Category Archives: news analysis

Japan Earthquake Aftershocks – U.S. Car Prices Could Rise 9%

None of this is good news for beleaguered consumers who are now facing the highest gasoline prices in almost three years, as automakers such as Ford quietly raise prices because of increased commodity and energy costs. Continue reading

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New 2013 Chevrolet Malibu to be Built in Hamtramck, MI

Starting in 2012 in the U.S., Malibu will be built at GM’s assembly plant in Hamtramck, Michigan, which is currently producing the Chevrolet Volt and will soon start making the Opel Ampera. This leads us to speculate that a hybrid version of the Malibu is in the works. What happens to the Fairfax, Virginia plant that currently builds the Malibu remains to be seen. Continue reading

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Heads Roll at Renault over Industrial Espionage Case that Embarrassed French Government. Pélata, Ghosn Survive

As a result what it deemed of failures and dysfunctions within the company, the Board of Directors of Renault today erected the corporate equivalent of a guillotine outside of Paris that saw the firings of Remy Pagnie, Director of Group … Continue reading

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Department of Energy, Qatar Sign Agreement on Clean Energy

Qatar, an ally of the United States in the ongoing Libya war, has enormous reserves of both oil and natural gas, and as a result is an extremely wealthy nation. Qatar has agreed to market Libyan oil from sites controlled by the Libyan rebels and has sent troops to fight. Qatar also sponsors the Al-Jazeera television news network, the most influential media outlet in the Arab world. Continue reading

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BMW Brilliance Automotive to Show Plug-in Hybrid at Shanghai

BMW Brilliance Automotive will show a prototype plug-in hybrid sedan at Auto Shanghai 2011 later this month. The plug-in hybrid, based on a long wheelbase 5-series sedan is significant because it was developed exclusively for the Chinese automobile market and produced at the Shenyang joint venture site. Continue reading

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House Passes GOP Attack on EPA Regulation of Greenhouse Gases after Senate Blocks it

The House vote was symbolic because the Senate has killed the matter – and in the views of critics a complete waste of taxpayer’s money. Thus a contentious attack on the Clean Air Act will end for the moment, but only for a moment. Continue reading

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Subaru to Debut 2012 Impreza at New York Auto Show

Subaru of America will debut of the all-new Subaru Impreza 4-door and 5-door models at the 2011 New York International Auto Show later this month. The new Impreza design will provide a larger interior for five passengers and what’s said to be improved levels of comfort and refinement. Current Impreza models sell in the $19,000 to $23,000 range. Continue reading

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Toyota Sells One-Millionth Prius Hybrid in the U.S.

Toyota Motor Sales (TMS) U.S.A. today announced the one-millionth sale of the Toyota Prius in the United States. Prius was the world’s first mass-produced hybrid gas-electric vehicle, and in its third generation is unquestionably the most successful hybrid, which continues to give Toyota a reputation as an environmentally friendly hybrid. Continue reading

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Chesapeake Energy Converts 800th Vehicle to Natural Gas

Unlike the volatility in gasoline and diesel prices most recently caused by turmoil in the Middle East, the price of CNG remains steady at $1.39 per gallon of gasoline equivalent in Oklahoma. Continue reading

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Toyota Wins New York Unintended Acceleration Case

Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. has won an unintended acceleration case where it was alleged that an unsecured driver’s side floor mat was the primary cause of the crash of Scion tC vehicle in August 2005. After deliberating for approximately 45 … Continue reading

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Three Problem Areas for Toyota in U.S. from Japan Earthquake

During a press call to discuss March sales results today, Bob Carter, Toyota Division group vice president and general manager, Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. (TMS) said “The events in Japan had little if any impact on March sales.”

However, that doesn’t mean that Toyota no longer faces production and resulting sales problems because of the plant shutdowns caused by the Japan earthquake, tsunami and nuclear power plant meltdowns. Continue reading

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Ford Motor Company Outsells General Motors in March as U.S. Sales Increase 19%! Ford Q1 Sales also Strong at Plus 6%.

Ford is clearly benefitting from relatively fresh products, a shift away from trucks to cars and improved fuel efficiency in most vehicle lines as gasoline prices continue to rise above $3.50 a gallon. Continue reading

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Toyota U.S. Sales Down 5.7% in March. Q1 Plus 12.5%. Nissan, Honda Post Double Digit Gains as Toyota’s Troubles Go On

Toyota Motor Sales (TMS) U.S.A. today reported March sales results of 176,222 units, down 5.7% from a year ago on a volume basis. The Toyota Division posted March sales of 155,540 units, a decrease of 6.7% from the year-ago month. The Lexus Division reported total sales of 20,682 units, up 2.3% March. Overall, based on preliminary numbers, it looks like the industry is up roughly 12%. Continue reading

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Reducing Oil Imports – Assumptions in New Independence Plan

In 2008, America imported 11 million barrels of oil a day. By 2025 the U.S. will have cut that by one-third – about where we were in 1975, according to an energy independence plan outlined by President Obama yesterday. Continue reading

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Chevrolet Miray Hybrid Electric Debuts at Seoul Motor Show

Chevrolet introduced the Miray concept hybrid electric vehicle at the 2011 Seoul Motor Show today. The roadster is significant because it was developed at the General Motors Advanced Design Studio in Seoul, increasingly the source of small car work for … Continue reading

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