NINETY EIGHT REGENCY

Coming: Honda Accord hybrid, Plug-in Toyota Prius, more 09:30 AM CAPTIONBy Mike Ditz, AP Honda will take another shot at making a hybrid out of the Accord, and will add a hybrid version of the Pilot family crossover as well. That's just one interesting tidbit from the product plans of Japan's Big 3, as laid out today by Automotive News. It goes like this: Honda. A redesigned Civic and CR-V crossover is on the way next year. A new Accord comes in summer of 2012. Honda had an Accord hybrid for a few years, but discontinued it because buyers didn't think a V-6 hybrid delivered enough gas mileage. Nissan. Besides the electric Leaf in December, Infiniti will launch the hybrid version of its M Class sedan next year and an electric four-seater in 2013. The Juke crossover, shown in the photo above, is about go on sale along with a new Quest minivan next year. Toyota. Toyota is going to go on an electric binge with two electrics, including a plug-in Prius, and six hybrids models to market in the next two years. Also on the way is a new Camry, RAV4 crossover and Tacoma pickup. link: http://content.usatoday.com/communities/driveon/post/2010/09/coming-honda-accord-hybrid-plug-in-toyota-prius-more/1

Congrats to you sir. Love is hard to come by and find. When you do, cherish it.

GM READYING TWO NEW RWD SEDANS, INCLUDING CADILLAC RANGE-TOPPER By Drew Johnson General Motors may have killed off the Pontiac G8, but a new budget-minded rear-wheel drive sedan is in the automaker’s future. On the other end of the scale, GM is also moving forward with a new rage-topping Cadillac model. According to Motor Trend, GM has green lighted a new Chevrolet sedan based on the company’s next-generation rear-wheel drive Zeta platform. The project has reportedly been in the work for several years, but was suspended as the Detroit automaker worked through its 2009 bankruptcy. Described as a four-door Camaro, the new sedan will ride on GM’s next-generation Zeta model, which is expected to be far lighter than today’s architecture. No powerplants were named in the report, but it would seem safe to assume that the Camaro’s engine choices will carry over to the sedan. In addition to the new Chevy model, GM is also working on a Cadillac range-topping model based on a long-wheelbase version of the Zeta architecture. The Cadillac model – which will receive styling influences from the Sixteen concept -- will stand as a true rival to the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and BMW 7-Series, carrying a price tag of about $130,000. link: http://www.leftlanenews.com/gm-readying-two-new-rwd-sedans-including-cadillac-range-topper.html

GM revives rear-wheel sedans for Chevy, Cadillac Rick Kranz Automotive News -- September 24, 2010 - 1:15 pm ET DETROIT -- Plans for a sporty, rear-wheel drive Chevrolet sedan have been revived at General Motors Co., Motor Trend reports in its upcoming November issue. The program had been mothballed over a year ago as GM was heading into bankruptcy. Additionally, a low volume, rear-wheel sedan planned for Cadillac is expected to carry a price of around $130,000, putting it in the company of the Mercedes-Benz S class and BMW 7 Series sedan, www.motortrend.com said. Both vehicles are expected to be introduced by mid-decade. The cars will be developed on the automaker's next generation rwd Zeta vehicle platform. The platform will be significantly re-engineered, using high-strength steel to reduce weight, the magazine said. Two wheelbases are planned. The unnamed Chevrolet will be developed on the shorter of the two Zeta wheelbases. The unnamed Chevrolet sedan will -- conceptually -- be a four-door Camaro, the Web site reported. The Cadillac's styling is expected to be dramatic in an effort to draw attention to the brand in China and Europe. The car may have a few styling cues from the Cadillac Sixteen concept introduced in 2003. The long wheelbase Zeta platform will be used for the Cadillac model. A small V-8 is under consideration. Read more: http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100924/OEM04/100929900/1260#ixzz10Tyu8bk7

Rumormill: Rumblings of Zeta-based family of rear-wheel-drive GM sedans persist by Jonathon Ramsey (RSS feed) on Sep 24th 2010 at 2:26PM The ongoing yarn about General Motors fielding a brace of rear-wheel drive flagship sedans based on a new generation Premium Zeta platform has hit the big time, with Motor Trend reporting that the platform will underpin a sport sedan for Chevrolet. Last month, the rejigged Zeta was touted as the basis for a flagship Buick that would finally, and properly, challenge Lexus. MT's report says there will be two wheelbases for this new Zeta, and that those two variants will do duty under a Cadillac, a U.S. Buick and potentially a Chinese-market Buick, and several Holden models along with the aforementioned Chevy. As the basis for premium sedans, General Motors could spend the money to make it properly light and strong through the use of high-strength steels. The Chevy sport sedan mentioned would be "a kind of four-door Camaro" – Pontiac G8 GXP redux, anyone? – while the Buick only gets described as "cushier," and both would go on the shorter wheelbase Zeta. The most interesting tidbit could be Cadillac's use of the long-wheelbase platform. MT prices a Cadillac flagship at between $125,000 and $140,000 and says the Zeta-based Cadillac, Whitacre's S-Class rival for the Crest-and-Wreath brand, will sit beneath it. If it all comes to pass, that would give Cadillac a larger CTS, then an XTS, then a properly sporting high-end luxury competitor, then a one-Caddy-to-rule-them-all ne plus ultra model by 2014 or so. Hat tip to Joshua! link: http://www.autoblog.com/2010/09/24/rumormill-rumblings-of-zeta-based-family-of-rear-wheel-drive-gm/

Global Vehicles Bitch-Slaps Mahindra... With A $35 Million Pickup Truck Order?! Global Vehicles alleges Mahindra delayed EPA certification on their built-in-India pickup trucks to purposely cancel the contract granting exclusive rights for distribution in the United States. Now Global Vehicles is fighting back — by placing a $35 million order?! Here's what Global Vehicles is saying: Global Vehicles believes that Mahindra purposely delayed the EPA certification process so it could invoke a contract clause that would allow it to walk away if the truck could not be certified for sale in the United States. Global Vehicles extended the deadline for certification three times, with the latest deadline set at June 11, 2010. Mahindra submitted its certification paperwork to the EPA about 10 days after the June 11 deadline, and announced in an Aug. 20 press release that its vehicles were certified for sale. At the same time, Mahindra posted a two sentence statement on its website stating that its relationship with Global Vehicles had ended. Mahindra demanded the clause at the eleventh hour before the contract was signed in 2006 because it expressly wanted to limit its losses if the trucks could not be certified for sale here. Earlier this year, well before the June deadline, Global Vehicles asked Mahindra to remove the clause because it was no longer applicable and they refused. Global Vehicles later asked Mahindra for another extension but was again refused. "We trusted Mahindra when they said they wanted to cap their losses if the vehicle couldn't be sold here," said Perez. "We patiently waited and accommodated Mahindra through years of delays and kept an extremely powerful distribution network intact while the factory worked through the complicated task of meeting U.S. emissions standards. We did this because we believed we were all working toward the same goals. Now Mahindra is trying to change the rules. We delivered our end of the contract, and we're ready to get down to business." To show their commitment to the sale of Mahindra pickups, Global Vehicles plans to place a $35 million-plus factory order today for U.S.-spec Mahindra TR20 and TR40 pickup trucks to begin the launch of the brand in the United States. The order's designed to do one of two things — if it's accepted, Global Vehicles says it means that Global Vehicles is still the exclusive importer. If it's not accepted, Global Vehicles claims it means that Mahindra may not be bargaining in good faith — and somehow (we're not sure yet exactly how) — it will show that Mahindra killed the contract illegally. Whatever it ends up showing, it's definitely an interesting chess move on the part of Georgia-based Global Vehicles. We're looking forward to seeing the next one. What can we say — we love a good slap-fight. Especially over compact diesel pickup trucks. More details over here at PickupTrucks. link: http://jalopnik.com/5646839/global-vehicles-bitch+slaps-mahindra-with-a-35-million-pickup-truck-order

It is nice to see you post again too sir. Thanks for sharing. This article and your information is interesting. I hope Camino will get what he wants here soon. I know he will. We hope you stay around. I do not use Twitter or Facebook. I know I will not get to see what I want like Camino will, but it is still nice to watch others see their dreams come true.

Mitsubishi CEO Refuses To Leave U.S. Market By Nelson Ireson Editor September 23rd, 2010 It might sound like a response to a question no one was asking, but Mitsubishi Motors CEO Osamu Masuko says he's not even thinking about leaving the U.S. market. Mitsubishi, like many other carmakers, has struggle over the past decade, but Masuko says the U.S. will remain at the core of Mitsubishi's plan for the foreseeable future. Mitsubishi's U.S. sales have declined steadily since 2002, now sitting at roughly on seventh their peak of over 354,000 vehicles. Part of the problem is a lackluster lineup headlined by a car that many want but few can afford: the Lancer Evolution, our favorite car in the lineup. Outside of the Lancer range, Mitsubishi's offerings, including the Eclipse, look and feel dated. An all-new Outlander Sport may put a fresh face on things for the company, but as of right now, Mitsubishi is offering only five different models: Outlander, Endeavor, Eclipse, Lancer, and Galant. Each model has its variants, including the convertible Eclipse Spyder and three versions of the Lancer, but it's still a rather tiny lineup to be targeting 200,000-plus sales in the U.S. The Outlander Sport, itself another crossover, could hit a sweeter spot in terms of sales volume, as its smallish size, efficient 148-horsepower 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, and relatively low pricing are likely to appeal to younger buyers. Available all-wheel drive and premium upgrade packages could also push it in front of the mid-range crowd looking for a smaller alternative to U.S. brands. Mitsubishi isn't planning to turn its luck around overnight, however. Instead, a slow-growth process will hopefully put sales back over the 200,000 mark several years down the road, according to Masuko. That would require quadrupling the current near-50,000 cars sold annually, making it a lofty goal indeed simply to return to half its former high-water mark. The company will reveal a new business plan in the fourth quarter. link: http://www.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1049673_mitsubishi-ceo-refuses-to-leave-u-s-market

MITSUBISHI CEO REAFFIRMS COMMITMENT TO U.S. MARKET By Drew Johnson Mitsubishi’s decision to vacate its U.S. vice president of procurement and supply position threw into question the company’s future in the United States market, but Mitsubishi CEO Osamu Masuko says the Japanese automaker has no plans to leave the U.S. market. “People have been asking me for the past six years whether Mitsubishi's going to withdraw from the market,” Masuko said. “But it never enters my mind.” Mitsubishi ht a U.S. sales peak in 2002 – selling 354,111 vehicles – but now managed only about 50,000 U.S. sales per year. However, Masuko believes Mitsubishi can top 200,000 annual U.S. sales in the mid-term. Through the first eight months of the year, Mitsubishi tallied 36,500 U.S. deliveries. Mitsubishi’s success in the early 2000s was fueled by 0 percent financing and heavy incentives, but Masuko says Mitsubishi’s latest U.S. push will focus on an improved vehicle lineup. Masuko stopped short of revealing when new models might be on the way, but acknowledged “it is not possible to continue with the models that we have had.” link: http://www.leftlanenews.com/mitsubishi-ceo-reaffirms-commitment-to-u-s-market.html

Mitsubishi CEO: We will not withdraw from U.S. market by Jeff Glucker (RSS feed) on Sep 23rd 2010 at 9:00AM Mitsubishi has had a very rough road the last few years. Its sales have fallen steadily since a peak year in 2002 when the brand pushed 354,111 units out the door. According to Automotive News, Osamu Masuko, President and CEO of Mitsubishi Motors Corporation, says he is often asked if the Japanese automaker is ready to pull out of the U.S. market. "It never enters my mind," he says. The company with the triple diamond logo has big plans and lofty goals for the near future. Currently, Mitsubishi moves around 50,000 vehicles per year and Masuko's personal goal is to push that figure to 200,000 vehicles – an increase of 400 percent. He believes the path to his goals is through new products and moderate incentives, both of which will help drive steady and sustainable growth. The product lineup is shifting away from a past littered with larger sedans and SUVs. Mitsubishi is going to aim for smaller, more fuel efficient vehicles as well as all-electric vehicles such as the i-MiEV. In addition, it plans to move away from regional vehicles to develop consistent global platforms. Since the U.S. market only accounts for less than 10 percent of global sales, this sounds like a smart move, but smaller vehicles often bring smaller profit potential, so it will be interesting to see if Mitsu can thrive with this sort of a business plan. Osamu Masuko's bottom line is that changes are coming, Mitsubishi is going to turn its ship around starting this year with new offerings like the Outlander Sport, and it remains committed to regaining its past success in the American market. link: http://www.autoblog.com/2010/09/23/mitsubishi-ceo-we-will-not-withdraw-from-u-s-market/

Dollar's rise helps Germans Appreciation indirectly boosts value of their booming luxury car sales in China Christine Tierney / The Detroit News With the dollar up nearly 10 percent against the euro, Germany's luxury carmakers should be toasting a big jump in profits on their American car sales. But their Chinese business has proved to be even more lucrative. That's because Germany's carmakers traditionally hedge their currency exposure in North America and Japan to buffer the impact of currency swings. Similar to insurance, hedging protects exporters when currencies move in an unfavorable direction, but it also limits potential gains. As a result, Daimler AG, the parent of Mercedes-Benz, as well as BMW AG, Volkswagen AG's Audi and other German carmakers, didn't register the full impact of the dollar's 8 percent rise against the euro in their U.S. operations. But the dollar's appreciation helped them indirectly by boosting the value of their China sales. China's currency, the renminbi, also called the yuan, was pegged for years to the dollar at a rate that China's trading partners considered undervalued -- keeping its exports to America cheaper. China has allowed the yuan to appreciate, but it still trades in a narrow range against the dollar -- and is up even more against the euro. According to J.D. Power and Associates, luxury car sales in China have jumped more than 50 percent in the first eight months of 2010, with Audi leading the pack. Mercedes-Benz sales in China through July totaled 74,070 vehicles, up 134 percent. BMW's sales in China more than doubled, too, as affluent Chinese consumers snapped up German brands. "They're selling a lot more cars and they're selling them at an exchange rate that's 10 percent better," said John Lawson, a London-based analyst at Citi Investment Research & Analysis. Citi estimates that the yuan's rise will contribute 450 million euros, or $585 million, to Volkswagen's pretax earnings in 2011. For BMW and Daimler, which export a greater share of vehicles to China than VW, a big local producer, Citi estimates the positive impact on their 2011 pre-tax profits at more than $650 million each. By comparison, the currency impact on their U.S. business ranges between $130 million and $230 million. From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20100923/AUTO01/9230412/1148/auto01/Dollar-s-rise-helps-Germans#ixzz10MOsbHv1

Interesting news. Thank you for sharing.

Mitsubishi CEO pledges to stay in U.S., wants to quadruple sales Hans Greimel Automotive News -- September 22, 2010 - 3:52 pm ET TOKYO -- Mitsubishi Motors Corp. President Osamu Masuko says the company won't pull out of the U.S. market and that his personal mid-range sales target is 200,000 units a year, or roughly four times today's level of 50,000. Masuko acknowledged that the Japanese carmaker has fallen hard since its U.S. sales peaked at 354,111 vehicles in 2002. But he sees sales reversing their steady decline and expanding this year and next. New products, patience, moderate incentives and sustainable growth will be the key, he says. “People have been asking me for the past six years whether Mitsubishi's going to withdraw from the market,” Masuko said in a Tuesday interview. “But it never enters my mind.” “We have never thought about withdrawing from the U.S. market, and we will not do so.” Mitsubishi's U.S. sales are off about 4 percent to 36,431 units through August in an overall market that is up 8 percent year-to-date. Gradual growth Mitsubishi's rapid expansion in the early 2000s was fueled by unprecedented 0 percent financing. A more rapid plunge in sales, spurred by the global financial crisis, has prompted analysts to wonder whether Mitsubishi might be the next Japanese carmaker to quit the U.S. market following Isuzu's pullout in January 2009. The company needs more disciplined incentives to gradually build sales, Masuko said. The automaker's average incentives came down roughly $270 per vehicle in the April-June quarter but were still above $3,000 per unit, he said. For the full fiscal year ending March 31, 2011, Masuko said the automaker's average annual incentive should decline to under $3,000. Mitsubishi will unveil a mid-term business plan, probably in November, and provide a detailed forecast for its U.S. operations. The company will also outline a plan to revive its under-utilized assembly plant in Normal, Ill., Masuko said. It may entail a new model or platform to be built there. “We're always talking about what the best scale for our sales in the United States would be,” Masuko said. “But my personal opinion is that in the United States, I don't know how many years it would take, but our target could be around 200,000 units.” For the current fiscal year ending March 31, 2011, Mitsubishi wants U.S. sales of 68,000 units, up from 54,000 last year. Sales should rise again the following year, aided by the introduction of the new Outlander Sport small SUV, Masuko said. Change coming Overhauling a U.S. lineup heavy in outdated vehicles such as the Galant sedan, Eclipse sport coupe and Endeavor SUV will be essential to any turnaround. Masuko said to expect changes. “I cannot speak about it too concretely, but from what we know at the moment, it is not possible to continue with the models that we have had,” he said. Long oriented toward SUVs and large sedans, the company now wants to shrink with smaller, fuel efficient cars. Electric vehicles also figure into its future. The i-MiEV electric car will be arriving in the United States next year and will be followed by the PX MiEV plug-in hybrid. Instead of toiling on cars designed for developed markets, such as the Eclipse, Mitsubishi is pursuing world cars with more universal appeal. Sales trends support the new priorities. North America is by far the smallest market for Mitsubishi. The region accounted for just 9 percent of the company's global unit sales in the fiscal year ended March 31. Read more: http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100922/OEM/100929947/1179#ixzz10IkM0lS7

That is really strange and odd. I hope you find the leak. There is a leak, but where?

Report: Renault Considering Revival Of Alpine Badge By Nelson Ireson Editor September 21st, 2010 The Alpine name is one fondly remembered by vintage sports car enthusiasts. Originally an independent carmaker/coachbuilder using Renault vehicles as its platforms, the Alpine brand was successful in several forms of motorsport, including rally. Now it looks like Renault may be primed to revive the Alpine badge. The last car sold as an Alpine was the A610, discontinued in 1995, though Renault continued to use the Dieppe factory acquired in the 1973 buyout of Alpine to produce RenaultSport cars like the Clio and Megane. But now it looks like the Alpine name may finally be poised for a comeback. Renault has previously made several plans for bringing the Alpine name back, but the most recent attempt was foiled by the global credit crunch and car market crash of 2008-9. With things looking like they might once again swing back up in the next few years, the talk of a return to a rear-drive Renault in Alpine guise is building steam once again. According to the report, the car that would bring the badge back is intended as a close spiritual descendant of the A110 Berlinette, a rear-engined, rear-drive sports car sold in coupe and cabriolet forms. Renault and corporate partner Nissan currently have no rear-engined platforms to work with, so the car may switch to the more modern front-engine design. An alternative, according to the report, would be to tap Daimler's Smart ForTwo platform, which has the desired rear-engine, rear-drive layout. What will come of the Alpine? Only time will tell. But whatever comes, we don't expect to see them here unless they are grey-market imports. And that's a shame. link: http://www.motorauthority.com/blog/1049547_report-renault-considering-revival-of-alpine-badge

Rumormill: Alpine coming back... again... for real by Zach Bowman (RSS feed) on Sep 21st 2010 at 6:27PM Autocar reports that the suits at Renault are keeping the dream of a true successor to the Alpine alive and well. The pub quotes Laurens van den Acker, the new vice-president of corporate design for Renault, as saying that he believes there's room for an affordable sports car in the company's lineup. There have been several attempts to re-fire the Alpine furnace over the past few years, but each have been cancelled due to various reasons. The 2006 Nepta Concept, pictured above, was one such stillborn attempt. But Autocar says that a new take on an Alpine is back on the table and that the newest project takes plenty of cues from the A110 Berlinette. The fiberglass-bodied coupe helped make the Alpine name famous with its various rally escapades in the early '70s. As promising as all of this sounds, van den Acker admits that it's going to be an uphill battle to make a strong enough business case for a low-buck sports car to make anyone else at his company take notice. Still, hoping never hurts, no matter how many times we've been hurt in the past. link: http://www.autoblog.com/2010/09/21/rumormill-alpine-coming-back-again-for-real/

Happy Birthday! I hope it has been a great day for you!

Good to see you again. I know you used to go by another name. I am glad to see you posting. I am sorry about what happened to you. I really am. I am glad to see you moving forward with your life.

Renault slightly more upbeat on European market Automotive News Europe -- September 17, 2010 06:01 CET PARIS (Reuters) -- Renault SA has a more optimistic forecast for European car sales in 2010 because the end of subsidies has hit sales less than feared, Chief Operating Officer Patrick Pelata said. Renault expects a 7 percent decline in the market, Pelata said. In July, the company said it expected Europe's car market to contract by 7 percent to 9 percent in 2010. Carmakers have benefited from scrapping incentive schemes introduced last year in key markets such as France, Germany, Spain and the UK to spur demand for cars, but they have voiced concern about a difficult second half of 2010. "We said between 7 percent and 9 percent lower for the full year. We're closer to a 7 percent drop today," Pelata told reporters on Thursday at an event to mark 100 years of Renault's presence on the Champs Elysees in Paris. "We see less uncertainty about the end of the year than we saw in July ... so things are getting back to normal more gently than we feared," he said. "But the fall in the European market is nonetheless there." Most European scrapping incentive schemes have run out but France's scrapping bonus will stay in place, albeit at a reduced level, until the end of the year. Renault raised its full-year market forecasts in July, saying consumer demand had proved to be more robust in some markets than it had expected. It had previously expected demand to fall 10 percent. European auto industry group ACEA said on Thursday that EU new-car sales fell 12.9 percent to 701,710 units in August. The double-digit decline pulled eight-month sales down 3.5 percent to a little more than 9 million. Read more: http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100917/ANE/309169938/1193#ixzz0znW0YxYn

Congrats to you Dodge Fan. I wish you well. This is steady income. The humble get the help. all of you who have humbled yourself to get jobs in order to survive are getting your needs met. You because you took the steps you have will be rewarded with what it is you "want" to do. Congrats Dodge Fan and enjoy yourself in what you do. To the others you hold on.. it will change for the better.

German OEMs pick one electrical charging connector to rule them all by Jeremy Korzeniewski (RSS feed) on Sep 16th 2010 at 4:31PM One massive sticking point with electric cars is the lack of standards when it comes to plugging in the vehicle. In the 90s, the General Motors EV1 didn't use the same kind of plug as the Toyota RAV4 EV, and that meant electric vehicle charging stations had to keep multiple adapters on hand if they wanted to service to multiple machinery. If there's any hope that EVs will take off in popularity over the next few decades, some standardization is in order. To that end, German manufacturers Audi, BMW, Daimler (Mercedes-Benz and Smart), Porsche and Volkswagen have banded together banded together in support of a modular connector system for electric vehicle charging. The consortium's connector system has been submitted for standardization under the designation IEC 62196-2 Type 2 for single- and three-phase charging with alternating current, and a DC extension is currently under development. If all goes according to plan, this new plug system will be ready for use by 2013. It's important to note that there are other plug designs and standards in the works as well, most notably the IEC 62196-2 Type 1 (which is favored by Japanese automakers and is the same as the SAE J1772 proposal in the U.S.). In other words, there could be one standard plug in Japan and the States, and another one in Europe. Sounds familiar, no? Not surprisingly, the SAE has issued something of a response to this new development from Germany, highlighting that its plug and receptacle are ready to go and available now. Read more here. Thanks for the tip, Roy! [source: Audi] Show full PR text Car manufacturers support integrated standard for a modular connector system for electric vehicle charging Car manufacturers Audi, BMW, Daimler, Porsche and Volkswagen commonly support a modular connector system for electric vehicle charging. A globally integrated standard is to ensure that customers always have direct and easy access to the energy grid, independent of vehicle brand and supplier of electric energy. The company development directors have decided to conceptualize a modular connector system made from two parts: The core of the connector system has been submitted for standardization under the designation IEC 62196-2 Type 2 for single- up to three-phase charging with alternating current (AC). An extension for direct current (DC) is currently being developed. All other OEMs are invited to participate in this development and establish a global standard. The vehicle connector system was developed by reputable plug connector producers in close collaboration with the automotive industry, and will be employed on both the vehicle-side and the charging infrastructure. By means of its modular concept it not only fulfills all current requirements in terms of performance, security, as well as comfort, but is in addition well equipped for the future. The special design makes the charging connector suitable for charging with single- and three-phase alternating current. Additionally, with the extension component of the connector system, charging with direct current is to be realized by 2013. The OEMs aim for a short-term availability of vehicles and infrastructure for fast charging. Thus high DC current capacity and respectively very short charging times can be realized. The modular connector system consisting of core and extension is applicable to all standard charging scenarios. The performance spectrum of the basic configuration ranges from single-phase charging at a regular domestic socket outlet to three-phase charging at private and public vehicle charging stations, which are currently being rolled-out. The extension can be used for charging at direct current charging stations, similar to already existing Japanese systems. Thus, the system is prepared for all future direct current charging categories up to fast charging and provides the opportunity for communication over CAN or PLC. The safety of the system is guaranteed even in case of dirt and adverse weather conditions. A mechanical locking mechanism effectively prevents unintentional interruption of the charging process. Charging at DC charging stations is a challenge for all national and international suppliers of electric energy and committees to also make a sustainable step towards a customer-oriented offering in this context. With DC charging the technical complexity within the car and the charging time can be reduced to an optimum level. The German OEMs are jointly working on the next steps of standardization and are actively looking for a dialog with other OEMs, utility providers and network operators. With the standardization of the communication between vehicle and charging station in ISO/IEC 15118, innovative solutions for protection, increased comfort and billing of the charging process are to complement already realized constructive safety measures. Comparable to the standard established for gasoline dispensers and compatible filler necks, a common, worldwide used charging connector and the appropriate data interface are an important milestone on the journey to a ubiquitous e-mobility. This is the only way customers receive the opportunity along the lines of the existing gas station network to "refuel" energy for their cars everywhere without additional adapters. Therefore, the setup of a functioning infrastructure is an essential requirement for the customer-friendly individual mobility of the future. link: http://www.autoblog.com/2010/09/16/german-oems-pick-one-electrical-charging-connector-to-rule-them/

Toyota, Honda, Nissan shares surge as Japan halts yen rise September 15, 2010 - 9:00 am ET TOKYO (Reuters) -- The Nikkei stock average today jumped 2.3 percent to a one-month closing high after Japan intervened to weaken the yen, boosting shares of Toyota, Honda, Nissan and other exporters. Japan intervened to sell yen for the first time in six years, bringing the currency off 15-year highs against the dollar. The action lifted the Nikkei out of negative territory and the index surged as much as 3 percent at one stage. Automakers rose across the board with Toyota Motor Corp. surging 3.8 percent to 3,010 yen and Honda Motor Co. advancing 4 percent to 2,944 yen. Nissan Motor Co. gained 3.7 percent to 702 yen. "The Japanese economy depends heavily on what it earns from exports overseas, so the intervention came at a good time and had an impact after a string of verbal threats," said Tomomi Yama$h!a, a fund manager at Shinkin Asset Management. "Corporate performance hasn't been bad but the dollar hovering near 80 yen had made shares unattractive. The authorities were able to put their foot down in the markets, and the next question is can they follow through with steps to help the economy." The benchmark Nikkei gained 217.25 points to 9,516.56 after earlier dropping as low as 9,199.08. The dollar traded at around 85.00 yen after hitting a 15-year low of 82.87 yen. That earlier rise in the yen followed a Japan ruling party vote victory on Tuesday by Prime Minister Naoto Kan over rival Ichiro Ozawa, who had been more strident in his calls to intervene to weaken the yen. The intervention in the foreign exchange market sent short-term speculators scurrying to cover short positions in stock futures, market players said. "The key points for the stock market going forward are if the Nikkei can remain on an uptrend once the short-covering in futures peters out," said Yutaka Miura, a senior technical analyst at Mizuho Securities. "That in turn may depend on whether the yen remains on a weaker footing. The point here is that the yen hasn't strengthened on domestic factors alone -- the easing stance by the United States and low U.S. yields have played a key part as well." The Nikkei was looking bullish on the technical charts, having risen above resistance at 9,455, around its 75-day moving average and previously considered a strong resistance point. It also pierced above 9,500, around the bottom of its Ichimoku cloud. Ichimoku charts are popular with Japanese traders. Read more: http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100915/GLOBAL/100919913/1117#ixzz0zhtNZo6N

Fiat, Ford lead sales decline in Europe as Audi gains Automotive News Europe -- September 16, 2010 10:40 CET (Bloomberg) -- Fiat S.p.A., Ford Motor Co. and Toyota Motor Corp. led a fifth-consecutive monthly drop in European car sales as the end of government incentives hit demand. Volkswagen AG's Audi luxury unit gained market share. Registrations fell 12 percent to 731,503 vehicles in August from a year earlier, Brussels-based industry group ACEA said Thursday. Eight-month deliveries decreased 3 percent to 9.3 million. Fiat declined 24 percent, while Ford slipped 20 percent and Toyota slumped 19 percent. European demand is declining as governments end or trim subsidies put in place to aid the auto industry during the economic crisis. “The major markets are taking a hit from a high baseline last year and the withdrawal of the scrappage incentives,” said Ian Fletcher, an IHS Automotive analyst in London. “It seems most carmakers expected this would take place, and they're now managing as best they can.” August sales fell in all five of the biggest markets of Germany, Italy, France, Spain and the UK. PSA/Peugeot-Citroen SA, Europe's second-largest carmaker after Volkswagen AG, forecasts industrywide European sales will drop 7 percent for the full year, after rising 0.6 percent in the first half. France's incentive program was trimmed on July 1 to 500 euros per traded-in car from 700 euros ($650) in the first half and 1,000 euros last year. Registrations in France fell 7.9 percent in August to 105,166, weighing on PSA, whose sales in Europe fell 13 percent last month. German decline In Germany, which offered the region's biggest incentives last year, deliveries plunged 27 percent to 200,885. The decline contributed to a 9.6 percent sales drop for Wolfsburg-based Volkswagen. Germany's luxury automakers bucked the industry trend, either posting a sales increase or declines below the average for August. Deliveries from VW's Audi luxury division gained 3 percent last month, boosting the unit's market share by 0.8 percentage point to 5.2 percent. Audi is introducing a dozen models this year, including the A7 Sportback, a new version of the A6 sedan and the A1, its smallest car. BMW AG, the world's largest maker of luxury cars, dropped 7.9 percent as sales of the Mini brand slumped 17 percent ahead of the introduction of face-lifted versions of the entire Mini range and a new model called the Countryman, a four-door crossover which goes on sale this week. The namesake BMW brand declined 6.2 percent. Read more: http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100916/ANE/100919898/1193#ixzz0zhmxD2nR

JAPAN DIVES INTO THE CURRENCY MARKETS TO SLOW YEN'S RISE By Drew Johnson The rising value of the yen has greatly eroded the profits of the Japanese automakers over the last several months, but the Japanese government intervened in the matter on Wednesday, investing an untold sum into the currency markets. In an effort to keep the value of the yen from ballooning out of control, the Japanese government dove into the currency markets on Wednesday, marking the country’s first such foray since 2004. So far this year, the yen’s value versus the dollar has increased by about 10 percent. The Japanese government failed to reveal how much it plans to invest into currency markets over the next few months, but the country’s last effort saw about $320 billion pumped into the market during a 15 month period. While it remains to be seen if Japan’s efforts will curtail the yen’s rise, it’s an important step for the country’s domestic automakers. Toyota says that for every 1-yen increase versus the dollar, the company loses $351 million in earnings, due mostly to the unfavorable exchange rate between the yen and other foreign currencies. Honda, Nissan, Mitsubishi and Suzuki suffer from the same circumstances, resulting in substantial losses from every incremental rise in the yen’s value. LINK: http://www.leftlanenews.com/japan-dives-into-the-currency-markets-to-slow-yens-rise.html

Japan, Inc. From the "Here We Go Again" File comes word that Japanese authorities intervened in the foreign-exchange market today, launching the dollar up sharply against the yen. They say the move is Japan's first foreign-exchange market intervention in more than six years. Really? We find that hard to believe. It may have been the first official move in six years, but when foreign currency manipulation is part of the standard operating procedure of the government there, we're not buying that explanation. At any rate, this will be a giant rice bowl of Not Good for the U.S.-based auto manufacturers in no time. Count on it.