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Fisker Seeks Arbitration With Tesla In Ongoing Eco Slap Fight
It looks like Henrik Fisker and company are asking to have the Tesla suit arbitrated in Orange County. As you're all well aware, neither Fisker nor Tesla are actually making cars but are instead just suing the crap out of each other over various charges (here's an explanation of the Tesla and Fisker suit). Long story short, Tesla claims Fisker stole info when designing a sedan for Tesla. Oh, by the way, here's Fisker's Karma Hybrid sedan. Who is right and who is wrong? Who cares at this point? More »
industry news
Oshawa, Ontario GM Plant To Build Mysterious Second RWD Vehicle
The tentative agreement announced earlier today between the Canadian Auto Workers and the General apparently contains provisions for, among other things, increased GM investment in production of a new vehicle at the Oshawa, Ontario plant. Why does this plant sound so familiar? Well, it's probably because it's where the 2010 Chevy Camaro will be built. Although it's unknown what this second vehicle they'll be building there later this year will be, we do know it'll be rear-wheel drive. Feel free to go ahead and begin your speculation after the jump, but our money's on a large Cadillac or a Buick, maybe even a Caprice! The opportunities feel endless! But what say you? [CTV.ca]
industry news
Canadian Auto Workers Claim Tentative Deal Reached With GM After All-Nighter
A spokesperson for the Canadian Auto Workers is claiming the union and General Motors have reached a tentative agreement on terms for a new contract after pulling a bargaining all-nighter. We totally remember those nights from our time in school. We're just wondering whether they used Red Bull or those chocolate-covered espresso beans to stay up for that marathon negotiation cram session. More importantly, how will they do on the mid-term today what with the jitters, sweating and you know, general craptastic feeling they'll have. Whatever. We'll have more details later as we get them. [via Automotive News (sub. req.)]
industry news
There's no doubt the Toyota Prius is a global phenom, blazing the way for eco-conscious consumers to show the world that they really, really, really do care about the environment. And now the little-hybrid-that-could is finally passing the one million global cumulative sales mark. That means that since the Prius went on sale in 1997, the super number one best awesome automaker from the land of the rising sun's sold as many Prii as they sold heavy duty commercial vehicles in just the 2007 sales year. If that's not an environmental impact, we don't know what is. We salute you...
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Toyota Prius Global Cumulative Sales Pass One Million... Is That A Native American Crying?
There's no doubt the Toyota Prius is a global phenom, blazing the way for eco-conscious consumers to show the world that they really, really, really do care about the environment. And now the little-hybrid-that-could is finally passing the one million global cumulative sales mark. That means that since the Prius went on sale in 1997, the super number one best awesome automaker from the land of the rising sun's sold as many Prii as they sold heavy duty commercial vehicles in just the 2007 sales year. If that's not an environmental impact, we don't know what is. We salute you...
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industry news
VW, KTM Motorcycle Partnership Rumors Swirling, Could Result In 1-Liter Car
Rumor has it that Volkswagen is in talks with KTM about partnering up to produce VW brand motorcycles. For you car folks, KTM is an Austrian firm known for its race-ready dirt and street bikes - think Ducati but with less of the pretense and more of the color orange. As the rumor has it, this could even result in production of the crazy GX3 trike.More »
industry news
UAW-American Axle Contract Talks Stall...Like An American Axle PCM?
Let's be clear — that headline's for comedic effect only. Just because we once had trouble with a 2005 Dodge Ram intermittently stalling doesn't mean American Axle PCM's are faulty. But what we're sure is faulty are contract negotiations between the General's big league supplier and the UAW. The strike has shut down much of GM's North American production of big SUV's and pickup trucks. Automotive News is reporting this morning an American Axle spokesperson is stating contract talks with the UAW aimed at settling a three-month-old strike had stalled since Sunday. The talks appear to be snagged on health-care benefits and supplemental unemployment benefits. In addition, American Axle also claims the UAW had asked for... More »
industry news
Spyker, Lotus Join Forces
Future Spyker models will be built on Lotus platforms and share many of their parts thanks to a deal made earlier today. The Parts and Platform Commonality agreement should be good news for the troubled Dutch sportscar maker, meaning much of their development cost will be carried by troubled English sportscar maker, Lotus. The timing is especially good for Spyker, as it means they'll be able to take advantage of the forthcoming Eagle and Esprit models. More »
industry news
China Auto Market Growth Slows To Only 10%, Barely Able To Keep Lights On
Chinese automakers and dealers are beset on all sides by woe these days. They've seen they're meager 23.55% year over year sales growth in March shrink to a paltry 10.4% sales growth in April — that's the slowest sales growth in five whole months. Dealers across the enormous country are scraping bottom and barely able to make ends meet with only 10% sales increases per month. Industry analysts have noted that both corporate bosses and dealer operators are having troubles keeping up with yacht payments, vacation home mortgages, and various venture capital expenditures, but they vow to maintain a stiff upper lip. [The Tycho]
industry news
Saturn Discovers Social Networking, Attempts To Join 21st Century
Apparently young people these days like to talk to each other online rather than read. Sometimes, they even take advantage of toy-like technological innovations to transmit electronic images and even music! Based on this cutting edge research, Saturn has launched a new concept in online communication to reach these digital girls and boys in the 21st Century. Called ImSaturn, it provides an online "space" Saturn owners can call their own — a place that let's them say "why yes, this is my space." More »
industry news
Lamborghini Picks Los Angeles For U.S. Headquarters Despite Potential For Interruption Of Italian Afternoon Naps
Stephan Winkelmann, CEO of Automobili Lamborghini was in the city of angels on Friday for the press event launching the Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4. While in town, Winkelmann dropped the news that Lambo's finally decided to create a separate sales arm for their North American operations. What took them so long? Our little slice of the global pie of land mass represented 41% of sales of the 2,406 units sold last year by the bull-headed brand and California represented almost one-third of those. So, where else would they choose to place their new U.S. headquarters? Detroit? Right, not so much. But Stephan did have at least one concern about plopping the new HQ in L.A., "we will have to wait until the afternoons to call California from Italy." Yes, well, sucks to be Stephan, right? [via Automotive News (sub. req.)]
over the back fence
GM May Divorce SUV's From Truck Frames, Why Not Just Go to Skateboards?
Rumors emanating like a cloud of gas from Aunt Mable's Thanksgiving table are coming out of Bloomberg regarding the possible move at GM to push for unibody construction on full size SUVs. While there isn't anything inherently dumb about this idea, we have to question the impact on brand perception, long term durability, towing capability, chassis complexity, production line capability, and competitive impact. Hmm. Maybe it is a little dumb. More »
industry news
BMW X6 Sells Out
The entire BMW X6 production run for 2008 has been sold. While there are still a smattering of vehicles available at some dealers, every one scheduled to depart the Greenville, SC production facility has been spoken for by a dealer, many of whom report a long waiting list for the new SAC. This doesn't surprise us at all; the X6 is one of the best driving vehicles made by BMW, easily eclipsing sports SUV competitors like the Porsche Cayenne and Range Rover Sport. In fact, in a competition with the Mercedes CLS, we'd put our money on the big bimmer every time. [via BMWBlog] Thanks to Horatiu for the tip.
industry news
Hyundai/Kia Pickup Truck Axed For U.S. Market, Georgia Plant Gets Compact Car Instead
More boring industry news from Korea — read it if you're interested, move on if you're not. We'd been told a while back by Automotive News and our friends at PickupTrucks.com to expect a pickup truck from the folks at Hyundai or their brand-brothers at Kia. Despite statements from Byung Mo Ahn, the new chairman and group CEO of KMA and Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia that a pickup was to be built in the Georgia plant, we were told today here in Seoul by Dr. Dong-Jin Kim, Vice-Chairman and CEO of Hyundai that"we have interest in the pickup truck market and light truck market, but because of oil prices the market is declining. We don't think right now is the right time to introduce one to the market. We investigated when we built the Kia Georgia plant...but in this environment we were forced to give up thoughts of the truck...neither Hyundai nor Kia will produce one...for the U.S."Well, that pretty much settles that. Now what will Hyundai and Kia do with all that excess capacity in the Georgia plant? Well, Dr. Kim has an answer for that too. More »
industry news
After our news earlier on the XL-sized Genesis, here's the second piece of news-like rumor-busting for the day: We've been told by Dr. Hyun-Soon Lee, President of R&D at Hyundai, that despite the rumors — and whether it be called a crossover, wagon or whatever-UV — don't expect to see another form factor from Hyundai on the Genesis platform anytime soon. While we mourn the loss of any opportunity for a rear-wheel drive wagon form factor, our dislike of crossovers in general is well documented. So we're both happy and sad. While we go and cry and laugh in a corner, take a moment to reflect yourself. That is all.
Genesis Crossover/Wagon Not Expected Anytime Soon, Hyundai Deprives Countless Dozens From Buying Another Boring-UV
After our news earlier on the XL-sized Genesis, here's the second piece of news-like rumor-busting for the day: We've been told by Dr. Hyun-Soon Lee, President of R&D at Hyundai, that despite the rumors — and whether it be called a crossover, wagon or whatever-UV — don't expect to see another form factor from Hyundai on the Genesis platform anytime soon. While we mourn the loss of any opportunity for a rear-wheel drive wagon form factor, our dislike of crossovers in general is well documented. So we're both happy and sad. While we go and cry and laugh in a corner, take a moment to reflect yourself. That is all.
hyundai genesis vi
As many of you guessed, I'm out here on the Southern tip of the Korean peninsula at the behest of the Mechanics who are quite Popular, getting the scoop on the new Hyundai [REDACTED]. While the driving impressions on the new [REDACTED] from the folks at Hyundai (Yes, Hyundai) are embargoed for a bit, there was other news out here from the little automaker that could in the Republic of Korea that is in no way embargoed. A couple of us auto journalistas had the chance to spend some in-car drive time with Dr. Hyun-Soon Lee, President of R&D at the Kimchi Commander of an automaker. First news is that the Genesis and the Genesis Coupe won't be the only BH-platform vehicles produced on the Ulsan assembly lines. In addition to the two RWD-vehicles we've already seen, the boys n' girls at Hyundai are developing an extended-length version of the Genesis sedan — with the product platform designation of "VI" (which does not stand for "Very Immense") for the Korean domestic and Chinese markets.
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Hyundai Shakes Loose Details On Extended-Wheelbase Genesis
As many of you guessed, I'm out here on the Southern tip of the Korean peninsula at the behest of the Mechanics who are quite Popular, getting the scoop on the new Hyundai [REDACTED]. While the driving impressions on the new [REDACTED] from the folks at Hyundai (Yes, Hyundai) are embargoed for a bit, there was other news out here from the little automaker that could in the Republic of Korea that is in no way embargoed. A couple of us auto journalistas had the chance to spend some in-car drive time with Dr. Hyun-Soon Lee, President of R&D at the Kimchi Commander of an automaker. First news is that the Genesis and the Genesis Coupe won't be the only BH-platform vehicles produced on the Ulsan assembly lines. In addition to the two RWD-vehicles we've already seen, the boys n' girls at Hyundai are developing an extended-length version of the Genesis sedan — with the product platform designation of "VI" (which does not stand for "Very Immense") for the Korean domestic and Chinese markets.
More »
6:19 AM on Wed May 7 2008
By Ray Wert
1,590 views,
12 comments
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industry news
Volkswagen Plans To Sell Majority Of CC's In US, Would Sell Better As Cu. In.
The attractive Volkswagen Passat CC, which VW plans to sell as merely the Volkswagen CC despite America's resistance to the metric system, will be going on sale in the US this September and the company apparently has big plans for the "four-door coupe." In a conversation with Automotive News Europe, a VW exec was quoted as saying that the US is expected to make up 60% of the CC's sales. Though we like the look of the new CC in person, that's a pretty steep number for a more-expensive Passat.More »
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