Autoblog

REPORT: BAIC/Koenigsegg may produce Saab 9-5 in China

Michael Harley — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 14:26:00 EST

Filed under: China, Government/Legal, Plants/Manufacturing, Saab

Beijing Automotive Industry Holding Co. (BAIC), announced as a minority partner in Koenigsegg's deal to purchase Saab from General Motors two months ago, plans to produce the Saab 9-5 on Chinese soil next year. The involvement of BAIC in the Saab transaction helps Koenigsegg close the deal and gives the Chinese company leverage to re-badge the previous-generation Saab 9-5 as its own or to simply expand the brand's existing reach within the country.

In September, Saab CEO Jan-Ake Jonsson told reporters he wanted to double the number of Chinese Saab dealers from 15 to 30, and that he had an interest in local Chinese production. "Beijing Auto is an opportunity for us to establish ourselves in the Chinese market with their experience," the CEO said. Under current plans, Saab imports all cars to China, where they're sold under the Shanghai General Motors network. Sales have been slow, but promoting the brand under the watchful eye of BAIC may help the brand gain traction in China's huge automotive market.

[Source: Gasgoo]

REPORT: BAIC/Koenigsegg may produce Saab 9-5 in China originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 07 Nov 2009 14:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

REPORT: Tata may let other automakers build Nano

Chris Shunk — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 13:20:00 EST

Filed under: Budget, Plants/Manufacturing, Tata

Tata Nano - Click above for high-res image gallery

The Tata Nano has been in production since July, and during that time, Tata Motors has reportedly sold over 7,500 copies of its $2,500 car. The Indian automaker has plenty of potential customers for its inexpensive little econo-gem, but production capacity is another matter altogether. Tata is producing the Nano with existing plant floor capacity until its new, 250,000-unit/year factory comes online at the end of March 2010.

But Tata is thinking of ways to get more Nanos to market - and it's not just limiting its options to models emblazoned with a circle T emblem. Reuters reports that Tata is considering licensing the Nano to other automakers, with or without Tata badging. Tata Vice Chairman Ravi Kant reportedly mentioned at an awards function that the company would allow micro-assembly sites to build their own Nano within India, adding, "We call it Nano, they don't have to."

Tata hasn't announced whether it actually has any partners for its vehicle sharing proposition, but if demand for the inexpensive car continues to hold strong, we suspect there will be some takers. This plan makes perfect sense for Tata because the automaker should be able to amortize some of the car's development costs by sharing its design with others. And when you're dealing with a $2,500 MSRP, every penny counts.

Gallery: Tata Nano

[Source: Reuters]

REPORT: Tata may let other automakers build Nano originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 13:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

They still make that? VW Golf Mk1 ends production after 25 years

Michael Harley — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 10:20:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Plants/Manufacturing, Hatchback, Volkswagen

Volkswagen CitiGolf - Click above for high-res image gallery

The original Volkswagen Golf Mk1 arrived as a replacement to the Volkswagen Beetle way back in 1974. Sold in the States as the Volkswagen Rabbit, the early front-wheel-drive hatchback had a transverse-mounted (water-cooled) 1.5-liter four-cylinder rated at just 70 horsepower. It was good for a 93 mph top speed and nearly 38 miles per gallon. While the standard Rabbit was rather ho-hum, the late-to-arrive Mk1 "GTI" ushered in the hot-hatch movement with its 90-horsepower 1.8-liter four-cylinder, slick manual transmission, and upgraded suspension. It was a seriously cool car.

In 1984, Volkswagen introduced the Golf Mk2. As the successor was bigger, wider, and more expensive than the original - and customers may have been turned-off by the "improvements" - VW chose to continue the Mk1 production and sell it as the low-cost Econo Golf, or CitiGolf.

Over the past 25 years, more than 500,000 units of the venerable Mk1 have rolled out of a South African assembly plant for sale in markets abroad. Variants have been fitted with a wide range of engine choices (both gasoline and diesel), from 1.1-liters up to 1.8-liters of displacement. Transmissions have included 4- and 5-speed manuals, plus the (obviously outdated) 3-speed automatic. Lacking nearly all of today's necessary safety equipment (a driver's airbag was eventually fitted), time finally caught up with the CitiGolf this summer and the South African plant was closed in late August.

Interesting side note: the tooling used to build the CitiGolf all these years in South Africa was reportedly originally used to make the Rabbit at Volkswagen's Westmoreland plant in Pennsylvania. Thanks for the tip, Doug!

Gallery: Volkswagen CitiGolf

[Source: in4ride]

They still make that? VW Golf Mk1 ends production after 25 years originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 10:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Autoblog Podcast #151: With Eddie Alterman of Car and Driver

Dan Roth — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:50:00 EST

Filed under: Podcasts, SEMA Show, Etc., Plants/Manufacturing, Audi, BMW, Dodge, Ford, Lincoln, Subaru, Earnings/Financials, UAW/Unions, Celebrities

Click above for the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes, RSS or listen now!

Abuelsamid, Lieberman, Roth and Shunk. Sounds like a law firm, but it's this week's podcast crew. Car and Driver editor-in-chief Eddie Alterman bravely wades into the pool and joins us for Episode #151 of the Autoblog Podcast, as well.

We spend a goodly amount of time going over what's in all five garages this week, before picking up actual topics. Once into news, we move through the Honda Accord Crosstour's pricing and impending launch, Ford's profitable quarter and union dealings, Edmunds' dust-up with the White House, and wrap with what might be cool at the crazy automotive cavalcade that is SEMA. It's an hour and twenty minutes of rollicking good times, so let us know what you think by dropping us an email at Podcast at Autoblog dot com, reviewing the show in iTunes, filling out our survey, or even leaving us a voicemail on our Google Voice line 734-288-8POD (734-288-8763). Thanks for listening, we'll see you next week!

Continue reading Autoblog Podcast #151: With Eddie Alterman of Car and Driver

Autoblog Podcast #151: With Eddie Alterman of Car and Driver originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

REPORT: Ford Kuga could come in Lincoln, Mercury flavors, replace Escape, be built in USA

Jonny Lieberman — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Europe, Plants/Manufacturing, Crossover, Ford

Ford Kuga - Click above for high-res image gallery

How's this for an odd twist - Ford essentially kicked off the SUV craze with its Explorer, an embiggened four-door Ranger. And man, did we go crazy. Before the cheap-gas bubble burst, slightly more than half of all passenger vehicles sold here in America were SUVs. Just below the Explorer was and is Ford's little truck (which is no longer little) the Escape. And almost ten years later, the Escape pretty much looks like a body-on-frame SUV, even though people stopped associating SUVs with mud during George W Bush's first term.

So what if the next Escape looked more like the CUV that it actually is, and less like the SUV it isn't? And what if Lincoln got a version? Mercury too, though they already have the Mariner, a rebadged Escape. Also, what if the next escape was built here, but then badged as a Kuga and sold in Europe? According to CEO Alan Mulally and some other, more chatty Ford folks, it's all more than possible.

The latter is really interesting, and shows you just how far the dollar has fallen against the Euro. And it also shows you Ford's One Ford strategy at work - wherein starting very soon, most Ford cars are going to be global in nature. Aside from essential legal parts (like standard stability control in U.S. vehicles) the cars can be sold wherever. Built wherever, too. For instance, the Ford Fiesta, which will be coming to our shores next year, is Ford's best selling car in Europe and will soon be built only in Mexico and shipped both across the border and across the Atlantic.

Back to the Kuga, the plan is to begin building the Kuga in Louisville, Kentucky in late 2011 for export to Europe. Sometime after that, the Kuga will replace the Escape and the Lincoln/Mercury editions. Moreover, this could be the start of a trend - Fords being built in the U.S. for export across the pond.

Gallery: First Drive: 2008 Ford Kuga

[Source: Automotive News sub-req]

REPORT: Ford Kuga could come in Lincoln, Mercury flavors, replace Escape, be built in USA originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Toyota plans to trim trucks, focus on hybrids, improve quality

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:29:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Truck, Plants/Manufacturing, Safety, Toyota

Stick with what you know. That seems to be Toyota's new mantra going forward, as the Japanese automaker has reportedly diverted its attention away from large trucks like the largely unsuccessful and slow-selling Tundra pickup and back on hybrid vehicles - possibly all wearing the Prius badge, including a minivan and something smaller than the current Prius - and returning to its previous levels of unquestionable quality.

Atsushi Niimi, executive vice president for North America and global manufacturing, tells Automotive News that Toyota will try to build more longevity into its current lineup, addressing issues such as excessive rust and corrosion and introducing new "fail-safe functions" designed to minimize the possibility of "tragic accidents." We suspect that means push-button ignitions that can more easily shut down the car and floor mats that can't bunch up under the accelerator pedal.

In addition, Toyota will focus on the North American market, giving U.S. engineers a larger say when it comes to new vehicle design and the choices of which models make the overseas trek. To speed up the new model renaissance, Toyota will hold back on mid-cycle refreshes, instead working to get more substantial updates ready in less time.

On the manufacturing side, Toyota believes that it expanded too rapidly over the last decade and will attempt to slow down and restore the trust that customers had in the brand. Apparently, that slowdown will indeed affect the recently-built and still-idle plant in Blue Springs, Mississippi.

[Source: Automotive News (products, manufacturing) (quality) - sub. req'd]

Toyota plans to trim trucks, focus on hybrids, improve quality originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Ford and Canadian Auto Workers reportedly reach a deal

Dan Roth — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 16:09:00 EST

Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing, Ford, UAW/Unions, Canada

Ford Motor Company and the leadership of the Canadian Auto Workers union have reached a tentative agreement after a marathon four-day wrap-up to negotiations. Union membership needs to approve the deal, which will guarantee a Great White North presence for Ford until at least 2012. Voting is underway this weekend, and if approved, the CAW will be responsible for building 10 percent of Ford's North American production, down from the current 13 percent, which the union had been trying to hold on to.

Workers did agree to time off reductions, and pledged that new employees will have to pay into their pensions. Ford's given its word that the company will build as many vehicles in Canada as it sells there, and the union deemed the pledge good enough to grant GM- and Chrysler-style concessions to Ford.

The Panther platform has been given its last rites; the St. Thomas Assembly plant is the only Ford location currently building the body-on-frame biggies, and that plant will close in September 2011. The 1,600 people in Ontario who build Town Cars and Grand Marquis are understandably unhappy about word that Ford intends to shutter the plant, but the Panther has cheated death more than once. This time, it may stick.

Better news for CAW members is that Ford's Oakville assembly complex, also in Ontario, has the go-ahead to add a third shift when needed. Ford also says it will manufacture a new vehicle at Oakville, which currently builds the Edge, Flex, MKX, and MKT crossovers, but that will likely come after the current labor agreement expires.

[Source: CBC News, Photo: Ford/CC]

Ford and Canadian Auto Workers reportedly reach a deal originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 31 Oct 2009 16:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

REPORT: Toyota develops its own flower for cleaner air at Prius plant

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 08:29:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Etc., Plants/Manufacturing, Technology, Hatchback, Toyota

Automakers make cars and trucks, no surprises there. Some even make other interesting things, like Honda, which also builds motorcycles, lawn mowers, jets, robots and solar cells. But until now, we haven't heard of any car company that develops its own species of flowers. Thankfully, Toyota has reportedly stepped in to correct that oversight by creating two new derivatives of the cherry sage and gardenia at its factory in Toyota City, Japan.

This is the plant where the Japanese automaker assembles the Prius hybrid, which seems fitting since the flowers were specifically chosen for their ability to absorb nitrogen oxides and create water vapor. These attributes clean the surrounding air and lower temperatures at the factory.

Other environmentally-friendly efforts at the plant include roof-mounted solar panels, photocatalytic paint on exterior walls, reflective solar tubes that provide interior light and even slow-growing grass that only needs to be mowed twice per year (we've got dibs). According to Toyota, these initiatives help lower the carbon footprint at the plant, which is a good thing since production of the Prius hybrid is a carbon-intensive operation.

[Source: drive.com.au]

REPORT: Toyota develops its own flower for cleaner air at Prius plant originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 08:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

REPORT: GM delays Chevy Cruze launch by three months

Sam Abuelsamid — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 11:20:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Plants/Manufacturing, Chevrolet

2011 Chevrolet Cruze - Click above for high-res image gallery

Like other automakers, General Motors would prefer to avoid the recall stigma that plagued first-year examples of rival Ford's Focus a decade ago. North American versions of that car were recalled five times in the first year to fix early production glitches. The new Chevrolet Cruze had been scheduled to launch production at the company's Lordstown, Ohio factory in April of next year, but according to The Detroit News, that timeline has now been pushed back to July.

Although earlier launches of the Cruze in China and Europe have not endured any serious problems, this is the company's first major new product since it was re-born out of bankruptcy this summer, and GM wants to avoid anything going wrong in the U.S. as well.

The Cruze is expected to hit 40 mpg in highway driving with its new 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder. According to the DetNews, the delay will also give GM time to have every variant of Cruze ready for customers on day one. Often, production launches are staggered with some trim levels and build combinations held back at first. This frequently causes problems for an automaker if they don't build enough examples of the models people actually want to buy.

Gallery: 2010 Chevy Cruze - live shots

[Source: The Detroit News]

REPORT: GM delays Chevy Cruze launch by three months originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 11:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Has VP Joe Biden leaked Fisker's product plan?

Chris Shunk — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 14:32:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Government/Legal, Plants/Manufacturing, Fisker

Regardless of what side of the political fence you find yourself on, it's hard to dispute that vice president Joe Biden has a reputation for saying more than he should. That's not always a good thing when you're privy to some of the most important secrets of what is arguably the most powerful nation on earth. Happily for car fans, our veep's "gift" seems to apply to automakers as well.

When Biden addressed the media at Fisker's recently purchased Wilmington, Delaware plant, the VP reportedly got pretty glib with Fisker's future product plans. Among the tidbits that Biden spilled beans on was the planned production volume of Project Nina. We already knew that Fisker was gearing up to build Project Nina - a plug-in hybrid rumored to cost less than $40,000 - somewhere in the States, but we didn't know that the fledgling automaker planned to build up to 100,000 copies of the still unseen and unproven PHEV, and that's exactly what our VP indicates. Biden also reportedly described the new sedan's design, saying it looks like a 'four-door Ferrari.' After the press conference, company founder Henrik Fisker apparently told Fox News that Biden "definitely told what our product plans are." Oops.

We don't know if Biden actually spoke out of turn or not, but given the VP's reputation for doing so, we're wondering if Fisker intended to tip its product plans hand this early in the game. Fisker can't complain too much, though, since the U.S. government loaned his company $529 million in spite of the fact that it won't make a car in the U.S. until the middle of the next decade. The automaker's first offering, the Karma, doesn't arrive until late next year, and it will be made in Finland.

[Source: The Car Connection | Image: Jeff Fusco/Getty]

Has VP Joe Biden leaked Fisker's product plan? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 14:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

REPORT: Fiat may use next Chrysler 300 platform for Lancia, Maserati

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 07:20:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Plants/Manufacturing, Chrysler, Maserati, Lancia

The last time Chrysler and Maserati got together, America was blessed with what appeared to the entire world to be little more than a gussied-up two-seat Chrysler LeBaron convertible with a removable hardtop and opera-style windows. Apparently, since that last marriage between Detroit and Modena proved so, ahem, successful, reports indicate that the two companies may once again join forces now that Fiat controls proceedings at both the Trident and the Pentastar.

According to Automotive News, Fiat has plans to build 50,000 vehicles per year at the former Carrozzeria Bertone near Turin that it procured a few months back. That output will be made up of two sedans - one carrying a Maserati badge and one sold as a Lancia - that will be based on the rear-wheel drive underpinnings of the next Chrysler 300.

Both vehicles will reportedly use versions of the upcoming new V6 engine from Chrysler, the first application of which will be in the 2011 Grand Cherokee. The Lancia could be a replacement for the current Thesis sedan while the Maserati would theoretically slot below current Quattroporte.

[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req'd]

REPORT: Fiat may use next Chrysler 300 platform for Lancia, Maserati originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 07:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Officially Official: Fisker buys GM's Wilmington Delaware plant

Sam Abuelsamid — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, Government/Legal, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Plants/Manufacturing, Fisker

In Wilmington, Delaware this morning, Governor Jack Markell was joined by Vice President Joe Biden and Henrik Fisker (seen at right) for the official announcement about the purchase of General Motors' closed plant there. Fisker will re-tool the plant to build a new, more affordable plug-in hybrid sedan to slot in below its more luxurious Karma. The goal is to have the model sell for under $40,000 after federal tax credits.

The current schedule is to have the car in production by the end of 2012 with volumes getting up to 75,000-100,000 units annually by 2014. Fisker has moved up its development schedule for what they are calling Project Nina thanks to the $528 million low cost loan it recently received courtesy of the Department of Energy. During the announcement, Fisker stated that he wants to export half of the production from the plant while creating 5,000 jobs in the U.S. (2,000 at the plant and 3,000 at suppliers). The local UAW president was also on hand, so it looks like the plant will remain unionized, which is very unusual for a startup auto plant.

Fisker is paying $18 million for the factory from Motors Liquidation which is the remainder of "Old GM" which is selling off assets from bankruptcy court. The plant most recently produced the Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky, both of which ended production last spring.

Gallery: Fisker Karma

[Source: Fisker Automotive | Photo by Jeff Fusco/Getty]

Continue reading Officially Official: Fisker buys GM's Wilmington Delaware plant

Officially Official: Fisker buys GM's Wilmington Delaware plant originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

REPORT: Three Ford plants vote down new contract with UAW

Dan Roth — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 11:39:00 EST

Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing, Ford, UAW/Unions

Pattern bargaining is how things tend to be done in Detroit, a strategy which ensures that one automaker doesn't tend to get a plum deal at the expense of the other car builders in town. General Motors and Chrysler negotiated pretty hard with the United Auto Workers as part of the bailouts, and Ford's now in the process of securing new agreements with its labor force. While the Blue Oval didn't need government money to stay afloat (well, aside from those low interest technology loans, anyway), it wants parity with its rivals workforce deals.

Several Ford plants have approved the new deal, in which Dearborn has asked for the same concessions that its rivals have already secured. Most recently, however, three Ford facilities have voted down the plan to hold firm entry-level pay and benefits, limits on the union's right to strike over wages and benefits, and consolidates skilled trades. Those opposed to Ford's new agreement argue that the true spirit of pattern agreements would lift Chrysler and GM up to where Ford's current agreements are. Kansas City's F-150 plant slapped down the proposed contract by 92%, but Ford will await the final tally before conceding defeat - or celebrating successful negotiations. Contentious labor dealings are certainly not something Ford wants to deal with at this precarious moment. Even while business has been trending up lately, there's still a long way to go, and if labor puts a skip in the get along, it could be a nail in the coffin of a successful recovery.

[Source: Automotive News - sub req. | Image: Bill Pugliano/Getty]

REPORT: Three Ford plants vote down new contract with UAW originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 11:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

REPORT: Mini 'Countryman' crossover skipping Detroit for Geneva?

Jonathon Ramsey — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 08:58:00 EST

Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing, Crossover, BMW, Mini

Mini Countryman concept -- Click above for high-res image gallery

Everyone is getting ready for the Mini Countryman -- including, perhaps, the WRC -- but everyone is going to have to wait, according to a report by those Mini-mad folks at Motoring File. The holdup is the upcoming BMW X3, which is BMW's foremost concern right now as the little crossover is practically as important to BMW as a Euro print plate is to the European Central Bank.

The Mini will be produced at Magna's plant in Austria, but first BMW has to complete the shift in X3 production from that plant to its facility in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Until that's done, Countryman production can't begin. That has observers figuring that the production Mini crossover won't meet the public until next year's Geneva show, instead of Detroit.

The other Countryman-related news is that, like SH-AWD and Quattro and Symmetrical AWD, Mini plans on a specific brand for its flavor of all-wheel drive. The name is said to be "All4." Yes, our minds are already agog at the ways in which Mini will be spinning that little moniker...

Gallery: MINI Crossover Concept LIVE

[Source: Motoring File]

REPORT: Mini 'Countryman' crossover skipping Detroit for Geneva? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 26 Oct 2009 08:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

REPORT: Labor unrest in India to cause Ford to idle key NA crossover plant

Jonathon Ramsey — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 10:47:00 EST

Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing, Crossover, Ford, Lincoln, India

Rico Auto Industries in India makes transmission parts for Ford's Flex and Edge, along with its upscale Lincoln MKT and MKX twins. Unfortunately for the Blue Oval, Automotive News is reporting that Rico's operations are in flux because of persistent troubles between labor and management. A few weeks ago, some of the supplier's workers went on strike after members were suspended and fired by management. On October 18, the striking workers marched to the factory and got involved in an altercation with "unidentified men" supposedly "acting at the behest of Rico Auto's management." During the brawl, a 26-year-old worker was killed.

In the meantime, Ford reportedly hasn't got the parts it needs to build the crossovers it makes at its Oakville, Ontario plant and will be forced to idle the key facility next week. Ford is watching the situation in India closely - if production isn't restored soon, the lack of parts could impact other plants in addition to Ontario and its 3,000 workers.

[Source: Automotive News, sub. req'd. | Image: Simon Hayter/Getty]

REPORT: Labor unrest in India to cause Ford to idle key NA crossover plant originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 25 Oct 2009 10:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Shreveport, LA mayor lobbies D.C. to close the HUMMER deal, already

Jonathon Ramsey — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 14:16:00 EST

Filed under: SUV, Truck, China, Government/Legal, Plants/Manufacturing, GM, Hummer, UAW/Unions

Cedric Glover, the mayor of Shreveport, Louisiana, went to Washington, D.C. to plead his case for the sale of Hummer to Tengzhong. The only thing is, we're not sure why he went. To be more precise, we do know that he wants to protect jobs at GM's Shreveport plant that builds Hummers. The plant has about 800 workers who build some of The General's pickup trucks and Hummer models, and the loss of The Big H would undoubtedly put people out of work.

What we're not sure of is what he thinks Washington has to do with it. He did ask that a couple of D.C. muckety-mucks "consider reaching out to the Chinese government to urge immediate approval of the Hummer deal," but Washington hasn't expressed any opposition to the deal and probably couldn't get the deal concluded on the Chinese side any sooner -- never mind the fact that Hummer is the least of Washington's concerns as far as China goes.

We've been told by one source at Hummer that although nothing is final until it's signed, they feel good about the deal, and Tengzhong must have known what it was doing when it made the bid in the first place. Yet beyond all that, as it stands today the Shreveport plant has three years to live at most: the facility wasn't part of the Hummer sale, and GM said it would shutter the place by 2012 at the latest. Mayor Glover wants to save jobs in his town, which is great, but unless GM starts going gangbusters (and soon) then Glover could be playing the Deck Chair and Sinking Ship game.

[Source: HummerGuy]

Shreveport, LA mayor lobbies D.C. to close the HUMMER deal, already originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 24 Oct 2009 14:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

U-S-A! Ford reportedly moving production of Kuga to America

Chris Shunk — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 11:29:00 EST

Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing, Crossover, Ford, UAW/Unions

2009 Ford Kuga (Euro Spec) - Click above for high-res image gallery

The Ford Kuga is currently made in Europe and isn't available for sale here in the States, but if a report from Bloomberg is to be believed, the next Kuga could be produced in Louisville, Kentucky for sale both here and abroad. Bloomberg's sources claim that Ford plans to build as many as 80,000 Kuga crossovers here for export overseas by October 2011, which would undoubtedly make members of the United Auto Workers union very happy.

Ford is currently awaiting the ratification of a new labor deal that would put labor costs of the Dearborn, MI-based automaker on a nearly equal footing with General Motors and Chrysler. A major tenet of the negotiations is the guarantee of new product to build in U.S. assembly plants, effectively giving 41,000 blue collar Ford employees some much needed job security. A summary of the tentative agreement between the UAW and Ford reportedly states that the Louisville facility will receive a new product with "considerable export volume," so it's not a far leap to surmise that the Kuga will become Kentucky born and bred.

At this point, Ford has only announced that the Louisville plant will receive a more fuel efficient product based on Ford's global C platform. The Kuga certainly fits that bill, and building the small crossover in the good ol' US of A makes financial sense right now since the dollar is worth less than the euro or British pound, and labor costs in the U.S. could be $10 per hour cheaper than they are in Germany, for instance.

Gallery: First Drive: 2008 Ford Kuga

[Source: Bloomberg]

U-S-A! Ford reportedly moving production of Kuga to America originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 23 Oct 2009 11:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

REPORT: Indian firm Reva to build electric cars in upstate NY

Dan Roth — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Plants/Manufacturing, India, Alternative Fuel

Sure, Syracuse, New York has the Carrier Dome, but if a pending deal between Indian electric car maker Reva and Long Island-based Bannon Automotive is finalized, the city may soon be known more for EV production. Bannon Automotive has been negotiating with India's Reva for months now, and the licensing deal that's been tentatively brokered is pending the full approval of the Indian firm's entire board.

State development loans and Department of Energy lending guarantees are behind the move to renovate a 150,000 square foot building in Clay, NY. Over the course of three years, 250 jobs will be created by building Reva NXR vehicles. The Reva NXR can hit 65 mph and has a range of 100 miles when boasting a lithium ion battery, while lead-acid powered NXRs top out at 50 mph and go 100 miles. If all the loose ends with funding and approvals get wrapped up, the electric vehicle effort will be the latest in an effort to entice clean energy manufacturers to New York.

[Source: Syracuse Post-Standard via NYT Blog]

REPORT: Indian firm Reva to build electric cars in upstate NY originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

REPORT: Honda likely to build Fit in the U.S.

Jonny Lieberman — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 16:33:00 EST

Filed under: Budget, Japan, Plants/Manufacturing, Hatchback, Honda

Honda Fit Sport - click above image for hi-res gallery

What goes up, must come down. And in this situation, Japan's yen has gone up when compared to our dollar -- about eight percent since August. And with the yen's rise in value, the profitability of low margin cars like the Honda Fit goes down. Built in Japan, with the yen up, the strong-selling Fit isn't making Honda any money. That's bad.

What if, like 80 percent of all other Hondas sold in the US, the Fit was manufactured right here? Well, that would certainly bring costs down and move Fit-related profits right back up. This switch could happen sooner than later, as Honda sales are down 25 percent over the first nine months of 2009, while Fit sales are only down 12%.

Honda president Takanobu Ito said the change from Japanese to American production a "highly likely possibility." Ito noted that Honda likes the current manufacturing ratio of 80 percent US/20 percent Japan, but says that more hghi tech models (such as hybrids, maybe even sports cars) should come from Japan while the more basic, Fit-like stuff gets built here. Makes economic sense, no?

Gallery: Review: 2009 Honda Fit Sport

[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.]

REPORT: Honda likely to build Fit in the U.S. originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 19 Oct 2009 16:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

REPORT: Toyota adding 850 jobs in San Antonio truck factory

Jonathon Ramsey — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 08:28:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Plants/Manufacturing, Toyota

Toyota's arrangements for its San Antonio plant are coming together after the closure of NUMMI and the announced relocation of Tacoma pickup production. The company will be adding 850 permanent and temporary workers to its labor force in Texas, taking the number of associates from 1,850 to about 2,700 - and that doesn't include increases in the supplier workforce. For those with an eye on the employment scene, Toyota posted the job openings in August and 14,000 people applied.

The assumption of Tacoma duties will put the San Antonio plant on a schedule of two shifts per day for the first time since last year's plant idling. When the $100 million retooling is finished, the plant will be able to produce 200,000 Tacomas every year. Toyota engineers are preparing the assembly line now and Tacoma production is scheduled to being next spring, with 100,000 units projected annually.

[Source: My San Antonio]

REPORT: Toyota adding 850 jobs in San Antonio truck factory originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 19 Oct 2009 08:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments