Main page | February 2008 »

More auto giants join the Super Bowl ad blitz

This Super Bowl Sunday, look for ads about earth-friendly SUVs, fuel-efficient compacts and German sports cars, joining the fray of talking animals and silly beer commercials, according to the Detroit Free Press.

Automakers and auto-related companies, like tiremaker Bridgestone and cars.com, typically are the second-largest buyer of ad time during the Super Bowl.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 10:01 AM to Sales | Permalink | Comments 0

US Unveils New Child Seat Ratings System

WASHINGTON -- Parents who struggle to install their child safety seats or fasten their toddlers in the back-seat chairs are receiving some new guidance from the government, according to the Associated Press.
The Transportation Department said Wednesday it was revamping a consumer ratings system for child safety seats to help parents and caregivers make the best choice for their kids.

The new approach will use a five-star rating system, based on the seats' ability to secure a child and the ease with which the seats are installed. It will also consider the seats' labeling and instruction manuals.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 9:57 AM to Safety | Permalink | Comments 0

Isuzu to Quit U.S. SUV, Light Truck Sales in 2009

Isuzu Motors, which helped popularize sport-utility vehicles in the 1980s, said it will exit the U.S. consumer auto market next year, the first departure by an Asian brand since 2002, according to Bloomberg News.

Sales of Ascender SUVs and i-series pickup trucks, both supplied by General Motors Corp., will halt at the end of January 2009, Isuzu said today in a statement. U.S. demand for the company's vehicles has fallen 93 percent in eight years.

``There are no forecasts for continuation of the SUV business through introduction of a next-generation vehicle,'' Tokyo-based Isuzu said.

Isuzu's boxy Trooper sparked interest in truck-based SUVs in the late 1980s, helping push its U.S. sales to a peak of 103,629 in 1999. Since then, it's had the industry's steepest decline, selling just 7,098 vehicles last year -- the smallest volume for any Asia-based brand in the U.S.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 9:55 AM to Sales | Permalink | Comments 0

Chicago auto show: Trucks come out early and often

The Chicago auto show has a reputation as a truck show, and it won't give much ground on that this year. General Motors, especially, is rolling out an intriguing array of trucks not seen at the Detroit show last month — or anywhere else, according to USA Today.

Other automakers have a variety of models top show, including sleek coupes and updated sedans. Dodge is unveiling the production version of the Challenger at the show.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 9:50 AM to Shows | Permalink | Comments 0

Ten Luxury Cars Not Sold In The U.S.

You can buy handmade Italian leather shoes or perfectly aged French wine in the United States, but don't waste time looking for certain luxury cars, according to Forbes.com

Among the sets of wheels not available to U.S. buyers are the French-made Peugeot 407 and Citroen 6, and Italian-made Alfa Romeo Brera and Spider, and Lancia Thesis.

The reasons are simple. Many European automakers, such as Peugeot, produce diesel-engine vehicles, which haven't caught on with U.S. car buyers. And some vehicles made in Europe, like the BMW 1 Series hatchback and Mercedes-Benz B Class compact, have yet to stir interest among U.S. luxury car buyers who bypass such small hatchbacks, preferring roomy sedans and coupes.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 11:55 AM to Design | Permalink | Comments 2

Britain's AutoCar spies Rolls-Royce's RR4 prototype

This is one of the first full-bodied prototypes for the car known internally at Rolls-Royce as ‘RR4,' according to British car mag AutoCar. The smaller saloon is due to go on sale in 2010.

Our spies have exposed the new smallest Rolls-Royce in its entirety for the first time.

These shots, snapped recently in Munich, show how faithfully the new car will adopt the Phantom’s design language (reference the car’s thick C-pillar and suicide rear doors).

However, it’s also significantly lower and shorter than a Phantom, has a shorter bonnet, and a much less upright grille, than its bigger sibling.

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

GM Exec: Car Prices Could Jump

DETROIT -- U.S. automobile prices could rise significantly in the near future because of industry restructuring and rising raw material and regulatory costs, General Motors Corp.'s chief financial officer said Tuesday, according to the Associated Press.

Fritz Henderson said the industry has less manufacturing capacity than in the past and therefore less pressure to sell vehicles cheaply just to move inventory.

It also faces higher raw materials costs, rising technology costs and increased costs from fuel economy and other government regulations, he said.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 10:41 AM to GM | Permalink | Comments 0

PBS names "Car Talk" cartoon

PBS has confirmed the title of its first-ever animated sitcom, based on the hit NPR show "Car Talk" starring Tom and Ray Magliozzi.

As the real life animated duo say on their Web site:

"That's right — thanks to the creative brainpower of Car Talk listener Geoff Groff (of Lancaster, Penn.), our new TV show finally can be called something other than, "that animated thing we're working on with PBS."

It's, "Click and Clack's As the Wrench Turns."

Good work, Geoff!

Now, the bad news: For having his suggestion selected, Geoff scored himself a cameo in an upcoming episode of, "Click and Clack's As the Wrench Turns." We figure it's only fair. The infamy that will haunt him for the rest of his days will more than offset the pride and joy he's experiencing right now."

The show, which follows the on and off-air adventures of the dynamic duo in ten 30-minute episodes, will premiere this summer.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 12:02 PM to Fun | Permalink | Comments 0

Vegetable-oil drivers deserve credit

Motorists who modify an old diesel vehicle to run on straight vegetable oil make use of a greasy byproduct of the restaurant industry, reduce demand for petro-fuels and don’t use up materials needed to make a new car, but they get little respect, according to an opinion piece by Jim Kozubek in The Providence Journal.

The Internal Revenue Service gives tax credits to buyers of brand-new hybrid and lean-burning vehicles, but gear-heads who modify their own vehicles to run on straight vegetable oil get no tax credit.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 11:17 AM to Alternative fuels , commentary | Permalink | Comments 0

NYT's Jim Cobb answers auto related questions

My old pal Jim Cobb, automobiles editor at The New York Times, is answering reader questions Jan. 28-Feb. 1 and so far the questions and his answers are very intersesting.

Check them out at Talk to the Newsroom: Automobiles Editor James G. Cobb

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

Chrysler offers buyouts to 13,000 in Detroit area

Chrysler offered buyout and early retirement packages Monday to about 13,000 Detroit-area hourly UAW members as the automaker works to cut its overall hourly workforce by as many as 10,000 people, according to the Detroit Free Press.

Monday's effort aims primarily to reduce workers at support facilities that are seeing the domino effect of recent production cuts at the automaker's assembly plants.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 9:52 AM to Chrysler , Unions | Permalink | Comments 0

Toll Discounts for Going Green

A small but growing number of toll agencies around the world are giving discounts to owners of some alternative-power vehicles, according to the New York Times.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey announced last November that it would offer a $2 E-ZPass discount to the owners of three hybrid models, following the example of the New York State Thruway Authority, which introduced 10 percent E-ZPass discounts on those cars in 2006.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 11:15 AM to Alternative fuels | Permalink | Comments 0

So Efficient, L.E.D.’s Are Now Fashion Plates, Too

IN recent seasons, a new fashion accessory has become a must-have for the debutants of the auto-show circuit. No automaker introduces a new concept car, it seems, before dressing it up with L.E.D. jewelry, according to the New York Times.

Light-emitting diodes are replacing the car’s trusty glass light bulbs much as compact fluorescents are replacing Edison’s ancient incandescents in home lamp sockets. L.E.D.’s are longer lasting, more compact and consume less electricity.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 11:13 AM to Design | Permalink | Comments 0

White Wins; Silver Fades

WHITE has nudged out silver as the most popular automobile color in North America, ending silver’s seven-year run at the top, according to the New York Times.

The NYT cites DuPont’s annual color survey, released last month, which reports 19 percent of the cars and trucks sold in North America in 2007 were white and 18 percent were silver.

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

Ernie Boch gets surprise 50 year birthday bash

Kristen and Ernie Boch

Car czar Ernie Boch Jr. was toasted, roasted, feted and fawned over by hundreds of pals, cohorts and fans at a rockin’, rollin’ surprise 50th birthday bash at The State Room the other night, according to the Boston Herald.

At the “Backstage” themed blowout, guests grooved to the tunes of Pure Energy Live, mingled around pool tables, lined up for airbrush tattoos and applauded an illusionist, all orchestrated by Pure Energy’s Johnny K.

Of course, the driving force behind the car baron’s bash was his lovely bride, Kristen, who was the hostess with the mostest in a fab white-and-silver strapless gown.

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

Oil Slides on Renewed Recession Worries

NEW YORK -- Oil futures fell below $90 a barrel Monday, extending their recent streak of back and forth trading as recession fears reasserted themselves, according to the Associated Press.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 10:57 AM to Crude oil market | Permalink | Comments 0

Harley-Davidson fourth-quarter profit down

MILWAUKEE -- Harley-Davidson Inc. said Friday its fourth-quarter profit tumbled 26.3 percent due to slumping U.S. motorcycle sales amid a weakening economy, according to the Associated Press.

Harley said its profit for the quarter ended Dec. 31 totaled $186.1 million compared with$252.4 million a year ago. Salesb dropped 7.7 percent to $1.39 billion from $1.50 billion.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 10:02 AM to Motorcycling | Permalink | Comments 0

Oil Prices Rise Above $90 a Barrel

Oil futures extended recent gains Friday, pushing crude back above $90 a barrel after U.S. government leaders agreed to a stimulus plan in an effort to avert a major slowdown in the world's largest economy, according to the Associated Press.

Light, sweet crude for March delivery on the New York Mercantile Exchange rose $1.29 to $90.70 a barrel in electronic trading by the afternoon in Europe. The contract gained $2.42 to settle at $89.41 a barrel on Thursday, the largest rise in over three weeks.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 9:58 AM to Crude oil market | Permalink | Comments 0

Beijing to pull half its cars off the road during Olympics

Beijing will withdraw more than half of its 3 million cars from the roads during the Olympics to ensure better air quality and improve the flow of traffic, deputy director of Beijing Municipal Committee of Communications Liu Xiaoming told a panel discussion at the ongoing first session of the 11th BMC, according to People's Daily Online.

The traffic plans for the Olympics and Paralympics, to be held in August and September, have been completed, Liu said.

Public transport will operate more efficiently and carry more passengers during the Games, with 173 bus routes and special lanes for Olympics-related vehicles. And more metro trains, some of which will not stop at all stations, are likely to be introduced to deal with passenger rush.

The city will dedicate lanes to Olympic traffic and increase public transportation with new shuttle buses to accommodate visitors and local residents, the article said.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 1:07 PM to China | Permalink | Comments 0

GM, Toyota win top awards for customer loyalty

General Motors and Toyota are in a neck-and-neck competition when it comes to U.S. customer loyalty, according to the Detroit Free Press.

GM had the top loyalty for manufacturers during the 2007 model year, while Toyota was tops for brand loyalty, according to the 12th annual Polk Automotive Loyalty Awards.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 9:42 AM to GM , Toyota | Permalink | Comments 0

Ford loses $2.7B in Q4, $2.8B in 2007, U.S. outlook grim

DEARBORN, Mich. — Ford said Thursday that it lost $2.8 billion in the fourth quarter and $2.7 billion for the year as gains in worldwide markets outside the United States were dragged down by continued weakness in North America, according to the Associated Press.

Ford President and Chief Executive Alan Mulally said the company's operations are improving but the outlook for U.S. sales in 2008 is grim.

Mulally said the company will be adjusting production and making further cost cuts in North America, including a new round of buyouts for its 54,000 U.S. hourly workers.

Details of the buyout program were expected later Thursday.

Ford lost $1.30 a share in the fourth quarter, narrower than a loss of $5.6 billion, or $2.98 a share, in 2006. The full-year results, which resulted in a loss of $1.35 a share, were significantly better than 2006, when Ford lost $12.6 billion, or $6.72 a share.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 9:40 AM to Ford | Permalink | Comments 0

Back Seat Driver: International Schminternational Auto Shows

The Providence Auto Show, which opens tomorrow and runs through Sunday, features at least six concept cars in addition to some 2009 preproduction vehicles and nearly all current models on dealers lots ...

Excuse me, I'm quite forgetting myself. Make that the Northeast International Auto Show.

Oh dear, why is it that so many provincial auto shows feel the need to sex up their titles with "International?" What is international about them? The fact that they include foreign manufacturers?

Not only does Providence have its Northeast International, but Boston has the New England International Auto Show and Hartford the Connecticut International Auto Show.

Even Detroit, which hosts the world's biggest and most important auto show, calls its show the North American International Auto Show.

So does New York - which really is an international city; it calls its show the New York International Auto Show.

So kudos to two of the most important North American shows which eschew the "International" appellation/affectation: the Chicago Auto Show and the Los Angeles Auto Show.

PS Providence Auto Show sounds just fine by me!

- Peter C. T. Elsworth

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 11:30 AM to commentary | Permalink | Comments 0

Israel Is Set to Promote the Use of Electric Cars

Israel will promote the use of electric cars, embracing a joint venture between an American-Israeli entrepreneur and Renault and its partner, Nissan, according to the New York Times.

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, with the active support of President Shimon Peres, intends to make Israel a laboratory to test the practicality of an environmentally clean electric car. The state will offer tax incentives to purchasers, and the new company, with a $200 million investment to start, will begin construction of facilities to recharge the cars and replace empty batteries quickly.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 11:00 AM to Alternative fuels | Permalink | Comments 0

Gas price falls to one-month low

WASHINGTON (Reuters) — Gasoline prices sank to a one-month low, after falling 5.1 cents over the last week to $3.02 a gallon amid worries about a weak economy, the government said Tuesday, according to Reuters and reported by USA Today.
The national price for regular gasoline remained up 85 cents from a year ago, the Energy Information Administration said in its weekly survey of service stations.

Lower pump prices reflect cheaper crude oil, whose price

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 10:18 AM to Gas prices | Permalink | Comments 0

Oil Falls As Traders Bet on Weak Demand

Oil futures fell Wednesday, extending overnight declines as many investors indicated they doubt that the U.S. Federal Reserve's surprise cut in its key interest rates will stave off a serious economic slowdown that would dampen demand, according to the Associated Press.

Light, sweet crude for March delivery lost $1.71 to $87.50 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange by mid-afternoon in Europe.

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

GM, Toyota in Dead Heat in 2007 Sales

DETROIT -- General Motors said Wednesday it sold 9,369,524 vehicles worldwide last year, up 3 percent from 2006 but putting it into a virtual dead heat with fast-rising Toyota for the 2007 global sales crown, according to the Associated Press.

Earlier this month, Toyota reported global sales of 9.37 million vehicles, but the Japanese automaker did not release a number down to the last vehicle sold, leaving the sales race too close to call.

Detroit-based GM has held the title of world's largest automaker for 76 years, but Toyota's strong U.S. growth and GM's U.S. sales decline helped Toyota move closer to the top spot in recent years.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 9:57 AM to GM , Toyota | Permalink | Comments 0

Detroit Auto Show: Looking at the Slope of Things to Come

“WHAT is it?” asked a judge for the Eyes on Design Awards as he contemplated the Chrysler ecoVoyager, a long blue capsule with a stubby front end grafted onto a minivan body.

Finding new names for new vehicle silhouettes was a preoccupation during last week’s press previews of the North American International Auto Show, according to the New York Times.

The hot news in design here was not the latest look of grilles or the lavish use of chrome (though both trends were evident), but rooflines. Designers offered up a variety of profiles, casting aside the tried-and-true types and terms.

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

Ford to unveil upgraded '09 hybrid Escape

WASHINGTON — Ford's 2009 Escape gas-electric hybrid will show improvements in power and performance, the automaker said Tuesday, according to USA Today.

Ford was unveiling the 2009 versions of the Escape and its corporate twin, the 2009 Mercury Mariner, at the Washington Auto Show, which opens to the public on Wednesday and lasts through Sunday.

The sport-utility vehicle was one of several hybrid developments at the show. Both Ford and Toyota Motor Corp. were displaying prototype plug-in hybrids while General Motors Corp. was announcing that new orders from three metropolitan transit agencies would more than double its hybrid bus fleet.

Automakers typically show off their fuel-efficient technologies at the Washington show, which is heavily attended by government and political leaders. An energy law signed by President Bush will require the companies to meet an overall fleet average of 35 miles per gallon by 2020.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 10:05 AM to Alternative fuels | Permalink | Comments 0

Auto-driven advertisers still rev up for Super Bowl

Even though the economy is putting the brakes on sales, auto-focused companies still are spending big bucks to drive brand awareness with Super Bowl advertising, according to USA Today.

Audi, Toyota, General Motors, Hyundai and Cars.com all have in-game ads, which are selling for up to $2.7 million for 30 seconds.

Hyundai did have thoughts about reselling the 60 seconds it bought last fall from game broadcaster Fox, but stayed in.

"We wanted to make sure that it made sense (to keep the time) given the fact that the economy doesn't look as bright as it did," said Hyundai spokesman Chris Hosford.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 10:03 AM to Sales | Permalink | Comments 0

Detroit Auto Show: Dr. Jekyll Meets Mr. Hybrid

ANY environmentalist, faced with the blaring soundtracks and flashy unveilings during the press previews of the North American International Auto Show, could be forgiven for thinking he had stepped into a bizarre stage production called “Jekyll and Hyde: The Motown Musical," according to the New York Times.

For every earth-hugging citizen like the Mercedes-Benz S300 Bluetec Hybrid or Toyota A-BAT hybrid truck, there was a hard-drinking V-8 pickup or a sinister sports car out to murder your m.p.g. Those dueling automotive natures were much in evidence at this year’s show, which opened to the public Saturday and runs through Jan. 27.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 11:46 AM to Shows | Permalink | Comments 0

2008 Detroit Auto Show

Check out the comprehensive coverage of the Detroit Auto Show from the Detroit Free Press, natch.

Thousands of automobile fans, ranging from seniors to small children packed Cobo Center to check out the latest offerings from Audi to Volkswagen and car companies in between.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 11:41 AM to Shows | Permalink | Comments 0

Automakers pump up models with diesel power

DETROIT — Diesel fuel costs an average 38 cents a gallon more than gasoline, isn't available at every filling station, and in the past, has been associated with engines that clatter and smoke, according to USA Today.

But none of those negatives dissuaded automakers from rolling out a raft of new diesel car, truck and SUV models at the North American International Auto Show here last week.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 11:35 AM to Clean diesel | Permalink | Comments 0

Oil Drops Below $90 a Barrel

SINGAPORE -- Oil prices fell Monday in Asia as concern over the U.S. economy drove down regional stock markets and outweighed concern that OPEC will resist pressure to raise crude production levels, according to the Associated Press.

Oil prices have now retreated more than $10 from a record above $100 a barrel early this year on worries a flagging U.S. economy would dampen fuel demand. Prices had gained Friday on hopes that President George W. Bush's economic stimulus plan would work.

Light, sweet crude for February delivery fell 97 cents to $89.60 a barrel in Asian electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange by late afternoon in Singapore.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 11:23 AM to Crude oil market | Permalink | Comments 0

Nissan Sees US As Tough Market for Sales

TOKYO -- A top Nissan executive said Monday that selling cars in the United States is going to be tough this year because of a likely U.S. economic slowdown amid problems in the credit and housing markets as well as a stronger yen, according to the Associated Press.

Automakers and analysts are predicting that this year's U.S. auto sales could drop to their lowest level in a decade to about 16 million vehicles or lower.

Nissan Chief Operating Officer Toshiyuki Shiga said he was still hopeful that Nissan's new products will attract customers.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 11:22 AM to Nissan | Permalink | Comments 0

Back Seat Driver: Clean diesel blagger exposed

It’s always interesting to talk to someone who knows what they are talking about.

Sobering, too.

For some time, I have been singing the praises of clean diesel and have regarded this year as a breakthrough one with the introduction of a number of mostly German models.

Then I had a chat with Allen Schaeffer, executive director of the Diesel Technology Forum, and while he is bullish on clean diesel, he is not starry-eyed about it.

As he pointed out, there is already a sizeable market in diesels in this country. Indeed, while hybrids have the ‘green’ spotlight over here, sales of diesels totaled about 480,000 vehicles last year compared to 350,000 hybrids.

“Diesels have been out there, outselling hybrids,” he said in telephone interview from Michigan on Friday. “But there have been few new (diesel) choices in the salesroom.”

That will change.

“This year, twelve auto manufacturers will make at least thirteen firm diesel model introductions and announcements, along with unveiling four future diesel concepts, in half a dozen market segments,” he wrote in his blog from the Detroit Auto Show, where nearly twenty diesel vehicles were on display.

But he said that while clean diesel might get more publicity this year, there are still substantial issues, not least of which is price.

“The price of diesel today works against consumer interest,” he said, noting it was 40 cents to 50 cents a gallon more than gasoline.

At the same time, he said diesel offers distinct advantages over hybrid technology, such as not having to worry about batteries, providing towing capacity and higher resale values.

As far as “a breakthrough” is concerned, he said there were two ways to look at it – sales and awareness. He said he thought diesel was on the crest of a substantial increase in awareness, but whether that translates into sales in the showroom remains to be seen.

“Certainly we believe that once a consumer gets behind the wheel of a new diesel, (he or she) is going to be sold on it,” he said.

And as far as diesel hybrids are concerned, he was wary. I confess that I have long thought it is an ideal combination of technologies.

Well, it may be, but as Schaeffer pointed out, it represents the combining of two premium – read expensive – power trains.

“It’s the great calculus for auto companies,” he said. “Anything is possible, they know how to make these technologies work, but what is the consumer willing to pay? What can the consumer afford?

As I said, by the end of the conversation I felt like a bit of a blagger – or someone who has been expounding on something I know less about than I thought I did!

- Peter C.T. Elsworth

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 3:28 PM to commentary | Permalink | Comments 0

Bob Tasca III moves up to Nitro Funny Cars

Bob Tasca III is moving up.

In a deal announced Friday, Ford Customer Service Distribution’s Motorcraft brand will be sponsoring Tasca’s Shelby Mustang Nitro Funny Car for the 2008 National Hot Rod Association season.

Motorcraft and Ford’s Quick Lane Tire & Auto Centers will also have a major interactive presence at 14 NHRA events.

Tasca is Rhode Island’s most successful race car driver and a vice president of the Tasca dealerships. He is moving up to the nitro-powered Funny Car after two seasons driving Alcohol Funny Cars, where he currently holds the record for the fastest quarter mile – 5.541 seconds at 263 mph.

He will be running for Rookie-of-the-Year in the Nitro Funny Car and will make his first appearance in the new car during pre-season testing at Firebird Raceway in Phoenix on Jan. 24. The season opens with the NHRA Winternationals at Pomona, Calif., on Feb. 7-to-10.

“I’m just really excited about taking a step up and racing a Nitro Funny Car in the 2008 season with Motorcraft and Quick Lane,” he said in a prepared statement.

“It’s going to be an exciting year for us and certainly we have big goals,” he said in a prepared Q&A. “We’re building a program, certainly we’re new, but my crew chiefs aren’t new, they are very experienced and veterans in the top fuel ranks.”

“The Fuel car [Nitro car] from 300 feet on is a much faster and much more aggressive vehicle to drive than an Alcohol car,” Tasca said. “It’s just accelerating so much harder from that point forward. From zero to 60 feet, they’re comparable. … Then from 300 feet to the finish line, there’s a huge difference. The car at half-track, the Fuel car is going faster than the Alcohol car is going at the finish line. There is a significant difference from that respect.”

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 1:08 PM to Racing | Permalink | Comments 0

GM looks to slim down, save billions

General Motors will offer retirement incentives to 46,000 of its hourly workers next month as part of a plan to cut labor costs, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Rick Wagoner said during a presentation to analysts Thursday afternoon, according to the Detroit Free Press.

The analysts were encouraged by the move to shore up GM's sinking stock price and said they expected up to 20,000 workers to accept offers to leave.

That would allow the company to hire workers in nonassembly jobs at much lower cost under the UAW contract completed last fall, saving the company billions.

It wasn't known Thursday exactly who will be eligible or what will be offered. GM has 73,000 hourly workers.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 10:00 AM to GM , Unions | Permalink | Comments 0

Oil Prices Back Above $90 a Barrel

Oil prices rose Friday following the lead of higher stock prices in Europe as traders bought crude contracts ahead of the holiday weekend in the United States, according to the Associated Press.

Light, sweet crude for February delivery was up 68 cents to $90.81 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange by midafternoon in Europe. It had fallen below $90 in earlier trading on worries that weakness in the U.S. economy could curb demand for oil.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 9:55 AM to Crude oil market | Permalink | Comments 0

Ford, Toyota, GM get charged up for hybrid plug-ins

Major automakers say they can have plug-in hybrid vehicles in showrooms within five years, offering big increases in fuel economy for what they hope will be modest price premiums, according to USA Today.

Based on results from prototypes, plug-ins appear capable of 50 to 100 miles per gallon on short trips when the vehicles operate mainly on their increased battery power. "If we can't decide within five years whether we can do this, something is wrong," says Greg Frenette, chief engineer for plug-in and fuel-cell vehicles at Ford.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 9:53 AM to Alternative fuels | Permalink | Comments 0

Audi's Super Bowl ad oozes drama

NEW YORK — Audi is betting it can rev up its image with a parody of rivals in a Super Bowl commercial backed by a Hollywood-size production budget, according to USA Today.

The Volkswagen-owned carmaker is looking to crown itself as the new luxury auto brand. Audi's first Big Game ad in 20 years features its new $109,000 R8 speed machine. It uses a send-up of an iconic scene from The Godfather to poke fun, without naming names, at luxury car rivals.

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

2008 sure to be 'a crummy year' for automakers

DETROIT — In a year when much seems uncertain, including whether the USA will have a recession, there's no question that 2008 is going to be tough for the auto industry, according to USA Today.

It's going to be tough on sales, which could hit a decade low. It'll be tough on production, which hasn't been this weak since the recession of 1992.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 9:49 AM to Auto industry | Permalink | Comments 0

Providence considers Ferris-wheel type parking garage

PROVIDENCE — A Florida company is proposing what may soon be the strangest part of the Providence skyline: a pair of 13-story, translucent parking towers that operate like Ferris wheels, loading cars at the ground level and then moving them high up into the structure for storage, according to the Providence Journal.

The Weybosset Street project would be the first public parking garage of its kind in the continental United States, said Douglas Dodd, chief operations officer of Mechanical Vertical Parking Inc., the West Palm Beach, Fla., company backing the project.

“We picked Providence to be the introduction of this to the United States,” Dodd said.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 12:24 PM to Design | Permalink | Comments 0

Toyota Will Offer a Plug-In Hybrid Vehicle by 2010

The chief executive of the Toyota Motor said Monday that he is pushing his company’s engineers to develop a plug-in hybrid-electric vehicle with a lithium-ion battery before 2010, raising the stakes in a race with General Motors, according to the New York Times.

The comments by Katsuaki Watanabe came at a briefing here on the sidelines of the Detroit auto show, which opened to the press on Sunday.

Mr. Watanabe said he welcomed a competition with G.M., which plans to introduce its own lithium-ion hybrid, the Chevrolet Volt, around 2010.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 12:17 PM to Toyota | Permalink | Comments 0

Interest Fades in the Once-Mighty V-8

DETROIT — The V-8 engine, long a symbol of power for American car companies, is sputtering, according to the New York Times.

At the Detroit auto show this week, Detroit’s Big Three are promoting smaller engines and alternative-fuel vehicles, eliminating the V-8 from many models and relegating it to niche status.

Ford Motor, which first popularized the V-8 in the 1930s, will start using a turbocharged 6-cylinder in many vehicles, including the next generation of its Explorer sport utility vehicle. The company has named its new engine technology EcoBoost, a nod to consumers’ concern for the environment.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 12:09 PM to Design | Permalink | Comments 0

Concepts at Detroit Auto Show

Check out these concepts at the Detroit Auto Show, courtesy of USA Today.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 11:56 AM to Shows | Permalink | Comments 0

Tiny Tata has all of Detroit talking

DETROIT — The most talked-about car at the Detroit auto show is a car that isn't here, and isn't intended to ever be sold in U.S. showrooms, according to USA Today.

It's the Tata Nano, a car that will cost just $2,500 and was unveiled last week at a car show in India. The bare-bones vehicle is meant not as an aspirational car but as a safer replacement for mopeds, which can even be seen carrying small families around neighborhoods in India.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 11:54 AM to India | Permalink | Comments 0

Toyota pursues alternative fuel-saving technology

DETROIT — Toyota Motor, known for gasoline-electric hybrids such as its Prius, says it's branching into other alternative power plants to stay ahead of rivals, according to USA Today.

It will offer low-pollution diesel engines on the Tundra pickup and Sequoia SUV, while doing more research on ethanol, President Katsuaki Watanabe said.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 11:52 AM to Alternative fuels , Toyota | Permalink | Comments 0

Car engines squeeze power out of every drop of gas

DETROIT — Looking to cut gasoline consumption by up to 20%, automakers aren't just rolling out pricey diesel-powered models or gas-electric hybrids, according to USA Today.

General Motors, Ford and others are launching big initiatives to get more mileage out of what they sell now: tweaking internal-combustion engines with turbochargers and a technology called gasoline direct injection. The goal is to make fuel-stingy small engines perform like big ones.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 11:50 AM to Fuel economy | Permalink | Comments 0

Chinese automakers make presence felt, target U.S. market

DETROIT — Hundreds of media representatives crowded around two Chinese vehicles at the North American International Auto Show Tuesday, somewhat confused and befuddled about what they were looking at, according to USA Today.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 11:48 AM to China , Shows | Permalink | Comments 0

Oil Gyrates on Bernanke Comments

NEW YORK -- Oil futures fluctuated Thursday after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said he expects slower growth in 2008, but no recession, according to the Associated Press.

Bernanke's comments added to the negative economic sentiment that has been the market's dominant driver in recent days, pushing prices down nearly $10 from their record over $100 a barrel two weeks ago. Despite Bernanke's comments, many investors fear a recession is imminent.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 11:45 AM to Crude oil market | Permalink | Comments 0

Back Seat Driver: All Tata all the time

India's Tata Motors unveiled its $2,500 Nano car at the Auto Show in New Delhi on Thursday and the company expects to sell millions of the four-door, 625 cc rear-wheel drive cars in a country with a population of 1.1 billion but where only about seven in 1,000 have cars.

(At the other end of the scale, Tata, India's largest conglomerate with sales of $29 billion last year, is also currently in the midst of negotiations to acquire luxury marques Jaguar and Land Rover from Ford.)

But back to the modest Nano which is certainly very elemental indeed. Indeed, Americans might be excused for wondering why anyone would want to buy such an simple car. But when you've been balancing your family on a scooter everyday or moving along at less than five mph while looking up the ass of a donkey, the Nano must look like a real nice alternative.

Indeed, this is truly a Phase 2 of the people's car, with Phase 1 having taken place in Europe following WWII with the introduction of the Volkswagen Beetle in Germany, the Fiat 500 in Italy, the Citroen 2CV in France and Morris Minor and Mini in England.

(Come to think of it, maybe the introduction of the Ford Model T in the U.S. 100 years ago was the first people's car.)

But in Europe following the devestation of WWII, millions of people who had formerly been limited to walking, bicycling or riding in horse- or donkey-drawn carts, finally had access to the freedom of the internal combusion engine.

Of course, any potential increase in the number of cars has enormous implications in terms of congestion and pollution. Consider that one billion cars are expected to be on the world's roads by 2010, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal in 2006, which is about 25 percent more than are on the roads today.

But for the time being, the little Tata Nano offers millions of Indians the kind of freedoms and opportunities we in the developed world take for granted, and that is a very good thing indeed.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 11:33 AM to commentary | Permalink | Comments 1

NBA wheels in Kia as an awards sponsor

NEW YORK — The NBA announced a marketing partnership with Kia Thursday that will enable the Korean automaker to hitch its name to four on-court performance awards selected by NBA writers and broadcasters: the Most Valuable Player Award; Defensive Player of the Year; Sixth Man Award; and Most Improved Player, according to USA Today.

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

Oil Falls on Growing Economy Concerns

NEW YORK (AP) -- Oil prices extended their slide on a growing sentiment that the United States might be headed for a recession that would depress demand for oil, according to the Associated Press.

Energy investors remained focused on recent government jobs reports that suggest the economy is struggling to make headway against the challenges posed by a troubled housing market and high oil prices.

Light, sweet crude for February delivery slipped 29 cents to $93.42 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 11:16 AM to Crude oil market | Permalink | Comments 0

Honda reaches milestone: Millionth vehicle made in U.S.

Honda surpassed 1 million vehicles made in the United States for the first time in a year in 2007, the Japanese automaker announced this morning, according to the Detroit Free Press.

Honda made 1,015,462 vehicles in 2007 in the United States, up 4.2% from 2006. Total North American production rose 3.4% to 1,432,731 vehicles.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 11:00 AM to Honda | Permalink | Comments 0

India's Tata unveils the world's cheapest car

NEW DELHI - India's Tata Motors unveiled the world's cheapest new car on Thursday, bringing car ownership closer for millions of poorer consumers in emerging markets but raising environmental concerns, according to Reuters.

The 4-seater Nano, with an engine around 625cc, will have a dealer price of 100,000 rupees ($2,500), about half the cost of the cheapest car on today's market, a 25-year old model from Maruti Suzuk, Tata's main rival.

The Nano will go on sale later this year, the company said.

"Let me assure you and our critics the car we have designed will meet all safety norms and all foreign environmental criteria," Chairman Ratan Tata said as he proudly unveiled what had been dubbed the "People's Car" at the Auto Expo in New Delhi.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 10:45 AM to India | Permalink | Comments 1

Toyota in Tight Race for No. 1 With GM

TOKYO -- Toyota said Thursday that its global group sales rose 6 percent last year to 9.37 million vehicles, making for a tight race against General Motors, the world's largest automaker, according to the Associated Press.

GM has not released its annual sales tally but earlier estimated 2007 sales would come to 9.3 million vehicles.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 10:43 AM to Toyota | Permalink | Comments 0

Cars.com: Searches show high interest in Nissan Rogue

CHICAGO - The Nissan Rogue was the most popular new-car introduction in terms of consumer searches on Cars.com in 2007, according to the most recent Cars.com Consumer Search Index.

The 2008 Nissan Rogue was followed in popularity among Cars.com shoppers by the Infiniti G37, Buick Enclave and Dodge Avenger.

"Nissan finally got into the compact crossover/SUV market in 2007 and has received positive reviews for the all-new Rogue," said Cars.com managing editor Patrick Olsen. "With gas prices being so high, smaller crossover vehicles like the Rogue are likely to remain popular. We see this playing out in the search behavior of shoppers on Cars.com."

Below is the complete list of the 10 most popular new-car introductions on Cars.com in 2007.

1 Nissan Rogue

2 Infiniti G37

3 Buick Enclave

4 Dodge Avenger

5 Ford Taurus X

6 Volvo C30

7 Scion xD

8 Land Rover LR2

9 Pontiac G8

10 Ford Taurus

To be eligible for the list, a car had to be a completely new '08 model that was introduced to consumers in 2007. The list was generated by calculating each car's average number of monthly searches since it was made available to consumers on Cars.com.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 11:14 AM to Nissan | Permalink | Comments 0

Ford says it could shrink more before it rebounds

Ford Motor Co. might not be done shrinking, according to the Detroit Free Press.

A weakening U.S. economy, aggravated by aggressive expansion and price discounting by foreign-owned rivals, could mean further declines before Ford is able to stabilize sales and production levels and begin growing again, Ford President and Chief Executive Officer Alan Mulally said Tuesday evening.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 10:06 AM to Ford | Permalink | Comments 0

Chrysler aims to trim rentals

Already bracing for a slowing U.S. market, Chrysler LLC wants to reduce sales of vehicles to government and commercial buyers, such as rental-car companies, by perhaps as many as 200,000 autos this year, according to the Detroit Free Press.

The newly private automaker is undergoing dramatic changes -- from slashing as many as 25,000 jobs to cutting nameplates -- and the change in its sales strategy is part of Chrysler's efforts to make it a retail-based company that relies on what Chrysler President Jim Press calls a "pull-driven system."

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 10:04 AM to Chrysler | Permalink | Comments 0

'Pimp my ride' turns into 'tech my ride'

LAS VEGAS — Having 12 TVs in your house: impressive. Having 12 TVs in your car: really impressive.

High-tech electronics are moving from the home to the garage, and some of the craziest car tech options are on display at the Consumer Electronics Show. Manufacturers are showing off DVD players, navigation systems, stereos and other devices for gadget-loving gearheads, according to USA Today.

They're chasing a growing market. Sales of electronics for automobiles are expected to reach $12.8 billion this year, a 12% increase from 2007, says the Consumer Electronics Association. "It's important to our customers," says Jim Buczkowski, director of electrical systems engineering for automaker Ford. "They see their vehicle as an extension of their home."

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 10:00 AM to Design | Permalink | Comments 0

Hyundai offers up luxury car

BMW and Mercedes-Benz owners are about to have a new luxury car choice. But they may flinch at the name: Hyundai, according to USA Today.

Hoping to find a market for thrifty rich people, Hyundai officially unveiled its $36,000 Genesis V-8-powered sedan Tuesday in South Korea, due to arrive in U.S. showrooms this summer.

Hyundai hopes Genesis will lure the well-heeled with curb appeal even if it lacks snob appeal.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 10:00 AM to Hyundai | Permalink | Comments 0

Oil Prices Rise on US Supply Concerns

VIENNA, Austria -- Oil prices rose Wednesday amid expectations a U.S. government report will show crude oil stockpiles fell last week, according to the Associated Press.

Prices were also supported by fears of further violence in Nigeria, the world's eighth-largest oil producer.

Analysts surveyed by Dow Jones Newswires predict crude inventories likely fell 800,000 barrels last week, while supplies of distillates, which include heating oil, likely fell 300,000 barrels. The U.S. Energy Department's Energy Information Administration will release the report later Wednesday.

"That would be the eighth consecutive week of crude oil stock draws and U.S. crude oil inventories are already below the five year average for this time of the year," said Victor Shum, an energy analyst with Purvin & Gertz in Singapore.

Light, sweet crude for February delivery added 24 cents to $96.57 a barrel by afternoon in Europe in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract rose $1.24 to settle at $96.33 a barrel on Tuesday.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 9:53 AM to Crude oil market | Permalink | Comments 0

Ford to Expand in India, Planning a Small Car and an Engine Plant

Ford Motor plans to more than double its investment in India to produce a small car for the fast-growing local market and to build an engine manufacturing plant there.

The company is expected to announce on Tuesday that it will increase spending in India by $500 million, raising its total investment to $875 million, as it focuses on making the country a regional hub for small-car manufacturing.

Car sales in India are growing by more than 20 percent a year, compared with 3 percent globally, and first-time buyers there are eager for cheap compact cars.

Several local and international automakers have recently announced plans to make a small car specifically for India, inspired in part by Tata Motors’ impending introduction of a $2,500 car.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 1:22 PM to Ford | Permalink | Comments 0

Four Wheels for the Masses: The $2,500 Car

MUMBAI, India — What does it take to build the world’s cheapest car?

For Tata Motors of India, which will introduce its ultra-cheap car on Thursday, the better question was, what could it take out, according to a fascinating story in the New York Times that includes a graphic and a pic of Tata Motors chairman Ratan Tata.

The company has kept its new vehicle under wraps, but interviews with suppliers and others involved in its construction reveal some of its cost-cutting engineering secrets — including a hollowed out steering-wheel shaft, a trunk with space for a briefcase and a rear-mounted engine not much more powerful than a high-end riding mower.

The upside is a car expected to retail for as little as the equivalent of $2,500, or about the price of the optional DVD player on the Lexus LX 470 sport utility vehicle.

The downside is a car that would most likely fail emission and safety standards on any Western road, and, perhaps, in India in a few years, when the country imposes tougher environmental standards.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 1:18 PM to Design | Permalink | Comments 0

Downturn nearing an end, auto report says

The global automotive industry is nearing the end of a massive restructuring period and now will become more focused on growth, profits and environmentally friendly vehicles, according to the annual Auto Executive Survey by KPMG LLC, to be released today, according to the Detroit Free Press.

This year's survey, based on interviews late last year with 113 senior executives at vehicle manufacturers and suppliers worldwide, found executives much more confident than in the recent past about the outlook for the near term.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 1:17 PM to Auto industry | Permalink | Comments 0

Carmakers Trying to Avoid Incentives

Faced with talk of recession and the fallout from a meltdown in the housing market, automakers are still hoping to avoid major incentives despite some sluggish sales, according to thecarconnection.com

Mark LaNeve, General Motors' vice president in charge of vehicle sales, said last week there was no doubt sales will be slow through the first quarter of 2008. Toyota also scaled back its forecast for higher sales in 2008 in the face of the deteriorating economic conditions in the U.S. At best, Toyota now expects its sales to improve only between one and two percent, Toyota officials said.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 1:08 PM to Sales | Permalink | Comments 0

Gas prices jump to an average $3.11 a gallon

WASHINGTON — The average U.S. retail price for gasoline jumped 5.6 cents to $3.11 a gallon over the past week, the government said on Monday, reflecting record high oil costs that topped $100 a barrel last week, according to Reuters and reported in USA Today.

The national price for regular gasoline rose to the highest level in two months and was 80 cents above a year ago, the Energy Information Administration said in a weekly survey of service stations.

Rising pump prices are the result of expensive crude oil, which reached $100.09 a barrel last Thursday and now accounts for about two-thirds of the cost of making gasoline. Oil prices have retreated since then and settled at just over $95 a barrel on Monday at the New York Mercantile Exchange.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 1:02 PM to Gas prices | Permalink | Comments 0

GM Envisions Driverless Cars on Horizon

DETROIT -- Cars that drive themselves - even parking at their destination - could be ready for sale within a decade, General Motors Corp. executives say, according to the Associated Press.

GM, parts suppliers, university engineers and other automakers all are working on vehicles that could revolutionize short- and long-distance travel. And Tuesday at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas GM Chief Executive Rick Wagoner will devote part of his speech to the driverless vehicles.

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

New Saturn Vue hybrid will set new bar, GM says

A new gas-electric Saturn Vue hybrid will leapfrog models like the Toyota Highlander hybrid to become the world’s most fuel-efficient V6 SUV when it goes on sale late this year, General Motors promises, according to the Detroit Free Press.

The Vue Green Line 2 Mode will debut at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit later this month.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 10:26 AM to GM | Permalink | Comments 0

Japan's Domestic Auto Sales Hit Low

TOKYO (AP) -- Japan's domestic auto sales fell to a 35-year low last year as the nation faced high gasoline prices, limited income growth and shrinking demand, an industry group said Monday, according to the Associated Press.

Sales of new cars, trucks and buses declined 7.6 percent to 3.434 million vehicles in 2007, the Japan Automobile Dealers' Association said in a statement. The figures do not include sales of minicars and minitrucks.

The result, which marked the fourth straight annual decline, was the lowest since 1972, when sales totaled 3.406 million vehicles.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 10:23 AM to Sales | Permalink | Comments 0

Oil Prices Fall on US Economic Concerns

VIENNA, Austria -- Oil prices fell Monday as a report of growing unemployment in the United States raised concerns of an economic downturn that could curb oil demand, according to the Associated Press.

The U.S. Labor Department said the unemployment rate jumped to 5 percent in December - its highest level in more than two years - from 4.7 percent in November. Analysts had expected December unemployment at 4.8 percent.

Light, sweet crude for February delivery dropped 52 cents to $97.39 a barrel by midday in European electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract fell $1.27 to settle at $97.91 a barrel on Friday.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 10:21 AM to Crude oil market | Permalink | Comments 0

Vanity plates getting popular in Ocean State

R U VAIN?

Rhode Islanders apparently are not, at not least when it comes to their license plates.

The state known for big egos and bad drivers ranks a modest 21st on a nationwide list of percentage of cars sporting vanity plates, according to a national study by the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators.

Leading the pack is Virginia, followed closely by New Hampshire, according to a survey by the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators. Massachusetts falls 46th on the list while Texas is dead last.

Just 3 percent of the more than 800,000 vehicles on the road in the Ocean State have personalized plates.

But Division of Motor Vehicles spokeswoman Gina Zinni says vanity plates have been on the rise in Rhode Island since the DMV began allowing drivers to try out combinations and purchase plates online.

“Before, you had to walk into the DMV to see if [the name or phrase] you wanted was taken or not,” Zinni said.

Now you can create your dream plate in your pajamas. The system will even show you a preview of what your plate would look like.

Just don’t get too cute. Inappropriate vanity plate ideas are met with a “tsk tsk” admonishment from the computer system.

--This item also appeared in the projo Politics Blog

Posted by Pam Cotter  at 9:33 AM to Fun | Permalink | Comments 0

Back Seat Driver: Text messaging while driving in Britain could result in prison time

A few months ago, I admitted to text messaging while driving and stated that I was not going to do it any more because it is so ridiculously dangerous.

Apparently Britain agrees and the Crown Prosecution Service is now putting it under the category of dangerous driving which can carry a fine of $10,000 and six months in jail. (Death by dangerous driving can carry a sentence of up to 14 years in jail.)

Britain's draconian approach to the use of cell phones while driving came my attention last week which I spent in Britain attending to my father who is gravely ill. My brother and sister also took time off during the week and as we coordinated visits to hospital, there were many times when a cell phone would have helped

But there was no question of using one while driving. With a widespread network of cameras in place to monitor traffic and speeding, anyone in Britain caught using a phone has faced fines since 2003. The only exception is calling emergency services.

Initially the fine was $60 but that was upped last year to $120 and three points of the offender's license.

The ban on cell phones followed studies which found that drivers using cell phones were four times more likely to have an accident - a figure which matches the legal limit of alcohol.

Here the laws against the use cell phones while driving come in different forms. California, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York and Washington, the District of Columbia and the Virgin Islands have enacted laws prohibiting driving while talking on handheld cell phones, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association.

In Rhode Island, school bus drivers (except in emergencies) and drivers younger than 18 may not use a cell phone.

At the same time, studies in Britain have found that a number of activities - eating, smoking, map reading and tuning the stereo - are potentially dangerous when done while driving. In 2006, a woman was fined $400 and had six points docked off her license when she was charged with careless driving after being filmed applying makeup while driving.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 1:35 PM to commentary | Permalink | Comments 0

Even Trucks Hit the Wall in an Erratic 2007

DETROIT — They may be built like a rock, be able to haul boulders and hail from deep in the heart of Texas. But pickup tricks cannot stand up to tough economic times, according to the New York Times.

Final sales tallies announced Thursday showed that 2007 was the year the pickup hit the wall.

That’s bad news for auto companies, which have long relied on pickups as a steady supplier of hefty profits as they responded to consumers’ shifting tastes for other vehicles.

Even when sport utility vehicles lost their allure earlier this decade, pickups hung on, fueled by the need among builders and business owners to replace their workhorses, and by the need of some drivers to own the biggest wheels on the block.

But analysts say that high gasoline prices, the housing slump and the uncertain economy are causing pickup drivers to hold off trekking to the dealer.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 12:41 PM to Sales | Permalink | Comments 0

Bikers, fans to converge at motorcycle show in Novi

If you know the differences among a Ulysses, a Blast and a Lightning, we know where you'll be this weekend, according to the Detroit Free Press.

Those are the names of the latest Buells, the sports bike subsidiary of Harley-Davidson. The models will debut at the Cycle World International Motorcycle Show at the Rock Financial Showplace in Novi, Mich, which runs Friday through Sunday.

This is the show's 13th year in metro Detroit, and last year it drew 40,777 enthusiasts to the area. The 27-year-old event is part of a 16-weekend series across the United States and Canada that attracts about 600,000 enthusiasts a year.

The show will feature hundreds of 2008 street bikes, dirt bikes, cruisers and ATVs from more than 19 manufacturers.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 12:35 PM to Motorcycling | Permalink | Comments 0

Tata Named Sole Jag/Land Rover Bidder

Ford opened up a new era in automotive history Thursday by announcing it hoped to sell the company's Jaguar and Land Rover brands to India's Tata Motors, according to thecarconnection.com

Ford had announced last year it planned to sell both Jaguar and Land Rover in a bid to raise more cash to sustain its core business in both North America and Europe while the company goes through a difficult and lengthy restructuring.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 12:34 PM to Ford | Permalink | Comments 0

Car sales lowest in 9 years; Toyota cruises to No. 2

Despite fierce year-end marketing campaigns offering no-interest, six-year loans and thousands of dollars in rebates, sales of new cars and trucks sagged in December, leaving 2007 with the worst sales in nine years, according to USA Today.

Automakers sold 16.1 million new vehicles last year, fewest since 15.6 million in 1998, according to sales tracker Autodata.

December sales were down 2.9% from a year ago and full-year sales were off 2.5%, Autodata reported. Detroit makers were hit hard.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 12:29 PM to Sales | Permalink | Comments 0

Car dealers close as Ford, GM, Chrysler keep cutting

NORWALK, Calif. — Instead of the stampede to inquire about year-end clearance sales, customers have been calling Ford dealer Norman Stutzke lately to offer condolences.
Stutzke shut down Keystone Ford this week after 39 years, one of hundreds of dealerships that face the ax around the country as Detroit's automakers downsize their retail operations, according to USA Today.

Having shuttered factories and eliminated hundreds of thousands of automaking jobs, Ford Motor, General Motors and Chrysler are now turning their attention to weeding out weaker dealers in bigger metro markets. They make fewer vehicles, so they don't need as many places to sell them.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 12:27 PM to Chrysler , Ford , GM | Permalink | Comments 0

California sues EPA over greenhouse gas regulations

SACRAMENTO — California sued the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday for denying its first-in-the-nation greenhouse gas limits on cars, trucks and SUVs, challenging the Bush administration's conclusion that states have no business setting emission standards, according to USA Today.

Other states are expected to join the lawsuit, which was anticipated after the EPA on Dec. 19 denied California's request for a waiver, required under the federal Clean Air Act. The lawsuit was filed in the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco. At least 16 other states had been expected to follow California's lead and adopt the state's tougher emission limits.

EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson denied California the waiver, saying national energy legislation would be more effective than a patchwork of state regulations.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 12:22 PM to Environment , Government regulations | Permalink | Comments 0

Hyundai Predicts Higher US, China Sales

SEOUL, South Korea -- Hyundai Motor Co. said Friday it expects to increase sales by about 10 percent in the United States and 64 percent in China in 2008 by introducing new models after missing targets last year, according to the Associated Press.

Hyundai spokesman Jake Jang said the company expects to sell 515,000 vehicles in the U.S. this year, up from 467,009 cars sold there in 2007.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 11:34 AM to China , Hyundai | Permalink | Comments 0

Oil Prices Fall on Jobs Report

NEW YORK -- Oil futures retreated further from their record levels above $100 a barrel Friday after the government reported lower-than-expected job growth in December, adding to fears of a recession that could crimp demand for oil, according to the Associated Press.

Gas prices, meanwhile, rose 2.2 cents a gallon overnight, following crude's recent rally.

Light, sweet crude for February delivery fell $1.57 to $97.61 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange Friday. Gas prices, meanwhile, jumped overnight to a national average of $3.074 a gallon, according to AAA and the Oil Price Information Service.

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