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Camp Jeep New York Raises $16,470 for Wildlife Conservation Society's 'Tige
2007-04-23 15:45:00
NEW YORK, April 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- During the third annual Camp Jeep (R) New York , the Jeep brand raised $16,470 for the "Tigers Forever" initiative, a Panthera project in collaboration with the New York based Wildlife Conservation Society. The goal of the project is to increase the number of tigers in key areas of the world by 50 percent over the next decade.The money raised at Camp Jeep New York will be used to directly support WCS's "Tigers Forever" initiative, which involves a wide array of activities ranging from monitoring tiger and prey population dynamics to community education and outreach."We are very excited to have the Jeep brand in support of our conservation efforts," said Dr. Alan Rabinowitz, Executive Director for Science and Exploration for the Wildlife Conservation Society. "Every dollar raised brings us one step closer to achieving our goal of increasing the tiger population and the Camp Jeep donation will help us tremendously."The Jeep brand pledged to ...

Ten Golds for Volkswagen at Fleet Award 2007
2007-04-23 13:42:00
Awards for Group brands and VW LeasingWith ten first places, the Volkswagen Group again took pole position as the most successful company at the Fleet Awards 2007 honoring the best fleet models and fleet service companies in a total of 18 categories. Well over 5,000 readers of the specialist journal ?Autoflotte? cast their votes prior to the official ceremony which took place during the AMI motor show in Leipzig. Apart from the ten ?gold medals?, the Volkswagen Group was also awarded six second and four third places.Readers of the specialist journal awarded Volkswagen Group brands first place a total of nine times in the twelve automobile categories alone. Audi took four first places with the A3 and A6 models in the lower and top mid-class segments and the Q7 in the offroader/SUV segment. The Audi A8 took pole position in the luxury class for the fourth time in succession. The Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand received the awards for the Fox in the mini segment and the Passat in the m...
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SEAT Strengthens Its Commitment to Charity with Pies Descalzos
2007-04-23 13:40:00
At the 2007 Seat Open TournamentFor the twelfth consecutive year, SEAT is the main sponsor of the ?SEAT Open? - Trofeo Conde de Godó, to be held until 29 April at the Barcelona Real Club de Tenis. The tournament is considered one of the most prestigious in Spain. The SEAT stand at the tournament village is the chosen backdrop for the draw to determine players? slots at this year?s event.SEAT has also chosen the SEAT Open event to strengthen its commitment to collaborating with Shakira?s ?Pies Descalzos? Foundation.Several celebrities and athletes have been invited to show their solidarity with the cause throughout the tournament by signing one of the Shakira apples, the symbol of the joint collaboration between SEAT and Shakira?s ?Pies Descalzos? foundation, whose fundraising efforts go towards helping vulnerable children in Latin America.SEAT rewards your solidarityYou can easily contribute to the fundraising effort by sending an SMS to a dedicated number in each country and part o...
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General Motors to Complete Process of Delisting Common Stock from Trading o
2007-04-23 13:32:00
General Motors Corporation (NYSE: GM) announced today that at the Corporation's request, the Financial Services Authority ("FSA") in the U.K. has authorized shares of GM's $1-2/3 Par Value Common Stock to be delisted from trading on the London Stock Exchange ("LSE") at the opening of trading on the LSE on Monday, May 21, 2007.The request by GM for delisting on the LSE is part of GM's plan to concentrate the trading of its shares on the NYSE, to eliminate the listing fees charged by other exchanges, and to avoid multiple regulatory schemes that govern corporations whose shares are traded on exchanges located in more than one jurisdiction. GM recently delisted its shares from the Toronto Stock Exchange, Pacific Stock Exchange, Chicago Stock Exchange and Philadelphia Stock Exchange in North America and the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and Dusseldorf Stock Exchange in Germany.General Motors Corp. (NYSE: GM), the world's largest automaker, has been the global industry sales leader for 76...
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Toyota Camry Production Begins in Indiana
2007-04-23 10:40:00
$230 Million investment creating 1,000 jobs at Subaru plantSubaru of Indiana Automotive (SIA) and Toyota held a ceremony today to commemorate production of the plant's first Toyota Camry.In March 2006, SIA parent Fuji Heavy Industries (FHI) and Toyota announced a collaborative agreement that would include Toyota Camry production at SIA. A $230 million investment gives SIA the capacity to produce 100,000 Toyota Camrys per year. Toyota Camry production will add 1,000 associates for a total of more than 3,200 at SIA.Attending the ceremony were FHI president Ikuo Mori and Toyota Motor Corporation president Katsuaki Watanabe. They congratulated SIA associates and Toyota team members involved in the project's development for their hard work and commitment to building America's best-selling car at SIA."Production of the Toyota Camry at SIA represents an important start to our business collaboration with Toyota," said Mori. "Together, we were able to accomplish this goal in a short perio...
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Diesel Technology Viewed as Part of Environment, Emissions Solution
2007-04-23 10:39:00
Survey Shows 79% of Californians Concerned about Energy SecurityA significant majority of Californians are concerned about climate change and the state?s reliance on imported energy, and they view clean diesel technology a positive solution to both problems, according to the results of a public opinion poll released today.Most Californians believe their personal vehicle is a contributor to climate change, they want the government to have a fuel-neutral approach to all technologies when looking for solutions to environmental challenges, and they believe state state?s air quality has improved or remained the same over the past 20 years, the poll shows.The public opinion survey was conducted April 12-14 by David Binder Research of San Francisco. The survey had a sample size of 500 voters and a margin of error of plus or minus 4.4 percent.The survey was sponsored by the Diesel Technology Forum (DTF), a non-profit public education and outreach organization made up of diesel vehicle and e...
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What's Recycled More Than Any Other Item in the US?
2007-04-23 10:38:00
Here's a Hint -- USCAR's VRP is InvolvedAccording to statistics published by the U.S. Environment al Protection Agency on its Web site, 50 percent of all paper, 34 percent of all plastic soft drink bottles, 45 percent of all aluminum beer and soft drink cans, 63 percent of all steel packaging and 67 percent of all major appliances are now recycled.More than any of these, however, is a consumer item whose recycling percentage and trail goes far beyond the municipal waste yard. It?s your car or truck, when it?s no longer usable. Today, more than 95 percent of all vehicles in the United States go through a market-driven recycling infrastructure, with no added cost or tax to consumers. More than 84 percent, by weight, of each end-of-life vehicle (ELV) is recycled.Better yet, the United States Council for Automotive Research?s (USCAR) Vehicle Recycling Partnership (VRP), composed of DaimlerChrysler AG, Ford Motor Company and General Motors Corporation, is working with the U.S. Departmen...
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High School Duos De-Bug Cars at 2007 Ford AAA Event in Michigan
2007-04-23 10:36:00
Pairs of students from nine Michigan high schools will work to diagnose and repair electrical and mechanical "bugs" deliberately placed on new Ford automobiles by Ford engineers. The 19 young men and first-ever female participant in Michigan will work with their partners competing for scholarships and automotive merchandise. The winners will represent Michigan in the Ford/AAA Student Auto Skills National Finals on June 26 at Ford Headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan -- the birthplace of the auto industry.WHAT: Ford/AAA Student Auto Skills Michigan ContestWHEN: Wednesday, April 25, 2007 / 9:30 - 11:30 a.m.WHERE: Macomb Community College Expo Center14500 East Twelve Mile RoadWarren, Mich.Source: AAA Michigan
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Visteon Affiliate Halla Climate Control Wins 2007 PACE Award for Innovative
2007-04-23 10:02:00
Visteon Corporation (NYSE:VC) is honored to announce its affiliate Halla Climate Control Corporation (HCC) won the 2007 Automotive News PACE Award Competition for its innovative Wave Blade Fan and Saw Tooth Shroud cooling fan module. The award was presented at the 13th annual PACE Awards ceremony on April 16 at the Max M. Fisher Music Center in Detroit.HCC, one of 12 winners, won in the product category. In accepting the award, HCC CEO and President YJ Shin thanked his team and recognized Halla's leading position in the market."I am very pleased to share this moment and share the organization's heart-felt thanks," he concluded in his acceptance speech. "We will continue to push forward with innovative initiative throughout its global network, along with targeting consumer satisfaction as our primary goal."Unlike conventional engine-cooling fans, HCC's patented fan design integrates a single wave-blade fan and saw tooth-type shroud to create a low power, light weight and high effi...
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Drivers Can Help Fight Climate Change, Save at the Gas Pump with Fuel-Effic
2007-04-23 10:01:00
Washington D.C, April 20, 2007 ? With gas prices already approaching $3 a gallon nationwide well in advance of the summer driving season ? and Earth Day around the corner ? the Alliance to Save Energy urges drivers to cut their own energy costs while helping to curb climate change by driving more fuel-efficiently.The Alliance also encourages consumers to test their ?Energy IQ? and take the 6° of Energy Efficiency Challenge at www.sixdegreechallenge.org to learn how their energy use and energy waste affects their communities, the nation, and the planet ? and how being more energy-efficient contributes to our nation?s economic and energy security.The Alliance offers these tips to improve gas mileage and reduce costly trips to the pump:* Maintain your vehicle. Fixing a faulty oxygen sensor can improve mileage by as much as 40 percent. Fixing a car that is noticeably out of tune or has failed an emissions test can improve its gas mileage by an average of 4 percent.* Keep your tires prop...
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Toyota Motor Sales, USA Announces Top Management Changes
2007-04-21 11:15:00
TORRANCE, Calif., April 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Toyota Motor Sales (TMS) USA, Inc. announced top management changes for its Toyota and Lexus divisions.The following Toyota executive assignments are effective immediately:Bob Carter, group vice president and general manager of the Lexus Division, is appointed group vice president and general manager of the Toyota Division, filling the position held by Jim Lentz before his promotion to executive vice president of TMS in June 2006. Carter will be responsible for all sales, marketing and customer satisfaction activities for the Toyota Division and Scion. He continues to report to Don Esmond, senior vice president, automotive operations.Since joining TMS in 1981, Carter has held numerous key positions, including general manager of Toyota's Denver region and general manager of Lexus' Eastern area. He also held the position of general manager and part owner of Hyannis Toyota in Hyannis, Mass.Jim Farley, group vice president, marketing, is appo...
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Dodge Enters China with Bold, Powerful Statement
2007-04-21 11:14:00
- Dodge brand officially enters Chinese market with first products revealed at Auto Shanghai 2007- The best-selling Dodge Caravan will be locally produced in China for the Chinese market- Dodge Caliber will be the first imported Dodge vehicle available to customers in China- Portfolio of Dodge vehicles underlines the breadth and potential of the brand SHANGHAI, China, April 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Dodge officially enters China with a bold and powerful statement at Auto Shanghai 2007 as it premieres the first two products for the brand: the locally produced Dodge Caravan and imported Dodge Caliber. These two Dodge vehicles, in addition to the other Dodge products on display at the Shanghai show, clearly underline the scope and potential of the Dodge brand.Each of these vehicles delivers the four key attributes of the Dodge brand: bold, powerful, capable and street smart ... and together they stress the exciting present and future of the brand as it continues to expand into the g...
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GM Family Brings Record Number of Vehicles to Auto Shanghai 2007
2007-04-21 11:12:00
Shanghai, China, 2007-04-19 - Under the theme of Driving China?s Auto motive Industry into the Future, General Motors Corp. and its China joint ventures are showcasing a record number of vehicles of today and tomorrow at Auto Shanghai 2007.The 41 vehicles from GM, Shanghai General Motors and SAIC-GM-Wuling represent an array of production, concept and clean-energy products. All six brands offered by the GM family in China are represented on their 4,500-square-meter stand at this year's leading auto show in China."GM is proud to be joining our joint ventures to show the people of China our unmatched lineup of vehicles in addition to some new products and technologies that are making their first appearance in China," said GM China Group President and Managing Director Kevin E. Wale. "Our stand demonstrates how China's vehicle buyers are benefiting from our partnerships today and will continue to benefit from our partnerships well into the future."Global Concepts of TomorrowThe highli...
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DaimlerChrysler Shows Broad Portfolio at Auto Shanghai 2007
2007-04-21 11:10:00
* DaimlerChrysler displays almost 50 vehicles* Dodge has arrived in China ? Dodge Caliber, locally-produced Dodge Caravan minivan* Chrysler shows Sebring, to be built at BBDC* Jeep® Compass Rallye Asia Premier* Mercedes Car Group celebrates 100 years of 4MATIC* Mercedes shows S350; AMG and SUV lineup* New Mercedes-Benz E-Class, produced at BBDCShanghai , Apr 20, 2007 -- DaimlerChrysler will show almost 50 vehicles this year at Auto Shanghai, including vehicles from Mercedes Car Group, Chrysler Group and Truck Group, in addition to its history as a safety pioneer, roadmap to sustainable mobility and new vehicle financing products in China.The Chrysler Group is formally introducing Dodge in China, showing two new vehicles for local production ? the new Chrysler Sebring and Dodge Caravan minivan ? and, for the first time in Asia, unveiling the Jeep® Compass Rallye. Mercedes Car Group, celebrating 100 years of 4MATIC all-wheel drive this year, is unveiling the new S350, its AMG lineup, t...
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Qashqai 2.0 dCi Goes into Production
2007-04-21 11:08:00
Production began this week at Nissan 's factory, situated in Sunderland, north-east England, of the new Qashqai compact crossover equipped with the state-of-the-art 2.0-litre dCi engine. Equipped with this engine, the Qashqai is available in both 2WD and 4WD drivetrains.The 2.0-litre dCi engine - engine code M1D - produces 110kW (150HP) at 4000rpm and 320Nm of torque at 2000rpm, while returning a best in class fuel consumption of 6.6 litres/100km and CO2 emissions of 174g/km when fitted with manual transmission and in 2WD configuration. Nissan expects over 25% of all Qashqais sold to be equipped with this diesel engine making it the most popular engine choice among buyers.Co-developed with Nissan's Alliance-partner Renault, the engine delivers fun-to-drive performance thanks to its powerful and torquey characteristics, but at the same time it's smooth, refined, and environmentally-friendly: it redefines diesel engine standards in the compact family and compact SUV segments. In add...
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BMW, TED Extend Partnership with Launch of New TED.com
2007-04-17 11:57:00
- New website represents companies' shared commitment to innovation, independence and the sharing of ideas - Features groundbreaking technology and 100 videos of extraordinary TED speakers WOODCLIFF LAKE, N.J., April 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Underscoring a belief in the power of ideas -- and the sharing of knowledge and inspiration on a global scale -- BMW today announced its support for the new TED.com. It is a completely redesigned website that promotes the free exchange of "Ideas Worth Spreading." The new site, which marks the latest venture between the two companies, features the most extraordinary talks made famous by the TED (Technology, Entertainment, & Design) Conference held annually in Monterey, California.BMW first teamed with TED in June 2006 as the exclusive sponsor of the hugely successful TEDTalks podcast series, which brought talks from the TED Conference to the public for the first time. The TEDTalks have been viewed 8 million times by 3 million people worldwide. The n...
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A. J. Martyr's Engine Testing Book 3rd Edition to be Released at 2007 SAE W
2007-04-17 11:56:00
PLYMOUTH, Mich., April 16 /PRNewswire/ -- The 3rd Edition of Engine Testing , by A. J. Mart y r and M. A. Plint, will be released in June 2007 by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) and Elsevier Limited. This new edition is a major re-write by the surviving author, A. J. Martyr.This book brings together the large amount of scattered information on theory and practice of engine testing, a fundamental part of development of new engine and powertrain systems, as well as modification of existing systems. This 3rd edition has a strong system integration theme, which is a vital part of the modern test engineer's requirements."The subject is now too wide for any one individual," said Tony Martyr, technical director, AVL UK Limited. "This 3rd edition has been rewritten to give the new generation of engineers, with more specialized skills, a view of the whole range of discipline and design practices outside their specialty with which they have to integrate."The book retains all the basic...
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One Lucky Commuter Gets a Morning Rush by Participating in Dodge 'Avenge Yo
2007-04-17 11:54:00
Joel Schneeberger of Chicago won a chance to avenge his commute and an all-new 2008 Dodge Avenger Dodge and renowned life coach, Dr. Martha Beck, team up on National Stress Awareness Day to offer tips to help reduce the daily stress caused by commuting Dodge survey reveals men find their evening commute more stressful, while females cited their morning commute AUBURN HILLS, Mich., April 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- From the bumper-to- bumper traffic and unnecessary horns to the screeching tires and continuous break lights, many Americans are stressed out by the 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. rat race. A recent Dodge survey revealed 51 percent of Americans who live in major markets find their daily commute stressful. Of those, 62 percent experience feelings of frustration, 52 percent get in bad moods, 37 percent suffer from headaches and 28 percent experience back pain.Joel Schneeberger of Chicago is one of those commuters. In recognition of National Stress Awareness Day on Tuesday, April 17,...
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BorgWarner Supplies Components for 2007 Toyota Tundra 6-Speed Automatic Tra
2007-04-17 11:53:00
Toyota Relies on BorgWar ner Expertise in Friction TechnologyOn the leading- edge of an industry-wide trend toward 6-speed automatic transmissions in large pickups and SUVs, the Toyota Tundra's first six-speed transmission is built with friction clutch technology supplied by BorgWarner Transmission Systems and NSK-Warner, a BorgWarner joint venture based in Japan. The 2007 Toyota Tundra will be the featured vehicle at the SAE Detroit Section monthly dinner meeting, held on April 16, 2007, during the annual SAE Congress at Cobo Hall in Detroit. The new 2007 Tundra is Toyota's most commanding pickup truck ever, with an optional 5.7L DOHC V8 engine and 6-speed transmission powering best-in- class acceleration and trailer-towing capacity among half-ton pickup trucks."In a quest for greater engine torque capacity, the newest automatic transmission designs require extreme high-pressure, high-energy friction clutches. BorgWarner's leading expertise in designing and developing friction te...
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Nissan to Test Intelligent Transport System Using Cell Phones
2007-04-17 11:51:00
- Advanced ITS using cellular communications aimed at helping to reduce pedestrian accidentsTOKYO, April 17, 2007 -- Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. announced today that it is developing an advanced Intelligent Transport ation System (ITS) employing cellular communications to help reduce accidents involving pedestrians. Nissan is also conducting research on pedestrian-related communication involving the transmitting of pedestrian position data to vehicles via the Global Positioning System (GPS).Nissan's advanced ITS will employ the next 3G cellular communications system*1, launched from this April, where the GPS function is used as the basis to provide location information of the cellular phone. In this system, location data transmitted from the pedestrian's cellular phone and vehicle is fed to the ITS to allow the system to determine the corresponding positions between the pedestrian and the vehicle. A pedestrian alert will appear onboard the vehicle to warn the driver, helping to reduce r...
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Women, Use Your Five Senses for Vehicle Maintenance
2007-04-17 11:49:00
GRAND BLANC, MICH., 2007-04-16 ? Mothers teach their children that the five senses ? hearing, sight, smell, taste and touch ? are important for learning about the world around them. These same senses can also help moms ? and women in general ? with vehicle maintenanceAccording to the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE), women now represent 65 percent of the customers who take their vehicles in for service and repair. Women also influence more than 89 percent of vehicle service purchase decisions, and oversee the spending of more than $300 billion annually on used vehicles, maintenance, service and repair.Because more women than ever are not only buying their own cars, but taking care of their families? vehicles as well, what can women do to make more informed choices regarding their vehicle service?Lea George, marketing analyst for ACDelco, a global leader in automotive replacement parts and services, urges women to use their various senses to help detect prob...
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Team Chevy Rolls Out New Chevrolet R07 Racing Engine
2007-04-16 15:50:00
Transition to New-Generation NASCAR Small-Block V-8 Begins at Texas Motor SpeedwayFORT WORTH, Texas, 2007-04-14 ? On the heels of the successful introduction of the new Impala SS race car in NASCAR Nextel Cup competition, Team Chevy is beginning the transition to the new Chevrolet R07 racing engine. Approved by NASCAR for competition in 2007, the Chevrolet R07 is making its debut this weekend in the Samsung 500 at Texas Motor Speedway.The Chevrolet R07 marks another step in the evolution of the GM small-block V-8. It is the successor to GM's SB2 (Small-Block/2nd Generation) engine that was introduced in NASCAR Cup competition in 1998. The Chevrolet R07 will eventually replace the SB2 as teams turn over their inventories of engines and components."The GM Racing engine development team had four key objectives in mind throughout the design and development of the Chevrolet R07 engine," said Mark Kent, director of GM Racing. "Our goal was to create an engine that produces competitive po...
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Kbb.com Launches New 'Perfect Car Finder' and Vehicle Comparison Tools
2007-04-16 15:49:00
Enhanced Features Launched to Help Vehicle Shoppers Find Their Next VehicleIRVINE, Calif., April 16 /PRNewswire/ -- According to Kelley Blue Book and Kelley Blue Book Marketing Research, nearly 80 percent of shoppers who visit kbb.com have not yet decided on which model they plan to purchase and less than half know which make they are interested in. With an ever-growing need among vehicle researchers for help in sifting through hundreds of vehicles available today, kbb.com has launched two enhanced online shopping and decision tools to assist car buyers early in their shopping process.The first of these enhanced tools is Kelley Blue Book's 'Perfect Car Finder(R),' which lets consumers search through more than 400 new vehicles and more than 1,100 trim levels of those vehicles by the features and optional equipment that matter most to shoppers. The second is an all-new comparison tool allowing consumers to view an all-encompassing side-by-side comparison of vehicles.Kelley Blue Boo...
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Ford Motors Connects to Loyal Customers Via NASCAR
2007-04-16 15:48:00
Ford's market share among race fans is 46 percent higher than its share among non-race fans.April 15, 2007 (By Robert Musial, FCN) -- Ford's affiliation with NASCAR goes back to 1949 when the first Grand National race at Charlotte Speedway was won by Jim Roper -- in a Lincoln.Since then, Ford brands have crossed NASCAR's finish lines first nearly 600 times. Even Plymouth racing legend Richard Petty earned nine checkered flags in a Ford in 1969 while Dale Earnhardt drove a Ford into victory lane three times between 1982 and 1983 before switching to Chevy.The publicity from such racing victories and the sales that result from them are incalculable. That's why supporting NASCAR's Craftsman Truck Series, the Busch Series and the Nextel Cup is a no-brainer, said Kevin Kennedy, public affairs manager, Ford Racing.It seems the old axiom, "Race on Sunday, sell on Monday," still works when it comes to NASCAR. Each week, their races attract 75 million fans, second only in the U.S. to the...
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Ford Joins Automotive Consortium to Accelerate Its Research Work Using Virt
2007-04-16 15:47:00
DEARBORN, April 16, 2007 ? Ford Motor Company will bring its 14 years of research and development expertise using computer human models to a consortium of automakers and suppliers as a way to improve restraint systems for all vehicles of the future.Ford is one of nine automakers and two suppliers that will consolidate their pre-competitive research and development activities in human body modeling into a single global effort to advance crash safety technology. The computer models, which represent human beings in minute detail, could help scientists determine and better understand injuries that are likely to result from a vehicle crash. Ford is the only automaker whose full human body model includes highly detailed internal organs, especially the human brain model.Ford began building the human body model in 1993, creating the regions of the body such as the head, neck, ribcage, abdomen, thoracic and lumbar spine, internal organs of the chest and abdomen, pelvis, and the upper and low...
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Cost Returns as Top Auto Industry Challenge, Invites Collaborative Solution
2007-04-16 15:47:00
DETROIT, April 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Cost reduction may again be the number one challenge facing automotive engineers and designers heading into this week's SAE World Congress in Detroit, but nearly 70 percent of attendees say there is growing recognition and business practice surrounding "total cost reduction" versus "reduced price," according to results from the 13th annual DuPont Auto motive/SAE survey."The distinction between 'total systems and assembled cost reduction' and 'price cutting' is needed to be able to strategically manage the omnipresent cost-reduction challenge in this competitive industry," said Chris Murphy, automotive director - Americas, for DuPont Automotive Performance Materials. "'Total cost reduction' is more holistic and invites customer-supplier collaborative solutions that can provide a step-change and more sustainable results, and this year's survey bears that understanding."As an example, Murphy pointed to the growing adoption of DuPont(TM) Crastin(...
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Nanostellar Introduces Gold in Oxidation Catalyst That Can Reduce Diesel Hy
2007-04-16 15:46:00
Boost in catalyst technology aims to slash emissions in light- and heavy-duty diesel engines and other lean-stream applicationsDETROIT, April 16 /PRNewswire/ -- SAE 2007 -- Nanostellar, Inc., a leader in nano-engineered catalyst materials, today announced a first in diesel emissions technology: the introduction of gold as an oxidation catalyst. Nanostellar's NS Gold (TM) catalyst enables manufacturers of light- andheavy-duty diesel engines to reduce noxious emissions by as much as 40 percent more than existing pure-platinum catalysts at equal cost. Nanostellar introduced its first-generation product, based on a platinum and palladium alloy, in mid-2006, and it achieved 25%-30% higher performance than commercial pure-platinum catalysts. NS Gold(TM), Nanostellar's second-generation product, delivers a further 15%-20% performance increase.Platinum is the most expensive component of the diesel oxidation catalysts (DOCs) that are required to meet the new, stringent emission regulations ...
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Hybrid Cars Not the Answer, Online Auto Consumers Say
2007-04-16 15:44:00
Consumers speak their opinion on CarGurus.com - want better gas mileage but majority not willing to buy hybrid cars.CAMBRIDGE, Mass., April 16 /PRNewswire/ -- CarGurus.com, a leading online automotive community, today announced the results of a survey of more than 500 online automotive consumers. Between February and March, 2007, visitors to http://www.cargurus.com/ were asked if their next car would be a hybrid. The majority of respondents -- 80% -- said their next car would NOT be a hybrid.While these survey results measure consumer purchase intent, market data indicates that when it comes time to actually buying a car the number of consumers purchasing hybrids is even lower. According to nationwide auto registration data recently compiled by R.L. Polk & Co., overall, the hybrid category in 2006 reflected just over 1.5 percent of all new vehicle registrations in the U.S.Is Performance an Issue for Hybrid s?What could be some of the reasons holding consumers back from buying hybrids...
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Henkel Introduces North American Acoustic Center
2007-04-16 15:43:00
State-of-the-art research facility provides acoustic testing solutions and analysisMADISON HEIGHTS, Mich., April 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Henkel recently opened its new North America n Acoustic Cent er, which analyzes acoustic material properties of automotive body structure panels to determine their effectiveness in vehicle applications. The acoustic center is the latest addition to Henkel's Automotive Technology Center -- a 65,000 square foot facility that provides research and development support of new Henkel products for OEM customers."Our investment of over $1 million in the new acoustic center indicates Henkel's innovation through commitment and dedication to the industry," said Dan Wohletz, vice president, automotive North America , Henkel. "The acoustic center adds credibility to our products and validates their functionality and performance, enabling us to evolve with industry changes and introduce a new generation of products to the market."The acoustic center provides comprehen...
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Kbb.com Launches New 'Perfect Car Finder' and Vehicle Comparison Tools
2007-04-16 15:42:00
Enhanced Features Launched to Help Vehicle Shoppers Find Their Next VehicleAccording to Kelley Blue Book and Kelley Blue Book Marketing Research, nearly 80 percent of shoppers who visit kbb.com have not yet decided on which model they plan to purchase and less than half know which make they are interested in. With an ever-growing need among vehicle researchers for help in sifting through hundreds of vehicles available today, kbb.com has launched two enhanced online shopping and decision tools to assist car buyers early in their shopping process.The first of these enhanced tools is Kelley Blue Book's 'Perfect Car Finder(R),' which lets consumers search through more than 400 new vehicles and more than 1,100 trim levels of those vehicles by the features and optional equipment that matter most to shoppers. The second is an all-new comparison tool allowing consumers to view an all-encompassing side-by-side comparison of vehicles.Kelley Blue Book's Perfect Car Finder, found under the ...
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