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Backseat Driver: Dodge Challenger SRT8 is a true beauty

We are a bit backwoodsy here in New England when it comes to auto shows.

We may give them hifalutin names - the New England International Auto Show (Boston), the Connecticut International Auto Show (Hartford) and the Northeast International Auto Show (Providence) - but when it comes to auto shows, the top ones are ranked by the number of concept cars which are unveiled.

And while a number of concept are unveiled at the New York International Auto Show, most New England shows have to put up with concepts that are long out of the bag.

(I guess all these shows are "international" because they have foreign marques like Toyota, Honda, Hyundai and Nissan; the glossier marques like BMW and Mercedes-Benz don't even make an appearance at the Providence show.)

So it was at the recent Boston Auto Show where such "concepts" as the 2010 Chevy Camaro Z28, the Jeep Trailhawk and the Chrysler Imperial were a treat to see but not exactly new.

At the same time, the Dodge Challenger SRT8 concept, which was first shown at last year's Detroit Auto Show - excuse me, the North American International Auto Show - is just gorgeous and a treat to see however late.

Indeed, not only is the production model due to be displayed at the Chicago Auto Show - it's actual name! - in early February, but Dodge dealers started to take orders last Monday and its selling like hotcakes.

Chrysler is only making 10,000 of the 2008 Challengers,which are priced at $38,000, and dealers have already taken over 6,000 deposits for the vehicles.

Listen, I am no muscle car man - I drive an old granola crunchy Volvo wagon - but I can recognize beauty when I see it. This car certainly has a juicy powertrain - a 6.1-liter V8 - to give it the raw oomph of the old Challenger, but it also has the lines refined to New VW Beetle level of sophistication.

It is smoothed out with just the right touches of power trim - the pipes, the stripes, the tires - to echo not only the car itself but an entire era as well.

I fell in love with this car and can readily understand why it is roaring out of the showrooms before it has even arrived!

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 2:20 PM to Chrysler | Permalink | Comments 0

Energy bill vote pushed to today amid opposition

WASHINGTON -- Congressional Democratic leaders pushed back a vote on an energy bill with a historic increase in fuel economy standards until today, in the face of growing opposition from Senate Republicans, President George W. Bush and even some Democrats, according to the Detroit Free Press.

As outlined by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the bill would include new requirements for renewable fuels, the elimination of $21 billion tax breaks to oil companies and other sources of revenue, and require electric utilities to generate 15% of their energy from renewable sources by 2020.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 1:41 PM to Fuel economy | Permalink | Comments 0

Ford Recalls 1.1 Million Vehicles

WASHINGTON -- Ford Motor Co. said Thursday it is recalling 1.17 million trucks, sport utility vehicles and vans to fix an engine sensor that could lead to engine stalling, according to the Associated Press.

The recalled vehicles are all from the 1997-2003 model years with 7.3 liter diesel engines, including the Ford E-Series van, Excursion full-size sport utility vehicle, and F-450 Super Duty and F-550 Super Duty trucks.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 1:14 PM to Ford | Permalink | Comments 0

Gas Prices Fall While Oil Futures Rise

NEW YORK -- The pressure of higher gasoline prices on consumers eased further Thursday as retail gas fell a cent and edged back toward a national average of $3 a gallon. Crude oil futures advanced, according to the Associated Press.

Prices at the pump averaged $3.034 overnight, according to AAA and the Oil Price Information Service. Retail gas has been falling for several weeks since peaking at $3.112 as crude oil was approaching $100 a barrel.

Analysts expect gas prices to keep falling as long as oil is also generally in a decline, and they say gas could return to mid-October levels of around $2.76 a gallon.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 1:11 PM to Gas prices | Permalink | Comments 0

Bologna Motor Show Surprises with Intros

Bologna, Italy - Ford continued its roll-out of new small vehicles with the reveal of the new Ford Focus wagon at the Bologna Motor Show, which hosted a few international debuts in the waning days of the 2007 auto show season, according to thecarconnection.com.

The Bologna show also played host to a number of other introductions, including a HUMMER H3 Black Edition and the Porsche Boxster RS60 Spyder, which will be produced in limited quantities. Fewer than 2000 units will go into showrooms worldwide, Porsche officials said.

Renault also rolled out a restyled version of the Modus and Mahindra and Mahindra, the Indian car maker with global ambitions, showed off a version of the GOA sport-utility vehicle that it hopes to sell in Europe.

By and large, European carmakers, judging from the remarks during the Bologna show, are cautious about 2008. The turmoil in financial systems has undermined consumer confidence in key markets such as the United Kingdom and Germany.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 12:26 PM to Shows | Permalink | Comments 0

MINI to build Sport Activity Vehicle in Austria

Back in 2001 it was a matter of pride for BMW that it was building the all-new MINI in the U.K., home of the original city car that was launched in August 1959, according to thecarconnection.com.

Using the former British Leyland plant at Cowley, Oxford, gave the car credibility even though it was a German project. But that was before the cute car became a global sales phenomenon, spawning a cabriolet and now the Clubman estate.

The next stage, as widely predicted, is a MINI Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV), and there's simply not room at Cowley to build it. The answer has come in the form of Magna Steyr in Graz, Austria.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 11:59 AM to BMW | Permalink | Comments 0

Nardelli tells staff Chrysler to lose $1.6 billion this year

A week after a top-level Chrysler LLC executive told a bunch of college students that the automaker was spending more than it was making, CEO Bob Nardelli delivered a similar message to a group of the company's engineers and designers, according to the Detroit Free Press.

Chrysler is poised to lose $1.6 billion this year, Nardelli reportedly said.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 9:54 AM to Chrysler | Permalink | Comments 0

Oil Prices Fall to About $87 a Barrel

Oil prices dropped to about $87 a barrel on Thursday, the lowest in six weeks, after a report showed an increase in U.S. supplies of gasoline and distillates, according to the Associated Press.

The market also was buoyed by a rise of crude supplies at a key U.S. terminal.

Traders shrugged off news like OPEC's decision to keep production levels steady and a big drop in overall U.S. crude stockpiles and took profits before prices fell further.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 9:51 AM to Crude oil market | Permalink | Comments 0

Greenhouse Villain Could Be a White Knight After All

The European Union is serious about reining in the release of gases that contribute to global warming. As of Jan. 1, 2011, air-conditioning systems for all new European-made vehicles must begin the switch to a refrigerant other than the current formulation, known as R134a, according to the New York Times.

If there is a familiar ring to this development, it’s because the predecessor of R134a was itself banned for environmental reasons. While the effects on the earth’s atmosphere are different this time, the scramble by automakers to comply seems every bit as urgent.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 11:08 AM to Environment , Government regulations | Permalink | Comments 0

House may get fuel bill today

WASHINGTON -- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi prepared Tuesday to bring a massive energy bill, with several provisions that the White House has warned could draw a veto from President George W. Bush, to the House floor as early as today, according to the Detroit Free Press.

Pelosi's office said Tuesday that the bill would include $21 billion in repeals of tax breaks for oil and gas companies, as well as standards requiring public power utilities to generate 15% of their energy from renewable sources by 2020. Republicans and several business groups oppose both clauses and could block the bill in the Senate. Democrats are expected to pass the bill in the House, thanks to the deal on fuel economy standards setting a new target of 35 m.p.g. by 2020.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 11:05 AM to Fuel economy | Permalink | Comments 0

If there is a recession, auto production cuts likelier than incentives

If the United States slips into a recession next year, it could unfold very differently in Detroit than it did in 2001, according to Detroit Free Press business writers Tim Higgins and Jewel Gopwani.
That time, automakers offered generous incentives to buyers in the wake of 9/11, rather than let demand fall and plants go idle. GM kicked off the no-interest loan craze with its Keep America Rolling campaign.

Incentives won't go away, but this time it appears that automakers are more likely to accept fewer sales at higher prices. Automakers are already choosing to cut production to meet reduced demand.

To be clear: No Detroit automaker is talking recession publicly, but on Monday, GM and Ford both announced lower production plans for the first quarter of 2008 -- the lowest since at least the recession of 1991.

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

White edges out silver as most popular color for autos

DETROIT — After seven years leading the pack, silver has given up its title as the most popular vehicle color in North America, losing out by a small margin to white and pearl white, according to a study done by DuPont Automotive Systems reported by USA Today.

White's rise in popularity is a sign that some new color, possibly red, blue or black, will emerge as North America's favorite hue in the next year or so, DuPont says. In the 55 years that DuPont, which manufactures vehicle paints, has released the study, white usually emerges as a favorite for a year or two in between changing trends.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 10:57 AM to Auto industry | Permalink | Comments 0

Oil Rises After OPEC Holds Quotas Steady

Oil prices rose sharply to about $90 a barrel Wednesday as OPEC members said they would keep output ceilings steady, according to the Associated Press.

Expectations that a weekly U.S. petroleum supply report due later Wednesday would show a small decrease in crude inventories also supported prices.

Light, sweet crude for January delivery added $1.61 to $89.93 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange by afternoon in Europe.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 10:55 AM to Crude oil market | Permalink | Comments 0

OPEC Holds Production Steady, Oil Rises

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates -- OPEC decided Wednesday to keep its output ceilings steady in a move that propelled crude toward $90 a barrel, but plans to review the situation early next year, according to the Associated Press.

The move by the 13-nation Organization of Petroleum Exporting countries appeared to reflect OPEC concerns that it would be counterproductive to raise overall production quotas at a time when prices have retreated about 10 percent from recent record highs.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 10:53 AM to Crude oil market | Permalink | Comments 0

Ford and G.M. Plan to Trim 2008 Output

DETROIT — General Motors and Ford, struggling to keep turnaround plans on track, both said Monday that they would cut production in the first quarter because of slowing sales, according to the New York Times.

G.M. said it expected to produce 950,000 vehicles from January through March, down 11 percent from the same period in 2007. Ford said it planned to build 685,000 vehicles in the first quarter, a 7 percent decline.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 12:53 PM to Ford , GM | Permalink | Comments 1

Malibu, Cadillac CTS among Car and Driver's 10 best

The 2008 Chevrolet Malibu and Cadillac CTS have been named by Car and Driver magazine as among the 10 best cars sold in the U.S., each for the first time, according to the Detroit Free Press.

The Honda Accord made the list for a 22nd time.

The BMW 3-Series and the Chevrolet Corvette were included for the 17th and 14th year in a row respectively.

Car and Driver editors rated vehicles on performance, driving satisfaction and value.

Rounding out the top 10 were the Honda Fit, Mazda MX-5, Mazdaspeed 3, Porsche Boxster/Cayman and Volkswagen GTI.

General Motors was the only domestic auto manufacturer to have a car named. No SUVs or trucks made the list.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 12:50 PM to GM | Permalink | Comments 0

Gasoline prices could fall as crude oil wavers

The price of oil — within winking distance of $100 a barrel last week — has fallen and can't get up. Futures prices for light, sweet crude hovered around $88 a barrel Tuesday.

If prices continue at less than $90, gasoline retailers could afford to pass along the past week's 20-cent drop in their wholesale prices, according to USA Today. The price of oil accounts for roughly two-thirds the price of gasoline, the latest government data say.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 12:47 PM to Gas prices | Permalink | Comments 0

High gas prices help sales of thriftier cars

High gas prices took their toll on the auto industry last month, decimating sales of larger vehicles but pushing smaller, cheaper and more fuel-thrifty models and gas-electric hybrids out the door, sales figures released Monday show, according to USA Today.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 12:45 PM to Sales | Permalink | Comments 0

Oil Rises Amid OPEC Uncertainty

Oil prices fell Tuesday on speculation that OPEC oil ministers would increase production during a meeting later this week, according to the Associated Press. A new U.S. intelligence report concluding that Iran halted its nuclear weapons development program in 2003 also helped push prices lower.

Light, sweet crude for January delivery was down 92 cents to $88.39 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange by midday in Europe. Earlier Tuesday, it rose as high $89.98.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 9:49 AM to Crude oil market | Permalink | Comments 0

Ford, Toyota Sales Are Flat; GM Down

DETROIT -- Automakers reported mixed U.S. sales results for November on Monday, with some new or more fuel-efficient models performing well despite consumer malaise over high gas prices and the weak economy, according to the Associated Press.http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AUTO_SALES?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2007-12-03-14-12-56

General Motors, the biggest automaker by U.S. sales, said its sales dropped 11 percent, hurt by falling demand for trucks as well as cuts in sales to rental car fleets. Ford and Toyota both reported flat sales for the month. Nissan's sales rose 6 percent.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 2:56 PM to Ford , GM , Sales , Toyota | Permalink | Comments 0

Power: Younger Buyers Avoiding Domestics

A new study from J.D. Power & Associates offers some new insight into the steep cost American carmakers are paying for what is seen a sluggish response to rising fuel prices. The new Power study also underscored the importance of perception in consumer attitudes toward various vehicles and brands, according to thecarconnection.com.

While older buyers who purchase domestic vehicles are more likely to avoid certain models because they are imports, younger consumers who purchase import vehicles are more likely to avoid models because they are of domestic origin, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2007 Avoider Study.

Among import buyers for example, the younger the person is, the more likely they are to avoid models because they are of domestic origin, the study found.

The study was based on responses from more than 35,000 owners who registered a new vehicle in May 2007, and it examines the reasons consumers fail to consider particular models when shopping for a new vehicle.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 11:16 AM to Auto industry | Permalink | Comments 0

Chrysler, VW Getting Closer?

The ink is hardly dry on the Chrysler-Daimler divorce papers, but already, another German carmaker could be waiting in the wings for the American carmaker, according to thecarconnection.com
David Cole, chairman of the Center For Automotive Research, said competition is forcing automakers to consider options they might not have contemplated only 12 months ago.

"There is going to be another round of mergers in the auto industry and the one company that matches up well with Volkswagen is Chrysler," he noted.

Volkswagen already has a joint project with Chrysler to develop a new minivan, which will be assembled by Chrysler in the next couple of years and will be sold in the U.S.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 10:55 AM to Chrysler , VW | Permalink | Comments 0

Former GM Chief Smith Dies

Roger B. Smith, the man who set General Motors on a new and controversial course in the 1980s, has died in Detroit after a brief illness, according to thecarconnections.com. He was 82.

Smith joined General Motors in 1949 after serving as a radioman for Admiral Arleigh Burke during World War II. He was at the center of major events at the automaker, having served early on in his career to GM´s legendary Alfred P. Sloan. After working for Sloan, Smith moved steadily up through the organization during its post-World War II heyday, earning a reputation for financial acumen.

That acumen was challenged as Smith was named chairman just as the industry was shaken by a surge in oil prices, following the 1979 Iranian revolution, and new competition from Japan.

He later became the object of ridicule with the release of Michael Moore's groundbreaking satire, "Roger and Me."

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 10:54 AM to GM | Permalink | Comments 0

Oil Prices Fall Ahead of OPEC Meeting

Oil prices fell Monday in a volatile market on speculation that OPEC may still boost output at its meeting this week despite last week's sharp price drop, according to the Associated Press.

Light, sweet crude for January delivery was down 67 cents to $88.04 in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange by midafternoon in Europe. The contract had earlier traded as high as $89.94 and as low as $87.47.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 10:51 AM to Crude oil market | Permalink | Comments 0

November auto sales due today, lowest figures in decade seen

With the 11th month of 2007 U.S. auto sales results set to be released, a clearer picture will emerge as to how the year will end up for each auto company, brand and model, according to the Detroit Free Press's Tim Higgins.

Industry sales this year are expected to be the lowest in a decade. Earlier estimates for how November will look don't appear upbeat. Tom Libby, senior director of industry analysis at the Power Information Network, a subsidiary of J.D. Power and Associates, said that through Nov. 25, retail sales industrywide were down 7%. But Libby cautions that the auto companies can make interesting moves in the final month of the year in attempts to boost sales.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 10:13 AM to Auto industry , Sales | Permalink | Comments 0

Fuel economy deal gives automakers some wiggle room

This year's battle over tougher fuel economy standards has featured environmentalists demanding unbreakable guarantees for more-efficient cars and trucks, while automakers defended flexibility to meet an uncertain future.

Friday's compromise represented a split decision, according to the Detroit Free Press's Justin Hyde.
The deal negotiated by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Rep. John Dingell, a Dearborn Democrat, will force U.S. automakers to make a 40% improvement in their vehicles' mileage to 35 miles per gallon by 2020.

The proposal sets those targets, which the industry loudly opposed for much of this year, as the floor for federal regulators: They cannot set lower standards, but could impose a higher goal if they see fit.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 9:47 AM to Fuel economy , Government regulations | Permalink | Comments 0