Main page | July 19, 2007 »

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