agree? Archives | AutoDepot

Fiat workers agree to concessions at former Bertone plant

Filed under: Coupe, Sedan, Europe, UAW/Unions, Fiat

Maserati Quattroporte

Maserati Quattroporte Sport GT S – Click above for high-res image gallery

Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne has been working hard to improve the automaker’s labor situation in Italy, and it appears the effort is beginning to pay off. Automotive News reports that Fiat has come to an agreement with the union at the former Bertone plant, with increased work shifts and more flexible overtime as part of the agreement. The union initially turned down an offer from Fiat, which prompted the Italian automaker to suspend plans to rebuild the plant.

The agreement, which was agreed to by 88 percent of the workforce, makes way for Fiat to invest $739 million to overhaul the facility. Fiat plans to make the next generation Maserati Quattroporte at the facility, which has a reported launch date of mid-2013. The plant is also scheduled to build a midsize Maserati that will be tasked to take on the likes of the Mercedes-Benz E Class and the BMW 5 Series. The sedan is scheduled to begin production in the fourth quarter of 2012.

Fiat workers agree to concessions at former Bertone plant originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 05 May 2011 16:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Fiat workers agree to concessions at former Bertone plant”

NADAguides reveals 2011 “Must Consider” list… do you agree?

Filed under: Car Buying

2011 audi q5

NADAguides presents the cars to consider for 2011 – Click above for high-res image gallery

Consumer vehicle valuation and information website NADAguides has prepared a list of cars you should be looking at in 2011. Called the “Must Consider” list, the analysts at NADAguides have chosen seven vehicles they feel represent the intersection of value, performance, design and fuel efficiency. The vehicles on this list are also reportedly chosen because NADAguides feels the average consumer might not be considering it amongst their new-car candidates.

The Germans, Japanese, Americans, Koreans and even an Italian have a representative vehicle on the list. For 2011, the NADAguides Must Consider list is comprised of the following vehicles:

2011 Audi Q5
2012 Fiat 500
2011 Ford Taurus Limited
2011 Hyundai Elantra Touring
2011 Kia Soul
2011 Toyota 4Runner Trail Edition
2011 Volkswagen Golf

Per Troy Snyder, NADAguides Director of Product Development:

“Every year our team is excited to announce the NADAguides Must Consider List. The data for these vehicles highlight them as a smart choice for consumers, but the industry buzz or consumer awareness just isn’t there for one reason or another. NADAguides recognizes why these vehicles are a great option for consumers and wants to ensure they do not go unnoticed.”

The reasoning behind each choice is provided in the full press release waiting after the jump. While the machines themselves are all fine vehicles for consumers to consider, we have to wonder whether or not they were really off the consideration lists for many consumers in the first place… feel free to agree or disagree yourselves in the ‘Comments.’

Gallery: NADAguides 2011 Must Consider List

2011 Audi Q5 2012 Fiat 500 2011 Ford Taurus 2011 Hyundai Elantra Touring 2011 Kia Soul

[Source: NADAguides]

Continue reading NADAguides reveals 2011 “Must Consider” list… do you agree?

NADAguides reveals 2011 “Must Consider” list… do you agree? originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 12 Apr 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “NADAguides reveals 2011 “Must Consider” list… do you agree?”

Video: Mopar explains why Ram Runner is better than Raptor, do you agree?

Filed under: Performance, Truck, Videos, Chrysler, Dodge, Off-Road

Ram Runner Autoblog Short Cuts

Mopar Ram Runner Stage II Short Cuts video – Click above to watch after the jump

The Ram Runner Stage II kit makes for one very impressive Ram 1500. Performance modifications like beefed-up control arms, Fox shocks and 14 inches of wheel travel make us want to pit the modified Ram against the 2011 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor in a high-speed dirt race to the ~~death~~ finish line.

We’re not the only ones eager to compare the Ram Runner Stage II to the Raptor. Follow the jump to watch an Autoblog Short Cuts video of Jim Sassorossi, Director of Mopar Parts, as he explained to us why Chrysler believes the Ram Runner is better than the Raptor. In fact, Sassorossi brings up the Raptor no less than four times, and throws in “best in class” for the Ram Runner’s specs another another four times.

This will be a thrilling battle when Ford’s ready-made race truck gets pitted against Ram’s D.I.Y. wonder. To see what we mean, watch the video and then answer our poll below.

View Poll

Continue reading Video: Mopar explains why Ram Runner is better than Raptor, do you agree?

Video: Mopar explains why Ram Runner is better than Raptor, do you agree? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 07 Apr 2011 19:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Video: Mopar explains why Ram Runner is better than Raptor, do you agree?”

EPA, DOT, California all agree on timeframe for new CAFE standards

Filed under: Government/Legal

Last April, the three main fuel economy regulatory players – the EPA, the DOT and the State of California – announced new CAFE targets for the 2012 through 2016 model years: 34.1 miles per gallon by 2016. If there’s one thing U.S. automakers liked about this, it was that we had a “national standard” for fuel economy regulations. The U.S. has been shifting towards a cohesive, nationwide set of rules since 2008 and it looks like we had avoived the dreaded “patchwork” regulations that OEMs were so troubled by.

This week, the regulatory partners announced “a single timeframe for proposing fuel economy and greenhouse gas standards for model year 2017-2025 cars and light-duty trucks.” Whatever MPG number they agree to, we’ll hear about it from a singular voice by September 1 instead of an announcement from California in the spring and then a federal one in the fall, as had been expected.

Because of the Clean Air Act, California still had the authority to define its own motor vehicle emissions standards, but the feds have been working to make their own regulations strict enough to keep California happy while providing “certainty” for automakers that are building next-gen clean cars. Last fall, California “accepted compliance with these federal GHG standards,” and – for now – everyone is still playing together nicely.

[Source: EPA/DOT/CARB, USAToday | Image: BEHROUZ MEHRI/AFP/Getty Images]

Continue reading EPA, DOT, California all agree on timeframe for new CAFE standards

EPA, DOT, California all agree on timeframe for new CAFE standards originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 25 Jan 2011 13:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “EPA, DOT, California all agree on timeframe for new CAFE standards”

Democrats and Republicans agree on higher gas taxes, just not in public all the time

Filed under: Government/Legal

Senator Alan Simpson and Erskine Bowles

Senator Alan Simpson (left) and Erskine Bowles (right), Co-Chairman of the Deficit Reduction Commission

There is a sport in Washington D.C. that comes around like deer season every year: the gas tax debate. And stepping into the clearing this week with brown overcoats and deer antler hats are some former legislators and government officials – none of whom have to run for office – who are recommending a 15-cent additional federal gas tax starting in 2013 to help trim the federal budget deficit.

This measure has about as much chance of getting through the new Congress as a proclamation that would make Earth Day a national bank holiday. Still, given the fact that the Feds have laid a claim to my nine-year old son’s unborn children’s piggybanks, it’s worth a few minutes to air out the subject.

The co-chairman of the bipartisan deficit reduction commission, former Clinton Administration official Erskine Bowles and former Republican Senator Alan Simpson, have called for a sweeping set of reforms in the way of taxes, spending cuts and elimination of a myriad of tax credits and deductions to which we have grown accustomed – mortgage interest for one.
The 15-cent per gallon hike in Federal gas taxes is paltry by European standards, but would be used specifically for transportation infrastructure improvement: roads, bridges, etc.

Continue reading Democrats and Republicans agree on higher gas taxes, just not in public all the time

Democrats and Republicans agree on higher gas taxes, just not in public all the time originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 03 Dec 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Democrats and Republicans agree on higher gas taxes, just not in public all the time”

James May explains why supercars are ‘pointless’ – do you agree? [w/poll]

Filed under: UK, Celebrities

Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport 16.4

2010 Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport – Click above for high-res image gallery

Here we go again. Dante should have made the question ‘Do Supercars Make any Sense?’ one of his levels of hell near Sisyphus, since so many people love to wail and moan and gnash their teeth on it in circular fashion. James May, a.k.a. Top Gear’s Captain Slow, has taken up the query and come to the conclusion that the speedy little devils are pointless.

He intends to make his point by asking, “what benefit has accrued to Italy, principal arbour of the mechanism of the Renaissance, by their existence?”, and then by comparing the effect that supercars have have on the world to the effects produced by Gore-Tex and penicillin and the radio and the Maxim gun. Mr. May, you have us there – we’d rather our doctor prescribed us antibiotics and not a Ferrari if we had a staph infection. That is, unless we had at least seven days to live, in which case we’d take the Ferrari and trade a ride in it for a prescription.

Most supercars are as useful and as pointless as marshmallows, with little technology actually trickling down to more affordable machinery – at least on a consistent basis. In fact, we’re mildly surprised there’s any debate left in this issue – even in jest. If May wants to talk about pointless things, let’s start with the Salad Shooter or anything else sold by infomercial. We’d live without a Lamborghini Murciélago as soon as we’d live without s’mores, which means that we’d do it but we’d really rather not. Maybe the world hasn’t been changed by supercars, but our world has, and that’s good enough for us. Ergo, when May ends his piece with “Prove me wrong,” we’ll admit we can’t. But we can prove his article pointless.

How about you? Do you see supercars as pointless exercises? Take our poll below and then weigh in with your thoughts in Comments.

Gallery: First Drive: Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport

View Poll

[Source: Telegraph]

James May explains why supercars are ‘pointless’ – do you agree? [w/poll] originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 07 Oct 2010 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “James May explains why supercars are ‘pointless’ – do you agree? [w/poll]”

Top 10 car songs picked by AOL Radio listeners; Do you agree?

Filed under: Etc.

AOL Radio’s top car songs – Click above to see the list

UK company HPI recently put out a list of top ten road trip songs as chosen by its customers, with Lynyrd Skynyrd über alles. Now AOL Radio has put together its own list of car songs chosen by listeners, but these are songs about cars, not necessarily the ones you’d choose to play in cars.

Not quite as oddball as the HPI list, it still runs through eras and categories: Tracy Chapman (Fast Car), Foghat (Slow Ride), Metallica (Fuel) and the Clash (Brand New Cadillac) are among the chosen, as well as Gary Numan – who’s been popular lately – with Cars. At number one: War’s Low Rider. Take a little trip to the link below for the rest of the list and to have a listen.

[Source: AOL Radio]

Top 10 car songs picked by AOL Radio listeners; Do you agree? originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 11 Sep 2010 20:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Top 10 car songs picked by AOL Radio listeners; Do you agree?”