Automotive News - January 21, 2008 - (Page 14)

14 • JANUARY 21, 2008 DETROIT AUTO SHOW EDITORIAL STAFF 313-446-0361 E-mail autonews@crain.com Web site www.autonews.com Keith E. Crain Publisher and Editor-in-Chief Peter Brown Associate Publisher and Editorial Director DETROIT 313-446-0361 Fax: 313-446-0383 1155 Gratiot Ave. Detroit, MI 48207-2997 David Sedgwick Editor dsedgwick@crain.com Edward Lapham Executive Editor elapham@crain.com Richard Johnson Managing Editor rjohnson@crain.com John K. Teahen Jr. Senior Editor Mary Beth Vander Schaaf Deputy Managing Editor Anne Wright Curtis Assistant Managing Editor, Data Services Charles Child International Editor David Kushma Retail Editor Dave Guilford News Editor Philip Nussel Special Projects Editor James B. Treece Industry Editor Karen Faust O’Rourke Insight Editor COPY EDITORS: Bob Allen, Tom Fetters, Patricia C. Foley, Kenn Jones, Gregory Skwira Susan Zavela Bamford/Graphics Editor Rick Kranz/Product Editor REPORTERS: Leslie J. Allen, David Barkholz, Mary Connelly, Ralph Kisiel, Jamie LaReau, Arlena Sawyers, Robert Sherefkin, Richard Truett, Bradford Wernle, Amy Wilson Mary Raetz Senior Statistician Chrysler: ‘Hemi is not powertrain of the future’ Bradford Wernle bwernle@crain.com DETROIT — Chrysler LLC is looking beyond its legendary Hemi V-8 engine as it prepares for a new generation of car buyers and tighter fuel economy standards. “The Hemi is not the powertrain of the future,” said Jim Press, Chrysler co-president. “It’s the powertrain of today.” There will be a role for the Hemi V-8, Press said. But he added that buyers who didn’t grow up with the Hemi might be open to new defini- Chrysler’s Jim Press: Buyers who didn’t grow up with the Hemi may be open to new definitions of performance. tions of power and performance. An example might be the 268-hp electric motor in the Dodge ZEO concept sports car shown here at the auto show. Chrysler claims the motor will take the ZEO from 0 to 60 mph in less than six seconds — Hemi-like performance. Dodge says the all-electric engine, powered by a lithium ion battery pack, will go 250 miles between charges. Chrysler also has a family of highperformance V-6 engines in the works — the so-called Phoenix engines scheduled to arrive in 2009. These double-overhead-cam, aluminum-block engines will offer variable valve timing, cylinder deactivation and other features that should make them more fuel efficient. Chrysler isn’t standing still with the Hemi. A new 5.7-liter Hemi will arrive with the 2009 Dodge Ram pickup featuring variable valve timing and cylinder deactivation. Dodge says the engine will crank out 380 hp, 10 percent more than the current Hemi, while achieving a 4 percent gain in fuel economy. Chrysler developed its Hemi (short for hemispherical heads) in the early 1950s. The engine achieved legendary status during the muscle car heyday of the 1960s and 1970s. c Chrysler design chief Trevor Creed, left, introduces the Dodge ZEO, left, Chrysler ecoVoyager, center, and Jeep Renegade concepts. ENVI President Lou Rhodes is at right. Chrysler formed ENVI last year to help the automaker adapt advanced propulsion technologies. All three vehicles have alternative powertrains. Debi Domby, Camille Pippen Research Assistants Dan Jones Office Manager Robertta Savage Editorial Assistant Corinne M. Price, Michael Garrison Information Center LOS ANGELES Mark Rechtin/Bureau Chief 310-739-8009 Fax: 310-832-6362 Kathy Jackson/Reporter 323-370-2481 Fax: 323-655-8157 6500 Wilshire Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90048-4947 NEW YORK Diana T. Kurylko/Reporter Phone/fax: 908-273-6059 dkurylko@crain.com WASHINGTON Donna Harris/Reporter 540-668-7295 Fax: 540-668-7296 Harry Stoffer/Reporter 202-662-7212 Fax: 202-638-3155 814 National Press Building Washington, DC 20045-1801 MID-SOUTH Lindsay Chappell/Bureau Chief 615-371-6654 Fax: 615-371-6655 April Wortham/Reporter 615-371-6617 104 East Park Drive, Suite 315, Brentwood, TN 37027 TOKYO Hans Greimel/Asia Editor +81-3-3828-9060 Fax: +81-3-3828-9061 hgreimel@crain.com Yurakucho Denki Bldg., 20th Floor 1-7-1 Yurakucho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0006, Japan SHANGHAI Alysha Webb/Bureau Chief +86-21-6226-9485 Fax: +86-21-6226-9483 alyshawebb@yahoo.com TURIN Luca Ciferri/Reporter lciferri@craincom.de +39-011 961 0194 Fax: +39-011 961 0113 Viale Cavaglia, 8 10029 Villastellone (TO) Italy STAFF CORRESPONDENT: Eric Freedman/Legal file, 517-337-0269 www.autonews.com DETROIT Victor Galvan/Web Editor vgalvan@crain.com 313-446-0345 Scott Kennedy/Multimedia Editor Chrysler concepts show brand tweaks Bradford Wernle bwernle@crain.com DETROIT — A trio of concept cars that Chrysler LLC unveiled here simultaneously indicate how the company plans to reduce model overlap between its three bands. Jim Press, co-president of Chrysler LLC, says Chrysler is preparing for the day when more of its dealerships sell Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep under one roof. “Each of our brands will be part of the umbrella of Chrysler,” said Press. He said Dodge will be all about the “thrill of speed,” Jeep about the “thrill of off-roading” and Chrysler about elegant simplicity. Currently, “Dodge is a volume brand selling cars, SUVs and trucks; and Chrysler is the same thing” minus pickups, Press said. To develop positions for the three brands, Chrysler used the services of Research and Technology North America, a Palo Alto, Calif.-based think tank that Chrysler operates with former owner Daimler AG. The effort is integrated with Chrysler’s new ENVI initiative. ENVI is an in-house organization formed late in 2007 to help Chrysler get a foothold in advanced propulsion technologies. The advanced powertrain of each of three concept vehicles was matched with perceived characteristics of the brand, said Lou Rhodes, president of ENVI. The concepts — the Chrysler ecoVoyager, Dodge ZEO and Jeep Renegade — all have alternative powertrains. The Dodge ZEO is a four-seat sports car powered by a 258-hp electric motor. The Jeep Renegade has a small electric motor powering each wheel with a range-extending diesel. The Chrysler ecoVoyager has an electric motor with a range-extending hydrogen fuel cell. c Some of what we heard at the Detroit auto show “I have asked my engineers to come up with a plugin hybrid not at the end of 2010 but earlier than that.” — Toyota Motor CEO Katsuaki Watanabe “We get approached to sell Chinese vehicles. I say, ‘Hmmm. …’ I don’t want to be the one left holding the bag and standing in front of customers when the thing goes ka-fooey. I will not be an early adopter. Somebody will; somebody will regret it.” — Mike Jackson, CEO, AutoNation Inc. “There’s no reason the automotive industry can’t go to 100 percent E85 vehicles, and the world we love doesn’t have to change. It requires the least change in consumer behavior.” — General Motors Vice Chairman Bob Lutz “We were the last to the market, so we wanted to do something different.” — Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche, describing the styling of the Mercedes GLK small SUV “Clearly that’s not acceptable here. You won’t be “ He’s just trying to look at the truck. Chrysler LLC co-President Jim Press, referring to one longhorn apparently becoming amorous with another as Press tried to introduce the 2009 Dodge Ram pickup ” seeing a $2,500 car running around America.” — Ian Beavis, vice president of marketing at Kia Motors America, on the Tato Nano, the low-cost car introduced this month at the New Delhi auto show “If you can’t have a grape, then you say it is sour.” — Geely Chairman Li Shufu, responding to suppliers who say they won’t sell parts to Geely because the Chinese automaker pays too little for its components http://www.autonews.com http://www.autonews.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Automotive News - January 21, 2008

Campi will move fast to buy global Ford rolls out new F series — but will it stay No. 1? GM will push metro megastores BMW: We may need a 'green' brand Competition claims traditions German summit Toyota: We have enough plants for now Chinese pitch innovation, not just price Mercedes in, Cadillac out as sponsor of Masters golf tournament Auto show walkaround: Chasing the YIPS around Detroit New Acura TSX will get a diesel Toyota: We'll crack 35-mpg CAFE before 2020 Audi predicts 1 million global sales in 2008 Toyota crosses over into tricky segment LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Digital edition is a 'quantum leap' KEITH CRAIN: Here they come, ready or not EDITORIAL: Incentives war isn't the answer to sales downturn LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Toyota over Chevy? Don’t be too sure DIGITAL EDITION: You did your homework Chrysler concepts show brand tweaks Chrysler: 'Hemi is not powertrain of the future' Some of what we heard at the Detroit auto show Corvette has a future — but maybe a lighter, greener one Nissan exec: Cube is coming to America Subaru relies on new Forester Farley: Ford must groom the market Ford still funds Jag, Land Rover product development Ford will probably develop its new rwd cars in the U.S. Volvo considers North American production Good design: Solving problems, making a statement Horbury wants a more aerodynamic F-150 Hyundai upgrades next Sonata's interior M-B could build C class in U.S. VW hints at vehicles for new N.A. plant Customer demand for CTS sedans strains production capabilities at Cadillac GM to test ZR1 carbon fiber weight savings Honda Pilot has more room, power Indiana plant will boost Honda's flexibility Zetsche sees 20% diesel mix for Mercedes-Benz GM hopes to have E-Flex test vehicles ready by June GM to increase Enclave output Cadillac aims high with Provoq Pontiac to launch G8 marketing in March Big-truck sales fall 43.5% in Dec. Personnel Buckle up for a rocky '08, economists warn Canada sales up 2.4% in '07 Gioia: Ford hybrids will be profitable by year end American Honda opens workplace diversity office Dealers From CDs to Sync: Auto industry races to adapt in-car IT trends Microsoft exec sees a car as 'another room in the house' China's Geely plans plant in Mexico Chrysler exec: China exporters need time Murtaugh: Nissan deal won't affect Chrysler-Chery venture Strike by writers makes TV iffy for auto marketers Super Bowl auto advertisers get pre-game jitters Final Say GM bumps buyout total to 46,000 GM considers U.S.-made Astra Good Karma: Mean, green, fighting machine Purves confirms it: The end is near Rehab for designers: A change can do you good Tata's achievement: Redefining 'cheap' Fans remember auto commercials with sports themes Which brand is stronger — Scion or Prius? Engine advances bring cleaner emissions a step closer Suppliers to the 2008 Ford Focus Varable compression ratio makes a comeback Change the engine's stroke Integrate components to boost efficiency Reduce the size of the engine Eliminate the cams and count the savings ZF expects surge in new orders American Axle's rising son may be another Dauch Honda taps Web for workers Trelleborg unit adds tech center Kia restricts hiring at Ga. plant to Web applicants Magna pursues Ogihara Supplier personnel Age of intelligent transportation is getting closer Plastic spoiler saves weight Automotive News' cartoonist looks at 2007 8 will enter European Automotive Hall of Fame Pininfarina lifted family business to new heights Merciless cost cutter Calvet rescued PSA Opel boys turned bicycle venture into automaker Giacosa fathered the Fiat 500 JCI to supply batteries to Chinese automakers Automakers will spend more on digital ads Ford snares star role in return of 'Knight Rider' GM Certified markets online to Hispanics Writers' strike could benefit auto marketers

Automotive News - January 21, 2008

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