Busy As Ever, The World Of Autos
I’ve been buried in projects lately and have cut back on blogging at least as it pertains to adding fresh content to this site. I’d much rather blog on fewer days then to have to blog every day and in a rushed manner.
That being said, the news in the vital auto industry continues to be of big importance, including what the federal government has planned for General Motors and Chrysler, two companies who are asking for additional help from taxpayers.
Among the stories I’m following or have covered recently include:
- James E. Harbour’s Factory Man book is out, a book authored by someone who has a long history of working in the auto industry. After many years of working for Ford and Chrysler, Harbour became an automotive consultant and was credited with helping the U.S. car makers adopt Toyota manufacturing procedures beginning in the early 1980s. I read the book and posted my review on The Auto Writer yesterday.
- AT&T announced this week that the company would begin to replace as many as 15,000 vehicles over the next ten years with environmentally friendly models. Stating that the Ford Motor Company would be the chief beneficiary of its plans, AT&T says that Ford will build a number of vehicles that will run on compressed natural gas (CNG) as well as hybrid and pure electric models.
- Speaking of Ford, the automaker says that its recently revised labor deal with the United Auto Workers will save the company approximately $500 million annually beginning in 2010. Ford says that they’ll still manage to realize about three quarters of that amount saved for the remainder of 2009. Ford will also be allowed to pay up to half of its $6.5 billion health fund obligation in common stock.
- GM’s financial woes mean that the company has to decide which programs in the planning stages go forward, which ones are cut and which programs will be shelved. The automaker has decided that its 4.5L DURAMAX V-8 diesel, which was to go into production next fall, will have to wait. GM may still build the engine, but they haven’t ruled out the option of selling patent rights to another manufacturer.
Next week, GM will be rolling out the Chevrolet Camaro, a Monday introduction the automaker needs to stimulate interest as well as to build brand support. These are tough times for the beleagured industry, but I aim to continue to focus as much as possible on what is positive.
[...] to Google Latest Content Busy As Ever, The World Of Autos – 2 hours ago I’ve been buried in projects lately and have cut back on blogging at least as [...]
It seems that the way the auto industry is looking to push through the crisis is by bringing out more economical and environmentally friendly cars which they should have been doing a long time ago. It would be nice to see GM getting some kind of support and going the same route.
Khaled, part of that has to do with customer demand. Hybrids may be attractive to some buyers, but they are costly and some of them are simply too ugly. Though the automakers are bringing forth several new models, prices are still high.
For example, the hybrid Fusion costs $27,995 while the standard model retails for $19,995, difference of $8000. Now $3400 will be given by the federal government as a tax credit, but that still leaves a $4600 hole, a differential that isn’t easily made up for at the pump.
The news in the auto industry as a whole is disappointing as of late, but there are some cool new cars that have been unveiled recently. Hopefully GM and the other big 3 will come up with a gameplan that will help them prosper in the future.
Cars N Ratess last blog post..AIG added to Auto Insurance Ratings