Auto Plus News

by Dan Roth on Jan 5th 2009 at 10:29AM

Even when you (intend to) make the cheapest brand-new car in the world, you can’t escape an economic downturn. Global jitters and year-end hemming and hawing have conspired to slice Tata’s December sales figures nearly in half compared to a year ago. December is a traditionally slow month for auto sales as buyers try to put off expenditures until the next year (when incentives are more attractive on existing stock), but even accounting for the bargain hunters, this is a major drop.

Everyone, everywhere is down, and Tata Motors stock has taken a beating thanks to the economy and costly external issues like plant troubles. That said, recent interest rate cuts have buoyed company shares in hopes that the Nano (not to mention Saint CarBuyer) will soon arrive, and if nothing else, they still have the Indica’s longevity to celebrate.

Gallery: Tato Nano - Live from Geneva

[Source: Reuters]

SLOUGH, United Kingdom – January 5, 2009: Citroën has made buying a brand new car even more affordable this January by extending its range of credit-crunch busting, value-for-money deals across the range. The Company are now offering a ‘No VAT’ deal on the Berlingo Multispace, C4, C4 Picasso, C8 and C-Crosser, whilst 0% finance is now available on C3, C3 Pluriel, C4, Xsara Picasso, C5 and C8.

The outstanding ‘No VAT’ deal means that the Company has slashed the 15% VAT on selected models giving customers the opportunity to save over £3,600 when buying their brand new Citroën.

A fantastic three years 0% finance is available with no deposit on some C3 and C4 models, and, new car buyers can now drive away a brand new C3, C3 Pluriel, C4, C5 or C8 with two years 0% finance. And with just 20% deposit customers are eligible for three years 0% finance on the Xsara Picasso family favourite.

Xavier Duchemin, Managing Director of Citroën UK, said: “In the tough financial climate, value for money is of paramount importance. Citroën’s ability to offer more achievable economical solutions to buying a new car is just one of the reasons why our market share has seen an improvement over recent months.”

This is probably the worst Nissan GT-R wreck we’ve seen yet. All that was reported was that this happened head-on at high-speed. Even worse was this car never got to live a full life; there was only 500 miles on the odometer.

This serves as a reminder on the old adage about all-wheel drive cars: they may have better handling, but they stop just the same as all the other cars.

The next generation E-Class coupe was caught again. This time at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport. Maybe the car is taking the backroads to its premiere at March’s Geneva Motor Show?

This latest shot continues to suggest that this coupe will use the CLK-inspired deleted B-pillar design to achieve a stylish hardtop convertible look. When the production car arrives in 2010, we expect Mercedes to offer a wide variety of V6 and V8 engines, including a 525 hp 6.3-liter V8 for the E63 AMG model.

NORTH RYDE, Australia – January 5, 2009: Volvo Car Australia has announced pricing for its groundbreaking new XC60 which is due to be launched in March.

The svelte new Volvo will come in petrol and turbodiesel form and will be priced competitively in the premium SUV segment with an opening recommended retail price of less than $60,000.

The technology-packed XC60 is also the safest Volvo ever. It comes to Australia to redefine expectations of medium-size SUVs with new levels of handling and roadholding, as well as a large, cleverly designed interior that caters brilliantly for customers seeking an all-purpose luxury lifestyle vehicle.

The Volvo XC60 will enter the Australian market with the choice of two powerful and efficient engines. The five-cylinder turbodiesel D5 version produces 136kW of power and a surging 400Nm of torque, along with a fuel-efficient average consumption figure of just 8.3l/100km in six-speed Geartronic adaptive automatic form. The silky new 3.0-litre turbocharged petrol six-cylinder XC60 T6, with its lofty power peak of 210kW, can accelerate from zero to 100km/h in a rapid 7.5 seconds.

The D5 and T6 Volvo XC60 models will be available with Volvo’s six-speed Geartronic adaptive automatic.

As well as being the boldest crossover vehicle yet produced by Volvo, the XC60 blazes new trails in terms of automotive safety by being the first vehicle to feature as standard the advanced new City Safety system that has been designed to bring dramatic reductions in the incidence and severity of urban collisions at speeds up to 30km/h.

The new system is so advanced that it is able to detect the possibility of rear-end collisions at urban speeds, and actually has the capability of avoiding a collision altogether if the speed differential between vehicles is up to 15km/h. The implications for passenger safety, repair costs and insurance premiums are considerable, and stamp Volvo as a consistent leader in the area of automotive safety technology.

The Volvo XC60 features advanced Haldex electronically managed AWD technology with Instant Traction for maximum stability and wheel grip over a wide range of on and off-road situations. This is supported by Dynamic Stability and Traction Control (DSTC), Roll Stability Control (RSC) and ABS anti-lock braking with Electronic Brake Distribution and Brake Assist.

“The new XC60 will further raise the levels of dynamism within the Volvo lineup, as well as introducing what is perhaps the greatest step forward yet in terms of active safety with the new City Safety system,” said Volvo Car Australia’s Managing Director, Alan Desselss.

“In addition, it will be priced to issue a real challenge in the prestige SUV segment,” he added.

VOLVO XC60 - RECOMMENDED RETAIL PRICING

XC60 D5 2.4 - $57,950
XC60 D5 LE 2.4 - $64,450
XC60 T6 3.0 - $64,950

by Noah Joseph on Jan 4th 2009 at 2:07PM

If you live in Arizona, you might want to take a run down to the garage and check your license plate, because as of January 1, a new law has been implemented that makes it illegal to cover the word “Arizona” on your tags.

The state legislature initially passed the law way back in 2006, but delayed its implementation until now. Fines for covering the state’s name on a number plate will vary from city to city, but they’re expected to average around $135 plus court fees. Many aftermarket license plate frames pose the risk of turning drivers into ATM machines instant lawbreakers (check out the warnings/disclaimers posted with these items the ASU bookstore). While other states have similar laws in place, the proliferation of more than 60 different specialty plates available in Arizona may complicate matters, but something tells us that Arizona police will find a way to make drivers pay.

Rest assured, this debate’s not over, either. State Senator Jay Tibshraeny (R-Chandler) is working on legislation that would repeal the law. Tibshraeny points out that the fines are exorbitant (the no-seat-belt fine in AZ, by contrast, is a paltry $10), and he feels that the law will simply lead to more “pretext stops” by police officers. Thanks for the tip, Robby.

[Source: azcentral.com]

Auto Express Car Reviews

05th January 2009

Daihatsu is aiming to beat the January blues by offering five-year’s free servicing with all its Terios models.

Cars registered between 1st January 2009 and 31st March 2009 will be eligible.

The package completes the firm’s robust aftersales car package. All cars already offer a five year unlimited mileage warranty together with five year’s roadside assistance.

Prices starts at just £12,725 for the all-wheel drive Terios S, while standard equipment includes air conditioning, reverse parking sensors, electric mirrors, electric windows front and rear and remote central locking.

With its high seating position offering great visibility, spacious interior and large boot, the Terios is a practical supermini, while its four-wheel drive system offers plenty of grip on slippery roads.

BOOK REVIEW
By Steve Purdy
TheAutoChannel.com
Detroit Bureau

Sirens of Chrome; The Enduring Allure of Auto Show Models
By Margery Krevsky With Maureen McDonald

Another wonderfully entertaining book has crossed my desk. This one is Margery Krevsky’s celebration of another form of beauty surrounding automobiles called Sirens of Chrome: The Enduring Allure of Auto Show Models. Krevsky co-founded an agency that specializes in selecting and training models – both men and women – to embellish, describe and promote automobiles at the major shows around the world. In fact, Krevsky is credited with expanding the business from just pretty girls prancing around the stage to both men and women trained in product knowledge as well as poise, fashion and mindless banter.

With nearly 200 pages of wonderful photos and just enough narration to artfully tell the story this book is an easy and entertaining read that we can randomly browse or devour from front to back. A logical chronology takes us from the first days of automobiles and motor shows right up to modern times.

Veteran Detroit auto and life-style writer, Maureen McDonald, ghost-wrote and researched the book. Her concise and lively writing style, as well as her obvious affection for the subject, shines through distinctively.

The title comes from ancient Greek mythology. “Sirens” were beguiling female creatures who lured mortals with loaded ships to their island with alluring songs. During the era of automobiles the challenge was to entice potential buyers into paying attention to one car or another. From the earliest days of automobile advertising beautiful women, and sometimes handsome men, were used to draw our attention. We saw the beautiful people in print by way of posters and magazine ads as well as in person at shows and other events.

We can think of Sirens as serving a similar purpose to artful hood ornaments, sometimes called mascots, that were common adornment on cars from the 1920s right up into the 1960s. They were there to adorn the automobile, draw your attention and make a statement about the vehicle. A 1927 image in the book shows a beautiful young lady on the long hood of a Packard in the same pose as the hood ornament she represents.

This book is a fun and fanciful stroll through history documenting how these models were trained and equipped to reflect their times through two world wars as well as through the ups and downs of the economy. We see a group of 1936 “Glamour Girls at the Chicago Auto Show on one page and a Glamour School at the Detroit Auto Show on the next.

If your interest goes mainly toward the automobiles you’ll find lots of four-wheeled beauties in the book as well. From the “Tin Lizzie” and Cord 810, to a Barracuda (cover photo) to the new Chevy Volt, you’ll be able to indulge your auto lust.

Like most good stories it’s primarily a book about people - people like Kathleen DuRoss, a widowed mother of two who supported her family while going to night school as a Ford auto show model. She ended up marrying her boss, Henry Ford II, or “Hank The Deuce,” as he was more affectionately known. Or, how about the beautiful, girl-next-door, Nell Theobald, who was posing with a lion for BMW at the 1966 New York Auto Show when she was bitten in the leg by the beast, effectively ending her career.

Plenty of stories, plenty of cars, plenty of beautiful people – and great entertainment.

Published by Momentum Books, Troy, MI. Purchase through select Barnes & Noble and Borders bookstores as well as online at Amazon.com and MomentumBooks.com. $24.95

Shanghai, January 4, 2009: (Gasgoo.com) The Chinese government has finished drawing up policies to stimulate the steel and automobile industries, Premier Wen Jiabao said on Friday. He said the government is working on “a basket of measures” to stimulate market demands and prevent the economy from an excessive slowdown.

The nation’s economic stimulus measures will go beyond the announced 4-trillion-yuan ($586 billion) package as more industry-specific policies are rolled out, Premier Wen said on Jan. 2 during his visit to Qingdao, a manufacturing and export hub in Shandong province. The government is refining and augmenting the package, because it was “rather preliminary” when announced on Nov. 9, he said.

Wen said the State Council, or Cabinet, is drawing up two major plans. One involves 10 programs to expand demand, further detailing and specifying the 10 stimulus measures kicked out last year. The other includes the readjustment and improvement of 10 pillar industries. Plans for the development of steel industry and automobile industry have been worked out and others are under way.

“All such plans, if strongly related to economic development, should be expedited,” Wen said. Striking a note of confidence, the Chinese Premier said the country’s vast market, abundant labor resources, sound financial system and adequate liquidity would help it tide over the global financial crisis.

In recent months, the government authorities have announced a slew of policies to boost the auto industry. These policies include abandoning road tolls, reducing fuel prices and subsidizing those who scrap old cars to buy new ones.

With more stimulus measures in the pipeline, the country’s economy is expected to pick up steam in mid-2009 with full-year growth exceeding 8%, and the Chinese auto market will also see an upturn in the second half.

For more information please visit http://www.gasgoo.com

Efforts to Scrap Older Cars Targeted for Inclusion in Economic Stimulus Package

WASHINGTON, D.C. (January 2, 2009) –SEMA, the Specialty Equipment Market Association, is actively opposing an effort by some Congressional lawmakers to include a nationwide “Cash for Clunkers” program in the economic stimulus package currently being considered in Washington. Cash for Clunkers, or scrappage as it is more commonly known, would use taxpayer dollars to purchase and crush older vehicles into blocks of scrap metal. There is no evidence that the program will achieve the goal of boosting new car sales.

Many states have considered these programs in the past as a way to help clean the air but abandoned the effort because they simply don’t work. The programs are not cost-effective and do not achieve verifiable air quality or fuel economy benefits.

“In fact, states are currently prohibited from using federal funds for Cash for Clunker programs under the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program (CMAQ),” said Steve McDonald, SEMA’s Vice President of Government Affairs. “The reasons are simple. Regulators have focused on a vehicle’s age rather than the emissions the vehicle produces, based on the erroneous perception that all older cars are dirty cars. These clunker programs do not bother to measure the real emissions of the vehicles involved. Rather, the programs “estimate” emissions reductions using numbers that are significantly overstated.”

Another shortcoming is that clunker programs rarely capture the “gross polluter,” an improperly maintained vehicle of any model year, which puts out dramatically more emissions due to poor maintenance. Those seeking a quick fix through vehicle clunker programs ignore this reality.

Clunker programs even on a voluntary basis further diminish the availability of affordable transportation and repair parts to low-income drivers as more and more older cars are crushed. They do not guarantee that low-income individuals will be able to afford to purchase new vehicles, let alone more fuel efficient or cleaner vehicles, with the money provided by clunker programs. Clunker programs also undermine the used car donation programs of charitable organizations such as Melwood Industries, Salvation Army, and the Military Order of the Purple Heart.

“Rather, auto restoration, customization and repair shops nationwide would suffer with the loss of older cars, trucks and parts they need to supply and service their customers,” McDonald added. “An unchecked Cash for Clunkers program risks destroying classic, historic and special-interest vehicles. America safeguards its artistic and architectural heritage against indiscriminate destruction. Our automotive and industrial heritage deserves the same protection.”

In lieu of clunker programs, SEMA has recommended that Congress work with the states on programs that identify gross polluters and upgrade them with equipment that improves their emissions performance dramatically. These benefits are measured and cost-effective in reducing emissions. Adapting newer technologies to older vehicles benefits the vehicle owner and brings business to auto dealers and repair shops repairing gross polluting vehicles, which in turn will improve air quality. A number of commercially available products and technologies exist which could substantially lower the emission rates of older vehicles while also offering the owner added performance, driveability and fuel mileage. These innovative solutions drive product sales, produce American jobs and secure tax revenues for the government all while sustaining the multi-billion dollar vehicle restoration industry. McDonald concluded, “Now, that’s an economic stimulus we all can support.”

SEMA represents the $38.1 billion specialty automotive industry. Founded in 1963, the trade association has 7,358 member companies. It is the authoritative source of research data, trends and market growth information for automakers and the specialty auto products industry. The industry provides appearance, performance, comfort, convenience and technology products for passenger cars, minivans, trucks, SUVs, crossovers and recreational vehicles. For more information, contact SEMA at 1575 S. Valley Vista Dr., Diamond Bar, CA, 91765-3914; call 909/396-0289; or visit www.sema.org or www.enjoythedrive.com.