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Chrysler closing Newark plant early, cutting shift in ToledoChrysler LLC has just announced two measures to help the privately-owned automaker scale back production to meet lower demand in the marketplace. The first is to move up the closure of its Newark Assembly Plant, which builds the Dodge Durango and Chrysler Aspen, from late 2009 to December 31, 2008. The second is to eliminate one of two shifts at the Toledo North Assembly plant that builds the Dodge Nitro and Jeep Liberty, also effective December 31. Chrysler says the Newark plant employs 1,000 workers, while 825 will be affected by the shift reduction in Toledo. According to The Detroit News, those 1,825 workers out of a job represent about 6% of Chrysler's hourly-workforce. These moves will also likely spell the end for the Durango and Aspen SUVs, as Newark is the only plant producing them and has been scaled back to one shift since July 2006.
posted : 10/27/2008 @4:19:26 PM
Air Bag: Volvo moves from safety to fashion accessoriesOkay, we know automotive merchandizing has grown into a big business these days, but surely this has gone too far. After Volvo trucks came out with their own fashion line (in case you missed that), Volvo cars has introduced... a purse. Perfect for all those soccer moms rolling around in Swedish station wagons, sure, but where does it end? The handbag was designed by Ilse Crawford – we're supposed to know who that is – and is made of the same perforated white leather available in the S80, V70, XC70 (um, those are all different versions of the same car) and the XC90 sport-ute. Don't expect to see too many of these on the arms of mothers picking up their kids from the local school in the afternoon, though, as they've only made 100 examples, costing the equivalent of $685 apiece. Feel free to check out the images in the gallery below if, you know... that's your bag.
posted : 10/27/2008 @4:13:11 PM

SEMA Preview: RIDES Hyundai Genesis wants to be techy's dream whip

When we initially caught wind that Hyundai had tapped a handful of tuners and magazines to customize the Genesis sedan for SEMA, we were prepared for some ungainly and wholly ridiculous offerings. Thankfully, the trio of coupes look promising, and even though the teased and spied RKSport sedan appears to take the Genesis to its illogical extreme, we've got two more to go before show time and one comes courtesy of the crew at RIDES. Looking to build off the Genesis sedan's strong points, the RIDES team has created a roving office with all the technological amenities your 21st century man-on-the-move would need. Three Macs are installed inside – two Mac Minis and a one MacBook Air – allowing back-seat slaves to the interwebs (that would be us) to troll the 'Net through a pair of tray-mounted wireless keyboards, 8.4-inch VGA headrest monitors and a WiFi connection. Included inside is an iPhone 3G and iPod touch, along with a Farenheit DVD player, Genesis amps, Morel Hybrid Ovation speakers and two 12-inch sub-woofers. In the unlikely event that you're stranded on the roadside, pop the trunk and you're greeted by a 20-inch Apple Cinema Display with keyboard and mouse mounted on a motorized tray. If the tech isn't enough, the back seats are swathed in suede upholstery, while the exterior benefits from custom 22-inch MHT three-piece wheels, an Extreme Dimensions body kit, custom bumper, lowered suspension, smoked taillights and quad-tip exhaust.

posted : 10/27/2008 @4:11:32 PM
Volkswagen to build test track at Chattanooga plant

Volkswagen is planning to open a new test track in Tennesee to accompany the $1 billion plant the automaker is opening in Chattanooga. The plant is being built to assemble a new family sedan targeted specifically towards the American market, and the test facility will be used to develop the vehicle. However it could also serve as a location for customers to pick up and try out their new vehicles in the security of a closed-track setting. Volkswagen pointed out that the track, which will join the company's existing Gila Bend facility in Arizona, won't necessarily be a high-speed circuit, pointing towards the track at its headquarters in Wolfsburg, Germany, where vehicles never exceed 85 mph. High speed testing takes place primarily at the company's Ehra-Lessien track, with a six-mile straight that allows for Veyron-style 250-mph runs. No more details were offered on the nature of the test track, but we're sure more will become available as construction progresses in Chattanooga, so stay tuned.
posted : 10/27/2008 @4:07:12 PM
GM considers selling off ACDelcoIn this economic climate, everyone is looking to generate cash and reduce overhead. And General Motors is certainly no exception, the automotive giant already having announced its intention to sell off its HUMMER brand. The General is also looking to offload its facility in Strasbourg, France. But the biggest sale yet could be the potential divestment from ACDelco, one of GM's parts subsidiaries. ACDelco has been in operation for over 100 years, and offers no fewer than 37 product lines encompassing some 100,000 different parts on offer, both for GM vehicles and those made by rival automakers. The sale of ACDelco is part of a campaign to raise several billion in liquid assets for GM, and in as bold a sign of the times as any, the corporation has selected Merrill Lynch to manage the sale process
posted : 10/27/2008 @4:04:06 PM
Bonhams to auction off Bruce Willis muscle car collection

Auction house Bonhams is gearing up for another landmark event, scheduled to take place in just a few days at The Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles. Enthusiasts undeterred by the financial crisis will find all manner of automobile and automobilia at the auction, including several Steve McQueen artifacts, a land-speed record-breaking 1949 Vincent motorbike, and a selection of muscle cars from the collection of action movie star Bruce Willis. Bruce will be offloading a prized collection of classic American steel, including a pair of Corvette roadsters (an original '57 and a '67 Stingray), a 1955 Chevy Nomad, a '69 Dodge Charger and the piece de resistance, a 1968 Shelby GT500 convertible. The star factor is sure to add to their value, and the latter is expected to fetch upwards of $150,000. For a closer look, head on down to The Petersen
posted : 10/27/2008 @4:03:15 PM
SEMA Preview: Trio of HUMMER H3s set to invade Vegas

HUMMER's presence at this year's SEMA show will be typified by a trio of tuned H3s, ranging from a mildly modded Alpha to an H3T ready to traverse the desert surrounding Sin City. The most sedate of the three is the warmed-over H3 X Alpha concept, which features new 18-inch wheels shod in 35-inch all-terrain tires, black chrome trim, body-colored bumper extensions and clear turn signal housings. The exterior is coated in Canyon Metallic, while inside, the leather seats, armrests and shift knob all receive contrasting orange stitching along with matching piping and a HUMMER Accessories DVD headrest system. Far more impressive is the H3T Weekend Warrior concept (above), which capitalizes on HUMMER's off-road cred with a series of engine and suspension mods. Output of the 5.3-liter V8 has been increased by around 70 hp through the use of an LS2 cylinder head, high-lift cam and custom 3.5-inch exhaust. Rolling stock is comprised of HUMMER Accessories' 20-inch wheels wrapped in BFGoodrich Baja T/A rubber, suspended by a Light Racing Jounce Shocks and Rod Hall Racing piggyback performance reservoirs, with brakes provided by DBA. Finally, Four Wheeler magazine got its own H3 Alpha to play with, and began by "de-glossing" the Victory Red paint scheme with a PPG flattening agent mixed with clear to give it an incredibly cool satin appearance. The only engine mod is a MagnaFlow cat-back exhaust, but what Four Wheeler didn't spend on motivation it made up for with suspension components. Nitrogen-charged, two-inch Rod Hall Racing performance shocks and Light Racing Jounce Shocks compliment the flat-black 16-inch Simulock wheels coated in BFG Mud-Terrain T/A tires.
posted : 10/22/2008 @11:09:28 PM
VIDEO: Top Gear season 12 teaser

With production underway on spin-offs in locations as diverse as Australia, Russia and these United States, the original crew of Top Gear are back at it again with their all-new season scheduled to debut just a couple of weeks from now on November 2. And to keep our interests piqued (as if that were needed), the BBC has released a commercial full of teasers of what Clarkson, Hammond and May will be up to for our viewing enjoyment this season. Follow the jump to watch the video, where you'll spot quick clips of the Veritas, BMW M3, Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4, Pagani Zonda, Bugatti Veyron, an American special featuring the Dodge Challenger, Corvette ZR-1 and Cadillac CTS-V, and Mika Hakkinen driving the Mercedes C63 AMG as well as adventures in big-rig trucks, a double-decker bus and what appears to be a Sunseeker Predator speedboat, to say nothing of their trip to Vietnam. Check it out.
more ...
posted : 10/22/2008 @11:07:29 PM
Destroy Travel the Earth in the MAN Action Mobil Globecruiser

The Action Mobil Globecruiser is more of a superhero support vehicle than something meant for the average guy or gal. The stats: 783-cubic-inch, 530 hp six-cylinder diesel, 12-speed automatic, permanent AWD, two locking differentials, ABS, a 219-gallon fuel tank, a 154-gallon water tank, 2.4-inch thick sandwich plate fibreglass walls and doors, burglar-proof windows, insulated plumbing, and heating via water radiators. Oh, and it's got a flushing, porcelain toilet. If you think you need a vehicle like this, either your name is "U.S. Military" or you dress up in a funny costume with rubberized six-pack abs and fight for justice while your tuxedo'ed helpmeet follows you around -- and pulverizes the Earth -- in this 31-foot colossus. And you're probably rich, because the Globecruiser costs €490,000. We think it's 42,000-pounds of straight-up cool, and a much hoped-for candidate for the Autoblog Garage.
posted : 10/22/2008 @11:00:31 PM
Spy Shots: Hyundai developing 4-door coupe?The oxymoronic term 'four door coupe' has been thrown around a lot in the past few years, beginning with the seminal Mercedes-Benz CLS. While the Mazda RX-8, with its reverse-opening rear doors, may fit the bill a bit more accurately, the genre is primarily comprised of long and low sedans with deeply plunging roof lines. Pretty as they may be, these cars aren't the most practical choices for every day transportation, but they are proving popular enough that newcomers such as Volkswagen and now Hyundai are testing the waters with more mainstream vehicles. The Korean automaker's entry appears to be based on the Sonata mid-sizer and would likely be equipped with the same powertrain options as its less fashionable sibling. A budget model with a similar silhouette as more high priced offerings could be a winner and we hope something along these slinky lines could be on the drawing board using the Genesis sedan's underpinnings.
posted : 10/22/2008 @10:45:04 PM
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