Category Archives: people

German Shuffle as Ulrich Eichhorn leaves Bentley Motors for VDA, Rolf Frech leaves Porsche to Head Bentley Engineering

Frech succeeds Dr Ulrich Eichhorn, who becomes the Managing Director with the Verband der Automobilindustrie (VDA), the German Association of the Automotive Industry. VDA has seen some executive changes as German automakers continue to be outflanked by the growing green movement in Germany and across Europe, one that now sees the proposed banning of conventional automobiles from most cities and the shifting of transportation spending to water and rail. Continue reading

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The Business of Plugging In Adds EV Experts to Panels

The Center for Automotive Research is holding a timely conference – The Business of Plugging In, an electric vehicle conference – this October that will discuss the emerging plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) against a background of contentious budget debates in Washington about subsidies for automakers, global warming, emission regulations, and tax policies. Continue reading

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Ford UAW is Next Labor Contract Fight. Strike Possible?

If the GM UAW contract sets the pattern, as it has in the past, a combination of job creation and increased pay for new union hires (the shrinking UAW desperately needs the revenues) will occur and signing bonuses will be given to existing workers under a new Ford UAW deal. Continue reading

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GM Board Meets in China. New Investment Coming Tomorrow?

At about the same time the UAW reveals details of its new contract with GM tomorrow U.S. media, General Motors Vice Chairman Steve Girsky will be holding a conference call for media from Shanghai.

The latest communication from GM will likely detail plans for further job creation via new investment in China, GM’s and the world’s largest automarket. Continue reading

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UAW Reaches Agreement with GM. Members Vote This Week

The real contract to watch is the now expired and unresolved one at Ford Motor where the UAW can strike, since Ford did not except bailout funds and hence the requisite no strike provision for a bailout, although Ford did accept billions in other taxpayer subsidies and handouts during the beginning years of the Obama Administration. Continue reading

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Book Review: Car Spy – an Inside Look at an Auto Culture Past

Car Spy is entertaining, funny, and sardonic. It captures the voice of Dunne – caveat here – whose adventures I sometimes participated in, whose photos I ran in various publications and still run in AutoInformed.com, and whose stories related in Car Spy I heard first hand. Continue reading

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4,547 Worker fatalities in 2010 About Same as 2009 – 12 a Day

Because of the way data are gathered it is difficult to directly tally automaker fatalities. In Michigan, Indiana and Ohio, all heavily dependent on the auto industry, more than 350 workers died in manufacturing related positions; motor vehicle or parts dealers were involved in 49 fatalities across the U.S. And this doesn’t include trucking, warehousing or other transportation injuries, which could be auto related. Continue reading

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Driving More – 31.5 Million Travelers During Labor Day Holiday

The current national average price for regular unleaded gasoline is approximately $3.57 per gallon, about 86 cents higher than one year ago. Down nearly 10% from their May peak, gas prices will have less of an impact on Labor Day holiday travelers than they had on Memorial Day and Independence Day holiday travelers, during which 42% and 44% of travelers, respectively, stated gas prices would impact travel plans.

Continue reading

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Treasury Receives $2 Billion TARP Repayment from American International Group. U.S. Taxpayers Still out at Least $51 Billion

During the financial crisis and Great Recession caused by Wall Street financiers, the U.S. Government’s support for AIG totaled approximately $180 billion. After today’s repayment, the taxpayers remaining outstanding investment in AIG through Treasury is $51 billion. Not one of the involved executives has been prosecuted for what were various forms of financial fraud that lead up to the near collapse of the global financial system and the ongoing Great Recession. Continue reading

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World Record for Tailfins as 298 Cadillacs Parade in Vermont?

The previous record of 102 Cadillacs on parade was set on Aug. 18, 2002, in Leimuiderbrug, the Netherlands of all places. Continue reading

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Ford Europe Changes Product Development Team

Ford Motor Company today announced a realignment of its global Product Development leadership team, naming Barb Samardzich, vice president, Global Product Programs, to the position of vice president, Product Development, Ford of Europe. Continue reading

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GM CEO Akerson Buys Another 10,000 Shares at $25.05

Akerson vowed this week that there was plenty of upside in GM stock given its new structure and emphasis on managing costs. On a cost cutting side, one program with great promise involves vehicle architectures. Akerson said “We need to simplify.” The company said that by 2018 it plans to cut that number to 14 from the 30 currently use.

Skeptics, and there are many, say show us the earnings per share and start paying dividends. Well, at least Akerson is putting his money where his promises are, so to speak. Continue reading

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Ron Bloom Resigns as Assistant to the President for Manufacturing Policy. Was Key Player in Auto Bailouts

Bloom was part of a team headed by Stephen Rattner at the U.S. Treasury Department that was responsible for forcing drastic bankruptcy restructurings and CEO firings at General Motors and Chrysler as they were on the verge of being liquidated in 2009. Continue reading

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Bye Bye American Dream – One in Four Could Not Pay for a Major Auto Repair in Latest AAA Economic Survey

One in four American drivers could not pay for a car repair of $2000 if faced with one today, according to the results of a survey released today by AAA. The survey also said one in eight would be unable to pay for a repair bill of $1000 – easily reached with overly complex vehicles on the road. Continue reading

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President Obama Unveils 54.5 MPG Fuel Economy Regulation for 2017-25. Will it Alter Vehicle Choices and Increase Costs?

In a thirteen minute speech in Washington this morning, President Obama revealed his proposal for doubling the fuel economy of vehicles sold in the U.S. by 2025. This proposal, which will apply to cars and light trucks sold during model years 2017 to 2025, establishes a global warming pollution standard of 163 grams of CO2 per mile per new vehicle by 2025—the equivalent of 54.5 mpg if all the improvements are met through actual increases in fuel-efficiency. Continue reading

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