Car News Articles

Audi may be right on target with their plans to import diesels . A study by J.D Power (via the Detroit News ) shows diesels and gas-electric hybrids will have 17 percent of the U.S. market by 2015. Surprisingly, Power thinks diesels will outsell hybrids because of the higher cost of admission to the hybrid club; they predict by 2015 hybrids will increase to seven percent of the market (from the current 2.2 percent) while diesel vehicles will make up ten percent. Sales of four-cylinder gas engines are also expected to rise sharply as the automakers scramble to meet the new 35mpg CAFE standard. They don’t think hydrogen fuel cells and pure electric cars will have much impact as they won’t be available in any significant numbers during the years covered by the study. But what about E85? The proportion of vehicles available that can run on corn squeezin’s will nearly double but few of them will be using it because it still won’t be available in most places. That won’t matter to the manufacturers, though, if the new CAFE standards have the ethanol loophole the current one does.

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I trundled the car around a corner of the deserted little island car park Audi had found in Miami and as soon as I was out of sight of Thomas, Justin’s head snapped back and his lens almost smashed through the firewall behind us as I nailed that 6.0-litre V12 diesel’s throttle pedal all the way to the carpet and let the thing rev. Sorry, Thomas.

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As investment flows into places where land and labour is cheap, so the price of sought-after land and labour in these places eventually rises. I believe many Poles are returning from the UK, having made a few bob, to their homeland where wages are now quite a bit higher than they were just a few years ago (the mass exodus in itself also helped to create labour shortages in Poland). 

There are signs that labour markets are tight in other places in central/eastern Europe, too. There’s a strike on at Dacia over wages which could cause Renault problems if it goes on too long.

And there are labour market pressures emerging in Slovakia, too. The Czech Republic is still cheaper as a manufacturing location than Germany, but the differential is much narrower than it was.

Industrialists concerned over higher costs shouldn’t fret too much. This is what economic development is about. Wage rises are part and parcel of it. Over time, when the people in these countries eventually have more disposable income they buy more goods. They will also pay more taxes and some of that should find its way into the EU coffers (and then the next lot of countries requiring development subsidies can be invited in)…

Also, the pendulum may swing slightly so that retaining manufacturing capacity in Western Europe becomes a little more attractive. Swings and roundabouts.

At what point though does a multinational corporation - whatever industry - start to appear exploitative? Is Renault being fair in Romania - squeezing cost there so that it can afford much higher-paid workers doing the same work in France? I think that would be an unfair accusation, but you can see how it might look to a Romanian worker. They might be in the EU club, but they may feel they are not exactly seated at the top table.

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Why choose a Specialist over a Generalist? Independent over Dealer?

As a specialist we know your car better, especially when it comes to the right way to make economical repairs that a general repair shop wouldn’t know about or a Subaru dealer would never consider. Sometimes a vehicle will develop a pattern failure and a real solution needs to be found or a more economical repair procedure can be had.

Through the years we have found solutions to replacing expensive parts by making repairs to existing components rather than just blindly install new ones. We have been able to become very good at repairs and service work by specializing in Subaru and we try to share this experience with our customer with lower labor prices.

We know what parts we can use on your Subaru without sacrificing longevity. Most automakers have become pure design and assemble companies leaving the parts manufacture to other companies. These auto parts companies are free to sell the same parts in aftermarket channels with out the Subaru logo. While in some cases in only makes sense to stick with Subaru parts especially when it comes to slower moving items that may have not been introduced in the aftermarket by the companies that originally made the parts for Subaru. There is also a good chance that the exact replacement part can be found at a 20% savings if you know how to look (we do).

From top to bottom we really know your Subaru well and want to help you get as many trouble free miles out of it as possible. We have seen these cars go well over 300k and I am the owner of a 1992 Legacy with 292k and counting. We take pride in servicing cars with higher miles and often have suggestions to help keep them going. Even though your Subaru may be getting up there in miles don’t discount just how long they will run.

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SHANGHAI, China — The consolidation of Nanjing Auto and larger rival Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp. (SAIC) is already bearing fruit, just three months after the two companies signed a merger agreement creating the country’s largest automaker.

Since the acquisition of Nanjing Auto, SAIC has announced plans to invest $1.2 billion to integrate and further develop the smaller company, including the consolidation of product development, engineering and manufacturing operations.

SAIC plans to boost Nanjing’s annual production capacity to 500,000 units by 2012. More important, SAIC will help Nanjing further develop the MG range of sporty vehicles, especially for export markets, while a portion of the companies’ shared resources will be earmarked for further development of the domestic Roewe product range.

The marriage remains a work in progress. Later this year, Nanjing will launch a revised MG7 sedan, equipped with SAIC’s 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine. It will also begin production of the MG3, a smaller hatchback that will compete with compact crossover vehicles, as well as the midsize MG5 sedan in 2009.

What this means to you: SAIC wants to build nearly 2.0 million vehicles this year, including joint-venture models developed with partners Volkswagen and General Motors. — Vivian Jin, Correspondent

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The GT500 specification Nissan GT-R racing car, which will vie for the
2008 SUPER GT series, will make its public debut at the “Tokyo Auto
Salon with NAPAC” (January 11-13, 2008 at Makuhari Messe), followed by the
“Osaka Auto Messe 2008” (February 9-11, 2008 at Intecks Osaka), the country’s
two largest annual custom car shows.

The new works livery – which will be featured across Nissan motorsports
activities during the 2008 season – will be unveiled on the race car. Nissan
will vie for the SUPER GT Championship, one of the world’s most demanding GT
race series, with the new machine built on the same multi-performance super car
concept of the Nissan GT-R road car.

The new livery resulted from close collaboration between Nissan’s design team
and NISMO, its motorsports affiliate company, and incorporates feedback from
members of the “Club NISMO” fan club.

The signature wide “brush stroke” design motif, synonymous with the current
Fairlady Z race car, was carried forward into the new GT-R racing car as
Nissan’s racing fans worldwide could immediately associate with the design. The
livery design swipes forward from the rear in bold red and black – the red
symbolises the passion for racing, while the black signifies the high
performance of the new Nissan GT-R.

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Press Releases For Media Professionals site map	Press Releases PrintFriendly Format 03.04.08 Honda Becomes Official Vehicle of PGA National Resort & Spa Home of the Honda Classic to feature Honda automobiles year-round American Honda Motor Co., Inc., and PGA National Resort & Spa have entered into a three-year agreement naming Honda as the official vehicle of PGA National Resort & Spa, the companies announced today. Building upon a relationship started in 2007 with the hosting of the Honda Classic golf tournament, the resort will now feature Honda vehicles on display, as shuttle vehicles, for limited test-drives, and even as a perk of staying in the newly designated Honda Suite. “Golf is a favorite pastime of many Honda owners, and the Honda Classic has become a highly anticipated stop on the PGA Tour,” said Dick Colliver, executive vice president of sales for American Honda. “Bringing Honda vehicles to PGA National Resort & Spa full-time offers the perfect opportunity to build upon Honda’s already great golfing legacy.” The three-year agreement with PGA National Resort & Spa includes provisions for on-site displays of Honda vehicles, consumer-based promotions associated with Honda, advertising on in-room TV channels and renaming of select resort venues. This includes the new outdoor pavilion (now called the “Honda Pavilion”) which overlooks the 18th hole of the Championship Course. Boasting a new multi-million dollar renovation, world-class European spa, five championship golf courses, seven spectacular restaurants and lounges and a wide array of meeting and event facilities, PGA National Resort & Spa is home to the Honda Classic golf tournament. It’s a retreat that provides leisure and business travelers with experiences both exciting and memorable. For more information and downloadable high-resolution images of Honda vehicles, please visit www.hondanews.com. Consumer information is available at www.honda.com. For more information about PGA National Resort & Spa, please visit www.pgaresort.com.
©2008 American Honda Motor Co., Inc. All information contained herein applies to U.S. vehicles only. Please see our Privacy Policy and Legal Terms and Conditions. Visit Honda.com. View Contact Us. site map

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Nissan has announced that it will stop producing the Quest minivan, Armada and full-size SUV and its Infiniti sibling the QX56 when the Mississippi factory they’re made in switches to building commercial vehicles in early 2010.

The company has confirmed it will build not said if it will build future versions of the slow-sellers they just don’t know where. The only word from Nissan is that final decisions have not been made, but there is the “intention” to build them.

“When we get to the end of each vehicle’s cycle, we look at the market,” a spokesperson said. Sounds to us like company speak that Nissan will not build new versions of the three two. If it actually announced that fact today, though, it could impact sales of the 2009 models that will still be built and sold on new-car lots.

All three Both vehicles were either aging in their segment or poor performers, so seeing them go probably won’t hurt Nissan, which has seen better success with new smaller offerings like the Versa and the Rogue compact SUV.

What do you think? Would the Quest, Armada and QX56 be missed?

Nissan plans to change Mississippi plant’s focus (USA Today)

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