Road pricing trials to begin in 2010  
Road pricing trials will begin in 2010, and they could lead to drivers paying up to £1.30 a mile to use key roads at busy times.

The trials will be run in Leeds, North Yorkshire, Buckinghamshire, south-west London, Essex, Suffolk and Milton Keynes.

In each area 100 motorists will carry black-box satellite-tracking systems that monitor where, and when, a car has travelled.

The testing programme will start in January 2010, with additional members of the public to be invited to volunteer to join the trials later in the year.

The Government hopes that it can ease congestion by charging for using the busiest roads and making it free to travel on quieter roads.

Source : http://www.whatcar.co.uk (8/19/2008)

NASCAR Announces 2009 National Series Schedules  
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., -- International Speedway Corporation ("ISC") today provided details of the positive changes to its 2009 race schedules after NASCAR released its Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Truck series' schedules. Notable changes and additions for ISC include:

-- Auto Club Speedway's fall NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide race weekend will move from Labor Day weekend to October 10-11, 2009. Atlanta Motor Speedway, which is owned by Speedway Motorsports, Inc., will move its fall Sprint Cup and Nationwide races to Labor Day weekend in 2009.

-- Talladega Superspeedway's fall NASCAR Sprint Cup and Truck race weekend will move to October 31 and November 1, with the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup AMP Energy 500 becoming the seventh race in the "Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup." The ARCA RE/MAX Series event to be held on October 3, 2008, will move to Talladega's spring NASCAR race weekend anchored by the Sprint Cup Aaron's 499 on April 26, 2009.

-- Chicagoland Speedway will host a NASCAR Truck race during the evening of August 28, 2009 as a complement to the facility's IRL IndyCar Series race scheduled for August 29, 2009. The Chicagoland event will replace Atlanta's late-season position on the 2008 Truck schedule.

"We are very pleased with the changes to our 2009 schedule of events including the addition of a Truck race in the third largest media market of Chicago," stated ISC's Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, John Saunders. "Auto Club Speedway benefits by moving its fall events to later in the year when the Southern California weather is more comfortable. In addition, Auto Club's Pepsi 500 will become part of the 10-race Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. For Talladega, the combination of moving its fall races to later in the season and Atlanta moving its events to Labor Day weekend will result in more separation between Talladega and Atlanta's fall race weekends. We are delighted that NASCAR was able to revise its schedules to better serve our fans."

International Speedway Corporation is a leading promoter of motorsports activities, currently promoting more than 100 racing events annually as well as numerous other motorsports-related activities. The Company owns and/or operates 13 of the nation's major motorsports entertainment facilities, including Daytona International Speedway(R) in Florida (home of the Daytona 500(R)); Talladega Superspeedway(R) in Alabama; Michigan International Speedway(R) located outside Detroit; Richmond International Raceway(R) in Virginia; Auto Club Speedway of Southern California(SM) near Los Angeles; Kansas Speedway(R) in Kansas City, Kansas; Phoenix International Raceway(R) in Arizona; Chicagoland Speedway(R) and Route 66 Raceway(SM) near Chicago, Illinois; Homestead-Miami Speedway(SM) in Florida; Martinsville Speedway(R) in Virginia; Darlington Raceway(R) in South Carolina; and Watkins Glen International(R) in New York. In addition, ISC is a limited partner with Group Motorise International in the organization and promotion of certain events at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, Canada.

The Company also owns and operates MRN(R) Radio, the nation's largest independent sport radio network; the Daytona 500 Experience(SM), the "Ultimate Motorsports Attraction" in Daytona Beach, Florida, and official attraction of NASCAR(R); and Americrown Service Corporation, a subsidiary that provides catering services, food and beverage concessions, and produces and markets motorsports-related merchandise. In addition, ISC has an indirect 50 percent interest in Motorsports Authentics(R), which markets and distributes motorsports-related merchandise licensed by certain competitors in NASCAR racing.

Source : http://www.automotive.com (8/19/2008)

Mercedes-Benz Honors Jochen Mass at Pebble Beach Gala  
MONTVALE, N.J., -- Mercedes-Benz celebrates the accomplishments of legendary race driver Jochen Mass, one of the great Formula 1 competitors, by honoring him as a "Star Driver" at this year's Pebble Beach Gala on Friday, August 15, 2008.

Mass was honored as this year's Star Driver at Pebble Beach during the Mercedes-Benz exclusive gala dinner at the Beach Club at the Lodge. With over 170 guests in attendance, including Jutta Benz, the granddaughter of Karl and Bertha Benz, Mass was formally recognized for his contributions to racing and Mercedes-Benz.

Mass was on the Mercedes-Benz Team from 1988 to 1991 along with other racing legends Michael Schumacher, H.H. Frentzen and Karl Wendlinger. He took wins in the German and European Championships, Formula 1 Grand Prix, and the coveted 24 hours of Le Mans.

On Thursday, August 14, Mass led a Tour d'Elegance in an authentic CLK63 AMG Black Series Formula 1 Pace Car. The tour began at the Polo Field and took a scenic drive to Carmel before returning to the Mercedes-Benz Star Lounge on the Third Green, which is this year's newest attraction at Pebble Beach. Mass was followed by Stirling and Susie Moss in a 1957 300Sc Roadster.

Pioneer, Racing Legend, and Motorsport Commentator

The Star Driver award recognizes individuals who have made great contributions to motorsports and the automobile industry. Mass is the fourth individual to receive the Star Driver designation, joining the ranks of notable icons Sir Stirling Moss, John Fitch, and Denise McCluggage.

While racing with Mercedes Sauber in 1989, Mass, along with teammates Manuel Reuter and Stanley Dickens, brought home a spectacular win at the 24 hours of Le Mans.

Source : http://www.automotive.com (8/19/2008)

TriMas RV & Trailer Products Group Wins Innovation Award at 2008 Marine Trade Show  
BLOOMFIELD HILLS, -- TriMas Corporation -- a diversified growth company of highly-engineered, specialty niche businesses -- today announced that its RV & Trailer Products group has won the 2008 Marine Aftermarket Accessories Trade Show (MAATS) Innovation Award for its new Fulton(TM) F2 trailer winch. Judged by Boating Writers International (BWI), the Innovation Awards recognizes new marine products for their innovation and uniqueness in the aftermarket accessory marketplace. The Fulton F2 trailer winch -- a sleek, powerful and ergonomically friendly design -- received top honor in the Trailer Parts & Accessories category. A total of sixty new products were entered into the eighth annual MAATS show in Las Vegas.

"We continue to lead innovation in trailer components with this state-of-the-art F2 winch," said Bob Lewis, President of the Cequent Performance Products Group, a part of the RV & Trailer Products operating segment of TriMas Corporation. "We worked to deliver a full-featured winch that addresses the various shortcomings of conventional winches. It delivers improvements in both form and function including: chafe-free operation, a fully adjustable handle that's easily repositioned for left- or right-handed operation, quick installation via carriage bolts without removing the strap and a pull-and-turn knob to engage and release the gears."

Source : http://www.automotive.com (8/19/2008)

TTxGP organiser joins MIA  
The group organising the TTxGP clean emission motorcycle race, which is to be held during the 2009 TT races on the Isle of Man next June, has joined the UK’s Motorsport Industry Association.

MIA CEO, Chris Aylett said, “We are delighted to have the TTxGP within our membership. This unique event will be a challenging proving ground for clean emission vehicle technology, initially focused on motorcycles. It will provide an impetuous for the development of such technologies and act as an important stepping-stone in the challenge of solving environmental issues faced by the wider motor industry today – an important issue for all members of the MIA.”

Source : http://www.autoindustry.co.uk (8/19/2008)

HUGHES Telematics Signs Agreements with IBM and Oracle  
ATLANTA, -- HUGHES Telematics today announced it has entered two agreements that enhance its already robust portfolio of global technology relationships. IBM and Oracle both will provide essential technological ingredients necessary to deliver HUGHES Telematics' consumer solution to its automotive partners and the drivers of their vehicles.

IBM has been working with HUGHES Telematics to build its telematics operations center, which is the hub of connectivity for all HUGHES Telematics-equipped vehicles. This milestone formalizes a long standing relationship between HUGHES Telematics and IBM and is the springboard for the implementation phase of HUGHES Telematics' systems in Mercedes-Benz and Chrysler vehicles.

"Telematics and vehicle ICT are moving from the conceptual phase to strategic execution," said Thilo Koslowski, Vice President Automotive at Gartner, Inc. "Partnerships between telematics providers and experienced IT leaders are a critical success factor in developing successful offerings and realizing the connected vehicle."

"IBM's significant experience and strength in developing world-class operational hubs will ensure that our customers will have an exceptional experience every time they connect with us, whether from behind the wheel or behind the keyboard," said Erik Goldman, president of HUGHES Telematics.

HUGHES Telematics also announced today that it has selected database and applications software from Oracle for its customer- and business-facing systems. The unique and proven combination of Oracle's leading database, middleware and applications will allow HUGHES Telematics to provide a standards-based adaptable platform for future services and deliver a continuously exceptional customer experience.

"IBM and Oracle are providing two vital elements in developing a telematics platform that is specifically engineered for integration with our automotive manufacturers' and dealers' EDI systems, specialized call centers and third party content providers. This unprecedented infrastructure is unmatched in its ability to dynamically provision and manage services. Our significant investment in this architecture demonstrates our commitment to a best of breed approach," Goldman said.

"The HUGHES Telematics project is a perfect fit for IBM's expertise in automotive CRM and telematics. The telematics operations center we develop with HUGHES Telematics will support both subscription-based and transactional services, automotive customer relationship management and third party service integration. By deploying a state of the art network with no legacy burden, HUGHES Telematics will be capable of service offerings not available in the market today," said Karen Newman, IBM Lead Automotive Industry Partner for the Americas.

"Oracle is pleased to have been selected as the application and technology software provider powering the HUGHES Telematics infrastructure," said David Bonnette, Group Vice President, North America CRM Sales. "Oracle's call center and customer billing applications, as well as our ERP and database software can provide a scalable solution that will meet the dynamic needs of the automotive market. We are excited to work with HUGHES Telematics and IBM to deliver this leading customer offer for the automobile industry."

HUGHES Telematics will begin rolling out its telematics solution in Mercedes-Benz USA and Chrysler LLC vehicles in 2009. The operations center is designed to support telematics services using third party vehicle solutions as well as HUGHES Telematics equipment.

Source : http://www.automotive.com (8/19/2008)

TDI and TSI: Highly Efficient Engines for The Golf Class  
WOLFSBURG -: Volkswagen is standardising the engine range in the Golf segment. For the models Golf, Golf Plus, Golf Estate and Jetta there are now two TSI versions: a turbocharged 90 kW / 122 hp direct injection petrol engine as well as a 118 kW / 160 hp version of the same engine, but with turbocharger and compressor. Furthermore, the TDI programme will also be extended to include the first common rail engine in Golf models.

With the introduction of the high-torque TSI engines two years ago Volkswagen has significantly reduced consumption and emissions levels in the individual models. A 90 kW Golf equipped with the seven-speed dual clutch DSG requires 5.9 litres of petrol in the combined cycle (according to guideline 80/1268/EEC), that corresponds to CO2 emissions of 139 g/km. Comparable uncharged engines (200 Nm torque) have capacities of two litres and more, whilst the TSI engines made by Volkswagen are compact at 1390 ccm. An additional financial advantage: for vehicles with these TSI engines there is less than 100 Euro annually in vehicle tax due in Germany.

Alongside the standardisation of the petrol engines, the 103 kW / 140 PS 2.0l TDI, one of the most popular diesel engines on the market, has been readjusted for common rail technology for use in the Golf estate and Jetta. In this way, the engine complies with the strict limits of the Euro 5 exhaust emissions norm which will be introduced in 2009*. With 320 Nm it provides a high level of torque with moderate levels of consumption: 5.5 litres of diesel over 100 km (143 g/km CO2) in the Jetta 2.0 TDI. The dual clutch gearbox DSG is also available, and up to 20 percent of customers in this class (depending on the model) select this comfortable option.

Source : http://www.theautochannel.com (8/19/2008)

Dunlop plans 10 MW captive power plant at Shahgunj  
KOLKATA: City-based tyre manufacturer Dunlop India Ltd is planning a 10 MW captive power plant at its manufacturing unit at Shahgunj in West Bengal, a top company official said here Tuesday.

"We are planning to set up a 10 MW power plant at the Shahgunj factory site on an approximate investment of Rs.500 million within the next one to one-and-a-half years," said Dunlop chairman Pawan Kumar Ruia during the company's annual general meeting.

Ruia ventured into the tyre manufacturing in 2005 with the acquisition of Dunlop India Ltd and Falcon Tyres Ltd.

In 2007, the Ruia Group acquired Mumbai company Monotona Tyres.

The group has just started a six MW captive power plant at the Falcon Tyres manufacturing site. As the current captive need is 3.5 MW, the company plans to sell the excess power, Ruia said. The Shahgunj unit's captive need is five MW.

About the Rs.4 billion greenfield tyre plant in Assam, Ruia said: "The detailed project report of the plant is complete. It will be an off-the-road (OTR) plant with 50 tonne per day capacity." The plant work would be completed in the next one-two years, he said.

Maintaining that the high rubber cost is hurting Dunlop's profitability, Ruia said input cost has shot up by 30 percent between the last quarter of the last fiscal and the first quarter of the current fiscal.

Dunlop is also looking at a technological tie up with a UK-based company for re-starting its aero tyre manufacturing division, which has been closed for almost a decade.

Dunlop, which was under the Board for Industrial and Financial Reconstruction (BIFR), came out of the sick status last fiscal and made a marginal profit of Rs.48.5 million.

"This fiscal we are targeting turnover of Rs.5 billion. Last year, it was Rs.1.2 billion," Ruia added. He also claimed that market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India has directed depository service providers not to dematerialise Dunlop shares.

Dunlop shares were barred from trading at the Bombay Stock Exchange in 2002 when the then owner of the company, Manu Chabbria, failed to pay the listing fees. The ban is still in place.

Source : Economic Times (8/19/2008)

Joining the fold  
It's not long - not long at all - until Infiniti reaches the UK. Nissan's luxury brand is nearly upon these shores - well, early next year - but will we be seeing this car in its line-up?

This is the G37 Convertible, the folding-top version of Infiniti's 3-Series botherer.

It's a tidy looking thing, with a three-piece auto-folding hard-top - don't they all these days? - and, boasts Infiniti, 'the dynamic performance worthy of an Infiniti G'. We assume that's a good thing.

Beyond that, it's all a bit of a mystery. We're told that the G37 Convertible will come with the option of a 'unique interior treatment', which we're intrigued by - Ronseal? Yeti-skin? Anne Hathaway cottage-spec? (Shakespeare's wife, not the actress) - but that's it for details.

Infiniti won't even confirm whether the G37 Convertible is coming to the UK, which seems a bit mean. Fine, Infiniti: wave it in front of our noses and then hide it behind your back. If that's the way you're going to be, maybe we don't want you round here.

Then again, maybe we do. We can be capricious too, y'know.

The Infiniti G37 will however be on sale in the US next year, you lucky Yanks.

Source : http://www.topgear.com (8/19/2008)

GMAC Financial Services and Operation HOPE Offer Financial Literacy Program in Harlem  
NEW YORK, -- GMAC Financial Services has partnered with Operation HOPE and the Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce to offer the seminar "Take Your Life Back and Get Out of Debt" on Aug. 23, during the final week of Harlem Month.

"GMAC has placed a high priority on promoting the importance of financial literacy," said GMAC Chief Executive Officer Alvaro G. de Molina. "Our commitment is to increase public awareness and understanding of personal finance and to make strides in strengthening our communities."

GMAC is devoted to educating consumers through its SmartEdge program, which includes seminars, online efforts and community outreach. SmartEdge provides consumers with the tools and information they need to make educated financial decisions about credit, budgeting, vehicle and home financing, banking, and insurance. In 2007, SmartEdge took part in more than 2,300 events, reaching more than 1 million consumers.

The Aug. 23 seminar will take place at the Operation HOPE Banking Center Network, Harlem, 2511 Frederick Douglass Boulevard, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Steve Bartlett, president and chief executive officer of The Financial Services Roundtable, will speak at the event and GMAC representatives will be in attendance, as well. The Financial Services Roundtable is a trade association representing 100 of the largest integrated financial services companies. This seminar is one of GMAC's Community Service 2008 projects as part the group.

Workshops include:
-- Credit and money management - 11 a.m. to noon
-- Homeownership - 11 a.m. to noon
-- Foreclosure prevention - 1 to 2 p.m.

-- Small business/entrepreneur - 1 to 2 p.m.
-- Youth financial literacy - 2 to 3 p.m.

"This partnership with GMAC helps us provide residents in Harlem and the surrounding area with guidance on financial issues that are important to them," said Senior Vice President of HOPE Partners Stacy Sanchez. "Whether buying a home, planning a budget or starting a business, it's important for every member of the community to be knowledgeable about how to make the most of their finances."

Source : http://www.automotive.com (8/19/2008)

RHA welcomes inquiry findings on Britain's worst road  
The Road Haulage Association has welcomed the findings of an independent inquiry into improvements to the major trunk road between London and the East Coast the A12. Currently classified as ‘of regional importance’, it carries the dubious reputation of being dubbed Britain’s worst road.

The report makes 28 recommendations intended to improve the A12's day to day performance in the medium term and to speed up recovery from accidents and incidents. These include measures to reduce driver stress, a trial ban on HGV overtaking, selective speed limits and better information for drivers

The inquiry recommends that the A12 as far as Ipswich should be brought up to modern dual 2-lane standards with urgent priority given to the Hatfield Peverel to Marks Tey section. This includes the replacement of substandard lay-bys. The inquiry also heard arguments for widening the route to three lanes throughout its length but was unable to back this recommendation.

The inquiry heard from 24 organisations and 36 witnesses over three days including DfTt and Highways Agency officials, MPs, local and regional agencies and authorities, the emergency services, business and motoring groups including the RHA.

RHA Manager of Infrastructure, Chrys Rampley said: “There is general agreement by all witnesses including the RHA that the A12 is a difficult road and is certain to get significantly worse in view of the development pressures in Essex from new housing, growing employment and substantial new port capacity in the Haven Gateway and Bathside Bay.

“We are encouraged that the Commission believes this vital link to the East Coast should not be managed ad hoc or improved in a piecemeal way but rather that there should be a proper route management strategy.

"However,” Chrys Rampley continued, "it is essential that any improvement plans should identify one or more locations where secure parking could be provided for between 100 and 200 HGVs. This is a poInt we particularly stressed at the inquiry and we are pleased to see that it has been included in the report’s list of recommendations."

Source : http://www.autoindustry.co.uk (8/19/2008)

Mercedes-Benz Honors Jochen Mass at Pebble Beach Gala  
MONTVALE, N.J., -- Mercedes-Benz celebrates the accomplishments of legendary race driver Jochen Mass, one of the great Formula 1 competitors, by honoring him as a "Star Driver" at this year's Pebble Beach Gala on Friday, August 15, 2008.

Mass was honored as this year's Star Driver at Pebble Beach during the Mercedes-Benz exclusive gala dinner at the Beach Club at the Lodge. With over 170 guests in attendance, including Jutta Benz, the granddaughter of Karl and Bertha Benz, Mass was formally recognized for his contributions to racing and Mercedes-Benz.

Mass was on the Mercedes-Benz Team from 1988 to 1991 along with other racing legends Michael Schumacher, H.H. Frentzen and Karl Wendlinger. He took wins in the German and European Championships, Formula 1 Grand Prix, and the coveted 24 hours of Le Mans.

On Thursday, August 14, Mass led a Tour d'Elegance in an authentic CLK63 AMG Black Series Formula 1 Pace Car. The tour began at the Polo Field and took a scenic drive to Carmel before returning to the Mercedes-Benz Star Lounge on the Third Green, which is this year's newest attraction at Pebble Beach. Mass was followed by Stirling and Susie Moss in a 1957 300Sc Roadster.

Source : http://www.theautochannel.com (8/19/2008)

All-new 2009 Honda Fit Big on Style and Refinement, Small on Price and Fuel Consumption  
TORRANCE, Calif., -- The completely-redesigned 2009 Honda Fit is set to go on sale August 26 with a Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price(2) (MSRP) starting at $14,550, plus a destination and handling charge of $670, American Honda Motor Co., Inc., announced today. The Fit Sport, equipped with additional premium features, is also set to debut with a starting MSRP(2) of $16,060, plus destination and handling.

The Fit is designed to lead the subcompact segment with a quality feel and a multi-functional interior. The Fit has become more refined for 2009 with a sportier demeanor through improved suspension, steering and body rigidity enhancements; an improved rear Magic Seat(R); and a high level of standard safety equipment, including the addition of the Advanced Compatibility Engineering(TM) (ACE(TM)) body structure and front seat active head restraints. A new, more powerful 117-horsepower, 1.5-liter i-VTEC 4-cylinder engine further improves the Fit's high-revving, fun-to-drive character.

"With the all-new Fit, Honda is offering premium features and advanced technology within a high-function, small vehicle package," said Dick Colliver, executive vice president of American Honda. "Customers who choose the Fit are choosing superior refinement and premium quality, along with value and economy."

Dimensionally compact on the outside with an overall length of 161.6 inches, the interior provides a surprisingly spacious passenger volume of 90.8 cubic feet and a rear cargo volume of 20.6 cubic feet. The seats offer multiple seating and cargo-carrying configurations -- tall object mode, long object mode and utility mode -- in addition to the standard five-passenger mode.

An improved rear Magic Seat provides one-motion dive-down functionality without having to remove the rear seat head restraints to folds flat into the floor, creating a rear cargo volume of 57.3 cubic feet. Dual-stage, dual-threshold front airbags, dual front-side airbags with passenger-side Occupant Position Detection System (OPDS) and side-curtain airbags are standard equipment on all models.

The engine produces 117 horsepower at 6600 rpm and 106 lb-ft. of torque at 4800 rpm. A 5-speed manual transmission is standard and a 5-speed automatic transmission is available. Steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters allow for manual gear selection on the Fit Sport equipped with the available automatic transmission. The Fit equipped with the available automatic transmission achieves an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) city/highway fuel economy rating(1) of 28/35 miles per gallon. The Fit with a manual transmission and Fit Sport with either a manual or the available automatic transmission achieve an EPA city/highway fuel economy rating(1) of 27/33 miles per gallon.

The Fit comes with standard amenities such as air conditioning, an AM/FM/CD audio system with four speakers, MP3/WMA playback capability, Radio Data System (RDS), auxiliary audio input jack, power windows, power mirrors and power door locks. The Fit Sport adds alloy wheels, an underbody aero kit, rear roofline spoiler, fog lights, security system with keyless remote entry and cruise control. The Fit Sport audio system provides six speakers, a five-mode equalizer and a USB Audio Interface(3).

For the first time, the Fit is available with the Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System(4) with Voice Recognition on the Fit Sport, featuring a 6.5-inch screen and more than 7 million points of interest. Models equipped with the navigation system also include Vehicle Stability Assist(TM) (VSA(R)), also known as electronic stability control.

The front MacPherson strut suspension and torsion beam rear suspension settings are tuned to provide a sporty, solid and dynamic driving experience. Upgraded by 1-inch on each model, larger 15- and 16-inch wheels (Fit and Fit Sport respectively) are shod with 175/65 R15 84S (Fit) and 185/55 R16 83H (Fit Sport) tires. The standard anti-lock braking system (ABS) with electronic brake distribution (EBD) uses 10.3-inch ventilated discs in the front and 7.9-inch drums in the rear.

Source : http://www.theautochannel.com (8/19/2008)

Women choose vanity over vision  
A new study shows that over a quarter of female motorists should wear glasses whilst driving but do not always do so.

Over 3.8 million, or 27 percent of female motorists put their vanity before safety by failing to wear their prescribed specs whilst driving.

10 per cent of women questioned admitting to feeling embarrassed by how they look in unfashionable specs.

The 'Vanity and Vision' poll of female motorists was conducted by Sheilas' Wheels car insurance.

It revealed that more than one in ten (11 per cent) admitted to being involved in an accident or near miss in the last year as a result of bad eyesight.

In fact, accidents as a result of poor vision behind the wheel cost £981 on average.

Other reasons given include forgetting to keep a spare pair of glasses in the car (26 per cent), and failing to keep an existing prescription up-to-date by not visiting the optician regularly - i.e. at least every two years (16 per cent).

More than a third of women polled admitted that they feel 'self-conscious' in glasses and almost a quarter said that their specs make them feel 'unfashionable'.

Just over a quarter (26 per cent) of female motorists questioned even admitted that they have chosen fashion sunglasses over prescription lenses at least once whilst driving.

Kelly Plahay, a director of The Eyecare Trust, commented, "With so many fashionable glasses, prescription sunglasses and different types of contact lenses on the market, there's no excuse for having poor vision whilst driving.

"If you do need to wear glasses to meet the visual standards, make sure you have a pair in the car at all times."

She summed up by saying, "Failing to wear them is not only illegal, but it could cause potential danger to yourself and other road u

Source : http://www.newcarnet.co.uk (8/19/2008)

A Turkey Automobile Sector Forecast 2008-2012: Providing Valuable Market Data on Trends, Opportunities & Major Industry Players  
DUBLIN, Ireland, (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Turkey Automobile Sector Forecast (2008-2012)" report to their offering.

Automobile sector plays a vital role in Turkey's economy and it has taken an important place in the export mix from the country. The automobile export in 2007 from Turkey was nearly 75% of its total auto production, a straight growth of 18% from the previous year. Increasing export volumes are making Turkey the next export hub for automobile, says the research report - "Turkey Automobile Sector Forecast (2008-2012)"

The emergence of Turkey as an export centre is attracting major players from across the world to invest in the auto sector. In fact, FDI inflow in the sector has been continuously increasing from past few years on account of Turkey's strategic location and closeness with both European and the Middle East countries. Various automobile giants have made Turkey a gateway to enter the European auto markets and taking the benefits of government incentives.

The report studies the Turkish automobile market, comprising of passenger cars, commercial vehicles, tractors, and automotive component market, comprehensively. It also evaluates the export market and opportunities for the automobile industry and its associated industries.

Source : http://www.marketwatch.com (8/19/2008)

Honda Criticized for Discriminatory Insurance Practices  
BIRMINGHAM, Ala -- Doctors and health care professionals at Alabama Fertility Specialists were caught off guard when they looked into Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) insurance coverage for one of their patients. ART includes costly, but effective procedures like in vitro fertilization, intra-uterine insemination and other methods used with women who are having difficulty getting pregnant. Those doctors and health care professionals became concerned when they discovered Honda Manufacturing of Alabama refuses ART coverage for same sex couples.

"I was surprised and a little disappointed. I thought that big businesses in the United States were, by and large, recognizing domestic partnerships like this for health care benefits," says Dr. Michael Steinkampf, MD of Alabama Fertility Specialists, who's been helping couples get pregnant for 21 years.

Karen Hammond, MSN, CRNP, who works alongside Steinkampf says, "Since their Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama policy offers ART benefits, it is extremely troubling that Honda has chosen to solely and specifically exclude same sex partners from ART benefits."

The BC/BS Honda Manufacturing of Alabama policy specifically states:

"Benefits for fertility treatment and ART are limited to a lifetime maximum payment of $30,000.00."

The above verbiage applies to heterosexual couples. The disturbing part of the policy reads:

"Effective January 1, 2008, Honda Manufacturing of Alabama requests that Blue Cross and Blue Shield exclude domestic partners (same sex partners) from ART benefits including diagnostic services related to fertility/infertility that have a fertility or infertility diagnosis".

Steinkampf says, "I do have some personal experience providing infertility services for such patients. I have found them to be very good patients and excellent parents. I have watched these children grow up over the years and they are healthy and happy in every way. They are no different than any other children."

"It is disappointing to see a company of this caliber and size discriminating against a certain population of patients," says Hammond.

The American Fertility Association has proudly joined forces with Alabama Fertility Specialists to raise awareness about this rapidly growing form of discrimination now being placed upon the thousands of hard working men and women of Honda Manufacturing of Alabama.

"For one of the world's leading automakers to discriminate and deny medical coverage for a disease, based on someone's personal orientation, is downright appalling," says Hammond.

The AFA

The American Fertility Association is a lifetime resource for fertility preservation, reproductive health and family building. We offer services through our free membership program including an extensive online library, weekly online chats, telephone and in-person coaching, hosted message boards and a toll-free support line. Contact us at www.theafa.org or 888.917.3777.

Alabama Fertility Specialists

Dr. Steinkampf received his MD degree at the LSU School of Medicine in New Orleans. His specialty training in Ob/Gyn and Reproductive Endocrinology/Infertility took place at Parkland Hospital and the University of Texas/Southwestern Medical School in Dallas. He has been board certified in Ob/Gyn and Reproductive Endocrinology/Infertility since 1989.

Karen Hammond has worked in Obstetrics and Gynecology since 1981 and in the reproductive endocrinology and infertility field since 1985. A native of Birmingham, Alabama, she earned her undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Alabama, School of Nursing in Birmingham. She is NCC certified as an OB/Gyn Nurse Practitioner and Reproductive Endocrinology/ Infertility Nurse.

Source : http://www.automotive.com (8/19/2008)

iCrossing and Toyota Enhance New Web Site with Microsoft Silverlight  
SCOTTSDALE, -- iCrossing,a global digital marketing company, today announced the company's collaboration with Toyota to redesign ToyotaFishing.com using Microsoft Silverlight. The site, which went live earlier this year, demonstrates how, with a proper strategy, Silverlight can be used as a viable tool for search friendly creative development.

Silverlight is a cross-browser, cross-platform plug-in that supports media experiences and rich interactive applications for the Web. ToyotaFishing.com was developed using Silverlight 1.0, and gives the formerly flash-based site greater natural search visibility while maintaining rich graphics and media content.

The site was designed, developed, and launched in Silverlight in just eight weeks. It delivers a rich media experience to the end user while allowing search engines to properly index the content on the site. Successful integration with the existing Interwoven content management system reduced the time required to update the site by more than 75 percent.

"Silverlight has allowed us to integrate rich-graphics while still allowing search engines to crawl the entire site," said Kim Kyaw, senior engagement marketing planner, Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc. "ToyotaFishing.com, which initially could not be found by search engines, is now ranking well in search results. With the implementation of Silverlight we have seen not only our connectivity to the site increase, but an overall improvement in functionality."

"ToyotaFishing.com demonstrates how, when you have the proper strategy, companies should not be afraid to implement new technologies," said Jeffrey Pruitt, executive vice president, corporate partnerships, iCrossing. "Our goal in redesigning ToyotaFishing.com was to build the site using Silverlight in a way that provides a rich-media experience with excellent search engine visibility."

Source : http://www.automotive.com (8/19/2008)

HUGHES Telematics and Intrado Partner to Set New Safety Benchmark Behind the Wheel  
ATLANTA, Aug-- HUGHES Telematics, a leader in developing the next generation of telematics solutions and services, announced today its exclusive partnership with Intrado Inc., of Longmont, Colorado. Intrado provides the core of North America's 9-1-1 infrastructure and has been instrumental in the evolution of the nation's emergency communications network for the past thirty years.

The Intrado(R) Emergency Call Relay Center (ECRC), a hardened and secure call center facility staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week by emergency dispatch-trained professionals, will be the main link in this exclusive relationship: all HUGHES Telematics-equipped vehicles will call the ECRC when the airbag deploys with Automatic Crash Notification (ACN), or when a passenger provides notification of an emergency situation. ECRC personnel will then immediately route the call to the closest Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) directly through the dedicated 9-1-1 network, eliminating delays in potentially life threatening situations.

HUGHES Telematics-equipped vehicles will provide PSAP personnel with immediate access to critical information. For example, a jurisdiction may routinely send a single officer to an accident scene, but with HUGHES Telematics data indicating the vehicle experienced a rollover, appropriate rescue personnel can also be quickly dispatched.

"We believe Intrado's extensive involvement with the nation's 9-1-1 system and unparalleled caliber of trained resources will help us save lives and take appropriate and necessary action when our customers need it most," said Erik Goldman, president of HUGHES Telematics. "Our exclusive partnership with Intrado sets the new benchmark for safety and security behind the wheel, and we believe drivers will experience the highest quality and accuracy of emergency response."

Intrado's operators possess extensive 9-1-1 dispatch experience. Additionally, the company has the industry's largest dedicated staff of 9-1-1 data integrity analysts who maintain the accuracy of Intrado's PSAP database. This powerful database, coupled with HUGHES Telematics' technology, facilitates a swift, accurate and appropriate response to drivers in emergency situations.

"The partnership between Intrado and HUGHES Telematics demonstrates the power of an advanced 9-1-1 network," said George Heinrichs, president of Intrado. "By providing new types of life-saving information directly to nation's emergency responders we can better assist them on their life-saving mission."

Although safety and security services like Automatic Crash Notification are the cornerstone of the telematics industry, HUGHES Telematics plans to offer an array of features beyond these services, making driving not only safer, but more convenient and fun.

Source : http://www.automotive.com (8/19/2008)

Boston Dynamics BigDog: The Most Advanced Quadruped Robot on Earth  
AUTO CENTRAL -: Here's the perfect story for the Dog Days of Summer, it's about Boston Dynamics' robotic quadruped named "BigDog." Although it's called BigDog, what it really makes you thnk of are the Imperial Walkers from Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back.

And perhaps, in much the same way that the creations of Jules Verne, H.G. Wells and Gene Roddenberry sired the development of actual working technology and devices, maybe George Lucas' giant robotic military platforms were the inspiration for Marc Raibert and his colleagues at Boston Dynamics. But whether Lucas' Imperial Walkers were the inspiration or not, all the credit for turning the fantastic into reality must go to Boston Dynamics.

Source : http://www.theautochannel.com (8/19/2008)

Penske Race Report  
BROOKLYN, Mich. –Penske Racing drivers Ryan Newman, Sam Hornish Jr. and Kurt Busch finished 21st, 22nd and 36th, respectively, in Sunday's 3M Performance 400 at Michigan International Speedway.

Although Newman qualified in the 20th position on Friday, the Alltel team had to make an engine change during the first practice session which relegated the No. 12 machine to the last starting position in the field of 43 cars. Newman's No. 12 Alltel Dodge team fought handling issues and tough competition for the duration of the 400-mile event, but the Alltel team never gave up and worked on the car throughout the day, resulting in a 21st-place finish. Newman now is in 17th place in the 2008 NASCAR Cup Series driver point standings, 211 points behind the 12th-place cutoff for the 2008 "Chase for the NASCAR Cup."

Hornish and the No. 77 Mobil 1 Dodge returned to racing in front of his "home" crowd on Sunday. After qualifying in the 23rd position, the Defiance, Ohio native battled an ill-handling car throughout the day, but drove hard and avoided trouble, finishing in a respectable 22nd place and earning the Raybestos "Rookie of the Race" honor. The No. 77 team remains 34th in the 2008 NASCAR Cup Series owners points standings.

After starting 13th and running as a solid top-10 contender for the first half of the Michigan race, No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge driver Busch saw his day take a turn for the worse down the stretch, as he dropped to a 36th-place finish. The result saw Busch fall a spot in the NASCAR Cup Series driver point standings to 19th.

Helio Castroneves Dances in the "D" for the Belle Isle Grand Prix

DETROIT, Mich. – On Thursday, August 14, Helio Castroneves, driver of the No. 3 Team Penske Dallara/Honda car in the IndyCar Series, visited Detroit to give the locals a preview of the upcoming excitement of the Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix to be held August 29-31.

“We had a very full day in the Motor City promoting the Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix,” said Castroneves, who currently ranks second in the 2008 IndyCar Series championship standings. “It was great to get a chance to see and drive the race track on Belle Isle again. It’s a place that has a lot of great memories and hopefully we can create a few more on Labor Day weekend.”

Castroneves’ day started out with an eye-opener to local media outlets, as he gave them high-speed rides of the challenging 14-turn Raceway at Belle Isle Park street course in a Chevrolet Corvette, the official vehicle of the Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix. For two hours, the two-time Indy 500 champion and two-time Belle Isle winner drove representatives from more than 10 media outlets around the 2.07-mile track, and all emerged with smiles on their faces (and weak knees).

Afterwards it was time to take in a bit of Detroit’s and America’s favorite pastime – a little baseball with the Detroit Tigers. At Comerica Park, Castroneves did interviews and photo ops, but the highlight was the Brazilian throwing out the ceremonial first pitch. The toss was a little high, but the ball made it over the plate with ease. Detroit won over the Toronto Blue Jays in an exciting game, no doubt due to a little luck provided by the race-winning driver’s presence.

Castroneves and Team Penske teammate Ryan Briscoe will take to the streets of Belle Isle August 29-31. This weekend Team Penske will be back in action at the PEAK Antifreeze & Motor Oil Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma County at Infineon Raceway. The race will be broadcast live on ESPN2 beginning at 5:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, August 24.

Source : http://www.theautochannel.com (8/19/2008)

CAFE Could Impact U.S. Car Mix  
Washington DC; The AIADA newsletter reported that Automakers will resort to changing the mix of vehicles they sell in the United States to meet the 2020 deadline for tougher federal fuel economy standards, a panel of industry experts recently concluded.

"It's going to be a tough go in the 2011-to-2015 time frame," Ronald Krupitzer, vice president for automotive applications at the American Iron and Steel Institute, told Automotive News. "We may see remarkable shifts in the mix of vehicles that are produced in North America, especially toward the end of that time frame."

Krupitzer was part of a panel of industry experts that last week discussed using lightweight materials to improve fuel economy and reduce carbon emissions. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration plans to raise corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standards 4.5 percent a year during the 2011-15 model years.

The rules are the first major step toward reaching 35 mpg by 2020 - about 40 percent higher than today. "It's unlikely that within that short time frame you'll get everything you want without some sort of shift in distribution," said panelist Michael Bull, director of technology-automotive at Novelis North America.

Source : http://www.theautochannel.com (8/19/2008)

Growth of two-wheeler industry to slide: Hero Honda V-P  
New Delhi, Hero Honda, the top two-wheeler maker has projected that the two-wheeler industry growth would slide to a single digit in the coming months amid high interest rates and limited availability of finance as against a double digit increase recorded in the first few months of the fiscal.

The company, which makes more than half the two-wheelers sold in the country, however, hopes to sustain the same growth momentum that it has maintained in the past year and a half.

“Last year some of the customers postponed sales due to high interest rates. But they could no longer postpone their purchases, which reflected in increased sales in the first few months of this fiscal. But, in the coming months, the two-wheeler industry may not see the same double digit growth that it saw in the first few months,” said Mr Anil Dua, Vice-President (Sales and Marketing), at the sidelines of a Confederation of Indian Industry marketing summit.

Company outlook

When asked about the company’s sales outlook for the year, Mr Dua said, “Even when the industry was declining last year, Hero Honda continued to grow. So we hope to sustain the momentum that we achieved so far,” he added.

The company said in April that it would launch 12 models, including variants in 18 months.

“We have already launched one model so far and are on track to launch rest of the models in the next 13 months,” he stated.

Referring on the impact of price hike, he commented that since the price hike on two-wheelers was implemented across the industry, it would not have any impact on sales. Two-wheeler companies such as Hero, Honda, Bajaj and TVS had increased the prices of their models in the range of Rs 500-2,000 in the last few weeks on account of high commodity prices affecting their margins.

Source : Business Line (Online Edition) (8/19/2008)

Handsets Surpassing Automobile to Become Korea’s Largest Export Item  
The single largest export item has changed from automobile to handset.

On August 18, the Korea International Trade Association (KITA) said that the export of handsets to the US was $4.15 billion, $200 million more than that of automobile, $3.95 billion. This is the first time for handset to surpass automobile in the export.

The shift stems from the rapid decrease of the export in automobile from $10.15 billion in 2004. On the contrary, handsets maintained the growing trend for the past two years. The export of handsets to the US recorded $6 billion in the last year, up 24.6% from a year earlier. Also, in the first half of this year, it rose 56.3%. Particularly, it shows a steady growth, increasing 19.7% in January, 24.1% in February, 37.6% in March, 53.4% in April, 56.6% in May and 56.3% in June. If it continues, the export of handsets to the US will make a historic record, $7.95 billion, breaking its record in 2004.

Lee Seung-ho, an analyst of Good Morning Shinhan Securities, said, “Due to the poor performance of Motorola, LG and Samsung have increased their market shares. Considering the weakening won phenomenon, the growth will be maintained at 20% even in the next year.”

Meanwhile, despite the growing export of handsets, the Korean products are losing market shares in the US market. In its 2008 1H US market trend report, KOTRA said that the market share of the Korean products is 2.31%, lower than last year’s 2.43%. And, Korea ranked 9th, lower than 7th in the last year.

Source : http://english.etnews.co.kr (8/19/2008)

Footballer Rooney signs for Mercedes  
Manchester United footballer Wayne Rooney has signed a two-year deal to act as an ambassador for Mercedes.

Rooney, 22, has been given a customised Mercedes CL63 Coupe worth £121,000 as part of the deal.

The contract is believed to stipulate that Rooney drives a Mercedes to matches and training. In return, he will also be loaned the brand's top models and have use of a chauffeur-driven Mercedes to take him to any public engagements he attends.

Marketing experts, however, have questioned the deal, suggesting that Rooney's reputation could put off some of Mercedes more traditional customers.

Brand analyst Peter York told the Telegraph: 'Ordinarily you'd expect Mercedes to choose someone aspirational and classy to advertise its cars, and it's fair to say that Wayne Rooney doesn't fit that category.

'It's possible it will backfire and put off traditional Mercedes customers - but perhaps Mercedes' choice of Rooney reflects the fact that the kind of people prepared to spend a fortune on a smart car nowadays are not particularly smart people.'

Rooney is already known for his love of cars, with his garage including a BMW X5, Bentley Continental GT, Aston Martin Vanquish, Cadillac Escalade, Range Rover Sport and a Lamborghini Gallardo.

Source : http://www.whatcar.co.uk (8/19/2008)

2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI and Jetta SportWagen TDI Hit Showrooms  
HERNDON, Virginia — The clean-diesel initiative in the U.S. got a major boost on Monday with the announcement from Volkswagen of America that its 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI and Jetta SportWagen TDI are now on sale here.

"We're proud to be the first manufacturer to offer a clean diesel vehicle for sale in all 50 states," said Stefan Jacoby, CEO and president of Volkswagen of America.

Earlier, VW of America said the two vehicles qualify for the Advanced Lean Burn Technology Motor Vehicle income tax credit. Thus, the Internal Revenue Service has approved a $1,300 federal income tax credit for consumers who purchase the vehicles.

The 2009 Jetta TDI starts at $21,990, while the 2009 Jetta SportWagen TDI starts at $23,590.

The vehicles are rated by the EPA at 29 mpg in city driving and 40 mpg on the highway. Diesel advocates had expected much higher EPA mileage ratings on the VW turbodiesel, in part because of VW's aggressive positioning. The automaker had said earlier that the TDI engine had an anticipated fuel efficiency of mid-50s on the highway and mid-40s in the city.

Source : http://www.edmunds.com (8/19/2008)

Things Are Tough All Over: General Motors Cutting Out GM Style Event and Awards-Ceremony Sponsorships  
DETROIT — General Motors is proving that times are tough in Detroit by canning its high-profile GM Style fashion show/party that has happened on the eve of the Detroit auto show each January for the past two years. GM is also cutting out its ad sponsorship of the Emmy and Academy Awards TV broadcasts.

The GM Style event had been an extravaganza in the grand tradition of GM's former Motorama blitzes, showing off the automaker's latest products along with famous musical acts — this past January, they included Maroon 5, Kid Rock and Mary J. Blige — and a runway fashion show. The automaker billed it as "an evening celebrating the artistic convergence of vehicle design, fashion and music." The 2009 Corvette ZR1 and the Saturn Astra tuner concept both headlined the runway show alongside the human models last year.

GM had previously announced it would cut its Academy Awards sponsorship. In the years between 1998 and 2007, ads on the broadcast had reportedly cost it nearly $100 million, enough to make it the top spender. In 2008, GM bought a total of three minutes of commercial time and spent $13.5 million, The Wall Street Journal reported. The publication also said GM is also out of the Emmy broadcast, which takes place next month.

Source : http://www.edmunds.com (8/19/2008)

2009 Honda Civic Gets a Minor Face-Lift, New Trims  
TORRANCE, California — Honda released details about its 2009 Civic lineup on Tuesday, spelling out that as Americans embrace "small cars more than ever," the Japanese automaker is stepping up with more choices. Among the new variants: a 2009 Honda Civic DX value package and a 2009 Civic LX-S sedan.

Favorites such as the performance-oriented 2009 Honda Civic Si get standard foglights and a restyled alloy wheel design for the new model year. The Civic Si's powertrain remains unchanged with a 197-horsepower DOHC 2.0-liter i-VTEC four-cylinder engine mated to a six-speed manual transmission.

The 2009 Honda Civic Hybrid has been tweaked with the addition of standard electronic stability control and new optional leather-trimmed interior. Power for the Civic Hybrid is provided by a 1.3-liter i-VTEC four-cylinder engine and a 15kw electric motor that delivers 110 horsepower.

The 2009 Civic DX value package includes air-conditioning, an AM/FM/CD audio system, an auxiliary input jack, power windows and 15-inch steel wheels with covers. That model gets the 140-hp 1.8-liter SOHC i-VTEC four-cylinder engine linked to a standard five-speed manual transmission.

The 2009 Civic LX-S sedan bundles such items as alloy wheels, sport-trimmed black cloth seats with synthetic suede bolsters and silver stitching, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, a rear deck spoiler and a chrome exhaust finisher.

Honda points out that the '09 Civic gets some design changes, including a new front bumper cover and grille design, along with new headlight and taillight color combinations.

Source : http://www.edmunds.com (8/19/2008)

Gooding & Company Posts Record-Breaking Results of $64.2 Million at 2008 Pebble...  
PEBBLE BEACH, Calif., -- Gooding & Company, the official auction house of the 58th annual Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance(R), captured total sales of $64.2 million including several of the world's rarest and most spectacular automobiles during its two-night auction on August 16 and 17. An international crowd of collectors and spectators were captivated as 140 lots crossed the auction block including top private collections, vintage racing cars and individual automotive objets d'art such the 1937 Bugatti Type 57SC Atalante Coupe, which sold for a stunning $7.92 million -- setting a record for the highest price ever paid for an automobile at a North American auction.

"Our auctions at Pebble Beach this year represent the finest grouping of cars we have ever had the honor to offer, and the strong sales results reflect that exceptional quality," said David Gooding, president and founder of Gooding & Company. "We're proud to have set the North American auction record with the $7.92 million sale of the 1937 Bugatti Type 57SC Atalante Coupe, and to have reached noteworthy milestones in a host of other categories as well."

The Gooding & Company auction on Saturday and Sunday included 20 cars that sold for more than $1 million -- 5 of which sold over the $2 million mark.(1)

Above the $2 million mark, in addition to the 1937 Bugatti Type 57SC Atalante Coupe which sold at $7.92 million, highlights include the legendary 1959 Ferrari 250 GT LWB "California" Spider which sold at $3.63 million, the famed 1938 Alfa Romeo 6C 2300B Mille Miglia "Sleeping Beauty" at $2.585 million, and a 1950 Ferrari 166 MM Berlinetta Le Mans that fetched $2.2 million.

Gooding & Company also auctioned chassis 001 of the 2009 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport benefiting the Pebble Beach Company Foundation which delivered an impressive $3.19 million.

The world's finest collection of Bugattis ever to come to auction, the Dr. Peter and Susan Williamson Collection, comprised of twelve significant collectibles, sold for more than $15.5 million with a portion of the proceeds donated to the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center and the Dartmouth Medical School. In addition to the record-setting sale of the 1937 Bugatti Type 57SC Atalante Coupe, the 1932 Bugatti Type 55 Roadster sold for $1.76 million and the 1927 Bugatti Type 35B Grand Prix sold for $1,457,500.

Other noteworthy cars that beat the one million mark over the weekend included: 1931 Bentley 4 1/2 Litre "Blower" ($1.76 million); 1962 Chevrolet "Gulf Oil" Corvette ($1.485 million); 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 ($1.43 million); 1965 Ferrari 275 GTB Alloy Long Nose ($1.375 million); 1931 Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 GS Spider ($1.32 million); 1969 Ferrari 365 GTS ($1.265 million); 1936 Mercedes-Benz 500k Cabriolet B ($1.045 million); and 1907 Thomas Flyer Model-36 60 HP Touring "Blondie" ($1.028 million). The 1914 Stutz Series E Bearcat, one of six known to exist, scored a record at $1.375 million.

The Carl J. Schmitt Collection of eleven Brass Era automobiles sold for nearly $2.2 million including the 1901 Packard Model C Dos-a-Dos Runabout, which set a record for its type at $214,500. Another highlight of the evening was the sale of Oprah Winfrey's Charity Car Collection, which sold for $716,000 including her 1954 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing with proceeds to benefit the annual Arts and Culture Workshop at The Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls - South Africa.

Source : http://www.automotive.com (8/19/2008)

Lotus Conquers Antarctica With Concept Ice Vehicle  
HETHEL, England — Lotus has unveiled photos of its Concept Ice Vehicle (CIV), a machine fit for the world of 007 that was developed to traverse the Antarctic landscape.

It was constructed to help the Moon Regan Transantarctic Expedition, a research project that will lead a team across Antarctica to raise awareness of how its condition affects the rest of the environment.

The 14.8-by-14.8-foot ultralight CIV will pilot two heavier vehicles filled with equipment and features special radar that detects hidden crevasses in the ice. Power comes from a biofuel engine, which is light enough on the three skis for one man to haul the vehicle when terrain gets rough. The propeller-driven machine also has an independent suspension and a spiked foot stationed under the cockpit to stop the CIV when the surface of the southernmost continent is extra slick.

This ice monster was designed and built by Kieron Bradley, former chassis designer for two Formula 1 teams, and polar guide Jason de Carteret.

Source : http://www.edmunds.com (8/19/2008)

All-new 2009 Honda Fit Big on Style and Refinement, Small on Price and Fuel...  
TORRANCE, Calif., -- The completely-redesigned 2009 Honda Fit is set to go on sale August 26 with a Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price(2) (MSRP) starting at $14,550, plus a destination and handling charge of $670, American Honda Motor Co., Inc., announced today. The Fit Sport, equipped with additional premium features, is also set to debut with a starting MSRP(2) of $16,060, plus destination and handling.

The Fit is designed to lead the subcompact segment with a quality feel and a multi-functional interior. The Fit has become more refined for 2009 with a sportier demeanor through improved suspension, steering and body rigidity enhancements; an improved rear Magic Seat(R); and a high level of standard safety equipment, including the addition of the Advanced Compatibility Engineering(TM) (ACE(TM)) body structure and front seat active head restraints. A new, more powerful 117-horsepower, 1.5-liter i-VTEC 4-cylinder engine further improves the Fit's high-revving, fun-to-drive character.

"With the all-new Fit, Honda is offering premium features and advanced technology within a high-function, small vehicle package," said Dick Colliver, executive vice president of American Honda. "Customers who choose the Fit are choosing superior refinement and premium quality, along with value and economy."

Dimensionally compact on the outside with an overall length of 161.6 inches, the interior provides a surprisingly spacious passenger volume of 90.8 cubic feet and a rear cargo volume of 20.6 cubic feet. The seats offer multiple seating and cargo-carrying configurations -- tall object mode, long object mode and utility mode -- in addition to the standard five-passenger mode.

An improved rear Magic Seat provides one-motion dive-down functionality without having to remove the rear seat head restraints to folds flat into the floor, creating a rear cargo volume of 57.3 cubic feet. Dual-stage, dual-threshold front airbags, dual front-side airbags with passenger-side Occupant Position Detection System (OPDS) and side-curtain airbags are standard equipment on all models.

The engine produces 117 horsepower at 6600 rpm and 106 lb-ft. of torque at 4800 rpm. A 5-speed manual transmission is standard and a 5-speed automatic transmission is available. Steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters allow for manual gear selection on the Fit Sport equipped with the available automatic transmission. The Fit equipped with the available automatic transmission achieves an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) city/highway fuel economy rating(1) of 28/35 miles per gallon. The Fit with a manual transmission and Fit Sport with either a manual or the available automatic transmission achieve an EPA city/highway fuel economy rating(1) of 27/33 miles per gallon.

The Fit comes with standard amenities such as air conditioning, an AM/FM/CD audio system with four speakers, MP3/WMA playback capability, Radio Data System (RDS), auxiliary audio input jack, power windows, power mirrors and power door locks. The Fit Sport adds alloy wheels, an underbody aero kit, rear roofline spoiler, fog lights, security system with keyless remote entry and cruise control. The Fit Sport audio system provides six speakers, a five-mode equalizer and a USB Audio Interface(3).

For the first time, the Fit is available with the Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System(4) with Voice Recognition on the Fit Sport, featuring a 6.5-inch screen and more than 7 million points of interest. Models equipped with the navigation system also include Vehicle Stability Assist(TM) (VSA(R)), also known as electronic stability control.

The front MacPherson strut suspension and torsion beam rear suspension settings are tuned to provide a sporty, solid and dynamic driving experience. Upgraded by 1-inch on each model, larger 15- and 16-inch wheels (Fit and Fit Sport respectively) are shod with 175/65 R15 84S (Fit) and 185/55 R16 83H (Fit Sport) tires. The standard anti-lock braking system (ABS) with electronic brake distribution (EBD) uses 10.3-inch ventilated discs in the front and 7.9-inch drums in the rear.

Source : http://www.automotive.com (8/19/2008)

Year-ending Party Slated For Treasure Island In Las Vegas  
DELAWARE, Ohio -- The JEGS ProMod Challenge will end the 2008 season in spectacular fashion at Treasure Island Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. Hours after crowning a champion at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the best Pro Mod racers in the country will get together for a celebratory gathering at Christian Audigier The Nightclub within the world-renowned TI hotel.

The party begins at 7:45 p.m. and will give way to Industry Night for the SEMA Show at 10 p.m., which is open to all comers. The hotel also is offering special room rates for JEGS ProMod Challenge competitors and teams. Interested parties should call Carla Chapin at 702-894-7712 or e-mail her at cchapin@treasureisland.com.

"This has been a great season already and we wanted to have a final gathering to send everybody into the off-season on a high note," said series organizer Scott Woodruff. "TI has been the hotel of choice for Team JEGS for some time now and they always take great care of their guests.

"This will be a great chance to salute the first JEGS ProMod Challenge champion and honor the racers who have distinguished themselves this season. Plus, I can almost guarantee that everyone will have a lot of fun."

The party is invitation-only, and each team will receive passes from JEGS officials in the coming weeks. Dress is Las Vegas Casual.

With rock-n-roll and glam-inspired fashion at its core, Christian Audigier The Nightclub blends the world of design and nightlife into a room accentuated with original oversized tattoo artwork, VIP tables overlooking the dance floor, and an unrivaled outdoor deck. Guests shine in the spotlight of fashionable nightlife while listening to an eclectic mix of music from rock to progressive house.

Known worldwide as a creative genius in the fashion industry who popularized and created clothing lines such as Ed Hardy, his namesake Christian Audigier, Smet, and Crystal Rock, Audigier's self-inspired designs can be found throughout the club from the staff uniforms to the bar backdrop featuring Audigier-designed champagne bottles.

Source : http://www.theautochannel.com (8/19/2008)

Goodyear Exits Underperforming Retail Locations  
AKRON, Ohio, -- In a move to improve the profitability of its U.S. retail operations, The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company today said it plans to exit 92 underperforming locations by the end of the year.

"Following a rigorous review of operating performance and local market dynamics, these company-owned outlets are not producing acceptable returns," said Scott Vogel, vice president, retail operations, North American Tire.

"Taking this action now will allow us to focus our attention on locations with the best long-term potential," he said. "It will help position Goodyear to be a stronger competitor."

Vogel said the company is not announcing the store locations impacted due to its desire to first communicate with their approximately 500 full-time and 100 part-time associates as well as property owners of leased facilities.

The action will result in after-tax charges of approximately $30 million, of which $15 million will be recorded in the third quarter of 2008. In addition to the strategic benefits associated with it, the action is expected to eliminate losses related to these locations of approximately $9 million annually.

Goodyear is one of the world's largest tire companies. It employs about 70,000 people and manufactures its products in more than 60 facilities in 25 countries around the world.

Source : http://www.theautochannel.com (8/19/2008)

Packwood National Tour Heats up the Mountains  
PACKWOOD, Wash.– Record breaking temperatures were the topic of the weekend at Hampton Mills, but neither the sweltering heat nor high gas prices could keep more than 250 soloists away from the Tire Rack® SCCA Packwood National Tour.

The Packwood event has always been a popular one thanks to the lumber yard location, which provides a vast amount of asphalt, a building for covered parking, and another building for tech impound. The atmosphere of Hampton Mills is enhanced not only by the gorgeous mountain scenery, but by the support of the community, who work with the event to provide volunteers and food, including the Saturday night barbeque hosted by the local fire department with help from Northwest Region members Gretchen Everett and Alyson Moffat.

This year’s Packwood National Tour courses were designed by Karen Babb, who’s designed courses for the Tire Rack® Solo National Championships many times. That experience showed at Packwood, where the courses were a clever mix of fast and technical sections.

Glen Hernandez, of Marysville, Wash., was able to master Babb’s courses in an Evolution/Fordahl Motorsports Lotus Elise, beating Kevin Dietz, of Federal Way, Wash., to the top spot in Super Stock by 0.240-second. It could have just as easily gone the other way, however, if Dietz had not toppled three cones in his final run behind the wheel of a MAXQDATA/Evolution/Chase Chevrolet Corvette Z06.

The 15-car strong B Stock class came down to a battle of the Mazda RX-8s. Zach Heidepriem, of Mountain View, Calif., had a tough start on Saturday with two coned runs, but did get a clean one in on his final attempt. Meanwhile, Mike Wood, of Alamo, Calif., put in clean and consistent runs on both Saturday and Sunday. After coning his opening run on Sunday and falling just short of Wood’s day two pace, Heidepriem’s last ditch effort on Saturday proved to be his saving grace, as the final score gave him the win over Wood by 0.285-second.

Similarly, C Stock was a battle of the Mazda MX-5s, only this finish was closer still. Despite coning three runs over the weekend in his HiTech Transmissions MX-5, Chris Kannan, of Orangevale, Calif., clocked a miraculous final run on Sunday to beat Mitch Lewis, of Kennewick, Wash., and his Tri-Cities Battery MX-5 by a slim 0.124-second.

Street Touring® S became a rematch from the recent Wendover ProSolo where Andy Hollis, of Austin, Texas, squared off against Kevin McCormick, of Lincoln, Calif. McCormick and his Kumho/Americas Tire/Bilstein Honda Civic Si got the better of Hollis at Wendover, but this time Hollis and his Soulspeed/ART/GRM/PowerCurve Dyno Honda Civic Si had McCormick’s number, taking the STS win by 0.491-second.

The Mazda Miata piloted by Scott Fraser, of San Jose, Calif., and Tom Kubo, of Folsom, Calif., was the car to beat at Packwood in C Street Prepared. Not only did Fraser and Kubo go one-two in CSP, but Kathy Wolfskill, of Nederland, Colo., drove the same car to the CSP Ladies win by more than three seconds.

A Street Prepared was a successful class for husband-wife teams. While husband Stacey Molleker, of Granite Falls, Wash., claimed the final ASP trophy spot in the Medallion Healthy Homes Dodge Viper SRT-10, wife Laura was taking the same car to the top spot in ASPL. Laura ended the weekend with a comfortable margin of 3.409 seconds over the Jet City Tuning, D&D Fab Lotus Elise, of Jill Snell, from Puyallup, Wash., who’s husband Mark was the ASP open class winner.

Another winner emerged from the ASP class; Matt Lowell, of Brier, Wash., was the Sunday Pace Hot Pursuit Challenge winner. Driving the Matts Greenwood Auto Care Porsche 911 RSA, Lowell’s Sunday run times were all within 0.073-second of each other. Saturday’s award went to X Prepared winner Keith Brown, of Des Moines, Wash., whose run times in a ChaseRace/Vorslag/Tight n Tidy Racing Mazda Miata were separated by just 0.135-second. Both Brown and Brier are now entered in a year-end drawing to win a new Pace Pursuit® trailer.

Hampton Mills will host the final Tire Rack ProSolo event of the season this weekend, for which the late fee has been waived. The final Tire Rack Solo National Tour stop of the year will take place Aug. 30 – 31, at the Truman Sports Complex in Kansas City, Mo.

Source : http://www.theautochannel.com (8/19/2008)

Honda Criticized for Discriminatory Insurance Practices  
BIRMINGHAM, Ala., -- Doctors and health care professionals at Alabama Fertility Specialists were caught off guard when they looked into Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) insurance coverage for one of their patients. ART includes costly, but effective procedures like in vitro fertilization, intra-uterine insemination and other methods used with women who are having difficulty getting pregnant. Those doctors and health care professionals became concerned when they discovered Honda Manufacturing of Alabama refuses ART coverage for same sex couples.

"I was surprised and a little disappointed. I thought that big businesses in the United States were, by and large, recognizing domestic partnerships like this for health care benefits," says Dr. Michael Steinkampf, MD of Alabama Fertility Specialists, who's been helping couples get pregnant for 21 years.

Karen Hammond, MSN, CRNP, who works alongside Steinkampf says, "Since their Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama policy offers ART benefits, it is extremely troubling that Honda has chosen to solely and specifically exclude same sex partners from ART benefits."

The BC/BS Honda Manufacturing of Alabama policy specifically states:

"Benefits for fertility treatment and ART are limited to a lifetime maximum payment of $30,000.00."

The above verbiage applies to heterosexual couples. The disturbing part of the policy reads:

"Effective January 1, 2008, Honda Manufacturing of Alabama requests that Blue Cross and Blue Shield exclude domestic partners (same sex partners) from ART benefits including diagnostic services related to fertility/infertility that have a fertility or infertility diagnosis".

Steinkampf says, "I do have some personal experience providing infertility services for such patients. I have found them to be very good patients and excellent parents. I have watched these children grow up over the years and they are healthy and happy in every way. They are no different than any other children."

"It is disappointing to see a company of this caliber and size discriminating against a certain population of patients," says Hammond.

The American Fertility Association has proudly joined forces with Alabama Fertility Specialists to raise awareness about this rapidly growing form of discrimination now being placed upon the thousands of hard working men and women of Honda Manufacturing of Alabama.

Source : http://www.theautochannel.com (8/19/2008)

Californians Gurney and Fogarty Bring GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing Home to Continue Late-Season Surge  
SONOMA, Calif.— Hot on the heels of one of its best races of the season, and returning to Infineon Raceway which is a home track for team drivers Alex Gurney and Jon Fogarty, reigning Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series Champions and defending race winners GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing charge into this weekend's Armed Forces Grand-Am 250 determined to continue a late-season assault on the Rolex Series titles.

The Armed Forces Grand-Am 250 is scheduled for 102 laps with a 2-¾ hour time limit on the 2.47-mile Napa Valley road course, and joins the Crown Royal 200 at The Glen two weeks ago as the second and final Daytona Prototype feature race of the season. The green flag is scheduled to drop at 3:00 p.m. PT this Saturday August 23, and the race can be seen in next-day coverage on SPEED, Sunday, August 24 at Noon ET.

The GAINSCO team finished a hard-earned second one race ago in the wet and wild Crown Royal 200 sprint to jump start a stretch-run bid for the Rolex Series Championship with just three races remaining on the schedule. The podium result, and rare off-day for championship leaders Scott Pruett, Memo Rojas and Chip Ganassi Racing, allowed the GAINSCO team and drivers to move to within 49 points of the leaders. Although that deficit is still a major mountain to climb in the Rolex Series, the GAINSCO team and its pair of California-born Champions are far from throwing in the towel.

"We are not conceding anything," said Fogarty, who drove the opening shift at The Glen in wet conditions before handing the No. 99 GAINSCO Auto Insurance Pontiac Riley over to Gurney. "Watkins Glen was a great event and that track seems to be good to us. Infineon has also been one of our better tracks so if we can put together another podium or win, we can still stay in this thing."

Last year at Infineon, Fogarty drove the opening stint and handed off to Gurney who muscled past race leader David Donohue late in the event to give GAINSCO a record seventh win of the season. More significantly, GAINSCO left Infineon with its first championship lead of the season after ranking third in the points heading into the race. GAINSCO carried that lead to the season-ending SunChaser 1000 one event later and left that race as the 2007 Rolex Series Champions. The recent Glen result brought some of those championship feelings back to GAINSCO.

"Watkins Glen was a real needed boost for our team," Gurney said. "We finally got a result on the board after a stretch of rotten luck. Leading the three previous races and not finishing well has been tough on all of us but now we feel we've turned things around. If last year's Infineon race is any indication, then I think we're in for a great race. The 2007 race was definitely a career highlight for me and sneaking out a win on those last two laps was a very special feeling, especially with the championship on the line."

Gurney set the fastest lap in last year's race a full 6/10ths of a second quicker than the competition and considers Infineon one of his favorite tracks.

"I really love this place," Gurney said. "I like that so many different racing lines are possible and that there is a difficult balance of give and take in how you approach a series of corners. It's a great challenge."

GAINSCO and its drivers have been quick at Infineon in Daytona Prototype competition. In addition to last year's win from the pole, in 2006 the team qualified fifth and led 11 laps before being taken out in a contact incident early in the race. In total, GAINSCO has led 40 laps in the two Rolex Series races that have been run at Infineon.

"It should be a great track for us as it is mostly a handling circuit," Fogarty said. "We have been strong here in our previous two visits and I think this year should be no different. I would really like to get the pole. It has been a long time since we have had one and my opportunities are starting to run out."

GAINSCO is still looking for its first pole of the season after winning a record 10 top starting spots in 2007. The team has broken into the win column, however, with the lone victory of 2008 coming in a skillful come-back drive in the rain at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in June's EMCO Gears Classic. The Crown Royal 200 result was GAINSCO's third second-place finish of the year. The team also swept the runner-up podium slot at both Daytona races, including the season-opening Rolex 24 At Daytona with guest all-star drivers Jimmie Johnson and Jimmy Vasser. Gurney later dueled with Pruett in July's Brumos Porsche 250 At Daytona where the No. 99 GAINSCO Auto Insurance Pontiac Riley was out-horsepowered at the finish as the Rolex Series Champs crossed the line in a near dead heat.

"There has been a lot of heartbreak this year, so any time a race goes according to plan we are happy," Fogarty said. "It has been up and down and really the only consistent thing has been the inconsistency in our finishing positions. We just need to relax and do our thing, finish the year with some solid results, and remind ourselves that we know how to win championships."

Source : http://www.theautochannel.com (8/19/2008)

Ford of Europe Hold Market Share In a Weaker Industry  
COLOGNE,: Ford of Europe's total sales in its main 51 markets rose by two per cent to 1,196,200 in the first seven months this year.

Strong sales in Russia and the company's 30 Direct Markets helped to offset lower sales in some of the traditional 19 European markets.

As a result of softening market conditions, sales in the Euro 19 markets declined by 6.6 per cent. While the drop was in line with overall industry decline, Ford's market share was stable at 8.4 per cent in July, and at 8.7 per cent in the first seven months.

"Despite the economic headwinds affecting the industry, we are on track to sell more vehicles than we did last year - and 2007 was already a record year for us", said Ingvar Sviggum, vice president, Marketing, Sales & Service, Ford of Europe.

"At a time when consumers are more hesitant in their purchasing decisions, it is even more crucial to have convincing products", Sviggum added. "Early reactions to our all-new Fiesta make us confident that we are adding another cornerstone to continue the upwards trend of the Ford brand - despite adverse economic conditions."

Volume production of the new Ford Fiesta started at the company's plant in Cologne on August 14.

July

With consumers focused on holidays, July is traditionally one of the weakest months for vehicle sales. In the Euro 19 markets, Ford of Europe sold 117,200 vehicles (down 6.6 per cent). Adding sales from Turkey, Russia and its 30 Direct Markets, Ford of Europe's July total sales were 149,800 units.

Britain remained the company's largest single market in July, where sales rose by 4.3 per cent to 32,200. Market share went up by almost three per cent to 17.8 per cent. Ford's sales in Germany continued to gain momentum, increasing by 8.8 per cent to more than 21,000 units. This boosted the company's market share by 0.4 to 7.1 per cent. In France, a government environmental incentive continued to catalyse sales, with Ford sales up to 10,900 in July.

Sales in Russia soared almost 26 per cent, to 19,100 units, and in Ford's European Direct Markets by 85 per cent, to 8,700 units.

The top selling models in July across the Euro 19 markets were the Focus (31,200), Fiesta (24,600) and Transit (13,800).

Year-to-date

In the first seven months of this year Ford of Europe sold 940,600 vehicles in the Euro 19 markets. Ten of those markets posted increases. Ford of Europe sales in its main 51 markets increased by two percent in the first seven months to 1,196,200. Britain was the company's top performer, selling 267,700 vehicles for a share of 16.4 per cent. Among other successes, Germany sold 139,500 vehicles (an increase of 6.3 per cent) and France 91,800 (plus 12.8 per cent). Spain continues to lead the passenger car market this year, with a share of 9.6 per cent, up by 0.2 per cent on 2007.

Source : http://www.theautochannel.com (8/19/2008)

2009 Infiniti G37 Convertible Announced at Prestigious Pebble Beach Concours...  
NASHVILLE, Tenn., -- The all-new 2009 Infiniti G37 Convertible, the first-ever open-top iteration of the highly popular Infiniti G, is not quite ready for its world debut. That honor is scheduled for the Los Angeles Auto Show this coming November. That didn't stop Nissan Senior Vice President and Design Director Shiro Nakamura from providing a preview photo of the new G Convertible on Saturday, August 16 in conjunction with Infiniti activities at the 58th annual Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance.

Based on the current G37Coupe, the G37 Convertible promises stunningly seductive styling and G-worthy dynamic performance. The new G37 Convertible will feature a three-piece automatic retracting hardtop, to retain a coupe- like roofline, and available unique interior treatments. "Our biggest challenge in designing the new G Convertible was keeping the beauty of the G37 Coupe on which it is based," said Nakamura. "I believe we have succeeded."

Infiniti also displayed three new 2009 Infiniti models on the lawn near the famed Pebble Beach Golf Course's 18th green:

-- The Infiniti G37 Sedan, featuring a new 328-horsepower 3.7-liter V6 engine

-- The Infiniti G37x Coupe, a new all-wheel drive addition to the Infiniti G Coupe lineup

-- The Infiniti M35, with a new 3.5-liter V6 engine rated at 303 horsepower and a new 7-speed automatic transmission

In addition, Infiniti sponsored a special design exhibit in coordination with Hearst Magazines, "The Infiniti House of Inspiration."

Open throughout the week of the Concours d'Elegance, the exhibit showcased important designs from a variety of disciplines that share a similar philosophy with Infiniti. Among the select companies and exhibitors from the worlds of architecture, interior design and fashion were Fambuena, Paola Lenti, Carlos Miele, George Nakashima, Louis Poulsen, Duncan Quinn, Riga, Ligne Roset, Stua and Tsunami Glassworks. The boldly designed 2009 Infiniti FX crossover SUV was one of the centerpieces of "The Infiniti House of Inspiration."

Infiniti was also the sponsor of the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance Media Center.

Source : http://www.automotive.com (8/19/2008)

ArvinMeritor Recognized for Its Supplier Diversity Program With the 2008 'Corporate...  
TROY, Mich., -- ArvinMeritor, Inc. announced today it received the 2008 'Corporate ONE' Award from the Michigan Minority Business Development Council (MMBDC) for its supplier diversity program which drives procurement opportunities with minority business owners. This is the second consecutive year ArvinMeritor has received this award.

"When it comes to supplier diversity, ArvinMeritor has set aggressive targets for on-going investments with minority suppliers. While we're making good progress we still have room for improvement," said Vernon Baker, senior vice president and general counsel, who oversees ArvinMeritor's supplier diversity program. "To reach our goals we have made a commitment toward creating a pipeline of opportunity for our minority supply base."

During 2007, ArvinMeritor spent $95.3 million with minority suppliers, including new contracts totaling $34 million in which minority suppliers provided office supplies, professional staffing, logistics and auditing services, as well as Maintenance, Repair and Operating (MRO) management and products.

Criteria for the 'Corporate ONE' award includes having an established minority/diversity supplier development program, reporting minority purchases on a quarterly basis and membership to the MMBDC's Project ONE, which is an initiative to aid minority businesses in becoming competitive bidders for corporate contracts. Other corporations that are active members of Project ONE include Ford Motor Company, Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Michigan and Bank of America Corporation, among others.

Source : http://www.automotive.com (8/19/2008)

Car tax changes right in principle — but Treasury must do more to help those adversely affected  
A "car scrappage scheme" should be considered by the Treasury to offer drivers of high emissions cars a payment to trade in their vehicles for more efficient models, says the Environmental Audit Committee.

In a report out today, Vehicle Excise Duty as an environmental tax, the Committee concludes there is nothing intrinsically unfair or unusual about setting new VED ra