Main page | August 2007 »

GM Reports 2Q Profit of $891 Million

General Motors earned $891 million in the second quarter, a huge reversal from the $3.4 billion loss it posted in the same period last year and the third straight quarterly profit for the nation's largest automaker, according to the Associated Press.

GM said Tuesday the latest results reflected improved sales in growing markets worldwide.

Posted by   at 10:08 AM to GM | Permalink | Comments 0

The dangers of texting and driving

Almost half of teenagers admit to text messaging while driving according to a new survey by the American Automobile Association. So far, only Washington state has enacted a law banning text messaging while behind the wheel. Check out this AP video on the dangers.

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

Pell Bridge may get E-ZPass system

Rhode Island may soon join much of the rest of the Eastern Seaboard in allowing motorists to pay tolls Claiborne Pell Bridge to Newport through the E-ZPass system, according the Providence Journal.

Posted by   at 11:56 AM to On the road | Permalink | Comments 0

How Ford Brought Power to the People

Three decades before the heyday of the muscle car, Henry Ford inadvertently invented the hot rod by bolting a 65-horsepower V-8 engine into a light, attractive body, according to the New York Times.

His breakthrough Ford Model 18 V-8 cost $460 in its most basic form, a two-door roadster, only $50 more than the same car powered by a four-cylinder engine. Ford figured that even in the depths of the Depression, this was within reach of the working class.

Six million Americans flocked to Ford dealerships on the announcement day.

Posted by   at 10:52 AM to Ford , Technology | Permalink | Comments 0

On Paying for Cars With Cash

No dealer will turn away a cash-paying customer, but all things considered, they are less welcome than buyers who want to lease or finance their cars, according to the New York Times.

That's because buyers who pay cash, whether they write a check or borrow the money elsewhere and bring it to the showroom, provide car dealers with fewer opportunities to make money on a car deal.

That ranges from the cut dealers get from arranging a lease or loan, to options like extended warranties or antirust coating that buyers are more likely to choose if they can fold it into the amount they borrow. In some cases, those extras account for up to 75 percent of a showroom’s profits.

Posted by   at 10:35 AM to Sales | Permalink | Comments 0

E-Dragsters Go for Gas-Powered Records

Straddling a 619-pound motorcycle, Scotty Pollacheck tucks in his knees and lowers his head as he waits for the green light. When he revs the engine, there's no roar. The bike moves so fast that within seconds all that's visible is a faint red taillight melting in the distance.

Pollacheck crosses the quarter-mile marker doing 156 mph; he's traveled 1,320 feet in 8.22 seconds, faster than any of the gas-powered cars, trucks or motorcycles that have raced in the drag sprints on this weekend at Portland International Raceway.

It's particularly impressive given Pollacheck is riding a vehicle that uses no gasoline and is powered entirely by lithium-ion batteries, according to the Associated Press.

Posted by   at 10:28 AM to Alternative fuels , Design , Environment | Permalink | Comments 0

Car Trivia: July 26, 2007

Here is thecarconnection's latest car trivia quiz - plus answers:

1. Who wrote Wheels, the 1971 book about the car industry?

2. James Bond drove this AMC model in The Man With The Golden Gun.

3. Which U.S. carmaker offered a 1955 convertible model called the Caribbean?

4. Which new 1971 model was the subject of "The Little Car That Grows On You" ads?

5. Which GM division offered a 1958 Yeoman station wagon?

6. In the 1960s TV series, what was the Green Hornet's car

called? Who drove it?

7. What did Austin Powers drive in the 1997 movie Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery? What paint design did it have?

8. How long has Goodyear been using a promotional blimp?

9. What brand of car was driven by "The Little Old Lady from Pasadena?"

10. To a drag racer, what are zoomies?

Posted by   at 4:45 PM to Fun | Permalink | Comments 0

Zetsche e-mails Chrysler farewell, hails new start

DaimlerChrysler CEO Dieter Zetsche is in effect saying good-bye to Chrysler employees Friday, according to the Detroit Free Press.
In an e-mail to Daimler and Chrysler employees this morning, Zetsche and Chrysler CEO Tom LaSorda thanked workers for their service and urged them to continue their relationship with Mercedes on future joint projects.

Posted by   at 4:44 PM to Chrysler | Permalink | Comments 0

Automakers extend intervals between oil changes

Improvements in motor oil and car engines are combining to torpedo a popular car ownership mantra: the 3,000-mile oil change, according to USA Today.

Ford is lengthening the recommended interval between oil changes for its 2008 models to 7,500 miles, up from 5,000 miles. Volkswagen just got done increasing its oil-change recommendations to 10,000 miles on its 2007 gasoline-powered models.

Posted by   at 2:32 PM to Maintenance | Permalink | Comments 0

Gas Prices Fall, Oil Bounces Back

Gas prices fell overnight to their lowest level since late May, while energy futures rebounded as investors kept a wary eye on equity markets, according to AP

A Commerce Department report showing the economy grew by 3.4 percent in the second quarter served to support oil prices, as did the weak dollar, which drove investors to commodities such as oil and gas as a safe haven.

Light, sweet crude for September delivery rose 79 cents to $75.74 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract fell 93 cents on Thursday in sympathy with the stock market, analysts said.

Posted by   at 2:28 PM to Gas prices , Oil | Permalink | Comments 0

Volkswagen Profit Soars Amid Sales Rise

Volkswagen AG, Europe's biggest automaker by sales, said Friday that its profit in the second quarter and first six months of 2007 soared on better-than-expected sales in Europe and China, according to the Associated Press.

They also were boosted by cost-cutting efforts at home in Germany, the company said.

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

British racing greens - from zero to 150mph on potatoes and cashew shells

The tyres are made of potatoes and the brake pads from ground cashew shells. The body was created from hemp and rapeseed oil, and it runs on fuel made from fermented wheat and sugar beet.

Yet despite the greenest of credentials, this mean machine is capable of a highly-impressive 150mph.

The one-seater racing car - called Eco One - has been built by experts from Warwick University to dispel the perception that 'green' motoring means dull little electric runarounds or filling your fuel tank with chip fat, according to the Daily Mail of Britain.

Posted by   at 2:02 PM to Alternative fuels , Design , Environment , Fuel economy | Permalink | Comments 0

Open-shop laws threaten unions

Business leaders and politicians are talking about making Michigan the country's 23rd state with an open-shop or right-to-work law, according to USA Today.

Right-to-work is the phrase union opponents use to describe what unions call open shops. Under such laws, union membership is not required to get a job, and workers can choose whether they want to be in a union, even if a company is unionized.

That makes it harder for unions to organize new members in already-unionized plants and makes it more difficult to bring unions to new sites. Ultimately, unions say, it means more non-union workers earning lower non-union wages.

Posted by   at 11:19 AM to Unions | Permalink | Comments 0

Report: Banks postpone Chrysler funding plan

Investment banks raising funds for the turnaround of Chrysler Group postponed a $12 billion debt offer after investors balked, so they will now fund the bulk themselves to keep the automaker's sale on track, people familiar with the matter said Wednesday, according to USA Today.

The banks, which include Goldman Sachs Group (GS) and JPMorgan Chase (JPM), will fund about $10 billion of the deal, said sources familiar with the deal, who could not comment on the record because they were not authorized to speak publicly.

Posted by   at 11:16 AM to Chrysler | Permalink | Comments 0

Oil Prices Near $77 a Barrel

Oil prices neared $77 a barrel amid speculative buying and worries that inventories of crude oil at a key Oklahoma terminal fell last week, according to AP

Light, sweet crude for September delivery rose $1.08 cents to $76.96 a barrel by mid-afternoon in Europe in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract had risen $2.32 to $75.88 on Wednesday, reversing a three-day decline as traders started buying at lower prices.

Posted by   at 11:14 AM to Oil | Permalink | Comments 0

Ford Surprises Wall St. With 2Q Profit

Job cuts, slimmer losses in North America and good sales overseas helped Ford Motor Co. post surprise second-quarter earnings of $750 million, its first profitable quarter in two years, according to the Associated Press.

The company also confirmed it is exploring the sale of its Jaguar and Land Rover subsidiaries and said its U.S. market share rose during the quarter.

Posted by   at 11:13 AM to Ford | Permalink | Comments 0

Exxon Mobil 2Q Profit Slips

Exxon Mobil, the world's largest publicly traded oil company, said its second-quarter profit fell 1 percent from a year ago as lower natural gas prices hurt results, according to the Associated Press.

Still, the company's net income of $10.26 billion was the fourth-largest quarterly profit ever recorded by a publicly traded U.S. company. The latest profit compared with earnings of $10.36 billion in the second quarter of 2006.

Posted by   at 11:11 AM to Exxon Mobil | Permalink | Comments 0

Toyota's plug-in hybrid gets the OK for road tests in Japan

Toyota already dominates the hybrid market with more than a million of the vehicles sold over the past decade.

Now, it has developed a new type of hybrid that plugs into a home electrical socket for a longer ride as an electric car, raising the stakes in the race to develop more energy efficient, according to USA Today.

Posted by   at 12:45 PM to Alternative fuels , Design , Environment , Fuel economy , Toyota | Permalink | Comments 0

GM expects 40% mileage boost on big SUV hybrids

General Motors says it now expects 40% better fuel economy in city driving from the gasoline-electric hybrid versions of its full-size SUVs than their gasoline-only counterparts, giving the hybrid Chevrolet Tahoes and GMC Yukons 19 or 20 miles a gallon in stop-and-go driving, according to USA Today.

That's up from earlier forecasts of a 25% improvement and would give the big SUVs better mileage than some mid- and full-size, gasoline-power family sedans. It also would be better than so-called crossover SUVs that are stealing sales from truck-based SUVs such as Tahoe because crossovers typically use less fuel.

Posted by   at 12:41 PM to Alternative fuels , Design , Environment , Fuel economy , GM | Permalink | Comments 0

Labor talks may tiptoe around jobs bank

To many outside the auto industry, getting rid of the so-called jobs bank — a job-security program that continues to pay union workers almost their entire salaries even if there isn't work for them — seems like a no-brainer.

But as talks on new contracts open between the Detroit automakers and their biggest union, the United Auto Workers, it appears the jobs bank may not be a negotiating issue this time around, according to USA Today.

The automakers are focused on slashing health care costs, and the union has made it clear that job security is not something it will give up easily.

Posted by   at 12:39 PM to Unions | Permalink | Comments 0

Two big car shows in Rhode Island this weekend

If you want to see cars this weekend, a couple of major shows are really worth looking into.

The Preservation Society of Newport County is hosting the William K. Vanderbilt, Jr. Concours d’Elegance with events scheduled at its Breakers and Chateau-sur-Mer mansions.

Over 100 classic vintage cars will be on display at the Breakers while 25 or so vintage racing cars will be on display at Chateau-sur-Mer, including the famous “Birdcage” Maserati Tipo 61 that Dan Gurney and Stirling Moss drove to victory in the 1960 Nurburgring (Germany) 1000 kilometer race.

And Gurney and Moss will both be available for autographs and book signings along with a number of other race drivers, including Richard Attwood, Skip Barber, Bob Bondurant, Nick Craw, Janet Guthrie, David Hobbs, David Piper, Johnny Rutherford, Peter Windsor and George Wintersteen.

The concours will be open to the public from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. Judging will take place Sunday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., with the awards ceremony scheduled for 2:30 p.m.

General admission is $25 for adults, $5 for children 6 to 17, including access to the grounds of Chateau-sur-Mer and the Breakers, as well as a tour of Chateau-sur-Mer.

See www.newportmansions.org for more information.

Meanwhile, across the Bay in Goddard State Park in Warwick, the Autos of the World show is featuring as many as 1,200 classic cars and trucks as well as tractors and military vehicles. The show also runs Friday through Sunday.

All sorts of activities are planned, including a charity golf classic, a beach party, engine maintenance demonstration, detailing, welding and spray painting seminars, a battle of the bands, awards and a parade of winners.

In addition, there will be a craft show and raffle, vendors plus food and drink. The event is sponsored by Capco Steel Inc.

Check out http://autosoftheworld.org for more details.

Posted by   at 1:47 PM to Shows | Permalink | Comments 0

Toyota, Mazda, Honda Set to Resume Output

Carmakers Mazda and Honda and more than half of Toyota's shuttered assembly lines will restart at least some production over the next two days because a key parts supplier damaged by a major earthquake resumed operations Monday, according to the Associated Press.

Posted by   at 12:50 PM to Honda , Nissan , Toyota | Permalink | Comments 0

Gas Prices, Energy Futures Fall

Gas prices dropped below a national average of $3 a gallon over the weekend, while energy futures had their own decline on Monday on suggestions that OPEC may increase its output, according to the Associated Press.

Hasan Qabazard, research director of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, told Dow Jones Newswires he thinks oil is fairly valued at $60 to $65 a barrel, leading some to conclude the cartel may be open to reversing its long-held position that oil supplies are adequate.

Posted by   at 12:49 PM to Gas prices | Permalink | Comments 0

Auto Talks Begin Between GM and UAW

The president of the United Auto Workers said Monday his union is not in the mood to make concessions during contract talks with U.S.-based automakers who say they need cost cuts to stay in business, according to the Associated Press.

The comments came after the traditional handshake between officials from the UAW and General Motors Corp., the nation's No. 1 automaker. The ceremony officially kicked off negotiations between the sides.

Posted by   at 12:46 PM to GM | Permalink | Comments 0

After 2 weeks of hikes, R.I. gas prices down 2 cents

Gasoline prices have dropped 2 cents over last week, after rising the two previous weeks, according to AAA Southern New England, according to the Providence Journal's projo7to7.
Today’s AAA survey of prices throughout the state found self-serve, regular unleaded gasoline averaging $2.95 per gallon. That puts Rhode Island prices 5 cents below the national average for regular unleaded gasoline. At this time a year ago, the average local price for gas was $3.08.

Posted by   at 12:43 PM to Gas prices | Permalink | Comments 0

Photo: Take a look at the smart car in Providence

Here’s your chance to check out the smart car which is in town as part of smart USA’s “street smart” road show, a national tour to introduce the iconic two-seater to U.S. consumers.

Mercedes-Benz’s smart car, which has sold 750,000 models in 36 countries since it was launched in Europe in 1998, is stopping in Warwick today and near Waterplace Park in Providence tomorrow and Saturday.

I took a short test drive in one this morning with smart rep Kia Goddard and found the car fun to drive and comfortable, even on the highway where it more than held its own. It did not feel unsafe – it has a host of safety features – and, Boy, does it attract a crowd.

Top speed is about 90 mph, while fuel consumption is more than 40 miles per gallon. And it is so short - just over 8-3/4 feet long by about 5 feet wide - that it can be parked perpendicular to the sidewalk!

The road show features 4 smart fortwo cars for test-drives on a closed course, a mobile smart exhibit with interactive displays and virtual safety demonstrations and a safety display – safety is the number one question this side of the Atlantic, according to smart reps – featuring the “Tridion cell” (reinforced steel cage), dual and side airbags, electronic stability program and anti-lock brakes.

The display is open today at the Mercedes-Benz dealership at Inskip in Warwick and at 5 Moshassuck Street near Stillman Street and Exchange Street tomorrow, 12 to 8 p.m., and Saturday, 12 to 5 p.m.

- Peter C.T. Elsworth

Posted by Pam Cotter  at 12:35 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Contract talks may change auto industry

What some are calling the most critical contract negotiations ever for the United Auto Workers union and Detroit's automakers open Friday at Chrysler Group headquarters in Auburn Hills, Mich., according to an analysis by USA Today.

It's expected that this contract may revamp how the industry deals with big issues such as wage packages and retiree health care, as well as smaller ones, such as work rules and break times.

Posted by   at 9:56 AM to Chrysler , commentary | Permalink | Comments 0

GM Tops Toyota in 2Q Global Sales

General Motors pulled ahead of Toyota in global sales for the second quarter of 2007 but remained No. 2 for the first half of the year, according to preliminary figures released by the rival automakers, according to the Associated Press.

GM said Thursday it sold 2.41 million vehicles worldwide in the April-June period, while Toyota said it sold 2.37 million.

Posted by   at 9:52 AM to GM , Sales , Toyota | Permalink | Comments 0

Oil Prices Top $76 a Barrel

Oil prices rose today after news of new violence in southern Nigeria, where police said a Lebanese businessman was shot dead in his home in an apparent kidnapping attempt, according to the Associated Press.

Kidnappings and oil rig attacks have become common in the southern river delta region of Africa's largest crude producer, where oil giants like Royal Dutch Shell PLC, Exxon Mobil Corp. and Eni SpA have large operations. The assailants range from militants demanding political concessions to criminal gangs seeking ransoms.

Light, sweet crude for August delivery on the New York Mercantile Exchange rose 19 cents to $76.11 a barrel by afternoon in Europe.

Posted by   at 9:50 AM to Oil | Permalink | Comments 0

Chrysler, UAW Formally Open Auto Talks

With handshakes and smiles, negotiators from Chrysler Group and the United Auto Workers formally began contract talks today that many consider to be crucial to the survival of Detroit's three automakers, according to the Associated Press.

In reality, talks between the UAW, Chrysler, Ford Motor Co. and General Motors Corp. have been under way for months because there are so many issues to address.

Officials of all three have said they need labor cost parity with their Japanese rivals, mainly Toyota Motor Corp. and Honda Motor Co. Studies have shown the Detroit automakers make around $2,000 less per vehicle than their competition, with much of that due to labor costs.

Posted by   at 9:43 AM to Chrysler | Permalink | Comments 0

Backseat Driver: The smart car drives well and draws a crowd

Here’s your chance to check out the smart car which is in town as part of smart USA’s “street smart” road show, a national tour to introduce the iconic two-seater to U.S. consumers.

Mercedes-Benz’s smart car, which has sold 750,000 models in 36 countries since it was launched in Europe in 1998, is stopping in Warwick today and near Waterplace Park in Providence tomorrow and Saturday.

I took a short test drive in one this morning with smart rep Kia Goddard and found the car fun to drive and comfortable, even on the highway where it more than held its own. It did not feel unsafe – it has a host of safety features – and, Boy, does it attract a crowd.

Top speed is about 90 mph, while fuel consumption is more than 40 miles per gallon. And it is so short - just over 8-3/4 feet long by about 5 feet wide - that it can be parked perpendicular to the sidewalk!

The road show features 4 smart fortwo cars for test-drives on a closed course, a mobile smart exhibit with interactive displays and virtual safety demonstrations and a safety display – safety is the number one question this side of the Atlantic, according to smart reps – featuring the “Tridion cell” (reinforced steel cage), dual and side airbags, electronic stability program and anti-lock brakes.

The display is open today at the Mercedes-Benz dealership at Inskip in Warwick and at 5 Moshassuck Street near Stillman Street and Exchange Street tomorrow, 12 to 8 p.m., and Saturday, 12 to 5 p.m.

- Peter C.T. Elsworth

Posted by   at 11:03 AM to Design , Environment , Fuel economy , Mercedes-Benz , commentary | Permalink | Comments 0

Volvo sale not being discussed, Ford reiterates

Ford once again has said it isn’t in talks to sell Volvo Car Corp. following persistent rumors of a pending sale, according to the Detroit Free Press.

Speculation over the possible sale of Ford’s profitable Swedish automaker has been brewing for months. But, company officials maintain that there are no discussions currently taking place about selling Volvo.

Posted by   at 10:57 AM to Ford | Permalink | Comments 0

Crude oil looms toward record high

Petroleum prices are on the rise as growing global demand increases, while one prominent American businessman suggests the cost of crude oil could hit $100 a barrel, according to the Detroit Free Press.

Crude oil prices hit an 11-month high of $75.71 a barrel in after-hours trading Wednesday on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The record for crude is $78.40 a barrel set in July 2006.

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

GM global sales edge higher on emerging market gains

General Motors said strong growth in Latin America, Asia and other emerging markets lifted global sales in the second quarter, according to preliminary sales figures released Thursday, according to USA Today.

GM said it sold 2.405 million vehicles in April-June, up 0.4% from 2.395 million in the second quarter last year.

Posted by   at 10:43 AM to GM | Permalink | Comments 0

Ford Gets Bids for Jaguar, Land Rover

Ford has received several bids for its Jaguar and Land Rover units, but a spokesman said they were preliminary and no sale of either British automaking business was imminent, according to the Associated Press.

Thursday was a deadline to submit early bids on the two units, but a decision likely is several months away.

Posted by   at 10:42 AM to Ford | Permalink | Comments 0

Ford Seeking a Future by Going Backward

With its recent decision to entertain bids for Volvo, Ford appears to be shifting into reverse on its strategy, dismantling the collection of luxury auto companies - Jaguar, Aston Martin and Land Rover in addition to Volvo - that it once assembled with such confidence, according to an analysis in the New York Times.

Posted by   at 11:29 AM to Ford | Permalink | Comments 0

Chrysler pulls plug on Imperial

Chrysler, expecting tighter fuel-efficiency standards in the United States, has scrapped production plans for a large luxury vehicle to be built near Toronto, according to the Detroit Free Press.

In March, the local union at the Brampton, Ontario, assembly plant agreed to contract concessions in exchange for the promise of a $700-million Canadian investment at the facility to prepare for the luxury Imperial. The vehicle would have been larger and heavier than any car currently in Chrysler's lineup.

Posted by   at 11:03 AM to Chrysler | Permalink | Comments 0

Toyota to Halt Production Over Quake

Japanese automakers, including No. 1 Toyota Motor Corp., called production halts Wednesday at factories in Japan because of quake damage at a major parts supplier, according to the Associted Press.

The temporary closure of auto parts maker Riken Corp.'s plant at Kashiwazaki city, near the epicenter of Monday's magnitude 6.8 quake, has forced Toyota, Nissan Motor Co. Mitsubishi Motors Corp. and Fuji Heavy Industries to scale back production.

Toyota, Japan's top automaker, will stop production lines at a dozen factories centered in central Aichi prefecture Thursday afternoon and all day Friday, said Toyota spokesman Paul Nolasco.

Posted by   at 10:58 AM to Toyota | Permalink | Comments 0

Consumers Get a Break at the Gas Pumps

Food costs went up again but consumers finally got a break at the gas pumps in June, helping to lower inflation to the smallest increase in five months, according to the Associated Press.

The Labor Department reported Wednesday that the Consumer Price Index edged up a virtually minuscule 0.2 percent in June following a 0.7 percent surge in May, which had been the biggest jump in 20 months.

Posted by   at 10:56 AM to Gas prices | Permalink | Comments 0

Will iPhone Influence Car Design?

Apple's new iPhone, which went on sale just last month amid a blaze of hype worthy of a blockbuster movie, is very likely to have a major impact on the design of automobile interiors over the next few years, according to thecarconnection.com

Frank Homann, vice president of interior electronics solutions for Siemens/VDO inAuburn Hills, Mich., said carmakers are eager to make the car interiors more appealing to consumers. The demands of younger customers, who demand the latest in communications and entertainment technologies are driving automakers to adopt solutions very different from only a decade ago, he suggested. The so-called "Digital Natives," basically anyone born after 1987, want and demand "perpetual connectivity," he noted.

Hence, the iPhone, which its emphasis on ease of operation and ability to handle multiple operations, is very likely to serve as the standard for the engineering of the next generation of interiors, he said.

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

Electric Motorcycle On Sale in 2008

The world's first rechargeable plug-in motorcycle, called the Enertia, will be available next year, according to a press release last week from its Oregon-based maker, according to thecarconnection.com

The Enertia is the first in a new series of electric commuter, commercial, and recreational vehicles from Brammo Motorsports, a privately held company based in Ashland , Ore. It's the same company that makes the minimalist Ariel Atom sports car, which has found a niche following among the enthusiast crowd; but the Enertia looks to be a no-brainer for the environmentalist set, especially those who can't quite stomach the $100,000 price tag for Tesla Motors' Roadster.

To that end, the Enertia has more than eight times the wheel-to-well efficiency of a CAFE-average car and more than four times that of a typical motorcycle, according to Brammo.

Posted by   at 9:39 AM to Alternative fuels , Design , Environment , Motorcycling , Technology | Permalink | Comments 0

Fla. Governor Joins Arnold on CO2

Automakers are facing yet another indication of a sea change in vehicle emissions regulation, with Florida poised to adopt California 's 2009 emissions regulations, according to thecarconnection.com.

The adoption would make Florida the first state in the Southeast - and the thirteenth overall - to join the more stringent California regulations, aiming to bring a 25-percent cut in vehicle greenhouse gas emissions versus the current federal standard.

Florida , the nation's fourth most populous state, has more cars per capita than any other. What's more, the Sunshine State is also ahead of the national average, per capita, in new-car purchases. So the matter is expected to meet some heavy resistance from automakers.

Posted by   at 9:37 AM to Alternative fuels , Environment | Permalink | Comments 0

Vehicles keep inching up and putting on pounds

Despite high gas prices, the auto industry believes consumers view bigger as better and cars and trucks have ballooned as a result, according to USA Today.

Models getting the XXL treatment range from Audi's previously tiny TT sports car to the venerable Ford Taurus sedan among next-generation models. Even BMW's Mini is going to offer a maxi version.

Posted by   at 3:34 PM to Auto industry , Design | Permalink | Comments 0

Survey finds shoppers pleased with Acura

Acura dealerships ranked highest in a study to be released today that evaluates how consumers are treated when shopping for a new car or truck, according to the Detroit Free Press.
Land Rover and Saturn took second and third place, respectively, in the 2007 Pied Piper Prospect Satisfaction Index auto industry study. The report evaluates shopping experiences at 1,592 dealerships, representing all brands, nationwide.

Posted by   at 10:51 AM to Honda , Sales | Permalink | Comments 0

With This Tool, You Tell a Mechanic What’s Wrong

Two of the most alarming words a car owner can face are "check engine." That warning light on the dashboard could mean the car needs expensive engine work or simply that the gas cap is loose

For most drivers, there’s no way to find out without taking the car to a mechanic. The primary reason is that vehicles are largely controlled by onboard computers, which are generally inaccessible without the proper equipment and software.

But there are a growing number of products and services that are helping to take that helplessness out of car repair by doing the translation for you, according to the New York Times.

Posted by   at 10:45 AM to Accessories | Permalink | Comments 0

Once Frumpy, Green Cars Start Showing Some Flash

When Christopher Paine, the director of “Who Killed the Electric Car?” filmed the General Motors EV1, he had to search for a flattering perspective, according to the New York Times.

“When we filmed the car on the road, its best angle was the low front shot from the side,” he said. “It was gorgeous. The back of the car was more challenging. The car’s style did not appeal to certain design sensibilities

Posted by   at 10:43 AM to Alternative fuels , Design , Environment , Fuel economy | Permalink | Comments 0

Electric Cars Nearly Ready, but Batteries Are Less So

Clever and attractive, the Chevrolet Volt, a design study for a new wrinkle in electric cars, dominated the headlines coming from the Detroit auto show in January. But the introduction was punctuated with an asterisk, according to the New York Times.

The car that promised a fuel economy equivalent of 150 miles a gallon and a total range of 640 miles using its onboard recharging system carried a major caveat: the lithium-ion batteries required to make it a reality are not yet available, and won’t be until 2010 at the earliest, industry experts say.

Posted by   at 10:31 AM to Alternative fuels , Environment , GM | Permalink | Comments 0

Low-Cost Chinese Cars Making Restrained Entry to European Market

They have names like the Brilliance BS6, the Landwind Fashion or the improbable Hover Wingle, and though these sedans, vans and sport utility vehicles are hardly as familiar to Europeans as, say, a Volkswagen Golf, they are beginning to show up on European roads, according to the New York Times.
“I’ve got air-conditioning, ABS brakes and air bags,” said Carlo Scalvini, describing his Hover, a big and boxy sport utility vehicle built by the Great Wall Motor Company, with headquarters in Baoding in eastern China. “And the price is competitive: you pay 10,000 euros less in the end,” more than $13,000.

Posted by   at 10:29 AM to China | Permalink | Comments 0

Ford Denies It's in Talks to Sell Volvo

Ford, responding to reports that it's putting its Volvo unit up for sale, said it is not negotiating with anyone to sell the Swedish automaker, according to the Associated Press.
The Sunday Times, citing unnamed sources in London, said the decision to sell Volvo, which is part of Ford's Premier Automotive Group, was made in the past two weeks, but that the timing of the sale had yet to be decided.

The New York Times, in a story posted Sunday on its Web site, said Ford would entertain offers for Volvo following a board meeting last week. The newspaper cited people whom it didn't name who it said had knowledge of the situation.

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

Backseat Driver: Lime Rock starts club to boost finances

In an effort to ensure the future of Lime Rock Park, President Skip Barber has created The Club at Lime Rock Park, which offers 60 guaranteed track dates a year for 50 years.

Membership in the club costs $100,000 and can be passed down in the family or resold through the club.

Barber said the club is designed to achieve two goals. One is to raise money to invest in the track, particularly in resurfacing the track as well as upgrading such facilities as the press area and the entrance as well as planting trees in the unusually bucolic setting.

The second goal is to create a 50-year obligation for the track to service accommodate the members of its club with time on the track.

Rising land values in the area combined with the modest profit the track makes each year are at the heart of the initiative.

“It’s a gorgeous piece of property that used to be a gravel pit,” Barber said in an interview from the track, adding, “The value of land in the area has gone nuts.”

He said the property includes the hills surrounding the track, which are ideal for condo development, adding that developers are constantly inquiring about a possible sale.

In a prepared news statement, Barber said: “My biggest fear is that, if the business and finances of Lime Rock Park are not sufficiently strong, the value of this beautiful piece of property could exceed its value as a racetrack and that when I am no longer around, a future owner will be tempted to convert it to a golf course … like what happened at Bridgehampton."

“The membership dollars will be used to improve the entire park,” he said in his statement. “This is a way to guarantee that all improvements on the ‘wish list’ will happen - — everything from repaving the track to new bathrooms, an updated Media Center/Clubhouse and a larger and more efficient entrance, to name a few.”

“The economics of a road racing track by itself won’t pay for this magnitude of improvements,” Barber said. He said the club, which already has 10 members, will create viability for the track by paying for its upgrade and an obligation to remain open as a track for at least 50 years.

The club’s first full season will be 2008. However, there are four dates reserved this fall for qualified applicants to sample the facilities.

Lime Rock Park, near Lakeville in the northwest corner of Connecticut, is an historic road race track. It is host to such draws as the American Le Mans series, Vintage Labor Day Weekend and the famed Skip Barber Racing School (which Barber no longer owns) as well as numerous sport-car and amateur races.

- Peter C. T. Elsworth

Posted by   at 3:34 PM to Racing | Permalink | Comments 0

Mileage Bill Draws Fire From Buyer of Chrysler

John W. Snow, the chairman of the private equity firm that is buying Chrysler, said Wednesday that a Senate bill to significantly raise fuel economy standards could devastate the American auto industry, according to the New York Times.

Mr. Snow said he was optimistic, though, that lawmakers would ultimately agree on a less stringent way to reduce dependence on imported oil. He said his company, Cerberus Capital Management, would fight the Senate measure because it intended to own Chrysler long term. Chrysler lost $1.5 billion last year and is cutting 13,000 jobs in efforts to reverse a long decline in its share of the United States vehicle market.

Posted by   at 11:56 AM to Chrysler , Environment | Permalink | Comments 0

Obama trades Hemi for hybrid

Sen. Barack Obama got new wheels since he last visited the Motor City, but still rides between a rock and a hard place, according to the Detroit Free Press.

He lectured Detroit automakers about their having failed to anticipate the effect rising oil prices would have on consumer buying habits in a May 7 speech to the Detroit Economic Club. Then, after he got an earful in return when it was revealed his car was a Hemi-powered Chrysler 300 that got 25 m.p.g. on a good day -- the senator from Illinois went green, switching to a hybrid.

In fact, he got a Ford Escape hybrid SUV, according to campaign officials. That was before Ford Executive Chairman Bill Ford Jr. blasted Obama in early June on Mackinac Island. There have been no reports that Ford's criticism has prompted Obama to turn it in.

Posted by   at 11:54 AM to Alternative fuels , Environment , Ford , Fuel economy | Permalink | Comments 0

Talk on plug-in cars erupts in Congress

A debate over the survival of Detroit's automakers broke out during a congressional hearing Thursday on the future of plug-in hybrid vehicles, as advocates pressed for more action and a Detroit defender warned the industry was on the brink of collapse, according to the Detroit Free Press.

The hearing was a mix of sympathy, castigation and bluster that has become typical of any debate about the auto industry on Capitol Hill. While General Motors Corp., Ford Motor Co. and Chrysler are building prototype plug-in hybrid vehicles, none was invited to the hearing of the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming.

Posted by   at 11:51 AM to Alternative fuels , Auto industry , Environment , Fuel economy | Permalink | Comments 0

Refinery woes push up Midwest gas prices

You think gas prices are high in New England?

The Midwest is getting pounded by big jumps in gasoline prices — so big that they have pulled the collective U.S. average back above $3 even though prices elsewhere are lower and often still falling, according to the Associated Press.

Statewide averages in the Midwest zipped 5 cents to 7 cents a gallon overnight, travel organization AAA reported Thursday. Prices usually move less than 1 cent.

Problems at refineries in and near the Midwest have tightened supplies enough to drive up wholesale prices, which kicks up prices at the pump.

Posted by   at 11:47 AM to Gas prices | Permalink | Comments 0

Chrysler cuts minivan prices by thousands

Chrysler Group says its new Dodge and Chrysler minivans, which will begin hitting the showrooms this August and September, will have thousands of dollars in extra content and cost thousands less than current models, according to AP
The suggested retail prices on the base model Dodge Grand Caravan will be about $2,000 less than the current model, and the base Chrysler Town & Country will be $3,585 less.

Posted by   at 11:28 AM to Chrysler | Permalink | Comments 0

Oil Prices Inch Up After Energy Report

Oil prices rose slightly with prices gaining support from an International Energy Agency report saying global energy consumption would increase next year, according to the Associated Press.

The agency also predicted mixed global refinery performance for the rest of the summer.

Light, sweet crude for August delivery advanced 9 cents to $72.59 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange by midday in Europe. The contract settled Thursday at $72.50 a barrel, down 6 cents after dropping sharply from highs hit early in the session

Posted by   at 11:10 AM to Oil | Permalink | Comments 0

Old-time cruisin' revs up a revival

Gas prices may have hit all-time highs, but cruising — that great American pastime of driving just to drive, hanging out in parking lots and watching others drive — is back, according to a report in USAToday.

"We're the next generation of cruisers from our parents, who used to cruise up and down this same road," said Angie Guerra, 23, a receptionist who spent Friday night in a parking lot off Woodward Avenue, a main artery connecting Detroit with its northern suburbs. "We hang out and socialize and watch the nice cars go by. It's fun."

She and her boyfriend, Brian Meissen, 20, brought folding chairs and drinks. They met up with fellow car-lovers who stopped in and out of parking lots like party-hoppers on a social circuit. When cruisers got hungry, they left their cars parked and walked across the street to a nearby KFC.

Posted by   at 9:45 AM to On the road , Popular culture | Permalink | Comments 0

Cerberus chief Snow backs Chrysler reform

The turnaround plan that Chrysler laid out in February was one of the key things that made it attractive to Cerberus Capital, the private-equity firm that will soon own it. And Chrysler will continue following that plan with its current leadership intact, says John Snow, chairman of Cerberus and former Treasury secretary, according to USAToday.

In a speech to the Detroit Economic Club Wednesday, Snow said that he plans to give Chrysler CEO Tom LaSorda the advice and money needed to successfully implement Chrysler's restructuring plan.

Posted by   at 9:43 AM to Chrysler | Permalink | Comments 0

Oil Prices Climb on Mixed US Fuel Data

Oil prices rose after a bigger-than-expected gain in U.S. gasoline inventories was matched by lower-than-expected crude stockpiles, according to the Assocated Press.

"The latest data on U.S. inventory levels was rather uninspiring, with a little something for both the bulls and the bears," PVM Oil Associates in Vienna commented.

Light, sweet crude for August delivery rose 77 cents to $73.33 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange by midday in Europe. The contract slipped 25 cents to settle at $72.56 a barrel Wednesday.

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

World's oldest car for sale

A steam-powered car, billed as the oldest car in the world that still runs, will be sold in a Pebble Beach, Calif., auction on August 19, according to CNNMoney.com

The car was built in France in 1884, about a year before Gottlieb Daimler and Karl Benz of Germany built their first experimental gasoline-powered cars. (The two were working independently of one another.) Henry Ford finished his first garage-built car 12 years after this one.

The four-wheeled De Dion-Bouton et Trepardoux, nicknamed "La Marquise," was originally built for the French Count De Dion, one of the founders of the company. The car has had only two other owners since, according to auction house Gooding & Company, which is handling the sale.

Posted by   at 9:32 AM to Collecting , Sales | Permalink | Comments 0

Bid on Bumblebee

Now's your chance to bid on Bumblebee, according to USA Today.

The 1977 yellow Chevy Camaro featured in the Transformers movie is up for sale on eBay by Paramount Pictures, with proceeds to go to the Fisher House Foundation, which provides housing for families of wounded or ailing military personnel. The Camaro doesn't change into a giant alien robot, of course, but it is a functioning vehicle.

The auction can be found under "movie props" at transformers.ebay.com. Other items for sale include the AllSpark Cube, and Captain Witwicky's code-etched glasses. Bidding for the car ends July 18.

Posted by   at 3:38 PM to Popular culture | Permalink | Comments 0

Big 3, UAW tackle health care

The United Auto Workers could end up taking responsibility for billions of dollars of retiree health care costs if Detroit's Big Three automakers can make the costly and complex transfer enticing for the union in this summer's contract talks, according to USA Today.

A deal might mirror Goodyear Tire and Rubber's recent union contract, under which Goodyear agreed to invest $1 billion into a fund controlled by the United Steelworkers to cover current and future retirees' health care expenses. Goodyear pushes a $1.2 billion liability off its balance sheet while the steelworkers' union gains an asset that protects retired workers' benefits and can't be touched by creditors should Goodyear ever file for bankruptcy.

Posted by   at 3:32 PM to Chrysler , Ford , GM , Unions | Permalink | Comments 0

Ford says hydrogen cars close to production

The relatively quick-and-easy answer to foreign oil dependence and automotive greenhouse gas emissions is circling the grounds every day at Orlando International Airport in Florida, according to a top Ford official, USA Today reports.

It's a utilitarian 12-passenger parking lot shuttle bus powered by a 6.8-liter internal combustion hydrogen engine, which Ford officials said is their hydrogen technology closest to mass production.

Posted by   at 3:29 PM to Alternative fuels , Environment , Ford , Fuel economy | Permalink | Comments 0

Refinery woes shoot gas prices up

Gasoline prices are exploding in some regions, zooming as much as 20 cents in a day in the Midwest as a key Kansas refinery remains flooded and as gasoline stations recover big increases in wholesale costs they've been swallowing for at least a week due to problems at other refineries, according to USA Today.

Posted by   at 3:27 PM to Gas prices | Permalink | Comments 0

Many teens admit risky driving habits

Teen drivers admit that they're prone to text messaging, talking on cellphones and hauling their friends around in the car, USA Today reports.

A joint survey conducted by AAA and Seventeen magazine of 1,000 teens in April showed young drivers engage in risky behavior behind the wheel, prompting safety advocates to call for parents to be more aware of what their kids are doing when they leave with the car keys.

On average, 10 teens die every day in vehicles driven by themselves or other teens. Fatal accidents for 16- and 17-year-old drivers jump 20% in July and August, making them the deadliest months for teen drivers.

Posted by   at 3:25 PM to Safety | Permalink | Comments 0

GM hikes incentives amid pickup battle

The pickup discount fight escalated today as GM announced increased rebates and more low-interest financing options in an effort to boost sales that sagged in June, according to USA Today.

GM, which has been trying to reduce incentives and raise purchase prices closer to the sticker, announced that it would offer up to $2,000 in cash discounts or financing from 0% to 4.9% on regular-cab models of its Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups.

Posted by   at 3:23 PM to GM , Sales | Permalink | Comments 0

Gas Prices Jump 2.5 Cents Overnight

Gas prices jumped 2.5 cents overnight as the closure of two refineries in the Midwest continued to curb gasoline supplies in the Midwest and Plains states, according to the Associated Press.

Oil and gasoline futures, meanwhile, settled lower after a government inventory report presented a mixed picture of the domestic refining industry.

Posted by   at 3:21 PM to Gas prices | Permalink | Comments 0

Backseat Driver: Car Show at the State House Sunday

Gov. Donald L. Carcieri is hosting a shindig this Sunday featuring as many as 400 classic cars that will be parked all around the State House.

It's the first ever Governor's Classic Car Appreciation Day and will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The governor will present 200 citations to selected cars.

Cruisin' Bruce Palmer will keep the banter going and provide the tunes. In addition, there concession stands for drinks and refreshments.

Carcieri said he had visited a number of car cruises around the state and was impressed by the amount of money each raised for varioius charities. "I thought it would be a good thing for (Providence) in the summer time," he said, and worked with his deputy director of community relations, Sue Stenhouse, and Gene Pezzulli, chairman of the Autos of the World car show in Warwick at the end of July.

Pezzulli said he expected over 300 cars, with as many as 600, "depending on the weather," and 3,000-to-4,000 spectators. There is no charge for either showing a car or getting into the show.

"There'll be signs all over the place," said Pezzulli, noting that he was hoping to attract alot of folks from the Providence Place Mall to stroll over to check out the cars.

"We'll have all types, from the old to the new, 1099 to 2007," he said, adding that he was planning to attent in his red 1961 Ford Sunliner convertible.

Carcieri said he did not have a favorite classic, claiming his family was too poor to invest much money in cars. "I always got a ride with my buddies," he said.

Posted by   at 2:31 PM to Shows | Permalink | Comments 0

Seven tips on buying a new vehicle

The battle to get the price on your new vehicle starts long before you step in the showroom, according to thecarconnection.com.

Contrary to what your brother-in-law says, or your "friend in the business," buying a car for the best possible price takes time and research. What should you do before you even think of dropping by the local dealer? TheCarConnection.com recommends at least seven things before you sign on the dotted line:

Posted by   at 12:35 PM to Consumer rights | Permalink | Comments 0

These Teardrops Aren’t Lonely

The Second International Teardrop Gathering, held June 16-17 at Pioneer Village, a campground in Minden, Neb., was not a convention for people with hay fever, contact lenses or sad stories to tell. Rather, it was a get-together of more than 100 rounded-off camping trailers called teardrops, according to the New York Times.

Teardrop trailers are throwbacks, reminders of a time when people got by on less, because they were flat broke. Teardrops were products of the Great Depression.

Posted by   at 12:12 PM to On the road | Permalink | Comments 0

A Chrysler Designed to Beat the Wind

Innovation has never been a guarantee of success, but rarely have striking new designs been rejected as emphatically as happened with Chrysler’s Airflow, according to the New York Times.

In an era that otherwise glorified the streamline look in everything from toasters to locomotives, the Airflow lived a short, tumultuous life.

It was born in 1934, and by the time it died an unmourned death in 1937, it had very nearly taken the Chrysler Corporation to the grave with it. As automotive styling fiascos go, the Airflow ranks with the Edsel and the Pontiac Aztek.

Posted by   at 11:22 AM to Chrysler , Design | Permalink | Comments 0

Just Like Sturgis, but Serving Sushi With the Corn Dogs

They rally in Laconia. N.H., in June, in Sturgis, S.D., in August and now in Gotemba, Japan, in July, where the numbers may not rank up there, but about 20,000 Japanese bikers, many on Harley-Davidsons, are beginning their own tradition of motor-cycle rallying, according to the New York Times.

However, the spectacle of 20,000 Harley owners gathering last month for an annual rally at a racetrack in the shadow of Mount Fuji, Japan’s tallest peak and most sacred mountain, was jarring. The unmistakable growl of the big Harley V-twin engines was unlike the refined whirr typical of bikes on Japanese roads, and many riders were dressed as if they were pulled straight out of Harley’s Japanese Lifestyling Fashion catalog, right down to the $800 leather jackets and $85 garage shirts.

At first glance, the extra large Harleys — quintessential emblems of American brawn and self-reliance — are an odd fit in Japan, where many roads are narrow and congested and there are already four giant companies — Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki and Yamaha — selling bikes. But the cultural disconnect may be even greater: Japan is also a society that values conformity, not the spontaneity and independence that Harleys represent.

Posted by   at 11:03 AM to Motorcycling | Permalink | Comments 0

Ford, utility team up to test plug-in hybrids

Ford and Southern California Edison will team up to test rechargeable hybrid vehicles and hasten mass production of the new technology, according to the Detroit Free Press.

The California utility, which serves 13 million people in 11 central, coastal and southern California counties outside Los Angeles, will get a Ford plug-in hybrid vehicle by the end of this year and as many as 20 by some time in 2009 to test durability, range and impact on the power grid, said Susan M. Cischke, Ford senior vice president for sustainability, environment and safety engineering.

Posted by   at 10:57 AM to Alternative fuels | Permalink | Comments 0

Say ‘Hybrid’ and Many People Will Hear ‘Prius’

A riddle: Why has the Toyota Prius enjoyed such success, with sales of more than 400,000 in the United States, when most other hybrid models struggle to find buyers?

One answer may be that buyers of the Prius want everyone to know they are driving a hybrid, according to the New York Times

The Prius, after all, was built from the ground up as a hybrid, and is sold only as a hybrid. By contrast, the main way to tell that a Honda Civic, Ford Escape or Saturn Vue is a hybrid version is a small badge on the trunk or side panel.

Posted by   at 2:46 PM to Alternative fuels , Environment , Fuel economy , Technology , Toyota | Permalink | Comments 0

Ford Focus drives sales growth in China

Thanks to a refreshed 2007 Ford Focus, Ford said its retail sales in China jumped to 93,206 cars and trucks in the first half of the year, a 25% increase compared to the same period in 2006, accoording to the Detroit Free Press.

Ford sells imported and domestically produced Ford, Lincoln, Volvo, Jaguar and Land Rover models in the fast-growing Asian country.

Posted by   at 2:15 PM to China , Ford | Permalink | Comments 0

Crossovers gain drivers as gas prices stay high

With SUV practicality and carlike gas thriftiness, crossover vehicles are revving up sales in an otherwise tepid auto market, new figures show, according to USA Today.

Motorists are increasingly turning their backs on midsize SUVs, lured in part by gas savings, two studies find.

Posted by   at 11:11 AM to Design | Permalink | Comments 0

Motorists sue oil titans, retailers over 'hot fuel' losses

Think gas is expensive? It's even more expensive on hot summer days. Gasoline expands as temperatures rise. That means motorists get less energy from a gallon of so-called "hot fuel" than from a cold one, according to USA Today.

When Brent Donaldson, a restaurant owner in Kansas City, Mo., discovered that fact earlier this year, he joined hundreds of consumers in more than a dozen states who are suing oil companies and gas retailers, alleging that they have been overcharged by billions of dollars.

The lawsuits allege that higher temperatures of gasoline cost consumers between 3 and 9 cents a gallon extra at the pump.

Posted by   at 11:08 AM | Permalink | Comments 1

Chinese autos en route to USA

The next Made-in-China export bound for the United States - cars, according to USA Today.
Chrysler Group signed a deal Wednesday with China's biggest automaker, Chery, to launch a low-cost production venture that could export the first Chinese-made cars to the United States.

The first cars will reach Latin America or Eastern Europe within a year, and models should be exported to North America and Western Europe in 2½ years, said Chrysler CEO Tom LaSorda.

Posted by   at 11:05 AM to China , Sales | Permalink | Comments 0

Detroit auto sales drop in June; Toyota surges

General Motors' U.S. sales plunged 21.3% in June and Ford dropped 8.1% while Toyota reported a 10.2% sales surge compared with a year ago, according to USA Today.

But Ford remained the No. 2 U.S. auto seller in June, edging Toyota, according to the June sales totals reported Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Nissan said its U.S. sales rose 22.7% and DaimlerChrysler's sales dropped 1.8%, the automakers said.

GM said it sold 320,668 passenger vehicles

Posted by   at 11:00 AM to Chrysler , Ford , GM , Nissan , Sales , Toyota | Permalink | Comments 0

Despite 8.1% decline in sales, Ford, Mercury, Lincoln brands show life

Ford's sales fell 8.1% in June compared to the same month a year ago, but the company said in a news release that it was the first month since October 2006 that the Ford, Mercury and Lincoln brands posted a combined retail sales increase, according to the Detroit Free Press.

Retail sales exclude fleet sales, where vehicles are sold in bulk at discount to rental car companies and other businesses. As such, retail sales are considered a better gauge of true customer demand and future profits.

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

Chrysler recalls 80,000 Jeep Wranglers, Dodge Nitros

Chrysler said today it was recalling more than 80,000 2007 Jeep Wrangler and Dodge Nitro sport utility vehicles in the United States because of possible engine stalling, according to the Detroit Free Press.

Chrysler Group, a unit of DaimlerChrysler AG, said the recall would allow dealers to reprogram a power module to remove the potential for a brief interruption of electrical power to the instrument panel and the engine.

Posted by   at 2:24 PM to Chrysler , Safety | Permalink | Comments 0

Price at the pump drops again, but what's next?

The average price of regular, self-serve gasoline in Rhode Island as of yesterday was $2.919 a gallon, down a penny from last week, according to the state’s Office of Energy Resources, according to the Providence Journal. The price has dropped a total of 16 cents over the past four weeks.

And the average price is 9 cents lower than it was at this time last year.

But looking further back, gasoline clearly has become awfully expensive. Two years ago, the fuel was a relative bargain at $2.289 a gallon. A trip from Providence to Acadia National Park in Maine will now cost about $101 in gasoline, compared with $79 during the July 4 holiday week in 2005.

Experts say they are not sure which way gasoline prices are headed, as there are conflicting signals that indicate prices could go up or down.

Posted by   at 2:21 PM to Gas prices | Permalink | Comments 0

Tuning in ‘24’ While Heading Down the Highway

The prevalence of rear seat DVD players has already made the road trip game I Spy seem as quaint as Howdy Doody. But endless viewings of “Shrek 2” or “Over the Hedge” can generate boredom in the back seat, too, which is why the next big thing for in-car entertainment may be live TV, accoding to the New York Times.

Posted by   at 12:29 PM to On the road , Popular culture | Permalink | Comments 0

In Rear-End Crash Test, Most Trucks Fail to Stop Neck Injury

More than 60 percent of light trucks tested by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety have been found to provide inadequate protection against neck injuries in a rear-end crash, the most common type of accident, according to the New York Times.

Of 87 models evaluated, 21 received the highest rating, according to results scheduled for release Tuesday by the insurance institute. Fifty-four vehicles, or 62 percent, failed the test, which measures how well the head and neck restraints on seats guard against whiplash when the vehicle is struck from behind.

Posted by   at 12:24 PM to Safety | Permalink | Comments 0

Chrysler, China's Chery to make partnership official

Chrysler and China's Chery Automobile will finalize a groundbreaking alliance Wednesday in Beijing that could result in the first Chinese-made vehicles being exported to the U.S. market, according to USA Today.

The Chinese government has cleared the deal, a spokesman for Chrysler said Tuesday. A formal signing ceremony in Beijing featuring Chrysler Chief Executive Tom LaSorda is scheduled for Wednesday, he said.

Posted by   at 11:57 AM to Chrysler | Permalink | Comments 0

Big 3 fire up incentives for July 4th

Detroit's Big Three automakers are rolling out some of their most appealing discounts of the year this holiday week, counting heavily on 0% financing to lure debt-strapped consumers, according to USA Today.

Posted by   at 11:52 AM to Chrysler , Ford , GM , Sales | Permalink | Comments 0

Nissan focused on more efficient battery development

http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2007-06-27-nissan-batteries_N.htmNissan CEO Carlos Ghosn said Wednesday 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, according to USA Today.

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

Posted by   at 11:21 AM to Alternative fuels , Environment , Nissan | Permalink | Comments 0

Ford, Chrysler join fight against greenhouse gases

Ford and Chrysler have followed General Motors in joining the United States Climate Action Partnership, a coalition working to reduce greenhouse gases tied to global warming, according to USA Today.

The alliance of big business and environmental groups told President Bush in January that mandatory emissions caps are needed to reduce the flow of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases into the atmosphere.

Ford and Chrysler on Wednesday announced their membership in the coalition.

Posted by   at 11:18 AM to Auto industry , Chrysler , Ford , GM , Technology | Permalink | Comments 0

Nissan Stepping Up Response to Defects

Defects aren't something automakers usually like to spotlight, but Nissan's new facility does just that, according to the Associated Press.

Panel photos of cars that had caught fire and an exhibition of other examples of problems are among the features of Nissan's Field Quality Center, which opened last month in this town just west of Tokyo.

The center also includes special simulator machinery that recreates rocky and swerving road conditions to test vehicles indoors for problems. It also houses a huge storage area where some 150 problem parts are brought in a day from dealers for study.

At a time global sales are sliding, Nissan is investing $7.3 million in the center, which brings suppliers and developers under one roof to speed up response to defects and improve quality. In the past, Nissan did not have a central location

Posted by   at 11:15 AM to Nissan , Safety | Permalink | Comments 0