Study: Auto Industry to Shift very slowly to online media
June 18, 2008
According to a new study released by online research firm eMarketer automakers’ top advertising priority is getting its name into a consumer’s “consideration set” and then helping that shopper reach a dealership. To that end, the use of major media channels has changed significantly in recent years, moving out of print and radio and onto the Internet.
CORRECTING AND REPLACING: Porsche Releases First Information and Photos of New 2009 911 Models
June 6, 2008
Porsche Cars North America just released the following updated news release regarding “New Generation 911s to Combine Increased Performance with Better Fuel Efficiency”:
________________________________
CORRECTION … by Porsche Cars North America, Inc.
ATLANTA–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Seventh graph should read: 2009 911 Canadian pricing starts at $94,800 for the Carrera Coupe, $107,600 for the Carrera Cabriolet and the Carrera S Coupe, and the Carrera S Cabriolet is $120,400. The Canadian price increase for the 2009 911 models is 1.2 percent below the U.S. increase in response to exchange rate changes over recent months. (sted 2009 911 U.S. pricing starts at $75,600 for the Carrera Coupe, $86,200 for the Carrera Cabriolet and the Carrera S Coupe, and the Carrera S Cabriolet is $96,800.)
The corrected release reads:
PORSCHE® RELEASES FIRST INFORMATION AND PHOTOS OF NEW 2009 911® MODELS
New Generation 911s Combine Increased Performance with Better Fuel Efficiency
Porsche today disclosed photos and details for the next generation 911 model series. Four new 911 models go on sale in September in North America – the 911 Carrera Coupe, 911 Carrera Cabriolet, 911 Carrera S Coupe, and 911 Carrera S Cabriolet. All offer a higher level of performance thanks to their all-new flat-six engines displacing 3.6 and 3.8 liters respectively. And for the first time in a Porsche sports car, engines utilize direct fuel injection (DFI) and can be coupled with the new optional 7-speed double-clutch gearbox Porsche-Doppelkupplung (PDK), racing inspired technology and a Porsche first. The result of these new technologies allows Porsche to once again boost performance of the 911, yet improve fuel efficiency by up to 13 percent as measured in the European driving cycle.
Maximum output of the 911 Carrera with its 3.6-liter engine is up by 20 horsepower to 345. The 911 Carrera S with its 3.8-liter engine is equally impressive, up by 30 horsepower to 385. With this extra power, the Carrera S now offers a top speed of 188 mph.
The new generation 911 is available for the first time with the new Porsche-Doppelkupplung (PDK), Porsche’s double-clutch gearbox. The seven speed gearbox combines the driving comfort of an automatic transmission with the gearshift capacity of a sequential gearbox used in race cars. Since Porsche’s double-clutch also boasts an automatic gearshift function, it replaces the former Porsche Tiptronic S automatic transmission on both the Carrera and Carrera S. PDK improves acceleration while reducing fuel consumption over the previous generation of Tiptronic S equipped 911s through optimized and adaptive gearshifts.
Porsche developed this gearshift principle for racing no less than 25 years ago. It features two parallel clutches to eliminate any interruption in power delivery and eliminates even the slightest break between gears. Porsche factory drivers benefiting from this technology were able to accelerate faster than their competitors and keep both hands on the wheel while shifting gears, thus avoiding even the slightest distraction. This pioneering achievement from Porsche’s racing efforts now gives the new 911 Carrera and Carrera S even better performance. The Carrera equipped with PDK covers 0-60 mph in 4.5 seconds and the Carrera S reaches the same speed in 4.3 which is 0.2 seconds faster than with a manual six-speed gearbox. The customer in search of optimum driving dynamics even has the option to combine PDK with Porsche’s optional Sport Chrono Plus including Launch Control. The result is high-speed acceleration free of wheel spin from a standstill and a racing shift pattern to further boost performance. The Carrera equipped with the Sport Chrono Plus accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in 4.3 seconds while the Carrera S sprints to 60 mph in an outstanding 4.1.
Exterior enhancements of the new 911 stand out clearly through innovations in design and technology. The refined front bumper has larger air intakes which signal an increase in power and the newly designed dual-arm exterior mirrors give a larger field of vision to the rear of the car. LED daytime driving lights and bi-xenon headlights will be standard on all new models, as well as LED tail and brake lights. This gives the 911 an even more distinctive style and a truly unique look from the front and rear. As a further option, Porsche now also offers Dynamic Cornering Lights on all models. In Porsche fashion, these new refinements do not change the drag coefficient of the 911 as it stays at a remarkable 0.29.
The latest Porsche Communication Management system, PCM 3.0, which includes a new touchscreen feature, will be standard on all new 911s. Along with this upgraded system, options such as a hard disk drive navigation system, XM radio with XM NavTraffic capability, Bluetooth® connectivity, iPOD® port, USB port, and aux jack will be available.
2009 911 Canadian pricing starts at $94,800 for the Carrera Coupe, $107,600 for the Carrera Cabriolet and the Carrera S Coupe, and the Carrera S Cabriolet is $120,400. The Canadian price increase for the 2009 911 models is 1.2 percent below the U.S. increase in response to exchange rate changes over recent months.
Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (PCNA), based in Atlanta, GA, and, Porsche Cars Canada, Ltd. (PCC) in Mississauga, Ontario, are the two separate importers of Porsche sports cars and Cayenne sport utility vehicles for the United States and Canada respectively. They are each wholly owned, indirect subsidiaries of Dr. Ing.h.c. F. Porsche AG. These two subsidiaries combined, PCNA and PCC employ approximately 250 people who provide Porsche vehicles, parts, service, marketing and training for its 200 U.S. and 12 Canadian dealers. They, in turn, provide Porsche owners with best-in-class service.
[Link]
HotGreen Wheels: Audi R10 TDI Racecar uses next-gen Biofuel
June 2, 2008
With the 24 Hours of Le Mans auto race in France just around the corner, Audi and Shell, the fuel provider for Audi’s race team, jointly announced that the team will be blending a small amount of biomass-to-liquid (BTL) fuel into its secret mixture. Read more
Alternative Fuels: Governor Bill Richardson Fuels Biodiesel Dragster
May 28, 2008
New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson fueled the Cummins-Blue Sun Biodiesel dragster this past Saturday, helping the Nambe Falls Travel Center mark a step toward clean energy. The event featured a range of biodiesel-powered and flex-fuel vehicles to help visitors become more familiar with these alternatives to traditionally-fueled vehicles.
Read more
Daimler Supports Earthquake Victims in China with a Total of 500,000 Euro
May 15, 2008
All-terrain vehicles also provided. Daimler employees in China donate 16,000 euro. 200,000 euro provided for Myanmar
Read more
Toyota Recognizes Top Suppliers for 2007
March 4, 2008
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc. (TEMA) has announced
award-winning North American suppliers for 2007. The awards recognize those
suppliers who exceeded the company’s expectations in the following areas:
Launch Performance, Technology, Supplier Diversity, Value Improvement and
Quality.
Volvo to Invest in Concept for Emissions Resulting
March 4, 2008
According to a regulatory filing, Volvo is investing slightly more than SEK 330 M (approx US$48 Million) in a new concept for reducing emissions and improving quality in connection with the function testing of newly produced engines. Use of the new technology will reduce emissions by approximately 85 percent. Read more
Pininfarina Unveils Sintesi Concept Car Featuring Nuvera’s Quadrivium Drive at Geneva Motor Show
March 4, 2008
GENEVA, March 4 /PRNewswire/ — Pininfarina unveiled its innovative
concept car, the Sintesi, featuring Nuvera’s Quadrivium(TM) drive, at the
Geneva Motor Show today in Geneva, Switzerland.
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080304/NETU044 )
The Sintesi is powered by Nuvera’s Quadrivium drive, which incorporates
world-leading hydrogen generation technology with state-of-the-art fuel
cells in four distributed wheel power modules. This diversion from
traditional drive trains gave Pininfarina the freedom to design the car
with the passenger in mind rather than the engine, resulting in a highly
stylized car of the future.
“It has been a great pleasure for Pininfarina to work with Nuvera on
the Sintesi project,” commented Andrea Pininfarina, Chairman and Chief
Executive Officer of Pininfarina. “We hope that this collaboration can be
repeated in the future.”
Quadrivium drive is based on Nuvera’s Andromeda(TM) fuel cell and
STAR(TM) hydrogen generator technologies, which together offer higher
efficiency as compared to an internal combustion engine.
“Nuvera was honored to have been chosen by Pininfarina to work with
them on this cutting edge project,” commented Bill Mitchell, Vice President
of Sales and Marketing. “When faced with the ambitious challenge of making
a high performance power train using ecologically benign technology, Nuvera
engineers changed direction away from conventional technologies and
embraced a radical new fuel cell concept.”
For more information on the Sintesi, log on to:
http://www.sintesi.pininfarina.com.
Nuvera Fuel Cells is a global leader in the development and advancement
of multi-fuel processing and fuel cell technology committed to providing
clean, safe and efficient power solutions. With offices located in the U.S.
and Italy, Nuvera is committed to advancing the commercialization of:
hydrogen fuel cell power modules for industrial vehicles, equipment and
stationary applications; on-site hydrogen generation and on-board gasoline
fuel processors; and fuel cell stacks and power systems for automotive and
transportation applications.
SOURCE Nuvera Fuel Cells
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Related links:
# http://www.nuvera.com
# http://www.sintesi.pininfarina.com
Photo Notes:
NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080304/NETU044
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Volvo Unveils the New XC60 at the 2008 Geneva Auto Show
March 4, 2008
Stunning appearance and standard City Safety
GENEVA, March 4 /PRNewswire/ — Volvo Car Corporation today unveiled
the exciting new XC60 premium crossover at the 2008 Geneva auto show. With
its stunning good looks and standard City Safety low-speed collision
avoidance system, the new XC60 marks a new chapter in Volvo’s design and
legendary safety heritage.
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080304/LATU032-a
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080304/LATU032-b)
The XC60 will come to the U.S. in early 2009 with a powerful 281
horsepower T6 turbocharged six-cylinder engine and standard electronically
controlled all-wheel drive. The new Volvo XC60 is stepping boldly into what
is currently the automotive world’s fastest-growing segment — dressed in a
thrilling blend of muscular XC capability and the sporty charisma of a
coupe.
City Safety
The new Volvo XC60 is being launched with City Safety — Volvo’s
in-house developed unique technology for avoiding low-speed collisions in
city traffic.
Surveys indicate that 75 percent of all reported collisions take place
at speeds of up to 19 mph. In half of these cases the driver has not braked
at all before the collision, mainly due to distraction. In these cases,
City Safety could make a crucial difference. City Safety automatically
applies the brakes if the driver is about to drive into the vehicle in
front. A collision can thus be entirely avoided or if this is not possible,
the damage to cars and people can be reduced.
City Safety is active at speeds of up to 19 mph. If the vehicle in
front brakes suddenly and City Safety determines that a collision is
likely, the brakes are pre-charged. If the driver fails to respond, the car
applies the brakes automatically. If the relative speed difference between
the two vehicles is less than 9 mph then City Safety may help the driver
entirely avoid the collision. Between 9 and 19 mph the focus is on reducing
speed as much as possible prior to the impact.
Stunning new design
Ask Steve Mattin to describe the new Volvo XC60 and the Volvo Cars
Design Director will deliver a surprisingly candid answer. “This car is
charged with more emotive form and far more energy than any previous Volvo
model,” he says. “It is the boldest crossover to date.”
As a crossover, it artfully blends a dynamic mix of two car styles.
Down below, the unmistakable, immensely capable XC pumps up its muscles
creating a strong athletic body that is mated with high ground clearance
and large wheels. Up top the flowing lines create the sporty charisma of a
coupe.
“The XC60 is much more emotionally charged than most of its competitors
in the segment,” Says Mattin. “It is seductive and packed with thrilling
contrasts. Sleek yet muscular, powerful yet agile, large yet at the same
time compact. The XC60 is actually 7.9 inches shorter than the XC70.”
Powerful T6 engine and standard all-wheel drive
The T6 gasoline engine — available in all Volvo large cars for the
2008 model year — is based on Volvo’s compact 3.2-liter in-line six, an
all-aluminum engine that was introduced in the new Volvo S80 in 2006.
The turbo version for the XC60, with a displacement of 3.0 liters,
delivers 281 horsepower with torque of no less than 295 lb.-ft. Maximum
torque is available from just 1500 rpm and remains on tap throughout the
rev range. The result is swift acceleration and smooth driving.
The turbo version has a somewhat smaller displacement owing to its
slightly smaller bore and shorter stroke. However, this is compensated by
the turbocharger, which in this engine takes in exhaust gases in two
phases. The inlet side has been divided into two sections of three
cylinders each using what is known as twin-scroll technology. This approach
makes for a simpler, more compact turbocharger that provides very fast
response, fully on par with the power typically delivered by twin
turbochargers.
The Volvo XC60 is equipped as standard with Volvo’s All Wheel Drive
with Instant Traction(TM) to ensure the best possible road grip whatever
the situation. With the help of an electronically controlled clutch, the
AWD system automatically distributes drive between the front and rear
wheels. The Instant Traction function shifts power from the front to the
rear wheels at lightning speed, such as when starting from standstill on
slippery or loose surfaces.
About VCNA
VCNA provides marketing, sales, service, technology and training to
Volvo automobile retailers in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico. For
more information on the new XC60 and the entire Volvo product lineup please
refer to the Volvo Cars of North America, LLC, public relations website at:
http://www.volvocars-pr.com/.
SOURCE Volvo Cars of North America
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# http://www.volvocars.com
# http://www.volvocars-pr.com
Photo Notes:
NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080304/LATU032-a
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080304/LATU032-b
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org AP PhotoExpress
Network: PRN3,PRN4 PRN Photo Desk,
photodesk@prnewswire.com
Chrysler Launches Technical Programs: Technical Fellow and Master Black Belt Senior Specialist
February 27, 2008
AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Feb. 27 - For decades, Chrysler LLC has offered specialized programs to help its technical talent build their skills and develop strong careers while at the same time helping the company to create incredible vehicles and powertrains — and two of these
programs are now getting even better. Read more
