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Main page | September 16, 2007 - September 22, 2007 »

September 14, 2007

Hyundai Veloster For Real?

The Hyundai Veloster is one of the Frankfurt Motor Show's more striking concept cars. But according to the company it's not as outlandish as you might think and is a real production possibility, according to thecarconnection.com

The Veloster name is a combination of the words velocity and roadster. The car is designed to appeal buyers in their twenties.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 1:29 PM to Hyundai | Permalink | Comments 0


Small is Beautiful in Frankfurt

FRANKFURT - When it comes to this year's Frankfurt Motor Show, UP! is down, according to thecarconnection.com

Downsized that is, in the form of Volkswagen's pint-sized prototype car. Dubbed the UP!, it makes the automaker's original Beetle look positively huge. For the moment, the UP! is little more than a concept vehicle, but you likely won't have to wait very long to see it - or one of several variants the German maker will reveal later this year - go into production.

The same is true for a trio of minicar concepts revealed by General Motors, during its time in the Frankfurt spotlight. The American giant hopes to gauge reaction at this and several other major world auto shows to see if there's enough demand to justify production

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 1:23 PM to Alternative fuels , Design , Environment , GM , VW | Permalink | Comments 0


UAW talks extended; GM target for strike

The UAW has selected General Motors Corp. to be the lead negotiating partner, also known as a strike target, in the year's national contract talks, leading workers, analysts and labor experts to believe the union has agreed -- in principle -- to establish the retiree health care trust that the nation's largest automaker so desperately wants, according to the Detroit Free Press.

The union has agreed to indefinite contract extensions with Ford Motor Co. and Chrysler LLC, those companies acknowledged.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 11:14 AM to Chrysler , Ford , GM , Unions | Permalink | Comments 0


Car weight limits are a problem for fat Americans

The growing girth of Americans is colliding with government-mandated warning labels on all 2006 or newer cars that list the maximum weight — passengers and cargo — that's safe to carry, according to USA Today.

Many two-seat sports cars, including Mazda MX-5 Miata and Chevrolet (GM) Corvette, aren't certified to carry two 200-pound adults, according to a government formula aimed at tire safety.

Many five-passenger vehicles are rated about 850 pounds, maxxing out if their five occupants weigh more than 170 pounds each. Six 200-pounders would overload the seven-passenger Dodge Grand Caravan minivan.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 11:12 AM to Government regulations | Permalink | Comments 0


Oil down on fading hurricane, new credit fears

LONDON - Oil eased from its record high on Friday as a hurricane subsided in the Gulf of Mexico and as fresh evidence of credit troubles in the banking sector hit financial markets, according to Reuters News Agency.

There was some downward pressure on oil from credit worries that knocked European shares lower after UK mortgage lender Northern Rock tapped the Bank of England for funding.

U.S. crude dropped 62 cents to $79.47 a barrel by 10:05 a.m. EDT, having settled up 18 cents in New York on Thursday, when prices hit a record of $80.20 a barrel.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 11:08 AM to Crude oil market | Permalink | Comments 0


Car-Buying Spurt Helps Retail Sales

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Retail sales posted a modest gain in August, helped by the biggest jump in auto sales in more than a year. But there are concerns that spending could falter as the steep slump in housing and financial market turbulence weigh on consumer confidence, according to the Associated Press.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 11:04 AM to Sales | Permalink | Comments 0


September 13, 2007

2007 Ford Verve Concept

Say hello to Verve, Ford's small, fuel-efficient and affordable alternative, something that could go up against the likes of the Toyota Yaris or Honda Fit, according to thecarconnection.com.

And from the hints the U.S. automaker is dropping, its Verve concept may very well fill the small car hole in its lineup.

The concept builds on prior prototypes, such as the Iosis, which, in Ford-speak, introduced the new "kinetic design" philosophy. The sculpted form is designed to project both agility and muscularity - in sharp contrast to the cheap-and-cheerful small cars of the past.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 11:27 AM to Ford | Permalink | Comments 0


Hyundai Reaches with i30cw

On its Frankfurt motor show stand, Hyundai revealed a new tall-wagon variant for its i30 model line, which is new for 2008, according to thecarconnection.com.

The i30cw, which is reportedly destined for U.S.shores next year in slightly different form as the Elantra wagon, has what is called a "new wagon design philosophy," which translates to a more elegant, better-handling wagon design that brings the convenience of a van.

Overall length is about 176 inches - about three inches shorter than the Kia Rondo - making it significantly shorter than mid-size sedans but longer than most subcompacts. A long wheelbase of 106.2 inches is the key to the i30cw's very impressive interior space of 14.7 cubic feet with the back seats in place and 49.3 cubic feet with them folded flat.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 11:25 AM to Hyundai | Permalink | Comments 0


Toyota and VW developing competition for Daimler's Smart car

While Daimler continues to plug money into the never-profitable smart project, its very dogged determination has attracted at least two wannabes to the Frankfurt auto show this year, according to thecarconnection.com.

Volkswagen's UP! Concept is one, and Toyota 's IQ city car is the other.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 11:21 AM to Mercedes-Benz , Toyota , VW | Permalink | Comments 0


VW Mulling car plant in U.S.

While the automaker still needs "to do some homework," it is beginning to look like little more than a matter of time before Volkswagen officials approve a long-considered U.S. assembly plant, according to thecarconnection.com.

One of the key questions left to resolve is whether the automaker will use that facility to produce a product specifically for the American market, agreed several senior officials, or one or more high-volume models that could be exported around the world, in part, to take advantage of the steadily weakening U.S. dollar.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 11:18 AM to VW | Permalink | Comments 0


European Carmakers Bet That the U.S. Is Ready for Diesel

FRANKFURT, Germany — Two decades after diesel cars all but vanished from American roads in a cloud of sooty smoke, are Americans ready to give them another try?

That is a big question at the Frankfurt Motor Show this week, as European carmakers roll out “clean diesel” vehicles — their answer to the call for more efficient, climate-friendly cars, according to the New York Times.

Betting that diesel power will become an alternative to the hybrids popularized by Toyota and other Japanese carmakers, Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Volkswagen all plan to sell new diesel automobiles in the United States in the coming year, and many of them are on show here

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 11:12 AM to Alternative fuels , BMW , Design , Environment , Mercedes-Benz , VW | Permalink | Comments 0


UAW locals rally, fear loss of work

Tensions are ratcheting up as the deadline nears on the labor contract negotiations between the UAW and the Detroit automakers, according to the Detroit Free Press.

Around 1,000 UAW members rallied on the west lawn of Chrysler headquarters in Auburn Hills Wednesday to show discontent with their local negotiations, which are running concurrent with national talks. In particular, they oppose the automakers' demands that contract workers replace some union members.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 11:08 AM to Unions | Permalink | Comments 0


GM says Saturn electric Vue may be on the road by '09

FRANKFURT, Germany -- Saturn will put General Motors Corp.'s first plug-in hybrid -- a Vue compact SUV that can run up to 10 miles solely on electricity and switch to an engine for longer trips -- on the road "very quickly," brand general manager Jill Lajdziak said Wednesday, according to the Detroit Free Press.

"In 2009-ish," Lajdziak said.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 11:06 AM to Alternative fuels , Environment , Fuel economy , GM | Permalink | Comments 1


Judge says states can regulate emissions

A federal judge in Vermont said Wednesday that states have the authority to regulate carbon dioxide and other so-called greenhouse gas emissions from autos, a ruling that could require automakers to boost fuel economy as much as 59% by 2016, according to USA Today.

Because the only way to cut CO2 emissions is to burn less fuel, car companies say the ruling improperly allows states — not just the federal government — to set fuel-economy standards.

Automakers and their trade groups were still wading through the 244-page ruling late Wednesday. The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, which represents most big automakers, said it was "considering the options, including an appeal." The deadline for that is Nov. 13.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 11:04 AM to Environment | Permalink | Comments 0


Oil hits new high above $80

LONDON - Oil rose to an all-time high of $80.20 on Thursday after Hurricane Humberto forced the closure of some U.S. Gulf refiners and stoked concerns of fuel shortages this winter, according to Reuters News Agency.

Investors were also building up positions in the market -- their enthusiasm growing thanks to a market structure that can virtually guarantee favorable returns.

U.S. crude traded 21 cents lower at $79.70 a barrel by 10:36 a.m. EDT, having eased from its new record. London Brent crude also shed 21 cents to $77.47.

U.S. gasoline prices soared by 1.7 percent to $2.05 a gallon after Hurricane Humberto shut oil shipping channels and three refineries as it slammed onshore Texas.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 11:01 AM to Crude oil market | Permalink | Comments 0


September 12, 2007

Backseat Driver: Bentleys Rule

BENTLEY SS 10.JPG

Check out my piece on Bentleys this Saturday. The story is pegged to a 1924 3-liter green beauty owned by Dr. Paul Sydlowski of Bristol.

He has restored and tweaked the monster into the kind of racer that dominated European race tracks in the late 1920s, most notably the Le Mans 24-hour Endurance Race which the marque won in 1924, 1927, 1928, 1929 and 1930.

Sydlowski is the kind of collector who not only likes to drive his vintage cars, but to thrash them, as we say in Britain. On a 60-mile jaunt through southern Rhode Island on a recent sunny afternoon, he showed Journal photographer Steve Szydlowski and myself what his car can do when pushed, thundering along at 60-70 mph and taking corners at incredible speeds.

The fact is these cars were built to be fast tourers and then tweaked for the race track. With someone like Sydlowski, a very experienced driver who races his car on tracks and takes it on rallies around the world, at the wheel the car really shows off its stuff.

As he says, he loves the Bentley because it keeps up with modern traffic. No pottering along the road in a Model A at 35 mph for him; that kind of driving he describes as being "a menace to yourself and everyone else."

The mechanical genius behind these gorgeous machines was Walter Owen "W.O." Bentley who developed the engines following work on railroads, motorcycles and airplanes. Indeed, it was his engine that powered the famed Sopwith Camel biplane that fought the German Fokker triplane of Red Baron fame in WWI.

But he is mostly remembered for the fabulous cars his company produced from 1921 to 1931, when the company was bought out by Rolls-Royce.

Happily, Rolls kept the marque alive as the sportier counterpoint to its luxury cars and in 1998 Bentley was acquired by Volkswagen which has revamped the marque, creating some of the finest luxury sports cars in the world.

And VW has even brought the marque back to Le Mans where Bentley interrupted Audi's dominace over the last eight years to win the legendary race in 2003.

As I said, my piece on Sydlowski's 1924 Bentley will run this Saturday. See you there!

- Peter C.T. Elsworth

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 10:22 AM to commentary | Permalink | Comments 0


Toyota Considering New Plant in China

Toyota said it might need more production capacity in China to meet demand as sales there rise at about nine times the pace of those in the United States, according to a business brief in the New York Times.

“We are looking at the possibility of a new plant,” an executive vice president, Mitsuo Kinoshita, said at an investor conference in New York, without elaborating. Toyota, based in Toyota City, began building its seventh factory in China in June.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 10:21 AM to China , Toyota | Permalink | Comments 0


Germans See Imitation in Chinese Cars

FRANKFURT, Germany — It’s hardly surprising that a car that bills itself as the “ultimate driving machine” would inspire imitation. But to BMW, the CEO, a Chinese sport utility vehicle, is less respectful homage than brazen knockoff, according to the New York Times.

Charging that the CEO is a copy of BMW’s popular X5, the company has filed suit to prohibit its sale in Germany by the Chinese carmaker Shuanghuan Automobile.

That did not prevent Shuanghuan’s European importer from showing off the CEO on Tuesday at the Frankfurt Motor Show.

It was a vivid illustration, on the show’s first day, that the struggle over intellectual property rights between China and the West — a battle that has ranged over products from designer handbags to computer chips — now extends to cars.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 10:17 AM to BMW , China | Permalink | Comments 0


Sustainability Takes Center Stage at Frankfurt Auto Show

European automakers, stung by criticisms from environmentalists and government regulators that they are late to the green party, will be using the 2007 Frankfurt motor show to showcase everything in their alternative fuel and powertrain arsenals, according to the New York Times.

The biennial show, the 62nd Internationalen Automobil-Ausstellungen Cars, will be held at the mammoth CongressCenter Messe Frankfurt convention center from Thursday through Sept. 23.

Press preview days began Monday night and continue through Wednesday. Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, will open the show to the public on Thursday.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 10:13 AM to Alternative fuels , Auto industry , Design , Environment , Fuel economy , Shows , Technology | Permalink | Comments 0


Mercedes-Benz expects to profit on hybrids

FRANKFURT, Germany -- Mercedes-Benz expects to turn a profit on vehicles using the sophisticated new hybrid system it developed with General Motors Corp. and BMW, DaimlerChrysler CEO Dieter Zetsche said Tuesday, according to the Detroit Free Press.
GM has conceded it will initially lose money on the system. Zetsche credited his more optimistic expectation to Mercedes' higher sales price. Despite that, Mercedes will use the system on only one of the many hybrid models it plans to introduce over the next several years, he said.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 9:59 AM to Mercedes-Benz | Permalink | Comments 0


New Jeeps help Chrysler hang on to market share

At a time when crosstown rivals are seeing their U.S. market share decrease, Chrysler LLC has been able to hold steady in large part because of its new Jeep vehicles, according to the Detroit Free Press.

For Chrysler, it's been a mix of incentives on Chrysler and Dodge vehicles and the introduction of new Jeep products -- Compass, Patriot and the four-door Wrangler -- that are helping prop up the Auburn Hills automaker in a year when General Motors Corp. and Ford Motor Co. have seen significant declines, experts agree.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 9:56 AM to Chrysler | Permalink | Comments 0


UAW-automaker talks ramp up as deadline nears

DETROIT — Negotiations between the United Auto Workers and Detroit automakers are intensifying as both sides try to settle on a new contract before the current four-year pact expires at midnight Friday, according to USA Today.

After Friday, the risk of a strike increases. Negotiators worked through last weekend attempting to hammer out a new contract, but deliberations are focusing on a complex health care deal that might take longer to hash out.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 9:53 AM to Chrysler , Ford , GM , Unions | Permalink | Comments 0


Amid all the cars at Frankfurt, a Lamborghini and a rock star

FRANKFURT, Germany — Got a spare $1.4 million? Want a Lamborghini Reventon? Get in line and start saving your money.

The Italian carmaker has made just one of the cars so far and unveiled it at the 62nd International Motor Show in Frankfurt, Germany, according to USA Today. It plans another 20 for 2008.

They've already been ordered and down payments banked, said Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann. Each Reventon is a symbol of extreme exclusivity, even by Lamborghini's standards.

Winkelmann said the name itself, like the company, has a storied history. Reventon was a fighting bull, owned by the Don Rodriguez family and is famous for killing famed bullfighter Felix Guzman in 1943.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 9:49 AM to Lamborghini , Shows | Permalink | Comments 0


Oil above $78 as OPEC fails to calm market

LONDON - Oil held above $78 a barrel on Wednesday, close to its record high, after OPEC's modest output increase failed to allay fears over stock levels during the coming winter, according to Reuters News Agency.

U.S. light crude for October delivery was 7 cents higher at $78.30 a barrel by 8:15 a.m. EDT, after coming within a whisker of August 1's record high of $78.77 on Tuesday.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 9:47 AM to Crude oil market | Permalink | Comments 0


September 11, 2007

Higher gasoline price seen trimming down Americans

NEW YORK - Higher U.S. gasoline prices may slim more than just wallets, according to a new study from Washington University in St. Louis and reported by Reuters News Agency.

Entitled "A Silver Lining? The Connection between Gas Prices and Obesity," the study found that an additional $1 per gallon in real gasoline prices would reduce U.S. obesity by 15 percent after five years.

The report, written by Charles Courtemanche for his doctoral dissertation in health economics, found that the 13 percent rise in obesity between 1979 and 2004 can be attributed to falling pump prices.

Gasoline hit a low of less than $1.50 per gallon in 2000 before moving back to a record high of $3.22 in May 2007.

Higher gasoline prices can reduce obesity by leading people to walk or cycle instead of drive and eat leaner at home instead of rich food at restaurants.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 5:31 PM to Fun , Gas prices | Permalink | Comments 0


Oil Hits New Record on Supply Concerns

NEW YORK - Oil prices rose to a new record settlement price Tuesday as traders turned their attention to a government inventory report expected to show tight supplies and shrugged off OPEC's decision to boost output, according to the Associated Press.

Even factoring in OPEC's decision to increase oil production by 500,000 barrels per day starting Nov. 1, "supplies are tight," said Addison Armstrong, an analyst at TFS Energy Futures LLC.

And according to analyst predictions, they're going to get even tighter. Analysts surveyed by Dow Jones Newswires, on average, expect Wednesday's report from the Energy Department's Energy Information Administration will say that crude oil inventories fell by 2.7 million barrels in the week ended Sept. 7.

Investors had already priced in OPEC's increase, and many were looking for a larger production boost, analysts said.

Light, sweet crude for October delivery rose 74 cents to settle at $78.23 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange after alternating frequently between gains and losses. The settlement price bested the previous record, set July 31, by 2 cents.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 5:24 PM to Crude oil market | Permalink | Comments 0


OPEC agrees to raise output

VIENNA - Saudi Arabia persuaded OPEC to raise oil output by 500,000 barrels per day on Tuesday in a gesture to consumer nations worried by the economic impact of $77 oil and rapidly diminishing fuel stocks, according to Reuters News Agency.

After seven hours of talks, OPEC officials announced the hard-won deal, effective November 1. Before the meeting Libya, Algeria and Venezuela were inclined to resist the proposal put forward by Saudi Arabia and its Gulf Arab neighbors.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 5:21 PM to Crude oil market | Permalink | Comments 0


Oil Hits $80 a Barrel for First Time

Oil futures prices rose sharply Wednesday, briefly climbing above a record $80 a barrel after the government reported a surprisingly large drop in crude inventories and declines in gasoline supplies and refinery activity, according to the Associated Press.

The report from the Energy Department's Energy Information Administration suggested oil supplies are tightening as demand remains strong. That's why oil prices are rising despite OPEC's decision on Tuesday to boost crude production by 500,000 barrels per day this fall, analysts said.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 11:02 AM to Crude oil market | Permalink | Comments 0


Chevrolet Volt to be tested in '08

FRANKFURT, Germany - General Motors will begin testing the revolutionary electric drive system in the Chevrolet Volt concept car on the road in vehicles next spring, company Vice Chairman Bob Lutz said at a dinner Monday night, according to the Detroit Free Press.

By this time next year, GM may allow selected people outside the company to test the system.

GM is committed to putting the system in the Chevrolet Volt for sale by 2010, Lutz said.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 10:59 AM to Alternative fuels , Environment , GM , Technology | Permalink | Comments 0


2007 Bugatti Pur Sang

Considering it is rolling out barely one Veyron a week, you'd be hard-pressed to call the reborn Bugatti brand "mainstream." But for some folks, two identical cars are just too darn many.

So look for a special lineup of what will be the ultimate in limited editions, the Bugatti Pur Sang, or "pure blood," in French, according to thecarconnection.com

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 10:13 AM to Design , VW | Permalink | Comments 0


Oil steadies above $77, OPEC debates output rise

LONDON - Oil steadied above $77 a barrel on Tuesday, as OPEC debated a modest rise in crude production to assuage consumers worried by prices near record highs and rapidly diminishing stocks, according to Reuters News Agency.

U.S. light crude rose five cents to $77.54 a barrel by 1145 GMT, off highs of $78.32 that placed it within striking distance of its record high of $78.77, on the back of pipeline attacks in the world's fifth-largest crude producer Mexico.

London Brent crude was up two cents at $75.50.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 9:31 AM to Crude oil market | Permalink | Comments 0


September 10, 2007

As the Hardtops Hide, the Trunks Go Missing

THE age of the retractable hardtop is upon us, according to the New York Times.

The convertible BMW 3 Series, Volvo C70, Volkswagen Eos and Mercedes-Benz SL and SLK all wear hard hats, and the Lexus SC and Mazda Miata also offer retractable shells. With the Pontiac G6 and Chrysler Sebring convertibles, the retractable hardtop infiltrates the meat of the market, the domestic four-seat convertible.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 11:10 AM to Design | Permalink | Comments 0


When a Glass Ceiling Is Good

THE sky may be the limit, but the roof no longer is, at least to auto designers seeking a competitive advantage. While much of their attention has recently focused on the resurgence of retractable metal hardtops, many of this fall’s new models will stake their claims to novelty on skylights, according to the New York Times.

The naming of the new skylights suggests that the automakers’ knack for labeling their products remains strong. The companies that invented memorable names like Vista-Cruiser, Hydra-Matic and Stow ’n Go now offer UltraView, Sky Slider and Vista Roof. Still, at least one mystery of roof nomenclature remains unresolved: how sunroof came to mean a skylight that opens and moonroof became the designation for a fixed one.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 11:06 AM to Design | Permalink | Comments 0


A Private Viewing of Citroëns in a Museum of Sorts

Tucked to one side of Citroën’s sprawling auto factory in Aulnay-sous-Bois, about 20 minutes outside of Paris, is a gray and mirrored-glass building surrounded by a fringe of green grass.

One double-chevron logo adorns the awning of the entrance, but otherwise the structure is nondescript and incredibly reserved, like a warehouse from the future.

This is the Citroën Conservatoire, the company’s private museum, which houses an extraordinary collection of cars and an example of nearly every car the company has ever produced, according to the New York Times.

http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/08/28/a-private-viewing-of-citroens-in-a-museum-of-sorts/index.html

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 10:58 AM to Citroen | Permalink | Comments 0


The Power of Unpleasant Memories

USUALLY, when Madison Avenue uses nostalgia to peddle products, the result is the kind of “misty water-colored memories” that Barbra Streisand warbled about in “The Way We Were.” By contrast, a humorous campaign from BMW stands out for asking consumers to reminisce about a time in their lives they might have sought to forget, according to the New York Times.

The theme is “Relearn to drive,” which is also the address for the campaign’s Web site. The goal is to persuade car owners to consider attending the BMW school because a good deal of what they learned when they were taught to drive is outdated or irrelevant — or may have been wrong in the first place.

To sow doubts about how people were taught to drive and persuade them to “undo the damage,” the site presents nine archetypal (or stereotypical) characters intended to represent the people who helped most Americans learn to drive.

The characters include a feckless stepfather, an impatient older sister, a brusque high school coach, a bumpkin of a country cousin and a neurotic mother. They are all dissected in droll descriptions as basically well-meaning but hopelessly unqualified for the task. Thus the need for a visit to the school, which the Web site promotes as having been “built from the ground up to make you a better driver.”

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 10:50 AM to BMW , Safety | Permalink | Comments 0


GM Cuts Production for Quarter

DETROIT — General Motors cut its fourth-quarter production schedule by 10 percent on Tuesday as a tightening credit market caused sales at the Ford Motor Company, Chrysler and even Toyota to decline in August, according to the New York Times.

G.M. said it planned to build 107,000 fewer vehicles in the fourth quarter, compared with the quarter in 2006, even though it had managed to increase its sales 5.3 percent in August after giving discounts on full-size pickup trucks and other vehicles.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 10:45 AM to GM | Permalink | Comments 0


Ford brews colors to suit your fancy

About a hundred years ago, Henry Ford declared that his Model T customers could have the vehicle in any color "so long as it's black."

But today, Ford Motor Co. engineers and designers are mixing a paint revolution in the secret confines of the company's Dearborn product development labs, according to the Detroit Free Press.

By 2009, 45% of Ford, Lincoln and Mercury cars and trucks will feature new, often trendsetting paint colors -- a color changeover that will be the biggest in the company's 104-year history.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 10:38 AM to Design , Ford | Permalink | Comments 0


Cheney's hand in fuel rules claimed

WASHINGTON -- A Washington auto advocacy group claimed Thursday that Vice President Dick Cheney and the Bush administration devised a 2006 change in fuel economy standards for trucks that eases requirements on automakers, with limited input from federal auto industry regulators, according to the Detroit Free Press.

Public Citizen, which has sued to block the standards, says it based its claims on data gathered through a Freedom of Information Act request showing Cheney's staffers attending at least 45 meetings on fuel economy standards between 2001 and 2003.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 10:35 AM to Fuel economy | Permalink | Comments 0


People add luxury cars, but not motorcycles

FRANKFURT, Germany — Luxury automakers BMW, Audi and Mercedes reported healthy sales increases for August on Friday, but Harley-Davidson lowered earnings expectations for the because of a "difficult time for the U.S. consumer," Chief Executive Jim Ziemer said, according to USA Today.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 10:14 AM to Sales | Permalink | Comments 0


Side-crash tests will soon get much tougher to pass

The government Wednesday ordered automakers to beef up side-crash protection by late 2012, something car companies say they're already doing faster than the new regulation requires, according to USA Today.

The rule announced by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does not dictate how automakers must improve head and torso protection for occupants of vehicles that are hit from the side. But it adopts a tough test procedure that both NHTSA and automakers say will result in all vehicles having side-impact torso and head-curtain air bags.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 10:10 AM to Safety | Permalink | Comments 0


OPEC Members Insist Crude Is Plentiful

VIENNA -- Global oil markets are amply supplied with crude, key OPEC members said Monday, signaling that the cartel will maintain its current output targets at this week's meeting despite stubbornly high prices, according the Associated Press.

Oil and energy ministers for Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria and Venezuela told reporters on the eve of a meeting of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries that the 12-nation group felt little pressure to loosen its taps.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 10:08 AM to Oil | Permalink | Comments 0


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