Posted: 14 Feb 2010 07:40 AM PST

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ORLANDO, Fla., Feb. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- After a year that battered the auto industry-the lowest new vehicle sales rate since World War II, near-automaker liquidations and more than 2,000 dealership closures-it's time for the industry to come together, John McEleney told thousands of dealers today at the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) convention in Orlando, Fla.

"Ultimately, dealers and manufacturers are in the business of selling cars," said McEleney, 2009 NADA chairman. "And we have to do that together."

After the tragic series of events in 2009 that threatened the auto industry more than at any time in six decades, NADA took "immediate action to support dealer interests," he said.

"Our biggest challenge was convincing the President's Task Force that dealers are not an incremental cost to manufacturers," said McEleney, a General Motors, Toyota and Hyundai dealer from Clinton, Iowa. "The fact is the distribution system that exists for automakers today is extremely efficient. All costs of the retail side of the business are paid for by dealers."

McEleney, who attended the 1971 NADA convention in San Francisco as a college student when his father, Warren McEleney, concluded his term as NADA president, said the most difficult part of his year in office was hearing first-hand from dealers who either lost their Chrysler franchises or were placed in wind-down with GM.

"The damage inflicted on these dealers, their families and their employees is unimaginable," said McEleney, whose family has been selling cars for four generations. "They were essentially denied an opportunity to make a living in this industry. Third and fourth generation dealerships were shuttered. A lifetime creation of capital was wiped out by the stroke of a pen."

He said dealers from every state in the country were instrumental in telling their story to Congress and why lawmakers should intervene to support affected dealers. Last December, legislation was passed that provided terminated GM and Chrysler dealers with a "second chance," he said.

"NADA harnessed the influence and power of 17,000 new-car dealers and successfully leveraged that power in Congress to the benefit of dealers throughout the country," he said. "We hope the manufacturers have learned something from this crisis. Three lessons come to mind: listen to your dealers; respect your dealers; and help your dealers succeed. If it's positive results you seek, then embrace a positive approach."

During a tough sales year in 2009, McEleney said "cash for clunkers" was an example of dealers, manufacturers and government working together for the good of the industry.

"If it weren't for NADA, there would not have been a 'cash-for-clunkers' program, period," he said. "There would not have been the initial one billion dollar funding and there would not have been the additional two billion dollar funding. This program was NADA working at its best."

Last December, new-car dealers were excluded from oversight of the proposed Consumer Financial Protection Agency. The House bill, as it was originally written, would have hurt dealers and their customers, he said

"It needed to change, and we got it changed," McEleney said. "And we're fighting in the Senate for the same thing."

In the final weeks of his chairmanship, the Toyota recall became front page news. McEleney said it was too early to tell how Toyota's market share will be affected, but dealers have been working diligently to fix the recalled vehicles as quickly as possible.

"This underscores the importance of having a strong dealer network in place to handle just such situations," he said. "NADA is asking Congress, as it begins to investigate the recall, not to give countenance to any unsubstantiated rhetoric, which has the effect of unjustifiably alarming the public about the Toyota brand."

McEleney added that Congress should not rush to judgment.

"Ill-advised comments reverberate through the entire buying public, impacting auto dealerships, their employees and our local and national economy," he said.

Two weeks ago, NADA launched its Trucks for Haiti campaign. About 72 hours later, more than 100 were donated by dealers from around the country.

"Even though the past 12 months have been the most turbulent in the auto industry since the Great Depression, America's dealers found the resources to help those in dire need," he said.

Click here for the complete text of McEleney's speech.

The NADA convention runs through Monday, Feb. 15 at the Orange County Convention Center.

NADA, founded in 1917 and based in McLean, Va., represents nearly 17,000 new-car and -truck dealers operating about 37,500 separate franchises, both domestic and international.

SOURCE National Automobile Dealers Association

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Dealers poised for profit in 2010 - Detroit Free Press

Posted: 14 Feb 2010 06:57 AM PST

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ORLANDO — After a year that saw 8% of the nation's auto dealers knocked out of business, thousands of car and truck dealers gathered Saturday to kick off the National Automobile Dealers Association's annual convention with hope that 2010 will be better.

For many, it should be.

That's because the recent recession, which forced General Motors and Chrysler into bankruptcy, also forced dealers to cut costs and restructure their businesses.

Now, experts said, the more streamlined dealerships that survived are poised to see profits with any increase in sales.

"They should be extremely well positioned," said Randy Berlin, global practice director at Urban Science, a firm that works with dealers to improve their businesses. "They've reduced their expenses. … Any uptick from that is seen as a positive," he said.

Mike Jackson, CEO of AutoNation, the country's largest chain of auto dealerships, said last year's fear has been replaced by optimism.

"What got wiped away in the turmoil of last year was irrational behavior and irrational players," he said in an interview at the convention.

If dealers see their business improve, communities across the country could benefit, too. Dealerships are often significant local employers and stewards in their communities.

"There's major optimism," said Mike Bowsher, president of Carl Black Automotive, which owns Chevrolet, Buick and GMC dealerships in Florida, Tennessee and the Atlanta area. He added: "We are down to fighting weight."

Trade group sets hopeful tone

As U.S. sales of new cars and trucks dropped 21% last year, automobile dealers across the country scrambled to cut costs to stay afloat.

"We found out that we were able to get rid of a lot of stuff. We were able to still do business with less," Derek Brown, a Ford dealer from Johnstown, N.Y., said on the show floor of theconvention Saturday.

His dealership's profitability increased last year, he said, because of cost cuts.

Bowsher said he cut his work force by about 30% and his advertising spending by more than half. He also kept his inventory lean, allowing him to save money on interest expense associated with borrowing money to buy product to sell.

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Sunday's sound off - Mercury

Posted: 14 Feb 2010 08:16 AM PST

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I have a way to fix the economy. There are 40 million people over the age of 50 in the work force. Give them all $1 million apiece for early retirement with the following stipulations: they must retire — 40 million jobs are opened — unemployment fixed; they must buy a new car — 40 million cars ordered — auto industry fixed; they must buy a new house or fix up their house — housing crisis fixed. It doesn't get any easier than that.

I was going north on Route 100 where the expressway ends at Quigley Motors and I witnessed a road rage incident. Some clown on a motorcycle created his own lane and pulled up beside a school van and was yelling at the driver because he thought he was cut off. The van was in the right lane and continued going straight in the right lane, or should he have gone into the left lane? Was the van or the motorcyclist correct?

VERY CONFUSING INTERSECTION

The Borough of Phoenixville stinks when it comes to removing the snow. They don't even clean the curbs off on Main or Bridge streets. The snow lies there, yet they go around and ticket homeowners for not removing snow within 24 hours. The stores downtown don't care, either. They just throw it at the edge of the sidewalk instead of cleaning it into the street so the borough can then clean the street.

Isn't it amazing that since Scott Brown got elected in Massachusetts, the only thing the Democrats can talk about is bipartisanship? Up to that point they never even heard of it. They probably couldn't even spell it.

To the OJR taxpayer complaining about the hugging and kissing, with all the hate and despair in this country, we sure wouldn't want a little love and compassion showing through now, would we? It would just ruin everything.

The fox is in the Pottstown henhouse. The tax base is shrinking. The school board five, ignoring financial facts, vote for fancy window renovation. The rich member on board, with backing, says he's donating $20,000 for the architect's design. The sum total: the overtaxed property owners are stuck again with the bill, the final bill in the hundred thousands.

In response to Wayne Lahr's letter about teachers not being to blame for the pension crisis, of course they are. If there weren't any teachers, there wouldn't be a pension crisis now, would there? The fact is, every contract they threaten to strike and eventually get what they want. It's time to take away the right to strike and restore the system to the way it used to be. Also, no administrator is worth over $100,000 a year.

To the new neighbor in Gilbertsville wanting to know what to do with the shrubs, you have to take them yourself to the municipal building and that's on Municipal Drive right behind Bermont Motors.

To the OJR taxpayer about high school kids kissing, hugging, making out and fondling, all of a sudden it's a teacher's responsibility to raise your kids? Why not use the word parenting: teaching your kids how to act responsibly when in public.

A TEACHER WHO'S TIRED OF BEING DUMPED ON BY THE PUBLIC

I'm calling in to give special thanks to Diamond Waste Disposal guys for doing a really great job. I am so glad I changed to them when my old trash hauler was going to match prices. Thanks again for the cheaper rates and great service.

SATISFIED CUSTOMER

I am an organ donor, I also wear a helmet and a seatbelt and very proud to do that. I've also taken a motorcycle safety course and have taken truck driving courses and would like to take a car driving course.

BIKER DAVE

Except for the county and state plows, they should make it a law that no private plows can put their plows across the road. The main reason is because they leave piles of snow across the road and when you're driving, it catches you and you slide and crash. I spoke with a police officer, and if he was right, he said if you crash because of that, you could sue whoever did it. I'd be the last person to sue anybody but I would sue for stupidity.

We've all seen people who can't drive in the snow — they don't belong on the road. But have you ever seen anybody with a snow plow on their pick up truck that they can't plow? Honestly, they should stay home.

I used to plow snow for businesses years ago and the one thing I did learn fast was don't pile snow up near the business. Push it away from the doors out into the parking lot. It makes it easier for people to park and get in the store.

Where's Al Gore when you need him? I need him to come shovel some of this global warming out of my driveway.

A CURIOUS ONE

The three crossword words: bassi, toric, betake are in Webster's Collegiate Dictionary. Bassi is a plural.

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Ford Transit Connect EV Specs Revealed - All Cars Electric

Posted: 14 Feb 2010 08:23 AM PST

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2010 Ford Transit Connect - media event in NYC, May 2009

Enlarge Photo

The Ford Transit Connect EV will be one of the company's first electric drive vehicles. It is expected to come to market near the end of the year. Up until a few days ago, little was known about specific data of the Transit EV. Now that has all changed.

With the Transit Connect EV scheduled for its North American debut at the Chicago Auto Show, Ford has finally presented full details about the vehicle. This particular EV will offer an 80 mile range and hit a highway capable top speed of 75 miles per hour. It can be recharged in about 6 to 8 hours with a 240 volt charger.

Additionally, the Transit Connect will later be offered in both CNG (compressed natural gas) and LPG (liquefied petroleum version. Clearly Ford believes that this vehicle will be a forerunner in clean vehicle technology.

Here are the details you have been waiting for about the Transit Connect EV taken directly from the Ford Press release posted below. Specifics can be found within the release at the end of the post, it's a lengthy read but full of information.

Ford Transit Connect Electric, a pure electric-powered version of the award-winning Transit Connect small van, goes into production in late 2010

Ford is collaborating with Azure Dynamics Corporation to upfit the Transit Connect Electric with Azure's Force Drive^TM battery electric powertrain and Johnson Controls-Saft's advanced lithium-ion battery technology

Transit Connect Electric is the first product in Ford's accelerated electrified vehicle plan, and will be followed by the Focus Electric in 2011, a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle in 2012 and next-generation hybrid technology in 2012

The all-electric, zero-emission Transit Connect Electric has targeted range of up to 80 miles per full charge, and will be rechargeable using either 240-volt or standard 120-volt outlets

Transit Connect Electric is ideal for fleet owners that have well-defined routes of predictable distances and a central location for daily recharging

Source: Ford Press Release

PRESS RELEASES

FORD TRANSIT CONNECT ELECTRIC COMMERCIAL VAN HELPS FLEET CUSTOMERS GO COMPLETELY GAS-FREE

* Ford Transit Connect Electric, a pure electric-powered version of the award-winning Transit Connect small van, goes into production in late 2010
* Ford is collaborating with Azure Dynamics Corporation to upfit the Transit Connect Electric with Azure's Force Drive^TM battery electric powertrain and Johnson Controls-Saft's advanced lithium-ion battery technology
* Transit Connect Electric is the first product in Ford's accelerated electrified vehicle plan, and will be followed by the Focus Electric in 2011, a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle in 2012 and next-generation hybrid technology in 2012
* The all-electric, zero-emission Transit Connect Electric has targeted range of up to 80 miles per full charge, and will be rechargeable using either 240-volt or standard 120-volt outlets
* Transit Connect Electric is ideal for fleet owners that have well-defined routes of predictable distances and a central location for daily recharging

2011 FORD TRANSIT CONNECT ELECTRIC & TAXI MEDIA SITE

CHICAGO, Feb. 9, 2010 - Ford Motor Company today unveiled the all-electric version of the Ford Transit Connect - the 2010 North American Truck of the Year - at the Chicago Auto Show and confirmed the zero-emissions small van will be in fleet operators' hands later this year.

The 2011 Transit Connect Electric will use a Force Drive electric powertrain manufactured and integrated by specialty upfitter Azure Dynamics.

"Transit Connect Electric exemplifies how we are leveraging our relationships as well as our hybrid and advanced powertrain programs to bring energy-efficient technologies from the laboratory to the street," said Derrick Kuzak, Ford group vice president, Global Product Development. "Not only is this an ideal vehicle for eco-conscious fleet operators, it is an important part of Ford's future."

In addition to the Transit Connect Electric, Ford plans to bring three more electrified vehicles to market by 2012 - the Focus Electric in 2011, a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle in 2012 and a next-generation hybrid in 2012.

Getting charged up and moving
Transit Connect Electric is well-suited for commercial fleets that travel predictable, short-range routes with frequent stop-and-go driving in urban and suburban environments and a central location for daily recharging. The vehicle, which will accelerate at a similar rate as the gas-powered Transit Connect and will have a top speed of 75 mph, has a targeted range of up to 80 miles on a full charge.

Owners will have the option of recharging the Transit Connect Electric with either a standard 120V outlet or preferably a 240V charge station installed at the user's base of operations for optimal recharging in six to eight hours. A transportable cord that works with both types of outlets will be available for recharging at both kinds of locations.

The vehicle's charge port is located above the passenger-side rear wheel well. The onboard liquid-cooled 28-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack is charged by connecting the charge port to a power outlet. Inside the vehicle, an onboard charger converts the AC power from the electric grid to DC power to charge the battery pack.

"We're excited about the potential for our electrified vehicles," said Praveen Cherian, program manager for the Transit Connect Electric, who added that today's electric vehicle buyers are similar to early adopters of hybrid vehicles. "People were a little hesitant about hybrid technology at first, but now they accept it and embrace it. We expect the same will be true of electric vehicles."

Driving on electric power
When the vehicle is operating, battery power is provided to the drive motor through the electric powertrain's motor controller. The motor controller uses throttle input from the driver to convert DC power supplied by the battery into three precisely timed signals used to drive the motor.

The onboard DC/DC converter allows the vehicle's main battery pack to charge the onboard 12V battery, which powers the vehicle's various accessories, such as headlights, power steering and coolant pumps.

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