Automotive News - February 18, 2008 - (Page 16)

16 • FEBRUARY 18, 2008 ADVERTISING STAFF Bush seeks to save 2008-11 CAFE rules Harry Stoffer hstoffer@crain.com WASHINGTON — The Bush administration wants to overturn a federal court order that requires regulators to rewrite fuel economy standards for light trucks. A panel of judges on the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco exceeded its authority in issuing the order, administration lawyers said in a filing made public last week. The White House wants the full appeals court to review the panel’s decision. In November, the court panel told regulators to prepare a full environmental impact statement of the lighttruck rules for the 2008-11 model years. The panel said regulators’ initial cost-benefit analysis did not account for the value of reducing greenhouse gases. The administration’s request is an attempt to salvage the light-truck rules, which it adopted in early 2006. But it is also an effort to preserve the procedures that regulators will use to write and adopt future rules. Judges can tell regulators they were wrong but cannot dictate how to fix the mistake, the administration argues. New law kicks in Even if the administration wanted to follow the November ruling, it effectively has run out of time. Under federal law, automakers must get at least 18 months of lead time to adjust to changes in fuel economy standards. So it is already too late to revise rules for the 2009 model year. Changes for the 2010 model year would have to be adopted by April 1. That’s unlikely to happen, either. Last December, Congress and President Bush enacted an energy law that requires a 40 percent increase in fuel economy standards for cars and trucks. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will phase in those standards during the 2011-20 model years. “NHTSA will need to engage in a new analysis, including another look at potential alternatives to be evaluated” under federal environmental laws, the administration said in its request to the appeals court. Under the disputed rules, the lighttruck fuel economy standard is scheduled to rise from the previous 22.2 mpg to about 24 mpg by 2011. More important, the rules included for the first time a sliding scale for fuel economy. Trucks of different sizes are expected to meet different fuel economy targets. Size is determined by footprint — the area bounded by a vehicle’s four wheels. The fuel economy standards for 2011-20 cars and trucks are expected to include sliding scales. The new law requires vehicle fuel economy to rise to an industrywide average of 35 mpg by 2020. Circulation 313-446-0450 Advertising 313-446-6790 Classified Advertising 313-446-6065, 800-388-1800 E-mail lschlagheck@crain.com Web site www.autonews.com ADVERTISING AND SALES DETROIT 1155 Gratiot Ave., Detroit, MI 48207-2997 313-446-6790 Fax: 313-446-8030 Larry Schlagheck, Advertising Director lschlagheck@crain.com, 313-446-6790 Rick Greer, rgreer@crain.com 313-446-6050 Kathleen C. Lightbody, klightbody@crain.com, 313-446-6037 Russ Procassini, rprocassini@crain.com 313-446-0350 Karen Rentschler, krentschler@crain.com 313-446-6058 Jerry Salame, jsalame@crain.com 313-446-0481 Regional Sales Managers Bryan Foster, Marketing Director bfoster@crain.com, 313-446-6013 Ellen Dennehy Director of Relationship Marketing edennehy@crain.com, 313-446-6039 Cheryl Rothe, Marketing Manager crothe@crain.com, 313-446-6767 Lance Graves, Promotion Art Director lgraves@crain.com, 313-446-0469 Brandi Johnson, Marketing Coordinator bnjohnson@crain.com, 313-446-0326 Marie Hingst Classified Advertising Manager mhingst@crain.com, 313-446-6065 Dolores Lanivich, Denise Hendricks Classified Advertising Sales LOS ANGELES Justus Breese jbreese@crain.com, 323-370-2446 Pacific Region Sales Manager Lauren Ford, lford@crain.com 323-370-2447 Todd Landau, tlandau@crain.com 323-370-2466 Regional Sales Managers 6500 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90048-4947 Fax: 323-655-8157 NEW YORK Scott Ghedine sghedine@crain.com, 212-210-0126 Henry Woodhouse hwoodhouse@crain.com, 212-210-0125 Regional Sales Managers 711 Third Ave., New York, NY 10017-4036 Fax: 212-210-0489 CHICAGO Jim Farnan, Regional Sales Manager jfarnan@crain.com, 312-649-5257 360 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60601-3806 Fax: 312-649-5265 Big question The crucial issue raised by the Bush administration’s appeal is how to account for the value of reducing greenhouse gases. NHTSA had said it could not include that value in its cost-benefit analysis of the 2008-11 rules. The appeals court panel rejected that assertion. It also rejected the way NHTSA distinguishes cars from trucks in the corporate average fuel economy program. The lawsuit against NHTSA over the light-truck rules was brought by 10 states, the District of Columbia, New York City and several environmental groups, led by the Center for Biological Diversity. c COBALT GROUP INC. — Kevin Root to vice president of product and marketing at the Dealix division, which provides consumer requests for quotes. He had been vice Root president of products and services at the applications group. Cobalt Group, of Seattle, provides marketing services to dealers. MEXICO AUTOMOBILE TRADE ASSOCIATION — Eduardo Solis, 45, to president of Asociacion Mexicana de la Industria Automotriz. He replaces Cesar Flores, 65, who plans to become an auto industry consultant. Solis had been chief of the office of investment promotion in Mexico’s ministry of economy. NEOSYNERGY INC. — Patty Cox to chief marketing officer. She had been senior vice president and director of interactive media at Weber Shandwick public relations. NeoSynergy, of suburban Detroit, is a dealer software and services provider. ONECOMMAND — Fin O’Neill, 55, to the company’s board of directors. He most recently was CEO of Reynolds and Reynolds Co. OneCommand, formerly CallCommand, of Cincinnati, provides communications services for auto dealers. 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Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Automotive News - February 18, 2008

Ford cuts equipment combinations on '09s Lenders shun subprime market Toyota dealers test satellite service centers Despite cost, more carmakers use laminated glass Merger produces turnaround firm Chrysler would shut to move Plastech work Jeep accessories: Mo' for Mopar Auctions: Repos are rising Automakers face more child safety rules Supplier Personnel Family-owned stores could be tough sell for consolidation What would lineup be with brands under single roof? Mercedes will pay $9.5 million to settle suit Beru revamps strategy to boost profits, growth Jaguar: Dealers take 10,000 customer deposits for XF sedans Chrysler exec: Performance segment will survive Mahindra to offer hybrids in U.S. Mazda ad agency hires VW and Mini creative whiz Icy weather and perhaps boredom chill roadster sales GM, Saturn: What's after Reynolds? Ford: Mid-sized model year for mid-sized cars Kia's new American boss: Let's boost sales Rolls gets sporty Luxury brands push to meet demand in Russia Dealer is makers' best voice in D.C. Get real, Kia, Hyundai Face it, Detroit: Trimming dealers will be expensive GM has confidence in the Chevy Volt It's no wonder auto sales are declining A workable idea: GM dealer buyouts It's deja vu again with reborn 2CV Nothing beats face to face There's a person behind that e-mail Buying cars online makes perfect sense Bush seeks to save 2008-11 CAFE rules Personnel Lear investor: No regrets about blocking buyout GM CFO is mum on more aid to Delphi Dealers Road to tomorrow is paved with plastics Council aims to keep Ford current on environmental issues VW ponders Phaeton's U.S. flop, may try again McGuffie is Covisint's president In hydrogen race, Mazda seeks quicker route Suit seeks to enforce title-washing remedy Suppliers to the 2008 Buick Enclave Mercedes, Audi warn dealers: No sales for export Sykora wants CAFE flexibility Minority dealers see tough times in 2008 Arlena Sawyers Toyota goal: Create stress-free store NADA's Taylor predicts 15.7 million U.S. sales this year Honda widens support for dealer ad groups Jay's jabs Survival 101: Get lean, work harder Microsoft will test dealership system Farley wants market-by-market sales strategy Entertaining the troops Report: Detroit 3 cutbacks curb rental-fleet sales Dilts: High interest rates hurt industry GM asks for dealer assistance on quality On the Record Fisker: We're close to making plug-in car J.D. Power exec: Internet leads are slipping away Minority auto group nears 2 deals Garmin makes navigation technology deal Tenneco wins Ford work B-P-G focuses on new product push Volvo offers cash to thin the herd Cadillac challenges dealers to boost sales Chevrolet can stay No. 1, if it will fight GM will push a green marketing message Saturn is expected to be GM's growth brand Certified used sales help Honda dealer profits Hummer counts on pickup to perk sales Mazda will boost marketing budget, unveil Mazda6 Saab dealers to get new vehicles Toyota wants even better customer loyalty Infiniti stresses profits and customer satisfaction Mitsubishi CEO sets tough U.S. sales goal Nissan exec: New models will boost per-store sales Suzuki dealers cheer return of incentives Ford to boost dealer margins Jag dealers anxiously await the XF Ford executives vague about Mercury future Subaru dealers want diesels, hybrids Acura upscale shift inspires 'great faith in the future' BMW readies national loaner-car program Land Rover: Future upbeat, unclear VW dealers get vehicles on wish list Chrysler dealers OK with consolidation plan Mercedes pushes dealership standards Porsche shrinks as luxury segment lapses Large Hyundai dealers get more room to roam Execs' exit stuns Kia dealers Ford recalls 180,000 trucks over door part, fuel hose GM posts massive loss; eyes N.A. profits by 2011 Big-truck sales fall 33.5% in Jan. WTO rips China's tariffs on imported auto parts Fiesta will rejoin the party in the U.S. UAW's Valentine to Delphi: Hands off our pensions Rx for dealership flux: NFL draft + Mideast bazaar Toyota gets the boot in Mexico Nissan triples female managers Silverado hits a million, rolls on

Automotive News - February 18, 2008

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