Company representatives for have been in contact with at least 50 dealerships regarding reinstatement into the the automaker’s dealer network. According to a leader who represents the 400-plus dealerships seeking arbitration, the dealers contacted will receive intent letters to begin the lengthy reinstatement process.
Two weeks ago, Chrysler signaled that it had no intention to reinstate any dealers, who were seeking arbitration, back into the network. Now Chrysler has released a statement confirming that they have been in contact with the dealers and will issues letters of intent for reinstatement.
According to Tamara Darvis, a co-leader of the Committee to Restore Dealer Rights, more than a dozen dealers contacted her regarding discussions with Chrysler representatives and the promise of letters of intent to begin the reinstatement process. The letters are expected to be mailed immediately.
Right now, it’s unclear if any additional dealerships have been contacted regarding reinstatement, but it’s believed that up to 30 more dealerships could be included. According to several reports, the arbitration process is long and costly to the automaker, but reinstatement of dealerships seeking arbitration may actually be more economically feasible for Chrysler and could become a solution for more and more dealerships seeking arbitration.
When a corporation as large as decides to do something as simple as shutting down its computers at night, the savings can be astronomical. In the case of Ford, powering down computers can save the company $1.2 million each year.
The new program, called PC Power Management, utilizes energy saving settings provided by MicrosoftWindows. The energy settings will be used on company laptops and desktops to reduce energy waste. A managed shutdown will occur each night and during the weekend period. Additionally, computers will be awake to receive updates during pre-selected non-business hours, freeing up time previously used for updates throughout the working day.
According to Ford, an estimated 60 percent of the company’s computer remained on after business hours resulting in wasted energy. The new managed shutdown will eliminate waste to the tune of over a million dollars in savings for the company and reduce its carbon footprint by an estimated 16,000-25,000 metric tons per year. Hit the jump for the full details on the program.
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Lamborghini Gallardo LP570-4 Superleggera – Click above for a high-res image gallery
has thrown the motoring world a curve ball with a report that Sant’Agata will be leaving manual transmissions to the dinosaurs, . According to Car and Driver, the decision was part of the company’s commitment to increasing the overall fuel economy of its products – something the Raging Bull really hasn’t had to bother with in the past. In addition to scrapping the third pedal, the company says it plans to build ever-lighter exotics, which means you can bet your pants there will be even more carbon fiber in Lambo’s future line-up.
Don’t expect to see any turbocharged in the next few years, though. While automakers around the world may be strapping forced induction to their engines as a way to curb fuel consumption and maintain power, says it has no interest in playing with the extra psi. Instead, look for stop/start tech and cylinder deactivation to crop up over the next decade, as well as a mild-hybrid car and an E85-capable V10. The times? They are most definitely changing.
2011Subaru Impreza WRX STI – Click above for high-res image
The day after , we sat down with one of product planners to discuss what the automaker has in store in the near-term. Our questions ranged from Subaru’s thoughts about adopting torque-vectoring all-wheel drive (”We’re looking into it.”) to what, if any progress was being made on the Toyobaru front (”No comment”).
But when asked about a four-door version of the STI, our question was met with a slightly cocked head, a small smirk and a faint glimmer in the exec’s eye. Could a sedan be in the cards?
Maybe. But judging by this solitary teaser of the 2011 WRX STI, it appears that the rally-bred hatch is getting an all-new wing inspired by Subaru’s dearly-departed WRC contender. We’ll know for sure on Thursday when the wraps officially come off at the New York Auto Show.
Honda HSV-010 – Click above for high-res image gallery
Straight out of the Snowball’s Chance and Swine Aeronautics department comes a report from Autobild that says the Honda HSV-010 is headed for production next year.
Why are we so skeptical? Aside from the fact that taking the HSV from the tracks of Japan to the streets of tomorrow would be a task of epic proportions, the last time we talked about the GT500 racer with high performance team they began tearing up about the NSX successor’s stillborn status.
Regardless, ze German rag reports that the HSV-010 will undergo a slight makeover in the transition from race car to road car, with a slightly narrower track, more sculpted sides and the removal of the Cessna-sized rear wing.
A V8 will supposedly still be nestled up front, but instead of the SuperGT car’s 3.4-liter V8, a 500+ horsepower 5.0-liter will take its place.
So, is the finally going to get a worthy competitor from it’s cross-town rivals? We’ll continue our regularly scheduled breathing regime until we get an official word from Honda, but the possibility of an NSX revival – for real this time – has us panting a little bit harder.
In the battle for Pony Car supremacy, the 2011 Mustang GT finally has the weapons to not only match, but beat the competition. And the .
Ford may be trying to pull a fast one by naming its hottest Focus the RS500, but with 345 and 325 lb-ft of torque being channeled to the front wheels, the badge will be the least of your concerns.
The 556-hp Cadillac CTS-V Sport Wagon has the ability to haul both butt and booty, and it’s set to be unveiled in “concept” form at this week’s NY Auto Show.
Also of interest:
Nürburgring gets more specs, limited to just 50 units
How not to ride your Kawasaki – Click above to view the video
We all know the crap-your-pants sensation that comes along with seeing one of the boys in blue when you’re doing something you shouldn’t. It’s usually accompanied by a phobia-like aversion of the throttle and an over familiarity with the brakes at the same time. If you’re tearing it up on four wheels, inducing plenty of stopping power mid-turn will just make you look a fool. But, as our intrepid hero found out, grabbing a handful of brake on your favorite ZX-6R will have you kneeling at the asphalt altar in a hurry. Despite this guy’s impressive slide, he’s no . This CHP officer hasn’t had it this easy since training. See what we mean .
2010 IndyCar Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg – Click above for high-res image gallery
The IndyCar season kicked off a couple of weeks ago with a trip down South as the teams took the action to Sao Paulo, Brazil. This weekend they returned to the States, to the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida, for the second race of 2010, the Honda GP. While the Brazilian race had its fair share of bad weather, which shook up the running order and produced a lengthy red flag period, at St. Pete’s the teams could have put arks on the grid. The rainfall was biblical.
Will Power was on pole, starting this race where he ended the last one, in the number one position. Behind Power on the grid were three different teams in the next three positions, Tony Kanaan in the Team 7-Eleven Andretti Autosport car, Scott Dixon for Target Chip Ganassi Racing and Justin Wilson for Team Z-Line Designs/DRR Dreyer & Reinbold Racing. The field was pretty tightly bunched in qualifying, with Kanaan’s teammate, Ryan Hunter-Reay missing out on the Firestone Fast Six by just 0.0014 of a second. He wound up in seventh behind Penske’s Helio Castroneves and stablemate Marco Andretti.
It looked like another exciting race was ahead, but it would have to wait until Monday, as IndyCar decided to postpone the race because of the rain. to see how it unfolded when the green finally came out in Round Two of the 2010 IndyCar Championship run.
Gallery:
[Photo Source: Chris Jones, Dan Helrigel / IndyCar.com]
Looks like a few spies were able catch the upcoming V60 wagon in nothing but the bare sheet metal. The car shares plenty of DNA with the drop-dead sexy S60 sedan the company unveiled at this year’s Geneva Motor Show, including the artfully-styled front fascia. Throw in an extra acre of roof metal, a set of familial brake lights and plenty of cargo room, and you’ve got a winner all the way around.
So far there’s no word on what we can expect to find in the engine bay, but the same 300 horsepower, turbocharged 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder found in the S60 sedan wouldn’t be a bad guess. Odds are the company will offer both front and all-wheel drive versions of the long-roof whenever it hits the market, too. Expect the V60 to come loaded with plenty of the same safety tech, including the Swedish automaker’s new Collision Warning system.
Mahindra Pik-Up – Click above for high-res image gallery
According to Pawan Goenka, Mahindra’s president for global automotive, vehicle testing that would provide EPA approval for the Indian automaker’s upcoming diesel-powered, 30-mile-per-gallon pickup truck “is taking a bit longer than what we anticipated.” That, it would seem, is an understatement.
Mahindra first announced an expected mid-2009 sale date for the truck, which was later revised to , then and then finally . You’ll notice that this Thursday the calendar turns the page to April, meaning Mahindra has missed yet another target date.
At this point, Mahindra does not yet have official approval from the EPA to sell its wares in the United States. The Indian automaker says it should take about a month for the paperwork to be completed (a timeframe not acknowledged by the EPA, naturally) and then dealers can finally place orders for the trucks. Considering that Mahindra’s vehicles will ship from India, it’s clear that there will still be some time before you’ll be able to stroll down to you nearest dealer and drive off in a new oil-burning bundle of joy.
That fact is not lost on Mahindra’s 300-plus dealers, some of whom have paid up to $200,000 in franchise fees and in some cases have been waiting for years to see their investment pay off. That said, nobody ever said that launching a completely new brand of vehicles in the U.S. was going to be easy, inexpensive or timely.
Ken Block in the Mexico round of the WRC – Click above for high-res image gallery
Ken Block and co-driver Alex Gelsomino put on a helluva show at the Corona Rally Mexico round of the World Rally Championship. A number of incidents, including a puncture, some boulder kissing, and a fully day of stages were missed because of rather nasty date with a ditch, the pair still managed a classification of 18th out of 25. We’ll find out in two weeks at the Rally of Turkey if Block’s Mexico foray was a building block – and if it was, this could be a very good year for the man and his Monster Ford Escort. Dirty pics are in the gallery below, and a press release and video recap are .
Carbon Motors E7 – Click above for high-res image gallery
Carbon Motors Corp. plans to deliver its first police car in 2013 – assuming the company’s request for a $310 million loan from the U.S. Department of Energy is approved. As we mentioned nearly , Carbon is diving into the rarefied purpose-built vehicle segment with the goal of delivering thousands of its “E7″ police cars to municipalities across the country, engine.
Unlike the police cars typically put out by the Detroit 3, built on a modified civilian platform and returned to civilian duty at the end of its life cycle, the E7 will use an aluminum space frame covered in composite panels. Patrol-related hardware and flashing lights are already integrated, and since the body panels will be paint-free, graphics will be applied with vinyl decals. Sold directly to law enforcement agencies (not through a dealer network), the vehicles would be returned back to Carbon Motors at the end of their service life for reconditioning or dismantled for parts.
The automaker reportedly has the buyers lined up. “We have over 13,000 reservations from 350-plus law enforcement agencies in 48 states,” says CEO William Santana Li. While the company is funded by private investors, it needs the Obama administration’s loan approval to get rolling. The decision is expected over the summer. With the money in hand, Carbon Motors has scheduled deliveries to follow 36 months later.
General Motors issued a recall and stop sale on heavy-duty vans including the 2010 Express and due to a problem with the alternator that could potentially lead to a fire. GM advises owners to stop driving the vehicles immediately. adding that vehicles should be parked away from buildings and vehicles, and owners should promptly disconnect both battery cables. Vehicles should not be used until GM has come up with a fix for the problem.
Many of the recalled vans are owned by company fleets. The recall includes all 2500, 3500, and 4500 models built in February and March of this year. Light duty vans are excluded from the recall because they utilize a different alternator. Some of the affected vehicles are utilized for retail operations and as rentals. With the stop sale order, the vans cannot be sold to customers and can not be rented from car rental agencies. Full details in the press release .
On the day we’ve reviewed , we find out that the man who designed the , Donald Frey, passed away at 86. As with the car’s decades of success, the inspiration for it was unlikely: the Corvair.
Frey, who was assistant general manager and and chief engineer of a Motor Company still suffering dry heaves over the Edsel, said he watched GM put bucket seats in the Corvair and rename it Monza, and it began to pick up with customers. There was also the dinner table motivation of his kids telling him his cars stunk.
Frey’s first take on the Mustang was a mid-engined convertible in 1962 which, while working with Ford General Manager Lee Iacocca, he would develop into the car introduced to the World’s Fair in 1964. When the coupe predicted to sell 80,000 units a year actually sold a million-plus units in its first two years – and then sold and sold and sold – Frey became an American legend. The rest is not just history, it’s the present and the future, with the Mustang certain to be a staple in the Ford portfolio for years to come.
From Autoblog and Mustang fans around the world, our condolences and best wishes go to the Frey family.
Nice work, guys. When we’re behind the wheel, we’re apparently a danger to human life. TheNew York Times reports that a recent study by the Social Issues Research Centre (SIRC) says that men are 50 percent to 100 percent more likely to be behind the wheel in a fatal accident than are our female counterparts. The SIRC theorizes that the reason for the discrepancy is that men just don’t like rules.
Not just any rules, mind you. We’re talking driving rules. The NYT cites several studies that show men are more likely to drink and drive, run a red light, race other drivers and tailgate. Further, one study showed that men were up to four times more likely to drink and drive as women. We’re more aggressive, we’re three times more likely to honk the horn, and we’re statistically proven to be more likely to take risks.
The authors of all these studies feel that the reason for our aggression and risk-taking has something to do with our DNA. Apparently, the hunter within each of us compels us to value speed, strength and a solid quarter mile run. But men aren’t always the worst drivers. One study cited by the Times reportedly showed that women were more likely to get into accidents on a per-mile basis. We’d take a moment to celebrate our lone victory, but with the overwhelming evidence pointing out that we’re more dangerous drivers than women, our hypocrisy only travels so far.
The SCCA Pro Racing World Challenge lost Speed as a title sponsor for 2010, but they’ve picked up a new class of racing and a new schedule that features four double-header events with back-to-back racing on Saturdays and Sundays. 2010 will also see GT, GTS and Touring Car classes in mixed on-track action for the first time since 1999.
This weekend was the first (and second) race of the season, the Acura Sports Car Challenge of St. Petersburg, run on the streets of St. Pete’s. While the top-billed IndyCars have had their race postponed until later today because of torrential rains, the WC boys and girls were able to squeeze two action-packed events into the weekend.
to see how rounds one and two of the 2010 World Challenge championship went down.
[Source: SCCA World Challenge Images: SCCA Pro Racing, Inc.]
When the next generation CLS hits the streets in the next 24 months, the car that started the industry-wide trend towards “four door coupes” is expected to be joined by a shooting brake variant. That car may well appear as a concept at next month’s Beijing Motor Show. and is sure to be inspired by the we saw in Geneva last month.
AutoCar has the liberty of producing a rendering of the concept, and in traditional shooting brake form, the CLS wagon is more five door hatch than pure utilitarian wagon like the . The back end of the CLS will probably draw on the look of the , with motivation provided by the next generation direct injected and boosted gas engines, as well as the usual array of diesels. Expect more details to follow in the run-up to next month’s show in China.
TRD Tundra Street Concept – Click above for image gallery
Proving how serious was about its hopes for the full-size pickup after it was redesigned in 2007 comes news from our friends at PickupTrucks.com that the Japanese automaker had planned two specialty versions of the truck that would have brought it some much-needed excitement two years after its initial introduction.
First up is a street-only performance version packing a lowered suspension, 22-inch rims, uprated brakes and a to bump output up to 504 horsepower and 550 pound-feet of torque. Included in the kit would be a Competition Mode would that removed the factory stability control at the touch of a button. Apparently, that machine was inspired by the old Viper-powered Dodge Ram SRT-10 and was foreshadowed by the from the 2006 SEMA Show (seen above).
The second, somewhat more intriguing model, would currently be stealing some thunder away from ’s awe-inspiring . In addition to the expected long-travel suspension, the off-road-ready pickup would reportedly borrow the independent rear suspension components from Toyota’s Tundra-based full-size SUV.
If all of that sounds intriguing – and it most certainly does to our ears – we must sadly throw a wet blanket over the whole shebang. History shows that the Tundra has failed to live up to the lofty expectations of its proud parent, leading Toyota to reportedly abandon both projects… and leaving us to wonder what might have been.
Lewis Hamilton’s hoonage aftermath – click above to
Australia’s ABC News was on hand to document the aftermath of Formula One champ Lewis Hamilton’s “over-exuberant” driving, and has been kind enough to share the video with the rest of the world.
As you may recall, Hamilton had his loaner sedan impounded after . Since Melbourne has notoriously vitriolic anti-hoon laws, the British driver will be facing a stiff fine on top of doing without his car for two days. Something tells us that even after his , Hamilton won’t have any trouble finding another set of wheels. to see the action.
