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Started by D Lim; Last updated May 17, 08 11:04 AM CDT by SeacoastNH | View history

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Auto Industry

So long, Model T: gasoline has turned to biofuel, Detroit to Tokyo, and the 8-cylinder to a hybrid engine. Can carmakers shift gears to keep up with the times?

Stories

Stories 1 - 20 of 188

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July 2008
- Honda Profits Jump 8% on Fuel-Efficient Lineup
  
  newser | Wall Street Journal | 16 hours, 14 minutes ago
  
  Honda announced an 8.1% gain in net profit yesterday for the quarter ending June 30, riding demand for its fuel-efficient models and beating analysts’ estimates, the Wall Street Journal reports. Honda has been hurt less by falling demand than rivals Toyota and Nissan because it's the least invested in truck and SUV lines. "Honda is better positioned than anyone else in the industry," one analyst tells the Journal. More »
- NASCAR Fans Sneer at Toyota
  
  newser | Wall Street Journal | Jul 24, 08 9:51 AM CDT
  
  In an effort to curry favor with millions of American NASCAR fans, Toyota joined the league’s top circuit 2 years ago, but fans aren’t warming to the Japanese automaker, the Wall Street Journal reports. Many fans felt betrayed last year when champion racer Kyle Busch traded in his Chevy on a Toyota, and he's been met with boos and a barrage of beer cans after recent victories. More »
- Ford Posts $8.7B Loss, Will Make Fewer Trucks
  
  newser | Associated Press | Jul 24, 08 9:08 AM CDT
  
  Ford Motor Co. lost $8.67 billion in the second quarter and will retool two more North American truck and SUV plants to build small, fuel-efficient vehicles, the company announced today. The net loss includes $8.03 billion in writedowns due to a decline in the value of its truck and SUV inventory, as well as Ford Motor Credit Co.'s truck-heavy lease portfolio. More »
- GM, Utilities Join to Speed Plug-Ins
  
  newser | Wall Street Journal | Jul 22, 08 11:49 AM CDT
  
  General Motors and three dozen electric utilities in nearly 40 states have agreed to work together on the transition to plug-in electric vehicles that are expected to begin rolling out within 2 years, the Wall Street Journal reports. With GM’s Chevy Volt and Saturn Vue expected to hit the market first, cooperation is needed to make sure recharging cars don't overwhelm the power grid. More »
- Shopping in US Looks Like the 1970s: Analyst
  
  newser | Associated Press | Jul 20, 08 8:01 PM CDT
  
  Retailers and marketers are closely watching American shopping trends, knowing that recession habits can linger for years, the AP reports. Studies show that 63% of Americans have cut down spending by coupon-cutting, biking to work, and buying store brands. They're also buying smaller cars and shopping at discounters. "We are looking at stuff that reminds me of the 1970s," one investment manager said. More »
- GM Developing Futuristic Windshield
  
  newser | Associated Press | Jul 17, 08 5:45 PM CDT
  
  America’s driving population is aging, and GM aims to do something to help older motorists: develop a high-tech windshield that compensates for declining eyesight, the AP reports. The system, now in the research phase, uses lasers and infrared sensors to identify hazards in the road—or perhaps the edge of the road itself in bad weather—and projects them onto the windshield. More »
- Gas Crunch Steers Soaring Hybrid Sales
  
  newser | Wired | Jul 17, 08 10:45 AM CDT
  
  Sales of hybrid cars could soar to 2 million a year by 2013 as higher gas prices and concerns about global warming spark surging interest in fuel efficient vehicles, Wired reports. Well over half—62%—of new car buyers are already considering a hybrid, according to a recent survey. Consumers who aren't satisfied with the current hybrid options will have as many as 88 models to choose from in the next few years. More »
- Rich Countries Getting Soaked for a Change
  
  newser | Washington Post | Jul 17, 08 10:02 AM CDT
  
  As the US and other developed economies feel the crunch of a housing collapse and credit crisis, emerging economies, especially those fueled by commodities, have yet to feel the pinch, the Washington Post reports. "We are overloaded with money, crazy amounts of money from the energy market," a professor says of oil-rich Russia. More »
- Drivers Order Big Extras for Small Cars
  
  newser | New York Times | Jul 17, 08 2:12 AM CDT
  
  American drivers are ditching their SUVs for smaller vehicles in droves—but they're cramming in all the extra comforts they can, reports the New York Times . Buyers are spending thousands on bonus features such as heated leather seats and top entertainment systems. The trend gives a rare glimmer of hope to Detroit, which has always struggled to make money from small cars. More »
- At $68 Per Day, London Parking Obscures Gas Prices
  
  newser | Economist | Jul 16, 08 5:00 PM CDT
  
  Besides skyrocketing gas prices, there's another reason to ditch your car: the steep cost of parking. The Economist breaks down the cities with the most expensive spots: London—$1,167 a month, $68 a day Sydney—$774.76 a month, $54.50 a day Hong Kong—$742.40 a month, $28.20 a day New York—$585 a month, $40 a day Tokyo—$552 a month, $46 a day More »
- Eyeing US Market, VW Plans Tenn. Plant
  
  newser | Der Spiegel | Jul 16, 08 8:42 AM CDT
  
  Volkswagen will invest around $1.6 billion to build a factory in the US—20 years after the closure of its last plant, Der Spiegel reports. VW hopes to have the plant, located in Chattanooga, Tenn., running by 2011, and operating at a rate of 150,000 cars per year. The company ambitiously hopes to increase US sales to 800,000 by 2018. More »
- Calif. Mulls Pay-as-You-Drive Insurance to Cut Costs, Miles
  
  newser | Los Angeles Times | Jul 15, 08 1:48 PM CDT
  
  An alliance of insurance companies and environmentalists are pushing to bring pay-as-you-drive auto-insurance, available from a handful of companies in other states, to California in a big way, the Los Angeles Times reports. The system, which charges premiums based on mileage, as recorded by a GPS tracking device, gives drivers financial incentives to conserve, and has multiple benefits on roadways and for the environment. More »
- GM Will Cut Salaried Jobs, Benefits to Survive Slump
  
  newser | Wall Street Journal | Jul 15, 08 9:42 AM CDT
  
  General Motors will cut salaried jobs, accelerate factory closings, and eliminate health care coverage for many salaried retirees in order to raise $15 billion to survive the industry's deep downturn, the Wall Street Journal reports. GM will also suspend dividends, sell some assets, lower capital spending, and cut production of pickup trucks and SUVs. More »
- GM to Announce New Round of Major Cuts
  
  newser | Bloomberg | Jul 15, 08 2:37 AM CDT
  
  General Motors is expected to announce another big round of cost-cutting measures today, Bloomberg reports. Insiders say the ailing automaker, hit hard as consumers leave gas-guzzlers standing in car lots, is likely to slash thousands of jobs and reduce production of trucks and SUVs for the second time in two months. More »
- Rental Biz Sees Small-Car Shortage
  
  newser | Los Angeles Times | Jul 14, 08 6:43 AM CDT
  
  Rental car companies can't meet the soaring demand for more fuel-efficient small cars and are forcing irritated customers to take "upgrades" to gas-guzzlers. Rocketing gas prices are putting pressure on Hertz, Avis, and other companies to sell their luxury cars and SUVs to pay for fuel-efficient models. Bookings for economy cars at one major travel agency were up 14% while the demand for luxury cars plummeted 24%. More »
- Keep the Hummer: Save America's Soul
  
  newser | Washington Post | Jul 12, 08 2:00 PM CDT
  
  Sure, the Hummer is more of a "cartoon" than a vehicle, a ridiculously over-the-top gas-guzzling monstrosity. But the unbridled optimism it takes to manufacture it—and to fill up the tank—is what makes it uniquely American, writes Matthew DeBord in the Washington Post . If GM axes it, or, heaven forfend, takes it hybrid, we’ll lose yet another chip off the American soul. It's just too cool to die. More »
- Against the Odds, Maserati Sales Jump
  
  newser | Bloomberg | Jul 10, 08 5:40 PM CDT
  
  Buoyed by wealthy, middle-aged men who can afford to defy high gas prices and a plummeting economy, sales of Maserati luxury cars are up in the US this year, Bloomberg reports. Common brands like Lexus and BMW have seen sales fall, but the very rich don't skimp when they see something that will stand out, analysts say. More »
- Toyota Will Make Prius in US
  
  newser | Wired | Jul 10, 08 5:00 PM CDT
  
  Toyota plans to start producing its super-popular Prius hybrid in the US, Wired reports. With inventories overwhelmed by demand, the firm will move production lines to a Mississippi plant intended to produce SUVs. The factory won’t make its first Prius until 2010, but with no sign of abating gas prices, Toyota is betting hybrid demand will be even higher then. More »
- Pensions, Benefits Have GM Stalled
  
  newser | New York Times | Jul 10, 08 9:28 AM CDT
  
  General Motors is suffering as oil prices surge and consumer spending wanes, Roger Lowenstein writes in the New York Times . But the biggest, and perhaps fatal, culprit of its recent troubles—with stock prices near a 50-year low—are the generous health care and pension benefits it agreed to lavish upon its workers more than 50 years ago. More »
- BMW to Zap Calif. With 500 Electric Minis
  
  newser | Automotive News | Jul 9, 08 4:26 PM CDT
  
  BMW will roll out an electric model of its iconic Mini in California, which has mandated that automakers in the state must offer no-emission alternatives, reports Automotive News. The cars will be mostly assembled in BMW's England plant, but sent to Munich for electric powertrains. The initial 500 electric Minis will be leased and are the brain child of BMW's new division, Project i, which is developing low-emission city cars. More »

Stories 1 - 20 of 188

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Images (18)
Videos (4)

Journalists gather by electric vehicle Hyper Mini, foreground, and other cars displayed at the opening ceremony of Nissan Motor Co.'s new Advanced Technology Center in Atsugi, west of Tokyo, Tuesday,... (Associated Press)

Unsold 2007 Yukons sit in a long row outside a GMC Truck dealership in the south Denver suburb Littleton, Colo., on Sunday, May 27, 2007. General Motors Corp., the auto industry's top seller, said Friday,... (Associated Press)

Unsold 2007 Ions sit in a long row outside a Saturn dealership in the south Denver suburb Littleton, Colo., on Sunday, May 27, 2007. General Motors Corp., the auto industry's top seller, said Friday,... (Associated Press)

Models pose next to Roewe 750, Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation's (SAIC) self-branded car, at the launch ceremony in Shanghai, China in this Oct. 24, 2006 file photo. Shanghai Automotive Industries... (Associated Press)

P7292116 ((c) estoril)

P7292124 ((c) estoril)

British Cars ((c) Fleur-Design)

%u041D%u0430%u0448%u0438 %u043C%u0430%u0448%u0438%u043D%u044B ((c) LancerenoK)

27_29-07-2007_Silverstone 061 ((c) al_green)

27_29-07-2007_Silverstone 119 ((c) al_green)

27_29-07-2007_Silverstone 126 ((c) al_green)

27_29-07-2007_Silverstone 097 ((c) al_green)

27_29-07-2007_Silverstone 138 ((c) al_green)

8C - Studio, Front ((c) emilgh)

Something Old, Something New ((c) Timothy Lloyd)

Whitehead Autotest ((c) stepbar)

Whitehead Autotest ((c) stepbar)

porsche ((c) the_moment)

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The Globalization of the Automobile Industry (Medialink (YouTube))

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Background

Volkswagen AG (VW)
Britannica Concise Encyclopedia

Major German automobile manufacturer. It was founded in 1937 to mass-produce a low-priced “people's car” ( Volkswagen ). After World War II the company was rebuilt with Allied help, and within a decade it was producing half of West Germany's motor vehicles. U.S. sales of the small, rounded ...

» Read more about Volkswagen AG (VW) at Encyclopedia.com

BMW
Britannica Concise Encyclopedia

[in full Bayerische Motoren Werke AG ] German automaker. Founded as an aircraft engine manufacturer in 1916, the company assumed the name Bayerische Motoren Werke and became known for its high-speed motorcycles in the 1920s. During World War II, BMW built the world's first jet airplane engines for ...

» Read more about BMW at Encyclopedia.com

Toyota Motor Corp.
Britannica Concise Encyclopedia

Largest Japanese automobile manufacturer and one of the largest automotive companies in the world. It was established in 1933 as a division of the Toyoda Automatic Loom Works, Ltd., and in 1937 it was incorporated as the Toyota Motor Co., Ltd. Toyota later established many related companies, ...

» Read more about Toyota Motor Corp. at Encyclopedia.com

DaimlerChrysler AG
Britannica Concise Encyclopedia

German automotive manufacturer. It was formed in 1998 by the merger of Daimler-Benz and U.S. automaker Chrysler Corp. Its German roots are in the auto companies founded by Gottlieb Daimler and Karl Benz, which merged in 1926. The ...

» Read more about DaimlerChrysler AG at Encyclopedia.com

Chrysler Corp.
Britannica Concise Encyclopedia

Former U.S. automotive company first incorporated in 1925; now part of Daimler-Benz. It was founded by Walter P. Chrysler (1875–1940), who built it into the country's second largest automobile manufacturer, noted for its Plymouth, ...

» Read more about Chrysler Corp. at Encyclopedia.com

Ford Motor Co.
Britannica Concise Encyclopedia

U.S. automotive corporation. Founded in Detroit, Mich., in 1903 by Henry Ford and a group of investors, the company introduced the hugely successful Model T in 1908 and by 1923 was producing more than half of all U.S. automotive vehicles. Through the Lincoln Motor Co. (acquired in 1922), Ford ...

» Read more about Ford Motor Co. at Encyclopedia.com

American Motors Corp. (AMC)
Britannica Concise Encyclopedia

Former U.S. automobile manufacturer. AMC was formed in 1954 from the merger of two pioneering auto manufacturers, Nash-Kelvinator Corp. (successor to Nash Motor Co., founded 1916) and Hudson Motor Car Co. (founded 1909). AMC produced AMC compact cars, AM General trucks ...

» Read more about American Motors Corp. (AMC) at Encyclopedia.com

General Motors Corp. (GM)
Britannica Concise Encyclopedia

U.S. corporation, the world's largest automotive manufacturer for most of the 20th century and into the 21st. It was founded in 1908 by William C. Durant to consolidate several motorcar companies, and it soon included the makers of Buick, Oldsmobile (discontinued in 2004), Cadillac, and Oakland ...

» Read more about General Motors Corp. (GM) at Encyclopedia.com

automobile industry
The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition

automobile industry the