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Backseat Driver: Hurd Auto Mall is acquiring Wigwam Saab

Hurd Auto Mall is acquiring Wigwam Saab of North Providence in a deal that closes Jan. 2, according to President Chris Hurd.

"We're very excited about it," he said in an interview. "(Wigwam) has very, very loyal clientele and (the acquisition) fits into our menu of offerings."

"I've always had my eye on Saab," he said. "They have a fantastic product and I have been approaching (Wigwam) for years."

Wigwam President Don Gregson confirmed the deal and said that not only Chris Hurd but his father, the late Judd Hurd, had talked about acquiring the franchise.

Gregson said Wigwam on Charles Street has been selling Saabs since July 1958 when his father ran the dealership. It had previously sold Indian Motorcycles "which explains the name Wigwam."

He said he and his brother Dean decided to sell to Hurd because they wanted to retire along with their sister Drusilla and had been offered a good price by Hurd, who declined to disclose terms of the deal.

"We are very fond of Saab, of our customers and our employees, but the autombile business is very taxing today, both physically and mentally," he said.

"We are happy to sell to Chris Hurd because we have never heard a bad word about him," he added.

Hurd said the Saab franchise would be incorporated into the existing buildings at the Hurd Auto Mall on Hartford Avenue, adding that he expects a number of Wigwam employees to come over to the mall.

He said General Motors was supportive of the deal, partly because it has owned Saab since 2000. Hurd is an exclusive GM dealer, with buildings devoted to Chevrolet, Hummer and Buick-Pontiac-GMC.

He also said he intends to buy a Saab from Wigwam. "I want to start driving one now," he said.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 2:26 PM to GM | Permalink | Comments 0

Limerock club signs up 100 members, to renovate track and facilities

Lakeville, CT – Skip Barber, President of Lime Rock Park, has announced the Club at Lime Rock Park has signed up 100 members and officially commenced operations, according to a news release.

At a member meeting and holiday party held this past weekend, Barber announced the 2008 schedule of 60 member track dates, with more than 40 dates scheduled for May, June, July, August, and September.

Barber also announced Lime Rock Park has hired a general contractor, Mohawk Construction out of New Britain, Conn., and expects to announce the selection of a paving contractor soon. Site preparation to upgrade the track will begin this winter.

“We are very pleased to have more than one hundred member commitments and ... to begin major renovations on our historic, fifty-year-old track," Barber said. "Earthwork will begin soon and we will complete many of the track upgrades by the end of 2008.”

Construction is being funded by revenue raised through the sale of Club memberships. When Barber unveiled The Club last summer, he stated that 300 memberships would be sold to raise funds for track and facility improvements.

Memberships to the The Club carry a one-time fee of $110,000 which includes applicable Connecticut Dues Tax of $10,000. The length of membership is fifty years, and can be passed down in the immediate family or resold through The Club.

Barber said a topographical survey of the track has been completed and preliminary engineering work is underway.

“We will not change the original footprint or character of the track, but I believe we can make it a little slower and safer, as well as wider and smoother.” After the paving company is selected, Barber will announce the paving schedule.

The improved Lime Rock Park will feature a member clubhouse, renovated press facility, exclusive members pit lane, renovated bathrooms, and new water/drainage systems.

For more information, visit www.limerockclub.com.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 10:47 AM to Racing | Permalink | Comments 0

CAFE Won’t End Automakers’ Troubles

President Bush's signature on the new energy legislation raising the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) mileage standard won't end the industry's fuel-economy torment, according to thecarconnection.com
Tom Stephens,, the executive in charge of General Motors' powertrain group, said this week the real challenge for the auto industry is the new legislation calling for limits on greenhouse gas, which is pending in California and 20 other states.

The California greenhouse gas proposal amounts to a 43-mile per gallon fuel economy standard, one senior GM executive told TheCarConnection.com.

So far, the industry's efforts to block the California proposals in court have been frustrated. Only last week, the industry lost a key fight in a Fresno courtroom when a federal district judge ruled that California had the right to apply its own fuel-economy rules under federal law.

The continuing court battles and new rulings by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, giving states more latitude to limit emissions of carbon dioxide, will have a huge impact on the industry, Stephens said.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 10:30 AM to Fuel economy , Government regulations | Permalink | Comments 0

GM raises prices 1.5%, will offer buyouts to 5,200 workers

DETROIT — General Motors said Tuesday it is raising prices on its 2008 model year vehicles an average of 1.5% to help cover increasing steel and commodity costs, according to the Associated Press.

The increases are effective with vehicles invoiced to dealers starting Wednesday and will not affect vehicles already in dealer inventory, the automaker said.

The price of most cars and trucks will increase by $100 to $500, but the prices of certain vehicles in more competitive segments will not increase at all, said Mark LaNeve, GM North America vice president for vehicle sales, service and marketing.

GM's U.S. sales dropped 11% in November from one year earlier, hurt by falling demand for trucks as well as cuts in sales to low-profit rental car fleets. GM's sales were down 6% for the first 11 months of the year.

Separately, GM said it will offer buyouts and retirement incentives to 5,200 hourly workers represented by the United Auto Workers.

GM would not reveal how many workers it expects to leave under the program, but said 5,200 are eligible.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 10:29 AM to GM | Permalink | Comments 0

EU Proposes CO2 Emission Cuts for Cars

BRUSSELS, Belgium -- Carmakers would be required to cut carbon dioxide emissions in new cars sold in Europe starting in 2012, a move that could add almost $1,900 to the price of automobiles, under rules proposed Wednesday by the European Commission, according to the Associated Press.

The plan, which needs the backing of European Union governments, would put a heavier burden on producers of larger and heavier cars to meet new binding emission limits and would fine all carmakers that sell vehicles in the 27-nation bloc if they exceed the target, EU Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas said.

"Passenger cars account for about 12 percent of overall EU carbon dioxide emissions and emissions from transport are continually increasing," Dimas said. "The aim of the legislation is to reduce CO2 emissions from cars in order to help fight climate change."

Automakers, many of which tried to water down the plan, would be forced to reduce average emissions of CO2 from new passenger cars sold in the EU from around 160 grams per kilometer to an average 130 grams per kilometer in 2012.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 9:42 AM to Environment , Government regulations | Permalink | Comments 0