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Proposal gives automakers until 2020 to hit 35 m.p.g

Automakers would have until 2020 to raise the fuel efficiency of their cars and trucks to an average of 35 miles per gallon under a key U.S. Senate proposal, which includes several clauses Detroit automakers have pushed, giving federal regulators power over future rules, according to the Detroit Free Press
The amendment offered Friday by Sen. Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii, and Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, will be the starting point when the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee meets Tuesday to consider passing a fuel economy increase to the full Senate.

Posted by   at 11:45 AM to Alternative fuels , Auto industry , Environment , Technology | Permalink | Comments 0

GM auto business on the rise

General Motors' core automotive business showed renewed signs of improvement Thursday even as big losses in its residential mortgage unit caused the automaker's first-quarter earnings to plunge, according to USA Today.
GM narrowed its loss in its critical North American automotive operations through cost cutting while continuing to see strong growth in overseas sales, especially in emerging markets.

Posted by   at 11:44 AM to Companies | Permalink | Comments 0

Chrysler sales up worldwide

Automaker DaimlerChrysler's car sales at its Chrysler Group rose considerably last month outside the North American market, according to USA Today.
Sales in April rose 17% with 18,289 cars sold, the German-American automaker said, while sales from January-April rose 14% from the same time a year ago with 780,859 cars sold. The increase was evident in its key markets — Europe and South America — but the company said sales were also strong in emerging markets, particularly the Middle East.

Posted by   at 11:42 AM to Companies | Permalink | Comments 0

Backseat Driver: Herb Chambers has charm and moxie

What's the opposite of painfully shy?
How about Herb Chambers.
Projo photograper Steve Szydlowski and I went to Chambers' local Cadillac dealership yesterday to interview New England's biggest auto dealer and the next thing we know we are floating over the city in his private helicopter on our way up to his new Lexus dealership in Sharon, Mass.
The dealership, which is scheduled to open June 1, is a $30 million extravanganza which Chambers himself calls "the craziest thing I've ever done."
Certainly it's on a scale that boggles the mind. Apart from the money, consider the sheer size - 110,000 square feet with a showroom with 50-foot windows that is capable of holding 40 cars. And behind that, 50 service bays immaculately laid out in a light, spacious hall.
Upstairs, the customer waiting area is equipped with a coffee bar, flat screen TVs, a fireplace and children's play area. The bathrooms look like they belong in a five-star hotel and even the staircase is extra wide to give the sense of space and luxury.
Chambers has clearly gone over the top with this building - but that is a relative term when talking about a man with 38 dealerships who is currently having a yacht built in Germany that will be 257 feet long and have a crew of 22.
Chambers is larger than life, and you can read my report and see Steve's photographs in the projoCars section of this Saturday's Providence Journal.

Posted by   at 11:17 AM to Companies | Permalink | Comments 1

More farmers planting corn for ethanol

Farmers in some of the most unlikely places are planting corn this year as demand for the grain to make ethanol has led to skyrocketing prices, sparking a corn rush throughout the USA, according to USA Today.
U.S. farmers are expected to plant the largest corn crop since World War II this year, switching acreage from soybeans, cotton, rice and other crops and planting on land that has been sitting idle for years. The move is in response to soaring demand for ethanol, commonly produced from corn in the USA.

Posted by   at 10:07 AM to Alternative fuels | Permalink | Comments 0

Oil prices jump on Nigerian woes

Oil prices rose Thursday after reports of more attacks on oil workers in Nigeria, Africa's largest oil producer, raised worries about supplies, according to the Associated Press.
Gunmen kidnapped at least 19 people in less than 24 hours in three attacks - seizing people from a vessel managed by a subsidiary of Italian oil firm Eni SpA, from a South Korean company's power plant construction site and from a bar near an oil compound, officials and witnesses said. At least one police officer was injured.

Posted by   at 10:00 AM to Oil | Permalink | Comments 0

BMW profits down 38 percent in first quarter

BMW said Thursday its first-quarter profit dropped 38 percent as it spent more money on launching new models and because last year's figure included a one-time gain, according to the Associated Press.

Posted by   at 9:58 AM to Companies | Permalink | Comments 0

GM profits down 90 percent in first quarter

General Motors' first-quarter profit fell 90 percent compared with a year ago, according to the Associated Press.
The company cited losses in the home lending operations of its former financial arm.
It was the second consecutive quarterly profit for the nation's largest automaker, which said in Thursday's report it had record vehicle sales worldwide and improvements in its automotive operations in the latest quarter.
But the profit of $62 million, or 11 cents a share, for the January-March period was down from $602 million, or $1.06 per share, a year ago.

Posted by   at 9:55 AM to Companies | Permalink | Comments 0

Backseat Driver: See Al Gore's 'An Inconvenient Truth'

I finally got around to seeing Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth" and recommend it highly. Even though it has long seemed to me obvious that our carbon emissions had to be having an impact on the world's atmosphere, I was surprised and pretty horrified by the weight of evidence the former vice president and president elect has built up.
Certainly, Gore has focused attention on this issue like no one else and the move underway toward alternative fuels, for example, is bound to gain even more momentum.
Gore quickly defines global warming - the buildup of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere that prevents the escape of reflected sunlight .
He then demonstrates through a series of charts how the modern era is burdened by a global population of about 6 billion compared with 2 billion when he was born; and how the burning of fossil fuels that started in earnest with the coal-fired factories of the industrial revolution in the 19th Century has caused the levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere to literally go off a chart that traces the data over 650,000 years through ice cores from Antartica!
He then points out evidence of a changing environment, including the number of 'record' hot years, the increase in major storms including Hurricane Katrina, the rapid retreat of the world's glaciers and the ongoing meltdown in the Arctic.
The evidence is overwhelming and it's astonishing that there is still a cadre of drivelers who continue to belittle the entire concept.
The documentary, which won an Oscar, is basically a lecture which he admits he has given "over 1,000 times." Well, practice makes perfect and the presentation is extremely tight and focused.
He ends it by pointing out that the technology exists to avert disaster; what we need is the political will. The notion that the current administration of former fossil fuel executives has any interest in this is risible; hopefully, a changing of the guard in 2008 will include a renewed focus on this very serious and growing problem.
But there is always the possibility that by the fall of 2008, we will have already experienced a monumental catastrophe that will make Katrina seem like a picnic. For while the move is on to alternative fuels, consider that China is planning to build 500 new coal-fired power plants over the next decade, according to an NPR report this morning.

Posted by   at 12:39 PM to Alternative fuels , Environment , Oil , Technology | Permalink | Comments 0

Analysis: Economy slows April car sales

Check out business writer Sarah Webster's analysis of the dip in car sales last month in the Detroit Free Press.
"U.S. consumers, whose confidence is being sapped by a sluggish housing market and rising fuel prices, purchased just 1.3 million new vehicles last month, she writes. "That's a decline of 7.6%, or 110,000, compared with sales a year ago -- the worst monthly sales drop this year....
"Automakers told the Free Press that when confidential fleet sales to rental car companies and other businesses are excluded, consumer purchases in dealer showrooms were even worse."

Posted by   at 12:24 PM to Analysis , Auto industry , Companies | Permalink | Comments 1

Touching up Lamborghinis

If you have the money to buy a Lamborghini, then you have the money to have it modified anyway you want. Here's a squib from leftlanenews.com highlighting how some of the nouveau owners have had their Lambos altered.

Posted by   at 12:15 PM to Marques | Permalink | Comments 0

Ford, Toyota GM sales slumped in April

April auto sales were so slow that even Toyota reported a decrease from the same month last year. General Motors and Ford also reported decreases in U.S. sales while Chrysler had a small increase, according to the Associated Press.
Most analysts expected that U.S. sales would be down due largely to the slumping housing market, rising consumer debt, no pent-up demand for vehicles and gasooine prices at or near $3 per gallon.

Posted by   at 3:43 PM to Companies , Sales | Permalink | Comments 0

Backseat Driver: The Mercedes-Benz Maybach seems to be for old folks only

A recent report finds sales of DaimlerChrysler's Maybach ultra uxury limo continue to be disappointing and having inspected one at the recent New York Auto Show, it doesn't surprise me. I mean, who are they making these things for?
For those of you who haven't seen one, the Mercedes-Benz Maybach is a giganto limo - the Maybach 62 is so long its rear seats can fully recline - that costs in the neighborhood of $300,000 to $450,000.
But those rear seats look to me so plush as to be almost claustophobic. Sure, they can be raised lowered, heated and some even have magic massage fingers. And they are surrounded by a bevy of conveniences - TV, wi-fi, refrigerator, writing table, etc etc. The roof can be programmed to be clear or opaque and black curtains can be drawn all round the rear compartment to allow for a complete snooze. (I was going to say privacy, but that might imply hanky-panky and it's hard to imagine that being much fun in such a cluttered environment.)
No, the Mercedes-Benz Maybach seems to be built for a passive lifetyle, for the kind of rich old codger or haughty dowager of a bygone age. By contrast, we live in an age dominated by the notion of an active lifestyle.
For example, it may be sour grapes, but I don't think most baby boomers are attracted to the eternal holiday style of retirement. To be sure, many of us will keep working because we need to. But many of us, from all walks of life, want to keep involved.
And that goes for wealthy moguls. Sure it's fun to be driven around, but not in a cocoon of luxury. Wealth today buys the active lifestyle for old and and young and to many it's more prestigious to be seen driving, or being driven in, a luxury power monster BMW or Bentley than to be seen lolling in the back seat of a luxury limo.
I may be wrong - I usually am - but somehow I don't see Kirk Kerkorian (89) looking passively out from behind the curtains of a Mercedes-Benz Maybach.

Posted by   at 9:47 AM to Companies , Design , Sales | Permalink | Comments 0

Auto makers can run but they can't hide from EPA

The emissions noose around the auto industry is getting tighter, in the wake of the Supreme Court ruling that says the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has the authority to limit carbon dioxide emissions, according to thecarconnection.com which cited the Washington Post.
The industry's longtime political protector, Rep. John Dingell, D-Mich., has warned automakers there is probably no chance of preventing Congress and the Bush administration from raising fuel economy standards.

Posted by   at 9:42 AM to Alternative fuels , Environment | Permalink | Comments 1

Forget about the car, how about that mower

Lawn lovers may not realize that push-power mowers spew as much pollution in an hour as 11 cars, and riding mowers emit as much as 34 cars, according to the Washington Post.
Though outdoor-equipment makers have been subject to regulation and have reduced emissions, the Environmental Protection Agency and California wanted more stringent rules for the $8 billion industry. This meant that to achieve further reductions in pollutants, engine makers would probably have to use catalytic converters to clean up exhaust.

Posted by   at 9:38 AM to Environment | Permalink | Comments 0

Ford's new exec looks into the future

Susan Cischke Cischke, Ford's new senior vice president for sustainability, environment and safety engineering, admits that her vision is a little fuzzy when she looks more than two decades into the future, but she still sees an internal combustion engine, albeit one smaller, lighter and more fuel-efficient than the engines of today, according to the Associated Press.

Posted by   at 9:22 AM to Companies | Permalink | Comments 0

What's up with gas prices?

Gas prices across the nation are $2.95 a gallon, the highest level since August, while the price of crude oil is averaging around $68 a barrel this morning on the New York Mercantile Exchange.
What's going on? It's a mix of greed, politics and supply and demand, according to the Detroit Free Press.

Posted by   at 2:49 PM to Gas prices | Permalink | Comments 0

Ten E85 vehicles available now

Ethanol-powered vehicles aren't just coming to a showroom near you. Vehicles that run on an ethanol-gas (E85) blend are already here, and automakers are ramping up production of them to cut our use of imported oil and thecarconnection.com provides a list of 10 vehicles available now.

Posted by   at 2:42 PM to Alternative fuels | Permalink | Comments 0

Backseat Driver: Buying a new used car

Last Friday was my birthday and I decided to treat myself to a new car. My favorite exotic - and I am not alone - is the Lamborghini Muira, the first great super car that hit the roads in 1967.
I was a student in France at the time and became a lifelong fan after a visit to Monaco to see the Grand Prix. There were quite a few Muiras bubbling around and I have never recovered from the sight of what many argue is one of the most beautiful cars ever.
So I treated myself to a burnt orange Muira circa 1971 - in a 1/18 scale version! Like the real thing, it was not cheap and had to be ordered over the Internet, but it is incredibly detailed and certainly the closest I'll ever get to owning one. By the way, if there is anyone out there in Rhode Island or southern Mass. who owns one of these beauties, I'd love to profile you and the car.
No, I am a journalist and I went into this business for honor and glory rather that riches. So while I am interested in buying one of the new German diesels due next year - the VW Jetta Sportswagon caught my fancy at the recentt New York Auto Show - I decided to buy yet another second-hand Volvo wagon, trading in my 180,000 mile version for one with 105,000 miles on it.
Why buy such an old car? I guess we all have favorites and the tank of a Volvo wagon is certainly mine. I figure Volvo owners are like me - boring and responsible - and so look after their cars well which means second-hand Volvos are in pretty good condition. And with children, I like the safety aspect.
Finally, I like the comfort. Unlike the TV ads which would have me thundering across mesas in New Mexico or speeding snow covered mountain passes in glorious solitude, I spend most of my driving with my fellow commuters in traffic jams that range from 50-to-0 mph.
So rather than railing at the ride, I would rather be sitting in a big leather chair with a good sound system and just enjoy the scenery.

Posted by   at 10:18 AM to Transportation | Permalink | Comments 0

Scion wants the hip only

Toyota is actively trying to isolate Scion messages from the tragically unhip by relaunching the xB without any advertising on television or in mainstream publications.
Auto industry executives say such a move is highly unusual, according to USA Today. The only other recent example was in 2000 when Volvo tried an online-only approach to launch a sedan at the height of dotcom mania, the paper writes.

Posted by   at 10:15 AM to Companies | Permalink | Comments 0

Buying peace of carbon emissions mind

There is a growing movement among celebs and companies to buy "carbon neutrality" rather like the devout bought indulgences in Middle Ages, according to Sunday's New York Times.
In those longlost days, buying a piece of wood purporting to be a genuine piece of the cross that Christ died on assured you heavenly grace despite a life dedicated to exploring the seven deadly sins. Now you can buy a similar sense of grace by buying a tree or something to make up for your belching SUV.
Indeed, an accompanying cartoon illustrates a penitent kneeling in confession and declaring: "Forgive me for I have SUV'd."

Posted by   at 9:26 AM to Environment | Permalink | Comments 0