendation was made to all US states. So what kind of personal electronic devices are we talking about? The NTSB’s director was specific about wanting to ban phone calls, texting, updating your status on facebook, etc. However, the director was less specific on possible provisions that would allow specific driving related uses like GPS. NTSB cited studies regarding electronic device use while driving and accident data in it’s recommendation, stating the danger is real and the time to act is now. The NTSB doesn’t have the power…
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G. David Felt - Staff Writer Alternative Energy - www.cheersandgears.com Tesla Officially in Trouble, Business Insider Says! To quote Business Insider final comments on Tesla and the Chevy Bolt: "Clearly, Tesla would be in less trouble if the Chevy Bolt were a bad car. But it isn't. Teslas have always blown me away. The Bolt blew me away for different reasons. I just hope Tesla is prepared to take this into account." Matthew is a Business Insider senior correspondent who covers transportation and as a fan of Tesla was excited to check out a Chevy BOLT as comparison to the Tesla. On a recent trip to california he took time to vis…
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Cox Automotive group released their Q3 2023 EV sales for the automotive industry in the United States showing that in Q3 EV sales jumped past 300,000 for the first time in the U.S. market. EV sales through September reached just over 873,000 which puts the market on track to surpass 1 million EV sales. This milestone is estimated to be reached some time in November. Q3 EV sales estimates are 313,086 EV sales, a 49.8% increase over the same period last year. This is an increase from the 298,039 EVs sold in Q2. Sales of EVs posted noticeable gains over 2022 with Hyundai, Nissan, Volvo and Mercedes having a 200% increase in EV sales thanks to the new products they relea…
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Americans Want Econoboxes? SUVs Back Over 50 Percent of Vehicle Sales National Review For the first time in more than two years, SUV sales account for more than half of the U.S. auto market. This will come as no surprise to readers of this blog, as we have charted the growing rebound of light truck sales as the U.S. economy has (albeit slowly) rebounded and gas prices remain under $3 a gallon. The trend comes even as Washington issued a new edict that vehicles average an absurd 62 mpg by 2025. The current absurd standard — 35 mpg by 2015 — has forced manufacturers to invest billions in new small-car development. Today, manufacturers are in defiance of their own custom…
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There has been a prevailing thought about the likes of Uber and Lyft that once they switch from human drivers to self-driving vehicles, they would stand to see a significant reduction in overall operating costs. This possibly means consumers could see these services as an alternative to owning a vehicle. But a new study from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) disputes that claim. Researchers Ashley Nunes and Kristen D. Hernandez examined the San Francisco market on the per-mile cost of an automated taxi service to owning a vehicle. They found an automated taxi would range between $1.58 and $6.01 per mile, while the conventional vehicle would be at $0.72 …
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PSA Group CEO Carlos Tavares told attendees of the Automotive News World Congress yesterday they are employing the know-how from Opel engineers to develop vehicles for the U.S. market. Tavares declined to say which brand will lead the charge but did hint that future Opel models would be engineered to be compliant with U.S. regulations. Launching one of PSA Group's brands will be the last step in the company's 10-year plan of re-entering the U.S. market. Already, PSA is offering mobility services in parts of the U.S. and will launch a car sharing service in two to three big cities within the year. “A 10-year plan gives us the appropriate time to properly underst…
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Jesse Snyder Automotive News July 28, 2008 - 12:01 am ET Plunging Toyota sales paced a dreary June for Europe. All mass-market auto groups lost volume in 28 European markets last month as sales fell 7.9 percent to 1.43 million passenger vehicles, said ACEA, the European automakers association. June results pushed Europe's first-half sales to a 2.0 percent decline, to 8.34 million units. But the Toyota brand's 17.7 percent decline in June, coupled with an even steeper 25.6 percent loss at Toyota Motor Corp.'s Lexus luxury brand, was the worst result for the month. For the first six months, Toyota Motor was the only automaker with a double-digit loss in Europe…
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Ford and GM, the U.S.'s top two auto manufacturers are bracing themselves for the worst. They have been running economic modeling to determin the steps they would take given a medium or severe recession in the US and across global markets. General Motors has a stockpile of $18 billion in cash while Ford has $20 billion saved up. GM is relying on deferring non-essential capital expenditures and a shift in production to lower cost vehicles as part of its plan to save costs in the event of a a strong downturn. Ford says is is evaluating its future moves. Fears of a recession have plagued Wall St. most of 2019 while a trade war with China rages on. Higher costs…
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UAW's future: Givebacks or else Delphi starts clock ticking on rich wage, benefit packages across U.S. auto industry. By Bryce G. Hoffman / The Detroit News After decades of hard-fought victories at the bargaining table, the United Auto Workers union faces the prospect of unprecedented wage and benefit concessions at one of its largest employers. In addition to Delphi Corp., the clock may be ticking against workers' rich package of wages and benefits at other Detroit automakers , analysts say. Compensation packages are worth more than $130,000 a year. That may put a smile on workers' faces, but the labor costs also give American automakers …
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http://www.forbes.com/2005/12/14/cx_dl_121...lide_print.html
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The recovery process of Hurricane Harvey is in full swing and nowhere is this more apparent than the amount of people heading to dealers. Steven Wolf, chairman of the Houston Automotive Dealers Association tells Automotive News that dealers in the Houston area "abnormal" traffic as people come in looking for a replacement. The sudden rise isn't that surprising as the Houston metro area is about the size of New Jersey. Wolf said the first order business for many folks is to get back into a vehicle so they can get around. "People have moved past the 'Oh, my God, what am I going to do?' [stage] to 'Let's get a plan; we need to do this, this and this.' At the top o…
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By William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com January 31, 2013 J.D. Power and Associates recently released their 2012 U.S. Navigation Usage Satisfaction Study and the results aren’t that surprising. Consumer happiness dropped 13 points in the study’s 1,000-point scale to 681, one of the lowest scores J.D. Power has ever recorded in the six years the study has been taken. Even worse was the overall satisfaction in voice controls, scoring 544 points out of 1,000. Even worse news for automakers: people are using their smartphones for navigation and point-of-interest searches.47% of the people surveyed had downloaded a navigation app to supplement their in-car system…
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_ 2012 Chevrolet Aveo Previewed GM has released a couple of photos of the new 2012 Aveo 5-door ahead of its Paris debut. Follow the jump to see the other photo and details. http://www.cheersand...t-aveo-preview/
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It has been hinted at and rumored for a few years. But today, PSA Peugeot Citroën announced they would be making a return to the U.S. During a presentation for analysts and investors at PSA's headquarters in Paris, CEO Carlos Tavares unveiled a ten-year plan that could result in the launch of Citroën, DS, and Peugeot vehicles to the U.S. The plan would be split up into three steps. Step one: Enter the U.S. as a mobility operator from 2017, possibly with Bollore,” said Tavares. Bollore is a French company that builds batteries and compact EVs that are mainly used by a French car-sharing service, Autolib. Citroën and Bollore are currently working together to bring a c…
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http://www.autoblog.com/2015/06/17/aaa-study-real-world-fuel-economy/ I thought this was a pretty interesting article pointing out where the current test procedures seem to fall short. Most of us are well aware of some of the points being made, but it's nice to have some hard statistics on the matter to back up what we've known. A few key points of discussion: -Diesel owners reported 20-percent higher fuel economy than EPA ratings. -Owners with cars equipped with manual transmissions enjoyed 17-percent higher real-world results. -Owners of turbocharged V6 engines reported fuel economy 9-percent lower than estimates, and owners of turbocharged four-cyl…
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General Motors Europe 3Q Sales Up 14.6% October 08, 2007: 04:16 AM EST Edited Press Release ZURICH -(Dow Jones)- General Motors Corp's (GM) General Motors Europe third quarter sales rose 14.6%, the company said Monday. The resulting market share of 9.5% constitutes a growth of 0.3 points. It is the highest market share for the group since 1999. In September, GM Europe sold a record 205,497 cars and LCVs, a plus of 20,950 vehicles or 11.4%. Opel/Vauxhall Astra brand was Europe's best-selling car in September with 49, 268 cars registered, the company said Monday. Together with the new Corsa, that sold 347,800 cars this year, an increase of 52%, and segment-le…
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If you were thinking about purchasing a new Fisker Karma, you might want to hear this. Fisker has announced they will be increasing prices on the Karma Plug-In hybrid sedan by 6%. That means the base Karma EcoStandard model will now have a sticker price of $102,000; an increase of $6,150. The high-end EcoChic model will see a $10,000 increase to $116,000. However, if you have put down a $5,000 deposit on the Karma, you're in luck. Fisker says for those who put a deposit down can purchase the Karma at the lower price until January 15. This isn't the first time the Karma has seen it's price go up. Back in 2008, Fisker projected the Karma to start at $80,000. However, whe…
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The shortcomings of rookies building cars, laid bare: "Tesla, like most Silicon Valley companies, uses most of its revenue to finance research and development for new products. Rolling out new products with minimal required development is crucial to this strategy, and the Model X began its development as a taller version of the Model S. The shared platform would allow Tesla to conquer new markets without having to develop a complicated, new vehicle. "Then, because Elon Musk doesn't know how to just phone it in, he turned the Model X into a complicated, new vehicle. "Now Tesla is saddled with a very expensive project that wasn't exactly, um, planned. Development took t…
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What the hell? I thought they were significantly cutting back on fleet sales. Some really poor showings for some brand new vehicles on there. I hope this is somewhat skewed since it's just for the first six months, but damn....bad numbers all around. Shockers in bold Buick LaCrosse 29.2% Buick Lucerne 13.1% Buick Terraza 28.9% Cadillac CTS 9.0% Cadilac DTS 27.4% Cadillac STS 7.7% Chevy Colorado 21.3% Chevy Equinox 20.3% Chevy HHR 30.1% Chevy Impala 53.9% Chevy Malibu 58.8% Chevy Monte Carlo 46.5% Chevy Silverado 16.2% Chevy Suburban 20.6% Chevy Tahoe 11.0% Chevy Uplander 70.9% GMC Canyon 12.8% GMC Sierra 10.0% Pontiac Grand Prix 77.6% Pontiac G6 32…
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Volkswagen Suzuki Partnership Making Little Progress William Maley - Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com March 16, 2011 The Volkswagen Suzuki partnership hasn't gotten off to the best of starts. Formed back in 2009, the partnership between the two has barely made any movement. The two companies had ambitious plans for the partnership; Volkswagen wanted access to Suzuki's Indian subsidiary, Maruti Suzuki which holds about half of the Indian auto market. Suzuki wanted Volkswagen's help on diesel, hybrid, and electric car technology. What is holding up the partnership? “We are still in a period where we have to establish trust. We here in the western worl…
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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
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Chevy Offers $11,000 Discount To Move Silverado
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The past month or so has been the best time in eight years to buy a pickup — and, as predicted, it looks as if the time is getting even better. General Motors Co. (NYSE: GM) is currently offering a total incentive package of up to $11,115 on its 2016 Chevy Silverado 1500 Crew Cab LT All Star. That’s almost double the company’s September average incentive of $5,647 on a pickup. GM was not the only automaker offering big incentive packages on pickups. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV (NYSE: FCAU) offered an average incentive of $7,082 on Ram pickups last month. Ford Motor Co.’s (NYSE: F) offer on the F-150 was the lowest of the three at $5,173. As far as FCA is concer…
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It was only a few years ago that French automaker PSA Peugeot Citroën was on life support due to massive losses and poor sales. But thanks to an infusion of cash from Chinese automaker Dongfeng and the French government, the company was able to right the ship. The past couple of years has seen PSA Peugeot Citroën emerge as a healthy and profitable automaker. Now the company is looking at expanding into new markets, including the U.S. According to Automobilwoche, officials at PSA say the U.S. and Iran are under consideration as the first markets for expansion. "Our Back in the Race restructuring program has been successfully completed. Now comes the next step. And …
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" Spurred by strong numbers in North America, Ford recorded a pre-tax profit of $10.8 billion for 2015. That number is up a full $3.5 billion from the previous year. Revenue ended up at $149.6 billion by the end of 2015, Ford also reported. The company posted a full-year net income of $7.4 billion, an increase of $6.1 billion from the previous year. This figure comes out to $1.84 per share, up $1.53 from a year ago. Pre-tax profit remained strongest in North America, where the automaker garnered $9.3 billion. In the U.S., Ford achieved its strongest sales numbers since 2005. The company also returned to profitability in Europe after several difficult years. In thi…
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G. Noble Editor/Reporter CheersandGears.com Friday, 10th February, 2012 If you're waiting for the sting of high gas prices to go away soon, you may be in for one hell of a long wait. Gas prices are back at a national average of $3.48 a gallon -- a whole 36 cents more than the average during February of last year -- and are set to climb an entire 60 cents or more by May. Tom Kloza of the Oil Price Information service expects prices to top out at $4.05 a gallon, although some markets could see prices go even further beyond that. "I think it's going to be a chaotic spring, with huge price increases in some places," said Kloza. Of course, gas prices do tend to rise some…
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Bloomberg reported back in June 2019 that GM was looking at bringing back Hummer to the portfolio. People questioned why bring back a Gas Guzzler and would it really help or hinder GM who was pushing Green and showing off their Bolt EV. President Mark Reuss is on record as saying he loves the Hummer! GM at the time was touting the BEV3 electric platform that will support 20 EVs on the road globally by 2023. Reuss also at the time said that the GMC Denali line and AT4 off-road trucks could all be potentially offered with electric powertrains. GM bought the Hummer brand in 1998, peaked sales in 2006 at 71,524 auto's and was down to 4,000 sold in 2010 as they kille…
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William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com December 10, 2012 NHTSA is expected to finalize a long-awaited proposal to make event data recorders, the 'black box' standard on all new vehicles. Last Thursday, the White House Office of Management Budget completed a review of the proposal which has cleared the way for NHTSA to finish up the final regulation. The proposed regulation would raise the percentage of vehicles required to have a black box from 91.6% today to 100%. The incremental cost is expected to be around $24.4 million if the sales of vehicles stand at 15.5 million per year. The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers agrees with the proposed rule but sa…
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William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com November 5, 2012 Tesla announced their third quarter results today and it was a mixed bag. The company announced a $110.8 million loss, a figure that's significantly higher than last year's $65.1 million loss. Tesla partly blames the loss on a slower-than-expected roll-out for the Model S, which went into production in July. Tesla says they have increased production of the Model S from 100 vehicles per week to 200. The company expects to be building 400 vehicles by the end of December. As for revenues, the company exceeded projections of $48 million by bring in $50 million in revenues. Tesla didn't revise its $400 to $44…
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" The World’s Most Ethical Companies program honors companies that excel in three areas – promoting ethical business standards and practices internally, enabling managers and employees to make good choices, and shaping future industry standards by introducing tomorrow’s best practices today. Honorees have historically out-performed others financially, demonstrating the connection between good ethical practices and performance that’s valued in the marketplace. " http://worldsmostethicalcompanies.ethisphere.com/honorees/
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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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Another vintage Popular Mechanics' survey, random tidbits repeated here (Feb '56 issue- can access via google) ~ • • • • Buyer age~ 18-21 :: 1.6% 22-30 ::23.2% 31-40 :: 32.7% 41-50 :: 22.5% 51-65 :: 16.5% over 65 :: 3.5% Married ~ 85.7% Why did people buy new? (middle of 3 price ranges) ~ Previous car all right but just wanted new :: 42% Previous car no longer dependable :: 41% Previous car used too much gas/oil :: 8.6% Previous car had too many miles :: 7.9% Most important factor ~ Previous experience with make :: 25.3% Trade-in on old car :: 14.3% Exterior styling on new car :: 13.6% Price of new car :: 12.1% Operating ease of new car :: 10.6% Hand…
Last reply by A Horse With No Name, -
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The CEOs of Detroit's three automakers met with President Donald Trump this morning to talk about investments. Specifically, investments into U.S. manufacturing. "We have a very big push on to have auto plants and other plants -- many other plants," Trump told reporters at the meeting. “We’re going to make the process much more simple for the oil companies and everybody else that wants to do business in the United States.” During the meeting, Trump told the CEOs that he plans on cutting corporate tax rates to 15-20 percent, and reduce regulations by 75 percent. “We think we can cut regulations by 75 percent. Maybe more. When you want to expand your plant, …
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William Maley Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com December 15, 2011 Yesterday, the Senate Commerce Committee approved a bill that would overhaul the nation's auto safety laws. The bill includes measures to raise the maximum fine for automakers that delay recalls from $17.35 million to $250 milllion. The bill also includes measures that would give states grants for banning texting while driving or the use of cell phones by teen drivers, increase funding for research, improve the vehicle recall database and website, create a hotline for mechanics, dealers and auto workers to complain anonymously about safety problems with vehicles, and new regulations on pedal placeme…
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June 27, 2008 - 2:15 pm ET WARREN, Ohio (Reuters) -- Republican presidential candidate John McCain said on Friday he would oppose a government bailout of the ailing auto industry and voiced strong support for free trade in the hard-hit state of Ohio. The Arizona senator toured General Motors' Lordstown auto plant and watched as high-mileage Chevrolet Cobalt and Pontiac G5 economy cars rolled down the assembly line, cars that are suddenly popular at a time of record-high gasoline prices. Economic concerns dominated a town-hall meeting McCain held at the GM plant as he campaigns against Democratic nominee Barack Obama before the Nov. 4 election. Ohio's economy lags…
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Oshkosh Defense was awarded a 10 year contract by the USPS to create, build and deliver up to 165,000 auto's for postal delivery across the United States of America. These auto's will be made up of traditional internal combustion engine, Hybrid and electrical vehicles. These purpose built, right-hand-drive vehicles will be used for mail and package delivery. A minimum of 50,000 to a maximum of 165,000 auto's over a 10 year time frame was agreed upon contract for a modern AC equipped NGDV or next generation delivery vehicle. Under the initial $482 million up front payment to Oshkosh Defense is the commitment to finalize the production design of the NGDV on a und…
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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Will Detroit build new aqua-car? Entrepreneur wants to sell amphibious vehicles by '09 Link to Original Article @ DetNews BIRMINGHAM -- Alan Gibbs' enthusiasm is contagious as he talks about his Aquada, an amphibious vehicle that's a sports car on land and a speed boat at sea. Gibbs, founder and chairman of Gibbs Technologies, showed off what he described as production-ready versions of the Aquada and Quadski, a personal watercraft that doubles as an all-terrain vehicle, at a news conference in Birmingham Wednesday. After some early setbacks, the wealthy business mogul from New Zealand aims to begin selling the amphibious vehicles in the United States by 2009. He is …
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The mention of this in the ELR thread got me thinking about the topic. Recently, google was licensed to operate their driverless cars on public highways in California. At least, that's the gist of what I heard a short while ago on the radio in the form of a news report. This raises all sorts of questions, and fears. The way I see it, those fears are somewhat unfounded. Yes, those pursuing this technology like to daydream about magically eliminating traffic jams and accidents in a world without human drivers. But things are unlikely to work out that way. Resistance will come from all quarters (and with good reason), it would be a long and bloody battle to enforce this vi…
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Need anymore be said about the performance of the new Camaro? This sums it up nicely, "Hats off once again to Camaro boss Al Oppenheiser and his team. They took on Germany’s performance standard-bearer, objectively tied it, and subjectively blackened the M4’s eye." Read more: http://www.motortrend.com/news/comparison-2015-bmw-m4-vs-2016-chevrolet-camaro-ss/?sm_id=social_aumomotortrendhub_MotorTrend_20160303_58923156&adbid=10153544176401312&adbpl=fb&adbpr=18332466311
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Here is a paradox for you: Automakers have been increasing the number of safety features in their vehicles to help protect or avoid a crash. But this has also brought an unforeseen consquence; crash your vehicle and it is more likely that your insurance company will total it. That's according to a story from Automotive News who spoke with Bob Tschippert, senior vice president of Dallas-based underwriter Risk Theory. Tschippert explained that all of these new features has increased the costs of repairing a vehicle, thus causing the chance of an insurance company totaling vehicle to rise. "In the past, if you had a front-end collision, you had damage to the engine…
Last reply by Robert Hall, -
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Financial Times is reporting that Renault wants to make the marriage to Nissan more official and formally merge. Renault wants to start talks within the next 12 months and include a potential bid for automaker FCA . The combined companies of Nissan, Renault, Fiat, and Chrysler would be a conglomerate that rivals the size of Toyota and Volkswagen. Carlos Ghosn tried to start merger talks prior to his arrest for financial wrongdoing, however, the French government stopped his proposals. Renault currently owns roughly 43% of Nissan. FCA has recently been in the news for potential talks with Peugeot to merge. Those reports were squashed when it came to light that …
Last reply by Robert Hall, -
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The project of a trade war between the U.S. and China (along with the European Union) has many automakers on edge. Some are beginning to speak out about the possible dangers it may bring. Mercedes-Benz's parent company, Diamler AG announced yesterday that its full-year earnings will be slightly lower than last year. Their reasoning comes down to consumers in China buying fewer SUVs that are imported from the U.S. Most of Mercedes-Benz SUVs are built in Alabama. “Remember, for those following from a Trump/global free trade perspective, this is now a German car maker, warning on the profits coming from their Alabama-made SUVs, which are then sold/exported into Chi…
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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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BMW Group and Daimler AG are combining forces to take on rideshare and mobility services like Uber and Lyft. They will invest a combined 1 billion euro to build a new company with a multiprong approach. The new company will offer five services in a single portfolio. Eventually, they will offer an all-electric, self-driving fleet of vehicles that charge, park, and drive autonomously and interconnect with other forms of transport. The five apps include: Reach Now: Offers a range of options for users to get where they're going including a combination of public transport, car-sharing, ride-sharing, and bike rentals. Charge Now: A locator and payment app for pub…
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Back i n May, the U.S. Commerce Department launched an investigation into car imports to determine the impact of car imports. The investigation falls under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 which states "whether imports of automobiles, including SUVs, vans and light trucks, and automotive parts into the United States threaten to impair the national security." This could allow the Trump administration to levy tariffs as high as 25 percent on foreign-built vehicles. Yesterday, the Commerce Department submitted their draft report into the investigation. The Trump administration has 90 days to determine whether or not to move forward on various measures such…
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New Contest: Modern K5 Blazer Your mission is to harness that spirit and wrap it in new clothing for 2011 and beyond. The job is to create a new K5 Blazer that can actually blaze the trail. Or, if you prefer, a K15 Jimmy that take you to a wilderness view that extends to the horizon in all directions. You may base your creation on the existing Tahoe/Yukon, or branch out in a new direction. If you do, you could win a men's Chevy Truck watch. Follow the jump for rules and restrictions. Chevrolet K5 Blazer Design Contest This post has been promoted to an article
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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The Taxi of Tomorrow is: The Nissan NV200 Drew Dowdell - Chief Editor - CheersandGears.com May 3, 2011 In a move that is certain to be controversial, the Taxi and Limousine Commission of New York has selected the Nissan NV200 to replace the city's aging Ford Crown Victoria fleet. Two of the other finalists where the Ford Transit Connect and an entry by the Turkish car maker Karsan who promised to build it's entry in Brooklyn. Winning the contract gives Nissan the exclusive rights to sell cabs in the city for 10 years. Among the controversies is the fact that the NV200 is not handicap accessible like the Karsan design and unlike the Ford Transit Connect…
Last reply by Robert Hall, -
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Just for the hell of it. http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/cars/re...06/overview.htm
Last reply by evok, -
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Prices on new pickup trucks have been steadily increasing as more people are choosing them as their family vehicle and in turn are wanting more luxury features. But this rise in prices has been making it harder for the average buyer to afford one. Data from Edmunds shows through September, the average transaction price for a full-size pickup is $48,377; a 48 percent increase when compared to 10 years ago and 19 percent increased when compared to 2013. "A 48-percent increase in price is the highest price increase for that time period out of all vehicle categories. Even at $45,000, it prices a lot of people out," said Ivan Drury, senior analyst at Edmunds to the D…
Last reply by regfootball, -
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Tax Breaks Given on Gas-Guzzling SUVs By TIM MOLLOY, Associated Press Writer Sat Feb 18, 2:16 PM ET New tax breaks are available to anyone who wants to help the environment by purchasing fuel-efficient hybrid vehicles. But if owners of small businesses really want to save money, they can get even bigger federal tax breaks by buying the largest gas-guzzling SUVs. The disparity is drawing criticism from environmentalists and the Republican chairman of the Senate's tax-writing committee, who is working on a change. Dealers and owners who have benefited from the SUV tax incentive say it helps spur a key part of the economy — auto-making — and allows small business owners…
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See the story Here.
Last reply by Croc, -
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2018 saw a continuation of near-record sales and large profits for automakers in the U.S., but that appears to be coming to an end. Bloomberg reports various factors are conspiring to end this trend such as increasing interest rates and the average price of a new vehicle hitting record highs. While some may point out that 2018 saw a 0.3 percent increase in vehicle deliveries (17.6 million according to AutoData), analysts point that this is due to the tax cuts brought by President Donald Trump last year and automakers selling more vehicles to fleets. Charlie Chesbrough, senior economist at Cox Automotive said that the big U.S. automakers saw deliveries fall at a faste…
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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Ok gang, I'm tackling a new study, transgenerational appeal of cars and I need the help from the young and old alike. Here it goes: What nameplates existing or retired do you think appeal or could appeal to the young and old alike. Prime example the Ford Mustang has strong appeal to boomers and millenials. Please state your age and the vehicles you think fit the bill. Price be damned, but we all know Ferrari's and Porsche's have widespread appeal. I'm looking for more attainable vehicles. If or when we get enough responses, we'll move along to phase two. Thanks gang! :CG_all:
Last reply by thegriffon, -
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Michagan State Police Car Testing Link to Original Article and Photos @ Autoblog Some results... 0-60 6.35s - Dodge Magnum 5.7l 8.17s - Ford Crown Vic (3.55) 8.24s - Chevy Impala 9C1 3.9l 8.24s - Chevy Tahoe 5.3l 8.28s - Chevy Impala 9C1 3.9l E85 8.36s - Ford Crown Vic (3.27) 8.75s - Chevy Suburban 6.0l 0-80 10.44s - Dodge Magnum 5.7l 13.16s - Chevy Impala 9C1 3.9l 13.19s - Chevy Impala 9C1 3.9l E85 13.51s - Chevy Tahoe 5.3l 13.60s - Ford Crown Vic (3.55) 13.63s - Ford Crown Vic (3.27) 14.19s - Chevy Suburban 6.0l 0-100 15.82s - Dodge Magnum 5.7l 21.61s - Chevy Impala 9C1 3.9l E85 21.68s - Chevy Impala 9C1 3.9l 22.20s - Ford Crown Vic (3.55) 22…
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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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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We have had lots of talk about the various BEVs or battery electric vehicles coming and occasionally a few posts on battery tech. Some have been in depth while others have been a 60,000-foot skim on new battery technology that looked and sounds cool. I thought it was about time we took a closer look on what all is going on in the auto battery world. First let's have a visual understanding on conventional Lithium-ion battery versus solid-state battery. A few key benefits are not only safer batteries, but smaller, slimer batteries that are more energy dense in nature due to a liquid electrolyte being replaced by some form of solid electrolyte. Cu…
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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UAW Seeking A Record $8,000 To $10,000 Signing Bonus William Maley - Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com September 10, 2011 Previous UAW contract negotiations with the big three would center around increased hourly wages and top benefits. But during this round of contract negotiations, the UAW could give up the increases and go for the lump sum. In a report done by Bloomberg, the UAW could ask Chrysler, Ford, and General Motors for a signing bonus of of $8,000 to $10,000 per member. The amount is three times the current $3,000 signing bonus the big three agreed to in 2007. “A signing bonus in this range would get some attention and is meant to serve as …
Last reply by PurdueGuy, -
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According to Rueters that GM today in China anounced a dedicated 10 models for China market added to the 10 they are already working on bringing to 20 models of EV auto's they are working on. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-autoshow-detroit-gm-china/big-portion-of-future-gm-electric-vehicles-for-china-market-executive-idUSKBN1F702M GM has stated that the plan is 1 million EV auto's a year by 2026. China is the heart of GMs EV spearheaded efforts. In China, GM sold 4 million auto's in China or 40% of GM's global tally. 11,000 of them in China were pure EV. GM expects that Plug-in Hybrids and EVs will make up 20% of the Industry projected 35 million annua…
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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Ford just recently ended their "Friends and Neighbors" program that was so highly by them for the last month. Click on the link for more information. http://www.wsj.com/articles/ford-drops-friends-neighbors-sales-promotion-that-falls-flat-with-customers-1448644961
Last reply by regfootball, -
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The number of automakers teaming up to share and develop new vehicles and technologies is growing in an effort to help reduce costs. A new report from German paper Handelsblatt says that BMW and Daimler are considering such a move. Speaking to sources at both companies, BMW and Daimler are looking into possibly jointly developing their next-generation compact cars (BMW 1-Series and Mercedes-Benz A-Class) - as part of a wider cooperation that includes sharing autonomous car tech. Working together on a new compact car platform would save the two companies billions in investments. If the two decide to move forward with this, the first cars aren't expected to arrive unti…
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
We'll excuse you if you forgot that Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and PSA Group have been working towards finalizing their merger considering the state of the world at the moment. But the two are making serious headway as they have announced the new name of the multi-national corporation that will form once the two merge. Meet Stellantis. Don't worry, you're not the only who is thinking "What" or thinking of some clever joke to make fun of this name. We'll let the two explain what this name means? Yeah, if this doesn't like something from a branding agency, we don't what does. We should note here that Stellantis will only be used at a corporate level, not as a i…
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Capesize ships now go for $6365 a day, $365 above the average daily cost of crew and fuel. There is so little shipping to be done that ports around the world are filling up with empty ships - and full ships that won't unload because no letters of credit are being accepted. No shipping, no trade. No trade, no globalization.
Last reply by A Horse With No Name, -
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http://www.autoextremist.com/current/ New Detroit vs. Old Detroit in Washington. By Peter M. De Lorenzo Detroit. In the last week I have done several live and taped radio interviews across the country and with the BBC in London, a spirited interview with Diane Tucker appearing in The Huffington Post entitled, “Journalist to GOP: You're 100 Percent Wrong About U.S. Automakers,” and I have several national and international TV appearances slated for the next few days too. The subject? The looming implosion of Detroit, of course. People want to know the who, what, when, where, why of this whole thing, and they want to know about the cost, both in terms of taxpayer mone…
Last reply by Camino LS6, -
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Fisker Automotive plans to build a plug-in hybrid car at the empty Boxwood Road plant near Newport, a decision that will give Delaware a prominent role in a government-backed reshaping of the American auto industry. A formal announcement from Fisker could come as soon as Tuesday, according to sources with knowledge of the company's plans. Fisker, a startup automaker based in Irvine, Calif., confirmed earlier this week that company representatives have met with Delaware officials and toured the Boxwood Road plant, idle since July when General Motors ended production there. The company is planning to renovate the abandoned domestic factory with proceeds from a $359 mi…
Last reply by pow, -
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Only a couple of months after electric vehicle start-up Lucid Motors came out of the dark and unveiled an unnamed prototype vehicle, they have unveiled their first model named the Air. The model is taking direct aim at Tesla and their Model S sedan. The Air is powered by two electric motors - one on each axle - and can be paired with either a 100 kWh or 130 kWh battery pack. Total output stands at 1,000 horsepower. In terms of range, the 100 kWh battery pack is estimated to provide over 300 miles and 130 kWh battery pack is estimated to provide around 400 miles. Outside, the Lucid Air looks like something out of Minority Report. The front is short and fea…
Last reply by daves87rs, -
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April's auto sales are one most automakers would like to pretend never happen due to big declines. But if there is a silver lining to April sales, it has to go to small sports cars. Automotive News ran the numbers and found that sales of small sports cars rose 3.4 percent so far this year. Contrast this with 12 percent drop in overall demand for cars. The big winner in this group was the Mazda MX-5 Miata with sales up 35 percent so far this year. Sales in April declined slightly from March (1,319 vs. 1,345 units), but rose sharply when compared to January (929) and February (1,108). Other models saw noticeable increases: Fiat 124 Spider saw its sales ris…
Last reply by A Horse With No Name, -
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One of the key materials used in electric car batteries is cobalt. But there are growing concerns that the supply of cobalt is getting scarce as more and more automakers begin building electric cars. A new report from Bloomberg New Energy Finance says cobalt shortages are expected to happen earlier than previously forecast. This issue possibly brings a big challenge to the rollout of electric vehicles over the next five to seven years. "The long lead time to bring on new mines and the concentration of cobalt reserves in the Democratic Republic of the Congo mean there is a real possibility of supply shocks in the early 2020s," analysts from BNEF wrote. "If c…
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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Car & Driver has posted the first ATS-V comparison up against the M3 and AMG C63. Frankly, if you look at the performance, this car has 100% delivered. If you look at the price, this car has 100% delivered. Somehow in the final tally after scoring an incredible 58 out of 60 points in the chassis chart, and topping fun to drive, and taking top honors for 1/4 mile acceleration and lateral grip--all the tests one would expect to be the most important in this class of car--you'll find the ATS relegated to last place after losing 10+ points for the interior and backseat. As tested, it was ten grand cheaper than the BMW and almost twenty less than the Mercedes. …
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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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By William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com February 5, 2013 The trend of automakers downsizing engines and adding turbochargers to add performance and increase fuel economy has drawn the ire of Consumer Reports. The publication recently tested eleven different vehicles and found that with rare exception, “the turbocharged cars have slower acceleration and no better fuel economy than the models with bigger, conventional engines.” Consumer Reports highlights the Ford Fusion which can come equipped with either an optional 1.6L or 2.0L EcoBoost turbocharged four-cylinder. In CR's testing, the 1.6L EcoBoost Fusion posted the slowest 0-60 MPH of 8.9 seconds among c…
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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More at http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/exclusive-pioneering-scientists-turn-fresh-air-into-petrol-in-massive-boost-in-fight-against-energy-crisis-8217382.html
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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Analysts believed that August was going to be the month the auto industry would post its first year-over-year increase for 2017. But then Hurricane Harvey hit Texas, leaving a path of destruction and extensive flooding. Sales for the month would drop 1.9 percent to 1.48 million vehicles when compared to the same month a year ago. "Harvey will also depress one of the most critical selling periods of the year, spanning the August sales month close and Labor Day weekend. In 2016, these 11 days alone accounted for 4.1% of retail sales, or 580,000 units, nationally,” LMC Automotive said in a report. But analysts believe sales - new and used - will bounce back in Sept…
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Two million Euros and 290mph, to be precise. At least according to the source at the link: http://www.autoblog.com/2016/01/01/bugatti-chiron-290-mph-report/
Last reply by Frisky Dingo, -
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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.
Last reply by network engineer, -
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While Americans are keeping their cars longer (Experian Automotive says the average ownership length is now 7.75 years), there are some models that owners can't wait to get rid off within a year of buying. iSeeCars.com recently compared new car sales against used-car purchases in 2014 to figure out which vehicles were traded-in the fastest. Their analysis showed that on average, around 2.7 percent of all new vehicles are traded in after only a year’s ownership. More surprising was the vehicles that had the highest amount of trade-ins. The expectation would be that the vehicles with the highest amount of trade-ins would be cheap. Not so fast. iSeeCars.com in their analysi…
Last reply by regfootball, -
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http://www.iihs.org/research/topics/pdf/r1098.pdf It's one of those "no duh" things, but they finally correlated roof strengths of various SUVs with their corresponding rollover death and injury rates. After both vehicles were subjected to 10,000 lbs of crushing force... the 2000 Xterra's roof was crushed about 2 inches; the 2000 Explorer's was crushed about 10 inches. It certainly brings back memories of the whole Firestone/Explorer fiasco.. Here's a chart of the NHTSA results: The strongest roof tested is the XC90's, while the strongest relative to vehicle weight is the Jetta's.
Last reply by PurdueGuy, -
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"Ford Motor Co (F.N) reported weaker-than-expected profit in the second quarter, and said its full-year earnings forecast was at risk with U.S. auto sales expected to fall in the second half, sending shares tumbling in premarket trading. "Auto sales in the United States and China were lower than anticipated in the quarter, and Ford reported its first quarterly loss in the Asia Pacific in three years. "Ford shares shed 7 percent to $12.87 in premarket trading." More at the link: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/ford-motor-profit-falls-u-111836898.html
Last reply by Suaviloquent, -
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Where'd the bailout money go? Shhhh, it's a secret WASHINGTON (AP) - It's something any bank would demand to know before handing out a loan: Where's the money going? But after receiving billions in aid from U.S. taxpayers, the nation's largest banks say they can't track exactly how they're spending the money or they simply refuse to discuss it. "We've lent some of it. We've not lent some of it. We've not given any accounting of, 'Here's how we're doing it,'" said Thomas Kelly, a spokesman for JPMorgan Chase, which received $25 billion in emergency bailout money. "We have not disclosed that to the public. We're declining to." The Associated Press contacted 21 banks…
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William Maley Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com January 18, 2012 According to a report from research firm R.L. Polk & Co, the average of age of a vehicle on the road stands at 10.8 years last July. The report says the average age of passenger vehicles stands at 11.1 years, while for light trucks, it’s 10.4 years. Polk says the median age of cars has been on the rise for the past 16 years because people are keeping their cars longer due to various reasons. Most recently, the economic downturn has caused many Americans to keep their vehicles even longer, waiting for a better occasion to buy a new car. Polk says for this year, the average age will still be around…
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William Maley Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com May 1, 2012 From the Twilight Zone file: USA Today reports that 6.5% of new vehicles sold in the first quarter were equipped with a manual transmission, which is more than double of vehicles sold with them in 2007. It's also the highest amount since 2006 when 7.2% vehicles were sold with manual transmission. The take rate is more impressive when you take into account that 19% of the 2,360 different models on sale offer a manual. The increase is attributed to the lower prices of manual transmission vehicles, fun factor, and ease of operation. The increased interest of manual transmissions by buyers have surprised aut…
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. Full Coverage: Toyota Recall Related Threads: Toyota claims to have a fix designed for recalled cars. Poll: Is this the tipping point for Toyta's reputation? Toyota to take pedal recall global General Motors offering incentives to Toyota customers Lawmaker concerned about Toyota Recall Toyota knew of sticky-throttle problem late last year Toyota's President Worried About Company Reputation on Quality U.S.: Toyota was legally required to stop selling models Toyota issues new voluntary recall for sticking accelerator pedals, 2.3 million vehicles affected Report: Toyota continuing to sell recalled vehicles without a fix Can Toyota avoid the Olds…
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2006 Strategic Vision Total Quality Awards Today Strategic Vision announced the winners of their 2006 Total Quality Awards. The Total Quality Index™ is the premier measure of new vehicle owner satisfaction. It asks buyers to rate all aspects of the ownership experience, from buying and owning to driving. This is how buyers gauge quality, including attributes and the emotional response to vehicle. So guess who won the most categories? Read "The 2006 Total Quality Awards" @ Strategic Vision
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Drew Dowdell - January 19, 2012 - CheersandGears.com One of the limitations of current wind turbine technology is the limited amount of power generated per turbine. Large scale installations are required to match the power output of just the smaller coal buring powerplant. The largest wind turbines in the world produce about 5mw of power while the average coal fired power station produces around 500mw. Simple math can tell you that 100 of the largest wind turbines we have would need to be built to equal just one coal power plant. The additional real estate and construction costs v. the fuel costs of coal and natural gas are a substantial hurdle in the adoption of wind p…
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