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Losses increase at Delphi

Bankrupt Delphi Corp., the leading American auto-parts maker, said its fourth-quarter loss increased to $853 million due to costs to reduce its unionized workforce, according to the Detroit Free Press. The Troy-based company, which said sales fell 5.9% to $6.4 billion, was spun off from General Motors Corp. in 1999 and is cutting costs in an effort to emerge from bankruptcy protection.

Posted by   at 11:19 AM | Permalink | Comments 0

Toyota to build 8th U.S. plant in Mississippi

Toyota plans to invest $1.3 billion to build its eighth North American assembly plant in Blue Springs, Miss., according to the New York Times. The plant will employ 2,000 workers, the company said. Production, slated for the Highlander, is expected to begin in 2010 and reach 150,000 vehicles annually.

Posted by   at 10:50 AM | Permalink | Comments 0

DaimlerChrysler okays deal with China's Chery Motor

Even as it's getting shopped around, Chrysler closing in on deal to bring Chinese-made cars to the United States, according to a report in today's USA Today. DaimlerChrysler approved a deal to team with Chery Motor to develop small cars that could be sold in the USA and Europe.

Posted by   at 10:35 AM | Permalink | Comments 0

Ford in dispute with diesel maker

Ford's diesel engine supplier, International Truck and Engine, has quit shipping the engines as of last Thursday, according to a report in Tuesday's USA Today as a result of a warranty dispute. The paper quotes International spokesman Roy Wiley: "They haven't paid us. We can't continue to build excess inventory. We're a just-in-time manufacturer." International shut its Indianapolis engine plant on Monday, idling 1,200 workers and Ford said it may halt production of its F-Series trucks.
The dispute goes back to problems with 6-liter diesels that International supplied for previous Ford heavy-duty trucks beginning in 2002, the paper said.

Posted by   at 9:45 AM | Permalink | Comments 0

Dan Neil on Mercedes-Benz Bluetec diesel technology

Speaking of clean diesel from Mercedes-Benz, see Los Angeles Times' auto columnist Dan Neil's written and video review of the company's E320 Bluetec diesel. The video include a shot of him warming a bagel in its exhaust and then eating to make the point that emissions are "that clean."

Posted by   at 4:33 PM to Alternative fuels , Environment | Permalink | Comments 0

Mercedes to unveil concept diesel at Geneva show

Mercedes-Benz will unveil its Vision C 220 Bluetec diesel concept car at the 2007 Geneva Motor Show, according to leftlanenews.com. The company says the car achieves 43 miles per gallon. The Geneva Motor Show opens March 8 and runs 10 days.

Posted by   at 11:27 AM | Permalink | Comments 3

Chrysler no longer considered too big to fail

Check out Micheline Maynard's analysis of the crisis at Chrysler and the possible sale of the No.3 domestic in the New York Times' SundayBusiness. In particular, she points out, this crisis is different from the one in 1979 when the automaker was considered "too big to fail," and was bailed out by the government.

Posted by   at 11:02 AM | Permalink | Comments 0

The RVs are coming to the Convention Center

The 14th Annual Rhode Island RV and Camping Show is opening at the Rhode Island Convention Center next Friday and runs through Sunday. Everything from small pop-up to heavy-duty diesel RV buses will be on display. Lightweight travel trailer are expected to be a big hit this year. Check out details here,
and read about it in Peter C.T. Elsworth's story early next Wednesday, either online at projo.com/projocars or in the projoCars section of The Providence Journal.

Posted by   at 2:05 PM to Shows | Permalink | Comments 0

Government finds hybrids to be less fuel efficient

Gas-electric hybrids don't save as much fuel as previously thought, according to new government fuel-economy ratings cited by USAToday. The new ratings, which are not unexpected and reflect a more accurate way of measuring hybrid engines, go into effect with the 2008 models.

Posted by   at 1:59 PM to Alternative fuels | Permalink | Comments 0

Fuel prices down, interest in SUVs goes up

Here we go again. As fuel prices come down so interest in SUVs and crossovers rise, according to cars.com. AutoRemarketing.com cites the reversal on its Web site. While its cites the increasing efficiency of modern engines, cars.com says prices during the summer driving season will be the determining factor.

Posted by   at 12:53 PM to Sales | Permalink | Comments 0

Poll finds Americans concerned about traffic congestion

Cars.com cites a report from Harris Interactive that found 37 percent of American drivers think traffic congestion is a big problem. West Coast drivers are more likely to think it is a problem - 56 percent - compared with only 26 percent in the Midwest.

Posted by   at 12:42 PM to Traffic | Permalink | Comments 0

Gov. Deval Patrick wishes he had Ford back

Mass. Gov. Deval Patrick said he regretted upgrading his official vehicle to a Cadillac DeVille from the Ford Crown Victoria used by former Gov. Mitt Romney because it took attention away from his upcoming state budget, according to a report in the Boston Globe.

Posted by   at 12:26 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Europeans ready to cut emissions further

European governments pledged Tuesday to cut emissions 30 percent below 1990 levels by 2020 - from a current pledge of 20 percent - but only if industrialized countries like the United States made similar efforts, according to a report in today's New York Times.

Posted by   at 2:06 PM to Environment | Permalink | Comments 0

VW profits up in 2006, boosted by sale

Volkswagen said Tuesday its profit jumped to $3.61 billion in 2006 from $1.12 billion in 2005. The company, Europe's biggest automaker, said its earnings were boosted by the sale last March of Europe's largest car rental company, Europcar, to Eurazeo for $1.5 billion, according to a report in The New York Times.

Posted by   at 1:53 PM to Companies | Permalink | Comments 0

Audi to introduce the A5 in Geneva

Audi will showcase its new A5 coupe at the Geneva Motor Show in March, according to a report in leftlanenews.com The coupe will marketed as a true 4-seater and with the engine tucked in behind the front wheels, handling is being touted as exceptional.

Posted by   at 1:14 PM to Marques | Permalink | Comments 0

Masarati seen returning to the Italian supercar fold

Masarati is scheduled to introduce its new supercar at the Geneva Motor Show next month and the excitement over the 405-horsepower GranTurismo is stoking talk of an
alternative to Ferrari, according to an article in Top Gear magazine Check out the branded tridents on the rims!

Posted by   at 1:11 PM to Marques | Permalink | Comments 0

Who uses full-service gas stations?

Most of us are so used to pumping our own gas, we can barely remember the days of the loyal attendant who not only pumped gas but cleaned the windscreen and checked the oil. But full-service stations are still around and we went out to talk to the folks getting full service and the folks doing the pumping. Read about it in Peter C.T. Elsworth's story early next month, either online at projo.com/projocars or in the projoCars section of The Providence Journal.

Posted by   at 1:10 PM to projocars | Permalink | Comments 0