Category Archives: news analysis

Ford UAW Workers Ratify 4-Year No Cost Increase Contract

The Ford UAW agreement is based of Ford’s promise to add another 5,750 new jobs and invest what’s said to be $16 billion to produce new models and revised vehicles and components by 2015. About $6.3 billion will be invested directly into retooling U.S. plants.

Ten years ago the there were more than 102,000 UAW jobs at Ford. Today there are 40,000. As is the current management practice in the ailing U.S. economy, the jobs claim includes so called “retained jobs,” as well as some new ones. Continue reading

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General Motors China Sales Top 2 Million. Again!

For the second time in its history, General Motors has sold more than 2 million vehicles in China in a calendar year, reaching the milestone this week. China has been GM’s largest market for the past two years where it is the Number One automaker. GM is on track to sell 5 million vehicles in China by 2015. And it might just be a question of time before Chinese companies mount a takeover of GM via its publically traded stock, and move GM headquarters to Shanghai, where GM China already has substantial space in a huge office tower. Continue reading

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EU Car Sales Still trending Down for Fourth Straight Year

During the first nine months of 2011, 10,121,423 new cars were registered in the region, or 1.1% less than in the same period a year ago. Fiat, the owner of Chrysler, Ford and General Motors are all struggling to keep their European operations viable as all are losing market share. Continue reading

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2012 Honda Insight Hybrid Ups Fuel Economy at Under $20,000

Honda’s latest attempt to catch Toyota Prius, the undisputed hybrid sales leader, results in an updated 2012 Insight hybrid with revised exterior and interior styling, as well as an improved EPA fuel economy rating of 1 mpg. The new Insight’s city/highway/combined EPA fuel economy rating of 41/44/42 mpg, is up from 40/43/41 on the outgoing Insight hybrid model.

More significant is the price as Insights are just now arriving in dealerships. Honda continues to offer the highest EPA fuel economy rating of any new vehicle currently available with a Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) starting under $20,000, which is really $19,120 for the base Insight delivered, plus state and local taxes. Continue reading

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New EPA Grants Go to Universities for Black Carbon Research

Black carbon – including diesel powered vehicle emissions – can affect the climate in the near term, and as with other types of fine particles, can cause serious health effects such as cardiovascular and respiratory ailments. Fine particles have also been strongly linked to lung cancer. Continue reading

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Chevrolet and Nissan Succeed with Plug-in Hybrids and EVs as the Business of Plugging In Shows First Product Results

Success is the verdict about one year after the Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid and Nissan Leaf EV (electric vehicle) both went on sale, it was revealed last week at the third annual Business of Plugging In Conference in Michigan. And with Cadillac, Ford, Toyota about to introduce the their own plug-in hybrids, and a pure EV version of the tiny Chevrolet Spark coming in 2013, the small niche of electric cars has the chance to grow some more. Continue reading

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U.S. Budget Deficit Officially at $1.299 Trillion in FY 2011

The so-called Super Committee is already gridlocked over how to decrease the budget deficit, and that very likely means nothing will be done about the deficit until after the 2012 elections as both parties in a dysfunctional Washington maneuver for election advantages. Continue reading

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President Obama and South Korean President Lee Defend Korean FTA at a Michigan General Motors Small Car Plant

President Barack Obama and South Korean President Lee Myung-bak toured the General Motors Orion Assembly Plant on Friday and spoke to several hundred workers and guests in support of the pending U.S-South Korean Free Trade Agreement. The rally came as U.S. long term unemployment remain at record post Great Depression levels. Korea is the fifth largest producer and fourth largest exporter of motor vehicles in the world, and – up to now – its car market has been closed. Continue reading

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Pelican Oil Refinery Guilty of Clean Air Act Crimes in Louisiana

If the court sentences according to the terms in today’s plea agreement, Pelican will pay $12 million in criminal penalties, including $2 million in community service payments that will go toward various environmental projects in Louisiana, including air pollution monitoring. This would mark the largest ever criminal fine in Louisiana for violations of the Clean Air Act. Continue reading

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U.S. Automakers Push for Single EV Fast Charging Standard

Audi, BMW, Daimler, Ford, General Motors, Porsche and Volkswagen agreed to support a harmonized single-port fast charging approach for use on electric vehicles in Europe and the United States. Noticeably absent thus far is Nissan, arguably the leader in EV’s along with Alliance Partner Renault. Continue reading

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More Jobs to China as GM Will Develop a New Global Engine Family with SAIC and Pan Asian Technical Center

General Motors will develop an all-new global family of small-displacement “Ecotec” gasoline engines over the next several years in China in conjunction with the Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp. (SAIC), Shanghai General Motors (SGM) and the Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center (PATAC). Continue reading

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Midsize Chevrolet Colorado Pickup Will Be Built in U.S.

The GM Colorado decision once again raises the Ford Ranger question. Ford Motor once dominated the compact pickup truck market in the U.S. until years of product neglect combined with an assault by Toyota and Nissan pushed it to a footnote in the segment. This first forced the closing of Ford’s Edison, New Jersey plant. The remaining plant in Minnesota did not survive the tentative Ford UAW contract that is now being voted on, and will shut down later this year. Continue reading

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Sundiro Honda Builds More than 7 Million Motorcycles in China, Leading Country. Export Business Thriving, Including to Japan

Sundiro provides one model for the next wave of Chinese exports by using an established brand name to provide assurance to customers that highly complex motorcycles and ultimately automobiles can be bought with confidence even though they are made in China. Sundiro Honda now exports hundreds of thousands of motorcycles to more than 45 countries, and is one of the largest operations of Honda’s thriving motorcycle business. Continue reading

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U.S. Unemployment at 9.1% Unchanged in September

The unemployment rate during September in the U.S. remains unchanged at 9.1% where it has been stuck for months now. This means that according to the Federal government more than 14 million people are out of work. The real number – if you include people who stopped looking for work and forced part time workers – is likely 25 million people who want to work full time. Continue reading

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NHTSA Probes GM Electric Power Steering Sudden Failure

Complicating matters for General Motors is the EPS system used in those vehicles is the same as that used in 2005 -2010 model year Chevrolet Cobalt and Pontiac G5 models. In March of 2010, GM recalled more than 1 million of them to fix a defect with the EPS assist motor. Continue reading

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