Automotive News - September 1, 2008 - (Page 30) 30 • SEPTEMBER 1, 2008 final assembly comment WHAT’S ON THE WAY >> View our entire Future Product series at autonews.com/future. The politicians (and I) need a new road map H eaded for a session of the Democratic National Convention last week, I made a wrong turn into Denver neighborhoods that, I’ll wager, hardly any convention-goers ever saw. It was a right turn toward perspective — a stark reminder that the worst urban ills aren’t found only in HARRY STOFFER slumping IS AN industrial cities, AUTOMOTIVE like Detroit, and NEWS STAFF troubled places, REPORTER IN like my WASHINGTON. Washington. Pervasive blight also infects the boomtowns where tens of thousands have migrated for new opportunities. I’m reminded of a top climate scientist who told Automotive News this: Global warming is a very, very tough problem, but it is one that society knows how to solve — with 60-mpg-or-better vehicles and more. But we don’t know how to fix poverty. Democrats say their presidential nominee has the right plans to solve a lot of problems. Significantly for the auto industry, a President Obama would make energy policy and climate change early priorities, Democrats add. Republicans offer their alternatives this week. But both sides package ideas with the harshest and most overblown rhetoric imaginable. Rep. John Dingell, D-Mich., a top industry ally in Congress, offered this — not at the podium but to reporters: President Bush is the worst ruler “since Caligula.” The theme in the arena — fittingly, a modern Colosseum — was similar, especially early in the week. Nearly every speaker added that a John McCain presidency would be more of the same. The poundings are great theater and high entertainment — necessary, we’re told, to attract TV viewers and rally party troops for the hard work and high cost of campaigns. But will more toxins in the poisoned political well help solve problems, difficult and intractable? Mark Warner, a U.S. Senate candidate and friend of Virginia auto dealer Don Beyer, said that, as Virginia governor, he worked with a Republican Legislature to get things done. The same cooperation is needed in Washington, he intoned. It was not the big applause line of the week. JAYANTA SHAW/REUTERS Protests could bring ta-ta from Tata I ndian farmers ousted from small plots outside Kolkata are protesting the way the local government took their land for a Tata Motors assembly plant and supplier park. And Tata Chairman Ratan Tata says that if the protests don’t stop before the scheduled October production start of the Nano minicar, he’ll abandon the site for the sake of his workers’ safety and build elsewhere. Along with the cost of such a move, the big downside for Tata would be time. Competitors already are rushing to design their own $2,500 two-cylinder cars. If Tata moves, the first Nano may not reach the market till 2010. The Nano might not even be the first $2,500 car on the market in India, let alone other global markets. Protesters at Tata: The chairman is losing patience. MG remains a no-show in North America M G’s plan to return to North America with a revamped version of the TF roadster is dead — or at least on hold. “The U.S.A. isn’t on the short-term radar as an anticipated market for us, but with the right product, it would be good to return there,” Gary Hagen, marketing director of NAC MG, told a reporter for the British Web site Austin Rover Online. Hagen also confirmed that plans to build MGs in Oklahoma from kits shipped from China have been killed. plans to set up an r&d center and factory in Ardmore, Okla. Nanjing then was taken over by Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp. “The deal fell through,” Hagen said of the Oklahoma plan. Last month, production of MG TFs started in MG Rover’s old Longbridge, England, plant. The cars will be sold in Britain. MGs were last sold in the United States in 1980. Numerous plans have been hatched over the years to return MG to the United States, but none has worked. 2010 2009 MG’s TF will be sold in Britain soon. Not long after China’s Nanjing Automobile Group Corp. bought most of the remains of MG Rover in September 2005, Nanjing told of Mustang silly H ow do you keep your pony car in the news when one competitor (the Chevrolet Camaro) moves closer to a highly anticipated launch, another (the Dodge Challenger) is winning acclaim from enthusiast magazines and your car (the Ford Mustang) isn’t due for a redesign until next spring? You try to get people fired up about the car’s new logo. A Ford press release says the new badge is more chiseled and is “faster-looking.” Here’s a photo of the new one, top, and the old logo, bottom. You be the judge. Dems reopen the CAFE O RICK KRANZ Ed Welburn and the Cadillac Cyclone, the car that led him to the GM design studio: “It is a very special car for me.” Welburn’s design journey began in Philly T his year’s Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance celebrated General Motors’ centennial with the display of 20 of the automaker’s Motorama cars. Today they’re called concept cars, but in the ’50s they generally were called “cars of the future.” One Motorama car in particular made a lasting impression on a young Ed Welburn, now GM’s design vice president. “What was the first Motorama car I saw? I was 8 years old. It was the Philadelphia auto show. I was crazy about cars, and the Cadillac Cyclone was there,” Welburn said in California at the Pebble Beach event. “It was an incredible experience for me. It is just like I saw it a week ago, sitting there at the Philadelphia auto show. That car is one of the reasons why I wanted to be a car designer — not only a car designer, but a car designer for General Motors. It is a very special car for me.” Hummer, king of the desert? General Motors has received interest from two separate investors from the Persian Gulf region to buy the Hummer brand. “We have had two separate investors raise their hand as being interested,” Terry Johnsson, GM’s Middle East managing director, told Reuters. But Johnsson said keeping Hummer still was an option for GM, and it was not a “foregone conclusion” that it would be sold. You may e-mail Harry Stoffer at hstoffer@crain.com ne feature of last week’s carefully scripted floor speeches at the Democratic National Convention was a call for higher fuel economy standards, cited by several surrogates for the Obama-Biden ticket as an important element of their comprehensive energy plan. The call came despite passage last December of a law that raises corporate average fuel economy standards for cars and trucks by at least 40 percent by 2020. The Democrats’ renewed emphasis on the issue at the Denver convention seems to confirm an old industry worry: No matter what higher standard automakers might agree to, environmentalists will demand more. But Bruce Andrews, vice president of government relations at Ford, said he’s not dismayed. The former Democratic congressional staffer said the next president will be responsible for carrying out last year’s law and likely will help determine what happens beyond 2020. Added Andrews: Higher and higher standards “are just a fact of life.” http://autonews.com/future
Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Automotive News - September 1, 2008 Automotive News - September 1, 2008 'Mr. Big Volume' hit again Auto ad spending plummets American Axle to grow outside U.S. Nissan, Renault aim to share more parts Steven Ribet joins Automotive News in Shanghai Salaried workers face the ax Asbury to challenge verdict Lutz wants loan guarantees VW passes Ford as No. 3 global seller in 1st half Suzuki in disguise Dodge hopes smooth ride of coil springs will distinguish Ram Candidates split on union organizing bill Check in the mail? Toyota, Ford can tell 10 CTS stays true to concept GM shifts some vehicle design work to U.S. Infiniti may add cars, big and small BMW slashes production of big engines Toyota cuts sales forecast Chrysler: Viper lures suitors Honda hybrid plan bets big on small cars Ford starts L-M consolidation meetings Obama renews aid offer — industry wants it now Honda taps rainwater to create wetlands U.S. loans could make sense, but can't be a bailout Wanna buy a car? Wanna buy a brand? PPG story recalls Exner's Imperial Toyota goofed on Scion; is Prius next? Editor grows up; import vet pleased Field reps blamed for GM's problems Honda Insight engine isn't noiseless Trucks, Vette fine; rest of GM, blah Reynolds to dealers: Replace aging servers by year end Saddle up! Dem delegates honor slain Arkansas dealer Kia makes a mark of its own Koreans step up; Indians step cautiously; Chinese step back The next batch of new Hyundais: Smaller, more fuel efficient To give fuel economy a boost, Hyundai spends big on r&d U.S. plans fizzle for most Chinese vehicles Mahindra delays U.S. retail launch until 4th quarter of '09 Dealers Personnel Despite tough times, Galpin profits by pimping rides Web service leads grow Uh, I didn't mean to say you should retire Remembering Phil Hill, racing's modest giant Mulally to speak at gadget show GM picks Volt battery supplier Split verdict in fraud case July auto output was up in Japan Bob Fisher Dems reopen the CAFE Hummer, king of the desert? MG remains a no-show in North America Mustang silly Protests could bring ta-ta from Tata The politicians (and I) need a new road map Welburn's design journey began in Philly Automotive News - September 1, 2008 Automotive News - September 1, 2008 - (Page Intro) Automotive News - September 1, 2008 - American Axle to grow outside U.S. (Page 1) Automotive News - September 1, 2008 - American Axle to grow outside U.S. (Page 2) Automotive News - September 1, 2008 - Suzuki in disguise (Page 3) Automotive News - September 1, 2008 - 10 CTS stays true to concept (Page 4) Automotive News - September 1, 2008 - 10 CTS stays true to concept (Page 5) Automotive News - September 1, 2008 - Chrysler: Viper lures suitors (Page 6) Automotive News - September 1, 2008 - Chrysler: Viper lures suitors (Page 7) Automotive News - September 1, 2008 - Obama renews aid offer — industry wants it now (Page 8) Automotive News - September 1, 2008 - Obama renews aid offer — industry wants it now (Page 9) Automotive News - September 1, 2008 - Honda taps rainwater to create wetlands (Page 10) Automotive News - September 1, 2008 - Honda taps rainwater to create wetlands (Page 11) Automotive News - September 1, 2008 - Field reps blamed for GM's problems (Page 12) Automotive News - September 1, 2008 - Field reps blamed for GM's problems (Page 13) Automotive News - September 1, 2008 - Trucks, Vette fine; rest of GM, blah (Page 14) Automotive News - September 1, 2008 - Saddle up! (Page 15) Automotive News - September 1, 2008 - Dem delegates honor slain Arkansas dealer (Page 16) Automotive News - September 1, 2008 - Koreans step up; Indians step cautiously; Chinese step back (Page 17) Automotive News - September 1, 2008 - To give fuel economy a boost, Hyundai spends big on r&d (Page 18) Automotive News - September 1, 2008 - Mahindra delays U.S. retail launch until 4th quarter of '09 (Page 19) Automotive News - September 1, 2008 - Personnel (Page 20) Automotive News - September 1, 2008 - Web service leads grow (Page 21) Automotive News - September 1, 2008 - Web service leads grow (Page 22) Automotive News - September 1, 2008 - Web service leads grow (Page 23) Automotive News - September 1, 2008 - Web service leads grow (Page 24) Automotive News - September 1, 2008 - Uh, I didn't mean to say you should retire (Page 25) Automotive News - September 1, 2008 - Uh, I didn't mean to say you should retire (Page 26) Automotive News - September 1, 2008 - July auto output was up in Japan (Page 27) Automotive News - September 1, 2008 - Bob Fisher (Page 28) Automotive News - September 1, 2008 - Bob Fisher (Page 29) Automotive News - September 1, 2008 - Welburn's design journey began in Philly (Page 30) Automotive News - September 1, 2008 - Welburn's design journey began in Philly (Page 31) Automotive News - September 1, 2008 - Welburn's design journey began in Philly (Page 32)
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