Big Three Losses

July 23rd, 2009

No, not that Big Three, it’s the other Big Three: Honda, Nissan and Toyota. The Detroit News reported that weak demand here and in their home market will cause them to report more losses when they issue earnings statements at the end of the fiscal year in Japan which was June 30th.

Toyota Motor Corp., Honda Motor Co. and Nissan Motor Co. warned investors that the early part of this year would be difficult after they sank into the red during the fiscal fourth quarter that ran to March 31. Honda and Nissan will report their results in the last week of July and Toyota on Aug. 4.

Toyota alone expects to lose 600 billion yen, that’s $6.4 billion, in the first half of the year and 250 billion yen or $2.65 billion in the second half of the year. The result will be the largest loss the automakers have ever suffered.

Honda and Nissan are each expected to report a 100 billion yen loss in the first quarter of this fiscal year.

Japan’s Big Three is reporting their worst financial results in years because of weak demand in nearly all major markets which include the U.S. and Russia where sales suddenly collapsed. Russia had become the leading market for Japanese automakers in Europe accounting for 20 to 30 percent of sales.

A global economy will certainly lift all boats but it can sink all boats as well.

Popularity: 10% [?]

Tags:
Posted in Honda, Nissan, Toyota | 1 Comment »

Texas Spur Jeep Jamboree

July 23rd, 2009

What’s your summer rite of passage? Some put the tops down on their convertibles or open up the sun roof on

Jeep Jamboree

Jeep Jamboree

their autos and let in the fresh air. Others take their motorcycles out for a spin. For those of us that love four wheeling, it’s time to hit the trail with your friends or family, and one of the best ways to do that is to sign up for one of the 32 events for 2009 sponsored by Jeep Jamboree USA (JJUSA). With locations spread throughout the U.S., this 4WD Jeep adventure-company provides guided tours along some of the best off-road trails in the country, timed for climate and local beauty, with entrance to pristine backcountry areas that are often limited-access, or inaccessible to others.

The Texas Spur Jeep Jamboree’s spring event is timed to capture the splendor in the heart of Texas Hill Country, with cactus and blue bonnets in bloom, as the native live oaks leaf out in shades of lime and emerald, and also to provide a wide variety of wheelin’ that can range from dirt track and sandy, dry wash to moderate-to-nearly-extreme rock climb, in Llano (pronounced LAN-o) County, located two hours north of San Antonio and an hour and a half northwest of Austin. JJUSA’s trained guides are on-hand to instruct attendees, who can range from newbies to expert drivers, with rigs that can range from stock-from-the showroom-floor models to military trucks and home-built rock crawlers-all with a Jeep pedigree.

This yea’s 4th Annual Texas Spur spring event drew 247 participants, driving 133 Jeeps, and hailing from 15 states to the small city of Llano, located on the banks of the Llano River. (see sidebar: you can still register for the fall trip!) This popular Jamboree, organized by locals Tony and Nancy Winkler who, along with their local trail guides, have dozens of years of 4WD experience and are at-the-ready to dish out true Texas hospitality, was sold out shortly after it was listed online earlier this year.

Go to www.JJUSA.com for a complete listing of events for 2009.


Sue Mead

Popularity: 14% [?]

Tags: , ,
Posted in Auto News | 1 Comment »

GM Goes to Yuma

July 23rd, 2009

General Motors and the U.S. Army officially opened GM’s new test facility in the southwest on the Army’s Yuma Proving Ground. The ceremony marked the end of most construction activity and the beginning of a cooperative arrangement hammered out 2 years ago. The agreement will provide GM with a suitable test facility following the closing of their long standing Mesa Proving Ground.

Aireal view of GM's new proving ground.

Aireal view of GM's new proving ground.

In the agreement GM has leased a portion of the Yuma Proving Ground from the government on which several test roads and support facilities have been built. Both the Army and GM will have access to road systems they currently did not have on their property. A win – win for both groups.

GM sold the Mesa Proving Ground when residential and commercial building encroached on their heretofore rural area. As property values increased the value of the land the Proving Ground was sitting on became more valuable for development than for testing. GM’s rapid move from road testing to lab testing to using math based tools enabled the testing needs to be met with a much more modest size facility and limited test roads.

“This new facility meets several of our important product development needs,” said Ken Morris, executive director, Vehicle Integration, Proving Grounds and Performance Division. “We have a longer hot weather testing cycle, we have great partners with the Army and the city of Yuma, and we have a facility that will meet our needs in the years to come.”

The new facility will employ 75 engineers, technicians, and support staff, have 40 miles of roads, and cover 2400 acres of property on the Yuma site. The bulk of the work with be hot weather related testing, powertrain, ride and handling, and other vehicle development activities. Yuma has proved to be a perfect fit for GMs needs with a longer hot weather season than the Mesa area, relatively isolated and secure from photographers looking to get shots of the latest models being tested, and excellent support capabilities from the Yuma community.

Popularity: 16% [?]

Tags: ,
Posted in Auto News | 862 Comments »

OnStar — Quick Recovery of Stolen Vehicles

July 23rd, 2009

GM’s OnStar is expanding on its Stolen Vehicle Assistance Services with the announcement of a new technology that will give law enforcement another critical tool to help safely and quickly recover subscribers stolen vehicles.

This new technology is called Remote Ignition Block and will allow an OnStar Advisor to send a remote signal to a subscriber’s stolen vehicle to prevent the vehicle from restarting once the ignition is turned off. This capability will not only help authorities recover stolen vehicles, but can also prevent dangerous high speed pursuits from starting.

“Remote Ignition Block is a prime example of the rapid pace of technological innovation underway at OnStar. We are developing services desired by our subscribers that deliver important societal benefits as well,” said Chet Huber, OnStar president.

Remote Ignition Block builds on OnStar’s growing suite of Stolen Vehicle Assistance services which includes GPS technology that pinpoints a stolen vehicle’s exact location and Stolen Vehicle Slowdown® which can remotely slow a stolen vehicle to idle speed.

OnStar will make Remote Ignition Block is being rolled out to select GM 2009 and 2010 model year vehicles in the U.S. and Canada.

Popularity: 9% [?]

Tags: ,
Posted in Auto Industry, General Motors | 789 Comments »

Where the Rubber Meets the Road

July 23rd, 2009

The Good Year Blimp

The Good Year Blimp

Just when you thought four wheeling fell from fanfare, Goodyear’s all new off-road tires challenge their decade-old, iconic predecessor, the Wrangler MT/R (Maximum Traction-Reinforced) and are available in two new game-changing styles.

The brazen and brawny Wrangler MT/R with Kevlar, engineered at Sandai’s labs, was created to tantalize the four million drivers in the radical light truck segment, who are willing to pay more for aftermarket products that guarantee a safe return from the wilds.

Goodyear says these customers are mostly male, under-35, risk takers who are passionate about four wheeling, Jeep expeditions and rock crawling, although the tire maker sees more women wheeling their own rigs.

With sexiness that tantalizes in a Laura-Croft-kind-of-way, and side rubber that recalls the smile of a Great White Shark, this new tire has significantly enhanced toughness. Less neck-snapping in looks, but still bold, the new Wrangler DuraTrac wears enhanced rubber for backcountry toughness, but is also crafted to soothe the sense, with a more tranquil tarmac ride.

DuraTrac’s dominant tread blocks channel a State of Indiana refrigerator magnet and Goodyear has its sights on the 21 million drivers who purchase all-terrain, light truck tires for work in construction, agriculture, landscaping and crave after hours pursuits of camping, hunting and fishing.

Sidewall Toughness-The Wrangler MT/R w/ Kevlar bests it previous generation model by increasing puncture-resistance by 35 percent, thereby greatly reducing the likelihood of sidewall cuts and tears-a veritable Achilles shield.

Sidewall Traction-MT/R w/Kevlar gives greater grip for canyon crawling, mud pits and sand dunes, with improved steering and handling in both wet and dry conditions.

Wraparound Tread-Special sculpting on the Wrangler MT/R w/Kevlar creates the go-juice for motoring and bite, when traversing dry lake beds; driving over loose sand and hard scrabble; and motivating up and over rocks and boulders.

Inventive Tread Design-Wrangler MT/R is comprised of advanced silica rubber that is asymmetrically-shaped for better traction qualities in wet and off-road conditions.

Tractive Groove Technology- Wrangler DuraTrac crafted with a center-line band of grooves that repel muck and snow.

Self-Cleaning Shoulder Blocks-Wrangler DuraTrac’s chunky blocks of –shaped compound are engineered with “mud-flow20geometry” to improve maneuvering in deep mud and blizzards.

Highly-Angled Center Tread Blocks-Wrangler DuraTrac’s center-band block pattern and rubber compound quiet road noise and increase lateral stability.


Sales Potential-Goodyear projects that full-sized truck sales will remain steady for five years. On sale now, Goodyear will offer the Wrangler MT-R w/Kevlar in 30 sizes; the Wrangler DuraTrac will be available in 26 sizes, covering 89 percent of the targeted vehicle segment.


Sue Mead

Popularity: 15% [?]

Tags: , ,
Posted in Auto Industry | 1 Comment »

Cash for Clunkers — Not Really

July 9th, 2009

We’ve been hearing about cash for clunkers for months. It’s the government program designed to get old gas guzzling cars off the road by offering cash to consumers to buy more fuel efficient cars.

The deal has two goals wrapped in one action. It gets drivers into potential more fuel efficient cars and it jump starts car sales. But contrary to the catchy title, consumers will not be given cash to buy newer vehicles.

Dealers will register for the program. When a consumer trades a gas guzzler and purchases a more fuel efficient vehicle and government credit is applied to the purchase of the new vehicle.

That credit will be $3,500 for fuel efficiency that is four miles per gallon better than the traded in car. It jumps to $4,500 if the purchased car is 10 mpg better. For light trucks its $3,500 for 2 mpg better and $4,500 for 5 mpg better.

Frank S. Washington

Popularity: 11% [?]

Posted in Auto Industry | 1,302 Comments »

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »