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Cars News
for 12/17/2008
(last updated 7:30am EST 12/17/2008)

RV maker trims 250 more jobs in Decatur RV maker trims 250 more jobs in Decatur
12/17/2008
Recreational vehicle manufacturer Fleetwood Enterprises Inc. is cutting another 250 jobs from its operations in Decatur.

Honda slashes profit forecast amid globa... Honda slashes profit forecast amid global downturn
12/17/2008
Japanese automaker Honda slashed its profit forecast for the fiscal year Wednesday and announced that managers will take a 10 percent pay cut amid a global downturn in the auto industry. President Takeo Fukui blamed the revisions on declining demand set off by the U.S. financial crisis and the nose-diving dollar, which has recently fallen to 13-year lows against the yen. Japan's second-biggest automaker now expects 185 billion yen ($2.06 billion) in group net profit for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2009. That's less than a third of the 600 billion yen it earned last fiscal year.

Johnson Controls Withdraws 2009 Guidance... Johnson Controls Withdraws 2009 Guidance Citing Deteriorating Global...
12/17/2008
Automotive supplier Johnson Controls, Inc., withdrew its 2009 financial guidance due to the rapid decline in global automotive production and uncertain industry conditions.

Auto parts supplier Key Plastics files C... Auto parts supplier Key Plastics files Chapter 11
12/17/2008
Auto parts supplier Key Plastics files Chapter 11 Comments NORTHVILLE, Mich. - Auto parts supplier Key Plastics LLC said Thursday it has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and submitted a pre-packaged ...

Auto dealers face days of reckoning Auto dealers face days of reckoning
12/17/2008
Amid the myriad problems facing the Big Three automakers, one is often overlooked — a costly, inefficient network of dealers, protected by a byzantine web of state laws.

Small cars making safety strides Small cars making safety strides
12/17/2008
Small cars, which have become more popular with the fluctuation in gas prices, are becoming better equipped to protect motorists in serious crashes, new tests show.

White House will take its time on auto b... White House will take its time on auto bailout
12/17/2008
The Bush administration said it was still evaluating options and suggested any deal would require major concessions by all sides.

• Presented By: Presented By:
12/17/2008
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2009 Detroit Auto Show: Subaru LEGACY CO... 2009 Detroit Auto Show: Subaru LEGACY CONCEPT to Debut at NAIAS
12/17/2008
2009 Detroit Auto Show: Subaru LEGACY CONCEPT to Debut at NAIAS Advertisement: MMO Currency MMO Street sells WoW Gold, Lord of the Rings Gold, Final Fantasy XI Gil and much much more at the lowest prices you will find! Visit MMO Street

Skoda Auto Opens New Technology Centre Skoda Auto Opens New Technology Centre
12/17/2008
Skoda Auto Opens New Technology Centre

Paulson Says U.S. Auto Rescue Being Work... Paulson Says U.S. Auto Rescue Being Worked On Quickly
12/17/2008
Paulson Says U.S. Auto Rescue Being Worked On Quickly

Classical Drives Tagline: Classical cars, including the history of the great classical automobiles

• Why We Should Love the All-American Car Why We Should Love the All-American Car
12/17/2008
The business coupe is a relic from another era, beginning in the late 30s and ending in the early 50s. Those were the years of the traveling salesman who carried samples and deliverable goods as he drove from town-to-town in his allotted territory. The trunk was mostly needed for the salesman's personal luggage and so the coupe's back seat was replaced with storage space. With no back-seat passengers needing windows to view the outside world, the 3-window coupe was a common body style. Clearly the business coupe was not a car for the family man. I never thought of the business coupe as a compact car until I came upon a New York Times feature about "early compacts." " With their short wheelbases, tiny greenhouses, lower weight, and economical six-cylinder engines, business coupes could, I suppose, qualify as small cars, though the designers never thought of them that way. With a little imagination and some added power they might even have been turned into sports coupes, broadening their appeal among enthusiasts. Hundreds of thousands of these practical cars were produced by various manufacturers and yet I rarely see one in auctions, club shows, or offered for sale online. It's as if, being poor cousins to mainline sedans and 5-seat coupes, they've been consigned to the scrapyards of automobile memories. That's unfair because, if you look again, you'll note that the business coupe has a style of its own. Perhaps there should be a national club to preserve the few survivors. Think of it this way: only one country ever produced a business coupe. And that, friends, is the real All-American car. [Photo: From the brochure collection of Steve Hayes] See full article . Related Entries: The American Diner, a Protected Species - 21 November 2006 Mr. Honda's Private Project - 12 December 2006 Shoot Your Car for $5000 - 26 September 2007 New BMW X6 Coupe: Definitely Not a Coupe. Or Coupé - 29 December 2007 Contents of this feed are a property of Creative Weblogging Limited and are protected by copyright laws. Violations will be prosecuted. Please email us if you'd like to use this feed for non-commercial activities at feeds - at - creative-weblogging.com. (1 h ago)

• Rallying in Argentina Offers Spectacular... Rallying in Argentina Offers Spectacular Scenery and Good Times
12/15/2008
Don't even try to identify the car in the above photo because you'll lose. It's an Argentinian "Special" constructed of various parts and power sources. But you can, like me, fantasize over driving such a car in such a beautiful country. The shot was taken during the 2008 Argentinean Mil Milas , a South American variation on the classic Mille Miglia rally. This is an event that most of us would put on our "if I win the lottery" wish list, since the entrants must not only own a suitable classic but must be able to fly car and self to the start unless they're already living in Argentina. Not qualifying by any possible measurement, I offer this information courtesy of the ClassicDriver.com site's Simon Kidston with the following quotes: "The Mil Millas is set in some of South America's most spectacular scenery, in the Patagonia region at the lower tip of Argentina... Base camp for this upmarket adventure, and setting the tone as participants are billeted there for the four-day duration, is a rambling hilltop hotel, the Llao Llao Resort. Combining 'Leading Hotels of the World' luxury with a touch of The Shining isolation, it's a welcome change if you're used to the daily merry-go-round of school-style accommodation on most historic events." (I should be so lucky.) Kidston goes on to write, "On arrival, the first day is set aside for scrutineering and the distribution of rally essentials such as maps, road books, event passes, race numbers... and enough sponsors' gifts to fill two large rucksacks (also included, of course)." I'd be spoiling your enjoyment of Simon's colorful reporting as well as trespassing on copyright laws if I quoted more, so I urge you to link here and get the full tale plus more spectacular photos. [Mil Milas photos: Cris Bertschi / Simon Kidston See full article . Related Entries: Rally Good Fun in the Ozarks - 04 February 2007 If You Like Our Scenery You'll Love Our Roads - 05 May 2007 Vintage Bimmer Wins Tough Newfie Rally - 22 September 2007 Don't Cry For Me, Argentina, Just Drive Your Classic - 27 October 2008 Contents of this feed are a property of Creative Weblogging Limited and are protected by copyright laws. Violations will be prosecuted. Please email us if you'd like to use this feed for non-commercial activities at feeds - at - creative-weblogging.com. (1 d ago)

• Nicholas Cage's Hemi Cuda vs.Twiggy in t... Nicholas Cage's Hemi Cuda vs.Twiggy in the Passenger's Seat
12/14/2008
Collectors will pay huge premiums for cars once owned by celebrities. Rather amusing when you think about it! Imagine, for example, if there were two identical 1970 Hemi 'Cuda hardtops up for auction by Russo and Steele at their January Scottsdale sale. Both are matching numbers, both are similarly equipped with original 426 Hemi engine, 4-speed transmission (restored and dyno-tested), Argent shaker, black velvet paint, black vinyl interior and roof covering, rallye instrument cluster and rallye wheels. The only difference is that one was owned by Academy Award winner Nicholas Cage . And that's the very car to be auctioned by Russo and Steele in January. So how much more would you pay for a car that the actor sat in? I'm guessing that his name and fame will increase the price by at least 25%. Although I admire Cage's acting I wouldn't add an extra penny to my bid. On the other hand if Twiggy had set her petite bottom into that seat in 1970, I might be persuaded to part with a few extra bucks just to recall an era when mini-skirts beat maxi-power. See full article . Related Entries: An Original Racing Hemi For Your Personal Collection - 15 November 2006 Freak Winter Storm Lures Us to Phoenix and the January Auction Week - 28 November 2006 Celebrating A 50-Year Hemi Anniversary - 14 March 2007 Muscle This - 09 July 2007 Contents of this feed are a property of Creative Weblogging Limited and are protected by copyright laws. Violations will be prosecuted. Please email us if you'd like to use this feed for non-commercial activities at feeds - at - creative-weblogging.com. (2 d ago)