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  Auto News

  http://carnewsandviews.com/?p=151
  35 days ago in Canadian Car News · Authority: 2

  Chrysler Proposes Joint Venture Chrysler LLC’s plan for a government rescue includes a proposal that the auto makers and federal government establish “an independent joint venture” to develop improved energy technology, such as batteries for electric and hybrid vehicles. Chrysler’s Next-Gen LX Cars To Be More Efficient Chrysler’s LX-based vehicles – the Dodge Charger and Chrysler 300 – aren’t exactly the most fuel-efficient vehicles on the road, but the next iterations of LX cars will be much more fuel friendly. Ford Increases F-150 Production Ford Motor Co. says a second shift will start making F-150 pickups at the automaker’s Kansas City Assembly Plant in Claycomo, Mo. Interview: Ford CEO Mulally Ford CEO Alan Mulally bombed last month in hearings before the Senate and House of Representatives in which Detroit’s Big Three automakers were asking for up to $25 billion in loans. GM Says It Could Fail Within Weeks Turning to Washington for a lifeline, General Motors Corp. has asked lawmakers for up to $18 billion to stave off collapse, promising in return to slash executive pay and jettison its poorly performing brands. Nationalize GM At the moment, D.C. and Detroit are brooding on a Morton’s Fork: Watch the American automakers auger in and take hundreds of thousands of jobs with them, or bail out these failed and incorrigible companies whose management so richly deserves whatever hell (flying coach?) awaits them. GM Serves Up Red Meat Having looked over the plans from Detroit’s three carmakers that will—they hope—get them financing from the federal government, I have to say that General Motors by far had the most sweeping action to try to remake itself. GM Talking To Investors About Saab General Motors is talking to potential investors who could take partial ownership in Saab. Jan-Ake Jonsson, managing director of the Swedish brand, said GM and Saab are talking to several investors about putting money into the Swedish company. Niche Brand Is Exactly What Pontiac Should Be General Motors’ plan to make Pontiac a niche brand is a public acknowledgment of where the brand was already headed, and a move that frees Pontiac to fill the role that suits it best in GM’s lineup. Honda Reveals 2009 Insight Honda took the wraps off its Insight hybrid earlier this year at the Paris Motor Show, but the model on display was merely a pre-production prototype. Can Honda Keep Defying Gravity? In the auto industry, sometimes it pays to avoid the recent fashion. In the late 1990s, when the mantra of auto consultants was that all but the biggest car companies must merge or die, Honda remained fiercely independent and flourished. Kia Says U.S. Plant On Schedule Kia Motors Corp., South Korea’s second-largest automaker, said Wednesday that construction of its first U.S. plant is proceeding on schedule and will open as planned late next year. VW Reveals Passat EcoFuel Concept Following the company’s Passat TSI EcoFuel wagon concept, Volkswagen has released a sedan version of the high-mileage platform. Canadian Auto Sales Down Canadian auto sales fell 10.3% in November after two months of meagre gains, signalling Canadians are finally feeling the buying jitters Americans have experienced for more than a year. Funereal November Sales In case members of Congress needed any more reminding why the domestic automakers are hat-in-hand before them this week, the 37 percent drop in November sales has provided them with the latest bleak snapshot of a moribund U.S. vehicle market. Car Sales Highlight Depth Of Detroit 3 Crisis U.S. auto makers continued to post sharp sales declines in November as General Motors Corp. reported a 41% plunge and lowered its fourth-quarter production forecast, underscoring why the struggling auto maker and its Detroit rivals are seeking federal assistance to help them through the current environment. Sweden Ready To Support, Not Buy, Saab And Volvo The Swedish government on Wednesday said it’s ready to support U.S.-owned automakers Volvo and Saab but doesn’t want to take over the troubled brands. Ottawa Urged To Focus On Auto Bailout The need to help the struggling auto industry and preserve 400,000 Ontario jobs has Premier Dalton McGuinty calling for a resolution “sooner rather than later” to the political crisis in Ottawa. $28 Billion To Save Detroit 3 The wounded Detroit Three auto makers increased their plea for emergency U.S. government help to $28-billion (U.S.) yesterday and the largest of them warned of imminent collapse and economic catastrophe if Washington denies the request. Detroit’s New Bill: $34 Billion The three U.S. car companies delivered their overhaul plans to Congress on Dec. 2, and asked for a total of $34 billion to get them through the financial crisis. UAW Nears Changes In Contract Leaders of the United Auto Workers union are close to signing off on changes to the 2007 labor contract with Detroit’s three auto makers, in a move that would relax job-security provisions and push back the date on when a new health-care trust becomes active. UAW Agrees To Suspend Jobs Bank The UAW has agreed to suspend the Jobs Bank program and allow the Detroit 3 to delay making payments to a retiree health care trust in 2010 to help the automakers through their cash crisis, UAW President Ron Gettelfinger said. Magna Unit To Shut A subsidiary of Magna International is closing an auto-parts plant in the province of Nova Scotia next year, leading to 260 lost jobs, CBC News reported on Tuesday. Hawaii Plans Electric Car Stations Hawaii has unveiled plans to be first U.S. state to roll out electric car stations statewide — a move the governor hailed as a major step toward weaning the islands off oil. Escalade Tops Most Stolen Vehicle List The Cadillac Escalade SUV is undoubtedly popular with a wide range of people, but especially so with car thieves, who made the 2007 Escalade ESV their number one choice for stealing this year. Hertz Takes Aim At Zipcar Hertz Corp. launched a car-sharing service called Connect by Hertz, which rents cars by the hour at about two dozen locations in New York, London, Paris and Park Ridge, N.J.

  • Photo of SueW

    Auto News

    http://uscarnewsandviews.com/?p=429
    35 days ago in U.S. Car News · Authority: 2

    Chrysler Proposes Joint Venture Chrysler LLC’s plan for a government rescue includes a proposal that the auto makers and federal government establish “an independent joint venture” to develop improved energy technology, such as batteries for electric and hybrid vehicles. Chrysler’s Next-Gen LX Cars To Be More Efficient Chrysler’s LX-based vehicles – the Dodge Charger and Chrysler 300 – aren’t exactly the most fuel-efficient vehicles on the road, but the next iterations of LX cars will be much more fuel friendly. Ford Increases F-150 Production Ford Motor Co. says a second shift will start making F-150 pickups at the automaker’s Kansas City Assembly Plant in Claycomo, Mo. Interview: Ford CEO Mulally Ford CEO Alan Mulally bombed last month in hearings before the Senate and House of Representatives in which Detroit’s Big Three automakers were asking for up to $25 billion in loans. GM Says It Could Fail Within Weeks Turning to Washington for a lifeline, General Motors Corp. has asked lawmakers for up to $18 billion to stave off collapse, promising in return to slash executive pay and jettison its poorly performing brands. GM Accepts Need For Cuts General Motors, increasingly desperate for a federal bailout to stave off financial collapse, told Congress on Tuesday that it was willing to drastically shrink every aspect of its operations to ensure its long-term survival. Nationalize GM At the moment, D.C. and Detroit are brooding on a Morton’s Fork: Watch the American automakers auger in and take hundreds of thousands of jobs with them, or bail out these failed and incorrigible companies whose management so richly deserves whatever hell (flying coach?) awaits them. GM Serves Up Red Meat Having looked over the plans from Detroit’s three carmakers that will—they hope—get them financing from the federal government, I have to say that General Motors by far had the most sweeping action to try to remake itself. GM Talking To Investors About Saab General Motors is talking to potential investors who could take partial ownership in Saab. Jan-Ake Jonsson, managing director of the Swedish brand, said GM and Saab are talking to several investors about putting money into the Swedish company. Niche Brand Is Exactly What Pontiac Should Be General Motors’ plan to make Pontiac a niche brand is a public acknowledgment of where the brand was already headed, and a move that frees Pontiac to fill the role that suits it best in GM’s lineup. Lead Director Pins GM’s Hopes On Rescue The lead outside director at the General Motors Corporation said Wednesday that bankruptcy was not a “viable approach” to saving the troubled auto giant, and pinned G.M.’s hopes for survival on getting $18 billion in aid from the federal government. Honda Reveals 2009 Insight Honda took the wraps off its Insight hybrid earlier this year at the Paris Motor Show, but the model on display was merely a pre-production prototype. Can Honda Keep Defying Gravity? In the auto industry, sometimes it pays to avoid the recent fashion. In the late 1990s, when the mantra of auto consultants was that all but the biggest car companies must merge or die, Honda remained fiercely independent and flourished. Kia Says U.S. Plant On Schedule Kia Motors Corp., South Korea’s second-largest automaker, said Wednesday that construction of its first U.S. plant is proceeding on schedule and will open as planned late next year. VW Reveals Passat EcoFuel Concept Following the company’s Passat TSI EcoFuel wagon concept, Volkswagen has released a sedan version of the high-mileage platform. Funereal November Sales In case members of Congress needed any more reminding why the domestic automakers are hat-in-hand before them this week, the 37 percent drop in November sales has provided them with the latest bleak snapshot of a moribund U.S. vehicle market. Auto Sales Plummet U.S. auto sales fell 36.7 percent in November, their lowest level since October 1982. Car Sales Highlight Depth Of Detroit 3 Crisis U.S. auto makers continued to post sharp sales declines in November as General Motors Corp. reported a 41% plunge and lowered its fourth-quarter production forecast, underscoring why the struggling auto maker and its Detroit rivals are seeking federal assistance to help them through the current environment. Sweden Ready To Support, Not Buy, Saab And Volvo The Swedish government on Wednesday said it’s ready to support U.S.-owned automakers Volvo and Saab but doesn’t want to take over the troubled brands. Detroit’s New Bill: $34 Billion The three U.S. car companies delivered their overhaul plans to Congress on Dec. 2, and asked for a total of $34 billion to get them through the financial crisis. UAW Nears Changes In Contract Leaders of the United Auto Workers union are close to signing off on changes to the 2007 labor contract with Detroit’s three auto makers, in a move that would relax job-security provisions and push back the date on when a new health-care trust becomes active. Hundreds Gather Hundreds of United Auto Workers locals have converged at the Marriott Hotel in the Renaissance Center this morning, and many are prepared to be asked by top UAW leaders to reopen national labor agreements that will allow for a vast overhaul of the way autoworkers are paid, the health and retiree benefits they receive, and determine how many will hold on to their jobs. UAW Agrees To Suspend Jobs Bank The UAW has agreed to suspend the Jobs Bank program and allow the Detroit 3 to delay making payments to a retiree health care trust in 2010 to help the automakers through their cash crisis, UAW President Ron Gettelfinger said. Automakers Need A Decision Detroit needs a decision. Now. Forget more flogging of the auto company CEOs. Enough of the grandstanding and blame game in Washington Situation Is Far Worse Than Thought A teetering General Motors Corp. says it needs $12 billion in cash — a third of it by the end of this month — and a $6 billion credit line to make it into next year. Would it be enough? Hawaii Plans Electric Car Stations Hawaii has unveiled plans to be first U.S. state to roll out electric car stations statewide — a move the governor hailed as a major step toward weaning the islands off oil. Escalade Tops Most Stolen Vehicle List The Cadillac Escalade SUV is undoubtedly popular with a wide range of people, but especially so with car thieves, who made the 2007 Escalade ESV their number one choice for stealing this year. Hertz Takes Aim At Zipcar Hertz Corp. launched a car-sharing service called Connect by Hertz, which rents cars by the hour at about two dozen locations in New York, London, Paris and Park Ridge, N.J.

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