If You Add Up The “Well-To-Wheel” Inputs – No Advantage. Bentley Eschews Hybrid, Battery Route; Thinks About Diesel. Ethanol Offers Cheap, Quick Route To Theoretical CO2 Advantage . Bentley, the British-based luxury carmaker owned by Germany’s Volkswagen, reckons biofuels are the key to cutting its carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions on the way to a greener future. […]
March 31 Becomes The Next Big Date. Hundreds of thousands of Detroit car workers and about two million more in the automotive supply industry across the U.S. can breathe easy this Christmas. Lame-duck president George W Bush has orchestrated a bailout package for financially ailing General Motors Corp and Chrysler of up to $17.4 billion. […]
Environmentalists Blast The Deal As Timid, Complacent. It looks like the European Union’s rules on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions won’t be troubling car manufacturers too much. The original target of an average 130 g/km will be phased in from 2012 to 2015, while penalties for non-compliance are likely to be much less onerous than first […]
Volvo Said To Be Worth Up To $6 billion, But No Takers For Saab. Ford said it is now looking for a buyer for Volvo, but the future of its Swedish compatriot Saab looks uncertain as its parent GM twitches in its financial death throes. At least investors seem to think there may be buyers […]
Hope For 2010 Rally Fades, But France Aid Limits Damage There. Fiat’s Marchionne Sees Chance Of Huge Corporate Shakeout. Merrill Lynch Though Has Some Optimistic Thoughts for 2009 . Next year looks like being torrid for European car sales, with the possibility that some major players might be taken over or lesser mortals expire completely, according […]
Big Car Features In A Tiny Vehicle. Looks Like A Smart, But Width, Packaging Adds Utility. **** out of 5 At first glance the new Toyota iQ appears to be a little Mercedes Smart city car lookalike. But when you get up close it is bigger and chunkier. Look inside and you will find […]
Financial Failure Will Trigger Shakeout, Finally, In Europe. Will BMW Buy Ford, Mercedes Go For Opel/Vauxhall? European has long been criticised for too much capacity chasing too few buyers producing a relentless shaving of profit margins. Manufacturers end up buying new sales to keep lines moving. “How do we take capacity out in an orderly […]
