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Report: VW, UAW hold high-level talks on organizing Chattanooga

Filed under: Government/Legal, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Plants/Manufacturing, Volkswagen, UAW/Unions

UAW New President

Volkswagen and the United Auto Workers union are now one step closer to achieving a deal that would see VW’s plant in Chattanooga, TN become unionized. If it happens, it would be the first major victory in recent years for the UAW at a plant in the United States run by a foreign automaker. The UAW had formerly represented workers at VW’s Westmoreland plant in Pennsylvania, which first opened in 1978 and is now closed. At present, the only non-Domestic facility in the States that is unionized is the Mitsubishi plant in Normal, IL.

While neither side is officially commenting, Automotive News Europe, citing a story in German newspaper Handelsblatt, reports that a meeting was held last Friday between plant officials and Bob King, president of the UAW. Negotiations are reportedly underway that would see a so-called German-style works council formed. This council would allow both blue-collar and white-collar employees to elect representatives that would have a say in any significant plant discussion.

VW’s Chattanooga plant is the only facility the automaker operates in the whole world that isn’t represented by a union of some sort, and US labor law apparently requires that an outside body, such as the UAW, be involved in any such negotiations. Horst Neumann, the board member for human resources at VW, said in March that “The UAW would be a natural partner,” but that any deal would “depend on negotiations.” It would seem those negotiations are now underway in earnest.

VW, UAW hold high-level talks on organizing Chattanooga originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 03 Sep 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: VW, UAW hold high-level talks on organizing Chattanooga

Filed under: Government/Legal, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Plants/Manufacturing, Volkswagen, UAW/Unions

UAW New President

VW, UAW hold high-level talks on organizing Chattanooga originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 03 Sep 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official: Entry-level F-150 now offers SuperCrew, Sport Package

Filed under: Budget, Truck, Work, Ford

Ford F-150 STX Sport Package SuperCrew

Ford has made a few notable tweaks to the lower end of its F-150 lineup, giving customers a more affordable version of the four-door SuperCrew body style. The popular SuperCrew could previously only be had on XLT models and above, but Ford has announced that 2014 F-150s with the base STX trim can get the more versatile body.

The STX SuperCrew brings the price of a four-door F-150 down from $34,525 to $33,145. Like the XLT SuperCrew, the STX will be available with the choice of a 5.5- or 6.5-foot bed, while a 5.0-liter V8 can replace the base 3.7-liter V6 for $4,425. Ford has not released pricing on the different bed lengths yet, but opting for the 6.5-foot bed on the XLT raises the price $1,240 and forces buyers into the 5.0-liter V8. We’d expect a similar arrangement on the STX.

The other big news for fans of affordable pickups is the addition of an STX Sport Package on the base-level truck. It adds 20-inch wheels, black exterior accents, black-and-gray cloth seats and decals on the truck’s box. The Sport Package is available on all three of the STX’s body styles, with Ford listing the price as $980 with current discounts.

Continue reading Entry-level F-150 now offers SuperCrew, Sport Package

Entry-level F-150 now offers SuperCrew, Sport Package originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 29 Aug 2013 14:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official: New entry-level Caterham Seven to get turbo’d Suzuki 3-cylinder

Filed under: Convertible, Performance, MISC

Caterham's next entry level car will have a 660cc Suzuki three-cylinder engine.

Caterham is lowering the price and adding lightness to its newest entry-level Seven, with a sub-17,000-pound ($26,061) window sticker and a new engine from Suzuki, a 660cc turbocharged three-cylinder mill that will produce less horsepower than the current 125-hp entry level model (it was not mentioned if the Suzuki-powered Seven will replace any models). The new, lightweight engine complements a re-engineered chassis featuring major suspension revisions.

Without releasing actual horsepower or fuel efficiency numbers, the automaker said in a release that the Suzuki engine is the smallest, cleanest and most efficient engine ever used in a Seven. That’s not surprising when considering that the engine we suspect Caterham will be using was designed for Suzuki’s kei cars in Japan, such as the MR, which are restricted to a maximum of 660cc and 63 hp.

“Our intention for this car is to offer the joy of the Seven in distilled form, so the new entry-level car is lighter, cheaper, more economical and more accessible than ever,” says Caterham Cars CEO Graham Macdonald. Check out the press release below for a few more details, and sit tight for word on North American availability.

Continue reading New entry-level Caterham Seven to get turbo’d Suzuki 3-cylinder

New entry-level Caterham Seven to get turbo’d Suzuki 3-cylinder originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 05 Aug 2013 14:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Auto leasing surges to highest level since 2005

Filed under: Car Buying, Etc., Marketing/Advertising

car shopper reading window sticker

Leasing is back in a big way, says The Detroit News. After virtually disappearing, lease packages with monthly payments below $199 and no money down are popping up everywhere lately, and those deals are finding consumers. Take it as a sign of economic improvement, but the reemergence could come back to bite automakers in a few years, too. With leases accounting for more than twenty percent of new car sales in February and March, a whole bunch of returned vehicles could flood the used market in just a few years, cratering the resale values that make automakers and lenders so enthusiastic to offer good lease terms right now.

If irrational exuberance takes hold again and artificially low, unsustainable lease rates are used to pump up sales figures, it’s hard to see how we’re not in for an eventual crash. Attractive lease deals on brand-new models like the Chevrolet Cruze are cause for concern to some analysts. Leasing is more often used to move luxury vehicles and aging models, so coming out of the gate with a sharp lease deal smacks of a grab at market share. General Motors counters that it has merely brought leasing back to 15-20 percent of sales, a healthy level, and it’s being careful.

Dealers are happy to see the increased showroom traffic the new surge in leasing has brought. Many stores saw sales implode as the recession was busy taking everyone off a cliff. Being able to offer a popular car with an affordable payment again is an effective sheepdog to direct people into dealerships, and besides, the used car market has been depleted for months thanks to measures like Cash For Clunkers and people holding on to their cars longer, keeping them out of circulation.

[Source: The Detroit News]

Report: Auto leasing surges to highest level since 2005 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 07 Apr 2011 17:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Infiniti bringing new entry-level car concept to Geneva

Filed under: Concept Cars, Geneva Motor Show, Infiniti

Infiniti sketch

Infiniti is on track to have a new entry-level model that slots below the G, and the automaker has announced that it’s bringing a concept that previews this new small(er) car to the Geneva Motor Show next month. With vehicles like the Audi A1 and A3, BMW 1 Series, Lexus CT and the Mercedes-Benz A- and B-Class on the market, Infiniti would likely do well to have a contender in the small luxury car segment.

The only information we have as of this writing is the official teaser sketch you see here, previewing what could possibly be a hatchback rather than a traditional sedan or coupe. Infiniti says that the new entry-level car will be “completely different to anything currently offered by our rivals.” We’ve heard that line before, but nonetheless, we’ll see what the Japanese automaker has up its sleeve in just a few weeks. Hit the jump for Infiniti’s very brief press release.

[Source: Infiniti]

Continue reading Infiniti bringing new entry-level car concept to Geneva

Infiniti bringing new entry-level car concept to Geneva originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 07 Feb 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lamborghini to position rear-drive LP 550-2 as “entry-level” Gallardo?

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Lamborghini, Rumormill

Lamborghini Gallardo LP 550-2 Valentino Balboni

Lamborghini Gallardo LP 550-2 Valentino Balboni – Click above for high-res image gallery

Following in the footsteps of its parent’s at Audi, Lamborghini has made all-wheel drive something of a battle cry. What was introduced as an option on the Diablo VT has now proliferated across every model Lamborghini has made since its introduction. Well… until the Balboni edition came along.

To honor the career of the company’s long-serving test driver Valentino Balboni, Lamborghini rolled out a purist’s version of the Gallardo that did away with the all-wheel drive system in favor of rear-drive only, dropped 10 horsepower and was available with a classic gated manual in the place of the e-gear sequential gearbox.

The Balboni edition – carrying the LP 550-2 designation to mark its metric horsepower output and traction configuration – was set to be the only rear-drive Gallardo available, until Lamborghini announced the Bicolore edition just the other day. Although sold overseas with all-wheel drive, the American version was announced as the first rear-drive LP 550-2 to follow the Balboni.

According to reports coming in from Italy, Lamborghini is now preparing to offer the LP 550-2 as a sort of “entry-level” Gallardo, undercutting the price of other versions while offering the more direct drivetrain set-up. Apparently Lamborghini already sold a number of these LP 550-2s to Asian customers who missed out on the Balboni’s limited production run, and will now offer the bare-bones Gallardo as a regular member of the family.

Gallery: First Drive: 2010 Lamborghini Gallardo LP550-2 Valentino Balboni

balbonilp5502fd_01 balbonilp5502fd_02 balbonilp5502fd_03 balbonilp5502fd_04 balbonilp5502fd_05

[Source: OmniAuto.it – translated]

Lamborghini to position rear-drive LP 550-2 as “entry-level” Gallardo? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 27 Jan 2011 18:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Infiniti debating anchoring line-up with both entry-level and halo models

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Hatchback, Infiniti, Luxury

Infiniti Essence Concept – Click above for high-res image gallery

It’s not uncommon for an automaker to be evaluating several potential products at the same time, but those models usually hover within the parameters of the company’s existing line-up. Not the case with Infiniti. Nissan’s luxury division is reportedly looking at going both up-market and down with a pair of new products to give it a much father reach than the current range.

First up is a halo model, and after looking at the competition, Infiniti has reportedly come to the conclusion that, in order to lure buyers into showrooms, they’ll need something attractive and high-end. And while a successor to the Q45 flagship sedan was once seen as a potential route, reports indicate that, if given the green light, a sportscar to rival the likes of the Audi R8, Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG and even the Lexus LFA would be the way to go. The show-stopping Essence concept previewed that notion, but Infiniti is reportedly still mulling the idea over, and the presence of the Nissan GT-R surely isn’t helping focus the picture.

At the other end of the spectrum, Infiniti has long been considering the idea of an entry-level hatchback model to take on the Audi A3, BMW 1 Series and Volvo C30. Arch-rival Lexus became the first of the Japanese luxury brands to earnestly pursue the segment with the CT 200h, and if Infiniti is serious about getting a younger demographic, it could opt to follow suite in short order.

Gallery: Infiniti Essence Concept

[Source: Ward’s]

Report: Infiniti debating anchoring line-up with both entry-level and halo models originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: BFGoodrich takes body modification to a new level

Filed under: Marketing/Advertising, Safety, Videos, Humor

BFGoodrich gets sticky – Click above to watch video after the jump

We don’t exactly envy the ad gurus charged with marketing tires. While a new set of sticky rubber may get our imaginations fired up in a hurry, the rest of the motoring public could typically care less about compounds, tread blocks and treadwear ratings. Despite being one of the most important components of any vehicle, tires just don’t get the love or attention they deserve. That sort of apathy is exactly why most tire manufacturers are forced to get creative when it comes to rolling out new ad campaigns.

BFGoodrich is attempting to fire up some sales with its new Bolt On campaign. Instead of blathering on about stopping distances or cornering ability, the company has gone through the trouble of attempting to demonstrate just how big of an impact a new set of tires can make for a vehicle by using body modification as a metaphor. Trippy. Hit the jump to see the first of a series of ads as well as a behind the scenes look at the making of the spots.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: BFGoodrich takes body modification to a new level

Video: BFGoodrich takes body modification to a new level originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 16 Jul 2010 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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