308 CC trims and prices  
Peugeot has released details of the all-new 308 CC, which goes on sale from 1st June 2009.

There are three trim levels of the new coupe-cabriolet - Sport, SE and GT.

The Sport model introduces the 1.6-litre VTi 120 petrol and the HDi 110 diesel engines, at £19,495 and £20,495 respectively.

Standard equipment includes 16" alloy wheels, a full body coloured exterior, front fog lights, black / grey Sports cloth trim and black instrument dials.

In-car entertainment is provided by Peugeot's new Connect Sound RD4-1 Radio/CD player and audio pack - 6 speakers & audio remote control.

For comfort and convenience air conditioning, a leather steering wheel and remote control locking glove box and centre armrest storage are also made standard.

Safety and security features include the electric folding retractable roof, six Smart safety airbags, unfastened seatbelt detection system and ESP (Electronic Stability Programme that includes ABS, EBFD & EBA).

Additional specification over the Sport model for the SE includes larger 17" alloy wheels, plus the Visibility Pack (automatic rain sensing front wipers, automatic headlamps and an electrochrome rear view mirror).

It also enjoys ambient lighting, rear parking aid, cruise control with speed limiter, climate control air conditioning, alarm (Thatcham category 1 Approved), with an upgraded stereo. Prices for the SE start at £20,395.

The range-topping GT model starts at £23,495, and can be specified with the petrol THP 150 or HDi 140 diesel engine.

Extra features include leather trim, a windstop, larger 18" alloy wheels, tyre pressure sensor, front and rear parking aid and Peugeot's Connect HiFi (JBL HiFi pack).

The Airwave (temperature controlled) neck heating system is standard equipment (and available on SE models when combined with leather trim).


Source : http://www.newcarnet.co.uk (3/16/2009)

2010 Nissan GT-R priced... it's more, but you get more  
Supercars have always existed to keep our passion for automobiles on constant boil, and supercars that don't crest the six-figure mark are the best kind. They're almost attainable. The Nissan GT-R remains that way for 2010 with a price bump to help pay for a few upgrades from the factory. The base model will begin at $80,790 and the Premium model at $83,040. According to Edmunds.com, the new MSRPs are both $3,950 more than what you would pay for a 2009 model.

What does an extra four grand get you? A lot actually, not the least of which is a 5-horsepower bump for the twin-turbo 3.8-liter V6, which nets a new grand total of 485 hp. Other additions include a retuned suspension with redesigned Bilstein shocks, an upgraded braking system with more rigid brake lines, standard front seat- and roof-mounted side curtain airbags for the base GT-R model, standard wheels for the GT-R with a darker finish and "near-black" metallic wheels for the Premium model. A new color is also available, Pearl White, and you get a polished front bumper now when ordering your car in Super Silver.

Oh, and there's one more thing: Nissan has given the GT-R new Transmission Control Module programming. The new code is said to increase durability and drop acceleration times with the Vehicle Dynamic Control activated. It should also put an end to concerns about damaging the transmission by using the vehicle's Launch Control with VDC turned off. Preliminary reports indicate that the 2010 GT-R is still faster than all get out with the new programming.


Source : http://www.autoblog.com/ (3/16/2009)

Nissan Announces Management Changes  
TOKYO – Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., today announced changes and promotions within its senior global management team. All changes are effective April 1, 2009.

“Nissan continues to improve the depth, breadth and quality of its global management team,” said Nissan President and CEO Carlos Ghosn. “By making these appointments in the midst of a financial and economic crisis affecting countries and companies throughout the world, we are taking steps to ensure that Nissan is well positioned to successfully face the immediate challenges and to take full advantage of the recovery when the economic storm is over.”


Source : www.theautochannel.com (3/16/2009)

New "Teach Green" Blog Encourages Conversation and Sharing of Tips and Ideas for Classrooms  
DETROIT ; Calling all teachers! GM's K-12 education web site has just launched a new blog to help encourage conversation, information sharing and the exchange of advice among teachers who want to promote "green" lessons in their classrooms. To help get the conversation going, GM has tapped a couple of teachers that were recipients of a "Live Green" teacher grant sponsored by GM and Discovery Education last year. These teachers will share their thoughts and ideas around teaching topics related to the environment, energy and advanced technologies. Readers are encouraged to get engaged in the discussion and offer their own experiences with teaching "green" in the classroom by submitting comments and personal stories to Educationeditor@gmblogs.com. The new teacher blog can be found HERE.

After checking out the blog, teachers can also find a wealth of other resources that have been developed for the classroom, including free lesson plans. These resources were developed for GM through partnerships with Weekly Reader, Junior Achievement and Keystone Center and cover a variety of topics around energy, advanced technologies and alternative fuels. The lesson plans are designed for specific grade levels and meet national education standards for a variety of school subjects. Games, articles, technology animations and career information designed specifically for students can also be found on the site.

GM is committed to promoting education in the areas of math, science and technology. In addition to the resources available on GM's education web site, GM also supports hands-on classroom extension programs like GREEN (Global Rivers Environmental Education Network) which teaches students about water quality, and the Society of Automotive Engineers' "A World in Motion" program which brings industry volunteers into the classroom to engage students in age-appropriate activities that blend math and science while incorporating the laws of physics, and motion. GM's support of several educational competitions, including EcoCAR: The Next Challenge, FIRST, and MATHCOUNTS, also helps to encourage today's students to pursue the study of math and science in the hope that they may one day pursue careers in advanced technology, engineering and other related areas.

General Motors Corp., one of the world's largest automakers, was founded in 1908, and today manufactures cars and trucks in 34 countries. With its global headquarters in Detroit, GM employs 243,000 people in every major region of the world, and sells and services vehicles in some 140 countries. In 2008, GM sold 8.35 million cars and trucks globally under the following brands: Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, GM Daewoo, Holden, Hummer, Opel, Pontiac, Saab, Saturn, Vauxhall and Wuling. GM's largest national market is the United States, followed by China, Brazil, the United Kingdom, Canada, Russia and Germany. GM's OnStar subsidiary is the industry leader in vehicle safety, security and information services.


Source : www.theautochannel.com (3/16/2009)

Yokohama's 2009 Motorsports Program: Eco-Friendly Orange Oil Race Tires, Off-Road Champs  
FULLERTON, CA: In 2009, Yokohama Tire Corporation will introduce a motorsports first; the series-wide use of environmentally-friendly orange oil-infused race tires. In addition, defending off-road champions Heidi and Cameron Steele will once again serve as the lead drivers of Yokohama Tire’s desert racing program.

“From the introduction of orange oil compound race tires in the GT3 Challenge to the return of defending SCORE and SNORE champions Heidi and Cameron Steele, 2009 is shaping up to be a historic and exciting year for our race fans,” said Mark Chung, director, corporate strategy and planning. “The orange oil technology is extremely exciting for our race program; reducing petroleum inputs by approximately 10 percent and increasing recyclability while maintaining the high performance levels of previous race slick compounds.”


Source : www.theautochannel.com (3/16/2009)

Johnson, Ludwig "Big Dogs" in KONI Challenge Grand Sport Race at Homestead-Miami Speedway  
HOMESTEAD, Fla.: Just when one thought it couldn't get any closer than Saturday's Grand-Am KONI Sports Car Challenge Street Tuner (ST) race at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Billy Johnson and Andy Lally nearly did so in Sunday's Grand Sport (GS) race, the second of two KONI Challenge races in the Grand-Am Fan Appreciation Weekend.

Johnson and co-driver Peter Ludwig's No. 18 Motorsport Technology Group Porsche 997 edged Lally and John Potter's No. 41 TRG Porsche 997 by only 0.133 seconds - compared to Saturday's 0.129-second victory by Randy Pobst and Christian Miller - to give Porsche a 1-2 sweep and Johnson's first career GS victory. For Ludwig and Motorsport Technology Group, it was both driver and team's second career victories.

The San Clemente, Calif., native Johnson, who split his time in 2008 running for MTG and Rehagen Racing, put together a nine-second advantage after Lally pitted on Lap 79, with just under 30 minutes remaining in the 92-lap, two-and-a-half hour race. Without any caution periods thereafter, it was up to Lally and his fresher Hoosier tires to gain on Johnson, who had pitted with 62 minutes left in the race.

Lally cut into Johnson's lead over the following 15 laps, but it was wasn't until the final four laps that Lally really started making it close. With four laps remaining, the gap was 4.1 seconds. On the next lap, Lally was 3.05 seconds behind, and only 1.9 seconds behind with two laps to go. At the white flag, the advantage was down to 1.1 seconds, and by then, it was up to Lally to drive it the deepest he had all weekend.

He nearly accomplished the feat. Around the 2.3-mile, 11-turn track, Lally shaved off tenths of a second, and by the backstretch was only three car lengths in arrears. As the duo inched around the Turns 10 and 11 banking, Lally drafted Johnson nose-to-tail before making a final move.

Lally pulled out from the draft and tried to drive alongside Johnson, but came up 0.133 seconds short, making the finish the third closest in KONI Challenge history. Saturday's race, which was only four thousandths fastest than Sunday's, was 0.129 seconds. Combined, the two races offered margins of victories of 0.262 seconds.

For Johnson, Ludwig and the entire Motorsport Technology Group, the victory was an added benefit. The team was sponsored by Eukanuba and Morris Animal Foundation, which were two of the weekend's biggest sponsors. Additionally, MTG's team owner, Steve Marcus, was a major force in attracting the race weekend's Grand Marshal, Deuce, a K-9 from the Glades County (Fla.) Sheriff's Department. Marcus is a major promoter of canine health and research.

Overall, Johnson - the new KONI Challenge GS point leader by three points (63-60) over podium runner Ken Wilden - led a race-high 38 laps, including the final 19, while Ludwig led 10 laps. Ludwig qualified the No. 18 Porsche 997 second on the grid, and took control when polesitter Matt Bell's No. 96 Turner Motorsport BMW M3 began smoking on the fourth lap.

Lally totaled 12 laps out front, pitting on Lap 79. He took control from Potter during the race's first pit top, and was aiming to give TRG its first KONI Challenge victory since last August's race at Iowa Speedway. Lally was one of several Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16 regulars entered during the weekend.

Another of those regulars, Ozz Negri, rounded out the podium with Wilden in the No. 59 Rehagen Racing Ford Mustang GT. It was the team's third straight podium finish and second straight third-place result, after Wilden and team principal Dean Martin finished third in the Fresh From Florida 200 at Daytona International Speedway. Negri, who led 19 laps, was also the race's top finishing driver from South Florida.

Finishing fourth were James Gue and Bret Seafuse, drivers of the No. 37 JBS Motorsports Trumansburg ShurSave Ford Mustang GT. Despite an engine change following Friday's qualifications, the team improved a race-high 19 positions from a 23rd-place starting position. Gue led 11 laps, taking the point when Johnson pitted for the final time.

Rounding out the top five were Glenn Bocchino and Todd Lamb in the No. 32 Kinetic Motorsports Cybernation/Cobalt Friction BMW M3. Lamb spent a majority of his stint in the top five.

As superior a day as it was for Lally and Negri, it was completely opposite for another Rolex Series regular, Darren Law. During Sunday's warm-up, Law - driving the No. 8 Maxwell Paper Racing Porsche 997 - ran into the stalled No. 80 Kinetic Motorsport BMW M3. Both cars sustained structural damage, and neither car started the race.

Only one caution, for the stalled No. 91 Automatic Racing Sparco/Imported Car Store BMW M3, for two laps slowed the average speed to 89.762 mph.

The next event for the KONI Sports Car Challenge is May 2 at Thunderbolt Raceway at New Jersey Motorsports Park.


Source : www.theautochannel.com (3/16/2009)

Manufacturer Support Strong For World Challenge In 2009  
TOPEKA, Kan.: Even in the midst of a troubled economy and struggling auto industry, manufacturer support for the SCCA Pro Racing SPEED World Challenge Championships is strong. In 2009, Acura, BMW, Ford, Mazda, Porsche, Volkswagen, Viper and Volvo have all committed their support to the 20th season of World Challenge.

The most relevant racing series around, World Challenge has long won over fans by putting production-based cars piloted by world-class drivers on the best tracks in North America for exhilarating 50-minute sprint races. Auto manufacturers have recognized the appeal and marketing power of World Challenge, as the cars battling on track to be the first to cross the finish line look strikingly identical to those a consumer can purchase from the showroom floor.

In 2009, Acura will defend its World Challenge Touring Car Manufacturers’ Championship Presented by RACER Magazine against some stiff competition, including three-time Champion BMW, 2006 Manufacturers’ Champion Mazda and German powerhouse Volkswagen.

The 2009 World Challenge GT Manufacturers’ Championship Presented by RACER Magazine will be a gripping showdown between defending Champion Porsche, newcomer Volvo and the America muscle of Ford and Viper.

“The level of manufacturer involvement in World Challenge speaks volumes about the strength and quality of the series,” WC Vision VP of Partnership Relations Scott Bove said. “In an economic climate such as this, our manufacturer sponsors continue to see value in the series. With the new TV format and marketing efforts put into place this season, they’ll be getting back even more than they expected.”


Source : www.theautochannel.com (3/16/2009)

Furniture Row Racing Announces Revised Cup Schedule  
DENVER, Colo.: Furniture Row Racing announced today a revision of its 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup schedule.

The Colorado-based team has added one race to its original 12-race Cup schedule and has revised three of its upcoming race locations. The April 5th race at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth is the recent addition, bringing the current team's schedule to 13 events.

The team is dropping the two road races -- at Sonoma, Calif (June 21) and Watkins Glen, N.Y. (Aug. 9) plus the May 31st race at Dover, Del. Those three races are being replaced with Darlington, S.C. (May 9), Long Pond, Pa. (Pocono -- June 7) and Indianapolis (July 26).

The No. 78 Furniture Row team with driver Regan Smith entered two of the first four Cup races with Smith finishing 21st in the Daytona 500 and 20th in Las Vegas. The team's next race will be at Texas.

"We all sat down and re-evaluated our schedule to see what suits our racing program the best," said Joe Garone, Furniture Row Racing's general manager. "Since we're a sponsor-owned team we have the flexibility to move in and move out of race markets. We will most likely make additional changes as the season progresses.

"We're happy about adding the race in Texas and hope that we will continue to make more additions, but that is dependent on the economic climate and attaining additional sponsorship. We're looking for a partner and feel that we have plenty to offer a company from a marketing standpoint with Furniture Row's more than 330 store locations in 31 states."

Regarding the start of the 2009 season, Garone added, "We are happy with our two results at Daytona and Las Vegas though we had some issues in each race. The entire team is excited about Regan's ability and we look forward to even better results in the future."

To prepare for the Texas race next month, the No. 78 team has scheduled a two-day test session on Wednesday and Thursday of this week at Pikes Peak International Raceway in Fountain, Colo.


Source : www.theautochannel.com (3/16/2009)

Tuner Special: Mountune Fiesta  
BRENTWOOD, England — Mountune Performance, in partnership with Ford Team RS, has developed an upgrade kit for the new Fiesta Zetec-S and Titanium for U.K. buyers.

The Mountune upgrade hikes output 20 percent in the 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine, to 138 horsepower, and boosts torque to 125 pound-feet. The Fiesta's 0-60-mph acceleration is slashed by a full 2 seconds, from 9.9 to 7.9 seconds.

The kit consists of a high-flow air-induction system, a high-performance exhaust with high-flow catalyst and a tubular manifold and recalibration of the engine's ECU.

The kit, offered through selected Ford dealers in the U.K., is priced at the equivalent of $1,800 plus installation.

Mountune Performance is a division of Revolve Technologies (formerly Roush Technologies).


Source : www.edmunds.com (3/16/2009)

Vauxhall's Zafira MPV is the latest model to get the green treatment in the form of this Ecoflex model.  
Thanks to a new 108bhp 1.7-litre diesel engine and longer gearing, its average fuel economy is 53.3mpg, a 6.2mpg improvement over the 1.9 CDTi model.

CO2 emissions are just 139g/km, which means that the Ecoflex is the only Zafira to make Band C for Vehicle Excise Duty - meaning owners will pay just £120 a year in car tax. It's also four categories lower for company car tax than the 1.9 CDTi.

Vauxhall has now added Ecoflex models to the Agila, Corsa, Astra and Zafira ranges, with the Insignia version going on sale later this year.

Prices for the Zafira Ecoflex start at £17,310, a £100 premium over the equivalent 118bhp 1.9 CDTi model.


Source : www.whatcar.com (3/16/2009)

VW Polo To Arrive in U.S. in 2011  
GENEVA — Volkswagen is preparing two unique versions of the new Polo for North America — a compact sedan and a tall-roof, four-door hatchback with the proportions of the Honda Fit. The new models could arrive in the U.S. in 2011, according to a top VW executive.

VW unveiled the redesigned Polo hatchback earlier this month at the 2009 Geneva Auto Show, where Automotive News interviewed Stefan Jacoby, CEO of Volkswagen of America.

Jacoby told the publication that a U.S. edition of the new Polo would be taller and would ride on a longer wheelbase than the European model, which goes on sale in June across mainland Europe.

"It's more like a cross between a compact minivan and a hatchback. In other words, it's more like the Honda Fit," Jacoby said.

He said the U.S. version Polo must be priced between $13,000 and $15,000 and will likely be assembled at VW's plant in Puebla, Mexico.


Source : www.edmunds.com (3/16/2009)

Sonic Automotive, Inc. Extends 10-K Filing Date  
CHARLOTTE, N.C., Sonic Automotive, Inc. , today announced that it has filed a Form 12b-25 with the Securities Exchange Commission to extend the filing date of its 2008 Annual Report on Form 10-K to March 31, 2009. The reasons for the extension of the filing date are set forth in the Form 12b-25. The Company will publish a time for the release of its fourth quarter and full year 2008 earnings at a later date.

The Company is continuing to work with its financial advisor, Moelis & Company, to address the Company's 2009 and 2010 debt maturities and is in discussions with certain of its creditors with respect thereto.


Source : www.theautochannel.com (3/16/2009)

International Auto Brands In U.S. Join Sales Incentive Wars  
Washington DC; The AIADA newsletter reported that with only a few holdouts, international car brands are leaning heavily on incentives to avoid ballooning inventories of unsold vehicles.

Luxury brands such as Mercedes-Benz, Infiniti, and Lexus have increased incentives sharply to control inventories despite collapsing sales.

Edmunds.com says Mercedes' incentives per vehicle averaged $4,185 in February, up nearly 80 percent from the February 2008 figure. Meanwhile, Lexus' incentives totaled $3,402 per vehicle, quadruple the year-ago average. "Everyone is fighting for market share because there are fewer buyers in the marketplace," says Jessica Caldwell, an analyst with Edmunds.com.

"Even the luxury players are turning to incentives to pump up volume." The automakers' actual inventories — a collective 2.9 million units for the international and domestic brands — are not sky-high compared with past years.

Automotive News reports a year ago, industry inventories stood at 3.5 million units. But at the current dismal sales pace, it would take 101 days for dealers to move that much metal.


Source : www.theautochannel.com (3/16/2009)

Automotive Retail Industry Veteran Jeff Rachor Joins MPi Industry Advisory Council  
LAS VEGAS -- Mobile Productivity, Inc., (MPi) a leading provider of profitability tools for auto dealer service departments, announced today that automotive retail veteran Jeff Rachor, has joined the MPi Industry Advisory Council. Rachor is CEO of MSD Automotive Partners, LLC and the former President of Sonic Automotive. The Council was formed in March 2007 and is comprised of top dealers, veteran factory executives and automotive industry experts to provide auto industry input into the strategic product and marketing direction of MPi. Current members include Richard Gallio, David Vallone, Kip Killmon, Paul Rubin, Dennis Noonan, Bill Lovejoy, Richard Sherman, Joe Hilger, Maureen Sullivan Martin, Joe Herman, Tony Noland and Ernest H. Pomerantz.

A well known automotive industry veteran, Rachor served as President, CEO and a member of the Board of Directors of Pep Boys - Manny, Moe & Jack from March 2007 through April 2008. Previously, he held several executive positions with Sonic Automotive Inc., , where he served for over 12 years, culminating in the position of President from 2004 to 2007. During his 25- plus years in the automotive industry Mr. Rachor has also served as President of a 14 franchise dealer group and held a variety of key sales and marketing positions with OEMs. Mr. Rachor is currently CEO and Managing Partner of MSD Automotive Partners, LLC, which will exclusively own and operate premier car dealerships across the United States.

"Jeff is one of the most reputable executives in the automotive retailing industry," said Les Silver, MPi Chairman and CEO.

"As the former President of Sonic Automotive, a Fortune 300 company and the third largest automotive retailer in the United States, he possesses a real appreciation of the different perspectives of the industry -- from dealer-owners to general managers to OEMs. We are delighted to have Jeff join our Industry Advisory Council," Silver added.

Commenting on his appointment, Rachor stated, "MPi provides tools and solutions that really do improve profitability and service satisfaction; something that is so vital in today's market conditions. I am excited to be working with this knowledgeable and talented group of automotive industry professionals."

MPi has long relied on input from industry leaders, and invested in products and services that make significant impact in the delivery of automotive service and repair. In 2007 the company launched the World Class Inspection(TM) program which significantly improves customer satisfaction, management processes, and revenue per repair order for dealership service departments.

Dealers using the program are performing a better inspection and doing a superior job of explaining needed repairs to the customer, realizing benefits that average between $100 and $125 in additional needed repairs per vehicle inspection, a substantial increase in revenue per RO. The MPi Industry Advisory Council will help advise and guide the development of such programs in the future.


Source : http://www.automotive.com (3/16/2009)

Personnel Changes at the Daimler Trucks Division  
STUTTGART, Germany, -- The Board of Management of Daimler AG has made the following personnel decisions: Effective June 1, 2009, Martin Daum (49) will become head of Daimler Trucks North America. Martin Daum will replace Chris Patterson, who will reach the age of 55 this year and has chosen to retire after 32 years of service to the North American commercial vehicle industry, 11 of them with Daimler Trucks North America. Daum is currently Head of Operations at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Woerth (Germany).

Andreas Renschler, Head of the Daimler Trucks division: "Chris Patterson has been crucial to our efforts to set the course for the competitiveness of Daimler Trucks North America with competitive products and a comprehensive efficiency program."

Also effective June 1, Dr. Albert Kirchmann (52) will become Head of Daimler Trucks Asia, in which function he will also be President and CEO of Mitsubishi Fuso Truck & Bus Corporation. He will replace Harald Boelstler (58), who is to retire effective June 30, 2009 after a career of over 30 years at the Daimler Group including positions in Germany, Japan and France and four years at Daimler Trucks Asia. Kirchmann is currently Head of Finance & Controlling, Business and Product Planning at Daimler Trucks & Buses.

Andreas Renschler: "Harald Boelstler has posted great achievements with the integration and modernization of Mitsubishi Fuso as well as with successful growth in the markets."

Martin Daum has been at the Daimler Group for more than 20 years and has worked in various areas. After graduating in business administration at the University of Mannheim, he started his career in 1987 in the department of Sales Controlling Overseas at the then Daimler-Benz AG. This was followed by various positions at debis Marketing Services GmbH, before he moved to the United States where he held various management positions at Daimler's commercial vehicles subsidiaries. Upon his return to Germany, Daum became Head of Commercial Vehicles Strategy in Stuttgart, where he was responsible for Trucks Controlling Europe and Latin America, and in 2006 was also made Head of the Woerth plant. In parallel, he was Head of the Unimog and Special Vehicles product unit from 2003 onwards. In both functions, Daum will be succeeded by Yaris Puersuen (40), currently Head of Finance & Controlling Europe and Latin America in Woerth.

Dr. Albert Kirchmann studied industrial engineering at the University of Karlsruhe and gained his doctorate in 1984. In the same year, he came to the then Daimler-Benz AG as a trainee. He subsequently held various positions in the Controlling departments of the Woerth and Bremen plants before moving to Mercedes-Benz Spain at the beginning of the nineteen-nineties. Following his return to Germany, he became Head of Strategy and Planning Powertrain in 1997. He subsequently held other leading positions in the area of finance before he was made Head of Finance & Controlling, Business and Product Planning at Daimler Trucks & Buses in 2006. This position will be taken over by Frank Lindenberg (45), who is currently head of Finance Development & Operations.


Source : http://www.automotive.com (3/16/2009)

MEP Welcomes Low-Cost Driver-Friendly Clean Car Technologies  
COVENTRY – UNITED KINGDOM – West Midlands MEP and automotive industry advocate Malcolm Harbour visits new technical centre in Coventry; experiences low-cost driver-friendly clean car technologies being developed by Controlled Power Technologies; applauds application of high level engineering skills to deliver green vehicles that motorists will want to drive

The development of low cost CO2-reducing vehicle systems by Controlled Power Technologies (CPT), whose low carbon technical innovations enhance rather than detract from the driving experience, have been applauded by Malcolm Harbour, a Conservative Member of the European Parliament for the West Midlands and vice-chairman of the European Parliament’s science and technology policy unit.

“The direction of this work is crucial, its funding is important and we need to do everything we can to encourage more technology companies like this one,” said Harbour, a qualified engineer with wide experience of the automotive sector and a member of the CARS21 (Competitive Automotive Regulatory System for the 21st Century) High Level Group, established by the European Commission to develop an integrated strategy for the industry.

Following a drive of demonstrator vehicles equipped with a fast-acting electric supercharger and ultra-reliable and near-instantaneous stop-start system, both featuring highly efficient and controllable electric motor technology, he added: “With all the attention being given to the world slump in car sales, it’s good to see that behind the scenes the development of new technology is alive and kicking in the UK’s automotive heartland. Affordable technology is much needed by the global motor industry to help reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions, but it has to work without destroying the driving experience; what really impresses me about CPT is its application of high level engineering skills to deliver green vehicles that motorists will want to drive without detracting from the driving experience.”

During the visit to the company’s new technical facility in Coventry, CPT chief executive Nick Pascoe discussed with the MEP the development of smaller more efficient engines, which driven by tighter emissions legislation and new CO2 targets, required micro-hybrid technologies that can also deliver a no-compromise driving experience.

“We have combined robust electric motor technology with affordable state-of-the-art electronics that use current vehicle electrical and control systems to achieve a better driving experience, whilst also reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions,” said Pascoe. “The electric supercharger boosts the engine’s performance at low engine speeds without any ‘turbo lag’, allowing a smaller engine and higher gearing to be part of the vehicle’s specification, whilst giving the vehicle a big engine feel. Small engines and higher gearing both reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions, but the real issue when downsizing engines is that drivers must feel confident that they can still keep up with the flow of traffic.


Source : www.theautochannel.com (3/16/2009)

New Rocky Mountain Edition Models Add Excitement and Value to 2009 Jeep(R) Lineup  
AUBURN HILLS, Mich -- New 2009 Jeep(R) Patriot, Jeep Liberty and Jeep Grand Cherokee Rocky Mountain Edition models expand the fun, freedom, utility and available best-in-class 4x4 capability that Jeep is known for--now with even more customer features at a great value. The 2009 Rocky Mountain Edition models offer approximately $1,000 off popular bundled customer features, including innovative uconnect tunes, power sun roof and aluminum wheels. In total, the 2009 Rocky Mountain Edition package adds more than $2,300 in content for $1,595.

"The new 2009 Jeep Patriot, Jeep Liberty and Jeep Grand Cherokee Rocky Mountain Editions add more value and features to our iconic Jeep lineup," said Mike Accavitti, Director--Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge Brands, Chrysler LLC. "And with Jeep's best-in-class legendary 4x4 capability, our new 2009 Jeep Rocky Mountain Editions are ready to make any adventure--from the snow-covered mountain trails to sand dunes at the beach--even more fun."

The starting Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) on new 2009 Jeep Rocky Mountain Editions (including destination) are:

--Jeep Patriot Rocky Mountain Edition at $19,765
--Jeep Liberty Rocky Mountain Edition at $25,355
--Jeep Grand Cherokee Rocky Mountain Edition at $32,825

The 2009 Jeep Rocky Mountain Edition models are available for ordering now and will arrive at Jeep dealerships in the United States and Canada later this month.

2009 Jeep(R) Patriot Rocky Mountain Edition

Based on the 2009 Jeep Patriot Sport model, the new Jeep Patriot Rocky Mountain Edition adds uconnect tunes 30-gigabyte stereo, uconnect studios SIRIUS Satellite Radio, leather-wrapped steering wheel with radio controls, body-color door handles and liftgate applique, 17-inch aluminum wheels with P215/60R17 all-season tires, 'Rocky Mountain' driver and front-passenger door badging, power sun roof with express open/close operation, nine premium Boston Acoustics speakers including subwoofer, two additional articulating liftgate speakers and a 458-watt amplifier.

The 2009 Jeep Patriot 4x4 Rocky Mountain Edition features the Freedom Drive I 4x4 system providing best-in-class four-wheel-drive fuel economy and best-in-class capability in the compact sport-utility vehicle (SUV) segment.

The Jeep Patriot Rocky Mountain Edition features a 2.4-liter engine, coupled with a five-speed manual transaxle, that produces 172 horsepower (128 kW) and 165 lb.-ft. (222 N*m) of torque, and delivers a best-in-class 23 mpg in the city and 28 mpg on the highway on two-wheel-drive and four-wheel-drive models. A Continuously Variable Transaxle (CVT2) with Auto Stick also is available for both models.

For Jeep Patriot customers seeking maximum fuel efficiency without a manual shift, an optional 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine is mated to the CVT2 with Auto Stick to provide 158 horsepower (117 kW) and 141 lb.-ft. (191 N*m) of torque. The spirited 2.0-liter delivers an EPA 23 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the highway and is available on two-wheel-drive equipped 2009 Jeep Patriot Rocky Mountain Edition models.

The 2009 Jeep Patriot Rocky Mountain Edition will be available in all-new Optic Green Crystal Pearl, as well as Brilliant Black Crystal Pearl, Inferno Red Crystal Pearl and Bright Silver Metallic paint colors.

2009 Jeep Liberty Rocky Mountain Edition

The new Jeep Liberty Rocky Mountain Edition is based on the 2009 Jeep Liberty Sport model and is available in both 4x4 and 4x2 models. Included in the Rocky Mountain Edition package are refreshed 17-inch aluminum wheels with tech silver paint finish, P235/65 R17 A/S tires, uconnect tunes 30-gigabyte radio, power sun roof, deep-tinted glass, speed control and a 'Rocky Mountain' badge.

The 2009 Jeep Liberty remains true to its legendary 4x4 heritage by offering two Jeep Trail Rated(R) four-wheel-drive systems - Command-Trac(R) standard with 4x4 models and the optional Selec-Trac(R) II on 4x4 models.

A 3.7-liter SOHC V-6 engine is standard on all Jeep Liberty Sport and Limited models sold in the United States. The 3.7-liter SOHC V-6 engine provides the 2009 Jeep Liberty with competitive peak power and torque while providing smooth, quiet operation and proven durability. It produces 210 horsepower (157 kW) @ 5,200 rpm and 235 lb.-ft. (319 N*m) of torque @ 4,000 rpm. Fuel economy is estimated at 16 mpg city and 22 mpg on the highway (4x2) and 15 city / 21 Hwy (4x4).

Towing capacity on all models is 5,000 lbs. maximum when equipped with the optional Trailer Tow Group.

The 2009 Rocky Mountain Edition will be available in Deep Water Blue, Bright Silver Metallic, Inferno Red and Brilliant Black exterior paint colors.

2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee Rocky Mountain Edition

The new Jeep Grand Cherokee Rocky Mountain Edition is based on the 2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo model and is available in 4x4 and 4x2 models. Included in the Rocky Mountain Edition package are 17-inch machined-faced aluminum wheels with gray painted pockets, power sun roof, Boston Acoustics sound system, uconnect tunes 30-gigabyte stereo, heated front seats, 12-volt power outlet, chromed body-side molding and a 'Rocky Mountain' edition badge.

Since its introduction in 1992, the Jeep Grand Cherokee has revolutionized the SUV market. With its best-in-class traction capability and power, the Jeep Grand Cherokee is designed, engineered and built to master every imaginable day-to-day driving condition, whether on- or off-road.

The 2009 Grand Cherokee Laredo model features a standard soft-touch center armrest cover, leather-wrapped park brake handle, floor mats, interior chromed door handles and audio control buttons.

The standard 3.7-liter V-6 engine provides the 2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee with 210 horsepower (157 kW) @ 5,200 rpm and 235 lb.-ft. (319 N*m) of torque @ 4,000 rpm. A sophisticated Electronic Throttle Control system tailors throttle response to pedal movement based on operating conditions and maintains a consistent vehicle speed on rolling grades when cruise control is active. An exhaust gas recirculation valve helps increase fuel economy.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee's available Flexible-fuel Vehicle (FFV) 4.7-liter V-8 engine incorporates electronic throttle control, two spark plugs per cylinder, increased compression ratio, improved cylinder-head port flow and a new combustion system. The result is 305 horsepower (227 kW) @ 5,650 rpm, a 30 percent increase, and 334 lb.-ft. (453 N*m) of torque @ 3,950 rpm, a 10 percent increase compared with the previous generation 4.7-liter V-8 engine. It also delivers more than a 5 percent increase in fuel economy. This FFV engine also gives customers the ability to use up to an 85 percent concentration of ethanol (E85) to fuel their vehicles.

Standard Electronic Stability Program (ESP) with Electronic Roll Mitigation maintains vehicle stability in a variety of road surface and weather conditions. Hill Descent Control, Hill Start Assist and Trailer Sway Control deliver off-road and towing capability.

The 2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee Rocky Mountain Edition will be available in four exterior paint colors: new Inferno Red, Light Graystone, Bright Silver and Brilliant Black.


Source : http://www.automotive.com (3/16/2009)

Volkswagen Renews Partnership as the Official Automotive Partner of Major League...  
HERNDON, Va -- Volkswagen of America, Inc., Major League Soccer and Soccer United Marketing, MLS's marketing arm, today announced a new multi-year partnership. The agreement renews Volkswagen's status as the Official Automotive partner of Major League Soccer. Volkswagen has been an MLS partner since 2008.

"After a very successful first year, Volkswagen is pleased to extend its sponsorship of Major League Soccer," said Tim Ellis, Vice President of Marketing, Volkswagen of America, Inc. "Globally, Volkswagen has been a long-time supporter of soccer. The relationship with MLS strengthens our connection with our target consumers in the U.S. market, particularly families, sports fans and multicultural audiences. Additionally, MLS's aggressive expansion plans closely align with Volkswagen of America's long-term growth strategy."

As an official partner of Major League Soccer, Volkswagen will receive rights in the United States which deliver value across live in-stadium, grassroots and national television audiences, allowing Volkswagen the ability to continue to enhance consumer experiences around their passion for the sport. The agreement includes utilization of Volkswagen's fleet of vehicles for MLS special events and league operations, player appearances, intellectual property, content generation platforms, national in-stadium exposure, on-site activation at select MLS games and continuation of Volkswagen's entitlement of the MLS MVP awards, including full season, MLS All-Star and MLS Cup recipients. In addition to developing new, unique national grassroots programming in partnership with MLS and SUM, Volkswagen will also be a sponsor of existing MLS grassroots initiatives including MLS Futbolito and Sueno MLS.

"Major League Soccer is excited to partner with Volkswagen, a company that is synonymous with excellence and innovation," said Kathy Carter, Executive Vice President of Soccer United Marketing. "Volkswagen has made a long-term commitment to the sport of soccer in this country and we look forward to working together as we both grow our business."

Volkswagen continues in its role as presenting partner of D.C. United, exclusively featured on the front of D.C. United's jersey, as well as partnering with the club on numerous other club and in-stadium marketing programs, helping support United's passionate fan base in the D.C. market to further engage with the club.

Volkswagen joins the MLS corporate family including: Official Sponsors -- adidas, American Airlines, Aquafina, Budweiser, Chase, Diageo, Dick's Sporting Goods, Gatorade, The Home Depot, Makita USA, NAPA Auto Parts, Panasonic, Pepsi Co., U.S. Soccer Foundation, Visa, Xbox 360; Corporate Partners -- Glidden, Red Bull.

Major League Soccer's 14th season begins with "First Kick," the weekend of March 19-22, 2009, when 14 teams kickoff the 2009 MLS regular season.


Source : http://www.automotive.com (3/16/2009)

The New BMW Alpina D3 Bi-Turbo Saloon  
NOTTINGHAM, UNITED KINGDOM –: The new BMW ALPINA D3. Saloon car evolution of the acclaimed D3 Coupe is now in the showrooms. A four cylinder four-door car, arguably the cleverest buy for all discerning UK drivers, delivering more than any larger engined counterpart in terms of performance, economy, low emissions and sheer exclusivity.

ALPINA engineers have once again used their development of BMW’s state-of-the-art twin turbo diesel engine from the 123d, which – at 214 hp – produces more horsepower per litre than any other engine in a current BMW ALPINA road car.

Like the previous D3 Saloon, all UK cars will be ordered in a single specification meaning that customers only need to choose between manual and automatic gearbox and select their preferred colour and trim.

The car is capable of 152 mph and 0-62 mph in 6.9 secs and yet the official fuel consumption and emission figures tell a very different story: 52.3 mpg (overall EU) and 143 g/km (manual gearbox version).

John Quigley, Managing Director of ALPINA GB said: “The previous model D3 was one of our most successful cars ever. We believe we really hit the spot in terms of performance, exclusivity and price. But the new car is even better than the previous model in all the key areas; performance is improved, yet both fuel economy and – crucially – emissions are reduced. Around half of D3 sales will be to business users – who will relish any opportunity to lower their personal benefit in kind charges.”

ALPINA GB, part of the Sytner Group, has been the sole UK importer for ALPINA since 1983. ALPINA has worked closely with BMW since 1961, with shared warranty coverage since 1964. ALPINA was registered as an automobile manufacturer to ISO standards in 1983.


Source : www.theautochannel.com (3/16/2009)

Integrity Media Releases Market Intel for Auto Parts Related Equities RNNM, PBY,...  
LAS VEGAS -- Integrity Media announces the availability of a commentary related to recent changes in the automotive part industry and of interest to investors of auto part related equities Ronn Motor Company , The Pep Boys , Autozone , O'Reilly Automotive, Inc. , Advance Auto Parts, Inc. , and U.S. Auto Parts Network, Inc. .

From the report: "Successes often come in what appears to be one instant manifestation, as if it happened sporadically overnight. The truth is these major announcements are more often a testament to the smaller daily achievements of a company and the skillful execution of their business plan. Corporate officers and shareholders simultaneously await such breakthrough moments which can provide a seminal entry point for a company or the catalyst to greater successes. An announcement released early this morning by Ronn Motor Co., creator of the H2GO system which enhances fuel efficiency and can be added to existing vehicles and vehicle fleets, may indeed qualify as the proverbial breakthrough deal."


Source : http://www.automotive.com (3/16/2009)

Mazda, the First Japanese Automaker to Develop a Urea SCR System for Cars  
HIROSHIMA, JAPAN –: Mazda Motor Corporation’s sporty SUV, the Mazda CX-7, will be the first passenger vehicle produced by a Japanese automaker to be equipped with a urea selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system. Mazda’s SCR is smaller than previous systems, which is a significant improvement that enables it to be installed in passenger cars. It will be combined with Mazda’s newly developed clean, highly efficient MZR-CD 2.2L turbo diesel engine.

Planned for introduction in 2009, together with the new facelifted Mazda CX-7, Mazda’s SCR system will purify the nitrous oxides (NOx) that are generated in diesel exhaust gases. This will be a welcome addition to the Mazda CX-7’s new diesel engine, which provides better fuel economy and lower CO2 emissions than equivalent gasoline powerplants.

Urea SCR systems spray aqueous urea directly into the exhaust gas flow where it purifies NOx through a chemical reaction. Unlike technologies that use extra fuel to burn off NOx, this method minimally affects fuel economy and power output. However, because an aqueous urea storage tank and other specialist equipment are required, space limitations in passenger vehicles have restricted the use of SCR systems to trucks and buses. This is not the case with Mazda’s SCR system.

Mazda’s MZR-CD 2.2L turbo diesel engine actually produces low volumes of NOx, which means that the SCR system needs to remove less NOx in post processing, resulting in a reduced amount of urea used. This means a smaller tank is required, allowing it to be comfortably installed in the Mazda CX-7.

As well as complying with Europe’s most stringent (Euro V) emissions regulations, the freshened CX-7 will provide plenty of Zoom-Zoom, perfectly balanced with eco-friendly performance.


Source : www.theautochannel.com (3/16/2009)

Jaguar Announces New XK-S Limited Edition Model  
TOOWONG, AUSTRALIA –: Jaguar has made an impressive start to 2009, with new vehicle sales up by 22% on a year on year basis. Jaguar is one of only a few automotive brands to record sales growth in 2009, and to capitalise on this achievement, a new XK limited edition model, the XK-S, will be launched this month.

Like every Jaguar to carry the XK badge, the XK-S is all about performance with style - plus a large helping of individuality. The XK-S offers its own spin on the 4.2 litre V8 XK in coupe form.

The car offers a host of additional extras beyond the XK's already impressive specification at no extra cost. In true Jaguar tradition, every XK-S will be a highly desirable car with an impressively accessible price tag.

The XK-S customer will benefit from dramatic 20-inch Senta alloy wheels, luxury sports interior (including soft grain leather and 16 x 16 way seats), a sporty brushed aluminium gear knob and bright finish pedals plus distinctive body enhancements: new front and rear valence panels, chrome-finished side vents and bright finish upper and lower front mesh grilles, special tailpipe finishers and appliqués on both sides of the car. All vehicles will carry exclusive "S" badging. These additional features have a retail value of approx. $25,000 at no additional charge to the customer.

To emphasise the exclusive nature of the XK-S model, there will only be 9 cars in total produced for the Australian market. Chris Lidis, General Manager, Jaguar Australia, commented: "We are very pleased to be able to offer Jaguar customers the XK-S. The specification is quite unique, and very exclusive. It combines outstanding performance and dramatic beauty with individual touches of craftsmanship and equipment that lift it to another level".

Jaguar's advanced all aluminum construction makes the XK and XK-S the lightest yet strongest car in it's class; CATS Computer Active Technology Suspension underpins it's perfect balance of control and agility with comfort and refinement; it's six speed automatic transmission is recognized as one of the world's best, and it is powered by an acclaimed engine - the 219kW 4.2-litre AJ-V8.

Available to order now, the XK-S is available in 3 colours - Indigo blue, Ultimate Black, Liquid Silver, and with a choice of Caramel or Warm Charcoal interior. The XK-S will carry a recommended retail price of $209,400.


Source : www.theautochannel.com (3/16/2009)

New Ecoflex Zafira Gets Green Light with New Engine  
LUTON, UNITED KINGDOM –: Using a new-to-range 1.7-litre advanced diesel engine emitting combined emissions of just 139g/km, Vauxhall’s latest addition to the Zafira line-up has all the right credentials to become the first ecoFLEX model in the range.

This ultra-low emissions figure also means that it’s one of the greenest and most fuel efficient seven-seat compact MPVs on the market.

And with its lower emissions, the ecoFLEX is the first Zafira to enter Band C for Vehicle Excise Duty – costing just £120 per year – while its BIK tax for company car drivers drops four levels to 18 per cent, the lowest taxation class for a seven-seater car in the UK.

The ecoFLEX also gains a significant improvement in fuel consumption compared with other models in the range. With a Combined figure of 53.3mpg (47.1mpg for the 1.9 CDTi), this Zafira now has a theoretical range of 680 miles, meaning fewer trips to the pumps and less damage to drivers’ wallets.

But as with Vauxhall’s other ecoFLEX models, turning greener hasn’t impacted on its performance. The 1.7 CDTi engine – which can also be found in the recent Astra ecoFLEX – produces 110PS and 260Nm of torque, giving acceleration of 0-60mph in 12.6 seconds and a top speed of 112mph. A different final drive ratio also raises the gearing, improving both fuel economy and offering a more relaxed cruising gait.

With a starting price of £17,310 for the Zafira Exclusiv ecoFLEX, buyers will pay a mere £100 premium over the equivalent 1.9 CDTi 120PS model. But since all Zafiras are available with Vauxhall’s ‘You Pay, We Pay’ deal, buyers benefit from zero per cent interest from two to four years (with no deposit to pay on the two year package) while also collecting a cheque equivalent to five per cent of the amount financed.

As well as Vauxhall’s clever Flex7 seating, allowing the ecoFLEX to be transformed from a capacious load-lugger to seven-seat people carrier in a matter of seconds, six full-size airbags, an anti-lock braking system (ABS) and radio/CD player are standard on all of its five trim levels.


Source : www.theautochannel.com (3/16/2009)

Muscular Scorpio launched in Gujarat  
Enthused by the possible upturn in the automobile sector in the wake of encouraging results for the first two months of this year, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd, market leader in utility vehicles, unveiled its new product, `Muscular Scorpio' here, featuring the technologically-advanced mHawk engine and also incorporating M&M's micro-hybrid technology. This is the first product in India to offer a BS-IV compliant version, more than a year before it becomes mandatory, a company official said. Price of the new vehicle starts from Rs 7.25 lakh for the LX model, and goes up to Rs 9.28 lakh (VLX), ex-showroom at Ahmedabad; this is after significant price reductions ranging between Rs 32,000 and Rs 62,000.


Source : Business Line (Online Edition) (3/16/2009)

Boris considers Congestion Charge change  
London Mayor Boris Johnson is considering changes to the Congestion Charge, allowing motorists to pay different rates depending on the time of day, according to The Times.

Drivers would pay a higher tariff during peak periods, but a reduced fee in quieter off-peak times. The proposals are similar to a scheme currently used in Sweden's capital, Stockholm.

The Times newspaper reports a source as saying: 'We need to make the charge more sophisticated and more sensitive to the needs of motorists.' The changes are expected 'within a matter of months'.

No details of the cost or time-zones being considered have been revealed. The current system requires motorists to pay a flat rate of £8 a day, between 7am and 6pm. There is no charge at weekends.


Source : www.whatcar.com (3/16/2009)

Toyota service campaign  
Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) announced the launch of its service campaign, Suhana Summer - a service campaign with free check-up for all Toyota models - across its dealerships in India. The month-long campaign will be conducted across Toyota dealerships between March 16 and April 15 in 69 dealerships across India. Mr Sandeep Singh, Deputy Managing Director, TKM, said, "Toyota, having pioneered in the `Customer First' approach throughout the world, has timed this service campaign to correspond with the vacation season in India. The campaign will help customers to gear up their vehicles for long journeys.


Source : Business Line (Online Edition) (3/16/2009)

China TransInfo Technology Corp. Signs Contract to Provide Real-time Traffic Data t...  
BEIJING, -- China TransInfo Technology Corp., , ("China TransInfo" or "the Company"), a leading provider of public transportation information systems technology and comprehensive solutions in the People's Republic of China ("PRC"), today announced that, through its subsidiary Beijing Palmcity Technology Co., Ltd. ("Palmcity"), it has recently signed a contract with a leading mapping software provider in China, Mapbar, to provide real-time traffic data mapping software add-ons to Motorola China ("Motorola") mobile phones.

Pursuant to this agreement, China TransInfo will install its proprietary real-time traffic software mapping add-ons on 100,000 new Motorola A3000 handsets to be distributed throughout China. The software will enable existing mapping software to display real-time traffic data on the handsets. Under the agreement, China TransInfo is obligated to provide real-time traffic data for a period of one year.

Prior to this contract, China TransInfo has provided real-time traffic data to mapping websites, on cell phones, and personal navigation devices (PND). Through these interfaces, users can receive updated live traffic information from the Internet or through wireless communication networks. During the Beijing Olympics, China TransInfo's real-time traffic data was also used by Beijing Transportation Broadcast FM 103.9's PNDs to aid in the navigation of official vehicles. As a result of the successful execution of this program, the Company is now in active talks with the government to help apply PND services with traffic data at the Shanghai World Expo in 2010.

As an industry leader in real-time traffic data collection and processing in China, China TransInfo currently has real-time traffic data networks in 10 major Chinese cities, giving it the largest database in the market.

"Since the middle of 2008, the development of our live traffic data services has accelerated beyond our expectations. We are excited that this deal for Motorola phones has provided our latest development in this segment," commented by Mr. Shudong Xia, Chairman and CEO of China TransInfo. "While this deal will not have a significant impact on our top line, it constitutes a major step in increasing China TransInfo's profile as a reliable supplier of real time traffic data to China's nearly 600 million mobile phone subscribers. As China's 3G licenses were issued this past January, we expect the opportunity for our services to continue to grow as China's mobile networks are capable of handling increasingly complex data applications."


Source : http://www.automotive.com (3/16/2009)

Ricardo Makes Key Clean Energy Appointments  
VAN BUREN TWP., Mich., -- Strengthened capability in wind energy builds on Ricardo's global leadership position in designing and delivering low carbon technology solutions to the automotive, transportation and renewable energy sectors. Ricardo has announced today the strengthening of its global clean energy team with two key appointments in the US and Europe, bringing significant additional expertise in wind energy systems engineering. With these new appointments Ricardo consolidates its already strong presence in research and development of wind turbine drivetrains of up to 10 MW capacity, and is able to provide a comprehensive engineering service including program engineering as well as advanced technologies in drivetrain architecture and integration, gearboxes, bearings, pitch and yaw systems, generators and control systems.

At Ricardo UK Ltd, Richard Jones is appointed as chief engineer, wind energy, within the clean energy group. Jones joins Ricardo from BP Alternative Energy, where he was development engineering manager - wind. He has almost twenty years engineering experience in the wind energy sector having undertaken senior roles for companies including Vestas, Nordex Energy and National Wind Power. In the US, Marc Wiseman joins Ricardo Inc. from Third Planet Windpower, where he was vice president with responsibility for developing utility scale wind power facilities for the Western US. Wiseman was also the VP of Technology responsible for corporate relationships with turbine manufacturers such as GE, Vestas, Suzlon and DeWind. In his new role Wiseman will head the Ricardo Inc. advanced & clean energy product group.

Steve Parker, Ricardo plc. executive director with responsibility for clean energy strategy, said: "Richard Jones and Marc Wiseman bring significant complementary skills to Ricardo's global clean energy team. Their recruitment underscores our commitment to providing a comprehensive capability in wind power from strategic planning to systems engineering and technology development. This builds upon Ricardo's long-standing expertise and world-leading position in the development and application of clean technology in sectors including wind and tidal power, electric and hybrid vehicle powertrains, fuel cells and reformer systems for both stationary and transport use, and the control electronics and software that enable the successful product application of such advanced technologies."


Source : http://www.automotive.com (3/16/2009)

Dana Holding Corporation Reports 2008 Results  
TOLEDO, Ohio, -- Dana Holding Corporation today announced its full-year and fourth-quarter 2008 results.

Sales for the full-year 2008 were $8,095 million, down $626 million from $8,721 million in 2007. This decrease was driven primarily by sharply declining vehicle production levels in North America.

Including a one-time gain of $754 million related to emergence from Chapter 11 reorganization, net income was $18 million, compared with a net loss of $551 million for 2007. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization, and restructuring (EBITDA) for the full year were $301 million, compared with $450 million in 2007. The decline was due to significantly lower vehicle production, which was partially offset by margin improvements and cost reductions.

At year end, Dana had cash balances of $777 million and total liquidity of $866 million. Net debt was $474 million.

"We continue to respond to difficult market conditions through aggressive cost-reduction and efficiency actions, comprehensive operational restructuring, and being responsive to our customers," said Chairman and CEO John Devine. "These are unprecedented times that make any projections uncertain. We belive we are taking the difficult actions necessary to survive in the current environment and compete over the long term. There can be no assurances, however, if the global economy deteriorates substantially beyond our planning assumptions."

Three-Month Results

Sales for the fourth quarter of 2008 were $1,521 million, down $636 million, or 29 percent, from the prior year. Sales were impacted by both sharply declining North American vehicle production and unfavorable currency changes.

Fourth-quarter EBITDA was a negative $3 million, compared to $112 million for the same period in 2007. The impact of lower vehicle production drove the reduction in earnings. This decline was partially offset by higher pricing and cost savings from operational improvements.

Free cash flow was a negative $50 million for the fourth quarter, compared to $83 million for the prior-year period, primarily due to lower earnings for the quarter. Working capital was a source of $177 million of cash during the quarter, primarily due to lower production volumes. The cash balance at year end also reflects the repayment of $150 million of outstanding principal under the term loan facility to support an amendment to the company's credit agreement.

Devine added, "We expect 2009 to be even more challenging than 2008, but we believe Dana is prepared with plans to continue re-sizing our operations, improve operational performance and margins, and maintain adequate liquidity and earnings."

Dana to Host Fourth-Quarter Conference Call at 10:30 a.m. Today

Dana will discuss its full-year and fourth-quarter results in a conference call at 10:30 a.m. EDT today. Participants may listen via audio streaming online or telephone. Slide viewing and audio streaming are available via a link provided on the Dana Investor Web site - accessed through www.dana.com. Domestically, the call can be by joined by dialing 1-888-311-4590 (Conference I.D. 83216554); internationally, dial 1-706-758-0054 (Conference I.D. 83216554). Please ask for the Dana Quarterly Webcast and Conference Call. Phone registration will begin at 10 a.m. A recording of the call and a webcast replay will be available after 5 p.m. today via the Dana Investor Web site.

Non-GAAP Measures

In connection with Dana's emergence from bankruptcy on January 31, 2008 and the application of fresh start accounting in accordance with the provisions of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants' Statement of Position 90-7, the post-emergence results of the successor company for the 11 months ended December 31, 2008 and the pre-emergence results of the predecessor company for the one month ended January 31, 2008 are presented separately as successor and predecessor results in the financial statements presented in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). This presentation is required by GAAP as the successor company is considered to be a new entity, and the results of the new entity reflect the application of fresh start accounting. For the readers' convenience and interest in this earnings release, we have combined the separate successor and predecessor periods to derive combined results for the 12 months ended December 31, 2008. The financial information accompanying this release provides the separate successor and predecessor GAAP results for the applicable periods, along with the combined results described above for the twelve months of 2008.

This release refers to EBITDA, which we've defined to be earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization and restructuring. EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial measure, and the measure currently being used by Dana as the primary measure of its reportable operating segment performance. EBITDA was selected as the primary measure for operating segment performance as well as a relevant measure of Dana's overall performance given the enhanced comparability and usefulness after application of fresh start accounting. The most significant impact to Dana's ongoing results of operations as a result of applying fresh start accounting is higher depreciation and amortization. By using EBITDA, which is a performance measure that excludes depreciation and amortization, the comparability of results is enhanced. Management also believes that EBITDA is an important measure since the financial covenants of our primary debt agreements are EBITDA-based, and our management incentive performance programs are based, in part, on EBITDA. Because it is a non-GAAP measure, EBITDA should not be considered a substitute for net income or other reported results prepared in accordance with GAAP. The financial information accompanying this release provides a reconciliation of EBITDA for the periods presented to the reported income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes, which is a GAAP measure.


Source : http://www.automotive.com (3/16/2009)

Asbury Automotive Group Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2008 Financial Results  
DULUTH, Ga -- Asbury Automotive Group, Inc. , one of the largest automotive retail and service companies in the U.S., today reported financial results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2008.

The Company's loss from continuing operations for the fourth quarter of $353.5 million, or $11.15 per diluted share, includes $351.0 million, or $11.07 per diluted share, in after-tax non-core items detailed in the attached tables. The most significant of these items is an after-tax charge of $373.1 million primarily associated with the impairment of the Company's goodwill and manufacturer franchise rights. Income from continuing operations for the fourth quarter of 2007 was $11.0 million, or $0.34 per diluted share. The Company's net loss for the fourth quarter was $365.4 million, or $11.53 per diluted share; net income for the fourth quarter of 2007 was $11.0 million, or $0.34 per diluted share, including the non-core items detailed in the attached tables.

Commenting on the fourth quarter, Asbury's President and CEO Charles R. Oglesby said, "The fourth quarter presented Asbury with the most challenging retail environment in our history, as U.S. vehicle sales declined 35% nationwide. We faced this challenge head on, moving quickly to maintain our liquidity and enhance productivity."

Commenting on the accomplishments during the quarter, Mr. Oglesby continued, "During the quarter we repurchased $60 million of debt, reducing our outstanding debt balances by 10%, while maintaining consistent cash balances. We relocated our headquarters from New York to Duluth, Georgia, and reduced our corporate staffing levels by 25%. We reduced our national workforce by 10% in the fourth quarter, and by 14% since June. In total, we reduced our same store operating expenses by $27 million, or 17%, during the quarter. And, in the most recent step of our ongoing restructuring efforts, we are eliminating our regional management structure. In this regard, I am pleased to announce that Michael S. Kearney, former President and CEO of our East Region, is assuming the title of Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, with responsibility for the oversight of our dealership operations."

The Company announced that it intends to file its 2008 Annual Report on Form 10-K with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission later today. In that document, the Company's independent public accounting firm, Deloitte & Touche LLP, included an explanatory paragraph in its audit report that indicated there is uncertainty that the Company will remain in compliance with certain covenants in its debt agreements, and that they believe this uncertainty raises substantial doubt about the Company's ability to continue as a going concern. The inclusion of this explanatory paragraph in the audit report constitutes a default under certain of the Company's borrowing facilities. The Company has received waivers from all of its associated lending partners with respect to these defaults, including 100% of the financial institutions that are party to our syndicated revolving credit facility. The Company was in compliance with all of its financial covenants as of December 31, 2008, and, as a result of the aforementioned waivers, was in compliance with all of its non-financial covenants.

Craig T. Monaghan, Asbury's Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, commented, "It's during times such as these that strong partnerships become critically important, and we couldn't be more pleased with the overwhelming support we have received from our financial partners. With their assistance, we were able to arrange major new debt facilities in the third and fourth quarters and, on short notice, obtain unanimous agreement from 11 lenders to waive the defaults arising from our audit opinion."

Mr. Monaghan continued, "With $116 million in borrowing capacity under our credit facilities and $92 million in cash on hand at year-end, we have considerable liquidity. And, with no major debt maturities until 2012, we believe we have the financial flexibility to weather the current challenging environment."

Mr. Oglesby concluded, "We are rebuilding Asbury and structuring the company to deliver consistent cash flow and profitability, even during this period of unprecedented weakness in U.S. automotive sales."

For the full year, the loss from continuing operations was $323.1 million, or $10.19 per diluted share, compared with income from continuing operations of $51.7 million, or $1.55 per diluted share, in 2007. Non-core items, as detailed further in the attached tables, reduced earnings in 2008 by $354.1 million, or $11.15 per diluted share, and reduced earnings in 2007 by $15.3 million, or $0.46 per diluted share. The Company's net loss for 2008 was $338.0 million, or $10.66 per diluted share, compared with net income of $51.0 million, or $1.53 per diluted share, a year ago, including the non-core items discussed above.

Asbury will host a conference call to discuss its fourth quarter results this morning at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time. The call will be simulcast live on the Internet and can be accessed by logging onto asburyauto.com or ccbn.com. In addition, a live audio of the call will be accessible to the public by calling (877) 857-6151 (domestic), or (719) 325-4786 (international); passcode - 3431066. Callers should dial in approximately 5 to 10 minutes before the call begins.


Source : http://www.automotive.com (3/16/2009)

ITW Reports 21 Percent Decrease in Operating Revenues for Three Months Ended...  
GLENVIEW, Ill., -- Illinois Tool Works Inc. today reported an operating revenue decrease of 21 percent for the three months ended February 28, 2009. The revenue decline for the three months was due to a 20 percent decrease in base revenues and a 7 percent fall off in contributions from currency translation. Acquisitions contributed 7 percent to revenues in the period. The further decrease in revenues versus the Company's February 16, 2009 release was primarily related to significantly lower than expected end market activity in North America, Europe and Asia in January and February.

On a segment basis, the Company's three month moving average percentage change for operating revenues, comprised of base revenues, acquisitions/divestitures and currency translation, is provided below.

(% change for 3 months ended February 28, 2009 versus prior year period)

*Industrial Packaging:- 27.7 %
*Power Systems and Electronics:- 26.9 %
*Transportation:- 25.0 %
*Food Equipment:- 15.5 %
*Construction Products:- 31.7 %
*Polymers and Fluids:+1.2 %
*All Other:- 12.0 %

In January and February 2009, the Company has experienced significantly weaker demand across worldwide end markets versus its original expectations and expects similar trends in March. As a result, the Company is now forecasting first quarter 2009 diluted income per share from continuing operations to be in a range of $0.08 to $0.16. The 2009 first quarter forecast assumes a total Company revenue range of - 26 percent to - 22 percent versus the prior guidance revenue range of - 17 percent to - 11 percent. The Company will review its 2009 forecast as part of its first quarter earnings release and conference call on April 16, 2009.

This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, without limitations, statements regarding end markets, revenues, diluted income per share from continuing operations and the Company's related forecasts. These statements are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations are set forth in ITW's Form 10-K for 2008.

With $15.9 billion in revenues, ITW is a multinational manufacturer of a diversified range of value-adding and short lead-time industrial products and equipment. The Company consists of 875 business units in 54 countries and employs some 65,000 people.


Source : http://www.automotive.com (3/16/2009)

Ticket of Auto Shanghai 2009 is Now Open for Booking  
SHANGHAI -- As one of the most important global automotive industry events in 2009, the 13th International Automobile Industry Exhibition, will be held on April 22-28, 2009 at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre under the theme "Art of Innovation". The total show space, estimated 170,000 sqm, is going to hit the historical record of the Auto Shanghai since its first appearance in 1985. Auto Shanghai 2009 is organized by China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Shanghai Sub-Council and China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, Automotive Sub-Council, and co-organized by Shanghai International Exhibition Co Ltd and MMG-Messe Muenchen International/IMAG-International Messe-und Ausstellungsdienst GmbH, specially supported by China Machinery Industry Federation and the Society of Automotive Engineers of China.


Source : http://www.automotive.com (3/16/2009)

Stuart Schorr Appointed Vice President, Communications for Jaguar Land Rover North America  
MAHWAH, N.J., Stuart Schorr has been appointed Vice President of Communications and Public Affairs for Jaguar Land Rover North America, effective today. Schorr will be responsible for all communications, including corporate and internal communications, and Jaguar and Land Rover product and brand communications. He will also be responsible for managing government affairs communication for the organization.

With Schorr's appointment and the recent hiring of Richard Beattie as Executive Vice President, Jaguar, the company now has in place its complete new leadership team at its Mahwah, N.J. headquarters. Schorr will report to Gary Temple, President, Jaguar Land Rover North America and Simon Warr, Director, Global Communications and Public Affairs and will have direct responsibility for communications staff in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

"I'm delighted to welcome Stuart to the Jaguar Land Rover team to lead our critically important communications efforts with the media, our employees, dealers, opinion leaders and government officials," said Temple. "Stuart's expertise and knowledge of the automotive industry will be critical as we shape our company's future, and his appointment completes our new executive management team."

Schorr, 43, previously served as Senior Manager, Communications for Chrysler LLC, in Auburn Hills, Michigan most recently responsible for External Affairs and Public Policy, Stakeholder and Electronic Communications. Previously at Chrysler, LLC he had overseen global sales public relations, and at Chrysler Canada, LLC, led the communications department. Schorr also held managerial positions within DaimlerChrysler AG in Washington D.C., covering public policy and external affairs, as well as for Mercedes-Benz USA as Regional Communications Manager, in Bethesda, Md.

"Stuart is a great addition to our global public relations team," said Simon Warr, Director, Global Communications and Public Affairs, Jaguar Land Rover. "Through his communications expertise, relationships with the media and knowledge of the automotive industry he will make a significant contribution to our new look operation in one of our largest markets. I look forward to working with him."

"There could not be a better time to join Jaguar Land Rover North America than right now," said Schorr. "The company has the mindset of a global startup, fully committed to the ongoing successful transformation of the legendary Jaguar and Land Rover brands. Today these brands offer some of the most exciting, desirable and capable products in the world. Propelled by the company's design and technology capabilities, the future appears even brighter for its employees, dealers, and ultimately customers."


Source : www.theautochannel.com (3/16/2009)

Germany's Economic Minister Meets Geithner, Summers and Others on GM and...  
WASHINGTON -- Germany's new Federal Minister of Economics and Technology, Dr. Karl-Theodor Freiherr zu Guttenberg, will arrive in Washington, D.C. for political talks.

He will meet Tuesday with Timothy Geithner, Secretary of the Treasury, Larry Summers, Director of the National Economic Council, Robert Zoellick, President of the World Bank and Dominique Strauss-Kahn, President of the International Monetary Fund a.o. The meetings will focus on the situation of General Motors and its Subsidiary in Germany, OPEL, as well as other GM Subsidiaries in Europe and the international economic and financial crisis.

Mr. zu Guttenberg will hold a luncheon speech at the Peterson Institute titled "Challenges and Opportunities in Times of Economic Turmoil."

A meeting with George Richard Wagoner, Jr., Chairman and CEO of General Motors, and other executives of GM is planned for Monday evening.


Source : http://www.automotive.com (3/16/2009)

Personnel Changes at the Daimler Trucks Division  
STUTTGART, Germany,: The Board of Management of Daimler AG has made the following personnel decisions: Effective June 1, 2009, Martin Daum (49) will become head of Daimler Trucks North America. Martin Daum will replace Chris Patterson, who will reach the age of 55 this year and has chosen to retire after 32 years of service to the North American commercial vehicle industry, 11 of them with Daimler Trucks North America. Daum is currently Head of Operations at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Woerth (Germany).

Andreas Renschler, Head of the Daimler Trucks division: "Chris Patterson has been crucial to our efforts to set the course for the competitiveness of Daimler Trucks North America with competitive products and a comprehensive efficiency program."

Also effective June 1, Dr. Albert Kirchmann (52) will become Head of Daimler Trucks Asia, in which function he will also be President and CEO of Mitsubishi Fuso Truck & Bus Corporation. He will replace Harald Boelstler (58), who is to retire effective June 30, 2009 after a career of over 30 years at the Daimler Group including positions in Germany, Japan and France and four years at Daimler Trucks Asia. Kirchmann is currently Head of Finance & Controlling, Business and Product Planning at Daimler Trucks & Buses.

Andreas Renschler: "Harald Boelstler has posted great achievements with the integration and modernization of Mitsubishi Fuso as well as with successful growth in the markets."

Martin Daum has been at the Daimler Group for more than 20 years and has worked in various areas. After graduating in business administration at the University of Mannheim, he started his career in 1987 in the department of Sales Controlling Overseas at the then Daimler-Benz AG. This was followed by various positions at debis Marketing Services GmbH, before he moved to the United States where he held various management positions at Daimler's commercial vehicles subsidiaries. Upon his return to Germany, Daum became Head of Commercial Vehicles Strategy in Stuttgart, where he was responsible for Trucks Controlling Europe and Latin America, and in 2006 was also made Head of the Woerth plant. In parallel, he was Head of the Unimog and Special Vehicles product unit from 2003 onwards. In both functions, Daum will be succeeded by Yaris Puersuen (40), currently Head of Finance & Controlling Europe and Latin America in Woerth.

Dr. Albert Kirchmann studied industrial engineering at the University of Karlsruhe and gained his doctorate in 1984. In the same year, he came to the then Daimler-Benz AG as a trainee. He subsequently held various positions in the Controlling departments of the Woerth and Bremen plants before moving to Mercedes-Benz Spain at the beginning of the nineteen-nineties. Following his return to Germany, he became Head of Strategy and Planning Powertrain in 1997. He subsequently held other leading positions in the area of finance before he was made Head of Finance & Controlling, Business and Product Planning at Daimler Trucks & Buses in 2006. This position will be taken over by Frank Lindenberg (45), who is currently head of Finance Development & Operations.


Source : www.theautochannel.com (3/16/2009)

Auto Europe Expands Services to Include Car and Hotel Packages in the USA  
PORTLAND, Maine -- Auto Europe, synonymous with service for car rental reservations in Europe for over 55 years, is pleased to announce expanded services to include car and hotel packages at all major metropolitan areas in the USA.

Travelers can choose from a large selection of quality Chrysler cars available at convenient locations on and off airport combined with hotel reservations with a large array of 3, 4 & 5 star hotels though out all major cities in the USA.

Packages featuring a one-night hotel stay and a three-day economy class car rental in New York start at $229; Los Angeles or San Francisco at $179; Miami starts at $189.

Sample rates shown are based upon double occupancy and car rental includes time and mileage only. Services must be booked together as a package and cannot be sold as individual components.

Auto Europe services over 4,000 car rental locations worldwide. In addition, through their tour division, Destination Europe they offer scheduled airfare to Europe with over thirty carriers and service 3, 4 & 5 star worldwide hotels.


Source : http://www.automotive.com (3/16/2009)

Kia Wins The Double With BPA  
WEYBRIDGE – UNITED KINGDOM –: The all important BPA Survey has placed Kia Motors in first place for both Marketing and Customer Services for 2008, a huge achievement for a company that was near the bottom of the league just four years ago.

The BPA Automotive Review is unlike other industry benchmark reports because it focuses on customer interaction with the manufacturer, looking at the elements of contact that most impact on a customer’s perception of how they have been treated. In this way it leads on to customers’ views on brand loyalty – something that is very important to Kia.

In last year’s survey, Kia achieved first place for Marketing and third place for Customer Services and this year not only maintained their first place position for Marketing but also made first place for Customer Services. Emma Smith, Kia’s Customer Contact Manager commented on Kia’s meteoric rise; “We are so very proud of our achievement which is due to a dedicated and focussed team at our RAC call centre. The BPA survey is far more than just a report, it is also a chance to improve our training and develop our customer service offering. It is only by acting on past results that we have achieved this latest success.

“Now that we have achieved our goal, the new challenge is to maintain our position at the top. I have a strong belief that our Customer Care Team will continue to meet our customer’s expectations and our own.”


Source : www.theautochannel.com (3/16/2009)

Dan Pastorini and DP7 Racing's Gallardo GTR Roars to Sebring International Raceway  
HOUSTON -- Dan Pastorini, former NFL star quarterback for the Houston Oilers is gearing up to take the only Lamborghini racing in the USA, the DP7 Gallardo GTR, to Sebring International Raceway in Florida on March 20, 2009.

"My first love has always been racing and nothing looks better on the track or is generating more interest and excitement than our Gallardo GTR," Pastorini said. "We have assembled a group of racing professionals from Formula 1 to Indy Cars. We operate out of a first class facility here in Houston and I feel confident that we have all the ingredients of a winning team."

Not immune to the economic downturn, Pastorini and his team are actively pursuing partners and sponsors. "There is one driving force behind any race team and that's sponsorship, without it you simply cannot succeed. We have no factory support from Lamborghini, but our privateer team has shown what vision, dedication and talent can accomplish. This race is just what we need to showcase this car and our team and an opportunity for a potential sponsor to capitalize on a unique high profile race team," Pastorini said.

No vehicle on the road symbolizes fast, sexy and exotic more than Lamborghini. Now thanks to DP7 Racing, a Lamborghini will be added to the list competing in SCCA's premier professional event, The Speed World Challenge GT Series. The DP7 Gallardo GTR will be competing against Corvettes, Vipers, Porsches, Mustangs, Aston Martins, Lotus' and others.

Often called the "Woodstock of Motorsports," Sebring is world famous for the annual 12 Hours of Sebring endurance race. Every year on the third Saturday of March, the raceway hosts thousands of fans from around the world to witness the historic 12 hour classic. All the legends have raced at Sebring...Mario Andretti, A.J. Foyt, Dan Gurney and dozens of other international motor racing stars.


Source : http://www.automotive.com (3/16/2009)

Ford of Europe Realigns Production and Future Sourcing Needs in Response to Economic Crisis  
COLOGNE, GERMANY -– Ford of Europe today confirmed that, due to the unprecedented decline in the European new car market and the continuing negative economic outlook, it is taking further decisive actions to bring its production capacity in line with significantly decreased industry demand.

In addition, Ford of Europe is realigning its sourcing plans to meet its future business needs, given that demand is unlikely to improve significantly in the European market for some considerable time.

"Cutting capacity, reducing costs and safeguarding our future product plans are essential actions for Ford of Europe to sustain a viable business for the future," said John Fleming, Ford of Europe Chairman and CEO. "We have already taken a number of actions but, as the market has continued to weaken substantially, we are now taking additional necessary actions."

"In relation to today's announcement, we considered all the options but decided the best approach in the present circumstances was to re-balance production across our plants in line with the market decline. We are realigning not only our current production requirements but also our future sourcing plans to meet our business needs."

The actions announced today primarily affect Ford's manufacturing operations in Germany and Spain, and at its new manufacturing facility in Craiova, Romania:

# Ford is continuing to review its capacity utilization and manpower needs across Europe.

# Ford re-affirmed its commitment to manufacturing in Germany, Spain and Romania.

# The Valencia Plant in Spain will move to a two-shift pattern from 1 May. Further discussion is continuing with all parties on how to manage the surplus labour in the short-term. Longer term, two-shift versus three-shift working will depend on market demand.

# Current Fiesta production will continue at Valencia, and Ford Focus production will be replaced by production of the next-generation Ford C-MAX.

# In addition, from later this year, Valencia will produce a new 2.0-litre version of Ford's EcoBoost petrol engine.

# Saarlouis Plant in Germany will continue with its current down-time plan. The current labour level will be reviewed on a regular basis to determine if it is sustainable.

# Saarlouis is confirmed as the lead plant for all derivatives of the next-generation Ford Focus. The current Ford Kuga and Ford C-MAX models will not be replaced there when production ends at the plant.

# Cologne Engine Plant will share with Ford's Craiova Engine Plant the production of a new, small-displacement EcoBoost advanced petrol engine.

# Ford also confirmed it is reviewing the opportunity for a second European source for a derivative of the next-generation Ford Focus, and that this review will be finalised in the near future.

"Ford of Europe must return to sustainable profitability as soon as possible. We will do whatever it takes to ensure the continuing viability of our business, and further actions can be expected," said Mr. Fleming.

"I believe the important actions we have announced today – and which build on previous actions we have taken – will enhance Ford of Europe's ability not only to survive the ongoing current economic crisis, but to emerge from it as a stronger and more competitive business once the economic situation eventually improves."


Source : www.theautochannel.com (3/16/2009)

Interstate All Battery Center Opens State-Of-The-Art Franchisee Training Facility  
DALLAS -- Interstate Batteries Franchise and Development, the franchisor of Interstate All Battery Center (IABC), announces the opening of its new training center designed to serve the company's expanding franchise system.

Located at 10200 Plano Road in Dallas, the facility features multiple classrooms, technology labs and an on-site training store, all specially designed for the company's All Battery University. The campus also includes space representing every sales area of Interstate Batteries, a $1.5 billion enterprise.

A leader in the retail battery category, IABC created All Battery University to support newly signed IABC franchisees with the essential tools and training needed to succeed in the system. The 20 member training team has more than 300 combined years of experience in product safety, human resources, technical battery knowledge and customer service to provide meaningful instruction and hands-on experience.

"The expanded All Battery University, with its custom battery assembly lab and training retail store, allows our partners hands-on experience from the industry's best teachers," said Jim Eades, Director of Franchise Operations, Interstate All Battery Center. "The new campus represents an important step in the growth and continued excellence of the IABC system."

Double-digit growth prompted IABC to invest in the new facility. In 2008, 43 franchisees joined IABC to grow the brand both nationally and internationally. The record pace continues in 2009 with the addition of seven new franchisees so far this year.

"2008 was a record year for IABC and in 2009, we're poised to celebrate locations in each of the 50 states and continued international expansion," said Interstate Battery Franchising and Development Director Justin Darland. "As IABC continues to grow through franchising, our All Battery University training program will remain a critical focus for our team and an important facet of our distinct franchise offer."


Source : http://www.automotive.com (3/16/2009)

Geely Production In Russia Halted By Higher Tax  
Shanghai, (Gasgoo.com) Production of Geely vehicles at Ural Automobiles and Motors in Russia has been suspended for at least 9 months due to the introduction of new import duties on auto parts, Russia media reports.

Russian newspaper Kommersant said Ural Automobiles and Motors has completely stopped production of Geely's Otaka sedans and Landmark SUVs because of a 35% duty rise on imported auto parts, which was issued by the Russian government this January to protect its domestic motor industry.

"We plan to resume production after the taxes expire nine months later," said Paul Chernavina, president of Ural Automobiles and Motors.

Ural began assembling semi-knock-down (SKD) kits of Geely Otaka and Landmark in May 2007 and now the company has a production capacity of 18,000 Geely vehicles a year, of which 4,000 were Landmark SUVs and 14,000 were Otaka cars. Total investment in the project amounts to $100 million.


Source : www.theautochannel.com (3/16/2009)

Bank Of China To Pull Plug On DPCA Finance Firm  
Shanghai, (Gasgoo.com) Bank of China plans to pull plug on Dongfeng Peugeot Citroen Auto Finance Co Ltd and to disinvest from the financing venture, an insider told Auto Business Review on March 13. This plan has been submitted to the China Banking Regulatory Commission for approval.

Dongfeng Peugeot Citroen Auto Finance Co Ltd is an auto financing venture in China set up in late May 2006 by PSA Peugeot Citroen finance unit PSA Finance Netherlands, Dongfeng Peugeot Citroen Automobile Co Ltd (DPCA) and the Bank of China, and started business in August that year. The Bank of China holds a 50% stake in the venture, with PSA Finance Netherlands and Dongfeng Peugeot Citroen each owning 25%.

The finance venture, the first auto finance company jointly established by a Chinese state-owned financial institution and auto makers, has supported the China sales of the two auto brands Dongfeng Peugeot and Dongfeng Citroen, as well as sales of imported Peugeot cars. The Bank of China's extensive network was intended to help more end-users purchase cars through loans.

According to Auto Business Review, the Bank of China has declined to comment on its divestment of the DPCA finance venture, and Dongfeng Peugeot Citroen has not confirmed nor denied the Chinese news report yet about this move by Bank of China.

To cash in on the huge business prospects in the world's second-largest vehicle market, several global and local automakers have started car loans in China, such as GM, Ford, Chrysler, Toyota, Volkswagen, BMW, SAIC, Brilliance, and BYD.


Source : www.theautochannel.com (3/16/2009)

Stuart Schorr Appointed Vice President, Communications for Jaguar Land Rover North...  
MAHWAH, N.J -- Stuart Schorr has been appointed Vice President of Communications and Public Affairs for Jaguar Land Rover North America, effective today. Schorr will be responsible for all communications, including corporate and internal communications, and Jaguar and Land Rover product and brand communications. He will also be responsible for managing government affairs communication for the organization.

With Schorr's appointment and the recent hiring of Richard Beattie as Executive Vice President, Jaguar, the company now has in place its complete new leadership team at its Mahwah, N.J. headquarters. Schorr will report to Gary Temple, President, Jaguar Land Rover North America and Simon Warr, Director, Global Communications and Public Affairs and will have direct responsibility for communications staff in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

"I'm delighted to welcome Stuart to the JaguarLand Rover team to lead our critically important communications efforts with the media, our employees, dealers, opinion leaders and government officials," said Temple. "Stuart's expertise and knowledge of the automotive industry will be critical as we shape our company's future, and his appointment completes our new executive management team."

Schorr, 43, previously served as Senior Manager, Communications for Chrysler LLC, in Auburn Hills, Michigan most recently responsible for External Affairs and Public Policy, Stakeholder and Electronic Communications. Previously at Chrysler, LLC he had overseen global sales public relations, and at Chrysler Canada, LLC, led the communications department. Schorr also held managerial positions within DaimlerChrysler AG in Washington D.C., covering public policy and external affairs, as well as for Mercedes-Benz USA as Regional Communications Manager, in Bethesda, Md.

"Stuart is a great addition to our global public relations team," said Simon Warr, Director, Global Communications and Public Affairs, JaguarLand Rover. "Through his communications expertise, relationships with the media and knowledge of the automotive industry he will make a significant contribution to our new look operation in one of our largest markets. I look forward to working with him."

"There could not be a better time to join JaguarLand Rover North America than right now," said Schorr. "The company has the mindset of a global startup, fully committed to the ongoing successful transformation of the legendary Jaguar and Land Rover brands. Today these brands offer some of the most exciting, desirable and capable products in the world. Propelled by the company's design and technology capabilities, the future appears even brighter for its employees, dealers, and ultimately customers."

Jaguar Land Rover is a business built around two great British car brands that design, engineer and manufacture in the UK. Jaguar Cars Limited, founded in 1922, is one of the world's premier manufacturers of luxury sedans and sports cars. Since 1948 Land Rover has been manufacturing authentic 4x4s that define 'breadth of capability' in their segments. The Jaguar XF, XJ and XK models are manufactured at the company's Castle Bromwich plant in Birmingham, while the Jaguar X-TYPE is produced alongside the Land Rover LR2 (Freelander 2) at the Halewood plant in Liverpool. Land Rover's Defender, LR3 (Discovery 3), Range Rover Sport and Range Rover models are all built at the Solihull plant. The Jaguar Land Rover business employs some 16,000 people, predominately in the UK, including some 3,500 engineers at two product development centers in Whitley, Coventry and Gaydon, Warwickshire. The business is a major wealth generator for the UK with 78 percent of Land Rovers exported to 169 countries and 70 percent of Jaguars exported to 63 countries, with sales to customers conducted principally through franchised dealers and importers.


Source : http://www.automotive.com (3/16/2009)

'Save' up to £429 on Mazda6 and Mazda5 Before 31 March  
DARTFORD, UNITED KINGDOM –: Mazda has announced that prices of its hugely popular Mazda6 and Mazda5 range of cars will be going up by 2 percent in April. This move will raise the prices of Mazda6 cars by an average of £345 and Mazda5 vehicles by £323.

“Recent rises in some raw materials costs and fluctuations in the Yen/Pound exchange rate mean that we have to increase prices on the Mazda5 and Mazda6 range from 1 April,” commented Mark Cameron, Sales & Marketing Director Mazda UK. “We are keeping these rises to just 2 percent, which is much less than the increases introduced by many other brands. By flagging these forthcoming rises early, we are giving customers a chance to ‘save’ between £289 and £429, depending on model, by buying their new Mazda before 31 March.

“In the current tough economic situation, customers are placing much more focus on exactly what they can get for their money and this is where the attributes of the core models in Mazda’s range, such as the Mazda6 and Mazda5, are so appealing. While they are seeking better value, these customers still want a stylish and distinctive car, without compromising on the key aspects of quality, reliability and driving enjoyment,” added Cameron.

Mazda’s product line-up is generously specified at each equipment level, so cars like the most popular Mazda6, the petrol 2.0 (147ps) TS hatchback, come with standard equipment that includes: Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) and Traction Control System (TCS), six airbags and ‘Active’ front seat head restraints, 16-inch alloy wheels, a radio/single CD audio system with 6 speakers and an auxiliary jack for MP3 players, electric and heated door mirrors, cruise control, trip computer with speed alarm, dual-zone climate control air-conditioning and a leather steering wheel with CF-Net controls. Before 3 1 March the ‘saving’ on this model is £316.

The equally popular Mazda6 diesel 2.2 (163ps) TS2 hatchback has all the features of the TS and adds nine items including: 17-inch alloy wheels with 215/50 R17 tyres, electric folding door mirrors, dusk-sensing automatic lights, rain sensing automatic wipers, an integrated Bluetooth system and the new Rear Vehicle Monitoring System (RVMS) as standard. The ‘saving’ on this model before 31 March is £366.

The Mazda5 seven-seater Compact Multi-Activity Vehicle (C-MAV) is unique in its segment by offering sliding rear doors – with either manual or electric power operation. The most popular model in the 14-strong line-up is the petrol 1.8 TS2.

This Mazda5 is equipped with ABS anti-lock braking and front, side and curtain airbags, plus remote central locking, electric front and rear windows, manual air-conditioning and a radio/single CD with four speakers. 16-inch alloy wheels, driver’s seat adjustable lumbar support, leather steering wheel and gear knob, steering-wheel mounted audio controls, a Karakuri storage box, picnic tables and integrated roof rails. Before 31 March, customers can ‘save’ £303 on this model.

The two Mazda5 Sport models, which come with a choice of 2.0-litre petrol or diesel engine, are also among the biggest sellers in the range. With bold visual differentiation from other versions, thanks to the ‘Sports styling kit’ that is fitted as standard, these models also feature 17-inch alloy wheels, dynamic stability and traction control systems (DSC and TCS), front fog lights, privacy glass, cruise control, dusk sensing auto-lights and rain-sensing auto-wipers, climate control air-conditioning, a 6-CD autochanger with six speakers and a hands-free kit with integrated Bluetooth. Customers can ‘save’ £326 (petrol) and £360 (diesel) on these models before 31 March.


Source : www.theautochannel.com (3/16/2009)

SAE International Webcast Plugs Into Future of Electric Cars  
WARRENDALE, Pa -- SAE International's Automotive Engineering International magazine will explore the future of electric cars during a telephone/webcast, May 7, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., EST.

Titled "Keys to the Electric Car Future: Batteries, Drivetrain and Infrastructure," the presentation is organized by Bradley Berman, Editor of HybridCars.com, who also will serve as moderator.

Other panelists are:

--Prabhakar Patil, Chief Executive Officer, Compact Power, Inc.
--J.E. "Ted" Robertson, Chief Technology Officer & EVP of New Product Creation, Magna International, Inc.
--Nancy L. Gioia, Director, Sustainable Mobility Technologies and Hybrid Vehicle Programs, Ford Motor Company
--Richard Lowenthal, Chief Executive Officer, Coulomb Technologies, Inc.

Topics to be discussed include:

--Current and emerging electric vehicle technologies
--Possible solutions to obstacles facing plug-in hybrid and battery-electric vehicle manufacture
--Latest developments in battery technologies, including lithium-ion batteries
--Economic and legislative landscape for battery production in U.S., Asia and other countries
--Integration of battery systems, recharging networks and vehicle platforms

Engineers involved in the design, development or manufacture of plug-in hybrid or pure battery-electric vehicles are encouraged to participate.

Fee is $179; SAE Sections and collegiate branches can participate for $149. Fee will be waived for reporters who receive accreditation; please e-mail your request to pr@sae.org.

SAE International is a global association of more than 121,000 engineers and related technical experts in the automotive, aerospace and commercial-vehicle industries. SAE International's core competencies are life-long learning and standards development. SAE International's charitable arm is the SAE Foundation, which supports many programs, including A World In Motion(R) and the Collegiate Design Series.


Source : http://www.automotive.com (3/16/2009)

Equus - Hyundai's New Luxury Flagship Arrives  
SEOUL, KOREA –: EQUUS, Hyundai Motor Company’s new flagship sedan has arrived in showrooms across Korea.

Representing the pinnacle of Hyundai engineering and design sophistication, the all-new EQUUS will serve as an effective import fighter in the Korean luxury sedan market taking on the best from Germany and Japan.

As the replacement for the first-generation EQUUS which has been retired after ten years in the marketplace, the new successor was developed under the VI project codename over a period of three years and represents a total investment of 500 billion won (approximately AUD$513 million or US$337 million).

Hyundai plans to sell 13,000 units in the Korean market this year, increasing that number to 19,000 units in 2010. The new flagship sedan will also make its way to overseas markets such as China and the Middle East starting in the second half of this year, competing with other world-class vehicles.

Available in four trim levels, EQUUS will be priced at 63.7 million won (approximately AUD$65,500) for the entry level VS380 model and will top out at 105 million won (approximately AUD$108,000) for the VS460 Prestige. Later this year, the range will be extended to include a long wheelbase edition which will be powered by a 5L V8 ‘Tau’ engine.

Powertrains

EQUUS comes with a choice of two sophisticated engines: The ‘Lambda’ 3.8 V6 and the award-winning ‘Tau’ 4.6 V8. To maximise power while minimising emissions and fuel consumption, both engines feature all-aluminium construction, continuously variable valve timing, variable air induction systems and are mated to six-speed transmissions. The ‘Lambda’ V6, good for 213 kW and a peak torque rating of 358 Nm, delivers an impressive fuel economy rating of 10.8 litres / 100 km. The ‘Tau’ 4.6 V8, named by Detroit-based Ward’s Autos as one of 2009’s ‘Best Ten Engines’, delivers 269 kW and 439 Nm of torque with a fuel economy rating of 11.4 litres / 100 km.

Suspension

Front and rear, EQUUS rides on 5-link suspension featuring lightweight aluminium control arms. Such a multi-link setup for both the front and the rear is uncommon in the industry but through a careful optimisation of the wheel geometry and bushing characteristics, stability and ride quality were optimised. To improve shock control over the wheels, Hyundai worked in partnership with ZF-SACHS to develop Amplitude Selective Dampers (ASD) which features an innovative relief valve, a design EQUUS shares with only one other car in the world, its luxury stable-mate Genesis. The air suspension is electronically governed to minimise body roll, nose-diving and other undesirable characteristics.

EQUUS also comes equipped with an Electric Parking Brake which is automatically released once the vehicle is put into drive gear and an Electro-Hydraulic Power Steering System which reduces fuel consumption.

Safety

EQUUS elevates driving safety to a whole new level with the introduction of Vehicle Stability Management which integrates the Lane Departure Warning System, Pre-Safety System, Third Generation Smart Cruise Control (SCC) and other sub-systems to provide unparalleled active and passive safety. Using smart optics, the Lane Departure Warning System issues an audible warning if the car deviates from the driving lane without signalling. SCC uses radar waves to automatically regulate the brakes and throttle and maintain a safe distance from the car ahead. If a collision danger is detected, the Pre-Safety System automatically applies the brakes, triggers a flashing warning light on the TFT-LCD which is followed by an audible alert and a vibration in the seatbelt harness. If a collision is unavoidable, full braking force is automatically applied and front seat belts are reeled in within a split second in order to maximise protection.

Another new safety improvement is the addition of a Knee Air Bag for the driver. With two front, four side and two side curtain airbags, this brings the total airbag count to nine.

Video cameras in the rear and front eliminate blind spots during parking and backing up manoeuvres, reducing the risk of accidents while the new Parking Guidance System provides a computer graphic overlay on the display screen to assist the driver. High Intensity Discharge Head Lamps with Adaptive Front Lighting System varies the angle of the light beam according to the steering direction for safer driving.

Comfort and convenience

Whether driving or being driven, EQUUS opens up a new realm in motoring luxury. Heating, for example, is to be found in unexpected places—steering wheel, seat cushions and backrests— providing a welcome touch on a chilly day. On hot summer days, the seat cooling system and glove box drink chiller will be appreciated in hot, sticky weather while the massage system in the rear seats relaxes and refreshes while en-route.

EQUUS is also equipped with an advanced Driver Information System whose menus are accessible through touch-screen menus or jog wheel which has adjacent buttons for menu short cuts. DIS displays navigational maps, personal cell phone directories (downloadable via Bluetooth) and serves as the central control of the 17-speaker Lexicon Sound System. Logic7.1 is able to transform the EQUUS cabin into a veritable concert hall with surround-sound wizardry.

A 3.5-inch display nestled between the speedometer and the tachometer provides a rich variety of information displayed in colourful graphics using the latest Thin Film Transistor Liquid Crystal Display (TFT-LCD) technology. From the tyre pressure to the AV system and lane departure warning system, fifteen different vehicle functions can be monitored using this high-resolution colour screen.


Source : www.theautochannel.com (3/16/2009)

Peugeot 308 CC - The Cabriolet for All Seasons Prices and Trim Specifications Announced  
COVENTRY, UNITED KINGDOM –: There are three trim levels of the stylish new Peugeot 308 CC - Sport, SE and GT.

The Sport model introduces the lively 1.6-litre VTi 120 petrol and the accomplished HDi 110 diesel engines, at £19,495 and £20,495 respectively. The high level of standard equipment includes 16" alloy wheels, a full body coloured exterior, front fog lights, black / grey Sports cloth trim and black instrument dials.

In car entertainment is provided by Peugeot’s new Connect Sound RD4-1 Radio/CD player and audio pack – 6 speakers & audio remote control. For comfort and convenience air conditioning, a leather steering wheel and remote control locking glove box and centre armrest storage are also made standard. Safety and security features include the electric folding retractable roof, six Smart safety airbags, unfastened seatbelt detection system and ESP (Electronic Stability Programme that includes ABS, EBFD & EBA).

Additional specification over the Sport model for the SE includes larger 17" alloy wheels, the Visibility Pack (automatic rain sensing front wipers, automatic headlamps and an electrochrome rear view mirror), ambient lighting, rear parking aid, cruise control with speed limiter, climate control air conditioning, alarm (Thatcham category 1 Approved), and the upgrade stereo – Peugeot Connect Sound radio/CD with Aux & MP3 playback. Prices for the SE start at £20,395.

The 308 CC SE model can be specified with any of the entire 308 CC engine range – petrol engines with the VTi 120, THP 150 or THP 140 with automatic gearbox, or diesel engines with HDi 110, HDi 140 or HDi 136 with automatic transmission.

The range-topping GT model can be specified with the petrol THP 150 or HDi 140 diesel engine. Extra features include leather trim, a windstop, larger 18" alloy wheels, tyre pressure sensor, front and rear parking aid and Peugeot’s Connect HiFi (JBL HiFi pack). The Airwave (temperature controlled) neck heating system is standard equipment (and available on SE models when combined with leather trim). GT prices start at £23,495.

Exclusive to the UK and for the first 308 CC owners is an exclusive model – the GT100, available at £23,595. As the name suggests it is limited to just 100 CCs, and includes an enhanced GT specification with the most powerful engine in the 308 CC range – the THP 150 petrol engine. Metallic paint is standard with a choice of Nera Black or Pearl White. Further features include the Electric Pack (which includes electric seat adjustment), ‘GT100’ carpet mats, ‘GT100’ chrome door sills and GT100 badging. GT100 customers will is identified with a personalised leather-bound pack commemorating their exclusive purchase which includes a numbered build plaque.


Source : www.theautochannel.com (3/16/2009)

America's Incredible Pizza Company and CJM Racing Honor Carnegie Medal Recipient in Bristol  
Mooresville, NC : America’s Incredible Pizza Company, sponsor of the No. 11 NASCAR Nationwide Series car driven by Scott Lagasse Jr., is all about incredible things in 2009. This season the Pizza Company would like to recognize incredible people that have done incredible acts.

The “Incredible Heroes Program” is the brainchild of Rick Barsness, Founder and CEO of America’s Incredible Pizza Company. Barsness’ idea was simply this: Find hometown heroes in the cities where the NASCAR Nationwide Series races, and show them how incredible they really are. Almost immediately the search began to find heroes across the country.

“There are so many incredible people out there doing wonderful things everyday that you never hear about. We wanted to help get those stories out and recognize these people,” remarked Barsness.

The NASCAR Nationwide Series returns to action at Bristol Motor Speedway Saturday, March 21st. While at the “World’s Fastest Half-Mile”, America’s Incredible Pizza Company and CJM Racing will honor Carnegie Medal recipient Lindsey Witherspoon. The then 18-year old risked her life to save a women drowning in her car in Fort Patrick Henry Lake on December 26, 2007.

Witherspoon, a trained lifeguard, noticed a vehicle submerged underwater and sprung into action. She jumped into the freezing cold lake and pulled a woman to safety. The car had veered into the lake leaving the driver trapped behind the wheel of her vehicle.

For her heroic effort, Tennessee Congressman David Davis honored Witherspoon with a Carnegie Medal. The medal is awarded throughout the United States and Canada to those who risk their lives to an extraordinary degree while saving or attempting to save the lives of others. So far, 9,224 people have received the heroic honor since 1904. Witherspoon was one of 73 Carnegie medalists being recognized in 2008 for a heroic deed.

Lindsey Witherspoon and her mother, Kim, will be guests of CJM Racing at Bristol Motor Speedway where they will meet Scott Lagasse Jr., driver of the No. 11 America’s Incredible Pizza Company Toyota, and get a behind the scenes look at the Scotts Turf Builder 300.


Source : www.theautochannel.com (3/16/2009)

Dana Holding Corporation Reports 2008 Results  
TOLEDO, Ohio, Dana Holding Corporation today announced its full-year and fourth-quarter 2008 results.

Sales for the full-year 2008 were $8,095 million, down $626 million from $8,721 million in 2007. This decrease was driven primarily by sharply declining vehicle production levels in North America.

Including a one-time gain of $754 million related to emergence from Chapter 11 reorganization, net income was $18 million, compared with a net loss of $551 million for 2007. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization, and restructuring (EBITDA) for the full year were $301 million, compared with $450 million in 2007. The decline was due to significantly lower vehicle production, which was partially offset by margin improvements and cost reductions.

At year end, Dana had cash balances of $777 million and total liquidity of $866 million. Net debt was $474 million.

"We continue to respond to difficult market conditions through aggressive cost-reduction and efficiency actions, comprehensive operational restructuring, and being responsive to our customers," said Chairman and CEO John Devine. "These are unprecedented times that make any projections uncertain. We belive we are taking the difficult actions necessary to survive in the current environment and compete over the long term. There can be no assurances, however, if the global economy deteriorates substantially beyond our planning assumptions."

Three-Month Results

Sales for the fourth quarter of 2008 were $1,521 million, down $636 million, or 29 percent, from the prior year. Sales were impacted by both sharply declining North American vehicle production and unfavorable currency changes.

Fourth-quarter EBITDA was a negative $3 million, compared to $112 million for the same period in 2007. The impact of lower vehicle production drove the reduction in earnings. This decline was partially offset by higher pricing and cost savings from operational improvements.

Free cash flow was a negative $50 million for the fourth quarter, compared to $83 million for the prior-year period, primarily due to lower earnings for the quarter. Working capital was a source of $177 million of cash during the quarter, primarily due to lower production volumes. The cash balance at year end also reflects the repayment of $150 million of outstanding principal under the term loan facility to support an amendment to the company's credit agreement.

Devine added, "We expect 2009 to be even more challenging than 2008, but we believe Dana is prepared with plans to continue re-sizing our operations, improve operational performance and margins, and maintain adequate liquidity and earnings."

Dana to Host Fourth-Quarter Conference Call at 10:30 a.m. Today

Dana will discuss its full-year and fourth-quarter results in a conference call at 10:30 a.m. EDT today. Participants may listen via audio streaming online or telephone. Slide viewing and audio streaming are available via a link provided on the Dana Investor Web site - accessed through DANA. Domestically, the call can be by joined by dialing 1-888-311-4590 (Conference I.D. 83216554); internationally, dial 1-706-758-0054 (Conference I.D. 83216554). Please ask for the Dana Quarterly Webcast and Conference Call. Phone registration will begin at 10 a.m. A recording of the call and a webcast replay will be available after 5 p.m. today via the Dana Investor Web site.


Source : www.theautochannel.com (3/16/2009)

China Outperforms U.S. Again In Feb Auto Sales  
Shanghai, (Gasgoo.com) After overtaking the United States in January auto sales for the first time, China extended its lead as the world's largest auto market in the second straight month this year, xinhuanet.com said today.

In February, China sold a total of 827,600 vehicles, up 24.72% year on year (y/y) and up 12.43% month on month (m/m), according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM). Vehicle output increased 23.08% y/y to 807,900 units. Passenger car sales in February rose 24.23% from a year earlier to 607,300 units, the CAAM said.

Last month, the auto sales in the United States stood at 689,000 units, down 41.3% from a year earlier, the biggest fall in six months, according to industry tracker Autodata. That means China exceeded the U.S. again to be the world's largest auto market in February.

The January auto sales in China hit 735,000 units, which surpassed the 656,976 vehicles sold in the U.S. the same month. While car sales also slowed in China, but less dramatically, amid the economic downturn, U.S. sales tumbled 37% in January to a 26-year low.

Passenger cars accounted for more than 73% of the total 827,600 vehicles sold in China in February. And passenger cars with engines under 1.6 liters accounted for 70% of the passenger vehicle market, so the bounce of small-engine cars played a critical role in the revival.

China's February auto sales figure is very impressive. It seems that the new incentives are really having an impact on the market. The policies introduced earlier this year include the scrapping of some road fees and halving of sales taxes on small vehicles.

If China can outpace the U.S. in sales for all of 2009, it may become the world's largest vehicle market this year. However, industry analysts and executives remain cautiously optimistic about the Chinese auto market's outlook.


Source : www.theautochannel.com (3/16/2009)

Volkswagen Group of America Chattanooga Operations Names Local Firm for Plant...  
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn -- Volkswagen Group of America Chattanooga Operations, LLC announced today that it has selected Chattanooga-based Walden Security for a $1.9 million contract. Walden Security, a WBENC-Certified Women's Business Enterprise, will provide access control and physical security for the construction site over the next two years.

"Walden Security has nearly two decades of experience in this area and Volkswagen is pleased to have them provide us with plant-related security," said Frank Fischer, CEO, Volkswagen Group of America Chattanooga Operations.

"Being selected to provide security for Volkswagen Group of America Chattanooga Operations project provides Walden Security with a great opportunity to build a lasting relationship with VWGoA both locally and nationally. This is an exciting time in Chattanooga's history and we are thankful to be a part of it," said Michael Walden, president of Walden Security.

Walden Security was established in Chattanooga in 1990 by Amy S. and Michael S. Walden, CPP. It expects to employ 35 additional local security professionals to support this project.

"We are committed to developing both a diverse work force and a diverse supplier base," said Hans-Herbert Jagla, executive vice president, Human Resources of VWGoA Chattanooga Operations. "This contract with Walden is another example of our commitment."

Volkswagen Group of America will invest $1 billion in the local economy for the plant and create 2,000 direct jobs in the region. According to studies, the new Volkswagen plant is expected to generate $12 billion in income growth and an addition 9,500 jobs over the life of the project.

To date, nearly $57 million in local contracts have been awarded by the city, state and Volkswagen; this includes almost $12 million for Volkswagen contractors and subcontractors, with another $230 million over the next 20 years.

Volkswagen is in the early stages of procurement and will continue to expand its local and national supplier base in the coming months. The company has announced that at least ten percent of the suppliers for the production facility will be minority and women-owned businesses by start of production and that five percent of suppliers for the vehicle will be minority and women-owned by start of production, with the goal of 10 percent by 2015. Volkswagen is partnering with local, state and federal organizations to help achieve that goal.


Source : http://www.automotive.com (3/16/2009)

Plaintiffs File Class Action Against Monaco Coach Corporation Alleging Violations o...  
PHILADELPHIA -- Berger & Montague, P.C. has filed a class action lawsuit in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware, Rieke, et al. v. Monaco Coach Corporation, Civil Action No. 09-50444-KJC, on behalf of 2,600 employees who were laid off by Monaco Coach Corporation in December 2008 and thereafter without receiving any notice. Monaco Coach Corporation, the manufacturer of luxury recreational vehicles headquartered in Coburg, Oregon, and traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol MNC until trading was suspended on March 3, 2009, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on March 5, 2009. The lawsuit claims that Monaco violated the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (the "WARN Act") which provides that employers must give sixty days notice to employers prior to a plant closing or mass layoff. The lawsuit seeks sixty days wages and benefits in lieu of the notice.

The lead plaintiffs, Randy Rieke, Cary Rieke, Gary Betts, Joyce Betts, Michael Dager, Angel Dager, Diana Hensley, and Jenny Ossthun, were all employed by Monaco at its headquarters in Coburg, Oregon. However, the lead plaintiffs filed this lawsuit on behalf of all employees who were part of the layoffs, including those who worked at Monaco's facilities located in Milford, Indiana, Wakarusa, Indiana, and Warsaw, Indiana.

"The WARN Act provides for sixty days advance notice of plant closings and mass layoffs to affected employees, and Monaco Coach Corporation has admitted publicly that it did not give such notice," said Shanon Carson of Berger & Montague, P.C., an attorney for the plaintiffs. "We will vigorously seek just compensation for our clients and their co-workers and ask simply that the company comply with the federal laws passed by Congress to protect employees from being abruptly terminated without notice, which substantially impacts their ability to find substitute work and support their families." Mr. Carson also noted that some of the lead plaintiffs and other affected workers are doubly impacted because they are husband and wife.

Former employees of Monaco Coach Corporation who were part of these layoffs can obtain additional information by calling Shanon Carson at (215) 875-4656, or by email at scarson@bm.net. This lawsuit is being prosecuted by the Philadelphia law firm of Berger & Montague, P.C. (www.bergermontague.com), which consists of over 60 attorneys who represent plaintiffs in complex litigation. The firm's Employment Law Group has extensive experience in representing employees in class and collective action litigation, and the firm has played lead roles in major cases for almost 40 years resulting in recoveries of billions of dollars for its clients and the classes they represent.


Source : http://www.automotive.com (3/16/2009)

Germain Motor Company Chooses Carfax  
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Germain Motor Company has selected Carfax as its vehicle history provider of choice. All Germain locations run a Carfax Vehicle History Report on every vehicle before acquisition to stock the cars buyers want. Germain Motor Company customers can shop with confidence knowing they'll receive only top quality used cars.

"We chose Carfax because Germain customers expect nothing but the best in quality and trust," said John Malishenko, Germain Motor Company, Director of Operations. "That's why Carfax Vehicle History Reports are a key part of our sales process. Our customers know they'll be driving off with the finest used cars on the market backed by the Germain name and the confidence of a Carfax Report."

Germain Motor Company dealerships offer used car shoppers a free Carfax Vehicle History Report for every vehicle in their inventory, both on the lot and online.

"What separates our online listings from the competition is a free Carfax Vehicle History Report," said Shaun Kniffin, Germain Motor Company, Internet Director. "When potential customers see that, they know we're being straightforward even before stepping foot in one of our dealerships. There's no better way to bridge the trust gap."


Source : http://www.automotive.com (3/16/2009)

Toyota Outlines Motor Sports Activities for 2009  
Tokyo, TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION, which regards motor sports as an ideal medium for conveying the anticipation and excitement associated with automobiles, announces it plans to continue engaging in motor sports this year, despite being financially restricted by severe business conditions. TMC plans to focus on these top-class racing series: the FIA Formula One World Championship (F1), Japanese Super GT, Formula Nippon and NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing). TMC will also support young drivers expected to some day be competitive on the world stage.

This will mark TMC's eighth year in F1 competition. Its TF109 racecar, in line with new regulations, sports a broader front wing and improved performance and reliability. With veteran driver Jarno Trulli and second-year member Timo Glock, the team is aiming for its first win. The team's third driver, Kamui Kobayashi, will also compete in the just-below-F1 GP2 Series.

In Japan, TMC will participate using the Lexus brand this year and will aim to recapture the Super GT GT500 title using the Lexus SC430. TMC will continue to supply engines to the Japanese Championship Formula Nippon - the top category of formula car racing in Japan, aiming for the fourth straight title by a Toyota-powered car.

In the United States, TMC will again participate in NASCAR's pinnacle Sprint Cup Series with the Toyota Camry, which totaled 10 wins last year. TMC is also aiming to win the Nationwide Series, NASCAR's second most-popular series, also with the Camry. And TMC will continue to race the Toyota Tundra in the Camping World Truck Series (formerly the Craftsman Truck Series), after having won both the manufacturer's and driver's titles last year.

In addition to directly participating in racing, TMC is also committed to continuing its support for a wide range of events and race categories starting from the grassroots level to promote motor sports in general.

One such initiative is the Toyota Young Drivers Program (TDP), which aims to help train world-class drivers of the future. This year TMC has selected eight drivers to participate in the program, including Kazuki Nakajima, a second-year driver for the AT&T Williams team expected to play a bigger role this year.

Furthermore, to promote environmentally friendly motor sports and to improve the efficiency of hybrid systems (including those for production vehicles), TMC will continue developing hybrid systems for motor sports.

TMC's motor sports activities are centered at TMC's Motor Sports Division at TMC's Higashifuji Technical Center in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, and are backed by regional bases in Japan (Toyota Technocraft Co., Ltd. (TRD)), Germany (Toyota Motorsport GmbH (TMG)) and the United States (TRD, U.S.A. Inc. (TRD-USA)).


Source : www.theautochannel.com (3/16/2009)

Spy Shots: BMW X1 varies little from concept  
BMW unveiled the X1 Concept at the 2008 Paris Motor Show to our bewildered eyes, and spy photographers have just surfaced with photos of the production version that do little to address our concerns for this littlest of soft roaders from Munich. As you can see, the production version will hardly differ at all from the concept, which means the swollen nose from the new 7 Series remains, along with all the surface pinching and odd details that we were so not fond of in Paris.

Styling aside, we question whether there's a market for another BMW sport or crossover utility vehicle, considering that the brand is already loaded with the X6, X5 and X3. The X1 also appears just plain redundant being so similar in size to the X3. That said, it will be built on the same platform as the 3 Series and offer a heaping helping of BMW gas and diesel engines, so it should be the Ultimate Driving Honda CR-V.


Source : http://www.autoblog.com/ (3/16/2009)

America's Vanishing Cars - Polk Says U.S. Registrations Down in 2009  
Washington DC; The AIADA newsletter reported that in another sign of just how far the U.S. auto industry has fallen, 2009 is likely to be the first year since 1945 when the number of new cars bought will be less than the number of cars turned in to the junk yard.

CNN reports that R.L. Polk is forecasting a drop in total auto registrations of nearly 4 million during the 12-months ending June 30.

There were about 14 million cars taken off the road in the 12 months ending last June. During the same period auto sales fell 7 percent in the face of high gas prices, but still came in at 15.3 million.

But with sales now down to about a 10 million annual sales pace, a decline in the number of vehicles on the road is almost inevitable.

Joe Barker, head of North American sales forecasting at auto consultant CSM, said that with economic uncertainty and credit being as tight as it is, many potential buyers will continue to sit on the sidelines. "The trend we'll likely see for the next 12-18 months is a greater mix of buyers with the necessity to buy, rather than just the desire to buy," he said.


Source : www.theautochannel.com (3/16/2009)

China Automotive Systems Hosted Hubei Government Officials Plant Visit  
WUHAN, China -- China Automotive Systems, Inc. , a leading power steering components and systems supplier in China, today announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, Jingzhou Hengsheng Automotive System Co., Ltd. (''Hengsheng''), hosted a visit of senior government officials and welcomed the government's policy support for the auto industry.

The officials from the Hubei Provincial Government and the Hubei Provincial Ministry of Technology visited Hengsheng. Established in October 2007, this CAAS subsidiary produces high-end products mainly focused to meet the stringent quality demands of Chinese Joint Ventures and the global export market. Equipped with state-of-the-art machine tools, assembly lines, and testing equipment in a 200,000 square meter facility, Hengsheng has a designed annual production capacity of 1.3 million units. As a wholly owned foreign enterprise, Hengsheng benefits from an income tax exemption through 2010 followed by preferential tax treatment (at a 15% rate) for the following 3 years thereafter.

Mr. Qizhou Wu, China Automotive Systems's CEO, commented, ''Hengsheng is a good example for China's statement for a world-class auto parts facility. With our North American purchase order, we have entered the global marketplace. We plan to have all our products up to global quality standards so we can sell additional products and better penetrate the multi-billion dollar market for power steering systems. We anticipate domestic OEMs are proactively revamping their vehicles' quality standards which will require higher performance key components. We see this as our opportunity to strengthen relationships with OEMs.''

''It was an honor for the officials from the Hubei Provincial Government to visit and take a keen interest in our operations and plans. Hubei is a very important auto manufacturing hub in China as it is the home of the 2nd largest Chinese OEM, Dongfeng Motors, and the 2nd largest steel maker, Wisco. The Hubei government has been instrumental in developing the industrial infrastructure and upstream suppliers in Hubei province. We appreciate their support as we continue to develop into a global player for advanced steering technology,'' Mr. Wu concluded.


Source : http://www.automotive.com (3/16/2009)

Auto Shanghai 2009 Press Credential Online Application System Officially Launched  
SHANGHAI -- As one of the important global automotive industry events in 2009, the 13th International Automobile Industry Exhibition will take place from April 22-28, 2009 at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre under the brand new theme "Art of Innovation". Amid a global economic downturn, the China automotive market becomes a crucial marketplace for automobile manufacturers. Auto Shanghai 2009 will fully utilize all 11 indoor exhibition halls and outdoor temporary halls with a total exhibition space of 170,000 sqm, growing by 20% over Auto Shanghai 2007. In terms of show scale, Auto Shanghai 2009 is among the world's leading auto shows and is recognized as an A-class international auto show. Auto Shanghai 2009 is organized by China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Shanghai Sub-Council and China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, Automotive Sub-Council, and co-organized by Shanghai International Exhibition Co Ltd and MMG-Messe Muenchen International/IMAG-International Messe-und Ausstellungsdienst GmbH, specially supported by China Machinery Industry Federation and the Society of Automotive Engineers of China.

In order to simplify the media registration process and to better cover Auto Shanghai 2009, the Organizers will implement an online press credential application system through official website. The press online registration process can be easily completed by providing related information with uploaded electronic or faxed photocopies of press identification documents, as requested and indicated. The Organizers will inform the registered applicators via email and mobile short message upon verification of submitted information. Press badges or press passes can then be obtained from the onsite media registration counter by providing the information listed in the email and mobile short message (press badges are valid for the whole exhibition, press passes are valid for media days only). All press members are expected to apply for media badges through the online registration system. For overseas reporters interested in short-term news coverage, a valid J2 visa must be obtained.


Source : http://www.automotive.com (3/16/2009)

ITW Reports 21 Percent Decrease in Operating Revenues for Three Months Ended February 28, 2009  
GLENVIEW, Ill., Illinois Tool Works Inc. today reported an operating revenue decrease of 21 percent for the three months ended February 28, 2009. The revenue decline for the three months was due to a 20 percent decrease in base revenues and a 7 percent fall off in contributions from currency translation. Acquisitions contributed 7 percent to revenues in the period. The further decrease in revenues versus the Company's February 16, 2009 release was primarily related to significantly lower than expected end market activity in North America, Europe and Asia in January and February.

On a segment basis, the Company's three month moving average percentage change for operating revenues, comprised of base revenues, acquisitions/divestitures and currency translation, is provided below.

In January and February 2009, the Company has experienced significantly weaker demand across worldwide end markets versus its original expectations and expects similar trends in March. As a result, the Company is now forecasting first quarter 2009 diluted income per share from continuing operations to be in a range of $0.08 to $0.16. The 2009 first quarter forecast assumes a total Company revenue range of - 26 percent to - 22 percent versus the prior guidance revenue range of - 17 percent to - 11 percent. The Company will review its 2009 forecast as part of its first quarter earnings release and conference call on April 16, 2009.


Source : www.theautochannel.com (3/16/2009)

Asbury Automotive Group Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2008 Financial Results  
DULUTH, Ga., Asbury Automotive Group, Inc. , one of the largest automotive retail and service companies in the U.S., today reported financial results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2008.

The Company's loss from continuing operations for the fourth quarter of $353.5 million, or $11.15 per diluted share, includes $351.0 million, or $11.07 per diluted share, in after-tax non-core items detailed in the attached tables. The most significant of these items is an after-tax charge of $373.1 million primarily associated with the impairment of the Company's goodwill and manufacturer franchise rights. Income from continuing operations for the fourth quarter of 2007 was $11.0 million, or $0.34 per diluted share. The Company's net loss for the fourth quarter was $365.4 million, or $11.53 per diluted share; net income for the fourth quarter of 2007 was $11.0 million, or $0.34 per diluted share, including the non-core items detailed in the attached tables.

Commenting on the fourth quarter, Asbury's President and CEO Charles R. Oglesby said, "The fourth quarter presented Asbury with the most challenging retail environment in our history, as U.S. vehicle sales declined 35% nationwide. We faced this challenge head on, moving quickly to maintain our liquidity and enhance productivity."

Commenting on the accomplishments during the quarter, Mr. Oglesby continued, "During the quarter we repurchased $60 million of debt, reducing our outstanding debt balances by 10%, while maintaining consistent cash balances. We relocated our headquarters from New York to Duluth, Georgia, and reduced our corporate staffing levels by 25%. We reduced our national workforce by 10% in the fourth quarter, and by 14% since June. In total, we reduced our same store operating expenses by $27 million, or 17%, during the quarter. And, in the most recent step of our ongoing restructuring efforts, we are eliminating our regional management structure. In this regard, I am pleased to announce that Michael S. Kearney, former President and CEO of our East Region, is assuming the title of Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, with responsibility for the oversight of our dealership operations."

The Company announced that it intends to file its 2008 Annual Report on Form 10-K with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission later today. In that document, the Company's independent public accounting firm, Deloitte & Touche LLP, included an explanatory paragraph in its audit report that indicated there is uncertainty that the Company will remain in compliance with certain covenants in its debt agreements, and that they believe this uncertainty raises substantial doubt about the Company's ability to continue as a going concern. The inclusion of this explanatory paragraph in the audit report constitutes a default under certain of the Company's borrowing facilities. The Company has received waivers from all of its associated lending partners with respect to these defaults, including 100% of the financial institutions that are party to our syndicated revolving credit facility. The Company was in compliance with all of its financial covenants as of December 31, 2008, and, as a result of the aforementioned waivers, was in compliance with all of its non-financial covenants.

Craig T. Monaghan, Asbury's Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, commented, "It's during times such as these that strong partnerships become critically important, and we couldn't be more pleased with the overwhelming support we have received from our financial partners. With their assistance, we were able to arrange major new debt facilities in the third and fourth quarters and, on short notice, obtain unanimous agreement from 11 lenders to waive the defaults arising from our audit opinion."

Mr. Monaghan continued, "With $116 million in borrowing capacity under our credit facilities and $92 million in cash on hand at year-end, we have considerable liquidity. And, with no major debt maturities until 2012, we believe we have the financial flexibility to weather the current challenging environment."

Mr. Oglesby concluded, "We are rebuilding Asbury and structuring the company to deliver consistent cash flow and profitability, even during this period of unprecedented weakness in U.S. automotive sales."

For the full year, the loss from continuing operations was $323.1 million, or $10.19 per diluted share, compared with income from continuing operations of $51.7 million, or $1.55 per diluted share, in 2007. Non-core items, as detailed further in the attached tables, reduced earnings in 2008 by $354.1 million, or $11.15 per diluted share, and reduced earnings in 2007 by $15.3 million, or $0.46 per diluted share. The Company's net loss for 2008 was $338.0 million, or $10.66 per diluted share, compared with net income of $51.0 million, or $1.53 per diluted share, a year ago, including the non-core items discussed above.

Asbury will host a conference call to discuss its fourth quarter results this morning at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time. The call will be simulcast live on the Internet and can be accessed by logging onto ASBURY or CCBN. In addition, a live audio of the call will be accessible to the public by calling (877) 857-6151 (domestic), or (719) 325-4786 (international); passcode - 3431066. Callers should dial in approximately 5 to 10 minutes before the call begins.


Source : www.theautochannel.com (3/16/2009)

In-Vehicle Emergency System Provides Care to Those...  
NEW YORK -- For the millions of drivers who hit the nation's roadways everyday, an accident could be right around the next corner, or happening in the backseat without you even knowing it. Here's more on an emergency service providing immediate care where you may need it most ... from behind the wheel.


Source : http://www.automotive.com (3/16/2009)

Opel Insignia Wins Esteemed Red Dot Design Award  
RÜSSELSHEIM, GERMANY –: The Opel Insignia has been recognized once again by an international expert jury for its outstanding design, winning the prestigious “red dot” award for product design.

The international red dot design award – allotted since 1955 under the aegis of the Design Zentrum North Rhine Westphalia in Essen, Germany – ranks among the largest and most renowned design prizes in the world. It is granted to products by an international panel of design experts who base their criteria on degree of innovation, functionality and formal quality.

The Insignia was created at the brand’s European Design Center in Rüsselsheim and introduced a new design language of “sculptural artistry meets German precision” to Opel. “On behalf of the entire design team, we are very excited to accept this award,” GM Europe Vice President of Design Mark Adams said. “It is a very special honor to receive this endorsement from an international jury of non-automotive designers. It confirms that Opel is on the right track of offering bold, dynamic style.”

The hallmark of Opel’s new design concept includes variations of wing and blade shapes which are seen throughout the car, such as a blade-form sculpted in the door panel and new signature wing-shaped day lamps.

The mid-sized sedan was named European Car of the Year 2009 by an international panel of European journalists and has won numerous other awards across the continent, including DESIGNBEST by Autobest magazine and Executive Car of the Year by Top Gear in the UK.

Red dot awards have been presented to many companies known for their innovative design, including Apple, Nokia – and Opel. Three other Opel models – the GT, Astra GTC, the 1998 Astra G – already are featured in past red dot design yearbooks archived in center’s museum in Essen, Germany. Last year, a fourth vehicle, the Opel Flextreme concept car, won a “design concept” prize from the red dot design center in Singapore.

This year, some 1,400 corporations from 49 countries submitted 3,231 entries for the coveted red dot. “The internationally renowned expert jury found its job exceptionally difficult this year simply because of the high number of the quality entries,” said Jan Sötebeer, senior project manager of red dot. “In the name of the entire jury, I would like to extend our heartfelt congratulations to Opel.”


Source : www.theautochannel.com (3/16/2009)

2009 Tire Shipments to Drop Seven Percent  
WASHINGTON -- Tire shipments are projected to drop more than 7 percent in 2009 following a nearly 9 percent drop in 2008, according to the Rubber Manufacturers Association.

Total 2009 tire shipments are projected to decline approximately 21 million units to 261 million, a level last experienced in 1993 and approximately 60 million units fewer than the 321 million unit peak in 2000.

The decrease in tire shipments reflects the continued erosion of consumer confidence, higher unemployment, depressed auto sales, a decline in vehicle miles travelled and downward revisions in domestic economic conditions for both the consumer and commercial sectors.

A turnaround is projected to begin in 2010, in line with economic forecasts, where the industry is expected to realize a modest recovery nearing the 270 million unit level.

RMA's Tire Market Analysis Committee forecast for key categories and their respective segments for 2008 include:

--Original Equipment Passenger Tires: Decreases in domestic vehicle production led an 18.7 percent decline to 37.6 million units in 2008. Further decreases in domestic vehicle production will result in a nearly 22 percent decrease in 2009 shipments to approximately 29 million units. However, as the economy emerges from the recession in 2010, a rebound in vehicle sales and subsequent vehicle production is anticipated, which will result in a nearly 6 million unit recovery in this category. Note that this projection does not account for any changes to the auto industry as a result of recent federal intervention and/or the potential for bankruptcy.
--Original Equipment Light Truck (LT) Tires: The combination of consumer demand for vehicles with higher fuel economy, a shift in vehicle fitments to P-Metric passenger tires and market share increases by import vehicle manufacturers, will all continue to significantly impact light truck vehicles fitted with LT tires. As a result, this category experienced a decrease of 34.5 percent in 2008 for a total of 2.9 million OE units. For 2009, another 900,000 unit decrease is anticipated owing to the slower economic conditions and its impact on the commercial sectors that utilize light truck vehicles. However, a nearly 300,000 unit gain is anticipated in 2010.
--Original Equipment Medium/Wide-Base/Heavy On-Highway Commercial Truck Tires: For 2008, this category decreased by 17.6 percent to 3.8 million units, attributable to the larger than anticipated economic slowdown in the commercial sector. Given the further decreases in economic activity forecasted for this sector in 2009, another nearly 30 percent decline to approximately 2.6 million units is anticipated. However, the economic rebound projected for 2010 along with pent up demand for vehicles isprojected to result in a net gain of approximately 600,000 units increase in shipments.
--Replacement Passenger Tire: The slowing economy, decline in vehicle miles traveled and consumers squeezing more miles out of their tires, all contributed to a 10.2 million unit decline, a decrease of 5 percent, for a total of 193.8 million units in 2008.Furthermore, given the expected soft economic conditions for 2009, the market will realize another decrease of nearly 3.5 percent, or approximately 7 million units, reaching a level of 187 million units -- a figure that approximates passenger replacement shipments of a decade ago.Growth is anticipated to resume in 2010 with the replacement sector estimated to increase by approximately 3 million units, or less than 2 percent, mirroring the projected measured growth in the consumer sector.
--Replacement Light Truck Tire: This market segment realized a drop of 14 percent, or 4.8 million units, for a total of 29.4 million units in 2008.Although the number of vehicles for this market remains steady and largely represented by small commercial vehicles, declining economic conditions and fewer vehicle miles travelled will contribute to a nearly 8 percent decline in replacement LT tire shipments in 2009.However, an increase of nearly 6 percent is anticipated in 2010 in step with commercial economic forecasts.
--Replacement Medium/Wide-Base/Heavy On-Highway Commercial Truck Tires: This market declined to 14.8 million units in 2008, a decrease of nearly 1.7 million units or 10.4 percent. The market will realize another decrease of 1.6 million units in 2009 as fewer goods will be transported as a result of the economic slowdown and protracted recovery. But given the economic rebound forecast for 2010, this market is expected to increase to nearly 14 million units.

The Rubber Manufacturers Association is the national trade association for the rubber products industry. Its members include more than 80 companies that manufacture various rubber products, including tires, hoses, belts, seals, molded goods, and other finished rubber products.


Source : http://www.automotive.com (3/16/2009)

M&M slashes capex by Rs 5 bn for 3 years  
Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) has planned to cut its capital expenditure (capex) for the next 3 years (ending March 2012) by Rs 5 billion, reports Economic Times.

The savings will basically come from better cost management, renegotiating better terms with vendors and less automation.

This will not change the company`s plans to launch three new platforms, including trucks. The company expects the pick-up in demand in the current month to continue in March.

Shares of the company gained Rs 15.7, or 4.77%, to end at Rs 344.80. The total volume of shares traded was 513,377 at the BSE (Friday).


Source : myiris.com (3/16/2009)

Newman Looking to Eliminate Recent Woes As Army Colors Return To No. 39 Team  
BRISTOL, Tenn.: If there were a time to exemplify Army Strong this would be it for Ryan Newman and the No. 39 Stewart-Haas Racing team as they prepare for Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at the perilous half-mile Bristol Motor Speedway.

The short track slugfest will mark the return of the U.S. Army primary paint scheme for Newman's Chevrolet Impala SS, which last ran in full Army colors at the Feb. 15 season-opening Daytona 500.

"So far, it's been a challenging time," said Newman, who is 32nd in points after the first four races. "To be honest we've had fast cars. We know where we're at performance wise and it's a lot better than what our finishing results show. We've just had too many hiccups and unforced problems that have stalled our momentum. I am looking forward to getting back in the Army Chevy. Driving the Soldiers' car is an added inspiration."

The 31-year-old Newman, who posted finishes of 36th (Daytona), 28th (California), 25th (Las Vegas) and 22nd (Atlanta) in the four Cup races of 2009, is not fazed by the fact that if you're looking for a reversal of bad luck, there are probably better venues than the unpredictable Bristol 0.533-mile bullring.

"Though Bristol is not the same track since it was repaved a couple of years ago, it's still a place that can invite trouble," noted Newman, who finished sixth in his last race at Bristol (August, 2008). "But to me, the racing is at an all-time high at Bristol compared to the way it used to be. It's no longer a one-lane racetrack. You kind of had to root somebody out the way before and fans really liked that. But from a driver's standpoint, that's not the best way to race. You don't want to be looking in your rearview mirror and worrying about avoiding a crash."

It's been feast or famine for Newman in 14 career starts at Bristol. He has produced top-10 results in half of the races, but has also finished in the 30s six times and once in the 20s. His best Bristol result was runner-up to Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the 2004 summer race.

Newman's optimism about having a strong finish is also based on his crew chief's (Tony Gibson) experience and record at Bristol. Last year in the two Bristol races, Gibson, who worked at Dale Earnhardt Inc., guided his driver Aric Almirola to finishes of eighth and 13th.

"We'll have a strong Army Chevy for Bristol and know we can be a contending team there," said Gibson. "It's all about being error free and trouble free. That's always easier said than done, but in reality that's what needs to happen week in and week out if you're going to have success."


Source : www.theautochannel.com (3/16/2009)

Brawn GP - Jerez  
Jerez, Brawn GP continued testing in Jerez today on the second day of the team's final test before the start of the new Formula One season. Race drivers Rubens Barrichello and Jenson Button were both in action and ended the day in second and third positions respectively on the timesheets.

Rubens was the first of the team's drivers on track to continue his programme from yesterday at the wheel of the BGP 001 car. He completed a series of set-up and tyre evaluations and covered 62 laps in the morning session.

Jenson took over the driving responsibilities for the afternoon and began a race simulation before a gearbox problem stopped the car out on the circuit and brought his running to an early conclusion after 12 laps.

Jenson will continue the team's programme in Jerez tomorrow for the final day of the test.


Source : www.theautochannel.com (3/16/2009)

Centennial Era Concours d'elegance Coming To IMS In June 2010  
INDIANAPOLIS – Some of the world’s finest classic and antique automobiles will take center stage at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Centennial Era Concours d’Elegance on June 18-20, 2010.

Speedway President and COO Joie Chitwood announced the one-time event during the Judges Breakfast on Saturday, March 14, at the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance in Amelia Island, Fla.

The Concours d’Elegance will be a featured event during the Speedway’s Centennial Era, honoring the 100th anniversaries of the opening of the fabled facility in 1909 and the inaugural Indianapolis 500 in 1911. The event will celebrate the significance of vehicular transportation and competition to Indianapolis.

While this will be the first concours to take place at IMS, the Speedway has participated in many concours, including the prestigious Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance annually since the inaugural event in northeastern Florida in 1996.

Bill Spoerle, who leads the automobile restoration team at the IMS Hall of Fame Museum, was a judge at Amelia Island. Other judges at Amelia Island who attended the announcement were Indianapolis 500 winners Parnelli Jones, Jim Rathmann, Johnny Rutherford and Bobby Unser, along with sports car legends Hurley Haywood and Brian Redman, and a host of motorsports personalities, including David Hobbs, Sam Posey and Bob Varsha.

The most historically significant race car at Amelia Island annually receives the Tony Hulman Award, named in honor of the Speedway’s owner from 1945 until his passing in 1977.

A number of cars from the world-famous collection at the IMS Hall of Fame Museum participates every year at Amelia Island. In 2004, eight cars from the Museum were on display at Amelia Island, which that year had a featured marquee of “Legends of Indy.”

Two classic racing machines from the IMS collection were at Amelia Island this year:

•1954/55 Mercedes-Benz W196 that competed in Formula One for a team led by legendary drivers Juan Manuel Fangio and Stirling Moss.

•1957/1958 John Zink Special. 1960 Indianapolis 500 winner Jim Rathmann captured the famous “Race of Two Worlds” in 1958 on the fearsome oval at Monza, Italy, in this Offenhauser-powered roadster designed and built by A.J. Watson. 1952 Indianapolis 500 winner Troy Ruttman also qualified the car on the front row in 1957 at Indy.

Cars at concours d’elegance competitions are judged on their appearance in an elegant setting, with awards presented in a variety of classes.


Source : www.theautochannel.com (3/16/2009)

Brass Monkey Racing Announces Sponsorship with TaxMasters for 2009 SPEED World Challenge  
HOUSTON, Texas : Brass Monkey Racing announced recently that it had secured TaxMasters, a leading tax representation firm, as the primary sponsor for the 2009 SCCA Pro Racing SPEED World Challenge GT Championship. Brass Monkey Racing will run the full 2009 season with Tony Rivera driving the No. 97 TaxMasters Porsche.

AJ Brass, owner of Brass Monkey Racing, enlisted Jeff Stone of Kelly-Moss Motorsports to form this new team effort and build the TaxMasters World Challenge GT Porsches for the season. Beginning with pre-season testing, Greg Fordahl joined forces with Stone as lead engineer for the program. Penske Racing Shocks is also working with Brass Monkey Racing to showcase their latest damper technology for Porsches. The team selected a strong driver in Rivera, an experienced pilot who came into his own in 2008, winning 12 of his 14 races and making it to the podium 13 times. Rivera won the 2008 IMSA Challenge Gold Cup Championship and led the second-place driver by 30 points at season’s end.

2009 marks the 15th anniversary of the dominating performance displayed by Kelly-Moss Motorsports and the Stone brothers in World Challenge in 1994. The ’94 season saw Kelly-Moss entries win eight of the 10 scheduled races, start in pole position 80 percent of the time and place overall first and second for the year. 1994 was also the first year an American team or driver won the world-wide Porsche Cup Championship with Kelly-Moss drivers Price Cobb (first) and Mauro Baldi (second) filling the top two spots. Price Cobb and his wife Charissa have come full circle and are now back at Kelly-Moss, where Price is the General Manager and Charissa manages logistics.

When asked about the 15 year absence of Kelly-Moss Motorsports from World Challenge, Jeff Stone said, “I think it’s great to be back in SPEED World Challenge, especially given our incredible results 15 years ago, which was the only year we ran in this series. Price was always one of my favorite drivers and Tony is another great driver that I expect will do well with our team. This should be an exciting year for all of us. We want to make a splash with Brass Monkey Racing and we feel like we have all the pieces in place to do that, from the driver to the team to the sponsors over at TaxMasters.”

“We’re incredibly excited about the season and pleased to have such a successful company sign on as our main sponsor,” Team Owner AJ Brass said. “TaxMasters’ knowledge and interest in racing was obvious from our first conversations. This feels like a perfect match.”

“We’re incredibly pleased to be able to help out Brass Monkey Racing for the 2009 season,” said Patrick Cox, TaxMasters Founder and President. “The only thing that looks faster than the car is the driver. AJ has put together a fantastic team in Jeff, Greg, Tony and the others. We’re really looking forward to this.”

Founded in 2001, TaxMasters is a leading tax representation firm, offering solutions and tax relief for US taxpayers experiencing problems with the IRS. The tax resolution company has grown rapidly over the past decade and continues to expand to meet an ever increasing demand for quality tax representation in the US.


Source : www.theautochannel.com (3/16/2009)

Dan Pastorini and DP7 Racing's Gallardo GTR Roars to Sebring International Raceway  
HOUSTON, Dan Pastorini, former NFL star quarterback for the Houston Oilers is gearing up to take the only Lamborghini racing in the USA, the DP7 Gallardo GTR, to Sebring International Raceway in Florida on March 20, 2009.

"My first love has always been racing and nothing looks better on the track or is generating more interest and excitement than our Gallardo GTR," Pastorini said. "We have assembled a group of racing professionals from Formula 1 to Indy Cars. We operate out of a first class facility here in Houston and I feel confident that we have all the ingredients of a winning team."

Not immune to the economic downturn, Pastorini and his team are actively pursuing partners and sponsors. "There is one driving force behind any race team and that's sponsorship, without it you simply cannot succeed. We have no factory support from Lamborghini, but our privateer team has shown what vision, dedication and talent can accomplish. This race is just what we need to showcase this car and our team and an opportunity for a potential sponsor to capitalize on a unique high profile race team," Pastorini said.

No vehicle on the road symbolizes fast, sexy and exotic more than Lamborghini. Now thanks to DP7 Racing, a Lamborghini will be added to the list competing in SCCA's premier professional event, The Speed World Challenge GT Series. The DP7 Gallardo GTR will be competing against Corvettes, Vipers, Porsches, Mustangs, Aston Martins, Lotus' and others.

Often called the "Woodstock of Motorsports," Sebring is world famous for the annual 12 Hours of Sebring endurance race. Every year on the third Saturday of March, the raceway hosts thousands of fans from around the world to witness the historic 12 hour classic. All the legends have raced at Sebring...Mario Andretti, A.J. Foyt, Dan Gurney and dozens of other international motor racing stars.


Source : www.theautochannel.com (3/16/2009)

Broken Brake Line Slows #61 Roush/Valvoline Mustang At Homestead  
HOMESTEAD, Fla.: Despite the perfect chamber of commerce weather, the No. 61 ROUSH/Valvoline Mustang team of Jack Roush Jr. and Hugh Plumb had a less than perfect day during the Grand-Am Fan Appreciation Weekend KONI Sports Car Challenge race yesterday at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Roush qualified the No. 61 ROUSH/Valvoline Mustang eighth on the grid, a solid starting position considering the KONI Challenge series had not raced at this 2.3-mile stadium road course since 2007 so the drivers were all feeling their way around a bit. At the green flag he quickly moved up, and was in the third position by lap 7.

When the first caution flag flew at lap 33 Roush dove into the pits where the crew swarmed over the car replacing the Hoosier tires, filling the fuel tank, and Hugh Plumb climbed behind the wheel for his stint.

The team debuted a brand-new FR500C Mustang this weekend, and during the race Roush explained that while he was pleased with the way the car handled on the racetrack, the team was still trying to sort out some of the kinks.

"The car feels great. It's interesting how each car has its own idiosyncrasies, and we're still trying to figure out this new car from scratch. We haven't tested it, and the team has done an awesome job dialing this new car in," he said from pit road.

Plumb also ran as high as third position during the two-and-a-half hour event, but then a new car gremlin struck as the fluid mysteriously drained from the brake line.

The team was able to refill the brake fluid and get the No. 61 ROUSH/Valvoline Mustang back onto the track, but by then they were too many laps down to contend for the victory. At the checkered flag, Plumb crossed in 16th position, five laps behind the race winner.

"We were quite fast at the beginning and able to move through the field quite well. Both Hugh and I were able to drive towards the front, but then we had that brake issue. Even after the fluid was refilled Hugh had a really hard time braking the ROUSH/Valvoline Mustang. Most of the time he was in more of a controlled four-wheel slide through the turns," Roush said.

"If that had't happened, I think we could have had a very strong finish. We were looking really good to having another podium finish."

The No. 61 Ford Mustang, based out of the Horsepower Ranch shop in Mooresville, N.C., carries sponsorship from ROUSH Performance, Valvoline and MossMuscle.com. The next event on the KONI Sports Car Challenge schedule is the May 1-3 contest at New Jersey Motorsports Park in Milville, N.J.


Source : www.theautochannel.com (3/16/2009)

Toyota Outlines Motor Sports Activities for 2009  
Tokyo, TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION, which regards motor sports as an ideal medium for conveying the anticipation and excitement associated with automobiles, announces it plans to continue engaging in motor sports this year, despite being financially restricted by severe business conditions. TMC plans to focus on these top-class racing series: the FIA Formula One World Championship (F1), Japanese Super GT, Formula Nippon and NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing). TMC will also support young drivers expected to some day be competitive on the world stage.

This will mark TMC's eighth year in F1 competition. Its TF109 racecar, in line with new regulations, sports a broader front wing and improved performance and reliability. With veteran driver Jarno Trulli and second-year member Timo Glock, the team is aiming for its first win. The team's third driver, Kamui Kobayashi, will also compete in the just-below-F1 GP2 Series.

In Japan, TMC will participate using the Lexus brand this year and will aim to recapture the Super GT GT500 title using the Lexus SC430. TMC will continue to supply engines to the Japanese Championship Formula Nippon - the top category of formula car racing in Japan, aiming for the fourth straight title by a Toyota-powered car.

In the United States, TMC will again participate in NASCAR's pinnacle Sprint Cup Series with the Toyota Camry, which totaled 10 wins last year. TMC is also aiming to win the Nationwide Series, NASCAR's second most-popular series, also with the Camry. And TMC will continue to race the Toyota Tundra in the Camping World Truck Series (formerly the Craftsman Truck Series), after having won both the manufacturer's and driver's titles last year.

In addition to directly participating in racing, TMC is also committed to continuing its support for a wide range of events and race categories starting from the grassroots level to promote motor sports in general.

One such initiative is the Toyota Young Drivers Program (TDP), which aims to help train world-class drivers of the future. This year TMC has selected eight drivers to participate in the program, including Kazuki Nakajima, a second-year driver for the AT&T Williams team expected to play a bigger role this year.

Furthermore, to promote environmentally friendly motor sports and to improve the efficiency of hybrid systems (including those for production vehicles), TMC will continue developing hybrid systems for motor sports.


Source : www.theautochannel.com (3/16/2009)

New 'green' model Zafira  
Vauxhall has added a new Zafira ecoFLEX model, which is one of the more frugal seven-seat compact MPVs on the market.

It uses a new-to-range 1.7-litre advanced diesel engine emitting combined CO2 emissions of just 139g/km.

And with its lower emissions, the ecoFLEX is the first Zafira to enter Band C for Vehicle Excise Duty, costing £120 per year.

Its BIK tax for company car drivers drops four levels to 18 per cent, the lowest taxation class for a seven-seater car in the UK.

The ecoFLEX also gains a significant improvement in fuel consumption compared with other models in the range.

With a Combined figure of 53.3mpg (47.1mpg for the 1.9 CDTi), this Zafira now has a theoretical range of 680 miles, meaning fewer trips to the pumps and less damage to drivers' wallets.

The 1.7 CDTi engine - which can also be found in the recent Astra ecoFLEX - produces 110PS and 260Nm of torque, giving acceleration of 0-60mph in 12.6 seconds and a top speed of 112mph.

A different final drive ratio also raises the gearing, improving both fuel economy and offering a more relaxed cruising gait.

With a starting price of £17,310 for the Zafira Exclusiv ecoFLEX, buyers will pay just a £100 premium over the equivalent 1.9 CDTi 120PS model.

The Zafira features Vauxhall's Flex7 seating, enabling the ecoFLEX to be transformed from a capacious load-lugger to seven-seat people carrier in a matter of seconds.

Six full-size airbags, an anti-lock braking system (ABS) and radio/CD player are also standard on all of its five trim levels.


Source : http://www.newcarnet.co.uk (3/16/2009)

Cleveland Browns Player Kills Pedestrian with Bentley  
MIAMI BEACH, Florida — Donte Stallworth, a 28-year-old wide receiver for the Cleveland Browns football team, struck and killed a pedestrian here in the morning hours of Saturday in his Bentley. Stallworth was questioned but released by police after the accident and has not been charged. The deceased was 58-year-old Mario Reyes, who was leaving his night-shift job.

News reports say the accident happened at 7:17 a.m., just a few minutes after the victim had punched out from his night-shift job as a crane operator at the Port of Miami, and near the spot on the MacArthur Causeway where he regularly waited to catch a bus.

The Herald said the Bentley, with "heavy front-end damage and without its passenger-side mirror," was towed into the police lot at about 1:00 p.m. on Sunday. Stallworth was administered a blood test at the scene, but results won't be made public for a few days. Meanwhile, the Cleveland Browns football team declined comment while the investigation is in progress.


Source : www.edmunds.com (3/16/2009)

Volvo S80L  
BEIJING — Volvo has begun selling the new S80L sedan as its flagship model in China. Featuring a wheelbase stretched by 5.5 inches, the S80L is being offered in five trim levels, with a higher level of standard equipment than the regular S80.

Designed specifically for the China market, the Volvo S80L features more rear-seat legroom and such amenities as a rear-seat refrigerator, rear-seat entertainment system, premium audio system and deeply padded leather seats.

The range-topping S80L 3.0 T6 AWD Prestige is equipped with an Alpine/Dynaudio sound system, electronic climate control system and air quality system. Safety equipment includes a blind-spot detection system, an intelligent driver information system and a personal car communicator.

The T6 gets Volvo's on-demand all-wheel drive, with an electrically controlled, hydraulically activated clutch. A turbocharged 285-horsepower 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder engine makes 295 pound-feet of torque and accelerates from zero to 60 mph in less than 7.2 seconds.

The S80L is aimed at affluent customers who prefer chauffeur-driven transportation. Among its chief competitors in China is the stretched-wheelbase Audi A6L.


Source : www.edmunds.com (3/16/2009)

Tech Watch: Clean Diesel for 2010 Mazda CX-7  
HIROSHIMA, Japan — Mazda has developed Japan's first urea selective catalytic reduction system for passenger cars. The urea SCR system will be teamed with the company's new turbocharged 2.2-liter clean diesel in the face-lifted 2010 Mazda CX-7.

Similar to advanced exhaust treatment systems developed by several European automakers, Mazda's urea SCR system helps reduce oxides of nitrogen in the diesel exhaust. A urea mixture is sprayed directly into the exhaust gas flow to purify NOx.

Mazda's face-lifted CX-7 with the new urea SCR system is slated to go on sale later this year in Japan, as well as some European markets.


Source : www.edmunds.com (3/16/2009)

Toyota Takes Its Popular Prius to India  
MUMBAI, India — Toyota is about to awaken from its long slumber in India and will add the redesigned Prius, the Fortuner SUV and an all-new small car to the lineup here in 2010.

It's understandable that Toyota would turn to emerging markets including India to sustain its growth in hard times. The world's largest automaker's sales have nose-dived in its key markets of the U.S. and Japan. The American market is down by a third and Japan has recorded its worst auto sales figures in 37 years. In India, although sales have cooled a bit, the market still has strong growth potential.

There's fresh new management from Japan to steer Toyota's Indian operations, and Indian car buyers will soon be treated to a host of new models from Toyota, including the Prius, the world's best-known hybrid car, which should hit these shores sometime in 2010.

Autocar India recently spotted a thinly disguised Prius undergoing testing outside of Bangalore. Sources within the company have indicated that it will be showcased at the International Engineering & Technology Fair (IETF) in Bangalore to gauge customer reaction — especially to the price. The all-new Prius was internationally unveiled at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show in January and is planned to be sold in 80 markets worldwide, twice as many as the previous model. Among those will be India.

As reported earlier, Toyota will get an additional model line when the Fortuner SUV goes on sale this October. The Lexus brand, too, which has been overdue, has finally been given the green light for a 2010 introduction in India, and dealers are being identified to retail Toyota's luxury brand.

Toyota also is planning a big buildup for its new small car (code name EFC), which the company is feverishly working on and hopes to launch next January at the 2010 Auto Expo in New Delhi. However, it is likely that the car will go on sale in India only in the latter half of 2010. Toyota's new small car won't be that small — the sedan body style will be launched before the hatchback.


Source : www.edmunds.com (3/16/2009)

NICE rises from the ashes  
Electric vehicle specialist, NICE Car Company, has resumed trading as the London sales arm of AIXAM-MEGA Ltd.

Aixam manufactures the MEGA e-City electric passenger vehicle and the MEGA Multitruck range of ultra-light electric and diesel commercial vehicles.

AIXAM-MEGA Ltd acquired the assets of NICE after it went into administration in November.

It has confirmed that the terms of ownership for existing customers will remain unaffected, with warranties remaining intact.

Following the closure of the NICE showroom in West London, AIXAM-MEGA Ltd will operate NICE as a direct sales arm for the London area.

A servicing facility and small admin office will continue in Ladbroke Grove, whilst all other administrative tasks will be performed from AIXAM-MEGA Ltd's headquarters in Rugby, Warwickshire.


Source : http://www.newcarnet.co.uk (3/16/2009)

Heat your home with Honda  
Honda is planning a system that creates heat and electricity for the home, whilst cutting emissions by up to 25%.

Honda and the German heating and air conditioning specialist Vaillant will jointly develop gas-powered micro cogeneration systems for the European market.

The systems will be used for the efficient, environmentally conscious and cost-effective production of power and heat in detached houses.

Cogeneration of heat and power (CHP) enables simultaneous production of heat and electricity and is, in Europe, almost exclusively used in industry, district heating sectors and in large real estate.

The new joint venture aims to bring the technology into European homes.

"The competence of Vaillant in heating and air conditioning systems and the long experience of Honda in the development and production of highly efficient systems for cogeneration can create the best product," said Takayuki Arima, President of Honda Motor Europe (North) GmbH in Offenbach.

In Japan and the U.S. Honda is already offering small gas-powered micro-cogeneration units (MCHP) for use in detached houses.

So far, more than 80,000 systems have already been sold and installed in the two countries.


Source : http://www.newcarnet.co.uk (3/16/2009)

Lamborghini Murcielago  
The guys at Lamborghini are keeping themselves busy. Not content with whipping the covers off the awesome Murcielago SV in Geneva a couple of weeks ago, they’ve just shown us the first pictures of this: the LP 650-4 Roadster.

Yes, it’s your first look at the new soft-topped Murcielago, and there are two things you really need to know here. One, it’s even more powerful than the coupe, and two, Lamborghini will be building a mere 50.

The Roadster is a full 10bhp more powerful than its hard-topped cousin, in fact. Remember that the fixed-roof Murcielago is designated the LP 640-4 – 640 denoting the horsepower of the 6.5-litre V12 engine.

The LP 650-4 Roadster (all the numbers making your eyes hurt yet?) gets a lightly uprated version of the same engine, allowing it to hit 62mph in the same 3.4 seconds as the slightly lighter coupe, before topping out at a scary 205mph.

If you’re keen on adding the Murcielago Roadster to your garage (your massive, humidity controlled, top security garage under your personal volcano/secret evil lair, that is), you’d better be keen on that orange-on-grey colour scheme: all 50 of the Roadsters will get the same ‘Grigio Telesto’ livery. Orange brake calipers, badging and paddle shifters complete the, er, striking appearance.

Price? It’s in the ‘if you have to ask’ category, we’re afraid. But hey, with all those Reventons still unsold, maybe you’ll be able to pick one up on the cheap in a few months time. Maybe.

In the meantime, take a look at the distinctly cool promotional video of Swedish driving god Sam Hubinette drifting that Murcielago SV below. Want one?


Source : http://www.topgear.com (3/16/2009)

Ronn Motor Company Scorpion, the world's first 'green' supercar  
Driving prototypes is practically useless. It's next to impossible to get a feel for what the production version is capable of, and you rarely get a chance to explore the limits. Our time with the Ronn Motor Company Scorpion didn't change that sentiment, but it did give us a glimpse into the upstart's future and how its program is progressing since the concept's introduction at last year's SEMA show. Tooling around Sacramento in the V6-powered, hydrogen-injected roadster, the unmuffled exhaust made us almost as uncomfortable as the lack of seatbelts. But to the company's credit, the Scorpion is a rarity in the show-car world – a concept that actually drives. So when the call came from Texas to get some wheel-time in the Scorpion, we jumped at the chance. Hell, Arnold Schwarzenegger personally invited the Ronn Motors crew to the Capitol to get a closer look... who are we to deny the chance to hold court with the Governator?


Source : http://www.autoblog.com/ (3/16/2009)

eBay Find of the Day: World's Fastest Production Car  
You've always had the opportunity to buy the world's fastest car, but now you can buy THE world's fastest car. The actual SSC Ultimate Aero TT that set the Guinness-certified top speed record for a production car is up for auction on eBay with your name on it. The 2007 model comes with Palladium paint and black Alcantara interior, nav system, 10-speaker audio/DVD system, back-up camera, and power everything. Oh, did we mention the 1183 horsepower twin-turbo V8 mounted behind the seats?

Sure, the 2009 model has 100+ more horsepower and a theoretical top speed of 270 mph, but that's yet to be verified, making this very 2007 model still the world's fastest production car. At just over $150,000 the reserve has not yet been met, but the minimum bid is surely quite a bit less than the base price of a Bugatti Veyron or Koenigsegg CCX.


Source : http://www.autoblog.com/ (3/16/2009)

Continental Named Best For Safety - Fast Car Awards Recognise ContiSportContact 3  
HANOVER, GERMANY –: Continental has won a coveted award from the UK’s no1 modified car magazine, Fast Car. Announced in this month’s magazine, Continental’s ContiSportContact 3 took the top spot in the Best for Safety category.

The Fast Car Awards celebrate the best of the best in the tuning industry, revealing the most inspirational must-have products. The awards highlight exceptional performance, quality, originality, desirability and value. They are seen within the modified arena as a stamp of approval offering motoring enthusiasts confidence when looking for their next purchase.

The magazine commented “Safe is the name of the game with Continental Tyres and their wet weather performance is the absolute best. The ContiSportContact 3 tyre is focused on serving up awesome handling for powerful performance cars. We like Continental tyres a lot.”

Scott Benbow, product manager at Continental, said, “The ContiSportContact 3 is no stranger to winning awards and we are really pleased to add to this collection with the sought after Fast Car honour. Safety is always our main focus when designing a tyre so to be recognised specifically for this is great.”

Fact Car said; “The Fast Car Awards reward companies that keep investing to develop ever better products, driving both quality and value for the consumer. We're chuffed that Continental is happy with their award; they’ve earned it."

The ContiSportContact 3 is the ideal choice for drivers who want the highest levels of safety without compromising on performance. In terms of safety, the use of a supple third generation silica compound allows for supreme wet braking performance. A high proportion of rubber on the outer shoulder and a stiff asymmetrical tread pattern ensures optimum performance handling.


Source : www.theautochannel.com (3/16/2009)

"Bobsy" Child Safety Seat from Volkswagen Accessories Receives Top Marks in Crash Test  
Dreieich, - Safety, best possible protection in case of an accident and easy handling. These features make the child safety seat "Bobsy G 0-1 ISOFIX" from Volkswagen Accessories the front runner in the crash test "Small Family Car" of the Euro NCAP (European New Car Assessment Programme).

The two-part variable retaining system of the "Bobsy G 0-1 ISOFIX" comprises the child safety seat and a separate platform. This makes it easier for the parents to fit the seat and prevent the risk of injuries to the child due to incorrect fitting. Based on the two-part ISOFIX construction, the "Bobsy G 0-1 ISOFIX" can be used for children with a body weight of up to 18 kilograms when facing backwards and can also be used facing forwards for children with a body weight from 9 kilograms to 18 kilograms. The advantage: The large shell of the child safety seat enables it to be changed to a system facing forwards at a later time. This reduces the exposure to the cervical spine of the child considerably.

The seat is firmly fixed to the vehicle bodywork using the ISOFIX, but can also be used without problem in vehicles without the ISOFIX system using a three-point seatbelt or lap belt. The height-adjustable full safety harnesses, the seat shell that can be clicked into three angle settings as well as the high backrest allow the child to sit safe and comfortably and provide a good view to the outside. The skin friendly fabric covering can be removed and can be washed at up to 30 degrees Centigrade. When exiting the vehicle, the ISOFIX platform remains in the vehicle so that only the child safety seat has to be removed and carried.

The "Bobsy G 0-1 ISOFIX" from Volkswagen Accessories is available for all Volkswagen passenger car models with ISOFIX preparation at every Volkswagen partner and on the Internet under www.volkswagen-zubehoer.de.

Further information for Volkswagen Accessories can be found in the respective catalogue, at your Volkswagen partner or can be called-up on the internet HERE.

Volkswagen Zubehör GmbH – About us Being a subsidiary of Volkswagen AG, Volkswagen Zubehör GmbH develops and markets vehicle accessories for passenger car and commercial vehicle models of Volkswagen worldwide. The scope of the product range comprises more than 8,000 accessory articles in the fields Sport & Design, Wheels & Tyres, Electric & Communication, Transport, Comfort & Protection, Service & Maintenance as well as Lifestyle. Founded with the name VOTEX in 1974, the company that has been trading under the name of Volkswagen since 2007 today employs more than 200 employees at three locations in Germany. The main office of Volkswagen Zubehör GmbH is in Dreieich near Frankfurt am Main in Germany.


Source : www.theautochannel.com (3/16/2009)

Luxury car market doing well, says Merc  
Hyderabad, The country’s luxury car market appears to be insulated from the economic slowdown. Sales numbers posted by automakers in the year so far indicate that this momentum will continue, according to Mercedes-Benz.

The German automaker, which addresses the Rs 25 lakh-and-above segment, accounted for nearly half of this market with overall sales of 3,625 cars (2,415 in 2007) of the 7,500 cars sold in this segment in 2008.

“During February, Mercedes Benz India sold 14 per cent more cars (226 cars in February 2009) compared to the same month last year and with a slew of attractive models and the flexibility a new manufacturing base brings to the company, we expect to retain our leadership position in this category,” Mr Suhas Kadlaskar, Director, Member of the Board of Management, Mercedes Benz India, said.

Speaking after the launch of the new Mercedes Benz M-Class in Andhra Pradesh, at Adishwar Auto, Mr Kadlaskar, said while the North continues to be the biggest volume driver, the South contributes significant numbers to overall sales with a cross-section of buyers.

“With a new plant, we are now in a position to add value to buyers and bring about necessary customisation and address preferences,” he said.

“The company has a capacity to manufacture 5,000 cars a year/shift at the new plant commissioned in February. We assemble C and E-Class range which now account for indigenisation level of up to 40-50 per cent. However, the S-Class range, which is also assembled here has 25 per cent local content. This could go up depending on the business volumes growth,” he said.


Source : Business Line (Online Edition) (3/16/2009)

Exposition of Baku AutoShow 2009 to present automobile market novelties reduced by one third  
Baku, Fineko/abc.az. Iteca Caspian has held today a press conference devoted to the opening of traditional international exhibitions of Azerbaijan – 6th automobile exhibition AutoShow and 3rd exhibition AutoParts (Spare Parts, Accessories and Service Equipment).

Iteca Caspian LLC director Farid Mammadov said that the world crisis affected the scale of the current exhibition.

“The show scale reduced by 25% compared to the last year. But nevertheless the event will be held as it was planned, while in other countries the similar exhibitions were postponed,” Mammadov said.

The exhibition organisers are company Iteca Caspian LLC and its partner - the British ITE Group PLC company. The event will take place from 26 to 29 March in the Heydar Aliyev Sports and Exhibition Complex.

Over 50 companies from 15 world countries will take part in the exhibition. Participation in the event has already been confirmed by companies from Russia, Germany, Turkey, Iran, China, Belarus, Japan, Romania, etc. Expositions will be presented by MAZ (Belarus), ISUZU (Japan), TEMSA (Turkey) and other companies. There will be a presentation of the Opel Insignia automobile which is recognised as automobile of the year. Also, the “Gaz” Group will present its exposition of the “Siber” automobile.

The exposition of the exhibition will present: motor cars, wagons and pick-up trucks, lorries, municipal engineering machinery, social transport and insurance. The “Commercial transport” sector will be widely represented. Competition will be presented by passenger buses, tractors, dumping lorries and semitrailers for transporting different kinds of products. For the first time at AutoShow, the “AzTexnika” company will present to the specialists’ attention American dumping lorries MACK. In the framework of the exhibition, the “Russkiye Avtobusi” company will make a presentation of absolutely new municipal low-floor buses “ÊÀVÇ 4239”.

The AutoShow exhibition will be accompanied by the Azerbaijan International Spare Parts, Accessories and Service Equipment Exhibition exposition AutoParts which presents the spare parts, accessories and maintenance equipment sector. Tires from the world’s leading manufacturers will be presented in a wide range. For the first time portal car washers for commercial transport will be presented at the exhibition. So far, over 20 participants from approximately 12 world countries, including Japan, Italy, Germany, Turkey, UAE, Iran, China, Russia, Belarus, Finland, USA, Israel, etc. have been registered at the exhibition. For the first time this year a manufacturing company from India “Garima Global” will participate in the event. Another debutant of the exhibition – the Romanian “FLOWEY” company will offer an exposition of auto-cosmetics. The “Caspian Navtel” company will demonstrate GPRS navigation systems for the first time at the exhibition. Also, there will be a premiere presentation of tuning for commercial transport. The Azerbaijan automobile market is growing and so is the AutoParts exhibition. The demand of the local market in spare parts and accessories from different manufacturing countries is not connected only with the repair of used automobiles. There is a need for supply of spare parts for buses, agricultural machinery and contracting automobiles.

Currently, there are hundreds of firms, enterprises and private entrepreneurs engaged in the Azerbaijan automobile business. To these we should also add hundreds of thousands of automobile lovers who love to take care of their “iron horse” personally.

Various presentations and workshops will be held in the framework of the exhibition. For instance, the “Kama Shina” company will hold a workshop on the topic of the latest production technologies and use of tires. There will be different contests and lotteries arranged for the visitors with SONY DVD and MP3 players as prizes and the exhibition will turn into a true celebration for automobile fans. Taking into account the wishes of the visitors, the organisers included the week-end (Saturday and Sunday) into the working period of the exhibition.

Official support to the exhibition is given by the Ministry of Transport of Azerbaijan, the Main Department of State Traffic Police and Azerbaijan Export and Investment Promotion Foundation (Azpromo).


Source : http://abc.az (3/16/2009)

2010 Nissan GT-R Gets a Significant Price Increase  
FRANKLIN, Tennessee — Nissan on Monday announced a significant price increase on the 2010 GT-R. The Japanese automaker said the base 2010 GT-R will start at $81,790, including a $1,000 destination charge. The uplevel 2010 GT-R Premium will start at $84,040, including shipping.

Nissan noted that the new pricing is effective March 21.

In its pricing statement, Nissan pointed out several modest upgrades to the 2010 GT-R, including five additional horses, boosting output to 485 horsepower. Front-seat and side curtain airbags are now standard on both models. The 2010 GT-R also gets an enhanced suspension with redesigned shocks, new wheel finishes and new transmission control module programming "which optimizes clutch engagement for improved acceleration from a standing start with the vehicle dynamic control on," Nissan said in a statement.

"At this price, we feel the 2010 GT-R maintains its outstanding value proposition, offering high levels of all-around performance typically found in vehicles with price tags thousands of dollars more," said Nissan spokesman Darryll Harrison in response to an e-mail query from Inside Line asking for an explanation about the price increase.


Source : www.edmunds.com (3/16/2009)

Golf tops latest Euro NCAP ratings  
Volkswagen's latest Golf has been awarded a maximum five-star rating under Euro NCAP's tough new grading system.

Euro NCAP crash tests now take into account a wider range of criteria, including a new whiplash test, and the maximum five-star rating is available only to cars that have stability control as standard.

Each vehicle is awarded an overall star rating out of five, based on its scores for adult occupant protection, child occupant protection, pedestrian protection and safety assist equipment.

The latest Golf currently has the highest score (97%) for adult occupant protection and has been rated a maximum five stars overall.

Each new Golf has twin front, side and curtain airbags, plus one underneath the steering column to protect the driver's knees. Stability control is fitted across the range, while VW says that its 'whiplash-optimised head restraints' do a better job than some rivals' active front-seat head restraints.


Source : www.whatcar.com (3/16/2009)

Cash-strapped Brits turn to DIY  
Despite the economic woes of the country, most car owners would rather take care of their cars themselves than give them up altogether.

According to Halfords' recent research, motorists would rather look at turning to cheaper alternatives to repair our cars or even carry out minor jobs ourselves on a DIY basis.

When questioned, more than half of drivers (52%) in Great Britain said they would consider changing their habits when it comes to servicing their cars in light of the economic downturn.

Of this figure, 15% of these drivers said they would delay having their car serviced for as long as possible where as 6% suggested that they would carry out the servicing themselves.

Halfords, Category Manager for Car Maintenance, Alan Rennie said: "During these hard times it is still essential that motorists look after their cars, otherwise they could find that they are having to dig deeper into their pockets due to neglect.

"The most common problems drivers face is not paying attention to their oil levels, radiator coolant and screen wash levels.

"Also not checking your car regularly could lead to failure of battery, bulbs and much more."

Compared to last year, Halfords has seen a 46% increase in demand for its free Five Point Car Health Check nationwide and a 'WeFit' Service.

This service provides fitting on products including wiper blades, bulbs and batteries with fitting prices starting from £1.99.

For consumers who have more confidence in carrying out their own DIY on their cars, Halfords has seen a 10% average increase over the last four months on the sales of wiper blades, car bulbs, car batteries.

Other products where Halfords has seen a rise in sales are items such as spray paints and Haynes manuals.

Also smaller items such as nuts, bolts, washers and fuses have increased by over 20% more than last year.


Source : http://www.newcarnet.co.uk (3/16/2009)

Man buried in 1967 Chevrolet truck  
Albert Dancy Jr. of Sutton, West Virginia told his family that when he passed away, he wanted to be buried in his 1967 Chevy pickup truck. On February 15, Mr. Dancy was unfortunately shot and killed in a domestic dispute, so his son Adam gave his father the burial he always wanted. Dancy, an avid hunter and fisherman, was laid to rest in full camouflage with his beloved pickup, an Old Timer pocket knife and a Remington rifle.

To ensure that the buried truck caused as little harm to the environment as possible, it was stripped of its engine and transmission, brake fluid and tires. Dancy's son said his father owned the truck for as long as he could remember, and that the unique burial was the last thing he could do for his dad.


Source : http://www.autoblog.com/ (3/16/2009)

2010 Chevrolet Camaro Production Kicks Off With 14,000 Orders Already In  
OSHAWA, Ontario — Chevrolet kicked off regular production of its highly anticipated 2010 Camaro on Monday here. The automaker told Inside Line that enthusiasts have already ordered 14,000 2010 Camaros, most of which were the top-of-the-line SS V8 model.

"Despite the economic situation, we have 14,000 sold orders, which speaks for itself," Chevrolet spokesman Terry Rhadigan told Inside Line. "It's pretty encouraging. As we expected, of the 14,000 Camaros sold, the majority are the SS V8. Those are the enthusiasts who have been anticipating this car. Those are our loyalists. There are lots of manual-transmission models in there. After that pent-up demand for the SS model, we anticipate that it will settle down to a 65/35 split. About 65 percent of the Camaros we sell will be the V6 model."

Rhadigan would not divulge total volume expectations on Camaro for this calendar year. But he said that Chevrolet would not put a cap on production. "No," he said when asked about volume limits. "We aren't limited. We will build what the market will bear."

Chevrolet also had some good internal news on the 2010 Camaro fuel economy numbers.

Rhadigan said that engineers had anticipated that the V6 Camaro would return 27 miles per gallon in city driving; instead, it is returning 29 mpg. The V6 model returns 18 mpg in city driving, he said. The 2010 Chevrolet Camaro V8 gets 16 mpg in city driving and 24 mpg on the highway on automatic-transmission models. The manual-transmission models return 25 mpg, according to Chevrolet. The EPA has yet to post any official fuel economy numbers on 2010 vehicles.

Rhadigan said the first regular production Camaro off the line on Monday was purchased for $350,000 in a recent Barrett-Jackson auction by NASCAR owner and Chevrolet dealer Rick Hendrick. The money for that vehicle was donated to the American Heart Association. The number-two vehicle went to Hendrick as well, according to Rhadigan, but not for charity. The proceeds from the No. 3 Camaro off the line were donated to Detroit's College for Creative Studies, he said.


Source : www.edmunds.com (3/16/2009)

BMW and Fiat working on new small car platform, concept headed to Frankfurt?  
We've been hearing rumblings that BMW and Fiat were working together on the development of future small vehicle platforms for a while now. With the German automaker working on an Isetta revival and the Italian firm moving forward with a new Topolino, it makes some sense that the two companies would join forces on a single platform sharedbetween the two small retromobiles.

According to Auto Express in the U.K., work is far enough along that we could see both new city cars by 2011. If current rumors are accurate, the cars will feature a rear-mounted engine and four seats, putting the machines on par with the new Toyota iQ and upcoming Up! from Volkswagen. AE says that light weight would be ensured through the use of aluminum and carbon fiber for the chassis and possibly even plastic bodywork, and if that's the case, we can't see these being anything less than premium-priced.

An electric drivetrain featuring one motor for each of the four wheels and a thin battery pack sandwiched under the passenger compartment is also likely. If there's any truth to these rumors, we could see a concept vehicle on the new platform wearing a Mini badge at the Frankfurt Motor Show later this year.


Source : http://www.autoblog.com/ (3/16/2009)

Jeep adds Rocky Mountain Edition models to Patriot, Liberty and Grand Cherokee  
In an effort to revive lagging sales, automakers often create new packages that bundle desirable features into one new trim level at a slightly reduced cost. Such is the case with the new Rocky Mountain Editions of the Jeep Patriot, Liberty and Grand Cherokee for 2009. Included in the package are a sunroof, an uplevel audio package that includes uConnect and SIRIUS satellite radio, alloy wheels and unique paint colors with special badges. As you would expect from Jeep, four-wheel drive is available on all of these models.

Checking the Rocky Mountain Edition box on the vehicle order form will add a total of $1,595 to the vehicle's bottom line. If added separately, the components that make up the package would cost $2,300, which makes for a pretty good deal (though not quite as good as the "approximately $1,000" in savings that Chrysler is touting). Read the full press release after the break.


Source : http://www.autoblog.com/ (3/16/2009)

It's Another Recall for the 2009 Dodge Ram  
WASHINGTON — Chrysler has announced a second recall for its 2009 Dodge Ram 2500/3500 trucks. This time, the problem involves a faulty clutch, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Only an estimated 507 Dodge Rams are involved in the March recall. In January, 32,782 Dodge Ram 2500/3500 trucks from 2008 and 2009 were recalled for a steering problem.

In the latest glitch, the NHTSA says "the clutch pedal connecting rod to the clutch master cylinder may separate from the master cylinder. This may not allow disengagement of the clutch when the pedal is depressed, which could result in unintended vehicle movement. Increased stopping distance and engine stalling will occur, increasing the risk of a crash."

Dodge dealers will replace the clutch master cylinder hydraulic system at no charge. The recall will begin sometime in March. Owners may contact Chrysler at 800-853-1403.

In documents filed with NHTSA, Chrysler said the Ram's clutch problem was discovered in January at the automaker's Chelsea, Michigan, proving ground when a 2010 Dodge Ram test vehicle with a manual transmission and power adjustable pedals experienced an "inoperative clutch." The automaker said it has received only one report from a customer "which appeared to indicate this condition." There have been no injuries or fatalities connected to this latest Ram recall.


Source : www.edmunds.com (3/16/2009)

Barrett-Jackson to auction first 2010 GT500, two concept Mustangs in Palm Beach  
Ahh, Barrett-Jackson. What would it be without a charity Mustang going up for auction? In the case of the upcoming event in Palm Beach in April, there will actually be three historic Mustangs going across the block with all proceeds being donated to worthy causes. First up is lot #665, the first retail 2010 Shelby GT500 that was initially supposed to be auctioned at the Scottsdale event back in January. The car comes in Kona Blue with white stripes, a color combination specifically chosen by Carroll Shelby.

The real news, however, is the sale of two Mustang concepts that ushered in the current retro design of the S197 platform with their debut at the 2003 Detroit Auto Show. As much as we like the styling of the production car, looking at the photos reminds us how much we loved the concepts even more. Each features a supercharged 400-horsepower V8, 5-speed transmission and Brembo brakes, although we doubt either can be registered for road use. The Mustang concepts are being sold as separate lots, but we'd hope that any potential buyers would bid on both to keep the cars together. More details about the cars and the Palm Beach auction in the press release after the jump.


Source : http://www.autoblog.com/ (3/16/2009)

Former Ford plant home to thousands of unsold Hondas  
Being a Clevelander, I had already heard about what's going on at the site of Ford's former Lorain Assembly plant. At one time it was producing more than 10,000 vans and SUVs per month, but that number dwindled until eventually the plant was shuttered in 2005 and the property sold to the California-based Industrial Realty Group. We've heard the facility has since been rented out to a number of companies and we've even seen advanced driving courses being hosted on its expansive and now weed-ridden parking lot.

While slow sales once led to the Lorain plant's demise, the same situation today has given it a new purpose. Honda, which operates a number of plants in Ohio and takes full advantage of the state's existing network of rail lines, is renting the plant's parking lot to store up to 10,000 units of unsold inventory. The Japanese automaker, itself not used to having an overabundance of unsold vehicles on hand, has taken over the giant parking lot with a sea of Civics built in Ohio and Ontario, Acura MDX crossovers from Canada and Odyssey minivans from Alabama.

We've heard plenty of news reports about ports on each coast overflowing with unsold vehicles, but this is the first we've heard of a plant formerly owned and operated by a domestic being repurposed by an import automaker just for the use of storage. It's a sign of the times that companies are using creative solutions to get by, and this one ranks right up there.


Source : http://www.autoblog.com/ (3/16/2009)

Chevrolet Teaches Child Passenger Safety at the British School Al Khubairat in Abu Dhabi  
ABU DHABI, UAE –: Coinciding with the GCC Traffic Week, Chevrolet and Abu Dhabi dealer Bin Hamoodah Automotive bring the Buckle Up Safe Kids Campaign to the British School Al Khubairat in Abu Dhabi on 18th and 19th March, with the aim to educate the school’s primary students and their parents about the dangers of riding unrestrained and the importance of using child safety seats.

The British School Al Khubairat has been a keen follower of the Chevrolet Buckle Up Safe Kids Campaign since its launch in November 2008. “We share the same concerns and aim as the Buckle Up Campaign and we want to help make a difference in spreading the Buckle Up message to our students and staff but, most importantly, to parents about keeping our children safe as passengers”, said Mark Yeowell, Primary School Head Teacher, British School Al Khubairat. During the Buckle Up Campaign’s visit to Al Khubairat, specially trained promoters will instruct students, staff and parents on the correct usage of child safety seats. Junior students will be weighed and measured to determine whether they need to ride in a rear-facing, forward-facing or booster seat, or can safely use a seat belt. Each child will be issued with a certificate to take home, which will help their parents in making the right choice when purchasing a safety seat. Students will also be encouraged to write about the safety lessons they have learnt as homework.

Commenting on the Buckle Up Campaign’s visit to the British School, Issam Abdo, General Manager of Bin Hamoodah Automotive Company, said: “As Chevrolet’s dealer in Abu Dhabi, we have a commitment to our customers and the community to make sure that drivers and passengers alike are aware of all possible safety precautions available. The issue of child passenger safety is particularly important as the UAE has the highest rate of road deaths in the world. While Chevrolet cars are beautifully safe, we must also ensure that passenger behaviour does not contribute further to this figure. In turn, we are proud to support the Chevrolet Buckle Up Safe Kids Campaign’s initiative at Al Khubairat.”

The Buckle Up Safe Kids programme was launched in the UAE in November last year by Chevrolet/General Motors and Safe Kids Worldwide with the support of UAE National Transport Authority and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). It aims to raise awareness and understanding of the issues surrounding child passenger safety in the UAE and to prevent children from being injured and killed in and around vehicles. In particular, it focuses on encouraging the use of quality child car seats and educating the public on the dangers of leaving children unrestrained in cars, with the ultimate aim of making the use of child seats compulsory by law.

This Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative is part of General Motors and Chevrolet’s commitment towards the local community. The Safe Kids Buckle Up program was created in the United States in 1996 through a partnership between Safe Kids Worldwide and General Motors. Today the programme has inspected more than a million car seats for proper installation and has reached more than 19 million people at community events worldwide.


Source : www.theautochannel.com (3/16/2009)

AMERICAN CHOPPER Rides Into A Sixth Season on TLC  
SILVER SPRING, Md -- TLC's popular series AMERICAN CHOPPER returns on Thursday, April 9, at 9 PM (ET/PT) with all-new episodes like you've never seen before -- featuring unmatched family drama that will change the dynamics of Orange County Choppers forever.

Still riding strong in its sixth season, AMERICAN CHOPPER follows the action at Orange County Choppers (OCC), the world-famous custom motorcycle family business run by Paul Teutul Sr. and his fiery sons, Paul Teutul Jr. and Mikey. As always, creating eye-popping bikes is a big part of show -- but this season, the real story is the mounting tension between Paul Sr. and Paul Jr. Sure, the duo is known for arguing over deadlines and designs, but now, viewers see the situation explode in a confrontation that results in serious damage not only to the family shop, but to their personal relationship.

Each episode of AMERICAN CHOPPER captures the day-to-day drama inside one of the world's leading custom bike shops as the family battles impossible deadlines to build some of the most aggressive, creative custom choppers around. The new season documents the growing pains as OCC continues to expand in a challenging economy, as well as the evolving relationship between Paul Sr., his sons, the extended Teutul family and their OCC staff. From heated arguments and humorous antics to creative setbacks and artistic triumphs, AMERICAN CHOPPER celebrates one family's struggle to achieve the American dream.

AMERICAN CHOPPER gets off to a hot start with OCC taking on the challenge of a double build. Two bikes -- one commissioned by the National Hockey League and the other by Northrop Grumman, maker of the B-2 bomber. Both bikes feature cutting-edge designs and intense fabrications. In the second episode, the guys go tie-dyed in twisted metal, taking on a '60s-themed project to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Woodstock. And in the third episode, the OCC gang heads to Anchorage, Alaska, to build a bike in honor of Alaska's 50 Years of Statehood Celebration. For more episode information, visit TLC.com.

AMERICAN CHOPPER is produced by Pilgrim Films and Television. The executive producer for Pilgrim Films and Television is Craig Piligian. The executive producer for TLC is Christo Doyle.

TLC's innovative docu-series and reality-based programming include favorites Jon & Kate Plus 8, Little People, Big World, What Not to Wear, 18 Kids and Counting, and LA Ink. TLC defined home design with Trading Spaces and continues to renovate the genre. TLC's daytime lineup includes the Emmy Award-winning A Baby Story. The channel is available in more than 97 million homes in the US, nearly 8 million homes in Canada and through the website at www.tlc.com. TLC is part of Discovery Communications , the world's number one nonfiction media company reaching more than 1.5 billion cumulative subscribers in over 170 countries.


Source : http://www.automotive.com (3/16/2009)

The New VW Golf - An All-Round Safe Vehicle  
WOLFSBURG, GERMANY –: Once again the latest Golf has received five stars in the EuroNCAP evaluation: the European crash test programme EuroNCAP awarded the new Golf the highest score of five stars, even according to the stricter and more comprehensive assessment criteria. Furthermore, the Golf received the highest overall rating of any vehicle. In the latest rating of the EuroNCAP all safety and assistant systems of the individual vehicles are now being assessed. Up until now, safety systems such as the Electronic Stability Programme (ESP), which is fitted in the Golf as standard, were not taken into account in the evaluation.

Since February 2009, a vehicle must receive a minimum value in all four categories (adult occupant protection, child occupant protection, pedestrian protection, safety assist) as well as in the overall assessment to gain a five star award. The process in use up to now had been applied since 1997 and only tested the frontal crash, the side crash and pedestrian protection. In the new assessment procedure, electronic safety and assistant systems which help to prevent accidents and avoid serious injury are also included in the evaluation.

In addition, a rear crash test which will provide information on the load on the cervical spine is part of the new evaluation scheme. Volkswagen has responded to this kind of injury to the spine in the new Golf with "Whiplash-optimised head restraints" (WOKS). In comparison, the protective potential of WOKS was clearly better in the corresponding tests than the bio-mechanical figures of numerous active systems.

The new EuroNCAP rating has further advantages for the consumer: using the new overview evaluation, customers can quickly determine the overall safety rating of a vehicle and also make easy comparisons.


Source : www.theautochannel.com (3/16/2009)

The New MINI Cabrio Arrives in Australia  
MULGRAVE, AUSTRALIA –: The new MINI Cabrio has arrived in Australia and is set for market release in line with global release date on Saturday 28th March 2009.

Priced from $39,800 the new MINI Cabrio is set to build on the success of its predecessor, thanks to new more powerful engines, substantial reductions in fuel consumption and emissions, a wider range of practical functions, optimised safety technology and upgraded suspension.

“The new MINI Cabrio – the one and only premium Cabrio in its segment - will continue to deliver driving pleasure so typical of MINI when it arrives,” says Justin Hocevar, National Manager, MINI.

The new MINI Cabrio goes on sale locally with two model variants, the MINI Cooper Cabrio and MINI Cooper S Cabrio, both variants also available with the ever popular as Chilli models.

The MINI Cooper S Cabrio features a 128 kW 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine with twin-scroll turbocharger and direct fuel injection for supreme power and performance. Whilst accelerating from zero to 100 km/h is 7.4 seconds, the new MINI Cooper S Cabrio only consumes 7.2 litres per 100 kilometres and CO2 emissions have been reduced to 171 g/km (approximately 18% less than the previous generation).

The MINI Cooper Cabrio is powered by an 88 kW 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine, offering a particularly sporting character and powerful performance. The engine comes with fully variable valve management based on BMW’s unique VALVETRONIC technology. It ensures an optimised torque curve, superior power and exemplary efficiency.

The MINI Cooper Cabrio accelerates to 100 km/h in 9.8 seconds with an average fuel consumption of 6.1 litres per 100 kilometres and CO2 emissions have been reduced to 145 g/km. (approximately 16% less than the previous generation).

“Compared with their predecessors both the new MINI Cooper Cabrio and the new MINI Cooper S Cabrio offer better performance on substantially less fuel and with much lower emissions,” says Justin Hocevar, National Manager, MINI.

There are 12 highly attractive colour variants as well as new equipment features that add an additional touch of style and class.

Automatic air conditioning with Cabrio mode is available for the first time, serving to provide a consistent set temperature under the influence of wind when the roof is opened. Also available is the seamless integration of external music players, a USB port and Bluetooth hands-free telephone system.

The occupants are protected from wind and weather in the new MINI Cabrio by the high-quality soft top with its integrated sliding roof function. Even while driving at a speed of up to 30 km/h, the soft top folds back fully automatically in a complete process within just 15 seconds.

Symbolising the challenge of driving in the open air at any time of the year, the new MINI Cabrio can be built with the absolutely unique Always-Open Timer next to the rev counter. This unprecedented instrument shows the driver and passengers the time they have spent driving with the roof down – motivating the driver to really enjoy the thrill of open-air motoring as frequently as possible.

The new MINI Cabrio offers outstanding everyday driving qualities through the Easy-Load Function, the rear-seat backrest folding down individually on either side, as well as the unusually large through-loading between the luggage and passenger compartment. Luggage compartment capacity has increased to 125 litres (+5 litres) with the roof open, 170 litres (+5 litres) with the roof closed, and 660 litres (+55 litres) with the rear-seat backrest folded down.

This variability, quite unique in the Cabrio segment, is made possible by the innovative design and construction of the rollbar. The new MINI Cabrio comes with a single-piece rollbar behind the rear seats extending across the entire interior width of the car, not obstructing the driver’s line of visibility in any way when looking to the rear, and moving up automatically in just 150 milliseconds, in the event this safety feature is required.

The new MINI Cooper S Cabrio and the MINI Cooper Cabrio will be available with a six-speed manual gearbox featured as standard or optional six-speed automatic transmission.

The new MINI Cabrio owes its fascinating handling to suspension technology significantly enhanced and upgraded over the former model. Indeed, thanks to sophisticated wheel suspension, extremely precise electromechanical power steering, the powerful brake system and DSC Dynamic Stability Control featured as standard, the open-air MINI combines supreme agility with equally exemplary safety all round.


Source : www.theautochannel.com (3/16/2009)

Mahindra & Mahindra continues to rise  
Shares of Mahindra & Mahindra are trading at Rs 362.55, up Rs 17.75, or 5.15% at the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) on Monday at 11:24 a.m.

The scrip has touched an intra-day high of Rs 365.90 and low of Rs 345. The total volume of shares traded at the BSE is 208,018.

In the earlier session, the shares rose 4.77%, or Rs 15.7, at Rs 344.80.

Currently, the stock is trading down 49.49% from its 52-week high of Rs 717.75 and above 53.95% over the 52-week low of Rs 235.50.


Source : myiris.com (3/16/2009)

Risi-Krohn Ferrari Team Hopes to Defend Podium Finish at Sebring  
Sebring, The No. 61 Risi-Krohn Ferrari 430GT, prepared by Risi Competizione, is seeking to defend its 2008 podium finish at the 57th Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring presented by Fresh from Florida on Saturday, March 21. The signature Krohn green and blue Ferrari will be driven again by Krohn Racing team owner/driver Tracy W. Krohn, Nic Jönsson and Eric van de Poele.

Krohn Racing and Risi Competizione, both of Houston, Texas, have paired for the third season in a row to field a Ferrari 430 GT in the GT2 class for Sebring and the LMGT2 class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Last year the Risi-Krohn Ferrari team participated in three of the ALMS races, collecting a third place finish at Sebring, fourth at Petit Le Mans and 11th at the Laguna Seca finale. They also competed at Le Mans to an unfortunate DNF. In 2007 the Risi-Krohn Ferrari finished a remarkable second-place finish at the 24 Hours of Le Mans race.

The sister No. 62 Risi Competizione Ferrari 430 GT of Jaime Melo, Pierre Kaffer and Mika Salo are in search of a repeat of the team's 2008 ALMS GT2 Team and Driver Championships in the American Le Mans Series at this week's season opener in Sebring, Florida.

QUOTES: TRACY W. KROHN, Krohn Racing Team Owner, Risi-Krohn Ferrari Driver: There are 15 cars entered in the GT2 class, which is undoubtedly the most competitive,talk about the challenges, the competition, the cars and the level of driving skill - in the GT2 class. "I think GT-2 is the most competitive class given the car count and the number of manufacturers involved. Sebring takes a toll on man and machine. I always feel like I have been in a war anytime I have competed at Sebring. This year will be no different. Although it is a 12-hour race, make no mistake that it is a sprint race!! The competition is extremely intense in that most drivers are factory drivers."

What is it like and how difficult is it to be in the lowest horsepower class at a demanding track like Sebring? "Sebring is a great track in that it is so technical and there are so many surface changes every lap and then of course the track changes dramatically with weather and temperature. It is always difficult to drive in a so called "slower class" such as we have in GT-2 class in ALMS in that you are checking your mirrors and making decisions every lap regarding faster traffic. Patience is a key for all classes, particularly with regard to the P-1 and P-2 classes in that ultimately it is their responsibility to get around slower cars. For GT drivers, the best way to handle that is to stay on line and realize that the "P" cars are generally social animals and thus do not travel alone but in packs of two or more!! For the most part I feel that they do a good job in that most drivers understand the requirements for driving in GT class as well."

Your teammate Eric has won Sebring twice,how special would it be to you to win Sebring? "Sebring is one of my personal goals as it has always been one of my favorite tracks. Winning at Sebring is certainly a high point in any driver's career, but for me it is really special because I do not make my living as a driver and competing at this level and winning against arguably many of the best sports car drivers in the world is something nobody can take away!!"

NIC JONSSON, Risi-Krohn Ferrari Driver: What about your hopes going into the 2009 race? "My hope is to have a very competitive, good result. Since we did Daytona (24 Hours) in the Grand-Am Series, we didn't have too good of results because of mechanical issues. It would be very nice to have a good result in Sebring to build the momentum for the remainder of the DP (Daytona Prototype) season and going into Le Mans later this year. So the hope is to have a competitive, good, fast race car that we can have a Top 5 finish. I think that would be a good accomplishment for us. I think anything better than that will be stunning. In fact, I think a reasonable goal will be a Top 5 finish. If we can achieve that, I think it will be great."

There are already 15 cars entered in the GT2 class, which is undoubtedly the most competitive,talk about the competition, the cars and the level of driving skill in the GT2 class. "If you start with the driving skill, the GT2 class in the American Le Mans Series is probably among the toughest series in the world. You have a very international driver line-up in the GT-2 class. That includes cars from Porsche, BMW, who is coming back this year with experienced, good car and good drivers, and Ferrari has 7good drivers. As far as the cars go, it's going to be hard to tell. I don't really know what kind of updates and new improvements have been made between Porsche versus Ferrari. Then also there is BMW coming into this very seriously.From a driver standpoint, I think it is as competitive as the Grand-Am DP Series.

I'm flattered to be a part of that whole group and to be out competing with the best in the world in sports car racing as far as the equipment goes. Porsche is always a contender and you have to look out for them so I am sure they going to be very hard nut to crack again this year with the Ferrari. I believe Ferrari has been working hard over the winter so I am hopeful to be up to par with them and running competitive lap times against the Porsche and also the new BMW."

What is it like and how difficult is it to be in the lowest horsepower class at a demanding track like Sebring? "To drive a GT2 car, which is the slowest class in the ALMS series adds a completely different aspect to driving. I'm used to driving in either spec series like IndyCars, where everybody runs the same type of car, or in the faster class in Grand-Am with the Daytona Prototype class or in Koni Challenge, where I race with my Kinetic GS class car. I am normally used to passing people all the time in the slower classes. Here you have to keep an eye in the mirrors as much as you look ahead of yourself. It adds more complexity to it. It's very difficult because the prototype cars come up on you so fast. The speed difference between the two classes is enormous. This is especially the case when you start going into the dark hours of the race, like at Sebring. It's so hard to judge distance with the lights. As long as it is daylight, you can see the car. But you can't really see the car when it gets dark. You can just see lights. That's extremely hard to judge. It's much harder to drive a slow car in a field where you have fast cars around you then it is to drive a faster car.

Maybe it sounds a little weird but you are in control and you can decide when you are going to make a move to out brake or power by them. That's something that people need to keep in mind when you see trouble on the track. It's often because there is such a large speed difference and it's hard to judge for both classes. The slower guy has to let them by and vice-versa. It's all about give and take. I think most people at this level of racing are going to have enough experience to respect each other, respect the speed and also respect the sport itself. I hope everybody takes that into consideration to be safe, but also at the same time be competitive."

Your teammate Eric has won Sebring twice,how special would it be to you to win Sebring? "Sebring is one of the biggest races every year in sports car racing and has been for many, many years. There is a huge history there. I think the biggest race in sports cars in the world is Le Mans. After that I would say it is probably Sebring. Sebring has such a grand history with a lot of good drivers and manufacturers being successful there. It goes back to the 1950's with Porsche, Audi, Ferrari, and lately Peugeot and, of course, BMW. It is a very special race. To win there would mean to check off one of the boxes that are on your priority checklist to win. Even to compete in it is very fortunate. I've been fortunate to compete in this race and even have a couple of podiums but I've never been able to climb on the top step of the podium. That would be very special to do that together with Tracy and Eric in the Ferrari."

ERIC VAN DE POELE, Risi-Krohn Ferrari Driver: You are returning for another year at Sebring with the Risi-Krohn Ferrari 430 GT. Talk about your past successes at Sebring, including 2 victories and your 3rd place finish last year with Tracy & Nic in the Risi-Krohn Ferrari 430 GT. "Sebring is really a race I love very much because every time I go there it is a fantastic race with a fantastic crowd and fans.Usually I have quite good success there. I won twice but also I was surprised last year when we were on the podium in GT2. I think to be up another step on the podium would be fantastic. Again, we will go with something we know. Last year was new for me because it was the first time I drove in GT2, especially in Sebring. Now I know what to expect and I know we have a new car and everything looks fantastic. I'm happy to share again my car with Nic because we are again driving together. It's very good to be again in the same car with him and of course with my big brother, Tracy.

What about your hopes going into the 2009 race? "I really believe we can race for the podium because it's a very long race but it's very tough and like a sprint. All the guys in front will be full-speed with no present to each other. I think we should be a little bit behind but we will be there if one of them has a problem, exactly what happened last year. We're going to be there. I really hope for a podium finish."

What is it like and how difficult is it to be in the lowest horsepower class at a demanding track like Sebring?"It's very difficult, especially at Sebring, because the track is very narrow. You cannot make a mistake because if you put one wheel on the grass, it's over,.you touch the wall somewhere. Of course you have to watch in the mirrors and you have to lose time when the fastest cars are passing you. It's going to be more in groups though because there are more cars in the category. Maybe we will be in the majority compared to the prototypes. We will give them a few hard times. It's going to be hard for them too to get around us so maybe we'll have more space."

How special would it be to you to win Sebring again? "It is something different when you win overall. But when you are in the race and in a lower class category and realize how hard it is in the category, I really think if you have the chance to win the category, especially the GT2, it is really, really hard. It would be an absolutely fantastic result. I don't think we are there yet though because we are a little of an outsider because we don't have enough training yet with this car and don't run this series on a regular basis. I think if we finish in the Top 5, it would be a fantastic result!"


Source : www.theautochannel.com (3/16/2009)

JR Motorsports Announces Plans For No. 5 Nationwide Program  
MOORESVILLE, N.C. JR Motorsports today announced additional plans for its No. 5 NASCAR Nationwide Series team for 2009, with veteran drivers Ryan Newman, Scott Wimmer and Tony Stewart joining team owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. and all-time series wins leader Mark Martin for the 21-race schedule. Together the five drivers account for 91 Nationwide Series victories in 636 starts.

Wimmer will compete in six events in the No. 5 Chevrolet and Newman in four, with America’s largest fastener distributor, Fastenal, as the primary sponsor. Stewart’s one race for JR Motorsports will be in a Delphi-sponsored Chevrolet at Lowe’s Motor Speedway on Oct. 16. He is already a race-winner in 2009, driving a Hendrick Motorsports entry to victory in the season-opening Camping World 300 at Daytona International Speedway. He has eight overall victories in 87 starts.

“This No. 5 team carries a strong tradition and a lot of expectations, and we are fortunate to attract such quality talent to help carry on that tradition,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “We had a similar set-up with this team last year, and we were able to go to Victory Lane twice. Obviously with this driver line-up, there’s no reason we can’t exceed last year’s win total.”

The driver additions leave only two races on the No. 5 team’s 21-race schedule unfulfilled – the road-course events at Watkins Glen on Aug. 8 and Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on Aug. 30. Driver plans for those races will be announced at a later date.

Newman is a seven-time winner in the Nationwide Series. Six of his victories came during a stellar 2005 season, in which he scored eight top-fives in nine starts and led nearly half of his completed laps (800 of 1,658 laps). He will join the JR Motorsports campaign for the following races in the No. 5 Fastenal Chevrolet: Dover International Speedway on May 30, Chicagoland Speedway on July 10, Michigan International Speedway on Aug. 15, and Kansas Speedway on Oct. 3.

Wimmer is slated for six races in the Fastenal Chevy: Darlington Raceway on May 8, The Milwaukee Mile on June 20, O’Reilly Raceway Park on July 25, Iowa Speedway on Aug. 1, Bristol Motor Speedway on Aug. 21, and Richmond International Raceway on Sept. 11. He is a six-time winner with 29 top-fives and 68 top-10s in 171 starts. He captured four wins in 2002 en route to a career-best third-place finish in the championship point standings. His most recent victory came last season at Nashville Superspeedway for Richard Childress Racing.

"I am really excited to be associated with JR Motorsports and a great sponsor like Fastenal,” Wimmer said. “I will be running at tracks that have been good for me in the past and look forward to my first event with JR Motorsports at Darlington in May. Hopefully, we can get the Fastenal car in the Winners Circle.”

Earnhardt Jr., has already driven the No. 5 Chevy in two events this year, finishing seventh at Daytona and fifth at Las Vegas. He is scheduled for five more, starting with the April 4 race at Texas Motor Speedway. His is a 22-time race winner and a two-time series champion.

Martin, whose 48 victories make up the all-time career benchmark in the Nationwide Series, will drive the No. 5 Lipton Chevy on May 1 at Richmond International Raceway. He earned JR Motorsports its first-ever Nationwide Series victory at Las Vegas last March.

Fastenal is the latest of new sponsorship partners to join the JR Motorsports fold in 2009. Its 14-race deal with the No. 5 team was announced in January. Earlier in the year GoDaddy.com extended its partnership with Hendrick Motorsports and JR Motorsports and included a 20-race sponsorship package with JRM’s Nationwide Series teams. Unilever was introduced as a new partner last October, with its brands Hellmann’s, Lipton, Klondike, and Degree splitting races throughout the 2009 season. Delphi returns for seven races, six of which will be for the No. 88 Chevrolet driven by Brad Keselowski.


Source : www.theautochannel.com (3/16/2009)

Team Stargate Worlds Partners With The Hilton Garden Inn Palm Beach Gardens Hotel  
Palm Beach, FL : Atlantic Championship series competitors Team Stargate Worlds announced today that it has entered into an agreement with the Hilton Garden Inn Palm Beach Gardens hotel to provide lodging services for the team during it's recent stay for the series test session on March 9th -10th.

Located in the heart of Palm Beach Gardens the newly built lavish hotel features 175 spacious rooms, 17 suites, and is surrounded by restaurants and shopping destinations. The convenience and top-notch service provided by the facilities and staff of the hotel impressed Team Stargate Worlds and further discussions led to both groups discussing future opportunities to partner up. As Florida becomes more of a hub for racing with events at Sebring International Raceway, Palm Beach International Raceway, Homestead, Daytona, the Hilton Garden Inn Palm Beach Gardens hotel is welcoming the opportunity to cater to that type of clientele and teaming up with Team Stargate Worlds is part of that plan.

“We are delighted to partner up with Team Stargate Worlds this year as they contest the 2009 Atlantic Championship season. The quality of service and care that we provided the team during their stay is just an example of what we have to offer the rest of the racing community, whether they are competitors or their fans. We pride ourselves in providing impeccable service and making our customers’ stay an experience they will not soon forget,” said Ellie Wyatt, Spokeswoman for the Hilton Garden Inn Palm Beach Gardens hotel. “We realize the racing community is important to this area and the Hilton Garden Inn Palm Beach Gardens has worked very hard to showcase our hotel to those within this community,” adds Wyatt.

Team Stargate Worlds is equally pleased to align itself with the Hilton Garden Inn Palm Beach Gardens hotel. After their first night stay it was apparent that this was a partnership to be pursued. “In the past Team Stargate Worlds has aligned itself with quality companies who provide top-notch products and services so we were very excited for the opportunity to partner up with the Hilton Garden Inn Palm Beach Gardens hotel. “The way we were treated, their facilities, and the overall experience sealed the deal. We look forward to this new relationship growing with the Hilton group” states Imran Safiulla, Principal of Team Stargate Worlds. “Being away from family and the stress of the racing schedule can be overwhelming. Our time at the hotel was very welcomed and very rewarding so it makes sense that this is the type of company we want to partner up with,” adds Shane Seneviratne, Team Stargate Worlds Principal.

Situated 14 miles from the Palm Beach International Airport, the Hilton Garden Inn Palm Beach Gardens is located at 3505 Kyoto Gardens Drive, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.; phone: 561-694-5833; fax: 561-694-5829. Recreational facilities consist of a workout facility featuring Precor® state-of-the-art cardiovascular and strength training equipment, Stay Fit Kits® available for complimentary check-out from the front desk, outdoor swimming pool and whirlpool. For outdoor enthusiasts, the beach and golf courses are located nearby.


Source : www.theautochannel.com (3/16/2009)

Indycar Series Notes - March 16, 2009  
1. Teams ready for Open Test at Barber Motorsports Park: IndyCar Series drivers and teams will continue preparations for the 2009 season March 22-23 with an Open Test at Barber Motorsports Park in Leeds, Ala. Although seven drivers tested at the facility in October 2007, this will mark the first time the full field of IndyCar Series drivers runs on the 16-turn, 2.38-mile course.

Testing is scheduled for 9 a.m.–5 p.m. March 22 and 9 a.m.–4 p.m. on March 23 and will include 2008 race winners Ryan Briscoe, Scott Dixon, Tony Kanaan, Danica Patrick, Graham Rahal, Dan Wheldon and Justin Wilson.

“This is the only Open Test scheduled for a road course,” said Brian Barnhart, president of competition and operations for the Indy Racing League, sanctioning body for the IndyCar Series and Firestone Indy Lights. “While there’s not a whole lot of stuff they can be developing in the road course area, this gives everyone the opportunity to get back into the road course mode and get ready for the first two races of the year.”

The IndyCar Series opens the season with races on the streets of St. Petersburg, Fla., April 5 and Long Beach, Calif., April 19 before the season’s first race on an oval April 26 at Kansas Speedway.

“Just to be able to get back into a car on a road course is great because it has been so long since the last race in Australia,” Vision Racing’s Ed Carpenter said. “It’ll help get rid of some of the cobwebs and get back a feel for the car since it’s been a while. It’ll be a fun two days.”

The test will also allow rookie competitors Mike Conway, Robert Doornbos and Raphael Matos a chance to familiarize themselves with how the Dallara chassis handles on a road course.

Drivers had their only other opportunity for pre-season testing Feb. 24-25 on the 1.5-mile oval at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Team Penske’s Briscoe paced that test with 2008 champion Dixon a close second. Conway was the fastest rookie at Homestead-Miami, ninth overall.

Firestone Indy Lights drivers will test from 9 a.m.–5 p.m. on March 21.

2. Hunter-Reay will share HVM seat with Viso: Ryan Hunter-Reay will participate in the Open Test at Barber Motorsports Park with HVM Racing, sharing the seat of the No. 13 car with E.J. Viso.

Hunter-Reay, the 2007 Bombardier Learjet Rookie of the Year, won one race last season en route to an eighth-place finish in the IndyCar Series championship.

3. Foyt Racing, Team 3G substitute private tests for Barber: A.J. Foyt Racing and Team 3G will substitute private tests for the Open Test at Barber Motorsports Park.

A.J. Foyt Racing and driver Vitor Meira tested March 10-11 at MSR Houston, a permanent road course less than 100 miles from the team’s shop in Waller, Texas.

“We’re fortunate to have MSR Houston so close,” team director Larry Foyt said. “We think the track is more applicable to the street courses because of its surface and its tighter corners, plus we were able to configure the MSR track to mimic some corners at St. Pete and Long Beach.

“Since we didn’t have to wait for yellows, track inspections and traffic, we were able to get a lot done in the two days we were there. We made some significant gains, learned a lot and now we’re going through the tons of data that we acquired which will help us throughout the season. So for us, it was very worthwhile. We followed it up with some wind tunnel testing; the things we learned there will make it even more worthwhile for our future tunnel tests.”

Team 3G and driver Stanton Barrett are finalizing plans for a private test on a road course before the season begins April 5 at St. Petersburg, Fla.

“For us at Team 3G, being a new team, we’re very focused on preparing for the street course races at St. Petersburg and Long Beach to open the season,” team co-owner Steve Sudler said. “We’re planning on using some of our team testing allotment within the next couple of weeks to get ready for those races.”

4. Green flag in orbit with Discovery: The green flag that will be used to start the 2009 IndyCar Series season April 5 at St. Petersburg, Fla., is taking a circuitous trip to the temporary street circuit.

On March 15, the flag blasted into orbit with Navy Cmdr. Tony Antonelli aboard the space shuttle Discovery. The shortened STS-119 mission will put him back on the ground in time to attend the race as a guest of Michael Andretti.

The Discovery crew of seven will deliver and install the S6 truss segments and the final set of solar arrays providing additional electrical power to the International Space Station.

During the mission, Antonelli – who grew up in Greenwood, Ind., and Fayetteville, N.C. -- will monitor systems and control one of the shuttle’s robotic arms that will install the truss. He’ll pilot the shuttle as it undocks from the International Space Station.

“We are a tiny part of a big team,” said Antonelli, referencing the thousands of people who are related to the space shuttle and space station programs. “It’s a big team and it’s nice getting to be a part of that team. It’s really nice being a member of that team that gets to ride on the rocket.”

5. Indy Racing League nominated for Sports Business Award: The Indy Racing League has been nominated for Professional Sports League of the Year in the second annual Sports Business Awards presented by SportsBusiness Journal and SportsBusiness Daily. Other nominees in the category include the National Basketball Association, National Football League and the National Hockey League.

“2008 was a milestone year for the Indy Racing League,” said Terry Angstadt, president of the commercial division. “We started the season with the unification of open wheel racing, which led to tremendous success stories on and off the track, and then we witnessed other milestone events such as Graham Rahal becoming the youngest race winner in history and Danica Patrick becoming the first female winner in history.

“It’s an honor to be nominated for this award. We hope to continue to build on last year’s momentum as we move forward in 2009 and beyond.”

The Sports Business Awards will honor winners in 14 categories. Winners will be announced May 28 at the New York Marriott Marquis.


Source : www.theautochannel.com (3/16/2009)

Mitsubishi Recalls 2008-09 Lancer and Outlander  
WASHINGTON — Mitsubishi is recalling 39,711 of its 2008-'09 Lancer and Outlander vehicles because "insufficient initial braking assist may temporarily increase the stopping distance of the vehicle and therefore increase the risk of a crash," according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The problem involves vehicles equipped with an automatic transmission or continuously variable transmission. Manual-transmission-equipped vehicles are not included in the recall, said NHTSA.

"Incorrect material composition of the brake booster check valve may cause the check valve to stick closed when the engine is shut off," said NHTSA in its recall summary of the problem. "When the vehicle is restarted and put into motion, under certain driving conditions (very slow vehicle maneuvers), there may be insufficient initial braking assist."


Source : www.edmunds.com (3/16/2009)

Season Schedule Announced for Mercedes-Benz AMG Driving Academy  
AFFALTERBACH, Germany — AMG has announced the dates for its 2009 Driving Academy program, which is focused on high-speed driving and handling safety.

Founded in 2007, the AMG Driving Academy is separated into five skill levels: Emotion, Basic, Advanced, Pro and Masters. Brand new for this year's Emotion tour calendar is a drive though Vorarlberg and Lake Constance, followed by a performance of Giuseppe Verdi's "Aida."

Licensed instructors will help drivers quicken their reflexes and handling ability at famous arenas like the North Loop of the Nürburgring and the Grand Prix circuit in Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium. AMG is also holding a special Winter Sporting event in Arjeplog, Sweden, where drivers take the wheel of vehicles equipped with special spiked tires.

Highly skilled participants are encouraged to compete in the AMG Masters Sports Trophy, where 25 contestants get a customized vehicle and collect points in different races for an overall ranking. The winner will have the chance to drive the current DTM AMG C-Class.

Students can drive their own AMG vehicles or use provided models that include the C63 AMG, CLK63 AMG Black Series, SL63 AMG and SLK55 AMG.


Source : www.edmunds.com (3/16/2009)

Research and Markets: The Directory of Alloy Steel Manufacturers in India Brings You A Fully Up To Date Guide to Indian Alloys Steel Manufacturers Industries  
DUBLIN, Ireland--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Directory of Alloy Steel Manufacturers in India" directory to their offering.

In the last few years, the application of alloy steel is increasing in various industrial, consumer as well as consumer durables and automobiles. This is also facilitated by the fact that the use of alloy steels has enabled the industry to make the machinery light in weight thus making them energy efficient. For automobile manufacturers, the use of alloy steels in two wheelers and four wheelers has enabled them to produce lighter and fuel-efficient vehicles. The other major consuming sectors like auto ancillary, seamless pipes and tubes, engineering and railways etc. have also consumed rising quantity of alloy steel.

The industry is expected to continue to witness the ongoing buoyancy in the demand off take from various sectors. The following sections analyze the trend of sector wise demand for alloy and special steels in an industry wise manner. The forging industry is the largest consumer of the alloy steel. A big chunk of output of the forging units finds applications in the automotive and auto ancillary sector, both of fresh as well as replacement requirements.

The industry has registered a growth of over 15% p.a. for the last two years. Based on the growth in the Automobile sector, it is estimated that forging production will touch 12.1 tons by FY2010. There are over 300 auto ancillary units in the organized sector in the manufacture of auto components.

Published in December 2008, the Directory of Alloy steel Manufacturers in India has been comprehensively researched and prepared, to bring you a fully up to date guide to Indian alloys steel manufacturers industries.

Why spend hundreds of hours searching for new contacts? Invest in a copy today!


Source : www.businesswire.com (3/16/2009)

Jeep Launches Rocky Mountain Edition Models of Grand Cherokee, Liberty and Patriot  
AUBURN HILLS, Michigan — Jeep on Monday rolled out three 2009 Rocky Mountain Edition models designed to bundle popular features at a lower price. The 2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee, Liberty and Patriot Rocky Mountain Edition models will arrive in showrooms later this month.

The automaker said the "value option package" offers $2,300 worth of "popular customer features for only $1,595."

The Jeep Patriot Rocky Mountain Edition starts at $19,765, including shipping. It bundles such features as 17-inch aluminum wheels, a power sunroof, monochrome exterior paint, Boston Acoustics speakers and a leather-wrapped steering wheel with radio controls.

The Jeep Liberty Rocky Mountain Edition starts at $25,355, including shipping, and bundles 17-inch painted tech silver aluminum wheels, uconnect tunes 30-gigabyte radio, a power sunroof, deep-tinted glass and speed control.

The 2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee Rocky Mountain Edition starts at $32,825 and bundles 17-inch machined-faced aluminum wheels with gray painted pockets, power sunroof, Boston Acoustics sound system, uconnect tunes 30-gigabyte stereo and heated front seats.

Earlier this month, Jeep reported that Patriot sales were down 58 percent in February 2009 versus February 2008. Jeep Liberty sales declined 45 percent in the same time period, while Jeep Grand Cherokee sales were down 34 percent. However, Jeep Wrangler sales increased 28 percent year over year, which may explain why there is no Rocky Mountain Edition of that vehicle.


Source : www.edmunds.com (3/16/2009)

German Automotive Supplier To Set Up Operations in Saltillo, Mexico  
TUCSON, Ariz., -- AKT Altmarker Kunststoff-Technik GmbH of Gardelegen, Germany has signed a contract with The Offshore Group of Tucson, Arizona for the provision of outsourced manufacturing support, or "shelter" services in Saltillo, Mexico. The company has signed a lease agreement for the rental of 34,822 square feet of industrial space at The Offshore Group's La Angostura Industrial Park. AKT will join other German manufacturers OKE GmbH and Turck, Inc. at the site.

At the project's maturity AKT will employ approximately 83 direct labor employees. The company will manufacture injected molded parts for automotive industry applications.

According to Customer Business Unit Director, Roland Kluhspies, "Our decision to establish an operation in Mexico was predicated on a desire to offer our customers a low cost North American solution. We have great faith in the productivity of the workforce located at The Offshore Group's interior location at Saltillo."

AKT headquarters is in Gardelegen/Altmark, Germany. The company was founded in 1991 and is one of the leading manufacturers of plastic injection moulding parts.

AKT offers numerous products that have been further refined through finishing processes and is able to deliver painted parts, flocked parts and IMD foil parts as well as complex assembly for the interior, engine and safety and security areas.

With international locations in Europe and overseas, AKT is ideally positioned to meet the challenge of global competition.


Source : www.theautochannel.com (3/16/2009)

Sonic Automotive, Inc. Extends 10-K Filing Date  
CHARLOTTE, N.C., -- Sonic Automotive, Inc. , today announced that it has filed a Form 12b-25 with the Securities Exchange Commission to extend the filing date of its 2008 Annual Report on Form 10-K to March 31, 2009. The reasons for the extension of the filing date are set forth in the Form 12b-25. The Company will publish a time for the release of its fourth quarter and full year 2008 earnings at a later date.

The Company is continuing to work with its financial advisor, Moelis & Company, to address the Company's 2009 and 2010 debt maturities and is in discussions with certain of its creditors with respect thereto.


Source : http://www.automotive.com (3/16/2009)

Verenium Receives Audit Opinion Containing Going Concern Qualification  
CAMBRIDGE, Mass -- Verenium Corporation , a pioneer in the development of next-generation cellulosic ethanol and high-performance specialty enzymes, today announced that its Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on March 16, 2009 included an audit opinion that contained a going concern qualification.

This announcement is being made in order to comply with Nasdaq Marketplace Rule 4350(b)(1)(B), which requires any Nasdaq listed issuer that receives an audit opinion that contains a going concern qualification to make a public announcement to that effect.


Source : http://www.automotive.com (3/16/2009)

Tata Motors ties-up with State Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur  
In order to provide an added facility of car finance to its customers Tata Motors has inked a pact with State Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur for financing its range of passenger vehicles.

State Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur is part of the State Bank Group catering to the needs of industry as well as retail segment. The bank has pan India presence with about 860 branches spread all over the country.

Shares of Tata Motors gained Rs 3.55, or 2.2%, to trade at Rs 165.15. The total volume of shares traded was 548,330 at the BSE (12.30 p.m., Monday).


Source : myiris.com (3/16/2009)