Last week, GM brass met with Sprint Cup teams to review their commitment to them. Specifics of what GM had to say were left out, but word soon began circulating that the beleaguered automaker had announced a funding cutback. GM says that they are also planning to reduce funding for the Nationwide Series and Camping World Truck Series, meaning that some teams will have to rethink how they manage their businesses.

Johnny Benson Leaves Truck Series

This year has been a tough one for a lot of NASCAR teams, particularly those participating in the truck series. Sponsors have been pulling back or aren’t available to support the teams as strongly as they had in the past, making it difficult for some teams to field trucks. Red Horse Racing, which had been running a Toyota Tundra with 2008 truck series champion Johnny Benson at the wheel, ended up pulling truck #1 from the series due to lack of funding. A few days after that announcement Benson was seriously injured in a super-modified race held in Grand Rapids and is now recovering.

Chrysler is expected to cut back its support as well, having emerged from bankruptcy protection earlier this month and is now part of the Fiat Group. Ford, which has avoided federal government intervention so far has also cut back on funding, leaving Toyota as the only NASCAR manufacturer who hasn’t announced plans to trim NASCAR funding.

Other Manufacturers To Jump In?

As several manufacturers cut back on support, word has it that NASCAR is courting Nissan and Honda to gauge their interest in the sport. Honda currently supplies Indy Car with all of their engines, while Nissan has cut back on motor sports funding of late. However, given the chance to jump in, might both companies consider doing so? Yes, and perhaps Volkswagen and Hyundai would join them.

See Also — Mark Martin Proves That Age Isn’t A Barrier

When the company completes its short term restructuring later this summer, it should be able to emerge from bankruptcy in a better position to compete. One of the future models you hear mentioned often is the Chevy Volt, GM’s electric car, but it’ll be the Chevy Cruze which will bolster sales, perhaps quickly becoming the best selling GM product eventually.

In Continuous Operation Since 1966

GM has chosen its Lordstown Assembly plant to build the Cruze, a facility that has been in continuous operation since 1966. Last August GM selected the plant which turns out be a positive turn of events for the Ohio community where it is situated. Many GM communities are struggling with plant closures or seeing the writing on the wall: their own assembly or supply plants or distribution centers may not make the cut.

Lordstown will begin to produce the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze by next April or May which means that the cars will go on sale next summer.  Anticipated demand isn’t yet known, given the current state of the economy and GM’s own fortunes. If the Cruze were to hit the market right now, sales would probably be a disappointment. By Summer 2010, the economy should have improved to the point where demand would have rebounded perhaps causing GM to add a second shift at Lordstown.

Lordstown Has A Lot Going For It

Lordstown has benefits to it that other GM plants do not have, namely a new paint shop on site and a contiguous stamping plant. In addition, GM has poured hundreds of millions of dollars into the facility in recent years, a sign that even a damaged automaker intends to hold onto what works best.

The Cruze will be built at two plants in Asia and one in Europe. Lordstown will be the only plant building the Cruze for the forseeable future:

Source: Business Journal

Why This Report

Ford developed the report to measure the company’s progress in areas that is important to it and to its customers.

“Our economic and environmental goals are aligned. In fact, we believe that the best way for us to be more profitable is to make our business and products more sustainable,” said Bill Ford, executive chairman, Ford Motor Company.

Climate Change, Fuel Economy, Even Human Rights

The report contains several sections including those dealing with climate change that summarize the company’s progress toward its CO2 reduction goal, its approach to climate change policy, vehicle and fuel and technologies to achieve improved fuel economy for Ford products, the company’s accelerated electrification strategy, human rights initiatives and how the One Ford plan is addressing the economic challenges facing the industry today.

“We recognize these issues are increasingly important to our stakeholders, including our customers, investors and business partners,” said Sue Cischke, Ford group vice president, Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering. “We want them to understand that we will continue to pursue our sustainability agenda despite very challenging economic conditions.”

Significant progress highlighted by Ford in its 10th annual report for 2008/2009:

• Company remains on track to reach its goal to reduce by 30 percent the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions of its new U.S. and European vehicles by 2020, compared to the 2006 model year.

• Accelerated development of battery electric vehicles (BEV) and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs), which will be introduced between 2010 and 2012.

• Introduction of the Ford Fiesta ECOnetic model with the lowest CO2 emissions of any family car sold in Europe at 98g/km

• Launch of two new hybrids in North America: Ford Fusion Hybrid and Mercury Milan Hybrid, the most fuel-efficient midsize sedans in North America at 41 miles per gallon in city driving.

• Introduction of EcoBoostTM engine technology which uses direct injection and turbo charging to deliver up to 20 percent better fuel economy, up to15 percent fewer CO2 emissions and superior driving performance compared to larger-displacement engines.

The Full Report — Soft Copy

Naturally, Ford didn’t make print copies of the report which would be counterproductive to what it is all about — preserving the environment. Thanks to the internet you can view it online at www.ford.com/go/sustainability.

See Also –  First Drive: Ford Escape PHEV

It was one of those races where it looked like Johnson would run away with it, having led all but ten laps before his final refuel. However, an ever so slight delay out of pit row cost Johnson the lead, with Biffle seizing opportunity and taking over.

Third And Out

But, Biffle’s lead was something that he would soon squander as a defiant Johnson pushed his race car in front of Biffle’s and soon managed to move forward by several car lengths while the race wound down. In third place was Martin, too far out to mount a serious challenge for the lead, but waiting in the wings in case either of the leaders blinked.

Fortunately for Martin, their engine quaked and shuddered, signaling to him that the race was his for the taking, passing both on the final lap and racing to victory.

Second Place Finisher, Four Times

To date, Martin has yet to win the Cup, finishing as runner up four times — 1990, 1994, 1998 and 2002. Going into this race he was thirteenth, desperately needing a good showing to place him among the Top 12. A third place finish would have done just that, but first place was the icing on the cake, thanks to wise fuel conservation on the experienced driver’s part.

With victory lane for him to savor and savor with his team, Martin proved that patience and experience do produce victories, something that some of the younger fellers should keep in mind.  With another victory under his belt, Martin’s competitors would do well to remember that this guy isn’t about to give up even when drivers half his age may be tempted to do so themselves.

See Also — Pikes Peak Fest Gets Two Fiesta Rallycross Entries

An All New Subcompact For Chevrolet

Now, word is coming forth that GM has fresh plans for an all new entry level Chevrolet thanks in part to Ford’s soon introduction of the subcompact Fiesta as well as the federal government’s mandate that higher fuel economy numbers be reached over the coming years.

GM’s plans are for it to build an all new subcompact in the US, one that is already being called the Chevrolet Viva, with spy shots of heavily camouflaged models appearing all over the internet. Not a whole lot is known about the car, but some suspect that it is based on the Beat concept, a vehicle that has traveled the auto show circuit over the past few years.

Chevy Viva: Based On Which Concept(s)?

The Beat, along with the Groove and the Trax are a trio of concept cars developed by the Chevy design team, youth oriented cars with a budget price. The Beat may also replace the Chevrolet Spark, a South Korean city car while the Viva itself may actually take some of its design cues from the other two concepts as well.

Some analysts believe that the Viva may be enlarged slightly in order to place an even smaller model below it. Thus, the Chevrolet Cruze could end up occupying the third slot in the Chevrolet line up after the unnamed mini compact and subcompact lines. With the Malibu and Impala continuing on as planned, Chevrolet may soon have five full lines of passenger cars to sell in addition to several crossover, SUV and pickup truck models.

Staying Tight Lipped, For Now

GM is being uncharisterically mum about its small car plans perhaps learning that making too much noise about what is coming down plays into the hands of its competitors. As the company works through bankruptcy and restructures, GM hopes that the Chevrolet line will have what it takes to compete against Ford, Toyota and Honda while still being able to sell vehicles that are profitable and desirable.

See Also — Hatchback Cruze In The Works

Consumers Expect Gas Prices To Rise

Kelley Blue Book, the consumer organization that has been tracking new and used car prices since 1926, recently issued the results of a consumer opinion survey taken in May 2009, asking people what they thought that the price of gasoline would be over the summer and how higher gas prices might affect their purchases. 87% believed that gas prices would continue to rise, a sharp increase over the 66% who said the same thing in a similar April survey.

“As summer approaches with household budgets still pinched by the weak economy, car buyers are once again becoming very conscious of rising gas prices,” said Jack R. Nerad, executive editorial director and executive market analyst for Kelley Blue Book and kbb.com. “While we may not see the $5-per-gallon gas experienced in some areas last year, current economic conditions compounded by the pain at the pump may make $3-per-gallon gas a new threshold for car buyers – the point at which they change their mind about what vehicle to buy and how they spend their money.”

What Types Of Vehicles Should The Industry Build?

As might be expected, the fluctuating gas prices have taken its toll on the auto industry who is finding it difficult to provide the right mix of vehicles to meet sudden changes in consumer demand.  Indeed, KBB said that 73 percent of those who saw gas prices increasing in May said they plan to change their spending habits if gas prices were to go much higher.

For automakers such as Ford, who are planning to shift to smaller, lighter and more fuel efficient cars over the coming years, the KBB survey comes as no surprise to them. However, with gas prices fluctuating so wildly, will consumer sentiment shift once again if gas prices suddenly drop next fall as they did last year? If so, future KBB consumer surveys could offer far different results, further confusing the direction that the world’s automakers are planning to go.

See Also — Ford Likely To Overtake GM This Year

What’s Happening On The Track This Weekend

One of the most popular motorsport races of the year will be held this weekend, the 24 Hours of Le Mans (24 Heures du Mans) which is a race that was first held in 1923. Traveling on the Circuit de la Sarthe, an 8.469 mile course, teams from all over the world participate including Corvette Racing from the United States.

NASCAR will be splitting the field this weekend by holding its Camping World Truck Series on Saturday afternoon in Michigan while running the Nationwide Series Meijer 300 at Kentucky Speedway that night. On Sunday, the Sprint Cup LifeLock 400 will get started at 1:30 p.m. in Michigan.

On Friday evening at the Michigan International Speedway, the
ARCA RE/MAX Series will continue with the Racing for Wildlife 200 which will get started at 5:15 p.m. Racing for Wildlife is a motorsports initiative that helps NASCAR fans contribute to the environment in the form of contributing positively to land management.

IndyCar takes a break from the action this weekend, returning on Father’s Day, June 21st for the Iown Corn Indy 250 race which will be held at the Iowa Speedway beginning at 1:00 p.m.

In progress right now is the Acropolis Rally of Greece, one of the longest rally races in the world. Treacherous, winding mountain roads, extreme heat and dust galore marks this race which officially gets its start tomorrow in Loutraki, a city about an hour west of Athens. As race organizers boast, “you need brains to win here, as much as brawn.”

Right now, the National Hot Rod Association is holding the United Association NHRA SuperNationals at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park.  Last year, at this same event, Scott Kalitta was killed during qualifying when his Toyota Solara exploded flames near the finish line.  His parachutes were damaged and failed to deploy which meant that Kalitta slammed into a concrete barrier and died. This weekend’s race will feature a tribute to Kalitta.

That’s it for now — there are other motorsport races taking place this weekened, so check with ESPN to find out which races will be held in your area.

Photo Credit: Josiah Gordon

Having found success in the North American marketplace, the Chevrolet Camaro will go on sale in the Middle East, beginning late summer.

As General Motors continues to restructure, the company is doing its best to make sure that new product introductions go on as planned. No company wants to present an image of scratching to survive, otherwise customers will flee the moment they perceive that something is wrong.

Middle East Camaro Roll Out Set

Chevrolet has no new releases scheduled for the immediate future, but they are going ahead with plans to sell a number of products in new markets including the all new Chevy Camaro.  Earlier this week GM announced that the Camaro will go on sale in the Middle East, an important and growing market for the Chevrolet brand.

Michael Devereux, President of GM Middle East, said, “The all-new Camaro delivers the great looks, performance and technology that Middle East buyers expect in a modern sports car. Enthusiasts in the region started booking their cars months ago, and we expect our allocation of this iconic vehicle to sell out very quickly.”

Configure, Order Your Camaro Online

Although the Camaro won’t be available until later this summer, buyers across the Middle East can configure and pre-order their 2010 Camaro right now by visiting Chevrolet’s exclusive regional website at www.camaroarabia.com.

GM has been quick to point out that a number of its overseas operations are not part of the company’s U.S. bankruptcy filing.  In a related statement, Mike Devereux said: “General Motors is wholly committed to the region. We continue to bring award-winning vehicles and through our dealers, provide customers with the best possible ownership experience.  Our launch plans for this year are on track and unchanged.  We have already launched the Cadillac CTS-V, Cadillac Escalade Platinum, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Sierra Denali. The iconic Chevrolet Camaro will enter showrooms in July.  The Chevrolet Malibu and Cruze arrive in October as well as the all- new Cadillac SRX.  In December, the all-new GMC Terrain makes its Middle Eastern debut.”

Among the Middle Eastern markets where GM is active are the following countries: Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, UAE and Yemen.

Photo copyright GM Corp.

See Also — Saturn Sale Takes Burden Off Of Chevrolet

The new SHO adds a decklid-mounted spoiler, dual chrome-tipped exhausts and available 20-inch wheels and tires to the sculptured and athletic new Taurus shape.

How’s this for news? The 2010 Ford Taurus isn’t even out on the market yet, but it has already pulled down the first of what will likely be several awards coming its way over the next year. Esquire, the men’s magazine, recently evaluated a dozen new cars, subjectively basing their findings on three categories.

“We had three main criteria in selecting the Esquire Car of the Year,” explained David Granger, editor-in-chief. “The vehicle needed to be a pleasure to drive and be capable of shortening your breath when you slam down the pedal. It needed to be gorgeous and aggressive, capable of eliciting stares and gawks. And it needed to be attainable – a vehicle that most men actually can buy and drive. The new Taurus SHO nailed all of these parameters.”

A Unanimous Choice

What’s most amazing is that the Taurus SHO was the unanimous choice of the Esquire editors, no small feat considering that the Ford went up against some stiff competition.

“The reason we care about the new Taurus can be boiled down to four words: Looks good, goes fast. With a 3.5-liter turbo V-6, dubbed EcoBoost™, you get V-8 power with V-6 fuel economy,” said Esquire automotive correspondent, Ezra Dyer. “The SHO is a sleeper – a vehicle you can live with every day, that happens to have a secret under the hood.”

The all new Taurus will begin arriving in Ford showrooms early this summer, a full sized sedan that was designed to reshape customer’s perception of the Ford brand. Based on this award and my own initial look at the model, I believe that the award is justified.

Source: Ford Motor Company>

The sun is rising on an all new Taurus. The 2010 model is larger and much more luxurious than the sedan it replaces, an all new flagship for the Ford brand.

If you haven’t seen the 2010 Ford Taurus lately, then you’re missing out on seeing what could be one of the most significant sedans built by Ford in this generation. I don’t say that lightly, given the recent and ongoing success of the mid-size Ford Fusion, but the full size Taurus officially becomes the flagship car in the Ford fleet, a truly beautiful makeover that was sorely needed.

Of course, up until now you wouldn’t have seen the Taurus in person given that its only appearance has been at car shows since last winter. Now, however, Ford is rolling out a nationwide tour of the Ford Taurus, bringing the sedan to one hundred cities coast to coast.

Ford Execs Promote All New Taurus

Accompanying the Taurus as it makes its rounds are company executives who have been tasked with the responsibility to promote the Taurus and other new Ford vehicles as they meet with members of the press, the man on the street, etc. Ford is hoping that some of the attention being given to General Motors and Chrysler will go their way, positive news as well given that the automaker isn’t in bankruptcy as its competitors are.

The new Taurus will be powered by a 3.7L V-6 engine paired to a six-speed automatic transmission and set five passengers comfortably. An optional engine, a 3.5L EcoBoost V-6 will produce V-8 equivalent power while still providing V-6 fuel savings, technology that is available thanks to turbocharging and direct fuel injection. The engine also produces fewer pollutants hence its name — ecological boost or EcoBoost.

Ford says that the all new Taurus will offer three trim levels: SE, SEL and Limited. With a starting price of $25,995, including destination and delivery, the 2010 Taurus starts out at the same entry level price as the 2009 model.  More details about this model when it hits the market this summer.

Source: Ford Motor Company

Also Read — Ford Adjusts Incentive Program For Summer Season