Industry News

A new report from the German publication Handelsblatt says that Ford and Volkswagen are considering expanding their partnership "that stands to change the German industry.” The two are reportedly looking into working together on autonomous tech and electric vehicle development. There are a number of ideas under consideration between two. One example is for Volkswagem's Moia self-driving subsidiary to take a 50 percent stake into Ford’s Autonomous Vehicles LLC. In return, Volkswagen could share their MEB toolkit with Ford on electric vehicles. The expansion in the partnership could also see Volkswagen buying combustion engines from Ford in an effort to reduce investme…

The COVID-19 pandemic has basically brought most of the world to halt. Orders to stay at home, businesses either having workers to their work from home or closing down, and unemployment skyrocketing is causing the economy to crater. There are efforts to try and jump-start the economy such as $1,200 stimulus checks. But an executive at Ford wants to see a return of a "cash for clunkers" like program. “We think some level of stimulus somewhere on the other side of this would help not only the auto industry and our dealers, which are a huge part of our overall economy, but will help the customers as well,” said Mark LaNeve, Ford’s vice president of U.S. marketing, sales…

_ Introducing COTM! Introducing C&G's Car of the Month monthly contests, a fun way to get you and your ride on the front page, and have fun taking themed photos. COTM Rules December/January COTM Contest

Drive What You Sell Ad agency execs use vehicles they push By JEAN HALLIDAY | ADVERTISING AGE Link to Original Article @ AutoWeek When the Butler, Shine, Stern & Partners advertising agency competed for the Mini USA account in 2005, its executives visited Mini dealerships. They talked with Mini owners and enthusiast clubs. A few staffers already drove Minis. A year after his agency won the account, CEO Greg Stern says 10 employees of the Sausalito, Calif., shop own Minis. Stern owns an Audi station wagon and a classic Mercedes-Benz, but says "I have the most fun driving the Mini" he also owns. The agency doesn't offer employees inducements to buy the premiu…

Last October, Chinese automaker Geely unveiled a new global brand called Lynk & Co. This brand stood out in a few ways, Vehicles will be sold online Owners will be able to share their Lynk & Co vehicles to make some money An open application programming interface to develop in-car applications Recently announcing all of their vehicles would come with lifetime warranties The plan was for the brand to launch in China this year, with Europe and U.S. following in late 2018. But a new report from Automotive News says the launch for Europe and U.S. has been pushed back to 2019. “We think we will start in Europe between the first quarte…

MOU means that these companies have signed a "Memorandum of Understanding" to explore the participation, involvement and synergy sharing in relation to the business integration through a joint holding company. Back in August 1st, 2024 Nissan and Honda created a Joint Holding Company for the commencement of a strategic partnership focused on intelligence and electrification. This was to start the consideration towards integration of the two companies. Mitsubishi Motors has now signed onto this MOU to explore the possibility of achieving synergies at an increased level through business participation or integration. In basic terms, the three compa…

GM to Spend $2 Billion to Facilitate Delphi Sale Parnassus Holdings II LLC of California, an affiliate of Platinum Equity, will operate Delphi's businesses both in the U.S. and abroad. Story Link

. Ford Edges General Motors in Sales for the Month of February Chrysler also shows a year over year sales increase from 2009 February 2010 Sales Ford Motor Company - 142,285 General Motors - 141,951 Toyota Motor Sales of America - 100,027 Chrysler Group LLC - 84,449 American Honda - 80,671 Nissan Motor - 70,189 Hyundai Motor America - 34,004 Subaru of America - 33,710 Kia North America - 24,052 [Volkswagen of America - 18,116 Mazda North America - 17,054 Daimler AG - 15,385 Audi - 6,216 Mitsubishi Motors - 4,019 Green = year over year gain Red = year over year loss

...global auto industry. Why is it, despite the use of high-strength steel, aluminum, exotic composite materials, and plastic, that cars are still so porky? How is it that modern compact cars built around a unibody structure manage to outweigh larger, much older, cars built out of thicker steel and on a full frame? Modern gadgets? But aren't they getting lighter and smaller all the time? And what about safety regulations? Are they to blame? Tell me, exactly, where all this excess weight comes from. And why, exactly, we haven't been able to conquer the issue.

William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com September 16, 2012 File this under the 'what are they thinking' file. According to Automotive News Europe, the Italian Industry Ministry is in continuing discussions with different potential buyers in the assets of De Tomaso. Yes, the same company name who brought you the Pantera back in the seventies. Back in 2011, the revitalized company showed a concept called the SLS, which looked like to be a BMW 5-Series GT with a bit of Italian flair. Production of that model would begin soon at a former Pininfarina plant outside of Turin. Except it didn't. De Tomaso was losing money and was soon announced that investment group in…

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)

2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee Caught Undisguised In Metro Detroit Area (Cheers and Gears Exclusive) One of our astute members took pictures of 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee Undisguised in Metro Detroit Area 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee undisguised in Detroit

World components: Steel shocks The Economist One of the few boons of the recent global recession for carmakers was that it drove the soaring steel prices of 2008 down sharply. Now, however, prices are starting to climb again on the back of renewed demand. Profit margins in the auto industry are already razor-thin and other costs have been pared to the bone. So carmakers’ only remaining option may be to pass the increased costs of the crucial metal on to consumers. The price of steel has been rising for over six months, albeit in a volatile way. They are still some way off their highs in 2008, when prices boomed by 60%, but they have recovered much of the ground they lo…

http://quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=1...8R2A&refer=home

FOR RELEASE: 2007-07-17 Auto Insurance First: Technology Lets Americans who Drive Less, Pay Less GMAC Insurance rolls out nationwide discount program for low-mileage driving; leverages in-vehicle OnStar by GM technology to save up to 54% on premiums DETROIT AND ST. LOUIS – Today, GMAC Insurance and OnStar announced the rollout of the Low-Mileage Discount program where Americans who drive less, pay less on their auto insurance. The opt-in program is the first of its kind leveraging state-of-the-art technology using OnStar to allow customers who drive fewer miles to benefit from substantial savings. Eligible active OnStar subscribers simply sign up to save on their…

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 …

Only a few weeks ago, Toyota and Mazda surprised everyone by announcing a new alliance. The two would collaborate on a number of projects including a $1.6 billion assembly plant, possibly bringing 4,000 new jobs. At the time, the two automakers haven't decided where the plant would go, which sent various states in a frenzy. A report from the Detroit Free Press has learned that the two have sent out a blind request for proposals from states in Midwest, mid-Atlantic and South. Sources tell the paper that the request was from an unidentified employer that was considering options for a new project known as 'Project Mitt'. State officials have sent preliminary proposals t…

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…

Well, after all the hub but from Trump, it appears that Ford is going to do what it wants to do. Any insight on this @William Maley or @Drew Dowdell? https://www.yahoo.com/news/ford-not-scrapping-plans-build-mexico-factories-company-021839351.html

http://www.autoextremist.com/ All I can say is A-freakin-men! November 12, 2008 Tick, tick, tick... By Peter M. De Lorenzo Detroit. So it has come down to this for General Motors: 100 years of living, breathing American industrial and social history is on the precipice of total disaster, with the once-glittering corporate icon facing certain collapse if some sort of government financial aid package is not put together in the next 60 days. Think about that for a moment. The company that basically powered this nation through a century of progress and helped this country muster the strength to fight world wars - while contributing immeasurably to the fabric …

Link to Article AP The lessons of the 1979 Chrysler loan guarantee Sunday November 23, 11:34 am ET By Ken Thomas, Associated Press Writer Chrysler's 1979 loan guarantee offers lessons for troubled US automakers WASHINGTON (AP) -- When Chrysler teetered on the brink of bankruptcy in 1979, the automaker spent months building support for a $1.5 billion loan guarantee that helped save the company and tens of thousands of jobs. Nearly 30 years later, the U.S. auto industry is getting only weeks to make its case. Still, the Chrysler chapter offers lessons to the executives of General Motors Corp., Ford Motor Co. and Chrysler LLC -- the private equity successo…

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…

Aging tires spark new safety concern Michelin, Continental latest to set 10-year limit Scott Burgess / The Detroit News Major U.S. tire manufacturers have a new warning for consumers and dealers: Any tire made before 1996 should be swinging from a tree. Michelin USA and Continental Tire North America Inc. have become the latest manufacturers to issue technical bulletins to dealers calling for the replacement of all tires 10 years or older. Some automakers -- including Ford Motor Co. and DaimlerChrysler AG -- advise owners that tires be replaced after six years. Industry and safety experts agree that most tires are replaced long before any unofficial expiration date.…

William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com September 16, 2012 This year saw the average price of the used car reach an all-time high due to severe shortage of used vehicles. “The supply right now is so low, that is controlling everything in the used-market values. There just aren’t enough vehicles out there relative to used-car demand,” said Eric Lyman, ALG’s vice president of residual value solutions. However the supply is beginning to increase slowly thanks in part turn-around in new vehicle sales. With this, ALG believes within the next twelve months, the average used-vehicle price will fall 4 to 5%. “We’re seeing sort of a landing back to a normal used-car …

Everyone needs to check this out. http://centurylink.net/news/read/category/news/article/the_associated_press-venezuelas_opposition_seeks_to_keep_pressure_on_ma-ap

from http://www.automobear.com:

more manufacturers plans at link: Car Wars Via Autonews

"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…

Takata, the Japanese company facing billions in liabilities stemming from its defective air bag inflators, is preparing to file for bankruptcy as early as next week as it works toward a deal for financial backing from U.S. auto parts maker Key Safety Systems, sources said on Thursday. https://www.google.com/amp/amp.timeinc.net/fortune/2017/06/16/takata-bankruptcy-air-bag/%3Fsource%3Ddam I'm really surprised it took this long. So what does this mean for all the people who have active recalls?

_ 2012 Lamborghini Murcielago Replacement Leaked Ahead of Official Debut. We don't even know the official name of it yet, but it appears the cat has accidentally been left out of the bag via InsideLine. The thumbnail image for their 2012 Lamborghini Murcielago First Drive shows an undisguised photo of the new bull. Image has been enlarged and enhanced to better show the car. Discussion:

I just watched a piece on ABC news so full of inaccuracies and negative slant against the automakers(domestic only,of course) that it nearly made me physically ill. Damn! They could, at least, be accurate in their reporting. Rotten bastards!

As of February 23rd, 2021 ion Ventures and LiNa Energy released their results of their first successful trial of the proprietary solid-state sodium battery platform at an undisclosed South East England location. ion Ventures, a 21st century utility and energy storage infrastructure specialist with LiNa Energy a solid-state battery technology developer had finished the final milestone of the prestigious UK BEIS Award. LiNa Energy was formed in the summer of 2017 as a spin-out of Lancaster University. The goal was to apply modern material engineering to the sodium-nickel-chloride battery allowing them to create a game-changing battery storage technology. The…

A local article about Washington State's farming issue with bio Fuels... Thought some of you would find the info interesting. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Biofuels No Sure Bet for Farmers By BILL VIRGIN P-I COLUMNIST We ask a lot of farmers: Provide us with a reliable, inexpensive and safe supply of food regardless of weather (here or elsewhere), politics and trade issues, input costs or markets. And did we mention cheap? Now we want farmers to do the same for energy. What the oilfields were to transportation in the 20th century, many expect the nation's farms to be in the 21st century, with ethanol, biodiesel and similar pr…

Since the recession has ended, the average price of a used car was soared due limited supply. But The Detroit News says with more vehicles coming in due to leases coming to an end, prices are beginning to fall. According to CNW Research, the average transaction price of a used car in September was $10,963. Compared to the same time last year, the average has dropped 2.1 percent. "During the recession, it almost cost as much to get a used car as it did to get a new car, but now the market is going back to historical norms and it's going to be better every month. From 2008 to 2012, there was a significant growth in the number of leased cars and now they're all coming back…

GM to Offer Wi-Fi Access in All of Its Vehicles As a dealer installed option, hardware prices start at $500 and service prices start at $29.99 per month for 1GB of data transfer. Discuss which GM car or truck would be best for this new wifi option HERE.

Catching the Next Wave: Will High-Tech Muscle Squeeze Sport Compacts? BOB GRITZINGER and RICHARD S. CHANG Published Date: 11/28/05 Sport compact tuners are taking over the world. That’s the unmistakable conclusion you might reach after gazing upon miles of aisles of tricked-out tuner cars, over-the-top parts and wild accessories at the recent Specialty Equipment Market Association show in Las Vegas. There’s one problem: People with ears closest to the thrumming ground think you’re wrong. They think the wave of sport compact tuning that washed over America in the past decade may have crested and is receding from its high water mark. Yes, Honda is back. It is reclaimi…

William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com September 16, 2012 If you're in the market for a pickup truck, there is some very good news for you. Truck manufacturers are offering rebates ranging from $1,500 to $4,500. So why the large rebates? Well, part of it is to make room for the 2013 models. The other part is due in part to GM. GM's supply of pickup trucks has been growing and growing due in part to the company making sure they have enough supply when they shut down their plants to retool. GM is stuck between a rock and hard place on trying to make sure they have the right amount of trucks. Starting after Labor Day, GM started their semiannual truck promotion…

2014 will go down as the year as the recall, but also the year where many glaring issues of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration were made evident - mostly due to the GM ignition switch mess. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx told reporters on Tuesday couldn’t keep pace at current staffing levels with 75,000 complaints coming in every year. “It’s no longer reasonable frankly to expect an office with 8 screeners and 16 defects investigators to adequately analyze 75,000 complaints a year,” said Foxx. Now there appears to be change in the air. The Detroit News reports that President Barrack Obama is proposing to increase NHTSA's budget for its Office of D…

The Takata Airbag recall now stands as the largest vehicle recall ever due to how many vehicles around the world use them. In the U.S. alone, 19 auto manufacturers have recalled 49 million vehicles with the airbags that can shoot out shrapnel in the event of an accident. 11 deaths and 184 injuries in the U.S. have been linked to these airbags. Due to this, Takata has been facing numerous lawsuits and investigations. A new report says that Takata is close to closing one of those investigations. The Wall Street Journal has learned from sources that Takata is in negotiations with the U.S. Justice Department about a possible settlement. The deal would see the Japanese su…

2021 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS) | J.D. Power The study, now in its 32nd year, measures the number of problems per 100 vehicles (PP100) experienced during the past 12 months by original owners of three-year-old vehicles. A lower score reflects higher dependability, and the study covers 177 specific problems grouped into eight major vehicle categories: audio/communication/entertainment/navigation (ACEN); engine/transmission; exterior; interior; features/controls/displays (FCD); driving experience; heating, ventilation and air conditioning; and seats. Vehicle dependability is at an all-time high, with the overall level of problems cited by owners declin…

GM, Chrysler Unveil Viability Plan Follow the jump to read the entire article and find out all the details of what GM (and Chrysler) plan to do to survive. http://www.cheersandgears.com/index.php?sh...=28275&st=0

Fiat closes deal to take bulk of Chrysler's assets Fiat to focus on smaller cars and turns the company into four divisions: Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Mopar. Story Link

Amazon.com gives Cheers & Gears members more options for shopping Amazon.com is now being offered as another shopping choice for Cheers & Gears members. Just click on the link to amazon.com or search for your automotive products via our Cheers & Gears widget to find all the products that you need. Every time you purchase something through our link to Amazon.com, you are helping to improve Cheers & Gears features and services. You can visit Amazon's entire automotive product gallery by visiting the C&G Auto Parts - by Amazon link in the upper left of the front page. Link to Discussion

All stand alone Buick and GMC dealers will be consolidated by 2010 General Motors says that by October 2010, all Buck and GMC franchise agreements will be renewed to only offer a "dual dealership", meaning there will no longer be any stand alone Buick or GMC dealers. All stand alone Buick and GMC dealers will be consolidated by 2010.

Delphi Corporation on Monday backed off a threat to cancel union contracts if no agreement on concessions is reached by mid-December. A Delphi spokesman says the decision was prompted by "progress made with GM," Delphi's biggest parts customer, toward helping Delphi climb out of Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. At the same time, November sales figures show U.S. carmakers struggling to keep up with last year's numbers. Edmunds.com forecasts Chrysler will finish the month with new car sales up nine percent, Ford down eight percent, and GM up one percent. But Japanese carmaker Toyota appears to be heading to an improvement over last November of 14 perce…

Since I know how you guys feel about CR> http://www.truedelta.com/pieces/shortcomings.php Oh and join the site if you'd like, it seems pretty cool.

William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com August 26, 2013 The past couple of years has seen the rise of diesel powered vehicles in the U.S. Automakers like BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, and Chevrolet have introduced diesel vehicles to acclaim. Other automakers such as Mazda and Audi are readying vehicles to join in the fun. But there are still a number of roadblocks for automakers to bring diesel vehicles into the marketplace. To fight this, The Detroit News reports that Volkswagen is urging officials to level the playing field. “We’re not feeling the love. This is one of the greenest choices... It’s time the U.S. government included clean diesel in its ‘all o…

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20081216/wl_can..._ontario_report Enjoy! Chris

William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com August 26, 2013 When Ford announced that it was lowering the fuel economy numbers of the C-Max Hybrid a couple of weeks ago, they said the EPA's fuel economy testing was unrealistic for hybrid vehicles. The EPA has come back this week and gave a clear message: "The problem here is really not how the testing is done." Christopher Grundler, the EPA's top auto industry regulator told Automotive News that the EPA's own engineers weren't sure if their tests were accurate due to the whole C-Max Hybrid fiasco and decided to retest a few hybrid vehicles in the summer. The results? The Toyota Prius and Hyundai Sonata Hybrid had n…

Previously, the market for vans was stagnate. Old models paired with poor optimism in the business world made vans appealing as cold liver and onions. But Bloomberg reports that vans are making a comeback. Data from Edmunds shows that van sales by unit have more than double in the past five years, outpacing the pace set by the auto industry overall. More surprising is that in the first quarter, sales of vans climbed another third. If this growth trend continues, its expected that 475,000 vans will be sold in the year. So what is causing this explosion in van sales? Two factors. First are new vans arriving in showrooms. Ford. Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, and Ram have introduce…

January 31st, 2022, Koenigsegg introduced revolutionary BEV technology starting with the David unit, yes this is a revolutionary 6-phase inverter called David. This is followed by the company new Quark Electric Motor that utilized a novel torque/power-rish balance between radial (power-dense) and axial (torque-dense) flux topology called "Raxial Flux". Furthermore, per Koenigsegg press release they have integrated two Quark E-motors with one David inverter, plus planetary gear sets, in order to create a class-leading Terrier, a torque vectoring EV-drive unit. Here you have a family photo of the Quark motor to the left, Terrier EV Drive Unit center and David the 6…

GM boss Carl-Peter Forster set to take charge of JLR. - http://bit.ly/3KNm0x

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060303/bs_nm/autos_dana_dc Buy some shares now before it sky rockets when Magna buyout rumours start up.

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…