Suzuki 2010
BMW 2010
By Sam Mitani
BMW announced at the New York Auto Show
The B7 reaches dealerships in April. The car starts at $122,875. The long-wheelbase model begins at $126,775, and the awd xDrive model starts at about
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Research Sports Cars Chevrolet 2010
Research Sports Cars Chevrolet 2010
The best sports cars are wickedly fast, have razor-sharp handling and pretty much guarantee you’ll be smiling after every drive. Yet when it comes to resale value, many of these dream machines can turn into a money-losing nightmare due to huge depreciation.However, some sports cars manage to buck the trend and hold onto their value year after year. Cars like the Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport and Porsche 911 Carrera have built enormous fan bases after many decades of production. Others, like the Jaguar XK and Audi S5, woo buyers by managing to balance driving thrills with elegant exteriors and a modicum of practicality.Of course, there are also sports cars that are simply the hottest must-have machines of the moment. The Nissan GT-R manages to defy physics with its incredible grip on the road. And the electric-powered Tesla Roadster allows its lucky owner all the pleasures of driving a nimble sports car in one guilt-free, zero-emissions package.
2010 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport
When the first Corvette arrived back in 1953, it really wasn’t much of a sports car. The anemic “Blue Flame” inline-6 engine provided pilot light-levels of performance. Over the years, Chevrolet added a V-8 engine, independent rear suspension, and a near-constant updates to its flagship sports car.Today’s Corvette, especially in Grand Sport trim, remains one of the best performance bargains on the market. No wonder Corvettes have some of the industry’s strongest resale values. The Grand Sport starts at $55,720, which is approximately $6,000 more than a base Corvette. Trust us, the extra money is worth it. A handbuilt 430-bhp V-8 engine, and the same brakes and tires as the fire-breathing (and vastly more expensive) Z06, conspire to make the Grand Sport the best deal in the value-packed Corvette lineup.
Research New Cars automotive
Research New Cars automotive
By: Jeff VothIt’s summertime and the living is easy.
Unfortunately the driving is most likely not. Hot weather, especially in regions of the United States that experience a significant change of season, can be tough on your vehicle. Here are several tips to make commuting to work or taking that long-awaited family road trip a little easier to deal with.
* It may seem obvious, but so many of us forget to have regular checkups performed on our automobiles. One of the most important things you can do to make sure your vehicle is ready for summer is to maintain the engine. More commonly referred to as a tune-up, this service should be completed by a professional mechanic to make sure the job is done right.
* Be aware that different service centers offer different types of tune-ups. Ask questions and find out what your mechanic includes in their service. A quality tune-up will change the spark plugs if necessary and run a precise series of diagnostic tests and adjustments to maintain top engine performance.
* Tune-ups do not normally include: oil changes, chassis lubrication, brake work or inspection, tire rotation, balancing, or alignment, or transmission fluid flush. As a general rule it is a good idea to make sure these tasks are completed at the same time.
* Check your vehicle owner’s manual for a detailed service schedule and stick to it. Putting off engine maintenance may result in a breakdown in the middle of your morning commute or vacation, thus ruining your drive to work or that highly anticipated getaway. Regular maintenance goes a long way in helping keep the peace with your vehicle and the rest of the family.
Check Vehicle Fluids Regularly
Oil should be changed every 7,500 miles or once a year, whichever comes first. If you use synthetic oil, such as the new Pennzoil Ultra set to be released this fall, recommended oil changes will be less often. When changing your oil, it is also important to change the oil filter at the same time. A dirty filter is not something you want contaminating new oil.Coolant and antifreeze are the same fluid. Change these fluids once a year and be sure to flush the entire system to remove any built-up deposits. Ask your mechanic to check all hoses for any cracks or wear and tear.Brake and steering fluids are critical to the operation of your vehicle. Open the hood and look to make sure proper levels are maintained, or have your mechanic go over the vehicle at every oil change. Check your wiper blades on a regular basis and be sure to have plenty of washer fluid in the reservoir and an extra container in the trunk just in case. Driving around with a dirty, streaky windshield is never a good idea.
Keep Your Tires Inflated
Maintaining your tires is an easy task that only takes a few minutes and will save money and potential headaches down the road.Always make sure your tires are properly inflated. Under-inflated tires cause unnecessary stress on the rubber, with the result being early and irregular tread wear. We can all benefit from a little improvement in fuel economy--proper tire inflation helps with this as well.As funny as it may sound, get to know how your tires look when they are properly inflated. Recognizing any change in inflation while approaching your vehicle becomes a little easier if you know what they look like at peak inflation. Keep a tire pressure gauge in the glove box and use it on a regular basis to check your tires. Refer to your owner's manual for correct tire inflation rates. Do not use the figure posted on the sidewall of the tire. This is the maximum tire pressure allowed, not the proper tire pressure for everyday driving.Before a trip, check the spare tire to confirm it's secure and properly inflated. Also, make sure you know where the tire jack is and how to use it. As a way to become more comfortable with your automobile, get the family together and practice changing a tire before you leave. If your vehicle is equipped with a small spare tire, or foam filler as is the case with many new cars today, learn the basics of what to do in an emergency. If you are a member of an auto club, keep the number in your glove box as well as stored on your cell phone.
Develop an Emergency Kit
Now that your vehicle is all set for summer, you should take some time to develop an emergency kit to be stored in the trunk of your vehicle just in case something unforeseen happens. Here is a list of some of the essential items to include.
* @Energy bars
* @Water bottles (change every six months)
* Emergency blanket
* @Extra clothing and shoes
* First aid kit
* @Road maps
* @Whistle
* Collapsible shovel
* @Scraper and snowbrush (if applicable to your climate)
* @Candle and matches
*@ Flashlight (preferably wind-up)
* @Jumper cables
* @Road flares (minimum 2)
* @Electrical tape
* @Fire extinguisher
Included in every emergency kit should be a multi-purpose tool such as the new “Rescue Tool” by Victorinox. Developed in co-operation with emergency medical and rescue services, features include a window breaker, wire stripper, one-handed blade, Phillips screwdriver, and belt cutter among others.
Wear Sunglasses While Driving
ZZ Top recommends buying a cheap pair of sunglasses in their classic song from 1980. While this may be a great back-up plan for the glove box, a pair of quality driving glasses is a much smarter way to go.Most experts recommend polarized lens as they dramatically reduce haze and glare, reduce eye fatigue, and allow the wearer to see objects more clearly. Manufacturers such as Serengeti Eyewear use distortion-free optical glass. Heavier than the plastic lenses found in less expense eyewear, glass absorbs 100% of UVB rays and no less than 98.5% of harmful UVA rays. New retro designs from Serengeti include Vasio and Fontana, so style is never a concern.While it may seem obvious for adults to include a quality pair of sunglasses as part of their regular commute or family trip, kids benefit just as much if not more. As reported on the website allaboutvision.com, experts believe our eyes get 80 percent of their total lifetime exposure to the sun's UV rays by age 18. The website goes on to state; “since excessive lifetime exposure to UV radiation has been linked to the development of cataracts and other eye problems, it's never too early for kids to begin wearing good quality sunglasses outdoors”.
Conclusion
Summer drives are an experience to be shared with fellow commuters on the road and hopefully our families on vacation or weekend road trip. With a little planning and vehicle maintenance, it is certain to be more about the drive and less about unwanted stops. Plan for things to go wrong at some point and when they do the pain will be a little less stressful. For those times when all is right, put on the shades and let the go times roll.
new concept Cars Hyundai Sonata 2009 of New York
new concept Cars Hyundai Sonata 2009 of New York
By Mike Monticello
* The 11th concept car penned by Hyundai's California Design Center in Irvine is called the Nuvis. Sporting gullwing doors, the Nuvis is noteworthy for two reasons: First, its hybrid drivetrain will find its way into the next-generation Hyundai Sonata, and second, Hyundai says the concept's styling hints at what the Santa Fe's replacement could look like.
* Hyundai's Hybrid Blue Drive architecture combines a 2.4-liter 4-cylinder (known as the Theta II) with a 30- kW electric motor, the last also producing 151 lb.-ft. of torque. The total estimated output of 228 bhp is put to the road via a 6-speed automatic transmission. Hyundai says the Nuvis's lithium polymer batteries, which are stored underneath the trunk floor, are more durable and space efficient than nickel-metal hydride and lithium- ion versions.
* As a parallel hybrid, the Nuvis can be driven in all-electric mode, gasoline-engine-only mode as well as any combination thereof. Engine management software automatically shuts off the gasoline engine when the Nuvis comes to a stop, improving overall fuel mileage and providing zero emissions, while Hyundai's Integrated Starter Generator (ISG) restarts the engine once pressure is applied to the accelerator pedal.
* Besides optimized engine-management software for the Theta II, fuel consumption is further reduced by using electric assist for the vehicle's steering system and air-conditioning compressor, as well as through the use of low-rolling-resistance tires. Hyundai estimates the 188.3-in. long and 3400 lb. Nuvis would achieve fuel ratings of 34 mpg city/35 mpg highway.
* Hyundai says the Nuvis's radical styling "hints at a possible design direction for a future-generation crossover," most likely the next Santa Fe or its replacement, although don't count on the production vehicle using those gullwing doors! The staff at the California Design Center "studied the way water splits across and flows around the hull and sides of a boat" in creating the Nuvis, to form the illusion of constant motion.* The large gullwing doors open to a luxurious 4-seat cabin with a "cascading" floor and ambient blue lighting. The seat fabric is made from 100-percent reclaimed soda bottles, while the seatbelts were made by Harveys Original Seatbeltbags (they make handbags out of seatbelts); Harveys also provided two matching handbags for the Nuvis.
* The Nuvis's instrument panel streams information throughout the cabin, with passengers able to access each other via Methode Electronics TouchSense technology that links all four seats; after all, why go to the trouble of actually talking to one another?
New Output Cars 2010 Nissan Leaf
New Output Cars 2010 Nissan LeafBy Jeff Voth
The coming introduction of the Nissan LEAF marks a major milestone for the future of personal urban driving. The LEAF is different from all other “green” vehicles currently on the market. It is a true battery-powered electric automobile: not a hybrid with multiple power sources, but an electric-only, five-seat, five-door sedan. Plug it in at home, drive a maximum of 100 miles to the office and back, then recharge it at the end of the day. It doesn’t get much easier than that. Unlike the Chevrolet Volt, which undoubtedly gets closer to reality with each passing month, the Nissan LEAF is set for a December launch this year. In the U.S., a $99 placeholder fee is all that it takes to get your name on the list of prospective buyers.
So what’s the catch? Surely it can’t be that simple.
It may seem obvious to say, but to be effective, the Nissan LEAF needs access to electricity. The most convenient way to recharge the LEAF is in your home. With this in mind, Nissan partnered with AeroVironment Inc. to design and install a simple 220-volt home charging dock. Compact and weatherproof, it easily fits inside your garage or outside, where convenient charging can take place.Should you decide to purchase a Nissan LEAF, an appointment is scheduled for installation of the charging dock. A certified electrician will assess your home and within 24 hours provide a quote for the cost of installation. Tax credits may be available for up to $2,000 to help offset the cost.Assuming all goes according to plan, the main concern for recharging the Nissan LEAF on a daily basis is most likely not when you arrive at home. Instead, the biggest obstacle to mass acceptance may be our daily commute to the office, or the possibility of a weekend or longer drive that exceeds 100 miles.To best charge the Nissan LEAF, a 480-volt power source is required. With 480-volts, the vehicle can achieve 80% capacity in just 30 minutes. Working with federal, state, and local governments, Nissan is already discussing plans to add this plug-and-go technology in the near future. Urban centers such as Seattle, Phoenix, Tucson, and various cities in California and Oregon are all looking at ways to simplify the charging process. Considerations demand a timely but effective response, as Nissan is not the only automaker bringing new electric cars to market. The Mitsubishi i-MiEV, MINI E, and Chevrolet Volt are already testing, and should be released soon after the Nissan LEAF.With so much yet to be done to integrate electric cars into everyday life, is the time right for an all-electric automobile? The simple though not-so-obvious answer to this question is an emphatic yes!Mark McDade, director of marketing at Nissan Canada, believes there are four main reasons why now is the time to turn over a new LEAF in the auto industry:* First, President Obama has announced his goal: By 2050, vehicles must reduce emissions by 83%. Even the most optimistic of us realizes that any chance of achieving this enormous reduction requires time and a vast commitment to future technologies. The LEAF is a first step for Nissan in the direction needed to achieve this goal.* Second, the price of oil is certain to dictate the types of technology propelling us forward in the future. At today’s rate of $80 a barrel for oil, the concern to burn less is very real, but panic has yet to hit the market. Many analysts believe $100 a barrel will soon be reality, while some alarmists claim it may not be too long before $200 is the norm.* Third, the current mindset of the consumer understands that change is underway, and is looking for alternative solutions. As Mr. McDade stated when interviewed for this story, "A pure electric vehicle delivers this in spades."* Fourth, and perhaps the most significant at Nissan, according to Mr. McDade, is that the electric automobile is ready now. Nissan began testing batteries as an alternative power source back in the 1940s and has been working in earnest for the past 20+ years. The most visible applications from recent history include the Nissan Altra EV introduced at the 1998 Los Angeles International Auto Show, and the two-seater Nissan Hypermini one year later. The 2011 Nissan LEAF is the culmination of Nissan's vast experience and demonstrates just how far the technology has come.
Conclusion
A transformation is underway in the auto industry. The time for alternative power is now, and whether we like it or not, our relationship with the automobile is certain to be different. Some will resist, others will embrace the new reality. The Nissan LEAF is hereNissan LEAF SpecificationsEngine: 80 kW AC synchronous electric motor24 kWh lithium-ion battery3.3 kW onboard chargerSteering: Vehicle speed-sensitive power assistedBrakes: Power 4-disc regenerative, ABS/BA/EBDAir Bags: 2 front, 2 side, side curtainTop Speed: 90 mphCompetitors: Chevrolet Volt, MINI E, Mitsubishi i-MiEVMSRP: $32,780 (as low as $25,280 after tax savings
Will Cadillac finally get a flagship?
Will Cadillac finally get a flagship?
Rick Kranz is product editor for Automotive News.
Mercedes-Benz has a flagship, the S-class sedan.
BMW has the 7 series. Audi, the A8; and Lexus, the LS sedan.
What is Cadillac's flagship? Zip. But that might change mid-decade.
GM reportedly has revived work on developing a flagship model for Cadillac, Motor Trend reports in its August issue. If approved, the car would likely be a large, low-volume model that would help define the brand.
Today, Cadillac is a hodgepodge of models with its most significant car its smallest, the CTS. One car magazine calls the CTS and CTS-V the best American car ever made. Its biggest and least significant car, the DTS sedan, will end production sometime next year. The STS sedan also is heading to the graveyard.
Cadillac's car line is on the verge of a renaissance. The all-wheel drive XTS sedan is expected late next year, developed on a premium version of GM's global mid-sized vehicle platform. The car's dimensions are similar to those of the Cadillac Seville of the 1990s.
The XTS Platinum concept debuted at the Detroit auto show earlier this year and displays the styling intended for the car. The press loved it.
A year or so later, the ATS will debut, a rear-drive model line that is smaller than the CTS and viewed as a 3-series fighter. A four-door sedan is expected first, followed by a coupe and possibly a convertible. That will be followed by the redesigned CTS, which will be smaller than today's CTS to separate it from the XTS.
As for a Cadillac flagship, there's no word on timing or whether the car would be front/awd or rwd if approved for production.
Former Vice Chairman Bob Lutz had talked about creating a flagship for Cadillac during his years at GM. The V-16 powered Cadillac Sixteen concept turned heads in 2003 when it debuted at the Detroit auto show. It still does today. But that design is now seven years old, so a fresh, new approach would be expected.
Some order is coming to the disorder in Cadillac's car line, and a jaw-dropping flagship is just what Cadillac needs to draw attention to the brand and what appears to be an exciting new car line.
You can reach Rick Kranz at rkranz@crain.com.
Influence of electric vehicles already permeates the industry
Influence of electric vehicles already permeates the industry
James B. Treece is the industry editor for Automotive News.
Electric vehicles have already begun to transform the auto industry.
Some folks say the transformation will begin this autumn with the arrival of the Nissan Leaf and Chevrolet Volt. These are mass-market EVs that go far beyond those already on the market, which are mainly either glorified golf carts or high-tech Ferrari alternatives.
But consider the ways that the changes already have begun:
• Carl Hahn, Volkswagen AG's chairman emeritus, says, "The greatest contribution of the electric car today has been the acceleration of the development of the internal combustion engine."
That's an exaggeration. Tougher regulations on fuel economy and emissions in countries from the United States to Europe to China are prompting automakers to squeeze greater efficiencies out of their gasoline and diesel engines.
But it also is true that the research on electric vehicles overlaps with that into electrified hybrids, sharply improving the performance of traditional engines.
• Anything that drains power in a car, particularly so-called parasitic losses that don’t help to move the vehicle, will compete with the motor for an EV’s battery power. So automakers and parts suppliers are working overtime to raise the efficiency of electrically powered parts such as air conditioner compressors. The result will be far more efficient components, even beyond the powertrain, for all vehicles.
• The prospect of EVs is sparking research into a broad range of seemingly unrelated technologies. Take sound insulation. EVs lack the roar of a motor to mask road and wind noise. Consumers could be put off by levels of those noises that seem much louder than what they're used to. So noise-insulation suppliers are stepping up their efforts in innovation.
• EVs -- even if they aren't on the road yet -- already are lifting the images of the companies that plan to make them.
That's certainly true for GM, which protected the Volt's development budget even when the automaker was slashing other new-product spending while in bankruptcy. It saw the Volt as critical to upgrading its technological image among consumers.
GM isn't alone. BYD Auto of China has shown or talked about a coming EV at Chinese auto shows for years. The car still isn't on the market. But, notes a Korean auto-industry executive I spoke with in Seoul recently, BYD's sales in China have outpaced the overall market most of the last year or two.
He surmised that BYD's strong sales were due in part to Chinese consumers' believing that if BYD could make an EV, the company must be technically more advanced than consumers previously believed.
You can reach James B. Treece at jtreece@crain.com.
Could outsourcing pickets be a solution?
Could outsourcing pickets be a solution?
David Barkholz covers IT and labor for Automotive News
UAW President Bob King's activist agenda includes having rank-and-file members demonstrate at Toyota dealers. I wonder how long that can be sustained.
King might consider a front-page story in the The Wall Street Journal today headlined: "To Protest Hiring of Nonunion Help, Union Hires Nonunion Pickets."
The story isn't about the UAW; it details how other unions and organizations are hiring the unemployed, often at minimum wage, to march in protests or to promote various causes.
Pretty crafty.
The Journal story says the Mid-Atlantic Regional Council of Carpenters hired picketers in front of offices in Washington, D.C., that leadership said was using nonunion labor. A union official unabashedly said it's hard to get busy members to turn out for such tasks.
Auto workers certainly fall into that same camp. After a hard week on an assembly line or stamping plant, the last thing a worker wants to do is give up some rest time to picket rather than spend time with family or run errands.
King says demonstrations against Toyota (he calls it "bannering") are under way at dealerships in California and New York. They are protesting to pressure Toyota to unionize its U.S. plants and punish the company for closing NUMMI this year after General Motors pulled out last year.
When will it end? I don't know - the union isn't publicizing an end date -- but how long can the protest go on?
Hiring people to collect signatures in political campaigns or on ballot issues is routine these days.
Might it become fashionable in labor circles to hire picketers?
Contact Automotive News
An industry that’s lean to a flaw
An industry that’s lean to a flaw
Lindsay Chappell is the Mid-South bureau chief for Automotive News in Nashville Tenn.
There’s an industry lesson to be considered from last week’s production crash at Nissan Motor Co. But it’s not the obvious one.
Nissan lost about 20,000 vehicles from its production schedules in Tennessee, Mississippi and Japan because it couldn’t get enough fuel-injection control units from Hitachi Ltd.
Hitachi couldn’t make the controllers because it couldn’t get enough semiconductors from Swiss supplier STMicroelectronics NV. STMicroelectronics couldn’t supply enough semiconductors because everybody and his brother are now clamoring for more at the same time.
The obvious lesson here is that the industry -- and the planet -- needs more semiconductor production capacity.
But that’s not the real lesson.
The real lesson is that the auto industry needs more warehouses.
“Warehouse” is deemed to be an impolite term these days. If you store parts in a warehouse, you’re running a bad business, the thinking goes. You don’t have a lean operation and therefore aren’t cost-competitive. Inventories on shelves aren’t where they are supposed to be.
Warehouses cost money to operate. Supply chains that require them are thick and lazy and wasteful. And the whole scenario fosters poor quality.
This is what the industry has memorized over the past two decades of re-education.
On the other hand, there stood Nissan for several recent days, a very lean and cost-efficient global supply chain, with factory lines halted and the lights turned off on two continents.
Which is worse?
Maybe warehoused inventory is, indeed, a symbol of supply-chain imprecision. But automaking today is a little like tightrope walking: Even the best tightrope walker likes to have a safety net below.
You can reach Lindsay Chappell at lchappell@crain.com.
Nissan made a shrewd move
Nissan made a shrewd move
By: Dave Guilford is enterprise editor of Automotive News.
Chrysler dealers might want to reach for the Rolaids before reading this, but I think Renault/Nissan made a shrewd move in latching on to Jim Press.
Press is an adviser to the company, working with dealers. If nothing else, that means that he is officially no longer radioactive after his disastrous stint at Chrysler.
Press earned the undying enmity of some Chrysler dealers -- we're talking extreme vitriol -- when the company did its mass-rejection of dealers last year.
Press claims that he argued against the hasty, ill-considered move. Even without knowing exactly what debate took place in the Auburn Hills executive suite, I'm not convinced that Press deserved the level of blame that he got from dealers.
The funny thing is that Toyota dealers still respect the guy who led them to enormous success in the United States.
My take?
•First, Press probably wasn't as bad as he looked in a failing company with no cash and weak brands. And he probably wasn't quite as brilliant as he looked in a fantastically successful, cash-rich company with extremely strong brands.
•Second, although Toyota's latter-day strength no doubt inflated Press' aura of infallibility, he did play a big role in building that strength. Press spent decades nurturing Toyota's dealer organization and selling cars. He probably hasn't forgotten how to do those things.
You can reach Dave Guilford at dguilford@crain.com.
Automotive News
Could outsourcing pickets be a solution?
By: David Barkholz covers IT and labor for Automotive News
UAW President Bob King's activist agenda includes having rank-and-file members demonstrate at Toyota dealers. I wonder how long that can be sustained.
King might consider a front-page story in the The Wall Street Journal today headlined: "To Protest Hiring of Nonunion Help, Union Hires Nonunion Pickets."
The story isn't about the UAW; it details how other unions and organizations are hiring the unemployed, often at minimum wage, to march in protests or to promote various causes.
Pretty crafty.
The Journal story says the Mid-Atlantic Regional Council of Carpenters hired picketers in front of offices in Washington, D.C., that leadership said was using nonunion labor. A union official unabashedly said it's hard to get busy members to turn out for such tasks.
Auto workers certainly fall into that same camp. After a hard week on an assembly line or stamping plant, the last thing a worker wants to do is give up some rest time to picket rather than spend time with family or run errands.
King says demonstrations against Toyota (he calls it "bannering") are under way at dealerships in California and New York. They are protesting to pressure Toyota to unionize its U.S. plants and punish the company for closing NUMMI this year after General Motors pulled out last year.
When will it end? I don't know - the union isn't publicizing an end date -- but how long can the protest go on?
Hiring people to collect signatures in political campaigns or on ballot issues is routine these days.
Might it become fashionable in labor circles to hire picketers?
By: David Barkholz covers IT and labor for Automotive News
UAW President Bob King's activist agenda includes having rank-and-file members demonstrate at Toyota dealers. I wonder how long that can be sustained.
King might consider a front-page story in the The Wall Street Journal today headlined: "To Protest Hiring of Nonunion Help, Union Hires Nonunion Pickets."
The story isn't about the UAW; it details how other unions and organizations are hiring the unemployed, often at minimum wage, to march in protests or to promote various causes.
Pretty crafty.
The Journal story says the Mid-Atlantic Regional Council of Carpenters hired picketers in front of offices in Washington, D.C., that leadership said was using nonunion labor. A union official unabashedly said it's hard to get busy members to turn out for such tasks.
Auto workers certainly fall into that same camp. After a hard week on an assembly line or stamping plant, the last thing a worker wants to do is give up some rest time to picket rather than spend time with family or run errands.
King says demonstrations against Toyota (he calls it "bannering") are under way at dealerships in California and New York. They are protesting to pressure Toyota to unionize its U.S. plants and punish the company for closing NUMMI this year after General Motors pulled out last year.
When will it end? I don't know - the union isn't publicizing an end date -- but how long can the protest go on?
Hiring people to collect signatures in political campaigns or on ballot issues is routine these days.
Might it become fashionable in labor circles to hire picketers?
More people selling, fewer turning to trade-ins
More people selling, fewer turning to trade-ins
By: ARLENA SAWYERS
With the industrywide shortage of used cars and trucks and the sky-high price tags attached to those that are available, dealers more than ever before depend on trade-ins to help stock their used-car inventories.
So FYI:
Fewer people are trading in their vehicles when they buy a new car or truck and instead are opting to sell the vehicles themselves, according to Kelley Blue Book.
A Kelley study conducted in the third quarter of 2009 found that 64 percent of consumers plan to trade in their old vehicles while 13 percent planned to sell the vehicles themselves.
By the second quarter of 2010, the percentage of car buyers who planned to trade in their vehicle dropped to 56 percent and those who planned to sell their vehicle privately increased to 21 percent.
Kelley says people are trying to get more money for their old vehicles and are willing to go through the hassle of selling it themselves.
Just thought I'd pass it along.
You can reach Arlena Sawyers at asawyers@crain.com.
Customizing your interior1
Customizing your interior
By: James B. Treece is industry editor for Automotive News
SEMA, that annual extravaganza of customized autos, is going to get even more exuberant.
A few weeks ago, Automotive News reported on a new exterior side lighting technology from Magna International Inc.: www.autonews.com/article/20100628/OEM06/306289968/1143
It shines light on the ground beside a car from LED bulbs placed underneath the front and rear door handles.
ENLARGE
Magna's light can project a logo -- like the famous Bat Signal.
That provides an improved lighting surface compared with lamps placed under exterior mirrors. But the real benefit is that the lights also can shine Bat signal-style logos on the ground.
I can imagine members of Steeler Nation wanting to beam the logo of their favorite Pittsburgh football team onto the parking lot ground before Monday Night Football. That'd be way cooler than a plain old bumper sticker.
ENLARGE
Now you can pick your own interior.
Now interiors specialist International Automotive Components has come up with an interior innovation along the same customizing lines.
At various places on the interior of a car - say, on the side of your door -- there are horizontal strips that typically are designed to match the rest of the instrument panel, whether fake wood or some form of textured plastic. Today, the factory decides what that should look like. But why shouldn't that be your call? And why should it match the rest of the interior?
IAC has developed a way to place any design you want on that strip. It places the decorative design on top of an injection-molded substrate, which can be translucent with a backlight enhancing the image, and then covers it with a clear overmolded layer. Known as DeepClear, the decorative appliqué technology means that if the design can be printed, it can be put on the interior of your door.
The designs I saw during a recent visit to one of IAC's r&d centers ranged from delicate Japanese washi paper to a not-exactly-delicate photo of barbed wire.
You may think that this opens the way to jarring interiors. A consumer might combine a refined leather instrument panel with images of skulls or Satan worship or sappy pictures of his grandchildren. But what offends you might appeal to the guy with five tattoos and six body piercings.
Let a thousand customizing flowers bloom.
You can reach James B. Treece at jtreece@crain.com.
Automotive Definitions
1.1. ASTM. -- The American Society for Testing and Materials means the national voluntary consensus standards organization formed for the development of standards on characteristics and performance of materials, products, systems, and services, and the promotion of related knowledge.1.2. Antiknock Index (AKI). -- means the arithmetic average of the Research Octane Number (RON) and Motor Octane Number (MON): AKI = (RON+MON)/2. This value is called by a variety of names, in addition to antiknock index, including: octane rating, posted octane, (R+M)/2 octane. 1.4. Automotive Gasoline, Automotive Gasoline-Oxygenate Blend. -- means a type of fuel suitable for use in spark ignition automobile engines and also commonly used in marine and non-automotive applications.1.5. Aviation Gasoline. -- means a type of gasoline suitable for use as a fuel in an aviation spark-ignition internal combustion engine.1.6. Aviation Turbine Fuel. -- means a refined middle distillate suitable for use as a fuel in an aviation gas turbine internal combustion engine.1.7. Base Gasoline. -- means all components other than ethanol in a blend of gasoline and ethanol.1.8. Biodiesel. -- means a blend consisting of diesel fuel and a substantial amount of esterified animal fats and/or vegetable oil(s).1.9. Cetane Index. -- means an approximation of the cetane number of distillate diesel fuel, which does not contain a cetane improver additive, calculated from the density and distillation measurements.1.10. Cetane Number. -- means a numerical measure of the ignition performance of a diesel fuel obtained by comparing it to reference fuels in a standardized engine test.1.11. Compressed Natural Gas (CNG). -- means natural gas which has been compressed and dispensed into fuel storage containers and is suitable for use as an engine fuel.1.12. Denatured Fuel Ethanol. -- means "ethanol" as defined in § 1.19. below. 1.13. Diesel Fuel. -- means a refined middle distillate suitable for use as a fuel in a compression-ignition (diesel) internal combustion engine.1.14. Distillate. -- means any product obtained by condensing the vapors given off by boiling petroleum or its products.1.15. EPA. -- means the United States Environmental Protection Agency. 1.16. E85 Fuel Ethanol. -- means a blend of ethanol and hydrocarbons of which the ethanol portion is nominally 85 to 75 volume percent denatured fuel ethanol. 1.17. Engine Fuel. -- means any liquid or gaseous matter used for the generation of power in an internal combustion engine.1.18. Engine Fuels Designed for Special Use. -- means engine fuels designated by the Director as requiring registration. These fuels normally do not have ASTM or other national consensus standards applying to their quality or usability; common special fuels are racing fuels and those intended for agricultural and other off-road applications.1.19. Ethanol. -- also known as "Denatured Fuel Ethanol," means nominally anhydrous ethyl alcohol meeting ASTM D 4806 standards. It is intended to be blended with gasoline for use as a fuel in a spark-ignition internal combustion engine. The denatured fuel ethanol is first made unfit for drinking by the addition of Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (BATF) approved substances before blending with gasoline. 1.20. Fuel Oil. -- means a refined oil middle distillates, heavy distillates, or residues of refining, or blends of these, suitable for use as a fuel for heating or power generation, the classification of which shall be defined by ASTM D 396.1.21. Gasoline. -- means a volatile mixture of liquid hydrocarbons generally containing small amounts of additives suitable for use as a fuel in a spark-ignition internal combustion engine. 1.22. Gasoline-Alcohol Blend. -- means a fuel consisting primarily of gasoline and a substantial amount (more than 0.35 mass percent of oxygen, or more than 0.15 mass percent of oxygen if methanol is the only oxygenate) of one or more alcohols.1.23. Gasoline Gallon Equivalent (GGE). -- Gasoline gallon equivalent (GGE) means 2.567 kg (5.660 lb) of natural gas. 1.24. Gasoline Liter Equivalent (GLE). -- Gasoline liter equivalent (GLE) means 0.678 kg (1.495 lb) of natural gas. 1.25. Gasoline-Oxygenate Blend. -- means a fuel consisting primarily of gasoline along with a substantial amount (more than 0.35 mass percent of oxygen, or more than 0.15 mass percent of oxygen if methanol is the only oxygenate) of one or more oxygenates.1.26. Kerosene . -- (or "Kerosine") means a refined middle distillate suitable for use as a fuel for heating or illuminating, the classification of which shall be defined by ASTM D 3699.1.27. Lead Substitute. -- means an EPA-registered gasoline additive suitable, when added in small amounts to fuel, to reduce or prevent exhaust valve recession (or seat wear) in automotive spark-ignition internal combustion engines designed to operate on leaded fuel. 1.28. Lead Substitute Engine Fuel. -- means, for labeling purposes, a gasoline or gasoline-oxygenate blend that contains a "lead substitute." 1.29. Leaded. -- means, for labeling purposes, any gasoline or gasoline-oxygenate blend which contains more than 0.013 g of lead per liter (0.05 g lead per U.S. gal). NOTE: EPA defines leaded fuel as one which contains more than 0.0013 g of phosphorus per liter (0.005 g per U.S. gal), or any fuel to which lead or phosphorus is intentionally added.1.30. Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG). -- means natural gas that has been liquefied at -126.1 C ( 259 F) and stored in insulated cryogenic tanks for use as an engine fuel.1.31. Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG). -- means a mixture of normally gaseous hydrocarbons, predominantly propane, or butane, or both, that has been liquefied by compression or cooling, or both to facilitate storage, transport, and handling. 1.32. Low Sulfur. -- means low sulfur diesel fuel that meets ASTM D 975 (e.g., Grade Low Sulfur No. 1-D or Grade Low Sulfur No. 2-D) standards. Diesel fuel containing higher amounts of sulfur for off-road use is defined by EPA regulations. 1.33. Low Temperature Operability. -- means a condition which allows the uninterrupted operation of a diesel engine through the continuous flow of fuel throughout its fuel delivery system at low temperatures. Fuels with adequate low temperature operability characteristics have the ability to avoid wax precipitation and clogging in fuel filters. (Added 1998)(Amended 1999)1.34. Lubricity. -- a qualitative term describing the ability of a fluid to affect friction between, and wear to, surfaces in relative motion under load. (Added 2003)1.35. M100 Fuel Methanol. -- means nominally anhydrous methyl alcohol, generally containing small amounts of additives, suitable for use as a fuel in a compression-ignition internal combustion engine.1.36. M85 Fuel Methanol. -- means a blend of methanol and hydrocarbons of which the methanol portion is nominally 70 to 85 volume percent.1.37. Motor Octane Number. -- means a numerical indication of a spark-ignition engine fuel's resistance to knock obtained by comparison with reference fuels in a standardized ASTM D 2700 Motor Method engine test.1.38. Oxygen Content of Gasoline. -- means the percentage of oxygen by mass contained in a gasoline. 1.39. Oxygenate. -- means an oxygen-containing, ashless, organic compound, such as an alcohol or ether, which can be used as a fuel or fuel supplement.1.40. Reformulated Gasoline. -- means a volatile mixture of liquid hydrocarbons and oxygenates meeting the reformulated gasoline requirements of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 and suitable for use as a fuel in a spark-ignition internal combustion engine.1.41. Research Octane Number. -- means a numerical indication of a spark-ignition engine fuel's resistance to knock obtained by comparison with reference fuels in a standardized ASTM D 2699 Research Method Engine Test.1.42. SAE. -- means the Society of Automotive Engineers, a technical organization for engineers, scientists, technicians, and others in positions that cooperate closely in the engineering, design, manufacture, use, and maintainability of self-propelled vehicles. 1.43. Substantially Similar. -- means the EPA's "Substantially Similar" rule, Section 211 (f) (1) of the Clean Air Act [42 U.S.C. 7545 (f) (1)].1.44. Thermal Stability. --means the ability of a fuel to resist the thermal stress which is experienced by the fuel when exposed to high temperatures in a fuel delivery system. Such stress can lead to formation of insoluble gums or organic particulates. Insolubles (e.g., gums or organic particulates) can clog fuel filters and contribute to injector deposits.(Added 1998)(Amended 1999)1.45. Total Alcohol. -- means the aggregate total in volume percent of all alcohol contained in any fuel defined in this Chapter. 1.46. Total Oxygenate. -- means the aggregate total in volume percent of all oxygenates contained in any fuel defined in this Chapter. 1.47. Unleaded. -- in conjunction with "engine fuel" or "gasoline" means any gasoline or gasoline-oxygenate blend to which no lead or phosphorus compounds have been intentionally added and which contains not more than 0.013 gram of lead per liter (0.05 g lead per U.S. gal) and not more than 0.0013 gram of phosphorus per liter (0.005 g phosphorus per U.S. gal).1.48. Wholesale Purchaser Consumer. - means any person who is an ultimate gasoline consumer of fuel methanol, fuel ethanol, diesel fuel, biodiesel, fuel oil, kerosene, aviation turbine fuels, natural gas, compressed natural gas, or liquefied petroleum gas and who purchases or obtains the product from a supplier and receives delivery of that product into a storage tank.(Added 1998)(Amended 1999)
automotive Background
In 1984, the National Conference on Weights and Measures adopted a section (2.20.) in the Uniform Regulation for the Method of Sale of Com¬modities requiring that motor fuels con¬taining alcohol be labeled to disclose to the retail purchaser that the fuel contains alcohol. The delegates deemed this action necessary since motor vehicle manufac-turers were qualify¬ing their warranties with respect to some gasoline-alcohol blends, motor fuel users were complaining to weights and measures officials about fuel quality and vehicle performance, and the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) had not yet finalized quality standards for oxy¬genated (which includes alcohol-containing) fuels. While many argued that weights and measures officials should not cross the line from quantity assurance programs to programs regulating quality, the delegates were persuaded that the issue needed im-mediate attention. A Motor Fuels Task Force was appointed in 1984 to develop mechanisms for achieving uniformity in the evalu-ation and regu¬lation of motor fuels.The Task Force developed the Uniform Motor Fuel Inspection Law (see the Uniform Laws section of this Handbook) and the Uniform Motor Fuel Regulation to accompany the Law.The recommended Law required registration and certification of motor fuel as meeting ASTM standards. The regulation defined the ASTM standards to be applied to motor fuel.In 1992 the NCWM established the Petroleum Subcommittee under the Laws and Regulations Committee. The subcommittee recommended major revisions to the Regulation that was adopted at the 80th NCWM in 1995. The scope of the regulation was expanded to include all engine fuels, petroleum products, and automotive lubricants; its title was changed accordingly; and the fuel specifications and method of sale sections were revised to address the additional products. Other changes included expansion of the definitions section and addition of sections on retail storage tanks, condemned product, registration of engine fuels designed for special use, and test methods and reproducibility limits.
Automotive Gasoline
3.2. Automotive Gasoline and Automotive Gasoline-Oxygenate Blends
3.2.1. Posting of Antiknock Index Required. -- All automotive gasoline and automotive gasoline-oxygenate blends shall post the antiknock index in accordance with applicable regulations, 16 CFR Part 306 issued pursuant to the Petroleum Marketing Practices Act, as amended.
3.2.2. When the Term "Leaded" may be Used. -- The term "leaded" shall only be used when the fuel meets specification requirements of paragraph 2.1.5.3.2.3. Use of Lead Substitute must be Disclosed. -- Each dispensing device from which gasoline or gasoline-oxygenate blends containing a lead substitute is dispensed shall display the following legend: "Contains Lead Substitute." The lettering of this legend shall not be less than 12 mm (1/2 in) in height and the color of the lettering shall be in definite contrast to the background color to which it is applied.3.2.4. Nozzle Requirements for Leaded Fuel. -- Each dispensing device from which gasoline or gasoline-oxygenate blends that contain lead in amounts sufficient to be considered "leaded" gasoline, or lead substitute engine fuel, is sold shall be equipped with a nozzle spout having a terminal end with an outside diameter of not less than 23.63 mm (0.930 in).3.2.5. Prohibition of Terms. -- It is prohibited to use specific terms to describe a grade of gasoline or gasoline-oxygenate blend unless it meets the minimum antiknock index requirement shown in Table 1.3.2.6. Method of Retail Sale. -- Type of Oxygenate must be Disclosed. -- All automotive gasoline or automotive gasoline-oxygenate blends kept, offered, or exposed for sale, or sold at retail containing at least 1.5 mass percent oxygen shall be identified as “with” or “containing” (or similar wording) the predominant oxygenate in the engine fuel. For example, the label may read “contains ethanol” or “with MTBE.” The oxygenate contributing the largest mass percent oxygen to the blend shall be considered the predominant oxygenate. Where mixtures of only ethers are present, the retailer may post the predominant oxygenate followed by the phrase “or other ethers” or alternatively post the phrase “contains MTBE or other ethers.” In addition, gasoline-methanol blend fuels containing more than 0.15 mass percent oxygen from methanol shall be identified as “with” or “containing” methanol. This information shall be posted on the upper 50 percent of the dispenser front panel in a position clear and conspicuous from the driver’s position in a type at least 12.7 mm (½ in) in height, 1.5 mm (1/16 in) stroke (width of type).(Amended 1996)3.2.7. Documentation for Dispenser Labeling Purposes. -- The retailer shall be provided, at the time of delivery of the fuel, on an invoice, bill of lading, shipping paper, or other documentation, a declaration of the predominant oxygenate or combination of oxygenates present in concentrations sufficient to yield an oxygen content of at least 1.5 mass percent in the fuel. Where mixtures of only ethers are present, the fuel supplier may identify either the predominant oxygenate in the fuel (i.e., the oxygenate contributing the largest mass percent oxygen) or, alternatively, use the phrase “contains MTBE or other ethers.” In addition, any gasoline containing more than 0.15 mass percent oxygen from methanol shall be identified as “with” or “containing” methanol. This documentation is only for dispenser labeling purposes; it is the responsibility of any potential blender to determine the total oxygen content of the engine fuel before blending. (Amended 1996)
Automotive Fuel Rating
Automotive Fuel Rating.
means the automotive fuel rating required under the amended Octane Certification and Posting Rule (or as amended, the Fuel Rating Rule), 16 CFR Part 306. Under this Rule, sellers of liquid automotive fuels, including altAutomotive Fuel Rating, must determine, certify, and post an appropriate automotive fuel rating. The automotive fuel rating for gasoline is the antiknock index (octane rating). The automotive fuel rating for alternative liquid fuels consists of the common name of the fuel, along with a disclosure of the amount, expressed as a minimum percentage by volume of the principal component of the fuel. For alternative liquid automotive fuels, a disclosure of other components, expressed as a minimum percentage by volume, may be included, if desired.
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