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Official: Lotus getting into the motorcycle business

Filed under: Lotus, Motorcycle, Racing

Lotus founder Colin Chapman is famously quoted as saying something to the effect of “Simplify, then add lightness.” We’re a bit amazed that it took this long, but someone appears to be taking that message to heart at the British marque, losing a couple of wheels, a clutter of bodywork and a whole mess of weight. No, Lotus isn’t planning another spindly Seven-style trackday racer, it’s getting into motorcycles.

Well, sort of. As an automaker, Lotus apparently isn’t directly behind this two-wheeled effort, but it does appear to have officially lent its brand and logo to a new company, Lotus Motorcycles, which counts former Volkswagen Group designer Daniel Simon, Germany’s Holzer Group and auto racing team Kodewa among its partners. The latter builds and races Lotus’ T128 Le Mans Prototype in the World Endurance Championship series.

The new company is touting an as-yet unseen motorcycle, a racing-inspired “hyper bike” called C-01, releasing only the image above – a carbon fiber fuel tank trimmed in Lotus’ trademark black and gold livery. Details are tough to come by, but the project is said to include a powertrain good for around 200 horsepower and construction involving titanium, carbon fiber and aerospace-grade steel.

The C-01’s shape will come from Simon, a designer who has not only worked at Bugatti, he’s also credited with a few Hollywood fantasymobiles, including the Lightcycle from Tron: Legacy and more recently the “Bubbleship” spacecraft used by Tom Cruise in Oblivion. The company promises that the legendary Lotus 49 racecar was a “main inspiration” in its conception, and “all color schemes pay homage to iconic Lotus racing liveries.” We can’t wait to see more, but we’ll have to – at least a little while. The company says we can expect further images and information in “the next few weeks.” For more, check out the company’s statement released via Facebook by scrolling below.

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Lotus getting into the motorcycle business originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 21 Jun 2013 18:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Saab picks Subaru exec as COO of North American business

Filed under: Etc., Saab, Subaru

Saab finally has a few bucks to spend, and the Swedish automaker is doing just that by grabbing Timothy Colbeck, former Senior Vice President of Sales at Subaru. Colbeck is being thrust into the role of President and Chief Operating Officer for Saab’s North American business operations. Colbeck certainly has his work cut out for him, but a fresh capital infusion and some new models on the horizon should help.

Saab picks Subaru exec as COO of North American business originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 09 May 2011 16:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Study: Auto business loves spam more than any other industry

Filed under: Etc., Technology

spam graph

Symantec spam graph – Click above to view press release after the jump

Getting spammed daily from all sides has become a fact of life. If you have an email address and use the internet, you will get spammed. Most likely numerous times throughout the day. In a recent study by Symantec, researchers found that the automotive business is the most-spammed industry out there.

According to the study, fully 84.3 percent of emails sent relating to the industry are considered spam. That’s more than the global spam rate of 81.3 percent, and higher than the rate generated by any other industry.

Not only is the auto industry’s rate the highest, it’s growing. In January of this year, the level for the automotive industry was 82.8 percent. That might not seem like a huge spike, but when you consider how many billion emails spammers send, the number looks a little more impressive.

Other industries are almost as badly off, with spam accounting for more than 80 percent of emails in the financial, chemical and pharmaceutical, education, manufacturing, marketing, public sector, IT and retail industries.

[Source: Symantec]

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Study: Auto business loves spam more than any other industry originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 16 Mar 2011 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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WikiLeaks reveals disturbing business practices of Buffett’s BYD

Filed under: Hybrid, China, Government/Legal, Earnings/Financials, Design/Style, Electric

BYD F3DM

_{2009 BYD F3DM – Click above for high-res image gallery}

Are Chinese cars nothing more than cheap copies of other automaker’s products in other parts of the world? That’s a question that’s been asked rather widely for the last several years as the numbers of large Chinese automakers has risen dramatically, and even more so as they have shown their wares at major auto shows outside their home country.

There is certainly no doubt that many, if not most, cars rolling out of factories in China bear a striking exterior resemblance to popular models from Japan, Europe and the United States. But do those exterior facsimiles go more than skin deep, and if so, does it matter? What about the actual guts of the vehicles – are Chinese automakers creating their own important new technologies, especially in the burgeoning eco-friendly segment?

These are the questions bandied about in a special report from Reuters, targeted specifically in the direction of BYD, the Chinese automaker that has been buoyed by major investments and backed by Warren Buffett. The big draw for Buffett and his money was BYD’s proprietary battery technology, which it uses on its own branded electric cars, some of which are supposedly coming to America.

Reuters, though, citing documents it received by a third party from WikiLeaks, charges that BYD’s battery tech may not be all its cracked up to be, and that sales of its EVs are painfully slow. Further, officials such as Guanzhou Consul-General Brian Goldbeck reportedly said two years ago that BYD’s vehicles may pass China’s lax copyright laws, but aren’t likely to in other countries.

Just as damningly, unnamed consultants claim BYD’s vehicles are very unlikely to pass U.S. safety standards, saying of one of BYD’s models, “If you shut the doors too hard, they fall off.” Removable doors… not good. Some automakers polled by Reuters claim that BYD requests just enough parts from reputable suppliers to reverse engineer the designs and then assemble them itself using inferior materials.

What all of this means for BYD and for Warren Buffett’s billion-dollar investment into the company remains to be seen, but it can hardly bode well for the brand’s chances in such competitive markets as the United States.

Gallery: 2009 BYD F3DM plug-in hybrid

[Source: Reuters]

WikiLeaks reveals disturbing business practices of Buffett’s BYD originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 10 Mar 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nissan luring business owners to buy new van with free upgrade packages

Thanks to its new NV series of body-on-frame vans, Nissan now has a stake in the commercial cargo moving market. But how will the Japanese automaker entice fleet buyers to stop their scheduled orders for tried-and-true options like the Ford E-Series and Mercedes-Benz Sprinter in favor of unproven models like the NV 1500, 2500 and 3500? The answer appears to be some clever incentives.

Instead of just dropping cash on the hood, Nissan is instead offering the choice of several no-cost options to help NV buyers convert their vehicles into a cargo-carrying juggernaut. Customers who purchase an NV can choose from a cargo management systems consisting of three 44-inch shelving units, a steel cabin/cargo partition, or an exterior standard roof utility rack or an interior rack for high roof models. NV buyers more interested in marketing than cargo enhancements can opt for a personalized graphics package from Original Wraps that spans up to 70 square feet. And if none of those options sound good, Nissan will cut $300 from the new van’s $24,590 starting price. Hit the jump to read over Nissan’s press release.

[Source: Nissan]

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Nissan luring business owners to buy new van with free upgrade packages originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 14 Jan 2011 18:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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How does Hyundai do business in the shadow of war?

Filed under: Hyundai, Kia

In the event of war, you can’t hurl Hyundais at the enemy

North Korean Shelling

Former General Motors Chairman Rick Wagner used to talk of “externalities,” those uncontrollable factors that he routinely blamed for the humbled automaker’s continuing decline. Other industry leaders preferred the term “headwinds,” but they were routinely referring to such matters as rising raw materials costs, unpredictable petroleum prices or, perhaps, an economic meltdown.

What most major automakers don’t have to worry about is the idea of having a shell land in the middle of their boardroom. But the news out of the Korean peninsula makes it clear this is a very serious, very real possibility for the folks who run Hyundai and Kia.

Paul A. Eisenstein is Publisher of TheDetroitBureau.com, and a 30-year veteran of the automotive beat. His editorials bring his unique perspective and deep understanding of the auto world to Autoblog readers on a regular basis.

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How does Hyundai do business in the shadow of war? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 24 Nov 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Yamaha and Hermès mix business with leather for special VMax

Filed under: Concept Cars, Motorcycle

Yamaha VMax by Hermès – Click above for high-res image gallery

Anyone who’s anyone knows that motorcycles and leather go together like gin and tonic. But usually the leather’s on the rider. Yamaha evidently figured it was time to turn that particular convention on its head, and teamed up with no less prestigious a clothier than Hermès to pull it off.

Now as you may recall from the Bugatti Veyron Fbg par Hermes – or for that matter from their Citroën 2CV or Smart ForTwo – the French fashion house knows a thing or two about trimming a motor vehicle. So they started with the Yamaha VMax, the very epitome of the muscle bike. With its four-cylinder engine and brushed metalwork, the VMax is about as mean as they come, until Hermes came along and decked it out in fine buffalo skin, covering everything from the head lamp to the exhaust pipe.

The special VMax was just recently unveiled at a motorbike show in Cologne, Germany. Unfortunately it’s a one-off creation at the moment, but it’s not the first time the two powerhouses have collaborated: go back fifteen years and you’ll find evidence of Hermes having similarly worked its magic on the Virago, the first Japanese V-Twin cruiser to give the likes of Harley-Davidson a run for its money.

Gallery: Yamaha Vmax by Hermes

[Source: Yamaha]

Yamaha and Hermès mix business with leather for special VMax originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 20 Oct 2010 18:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Last Mercury for retail business built on Sunday

Filed under: SUV, Plants/Manufacturing, Mercury, Earnings/Financials

Mercury

Ford is already well into winding down its Mercury line, and the autoamker has announced that the very last of the soon-to-be dead brand’s products built for retail sales was manufactured on Sunday, October 3. The final Mercury Mariner rolled off of the assembly line at the company’s Kansas City facility, putting an end to a brand with over 70 years of history behind it.

Even after the Mariner heads off into the automotive sunset, Ford says that it will continue to manufacture a handful of Mercury models for fleet and government service for a while longer, though mum’s the word on how long we can expect that practice to continue.

Interestingly enough, according to USA Today, most incentives on Mercury vehicles have all but dried up, even as the brand’s August production increased by 120 percent compared to July’s figures. Instead of cash on the hood, some areas are offering no-cost maintenance or similar programs. Even so, Mercury has continued to out-sell Lincoln right to the end – besting Ford’s luxury arm’s sales by nine percent in August.

[Source: USA Today]

Report: Last Mercury for retail business built on Sunday originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 04 Oct 2010 17:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Scion officially opens its doors for business in Canada

Filed under: Car Buying, Scion, Toyota, Canada

Scion to be sold in Canada

2011 Scion tC – Click above for high-res image gallery

Scion is a youth-oriented brand that was developed by Toyota to capture a younger North American demographic. By “North America,” Scion was referring to the United States – until now. Happy Youth-Oriented Car Day, Canada! Scion has just announced that the brand is hopping the border and ready to be purchased by “young, style-conscious Canadian drivers.”

The initial roll-out is set to take place in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver. Scions will be available through 45 dealerships spread between those cities. As the brand builds strength in the country, more dealerships and locations will be springing up.

A full list of the original 45 dealers can be found at ScionNation.ca/scion/dealers. The full 2011 lineup is available, including the recently-driven 2011 Scion tC. Thanks for the tip, Paul!

Gallery: 2011 Scion tC: First Drive

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Scion officially opens its doors for business in Canada originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 29 Sep 2010 17:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mopar gets into the vehicle tracking / parental tattletale business

Filed under: Aftermarket, Safety, Technology, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep

Mopar Jeep Wrangler Lower Forty

Mopar, the motor parts division of Chrysler, has enjoyed a nice long run providing parts and accessories for the entire Pentastar family. Whether you own a muscle car or a muscular off-roader, the Mopar catalog has you covered. Now it’s venturing into a new arena with the launch of the Mopar Electronic Vehicle Tracking System, or EVTS.

A vehicle is not an inexpensive asset and it’s smart to want to protect it. The EVTS allows you to do just that. There are three plans available – Base, Silver and Gold. Each offers an increasing level of protection and service. The Base plan features a GPS vehicle locator, real-time tracking if your vehicle is stolen and a $1,000 theft-protection warranty. Silver ups the ante by including text-based alerts for parents. If a set speed limit or distance cap is exceeded, the owner gets a text message (“OMG, Billy juz hit 107 mph! Hez gonna get spanked, LOL!!!”). In addition to the warning alerts, the Silver plan provides arrival and departure notices, a map of locations visited, an available 24/7 emergency service contact, automatic theft notification and an on-board panic button. The top-tier Gold plan has all of those features but adds unlimited online tracking and a concierge service. The concierge allows the owner to call for directions, make reservations and assistance for other personal queries.

The Mopar Electronic Vehicle Tracking System starts at $495, not including installation. The Silver and Gold plans require an additional yearly subscription priced at $149 and $249, respectively. Quite wisely, Mopar built the system to be transferable and upgradeable. Check out the press release after the jump for more details.

[Source: Chrysler]

Continue reading Mopar gets into the vehicle tracking / parental tattletale business

Mopar gets into the vehicle tracking / parental tattletale business originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 28 Sep 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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