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June 29, 2009

Today in automotive history - on this day in 1902, Marcel Renault won the four-day Paris-to-Vienna race, driving a car of his own design. On this day in 1957, Giuseppe Bacciagaluppi, managing director of the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza, staged the first race at his newly remodeled track, a match race between the top 10 Indy Car drivers and the top 10 Formula One drivers in the world. Read more about this day in history at The History Channel.

DETROIT NEWS (MICHIGAN, USA) GM to invest $800M in Orion plant; move saves 1,200 jobs
General Motors Corp. said Friday it will invest as much as $800 million in revamping its Orion Township factory to build a new small car, selecting Michigan over sites in Wisconsin and Tennessee.GM officials believe the company can afford to be the first manufacturer to build small cars in the United States because of labor agreement modifications made by the United Auto Workers before the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy June 1.    [more]   [top of page]

DETROIT NEWS (MICHIGAN, USA) Interactive maps: GM's sphere of influence wraps the globe
A look at GM's plants and manufacturing employees, as well as suppliers and retirees, in the United States and around the world. Editor's note: This is an old article but contains information that concisely explains GM's global reach and how so much of the global economy is interconnected.   [more]   [top of page]

DETROIT NEWS (MICHIGAN, USA) Chrysler ready for plant re-launch on Monday
There were some last-minute lawsuits and jitters, but Chrysler Group LLC says all systems are a go to re-launch the majority of its assembly plants Monday. Seven assembly plants and the powertrain and other plants that support them are being dusted off after a temporary shutdown that began April 30 when Chrysler LLC filed for bankruptcy. The vehicles that will be built again starting Monday are for the new Chrysler company that was formed with Fiat June 10.    [more]   [top of page]

WASHINGTON POST (WASHINGTON - DC, USA) GM to Allow Some Product Liability Claims
General Motors will assume responsibility for product liability claims filed after the carmaker emerges from bankruptcy protection, a concession that removes a potential obstacle to the Obama administration's plan for the company's quick restructuring. Under the deal reached by the administration, GM and state attorneys general, the automaker will accept claims arising from defective-vehicle accidents that occur after it emerges from Chapter 11 proceedings.    [more]   [top of page]

INDY STAR (INDIANA, USA) 'New' GM's debut is less than impressive
Have you seen General Motors' new television ad? I have. If it was supposed to make me feel better about the bankrupt automaker, it didn't work. "Let's be completely honest," a sonorous voice intones over images of sunrise over Central Park. "No company wants to go through this." No kidding. "This" is bankruptcy, and I get the idea GM wants us to be optimistic. "We aren't witnessing the end of the American car," the voice says as an image of GM's Renaissance Center (that's for sale) flashes across the screen. "We're witnessing the rebirth of the American car."   [more]   [top of page]

CANADA.COM (ONTARIO, CANADA) Ford plans to cut supplier base by half
Ford Motor Co. aims to cut the number of its parts suppliers by almost half by the end of 2009 as the only U. S. automaker to avoid bankruptcy attempts to shore up its supply base at a time of deep financial stress for the industry. Tony Brown, Ford's group vice-president of global purchasing, told reporters that the company expected to identify 850 suppliers eligible for its future business by the end of this year, down from 1,683 suppliers last year.   [more]   [top of page]

EXAMINER (CALIFORNIA, USA) Fiat 500: Will four versions on offer sell Americans on small car?
For years, small cars have been like bran cereal for most U.S. buyers: They'll buy them when they really have to, but as soon as they get regular again, it's buh, bye! As an example, Honda sold 53,299 Civics in May of 2008 and only 17,302 in December of 2008, that's around a 67% drop.    [more]   [top of page]

CANADIAN DRIVER (ONTARIO, CANADA) U.S. passes "Cash for Clunkers" bill
The U.S. has signed into law a "Cash for Clunkers" bill that will provide vouchers of up to US$4,500 for consumers who purchase new, more fuel-efficient vehicles when they trade in a less-efficient vehicle.The program, called the Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS), will be administered by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Vehicles traded in under the program will be crushed or shredded.    [more]   [top of page]

GREEN CAR WEBSITE (UK) Nissan takes intelligent approach to fuel saving
An eight month study led by Nissan will educate UK motorists on how reduce their fuel bills and lower carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. The Nissan Intelligent Driver Project uses satellite navigation systems, mobile phone technology and advanced vehicle telematics to analyse driving habits and suggest ways in which drivers can improve their fuel economy.   [more]   [top of page]

NEW CAR NET (UK) Government backs low carbon demonstrators
The UK government has allocated £25 million of funding for a series of low-carbon vehicle demonstrators. Funds will be distributed between the winners of the Technology Strategy Board's (TSB) Ultra Low Carbon Vehicle Demonstrator competition. The eight successful bids bring together car manufacturers, power companies, Regional Development Agencies, councils and academic institutions.   [more]   [top of page]

INFORMATION WEEK (NEW YORK, USA) Report Confirms Texting While Driving More Dangerous Than Drinking And Driving
The dangers of texting from behind the wheel have been documented all-too-well by recent accidents involving texters. Now, Car and Driver magazine has proven just how dangerous it is: Drunk drivers have better reaction times than those sending texts while driving. Kudos to the Car and Driver team for taking the time to run this battery of tests. They installed a red light inside a car which was to signal the driver when to hit the brakes. The two drivers (one in their early 20s, another in their late 30s) were given different devices to use, such as an iPhone and Samsung Alias, both of which have QWERTY keyboards.    [more]   [top of page]

NEW SCOTSMAN (SCOTLAND) Scots vehicles to go electric in next ten years, vow ministers
ALMOST all vehicles on Scottish roads will be electric or low-carbon in a decade, ministers will claim today. But the ambitious plan by the Scottish Government to make 95 per cent of vehicles low-carbon has been met with scepticism by drivers' organisations and environmental groups. Transport and climate change minister Stewart Stevenson will today unveil a consultation document on how to make sure the target for low-carbon vehicles can be met with most of them running on batteries.   [more]   [top of page]

BLOOMBERG (NEW YORK, USA) Merkel Shifts Nuclear Stance, Backs Electric Cars to Win Votes
Chancellor Angela Merkel's party shifted ground on nuclear power and said it wants to make Germany a nation of electric-car drivers, signaling an attempt to broaden its appeal to voters in Sept. 27 national elections.    [more]   [top of page]

THE TELEGRAPH (INDIA) Big small cars in big fight
The small car big fight in town has now shifted gears to become the battle for the big small car. With last week's launch of Fiat's big hatch, the Grande Punto, in town, the B+ segment is bustling. If Maruti has the Swift and Ritz, Hyundai has its i10, i20 and Getz, Tata Motors its Indica Vista, General Motors its U-VA and Fiat its old Palio Stile and now the Grande Punto.   [more]   [top of page]

DNA INDIA (INDIA) From Nano economy to Jaguar luxury
Not so long ago, Tata Motors was unveiling the world's 'cheapest car', the Nano. Now, they bring to Mumbai luxury at a price: Jaguar and Land Rover models in the Rs63-Rs92 lakh range. Tata Motors has had its share of relationships with luxury brands. In 1994, through its expansive network, it distributed the Mercedes E-class in India, followed by Fiat products in 2006. Now, it's the turn of Jaguar and Land Rover, the British marquee brands. Acquired in June 2008 for $2.3 billion, they marked their official entry into the Indian car market on Sunday with the opening of a flagship showroom at Ceejay House, Worli.    [more]   [top of page]

YAHOO! NEWS CANADA (ONTARIO, CANADA) Men charged with taking tourists on police chase
Operators of an unauthorized New York airport van service that took five French tourists on a high speed chase in an attempt to evade police were charged Wednesday with unlawful imprisonment.Tuesday, the operators of the van service - Khaalif Preacher, 27, and Ian L. McFarlane, 57 - were approached by police for "hustling" travelers outside the Air France terminal at John F. Kennedy International Airport, prosecutors said.   [more]   [top of page]

YAHOO! NEWS CANADA (ONTARIO, CANADA) Wimbledon church graveyard becomes car park
A church by the Wimbledon championships is letting tennis fans park above the bodies in the graveyard, a newspaper reported Thursday. St. Mary's Church in Wimbledon, southwest London, is in a prime position overlooking the entire All England Club complex.   [more]   [top of page]

June 22, 2009

Today in automotive history - on this day in 1934, Ferdinand Porsche contracted with the Automobile Manufacturers Association of Germany (RDA) to build three prototype "people's cars" over a 10-month period. The contract was a direct result of Hitler's personal request to Porsche that he design such a car. The result, of course, was the Volkswagen. Read more about this day in history at The History Channel.

DETROIT NEWS (MICHIGAN, USA) How would Henry Ford react to today's automakers?
You've got to wonder what Henry Ford would think. Two of Detroit's three automakers are bankrupt. General Motors Corp. and the Chrysler Group LLC are operating largely on aid from the federal government, which now owns a big chunk of the latter and will soon own a controlling stake in the former. The president of the United States has even sacked GM's CEO and forced the company to pick new board members. "Most of this wouldn't shock him because a lot of this happened during his lifetime," Henry Ford's great-grandson, Ford Motor Co. Executive Chairman Bill Ford Jr., told The Detroit News in a recent interview. "He failed a couple times. He saw a lot of car companies come and go. And he saw his own company go bankrupt and then go on to the verge of bankruptcy several times during his lifetime."    [more]   [top of page]

HOUSTON CHRONICLE (TEXAS, USA) GM, Chrysler retirees rush eye examined, teeth cleaned
General Motors Corp. and Chrysler Group retirees are flocking to Detroit optometrists and dental offices for eye exams and teeth cleanings before those longtime benefits vanish July 1. The benefit cuts are among broader changes approved by the United Auto Workers in May as GM and Chrysler sought to restructure before filing for bankruptcy protection.   [more]   [top of page]

LONDON EVENING STANDARD (UK) Could Chrysler marriage to Fiat be third time lucky?
Chrysler has in the past decade been the weakest partner in, not one, but two of the most disastrous merger failures in automotive history. You would think only a fool would step up to be partner number three. But that is what Italy's Fiat has done. Never mind that Daimler, one of Germany's most feted industrial icons, and Cerberus, one of the most ruthless private-equity turnaround shops on earth, both not only failed in their ventures with Chrysler but also suffered considerable damage as a result.   [more]   [top of page]

DETROIT FREE PRESS (MICHIGAN, USA) GM asset sale plan opposed
A group of General Motors Corp. bondholders and some of the automaker's labor unions filed objections Friday to the company's plan to sell its assets to a new company that can emerge from bankruptcy protection. Their opposition, along with additional objections filed by consumer groups, a handful of states and cities, and individual retirees, shareholders and bondholders, threatens to put the brakes on what has so far been a speedy trip through the Chapter 11 process.   [more]   [top of page]

BLOOMBERG (NEW YORK, USA) Toyoda Asks How Many Times Toyota Errs Emulating GM Failures
On a mild day in February, Toyota Motor Corp.'s honorary chairman, Shoichiro Toyoda, summoned 400 executives to the redbrick factory in Nagoya, Japan, where his grandfather had built weaving looms a century ago. The managers filed in for one of the customary updates from Toyota's gray-haired, 84-year-old patriarch. What they got was anything but ordinary.    [more]   [top of page]

THE GREEN CAR WEBSITE (UK) Honda to undercut Insight with two hybrids?
With the Toyota Prius still providing stiff competition, it appears that Honda may be willing to undercut the price of its own Insight Hybrid car as it bids to land a larger share of the green car market.According to reports, the Japanese car manufacturer is considering introducing two hybrid cars that will be priced lower than the Insight. The Insight itself is already cheaper than Toyota's Prius, albeit it only achieves 41mpg compared to the Prius's 50mpg.   [more]   [top of page]

FOX 43 (PENNSYLVANIA, USA) Report: Toyota secretly developing green car to be powered solely by solar energy
Toyota Motor Corp. is secretly developing a vehicle that will be powered solely by solar energy in an effort to turn around its struggling business with a futuristic ecological car, a top business daily reported Thursday. The Nikkei newspaper, however, said it will be years before the planned vehicle will be available on the market. Toyota's offices were closed Thursday and officials were not immediately available for comment.   [more]   [top of page]

CANADIAN DRIVER (ONTARIO, CANADA) Federal government invests in Ontario biofuel plant
The federal government will invest up to $117.5 million over seven years in GreenField Ethanol's plant in Johnstown, Ontario, in support of biofuels development. "These investments, from both the ecoENERGY for Biofuels and the ecoABC programs, will help GreenField Ethanol in our committed vision to help broaden Canadians' fuel choices through the use of innovative technologies and disciplined leadership," said Robert Gallant, president and CEO of GreenField Ethanol.   [more]   [top of page]

EXAMINER (COLORADO, USA) Green vehicles for the military
The military is getting green vehicles, not their color but their function. ZAP today confirmed the United States military will be getting all electric trucks for certain duties. The trucks, using the new 4 wheel ZAP XL electric truck platform are being distributed to installations both domestically and abroad with some modifications.   [more]   [top of page]

CANADIAN DRIVER (ONTARIO, CANADA) Americans driving more: Traffic Volume Trends
Travel on all U.S. roads and streets in April 2009 increased by 0.6 per cent compared with April 2008, according to the Traffic Volume Trends report issued by the Federal Highway Administration.Americans drove an estimated 249.5 billion miles, up 1.4 billion miles from April 2008. Cumulative travel for 2009 is down by 1.1 per cent compared to the same period in 2008, though, at 10.0 billion vehicle miles.   [more]   [top of page]

BUSINESS WIRE (NEW YORK, USA) Autoliv Evaluates Autonomous Braking System - Could Eliminate 40% of Pedestrian Fatalities
Approximately forty percent of the thousands of pedestrians that die every year and 25% of the severe pedestrian injuries could be avoided if cars had pedestrian detection systems with automatic braking. This indicates a scientific paper which Autoliv Inc. - the worldwide leader in automotive safety - presented today at the international conference Enhanced Safety of Vehicle (ESV) in Stuttgart, Germany. Approximately half of the fatally and one third of the severely injured pedestrians are visible to the driver prior to impact but the driver does not brake or only brakes marginally, according to German accident data (GIDAS).    [more]   [top of page]

CANADIAN DRIVER (ONTARIO, CANADA) U.S. proposal makes road funds conditional on safety
The U.S. government has proposed a bill that would provide highway trust fund money to states on the condition that they enact primary seatbelt laws and ignition interlocks.   [more]   [top of page]

BLOOMBERG (NEW YORK, USA) Toyota Making Green Cars May Mean Destroying Japan Rice Paddies
Toyota Motor Corp. is plotting its future amid 1,631 acres (660 hectares) of rice paddies that date to the 17th century and cedar forests. Here, in central Japan's Shimoyama village, a 30-minute drive from its Toyota City headquarters, the world's biggest automaker plans a research center with at least 10 kilometers of road courses to fine-tune its vehicles. President Akio Toyoda, who completed a 24-hour endurance race in May, says he wants to test new models.    [more]   [top of page]

BEIJING REVIEW (CHINA) Zooming Into High Gear
The management team of China First Automobile Works Group Corp. (FAW) is working arduously on the company's further development. The recent turmoil with major American automakers in Detroit has given it a sense of the crisis, but also has compelled it to find opportunities for expansion. "We have divided the overseas market into a strategic market and a key market according to the difficulties of access and market attraction," Ma Zhendong, FAW's Deputy Party Secretary, told Beijing Review.    [more]   [top of page]

XINHUA (CHINA) Ford to move its Asia executives from Thailand to China
Ford Motor Co. will move its headquarters for Asia, the Pacific and Africa from Thailand to China, the Detroit News reported Thursday. While a final decision has not been made, Shanghai will likely become home to Ford's senior executives in the region. However, key operations will remain in Bangkok, along with regional headquarters for the 10 nations that make up the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). "Our leadership team, with supporting corporate functions, will be moving to China," said Ford spokeswoman Whitney Foard Small.    [more]   [top of page]

KCCI (IOWA, USA) 500 Tractors Roll Down Iowa Road
More than 500 tractors are joining in a joyride from Dubuque to Dyersville and back. The 10th anniversary of the Great Eastern Iowa Tractorcade began Monday and will continue through Wednesday.   [more]   [top of page]

TOLEDO ON THE MOVE (OHIO, USA) How to avoid a Toledo parking ticket
Numerous Toledo residents are unsure why they were ticketed for parking in their gravel driveways last week. The $25 tickets, issued by the Division of Street, Bridges & Harbor, were in response to a City of Toledo ordinance that makes it illegal to park anywhere except paved surfaces - including gravel driveways with a few expceptions.   [more]   [top of page]

June 15, 2009

Today in automotive history - on this day in 1986, Richard Petty made his 1,000th NASCAR start at the Miller American 400 in Brooklyn, Michigan. Petty's records of success and longevity are likely never to be broken. Read more about this day in history at The History Channel.

DETROIT NEWS (MICHIGAN, USA) Ford chairman calls for government transparency in helping run GM
Ford Motor Co. Executive Chairman Bill Ford Jr. said government intervention has taken the automobile industry into uncharted territory, and he called for "transparency" from Washington. "There are issues that we just don't have answers to yet in terms of government ownership in our industry and what that's going to mean," he told reporters at the National Summit, which opened here today. "We don't know what the implications are going to be, but one thing's for sure: I like our position."    [more]   [top of page]

AP (NEW YORK, USA) Auto loan delinquencies jump in 1st quarter
Those "green shoots" of economic rebound don't yet have very deep roots. While some economic indicators are pointing to better days ahead, data shows consumers continued to struggle to make loan payments in the first quarter. The latest evidence showed in the rate of auto loan payments that were 60 days or more late. The rate skyrocketed nearly 28 percent in the first three months of the year, compared with the same period in 2008.   [more]   [top of page]

FINAL CALL (ILLINOIS, USA) Nearly 2,000 GM, Chrysler dealerships to shut down
The impact on minority-owned franchises is still being sorted out. The actual damage is still being assessed. But in what will likely go down as one of the worst weeks ever for American car dealers, 1,100 General Motors franchises have been notified that their operations could be shut down by next year, a move some have feared will impact minority-owned dealerships most. The notices, issued on the heels of Chrysler's announcement that it will close 789 dealerships by June 9, came as both automakers worked aggressively to streamline costs and meet stipulations made by the federal government's Auto Task Force after receiving additional bailout money to stay afloat.    [more]   [top of page]

MONEY MORNING (MARYLAND, USA) Europe Suffers Record Employment Losses, With More to Come as Jobless-Recovery Concerns Go Global
European payrolls suffered their worst decline on record in the first quarter, and pending job cuts in that region's auto and airline sectors means those losses could worsen going into 2010. For the 16 countries that use the euro, a record 1.2 million workers - 0.8% of the worker ranks - lost their jobs in the year's first three months, the worst showing since Eurostat, the European Union's statistics office, began tracking job data. In the entire European Union, comprised of 27 countries, employers slashed their payrolls by 1.9 million workers.    [more]   [top of page]

DETROIT NEWS (MICHIGAN, USA) Keep internal combustion engine, biofuel exec says
The leader of a leading biofuel innovation firm thinks keeping the internal combustion engine on America's roads is the best way to address the nation's energy crunch. "Our ambition is to literally put gasoline in the tank, but it's gas without petroleum," said Dr. Alan Shaw, president and chief executive of Silicon Valley-based Codexis Inc. at a technology panel hosted by the National Summit, the Detroit Economic Club-sponsored event being held this week at the Renaissance Center. "It'll keep the internal combustion engine on the road, which is a good thing.    [more]   [top of page]

BUSINESS WEEK (NEW YORK, USA) Japan incentives boost sales of green cars, TVs
Japanese are snatching up hybrid cars, solar panels and energy-efficient TVs, wooed by government incentives designed to battle a recession while conserving energy. Tax breaks and rebates on green cars have helped two hybrid vehicles, Toyota's Prius and Honda Motor Co.'s Insight, become the best-selling models in Japan the last two months.   [more]   [top of page]

NEWSOXY (FLORIDA, USA) 2010 Toyota Prius Offers Green Car Eco Plastics
The 2010 Toyota Prius is one of the new hybrid cars on the market to offer Eco Plastics derived from plants. This green car also features an Eco Mode to optimize its total fuel economy. The EV-Drive Mode runs the vehicle on electric power.    [more]   [top of page]

CBS NEWS (NEW YORK, USA) Tesla Motors CEO: Gas Should Be $10/Gallon
"I'm anti-tax, but I'm pro-carbon tax," Tesla Motors founder Elon Musk said onstage at the Wired Business Conference here Monday--a remark that prompted interviewer and Wired editor-in-chief Chris Anderson to quip that he was a "true Silicon Valley libertarian." Gasoline "should probably be $10" per gallon, said onetime PayPal co-founder Musk, who is also attempting to make sending satellites into space cheaper with a start-up called SpaceX.   [more]   [top of page]

USA TODAY (VIRGINIA, USA) Hybrids, electric cars create big opportunities for tire industry
The electric revolution in the auto industry - whether it's hybrids or plug-ins - is creating opportunity for a lot more than just battery and power electronics makers. Consider what's happening in the tire industry. Tiremakers are now trying to come up with the best technologies to go with other automotive features that squeeze every drop out of a gallon of gas. Both Michelin and Goodyear are touting their latest creations aimed at saving gas without sacrificing tread life or stopping distance.   [more]   [top of page]

NEW YORK TIMES (NEW YORK, USA) Industry Slumps, but Prius Inspires Waiting List
Throughout Toyota's global operations, managers are scrambling to cut costs in the wake of record losses. But at Toyota's Tsutsumi plant, managers have the opposite problem: meeting demand for the third generation of the Prius, which has become an instant hit in Japan and is rolling into American showrooms now.   [more]   [top of page]

JOONGANG DAILY (KOREA) Critics bash 'green' car support
If a person buys a hybrid car in Korea beginning next month, he or she will get up to 3.1 million won ($2,472) in acquisition and registration tax breaks. It will mark the initiation of state support for distributing environment-friendly cars. The government aims to make Korea a leading "green" country.But analysts say the size of the green-car government support is small here compared with such advanced countries as the United States, France and Japan.    [more]   [top of page]

CANADIAN DRIVER (ONTARIO, CANADA) Scrappage policies boost European sales
New passenger car registrations in Europe dropped by 4.9 per cent in May 2009 compared to May 2008, but several countries reported marked improvements, including a 39.7 per cent rise in Germany, due to fleet renewal schemes. In total, 1,270,195 new passenger car registrations were recorded in May 2009. The 4.9 per cent drop marked 13 consecutive months of negative sales, with a year-to-date decline of 13.9 per cent.   [more]   [top of page]

CANADIAN DRIVER (ONTARIO, CANADA) China considering hybrid vehicle subsidies
The city of Shenzhen, in China's Guangdong province, is considering a subsidy of 50,000 yuan to buyers of hybrid vehicles, according to the Chinese news magazine Caijing. Wu Delin, vice-director of Shenzhen's development and reform commission, made the announcement at a ceremony making the delivery of ten plug-in hybrid vehicles by battery and auto manufacturer BYD   [more]   [top of page]

BOSTON HERALD (MASSACHUSETTS, USA) Cash spills on I-75 in Detroit during morning rush
That's one pricey pit stop. WWJ-AM reports a bin fell out of an armored truck on Interstate 75 in Detroit Thursday morning, spilling bills across the freeway. Marva Brown passed the spill as she drove to work. She says Detroit police officers surrounded the money, or else she might have stopped to pick up a few bills.   [more]   [top of page]

BOSTON HERALD (MASSACHUSETTS, USA) Didn't I tell you to bring the van?!?
Two armed men in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, robbed a security vehicle containing $1.3 million, but they had to leave half the money inside. Their getaway car, a compact, was too small to hold it all.   [more]   [top of page]

YAHOO! NEWS CANADA (ONTARIO, CANADA) Four-wheelers flocking together: US. riders claim world record for longest ATV parade
All-terrain vehicle riders who formed a parade along Minnesota's North Shore are claiming a world record for their turnout. The All-Terrain Vehicle Association of Minnesota tried Saturday to line up more than 2,000 ATVs in Silver Bay into the longest parade documented for Guinness World Records.    [more]   [top of page]

June 8, 2009

Today in automotive history - on this day in 1986, Tim Richmond won the first of his seven Winston Cup Series races in 1986, a total that would vault him to third place in the Series point race and solidify his reputation as one of NASCAR's greatest drivers. Read more about this day in history at The History Channel.

DETROIT NEWS (MICHIGAN, USA) Chrysler dealers scramble to unload vehicles
Peter J. Walsh, the owner of Walsh Dodge in Jersey City, N.J., started out selling used cars in his hometown 28 years ago after the birth of his daughter. He slowly built his business, and felt as if he'd finally made it when he earned his Chrysler shingle in 2000. But on Tuesday, Walsh Dodge will lose that shingle -- as will 788 other dealers across the country. Auburn Hills, Mich.-based Chrysler has asked a bankruptcy court for permission to terminate the franchise agreements of about 25 percent of its dealers. Chrysler needs to cut costs, and claims current sales levels don't justify a network of 3,189 dealers.    [more]   [top of page]

BEAVER COUNTY TIMES ONLINE (PENNSYLVANIA, USA) 'We're going to fix the company': GM VP, Blackhawk grad lays out where company is headed
Mark LaNeve knows firsthand just how the collapse of a major industry can affect families. His own family struggled in the 1980s, as his father, Jack, a pipe fitter at Babcock & Wilcox Co., lost his job - along with thousands of others in Beaver County - when the steel industry imploded in western Pennsylvania.   [more]   [top of page]

WASHINGTON POST (WASHINGTON - DC, USA) Lenders Ask Supreme Court To Review Chrysler's Sale
A small but persistent group of lenders has turned to the U.S. Supreme Court in its last attempt to challenge the government-backed sale of Chrysler's assets to a company run by Italian automaker Fiat. Three Indiana state pension and construction funds late Saturday filed documents requesting that the sale be delayed so that the Supreme Court can hear their appeal.   [more]   [top of page]

DETROIT FREE PRESS (MICHIGAN, USA) Ford Canada wants CAW talks
Ford Canada wants to negotiate a new labor deal with the Canadian Auto Workers to become more competitive with its auto counterparts now that Chrysler Canada Inc. and General Motors Canada have inked new cost-cutting labor agreements with the union, the Associated Press reported. The CAW recently signed new contracts to cut Chrysler's costs by about $17 an hour and GM's by about $20 an hour.   [more]   [top of page]

DETROIT NEWS (MICHIGAN, USA) GOP falls flat with its auto arguments
Congressional Republicans at some point might break through with their serial laments on the metastasizing auto bailouts-cum-bankruptcy -- but they haven't yet. Thursday, a handful of senators led by Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., proposed distributing shares in bankrupt General Motors Corp. to American taxpayers in recognition that their federal government soon will hold a 60 percent stake in the Detroit giant. A second effort, pushed by Sen. Mike Johanns, R-Neb., would require the Obama administration to win congressional approval before spending bailout money on the companies.    [more]   [top of page]

CANADIAN DRIVER (ONTARIO, CANADA) GM announces sale of Saturn brand
General Motors has confirmed a proposed transaction that will sell the Saturn brand to Penske Automotive Group. Penske, headquartered in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, also distributes the Smart brand in the United States. GM said that if the deal is completed, it will save more than 350 dealerships and 13,000 jobs at Saturn and its retailers in the U.S., and will preserve the brand.   [more]   [top of page]

EV WORLD (NEBRASKA, USA) Subaru Announces Stella Electric Car
The name Subaru usually conjures up thoughts of all-wheel-drive rally machines. However, its parent company, Fuji Heavy Industries, announced today that Subaru will be launching the tiny front-wheel-drive Stella Plug-In Electric Vehicle in Japan next month.    [more]   [top of page]

CANADIAN NEWSWIRE (ONTARIO, CANADA) CAA made driving safer for you. Now we're greening it up too.
Today is World Environment day. To commemorate this important event CAA South Central Ontario is launching its 2009 Autogreen campaign. This year CAA South Central Ontario's goal is to plant 20,000 trees in the hope of reducing the equivalent of 260,000 pounds of carbon being released into our atmosphere.    [more]   [top of page]

CANADIAN DRIVER (ONTARIO, CANADA) Canadian students enter green car design finals
Three Canadian university teams will compete in the EcoCAR Design Challenge Finals in Toronto this week, alongside 14 American student teams attempting to take the first-year competition Design Winner trophy for their innovative green vehicle designs and virtual models.   [more]   [top of page]

AUTOMOTIVE BUSINESS REVIEW (UK) Mitsubishi Launches $47,000 Electric Car
In a strategic move to gain an upper hand over its competitors in the emission-free vehicle market, Japan's Mitsubishi Motors has launched i-MiEV, a compact, four-door electric car. The lithium-ion battery powered i-MiEV can travel 160 kilometers on a single charge. Mitsubishi is all set to start selling the new car to corporate and government customers in Japan during late July, before competitors like Toyota and Nissan launch their rival models.   [more]   [top of page]

SEATTLE TIMES (WASHINGTON, USA) Big demand for Tesla sedan, new Trixx from GM and Hyundai's first plug-in hybrid
Electric-car manufacturer Tesla says it has received 520 $5,000 deposits for its upcoming Model S electric high-performance sedan. Tesla says that the demand so far has exceeded expectations.    [more]   [top of page]

TIMES OF INDIA (INDIA) Fuel economy standards for cars get PMO green signal
The government has finally decided to implement auto fuel economy standards. After a year of wrangling between the heavy industries, surface transport and power ministries, the PMO has decided that the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) will formulate the norms and notify them under the Energy Conservation Act while the surface transport ministry will ensure its implementation.    [more]   [top of page]

DOWAGIAC NEWS (MICHIGAN, USA) U.S. must block import of unsafe Chinese cars
If you enjoy Chinese products such as poisoned dog food, lead painted toys and toxic drywall, have we got the car for you! Its China 's Chery automobile - stolen designs, flimsy construction and desperately trying to come to a dealer near you. Crash test video on YouTube that demonstrates its ability to crumple like a piece of tin foil in a low mileage collision are horrifying enough to appear more like a spoof than a real test.   [more]   [top of page]

BUSINESS REPORT (SOUTH AFRICA) Imperial and McCarthy join up to sell Chinese cars
Imperial Holdings has acquired a 50 percent shareholding in McCarthy Automobile Distributors to create a joint venture import and distributorship company for Chery and Foton vehicles in South Africa.Chery is the top brand in the car market in China and Foton is the top manufacturer of commercial vehicles there.   [more]   [top of page]

TRUCK TREND (CALIFORNIA, USA) Jeep Becomes Newest Target Of The Chinese Copycat
Here we go again. China Automobile France has recently brought its KIFF to market in Europe - a buggy-like vehicle that takes its design inspiration (in a not-so-subtle way) from the Jeep Wrangler. We've witnessed copycat designs coming out of China for some time now, and it appears that Chinese automakers aren't finshed yet. First shown at the 2008 Paris Motor Salon and marketed as a recreational, two-seat "quadricycle," the KIFF features a 20-hp 800cc engine sourced from fellow Chinese automaker Chery Although a 53-hp version is available in "uncontrolled, non-homologated" form, we take that to mean "not street legal."    [more]   [top of page]

CHICAGO SUN TIMES (ILLINOIS, USA) Double DUI pair get their punishment
A husband and wife will enter a first-time offender program after both were charged with DUI in connection with the same car crash. Police charged 45-year-old Robert Kotoff Sr. and 42-year-old Tina Kotoff.   [more]   [top of page]

YAHOO! NEWS (CALIFORNIA, USA) New Mexico child who wouldn't buckle up is sent to traffic class
A New Mexico five-year-old sentenced to traffic safety class after refusing to wear a seatbelt says he is reformed. David Kirk-Peet completed the class Thursday and was handed a certificate. He promised to buckle up, saying: "You want to get safe."    [more]   [top of page]

June 1, 2009

Today in automotive history - on this day in 1917, Henry Leland, the founder of the Cadillac Motor Car Company, resigned as company president. Ever since William Durant had arranged for General Motors (GM) to purchase Cadillac, Leland and Durant had endured a strained relationship. But Leland's electric starter had made Cadillac so successful early on that Durant had avoided meddling with the autonomy of his company. Read more about this day in history at The History Channel.

DETROIT NEWS (MICHIGAN, USA) GM will file for bankruptcy early Monday
The White House late Sunday evening set in motion another chapter in General Motors Corp.'s 100-year history when it confirmed that the Detroit automaker would file for bankruptcy Monday morning.The company, which has weathered war, intense competition and the ups and downs of the market, couldn't stay afloat without help from the government and in turn will restructure its mounting debts in federal bankruptcy court. The filing, forced by the Obama administration after it pushed Chrysler LLC into bankruptcy on April 30, will come before the markets open in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in New York. The automaker hopes to emerge from court oversight within 90 days.    [more]   [top of page]

NEW YORK TIMES (NEW YORK, USA) G.M. to Seek Bankruptcy and a New Start
President Obama will push General Motors into bankruptcy protection on Monday, making a risky bet that by temporarily nationalizing the onetime icon of American capitalism, he can save at least a diminished automaker that is competitive.   [more]   [top of page]

DETROIT FREE PRESS (MICHIGAN, USA) AlixPartners' Koch to be named to GM role
General Motors Corp. is to name restructuring expert Al Koch as a chief restructuring officer as part of its bankruptcy filing, people familiar with the plan said Sunday. Koch, vice chairman and managing director of Southfield-based turnaround firm AlixPartners, served as chief financial officer at Kmart Corp. during its bankruptcy.    [more]   [top of page]

REUTERS (NEW YORK, USA) U.S. autos task force to motor on, monitor stakes
Even if General Motors Corp and Chrysler LLC emerge swiftly from bankruptcy this summer, the Obama administration's autos task force will stay in business -- shifting to an investment manager role. Senior administration officials said on Sunday there was plenty to keep the task force staff busy, monitoring the government's stake of about 60 percent of GM, and an eight percent stake in Chrysler.   [more]   [top of page]

BLOOMBERG (NEW YORK, USA) Firing Wagoner Became Necessary for CEO in Denial of Bankruptcy
Rick Wagoner arrived at the U.S. Treasury building in Washington for another appointment with government officials about the survival of General Motors Corp. It was March 27, almost nine years after he'd taken over as chief executive officer. By this spring morning, the company had lost $82 billion and had spent $13.4 billion of taxpayer money. He'd been summoned by Steven Rattner, the Wall Street dealmaker running President Barack Obama's auto task force, which is forcing GM to file for bankruptcy today. Wagoner had come prepared to discuss his latest plan to justify even more federal aid. What he didn't know was that Rattner's team had decided it needed to break GM in order to fix it, and Wagoner was standing in the way.    [more]   [top of page]

DETROIT NEWS (MICHIGAN, USA) GM changes have worldwide impact
When General Motors Corp. files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy today, the move will cap months of speculation about the automaker's fate and it will radically shrink the company's global footprint, which stretches from the Chevrolet dealer in Anchorage, Alaska, to a parts supplier in Australia. In between is a network of dealers, plants and people that rely on GM for paychecks, pensions and profits, all of which will be impacted by the country's fourth largest bankruptcy filing. GM products are sold in every corner of the world, and made in many of them.    [more]   [top of page]

CANADIAN DRIVER (ONTARIO, CANADA) European automakers reduce environmental impact
European auto manufacturers have significantly reduced the environmental impact of vehicle production in recent years, according to the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA). Per unit produced, energy consumption, CO2 emissions, waste, water use and volatile organic compounds (VOC) have all decreased.   [more]   [top of page]

DAILY PROGRESS (VIRGINIA, USA) City transit service to add hybrid 'trolleys'
Bus hostler Anderill Hughes parks "trolleys" at the Charlottesville Transit Center yard. The city plans to add two hybrid buses to the fleet starting this summer. The buses will have diesel engines but will run on electric motors.   [more]   [top of page]

THE STAR (MALAYSIA) Triple crisis for the motor car
The modern world is so much built on the motor car. For many middle-income families, it is the most important asset they own after the house. And, many who don't own a car have the fervent dream of doing so. Just as car ownership is the most obvious status symbol for the individual, the making or assembly of automobiles is for many developing countries the centerpiece of their industrialisation process.   [more]   [top of page]

CNET NEWS (CALIFORNIA, USA) Boston Power plans battery plant for cars, laptops
Battery company Boston Power thinks it can bring electric car battery manufacturing to the U.S. with some help from government stimulus funds. The Westborough, Mass.-based company on Monday is scheduled to hold a press event in nearby Hudson where it plans to build a factory to make lithium-ion batteries for laptops and electric vehicles.    [more]   [top of page]

HEALTH NEWS DIGEST (NEW YORK, USA) Hybrid and Electric Cars - Where Can You Plug them In?
Gasoline-electric hybrids, like the Toyota Prius, are all the rage due to their fuel efficiency, and consumers have been clamoring for carmakers to up the ante and give these vehicles a plug. This way the batteries can be charged at home and not just by the gas engine and other on-board features, thus greatly reducing the need for gas except for long trips. And purely electric cars, like the Tesla Roadster already on the market, will be making more appearances on the streets as greater production brings the costs down.    [more]   [top of page]

CLEANTECH NEWS (CALIFORNIA, USA) Tesla recall: Good for the electric car industry?
San Carlos, Calif.-based Tesla Motors issued a recall notice late yesterday for 345 of its 500 Roadsters in the field because of a flaw that could cause the vehicles to crash. No injuries have been reported from the defect in the vehicle's hub, and Tesla has said it will immediately deploy technicians to customers' homes and offices to make the simple fix.    [more]   [top of page]

CANADIAN DRIVER (ONTARIO, CANADA) "Slow down and move over" now law in B.C.
A new law requiring drivers to slow down and move over when passing stopped emergency vehicles with flashing lights is now the law in British Columbia, effective June 1, 2009. The new law requires drivers to slow down to 70 km/h on highways where the speed limit is 80 km/h or higher, and to 40 km/h where the limit is below 80 km/h when approaching a stopped emergency vehicle that has its lights flashing.   [more]   [top of page]

CANADIAN DRIVER (ONTARIO, CANADA) Canada's Magna will take over GM's Opel division
Canadian auto supplier Magna International will take over General Motors' Opel division, following Germany's agreement to the deal. The German government is expected to provide €1.5 billion in immediate loans, while Magna has said it will invest more than €500 million.   [more]   [top of page]

ANANOVA (UK) £840 fine for mum in yellow line trap
Money-grabbing council contractors lifted up a mum's car, painted double yellow lines under it and then towed it away. Stunned Ruth Ducker, 44, was told she would have to cough up £840 to get her VW Golf back.   [more]   [top of page]

YAHOO! NEWS (CALIFORNIA, USA) Accused reckless driver allegedly kicks troopers
Oregon State Police arrested a 27-year-old woman accused of driving recklessly and kicking a state trooper in the face. The woman was in the Multnomah County Jail on charges of reckless driving, driving under the influence, attempting to elude an officer and assaulting an officer.   [more]   [top of page]

TORONTO STAR (ONTARIO, CANADA) Those driving right feeling wronged
Last autumn Quebec drivers grumbled about being forced to buy winter tires. Lately, motorcyclists have been blocking roads over runaway fees. Now it's specialty car enthusiasts feeling the wrath of a provincial government on a mission to rein in its roadways and their associated costs.   [more]   [top of page]

May 29, 2009

Today in automotive history - on this day in 1950, Preston Tucker's lawsuit against his former prosecutors was thrown out of court. Tucker had been indicted for stock fraud after managing to produce only 53 of his long-awaited Tucker cars. On this day in 1971, Al Unser became the first racer to win a single-day purse of over $200,000 at the Indy 500. On this day in 1977, A.J. Foyt, known as "SuperTex," became the first four-time winner of the Indy 500, driving a Coyote-Foyt of his own design. Read more about this day in history at The History Channel.

DETROIT NEWS (MICHIGAN, USA) Granholm, Bing fight to keep GM in Detroit's Renaissance Center
Detroit Mayor Dave Bing, Gov. Jennifer Granholm and other top leaders are in the midst of a frantic lobbying maneuver they hope will stop any plans by General Motors Corp. to abandon the Renaissance Center as its world headquarters. Company officials have studied moving to Warren, completing a detailed financial analysis of how much would be saved, according to sources familiar with the situation.    [more]   [top of page]

BLOOMBERG (NEW YORK, USA) GM Bankruptcy to Be a Tale of Best of Assets, Worst of Assets
When General Motors Corp. files for bankruptcy protection next week, a Dickensian tale of two legal processes will unfold. In one, a judge will be told that a new entity will emerge within three months with prized assets and a plan to revisit the best of times when GM was the world's largest carmaker.   [more]   [top of page]

ONLINE WSJ (NEW YORK, USA) Japan May Aid Parts Suppliers In Case Of GM Failure - Kyodo
Industry minister Toshihiro Nikai suggested Friday the government might formulate emergency aid policies for Japanese firms that may be impacted by the possible bankruptcy of U.S. auto giant General Motors Corp. (GM), Kyodo News reported. If particular concern rises over Japanese auto parts suppliers, which are deeply involved in GM's business, then the government "must consider some responses," said Nikai, the minister of economy, trade and industry.    [more]   [top of page]

KANSAS CITY.COM (MISSOURI, USA) Voices of GM
Steven Cox, a Leawood man who drove both domestics and imports most of his life but has bought only GM vehicles since 9/11. "We're on our third Chevrolet Suburban, and our intent is to buy a Chevy Traverse (a new GM crossover) in six to eight months. Where GM is at now won't affect my car-buying decisions. We need a viable auto industry, and the quicker the government gets in and out of it, the better. GM has hit home runs with cars like the Traverse and Malibu. I just hope it's not too little, too late."   [more]   [top of page]

REUTERS (NEW YORK, USA) New CAFE Rules, Same Old Failure
Last week, President Obama proposed new Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) rules that raise the average fuel economy for cars and light trucks combined to 35.5 mpg by 2016. In this new rule, he also gave the authority to the EPA to regulate tailpipe emissions from vehicles - this is completely new.If you saw the announcement last week, you saw a "strong" coalition of everyone and their brother standing behind the president during the announcement.   [more]   [top of page]

MARSHALLTOWN TIMES REPUBLICAN (IOWA, USA) Legislators learn about plug-in car
Area legislators learned more about the Consumers Energy plug-in hybrid Toyota Prius and even one got to take it for a spin. Sen. Steve Sodders, D-State Center, Rep. Mark Smith, D-Marshalltown, Rep. Annette Sweeney, R-Alden, and Sen. Rob Hogg, D-Cedar Rapids, all visited Consumers Energy Thursday to learn more about the car and renewable energy. Brian Heithoff, CEO of Consumers Energy, said Hogg approached him about having a day where the legislators could learn about the car.   [more]   [top of page]

HOMETOWN NEWS (FLORIDA, USA) Student-built car is a serene ride
Other than a couple of rattles and squeaks from its suspension, the solar-charged electric car built by a group of Bayside High School students is as quiet as a church mouse. A few days before they graduated from Bayside, seniors Anthony Lenza, Alex Waszkiewicz and Joseph Bartley took another spin in the vehicle they helped put together. They and their fellow students in physics instructor Naim Torlak's class began restoring the 1968 Triumph Spitfire last September and had it up and running in January.   [more]   [top of page]

CANADIAN DRIVER (ONTARIO, CANADA) Fleets will increasingly turn to hybrids: Pike Research
Company and government fleets looking for ways to cut costs and reduce carbon emissions will be among the most ardent early adopters of commercial hybrid electric vehicles (HEV), according to a new study by U.S. market research and consulting firm Pike Research.    [more]   [top of page]

CHINA BRIEFING (CHINA) China Sector Watch: Automobiles
It would be in 1901 that automobiles first came to China, mainly in the streets of then turn of the century Shanghai. Then, automobiles were usually imports from America and used by foreigners. During that time, China did not have enough paved roads to make automobile convenient for everyone. It would only be in 1956 that the automobile factory, the First Automobile Works (FAW), would begin making cars.   [more]   [top of page]

MONTREAL GAZETTE (QUEBEC, CANADA) Laval commuters to receive GPS bus updates
Laval's public-transit authority is set to become the first in Quebec to use GPS technology to let commuters know whether buses are running on time. It's part of a technological revolution expected to spread to other parts of the region, with one transit agency planning a pilot project to offer free Internet access on trains.   [more]   [top of page]

CANADIAN DRIVER (ONTARIO, CANADA) Study finds bright roadways mean less caution
Older drivers tend to be less cautious behind the wheel when roadways are slightly more illuminated, according to a study by Toronto's Ryerson University. The study was funded by the Ontario Ministry of Transportation, which wanted to determine whether slightly increasing the light intensity on Ontario highways would improve older drivers' performance on roads. The researchers said the finding took them by surprise.   [more]   [top of page]

CANADIAN DRIVER (ONTARIO, CANADA) Excuses for speeding don't work: ICBC
Finding excuses for speeding won't work with police officers, who have heard it all before, according to the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC). The corporation asked police across the province to share the top excuses for speeding and why they won't help.   [more]   [top of page]

SIFY (INDIA) India gets the 'Cat'
Jaguar's Leaping Cat hood ornament is one of the automotive world's most recognised symbols and two years after buying into Jaguar-Land Rover, Tata Motors is bringing the cats into India. However, you will not find a Jaguar XJ standing next to a Tata Nano, as the British vehicles will be distributed through a chain of exclusive showrooms managed by Tata Motors.    [more]   [top of page]

CHINA CAR TIMES (CHINA) Geely Vs Chery - Why Geely is king, and Chery have lost the plot
For many years it was Geely that was the national laughing stock of the Chinese automotive world, they made cheap cars, they had a corny name (in English and Chinese) and at the time were getting completely blown away by their biggest rivals over in Anhui Province. Their rivals of course being the state owned Chery.   [more]   [top of page]

SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE (CALIFORNIA, USA) Man, 81, charged for clearing pothole for repair
An Ohio man said he chipped away loose material to prepare a pothole for repair and thought he was helping the city, not breaking the law. An undercover police officer spotted 81-year-old James Stacy in the street near Stacy's home with a pickax and a broom last week. Stacy said he cleared the 3-foot-wide hole because he expected a crew to patch it and wanted the patch to last longer.   [more]   [top of page]

BOSTON HERALD (MASSACHUSETTS, USA) Boy, 12, hits car while driving around drunk dad
Tampa Police have arrested a man they say let his 12-year-old son drive his SUV while he sat drunk in the passenger seat. Authorities say the boy hit a pregnant woman's car while attempting a left turn. Both vehicles received minor damage Saturday and no injuries were reported. But the woman asked to be taken to a hospital as a precaution. She was eight months pregnant.   [more]   [top of page]

ANANOVA (UK) Bus driver awarded for safety record
A bus driver who has clocked up over a million miles in 40 years has been given an award for his safe driving. Peter Nedin, 63, from Swansea has never crashed or even scratched his bus.   [more]   [top of page]

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