Industry News
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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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Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is none too pleased with the Indian automaker Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd as they're planning to sell an off-road vehicle that looks very much like the original Willys Jeep. Bloomberg obtained a complaint filed by FCA to the U.S. International Trade Commission on August 1st. The document claims that Mahindra's Roxor infringes key characteristics of Jeep's signature design - namely the “boxy body shape with flat-appearing vertical sides and rear body ending at about the same height as the hood.” “They are a nearly identical copy of the iconic Jeep design. In fact, the accused product was ‘modeled after the original Willys Jeep." The…
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The U.S. car market is the biggest and most competitive on the planet. Still, there are several wild, exciting and unique vehicles that cannot be bought here, no matter how much money you are willing to lay down. Many of these rolling wonders are designed and built by tiny boutique automakers that cannot or simply will not shell out the millions of dollars needed to certify their creations for sale in the New World. Others are so radical in design and purpose that they just wouldn't conform to the various U.S. safety and regulatory standards. And a few more are so exclusive and built in such small numbers that they are all spoken for before even rumors of their possible e…
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By William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com May 10, 2013 While the midsize sedan market as a whole remains the single largest segment in the U.S., sales of the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry are shrinking due to the rise of crossovers. "While the segment is still growing year-over-year, it's nowhere near what it was growing last year as the industry was launching a lot of new midsize cars," said Bill Fay, the U.S. head of the Toyota brand. The rise of crossovers are being fueled by their practicalness, ability to get in and out much easier, and improved fuel economy. The price gap between midsize sedans and crossovers has also narrowed. Kelly Blue Book says a c…
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Continental AG's CEO says the diesel scandal that Volkswagen finds itself embroiled in could kill the marketplace for diesel vehicles in China, Japan, and United States. Elmar Degenhart tells German publication Boersen-Zeitung, "The diesel passenger car could sooner or later disappear from these markets." Degenhart also revealed that diesel had a market share of only 1 to 3 percent in these countries. This pales in comparison to Europe where diesels make up 53 percent of the market. Interestingly, the diesel scandal hasn't affected sales of diesel vehicles in Europe or the U.S. according to Continental's finance chief last month. Source: Boersen-Zeitung vi…
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http://detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?A...341/1363/AUTO04
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On Friday, California regulators voted to require that automakers stick with the Obama-era emission regulations for vehicles sold in the state, no matter the efforts of the Trump administration to weaken the standards. This basically means vehicles built for through 2025 model year comply with the state’s standards and can legally be sold there. Beginning with the 2026 model year, vehicles have to meet the stricter standards if automakers want to sell vehicles in the state, along with the 12 other states and Washington D.C. that follow these regulations. This is the latest salvo in the fight between California and Trump administration over emission standards. Back in…
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Linkity Workers Get Incentives to Live Greener Perks Help Spread A Firm's Mission And Foster Goodwill By KELLY K. SPORS It irked Greg James to see some of his employees roll up to work in hulking, gas-guzzling sport-utility vehicles -- often driving more than 40 miles a day round trip. So in 2005 he finally did something about it. The chief executive and founder of Topics Entertainment Inc., a Renton, Wash., DVD and software publisher, Mr. James established an incentive program that offers its 55 employees $1,000 to trade in their automobiles for one with fewer cylinders in the engine. Buying a hybrid or biodiesel vehicle earns t…
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http://www.physorg.com/news70040977.html
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William Maley Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com March 8, 2012 Carbon Motors, the company behind the purpose-built E7 police vehicle will not be getting any of the $310 million in U.S. Department of Energy loans under the Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing (ATVM) program that it applied for almost three years ago. Carbon Motors CEO William Santana Li says the company is a victim of politics. “We are outraged by the actions of the DOE and it is clear that this was a political decision in a highly-charged, election year environment. Since Solyndra became politicized last fall, the DOE has failed to make any other loans under the ATVM program, has pulled back on…
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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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Most people aren't so keen on letting an autonomous system take control of their vehicle according to a new survey done by Cox Automotive. Nearly 85 percent of the 1,250 people surveyed said they should have the option to drive themselves even in a self-driving vehicle. Only 16 percent said they would feel comfortable allowing a autonomous driving system take over. When asked if they would be a fully-autonomous vehicle (Level 5 under SAE's vehicle autonomy guidelines), almost half said no. Automotive News notes that is up from the 30 percent of people surveyed in 2016. Why the increases in overall apprehension? It mostly comes down to number of crashes that auto…
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Seems Chris Doan, occasional visitor to C&G caught a Dodge Durango Hellcat exposed for the world to see. Seems the folks did not secure the tarp too good and HotRod is showing off the images of the beast with the new nose clip. Story Interesting seeing this nose on the Durango. Check out more picks at HotRod.com web site.
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Oh what a feeling: Kim's Japanese car blitz February 19, 2007 - 4:03PM North Korean leader Kim Jong-il has ordered the seizure of all Japanese-made cars in the communist country after he spotted a broken-down model blocking a road, a press report said today. The order came on January 1 when Kim visited the embalmed body of the North's founding leader Kim Il-sung, South Korea's Yonhap news agency said, in a sign of his growing discontent with Japan's hardline stance on North Korea. It quoted unnamed sources as saying Kim's sudden order might be connected with Japan's push for sanctions against North Korea following its first-ever nuclear test last year. "After he paid…
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More and more automakers are launching subscription services as another option to get into new or used cars. But a new report shows the subscription services are still flying under the radar for most consumers. Autolist recently conducted a survey with 1,428 car shoppers in the second half of April. This is what they found out. 70 percent of shoppers had no idea that such a thing existed Out of the 30 percent of shoppers who knew about subscription services, only half could actually name one 33 percent would consider a subscription service for their next vehicle. The number climbs to 45 percent when asked if they would consider it in the future …
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http://today.reuters.com/investing/finance...AUTOS-SALES.XML
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They use less fuel but they are more expensive and they also produce more polluting particles than petrol cars, and with diesel fuel now being as expensive, sometimes more expensive than petrol, I'm not sure why anyone would want to buy one these days.
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William Maley Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com August 6, 2012 If you're one of those people who wanted a H1, or the actual wartime vehicle that inspired it, have we got some news for you. After a twelve year break from the civilian market, AM General is reportedly set to offer a kit-car of the C-Series HMMWV, or Humvee. The kit will meet U.S. government regulations and has been made possible by a deal with GM. The kit will include a body with 2,800 installed rivets, chassis with springs, cross members, geared hubs, half-shafts, differentials, a cooling package, two fuel tanks, and a soft top with soft doors. The only items you need to add is the engine and transm…
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By Jodi Xu If you are going to name a bank, it’s gotta be something big and strong like “Security First Trust and Federal Reserve.” And you have to name a bank that because nobody’s gonna put their money in “Fred’s Bank.” “Hi, I’m Fred, I have a bank. You got $1500? …ahhh, I’ll put here…in my white suit.” Steve Martin At a time when banks have acted more like customers’ antagonists rather than allies, one bank is trying to prove otherwise, at least with its new name. Today, GMAC Bank, owned by GMAC LLC, switched its name to Ally Bank. It is a reasonable approach, given the word’s meaning–that of supporter, assistant or helper. And GMAC has been so mired in trouble…
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To quote Christian Buhlmann of Volkswagen product line communications for e-mobility: "It doesn't make much sense because if you think of the starting torque that you have and the dynamic weight distribution, the weight is lifted from the front axle towards the rear axle," he said. "That's exactly where you need the torque to be in your acceleration moment. Therefore, it physically doesn't make sense to use only the front axle if you have the vehicle that offers a lot of torque right from the start. " This was his response in regards to the question of FWD or RWD for electric vehicles and why? With the ease of ability to package the motors front, rear, or AWD an…
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The National Electric Vehicles Sweden (NEVS), the folks who bought up the assets of Saab have licensed the Turkish government to use the aged Saab 9-3 as the basis of a new national vehicle. "We bought Saab 9-3’s intellectual property rights, but not its name," said Fikri Isik. Turkish Science, Industry and Technology Minister. "The brand [of the car to be developed] will be a Turkish brand, it will not be Saab. We will develop the technology in Turkey." Isik told the Turkish government-backed national television network, TRT, that the government had two options: go at it alone and spend $1 Billion dollars on developing their own vehicle or work with someone …
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William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com August 7, 2012 New legislation introduced into the House and Senate this week aims to end rental car companies renting or selling vehicles that are under recall. The legislation, co-sponsored by U.S. Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) want to prohibit the rental of vehicles under a safety recall. The bill was introduced after two people were killed in 2004 when their unrepaired recalled Chrysler PT Cruiser,rented from Enterprise, caught fire and crashed. Rental car companies have been under immense pressure for some time to make these rules standard. Earlier this year, Boxer sent a letter ou…
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http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/11/nyregion/11plates.html I remember my parents' cars used to have orange plates like this back in the mid 80s.
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The New York Times dropped a bombshell of a report last week saying that German automakers funded an experiment that had 10 monkeys in airtight chambers, inhaling diesel fumes from a Volkswagen Beetle TDI. The experiment took place back at an Albuquerque, New Mexico laboratory in an effort to prove newer diesel vehicles were cleaner than older models. But researchers were unaware that the Beetle used in the experiment was equipped with a defeat device that allowed it produce fewer emissions in the lab than on the road. This experiment was brought to light via a lawsuit against Volkswagen in the U.S. The European Research Group on Environment and Health in the Tr…
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Renting a car is getting pricier As Big 3 cut fleet sales, agencies keep cars longer, pass increases on to consumers Sharon Terlep | Link to Original Article @ The Detroit News Rental cars in lots across America are becoming more expensive even as the loaner rides are getting older and harder to come by -- a trend for which perturbed travelers can blame Detroit's automakers. Detroit's automakers are selling fewer cars and trucks to daily rental companies, a strategy designed to help boost resale values and cut back on profit-killing rental fleet sales. The tactic is popular on Wall Street and appears to be producing results for carmakers. But it's causing headaches i…
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G. David Felt Staff Writer Alternative Energy - www.CheersandGears.com Auto CEO Compensation CNBC with Reuters has posted CEO compensation for GM, FCA, and FORD for 2015 and clearly also points out GM CEO Barra's compensation jumps 72% to $28 Million for 2016. 2015 Compensation GM CEO Barra - $7.3 Million on $152.4 Billion in sales, $10.8 EBIT earnings. FCA CEO Marchionne - $73.6 million FORD CEO Field $18.6 million Course stock does make up a large percentage of the pay package, but it is interesting to see what they are paid. CNBC-Reuters story
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By Christopher S. Rugaber, The Associated Press WASHINGTON - Barack Obama's victory in the U.S. presidential race will give labour unions and the embattled U.S. auto industry a strong ally in the White House, and likely will put pressure on oil and gas producers and pharmaceutical companies. His election Tuesday also makes congressional approval of a fresh economic stimulus package - perhaps as large as $150 billion - more likely, economists said. "There is a general consensus that some kind of stimulus plan is called for," said Ken Mayland, president of ClearView Economics. The new president's biggest challenge will be to turn around an economy that many analysts…
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Before debuting the hotly anticipated Apple Watch and the newest Macbook Air, Apple CEO Tim Cook announced at the 'Spring Forward' event today that 40 car models in 2015 will feature Carplay software for hands-free vehicle interaction. Carplay - and its Google competitor Android Auto - promise advanced features that natively integrate into the two largest smartphone operating systems. It's believed that certain automakers worry that Apple and Google will usurp their own branded infotainment systems, creating a homogenous experience regardless of automaker. Cook states that every "major" automaker has now committed to using Carplay, which could signal that holdo…
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Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is able to build vehicles in China thanks to a partnership with Chinese automaker Guangzhou Auto. Guangzhou wants FCA to return the favor by helping them enter the U.S. "Chrysler's development in China required our support. Now for GAC Motor's development in the U.S. we also hope for Chrysler's support and help," said GAC Motor General Manager Wu Song to Reuters at the Beijing auto show. Guangzhou Auto's subsidiary GAC Motor announced its intentions last year to enter the U.S. by 2017. The company has already been talking with dealerships about selling their vehicles and doing tests on U.S. roads. Song told Reuters the company has also st…
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Volvo's owner, Geely is planning to enter Europe and U.S. in the coming years. Reuters reports that Geely will building a new crossover based on the Compact Modular Architecture - a platform that Geely and Volvo have been working together. Along with new engine technology, this car will launch in China in 2017. The crossover will then head into several Europe markets a year later, followed by the U.S. in due time. "With the CMA car, Li wants to tell the world we're ready for the big time. We're ready to break into Europe and the U.S.," a source told Reuters. The new crossover was designed with the U.S. market in mind. But before Geely plans on sending it to the U.S., i…
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The Society of Automotive Engineers has announced today that they are joining with Ford, General Motors, and Toyota to form the Automatic Vehicle Safety Consortium (AVSC), a group that will work together to test the deployment and development of Level 4 and Level 5 automated vehicles. The AVSC will provide a safety framework for the advancement of the technology in a safe and responsible manner. The group will use the expertise of its current members to establish a set of guiding principles for safety. GM, Ford, and Toyota already have autonomous vehicle development well underway. GM is producing driverless Chevrolet Bolt EVs as part of a development and test…
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William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com October 16, 2012 When we last checked in on the Fisker Atlantic, the mid-size sedan that would take on the 5-Series, A6, CTS, and others, was delayed from next year to sometime in 2014. A new report from Reuters says Fisker has pushed back production of the Atlantic to late 2014 or 2015, a full two years behind the original production date. "The Atlantic is really the volume car that begins to build growth. It creates a business model that is one where we can really generate cash in the future," Chief Executive Tony Posawatz said during a conference call with investors and analysts. The conference call also revealed th…
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The bad news keeps hitting Faraday Future. Earlier this month, we reported on the fight between the automaker and its latest backer, Evergrande Health Industry Group. Faraday claims that Evergrande failed to provide additional funds as part of an investment deal. Evergrande has denied this claim and has brought in lawyers to fight this charge. But this row has caused the electric car start-up to make some difficult decisions. The Verge obtained an email sent to Faraday Future staff on Sunday night, announcing that staff salaries would be cut by 20 percent, and laying off some workers. The email also states that FF CEO Jia Yueting has decreased his annual salary to $1…
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Everybody touts automotive safety, and laments driver incompetence as a fact of life in the USA; mainly because the theme idea is that everybody has a right to a drivers license, and access to all the roads in the USA---- Freedom to travel, right? Well, what if we started to say, O.K., you can drive--- somewhere--- if you qualify! Instead of the drivers license that we all can get basically by fogging a mirror, what if you had to demonstrate your ability to handle a vehicle competently in several emergency reaction situations, and were graded on how well you avoided an accident? This would include performance handling as well. Then, this score value was …
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January is usually not a strong month for car sales as it just after the holidays and people don't have the money to buy a new car. This is reflected in our January sales figure ticker where most automakers post small increases and decreases. There were some automakers that posted some surprising numbers. Nissan reported a 10 percent increase and Toyota noted an impressive 16.8 percent rise. The two automakers credit their utility as a key reason for the rise. But Bloomberg reports there is another reason for these rises. Pulling data from Cox Automotive, Bloomberg found out that fleet deliveries for the month rose 46 percent for Nissan and 69 percent for Toyota. Mos…
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The UAW has dropped their plans to organize a foreign automaker plant. Previously, the UAW vowed to organize one foreign auto manufacturer on U.S. soil by year’s end. "We're shifting our strategy a little bit. We are not going to announce a target at all. We are not going to create a fight," said UAW President Bob King. King's announcement comes a few days after UAW spokeswoman Michele Martin said the union wouldn't meet it's goal to unionize a foreign plant by year’s end. Organizing one foreign automaker plant has been a goal of King since becoming the UAW's president back in July 2010. However, the goal has turned out to be an uphill, with the majority of foreign aut…
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What is the big problem with new cars? According to a new survey, it happens to be the infotainment systems. A study done by automotive consultants SBD and polling firm Nielsen asked some 14,000 owners about features in their cars and asked which ones were the best and the worst. The ten that scored the lowest in the survey were all related in some form to the infotainment system. These included smart phone integration, built-in apps, customizable instrument panels, and voice recognition. “It’s sort of an arms race -- who can have the most technology in the vehicle -- and consumers are confused,” said Nielsen Vice President Mike Chadsey at a connected-car symposiu…
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Linkity Regulators Look to Raise Bar On Vehicles' Roof Strength March 3, 2008 EYES ON THE ROAD By JOSEPH B. WHITE If you dropped a 2006 Volkswagen Jetta on its roof, and then did the same thing to a big, tough Dodge Ram pickup truck, which one would likely suffer less damage and do a better job protecting the passengers? The answer, based on a federal test of roof strength, is the Jetta. If that doesn't make sense to you, take comfort in the fact that you aren't alone. Since the early 1990s, car makers have dramatically improved the crashworthiness of the fronts, sides and rears of their cars, responding to the demands of cons…
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Who uses top tier gas ( toptiergas.com ) GM, Toyota and BMW among other created a standard for fuel to clean the engine. I use it and can tell a difference it has to meet the criteria on all Octane levels. Top tier gas gives me better acceleration and a smoother running engine also slightly better MPG. thoughts on this regards stillen
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Should the competition be worried?.....the Brilliance: Tuesday, September 20, 2005 World automakers assess what threat Chinese cars pose By Christine Tierney / The Detroit News FRANKFURT, Germany -- Visitors to the Frankfurt car show seemed more impressed by the brightly painted Beijing opera performers and entertainers dressed up as monkeys than by the smattering of Chinese vehicles on display. Crowded in a hall reserved for second-tier nameplates, Brilliance Auto, BMW's venture partner in China, exhibited sedans conceived with the help of European designers, the private Geely Group showed off a five-model lineup, and Jiangling Motors exhibited its …
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http://www.jalopnik.com/cars/news/black-tu...-mph-165142.php
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William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com October 3, 2013 Ever wonder why more automakers are jumbling letters and numbers together to name vehicles? Its because there are less names that automakers can legally use around the world. "It's tough. In 1985 there were about 75,000 names trademarked in the automotive space. Today there are 800,000," said Russ Clark, director of marketing for Chevrolet. "The truth of the matter is, across the world, there is hardly a name or a letter that hasn't already been claimed by one car manufacturer or another. You can go through the alphabet - A, B, C and so forth - and you will quickly see that almost all available letters a…
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William Maley Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com January 26, 2012 Volvo is searching for a new partner to develop new small cars. CEO Stefan Jacoby told the Financial Times the company is open to any partners to help in development of compact models in an effort to drive down production costs. "We are open for partners. We are open for collaboration in a win-win situation for sharing platforms, for sharing engines, and for a general higher scale of economics," Jacoby said. Jacoby added that "no decision has been made" by Volvo regarding a potential partner. Volvo's current compact lineup includes the C30 hatchback, S40, and V50. All of those vehicles are based on …
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Mitsuoka, that tiny Japanese manufacturer who makes the wonderfully wacky Orochi sea monster, has introduced its latest automotive mash-up, just in time to give us a Halloween fright. It is a derivative of the company's Galue III (the return of the shapeshifter) and is known as the Galue Limousine S50. This shouldn't be confused with the company's Galue 204 Toyota Corolla rebody, or the Galue Convertible, which is based on the Ford Mustang. Instead, this limo is based on the Infiniti M, but incorporates styling touches from such classic designs as the '94 Cadillac Fleetwood, the Rolls-Royce Phantom and the Apple iPhone. While that might not sound too offensive, trust us, …
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The future of Faraday Future is becoming dimmer. The Verge reported yesterday that the automaker has decided to shut down some operations this week at their headquarters in Gardena, California, and at its factory in Hanford, California. Workers who started after May 1st of this year “must take a furlough,” according to an email sent by FF CEO Jia Yueting. Those working before "will have the option to remain on board with a reduced salary of $50,000 per year," employees told The Verge. Yueting said the furlough will last at least through December, and is dependent on finding new funding. “We are grateful to all of the hundreds of employees who are willing to stay with…
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William Maley Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com June 8, 2012 Transportation secretary Ray LaHood has made it his mission to end distracted driving, calling it an “epidemic.” To help end it, LaHood and Department of Transportation has unveiled their Blueprint for Ending Distracted Driving. The blueprint calls for: Get the last eleven holdout states to pass laws banning distracted driving. Challenge the auto industry to not provide vehicle content that the government considers distracting. Educate young people about the perils of distracted driving. Continue a public education campaign that "Provides all stakeholders with actions they can take that go beyond p…
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Apple is going forward on building their own vehicle. According to sources, the company recently gave the approval for the project after spending a year investigating the feasibility of it. Codenamed 'Titan', the team behind the vehicle will grow from 600 to around 1,800 people. Not much is known about the vehicle except for that it will be electric and feature some sort of autonomous technologies. A fully autonomous vehicle isn't expected till later on. The report says Apple has set a 'target ship date for 2019.' Whether that means it will be launched or reaching a major milestone in 2019 is unknown. Rumors about the Appl…
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
Hello! Did you hear about new Kia little crossover vehicle named Soul? Well, here i had found some spy shots of it. Looks good so far! What do you think? Kia Soul spy shots (click here)
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Despite the fact that Ford has yet to request any special funding from either the federal governments in the United States or abroad, the automaker has repeatedly said that it supports its competitors as they seek financial aid. According to Ford of Europe CEO John Fleming, "We have no objections to competitors asking governments for support in these very difficult times." While some might think that Ford would stand to benefit if its largest competitor went the way of the Dodo, in reality, it's much more complicated than that. Says Fleming, "I would rather take sales from competitors by having better products rather than them going out of business." Plus, there's the s…
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More and more police departments are going towards crossovers and SUVs for their fleets. According to Automotive News Canada, police departments are going with these vehicles over their sedan counterparts as they are able to fit all of their equipment needed on a daily basis. Officers like them as crossovers and SUVs are easier to get in and out. “We’re all dealing with the same issue, and that is the vehicles are getting smaller, yet there’s still demand for more gadgets and equipment put into those cars. It’s always a bit of a tradeoff and a challenge to make it all fit,” Julie Furlotte, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police's national mobile assets manager. The R…
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William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com August 20, 2012 Over the weekend, Fisker announced a recall of over 2,000 of its Karma plug-in hybrid sedans due to risk of fires. The recall was issued a couple weeks after a fire engulfed the driver's front side of a Karma sitting a parking lot. Fisker called on the help of Pacific Rim Investigative Services Group to figure out the cause of the fire on August 10. The investigation found the ignition source was a low temperature cooling fan, which “had an internal fault that cause it to fail, overheat and start a slow burning fire.” To keep this from happening again, dealers will replace the cooling fan with an updated…
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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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No Train for the Motor City Link: http://online.wsj.co...0265044228.html
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Premium battery manufacture of Germany, AKASOL has announced that they will open a battery system production plant in Detroit Michigan USA. This dedicated operations in North America will ensure that AKASOL's customers comply with the Buy America Act Regulations and is in response to demand for their high energy battery modules from various OEM manufacturer of Trucks, Buses and auto's. This considerable investment will create over 200 jobs within the next 5 years. State of Michigan awarded AKASOL a Michigan Business Development Program Grant for the construction of the production facility. Barry Matherly, President and CEO of Detroit Regional Partnership added: " The…
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William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com July 17, 2012 The current Suzuki SX4 is going on six years and its beginning to show its age. Suzuki knows this and is working on the next generation SX4. Some new spy shots show how much progress Suzuki has made on the next SX4. The next SX4 appears to be much larger than the current model, thanks to larger greenhouse. Other design changes include a new grille and headlamps. There also appears to be a large intercooler that is hiding behind the lower fascia, meaning the next SX4 could be packing a turbo engine. This is a play for fuel economy and not performance. Source: Autoblog William Maley is a staff writer for C…
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Hmmm a deal with the Devil or not? DETROIT, June 9 (Reuters) - U.S. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton on Saturday offered a double-barreled campaign message for the struggling U.S. auto industry: accept tougher fuel economy standards in exchange for federal help with the costly burden of retiree health care. Speaking at a union hall, Clinton also pledged new U.S. government investment in technologies that promise sharp gains in engine efficiency, such as lithium-ion batteries, an area where Japanese suppliers lead the pack. "I know we have to do more to support the American auto industry and to support the American auto worker," she said. Article Continues: http://yahoo.re…
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William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com June 28, 2013 Here's a story that we're filling under the 'wait and see' file. Reuters is reporting that the Peugeot family, which currently owns a 25.4-percent stake in PSA Peugeot-Citroën automaker and 38.1 percent of voting rights is willing to give up its stake and try to revive a tie-up with General Motors. "GM faces the same overcapacity situation with Opel, and that's why PSA is trying to convince them to merge the two. The Peugeot family has now accepted that they'll lose control, so this is no longer an issue," said a person familiar with the matter. How dire is PSA Peugeot-Citroën at the moment? Well the two b…
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Budget Rent-A-Car Tries Ad-Covered Rental Cars With Big Discounts William Maley - Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com August 3, 2011 A car rental place in Atlanta is asking the question; would you drive a rental car covered in ads to save some dough? Budget Rent A Car of Atlanta has teamed up with Wrap Media Group to wrap a group rental vehicles with big, bright advertising on the sides. Why? To provide another form of advertising for companies and give consumers a lower rate on a rental. So how low of a rate are we talking about? According to USA Today, one customer secured a weekly rental that regularly costs $400 for only $88. "Our mission is to alw…
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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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Article CEO of strikebound car hauler: Company to close Friday June 13, 10:30 pm ET CEO of strikebound car hauler says company will close; union leaders had 'different agenda' DETROIT (AP) -- Performance Transportation Services Inc.'s president said Friday that the car hauler and its related companies were ceasing operations, five days after 1,250 Teamster-member employees went on strike. Allen Park-based PTS is North America's second-largest hauler of new vehicles and was operating under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. In a letter to PTS employees, company president and CEO Jeff Cornish said the bankruptcy court on June 4 authorized a 15 percent wage cut fo…
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" Chrysler is now the first United States-based carmaker to be sued for allegedly skewing emissions results. In a move that sounds eerily similar to the troubles of European manufacturers, Chrysler is claimed to have hid diesel engine characteristics causing emissions as much as 14 times higher than permitted by regulations. " Read More
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This year will likely go down as the one with the most recalls for automobiles. From ignition switches that can easily turn to the accessory or off position, to peeling safety labels, automakers in the U.S. have recalled almost 60 million vehicles. With the high number of vehicles being recalled, people are calling for the recall system to be fixed. But no one can agree on how to fix it. "A recall's a recall, and that's a problem. There needs to be a sophistication of how serious is the recall? And that has to be really clear to a customer. I think the industry is beginning to do that," said Mark Reuss, GM's head of global product development at the LA Auto Show last mon…
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How many times have you heard people say EVs are too expensive! Only the rich can afford an EV! Funded by Jeff Beso, SLATE set out to bring back the simple needs of the bulk of America by building a basic two-person electric truck that would do truck things basically and not much else. Yet if you wanted, you could expand later on to let the truck be so much more. SLATE set themselves a clear goal, build a truck that would be inexpensive, offer radical customizable and affordable options that would allow one to personalize their own transportation ending in a beautifully simplified means of transportation. SLATE CEO Chris Barman at their reveal tonight stated the…
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Does this guy ever write anything new? http://www.forbes.com/opinions/2007/10/15/..._1016flint.html
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Industry News: Alabama’s Controversial Immigration Law Hits Close to Home for Mercedes
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Update: The case against the Mercedes Benz Executive has been dropped. One of the latest possible “illegals” has been arrested in Alabama for not carrying his driver’s license under the new anti-illegal immigration law. The problem? The suspect is also an executive manager for Mercedes Benz. From the AP: Prior to the new law, a person driving without a license would not be arrested, but instead received a ticket and a court summons. Mercedes Benz’s first U.S. assembly plant, built in 1993, is located near Tuscaloosa where the arrest took place. Alabama’s immigration law is thought to be the toughest in the country and is currently facing several legal challen…
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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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A self-driving shuttle service got off to an auspicious start yesterday in Las Vegas when it was involved in an accident with a delivery truck. According to NBC affiliate KSNV, the accident took place during the shuttle's first hour of service when a delivery truck back into the shuttle. According to an AAA representative on Twitter, the driver was cited by Las Vegas Metro Police. "The autonomous shuttle was testing today when it was grazed by a delivery truck downtown. The shuttle did what it was supposed to do, in that it’s sensors registered the truck and the shuttle stopped to avoid the accident. Unfortunately, the delivery truck did not stop and grazed the …
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Invision Power Board v.3 is Here! A big thank you to all of the members who have contributed towards the upgrade of the CheersandGears.com forum software. I purchased the software last night and it was delivered to me this morning. Watch this space for updates on downtime and maintenance schedules over the next few weeks. Many thanks for your patience and here's to an even better Cheers and Gears! -Oldsmoboi P.S. Feel free to comment in this thread.
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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…
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Well, I just found this on Yahoo business and it kind of angered me. The mentality of these people makes me sick. Here is the article. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070327/ap_on_..._contract_talks This is my favorite part of the piece I from what I have experienced with the UAW, this is a VERY popular opinion:
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NHTSA issues new airbag regulations David Shepardson | Detroit News | Washington Bureau WASHINGTON -- Motorists will be protected by both head and torso side airbags by 2013, under a new regulation adopted today. The rule unveiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration requires automakers to install side curtain and side torso airbags by Sept. 1, 2013. It goes beyond what automakers pledged to do in 2003, when they voluntarily agreed to install side head airbags -- but not side torso airbags. The 291-page regulation will save more than 300 lives per year and 260 serious injuries per year -- a smaller estimate than when NHTSA initially proposed upgradin…
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By William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com March 25, 2013 For a time, young buyers that wanted a vehicle ventured towards the Japanese brand since they offered the features and content they were looking for. Now the tide is changing with younger buyers going towards American and Korean brands. Bloomberg gathered data from Edmunds and R.L. Polk which showed American automakers increased their share of retail registrations by 1.9% with 18 to 24 year olds and 1.5% with 25 to 34 year olds since 2008. Korean automakers saw the largest jump in retail registrations with a 6.8% increase in 18 to 24 year olds and 5.1% increase in 25 to 34 year olds. Japanese automaker…
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2013 to Today, Engines under 3 Liters and Turbocharged have gone backwards on MPG and Emissions in Real World Driving Technology today is proving to be more effective in controlled testing than in real world driving. A U.K. based company that does emission testing has been in the US running a long term testing of over 500 auto's testing real world versus testing for MPG, greenhouse gas creation and overall improvements and the end result is that with all the new technologies from Turbocharging, start-stop, lightweight materials and eco-drive settings that the top 4 things have shown up to Quote the story: Vehicles with engines smaller than 2 liters have essent…
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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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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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Automakers for the most part were hurting in sales during the second quarter. The COVID-19 pandemic and the economy coming to a screeching halt for a brief time caused new car sales to drop by a third according to Automotive News. But there is a slim silver lining to this, full-size pickups have moved into being the best-selling segment of vehicles. According to data from Automotive News, one out of four vehicles sold between April and June was a pickup truck. This helped put them ahead of compact crossovers, which have held the top spot for some time. The reason is that trucks didn't take as big of a hit due to 0 percent financing offers from automakers to help brin…
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California and Michigan are currently fighting a chunk of close to $4 billion in federal funding that President Barack Obama proposed last month to develop autonomous vehicles. Both are proposing World War II military sites as the place to test autonomous technologies. But Michigan has an interesting trump card; potholes. Anyone who has driven the roads in Michigan knows they are quite terrible (and that's being somewhat kind). Due to the harsh weather conditions and difficulty in keeping the roads maintained, potholes spring up and can grow into very frightening sizes. “California is not the real world -- they don’t have four seasons. We’ve got real potholes. It’…
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A glimspe into the designers behind the Camaro project... http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1213115275...=googlenews_wsj Korean Car Designers Make Their Mark On the U.S. Auto Industry Growing Influence in Detroit and Beyond Is Evidenced by Sangyup Lee's Camaro By NORIHIKO SHIROUZU July 22, 2008 These days the Motor City seems to have a Korean accent. In a bid to reconnect with consumers, the Big Three auto makers have been emphasizing bold designs that hark back to Detroit's glory days. But some of the most eye-catching "American" vehicles they've created are actually products of a growing cadre of auto designers born and raised in South Korea that is gaining in…
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William Maley Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com January 16, 2012 A few years ago, a man by the name Scott Devin decided to build an American supercar to compete with the world’s best. So he called on a Swedish designer, Daniel Paulin to design his car. Now, being a new start-up car company, Devon couldn’t develop his own platform or an engine due to not having enough money. So, he went the donor car route for his new car and picked the Dodge Viper. Now, before you start thinking all Devon did for his new car was take a Viper and dress it up, there was more done to it. The Viper V10 was tuned and tweaked to produce 650 HP. The body, designed by Paulin was coachbuil…
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Anyone seen much about this entity? "Super luxury line with NG V-16". http://www.godsilmotorcars.com/vision.html https://twitter.com/GodsilMotorcars
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By Robert W. Crandall and Hal J. Singer Sept. 6, 2007 Several bills are working their way through Congress that would increase the corporate average fuel economy standard (CAFE) for cars and light trucks by 4 percent per year, reaching a target of 35 miles per gallon by 2018. Aside from economists, whose voices often carry little weight in Washington, there is virtually no opposition to this form of regulation. Not even from a Republican president. To bolster support for these new rules, CAFE proponents have issued two studies that purport to show that increasing the CAFE standard to 35 miles per gallon would generate fuel savings for car owners in excess of the adm…
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The Pandemic had at the start made investors fearful that companies would be hurt, and profits and stock payouts would fall if not be stopped right out as companies looked to find ways to save cash as people stayed home due to Covid-19. Yes, some companies did stop many things and some companies even closed due to the global pandemic, yet Auto companies found that having control of a tight inventory actually pushed up record profits and in this their workers have also prospered along with the executives. Here we are posting just how well the OEM auto companies have done for their workers. 44,000 UAW members, GM employees were eligible profit-sharing pay…
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Found two different news stories with the same plot... where's my money? the first is from south dakota: During the month long program, Billion Automotive sold close to a thousand vehicles but has only been reimbursed for 272 of them. Vern Eide sold over 200 cars and has only been paid for 27 of them, and that's fueling lots of concerns in the auto industry. Billion Automotive cashed in during Cash for Clunkers, but owner Dave Billion is still waiting for the rest of his money from the government run program, $3.2 million. "I wonder how long they'd wait if I owed them $3.2 million. I think they'd be at my door or at least my banker's door," Billion said. Wh…
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Not really sure which section this should be in so posting here. Mod's please move if there's a more appropriate section. A great gesture from a bona fide car guy. http://www.cnbc.com/id/29616467/site/14081545%3F
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William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com September 17, 2013 Analysts are predicting that new car sales could reach pre-crash levels possibly next year. Sales in 2014 are projected to rise to 16.1 million vehicles, just shy of the 16.15 million cars sold in 2007. Part of this increase is coming from automakers building better products. Chrysler, Ford, and General Motors are real contenders in the compact and midsize marketplace. Also, Korean automakers are giving everyone in the industry a run for their money. “It would be one thing if the domestics were going to get better in cars and pull back on trucks, but they aren’t. You see a rising level of competitiven…
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Drew Dowdell - CheersandGears.com After 30 years, the ever increasing subsidy for ethanol produced from corn has expired. When Congress adjourned for the year last week, they did not renew the ethanol subsidy that has cost taxpayers some $45 billion during its lifetime. Every gallon of ethanol pumped provided corn growers with a 45 cent subsidy. Most of the savings from ending the subsidy to go towards reducing the US's budget deficit. At the same time, a 54 cent per gallon tariff on ethanol imported from Brazil also expired. Brazil is twice as productive per acre of farm land by using sugar cane rather than corn. The expiration of the Brazilian ethanol tariff is unlike…
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United States Postal Service (USPS) has taken an interesting road to updating their fleet of mail delivery vehicles. Lets start with March 24th, 2022 the USPS signs a contract with OshKosh Defense to the tune of $2.98 billion dollars for 50,000 mail trucks and 10,019 are to be EV. These new trucks are to replace the very aged fleet that is currently running on empty and lack many modern conveniences. The LLV or Long-Life Delivery Vehicles lacked many things from AC to a wide variety of safety items and on top were not very efficient for actually delivering mail on top of the fact that the 190,000-vehicle fleet has an average age of 30 years. In…
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If you happen to plan on seeing Transformers 4 at the theater, you should pay close attention to the scenes in China as some of those vehicles could be making their way to the U.S. Guangzhou Automobile Group Co Ltd. (GAC) which has some of their Trumpchi vehicles in the film is planning on sending them to the U.S. as early as next year. "Our sponsorship of Transformers 4 will help more overseas dealers and consumers know about our cars and over the long run it will greatly contribute to our branding. We want to start exporting to the U.S. as quickly as possible and I am confident that they will find our Trumpchi cars competitive," said Wu Song, chief of the Trumpchi bra…
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Maximum Bob points cannon at Herr Piech, spares no gunpowder: "that's the way [Piech] ran everything. It's what I call a reign of terror and a culture where performance was driven by fear and intimidation. He just says, 'You will sell diesels in the U.S., and you will not fail. Do it, or I'll find somebody who will.' The guy was absolutely brutal." More at the link: http://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/a27197/bob-lutz-vw-diesel-fiasco/
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For the first time in sixteen years, J.D. Power and Associates says data from its recent vehicle dependability study shows that the average number of problems per 100 cars has increased. This year's study charted 2011 models over three years of ownership and tracked the number of problems. Looking at first-owner cars from the 2011 model year, J.D. Power reports an average of 133 problems per 100 cars (or shorten to PP100). This is an increase of six percent when compared to 2010's 126 PP100 average. The reason for this climb in problems comes down to problems with engines and transmissions. J.D. Power found that engines and transmissions problem accounted for a 6 PP100 b…
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News Ragtops escape roof-crush rules: NHTSA says convertibles can't share standards with fixed-roof vehicles HARRY STOFFER | Automotive News RICK KRANZ | Automotive News Posted Date: 11/9/05 Federal regulators want stronger vehicle roofs to protect people in rollover crashes, but they have no plan to protect occupants of convertibles. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says it cannot hold convertibles, including retractable hardtops, to the same roof-crush requirements as vehicles with fixed roofs. The agency also has decided against convertible-specific rollover rules, such as requiring roll bars. There has been a sharp increase in convertible…
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Given the reputation of the manufacturers and the relative ages of the SUVs, not really a surprise here... apart from maybe the CR-V. Volkswagen Tiguan - Good Subaru Forester - Good Honda Element - Good Jeep Patriot - Good Suzuki Grand Vitara - Acceptable Chevrolet Equinox/Torrent - Acceptable Toyota RAV4 - Acceptable Nissan Rogue - Acceptable Mitsubishi Outlander - Acceptable Honda CR-V - Marginal Ford Escape/Mariner/Tribute - Marginal Kia Sportage/Hyundai Tucson - Poor http://www.iihs.org/news/rss/pr032409.html Quite a difference... a one-year old German car: And a four-year old Korean car:
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William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com August 2, 2012 According to research firm Baum and Associates, American buyers are taking a liking to diesel vehicles. Through June of this year, 61,214 diesel-powered vehicles have been sold in the U.S., an increase of 27.5%. That number might not sound like a lot, but sales of diesel vehicles are steadily climbing. From April to June, Diesel vehicles saw increases in sales ranging from 14.4% to 28.2%. This news comes in the face of the high price of a gallon of diesel compared to gas. AAA reports that the national average cost of a gallon of diesel is $3.780, compared with $3.521 a gallon for regular gas. "Despite so…
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William Maley Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com April 12, 2012 The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has announced has announced plans to update the agency's current vehicle safety standards to include a mandatory brake-throttle override system. The system would ensure that the brake will overpower the gas pedal when the two are applied at the same time and bring the car to a stop. The hope is to curb the amount of unattended acceleration cases. The new standards will apply on all cars, trucks and buses regardless of weight. "America's drivers should feel confident that anytime they get behind the wheel they can easily maintain control of their vehicl…
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http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2006/08/17/018956.html http://www.afstrinity.com/ Interesting...Looks like a reworked Olds Aurora.
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msn
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William Maley Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com February 10, 2012 The House Science Committee approved a bill on Tuesday that bars the EPA from going forward with E15 till further studies are done. The bill sponsored by Rep. James Sensenbrenner (R-WI), was passed by a 19-7 vote as members voted along party lines. Automakers and and corn growers have clashed over E15, which is made from 15 percent corn-based ethanol biofuel since 2010. The EPA has allowed E15 use in 2001 and newer vehicles, but various interest groups, including Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, the American Petroleum Institute protested. "This bill will halt EPA's rush to introduce mid-level…
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Two U.S. Senators are calling on the U.S. Department of Transportation to urge owners of General Motors vehicles involved in the ignition switch recall to stop driving them until they are fixed. Senators Edward Markey of Massachusetts and Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut sent a letter to Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx urging him to ask owners to stop driving their vehicles. "GM has indicated that it could take until October, 2014, before it can complete all the needed repairs. Every day that unrepaired vehicles remain on the road increases the risk of more injuries, deaths and damage," the two senators wrote. But there comes a problem with this. Earlier this mo…
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http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/11/29/con...ards/index.html There are some interesting points to the new fuel bill. One is credit alternative fuels, so would GM be better off only making 4 cylinders, diesels and flex fuel V8's? It also classifies F150s and Silverados as large work trucks exempt from the standards. This should be interesting.
Last reply by Camino LS6,
