Tuesday September 5, 10:45 am ET
Don Chaikin, automotive editor, POPULAR MECHANICS, said, "With the changing environment and economy, automotive manufacturers have to provide consumers with innovative, cost-effective and better-performing vehicles in order to stay competitive in today's market. It's hard to find a model that doesn't have some great new feature, but our automotive team sought the best of the best for our readers and has singled out these ten models as our top- of-the-line picks."
PRE-SAFE, Distronic Plus and Much MoreThe new-generation S-Class sedan made its U.S. debut earlier this year with an impressive array of industry-leading safety features. First, the revolutionary PRE-SAFE® system senses loss of control and automatically takes measures to protect occupants before a possible impact.
The new radar-based Distronic Plus cruise control can maintain a pre-set following distance behind the vehicle ahead and it is networked with other systems so that Brake Assist can be readied and PRE-SAFE measures can be triggered if the closing speed to the next vehicle is too great. Extensive testing suggests that these features will reduce rear collisions.
Infra-Red Night View AssistAnother innovative technology that made its debut on the 2007 S-Class is Night View Assist, a new option that can extend the driver's ability to see ahead to nearly 500 feet. An industry first, and in contrast to passive systems that rely only on thermal imaging, this active system bathes the road ahead with invisible infra-red light from two projector beams mounted in the headlights. An infra-red camera discreetly mounted in the windshield receives the reflected images and displays them in a high-resolution display in the instrument cluster.
The Industry's First Rapidly Flashing Brake LightsThe new-generation S600 and S65 AMG models are equipped with adaptive brake lights that can flash rapidly during emergency braking, a feature that's expected to reduce rear collisions. Another industry first from Mercedes, the rapidly flashing LED brake lights are triggered primarily by the car's Brake Assist system (standard on all Mercedes-Benz passenger vehicles since 1998), which automatically provides full-power braking assist whenever it senses faster-than-usual brake pedal application.
== PRELIMINARY EARTHQUAKE REPORT ==
Region: MINDANAO, PHILIPPINES
Geographic coordinates: 7.691N, 126.538E
Magnitude: 5.5 Mb
Depth: 123 km
Universal Time (UTC): 5 Sep 2006 04:53:01
Time near the Epicenter: 5 Sep 2006 12:53:01
Local time in your area: 5 Sep 2006 05:53:01
Location with respect to nearby cities:
76 km (47 miles) SSE (160 degrees) of Hinatuan, Mindanao, Philippines
121 km (75 miles) NE (56 degrees) of Davao, Mindanao, Philippines
178 km (111 miles) SE (141 degrees) of Butuan, Mindanao, Philippines 880 km (547 miles) W (273 degrees) of KOROR, Palau
ADDITIONAL EARTHQUAKE PARAMETERS
________________________________
event ID : US sgae
This event has been reviewed by a seismologist at NEIC For subsequent updates, maps, and technical information, see:
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/recenteqsww/Quakes/ussgae.php
9.5.1914 - Ira Vail makes his major racing debut driving an Otto at Brighton Beach, NY
9.5.1938 - Fay Leone Faurote, an official with Oldsmobile and Thomas before starting his own automobile advertising business in 1921, dies at age 57
9.5.1956 - Jean Herbert driving the Renault Etoile Filante (Shooting Star) at the Bonneville Salt Flats, UT sets a land speed record for turbine-powered cars of 195 mph
9.5.1973 - The 1974 AMC models are introduced
FRANKFURT -- United Auto Workers union head Ron Gettelfinger will join DaimlerChrysler's supervisory board, the company said on Monday.
Gettelfinger, 62, replaces outgoing UAW Vice President Nate Gooden on the supervisory board at the world's fifth-biggest carmaker, effective immediately. His term runs until 2008.
German union IG Metall traditionally gives the UAW one of the DaimlerChrysler board seats to which IG Metall is entitled under German labor law.
IG Metall and the UAW had a rare split last year -- since patched up -- when Gooden backed management's three-year strategy plan over the opposition of other labor leaders on the DaimlerChrysler board who said it relied too heavily on job cuts.
== PRELIMINARY EARTHQUAKE REPORT ==
Region: NEW GUINEA, PAPUA NEW GUINEA
Geographic coordinates: 4.385S, 142.954E
Magnitude: 5.6 Mb
Depth: 101 km
Universal Time (UTC): 4 Sep 2006 04:47:13
Time near the Epicenter: 4 Sep 2006 14:47:13
Local time in your area: 4 Sep 2006 05:47:13
Location with respect to nearby cities:
119 km (74 miles) SW (222 degrees) of Wewak, New Guinea, PNG
216 km (134 miles) NW (318 degrees) of Mount Hagen, New Guinea, PNG
266 km (165 miles) SE (136 degrees) of Vanimo, New Guinea, PNG
324 km (201 miles) SE (130 degrees) of Jayapura, Irian Jaya, Indonesia
734 km (456 miles) NW (320 degrees) of PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea
ADDITIONAL EARTHQUAKE PARAMETERS
________________________________
event ID : US sfah
This event has been reviewed by a seismologist at NEIC For subsequent updates, maps, and technical information, see:
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/recenteqsww/Quakes/ussfah.php
== PRELIMINARY EARTHQUAKE REPORT ==
Region: TONGA
Geographic coordinates: 21.759S, 175.147W
Magnitude: 5.9 Mw
Depth: 36 km
Universal Time (UTC): 3 Sep 2006 04:26:29
Time near the Epicenter: 3 Sep 2006 17:26:29
Local time in your area: 3 Sep 2006 05:26:29
Location with respect to nearby cities:
68 km (42 miles) S (173 degrees) of NUKU'ALOFA, Tonga
366 km (228 miles) SSW (199 degrees) of Neiafu, Tonga
2716 km (1688 miles) WSW (256 degrees) of PAPEETE, Tahiti, French Polynesia
ADDITIONAL EARTHQUAKE PARAMETERS
________________________________
event ID : US seae
This event has been reviewed by a seismologist at NEIC For subsequent updates, maps, and technical information, see:
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/recenteqsww/Quakes/usseae.php
Reuters / September 5, 2006 - 8:00 am TOKYO -- Mitsubishi Fuso Truck & Bus Corp., the Japanese unit of DaimlerChrysler AG, said today it would recall 53,571 trucks and buses, spanning five models in Japan, to repair a defect in the brake chamber.
In a filing with Japan's transport ministry, the unlisted truck maker said a loose cap in the chamber could allow water to enter and the spring to rust, which could activate the hand brake.
No accident has been reported from the defect, it said.
The recall covers the Fuso Fighter truck, the Aero Bus and other models manufactured between July 1996 and November 2005. Mitsubishi Fuso, held 85 percent by DaimlerChrysler, declined to disclose the estimated cost of the recall.
Simpson was the lucky celeb to select the winning key at the Style Villa luxury suite set up in the Bryant Park Hotel for the famous during the Video Music Awards production this week.
She was also allowed to wander through four floors of the hotel picking out free jewelry and clothes. Although the New York Daily News dubbed her "the Queen of Swag," it also reported the statement by Simpson's spokesperson that she will be donating the car and the other freebies to charity. Let's hope for her sake that the IRS believes that.
What this means to you: Wonder if Jessica Simpson was the image Chrysler was going for when it decided to give a Crossfire away to a famous person?
Reuters | September 5, 2006 - 8:00 am VENICE, Italy -- Fiat is interested in principle in forging a partnership with DaimlerChrysler on subcompact cars but only on certain conditions, Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne said today.
"We are interested in anybody that can offer us either a reduction in commitments to capital, so probably willing to share the burden with us (and) who in the process offers us additional exposure to markets that may be of interest to Fiat," Marchionne told reporters after a presentation in Venice. "So the answer is in principle yes, it meets all of the ... requirements."
He added third-quarter financial results for the group were in line with forecasts.
Also, the 2007 model marks the debut of the four-door Jeep Wrangler Unlimited. The Chrysler group said the new model has a base price of $20,410, including shipping.
Dealers will get the redesigned Wrangler within the next two weeks, a Jeep spokesman said.
Major changes for the redesigned SUV include the replacement of a base four-cylinder engine with a 3.8-liter V-6 and the addition of stability control and four-wheel, antilock disc brakes as standard equipment. A six-speed manual transmission is standard, with a four-speed automatic optional.
The Wrangler and Wrangler Unlimited will be marketed in three trim levels: X, Sahara and Rubicon. Each is available with rear-wheel or four-wheel drivetrains.
Through the first seven months of this year, Wrangler sales are down 17.2 percent from the same period last year, to 43,200 units.
Detroit engine plant, beginning in January, when it eliminates a shift.
The company confirmed Thursday that it will cut a shift at the 780-person Mack Avenue Engine 1 plant beginning in January.
The cuts come at a time when the Chrysler Group is cutting production of its profitable pickups and SUVs in hopes of avoiding the kind of sweeping restructuring currently under way at Ford Motor Co. and General Motors Corp.
All three automakers have announced plans to cut production of large vehicles in the second half of the year, as fuel prices hovering around $3 per gallon continue to drive customers to smaller, fuel-efficient -- but less-profitable -- cars.
Chrysler executives are optimistic that a batch of new models coming late this year will help the division of DaimlerChrysler AG finish the year profitably and with an increase in market share.
Spokeswoman Michele Tinson said she couldn't specify how many jobs at the Mack Avenue engine plant would be affected because people could retire or leave before the end of the year.
The number of people laid off also could be affected by changes in the number of engines produced per shift, she said.
"It's important to stress that this only affects Engine 1 assembly," Tinson said.
An engine-plant worker, who asked not to be named, said workers were told on Monday that 350 to 380 jobs would be cut at Mack Engine 1. He said Mack 1 also has about to six weeks of downtime coming later this year.
The plant was ranked by the Harbour Report, a closely watched annual study of manufacturing efficiency, as the most efficient in North America at making V8 overhead cam engines.
The worker said about 70 jobs also would be eliminated at Mack Engine 2, but Tinson said she was not aware of that.
While both plants are scheduled to build engines through the end of the decade, the worker's concern is that both plants could be closed.
"With the way things are going now, we don't know," he said.
Mack Engine 1 makes the 4.7-liter V8 engines for the Jeep Grand Cherokee, Jeep Commander and Dodge Durango SUVs as well as the Dodge Dakota and Dodge Ram pickups.
Mack Engine 2 employs 744 workers and makes the 3.7-liter V6 engine for those same vehicles, plus the Jeep Liberty compact SUV.
Chrysler has said it will take between 65,000 and 75,000 units out of its manufacturing volume of about 2.8 million vehicles this year, most of that in SUV and truck production as consumer demand shifts to smaller vehicles.
Chrysler officials have said it is to be expected that those moves would result in a similar reduction in the need for engines and transmissions.
Analysts have said Chrysler's production cuts could result in 20,000 fewer vehicles in the fourth quarter.
Chrysler Chief Executive Officer Tom LaSorda has told employees to plan for gas prices to remain in the $3- to $4-per gallon range going forward.
If that scenario plays out, auto-industry analysts say it is likely to mean a permanent reduction in the workforces that make the parts for and assemble pickups and SUVs.
"We're going to see more customers going for the more efficient vehicles," said Keagan Patrick, a research analyst at AutoPacific in Tustin, Calif.
== PRELIMINARY EARTHQUAKE REPORT ==
Region: NEAR EAST COAST OF KAMCHATKA
Geographic coordinates: 53.272N, 159.723E
Magnitude: 5.7 Mb
Depth: 50 km
Universal Time (UTC): 1 Sep 2006 10:25:17
Time near the Epicenter: 1 Sep 2006 23:25:17
Local time in your area: 1 Sep 2006 11:25:17
Location with respect to nearby cities:
77 km (48 miles) ENE (68 degrees) of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy, Russia
379 km (236 miles) NE (39 degrees) of Severo-Kuril'sk, Kuril Islands, Russia 460 km (286 miles) WSW (245 degrees) of Nikol'skoye, Komandorskiye Ostrova, Rus.
2501 km (1554 miles) NNE (32 degrees) of TOKYO, Japan
ADDITIONAL EARTHQUAKE PARAMETERS
________________________________
event ID : US scay
This event has been reviewed by a seismologist at NEIC For subsequent updates, maps, and technical information, see:
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/recenteqsww/Quakes/usscay.php
== PRELIMINARY EARTHQUAKE REPORT ==
Region: BOUGAINVILLE REGION, P.N.G.
Geographic coordinates: 6.766S, 155.471E
Magnitude: 6.8 Mw
Depth: 53 km
Universal Time (UTC): 1 Sep 2006 10:18:53
Time near the Epicenter: 1 Sep 2006 20:18:53
Local time in your area: 1 Sep 2006 11:18:53
Location with respect to nearby cities:
62 km (38 miles) S (188 degrees) of Arawa, Bougainville, PNG
129 km (80 miles) W (265 degrees) of Chirovanga, Solomon Islands
212 km (132 miles) NW (314 degrees) of Gizo, Solomon Islands
577 km (359 miles) WNW (301 degrees) of HONIARA, Solomon Islands
935 km (581 miles) E (91 degrees) of Lae, New Guinea, PNG
ADDITIONAL EARTHQUAKE PARAMETERS
________________________________
event ID : US scaw
This event has been reviewed by a seismologist at NEIC For subsequent updates, maps, and technical information, see:
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/recenteqsww/Quakes/usscaw.php
AUBURN HILLS MI - - DaimlerChrysler AG's Chrysler will replace its employee-price discounts with six-year, no-interest loans starting today to help clear out 2006 cars and trucks, a dealer said.
The automaker's dealers were told the financing will be offered until Sept. 30 and will be limited to people with "very good" credit ratings, said Alan Helfman, a Chrysler vice president in Houston.
Chrysler joins General Motors Corp. and Ford Motor Co. in using no-interest loans for up to six years as their U.S. sales decline and they try to help dealers make room for 2007 models. Through July, sales of cars and light trucks fell 10 percent at Chrysler, 9.7 percent at Ford and 14 percent at GM.
Praising the Grand Cherokee CRD, Overlander 4WD Magazine stated: “The key to its appeal lies in its brilliant 3.0-litre V6 turbodiesel engine and equally brilliant 4WD system, both world’s best practice designs.
Overlander 4WD Magazine went on to say: “On the highway it offers effortless performance, up hill and down dale, all the time hardly raising a sweat or sounding anything like most old-world diesels.”
Initiated in 2004, the Overlander 4WD Awards recognise the best four-wheel drives in various classes after testing in various on and off-road conditions. Vehicles are evaluated and scored on ride and handling, as well as mechanical, interior and exterior measurements.
"The 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee is designed, engineered and built on the combination of heritage and capability that has made the Jeep brand an icon in four-wheel drive circles," said Gerry Jenkins, managing director for Chrysler Group in Australia.
“The Grand Cherokee superbly combines on-road refinement, off-road mastery and overall performance for customer satisfaction.
“The concept of diesel driving pleasure reaches a new level for Jeep with the new Grand Cherokee CRD engine,” said Jenkins.
Based on the latest Mercedes-Benz technology, the lightweight common-rail 3.0-litre, V6 engine produces class-leading levels of power (160 kW), torque (510 Nm) and towing (tow rating of 3500kg), and impressive fuel efficiency (10.2L/100km ) all while meeting Euro 4 emission standards.
The Jeep Grand Cherokee is available in three powertrains, the fuel sipping, 3.0-litre V6 CRD is joined by the powerful 5.7-litre HEMI petrol, with its fuel saving Multi-Displacement fuel saving technology and the popular 4.7-litre V8 petrol.
The Jeep Grand Cherokee is built in Graz, Austria. Prices start from $53,990 for the 4.7L V8. 3.0L V6 CRD prices start from $58,990.
With the arrival of the high performance 313 kW Grand Cherokee SRT8 this month, the Jeep range has grown to five models: Wrangler, Cherokee, Grand Cherokee and the recently launched seven-seat CommanderCompany will debut ten new vehicles as it braces for a $600 million third-quarter loss.
Daimler Chrysler photo
In the Dr. Z ads, Dieter Zetsche promoted Chrysler cars and trucks
as having the best of American and German design and engineering.
The company's new ads are on a zero percent financing offer.
Josee Valcourt | The Detroit News - - The mustachioed German pitchman that graced television screens as part of a two-month, $100 million Chrysler advertising campaign has been muted -- for now.
The Chrysler Group on Thursday suspended its Ask Dr. Z television and radio spots starring DaimlerChrysler AG Chairman Dieter Zetsche as it prepares to roll out new zero-percent financing offers for 72 months today.
The automaker is examining phase two of the brand-building Dr. Z campaign.
Well known in Detroit, Zetsche was introduced to the nation this summer in ads to tout to buyers that its cars and trucks have the best of American and German design and engineering.
The ads, which started airing July 1, generated plenty of discussion, both from those who liked the quirky commercials and critics who said they were ineffective or ill-conceived.
"It definitely raised interest and awareness of our product, which was the underline of our goal," said Chrysler spokeswoman Carrie McElwee.
On the automaker's Ask Dr. Z interactive Web site, nearly 6 million consumer questions have been answered and traffic on the Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep brands Web sites is up 15 percent, McElwee said.
Chrysler sales, however, fell sharply this summer.
Some ad critics said the commercials' intended brand message was blurred because Chrysler also included a summer employee promotion that also ended Thursday in the commercials.
Chrysler said more Dr. Z commercials will be aired down the road and the Ask Dr. Z Web site will remain online.
For now, though, the company is turning its marketing attention toward promoting a raft of new cars and trucks beginning to arrive at dealerships.
By year end, Chrysler will have launched a record 10 new vehicles.
"With all the products we're launching in the third and fourth quarter, that shift might change for a little bit on the campaign but longer term we're reviewing what will be the next phase of the broadcast component," she said.
Chrysler is bracing for a $600 million loss in the third quarter as it cuts production of trucks and SUVs for the remainder of the year.
And as market conditions continue to intensify including stiff competition and soaring gas prices moving consumers into more fuel-efficient vehicles, Chrysler needs to reallocate its marketing funds toward promoting key vehicles in an effort to rebound.
Among the new cars and trucks on the way are the redesigned 2007 Chrysler Sebring midsize sedan and Jeep Wrangler SUV.
"It's important for us to support these new models," McElwee said.
John Henke, a marketing professor at Oakland University in Rochester, called the ads unsuccessful.
"When an ad happens to luck out by picking a successful theme, then you can play it literally for years," Henke said.
"That was not the case here."
SPENCER CHIN, EE TIMES, MANHASSET, N.Y. — Seeking to expand its reach in the automotive and consumer markets, Hitachi Global Storage Technologies introduced two drives for automotive applications and a thin-profile 2.5-inch drive for digital video recorders.
In a recent iSuppli market study, Hitachi GST (San Jose, Calif.) ranked third in hard-disk drive shipments behind Seagate and Western Digital, though saw its market share slip. The company expects the new drives to help expand its reach in consumer applications, which some analysts estimate account for one-third of all hard-disk drive unit sales.
The 2.5-inch drive, designated the CinemaStar C5K160, has a capacity of 160 Gbytes. It is the first drive for digital video recorders to use the 2.5-inch form factor, according to Bill Healy, senior vice president of corporate strategy and marketing for the Hitachi unit, in an interview.
"The drives are aimed at a market requiring a slim, sleek industrial design," Healy said. He added that the drive's capacity is equivalent to many 3.5-in. drives, while its design allows the use of only a 5-V supply, compared to 5 and 12 V for 3.5-inch drives.
The automotive drives, designated the Endurastar J4K50 and N4K50, have the highest storage capacity in automotive-grade drives at 50 Gbytes, according to Healy.
The J4K50 has an operating temperature range of -30 to +85 C, while the N4K50 operates at -16 to +70 C. By comparison, Hitachi's previous-generation Endurastar drives had a -20 to +85 C range, the company said.
In addition, the drives have a wide altitude range, with the J4K50 able to operate over from -300 to +5,000 meters, which the company said would enable it to operate near the Dead Sea and in the Andes Mountains. The N4K50 has an upper altitude range of 3,000 meters.
Healy said the new automotive drives were part of Hitachi's strategy to become the leading supplier of automotive hard drives. Presently, the company trails Toshiba, he noted.
"What is appealing is the opportunity to adopt hard drives for new applications, to improve the automotive experience," Healy said. "We can begin to provide more meaningful data—we can show environment or road in which you're traveling, show movies, and implement advanced telematics."
Both the DVR and automotive hard drives will be in production in 2007, Healy said.
On the business front, Healy did not elaborate on Hitachi GST's near-term outlook, but he said demand undergoing its customary year-end pickup as the holiday season looms. He added that price pressure is continuing but expects some price stabilization as the year comes to a close.
Photo Source: http://home.nestor.minsk.by/computers/news/2006/09/0103.jpg
== PRELIMINARY EARTHQUAKE REPORT ==
Region: RYUKYU ISLANDS, JAPAN
Geographic coordinates: 28.843N, 129.991E
Magnitude: 5.5 Mw
Depth: 35 km
Universal Time (UTC): 31 Aug 2006 22:58:26
Time near the Epicenter: 1 Sep 2006 07:58:26
Local time in your area: 31 Aug 2006 23:58:26
Location with respect to nearby cities:
311 km (193 miles) S (190 degrees) of Kagoshima, Kyushu, Japan
371 km (230 miles) SSW (203 degrees) of Miyazaki, Kyushu, Japan
376 km (233 miles) NE (37 degrees) of Naha, Okinawa, Japan
1002 km (623 miles) SSE (163 degrees) of SEOUL, South Korea
ADDITIONAL EARTHQUAKE PARAMETERS
________________________________
event ID : US sbb8
This event has been reviewed by a seismologist at NEIC For subsequent updates, maps, and technical information, see:
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/recenteqsww/Quakes/ussbb8.php
LEFT LANE NEWS - - DaimlerChrysler is offering the world public a first glimpse of an undisguised successor to the current Smart ForTwo in the form of a sand sculpture. During the German beach volleyball championships in Timmendorf this weekend, Pavel Zasanyok, the three-time sand sculpture world champion from Russia, built the new smart fortwo from sand. The sculpture clearly shows the new design language and in particular the face of the new ultimate two-seater. The new smart fortwo will be presented this autumn and will be available in many markets in the spring. As previously reported, the Smart brand will become available in the United States in early 2008. The next-generation ForTwo has already been spotted in testing (disguised) in America in recent weeks.
I am impressed with the design...
LEFT LANE NEWS - - The Level Field Institute today released new data attempting to assess the amount of American content in cars sold in the United States. Below is the organization's list, weighted by sales:
JALOPNICK AUTO NEWS | NHRA - - If you have no clue about drag racing legends Sox & Martin, kindly soak your head. Everyone else, read on. Bob Panella, Jr. will run this Sox & Martin-liveried Dodge Stratus at the NHRA US Nationals, the biggest deal in drag racing. Sox expressed his enthusiasm for the project before his death last April, and his longtime partner in quickness Buddy Martin. What's more, the car's not one of the retro, one-off paint schemes that seem to run every year at Indy and then revert back to normal sponsor colors after the event they call The Big Go. Which frankly, is pretty awesome.
Sox and Martin Stratus Revealed [MoparMax]
Region: MAURITIUS - REUNION REGION
Geographic coordinates: 17.549S, 65.854E
Magnitude: 5.7 Mw
Depth: 10 km
Universal Time (UTC): 30 Aug 2006 16:13:38
Time near the Epicenter: 30 Aug 2006 20:13:38
Local time in your area: 30 Aug 2006 17:13:38
Location with respect to nearby cities:
351 km (218 miles) NE (47 degrees) of Rodrigues Island, Mauritius
926 km (575 miles) ENE (73 degrees) of PORT LOUIS, Mauritius
ADDITIONAL EARTHQUAKE PARAMETERS
________________________________
event ID : US sach
This event has been reviewed by a seismologist at NEIC For subsequent updates, maps, and technical information, see:
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/recenteqsww/Quakes/ussach.php
Noted Wallace, "I've been in a lot of crashes in my time, but that was one of the craziest things I think I've ever experienced. Patti and I were driving home from the airport, driving the speed limit, somewhere around 45 miles per hour I believe, when all of a sudden, out of nowhere, I got hit directly in my door. We really got knocked around in there and we're both really sore."
Despite the Wallace's involvement in the accident, their immediate concern afterwards was the well-being of the other party involved. "As soon as we came to a stop and realized what happened, our thoughts turned directly to the other driver, who miraculously, was uninjured as well." Wallace continued, "She was really shaken up and very apologetic. She claimed that somehow, she just didn't see the stop sign. Luckily for both of us, there was a police officer directly following me and another coming in the opposite direction, both of whom witnessed the entire thing," Wallace continued.
When all was said and done, Wallace credited one thing with the ability of himself and his wife to survive: the safety of the 2006 Dodge Durango. Said Wallace, "You hear car companies talk about safety a lot, but I can tell you that Patti and I are both really thankful for the research and development that Dodge puts into the safety of their vehicles." Wallace joked, "That felt like a crash at Talladega, but thankfully, everyone was able to walk away."
UAW Local 1268 President Tom Littlejohn told reporters from Crain Communications Inc., which publishes among other things Crain’s Chicago Business and Automotive News, that the Local 1268 is appealing to the International UAW, asking it to open talks to end the use of the temps.
Littlejohn said Wednesday that he’s been instructed by International UAW officials to not comment further.DaimlerChrysler began a third shift at the Belvidere plant in July to meet the strong demand for the plant’s new products, the 2007 Dodge Caliber and 2007 Jeep Compass. Some industry experts regard the launch of the Caliber as the strongest new domestic car to hit the market in the past three years.
To staff the third shift, though, DaimlerChrysler used a clause in its national contract that allowed hiring temporary workers to hire about 800 people on two-year contracts. The contracts start at about the same pay as in the past but don’t include automatic increases and take eight months for reduced insurance benefits to kick in. The contract also can be terminated at any time during the two years if demand slows, and it has no guarantees of future employment when it ends.
Littlejohn was quoted by Crain’s as saying, “We have language in our national agreement that governs the hiring of temporary workers, and this does not follow those guidelines.”
Neither officials from DaimlerChrysler nor the International UAW would comment on the temporary workers’ contract.
James Doser, a 56-year-old Rockford resident who was hired as a temporary worker in April, said the temporary status and much less protective contract are causing dissension.
“Guys are happy to be there, no question,” said Doser, who has been a UAW member for 32 years at such places as John Deere in Dubuque, Iowa, and Hamilton Sundstrand in Rockford. “There is a lot of grumbling over the lack of hours, and the fact (the two-year contract) obviously violates the national contract.”
Doser originally was hired as a temporary worker who would work 120 days, which basically took him to Labor Day. It’s a common practice as automakers need workers to fill in during summer to cover vacations. In May, though, when DaimlerChrysler announced the third shift, Doser said he was told to sign the two-year deal or find another job.
Doser said he has asked local union officials to file grievances for being forced to change his employment contract and because he feels the two-year deal is a violation of the larger contract. He also is frustrated by the lack of work when he reaches the plant. He said he has not worked a full 40-hour workweek since starting in April.
Continuing problems with the plant’s new automated body shop have caused frequent shutdowns and put the plant thousands of orders behind on the Caliber and the Compass. The third-shift workers, who are paid only for hours worked, unlike their first- and second-shift counterparts, are feeling the effects.
“Most of us thought this would turn into a full-time job, and I thought I might get a chance to retire from here,” Doser added. “A lot of the guys aren’t getting enough work to pay the bills.”
Since seeing Caliber sales grow from 1,397 in February to 12,422 in May, sales of the combination sporty coupe/SUV plunged in June and July because of slow production as workers began integrating the Jeep Compass into production. August car sales are scheduled to be released Friday. The Jeep Patriot is scheduled to go into production in October.
The body shop, with its 700-plus robots, was a key component to a $419 million renovation of the plant at the end of 2005 and beginning of 2006. When functioning properly, it allows workers to ramp up production of different models based on sales without time-draining, costly shutdowns. It’s seen as a key to DaimlerChrysler’s future ability to compete with the Japanese automakers.
“The launch, like every launch, is a process that will take time to reach optimum productivity levels,” DaimlerChrysler spokesman Michelle Tinson said in an e-mail. “We’re focusing our improvement efforts on issues with our robotics programming. Production complexity includes Dodge Caliber, Jeep Compass and Jeep Patriot pilots and eight derivatives, as well as an all-new body shop and addition of a third shift.
STMicroelectronics has launched a new, enhanced version of its 32-Mbit Flash memory chip intended specifically for the automotive market. Offering high-speed memory access over a wide operating temperature range, the M58BW32F is specified for powertrain and transmission-control modules and other automotive systems that use 32-bit microcontrollers.
The new M58BW32F is manufactured with an 0.11-micron technology and qualified to the AEC- Q100 standard (revision F) as defined by the Automotive Electronics Council.
Engineering samples are available for evaluation, with volume production planned for Q3 2006. A 16-Mbit device is planned for the second half of 2006. Pricing for the M58BW32F is US$5.5 per device.
== PRELIMINARY EARTHQUAKE REPORT ==
Region: MOLUCCA SEA
Geographic coordinates: 0.333S, 125.114E
Magnitude: 5.7 Mw
Depth: 53 km
Universal Time (UTC): 31 Aug 2006 08:08:29
Time near the Epicenter: 31 Aug 2006 17:08:29
Local time in your area: 31 Aug 2006 09:08:29
Location with respect to nearby cities:
204 km (127 miles) S (172 degrees) of Manado, Sulawesi, Indonesia
246 km (153 miles) ESE (113 degrees) of Gorontalo, Sulawesi, Indonesia
282 km (175 miles) WSW (243 degrees) of Ternate, Moluccas, Indonesia
919 km (571 miles) N (357 degrees) of DILI, East Timor
ADDITIONAL EARTHQUAKE PARAMETERS
________________________________
event ID : US sbaj
This event has been reviewed by a seismologist at NEIC For subsequent updates, maps, and technical information, see:
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/recenteqsww/Quakes/ussbaj.php
8.31.1904 - James W. Packard marries Elizabeth Achsah Gillmer
8.31.1922 - The Marmon Model 34C is introduced
8.31.1948 - Racer Harald Ertl is born in Mannheim, Germany
8.31.1955 - The world’s first solar-powered automobile, designed by William G. Cobb, is demonstrated at the General Motors Powerama in Chicago, IL
8.31.1958 - Chairman Albert Bradley and President Harlow H. Curtice retire from General Motors
Source: Automobile History Day By Day, by Douglas A. Wick
The current smart fortwo model is already as good as sold out and it has achieved cult status within a very short space of time. Due to the high demand, production in Hambach, France, was increased once more at the beginning of this year. More than 750,000 vehicles have been delivered to customers since the market launch in October 1998.
The smart fortwo edition red is just as sporty as it looks: the BRABUS engine has a power output of 55 kW (75 bhp). 16 inch alloy wheels, a front spoiler and sports rear muffler further underline the sporty appearance. And as the name says, the tridion safety cell and bodypanels are painted in "intensive red".
Leather and Alcantara with elaborately stitched seams dominate in the interior of the smart fortwo edition red. Special contrast components in "intensive red" and aluminium pedals add to the exclusive look. Air conditioning and an audio system with an MP3 interface are also part of the package. The smart fortwo edition red is available as a coupé or a cabrio and costs € 20,995 and € 23,695 respectively.
GUIDO REINKING || AUTOMOBILWOCHE - - In the 1990s, Mercedes-Benz had a classic car commercial.A husband arrives home late and tells his wife, "My car broke down." The wife slaps him in the face. She does not believe her husband's Mercedes could break down.
Today, nobody would understand the advertisement. For many Mercedes drivers nowadays, breaking down is part of the ownership experience.
It took 90 years to build Mercedes' image of quality, and less than 10 years to damage it severely.
Dieter Zetsche has been directing the brand's fate for a year. The quality of Mercedes cars has noticeably improved over that period, but a year is much too short a time to expect lasting results.
Renewing Mercedes
Zetsche has cut jobs and operating costs at Mercedes, but that was relatively easy compared to what now lies ahead. His most important job is to renew the Mercedes brand.
The star emblem on every Mercedes model once signified that customers were getting the safest and most reliable cars that money could buy. Mercedes owners also knew they were buying a car with the highest level of workmanship.
But this unique image was needlessly abandoned in favor of excessive sportiness and a gratuitous pursuit of horsepower records, coupled with dubious model decisions and an unrestrained niche strategy.
Mercedes has wasted its energy on new vehicles such as the A-, B-, R- and GL-class models and the SLR McLaren.
No one really knows what the brand stands for anymore.
Chasing niches
The Maybach ultraluxury sedan highlighted the misguided trend of chasing niches.
The Maybach damaged Mercedes' claim that the S-class upper-premium sedan was the best luxury car in the world. It also maneuvered the company into an awkward situation: Mercedes cannot quietly close the limping Maybach brand. Its customers are important people, and they are not likely to go along with this.
Until recently, Mercedes, with its Smart and Maybach brands, risked losing its way. The task now is to raise the profile of the core Mercedes brand.
Mercedes has to build the most reliable car -- not the fastest.
Zetsche's statements over the past few months are an indication he has recognized this. But it takes years, not months, to turn around the image of a brand such as Mercedes. There will be setbacks along the way.
Detroit Free Press - - With the production launch of the 2007 Jeep Wrangler and Wrangler Unlimited at its Toledo Supplier Park, Chrysler Group has transformed almost all its assembly plants to build more than one vehicle on the same line.
Flexible assembly plants are expected to cut costs by using robots to automate some jobs, reducing inventory and keeping employment ranks steady. Because the plants can make more than one vehicle, declining sales of one model doesn't necessarily put an entire plant at risk.
For the company, it provides a way to make money by ramping up production of a hot seller.
"The best example of why it matters was in Belvidere," Greg Gardner, a spokesman for Harbour Consulting, said of a plant in Illinois. "Until Chrysler launched the Dodge Caliber, it could only build the Neon there. The PT Cruiser built in Toluca, Mexico, could not be built in Belvidere because it wasn't flexible. If they had been able to shift some production to Belvidere when the demand for the PT Cruiser was strong, that could have made Chrysler more profitable."
Building flexible manufacturing plants is something Japanese automakers are known for, said Erich Merkle, an auto analyst at IRN in Grand Rapids, Mich.
Chrysler, Ford Motor Co. and General Motors Corp. are becoming more flexible but are in a race to catch up, analysts said.
. GM's new Delta Township plant near Lansing, Mich., will build the 2007 Saturn Outlook crossover as well as Buick and GMC models. And Ford now has the capacity to build as many as eight different models at its Chicago assembly plant.
8.30.1905 - Louis Bancel Warren of the Chrysler Corporation is born in Monmouth Beach, NJ
8.30.1934 - Automotive products manufacturer Daniel Boyd Griffith is born in Albuquerque, NM
8.30.1937 - Racer Bruce Leslie McLaren is born in Auckland, New Zealand
8.30.1952 - Edmund B. Neil, a truck engineer with the Pierce-Arrow Motor Car Company and later an independent consulting engineer, dies at age 62
== PRELIMINARY EARTHQUAKE REPORT ==
Region: MOLUCCA SEA
Geographic coordinates: 0.406S, 125.081E
Magnitude: 5.8 Mb
Depth: 60 km
Universal Time (UTC): 29 Aug 2006 10:53:09
Time near the Epicenter: 29 Aug 2006 19:53:09
Local time in your area: 29 Aug 2006 11:53:09
Location with respect to nearby cities:
212 km (132 miles) S (173 degrees) of Manado, Sulawesi, Indonesia
246 km (153 miles) ESE (116 degrees) of Gorontalo, Sulawesi, Indonesia
289 km (180 miles) WSW (242 degrees) of Ternate, Moluccas, Indonesia
911 km (566 miles) N (356 degrees) of DILI, East Timor
ADDITIONAL EARTHQUAKE PARAMETERS
________________________________
event ID : US rzal
This event has been reviewed by a seismologist at NEIC For subsequent updates, maps, and technical information, see:
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/recenteqsww/Quakes/usrzal.php
