CleanMPG, An authoritative source on fuel economy and hypermiling

» News
GM-Chrysler Merger: Worst Idea Since the Edsel
Oct 12, 2008 - 4:59 PM - by Delta Flyer
Before the Wall Street Crash of 2008, GM's funds were likely to last until Volt's introduction in late 2010...now they are likely to run out in the 3rd quarter of 2009 unless it gets even worse. Keith Naughton - Newsweek – Oct. 12, 2008 Well said -- Ed. You've got to be kidding me. General Motors and Chrysler merge? If ever there was an example of the old saw "two wrongs don't make a right," this, surely, is it. And yet the news out of Detroit this weekend is that GM and Chrysler have been in talks for a month and there's a 50-50 chance these two ailing automakers will combine their fading forces. This is the worst idea out of Detroit since the Edsel. What's wrong with a GM-Chrysler motor marriage? Let me count the ways. For starters, there is no white knight here riding to the rescue. Both carmakers are bloodied... [Read More]
4 Replies \| 61 Views
Rumors swirl over Ford's potential sale of its stake in Mazda
Oct 12, 2008 - 4:11 PM - by brick
Cash may be inbound, but at what cost? Yuri Kageyama - Associated Press - Oct. 11, 2008 TOKYO -- Mazda denied Saturday that a decision had been made by troubled Ford Motor Co. to sell its stake in the Japanese automaker, but didn't rule out a possible deal. Japanese media reported Saturday that Ford was considering selling its one-third stake in Hiroshima-based Mazda Motor Corp. Public broadcaster NHK, without citing sources, reported that Ford would maintain some of its stake in Mazda and management ties. "Nothing has been decided," Mazda said in a statement received Saturday. "Any important decision will be disclosed." Dearborn, Michigan-based Ford said in a statement…[Read More]
2 Replies \| 41 Views
Hybrid Convertible: Maybe???
Oct 12, 2008 - 1:12 AM - by msirach
Honda OSM Concept Jake Holmes – Car and Driver - July 2008 The OSM, or Open Study Model, is a two-seat roadster—like the CR-Z hybrid sports car first shown at the 2007 Tokyo auto show—designed to show that Honda can produce a low-emissions car that’s still sporty and fun to drive. As this is primarily a design concept, Honda’s keeping mum about powertrain options—odd for a car that it is touting as eco-friendly—though we wouldn’t be surprised to see the same hybrid drivetrain as the CR-Z. In designing the OSM, which bowed at the British auto show, Honda aimed for a look that was “clean and dynamic.” As such, the roadster shares many similarities with the CR-Z, including a sweeping front end with narrow... [Read More]
3 Replies \| 146 Views
Stockmarket: The Trilogy Continues
Oct 12, 2008 - 12:08 AM - by msirach
All that money you've lost — where did it go? ERIC CARVIN - Associated Press- Oct 11, 2008 NEW YORK - Trillions in stock market value — gone. Trillions in retirement savings — gone. A huge chunk of the money you paid for your house, the money you're saving for college, the money your boss needs to make payroll — gone, gone, gone. Whether you're a stock broker or Joe Six-pack, if you have a 401(k), a mutual fund or a college savings plan, tumbling stock markets and sagging home prices mean you've lost a whole lot of the money that was right there on your account statements just a few months ago. But if you no longer have that money, who does? The fat cats on Wall Street? Some oil baron in Saudi Arabia? The government of China? Or is it just — gone? If you're looking to track down your missing... [Read More]
6 Replies \| 221 Views
Company makes vital improvement to algae biofuel production method
Oct 11, 2008 - 9:19 PM - by brick
Breakthrough prevents clogs inherent to processing an organism that doubles itself daily BBC News – Oct 9, 2008 If they can do it in The Netherlands, what's our excuse in the "tropical" US? -- Ed. "It's exciting because it's achievable," says Peter van den Dorpel, as he looks over the big plastic tubes full of various shades of green algae. His company has designed, produced and marketed the crop in its bid to be the first to provide the aviation industry with a feasible alternative to fossil fuel. We are standing in an enormous greenhouse near Roosendaal in the south of The Netherlands. Most of the greenhouse is growing tomatoes with impressive efficiency. One corner is dedicated to the cultivation of... [Read More]
0 Replies \| 126 Views
$85 per barrel a warning sign for OPEC
Oct 11, 2008 - 8:53 PM - by brick
Cartel meets to consider production cuts. Javier Blas and Carola Hoyos - Financial Times – October 10, 2008 Too cheap? Remember when $85/bbl was considered extortionate? -- Ed. Oil prices plunged below $85 a barrel yesterday, the lowest level in a year, as Opec called an emergency meeting to discuss reducing its crude production to halt the collapse in prices. The announcement by the oil exporting countries' cartel came as crude oil futures in New York fell by almost $5 to an intraday low of $84.19 a barrel, the lowest level since October 2007....[Read More]
2 Replies \| 59 Views
Citroën Takes Wraps off Hypnos Concept Car
Oct 11, 2008 - 6:23 PM - by Right Lane Cruiser
The Hypnos will combine the volume of an executive sedan with the utility of a crossover and all powered by a hybrid drivetrain BusinessWeek – Oct 9, 2008 A 60mpg diesel hybrid people mover? -- Ed. Teaser pics of the Citroën Hypnos first surfaced last month and more details have now been revealed to coincide with the unveiling of the outlandish crossover concept at the 2008 Paris Motor Show. Pitched as a hybrid in terms of both technology and styling, the dynamically proportioned Hypnos attempts to marry the elegance of an executive saloon with the volumes of a cross-over while at the same time showcasing the company's HYmotion4 technology—a diesel hybrid drivetrain featuring a rear axle-mounted electric motor which optimizes dynamic performance and traction while... [Read More]
1 Reply \| 75 Views
Economy-minded Honda bucks auto-industry slump
Oct 11, 2008 - 5:58 PM - by Right Lane Cruiser
Honda, which has never manufactued an eight-cylinder engine, has long behaved as if the world truly is running out of resources—oil included. Anthony Schoettle - Indianapolis Business Journal – Oct 11, 2008 Honda leads the way again! -- Ed. Fueled by its line of gas-sipping economy cars, Honda is expanding in Indiana as car manufacturers almost everywhere else are shrinking. And the 2,000 jobs the Japanese automaker is promising in Greensburg by 2010 could be just the beginning. The Greensburg plant is dedicated to making four-door Civics, but the new facility is set up to take on other lines, including hybrids and natural-gas vehicles, two areas where Honda is an innovator. Initially, it looks like the $550... [Read More]
0 Replies \| 119 Views