Oracle of Delphi

There is no life west of the Chesapeake bay!

Hole

After you're done sticking your fork in Saturn, get ready to stick into Pontiac, It's a dead brand walking ...

John Revill Automotive News Europe February 13, 2009 10:57 CET ENLARGEGM wants 1.8bn euros to help Opel. MUNICH -- General Motors Europe President Carl-Peter Forster and other senior company executives met with German Chancellor Angela Merkel today to discuss the future of GM's Opel brand. No decisions over Opel are expected immediately, a government spokesman said. "The meeting covers solely developing information. Decisions will not be made," spokesman Ulrich Wilhelm said in a statement. Opel is seeking 1.8 billion euros ($1.93 billion) in loan guarantees from the German federal and regional governments in case its U.S. parent GM falls into bankruptcy. Forster, who is chairman of Opel's supervisory board, was accompanied at the meeting in Berlin by Opel Managing Director Hans Demant and Klaus Franz, chairman of Opel's works council. Following a morning meeting with Merkel, the Opel delegation planned to meet German business minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenburg in the afternoon. Sweden´s Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt today said tthat his government will not give any loans to GM subsidiary Saab. “Swedish taxpayers cannot take over responsibility for the future of Saab,” Reinfeldt told the TT news agency in Stockholm. According to media reports, GM has asked for $600 million (466 million euros) in credit guarantees for Saab, which is based in Sweden. Link: http://www.autonews.com/article/20090213/A.../902139993/1128

David Sedgwick Automotive News February 13, 2009 - 11:42 am ET I was a believer. I really thought Saturn could succeed -- if only General Motors would Europeanize the brand. I saw the light -- or so I thought -- in 2004 during a GM press trip at a swanky resort in Fayence, a town near the French Riviera. I offered Bob Lutz some free advice: Borrow Opel's cars for the U.S. market. American motorists would appreciate compact Euro cars with sporty handling. He smiled -- Lutz was way ahead of me on this one. He invited me to join him down on the lawn, where half a dozen Saturns and soon-to-be-Saturns were lined up. It was just before the Paris auto show. That evening, GM's senior executives wanted to explain how they were globalizing their product lineup. Saturn was Exhibit A. Displayed on the lawn were the Saturn Sky roadster and Aura sedan, the Opel Astra -- which later joined the Saturn lineup -- and the Opel Antara concept, which inspired the Saturn Vue crossover. I gaped. Lutz and GM's product planners had Opelized Saturn. It seemed like a sure bet: GM had created Saturn to appeal to import intenders. Now it was the real deal. The next day, we drove GM's cars over winding mountain roads to a racetrack that the company had reserved for the day. Lutz held forth at trackside, eating cheese with a knife and explaining the company's plan to go global. I was convinced. That morning, I'd ridden shotgun with Fritz Henderson as he gunned an Opel Astra hatchback up a mountain road. A younger Sedgwick in need of affordable transportation might have purchased that car on the spot. Five years later, Saturn is on the ropes. The cars aren't selling, and American consumers are oblivious to Saturn's European flavor. What went wrong? Saturn couldn't make enough noise. It was lost in the cacophony of GM's eight brands. Lutz and GM have had a number of product successes -- the Pontiac Solstice, Cadillac CTS, Buick Enclave, Chevy Malibu. But they were spread across all those brands. Perhaps if all those cars were Chevys or Cadillacs, GM wouldn't need a bailout. But how do you compensate all those dealers who sell the other brands? I don't have any answer for that, and Lutz doesn't seem to either. But I can't help thinking that GM left a big opportunity by the side of a French mountain road. Link: http://www.autonews.com/article/20090213/A...paign_id=alerts

Diana T. Kurylko Automotive News February 13, 2009 - 1:12 pm ET In an attempt to boost sales and lower its lease penetration level, BMW of North America LLC has introduced an incentive program that will make the first two payments for certain vehicles financed through its captive finance arm. The two free payments of as much as $750 a month, a maximum of $1,500 combined, is being offered on 18 models with high inventory levels, says a BMW spokesman. Eligible models include the 1 series and certain 3, 5, 6 and X5 variants. The offer does not include the 7 series, which is being replaced at the end of March, or the limited-production X6 crossover. The X3 crossover and Z4 roadster also are not eligible for the program because of low supply. BMW says buyers can combine the two free payments with APR financing ranging from 0.9 percent to 3.9 percent a month. On two models, the 328i and 528i, rear- and all-wheel-drive models, there's a finance rate of 0.9 percent for up to 60 months. The offer runs through March 2 on 2008 models and March 31 for 2009 vehicles. BMW has been pushing its lease rate down since last year from about 60 percent to 50 percent at the beginning of this year. "Looking at the rest of 2009, we may get it down a little lower, but this isn't a drastic move away from leasing," says a spokesman. BMW offered a similar two-free payment program on its certified pre-owned cars last year, the spokesman says. All new BMW vehicles are covered by a 4-year/50,000-mile free maintenance program. Link: http://www.autonews.com/article/20090213/A.../902139965/1078

Exactly ...

Luna

Chrysler LLC and Nissan Motor Co. have postponed plans to share a North American-built small car and a full-sized pickup until they can reduce costs. A third vehicle-sharing project, in which Chrysler will sell a version of Nissan's compact Versa sedan, will continue on schedule, the companies said late Thursday. The automakers blamed the interruption on a worsening economic picture, including dollar-yen exchange rates, that is throwing sales forecasts in doubt. "Because of current economic conditions, Nissan and Chrysler teams working on the two other projects have been asked to ensure that financial objectives for both companies can be met before these two projects move forward," said a statement distributed by Nissan North America Inc. The Versa-sharing deal will give Chrysler a car later this year to sell in South America. The plans now on hold include the next-generation Nissan Titan, which was to be derived from the Dodge Ram pickup, made in Saltillo, Mexico. The other paused project was to be a fuel-efficient Nissan small car that used a Chrysler design. Deal was product of better times Nissan and Chrysler made the arrangements early last year when Chrysler was seeking a global technology partner after the demise of its merger with Germany's Daimler AG. At the same time, Nissan needed a leg-up in the full-sized pickup segment, where its U.S.-built Titan was proving a development resource drain. Now a year later, both automakers' situations have worsened. Chrysler faces a Tuesday deadline to submit a viability plan to the U.S. Treasury in order to preserve $4 billion in federal bailout loans. This week, Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn said the automaker may post a $2.9 billion loss for the current fiscal year year, and is cutting 20,000 Nissan jobs around the world. Chrysler's dire outlook has drawn a new player into the equation: Italy's Fiat S.p.A. A source familiar with the Chrysler-Nissan alliance said the interruption of its plans with Nissan has nothing to do with Chrysler's global partnership talks with Fiat. But that deal would supply Chrysler with a lineup of new models based on Fiat's European vehicle architecture. Japan's automakers have been stunned by the appreciation of the yen against the dollar in recent months. Higher yen values raise the manufacturing cost of critical Japanese-made components, such as small-car engines and electronics. Both Nissan and its chief Japanese rival Toyota Motor Corp. have reacted to forecasted losses by ordering stern reductions in operating costs around the world, and by making cuts in capital investment plans. "Earlier this year," said a Chrysler statement released Thursday night, "due to the current economic conditions, Nissan and Chrysler leadership directed their teams… to improve the financial objectives for both companies before the projects move further forward." Link: http://www.autoweek.com/article/20090213/CARNEWS/902139997

Well we could talk about your broken door handle for another 5 days ...

BMW 5-series GT Greg Kable AutoWeek February 13, 2009 - 9:32 am ET BMW's desire to compete in every conceivable luxury-market niche has moved up a gear with the unveiling of the 5-series GT, a car known until now by its working title, the Progressive Activity Sedan. Although BMW will be billing the five-door liftback as a concept at its public showing at the Geneva motor show in early March, little about its bold design is expected to change before it reaches showrooms. In fact, the official photographs reveal the new car in its production-based glory. Only the trim will be altered before it sees the showroom, BMW says. By insisting that it is called a GT, for Grand Turismo, BMW is attempting to avoid its latest model being described as an MPV. In reality, it is a combination of both, with a dash of sport-utility vehicle thrown in for good measure. One of the primary reasons for the existence of the 5-series GT, according to BMW's outgoing design boss Chris Bangle, is an internal study that reveals an aging customer base that finds the traditional seating position of the 5-series sedan too sporting but at the same time considers the elevated seating in the X6 too imposing. "This is the most customer-centered car we've ever done," Bangle said. "We discovered a group of BMW buyers we were failing to reach out to at a sales level. We wanted to build a car to suit their everyday needs. There were no preconceived ideas. Everything you see is customer driven." The 5-series GT, which will be shown in production trim at the Frankfurt motor show in September (North American sales begin in 2010), is based on BMW's new large-car platform, first used by the redesigned 7-series. It rides on a unique 120.9-inch wheelbase that is expected to be shared with a long-wheelbase version of the next 5-series to be sold in the Chinese market. At launch, the 5-series GT will be offered only with rear-wheel drive, although the xDrive four-wheel-drive system is planned to be offered as an option in the future. The exterior styling is credited to young BMW designer Christopher Weil. Below the 5-series GT's waistline, the appearance and body surfacing resembles that of the next-generation 5-series sedan due out next year. Above it, the roofline and corresponding window graphic mimics the X6. Weil also integrated elements of BMW's CS concept into the design, as seen by the shape of the headlamps. The biggest exterior innovation is the 5-series GT's two-mode hatch opening mechanism. In the first mode, the vertical tailgate hinges upward, porthole style, to create a rectangular-shaped opening. In the second mode, the entire rear window and tailgate lift together to provide a large opening that is further aided by a parcel shelf that automatically folds away to provide unimpeded loading. BMW dealerships will have to find precious real estate to accommodate the new car when it arrives in North American showrooms early next year. At 196.8 inches long and 61.2 inches tall, the 5-series GT is about six inches longer and 3.7 inches taller than today's 5-series sedan, which will be replaced by an all-new within the next year. It is inside the car where BMW has directed much of its attention. "We spent a long time developing the interior, with particular attention given to everyday use," says Oliver Heilner, who is credited with the cabin layout. "We wanted a car you could enter without difficulty and feel comfortable in over long journeys." Among the steps to ensure a large door opening is the adoption of frameless doors. "There was a compromise with conventional doors because the frame robbed valuable space along the top edge," Heilner said. Inside, there's a luxuriously trimmed interior that draws heavily on the architectural look established on the new 7-series. The tall, 10-window greenhouse provides ample headroom, even in back where the roofline plunges dramatically. There's sufficient legroom in back to allow the 5-series GT to be used as a chauffeur-driven limousine. The front seats have been elevated by 2.4 inches over those in the 5-sereis sedan, with the crucial H-point (the height of the hip above the ground) put at 22.6 inches. Still, it's a good 6.2 inches lower than the X6. The concept bound for Geneva boasts a businesslike interior with four seats. However, production versions of the new BMW will get a bench rear seat to hold three people. To help improve cabin refinement, BMW has provided the 5-series GT with a partition between the rear seat and the trunk. "This helps isolate any noise emanating from the rear," says Heilner. The rear seats fold flat to increase cargo space. Early 5-series GT models are likely to offer a choice between the 272-hp naturally aspirated and an updated 326-hp twin-turbo version of BMW's 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder engine, along with a 407-hp turbocharged 4.4-liter V8. Also planned are 245-hp single turbo and 286-hp twin-turbo versions of its 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder common-rail diesel. Gearbox choices will include a standard six-speed manual on the base gasoline and diesel engines, with a newly developed eight-speed automatic on the others. Other engines will follow. Just don't expect a 507-hp 5.0-liter V10 GT-M5 version anytime soon. As part of BMW's EfficientDynamics program, features such as start/stop and regenerative braking will come standard. Also being readied for the 5-series GT is the first stage in BMW's new thermal-electric generator technology. Expect a standard steel spring setup on lower-end models, with an air suspension on high-end models. Active damping control will be standard. Both active front steering and BMW's new active rear steering--introduced on the 7-series--will be available. Link: http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/arti...paign_id=alerts

Looks like a VW/Dodge hybrid to me ...

Ganesh would not be able to fit in that, he is an elephant after all ...

EP IIs are the W bodies of our time ...

Saab, the Nordic expression of car design ... Now if they could just figure out how to put all the Saab parts in a box so you could build it yourself, just like you do at IKEA, I would be in Swedish heaven ...

I defer to your knowledge of dicktion. Besides, English is not my first language, German is ...

Well, it will have cup holders this time.

Yeah but 68 doesn't buy anything like that ... :rotflmao:

Priceless = 500 bucks ... :rotflmao:

The 80's called, they want their hair back ...

Happened to me today. I have been going to McDonald's last few mornings to get an unsweetened ice tea. Yesterday they were out of ice tea so I said OK and went on my way without it. Today I go into McDonald's and the manager sees me approaching the counter and says to me in front of a room full of customers, that I have the nicest blue eyes he has ever seen. I say thank my mother, I got them from her ... He says we have unsweetened ice tea today ... I say, that's good, I didn't get any yesterday ... He then says, well it's always good to get it as much as you can ... As a matter a fact the more you get it, the better off you are, that's how I feel he said ... He then says, we are still talking about ice tea aren't we? I say, I am ... He says, OK, I was just checking ... By this time, people are staring at him/me ... He then hands me my ice tea and a bag of food which I didn't order and says, this is on the house and then says he put two extra hash browns in there for me and winks at me ... I try to refuse the food, since I do low carb and would never eat a sausage McMuffin and two hash browns, but he says no, no, it's on the house ... The receptionist at my doctors, got a free breakfast today ... Has anything like this happened to you? If so what did you do or not do?

Don't hate ...

Just have the right products Rick when the market rebounds, and I will give you all my hairy love ...

I agree with you ...

He said to tell you all he will be back in a few days with a new computer, and it will even have a sound card this time ...