Category Archives: people

GM Marketing Head Ewanick Resigns as GM Lags in Sales Growth

In an unusual Sunday statement, General Motors tersely said yesterday that Global Chief Marketing Officer Joel Ewanick resigned, effective immediately. The resignation comes just days before GM will release Q2 financial results, which will be negatively impacted by product launch and marketing costs, as well as the ongoing struggles of Opel, which is mired in the Eurozone crisis. Continue reading

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First 118 MPGe Honda Fit EV Delivered in California

American Honda initially will lease Fit in some California and Oregon markets. Some East Coast locations will be added next year. The EV is lease-only with a price of $389 per month for three-years, which computes to a Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of $36,625. Collision coverage, maintenance costs and roadside assistance service included in lease. Gasoline versions of the Fit sell in the $16,200 to $21,000 range. Continue reading

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Fisker and Leonardo DiCaprio to Work on ‘Sustainability’

Fisker Automotive and Leonardo DiCaprio today announced that they will work together to promote environmental causes. DiCaprio – an investor in Fisker – will “participate in conversations on the auto manufacturer’s future plans for the advancement of sustainable, responsible vehicles.” Continue reading

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Ford of Europe Names Gunnar Herrmann V.P. of Quality

Ford of Europe has named Gunnar Herrmann, vice president of quality. Herrmann, 52, will be responsible for all aspects of quality at Ford of Europe, effective 1 September. Herrmann, a no nonsense, but affable engineer, also joins Ford of Europe’s management board and Ford of Germany’s supervisory board. Continue reading

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NTSB Blames Jack Roush in 2010 Oshkosh EAA Crash

A National Transportation Safety Board investigation into the crash that seriously injured pilot Jack Roush at EAA AirVenture 2010 said that Roush, long time Ford Supplier and racing team owner, let his Hawker Beechcraft 390 jet stall during an attempted go-around. Continue reading

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BMW Group and Toyota Motor Expand Collaboration

Akio Toyoda, President of Toyota Motor Corporation, met today with Norbert Reithofer, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG, at the BMW Group headquarters in Munich to announce the planned expansion of their existing cooperation that started last year. Continue reading

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Pratt & Whitney of United Technologies Guilty of Criminal Charges for Helping China Develop a Military Attack Helicopter

Pratt & Whitney Canada, a Canadian subsidiary of the Connecticut-based defense contractor United Technologies Corporation, today pled guilty to violating the Arms Export Control Act and making false statements in connection with its illegal export to China of U.S.-origin military software used in the development of China’s first modern military attack helicopter, the Z-10. Continue reading

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Rolls-Royce Appoints Giles Taylor as New Design Director

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars said today that Giles Taylor is appointed Design Director, effective 1 July 2012. Taylor will report to Adrian van Hooydonk, Senior Vice President BMW Group Design. Taylor replaces Ian Cameron, who retires from the role he has held since 1999. Continue reading

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Treasury and Education Departments Tout Higher Education

A new report released today by the U.S. Department of the Treasury with the U.S. Department of Education looks at the economic case for higher education. The election year maneuvering comes as President Obama calls on Congress to keep interest rates low for the 7.4 million borrowers who are expected to take out subsidized Federal student loans next year. Federal financial aid now represents 55% of all financial aid to undergraduates at two- and four-year institutions. Auto companies are struggling to hire engineers, particularly in electronics and telematics fields. Continue reading

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Detroit Public Library Opens WW II Production Collection

An extensive collection of documents recording the American automobile industry’s role in WW II is now open to historians and researchers, the Detroit Public Library said yesterday at a press conference in downtown Detroit. Continue reading

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Ex Alabama Cop Arrested for Stealing from Motorists on I-65

Former Fort Deposit, Alabama Police Officer Carlos Tyson Bennett was arrested today on charges of stealing money from motorists on Interstate 65 in central Alabama and subsequently trying to conceal his criminal activity. Continue reading

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Yazaki Exec and Autoliv Plead Guilty on Price Fixing Auto Parts

This is the first case filed relating to occupant safety systems sold to auto manufacturers as part of the DOJ’s ongoing antitrust auto parts investigation. An executive of Japan-based Yazaki Corporation has also agreed to plead guilty for his role in a separate conspiracy to fix prices of automotive wire harnesses and related products installed in U.S. cars. Continue reading

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Congressional, Presidential State Voting Maps Now Online

The Census Bureau today released a menu-driven, interactive web page giving users access for any state a series of graphs showing percentages of adults who voted and registered in every congressional and presidential election between 1996 and 2010. Continue reading

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Audi Lifer Johan de Nysschen Bolts to Infiniti

De Nysschen was with Audi for 19 years, serving in executive positions in South Africa, Japan and most recently as President of the Audi’s American operations. Continue reading

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No Jobs Crisis Continues in May as Washington Dithers

The looming choices facing voters are clearly unpalatable. At the top of the ticket, you have the demonstrably job-destroying Harvard-educated Republican party 1 percenter Mitt Romney running against the demonstrably non-job creating Harvard-educated Democratic party 1 percenter Barack Obama. It is time to put the name “somebody else” on all ballots, which if somebody else wins starts another election with the other previously listed candidates disqualified from running again. Continue reading

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