Report: Rush Limbaugh tears into Chevy Volt, fails to understand how it works
Jul 29, 2010 Object
Filed under: Hybrid, Etc., Chevrolet, GM, Celebrities, Electric
It has long been apparent that the more successful a talk radio host is, the less relevant the facts become. Case in point is this week’s apparent tirade by Rush Limbaugh against the 2011 Chevrolet Volt. No doubt the Volt’s sticker price came in higher than most of us had hoped at $41,000, and Limbaugh may have had a slight point there. However, suggesting that the federal $7,500 tax credit for plug-in vehicles like the Volt and the Nissan Leaf was there as an admission that no one wants these vehicles strikes us as disingenuous at best, especially when you recall the tax write-offs that were available to people buying Hummers and other large SUVs just a few years ago. As far as we know, Limbaugh also made no mention of the more palatable $350-per-month lease deal available for the Volt.
Limbaugh also ripped into the Volt’s 40 mile range, implying that the 40 miles of range from the battery is all that is available. He was either unaware of or chose to ignore the fact that in charge-sustaining mode, the car’s onboard engine-generator can keep the battery going for another 300 miles on a tank of gas. If you don’t have time to sit around while the battery charges, you can just take a couple of minutes to fill the tank and be on your way again, just as you would in a normal car.
Perhaps we should just give Limbaugh the benefit of the doubt and assume his cochlear implant was on the fritz.
Gallery: 2011 Chevrolet Volt
[Source: Detroit Free Press]
Report: Rush Limbaugh tears into Chevy Volt, fails to understand how it works originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 29 Jul 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Tags: 2011volt, chevrolet, chevrolet-volt, chevroletvoltprice, chevroletvoltpricing, chevy, detroit-free, talk show host
Toyota denies Sequoia discontinuation - sort of
Jul 29, 2010 Object
Filed under: SUV, Toyota, Off-Road
2010 Toyota Sequoia - Click above for high-res image gallery
Earlier this week, we heard word that Toyota would be sending its sluggishly-selling Sequoia out to pasture after this current product cycle came to a close. Those whispers were evidently enough to ruffle a few feathers at the Japanese automaker, as the company has come out with a cleverly-worded denial:
Toyota denies any reports of the discontinuation of the Sequoia. For obvious competitive reasons, Toyota does not discuss future product plans. Sequoia continues to be a profitable, high-quality vehicle for Toyota and several years remain in the life of the current generation. Our focus remains on building our vehicles, including the Sequoia, with the highest possible quality.
Call us crazy, but the statement above doesn’t do much to assure us about the future of the high-riding family hauler beyond this generation’s expected lifecycle. Either way, we can certainly say that the current Sequoia will continue to dominate mall parking lots for at least a few more years. Past that, Toyota isn’t saying what its plans are for its biggest vehicle.
Gallery: 2010 Toyota Sequoia
[Source: Toyota]
Toyota denies Sequoia discontinuation - sort of originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 29 Jul 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Tags: a-and-several, a-friend-via, chevroletvoltprice, current, current-product, detroit-free, generation, toyota-sequoia, toyotasuv
Nissan to moisturize occupants with breathable vitamin C in new autos?
Jul 29, 2010 Object
Filed under: Safety, Technology, Nissan
The automotive landscape is changing quickly with a raft of smaller, more efficient autos coming to market. We’re even on the verge of mass-market electric vehicles like the Chevy Volt and the Nissan Leaf. The bogey has shifted and will continue to shift over time, so Nissan is aiming to get ahead on the changes of tomorrow. The Japanese automaker issued a press release Wednesday to inform the world that it is working on a “Health & Well-Being” concept to make driving in a Nissan safer and healthier than ever before… and we can see some out of the box thinking showing through.
Have dry skin? The Nissan of two or three years from now could pump breathable vitamin C into the cabin, helping to keep your skin moisturized. Just when we were beginning to wonder if we would ever fix our dry elbow problem. Exciting stuff, and there’s more.
The next-generation climate control system could control the filtering of air, a plasmacluster ion generator and inside/outside air control with but one control. How about a speedometer that keeps you out of trouble by reminding you of important dates like anniversaries and birthdays? As long as it doesn’t tell us to slow down and it can shut up when prompted, we’re okay with that. The Japanese automaker is also working on “easy chars” that utilize NASA research to promote proper blood flow in the legs and back during long trips. Another new seat design is new Comfortable Captain Seat, which utilizes an integrated leg rest, articulated seatback and three-layered cushion pads to keep passengers comfy for long periods of time. Hit the jump to read Nissan’s invigorating presser.
[Source: Nissan via The Economic Times]
Continue reading Nissan to moisturize occupants with breathable vitamin C in new autos?
Nissan to moisturize occupants with breathable vitamin C in new autos? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 29 Jul 2010 10:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Tags: a-friend-via, ahead-on-the, captain-seat, climate control, climate control tech, detroit-free, entry, generation, important-dates, nissan safety tech radar, nissan-leaf, nissansafetytechradar, vitamincincabin, were-beginning
Report: Ex-GM worker accused of stealing hybrid secrets
Jul 22, 2010 Object
Filed under: Hybrid, Government/Legal, Technology, GM
It seems that the lure of stealing trade secrets from a former employer has struck again, this time involving General Motors. Ex-GM employee Shanshan Du and her husband Yu Qin have reportedly been indicted by a federal grand jury for their part in an alleged conspiracy to steal hybrid vehicle information from The General.
It seems that Du waited until five days after she received a severance package from the automaker before copying thousands of documents back in January of 2005 related to hybrid technology. In May of the following year, Du and her husband are said to have shredded the documents and dumped them in a bin behind a nearby store after the grand jury began its inquiry.
Between those two dates, it is alleged that Du’s husband entered into an agreement with Chinese automaker Chery to provide hybrid technology from his company, Millennium Technology International. According to General Motors, the stolen data is worth about $40 million.
This is not the first time we’ve seen such cases. Late last year, Former Ford engineer Xiang Dong Yu was arrested and indicted on suspicion of stealing trade secrets from his former employer.
[Source: Detroit Free Press, CNN]
Report: Ex-GM worker accused of stealing hybrid secrets originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 22 Jul 2010 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Tags: after-the-grand, detroit-free, fordexplorer, press, sales, socialmedia, stealing-trade, time
Detroit still hunting down Packard plant owner
Jul 10, 2010 Object, news, video
Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal, Plants/Manufacturing, Safety
Detroit may be one step closer to wiping the old Packard automobile plant off the face of the map for good. For years, the structure has stood derelict as a symbol of the city’s decay as lawmakers fought to figure out who exactly owns the property. Supposedly, the plant is currently owned by a company under the name of Biosource, Inc, and the only person on that company’s books is Dominic Cristini. Cristini is currently serving a prison term in California on drug charges, leaving the local government to try to decide how best to go about cleaning up the site.
But things got a little clearer recently when Biosource sued Detroit’s 555 Nonprofit Studio and Gallery. The name on the lawsuit wasn’t Cristini’s. Instead, one Romel Casab was behind the move. It had been assumed that Casab was tied to the Packard property in some, but officials had difficulty proving it. Evidently, the parties behind Biosource became upset when the 555 gallery removed artwork by famous UK graffiti artist Banksy from the property (you can see the art and its relocation here).
Now that there’s a clearer target in Mr. Casab, it’s possible that Detroit will be able to lean on him to either demolish the 3,500,000 square-foot facility or allow the city to take over the former Packard plant altogether. Casab, for his part, denies having any ownership of the property. That’s somewhat predictable considering that if the city moves forward with its attempts to clear the property, Casab could be held accountable for the related costs.
[Sources: The Detroit News, Detroit Free Press | Image: Spencer Platt/Getty]
Detroit still hunting down Packard plant owner originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 10 Jul 2010 16:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Tags: banksy, biosource, detroit, detroit-free, detroit-news, follow-the-jump, local, nonprofit, over-the-former, packard, packardplant, property, related, soul, soulecho
Report: Thinning UAW ranks leading to budget cuts, staff reductions
Filed under: Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Plants/Manufacturing, UAW/Unions
The UAW ain’t what it used to be. The organized labor outfit has seen membership fall off over the past ten years, and as a result, it’s cutting staff at both its domestic and international headquarters. Last year’s membership figures were pegged at a little more than 355,000 workers - down from over 700,000 in 2000, and a fraction of the 1.5 million members the UAW boasted in the mid ’70s. To cope with the resultant dip in cash flow, the union has nixed around 130 positions overseas and slimmed its workforce in the U.S. to 325, according to The Detroit Free Press. The Union also closed a handful of small regional offices to help conserve cash.
The majority of the workers were sent on their way via early retirement incentives, according to Ron Gettelfinger, UAW president. Gettelfinger is the union’s outgoing leader, and was instrumental in paving the way for some of the concessions that have allowed for unionized plants to be more competitive with their non-unionized counterparts. Still, The Detroit Free Press notes that a mere seven percent of all American workers are unionized, and that some UAW delegates are pushing for the repeal of those concessions.
[Source: The Detroit Free Press]
Report: Thinning UAW ranks leading to budget cuts, staff reductions originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 16 Jun 2010 08:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Tags: a-little-more, detroit-free, entry, fall-off-over, gettelfinger, hirings-firings, million-members, news, outgoing-leader, paving-the-way, sent-on-their, uaw, union
AutoblogGreen for 06.16.10
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Retrofit your vehicle with hybrid power in less than six hours Ummm, what? |
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Wheego now accepting pre-orders for $32,995 LiFe electric car First come, first serve. |
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Four cylinders are for chumps - 100 miles-per-gallon in a Geo Metro Old Skool. |
Other news: | |
AutoblogGreen for 06.16.10 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 16 Jun 2010 05:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Tags: cylinders, detroit-free, drive-star, entry, from-the-gulf, hirings-firings, img-vspace, million-members, news, paving-the-way, president, president-obama, union, usa
Report: Ford loses $445M judgment against IRS
Jun 9, 2010 Object
Filed under: Government/Legal, Ford, Earnings/Financials
Toward the end of the last millennium, Ford thought it might owe the IRS some money for possibly underpaying taxes between 1983 and 1994. To convince the IRS to halt the accrual of interest on any amount Ford might have underpaid, Ford gave the IRS a lump sum of cash.
However, turns out that Ford had overpaid its taxes, so the IRS had to return the lump sum of cash that Ford used to halt the interest. The IRS did so. But while the IRS held onto Ford’s money, that money had gained $445 million in interest in the IRS account. When the IRS didn’t pay Ford the interest, Ford sued to get it… and Ford lost. A U.S. district judge declared that the extra amount is not subject to refund. Not that it will make you feel any better, but now you know that it’s not just the little guy who gets caught up in the arcanum of the U.S. tax code.
[Source: The Detroit Free Press]
Report: Ford loses $445M judgment against IRS originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 09 Jun 2010 08:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Tags: bond aston martin, dbsvolante, detroit-free, fordirs, fordtaxes, irs, jamesbond, toward-the-end
Report: Obama kicks off drive to enact tough fuel economy standards through 2025
May 24, 2010 Object
Filed under: Government/Legal
A year ago, the White House led the effort to get automakers’ Corporate Average Fuel Economy to 35.5 miles per gallon by 2016. Although the number was eventually pegged at 34.1 mpg, it will actually be slightly lower because of other non-automotive credits that will be applied. One might have thought automakers would still be grousing the work that needs to be done, but in fact they encouraged the federal government to go further, and so it has: the White House began working this week on setting CAFE standards through 2025.
The reason for this? The Golden State. Just after last year’s 2016 CAFE numbers were announced, California said it would work on “a much more stringent standard” for 2017 and afterward. Automakers urged the feds to head the California Air Resources Board off at the pass in order to stay ahead of state initiatives, thereby quashing the chance that different laws would hit the books.
The EPA and DOT have just gotten to work on crafting new standards, so it will probably be another year before new numbers come out. For you folks with large-capacity, high-horsepower engines, you might want to take this chance to rev ‘em if ya got ‘em.
[Source: Detroit Free Press | Image: AFP/Getty]
Report: Obama kicks off drive to enact tough fuel economy standards through 2025 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 24 May 2010 08:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Tags: carb, detroit-free, detroit-news, dot, entry, epa, ford, fordexplorer, fuel standards, fuel-economy, german labor, gmloan, image, kicks-off-drive, week-on-setting
Report: Chrysler’s Sebring replacement to be named Nassau
Apr 28, 2010 Object
Chrysler Nassau Concept - Click above for high-res image gallery
Flash back to the 2007 Detroit Auto Show and sitting on the Chrysler stand was the Nassau concept. Nothing ever came of the angular five-door, but some of the elements that debuted on the show car eventually worked their way onto the Sebring. That connection stands to be revived with a report by the Detroit Free Press that the Sebring’s replacement will carry the Nassau name when the all-new midsize sedan goes on sale within the next two years.
The concept’s sleek lines aren’t likely to inspire the Nassau, but considering Chrysler purchased the name, it’s fair game and will help to put Chrysler’s lackluster sedan out of the public consciousness.
Chrysler hasn’t official confirmed the name yet, but when the Nassau goes on sale - likely in 2012 - it will be joined by the refreshed Dodge Avenger, with a thoroughly revised interior and a choice of either a 2.4-liter four-cylinder or Chrysler’s new Pentastar V6.
Gallery: Chrysler Nassau Concept
[Source: Detroit Free Press]
Report: Chrysler’s Sebring replacement to be named Nassau originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 28 Apr 2010 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Tags: 2012 chrysler nassau, 2012dodgeavenger, debuted-on-the, detroit-auto, detroit-free, dodgeavenger, entry, grand, turismo
