14th
February
2008
GM’s record losses last year is Canada’s fault– at least part of it anyway. GM CFO Fritz Henderson told Financial Post “three-tenths of a billion” of the $38.7b loss was due to foreign exchange losses. In other words, “This is largely driven by the strengthening C-dollar versus the U.S. dollar and the impact on our balance sheet through the 2007 calendar year.” And in spite of CAW president Buzz Hargrove’s insistence he will give no concessions in the upcoming contract negotiations, the handwriting is on the wall; Canada is now the most expensive place in North America to build cars. David Healy, an analyst at Burnham Securities: “[GM]’s strategy would likely be to do some hedging and hope that everything settles down. But Mexico and the U.S. are looking more attractive than they were to build future product.” Looks like Buzz may be reconsidering his stance, if he wants to keep his union’s members employed and paying their dues.
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posted in Car News Articles |
14th
February
2008
Claiming that America’s economy is lurching ever more quickly from economic bubble to economic bubble, the founder of iTulip predicts a surge in alternative energy and infrastructure spending - sort of a green bubble. Writing for Harper’s [sub], Eric Janszen defined the main economic drivers of “the cleantech bubble:” the need to recover from recession, weakness in the dollar, loss of petrodollar liquidity, loss of energy security and peak cheap oil. As a result, consumers will be faced with a bewildering array of fuels and vehicles: biofuels, electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids, hydrogen fuel cells, photovoltaics, wind turbines, ocean wave energy, geothermal energy, clean coal and even nukes. Janszen sees these technologies becoming the hot, overvalued commodities of the new bubble. At the same time, he predicts corporations will plan and (God forbid) implement the new energy infrastructure to power expensive new vehicles and public transit. Responding in the Association for the Study of Peak Oil & Gas - USA , commentator Dave Cohen notes that venture capitalists (VC) are already looking to invest in what they call “the largest economic opportunity of the 21st century.” Fortunately for cutting edge companies like Tesla Motors, there’s a VC born every minute.
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posted in Car News Articles |
14th
February
2008
So, the new plans: good sense or guaranteed gridlock? A bold environmental move or a further complication to an already-flawed scheme?
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posted in Car News Articles |
14th
February
2008
There is only one car here worth your attention or mine, and that’s the R8.
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posted in Car News Articles |
14th
February
2008
The latest edition of the proActive newsletter that we at just-auto produce and host on behalf of Lotus Engineering is now available. If you haven’t yet done so, you just have to register (takes 10 secs) and can then download the newsletters for free.
The current edition includes an interview that I did with Malcom Powell at Tesla Motors, the California-based firm developing electric cars. He is VP Vehicle Integration and so is close to all the issues surrounding the readying of the Tesla Roadster for production (it is being contract manufactured by Lotus in Hethel).
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posted in Car News Articles |
14th
February
2008
Hot New Cars on Display at the Washington Auto Show
By Ernest Leong
Washington, DC
It is winter in Washington, people bundled in heavy coats to shield themselves from the cold weather. Many seek refuge at indoor events. The recently held Washington Auto Show - where visitors got an up-close view of the latest in automotive technology — is one such event. VOA’s Ernest Leong reports.
More than 700 new domestic and foreign vehicles were on display at the Washington Auto Show.
Whatever one’s individual tastes — whether it is fast sports cars, or slower, more reliable all-terrain jeep, long limos to stretch out in, or more compact vehicles — chances are good one can find it at an auto show.
Scott Settlemire is the manager of the Chevrolet and Hummer exhibits for U.S. auto company General Motors. He explained the purpose of auto shows. “The reason we really do auto shows, if you think about it, is to allow the customer to come in and look at our products, and touch and feel them in a non-threatening atmosphere. They don’t have to feel that they’re under any pressure [to buy]. We actually want them to come in, open the doors, open the trunks, kick the tires and ask us questions,” he said.
This setting offers auto manufacturers a chance to show off their newest cars, trucks, and sports utility vehicles [SUV’s].
Some of the vehicles run on alternative fuel — battery, ethanol, diesel — fuels that burn cleaner and more efficiently than gasoline.
Virginia state resident Tom Albert, whose wife is expecting their first child, volunteered to test drive Chevrolet’s Equinox, a hydrogen fuel cell electric SUV. He said, “I’ll drive it to and from work, to the grocery store, to the home improvement store, and I’m sure to go buy some diapers.”
Chevrolet says the Equinox can run over 300 kilometers before refueling. The company says this makes the vehicle ideal for use in short distance situations, such as running errands.
Complete Article
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posted in Car News Articles |
14th
February
2008
Inappropriately Named Chrysler Products week continues …
As cars go, the Plymouth Champ is anything but a champion. A small, morbidly sluggish economy car is very rarely a “champ” of anything except, perhaps, fuel economy. The Plymouth Champ can’t even claim to be the champion of awfulness among small cars in the late 1970s– the Chevrolet Chevette and Ford Pinto were the easy leaders in that category. And, to be honest, the rebadged Mitsubishi Colt was a pretty sweet-natured econobox for the time.
If all of this is the case, why am I making this a Car Lust and not a Car Disgust? Well, I have a great deal of sympathy for small, poorly performing hatchbacks, and as I’ve said, the Champ was really quite nice. Plus, there’s no way I could spurn a car so similar to my much-beloved Colt Vista.
I actually kinda like the Champ, and in a way, its inappropriate name in its diminuitive form is cute enough to make me want to have it around. Its combination of bravado in a tiny, hapless package reminds me of a dachsund that enjoys barking at passing pit bulls.
This image comes from Ryu’s album from a 2007 vintage Japanese car show. Isn’t it funny that these are now vintage cars?
–Chris H.
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14th
February
2008
We have had a lot of Questions from all over the country on this subject so I thought I would provide some information. This issue is typically found on the 2000 to 2004 Subaru Outback and Subaru Legacy. There will be pictures up next week to help illustrate what is going on. Here is the usual situation someone replaces the belts, or the timing belt or the alternator and almost instantly the power steering pump starts to make noise and the car can be hard to steer. Well here is what happens. The top bolt for the alternator and power steering fan belt shroud is secured to the power steering return line tube/bracket through a rubber grommet in the top of the shroud. If there isn’t enough slack in the shroud when the top bolt is tightened the shroud will pull onto the tube (towards the drivers side) allowing air into the power steering system thus causing the fluid to become aerated. The other end of this shroud is slotted at the alternator pivot bolt. The rubber grommet is there, to give a little instead of pulling the tube under load. Once the tube is pulled it is necessary to reset it in the power steering pump to make sure it isn’t still being pulled in one direction after this the shroud will need to be installed properly ( with slack). From there the aerated fluid must be replaced with fresh fluid and the problem is solved.
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posted in Car News Articles |
14th
February
2008
SHANGHAI, China — Vehicle prices in China may drop more than 5 percent this year on concerns about market oversupply and more severe competition, according to the National Development and Reform Commission.
The price drop could be slightly larger than last year’s 4.86 percent decline as production rapidly expands in the world’s second-largest auto market, according to the latest survey from the NDRC’s price-monitoring department. NDRC is a leading regulator of the auto industry.
The growing production capacity is partly as a result of a series of mergers and acquisitions that have driven local carmakers to consolidate assets, according to the survey. Domestic auto manufacturers also have sped up their efforts to seek listings on the local stock markets, helping to fuel the expansion, the survey said.
Another major factor driving prices lower is the projected introduction of more than 80 new and updated models on the domestic market this year.
Nearly all market segments will see cheaper models. However, overall growth in auto sales in China may slow this year because of record high oil prices since the second half of last year. Vehicle sales are forecast to rise 13 percent, to hit 10 million units this year, compared with a 22-percent rise last year over 2006.
What this means to you: Look for Chinese car companies to export more vehicles overseas as price pressure increases at home. — Vivian Jin, Correspondent
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14th
February
2008
Design milestones of sports car construction do not only come from Sant’
Agata Bolognese or Maranello but also from Kempten. Because there, in the
picturesque Allgäu region, Abt Sportsline, the greatest tuner for vehicles from
the Volkswagen group, is based. With the new Abt R8, the term “improvement” is
set one level higher as this car combines technical competence and brilliant
design from Abt and results in an automobile masterwork. Not more and not less.
The Abt R8 is a fantastic super sports car, playing in the same league as
Lamborghini Gallardo or Ferrari F430.
No doubt, even the basis model of the R8 is something special - and therefore a
real challenge, emphasizes Hans-Jürgen Abt. “The fluently dynamic form of the
car is unique, it looks like having a lot of power, even when standing still,”
admits the managing director and therewith he raises the bar for his engineers
and designers. As it is usual for Abt, the result is quite respectable and can
be driven with fascination. The light and sporty high-tech material Carbon well
visibly shapes the rear skirt, the side blades and the side skirts. The exciting
body kit of the two-seater was developed by the motor sports professionals from
Kempten who also optimized the car in reducing weight and in distributing mass
evenly. That optical features do not obviate technical sophistications but, on
the contrary, lead to perfection clearly show the contours of the Abt R8. Front
skirt, side skirts, and rear skirt form a unit in which the rear wing, the side
blades and also the exhaust system are harmonically integrated. A special
highlight is the front skirt partially made of sight carbon. It is a component
of the equipment version “Extravagant”. The customer is able to provide his Abt
R8 with attachment parts, at his own option with elements of sight carbon. A two
tone structure is also possible by request. Another alternative ist the
equipment version “Exclusive”, which offers the customer the possibility to
beautify his R8 with an Abt body kit made of high-quality GRP (glass fibre
reinforced plastic). Also the new BR wheel from Abt with its bi-colour paint
perfectly fits the car. The front axis presents it in the size 9×20 inch, the
rear axis in 11×20 inch. Thus the R8 appears much more dynamical. With Abt
suspension springs and car lowering the team from Kempten improves the road
holding even more as Christian Abt and his specialists exactly adjusted the
suspension. With the Abt sports brake system (380 millimeters diameter), the
fast super sports car from the Allgäu sets standards also in matters of delay.
The new Abt R8 is a car which makes hearts beat faster. It perfectly brings the
magic of speed onto the road even when standing still.
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posted in Car News Articles |
GM’s record losses last year is Canada’s fault– at least part of it anyway. GM CFO Fritz Henderson told Financial Post “three-tenths of a billion” of the $38.7b loss was due to foreign exchange losses. In other words, “This is largely driven by the strengthening C-dollar versus the U.S. dollar and the impact on our balance sheet through the 2007 calendar year.” And in spite of CAW president Buzz Hargrove’s insistence he will give no concessions in the upcoming contract negotiations, the handwriting is on the wall; Canada is now the most expensive place in North America to build cars. David Healy, an analyst at Burnham Securities: “[GM]’s strategy would likely be to do some hedging and hope that everything settles down. But Mexico and the U.S. are looking more attractive than they were to build future product.” Looks like Buzz may be reconsidering his stance, if he wants to keep his union’s members employed and paying their dues.
