Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - (Page 18) 18 • AUGUST 18, 2008 green car Transporter joins the cars it delivers in going green United Road gains EPA’s Smartway Transport Partnership certification Craig Trudell ctrudell@crain.com As cars go green, so do the trucks that deliver them. Earlier this year, the EPA certified United Road, a transporter that delivers more than 2 million vehicles annually, as a member of the Smartway Transport Partnership. The partnership pushes freight transporting companies to improve the environmental performance of their operations. “We think Smartway will assist us in becoming more efficient in our use of fossil fuels and that it will drive better financial results for the company and our customers,” CEO Mike Wysocki told Automotive News. In the fourth quarter of 2007, United Road, of suburban Detroit, began its bid to join the partnership with a series of moves. First, the company went paperless. Truck routing, vehicle inventory and inspections all became digital and accessible to drivers. United Road also brought the aver- age age of its fleet of 1,200 carriers down to about 4.8 years. The industry average is about nine years, Wysocki says. The United Road’s trucks are equipped with auxiliary power units that cool their cabs, so drivers don’t feel the need to keep the engine running to get air conditioning when the vehicles are stopped on hot days. The trucks also have electric pow- er systems that allow drivers to load and unload vehicles without requiring that they leave the engine idling. Those two changes save an average of two gallons of fuel per hour of operation. “We measure our mpg by one one-hundredth of a percent,” Wysocki says. “Each one one-hundredth is material dollars to our company.” c Spend Less - Get More! Mini Cooper D(iesel) delivers, but not here yet Affordable “ Perfect for the dealer who has grown too big for Autosoft and Adam or needs to replace their R+R or ADP System” Sandi Jerome Editor Digital Dealer Richard Truett rtruett@crain.com Easy-To-Use Dealer Management Suite ACCESS® . Windows Based . NO LONG TERM CONTRACTS 1-800-227-8187 Prompt 5 www.ACSaccess.com ACS ACCESS: The Complete DMS Automotive Computer Services, Inc. - Mobile AL DETROIT — I’m cruising south on Interstate 75 at a steady 64 mph. If the fuel economy gauge in the car can be believed — and there’s no reason that it shouldn’t — I’m burning one gallon of fuel every 74 miles. I’m not limping along in some wimpy gasoline-electric hybrid. I’m not drafting behind a semitruck. And I’m not relying on any of the dangerous maneuvers that hypermiling ecogeeks use as they try to extract every inch of distance out of a gallon of gasoline. Nope. I’m in a 2007 Mini Cooper D, and I am driving it normally. The D stands for diesel. It’s a version of the popular hatchback that isn’t available in the United States — yet. Here’s a car that lets you have your high fuel economy cake and eat big slices of it, too. Just as important as the Mini Cooper D’s ultralow fuel consumption is its fun-to-drive factor. It’s off the charts in this car. The Mini Cooper D is quick. Its 1.6-liter turbocharged diesel engine propels the 2,600-pound hatchback to 60 mph in 9.7 seconds. Plus, the car is good-looking, the chassis is rock-solid, and the handling is as BMW says it plans to offer the fuel-efficient, fun-to-drive Mini Cooper D in the United States when the car is approved for sale in all 50 states. tight as a go-cart. The engine runs smoothly and, if you keep the windows up, quietly. BMW did a nice job of keeping the diesel chatter out of the interior. The Bosch high-pressure fuel injection system helps the engine run cleanly. I put my finger into the exhaust pipe expecting it to turn black from soot. It was clean. There was no exhaust residue in the pipe. The 2001-06 first generation of the new Mini Cooper also had a diesel engine. But that car, with just 75 hp, did not have the chops for the U.S. market — too slow. The second generation, launched in 2007, has 108 hp and easily can run with other economy cars in its class. BMW plans to offer the Cooper diesel in the United States when the emissions system is robust enough to allow the car to be sold in all 50 states. The company declines to say when that might happen. Diesel engine technology is expensive. But if BMW could figure out a way to sell the Mini Cooper D for about the same price as a loaded Mini Cooper S, the car could be a big success here. But they are a long, long way from that. For now, the Cooper D would cost at least $25,000, roughly $7,000 more than the base model. c Vessel coating cuts shipper’s water use Craig Trudell ctrudell@crain.com TOKYO — A Japanese shipper has begun using a special coating on its car-carrier fleet to reduce the amount of water needed to clean the ships. In July Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, of Tokyo, said it tested a water coat treatment on six of its more than 800 vessels. While water coat is used to clean buildings, vehicles and electric rail cars, Mitsui O.S.K. said it is the first shipping company to use the process on its fleet of vessels. Water coat is applied using highpressure washers. The University of Fukui and NM Corp., both in Japan, developed the system for the company. The coating contains glass molecules that slow the fouling process on vessel surfaces. The water-based treatment re- duces cleaning and coating frequencies, reducing water consumption. Testing also showed that water coat made it easier to rinse away dirt on glass windows that weren’t exposed to rainfall. Mitsui O.S.K. said its car carriers account for 12 percent of its revenue, which last year totaled ¥1.95 trillion, or $17.73 billion at current exchange rates. c Logistics company’s goal: Cut fuel use even more The global shipping company Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics LLC won three logistics performance awards from Ford Motor Co. last year. But it’s not sitting on its laurels. By the end of 2009, Wallenius Wilhelmsen plans to reduce fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions by 10 percent per transported vehicle. Over seven years, the shipper says it aims to cut fuel use 16.5 percent. Wallenius Wilhelmsen laid out those objectives in a report last month on its environmental-related achievements and goals. Those targets build on earlier improvements. Last year Wallenius Wilhelmsen reduced fuel consumption 30 percent while processing 12 percent more vehicles than in 2006. The company transports about 2 million vehicles by ground and 2.3 million by sea annually. Wallenius Wilhelmsen is owned by Wallenius Lines, of Sweden, and Wilh. Wilhelmsen, of Norway. — Craig Trudell http://www.ACSaccess.com http://www.ACSaccess.com http://www.actionim.com http://www.actionim.com
Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Automotive News - August 18, 2008 Automotive News - August 18, 2008 Smart answer: A tiny Hyundai from India Toyota idles factories — but can't lay anybody off Sharing the pain N. America: Brembo's big break? Ford adds 7 preferred suppliers; total rises to 65 Suit: Report of store's death is premature Lincoln crossover will get MKT nameplate Ligocki will head Mexican/Chinese car deal Industry tries lean lobbying at conventions Ford reins in F-150 order combinations Nissan will buy more in Mexico Leland, master of precision and luxury cars Honda will launch Prius fighter in April Porsche bolsters warranty on pre-owned vehicles CTS wagon arrives in spring GM: Aerodynamic design boosts Volt's range Denso is Chrysler 'Supplier of Choice' Kudos to Ford for improving supplier relations How do we define 'automaker'? Concept of leasing had been polluted Totaled cars: We don't need a new law Hybrids too quiet? Sounds like trouble Marketing tips for the 21st century Scion tries to get leg up when flexing its hip Scion ads show community of cool — but no owners July trucks sales fall; rate of decline slows Hargrove forecast: Good for now, bad for long term Mitsubishi plans plant to meet battery demand Mini Cooper D(iesel) delivers, but not here yet Logistics company's goal: Cut fuel use even more Transporter joins the cars it delivers in going green Saturn, Scion lost that special feeling Expert: CAFE debate irrelevant Chrysler plans unibody, fuel-efficient Grand Cherokee Panel: CAFE will change U.S. car mix Toyota revs up its aftermarket parts business Dealers Who's that sporting Brembos now? Moody's cuts GM rating Analyst Merkle moves Ford will sell stock BMW recalls 320,000 vehicles Intermet in Chapter 11 again GM adds 4 XFE models Delphi ends battery venture Chamco cases bounce around court system Mercedes sues Cobasys over batteries For a while, the party's over at Toyota Buy Hummer? Nyet, says Russian automaker What cars will be the cruisers of tomorrow? GM sets 'em up for Dems, GOP Chung sprung A good day at work: $22 million Automotive News - August 18, 2008 Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - (Page Intro) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - Sharing the pain (Page 1) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - Sharing the pain (Page 2) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - Ligocki will head Mexican/Chinese car deal (Page 3) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - Nissan will buy more in Mexico (Page 4) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - Nissan will buy more in Mexico (Page 5) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - CTS wagon arrives in spring (Page 6) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - CTS wagon arrives in spring (Page 7) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - Denso is Chrysler 'Supplier of Choice' (Page 8) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - Denso is Chrysler 'Supplier of Choice' (Page 9) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - Denso is Chrysler 'Supplier of Choice' (Page 10) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - Denso is Chrysler 'Supplier of Choice' (Page 11) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - Totaled cars: We don't need a new law (Page 12) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - Totaled cars: We don't need a new law (Page 13) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - Marketing tips for the 21st century (Page 14) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - Marketing tips for the 21st century (Page 14a) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - Marketing tips for the 21st century (Page 14b) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - July trucks sales fall; rate of decline slows (Page 15) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - Mitsubishi plans plant to meet battery demand (Page 16) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - Mitsubishi plans plant to meet battery demand (Page 17) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - Saturn, Scion lost that special feeling (Page 18) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - Saturn, Scion lost that special feeling (Page 19) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - Saturn, Scion lost that special feeling (Page 20) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - Saturn, Scion lost that special feeling (Page 21) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - Chrysler plans unibody, fuel-efficient Grand Cherokee (Page 22) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - Panel: CAFE will change U.S. car mix (Page 23) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - Panel: CAFE will change U.S. car mix (Page 24) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - Panel: CAFE will change U.S. car mix (Page 25) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - Panel: CAFE will change U.S. car mix (Page 26) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - Panel: CAFE will change U.S. car mix (Page 27) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - Dealers (Page 28) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - Who's that sporting Brembos now? (Page 29) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - Delphi ends battery venture (Page 30) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - Delphi ends battery venture (Page 31) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - Mercedes sues Cobasys over batteries (Page 32) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - Mercedes sues Cobasys over batteries (Page 33) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - A good day at work: $22 million (Page 34) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - A good day at work: $22 million (Page 35) Automotive News - August 18, 2008 - A good day at work: $22 million (Page 36)
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