Auto Biz Guru’s blog

With the Chevrolet Camaro Concept at the 2006 Detroit Auto Show, GM has been surprised us all with the help of South Korean designer Sangyup Lee. And now Camaros fans have been waiting for the return of the badge since the fourth-generation model ended production in 2002. On the other hand it's been more than 2 years and we’re still waiting on the production model. GM won’t debut the production model until later this year. Well - keep waiting.

The fifth-generation of the Chevrolet Camaro won’t hit dealerships until spring of 2009 as a 2010 model. Joining the 2006 Chevrolet Camaro Concept was the Chevrolet Camaro Convertible Concept exactly a year later at the 2007 Detroit Auto Show. Both models will go into production in January 2009 at GM’s Oshawa Car Assembly plant in Canada.

The Road&Track says that the model will be available in three different trim levels including LS, LT and SS. The LS trim will get a 3.5L V6 engine that produces 220-hp, while the LT trim will get a 3.6L V6 engine with direct-injection producing 304-hp. The range-topping SS trim will get a 6.2L LS3 V8 that produces up to 405-hp. A 2.0L 4-cylinder turbocharged version is still under review and may replace the 3.5L V6 in the LS trim, while GM has yet to release any technical details for the fifth-generation Camaro. And the pricing for the Chevrolet Camaro Concept is expected to start in the mid $20,000 range hitting $40,000 for the SS model.

A team of Iranian designers come up with this bright cooking idea which actually isn’t as disgusting as it first looks. Your car’s exhaust is used as a barbecue to grill your food! Yeah! Those still sounds bad, but consider that the fumes don’t come into contact with the burger; the exhaust just heats the metal grill.

There are lots of ways to use your car for cooking, jiffy pop on the intake, plug in microwaves, and now burgers from your exhaust. Although we’re not quite sure if exhaust fumes qualify as char-broiling, the debate of the nuances of diesel versus gasoline flavoring has caused somewhat of a stir.

Even though this may be an idea prior to its time, as certainly exhaust fumes don’t carry the nicest of chemicals. You might consider holding off ’till hydrogen-powered cars become more practical and this device becomes a steamer instead of a smoker. At least that way your vegetables won’t take on a funky flavor.

The device works simply by attaching it to your exhaust pipe and driving around. This of course, could lead to a line of hungry drivers following you around in search of the nearest burger joint. No word yet if a version for cooking fries or baked potatoes is available for those of us with dual exhausts.

 

So, stop the car when you are hungry, install the device to the exhaust and back to drive, you’ll have a hamburger in no time. This way you don't need fuel for cooking while commuting and a large amount of energy would be saved.

 

Source: inventorspot.com

 

Kramer and a car salesman vow to drive a Saab 900 "into the slash" just to see what would happen, in an episode of "Seinfeld," Kramer said he had made it once but blacked out and wakes up in a dike with a full tank of gas. At this time there is a website that would have benefited from Kramer's experiment. Tank On Empty is collecting stories and experiences of how far each model of car can go past the slash before running out of fuel.

Well, so let's say you drive a Dodge Intrepid. Based on the Tank on Empty, the most mileage after the low-fuel light has come on is claimed to be 99. The smallest amount is zero and the average is 36.4. Unluckily, there are no distinctions made for any difference in engines, model years, options or geographical location. And, it turns out, 99 is the most miles users are acceptable to enter and drivers are not required to push their cars until they're dry.

The Tank on Empty site has a good idea trying to compile this kind of data. But it's fatally faulty methodology offers results that are, unfortunately, completely worthless.

As a replacement for light, what we need is to go back to the system Volkswagen once used. Until 1962, VW Beetles didn't have a fuel gauge. Instead, when your car's tank ran empty and sputtered to a stop, you flipped a lever that activated a small fuel reserve that would hopefully give you time to find a place to refuel. Classic VW owners fast learned how to calculate their remaining travel time.

Source: tankonempty.com and wikipedia.org

Remember your environment while you are still young.  This could possibly be the message of General Motors (GM) in sponsoring the Chevy Rocks the Future in celebration of the 2008 Oscar Award Week. 

Two years ago, a research conducted by the University of California revealed that the film and TV industry are among the leading air polluters.  According to filmguardian.co.uk, diesel generators that power a film set and power plants that provide electricity to a studio are also sources of direct and indirect emissions.

University of California’s Head of the Environment Institute Mary Nichols said that although many people call Hollywood as an industry, most of them barely realize its connotative meaning.

“We think of the creative side, the movie, the people, and the actors -- we don’t think of what it takes to produce the product,” Nichols said in filmguardian.co.uk.

That is why the next generation of Hollywood stars is gradually being developed into environmentally-conscious young men and women. The Chevy Rocks the Future event celebrated the achievements made by Hollywood in line with environment protection.  During the event, GM also presented its latest environment-friendly technologies, which oriented the attendees on its practicalities. It certainly discussed how a GM AC condenser works in GM’s gas-friendly vehicles.

In paddocktalk.com, GM Western region General Manager Susan Docherty said, “Not only is Chevy leading the industry in providing vehicles that deliver fuel solutions ranging from gas-friendly to gas-free, it is engaging tomorrow’s leaders -- one student at a time -- to play their own role in protecting and preserving the environment.”

Live performances from Disney Channel’s Hannah Montana Kevin, Joe and Nick Jonas, better known as the Jonas brothers, graced the event along with other young celebrities who shared their own insights about Greening Hollywood. Well, the Jonas brothers have already done their part by driving their own Chevrolet Tahoe 2 Mode Hybrid Sport-utility vehicle (SUV), Green Car Journal’s “Green Car of the Year.”

The Chevy Rocks the Future event, held at the Walt Disney Studios last February 19, was participated in by kids from Hollywood.

Yes its 40! The Auto Channel reported that the Congressional support for the Motor Vehicle Owners' Right to Repair Act (H.R. 2694) has arrived at 40 sponsors at last! The great news was confirmed by Kathleen Schmatz, president and CEO of the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA), last week.

"We want to thank the three new co-sponsors for their support of this vital piece of legislation and their commitment to ensuring that their constituents retain the ability to choose where to have their vehicle serviced and repaired. Vehicles are becoming increasingly sophisticated with virtually every system either monitored or controlled by computers. Servicing these vehicles to keep them in safe working condition requires ready access to complete and accurate information from the car companies. Right to Repair ensures that car owners and their trusted repair shops have the same access to safety alerts and repair information as the franchised new car dealer network," says Schmatz.

Here are the the three new legislators supporting the "Right to Repair Act" are Reps.:

• Shelly Berkley (D-NV)
• Yvette Clarke (D-NY)
• Brad Miller (D-NC)

In case you want to know more, just visit RightToRepair.org and there you will find the full list of co-sponsors and a copy of the Motor Vehicle Owners' Right to Repair Act (HR 2694). Fix your fuel injectors now… it’s your right!

For the very first time, Detroit will be joining this year’s Woodward Dream Cruise, which boasts of festivities that attract over 1 million spectators.

Though still in the early planning stages, the Cruise, held on a Saturday every August, aims to raise money for charities in Detroit. What’s more, the Cruise will help spotlight the automotive heritage of the Motor City. "This event will bring the spirit of the Woodward Dream Cruise to the heart of Detroit," said Gary Familian, the executive director of MotorCities.

Aside from the charity event, the official cruising route along Woodward Avenue - traditionally from Ferndale to Pontiac - will not be extended to south of Eight Mile, said Dale Dawkins, the board president and CEO of Woodward Dream Cruise Inc.

“That's because historically cruising on Woodward took place in the suburbs,” said Dawkins, also a Bloomfield Hills commissioner. "If we don't stick with that, we kind of lose the whole basis of this."

Chris Baum, a spokesman for the Detroit Convention and Visitor's Bureau, said that he doesn't see that as a slight. "We just see an incredible opportunity to promote our region, especially if you're a car nut in America," he told DetNews. "Anything that can bring people downtown - from Cleveland or Auburn Hills - is a good thing, because it exposes them to all the changes down here."

Notwithstanding the event’s charity mind, some cruisers won’t be driving south of Eight Mile. "The safety factor is dwindling and you can't depend on the cops anymore," said Paul Schubring, 45, of Berkley, who has cruised in his 1979 "torch red" Malibu coupe for the last eight summers. "In general, I don't like being down there," he added. "It's not like I'm totally snubbing Detroit but I am, sort of."

So if you want to witness some 40,000 muscle cars and classic vehicles roll or park in nine communities along the historic avenue, join the Dream Cruise too. The flamboyant Cadillac XLR parts could bewilder you. But there’s more to satisfy your craving eyes…

The battle against the increasing price of petroleum fuel and the threat of global warming is raging.  Automakers like Toyota have created hybrid vehicles which can run on electricity although it still has an internal combustion engine.  Other automakers like General Motors are focusing on the development of flex-fuel vehicles.  These are vehicles which can run on either gasoline or alternative fuel like ethanol.

But the problem with these flex-fuel vehicles which are of course equipped with common auto parts like tie rod ends is that there are very few refilling stations which offers alternative fuel like E85.  But that is soon to be solved according to Gulf Ethanol Corporation reported The Auto Channel.  The company predicts that by the year 2030, there will be about $7 trillion that will be poured into the alternative fuel industry.

JT Cloud, Gulf Ethanol's president said that the demand for clean fuels is one of the reason for the estimated growth of the sector.  "We see new investment pushing alternative energy into the mainstream," said Cloud.  "Currently 6.5 percent of U.S. energy is produced using environmentally friendly technologies.  There is a major shift in public opinion under way that will make the majority of American’s clean energy consumers over the next ten years."

Hopefully, with that estimated investment, there will be a lot of refilling stations offering ethanol or biodiesel.  These alternative fuels will surely make vehicles produce less greenhouse gases which are the main culprits for global warming.  This push for a healthier alternative fuel industry will only be a success if the government will help private companies in their aim to make clean fuel available to Americans all over the country.

During the presentation and launching of new concept cars and production vehicles in the latest automotive event of the month, the 2008 Chicago Auto Show, the Ford Motor Company came in with big time quality automobiles and… a pretty small business van package! Ford is dancing to the rhythm of its international product forces to assemble and bond small business owners in North America with the European-engineered Ford Transit Connect. According to the Auto Channel, the Transit Connect is intended to bring a fresh vehicle alternative that provides superior fuel economy, larger load capacity and improved cargo convenience especially designed for American small business owners.

“Ford Transit Connect is built on a dedicated, commercial vehicle platform to meet the rigors business use demands. This workhorse is like nothing available today in the American market. The Transit Connect provides another example of Ford’s commitment to deliver 100 percent new or upgraded products that people truly want and value by the end of 2010,” says Derrick Kuzak, Ford group vice president of Global Product Development.

The Transit Connect is projected to be a genuinely hot stuff for North America. Its flanking rivals are cargo vans from Chevrolet and Dodge. The vehicle features simplicity in design but brags suitable standards as convenient as repair manuals.

“More than ever before, consumers are making the bulk of their purchases from the Internet and smaller, specialty businesses, which is increasing the volume of small package deliveries,” said Kuzak. “Transit Connect is ideally suited to meet those delivery needs because of its flexible package, compact size and fuel-efficient powertrain. It will make the delivery process for small business owners easier and more affordable.”

The Ford Verve made a huge splash during the recently concluded North American International Auto Show. News site on the internet had the Ford Verve on most of their articles. That was how the Ford Verve made an impact in the auto industry.

 

How, the Ford Motor Company’s newest subcompact unit for the US market may be manufactured in Mexico, freep.com reported. However, this may still be a rumor for at present, Ford has yet to confirm nor deny the mentioned issue. The only thing that the auto industry knows is that the company had mentioned that the Ford Verve would be made ready for the market by 2010.

 

Currently, Ford plants in Mexico are still doing their same old tasks - create Ford parts like F250 parts and assemble vehicles. But there are rumors going around that Ford is currently working on a production schedule in their facility in Cuautitlan.

 

Said Deep is a spokesperson for Ford and he shared, “We’ve not identified where we would build our new subcompact car.”

It would be another tough year for American automakers, possibly the worst after a decade.  That’s according to latest forecasts projected by auto analysts.

 

In manufacturing.net, auto analysts disclosed the possibility that US sales could drop for about 1 million vehicles this year.

 

“Car sales were remarkably slow in January, probably in part because of dramatic stock market fluctuations that flustered consumers at a time when the housing market and other economic uncertainties were also making headlines,” Jesse Toprak, executive director for industry analysis, said at Edmunds.com.

 

According to Bear Stearns analyst Peter Nesvold, macroeconomics pressures specifically declining consumer confidence and gas price hike are some factors affecting the auto market sales.

 

“For many consumers, a new vehicle purchase has become largely a discretionary item,” he added.

 

According to usnews.rankingandreviews, General Motors was the sole automaker that earned an increase in US sales last month, up by 2.1 percent compared to January of last year.  This was attributed to high sales projected by the Chevrolet Malibu and Cadillac CTS.  Meanwhile Toyota and American Honda Motor Co. Inc. announced the decline of their sales by 2.3 percent whereas Ford Motor Co and Nissan North America’s sales were down by 4 and 7.3 percent respectively. 

 

Seems like the auto industry really need a protective system to keep it from bankruptcy just the way an Acura Legend bumper absorber protects an Acura car.