plus 4, Electric Motorcycle To Be Featured On TLC's American Chopper - All Cars Electric |
- Electric Motorcycle To Be Featured On TLC's American Chopper - All Cars Electric
- AP IMPACT: Clunker pickups traded for new pickups - WFAA
- Partygoer accused of stealing car, tow vehicle - Tribune-Democrat
- Chrysler CEO hopes to double sales in 5 years promises new or ... - Chicago Tribune
- Chrysler aims to pump life into struggling lineup - NewOrleans.Com
| Electric Motorcycle To Be Featured On TLC's American Chopper - All Cars Electric Posted: 04 Nov 2009 08:46 PM PST The next episode of TLC's American Chopper will showcase more than a contentious family feud. The Siemens Smart Chopper will be featured on the show airing tomorrow at 9:00 p.m. eastern time. Orange County Choppers built the Siemens-engineered electric motorcycle, which uses an Advanced DC Motors Inc. Series Wound 8" electric motor and a clutchless one-speed drive system. The body incorporates recycled materials and light emitting diodes (LEDs) for the headlamp, tail light and turn signals. According to David Hulick, marketing director for automotive LED systems division at OSRAM SYLVANIA (a division of Siemens), the LEDs reduce energy consumption 85% over incandescent bulbs. With a top speed of 100 miles per hour and a 60 mile range on a full charge, the Smart Chopper would make for a sweet, silent, emissions-free ride to work. See the full press release below. Source: Siemens Press release: Orange County Choppers Glides Into the Future With OSRAM SYLVANIA LED Lighting Innovations HILLSBORO, N.H., Nov. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Fans of the popular TLC show American Another first for an OCC creation is the use throughout the bike of Light The Smart Chopper's 4.5-inch custom headlamp design utilizes an OSRAM "The Siemens Smart Chopper embodies the next generation of lighting design for Along with the JFL2 JOULE(TM) system, the Siemens Smart Chopper features: -- Two Amber LED "MonoLED" one-inch dome front turn signals -- One LINEARlight Flex Top Colormix system for Red-Green-Blue (RGB) body "This was the first time we used LED lighting exclusively in the design of a This content has passed through fivefilters.org. |
| AP IMPACT: Clunker pickups traded for new pickups - WFAA Posted: 04 Nov 2009 08:03 PM PST WASHINGTON – The most common deals under the government's $3 billion Cash for Clunkers program, aimed at putting more fuel-efficient cars on the road, replaced old Ford or Chevrolet pickups with new ones that got only marginally better gas mileage, according to an analysis of new federal data by The Associated Press. The single most common swap — which occurred more than 8,200 times — involved Ford F150 pickup owners who took advantage of a government rebate to trade their old trucks for new Ford F150s. They were 17 times more likely to buy a new F150 than, say, a Toyota Prius. The fuel economy for the new trucks ranged from 15 mpg to 17 mpg based on engine size and other factors, an improvement of just 1 mpg to 3 mpg over the clunkers. Owners of thousands more large old Chevrolet and Dodge pickups bought new Silverado and Ram trucks, also with only barely improved mileage in the middle teens, according to AP's analysis of sales of $15.2 billion worth of vehicles at nearly 19,000 car dealerships in every state. Those deals helped the Ford F150 and Chevy Silverado — along with Ford's Escape midsize SUV — climb into the Top 10 most-popular vehicles purchased with the government rebates. The most common truck-for-truck and truck-for-SUV deals totaled at least $911 million. In scores of deals, the government reported spending a total of $562,500 in rebates for new cars and trucks that got worse or the same mileage as the trade-ins — in apparent violation of the program's requirements. The government said it is investigating those reports and said in some cases they were probably entered incorrectly by dealers or based on outdated fuel economy figures. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is still reviewing the reports, and any dealers that submitted invalid trade-ins will be directed to return the government rebate, spokesman Eric Bolton said Wednesday. The new data, obtained by the AP under the Freedom of Information Act, include details of 677,081 clunker trade-ins processed by the government through Oct. 16. More than 95,000 of the new vehicles purchased under the program — or about one in seven — got less than 20 mpg, according to the data. The new figures, requested four months ago by the AP, represent the first substantial outside accounting of the clunkers program, lauded by the White House and the Transportation Department for improving fuel economy, stimulating sales and taking the dirtiest vehicles off the road. The data show the average fuel economy was 15.8 mpg for the old vehicles and 24.9 for the new ones. But plenty of consumers bought relatively low-mileage trucks and SUVs with the help of government checks. "If we're looking for the environmental story here, we're going to be disappointed," said Jeremy Anwyl, chief executive at Edmunds.com, an analyst firm. "It might have started out from the perspective of improving the environment, but it got detoured as a way to stimulate the economy." Popular high-mileage commuter cars including the Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic, Toyota Camry and Ford Focus also were among the Top 10 most popular new vehicles bought under the four-week program, with 105,280 of those models sold for a total of about $2 billion. Bolton, the NHTSA spokesman, said Wednesday the program "proved to be a win for the economy and the environment" because it helped financially struggling dealerships and auto manufacturers and because, under the program's rules, clunkers necessarily were replaced with vehicles that got better mileage. Chris Moss of Smithtown, N.Y., traded in his 1992 white Ford F150 pickup — "it had 5 million miles on it and needed $50,000 in repairs, if you know what I mean" — for a new Chevrolet Malibu hybrid for his wife. When he drove his old truck to the dealership's back lot with the rest of the clunkers, "90 percent of what you saw were old 150s and Explorers," he said. Moss posted a video on YouTube of his old truck's final day, called "Rust In Peace." The $3 billion program, known officially as the Car Allowance Rebate System, ran from July 27 to Aug. 25 and generally required that new vehicles get better mileage — at least 22 mpg for cars and either 15 mpg or 18 mpg for trucks depending on class — and that trade-ins get no more than 18 mpg. The trade-ins were required to be destroyed in exchange for either $3,500 or $4,500 rebates. "The value that the customer got for a lot of these vehicles was just a gift, no question," said Scott Pundt, sales vice president for the Dorschel Group of Rochester, N.Y., the No. 4 dealership in the U.S. with 592 vehicles sold under the program. "We were appraising 220,000-mile vehicles that were really rough, and they were getting $3,500 or $4,500 for them." Four out of five old cars turned in there exceeded 100,000 miles. Some deals raise eyebrows: • In at least 145 cases, mostly involving trucks, the government reported consumers traded old vehicles that got better than or the same mileage as the new vehicle they purchased. The government said it was continuing to investigate. A driver in Negaunee, Mich., traded a 1987 Suburban that got 18 mpg for $3,500 toward a new Silverado pickup that got only 15 mpg. An Indianapolis driver traded a 1985 Mercedes 190 that got 27 mpg for $3,500 toward a new Volkswagen Rabbit that got only 24 mpg. "It's possible some quirky deal slipped through the cracks," Anwyl said. • In at least 15 deals in nine states, owners of large pickups cashed in old trucks for between $3,500 and $4,500 toward new Hummer H3 SUVs that got only 16 mpg. • A driver in Arlington, Va., traded a 1999 Ford Explorer with 15 mpg in July for $3,500 toward a new $28,000 Jeep Commander that weighs about 4,700 pounds and gets 16 mpg. • In at least 32 deals, drivers traded older vehicles for new large trucks — including versions of Toyota Tundras, GMC Sierras, Chevrolet Silverados, Dodge Rams and Ford F150 pickups — that got only 14 mpg. • A driver in West, Texas, earned $4,500 in July in exchange for a 1989 Chevrolet Suburban SUV that got 14 mpg and bought a 2009 Suburban that weighed 5,900 pounds and got 16 mpg. Across Texas, seven of the 10 most common transactions involved drivers trading old pickups for new ones. Car-crazy California led clunker sales with more than 76,000 trade-ins, followed by Texas with roughly 43,000 and New York with nearly 37,000. In California, the Honda Civic was the No. 1 new car and no pickups ranked higher than 18th. In New York, the Hyundai Elantra was No. 1. The clunkers program was very good for Longo Toyota of El Monte, Calif., just east of Los Angeles, which sold more than twice as many vehicles under the program as any other dealership in the country, worth more than $30 million. That sole dealership was responsible for 1,432 sales worth nearly $6 million in clunkers rebates, mostly from its sales of 323 Toyota Camrys, 277 Corollas and 171 Priuses. "We knew it was just a matter of when, not if, we were going to get paid, so we kept our foot on the gas," Longo president Tom Rudnai said Wednesday. The next-best dealership was Price-Simms Inc. of Sunnyvale, Calif., with 672 sales of vehicles worth about $16.1 million, mostly from its sales of 213 Priuses and 134 Camrys. Pundt said his dealership in Rochester advertised aggressively to consumers and operated three shifts of employees to submit claims. "We had people in here through the middle of the night, working 2 a.m. until 7 a.m.," he said. "The computer was so slow." This content has passed through fivefilters.org.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Partygoer accused of stealing car, tow vehicle - Tribune-Democrat Posted: 04 Nov 2009 08:11 PM PST Published: November 04, 2009 09:57 pm Partygoer accused of stealing car, tow vehicle By PATRICK BUCHNOWSKIThe Tribune-Democrat BERLIN — A Berlin man stole a car, ran it into a ditch and then drove off with the truck that was to tow the car, police said. James Edward Seifert Jr. was charged Tuesday with theft, receiving stolen property and unauthorized use of an auto. In a court document, state police in Somerset said Seifert attended a party in Brothersvalley Township. He left the residence after a few hours of drinking and drove off with another man's Chevrolet Chevette. The owner chased him on foot for about 100 yards before the car traveled off the road into a ditch. The owner of the home where the party was held offered to pull the car from the ditch with his 1992 Chevrolet pickup. But as the chain was being hooked to the car, Seifert jumped into the truck and drove away, troopers said. The truck was recovered in a Berlin cemetery. Seifert was arraigned by District Judge Douglas Bell of Meyersdale and freed on $1,000 unsecured bond. 
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| Chrysler CEO hopes to double sales in 5 years promises new or ... - Chicago Tribune Posted: 04 Nov 2009 08:54 PM PST  Chrysler Group LLC CEO Sergio Marchionne arrives for a news briefing at the automaker's headquarters in Auburn Hills, Mich., Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2009. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio) (Carlos Osorio, AP / November 4, 2009) This content has passed through fivefilters.org. |
| Chrysler aims to pump life into struggling lineup - NewOrleans.Com Posted: 04 Nov 2009 07:13 PM PST Written by Associated Press Wednesday, 04 November 2009 14:01 Business News AP AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) - Chrysler hopes to make billions of dollars to repay government loans and revamp all of its cars and trucks with an ambitious plan that hinges on doubling sales in five years. The plan, which includes spending $23 billion to overhaul or replace all its Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram models by 2014, is realistic as demand improves over the next five years, says Sergio Marchionne, Chrysler's new CEO, who has turned around Italian automaker Fiat Group SpA. Marchionne made his remarks after a daylong presentation of his five-year plan to save the ailing 84-year-old Chrysler. Much of the overhaul includes cost savings from combining purchasing and engineering with Fiat, and using Fiat's smaller, more fuel-efficient designs to replace aging Chrysler vehicles. Marchionne's Fiat, which now owns 20 percent of Chrysler with an opportunity for more, was put in charge of rescuing the automaker by the U.S. government. Chrysler emerged from bankruptcy protection in June. Some industry analysts say the goal of selling 2.8 million vehicles globally is overly ambitious because of increasing competition. The company must also fight public perception of noisy, poor-performing vehicles, especially in mid-size sedans, the biggest segment of the U.S. car market. Sedans like the Dodge Avenger and Chrysler Sebring, along with many other models, have flopped. Chrysler said it will update these cars to make them more comfortable and quieter, then replace them in 2012 with Fiat designs. Marchionne says the U.S. market will expand over the next five years, pushing up the company's sales. Chrysler also will have to regain some market share, he said. Rebecca Lindland, an auto industry analyst for the consulting firm IHS Global Insight, said the sales figures may be rosy assumptions. "Everything needs to go perfectly" for the plan to work, she saidHer company's expectations for Chrysler's U.S. market share is nowhere near the automaker's forecast of 13 percent by 2014, up from the current 9 percent. The plan depends on the U.S. market recovering from this year's sales of 10.5 million cars and light trucks to 14.5 million in 2014. The company also has lowered sticker prices to boost sales and generate more cash as it fixes its struggling lineup, but it must tackle quality problems to survive. Consumer Reports recently panned most Chrysler products. "We get it," said Doug Betts, senior vice president of quality. "We're not in denial related to the public record for quality for Chrysler." And it will be tough to win back skeptical buyers. The automaker's sales are down sharply this year as buyers flee to other brands and a weak U.S. economy curbs demand for autos. Chrysler lost upward of $8 billion last year and would have run out of cash without government help. The U.S. government has so far has provided roughly $15 billion in aid. Chrysler still has around $9 billion of that available, and Marchionne said it will not return for more money. "If we screw this up, it's over," he said. Still, Chief Financial Officer Richard Palmer said the company aims to pay back U.S. government loans by the end of 2014. He also expects Chrysler to break even in 2010 and report an operating profit of $5 billion in 2014. A federal report earlier this week said that Chrysler and General Motors Co. are unlikely to pay back their loans in full. Chrysler's growth, though, depends on better cars and sales. Besides the mid-size car, Chrysler will introduce four new Dodges by 2013. They include a seven-passenger crossover vehicle, a mini-car and a compact. By the end of next year, most current Dodge models will receive new exteriors, interiors and engines. Ralph Gilles, Chrysler's chief designer, said Dodges will have crisp handling, be quieter, more fuel-efficient and have more luxurious interiors, reflecting consumer complaints about all those issues. The Chrysler brand also will get six new vehicles, including a Fiat small car and a new mid-size crossover in 2013. The automaker is also considering adding a mid-size pickup to its Ram truck lineup. Chrysler had $5.7 billion in cash at the end of September, up $1.7 billion since it exited bankruptcy protection this June. As recently as December, though, the automaker was practically out of cash. It plans to sell shares publicly by the end of 2014. Its operations broke even in September because of savings from job cuts and factory closings. Joe Veltri, Chrysler's product development chief, said he has a lot more funding to revamp products and create new ones. Chrysler can go to a cupboard of Fiat technology to develop new products, a vast difference from Chrysler's prior owner, Cerberus Capital Management LP, a private equity firm. "We have far more tools to work with," he said.  This content has passed through fivefilters.org. |
![Siemens' Smart Chopper, built by Orange County Choppers [via Wired]](http://images.thecarconnection.com/sml/siemens-smart-chopper-built-by-orange-county-choppers-via-wired_100226462_s.jpg "Siemens' Smart Chopper, built by Orange County Choppers [via Wired]")
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