24 mars 2007
GM Bringing Back Buick Brand To U.S., China Markets
DETROIT (AP) – General Motors Corp. said Tuesday it is bringing back its ''Super'' line of Buicks, about five decades after the premium models last were sold, as it makes broader efforts to reinvigorate the 104-year-old brand in the U.S. and grow in China.
Buick General Manager Steve Shannon said the automaker soon will unveil the ''Super'' line, last used in 1958. For now, he said, it will include versions of the LaCrosse and Lucerne sedans.
''These vehicles will elevate in terms of design, power and performance,'' Shannon said during a presentation to the Automotive Press Association in Detroit.
The line comes amid a push of new vehicles, including the Enclave luxury crossover sport utility vehicle in North America and the Park Avenue sedan in China, that Shannon says will help better define the brand –reflecting a focus on design, comfortable and quiet interiors, and quality.
''We think we can develop great products jointly that can do well in both markets,'' Shannon told reporters after the event, adding there aren't plans to build Buicks in China for the U.S. market.
After bringing out a fresh face for Cadillac and Saturn, GM is turning more attention to Buick, which traditionally is known for its appeal to older drivers. Longer-term, Shannon said there will be a focus on rolling out fewer – but better – Buick models to keep the brand profitable for Detroit-based GM.
Nearly all of Buick's new vehicle sales are in the U.S. and China. Buick's worldwide sales rose about 3 percent last year to more than 567,000 as sales in China jumped 25 percent to about 304,000.
Buick's U.S. sales, however, were down nearly 15 percent in 2006 to about 240,650. GM's effort to cut low-profit sales to rental car companies, as well eliminating aging models such as the LeSabre sedan, accentuated the drop.
Michael Robinet, vice president of global forecast services for CSM Worldwide, an auto industry consulting company based in Northville, said future Buicks will be designed to more clearly reflect the brand.
Robinet said GM has had success with its Cadillac and Saturn revivals, helping set the brands apart, and will carry those lessons over to Buick.
''They understand that the brand needs to stand for something,'' Robinet said.
As of last year, Buick still attracted the oldest buyers of all automotive brands in the U.S., according to an analysis by Power Information Network, a division of J.D. Power and Associates. Its buyers were 64 years old on average, compared with 55 for GM's Cadillac and Ford Motor Co.'s Lincoln and Mercury brands.
Shannon said the average Buick car buyer is about 67 years old, while the average Buick SUV driver is about 53 or 54. That has its benefits, he noted, since older buyers tend to be loyal to the brand and typically are more financially stable.
''Over time, with the products we have, we will probably get a little bit younger,'' Shannon said. ''Getting younger is not an objective, per se.''
With the help of golf superstar Tiger Woods, Buick has tried to reach out to younger drivers and golf enthusiasts. Shannon said Woods, who helped unveil the Enclave in person last year in California, will be a bigger presence as the brand's pitchman.
Buick models in the U.S. this year include the LaCrosse and Lucerne, the Rainier mid-size sport utility vehicle and the Rendezvous SUV, as well as the Terraza, Buick's minivan. And the Enclave is scheduled to reach dealer showrooms this summer.
Source: (Manufacutre NET)
Iffy Lube?" Oil Change At 3,000 Miles Seen As Outdated
(AP) – Major automakers agree that the conventional wisdom of changing oil every 3,000 miles is outdated due to oil and engine technology improvements. Here are the recommendations from the largest automakers for normal driving conditions:
General Motors Corp.: Sensor determines oil life on 95 percent of models; 7,500 miles for models without sensors.
Ford Motor Co.: Recently increased to 7,500 miles on new models, up from 5,000.
Toyota Motor Corp.: Decreased from 7,500 to 5,000 in 2004.
Chrysler Group: 6,000 miles or six months, whichever comes first.
Honda Motor Corp: Sensor determines oil life on all 2007 models and many in prior years. Last recommendation before sensors was 10,000 miles.
Nissan Motor Co.: 7,500 miles or six months, whichever comes first, but 3,750 miles or three months for vehicles used for towing, frequent trips of up to five miles in normal temperatures or up to 10 miles in freezing temperatures, stop-and-go driving in hot weather or long-distance driving at low speed.
Source: (Manufacture Net)
Now Understand: Why Benz
Why choose Benz
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Are We still Alive? Yes, We have Benz!!
Run benz
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21 mars 2007
In a man's world, you must be tough
Ford
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19 mars 2007
BMW Eyes Sharp Increase In U.S. Production By 2010
FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) - Automaker BMW AG hopes to increase the number of cars it builds in the United States to more than 200,000 annually by 2010, Chief Executive Norbert Reithofer said Thursday.
Speaking to analysts at BMW's headquarters in Munich, Reithofer said the aim was to reduce the company's exposure to the weaker dollar, a paramount move given that the U.S. remains BMW's top single market.
''We also have to buy more goods (in North America) to improve our natural hedging,'' Reithofer said.
The euro has been running strong and steady against the U.S. dollar, up more than 14 percent in recent months. On Thursday, the 13-nation euro bought $1.3205 in late morning European trading, down from $1.3227 in New York late Wednesday.
BMW's annual production capacity at its U.S. plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina, is currently around 140,000 vehicles.
BMW's new X6 model will be produced in Spartanburg from 2008 onward as part of the company's effort to increase capacity in the United States.
This week, the automaker said it expects pretax profit this year to rise above the $5.43 billion it posted in 2006 on the expectations of increased auto sales.
The company also reported a 28 percent gain in net profit to $3.79 billion thanks to a one-time gain from the sale of a stake in British aircraft engine maker Rolls-Royce PLC.
18 mars 2007
Ford CEO: Challenge Is Significant, But We Have A Plan
Ford Motor Company CEO, Alan Mulally, told Congress Wednesday that it has a plan to turn around the troubled car-marker, as well as how to work towards lowering greenhouse gases.
“As you know, Ford is facing significant challenges in North America and some of you might be wondering what the future holds. I can tell you that we have a strong plan, with the right team, to turn around our company,” Mulally said. “Our plan is rooted in the deployment of advanced, innovative technologies to improve the fuel efficiency of our vehicles and to deliver outstanding quality and features that our customers desire.”
Mulally said that the transportation sector produces approximately one-third of the nation’s CO2 emissions, however an effective energy policy must have an “integrated approach” of all stakeholders in order to be successful.
Analysis from Ford has found that the most cost-effective solution to lowering CO2 emissions from vehicles must include a combination of bio-fuels and vehicle technology advancements.
“No one can predict if the powertrain of the future will be hydrogen, bio-fuels, battery electric, advanced diesel and gasoline or some combination of these technologies,” Mulally said. “There is ‘no silver bullet’ solution and that's why we are involved in so many development paths, sometimes with unique partners.”
Mulally also warned about using the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) as the only resolution to the CO2 emissions issue, reminding Congress that the unexpected result was lower gas prices and higher fuel consumption by the consumer.
“While the number of vehicles on the road today is three times the number in the late 1960s, the miles traveled has quadrupled making us more dependent on foreign oil,” Mulally said. “Therefore, new solutions to address the energy security and climate change problems must not have unintended consequences or impede our U.S. global competitiveness.”
Mulally also emphasized the need for additional fueling stations across the country in order to have a great acceptance of alternative fuels by the consumers.
“Currently there are over 6 million flexible fuel vehicles on America's roads but only 1,100 E85 fueling stations and that's out of over 170,000 retail gasoline stations nationwide,” Mulally said. “We stand ready with the technology and we are willing to lead the way, but we need to partner with government and fuel providers – we must have the fuel infrastructure before we can effect change.”
16 mars 2007
Volvo Construction Investing $160 Million In Swedish Components Factory
Volvo Construction Equipment said Friday it will invest nearly $160 million in its Component Division in Eskilstuna, Sweden, over the next three years.
The Component Division develops and manufactures power trains for Volvo construction equipment. The current area of 53,000 square meters will be extended to 63,000 and the entire layout of the factory will be adapted to flow-orientated production methods similar to those in the car industry. Money will also be invested in a second furnace in the new hardening plant.
The production capacity of the Component Division has almost doubled since 2002. The investment will mean a further doubling of that capacity in stages, without requiring additional employees to be recruited, the company said.
“Nowadays it’s a question of such large volumes that we are forced to change from work-cell based assembly to line assembly”, says Jörgen Svenningsson, President of the Component Division, which has around 1,200 employees in Eskilstuna. “When the transformation is completed, we will be more efficient and make more components of a higher quality with approximately the same workforce as today, although we may possibly need additional employees during the running-in period."
Volvo Construction Equipment is part of the Volvo Group and is a major manufacturer of equipment for construction and related industries. Its products include wheel loaders, hydraulic excavators, articulated haulers, motor graders and compact equipment.
15 mars 2007
Speed of Benz
Speed of Benz
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13 mars 2007
Ford Sells Aston Martin For $848 Million
Ford Motor Co. announced Monday that it has sold its Aston Martin sports car business to David Richards, John Sinders, Investment Dar and Adeem Investment Co. in a deal valued at $848 million.
Ford will retain a $77 million investment in Aston Martin, valuing the entire company at $925 million, but no other terms of the transaction were disclosed.
In August 2006, Ford had announced that it would explore strategic options for Aston Martin as part of its restructuring plan.
The deal is expected to close in the second quarter.
“The sale of Aston Martin supports the key objectives of the company, to restructure to operate profitably at lower volumes and changed model mix and to speed the development of new products,” said Alan Mulally, Ford’s president and CEO. “From Aston Martin’s point of view, the sale will provide access to additional capital, which will allow Aston Martin to continue the growth it has experienced under Ford’s stewardship.”
David Richards is chairman of Prodrive, a motorsport and automotive technology company; John Sniders is an Aston Martin collector and backer of Aston Martin Racing; and Investment Dar and Adeem Investment Co. are international investment companies based in Kuwait.