New GM Pickup EcoTech3 V6 Rated at 24 and 22 MPG

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Engineers spent a lot of time in the wind tunnel eliminating turbulence. There are new mirrors, triple-sealed inlaid doors, as well as roof, cab, bed and tailgate tweaks, to name only a few, that all help air flow smoothly and quietly.

The new EcoTech3 V6 engine used in 2014 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra full-size pickup trucks is EPA rated at 22 mpg highway for 4×4 versions and 24 mpg for 2wd. This means the 4.3-liter V6 is competitive with – or better than V6 engines – used in the Ram, Ford F-150 and Toyota Tundra pickup trucks. GM’s 2wd V6 Sierra models match Ram HFE’s 18 mpg city, which has the advantage of an 8-speed automatic transmission compared to GM’s 6-speed; while 4×4 models are rated at 17 mpg city, the best of any full-size pickup. The engine runs on 87-octane regular grade gasoline.

The combination of three technologies in the so-called EcoTec3 – direct fuel injection, variable valve timing and cylinder deactivation – also allows for a class-leading payload rating of 2,108 pounds and the highest optional towing rating of 7,200 pounds. The engine uses a compact overhead valve design – yes pushrods – and weight-saving components such as aluminum block and cylinder heads to reduce the mass for additional energy savings. Continue reading

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Chrysler Finally Agrees to Fix Jeep Fuel Systems after a Long NHTSA Probe and Formal Recall Request

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Fires resulting from accidents are tragic events. A statistically-based defense even if valid does not have emotional appeal Chrysler has learned.

Chrysler Group will recall 1993-2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee and 2002-2007 Jeep Liberty vehicles and modify the chassis. The sudden reversal announced this afternoon follows two years of investigation and controversy about the fuel system design on more than 2.7 million Jeeps. Earlier this month there was an unusual public disagreement between Chrysler and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration when Chrysler refused to recall the Jeeps at NHTSA’s request and issued a statement questioning NHTSA’s judgement. NHTSA now appears to have stared down the Fiat-controlled company in what was -  at a minimum – a growing image disaster about the safety of its products. The first rule of automotive public relations applies here: when you are in a hole, stop digging it deeper. (“La prima regola di relazioni pubbliche si applica qui: quando sei in un fosso, smetti di scavare la più profonda,” should be sent to all the Fiat executives involved with running Chrysler.)

There are almost 200 crashes and close to 300 fatalities where fires were involved in the recalled Jeeps, according to the allegations of product liability lawyers and their closely aligned colleagues at the Center for Auto Safety. Chrysler Group now says it will conduct a voluntary recall that in addition to a visual inspection of the vehicle will, if necessary, provide an “upgrade to the rear structure” of the vehicle to improve management of the crash forces in low-speed impacts. The upgrade includes a factory or Mopar aftermarket trailer hitch assembly. If the Jeep has one in good repair, it’s okay. If not, it will be installed or fixed at no charge to the owner as required by U.S. safety regulations. Continue reading

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Milestones – 90 Years of the Alfa Romeo Quadrifoglio Verde

all of Alfa's racing cars had the emblem as well as a production Alfa Romeos from the 1960s onwards.

All Alfa’s racing cars have the quadrifoglio verde and some production cars during the 1960-1980s.

In the Anglo Saxon world, a green four-leaf clover should call up images of Irish luck (except for their abuse by the English), but by a fourfold twist of fate, this legendary symbol is identified with some of Alfa Romeo’s highest performing Italian models going back to June of 1923.

The origin of this symbol is unknown, but the Italian automaker now owned by Fiat claims an association with the flag that was on the airplanes of the 10th Caproni Bomber Squadron during World War One. The so-called quadrifoglio today is part of the Italian Air Force’s coat of arms, and Alfa bombastically claims it represents – big yawn – the “pursuit of excellence applied to competition,” which allegedly has been “transferred to its production vehicles,” especially high performance models of the 1960s-1980s. Continue reading

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U.S. Unemployed Far Outnumber Job Openings

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In construction and every major industry, including manufacturing and transportation, work is missing and not the right workers as politicians claim.

The April Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) released last week by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that job openings fell by 118,000 in April to only 3.8 million. Job openings have seen little improvement during the last year and are still depressed. In 2007, there were 4.5 million job openings each month. April’s rate of 3.8 million is more than 16% below the levels before President Bush’s Great Recession kicked in.

An economist from The Economic Policy Institute, Heidi Shierholz, says that unemployed workers far outnumber job openings in every sector, demonstrating the main problem in the labor market is a broad-based lack of demand for workers – and not, as is often claimed by Republican and Democratic politicians, available workers lacking the skills needed for the sectors with job openings. (Read Unemployed Workers Still Far Outnumber Job Openings in Every Major Sector) Continue reading

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Multiple Ram Truck Recalls Active at Chrysler Group

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Not so Ram tough in some cases…

Chrysler Group is recalling 2012 and 2013 Ram trucks for three different safety defects, according to NHTSA documents just made public. The recalls are for defective headlamps and taillights, as well as a bad weld affecting the front driveshaft.

The latest safety defects come shortly after Chrysler Group refused a NHTSA request to recall almost three million Jeeps for an allegedly defective fuel tank design. Continue reading

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