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goal of selling more than 1 million vehicles in China this year as it
added new models in the world's fastest-growing major car market.
The Detroit-based company said in an e-mailed statement today it became
the first global automaker to cross the 1 million-threshold in China in
a year.
GM, which counts China as its second-biggest market, is expanding in the
country by investing more and unveiling new models. It plans to invest
as much as $5 billion in China over the next five years on car and
engine development, production facilities, technical and after-sales
support.
-Rocky
-Rocky
I do hope that the ASTRA is eventually produced in Spring Hill, although postings I've read here indicate that Lordstown is more likely. The shutting down of the VUE line there in favor of the Mexican-built Antara (just 51% US/Canadian parts content despite US engine/trans) was a real disappointment but an unfortunate reflection of the realities of the global economy (and the very real need to extend more prosperity south of the border). A gentleman at my dealership said that he heard that, at the moment, Spring Hill is making Chevys! Tennessee had a unique culture that Saturn really couldn't manage to export when they started the L-series in Delaware.
I'm old enough to remember the small and cute Opel Kadett that GM brought here over 40 years ago so that Buick dealers would have an inexpensive entry-level car to offer. (On a family vacation to Cape Cod in 1966, I saw the guest at the adjacent cabin out there all day polishing and waxing his red one, trying to shelter its finish from the very salty local air.) By the late '70's, German Opels got too expensive to import so GM created the "Opel by Isuzu" from Japan. My neighbor in Virginia at the time had a blue "Buick/Opel" coupe based on the Isuzu Gemini; looking at it from my 2nd-floor window showed its windshield and A-pillars identical to those of my Chevette (although they did a good job of making the car look quite different). To see Opel today as GM's primary global nameplate is indeed quite an awakening.
While the vista-roof ASTRA coupe probably wouldn't comply with US safety regs, I do hope that the European Opel/Vauxhall Astra station wagon eventually becomes part of Saturn's offering. Part of the reason I still have my SW1 is that none was ever offered in the ION line and I have never been interested in an SUV. Saturn has always been the most affordable of the boutique brands, with a buying and ownership experience that usually can't be had at mainstream dealers. At a time of great upheaval in other sectors of my daily life, it has been a real blessing to have a vehicle whose reliability I can take for granted. In the coming year I hope to be able to afford a new Astra, and see if it can continue this tradition.
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/News/articleId=124104
-Rocky
This like most other GM's will be flying off the lots and they won't be able to build enough of them.
The Astra? :confuse:
GM is only importing maybe 20,000 of them. It will be outsold by the smart fortwo. :P
Are they out yet ? They seem to be a long time coming.
Not sure what the delay was; perhaps it had to do with getting enough inventory to all the Saturn dealers around the country for the launch.
However, with no aux jack offered with the Astra, I'm not terribly interested (and this from a guy who has 4 Saturns in the family!)
insisting that your dealer repairs the rocker panel gaps !!
-Rocky
-Rocky
-Rocky
-Rocky
David Shepardson / Detroit News Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON -- The state of Michigan is conducting two new tax audits at Delphi Corp. as it presses a bankruptcy court to force the supplier to pay $10.5 million in unpaid business taxes.
Troy-based Delphi in a court filing this week disclosed that the state is auditing whether the supplier properly paid use taxes from 1999 through 2005 for its Delphi Automotive Systems unit. A separate audit of the company's Delphi Technologies unit will begin shortly and will be completed before a court hearing on Feb. 10 on the matter in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in New York.
The audits center on whether Delphi properly paid use taxes, which are similar to sales taxes, on computer software and other information technology and utility services.
Delphi said it is working with the state's auditors. In a Jan. 2 court filing the company acknowledged it may owe a limited amount of unpaid use taxes.
In Michigan, a use tax is paid for storing or using personal property on items that weren't subjected to Michigan's sales tax. The state's use tax is assessed at the same rate as Michigan's 6 percent sales tax. Under Michigan law, certain purchases are exempt from use taxes, which Delphi claims exists in this case.
The audits are in addition to the State Treasury Department's claim in U.S. Bankruptcy Court that the company failed to pay $10.5 million in single business taxes between 2002 and 2004 by improperly using foreign tax credits for research to offset its state tax liability.
Delphi in a court filing said it properly paid its single business taxes. A spokesman for the Michigan Department of Treasury, Terry Stanton, declined to comment on the audits or the SBT case.
Two executives to get $24.6M
Separately, Delphi has agreed to pay its top two executives at least $24.6 million in cash and stock when the company emerges from bankruptcy early this year, part of an executive compensation program that's been widely criticized by the company's unions.
Delphi CEO Rodney O'Neal will receive a $5.3 million cash payment and an initial stock and option grant of $10 million, with half the amount in stock when the company exits bankruptcy, which is expected by the end of March.
O'Neal will be paid a base salary of $1.5 million annually, and beginning in 2009 will get annual stock and option packages worth at least $6.7 million. He is eligible for annual bonuses of at least $1.9 million.
Outgoing executive chairman Robert S. "Steve" Miller will receive an $8.3 million cash payment upon the company's emergence from bankruptcy.
The company has also decided to boost the amount of cash payments made to the top 560 executives to $87 million over the $78 million announced last month.
The United Auto Workers and Delphi's other unions have filed objections to the salaried bonus program in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in New York.
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080105/AUTO01/801050359/1148- /rss25
-Rocky
What do you guys think about the article above ???? :surprise:
-Rocky
The solution is to treat Delphi as they would a new Japanese company wanting to run its plants in Michigan. Tax breaks. Tax breaks. Tax breaks. Look at Indiana and the new Honda plant and all the games they played to try to make it palatable to their Indianapolis urban folks but avoid including rural experienced, willing workers in the Anderson area.
Executive pay has been protected by the politicians. It should be treated just like the employees. Kick the pay agreements out the door. Base pay and that's it. The company's in trouble. Use the same excuse they use for regular employees. Just because the executives have friends in high, elected places...
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
-Rocky
P.S. Don't you guys have a Delphi, plant there in Ohio ??? Or did it close ???
WOW !!! :shades:
-Rocky
WOW is right. Now available for use in FWD cars. No one else has anything like it! I wonder what the thinking was to offer it with the V6? Lots of power and performance? Others have tried and failed. Those who pay for being green want it really green and in others faces. BUT I can see no reason why this tranny technology would not work with the 4's.
Saturn expects to see a 50 percent increase in the Vue's fuel economy compared to the non-hybrid V-6 models. That means this Vue could clear 30 miles per gallon. Saturn estimates the Vue's range at 500 miles per tank.
Is this city only 50% improvement?
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/080107/gadget_show_driverless_cars.html
Regards,
OW
Drivers Wanted?
I remember doing a book report in elementary school based on a Popular Science story. We were supposed to be riding in our cars along grassy swales while the car did all the driving, back in 1980. Someone didn't get the memo.
All throughout my childhood my father said: "our next car will be an air car that flys".
I'm still waiting dad. :mad:
As for a driverless car--what would be the fun? BTW we already have a vehicle that you can ride in without driving....it's called the bus.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
Oh I thought the punch line was going to be the camcord. :P
-Rocky
What kind of mileage do you think it would get 62' ??? 40, 45 MPG ???
-Rocky
-Rocky
No way. If they can get the average up near 34 that would be great.
I do agree that there will be a lot of resistance to this technology at first. Most people will initially have a hard time feeling safe in a car that's driving itself.
Regards,
OW
Doubt if you'll get the VRX Coupe but it's 237bhp 2.0 Turbo make it something of a hooligan. The world needs more hooligans.
Well, the 2.0L Turbo is already used in the Sky RedLine and will be available in the HHR SS, so it's not too much of a stretch to believe that an Astra RedLine with the same engine may be available in a year or two.
Put mine in the 5-door, please!
An example of poor analysis by people who try to make thestory fit the desired outcome is here in this article about Dayton, Ohio, as an example of Midwest failure to be up on the world. A major employer in the area has been Wright Patterson Air Force base and assorted accoutrements to it. And then there are contractors who supply and work the base such as Martin Marietta. To read this guy who rode into town on a white horse, they just blindly held onto the last manufacturing job at GM/Delco and then shut the doors.
Note the article link is to page #2
Midwest Failure
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
OMG, pal that was one hell of a great article that hit on all points. I actually got emotionally connected with it and all I could think about reading it is John Edwards, speech this evening.
-Rocky
-Rocky
What ya guys think about that ???? :surprise:
-Rocky
-Rocky
As I said they really liked all the new cars this year and it is a tough competition.