Talking About Automobiles

The almost 45,000 spectators of the 20th Annual Performance Racing Industry Trade Show were the witnesses to how the show has gone at its best. Held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida for three years now, although I’m not one of those lucky 45,000 present at the actual event, autocahnnel.com listed the major highlights…let’s not be left in the dark. See below.

A number of significant achievements at the world’s largest racing trade show were set this year:

Booth count was up to 4,250, with 1,450 exhibitors participating. Both are new records for the Show!

Visitors from across the U.S. were joined by attendees and buyers from 47 countries.
Fox TV NASCAR Commentator Jeff Hammond once again hosted a lively discussion at the Industry Roundtable with a number of expert panelists, with 700 in attendance.

2007 NASCAR Busch Champion Carl Edwards entertained a crowd of 3,200 at the Grand Opening Breakfast with personal stories about moving up the racing ranks from dirt to today’s superspeedways.

The second Snap-on Stars of Karting All-Stars produced a dynamic show, highlighted by its 18 pro drivers in the Masters division, from Jamie McMurray to Marco Andretti to Christian Fittipaldi and Ron Capps, all returning to their racing roots. Grand-Am’s Michael Valiante took the All Star win, while ICC National Champ Gary Carlton won the Karter Division race (and also placed second in the All Star race).

Friday night, Dec. 7th, 8,000 people were present for the 3rd Annual MOPAR-PRI Sprint & Midget Classic Presented by DHL at Orlando Speedworld to see tight, exciting racing in four feature races – Sprint Cars, Midgets, Focus and Legends. Bobby East won the Sprint feature race, while young Dakoda Armstrong took the Midget feature. NASCAR legend David Pearson served as Grand Marshall.

The AETC motorsports engineering conference preceded the PRI Trade Show and was well attended by racing engine builders, motorsports engineers and auto racing industry entrepreneurs.

The PRI Trade Show continues to offer companies, racing organizations and even individual racers and race teams the opportunity to make announcements. Highlights include:

Legendary motorsports journalist Chris Economaki announced Two-time World of Outlaws Champion Donny Schatz as this year’s Economaki Champion of Champions presented by Rockett Brand Racing Fuel

Mazda North American Operations showcased the MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development Ladder and announced that Playboy would become the new title sponsor for the 2008 MX-6 Cup

Lyn St. James discussed her new motorsports program, Project Podium, the first ever endowed scholarship fund for women race car driver

Grand-Am Road Racing Association announced a new racetrack for ’08, Thunderbolt Raceway, at the New Jersey Motorsports Park, which will host a Labor Day weekend event for both its Rolex and Koni Challenge series.

As GM Holden starts to export the Pontiac G8 vehicles, its Elizabeth plant’s production will equally divided both for export and domestic production. The Adelaide-based Elizabeth plant will go into full blast production of 620 cars per day or at a rate of one car per 76 seconds.
The announcement for this GM Holden milestone was made in a Holden Vehicle Operations event in Adelaide, South Australia. Famous personalities were seen in the affair including new Federal Industry Minister Simon Crean MP, the Acting Premier of South Australia, Hon. Kevin Foley and Hon. Theo Theophanous, the Victorian Minister for Industry and Trade.

The Pontiac G8 will be available in showrooms and dealerships all over America during the first quarter of next year. According to GM Holden Chairman and Managing Director Chris Gubbey, vehicle exports is needed for the company’s success.

“For 60 years, we have been producing world class vehicles primarily for the Australian market. That market has developed into one of the most crowded in the world with almost fifty brands now competing for a share of only a million new vehicles annually.

“GM has recognised Holden’s expertise and has entrusted the design and engineering of the Group’s large rear-wheel drive cars to us. This commitment is seeing us develop our exports which we see as a vital part of our business model going forward.

“The results are already evident. Vehicles are now rolling off the production line here at Elizabeth for export under internationally recognised brand names of Holden, Vauxhall, Chevrolet and now Pontiac. Next year, with our exports to Korea, we will add Daewoo to that list,” he said.

“In the last few years, over $500 million has been invested in upgrading the plant at Elizabeth giving GM Holden of the most flexible plants in the GM group,” said Chris Gubbey.

“This investment has enabled us to remain competitive and means we can achieve a diverse mix of models, both left hand and right hand drive, for markets around the world.”

The Automobile Association wants to make your Christmas and New Year driving merry and safe. The AA has prepared the following driving tips to help keep motorists safe this holiday period:

1. COURTESY – be courteous and show consideration to other road users. Obey the rules of the road. Plan your travel to avoid traffic jams and keep calm.

2. SPEEDING – excessive speed is a major cause of road accidents. Drive within the speed limit at all times and to the conditions. Watch ahead for slow traffic or road signs notifying a change in the speed limit. If you encounter sunstrike or heavy rain, or are unsure of the road, slow down.

3. MAINTAIN THE GAP – make sure you have a safe distance between you and the vehicle in front, so you have enough time to stop suddenly if you need to. Under normal driving conditions the two-second rule is an easy way to do this, although you will need to increase the following distance to four seconds in adverse weather or visibility conditions.

4. KEEP LEFT - keep to the left at all times unless overtaking, and then only if you can see 100 metres of clear road ahead of you once you have finished passing. Check your rear-view mirror and side mirrors regularly. If you are driving on the open road in peak holiday traffic turn on your main headlights in dip mode, this helps you to be seen by oncoming and overtaking traffic.

5. SEATBELTS – wear your seatbelt at all times, and ensure every passenger is securely restrained. Pay particular attention to children, and don’t forget to secure pets or loose items.

6. FATIGUE –get adequate rest and a good night’s sleep before setting off on a long road trip. Avoid driving at times you would normally be asleep, late at night or early morning are high risk times for fatigue crashes. If fatigued, pass the driving over to another driver, provided they are less fatigued, or quickly find a safe area where they can pull off the road to have a short powernap - 20 minutes is recommended.

7. DRUNK DRIVING – driving and alcohol don’t mix. If you’re attending a social function and intend to drink, leave your car at home or nominate a sober driver. Never get in a car with a drunk driver.

8. CELLPHONES – don’t text and drive, or talk on a mobile phone while driving. Statistics show that using a mobile phone while driving is as dangerous as driving over the legal blood alcohol limit. Ask a passenger to handle any phone calls, or if you’re travelling alone turn your phone off and check it only when you take a break.

9. CONSERVE FUEL – driving smoothly and avoiding unnecessary acceleration will reduce fuel consumption and be less stressful; you can cut 13% off your fuel bill by travelling at 100km/h instead of 110km/h. Reduce drag by keeping your windows up and not using a roof or bike rack unless you have to, and only use air-conditioning when absolutely necessary. Pull over somewhere safe and take a break if you get stuck behind a line of traffic.

10. LOVE YOUR CAR – have your car checked or serviced before starting on your holiday to minimise the inconvenience of a breakdown. Check the pressure of your tyres and make sure your registration is current, and if you own a diesel, buy plenty of reserve for the holidays.

For drag racing enthusiasts, nothing beats the IHRA. So I wont wonder that you are anxious of what the IHRA is cooking for next year’s series. I want to be of help so since I browsed this page from autospectator.com, let’s see what the 2008 IHRA would be like.

“Having to expand the schedule to accommodate the growing number of IHRA member tracks and weekly competitors is a good problem to have,” said IHRA Vice President of Racing Operations Skooter Peaco. “We have been able to make these events more exciting and a better value for our grassroots competitors by expanding the schedule. Our focus is on making these weekends full of bonus races as well as the main event so that the competitor can get maximum value out of the expense associated with traveling. With the help of our member tracks, we have been able to manage the numbers so that each event is still a big event, but competitors can race different races each day instead of spending an entire weekend for just one race. This multiple race in one weekend format has been working very well at the Summit Pro Am level and it only makes sense to work at finding more ways to put more fun and more racing into these championships at the local level.”

“This head to head competition between the proven best racers at each local track continues to be the most talked about program for IHRA sportsman racers,” said IHRA president Aaron Polburn. “When you can literally compete against the best season long racers on the local, regional and national level it really elevates the meaning of winning the Summit Super Series World Championship beyond the $250,000 in cash and prizes awarded. This is about being the best all year, not just during one race a year and that is what makes this program different from all others.”

Hinrichs is presently leading the North America Manufacturing of Ford as vice-president. In his new job, the 40 year old automotive veteran will now be in charge of the worldwide integration of the company’s manufacturing operations and its engineering support for vehicle, powertrain and stamping. His additional duty would be to supervise the company’s Material Planning and Logistics, Ford Production system, and Manufacturing Business Offiec organizations.

“Joe has been successful in leading the restructuring of our North American manufacturing operations and was a key participant in the recent contract talks with the UAW,” Mulally said. “In his new role, Joe will focus on delivering a global manufacturing plan that allows us to improve our efficiency while leveraging our scale worldwide. A global manufacturing footprint supporting a global product plan that delivers the vehicles people want and value are key to creating an exciting and viable company – that delivers profitable growth for all.”
Since Hinrichs will be performing a global and a North American role, he will be reporting to two immediate supervisors. For his global duties, he will be reporting to Mullaly and to Mark Fields for his North American role.

“Our plants in North America are more competitive and our launches are stronger, thanks in large part to Joe’s leadership,” Fields said. “Integrating manufacturing around the world and aligning it with product development on a global scale will make the entire business stronger.”

Before joining Ford in year 2000, Hinrichs had been into major manufacturing works. His major contributions at Ford were basically on the relation of the automaker and the United Auto Workers, basically its Labor force.

“I am excited by the opportunity to bring our plants and engineering functions around the world together into one, cohesive manufacturing operation,” Hinrichs said. “Integrating a global process plan and combining it with our global product plan allow us to accelerate our ability to produce the vehicles customers want around the world while continuing to improve quality.”

Ford Motor Co. now belongs to a new top ten list, the “10 Best Corporate Citizens by Industry 2007”. The honorific list was ranked by the Corporate Responsibility Officer (CRO) magazine and Ford ranked as the fourth best automaker in the CRO’s Autos & Vehicle sector.

“We are honored to be recognized by CRO Magazine for our corporate social responsibility efforts,” said John Viera, director, Sustainable Business Strategies Office, Ford Motor Company. “Since we see sustainability as core to our business success, we have been working to develop metrics, targets and milestones to be explicitly integrated into our business plan. CRO’s recognition is one indicator that our efforts are paying off.”

The bimonthly journal worked with IW Financial, a research firm based in Maine specializing in environmental, social and governance issues in several sectors. CRO and IW financial based its winners on how each U.S. public companies in their performance in eight areas, Environment, Climate Change, Human Rights, Employee Relations, Corporate Governance, Lobbying, Philanthropy and Financial. The partnership of CRO and IW financial awarded ten companies in each industry.

“We saw this exercise as a valuable way to decipher companies’ performance on things like governance and sustainability issues, especially when looking at how they did when measured against the companies that they duke it out with in the marketplace,” said CRO Editor-In-Chief Dennis Schaal.

“Ford Motor Company’s inclusion among “CRO’s 10 Best” means the company’s citizenship efforts, based on the metrics considered, were at least several notches above many of the other companies in that industry,” Schaal added.

In this installment of “CRO’s 10 Best,” the magazine covers six specific industries: Auto & Vehicles; Paper; Technology Hardware; Technology Software; Transport; and Travel & Lodging. An earlier report published in CRO’s September-October issue analyzed the Chemical, Energy, Financial, Media and Utilities industries.

“CRO's 10 Best Corporate Citizens by Industry 2007” expands upon CRO's annual “100 Best Corporate Citizens,” which will appear in CRO's January-February 2008 issue.

What’s General Motors’ most celebrated vehicle at the moment? After building a design studio, and after rolling the green carpet in Los Angeles, you will agree with me that there is no other than the Chevrolet Volt. Scheduled to debut and go on production in 2010, it will also be GM’s Robert A. Lutz’s cue for retirement. The GM boss made this announcement last Tuesday.

In 2008, Fernando Alonso will return to the Renault team in an all-new line-up with Brazilian Nelson Piquet Jr.

Renault team boss Flavio Briatorewas quoted in a statement last Monday saying, "Fernando and Nelsinho will form one of the most exciting driver line-ups of 2008."

Alonso said in an interview released by the team: "The decision hasn't been an easy one to make. I would like to thank all the other teams for their interest to have me work with them.

"I chose Renault in the end considering its commitment to the sport and because of its strong track record."

In 2006, Alonso left Renault for MacLaren but also split with the Mercedes-powered team at the end of November this year. Alonso’s leaving MacLaren was due to the team’s management refusing to give him special treatment than Hamilton.

He said: "I am delighted to be returning to Renault. This is the team where I grew up as a driver in F1. Now it is time for us to begin a new chapter.

"I'm confident that together we can move back to the front of the field."

In 2007, Renault was not able to win in any race.

Alonso went on: "Renault had a difficult year in 2007 but I know the team has real strength in-depth. I am confident it can produce a fast and competitive car and be back at the top in 2008."

Though he did not get the preferential treatment he demanded in the MacLaren team, he sure will get in Renault. After his failure to maintain his title and turning it over to Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen, the former champion is determined to win it back now that he’s in Renault once again.

Briatore said,"His abilities as a driver and a team leader are well known and we look forward to forging another strong partnership. He knows the team well and how we operate; he will feel comfortable straight away in this environment."

He also praised the team's young recruit: "Nelsinho is one of the most promising young talents in motorsport.

"After his success in GP2, he has spent a year learning the ropes as our test driver and getting to know the team; he is now ready to step up to the next level."

2008 is welcomed by Playboy by awarding their expected head turners, the “2008 Cars of the Year”. The top magazine for men sees it that 2008 is the year for high-performance hybrid outpacing former title holders, European imports ruling over domestic products and a premium car maker now making one of the most-fuel efficient vehicles at a cheaper cost.

Awards were based from test drives done by the automotive writers of the magazine themselves. The journalists traveled around the world, to evaluate each model sent by leading automakers in their showrooms. To determine the most deserving of them all, these vehicles were driven on tough driving conditions like steep hills, sharp turns. The award winning vehicles to be featured on the January issue of the magazine are as follows:

PLAYBOY'S 2008 CAR OF THE YEAR: Audi R8

This mid engine sexpot boasts a 420 bhp, 4.2-liter V8, and hits zero to 60 in a sexy 4.4 seconds

BEST LUXURY SPORTS COUPE: Maserati GranTurismo

Features a 405 bhp, 4.2-liter double overhead cam V8 packs 339 foot-pounds of torque

SMARTEST PURCHASE: Smart Fortwo

Sits eight feet by eight inches long and weighs a whopping 1,807 pounds

BEST SPORTS SEDAN: Cadillac CTS

With a base engine of a 3.6-liter V6 that develops 263bhp, it is just as quick as the CTS-V

BEST SUV: Land Rover LR2

Equipped with a Terrain Response feature that adjusts the AWD and suspension for driving conditions

BEST CROSSOVER: Buick Enclave CXL

Proudly sits on 19-inch wheels and is available with a luxury package including articulated headlights

BEST CONVERTIBLE: BMW 335i

Not only does it whip from zero to 60 in 5.5 seconds, its light-weight steel top retracts in 22 seconds

BEST EARTH-DAY CAR: Mercedes-Benz E320 Bluetec

Outfitted with three catalysts and a filter in the exhaust that erases every trace of smoke and N2O

BEST PINT-SIZE PERFORMANCE: Volvo C30

Dances on the sporty side with its full-width glass hatch and clipped Manx bobtail

The 2007 Australia’s Best Cars Awards had given the German premium maker, Bayerische Motoren Werke double joys with their BMW X5 and the BMW M3. The X5 grabbed the bragging rights in the Best Luxury All-Wheel Drive Category and the M3 won the title of Best Luxury Sports Car.

In 2001 and 2002, the X5’s predecessor also won the title in its category, and the second generation is even better with its 3.0d turbo diesel engine.

"The X5 did the job with consistently high scores and sealed the win with a couple of knockout punches in security, braking and handling; and, tellingly, 4WD ability," the Judges said.

"It's a big call to award a perfect 10 in any category, but it's particularly notable when it's for handling and we're talking about a large, all wheel-drive wagon.

"While this vehicle has the ability to be a serious off-roader, it is more likely to be appreciated for its luxurious appointments, precision handling and economy," Chief Judge Ernest Litera said.

The M3’s edge against its competitors is its F1 inspired V8 engine. In 2001 until 2003, the six cylinder parent M3 was an unswerving title holder.

"The BMW M3 is the ultimate example of precision and balance. This car has relegated some legendary machines to secondary status thanks to its technologically advanced 4.0-litre V8 and the best electronically managed selectable drive system. The M3 is simply an amazing machine to drive," Mr. Litera said.

"(The MDrive button) is a genuinely impressive feature that enthusiast drivers will love. You can dial up a setting to suit the conditions and your level of skill. You can have everything switched on and looking after you or partially/totally disabled for the ride of your life, especially on a racetrack," the Judges said in their summing up.

"The M3 is an amazingly competent, comfortable and rewarding sports saloon that happily 'tootles' around town and offers supercar performance and thrills when given its head," the Judges said.

"The ABC acknowledgement is an excellent reward for the thousands of dynamic BMW designers and engineers who consistently create the most exciting cars for the luxury market," said Guenther Seemann, Managing Director of BMW Group Australia.

"The ABC Awards back up what our customers know. BMW always delivers cars that appeal strongly to both the heart and the head," Mr. Seemann said.

San Francisco is famed by the Golden gate bridge but its gas is "golden" too. So if you thought that the Pacific Coast Highway scenes are free, you’re terribly wrong because gas pumps make you pay for it. In a span of one year, the price of one gallon soared by more than one dollar from $2.524 last year to $3.646 this year. Imagine!

1. San Francisco, Calif.
Price per gallon: $3.546
Price last year: $2.534
Annual per-person traffic delay: 60 hours

2. San Jose, Calif.
Price per gallon: $3.440
Price last year: $2.441
Annual per-person traffic delay: 54 hours

3. San Diego, Calif.
Price per gallon: $3.360
Price last year: $2.476
Annual per-person traffic delay: 57 hours

4. Sacramento, Calif.
Price per gallon: $3.348
Price last year: $2.387
Annual per-person traffic delay: 41 hours

5. Los Angeles, Calif.
Price per gallon: $3.344
Price last year: $2.447
Annual per-person traffic delay: 72 hours

6. New York, N.Y.
Price per gallon: $3.275
Price last year: $2.400
Annual per-person traffic delay: 46 hours

7. Buffalo, N.Y.
Price per gallon: $3.268
Price last year: $2.386
Annual per-person traffic delay: 11 hours

8. Seattle, Wash.
Price per gallon: $3.219
Price last year: $2.524
Annual per-person traffic delay: 45 hours

9. Miami, Fla.
Price per gallon: $3.191
Price last year: $2.263
Annual per-person traffic delay: 50 hours

10. Chicago, Ill.
Price per gallon: $3.181
Price last year: $2.316
Annual per-person traffic delay: 46 hours

The 2008 New Zealand Auto Car Magazine Car of the Year for the first time is entitled to a small car, the Mazda2 supermini.

Judges picked the minute Mazda against its behemoths which includes the Holden VE ute, Subaru Impreza, Ford Mondeo, BMW X5, Mercedes Benz C-Class, Lexus LS460, Audi R8, Toyota Highlander and the Audi TT Roadster.

"Mazda's engineers obviously know that every gram saved is one less that engine has to motivate, one less that a chassis must control in corners, and one less that the brakes have to arrest. They designed the new Two with this always in their minds, and the result is a car that effectively demonstrates that less really does equal more.

"Our judges were highly impressed with the way this car performed throughout the two-day judging process. It is a car that makes no apologies for being small, and combines a fun driving experience with the usual low cost of ownership that we associate with frugal superminis."
Because the small car’s edge over big vehicles is fuel consumption, Owen explained that fuel prices did not belong to the critearia of the panel of critics.

"Sure, the Mazda2 earned the highest score of the ten finalists for environmental impact, but winning this award required it to do a lot more than that. It needed to be a delight to drive on the road, and a thrill to chuck around on the track. In short, it needed to exhibit the pizzazz that most ‘sensible' cars lack."

The Best Technology of the Year award was received by Hyundai of New Zealand for making the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) system standard in all their vehicle models. The ESC system helps reduce fatalities and injuries in collision accidents.

"There were plenty of new technologies released this year, but most had an emphasis on in-car entertainment or convenience. With this bold marketing step, Hyundai have set an example that we hope the rest of the New Zealand motor industry will follow. Stability control systems are proven life-savers on the road, but they need to be made more accessible to consumers to have an effect."

In the most recent Consumer Reports Annual Car Owner Satisfaction Survey, Japanese cars beat those carrying American and European DNAs. There was a total of 39 vehicle entries in the Consumer Reports’ Most Satisfying List and 18 of which are Japanese. Out of the 18 cars shouting their Japanese nameplates, 10 are with Toyota badges.

The Toyota Prius was identified as the most satisfying vehicle for four consecutive years now. Aside from being in the pinnacle of the survey, 92 percent of Prius owners even said that they are even willing to buy another Prius. Toyota’s pride is followed by the German BMW 335i coupe/convertible followed by the Porsche boxter gaining scores of 91 and 90 respectively. For more details of the survey, see below:

To be an entry in the Consumer Reports list of Most Satisfying vehicles, a model must be hailed by 80 percent of their owners, enough for them to say that they may buy or lease another of it. Meanwhile, those in the Least Satisfying List are those of which less than 50 percent of the vehicle owners say that they would want the same car. The winners are listed in their categories in order of the most satisfying auto.

As part of Honda’s UAlbany Goes Green initiative, the Japanese auto maker has flaunted its FCX fuel cell vehicle at the University of Albany.

According to committee member Ken Jones, UAlbany’s Green Commerce Committee (an offshoot of the UAlbany Goes Green project) sent a special request to the Office of General Services (OGS), to be allowed to have the car displayed on campus.

In behalf of the State of New York, which has been leasing the vehicle from Honda at $500 a month, the OGS has been managing the use of the Honda FCX. OGS has established a small, compressed hydrogen fuelling station on the Harriman State Office Campus in Albany. It claims that the FCX has the capacity to run approximately 210 miles on a full tank of fuel. It has been normally used by state agencies like the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority.

Honda has been leasing the cars to New York and other states at a lower price due to their goal to have the data collected on their usage.

Jones said that fuel cell vehicles will soon be used by everyday consumers, and not just by a selected few for trial purposes. He said, “This is what the future might look like.” “It is consumerism that drives the market. These are alternatives to fossil fuels that might work,” he added.

The UAlbany Goes Green initiative is focused in encouraging university staff and students to “think and go green” through recycling and conservation projects.

Such plans prove that Honda is eager to join the other top automakers in promoting greener environment as global warming threatens to persist.