Friday, March 02, 2007
Hydrogen combustion-technology of the future
Posted on 03.1.2007 17:00 by Blas Nicusor
TOPSPEED.COM
EU HyICE project results in the first ever successful transatlantic hydrogen-cooperation.
Ten European partners have completed the HyICE project - Optimization of the Hydrogen Internal Combustion Engine three years after the project first began. This initiative, which was promoted by the EU Commission, has resulted in a combustion engine fueled by hydrogen that offers clear advantages over other propulsion systems in terms of performance and costs. The project team consists of companies from the automotive industry, their supplier companies and two Universities. This project, which was coordinated by BMW Group Research and Technology, developed two concepts of mixture formation, which were approved on engines for passenger cars as well as for citybuses. The necessary key components were also developed. In addition, relevant simulation tools have been adopted to Hydrogen combustion to support the development process of future production engines. Furthermore, the top European hydrogen experts shared their findings on a regular basis with researchers from the US Department of Energy. This makes HyICE the first project of its kind within the EU Commission.
EU Commissioner for Science and Research Janez Potocnik said: "The HyICE project clearly demonstrates the key role of EU research in reducing dependency towards fossil fuels. This is an example of successful EU investment in pre-competitive research, with a potential impact reaching way beyond Europe?s borders. The results achieved with a hydrogen combustion engine should encourage industry to develop this form of mobility further. This is a key contribution to preserve the environment and to keep Europe at the forefront of global competition"
In March 2003, the then EU Commissioner for Research, Philippe Busquin, and the State Secretary of the US Department of Energy, Spencer Abraham, decided to share research findings more intensively between their respective continents. The aim of this project for the EU was to promote cooperation on topics such as climate change and energy in the Sixth Framework Program and to develop visions for hydrogen energy sources and alternative drives.
With a distinct performance of 100 kW per liter cubic capacity (displacement), the experts of HyICE have demonstrated that the hydrogen engine is a technology for the future which matches performance-wise with conventional engines. This was the first time researchers were able to concentrate exclusively on the hydrogen combustion engine and were thus able to fully utilize the specific properties of hydrogen. Up until now, hydrogen combustion engines were designed for both, gasoline and hydrogen usage due to missing hydrogen infrastructure. With this new technology hydrogen usage can be optimised.
Graz University of Technology, Hoerbiger Valve Tec, MAN Nutzfahrzeuge, Volvo Technology and BMW Group Research and Technology developed and tested two concepts of mixture formation for this purpose: direct injection and external cold mixture formation. In both methods performance was doubled while consumption was reduced.
Together with BMW Group Research and Technology, the Swedish company Mecel Engine Systems developed an ignition system which is accurately tailored to the far-reaching flammability limits of hydrogen. This has increased efficiency and reduced consumption. In order to make the properties of hydrogen more transparent for future series developments, the IFP (French Institut Francais du Petrole) and the German University of the Federal Armed Forces developed two simulation models for hydrogen combustion in the cylinder. Using the optical engine from the Graz University of Technology, the researchers succeeded in observing the combustion behavior of hydrogen and checking the computer-aided calculation models. These models were then incorporated into the commercial calculation tool Ansys CFX, developed by Ansys Germany.
To extract the maximum benefit out of all efforts made at both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, the Ford Research Center in Aachen built the transatlantic bridges and coordinated the sharing of findings between the EU researchers and the US hydrogen specialists. Alongside HyICE, the US Department of Energy is also promoting a hydrogen engine project initiated by Ford (USA). It has commissioned two National Laboratories in Illinois and California, as well as North American Universities to carry out this work.
In conclusion, Prof. Raymond Freymann, Head of BMW Group Research and Technology says: "The combustion engine is one of the most highly developed industrial products. Over one hundred years have been invested in its development. It demonstrates high performance levels and variability with low costs and easy maintenance on a daily basis. With the use of hydrogen, it is already providing a well-developed technical solution for sustainable mobility. We are convinced that even in the future individual mobility using the hydrogen combustion engine will remain an attractive method of transportation."
Mercedes-Benz Bluetooth telephone module
By popular request, Mercedes-Benz Accessories GmbH is extending its range of communication accessories to include a further Bluetooth telephony solution: the new Mercedes-Benz Bluetooth® (HFP) telephone module allows you to use your BlackBerry® in a Mercedes-Benz passenger car without physically connecting it to the vehicle. The modular solution is specially designed for in-car telecommunication and is also suitable for a select range of mobile phones which support the Bluetooth® Hands Free Profile (HFP). The new telephone module with HFP software complements the factory-fitted solutions currently offered and is available for virtually every Mercedes model series.
Sending and receiving e-mails, making phone calls, checking pictures and presentations – mobile executives can carry their office with them in the BlackBerry® handheld computer. Now, for the first time, the new Mercedes-Benz Bluetooth® (HFP) telephone module allows BlackBerry® 8700g, 8700v and 8707v models to be connected wirelessly to a Mercedes-Benz passenger car.
The new accessory from Mercedes-Benz Accessories GmbH makes using the phone while in the car even safer and more convenient. The biggest advantage is that the handheld or mobile phone can be left in your jacket pocket or handbag. The wireless Bluetooth connection between the device and the vehicle is established automatically. The module features a single button, which is used to activate the pairing process, where the mobile phone or BlackBerry® is connected to the module for the first time. Once pairing has taken place, connection is always automatic. Integration on board also allows safe, intuitive control of the telephone functions via the multifunction steering wheel, the audio system and the central instrument cluster display.
The Bluetooth® (HFP) telephone module, which is also suitable for Motorola PEBL U6, Nokia 6131, Nokia 6111, Nokia N70, Sony Ericsson K610i, Sony Ericsson W550i and BenQ-Siemens EF81 mobile phones, acts as an extension of the pre-installation for mobile phone with universal interface, a feature which is already present in many of the latest Mercedes-Benz models (optional extra Code 386). The module is simply inserted into this pre-installation in the centre armrest. The Mercedes-Benz Bluetooth® (HFP) telephone module, in independent-design closed-box format, will be available from Mercedes-Benz sales partners from March 2007, and is priced at EUR 250.00, including VAT (price applies to German market).
High-end telephony: the second generation of the Mercedes-Benz Bluetooth® (SAP) telephone module offers even more possibilities
The familiar Bluetooth® telephone module with SAP (SIM Access Profile) technology can now also be used with the Nokia business-optimised E60, E61 and E70 mobile phones. Business executives who share use of the same car will appreciate the fact that up to four telephones can now be paired with the module. Once a device has been paired, the module instantly recognises it as soon as it is within range and automatically establishes a connection. The SIM card PIN (Personal Identification Number) can now be stored too, making the system even more convenient to use.
Alternative for mobile phones without Bluetooth®: genuine mobile-phone holders from Mercedes-Benz
If your mobile phone does not feature Bluetooth®, the best way to establish contact between the mobile phone and the on-board hands-free system is using one of the range of special mobile-phone holders. The various mobile-phone holders from Mercedes-Benz Accessories GmbH are tailored to the Mercedes-Benz vehicle models in both technical and visual terms. They allow the mobile phone to be operated using the multifunction steering wheel, and the telephone status is indicated in the multifunction display. While inserted in one of these mobile-phone holders on board, the mobile’s battery is also charged. Before you can use one of these holders, your vehicle must be fitted with the optional extra pre-installation for mobile phone with interface (Code 386) or with the optional extra Mercedes-Benz mobile phone (Code 388).
The Mercedes-Benz Accessories GmbH range is very extensive and is constantly updated. It currently includes genuine Mercedes-Benz mobile-phone holders for the following mobiles
Marketing Campaign for the All-new 2008 Dodge Avenger
2007-03-02 04:40 (Ml 4.4) SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA, CALIF. 37.9 -122.1
| Magnitude | 4.2 |
|---|---|
| Date-Time | = Coordinated Universal Time = local time at epicenter |
| Location | 37.901°N, 122.098°W |
| Depth | 16.6 km (10.3 miles) |
| Region | SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA, CALIFORNIA |
| Distances | |
| Location Uncertainty | horizontal +/- 0.1 km (0.1 miles); depth +/- 0.2 km (0.1 miles) |
| Parameters | Nst=250, Nph=250, Dmin=3 km, Rmss=0.14 sec, Gp= 43°, M-type=regional moment magnitude (Mw), Version=3 |
| Source | |
| Event ID | nc40194055 |
Mercedes has 40,000 Europe orders for redesigned C class
Reuters / March 1, 2007 - 9:00 am
The C class is the top-selling Mercedes model. The outgoing model family has sold more than 2 million units since it was rolled out in March 2000. DaimlerChrysler CEO Dieter Zetsche said in January he thought the new generation of C class could beat that total and that the company would make more money on each C-class car sold than it had on the previous version. |
This Day in Auto History: 02 MARCH
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 | Source: Automobile History Day By Day, by Douglas A. Wick |
Mercedes-Benz USA Reports 17,304 New Vehicle Sales in February
MONTVALE, N.J., March 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) today reported its February sales of 17,304 new vehicles, a marginal decrease from February 2006 (MBUSA's highest February on record). This brings MBUSA's year-to-date total to 34,373 new vehicles, an increase of 15.2 percent over the same period in 2006. Passenger car sales totaled 11,890 units, with the company's volume model lines C- and E-Class leading the pack for a combined 30.9 percent increase over February 2006 (6,921 v. 5,286). Highlights for the month also included a 12.8 percent increase in volume for the M-Class family of luxury light trucks (2,431 v. 2,155) and a 212.7 percent increase in sales of the unique luxury SUV G-Class (172 v. 55). Sales for Mercedes vehicles in the luxury light truck segment continue to exhibit a strong performance as a group with a 15.7 percent increase over February 2006. Separately, the Mercedes-Benz Certified Pre-Owned vehicle program reported sales of 3,910 units, an increase of 13 percent compared to last February, bringing the year-to-date total to 7,519 units, a 15.2 percent increase over the same period in 2006. Mercedes-Benz USA, headquartered in Montvale, New Jersey, is responsible for the sales, marketing and service of all Mercedes-Benz and Maybach products in the United States. In 2006, MBUSA achieved an all-time sales record of 248,080 new vehicles, setting the highest sales volume ever in its history and achieving 13 consecutive years of sales growth. More information on MBUSA and its products can be found on the Internet at http://www.mbusa.com/ and http://www.maybachusa.com/. MERCEDES-BENZ
Sales -- February 2007
Model February '07 February '06 Monthly % YTD 2007 YTD 2006 Yearly %
C-CLASS 3,868 2,976 30.0% 7,796 6,074 28.4%
E-CLASS 3,053 2,310 32.2% 6,428 4,775 34.6%
S-CLASS 2,128 3,360 -36.7% 4,206 4,283 -1.8%
CL-CLASS 231 45 413.3% 489 113 332.7%
SL-CLASS 356 542 -34.3% 725 1,070 -32.2%
CLK-CLASS 1,255 1,911 -34.3% 2,282 3,037 -24.9%
SLK-CLASS 386 701 -44.9% 782 1,320 -40.8%
CLS-CLASS 613 832 -26.3% 1,240 1,733 -28.4%
R-CLASS 875 2,469 -64.6% 1,713 3,155 -45.7%
M-CLASS 2,431 2,155 12.8% 4,782 4,117 16.2%
GL-CLASS 1,936 n/a n/a 3,751 n/a n/a
G-CLASS 172 55 212.7% 179 148 20.9%
GRAND TOTAL 17,304 17,356 -0.3% 34,373 29,825 15.2%
Chrysler Group Announces February 2007 U.S. Sales
Thursday March 1, 2:00 pm ET
The Dodge Avenger posted sales of 5,205 units. The vehicle is one of the Chrysler Group's five new models that achieve 30 miles per gallon or better in highway driving.
Jeep Wrangler and Wrangler Unlimited continued to post strong sales in February with 9,240 units, a rise of 63 percent over February 2006 sales of 5,673 units. February 2007 marks the best month of February in the history of the Jeep Wrangler.
Sales of the Jeep Compass increased 3 percent over the previous month with 4,071 units compared to 3,965 units in January 2007.
The Dodge Caliber finished February with sales of 9,900 units, an increase of 14 percent compared to last month with 8,672 units.
Dodge Ram pickup sales continued to increase after an already strong January and posted sales of 28,633 units, up by 17 percent over the previous month with 24,379 units.
"Building on the sales momentum of the Dodge Ram in the first two months of 2007, March will be the Chrysler Group's 'National Truck Month.' Our marketing approach will primarily focus on our biggest volume model, the Dodge Ram, and tie it with the value of one of our most successful product features, the legendary HEMI® engine," said Michael Manley, Vice President - Sales and Dealer Operations, Chrysler Group. "Customers have the opportunity to get a no-extra-charge HEMI engine upgrade for the Dodge Ram 1500 as well as the Dodge Durango. We are confident that 'National Truck Month' will resonate well with our customers."
Chrysler Group finished the month with 492,230 units of inventory, or a 68-day supply. Inventory is down by 8 percent compared to February 2006 when it was at 532,534 units.
DaimlerChrysler Corporation U.S. Sales Summary Thru February 2007
Month Sales DR % Vol %
Model Curr Yr Pr Yr Change Change
Sebring 5,744 7,897 -27% -27%
300 10,413 13,685 -24% -24%
Crossfire 1,286 412 212% 212%
PT Cruiser 8,485 10,896 -22% -22%
Aspen 2,202 0 0% 0%
Pacifica 6,137 8,694 -29% -29%
Town & Country 11,845 13,543 -13% -13%
CHRYSLER BRAND 46,112 55,127 -16% -16%
Compass 4,071 0 0% 0%
Patriot 644 0 0% 0%
Wrangler 9,240 5,673 63% 63%
Liberty 7,588 12,931 -41% -41%
Grand Cherokee 10,823 13,923 -22% -22%
Commander 5,410 7,091 -24% -24%
JEEP BRAND 37,776 39,618 -5% -5%
Neon 0 4,007 -100% -100%
Caliber 9,900 1,397 609% 609%
Stratus 252 10,467 -98% -98%
Avenger 5,205 0 0% 0%
Charger 10,776 11,862 -9% -9%
Viper 55 108 -49% -49%
Magnum 3,133 4,694 -33% -33%
Dakota 5,172 6,260 -17% -17%
Ram P/U 28,633 29,887 -4% -4%
Caravan 16,375 17,618 -7% -7%
Durango 4,516 7,924 -43% -43%
Nitro 5,974 0 0% 0%
Sprinter 627 1,398 -55% -55%
DODGE BRAND 90,618 95,622 -5% -5%
TOTAL CHRYSLER GROUP 174,506 190,367 -8% -8%
TOTAL CG CAR 44,265 50,804 -13% -13%
TOTAL CG TRUCK 130,241 139,563 -7% -7%
Selling Days 24 24
Sales CYTD DR % Vol %
Model Curr Yr Pr Yr Change Change
Sebring 12,629 17,398 -29% -27%
300 19,000 26,431 -30% -28%
Crossfire 1,603 871 80% 84%
PT Cruiser 16,802 22,302 -26% -25%
Aspen 4,348 0 0% 0%
Pacifica 9,994 13,763 -29% -27%
Town & Country 23,222 22,990 -1% 1%
CHRYSLER BRAND 87,598 103,755 -17% -16%
Compass 8,036 0 0% 0%
Patriot 819 0 0% 0%
Wrangler 18,194 9,503 88% 91%
Liberty 14,729 22,205 -35% -34%
Grand Cherokee 20,458 26,383 -24% -22%
Commander 10,901 11,300 -5% -4%
JEEP BRAND 73,137 69,391 3% 5%
Neon 0 7,354 -100% -100%
Caliber 18,572 1,397 1202% 1229%
Stratus 523 20,608 -98% -97%
Avenger 6,489 0 0% 0%
Charger 18,216 19,885 -10% -8%
Viper 99 222 -56% -55%
Magnum 5,442 8,459 -37% -36%
Dakota 8,988 10,843 -19% -17%
Ram P/U 53,012 51,677 0% 3%
Caravan 34,968 33,891 1% 3%
Durango 10,228 15,592 -36% -34%
Nitro 12,165 0 0% 0%
Sprinter 1,377 2,758 -51% -50%
DODGE BRAND 170,079 172,686 -4% -2%
TOTAL CHRYSLER GROUP 330,814 345,832 -6% -4%
TOTAL CG CAR 78,461 96,376 -20% -19%
TOTAL CG TRUCK 252,353 249,456 -1% 1%
Selling Days 49 48
Holland returns with 3R Racing
| Racing series | SCCA-WC |
| Date | 2007-03-01 |
Holland Returns in 2007 With Dodge and 3R Racing
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (March 1, 2007) - Following a highly successful rookie season, 2006 SPEED World Challenge Touring Car Rookie of the Year runner-up Robb Holland has announced that he will be returning with Dodge and 3R Racing to contest the 2007 World Challenge season.
The former professional cyclist had a breakout rookie season in 2006 with three top-ten finishes, including a stunning third place at Road America. Holland will be returning in the Dodge SRT-4 that went from development car to podium contender by the end of the 2006.
"I'm very excited that we were able to put a deal together that would allow me to be back with 3R," Holland said. "Bob Raub runs one of the most professional teams on this or any other circuit and I wouldn't have come back unless it was with them. I've got some great new sponsors coming on board this season like the Motorsports Gallery (www.thegallerydenver.com) and I'm really looking forward to bringing home a win for them."
"Robb has been very strong from the get go and he showed excellent race craft and good decision making last season," 3R Team Owner Bob Raub said. "The Touring field will be one of the best we've seen in many years and I'm confident that Robb will be right in the thick of things."
Dodge Motorsports Road Racing Manager Gary Johnson was also happy to see Holland back in a Dodge.
"Robb did such a great job for us last year," Johnson said. "With his finishes at Miller and Road America he got Dodge its first manufacturers' points and first podium finish. We will be expecting him to improve on those results this year and Dodge is doing everything it can to support him and also our other SRT4 drivers."
Chinese Firm Interested In Chrysler?
2007-03-02 03:49:40 Posted By: Intellpuke - - When Chery Automobile cars first appeared outside of China in 2001, they were ridiculed as a cheap attempt to trick purchasers into thinking they were buying Chevy vehicles instead of Chinese knockoffs.
These days, however, when industry watchers talk about the future of the auto industry, Chery's name and its lines of cute, gas-efficient cars elicit excited talk.
The company has done so well - it is now the No. 1 independent automaker and auto exporter in China, with business in 30 countries - that when DaimlerChrysler announced this month that it may be interested in selling off its flailing Chrysler unit, many analysts mentioned Chery as a potential suitor.
Chery spokesman Wang Wei denied any such deal was in the works, and many industry analysts in China were skeptical about a merger, citing Chery's small size and potential political hurdles.
Harry Zhao, an auto analyst for CSM Worldwide in Shanghai, ruled out a wholesale buyout of Chrysler by Chery. "Almost impossible," he said.
"Premature," concluded Michael Dunne, vice president of J.D. Power and Associates' Asia Pacific division.
Chery sold just over 300,000 cars last year - roughly 25,000 of which were exported. This year, it is expected to sell nearly 400,000. But a single auto plant in the United States produces that many cars in a year.
Politics also stands in the way, analysts said. "At this stage, with tensions between the United States and China, an acquisition of a Detroit carmaker by a Chinese state-owned enterprise would be politically unpalatable," Dunne said.
Instead, Dunne said, Chery may seek to exploit another possible outcome of a Chrysler deal. Analysts have speculated that a private-equity company might want to buy the Chrysler unit and then sell it off piece by piece. In such a case, Chery could pass up the manufacturing plants and other assets but seek to buy the Dodge brand.
Chery's biggest competitive advantage is that it excels at manufacturing small, gas-efficient vehicles at low cost. This week, DaimlerChrysler said it would expand a partnership with Chery that it initiated earlier in the year under which the Chinese automaker would build small cars for sale by Chrysler in North America and Western Europe.
Aside from Chery, securities analysts have floated a number of auto companies as potential buyers for Chrysler, but many European and Asian carmakers are either overstretched, underfinanced or simply not prepared to swallow an operation as large as Chrysler, the analysts said.
While not ruling out a possible bid by General Motors, John Murphy, an analyst with Merrill Lynch, said a more natural candidate for Chrysler would be an automaker seeking to establish, or widen, a foothold in North America. In a recent report, Murphy mentioned Nissan, Chery and Shanghai Automotive as potential suitors.
"More important than an immediate production/brand footprint in North America would be Chrysler's dealer footprint, which is extremely difficult and expensive for a new manufacturer to replicate," he wrote. "Conversely, this may be one of the most important reasons GM would make a defensive bid for Chrysler."
Jim Sanfilippo, a senior industry analyst at AMCI, an automotive consulting firm in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., said he didn't expect a firm like Chery to make a significant move into the United States right now.
Chinese auto firms, he added, could be a serious presence in the United States in as little as three years. He expects them to move not through acquisitions, but by setting up their own operations as Kia and Hyundai did before them.
"They're students of this business, and they've got incredibly able engineers," he said.
That Chery is now included in discussions of Chrysler's future is a major milestone for the provincial company that was founded only nine years ago.
Chery's initial purpose in 1997 was to help the economy of Wuhu, a city about 150 miles west of Shanghai, but even in those early days, Chery was a rebel. According to its official government registration at the time, Chery was just a car parts supplier. Its first assembly line was constructed in secret and in violation of laws that allow only those companies with special licenses to create cars.
The move was daring, though not unheard of in those days, a time when everyone sought to grab a role in an economy that was just starting to take off. Initially, Beijing was livid, but as Chery quickly grew, the central government began to hold it up as a model company for the rest of the nation.
Under the leadership of Yin Tongyao, a native of Anhui (Wuhu's province) who worked at the Volkeswagen joint venture for more than 10 years, Chery became a global player.
Yin stacked his top management with overseas Chinese who had previously worked for Ford, General Motors and Chrysler. In 2001, Chery became the first Chinese automaker to sell cars abroad when it sent its first export to Syria.
Chery made international headlines in 2005 when it announced that it had teamed with veteran auto entrepreneur Malcolm Bricklin and Visionary Vehicles. The companies announced that they would sell five lines of cars designed by Chery, 250,000 in total, in the United States by 2007. The deal has since fallen apart.
There has been talk of an initial public offering as early as 2008, but for now Chery essentially remains a state-owned enterprise with strong backing from both the local and central governments.
The Chinese car market is among the most fragmented in the world. According to customs figures, a total of 1,025 firms - which includes manufacturers as well as trading companies - exported vehicles, with 600 of them shipping fewer than 10 units abroad. About 173,000 units were exported in 2006, and 300,000 are expected to be shipped this year.
The Chinese government has aggressively supported the expansion of domestic automakers - its goal is for Chinese cars to make up 10 percent of the world's auto trade in the next decade - and has introduced measures to protect the image of these cars abroad.
The government has also helped provide financing for the companies' expansion. So, if Chery is looking for a U.S. partner, money isn't expected to be much of a problem.
Scientist Predicts Robot-Driven Cars on Roads by 2030
Scientists are developing the next generation of rMarch 01, 2007 PALO ALTO, CA – obot-driven cars and predict they could be shuttling humans around by the year 2030, according to the Web site www.breitbart.com.
2007-03-02 13:07 (Mb 5.7) COQUIMBO, CHILE -30.8 -71.1
| Magnitude | 5.7 |
|---|---|
| Date-Time | = Coordinated Universal Time = local time at epicenter |
| Location | 30.816°S, 71.064°W |
| Depth | 49.3 km (30.6 miles) set by location program |
| Region | COQUIMBO, CHILE |
| Distances | |
| Location Uncertainty | horizontal +/- 11.9 km (7.4 miles); depth fixed by location program |
| Parameters | Nst= 92, Nph= 92, Dmin=203 km, Rmss=0.73 sec, Gp=112°, M-type=body magnitude (Mb), Version=7 |
| Source | World Data Center for Seismology, Denver |
| Event ID | us2007zka6 |
THEFIREHOUSE.COM | Posted Mar 1, 2007, 01:58 PM by Mike Ellis
Category: Sales and MarketingOnce again, we thought you’d like to hear from our sales and marketing execs ahead of this afternoon’s sales call. In particular, you might be eager to hear about "National Truck Month", where Dodge will offer a no-extra charge Hemi® engine on a Dodge Ram 1500 and the Dodge Durango during March. “We have a no-charge Hemi and special incentives for both consumers and our dealers. So our dealers really ordered and stocked up in anticipation of a really strong truck month,” Landry said. “It’s kind of an anniversary of sorts. We’ve done it in the past and our dealers are geeked. And we think it’s going to be a huge, huge Dodge Ram, Dakota and Durango month in March.” Did the uncertainty surrounding the Chrysler Group, after DaimlerChrysler said on Feb. 14 that it was considering “all options” for the company, impact February sales results? “I certainly think it had something to do with it,” Landry said. “The industry was soft enough on its own. Our sales were off 8 percent. I think it could have been a lot worse, considering the impact of the notification of the options for our company. But, you know, our employees are standing strong, our dealers are totally behind us, so we expect to bounce back fairly strongly in March.” To listen to the entire 3-minute 54-second interview with Landry, click “download podcast” below. As always, everything is for you to use. The sales release is available at the Chrysler Group media site at http://cgmedia.daimlerchrysler.com
Dodge Durango will be Chrysler's first hybrid
CanWest News Service | Published: Friday, March 02, 2007
Some other tidbits from Tom LaSorda's address to the media and analysts last week:
- "We are evaluating a mild hybrid for future applications," he said. He did not elaborate. The 2008 Dodge Durango SUV will be the first hybrid Chrysler product; it uses the two-mode hybrid system designed for highway driving as well as city driving.
- Chrysler is also rebalancing its product mix to offer more small vehicles and fewer large vehicles.
- The company is in the process of melding its four families of V-6 engines into one, the Phoenix engine. Chrysler will draw on the "lessons learned" from building its new family of four-cylinder engines in Dundee, Mich.
The main lesson from Dundee: one employee job category for the entire plant, which works six days per week with no overtime and only a fraction of the staff used in Ford's Windsor, Ont., plants.
- Chrysler has set a target of obtaining $5 billion US worth of low-cost parts, most of it likely from overseas sources. "But it will mean also working with existing suppliers in our own backyard."
- The Chrysler Group is now marketing an imported, Hyundai-built microcar in Mexico. It's called the Dodge Atos.
The Korean subcompact won't be coming to the rest of North America: that slot is being reserved for the new Chery-built car from China, LaSorda said.
Sports Car Sketches Made Public!!!
| Posted Aug 24, 2006, 11:41 AM by Mike Ellis Category: Design | |
| Chrysler Group Designer Amina Horozic sketched these drawings of a racy sports car, now available here…and in the new book “Learn to Draw Cars from DaimlerChrysler Designers.”  Horozic was one of five Chrysler Group designers who contributed their own drawing lessons to the book, which is available at the Walter P. Chrysler Museum. Teaching others is a new role for the 23-year old Horozic, a recent graduate of the College for Creative Studies in Detroit. She joined the company in October, 2004.  Horozic, who was born in Sarajevo and moved to the United States in 1994, lights up when talking about design. But ask her about her current project, and she suddenly goes quiet. Here’s a hint…it’s a large car. She recently was interviewed by Jim Harper on Magic 105.1 WMGC-FM Detroit.  If you'd like to interview Amina, or any other Chrysler Group designers, contact Sam Locricchio at 248-512-2678. | |
LaSorda discusses the Chery deal
| Posted Jan 2, 2007, 02:40 PM by Mike Ellis THEFIREHOUSE.COM | |
| Chrysler Group President and Chief Executive Officer Tom LaSorda spoke with TheFirehouse about the deal reached with Chery Automobile Co. of China to distribute Chery-made small cars in North America and other markets. “If you look at the U.S. market, or even in NAFTA, all the B-segment vehicles are being imported from the Asia region. The major reason is their cost structure and their ability to engineer and design in those segments. And we really cannot compete, nor can any one else, making it in this region,” he said. To listen to a podcast of the interview, click “download podcast” below. If you don’t want to listen to the interview with Tom, we’ve provided a transcript below: Question – Why partner with Chery, or any Chinese car company for that matter, instead of building the car here in North America or at a DaimlerChrysler plant in China? Tom – “Well, first of all, we’re talking about a B-segment, which is a very small compact car, and if you look at the U.S. market or even in NAFTA, all the B-segment vehicles are being imported from the Asia region. The major reason is their cost structure and their ability to engineer and design in those segments. And we really cannot compete nor can anyone making it in this region.” Q – This being an election year, will this be used as a political statement about more jobs going to China? Tom – “Well, first of all, I can’t control what people say politically. What I can control is the fact that we are already exporting cars into China – the Chrysler Group. We’re also producing locally the 300, the minivan into China, and most people don’t know that we're exporting a large percentage of the componetries of these cars – the engines, the transmissions and major high-cost parts that are made by Americans and Canadians primarily – are being shipped over to these markets for us in China. I tell you, there are a lot of jobs being preserved by our growth in China and our exports there. And this (the Chery deal) will have no impact because we’re not even involved in the B-segment today.” Q – Can China build a quality car that will satisfy North American consumers? Tom – “Well, absolutely, and our role here is to ensure that our engineering and design and quality teams are working with Chery along the way to meet the stringent standards, not only in North America but around the world. And that teamwork will continue throughout this project.” Q – Will this car mean the death of the Hornet, the muscular small car concept that we saw at the Geneva auto show this year? Tom – “The Hornet is a great statement of our design. It is also a statement that it’s something that we’re going to continue to take a look at, and depending on the business case going, we’ll look at that independently from this particular project.” Q – How will this help the Chrysler Group’s attempts here in the United States to shift some of the mix away from pickup trucks, minivans and SUVs with gas prices high right now? Tom – “Well, the consumers are, quite frankly, just looking for choice, and the fact that the Chrysler Group doesn’t even play in this segment, it’s very important that we do. This is important for our growth here, but not only here in the NAFTA region - and I’m talking Canada, Mexico and the United States - but the European markets and other growth areas, where the growth is going. We need to follow with a cross-section of great cars and trucks across our whole portfolio. That’s why we need this in this region as well. Our attempt here will help us in this region because the gas mileage of this car will be exceptionally good and we’re looking forward to this coming in to help us as this segment is growing in this region and we just need to play a part.” | |
5-French Unions call for Airbus Strike
Associated Press | By LAURENCE FROST 03.02.07, 7:42 AM ET - - Airbus unions in France on Friday ordered a one-day strike for next week to protest planned job cuts and plant disposals at the European aircraft maker.
Shares of the parent company of Airbus, meanwhile, sank as much as 5.2 percent in the wake of the disclosure that work has been halted on the slow-selling freighter version of the A380 model.
The five main French Airbus unions called on workers at Airbus's sites across the country to stop work Tuesday in protest against 10,000 planned job cuts and the sale or closure of six plants announced by Airbus this week.
German Airbus workers may join the strike, union officials said, along with staff at other plants belonging to defense group and Airbus parent European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co. in both countries.
In Paris, EADS shares fell as much as 5.2 percent to 23.35 euros ($30.88) as markets digested confirmation by Airbus late Thursday that work on the troubled A380 superjumbo freighter had been halted indefinitely.
The moves follows FedEx Corp. (nyse: FDX - news - people )'s November decision to cancel its order for 10 A380 freighters, leaving Airbus with just 10 orders from one remaining customer, United Parcel Service Inc. (nyse: UPS - news - people ) Atlanta-based UPS agreed on a new timetable for deliveries with Airbus last month but said it may still decide to cancel.
No date had yet been fixed for work on the freighter program to resume, an Airbus spokeswoman said. Resources are being focused on the A380 passenger jet, whose two-year delay has wiped 5 billion euros ($6.6 billion) off EADS profit forecasts for 2006-2010.
A tug of war between French and German shareholders has paralyzed EADS and Airbus and delayed the announcement of the "Power8" restructuring program - finally unveiled this week by Airbus CEO Louis Gallois.
Core shareholders DaimlerChrysler AG (nyse: DCX - news - people ) of Germany and France's Lagardere SCA are both trimming their EADS stakes. DaimlerChrysler last month sold a 7.5 percent stake to a group of banks including public institutions controlled by German regional authorities.
That move has prompted a French regions to seek to buy between 5 percent and 10 percent of the defense group to balance what they see as excessive German political influence, the president of Midi-Pyrenees in southern France said.
"We're talking about a significant investment, not a symbolic one," Midi-Pyrenees chief Martin Malvy said in an interview published Friday in Le Figaro, a leading French daily.
Picardie and Aquitaine, two other French regions where Airbus has factories, have already given their support, Malvy said.
DaimlerChrysler's Dr. Z Sells in Market: Doron Levin (Correct)
By Doron Levin |March 2 (Bloomberg) -- Dr. Z, as DaimlerChrysler's AG chief executive officer is nicknamed in recent TV commercials, has a problem: He's trying to sell Chrysler, an automaker the world no longer needs.
It's a daunting task. The U.S. auto industry has excess capacity. Chrysler's vehicle lineup doesn't match Japanese competitors in the midsize- and small-car market. The automaker struggles with high labor costs and pension liabilities.
But DaimlerChrysler shareholders are forcing Dieter Zetsche to put Chrysler on the auction block, damaged as it is. The best hope may be to snag a buyer whose optimism exceeds its prudence, perhaps a private-equity fund that doesn't appreciate the brutality of the U.S. auto industry.
Zetsche's official position is that ``all options are open.'' The company says that a plan to shrink manufacturing capacity and slice 13,000 jobs might get Chrysler back in shape.
But Zetsche's lieutenants in Auburn Hills, Michigan, where Chrysler is based, suggest that the mustachioed CEO may as well start dressing in a yellow Century 21 jacket, so obvious is the eagerness at headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany, to dispose of the American property.
Sell is the right thing to do -- if possible: DaimlerChrysler since buying Chrysler eight years ago in a $36 billion stock deal has found that the U.S. automaker was in worse shape and more resistant to a turnaround than it first thought.
Unfixable
Zetsche and others on both sides of the Atlantic gamely struggled to repair Chrysler, to no avail. Others had tried before; a permanent fix always proved elusive.
After flirting with bankruptcy in the early 1980s, Chrysler managed to bounce back in mid-decade -- only to stumble backward again in the early 1990s. By 1998, when Daimler-Benz came knocking, Chrysler was profitable. But its pipeline of future models was meager, its executives squabbling among themselves for the next promotion.
Why Juergen Schrempp, then-chief executive of Daimler-Benz, failed to recognize Chrysler's true condition, or its penchant for bad habits like building too many of the wrong vehicles, is a mystery. Perhaps he couldn't see how crowded the U.S. market had become.
General Motors Corp., Ford Motor Co. and Chrysler over the past year have announced capacity reductions through 2009 totaling 2.6 million units -- just 100,000 shy of the number Chrysler sold in 2006.
According to Global Insight Inc., an automotive forecaster based in Lexington, Massachusetts, North American vehicle production capacity stands at about 18 million units -- compared with a forecast annual sales demand of about 14.7 million North American-produced vehicles. The difference represents an automaker about the size of Chrysler.
Why Wonder?
Small wonder Chrysler and others automakers have trouble maintaining vehicle prices and avoiding profit-robbing discounts. Small wonder DaimlerChrysler shareholders want Zetsche to sell. But who would buy?
Assuming the greater-fool theory of investment remains intact, the possibility exists that a buyer might pay a decent price. DaimlerChrysler then could lick its wounds, change its name back to Daimler-Benz and return to the business of manufacturing premium -- and very profitable -- Mercedes automobiles.
Chrysler does have some valuable assets. The Jeep brand is a solid name with a loyal following. Chrysler's minivans still lead the pack in terms of sales. Dodge pickup trucks are profitable.
Whoever is interested in those assets also must be willing to accept a $15 billion -- mostly unfunded -- obligation to Chrysler retirees, as well as the requirement to bargain with the United Auto Workers union, which represents Chrysler's U.S. workers.
Price Limit
That likely puts a limit on the amount any buyer would pay, considering the cost of doing business with the UAW. GM, which must negotiate with the UAW in any event, is said to be considering an offer that will let it grab Chrysler's customers in the U.S. while assuming as few of Chrysler's liabilities as possible.
Magna International Inc., the Canadian auto parts supplier, may be in the hunt too, and its executives have declined to knock down analysts' reports saying as much. Magna builds vehicles for other automakers and 16 percent of its business is with Chrysler, so its interest in a possible acquisition might make sense.
Other shoppers might include Chinese automakers interested in all or part of Chrysler.
Visitors are scheduled to start reviewing Chrysler's operations within the week.
The Point
The large number of shoppers doesn't obscure the main point: that an independent Chrysler building cars and trucks in the U.S., or even a Chrysler controlled by a non-U.S. owner, probably is a non-starter. That's a tragedy for tens of thousands Chrysler workers who will lose their jobs, not too mention the parts suppliers sure to be hurt.
Chrysler's fall is the expected outcome for an automaker that has stumbled too many times. Ambitious newcomers from Asia and Europe are only too anxious to step in as replacements.
If Chrysler does find a new owner, it will have to produce better results than Dr. Z & Co. -- or it won't be long before Jeep, Dodge and Chrysler will be names consigned mostly to automotive museums.
(Doron Levin is a Bloomberg News columnist. The opinions expressed are his own.)
THEFIREHOUSECOM - - Only on the DCXVIDEO channel on YouTube is sudoku a spectator sport. Contestants dashed around the 30-foot by 30-foot “Snowdoku™” puzzle made from 35,000 pounds of ice and snow, with the winners getting a free trip to Aspen, Colo. and the use of the Chrysler Aspen SUV.
See it on YouTube by clicking this link – SNOWDOKU™ . And yea, Snowdoku is a registered trademark.
Thursday, March 01, 2007
BMW and DaimlerChrysler to build hybrid drive systems
The BMW Group and DaimlerChrysler AG are expanding their collaboration in the field of hybrid drive systems and will participate as equal partners in the development of an innovative hybrid module for rear-wheel-drive premium segment cars. Both carmakers plan to commercialise the new module within the next three years. This collaboration will allow the two companies to share their extensive know-how and to achieve increased efficiency through economies of scale.
The decision to jointly develop hybrid drive components will allow DaimlerChrysler and BMW to extend their range of innovative drive systems for rear-wheel-drive premium segment cars. Both manufacturers will benefit from the pooling of development capacity, which will make for faster commercialisation, and from improved cost efficiencies due to higher unit volumes. The components will be individually adapted by the two companies to the different character of the two brands.
As Dr Thomas Weber, Member of the Board of Management of DaimlerChrysler responsible for Group Research and Mercedes Car Group Development, emphasises: “Cooperation in the field of innovative drive systems makes good sense not only from a technical but also from an economic standpoint. It will help to strengthen the competitiveness of two German manufacturers whose requirements in the premium segment are very similar. This is a segment where rapid commercialisation of drive technologies offering high efficiency, performance and comfort is particularly important.”
According to Dr Klaus Draeger, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Development and Purchasing: “This collaboration will allow us to broaden our technological base in the area of future hybrid drive systems for the premium class and will allow the two companies to pool their innovative resources. The distinct identities of the different brands will not be affected, since the relevant technologies will be tailored to fit the specific character of the different vehicles.”
Both technically and geographically, the core development work on the proposed hybrid module, which will be of the mild hybrid type, will take place in Germany, at the relevant engine and drivetrain development sites. A common project framework will ensure close integration of the development teams and will harness the combined knowledge base of both manufacturers. Synchronised development procedures, joint testing and state-of-the-art quality assurance and development methods will assist the efficient implementation of the project.
This new collaboration between BMW and DaimlerChrysler extends the existing cooperation at the Hybrid Development Center in Troy, USA, which began in 2005. Both companies are rapidly expanding their portfolio of alternative drive technologies and rounding out their range of hybrid drive components.
Bumper performance in low-speed crash tests: 2007 Chrysler Sebring
VEHICLE DAMAGE-in this order:
Front Full-Front Corner-Rear Full-Rear Corner-Total Damage
Mitsubishi Galant $929-$1,138-$1,048-$1,162-$4,277
Toyota Camry $936-$1,467-$1,480-$1,028-$4,911
Mazda 6 $978-$1,384-$1,202-$1,397-$4,961
Ford Fusion $1,620-$991-$1,298-$1,121-$5,030
Volvo S40 $2,252-$1,306-$802-$1,240-$5,600
Kia Optima $1,730-$1,534-$1,715-$756-$5,735
Saturn AURA $1,032-$1,152-$3,191-$999-$6,374
Nissan Altima $945-$969-$3,114-$1,431-$6,459
Chevrolet Malibu $1,268-$1,610-$2,542-$1,226-$6,646
Subaru Legacy $3,911 $1,287 $1,122 $1,128 $7,448
Chrysler Sebring $1,084-$2,061-$3,210-$1,099-$7,454
Hyundai Sonata $4,312-$1,349-$739-$1,165-$7,565
Honda Accord $3,469-$1,169-$2,767-$605-$8,010
Volkswagen Passat $4,594-$1,544-$982-$1,139-$8,259
Pontiac G6 $4,588-$1,183-$1,638-$1,510-$8,919
Volkswagen Jetta $2,598-$1,223-$3,375-$1,824-$9,020
Nissan Maxima $4,535-$1,732-$1,787-$997-$9,051
1981 Ford Escort $86-$0-$383-$0-$469
Note: Sonata repair costs reflect reduced parts pricing, effective Jan. 2007
Will Chrysler get Chery-picked?
Michael Dunne | DETROIT NEWS - - When you look at the history, a Chinese acquisition of Chrysler Corp. would be a form of poetic irony.
Twenty-two years ago, the City of Beijing and American Motors joined hands to form the Beijing Jeep Corporation (BJC), China's first automotive joint venture. The plan was for the partners to build Jeep Cherokees for the army and the government. Politicians in Washington and Beijing had great expectations for this early Sino-American connection.
From the start, though, the Chinese and American managers pursued different objectives. American Motors (later bought by Chrysler) moved in to capture China's promised growth. The Americans were confident that they would control the company, thanks to superior technology and products. The Chinese, for their part, entered the joint venture with one purpose: To learn how to build cars on their own.
Today, China stands as the second largest automotive market on the planet. In 2006, total vehicle sales surpassed 7 million units. Shanghai GM, a joint venture founded a decade after Beijing Jeep, achieved passenger car sales of 412,116 units.
Sadly, BJC has never lived up to its hoped-for potential. In fact, the results have been almost heart breaking. Jeep Cherokee sales in 2006 reached just 4,613 units. The venture has stalled mainly because it never had the right cars to offer Chinese consumers.
Further darkening the picture, the joint venture's American parent, Chrysler, now finds itself on the block. In an era of rising fuel prices and unrelenting competition from Asia, Chrysler is no longer able to leverage once-every-five-year sensations like the 300C to mask a perennial weakness in small cars.
In contrast, Chinese automakers excel at small car manufacturing and they are enjoying tremendous momentum. China's leading domestic carmaker, Chery Automobile, increased production by 60 percent in 2006 and exported 50,000 cars to Russia, Malaysia and Egypt.
Is it conceivable that Chery will launch a bid to acquire Chrysler? Even the wildest scenario is conceivable these days with the newly rich Chinese. But such a deal is unlikely. While seeing Chery pay cash for Chrysler would play nicely in the minds of Chinese romantics, there are three reasons why the deal will not happen -- at least not right away.
First, Chery is a still a very young company, just eight years old. Total production in 2006 barely eclipsed 300,000 units. Chery's top-selling product, the QQ, borrows extensively from the Matiz, a car developed by Daewoo six years ago.
Second, Chery wants to steer clear of older manufacturing plants, and the related weights of labor unions, pensions and health care liabilities.
Third, a Chinese takeover of one of the Detroit Three would be too unpalatable politically. It is one thing to see Made-in-China garment tags at Walmart. It is quite another to envision a Detroit sports venue called Chery Field.
This does not mean we should count Chery out completely.
Chrysler late last year signed a broad agreement for Chery to build small cars and ship them to the U.S. market under a Chrysler nameplate. This agreement will bring Chery much closer, albeit indirectly, to the U.S. consumer.
If a private equity group acquires Chrysler, breaks up the company and sells the assets in smaller parts, look for Chery to make a play for a brand name, a dealer network, or both.
In this still-unfolding yarn, Chery eventually may not own all of Chrysler -- but perhaps just some of its more attractive parts.
Workers fear being uprooted from jobs
PUBLISHED: March 1, 2007
In his State of the City address earlier this month, Trenton Mayor Gerald Brown confirmed that his city's biggest competition to retain their aged facility was Van Buren Township.
"It's 30 percent sure that it would come to Trenton and 70 percent sure that it wouldn't," he said at the time.
From the beginning, Trenton officials have been negotiating with the automaker to build the new facility next to the existing plant.
Originally, Chrysler had asked the city to close Van Horn Road indefinitely to make room for a 980,000-square-foot expansion of the current Trenton Engine Plant. That expansion would have eliminated nearby soccer fields and take up half of the existing parking lot.
While the city rejected that request - which was overwhelmingly opposed by Grosse Ile residents who use the road to access their island community — city officials continued negotiations.
The original plan, for example, called for a 1.2 million-square-foot expansion of the facility, but was scaled back to accommodate the city's situation, Brown said.
In a Thursday public hearing, scheduled by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, DaimlerChrysler officials announced plans for the facility, which will produce a new V-6 engine — code-named "Phoenix" — for the next generation Chrysler models that will debut in 2009.
Trenton officials were aware of the scheduled hearing weeks ago and said later they didn't think it would have a direct impact on their ongoing negotiations with the automaker.
One source close to the situation said the hearing was probably a matter of the automaker exploring all possible options for a presentation to Chrysler officials.
In fact, since the engines expected to be built at the new facility — regardless of where it's located — are scheduled to debut in 2009, a decision for the plant could come as early as next month.
The announcement comes only weeks after DaimlerChrysler's executive board announced that the Chrysler unit's workforce would see a reduction of 13,000 hourly and salaried workers in an effort to turn the sagging automaker back to profitability.
Of the approximately 9,000 hourly positions to be eliminated across the nation, none are expected to come from the Trenton facility, which currently builds 3.3, 3.8 and 4.0-liter V6 engines .
Reaction from workers
For United Auto Workers at the Trenton facility, the news is a mixed bag.
"Every time we turn around Daimler is making a decision," said Monroe resident Debbie Hanning, who has been working at the Trenton facility for 22 years.
"We've got a really good group of people (here).
"We've been put up against plants all over the world and we stand up," she said.
But when asked about Chrysler staying in Trenton, she wasn't optimistic.
"I don't think it's going to happen," she said.
For Gary Weber of Brownstown, the news has been plain confusing.
"There are so many engine plant rumors going around," he said.
"We heard that it will be built on the corner of Allen and Van Horn Road, then we heard about it going down by the quarry.
"Then we heard the possibility that it will to go Willow Run."
The 43-year veteran of the Trenton plant suggested none of this confusing news would exist if the original request from Chrysler to close Van Horn had been approved.
"The people of Grosse Ile put up such a stink.
"I don't understand why they were so discontent," he said. "They hurt a lot of people."
Brownstown reaction
As it turned out, while negotiations continued with Trenton, behind-the-scenes steps were being taken by the automaker to explore other Downriver area parcels that could house the new state-of-the-art engine plant — including a 400-acre site in Brownstown Township.
Some officials saw the Brownstown site — located on the west side of Telegraph Road between Sibley and King — as the best choice to keep the automaker Downriver, if it couldn't expand in Trenton.
Of the 400 acres in Brownstown, which is owned by Downriver industrialist Leonard Fritz, 130 acres would have been developed for the new Chrysler factory, with 20 acres being filled in to create the plant's construction site.
In the application, the Brownstown site was rejected primarily because of the potential impact on the unique "lakeplain prairie" grasslands found on the 400 acres.
This type of prairie is considered a rarity by state environmentalists, and is listed as such by the Michigan Natural Features Inventory.
However, a source close to the issue said the construction of a manufacturing plan on the site would not only leave the prairie alone, but would actually ensure its long-term protection.
According to the source, who asked not to be identified, the development could have eventually led to the township taking ownership of the prairie and protecting it "for generations."
The fact is, the source said, locating the plant in Brownstown "did not have the impact on the environment they were claiming."
"Only 72 percent of the Van Buren site will be preserved," the source said, "but in Brownstown, 84 percent would have been preserved — even though more acreage would actually have been filled in."
The township's long-term concern is that if the Brownstown site remains undeveloped or encourages more dense development, the prairie's future would be jeopardized.
"If lake plain prairie grass isn't maintained, it will go away," the source said. "By developing the site, the grassland would have been preserved."