NINETY EIGHT REGENCY

I would have laughed. I have been next to Intrigues and Aleros, and Auroras in my cars. I have photos of my Toronado parked next to an Aurora:

It is not lame. I see things like that with Oldsmobiles. I have been next to a 1985-1990 Ninety Eight, a 1994 Eighty Eight, and other Oldsmobiles at the stop light or stop sign at the same time. What is neat when you see the same car from the same generations at the stop light but are different colors. It happens. I would love to be at a stop light with a Toronado from an earlier generation.

California officer helps driver stop his runaway Toyota BY NATHAN OLIVAREZ-GILES LOS ANGELES TIMES LOS ANGELES — The driver of a Toyota Prius who called 911 on Monday to report his accelerator was stuck finally got the car stopped after about half hour with the help of the California Highway Patrol, law officers said. “He was reaching speeds over 90 miles per hour,” CHP Officer Larry Landeros said of the driver, James Sikes. A Toyota spokesman on Monday evening said the company was sending a representative to investigate the cause of the incident, which took place on Interstate 8 in San Diego County. The cell phone call from the driver of the blue 2008 Prius came at about 1:30 p.m. “He was driving near the La Posta Indian Reservation when he called 911 and said his gas pedal was stuck,” Landeros said. Sikes, who was eastbound, told the emergency operator that “the car seemed to accelerate on its own after he passed another car,” Landeros said. A CHP patrol car caught up to the Prius about 20 minutes later and used a loud speaker to tell the driver to apply his emergency brake in tandem with the brake pedal to slow down the car, Landeros said. Once the Prius’ speed dropped to about 50 miles per hour, Sikes turned off the engine and was able to coast to a stop, the officer said. Landeros didn’t know why the driver waited until then to turn off the engine, but the officer speculated that Sikes feared losing control due to a loss of power steering. The CHP officer drove the patrol car in front of Sikes’ Prius in case it would be needed to act as a brake. But that wasn’t necessary and the two cars never touched while moving, Landeros said. Sikes could not be reached for comment. No one was hurt in the incident, the CHP said. Toyota has recalled millions of cars because of reports of unintended acceleration problems. “We’re sending a field technical specialist to San Diego to investigate the car and find out what happened,” Toyota spokesman Brian Lyons said Monday evening. “We won’t be able to comment on what any possible problems with the car were until we take a look at the car.” Sudden unintended acceleration has allegedly been the cause of 56 fatal accidents involving Toyotas in the U.S., going back as far as 2004. The Prius that Sikes was driving was one of more than 4 million Toyota models recalled in November due to the reported acceleration problems, but the company was unsure if Sikes took his car into a Toyota dealer, Lyons said. link: http://www.freep.com/article/20100309/BUSINESS01/100309012/1210/California-officer-helps-driver-stop-his-runaway-Toyota

Happy Birthday sir!

Fiat's Marchionne could talk auto spin-off in April March 3, 2010 14:46 CET GENEVA (Reuters) – Italian industrial group Fiat S.p.A. could discuss spinning off its auto activities when it presents a five-year strategic plan next month, CEO Sergio Marchionne said on Wednesday. Such a move could unlock value for the company and cheer the market. There has been regular speculation on the possibility of Fiat listing its auto activities separately. These include its Fiat, Alfa Romeo and Lancia brands as well as U.S. carmaker Chrysler, in which Fiat has a 20 percent stake. "Let's talk about it on April 21," Marchionne told reporters on the sidelines of the Geneva auto show when asked about an auto spin-off. Fiat holds an investor day on April 21 in Turin. A company spokesman said this would include a presentation of Fiat's five-year strategic plan. The Fiat group includes luxury car brands Ferrari, the Iveco truck unit, and the listed agricultural equipment unit CNH Global NV. Asked about closer links with PSA/Peugeot-Citroen, Marchionne said: "Not for the moment. Relations are great for the commercial vehicle side but for cars there is nothing concrete." Marchionne said Chrysler's flat year-on-year February sales reflected "real numbers", with figures before the U.S. company's bankruptcy last year reflecting "ridiculous" discounts. General Motors Co. and Ford Motor Co. posted strong rises. In Italy, the difficulties in the auto sector will last for some time, making 2010 a "tough year" after the expiry of scrapping incentives at the end of 2009, he said. Read more: http://www.autonews.com/article/20100303/ANE/303039956/1317#ixzz0h80bAD8i

Subaru's winning streak continues Automotive News -- March 1, 2010 - 12:01 am ET Sizzling Subaru, whose 15 percent U.S. sales increase was the biggest for any brand last year, got more good news last week -- this time from Consumer Reports. Meanwhile, Chrysler Group, the biggest sales loser last year among car groups, was walloped by the magazine. Subaru and Honda tied as class leaders in the magazine's Automaker Report Cards, published in Consumer Reports' 2010 annual auto issue. Honda had earned the top rating by itself in the three previous years. Last year, Subaru was second. The overall score for each automaker is based on the average of its vehicles' overall scores in road tests and their average predicted-reliability ratings from Consumer Reports' annual auto survey. The magazine said that while Honda and Acura models "are the most reliable vehicles in Consumer Reports' predicted-reliability ratings," the most recent models from Honda "have not shown the same dedication to interior quality and fuel economy that earlier models did." Subaru tied Honda on the strength of its redesigned 2010 Legacy sedan and Outback wagon. Toyota finished third, even though the magazine suspended ratings for eight of its vehicles because of recent recalls. Hyundai was fourth and Nissan and Volkswagen tied for fifth. Chrysler ranked at the bottom, the only automaker to drop in all measures used by Consumer Reports to assess vehicles. The magazine said most Chrysler models "have noisy, inefficient, unrefined powertrains; subpar interiors; and poor visibility." Read more: http://www.autonews.com/article/20100301/RETAIL03/303019958/-1#ixzz0gwCDhtBC

Defunct Vehicles and brands: Oldsmobile as a "boutique brand". They would be sold through Chevrolet dealers. They were in the past anyway. Oldsmobile would consist of a few models: Ninety Eight: fullsized contemporary traditional fullsized luxury sedan( Buick and Chevrolet do not have any) Toronado: personal luxury coupe low volume shares parts with Ninety Eight( think 1971-1976 Oldsmobile) ( Buick and Chevrolet do not have any) Cutlass: convertible/coupe for the masses. The platform would borrow from existing GM pats bin with unique styling and parts. ( Buick and Chevrolet do not have any.) Custom Cruiser: Affordable rear drive sport wagon with interior room and space. A Possible Holden basis. No import style. All "American" styling with emphasis on technology and innovation and comfort and style. New GM technologies will be applied and tested here. a mid ranged family of vehicles with a touch of luxury with style and technology. These cars could possibly use or share parts with Holden. Rear drive and front wheel drive. It could go either way. Pontiac: All performance brand sold through Buick GMC dealers. It will be a "boutique brand" as well. Bonneville: fullsized rear drive performance sedan. ( Chevrolet does not have any.) Grand Prix: midsized performance coupe and sedan ( Chevrolet or Buick do not have any) GTO: speciality performance coupe Firebird: see Camaro and strip the body and use the platform The Pontiacs would be midsized to fullsized and smaller for GTO and Firebird. They would not have bench seats, digital gauges or items you would find on traditional American luxury cars( Oldsmobile will). No crossovers, suv's or the like. It takes GM performance to the max( i.e. cheaper than a Cadillac) ALL REAR DRIVE....... Buick is now international near luxury and headed that way. Chevrolet is the volume leader. Olds and Pontiac can hit the spot where the other two do not. Ford: Thunderbird: Think mid 1960's T-Bird with all the innovation Cougar: Could go either way. The luxury coupe or the performance coupe. Lincoln Mark Series: The Toronado needs a competitor and America does not have any luxury coupes. Lincoln Town Car: revisioned for the market today. Chrysler: Imperial: A large contemporary luxury sedan. Bigger than a 300 in the inside and outside with luxury you do not not expect in its price class. Cordoba: a personal luxury coupe from Chrysler.

Suzuki, Nissan, Daihatsu announce recalls in Japan Associated Press Tokyo -- Japanese carmakers Suzuki, Nissan and Daihatsu have recalled hundreds of thousands of vehicles in Japan over separate defects, the Transport Ministry said this week. Suzuki Motor Co. recalled 432,366 vans belonging to two models -- the Every and Scrum -- produced from August 2005 to October 2009 over a design flaw in air conditioning parts that could cause a fire. Suzuki found two cases of partial fire damage, but no deaths or injuries were reported, the ministry said. Nissan Motor Co., meanwhile, recalled 76,415 vehicles from 10 models, including the Tida, Note and March, over defective wiring in the engine that could stall the car. Those vehicles were produced between October 2007 and May 2008. Daihatsu Motor Co., a Toyota subsidiary, plans to recall 60,774 vehicles from four models manufactured between December 1998 and April 2000 over faulty wiring that could accidentally launch their air bags. Carmakers routinely issue recalls. For Nissan, recalls were the third this month. However, the announcements come at a sensitive time as Toyota Motor Corp. is under intense scrutiny for its massive recent recalls. Toyota recalled 8.5 million vehicles around the world for accelerator, braking and floor-mat problems. It was the biggest recall in the company's seven-decade history. The world's largest automaker is accused of responding too slowly to customer complaints, undermining its reputation for quality and safety. Last year, more than 5 million domestic-made and imported vehicles were recalled in Japan, according to the Transport Ministry. From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20100226/AUTO01/2260407/1148/auto01/Suzuki--Nissan--Daihatsu-announce-recalls-in-Japan#ixzz0geoMWWJn

Dodge Ram or Chrysler( Jeep, Dodge) product. The steering wheel is a dead give away.

When the GM ax falls, and it cuts deep.... That is 4 dead brands, one that sold and one that almost got away.

Europe's carmakers say economy is far from stable Automotive News Europe -- February 24, 2010 08:54 CET FRANKFURT (Reuters) – The European auto industry does not expect a quick recovery this year, said Dieter Zetsche, president of the Brussels-based industry body ACEA. Zetsche, who is also CEO of Daimler AG, warned that sales of commercial vehicles that closely follow the economic cycle would "at best be flat" after dropping by one-third in 2009. "If the economy looks better in 2010, it's only when compared with 2009. And that's why it is so critically important not to endanger whatever little stabilization has been achieved," he said in prepared remarks at the 2010 annual ACEA reception. Zetsche said the auto industry accounts for 35 percent of all European manufacturing employment and nearly 380 billion euros ($516 billion) of tax revenue. Amid the bleak outlook for the commercial vehicles sector -- where new registrations fell more than 32 percent to some 1.71 million trucks, vans, buses and coaches last year -- Zetsche cautioned against stricter CO2 emission regulations. "Legislation needs to be reasonable and the target level of 135 grams CO2 per kilometer for light-commercial vehicles in 2020 simply isn't. The tailpipe target system for passenger cars just won't work for light trucks," the ACEA president explained. Zetsche said the shape of the auto industry would be transformed by the game-changing trend toward zero-emission mobility in the future and European governments needed to actively participate in the process. "The U.S., China or Japan -- and a number of other nations -- already have well-coordinated activities to encourage research and development investment for sustainable mobility, and they've reinforced these during the crisis," he said, calling for more loans from the European Investment Bank. Zetsche also attacked the recent EU-Korea Free Trade Agreement as not yet "passing the test" for being fair. "Too many non-tariff barriers still exist for EU vehicles exported to South Korea and there is no guarantee against new ones being introduced," he said. Analysts say South Korean carmakers control about 94 percent of their market, the lowest level of penetration among any developed country, due at least partly to local regulators that do not recognize international test cycles and standards and force imported cars to undergo costly modifications. U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk said on Friday that President Barack Obama will not submit a free-trade agreement with South Korea to Congress for a vote until Seoul does more to open its auto market Read more: http://www.autonews.com/article/20100224/ANE/100229943/1057#ixzz0gTBGctzB

Chrysler legal turns into schoolyard bully over use of Ram logo by Chris Shunk (RSS feed) on Feb 20th, 2010 at 3:22PM About the same time Chrysler and Fiat executives were running through a marathon eight -hour look into the future with the world's automotive, Pentastar lawyers were working over the principal at Lake Mary High School in Lake Mary, Florida. You may be asking yourself what Chrysler lawyers would want with principal Michael Kotkin when, just six months earlier, The Pentastar needed billions of taxpayer dollars to exit bankruptcy. Good question, for sure, but the answer is pretty lame. Moto Bullet reports that Chrysler's legal department was reportedly all up in Kotkin's grill because the school's logo was a near-perfect match for the Dodge Ram logo. Team Pentastar ordered the school to replace the company's favorite goat head as the school logo or risk having to drive a Sebring head into court. Chrysler lawyers even had several photos of the logo being used at the school in several different spots. The Seminole County School District decided that the logo wasn't worth an expensive legal battle, so the school, ranked in the top 1.4 percent nationally for academics, reportedly has until June 15 to remove it from the premises. But while avoiding court will likely save the district plenty of money, the school won't get out of this mess scot-free. Removing the horned-head from the school's gym floor alone will reportedly cost the school (read: local taxpayers) $15,000, or roughly the cost of a new science book for about 300 kids. We don't want to pretend that we're experts on branding rights and corporate logos, but we just can't see what the harm is to Dodge if the brand and the school share the logo. After all, we're assuming the school isn't going to start making a competitive truck in wood shop. Principal Kotkin is still putting a positive spin on the situation, saying that Chrysler's actions have "galvanized my school," but unfortunately for Team Pentastar, the school's new battle cry sounds something like "I'll never buy a Chrysler as long as I live." link: http://www.autoblog.com/2010/02/20/chrysler-legal-turns-into-school-bully-over-use-of-ram-logo/

My Ninety Eight has been called a Buick, a Park Avenue and Cadillac and a Deville. They were clearly looking at the car. The Toronado was called a "small car" by one woman. I looked at them and went huh? My favorite ones are when people mix up the Ninety Eight and Eighty Eight and and call it: Delta Royale, Delta 98, 98 Royale. My favorite one was when someone called my Ninety Eight a Cutlass. I laughed when someone called the Toronado a Eldorado. How could you not see that big rocket symbol? How could you not see "Ninety Eight" on the trunk big as day? The other ones that made me laugh are the ones when the Ninety Eight was dropped after 1996, and they put parts of the Ninety Eight on the Eighty Eight. It was called Regency. There are people who were selling the car calling it Ninety Eight, Ninety Eight Regency, Eighty Eight Regency. It was a "Regency". That is it.

GM Names Henderson as Adviser; Whitacre Urges Changes (Update1) Share Business Exchange By Katie Merx and David Welch Feb. 19 (Bloomberg) -- General Motors Co. named former Chief Executive Officer Fritz Henderson as a $59,090-a-month adviser while the man who replaced him, Chairman Ed Whitacre, urged employees to move more quickly to change the company. Hours before Henderson’s appointment today, Whitacre held the second internal meeting this week at which he signaled more changes may be coming because GM’s transformation since leaving bankruptcy has been too slow, two people with knowledge of the comments said. Henderson’s consulting assignment will run through year’s end and entail about 20 hours of work each month, GM said in a filing. Henderson, 51, didn’t receive severance when he was dismissed as CEO on Dec. 1 after eight months. A GM spokesman, Chris Preuss, said the contract didn’t amount to severance pay. “This is an agreement to provide consulting to the company on international operations, an area where Fritz has unrivaled expertise,” Preuss said. “That is the basis of this agreement.” GM also said that Whitacre’s annual compensation is being set at $9 million. He will receive a $1.7 million cash salary, $5.3 million in stock that begins paying in 2012, and $2 million in restricted stock. The package required the approval of the U.S. Treasury pay czar, Kenneth Feinberg, because of the federal support for GM’s reorganization in court. Revamped Board Whitacre, the former AT&T Inc. CEO and chairman, came to GM in July to lead a revamped board after the biggest U.S. automaker left Chapter 11. Whitacre, 68, took the CEO post the same day the board ousted Henderson, and GM said Jan. 25 he would stay as the permanent chief. The CEO told workers in this week’s meetings that some parts of the Detroit-based company aren’t adapting quickly enough, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing private forums. His effort to speed up the company’s tempo includes canceling meetings and telling executives they spend too much time in such gatherings instead of getting work done, said two executives with knowledge of the CEO’s strategy. Executive committee meetings, at which Whitacre huddles with his 12 direct reports, have been reduced to once a week from twice a week, the two executives said. A session held each Friday to review product development was scrubbed, with that material rolled into the weekly executive forum, the pair said. Faster to Market Whitacre is urging product development managers to get their cars to market faster, and as part of his focus on improving quality he wants to see more GM models recommended by Consumer Reports magazine, the people said. Since becoming CEO, Whitacre has named senior leaders who include a chief financial officer, North American president and a head of sales and marketing; promised to repay $6.7 billion in U.S. loans due in 2015 by June; and said he hoped for “positive net income” in 2010 after annual losses that began in 2005. Whitacre’s compensation package is larger than the one approved by the board in October for Henderson, which was valued at $5.45 million, including a $1.26 million cash salary. In his new role, Henderson will be working for a subsidiary of GM, General Motors Holdings LLC. “Henderson’s had a tremendously long experience in international operations and he understands how the system works and how it doesn’t work,” said Joe Phillippi, president of AutoTrends Consulting in Short Hills, New Jersey. link: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aFgTje4Nz5H8&pos=4

They are using him to get Opel/Vauxhall and International Operations in order. He was great in the international operations. That was his expertise even if it was not running the corporation. He is expected to provide 20 hours of consulting a month on international operations and meet once a month with the president of international operations or another designated representative, the SEC documents said.

Happy birthday. May it be the day you desire.

Congrats to you sir!!

Bonneville was redesigned for 2000. the slogan was "luxury with attitude"

Cheers and Gears made Jalopnik: Buick Got Back? Insignia Wagons Mysteriously Appear In North America First GM brings the Opel/Vauxhall Insignia stateside as the Buick Regal, then virtually guarantees the Regal GS, then Bob Lutz hints at a wagon and now here are Insignia Wagons at the Regal's Oshawa production facility. What should we think? First and foremost, let's just state the facts. The Opel/Vauxhaul Insignia and Buick Regal and the Insignia Wagon are currently being built exclusively in Germany, and will be for the next calendar year. At the end of the first year of Regal production, North American volumes will move to Oshawa Car Assembly in Oshawa, Canada. Prior to the announcement of a US-bound Regal, that car roamed the streets free of normal camouflage, instead hiding in plain sight as an Insignia. Bob Lutz, product planning leak machine that he is, told Car&Driver back in November they were discussing the possibility of a Regal GS and the wagon. The GS "Show Car" debuted in Detroit, no news yet on the wagon. The Insignia Wagon has no business being in the US in these kinds of numbers without production plans. They're a European-built, European-sale vehicle only according to the current state of GM announcements. Based on these kinds of facts, we wagon-heads have two conclusions to come to; GM is either readying a Regal Wagon for the US or they're simply torturing us with just-beyond-reach wagons. A call to Buick Communication's Michelle Bunker put ice in our pants when in no uncertain terms she said, "We're unsure why the cars are in Oshawa, perhaps for powertrain testing, but Buick product plans do not include a plan for a wagon at this time." GM's been known to deny, deny, deny right until the car is unveiled, so we'll stick to wild and unfounded speculations. The world is a better place when there's still a possibility of a high-output, direct-injection, turbocharged four-cylinder, all-wheel-drive, six-speed manual transmission-equipped Regal GS Wagon. Back on Earth, it seems GM's content to keep torturing us with unattainable wagony goodness. We did get further assurance on the pending GS though, so at least something came from this. [CheersAndGears] link: http://jalopnik.com/5473277/buick-got-back-insignia-wagons-mysteriously-appear-in-north-america

The Rainer. It was an Oldsmobile Bravada before. Look at the Oldsmobile Bravada.

None. I am sorry. I do not exist to the carmakers anymore.

Thanks for sharing. I enjoyed the photos.

Watch this video in this link. It is talked about in the video.

Take care and be safe.

I enjoyed that article. He understands why we own American cars or driver older GM cars. There is something about the value in the cars.