Thursday, June 12, 2008

Chrysler building being sold to Arab investors?



 
 

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via Autoblog by Sam Abuelsamid on 6/12/08

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No, Middle East investors are not buying the car company, it's the building in mid-town Manhattan they want. The Chrysler building was briefly (in 1930) the tallest building in the world before the Empire State building was completed a year later. it served for a time as the New York offices of the car company and remains an Art Deco icon in the city, and the world for that matter. It's certainly more attractive than most of the vehicles bearing the same name today. The Abu Dhabi Investment Council is reportedly looking at buying a 75% stake in the tower for $800 million. The share of the building is currently owned by Atlanta-based investment fund TMW. The other 25 percent of the building is owned by Tishman Speyer Properties. Back in the wake of the DaimlerChrysler merger, Jurgen Schrempp talked of renovating the long unused upper floors of the building for use as a world headquarters office space, but its unkown if the renovations ever happened. It certainly didn't serve as a home to DCX. Thanks for the tip, Dave!

[Source: New York Post, via AllPar.com]

 

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Ford's Mark Fields calls plug-in hybrids a "national priority"



 
 

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via Autoblog by Jeremy Korzeniewski on 6/12/08

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In these days of nearly nonexistent profits for every one of Detroit's Big Three automakers, R&D funds must be allocated very carefully. In contrast, Japanese manufacturers such as Toyota and Honda have been earning profits on a yearly basis. Not long ago, a mild spat arose regarding whether or not the Japanese government helped fund the development of Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive. Even if they didn't do it in the past, Ford's President of the Americas Mark Fields indicated that they are doing it now at a conference held today in Washington, D.C. by Brookings and Google.org titled Plug-In Electric Vehicles 2008: What Role for Washington?

Fields called on the U.S. government to step up to the plate, mentioning tax breaks and incentives as one option to aid consumers who'd like to purchase these ultimately expensive vehicles one day. On the manufacturing side, Fields suggests that plug-in hybrids should be a "national priority", with Washington needing to allocate funds for research and development. Another area singled out is a domestic supply of batteries, since most of the units used in today's hybrids are being manufactured overseas.

It should be noted that General Motors already has a head start towards PHEVs with its upcoming Chevy Volt. As far as we're aware, the development costs for this vehicle and its batteries has been moving forward without direct assistance from the government. Feel free to read Field's entire speech after the break.

[Source: Ford]

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First Drive: 2009 Ford Flex Limited AWD



 
 

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via Autoblog by Michael Harley on 6/11/08

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Click above for high-res gallery of our first drive of the 2009 Ford Flex

Those of you who follow the auto industry as obsessively as we do will immediately recognize the all-new 2009 Ford Flex as the production version of the well-received Ford Fairlane "People Mover" concept from the 2005 Chicago Auto Show. The suicide doors are gone and the front has been opened up a bit to allow the engine to breathe... but Ford's execution from concept to production is, for the most part, dead-on. Ford recently gave us the opportunity to drive the new Flex in Southern California, so follow the jump to read our first impressions of the Blue Oval's new people mover.


Photos Copyright (C)2008 Michael Harley / Weblogs, Inc.

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Autoblog does the Baja 500: Round 2, the race [w/VIDEO]



 
 

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via Autoblog by Jonathon Ramsey on 6/11/08

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Click above for hi-res gallery from the 2008 Baja 500

We did the pre-run, now it was time for Autoblog to race the Baja 500 with driver Chad Hall and Team HUMMER. Our race day start time wasn't until 10:30, but we got to the start line at 8:30. And then we signed autographs and kissed babies. Well, Chad didn't, but people kept asking us for our autograph, so we obliged. Kids also constantly asked for "steeckers," but we didn't have any of those... Follow the jump to see how Autoblog fared as racing co-pilot, and be sure to check out the gallery of hi-res images below and the insane in-truck video after the jump.

Continue reading Autoblog does the Baja 500: Round 2, the race [w/VIDEO]

 

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GM may add car line to closing Canadian truck plant



 
 

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via Autoblog by Jeremy Korzeniewski on 6/11/08

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Despite rising tensions (and a lawsuit) between General Motors and the Canadian Auto Workers union, the automaker may be interested in adding a new car line at its soon-to-closed truck plant in Oshawa, Ontario. Though that plant was originally scheduled to stay open a few more years, slumping sales of full-size trucks built there have forced GM to announce its early closure along with three other pickup and SUV plants. Since that announcement, union workers have barricaded GM Canada's headquarters for the last eight days in protest, which we'd imagine might make it difficult for GM management to negotiate with union officials... but what do we know?

According to The Detroit News, however, GM has been talking with Ontario's Economic Development and Trade Minister, Sandra Pupatello, who says that the government is very interested in securing the new vehicle line as quickly as possible. Even if a decision is made in short order, it is likely the plant's 2,600 workers would be out of work for up to two years after the closes and before its ready again with new tooling for a passenger car line.

[Source: The Detroit News]

 

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Dodge Ram production idled at Mexico plant



 
 

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via Autoblog by Jeremy Korzeniewski on 6/11/08

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Another victim of the downturn in sales of full-size pickup trucks was revealed today as Dodge will be closing its Saltillo plant in northern Mexico for a period of two weeks. The plant produced nearly 170,000 Ram trucks last year. Yesterday, Chrysler CEO Robert Nardelli indicated that Ram production would need to be adjusted to reflect weak customer demand, and this seems to be the adjustment. According to reports, the plant was idled on Monday and its two-thousand workers are set to return to work on June 23. Last month, sales of the Ram fell by an alarming twenty-five percent. We'd imagine that the last thing Chrysler wants is a large stock of unsold 2008 Ram trucks as it readies the 2009 model, which will thankfully get somewhat better fuel mileage.

Dodge is certainly not the only automaker finding it tough to move large pickups off dealer lots. Both Ford and GM have placed large incentives on their pickups and Toyota, Nissan and Honda have or will shift truck production to passenger cars at plants capable of making the switch.

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]

 

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Official Sketches of the 2010 Rolls-Royce RR4, But Still No Word on Powertrain



 
 

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via Car and Driver Blog by caranddriver.com on 5/27/08

We await details on the "unique" engine in the baby Phantom.

BY ALISA PRIDDLE




We've seen spy shots and artist's renderings, but now Rolls-Royce gives us the first official design sketches of the pending addition to its lineup: the RR4, or so-called "Baby Rolls," will slot below the Phantom when it launches in 2010.

As opposed to the Phantom which has a purpose-built, aluminum structure, the RR4 is based on the next-generation 2010 BMW 7-series, with a primarily steel body and some aluminum to keep total weight close to 5000 pounds.

The RR4's engine is new and unique to Rolls-Royce, the BMW-owned automaker claims. But the powertrain speculation is broad. Some have suggested the car will get a tweaked version of the BMW X6's new, twin-turbo 4.4-liter V-8 rated at 400 horsepower and 450 pound-feet of torque. There also have been rumors of a diesel option. And, given its sportier mission than that of the huge Phantom, this car may be graced with something more powerful than the 453-hp, DOHC, 48-valve V-12 in the Phantom—after all, the RR4 will need to compete with the which has a 553-hp twin-turbocharged W-12 that propels it to 60 mph in 4.6 seconds and a claimed 195-mph top speed. The RR4 is also expected to compete with the and perhaps the .



 
 

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