Main page | July 2007 »

Delphi workers ask: What next?

Delphi Corp. workers in Flint and Saginaw -- which rely on the auto-parts maker for more than 3,000 jobs -- expressed resignation, reluctance and relief as they voted on a historic contract proposal Thursday, according to the Detroit Free Press.

The pact would reduce wages for veteran workers, secure some jobs, lose thousands of others and propel Delphi from bankruptcy.

But what matters more to the 17,000 UAW workers at Delphi is what the proposal means for their futures, whether they are closing in on retirement or starting their careers.

Posted by   at 9:44 AM to Unions | Permalink | Comments 0

Oil Back Up Above $70 a Barrel

Oil prices shot back up above the psychologically important $70 a barrel mark on Friday, trading at a level last seen 10 months ago for the second time in two days on worries about gasoline supplies, according the Associated Press.

With most U.S. refineries expected to increase output in the coming months after finishing maintenance, pressure on gasoline was expected to drop. Still, prices could remain high because increased refinery capacity puts greater demands on crude availability.

Posted by   at 9:41 AM to Oil | Permalink | Comments 0

Chrysler sales to stay public as it goes private

The Chrysler Group, preparing to go private under new ownership, plans to continue making public its monthly sales results, according to the Detroit Free Press.

The long-held tradition is important to continue, in part to avoid the appearance that the automaker has something to hide, Steven Landry, Chrysler executive vice president of North America sales, global marketing and services and parts, told the Free Press in an interview Thursday.

Posted by   at 9:37 AM to Chrysler , Sales | Permalink | Comments 0

United Auto Group Inc. to change name to Penske Automotive Group Inc.

United Auto Group Inc. said it will change its corporate name to Penske Automotive Group Inc. effective July 2, according to the Detroit Free Press.

The Bloomfield Hills-based owner and operator of 311 car dealerships said it will also change its ticker symbol to PAG on the New York Stock Exchange on Monday.

Posted by   at 9:34 AM to Auto industry , Sales | Permalink | Comments 0

Honda wins 4 satisfaction awards

Four Honda models, more than any other single automaker, topped the rankings for their vehicle segments in an annual J.D. Power and Associates customer satisfaction survey of U.S. drivers, according to USA Today.
Honda Motor's newly redesigned CR-V small crossover sport-utility vehicle, Ridgeline truck and Odyssey minivan all topped their segments, and the subcompact Fit tied with Toyota Motors (TM) Yaris for a top spot.

Posted by   at 2:11 PM to Honda | Permalink | Comments 0

Importer agrees to recall Chinese tires

A tire importer says it plans to comply with the government's mandate to recall all 450,000 potentially defective Chinese tires it sold to distributors, even if that means it will go out of business, according to USA Today.

"We will do the recall until we run out of money," said Lawrence Lavigne, attorney for New Jersey-based Foreign Tire Sales. "At that point, consumers are on their own."

At issue are tires manufactured by Hangzhou Zhongce Rubber, China's second-largest tire company, that are missing "gum strips," which hold the tire together. Without the gum strips, the treads can separate and cause drivers to lose control and possibly cause the vehicle to roll over. The tires are blamed in the deaths of two Pennsylvania men.

Posted by   at 2:08 PM to Safety | Permalink | Comments 0

My, Your Car Looks So Delicious

The auto industry is naming paint colors after foods, according to a report in the New York Times. Brown is now about coffee and chocolate, said Chris Webb, exterior color trend designer at General Motors, which has the colors Dark Mocha and Cocoa. Other G.M. colors are Black Licorice, Cappuccino Frost and Salsa Red.

Other companies are also using the palate to name their palettes: Chrysler offers Cool Vanilla, Honda has Root Beer and Volvo once offered Saffron (a coppery yellow). Volkswagen has the unsubtle Lemon Yellow and Candy White. (Is that the white of the candy after you have licked off the red stripes from the candy cane?) Hyundai borrows a French menu word for the purple eggplant and calls it aubergine.

Posted by   at 2:04 PM to Accessories , Auto industry , Companies , Popular culture | Permalink | Comments 0

GM Sells Allison Transmission for $5.6 billion

General Motors says it has agreed to sell its Allison Transmission commercial and military business for about $5.6 billion to the private equity firm The Carlyle Group and Canada's Onex Corp, according to the Associated Press.

GM shares rose 2 percent in morning trading.

Posted by   at 1:48 PM to GM | Permalink | Comments 0

Oil Rises Above $70 a Barrel

Oil futures rose above $70 a barrel in New York trading today for first time since Sept. 1 and retail gasoline prices stopped falling after a government report showed that gasoline inventories dropped unexpectedly just as the summer driving season is about to peak, the Associated Press reports.

Posted by   at 1:46 PM to Gas prices , Oil | Permalink | Comments 0

Tires made in China recalled

The government has ordered a small New Jersey tire importer to recall 450,000 Chinese-made light-truck tires because they might come apart and cause fatal crashes, even though the importer says the costs of a recall would bankrupt it, USA Today reports.

The tires, in sizes typically used by full-size vans, SUVs and pickups, are blamed in a fatal accident outside Philadelphia that's generated a lawsuit against Foreign Tire Sales of Union, N.J. FTS has in turn sued Hangzhou Zhongce Rubber, one of China's biggest tiremakers, which sold it the potentially faulty tires.

Posted by   at 9:54 AM to Safety | Permalink | Comments 0

Nissan Sees Future in Electric Cars

Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn says his company is working hard to develop the next generation of smaller, lighter auto batteries - a technology that holds promise for electric cars as well as for hybrids, AP reports.

He also said Nissan and its French partner Renault SA are moving ahead with studies on a $3,000 car for the Indian market.

Posted by   at 9:51 AM to Alternative fuels , Environment , Nissan , Technology | Permalink | Comments 0

Oil Prices Slip Toward $67 a Barrel

Oil prices fell as traders awaited the release of a U.S. government inventory report expected to show increases in supplies of crude, gasoline and distillates, the Associated Press reports.

Comments from OPEC that the group did not plan to increase production in the coming months despite consistently high prices limited the decline.

Light, sweet crude for August delivery on the New York Mercantile Exchange fell 59 cents to $67.18 a barrel in electronic trading by afternoon in Europe. The contract had fallen $1.41 on Tuesday.

Posted by   at 9:49 AM to Oil | Permalink | Comments 0

Backseat Driver: Bob Tasca III ranked No.5 in Top Alcohol Funny Cars

Rhode Island's Bob Tasca III now ranks No.5 nationally in the Top Alcohol Funny Car points standings following a spectacular series of runs in his Ford Mustang at last weekend's National Hot Rod Association SuperNationals at Englishtown, N.J.
"It was a storybook weekend," Tasca said on Monday. "We were told that what we did was the greatest turnaround in the history of the NHRA."

After struggling at the two previous meets in Chicago and Atco, N.J., Tasca's team has a further setback during qualifiying heats on Friday when the car crashed into a bank of sand and gravel after its parachutes failed. "One of the chutes failed to blossom," he said.

He said the car was not too badly damaged, although it picked up about 25 pounds of gravel which had to be cleaned out.

So when the team started competing on Saturday, Tasca said that "Maybe 5 people out of the crowd of 100,000 thought we could win."

Instead, he went on to win all this heats, even beating his nemesis and the current No.2 in the rankings, Frank Manzo of New Jersey. Times for the run were close, with Manzo clocking 5.573 seconds at 248.29 mph against Tasca's 5.585 seconds at 263.92 mph. However, Tasca was quick off the start, with 0.030 seconds compared with Manzo's 0.055 seconds.

That was Round 2. Tasca went on to beat Mickey Ferro (currently No.6) in Round 3 and Bob Newberry (No.4) in Round 4. In Round 1, he beat Fred Tigges (No. 44).

Tasca said short of his wife and three children, the weekend was "the greatest accomplishment of my life." He said the win was also special because so many of his family and sponsors were on hand to see it, including his grandfather, 82-year old Bob Tasca Sr., the patriarch of the Tasca family.

And with six races left, Tasca and his team have plenty of time to make further progress up the standings.

"We're withing striking distance of the championship," he said, but added, "I am very humble, a very, very green driver."

At the same time, he said he was delighted by the way his engine performed. "We didn't hurt a sparkplug," he said. "The motor is happy and if it can run that fast and be happy, look out baby, we can start pulling the string in."

Posted by   at 1:53 PM to Racing | Permalink | Comments 0

24 Hours of Dusting Wheels and Rolling Tires

Someone told me that there is no sleep better than the sleep after the 24 Hours of Le Mans. But 23 hours into the race, which took place last weekend on 8.4 miles of public roads about an hour and a half southwest of Paris, no one on the Corvette Racing team was close to dozing, according to Nick Kurczewski of the New York Times.

Months before, I had politely turned down an offer from Chevrolet’s Corvette Racing team to watch the 75th running of the race from the comfort of the V.I.P. lounges. I really wanted to experience the race as a member of the pit crew, no frills attached.

The team said yes, and it was agreed that from 3 p.m. (9 a.m. E.S.T.) June 16 to 3 p.m. June 17, I would trade my pen and notepad for a fireproof suit and a pair of work gloves.

Posted by   at 12:14 PM to Racing | Permalink | Comments 0

Vatican issues driving guidelines

The Vatican has issued a document - "Guidelines for the Patoral Care of the Road" - which addresses a number of issues, such as problems of the international transportation of women and children for prostitution as well as the homeless on the world's roads.

It also addresses driving itself, particularly the issue of manners or consideration for others, going as far as drawing up a ten commandments of the road:

I. You shall not kill.

II. The road shall be for you a means of communion between people and not of mortal harm.

III. Courtesy, uprightness and prudence will help you deal with unforeseen events.

IV. Be charitable and help your neighbour in need, especially victims of accidents.

V. Cars shall not be for you an expression of power and domination, and an occasion of sin.

VI. Charitably convince the young and not so young not to drive when they are not in a fitting condition to do so.

VII. Support the families of accident victims.

VIII. Bring guilty motorists and their victims together, at the appropriate time, so that they can undergo the liberating experience of forgiveness.

IX. On the road, protect the more vulnerable party.

X. Feel responsible towards others.

Posted by   at 11:55 AM to On the road | Permalink | Comments 0

Automakers latch onto fuel-saving tech

A promising, if so far underwhelming, fuel-economy technology is gaining momentum as automakers, squeezed by social and political pressure, look under every rock to gain even a few tenths of a mile per gallon, according to USA Today.

The technology goes by various names but by any name does the same thing: shuts off fuel to some of an engine's cylinders when the vehicle needs only partial power.

Chrysler just said that a new line of V-6 engines will have cylinder deactivation, starting in 2010. Honda says it will have an enhanced version of what it calls Variable Cylinder Management on V-6 engines in the redesigned 2008 Accord coming this fall. And General Motors says it will use the feature on a 2008 Buick LaCrosse V-8 and '08 hybrid versions of full-size Chevrolet and GMC SUVs.

Posted by   at 11:37 AM to Chrysler , Fuel economy , GM , Honda , Technology | Permalink | Comments 0

House plans to follow Senate on renewable energy bill

Democrats celebrated a step toward reducing U.S. dependence on oil as the Senate approved a bill calling for more ethanol and the first boost in gas mileage in decades.
Now the House plans to follow suit, perhaps as early as next week, USA Today reports.

The Senate late Thursday voted 65-27 to pass the first energy bill since Democrats took control of Congress in January. But it was far from a complete victory.

Posted by   at 11:09 AM to Fuel economy | Permalink | Comments 0

Gettelfinger Lauds GM for Tentative Deal

United Auto Workers President Ron Gettelfinger credited General Motors for a tentative wage-concession deal with Delphi Corp. meant to help the struggling auto supplier emerge from bankruptcy and avoid a strike, according to the Associated Press.

Meanwhile, Gettelfinger continued to criticize Delphi's leaders, whom he said wanted to drag out the bankruptcy and put the Troy-based Delphi in foreign hands.

Posted by   at 11:04 AM to GM | Permalink | Comments 0

Chrysler reveals new details about fuel efficiency effports

The Chrysler Group unveiled more details Thursday about its new engine, transmission and axle programs that aim to improve fuel efficiency, a key component to the company's plan to regain profitability, according to the Detroit Free Press.

More than four months into Chrysler's turnaround plan, several key pieces have been falling into place -- even as the sale of Chrysler to Cerberus Capital Management has deflected attention from what's occurring at the Auburn Hills headquarters.

Posted by   at 10:47 AM to Chrysler | Permalink | Comments 0

GM: Tiger Woods will market OnStar, more

Tiger Woods will no longer be the primary pitchman for Buick because General Motors wants a broader role for the golf great, according to USA Today.

Mark LaNeve, GM's vice president of North American sales, service and marketing, said GM will use Woods in corporate level marketing and in particular, with its OnStar marketing campaign.

Posted by   at 10:44 AM to GM | Permalink | Comments 0

Senate Adopts an Energy Bill Raising Mileage for Cars

The Senate passed a broad energy bill late Thursday that would, among other things, require the first big increase in fuel mileage requirements for passenger cars in more than two decades, according to the New York Times.
The vote, 65 to 27, was a major defeat for car manufacturers, which had fought for a much smaller increase in fuel economy standards and is expected to keep fighting as the House takes up the issue.

But Senate Democrats also fell short of their own goals. In a victory for the oil industry, Republican lawmakers successfully blocked a crucial component of the Democratic plan that would have raised taxes on oil companies by about $32 billion and used the money on tax breaks for wind power, solar power, ethanol and other renewable fuels.

Posted by   at 10:28 AM to Fuel economy | Permalink | Comments 1

GM Developing Detroit Waterfront

General Motors may be devolved from its empire of alliances, but it's still looking laterally to make money. This time, the automaker is looking in its own backyard, as it sets out to develop condos on the Detroit riverfront, according to thecarconnection.com

GM says it will develop six acres just to the east of the GM headquarters building, the Renaissance Center . The complex will be mostly residential, with waterfront lots and river views.

Posted by   at 12:18 PM to Companies , GM | Permalink | Comments 0

Chrysler reveals plans to boost fuel efficiency

With higher government fuel economy requirements looming and gasoline prices around $3 a gallon, Chrysler Group on Thursday announced several measures to boost the fuel mileage of its cars and trucks, according to USA Today.

During an event to showcase its 2008 models, the company said its new family of V-6 engines will have the ability to drop to three cylinders when less power is needed, raising V-6 fuel economy 6% to 8%.

The company also plans to place its new two-mode hybrid powertrain in more vehicles, put a clean diesel engine in the 2009 Jeep Cherokee sport-utility vehicle, and upgrade its 5.7-liter Hemi and 4.7-liter V-8 engines to get better gas mileage.

Posted by   at 12:13 PM to Alternative fuels , Chrysler , Companies , Design , Environment , Fuel economy , Technology | Permalink | Comments 1

U.S. refineries not running at full tilt

U.S. refiners are producing far less gasoline than they are capable of making because of planned and unplanned maintenance, USA Today reports.

That has led to a greater reliance on imports and has made U.S. gasoline supplies vulnerable to further disruptions, such as hurricanes, during the busy summer driving season.

U.S. refineries churned out 87.6% of the gasoline that they were capable of producing last week, down from 89.2% the week before and 5.7 percentage points below a year ago, the government said Wednesday.

Posted by   at 12:11 PM to Gas prices | Permalink | Comments 0

Oil Tops $69 a Barrel on Nigeria Strike

Oil prices have risen above $69 a barrel as the oil industry began to feel the effects of a general strike in Nigeria, Africa's largest crude producer, according to the Associated Press.

Nigeria's labor unions launched a strike Wednesday aimed at overturning government price increases on gasoline, among other demands that the government already has conceded.

Posted by   at 12:07 PM to Oil | Permalink | Comments 0

Chrysler to increase international dealerships

Chrysler says it plans to add about 100 new dealerships in established markets such as Western Europe over the next two years, as it focuses on expanding sales outside North America, according to Reuters News Agency.
The automaker, which has been losing market share in the United States, says it plans to double last year's sales outside North America to about 400,000 units in the next five years.

Posted by   at 2:28 PM to Chrysler | Permalink | Comments 1

Oil slumps nearly $2 on U.S. stockpile surprise

LONDON - Oil fell nearly $2 a barrel on Wednesday after a U.S. government report showed larger-than-expected increases in crude and gasoline stockpiles in the world's biggest consumer, according to Reuters News Agency.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration said crude stocks rose by 6.9 million barrels last week, well over the 100,000 barrels forecast by analysts. Gasoline stocks were up 1.8 million barrels, almost double the market forecast.

Posted by   at 2:27 PM to Oil | Permalink | Comments 0

Backseat Driver: NASCAR could do with a Lewis Hamilton

Did you read the news today? Nine firefighters were killed yesterday while battling a blaze in a furniture warehouse in Charleston, SC, the most killed in the course of duty since six died in a fire in Worcester, Mass., in 1999. (Of course, that does not include the hundreds that died in the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York in 2001.)

My newspaper, The Providence Journal, ran headshots of all nine and arranged them as though in a high school graduation album. What was striking to me were the two black faces - firefighters James Drayton and Melven Champaign - among the nine.

To me it was a sign of changing times in the Southeast, home to NASCAR. But of the 47 drivers currently battling it out in the Nextel Cup Series, none are black. Indeed, the last black driver to win a major NASCAR race - Wendell Scott - did it 44 years ago.

On Dec. 1, 1963, Scott won a Grand National (now Nextel Cup) race in Jacksonville, Fla. and remains the only black driver to have won a major race in NASCAR's 58-year history.

You gotta believe that NASCAR, which, like the NFL, has a highly sophisticated marketing arm, is aware of this and would love to have a black star among its drivers. And now that Formula I has its version of Tiger Woods - Brit Lewis Hamilton who, after wins in Montreal and Indianapolis, cemented his lead in the drivers' championship - NASCAR must be green with envy.

NASCAR may have its roots in the southeast, which is traditionally Good Ol' Boy Country, but as the racial roster of felled firefighters from yesterday's tragic fire in South Carolina shows, the South, it is a-changin'.

Posted by   at 11:41 AM to commentary | Permalink | Comments 0

Toyota mulls slowing down U.S. plant building, report says

Toyota officials are concerned the company may be expanding its manufacturing operations too quickly in the United States, according to a Wall Street Journal report cited by the Detroit Free Press.

The report says some board members believe Toyota needs to slow the construction of new plants in the United States in the face of difficult market conditions, rising costs and quality issues.

Toyota, which has 13 plants in North America, has been rapidly expanding in recent years with U.S. sales increasing at double-digit rates. Toyota opened a truck plant last fall in San Antonio and a Camry plant this year in Lafayette, Ind.

Posted by   at 11:33 AM to Toyota | Permalink | Comments 0

AMG: Passcode to Absolute Power in a Mercedes-Benz

MUSCLE cars are inseparable from America and the ’60s, their innocence sweetly harmonized by the Beach Boys, their more sinister side chronicled in films from “Bullitt” to “Grindhouse.”

Today’s revival of the old horsepower wars still features familiar Motown combatants like Corvette, Mustang and Charger. But it is Mercedes-Benz, once known for conservative sedans and sleepy diesels, that is overwhelming the competition, according to the New York Times. Forget 400 horses: the AMG division of Mercedes is the new King of Zing, churning out models that top 600 horsepower.

Posted by   at 11:27 AM to Design , Mercedes-Benz , Technology | Permalink | Comments 0

Mad Scionists: Young, Hip and a Bit Less Square

Since it came on the scene five years ago, Scion has made a point of doing things differently. Toyota’s youth brand can brag of having the lowest average age, about 30, among its owners and of strong customer loyalty.

However, the Scion xB is now arriving at dealers and suggests Scion is growing up, according to the New York Times. The original xB was a small boxy car with attitude. The new one is bigger — a full foot longer than the last xB, 3 inches wider, about 35 percent roomier, 600 pounds heavier, 55 horsepower stronger and about 10 percent more expensive.

It is also less fuel efficient. Fuel economy has declined to 22 city and 28 highway, from 26 city and 30 highway.

Posted by   at 11:16 AM to Companies , Design , Fuel economy | Permalink | Comments 0

Crashing Cars When They’re Still a Gleam in the Designer’s Eye

WITH fuel prices high and the pressure to reduce carbon dioxide emissions rising, automakers are finding themselves in the familiar squeeze of balancing customer wants with government mandates, according to the New York Times.

The most direct path to improving fuel economy — designing cars that are lighter and smaller — presents many challenges, including a population that is bigger and more feature conscious. While clever marketing may overcome that resistance to small cars, federal safety standards cannot be compromised, and the physics of a car crash gives the advantage to larger, heavier vehicles.

Still, development of more compact vehicles seems healthy. General Motors dipped its toe in these waters with a trio of pug-nosed microcar designs for the auto-show circuit this year; the tiny Mercedes-Benz Smart cars will be here next year; and Honda, Nissan and Toyota have all recently added smaller cars to their lines.

Posted by   at 11:10 AM to Design , Safety , Technology | Permalink | Comments 0

A Rattletrap East German Icon Has Its Day Again

The first Trabant, the rattletrap car that b ecame perhaps the most enduring symbol of the former East Germany, rolled off the assembly line in Zwickau in the fall of 1957.

To celebrate the car’s 50th anniversary, about 2,000 Trabant owners converged onm the old industrial town last week on a grassy field next to an airstrip, determined, for a weekend at least, to put the Berlin Wall up again, according to a report in the New York Times.

Posted by   at 11:07 AM to Collecting , Shows | Permalink | Comments 0

Surprise: Average gas price dips below $3

The average price of regular-grade gasoline has fallen below $3 a gallon for the first time since May 3, according to AAA, the travel organization that tracks prices daily, USA Today reports.

That outdates the government's forecast last week that the average would stay above $3 all summer. But it doesn't guarantee prices will keep falling, especially as oil prices rise.

Posted by   at 10:50 AM to Gas prices | Permalink | Comments 0

Nissan Chief: Board to Forego Bonus Pay

Nissan Chief Executive Carlos Ghosn told shareholders today that the Japanese automaker's board members will forego their bonus pay to take responsibility for poor performance, according to the Associated Press.

Ghosn acknowledged at a hall packed with more than 2,100 shareholders, a record attendance for Nissan, in Yokohama, south of Tokyo, that the company had not met its targets for fiscal 2006.

Posted by   at 10:34 AM to Nissan | Permalink | Comments 0

Strong Fuel Economy Standards Needed

WHEN IT COMES to corporate average fuel economy standards (CAFE), the Senate's massive energy bill strikes a reasonable position, according to an editorial in the Washington Post.

All cars and light trucks, up to 10,000 pounds, should have a CAFE of 35 miles per gallon by 2020. Each year after that until 2030, CAFE would increase 4 percent over the previous year.

Posted by   at 10:27 AM to commentary | Permalink | Comments 2

Chinese in Talks to Send Pickups to Mexico

A small Chinese automaker and its New Jersey partner are negotiating with Mexican officials to import Chinese-made pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles, the first step toward establishing a beachhead in North America, according to the New York Times.

As part of the deal, the partners expect to begin building an assembly plant in Tijuana this year that could export pickups and S.U.V.’s to the United States within a couple of years, said Marc N. Scheinman, a consultant to Chamco Auto of Parsippany, N.J.

Posted by   at 2:45 PM to China | Permalink | Comments 0

Another Spin for ‘Buy American’

General Motors has clearly been hurt by consumers who simply refuse to buy an American brand of vehicle. But the automaker has decided to use its heritage as a competitive advantage rather than a weakness, since it is one adjective that competitors like Toyota and Honda cannot use, according to the New York Times.

“Buy American” has always been an undercurrent in G.M.’s advertising, but the theme has been showing up more forcefully of late. This spring General Motors has run three marketing campaigns centered on its American roots.

Posted by   at 2:42 PM to Companies , GM | Permalink | Comments 0

High Court Says Passengers May Question Legality of Traffic Stops

A unanimous Supreme Court ruled Monday that passengers in vehicles pulled over by the police have the same rights as drivers to challenge the legality of the traffic stop when it results in an arrest, according to the Washington Post.

The court said that passengers, like the driver, are "seized" by police when the vehicle they are traveling in is stopped and are thus covered by the Fourth Amendment and allowed to challenge unreasonable searches and seizures.

Posted by   at 2:39 PM to On the road | Permalink | Comments 0

Google plugs in to hybrid car development with $10M

Internet search giant Google hopes to speed the development of plug-in hybrid cars by giving away millions of dollars to people and companies that have what appear to be practical ways to get plug-ins to market faster, according to USA Today.

But the money, announced Monday afternoon at Google headquarters in Mountain Valley, Calif., totals just $1 million so far with another $10 million pledged, which might not be enough to move the needle.

Auto development is crushingly expensive, especially when it involves the kind of advanced battery and powertrain technology used in plug-in hybrids.

Though automakers are tight-lipped about what they spend, bringing a plug-in hybrid to market could cost

Posted by   at 2:33 PM to Alternative fuels , Design , Environment , Fuel economy , Technology | Permalink | Comments 0

Companies help workers save on gas costs

The breathtaking cost of gas has companies adopting programs to curb commuting costs and employees developing more economical alternatives to driving to work, according to USA Today.

Employers are taking action as average national gas prices persist above $3 a gallon. Nearly 90% of employees drive to work, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Thirteen percent of companies offer transit subsidies, and 7% subsidize carpooling, according to a 2006 survey by the Society for Human Resource Management. Twenty-six percent allow telecommuting on a part-time basis.

Posted by   at 2:31 PM to Gas prices , On the road , Transportation | Permalink | Comments 0

Credit cards cut off gas purchases

As the price of gasoline rises, limits on transaction amounts — or the total dollar amount of gas a customer can pump into their car — are limiting some drivers, according to USA Today.

"Using my Visa card, I commonly hit a limit and I would be standing there scratching my head," Shawn Bloomfield, who pumps premium gas into his SUV, said from his home in Allentown, Pa. "I would always assume it is the gas station setting a limit on how much gas I could purchase. It felt like a ration scenario."

Posted by   at 2:28 PM to On the road | Permalink | Comments 0

Regulators Clear Chrysler Purchase

Federal antitrust regulators have cleared Cerberus Capital Management's $7 billion purchase of Chrysler, according to people close to the deal, the Associated Press reports.

The Federal Trade Commission made its decision before the end of a standard 30-day review, according to two people, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter. Early termination of an FTC review typically signifies there will be no conditions placed on the deal.

Posted by   at 2:25 PM to Companies | Permalink | Comments 0

Crude Oil Futures Top $69 a Barrel

Oil prices rose today, edging above the nine-month closing high reached a day earlier, after labor unions in Nigeria rejected the government's efforts to avert a nationwide strike, according to the Associated Press.

Nigeria is Africa's biggest oil producer and one of the top overseas suppliers to the United States.

Light, sweet crude for July delivery rose 34 cents to $69.43 a barrel in afternoon trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract had risen $1.09 on Monday to settle at $69.09 a barrel, the first closing above $69 since Sept. 1.

Posted by   at 2:22 PM to Oil | Permalink | Comments 0

Edwards wins at Michigan ending 52-race drought

Carl Edwards snapped a 52-race Nextel Cup winless streak Sunday by holding off Martin Truex Jr. at Michigan International Speedway, according to NASCAR.com

Edwards handily beat Truex to the line to grab his first win since Nov. 11, 2005, at Texas. He celebrated his fifth career Nextel Cup win with his trademark backflip off the window ledge of his car.

Posted by   at 10:44 AM to Racing | Permalink | Comments 0

Audi keep their nerve to retain Le Mans title

Audi tightened their recent stranglehold on the Le Mans 24 Hours in France yesterday with another victory on the 75th anniversary of the event, thanks to the efforts of Frank Biela, Emanuele Pirro and Marco Werner, the Guardian reports.
Their diesel-powered Audi R10 completed the rain-soaked event ahead of the new Peugeot 908 HDi of Sébastien Bourdais, Pedro Lamy and Stéphane Sarrazin.

Posted by   at 10:41 AM to Racing | Permalink | Comments 0

Sensational Hamilton wins US Grand Prix

British rookie Lewis Hamilton won the US Grand Prix overnight to take his second victory in a row and forge 10 points clear of McLaren team mate Fernando Alonso in the Formula One championship, ABC News reports.

Hamilton crossed the line 1.518 seconds ahead of the double world champion for his seventh podium finish in seven extraordinary starts.

Posted by   at 10:36 AM to Racing | Permalink | Comments 1

Oil Industry Scales Back Refinery Plans

A push from Congress and the White House for huge increases in biofuels, such as ethanol, is prompting the oil industry to scale back its plans for refinery expansions, according to the Associated Press.

That could keep gasoline prices high, possibly for years to come.

With President Bush calling for a 20 percent drop in gasoline use and the Senate now debating legislation for huge increases in ethanol production, oil companies see growing uncertainty about future gasoline demand and little need to expand refineries or build new ones.

Posted by   at 10:09 AM to Gas prices , Oil | Permalink | Comments 0

UAW May Offer Concessions to Chrysler

United Auto Workers President Ron Gettelfinger said the union must offer health care concessions to Chrysler similar to those it gave Ford Motor Co. and General Motors Corp. in 2005, according to the Associated Press.

"We've been talking to Chrysler quite frequently - we do need to find a way to fix the problem there now that Chrysler is in a downward mode," Gettelfinger said in an interview on WJR-AM in Detroit. The UAW two years ago gave health care concessions to Ford and GM that saved the companies billions of dollars, but refused to grant the same deal to Chrysler because of its stronger financial condition at the time.

Posted by   at 10:05 AM to Companies | Permalink | Comments 0

Backseat Driver: Big Weekend for Race Fans

It's a big weekend for race fans with a number of key races, including the Le Mans 24-hour race in France, the USA Formula 1 Grand Prix in Indianapolis, NASCAR's Citizens Bank 400 at the Michigan International Speedway and the NHRA's Franklin Trailers Lucas Oil Division 1 Points Race at Atco Raceway in Atco, NJ.

Rhode Island's own Bob Tasca III is competing at Atco after already building up quite a record in Top Alcohol Funny Cars this season. Last month, he won at the Virginia Motorsports Park in Richmond and came second at Maple Grove Raceway in Reading, PA.

But perhaps his most impressive performance was at the ACDelco NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, FL, in March where he set the record for Top Alcohol Funny Cars with a pass at 263 mph. That's 263 mph - a speed that few of us can even imagine let alone ever experience.

Tasca is one of the brightest stars on the Top Alcohol Funny Car circuit - where he he currently ranks No.8 nationally - and I look forward to writing an indepth piece about him later in the season as he keeps up this blistering pace. I mean, what is it really like to drive at 263 mph?

Speaking of No.8, all eyes will be on Dale Earnhardt Jr. in Michigan this weekend following his signing with Hendrick Motorsports, the most dominant team in the Nextel Cup. Earnhardt, son of legend Dale Earnhardt, is the most popular driver in the sport and the move - he will start driving with Hendrick next year - is expected to generate increased interest and revenues for the sport.

Meanwhile, much speculation surrounds the possibility that Chevrolet might break out of a winless pattern at Michigan and come in with a win with current Nextel Cup leader Jeff Gordon. Chevrolet has been dominating the circuit this year, but last won at Michigan with Gordon in 2001.

By the by New England race fans, NASCAR is coming to Loudon, NH, on July 1 for the Lenox Industrial Tools 300 at the New Hampshire International Speedway. That's just two weeks away, and I plan to go.

But let's get back to superstars. The Formula I Grand Prix in Indianapolis this weekend features a major new star in the form of Lewis Hamilton of the McLaren team who won the Canadian Grand Prix last weekend in Montreal.

Hamilton, a Brit, is being hailed as the next Tiger Woods - he is young (22), black, handsome and extremely media/sponsor savvy. Already, there is talk of him being lured to the Ferrari team, which is suffering this season, for sums beyond the dreams of avarice, as Dr. Johnson would say.

Then we have the Le Mans 24-hour race in France, starting Saturday afternoon. There really is no race like it in the world - the cars run through the night for 24 hours with teams of three drivers changing places every three hours or so - and the car that has completed the most number of circuits at the end of the race wins. So it's really a matter of endurance and traditionally a great testing platform for engine and performance technology.

Certainly one of the most dramatic leaps in engine technology was highlighted last year with the win by Audi's R10 TDI diesel racer. One of the R10s was down at the Greenwich Concours d'Elegance earlier this month and they are impressive just to look at - wide and low slung in silver and white with red and black flashes.

The TDI (Turbo Direct Injection) engine, with its massive torque, is incredibly powerful and romped to victory last year and is the favorite again this year. It's success follows the numerous victories of Audi's R8 gasoline Le Mans racer which retired last year after a final tour of the Le Mans American Series, including a run at Lime Rock Park in Lakeville, Conn.

The only drawback of the R10 is the noise: there isn't any. For any race fan used to the breastbone-breaking thunder of a sqad of NASCARs or the madding whine of a flow of Formula I racers, the discrete hum of the R10 is something of a letdown to say the least.

But with the TDI technology due to hit the American roads next year as the VW group starts importing its clean diesels, the comparative quiet of their engines will be more than welcome. Just not at the racetrack!

Posted by   at 3:45 PM to Racing | Permalink | Comments 0

1957 Plymouth standing in water-logged time capsule

In a major setback to festivities surrounding the unearthing of a 1957 Plymouth Belvedere that had been buried in a time capsule in Tulsa, Okla., in 1957, a preliminary opening of the concrete vault revealed the car in several feet of water, according to the Associated Press and reported by CBS.

Hundreds of curious onlookers gathered to learn the secrets of a gold and white Plymouth Belvedere buried half a century ago under this city's courthouse lawn, according to the AP.

The 1957 two-door hardtop - buried to celebrate Oklahoma's 50 years of statehood - was encased in a 12-by-20-foot concrete vault, supposedly tough enough to withstand a nuclear attack.

Event officials already had to pump out several feet of water from the crypt that held the Belvedere for a half-century. But the condition of the car, wrapped in three layers of mud-caked protective material, remains a mystery.

Posted by   at 3:15 PM to Marques , Popular culture | Permalink | Comments 1

As the Rich Get Richer, the Nascar Field Tilts

Dale Earnhardt Jr. flashed a broad smile as he stood next to the race-team owner Rick Hendrick with cameras clicking away, capturing the moment that marked the beginning of a new era in Nascar, according to The New York Times

Earnhardt, the most popular driver in the sport, announced Wednesday at his JR Motorsports headquarters that he would join Hendrick Motorsports, the most dominant team in the Nextel Cup. Earnhardt has agreed to a five-year contract starting in 2008. His addition will create an all-star lineup at Hendrick next year with the four-time Cup winner Jeff Gordon and the defending Cup champion Jimmie Johnson.

Posted by   at 1:25 PM to Racing | Permalink | Comments 1

Can discount gas crimp your ride?

Gasoline prices hit near-record levels recently, and the government says the average will stay above $3 all summer, sending motorists shopping for lower-price fuel and making them wonder if they're hurting their engines burning the cheap stuff, according to USA Today.

Their anxieties have lately been fueled by a $35 million Shell marketing campaign, warning that discount fuel is the petro-chemical equivalent of the road to hell.

And those anxieties are likely to go unresolved, because there seems no easy answer to the simple questions: What is bad gas? How can I avoid it?

Posted by   at 1:19 PM to Gas prices | Permalink | Comments 0

27,000 hourly workers have taken Ford buyouts

Ford says about 27,000 U.S. hourly workers have left the company under buyout or early retirement offers, according to USA Today.

Ford offered the packages last year to reduce its workforce to match lower demand for its cars and trucks.

Initially about 37,000 workers signed up for the offers, but not all have left the company, it said. Ford has until September to phase in the departures as it closes plants under a restructuring plan, and some of the workers could change their minds and stay with the company.

Posted by   at 1:16 PM to Auto industry , Companies | Permalink | Comments 0

Carmakers funnel more funds to Democrats

American automakers, who are lobbying against legislation that would increase fuel economy standards, have directed more than half of their contributions this year to Democrats after 12 years of giving heavily to Republicans, according to USA Today.

The political action committees of the three automakers have contributed $374,000 in the first five months of this year, with 54% going to Democratic candidates, leadership PACs and party committees, according to a USA TODAY analysis of campaign data collected by PoliticalMoneyLine, a non-partisan group that tracks money in politics.

Posted by   at 1:14 PM to Auto industry | Permalink | Comments 0

Hertz, Avis Plan to Boost Hybrid Fleets

The increased demand for "green" vehicles is spilling over to the rental car counter, where many more drivers will soon be able to choose a hybrid vehicle, according to the Associated Press.

Hertz said it will spend $68 million to add 3,400 Toyota Prius hybrids to its fleets by 2008. And Avis said this week it plans to make 1,000 hybrid Prius vehicles available for rent as early as next week.

Posted by   at 1:12 PM to Alternative fuels , Environment | Permalink | Comments 0

Winnebago 3Q Profit Falls

Motor home manufacturer Winnebago Industries Inc. reported its earnings fell 14.4 percent in the third quarter as higher materials and labor costs hurt its profit margins, according to the Associated Press.

The Des Moines, Iowa-based company's shares fell 2 percent in afternoon trading. Winnebago earned $11.3 million, or 35 cents a share, in the three months ended May 26 versus $13.2 million, or 40 cents a share, a year ago.

Posted by   at 1:09 PM to Companies | Permalink | Comments 0

Gas Prices Expected to Rise at Pump

Gasoline futures extended their rally today, raising the prospect that prices at the pump will reverse course and again head higher in the coming weeks, according to the Associated Press. Oil futures moved above $68 a barrel.

Retail gasoline prices, which typically lag the futures market, fell again by 1.4 cents overnight to a national average price of $3.029 a gallon, according to AAA and the Oil Price Information Service. Prices peaked at $3.227 a gallon on May 24.

Posted by   at 1:05 PM to Gas prices | Permalink | Comments 0

Left Lane Drivers Attack!

Summertime is when America hits the road, and — if you believe some people — it’s also when too many slow drivers clog the fast lane. Well, help is on the way for that beloved character, the Assertive American, according to the cars.com.

Left Lane Drivers of America has taken the lead in this national aggravation, and it wants to keep slower drivers where they belong — on the right-hand side of the road.

“As traffic gets increasingly congested, it’s time for citizens to reclaim the left lane,” J.A. Tosti, a spokesman for the group, said in a press release.

Tosti and his group are offering backward-reading “Move Over” windshield decal (complete with an arrow that points to the right) that “gently prods” those slower drivers into, well, getting the hell out of the way when they see it in their rearview mirror.

Posted by   at 10:20 AM to On the road , Popular culture | Permalink | Comments 1

BioFuel expects to raise $93 million from IPO

BioFuel Energy Corp., a development-stage ethanol producer, said it plans to sell 5.25 million shares at $10.50 a share in an initial public offering, below its expected IPO pricing range of $13 to $14 a share, according to Reuters.

In a regulatory filing, BioFuel said it will also sell 4.25 million shares in a private placement directly to affiliates of Greenlight Capital Inc., Third Point LLC and its chairman, Thomas Edelman.

The Denver, Colorado-based company expects to receive about $93 million in net proceeds, after deducting underwriting discounts and offering expenses.

BioFuel plans to use the net proceeds to fund the equity portion of the construction costs of its Alta plant and repay or defer debt.

Posted by   at 10:12 AM to Alternative fuels , Companies , Environment , Sales | Permalink | Comments 0

Gibbs Aquada Aquacar Floating to Reality?

Gibbs Technologies, founded by Britain 's Neil Jenkins and Alan Gibbs, is expected to announce a new deal to produce a military version of its prototype Aquada, a car-like vehicle that can operate on land or water, according to thecarconnection.com.

Specifics are expected to outlined today, but a prototype is expected to allow for a range of military operations, including the ability to deliver special forces troops and material at remote locations, or to provide flexible patrols along waterfronts.

According to Jenkins, the company's High Speed Amphibian technology would allow for fast travel off-shore, but unlike a traditional boat, the vehicles could quickly move onto dry land to pursue an enemy.

Posted by   at 10:05 AM to Companies , Design , Sales | Permalink | Comments 0

Nanjing to bring back Healey, Austin-Healey

Nanjing Automobile (Group) Corp. says it's reached a deal with Healey Automobile Consultants Ltd., to bring back the Healey and Austin Healey nameplates, according to thecarconnection.com

The Chinese company, the new owner of the MG Rover brands and their Longbridge, U.K., factory, and the Healey group, said "they were delighted to announce their intention to collaborate with each other on the future development of the Healey and Austin Healey brands and sports cars bearing their name," according to a news release.

Posted by   at 10:01 AM to Auto industry , Companies , Marques | Permalink | Comments 0

Chrysler Group dealers believe in Cerberus

Top Chrysler Group dealers emerged from their first face-to-face meeting with Cerberus Capital Management impressed with the investor's plan to make Chrysler "a great American car company" again, according to the Detoit Free Press.

Cerberus Chief Executive Officer Steve Feinberg sat at a table Thursday with 16 of the 20 members of the dealer council that represents about 3,700 Chrysler Group dealerships around the country.

The meeting was held at Cerberus' offices in New York City.

Feinberg, whose private equity firm is set to acquire the automaker, spoke about Cerberus' commitment to the U.S. auto industry, dealers at the table said.

Posted by   at 9:59 AM to Companies | Permalink | Comments 0

Gas alternatives are near, and on several routes

It's the end of the driving world as you know it, some of the automotive industry's top engineers and executives said Tuesday during a University of Michigan forum on alternative-fuel vehicles, according to the Detroit Free Press.

More than 700 people filled the Power Center in Ann Arbor to hear hybrid and advanced technology directors from General Motors Corp., Toyota Motor Corp. and Ford Motor Co. discuss what their companies are doing to address increasing consumer demand for more fuel-efficient vehicles and reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

Posted by   at 9:55 AM to Alternative fuels , Design , Environment , Fuel economy , Technology | Permalink | Comments 0

Detroit blasted over fuel rules

Detroit's auto industry was cast as an environmental villain Tuesday in an unusual blast of criticism by backers of tougher fuel-economy standards who contend the Senate must force the industry to build more efficient vehicles, according to the Detroit Free Press.

U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., blistered Detroit automakers, saying the industry had "buffaloed" Congress with false claims of financial and technological hurdles to meeting a proposed standard of 35 miles per gallon by 2020.

Posted by   at 9:49 AM to Auto industry , Fuel economy | Permalink | Comments 0

Senate mulls tougher fuel standards

As motorists face near record gasoline prices, the Senate took up an energy bill Tuesday that would raise auto fuel economy standards for the first time in nearly 20 years and make oil industry price gouging a federal crime, according to USA Today.

Democratic leaders in both the Senate and House said they want broad energy legislation passed before the Fourth of July congressional recess, hoping to dampen growing voter anger over paying well above $3 a gallon at gasoline pumps across the country.

The Senate bill urges automakers to boost their fuel economy to a fleet average of 35 miles per gallon by 2020, about a 40% increase over what new cars and the less fuel efficient SUVs and pickups are required to attain today. The auto standard of 27.5 mpg was last increased 18 years ago. SUVS and small trucks must achieve a fleet average of 22.2 mpg.

Posted by   at 9:46 AM to Fuel economy | Permalink | Comments 0

Renault Reports Worldwide Sales Decline

French automaker Renault said vehicle sales slipped 4.2 percent in May from a year earlier to 214,358 amid competition from Asian brands and an older product lineup, according to the Associated Press.

Renault is hoping the launch of new and updated models in the second half of this year will arrest the slide and bolster prospects in 2008.

It is about to launch its latest version of the Twingo subcompact.

Posted by   at 9:41 AM to Auto industry , Companies , Marques | Permalink | Comments 0

Backseat Driver: Thomas Hardy, where are you?

This is a daffy thing to mention, but on the Massachusetts Turnpike recently I spotted this truck and the simple message across the back caught my attention.

Butter Eggs Cheese

It reminded me that while we think we live in a whizz-bang age, the delivery of such simple staffs of life go on as they have for centuries. One could almost imagine a cart with exactly the same message plodding along one of the country lanes of Thomas Hardy's beloved Dorset in southern England over 100 years ago - or another cart and another horse plodding along a lane somewhere in Rhode Island or Massachusetts or France or wherever 200, 300 years ago.

The daily round does not change and I remember a similar feeling when I used to commute from Jamestown to Boston in the early morning hours (I had to report to work at 3:30 a.m.) and the roads being empty save for the food trucks - bread and groceries - which were making their daily deliveries.

So, here's to you Mr N. Winer & Son Inc. for reminding me that the pace of modern life is often only in our heads. Hardy, after all, had his own madding crowd.

Posted by   at 12:13 PM to commentary | Permalink | Comments 0

Backseat Driver: A '57 Plymouth Belvedere to be unearthed on Friday

It's hard to believe that Oklahoma is only 100 years old. But the Sooner State became the 46th state on November, 16, 1907, and to celebrate the 50th anniversary, the city of Tulsa buried a time capsule on June 15, 1957.

In that capsule, among other items, was a brand new gold-and-white Plymouth Belvedere. Plymouth donated the car as a promotion.

The time capsule will be opened this Friday and it will be interesting to see what kind of condition the car will be in. It could be very good - it was sealed in a concrete vault, after all.

The New York Times' Dan Barry, who used to be a reporter here at The Providence Journal and who is one of the best writers around bar none, has written an advance story.

Meanwhile, I will attempt to keep tabs on the unearthing on the day, hopefully relying on Barry's reporting although I do not know whether he will be there. Certainly the Associated Press will be.

Posted by   at 11:33 AM to Popular culture | Permalink | Comments 1

Backseat Driver: Spotted - A GMC Futureliner

So there I was driving to the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst, Mass., the other day when what should I come across on the Mass. Pike but a GMC Futureliner. Here was the first view:

Then I raced ahead, stopped by the side of the road and shot it from in front - getting a good honk from the driver as he passed:

A total of 12 of these fabulous looking vehicles were made in 1939 and they were used to travel around the country displaying the latest wonders from Detroit. Nine survive and this one was clearly keeping up with the traffic (a bit slow on the hills) on a sunny June day in Massachusetts.

There are many Web sites about the Futureliners. Here is one.

Posted by   at 10:49 AM to commentary | Permalink | Comments 2

Is MirraChrome the Next Big Bling?

The most popular color to buy a car in has long been silver, but one U.K. company is now offering a variation on that them. Chrome is the new silver, with shiny body panels apparently set to be the next big thing, according to thecarconnection.com.

MirraChrome is claimed to be the world’s most realistic chrome-effect paint finish, with 98 percent of the reflectivity of true chrome-plating. It’s the stuff was used on a Lamborghini Murcielago in the recent video by rapper 50 Cent.

Posted by   at 10:33 AM to Design , Popular culture | Permalink | Comments 1

Toyota goal: 1 million hybrids a year

After taking a decade to sell its first 1 million gasoline-electric hybrid vehicles worldwide, Toyota now says it plans to sell 1 million a year within a few years, according to USA Today.

At the same time, the big automaker appears to be backing away from a pledge made a few years ago that hybrid powertrains would be available as options on nearly every one of its U.S. vehicles by 2010.

Posted by   at 10:30 AM to Alternative fuels , Companies , Environment , Fuel economy , Sales , Technology | Permalink | Comments 0

Caution: Lower Truck Sales Ahead

As with sport utilities, the popularity of pickups is in decline. Sales have dropped, rebates and other incentives are climbing, even for companies like G.M. and Toyota that have the newest models on the market, according to The New York Times.

Posted by   at 10:28 AM to Analysis , Auto industry , Sales | Permalink | Comments 0

Nymex Crude Oil Rises on Supply Worries

A benchmark crude oil contract edged up Tuesday after climbing more than $1 a barrel a day earlier amid indications that OPEC is unlikely to boost production and a report outlining a possible oil crunch in the coming months, according to the Associated Press.

The International Energy Agency raised the prospect of a global oil crunch this year on a recipe of higher-than-expected demand and below-par supply from the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and other producers.

Light, sweet crude for July delivery on the New York Mercantile Exchange rose 6 cents to $66.03 a barrel in electronic trading by midday in Europe. The contract had gained $1.21 Monday to settle at $65.97 a barrel.

Posted by   at 10:05 AM to Oil | Permalink | Comments 0

Ford Weighs Jaguar, Land Rover Future

Ford said it was reviewing its position on its Jaguar and Land Rover businesses, and union officials pressed for more information amid reports that the two brands were up for sale, according to the Associated Press.

John Gardiner, a spokesman for Ford's Premier Automotive Group, told Dow Jones Newswires that the company continued to review all of its global operations and all options were still on the table.

"I can confirm we're working with our financial advisers to determine the best way forward for Jaguar and Land Rover," Gardiner said.

Posted by   at 9:53 AM to Auto industry , Companies , Marques , Sales | Permalink | Comments 0

Rocket Scientist or Auto Mechanic? The Distinction Is Blurring

People who know cars know that it’s getting tougher to find skilled mechanics. Cars have become increasingly complex, and require the kind of specialized training that teenagers can’t pick up hanging around the local gas station, according to The New York Times.

Although these students are part of the video-game generation and are comfortable around computers, automotive experts said many teenagers were unwilling to undertake the training for jobs that don’t initially pay much, when they can learn similar skills to enter higher-paying professions that get more respect.

Posted by   at 10:18 AM to Technology | Permalink | Comments 1

At Park Opening in ’09, It’s All Ferrari, All the Time

In coming weeks, Ferrari loyalists will gather to celebrate the 60th anniversary with festivities in Maranello that include a concours, a parade of racecars and the arrival of a relay tour that began Jan. 28 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, and will have traveled through 50 countries over 148 days, according to The New York Times.

Plans to spread the Ferrari influence further yet are heading in a new, and perhaps unexpected, direction — a Ferrari theme park that is scheduled to open on an island in the Persian Gulf in 2009. The entertainment it will offer is intended to appeal to a range of car enthusiasts, from the Six Flags daytrippers to those whose dream is to someday own a vintage Testa Rossa or Daytona.

Posted by   at 10:14 AM to Marques | Permalink | Comments 0

Safety Systems Of the Future

Active safety systems, like anti-lock brakes, traction control, brake assist, and electronic stability control, act without your input. They decide an accident is coming and act to control the car before the accident happens. (Passive safety systems, like seatbelts and airbags, differ in that they engage once an accident has happened.)

But there's a new crop of active safety systems that give you warnings to which you must respond, like the lane departure warning system that beeps at you (M45) or vibrates your steering wheel (2008 BMW 5 Series) when it detects you're departing from your proper lane, according to thecarconnection.com. These systems beep, flash, light up, and cause vibrations in your seat and steering wheel. There are a host of these baby sitters, which are being developed because we aren't just driving - we're falling asleep, drifting and fiddling with the audio or our phone and people are getting killed.

Interested parties like the big insurance companies have been pushing these technologies behind the scenes mostly because they want fewer fatalities, and fewer payouts on claims. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) is conducting a study on the lane departure warning system now. Results will be in over this summer and IIHS and will probably recommend the system when the study is complete. The big question is whether or not drivers are going to embrace these systems.

Posted by   at 10:06 AM to Safety | Permalink | Comments 0

OPEOil Prices Rise on OPEC Minister Remarks

Oil prices rose after Iran's oil minister said OPEC has no plans to release more oil into the market ahead of its next policy meeting in September and Saudi Arabia said it would keep its shipment volumes steady, according to the Associated Press.
OPEC has no plans to release more oil into the market ahead of its next policy meeting in September, Iran's oil minister said today, according to AP.
There is adequate crude oil in the market and commercial oil inventories are at a high level, Iranian Minister of Petroleum Kazem Vaziri Hamaneh told reporters on the sideline of a regional oil and gas conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Posted by   at 9:57 AM to Oil | Permalink | Comments 0

Chinese Auto Parts Enter the Global Market

China’s auto parts exports have increased more than sixfold in the last five years, nearly topping $1 billion in April and emerging as one of the fastest-growing categories of Chinese industrial products sold overseas, according to the New York Times.

More than half of these auto parts go to the United States; most of the rest to Europe and Japan.

The rise of Chinese auto parts exports is part of a much broader shift. China is moving up from basic goods like textiles, toys and shoes and toward higher-value industrial goods that pay better wages — but also compete more directly with products from countries like Mexico and even from advanced industrialized countries like the United States.

Posted by   at 1:04 PM to Auto industry | Permalink | Comments 0

G.M. Chief Tells Shareholders to Take Long View

The chairman and chief executive of General Motors, Rick Wagoner, faced more than two hours of criticism from shareholders at the annual meeting Tuesday, but he countered that the company had made major progress in turning around its fortunes last year, and he urged patience for the long term, the New York Times reports.

Posted by   at 12:57 PM to Companies | Permalink | Comments 0

Lawmakers and regulators should mandate higher mileage without worrying that they are compromising safety by encouraging small vehicles, according to the report by the International Council on Clean Transportation, the USA Today.

The report says its recommendations could boost the average fuel economy of new vehicles 50% in 10 years. That would make it roughly 33 mpg in 2017.

Even in cases where bigger vehicles are safer for their occupants, they ought to be discouraged by regulators as threats to people in smaller vehicles, ICCT says.

Posted by   at 12:55 PM to Fuel economy | Permalink | Comments 0

A decade after first Prius, Toyota's hybrid sales pass 1M

A decade after the first Prius went on sale, Toyota's global sales of hybrid vehicles have hit 1 million, underlining the Japanese automaker's lead in "green" technology, according to USA Today.

Toyota says it has sold 577,311 gasoline-electric hybrid vehicles in the USA from mid-2000, when it launched the Prius here, through May.

Toyota's worldwide sales of gas-and-electric-powered vehicles totaled 1.047 million as of the end of May. Nearly 345,000 of those were sold in Japan.

Posted by   at 12:53 PM to Alternative fuels , Companies , Environment , Fuel economy , Sales | Permalink | Comments 0

Gas Prices Gnaw at Consumer Confidence

Consumer confidence tumbled to a 10-month low as gyrating gasoline prices and persisting problems in the housing market gnawed at people's sense of economic well-being, the Associated Press reports.

The magnitude of the drop shown in the latest RBC Cash Index was surprising given the healthy state of the nation's job market, which is usually an important factor coloring consumers' perceptions of how the economy and their own financial fortunes are faring.

But nagging worries about gasoline prices, if the yearlong housing slump will worsen and drag down home prices further and whether the economy will, in fact, snap out of its sluggish spell, are taking a toll on confidence, economists explained.

"There is too much uncertainty. That is the mindset of consumers right now," said Brian Bethune, economist at Global Insight

Posted by   at 12:37 PM to Gas prices | Permalink | Comments 0

Backstreet Driver: Navigating the I-95 Speedway

If you ever wanted to know what it's like to be in the middle of a pack of high-speed cars on a NASCAR oval, a very cheap way of finding out is to get onto I-95 in Connecticut, down toward the New York area, and wait.

You may be cruising along at a respectable 70 mph - 5 mph over the speed limit - along with everyone else, but it is only a matter of time before a car, usually driven by a young driver, sweeps past you at 90, 100, sometimes over 100 mph.

Listen, I know my time will come but if I am taken out by some little jerk playing NASCAR on the public highways, I am going to be extremely cross.

Give me an effing break.

These NASCARettes overtake you on either side, sometimes even at an angle as they weave their way through the traffic. You see them coming up behind and the only thing to do is to maintain course and speed. Trying to get out of their way could easily result in an accident because they are travelling too fast to adapt to 'moving' objects; at their speed, the rest of us are stationary objects to navigate around.

On my return from the Greenwich Concours d'Elegance on Sunday, a number of these young heroes flashed passed me but one whipped by on the inside lane so fast that my car - and it's a heavy Volvo station wagon - literally shook.

What can the police do? I presume most of the young speedsters are armed with radar detectors and so are practically immune from being stopped. Plus a police chase with one of these drivers in heavy traffic could easily lead to increased danger for all concerned.

Maybe the only alternative is having the public call in the license plates of drivers they consider to be particularly dangerous. But what can the police do then? I don't know, but its sounds like it may be worthwhile to find out.

Hoping that they will drive themselves off the road and into the oval in the sky may nurse a sense of outrage but is not a practical solution to a public menace.

Posted by   at 10:29 AM to Safety , commentary | Permalink | Comments 0

Renault-Nissan to seek deal with Chrysler, Ford?

After a failed attempt at forming an alliance with GM last year, French-Japanese automaker Renault-Nissan will look at new partnership possibilities in 2009, possibly with including newly independent Chrysler or even Ford, CEO Carlos Ghosn told the French newspaper Le Parisien, according to leftlanenews.com.

Posted by   at 10:24 AM to Companies | Permalink | Comments 0

CEO says GM turnaround is on track

General Motors is making progress in its turnaround effort, CEO Rick Wagoner said Tuesday at its annual meeting, where 10 shareholder proposals were rejected, according to USA Today.

GM cut structural costs by $6.8 billion in 2006, and Wagoner told shareholders the automaker is on track to reach its target of an additional $2.2 billion in cuts this year.

He said this year's priorities include finishing a deal to let former parts subsidiary Delphi exit bankruptcy and cutting its own health care costs, which he said were "a staggering $4.8 billion" in 2006.

GM's shares, which lost 50% of their value in 2005, rose 58% last year, the biggest rise of the 30 stocks in the Dow Jones industrial average. Investors gained confidence in GM's turnaround as its annual net loss narrowed to $2 billion from $10.4 billion in 2005.

Posted by   at 10:09 AM to Companies | Permalink | Comments 0

GM puts Volt, hybrids on fast track

General Motors has awarded two contracts to companies that will help speed up development of its plug-in hybrid car called the Chevrolet Volt, GM Chairman Rick Wagoner said Tuesday, according to USA Today.
Wagoner, speaking at the company's annual shareholders meeting, also said GM would introduce four new hybrid models this year.

Posted by   at 9:48 AM to Alternative fuels , Companies , Environment , Fuel economy , Technology | Permalink | Comments 0

Auto Execs Go to Hill to Discuss Mileage

The heads of the domestic auto industry are pressing congressional leaders to revisit a plan to increase fuel efficiency standards that automakers say could hurt their industry, according to the Associated Press.

Leaders of General Motors, Ford and the Chrysler Group on Wednesday were to discuss the impact of health care, trade and energy policies on their companies, and urge congressional leaders in private meetings to consider an alternative to a proposed overhaul of Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards for vehicles.

Posted by   at 9:40 AM to Auto industry , Companies | Permalink | Comments 0

After Build-A-Bear, Build-A-Toy-Car

The founder of the stuff-and-outfit your own plush animal phenomenon known as Build-A-Bear Workshop has teamed up with Larry Andreini, 44, an entrepreneur from Fairfax, Va., to back a concept called Ridemakerz, a make-and-outfit your own toy car business, according to the New York Times.

The first Ridemakerz store is scheduled to open Friday at an entertainment and retail complex in Myrtle Beach, S.C., followed in July by an outpost at the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minn.

Customers select a chassis type (street or monster); body styles (stock or custom, a Ridemakerz brand hot rod, a Ford Mustang GT or Dodge Ram pickup, to name a few options); paint schemes; sound effects (for example, sirens or race sounds) and style of locomotion (free wheel or radio control).

After the 10- to 12-inch cars are assembled, there are ample customizing and accessorizing options: tire treads, grille guards, side pipes, snowboard racks and decals. Andreini estimates that a fully tricked-out vehicle will run about $75, including $25 for radio control. For the budget-minded, there’s a stock tuner car for $12.

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

Carmakers are poised to make deal on fuel rules

After more than 30 years of staunch opposition to federal oversight, the U.S. auto industry appears ready to argue for higher fuel economy standards to block tougher proposals that several automakers worry could cripple their finances, according to the Detroit Free Press.

The latest sign came in a quiet posting of a draft bill from the House Energy and Commerce Committee, chaired by U.S. Rep. John Dingell, D-Mich., the industry's top champion on Capitol Hill.

The draft proposes the industry meet mileage standards of at least 36 miles per gallon for cars after 2021 and 30 m.p.g. for trucks after 2024, or roughly 32.5 m.p.g. overall.

Posted by   at 9:36 AM to Fuel economy | Permalink | Comments 0

Honda will quit making hybrid Accords

Honda says it will discontinue the hybrid version of its Accord sedans, according to USA Today.

Honda will continue to make gas-and-electric models of its Civic sedan, but stop offering the hybrid Accord with the new model expected to go on sale later this year, company spokesman Yoshiyuki Kuroda said in Tokyo.

The Accord hybrid, sold only in North America, was a dud, selling just 25,000 since going on sale in 2004. It sold just 6,100 last year.

Posted by   at 9:20 AM to Alternative fuels , Companies , Environment , Fuel economy , Technology | Permalink | Comments 0

Oil Prices Drop As Storm Worries Ease

Oil prices retreated amid easing concerns about a cyclone approaching the Persian Gulf and on expectations that a supply report from the United States would show that its gasoline stockpiles rose last week, the Associated Press reports.

Also sending crude futures lower was news that a Nigerian opposition group had declared a one-month cease-fire. That could offer newly inaugurated President Umaru Yar'Adua an opening to solve the crisis that has roiled Africa's oil giant, a leading exporter of crude to the United States.

Light, sweet crude for July delivery fell 33 cents to $65.88 a barrel by midday in Europe in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude for July fell 13 cents to $70.27 a barrel on the ICE Futures exchange in London.

Posted by   at 9:18 AM to Oil | Permalink | Comments 0

Hyundai Grabs Lead in Auto Quality Study

Hyundai eads in five categories in the annual vehicle quality study released Monday by Strategic Vision Inc., a San Diego-based market research company and consultant to automakers, according to a report in the Associated Press.

Hyundai's rise in the rankings is only the latest sign of the improved overall quality and declining number of defects in today's cars and trucks, said David Cole, chairman of the Center for Automotive Research in Ann Arbor.

"They're coming together to a point where the differences are almost meaningless," Cole said.

He said that means buyers will pay increasing attention to dealer service, new technology, fashion features, price and fuel economy, AP reports.

Posted by   at 9:15 AM to Companies , Marques , Technology | Permalink | Comments 0

Bill France Jr., longtime NASCAR chief, dies

Bill France Jr., who steered NASCAR for 31 years through its strongest growth era, died Monday, according to the Chicago Tribune. He was 74.
France, the second czar in NASCAR's owning dynasty, took over as president from his father, founder "Big Bill" France, in 1972. He was diagnosed with cancer in 1999, but the cancer was in remission when he handed control of NASCAR to his son, Brian Z. France, in 2003.

Posted by   at 4:04 PM to Racing | Permalink | Comments 0

Backseat Driver: Greenwich Concours d'Elegance offers stunning cars in gorgeous setting

Some 250 cars were entered for the Greenwich Concours d'Elegance in Greenwich, Conn., with the European half on display Sunday along with a Christie's auction of about 35 historic cars, including the 1938 Bugatti Type 57C Atalante coupé that sold for $775,000, well above Christie's estimate.

The grounds of Roger Sherman Park on the water south of downtown Greenwich, was covered in rare beauties with entire circles of such high-end marques as Jaguar, Roll-Royce/Bentley, Ferrari and Mercedes-Benz. The Lamborghinis were nestled in with the Ferraris, but unfortunately I did not spy my favorite Lambo, the Muira of the mid-1960s.

The author, looking rather stolid, standing beside a 1,001 horsepower Bugatti Veyron 16.1 at the Greenwich Concours d'Elegance on Sunday. Photo by Darren Beurer.

However, I did get to finally see a Bugatti Veyron 16.1 which looks every bit as powerful, like a coiled fist, as its 1,001 horsepower engine. The car is mechanically totally over the top and the price reflects its limited, high-end market - about $1.5 million give or take $100,000 or so.

My old friend Darren Beurer, who I met for the first time at the Concours and who knows more about cars than I'll ever know, snapped my picture standing beside the Veyron and I snapped his just after we had been smirking about other plebs like ourselves snapping pictures of each other sitting in the driving seat of Bentleys.

Yes, it was that kind of venue where brand-new Bentleys were open and available and the Veyron sat placidly, albeit growling, at the mob that surrounded it. It has to be said that the doors of the Veyron and the gynormous 2007 Rolls-Royce Phantom nearby(suggested retail price: $351,250) were firmly locked.

But these were new cars. What the punters had come to see were the old classics and exotics. George Dragone's 1905 Renault Town Car was a thing of mega beauty, like everything out of Dragone Classic Motorcars in Bridgeport, Conn. One of the oldest entries, the car was indeed a horseless carriage in red with black trim, white tires and brass fixtures including two brass lamps sticking out in front, communication horns from the exposed driver's seat to the enclosed passenger compartment and horns connected to black rubber bulbs.

One of the most astonishing entries - and about the only American vehicle on the field - was a 1955 Lincoln Indianapolis Design Study in brilliant orange. The car was a massive sweep of space-age design with chrome flashes and a bulbous glassy cabin.

In the charm department - Ferraris and Lamborghinis are definitely not charming - was a 1961 slate blue Saab 96 all decaled out for the Rallye Monte-Carlo. Its front lights were protected by grills, a strap crossed over the hood and a somewhat comical spotlight set in the center of its roof.

Also in the charm department, a couple of BMW Isetta bubble cars from 1956 and 1957 respectively. The cars seat two who get in by opening the entire front of the car. Indeed, the front of the car looks somewhat like a fridge door which is not surprising as BMW made the cars under license from Iso, an Italian appliance manufacturer, according to Gregory Homs who owns the green 1956 BMW Isetta 250.

I also loved the bright orange 1976 BMW 2002A which brought back memories of running around the Canary Islands for a few weeks in the early 1970s with a German aquaintence and his French girlfriend while I waited in vain to ship out for the Caribbean on a yacht. (In the end, I took a Spanish tramp steamer back to England for Christmas.)

What else caught my eye? The circle of Jags includes some lovely XK120s whose sensous lines I have talked about in previous blogs. And an area up front devoted to pre-WWII beauties includes a maroon 1937 Bugatti Type 57, a green 1936 Bentley 4-1/4 Derby Special and a black 1912 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost side by side.

Meanwhile, the low-slung Ferraris and Lambos were an aggressive symphony of reds, yellows and blacks, all angles and short curves. By comparison, the circle of Rolls-Royces adn Bentleys looked very staid and the British sports cars - Austin Healeys, Morgans, Triumphs - even an Alpine Sunbeam - looked sweet and sporty. More human scaled, I suppose.

None of this does justice to the scale and quality of the Concours which is also brilliantly organized. The setting is fabulous and even more fabulous is the free parking just across the street - with its own show of parked exotics. By the time I posted this, chairman Burce Wenerstrom had not gotten back to me with the results which he and his wife Genia will publish on their Web site tomorrow (Tuesday).

But a confession of not being able to do justice to the show should whet your appetite to go to next year's show. And remember, the Vanderbilt Concours slated for July 27-29 in Newport. If you love cars, want to see the best and get a dose of automobile history, these shows cannot be beat.

PS I'm going to try to upload some photos later, but being a moron ...

Posted by   at 11:18 AM to Concours d'Elegance | Permalink | Comments 0

Backseat Driver: 1938 Bugatti sells for $852,500

A 1938 Bugatti Type 57C Atalante coupé that had been sitting untrouched in a garage outside New York City for 45 years sold yesterday for $852,500 (including Christie's 10 percent buyer's premium) at a Christie's auction at the Greenwich Concours d'Elegance in Greenwich, Conn.

The price was way over the auction house's estimate of $300,000 to $400,000 but as auctioneer Hugh Edmeades told me afterwards, there is no way to really value a car this rare and in such orginal condition. "They find their own level," he said.

The bidding for the car ended in a bullfight between noted restorer Wayne Carini of F40 Motor Sports in Portland, Conn., who was bidding on behalf of Connecticut contractor Joe Capasso and an unidentified telephone bidder.

As the levels went higher, the two bidders did everything they could to knock the other out. Sometimes they came back immediately with a price, sometimes they mulled and then delivered a steep increase in an attempt to deliver a killing blow. At times the crowd gasped and applauded following long gaps and sudden hits; at other times you could have heard a pin drop. Certainly Edmeades did not need to work the kind of auctioneer's magic he had used earlier to push the bidding higher.

But what am I doing - giving away a fabulous story that will appear in Wednesday's projoCARS section? Be sure to read it as one of the issues I will be addressing is the restoring vs conserving and preserving argument that this sale highlighted. Plus details of some of the other beauties that were sold and some of the flavor of this tony and amusing event.

Posted by   at 10:36 AM to Collecting , Marques , Sales , commentary | Permalink | Comments 0

533,000 Miles and It Runs Like a Top

There is no one secret to getting your car to live to a ripe old odometer reading. Luck could get you there, but it is no surprise that many vehicles that have reached 200,000, 400,000 and even 500,000 miles have received extraordinary care and maintenance, often with the owners doing the routine work themselves, according to the New York Times.

Posted by   at 10:33 AM to On the road | Permalink | Comments 0

TVR’s Long and Winding Road Leads (for Now) to Florida

Like the mythical Monty Python castle built on a swamp, which sank three times only to be rebuilt three times, TVR, one of Britain’s last sports car makers has risen again after several near-death experiences and ownership changes, according to a report in the New York Times.
TVR would fit neatly in the comedic Python world, where cheese shops have no cheese to sell and hyper-litigious businessmen accidentally sue themselves. Consider its recent history: its third owner since 1981 was a 20-something Russian who actually owned the company twice in three years.
The latest owners are two Florida men, Adam Burdette and Jean-Michel Santacreu, who took control in February.

Posted by   at 10:30 AM to Companies | Permalink | Comments 0

Books Worth a Spot on a Car Buff’s Shelf

In any field, there are certain books that are essential. Some are handy references, others provide the perspective of history and still others are simply good reads, according to the New York Times.
Here is the NYT's selection of books that will make a fine foundation for an automotive library. All are widely available either new or used.

Posted by   at 10:27 AM to Collecting | Permalink | Comments 0

Toyota, GM post strong sales months

Toyota's U.S. vehicle sales jumped 14.1% in May to its best monthly level ever and General Motors' sales rose 9.7% as both automakers credited in part the appeal of their more fuel-efficient offerings as gas prices remained high, according to USA Today.For the month, Toyota outsold Ford, which saw sales fall 6.9% as it continued to cut low-profit sales to rental companies. Nissan's sales gained 7.4% and DaimlerChrysler's sales rose 3.9% with help from a 20% jump in its Jeep brand.

Posted by   at 10:24 AM to Companies | Permalink | Comments 0

Backseat Driver: 1931 Bugatti Royale sells for $22 million

Fashion magnate and car collector Ralph Lauren has paid $22 million for a 1931 Bugatti Type 41, known as the Royale, according to Art & Auction. If so, the price would be the most ever paid for an automobile.

Not surprising. The "King of Cars," as designer Ettore Bugatti called it, has consistently broken records. Indeed, only six were ever built between 1929 and 1933 and they cost $45,000 in 1931! The previous record for an automobile was $17 million, also for a Royale.

Remember the fabulous 1938 Delage D8-120 Aerosport Coupe that won Best of Show in the Newport Concours d'Elegance on Monday? The Royale comes out of that same era of French super luxury cars that includes such marques as Bugatti, Delage, Delahaye, Hotchkiss and Talbot-Lago.

But even amongst that august company, the luxurious and powerful Royale stands out. It was massive - 21 feet long and weighing 3-1/2 tons with an enormous engine that created 300 horsepower. No expense was spared on any aspect, inside or out.

Meanwhile, in a related story, I will be going down to Greenwich, Conn., this Sunday to the Greenwich Concours d'Elegance and the auction of a 1938 Bugatti Type 57C Atalante coupé.

This car is extraordinary in that it has not moved from its garage space — it is now sandwiched between a old Farmall tractor and a 1949 Jaguar Mark V sedan — in a New York City suburb for 45 years, according to The New York Times. Christie’s estimates the car will sell for $300,000 to $400,000.

We shall see. It's a tough job, but someone has to do it!

Posted by   at 4:30 PM to Collecting | Permalink | Comments 0

Gas, Oil Futures Rise on Supply Worries

Gasoline and oil futures rose today on continued concerns that domestic refineries aren't producing enough gasoline to meet peak summer driving demand, according to AP.
Retail prices, on the other hand, continued their retreat from last week's record highs. The national average price of a gallon of gas fell to $3.184 a gallon, down 0.7 cent overnight and off 4.3 cents since the May 24 record of $3.227.

Posted by   at 2:34 PM to Gas prices , Oil | Permalink | Comments 0

Toyota's May U.S. Sales Jump 14 Percent

Toyota said its U.S. vehicle sales jumped 14.1 percent in May as double-digit percentage gains in both passenger cars and light trucks helped the automaker to its best monthly sales ever, AP reports.
For the month, Toyota outsold Ford, which saw sales fall 6.9 percent as it continued to cut low-profit sales to rental companies. Nissan's sales gained 7.4 percent and DaimlerChrysler's sales rose 3.9 percent with help from a 20 percent jump in its Jeep brand.

Posted by   at 2:10 PM to Companies | Permalink | Comments 0

Smokey and the Bandit Turns 30

Thirty years after its release, Smokey and the Bandit remains the most popular car movie ever. Here's why, according to Edmunds.com
You hear it before you see it, the roar of its 400-cubic-inch V8 echoing off the wood-covered corrugated steel walls of the truck's trailer. And then it's revealed. The blackest car you've ever seen. It's just 10 minutes and 53 seconds into Smokey and the Bandit, when Burt Reynolds drives that black Trans Am out of the truck and into the sunlight. A powerslide and the car's first smoky burnout are less than two minutes away.

This month Smokey and the Bandit turns 30. It was on May 19, 1977 that the film premiered at New York City's Radio City Music Hall and injected 6.6 liters into America's vernacular. By July, everybody wanted a Screaming Chicken decal on their hoods.

Smokey and the Bandit is so much a part of popular culture, it's hard to believe it's a 30-year-old movie. Burt Reynolds, Sally Field, Jackie Gleason and even Jerry Reed all made movies that film critics would consider "better," but it's Smokey for which they'll always be remembered. Because Smokey and the Bandit is the most popular and important car movie of all time, and there's virtually no chance it's going to lose that distinction in the next 30 years.

Posted by   at 9:44 AM to Popular culture | Permalink | Comments 0

Gas prices, housing market expected to sting auto sales

High gas prices and the slow housing market are expected to result in soft May auto sales, with even venerable Toyota perhaps taking a hit, according to a report in USA Today, citing Edmunds.com
Consumer website Edmunds.com predicts sales reported today will be down 4.2% compared with last year, with blame for the decline resting squarely on energy costs and housing woes. Still, sales are expected to be better than in April, when automakers posted an overall 7.6% decline compared with April 2006.

Edmunds predicts that even Toyota, which has tended to shake off slumping sales when gas prices soar thanks to its fuel efficient models, will see a drop in sales. Only Chrysler is expected to post an increase — and a modest one, at that.

Posted by   at 9:28 AM to Analysis | Permalink | Comments 0