Renault lifts lid on the Cup  
Renault lifts lid on the Cup

Clio Renaultsport 197 Cup costs £14,995

Stripped-out interior for more performance

All Clio Renaultsports now feature revised gearbox

Renault's Clio Renaultsport 197 Cup hot hatch is now on sale and costs from £14,995.

The Cup chassis, which was used for the limited-edition Clio Renaultsport 197 F1 Team R27, has a lower ride height to enhance cornering, and adjusted suspension to improve handling, steering and stability.

Features include red brake callipers, 17-inch alloy wheels and special Cup badges, but the car has been stripped of non-essential equipment in pursuit of extra performance.

That means you won't find cruise control, a speed limiter, electric door mirrors or a steering-wheel height and reach adjuster.

However, although air-conditioning and curtain airbags have been removed, they are available as options, priced at £525 and £200 respectively.

In addition, the entire Clio Renaultsport range now benefits from longer fifth and sixth gears, which provide better motorway economy and less engine noise.

The car is only available in three colours: blue, white and metallic grey.

Source : http://www.whatcar.co.uk (11/7/2007)

ECOtality, Inc. Acquires Electric Transportation Engineering Corporation (eTec)  
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.--ECOtality, Inc. (OTC BB: ETLY), a renewable energy company that acquires and commercially advances clean electric technologies and applications, today announced that it has acquired Electric Transportation Engineering Corporation (eTec) and its affiliated companies for $6.25 million in cash and stock. Specializing in the fields of alternative-fuel, hybrid (HEV) and electric vehicles (EV) and infrastructures, eTec is a recognized leader in the research, development and testing of advanced transportation and energy systems. The company also developed and holds exclusive patent rights to the eTec SuperCharge - a smart fast-charging system that extends battery life without the destructive effects of overcharging. As of November 6, 2007, eTec will operate as a subsidiary of ECOtality; there will be no changes to the companys team.

The acquisition of eTec, combined with the previous announced acquisitions of Innergy Power Corporation and Fuel Cell Store, will provide ECOtality a revenue base of companies having combined trailing twelve month revenues of $9.39 million as of September 30, 2007. To continue to execute the companys strategic growth plan and to complete the eTec acquisition, ECOtality successfully raised $3.5 million of capital from institutional investors.

The acquisition of eTec allows us to further grow financially, technologically and strategically in the areas of clean energy creation, storage and delivery, said Jonathan Read, president and CEO, ECOtality. Through successful execution of our strategy to acquire and commercially advance revenue-generating companies and technologies such as eTec, ECOtality has become a diversified renewable energy company that will be a leader in changing the way we consume energy. With major automakers and federal agencies focused on advancing hybrid and plug-in electric vehicles, eTecs expertise in transportation, electrical infrastructure and industrial fast-charge systems expands our presence in the consumer market.

Benefits of the eTec acquisition include:

* eTec, which has existing contracts with public and private entities through 2009 worth approximately $11.5 million, will provide significant revenues for ECOtality.

* eTecs experience in developing hydrogen powered vehicles and refueling systems provides tremendous synergies that will benefit the development of Hydrality an on-demand hydrogen production and storage technology.

* eTec, which designed, manufactured and installed public, commercial and residential recharging systems for the GM EV-1, Chrysler EPIC, and Ford Ranger electric vehicle programs, will position ECOtality as a leader in electric and hybrid electric vehicles and infrastructure. According to Frost & Sullivan, the HEV and EV battery market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.8 percent from 2006 to 2013. The market grew 25.9 percent from 2005-2006.

* eTecs contacts and relationships with major automotive manufacturers, international government agencies and leading research institutes provide a direct link to market trends, emerging technologies, new products and technologies and additional research and funding opportunities.

* eTec will assist in identifying new applications and expanding ECOtalitys subsidiary Innergy Power Corporations ThinLine battery products.

* With access to ECOtalitys manufacturing facility in Tijuana, Mexico, eTec can explore increasing the development and manufacturing of eTec SuperCharge components and systems.

* eTec will provide ECOtality with resources for expansion and integration of energy solutions and applications for solar, hydrogen and electric systems.

* eTec creates an immediate leadership role for ECOtality in battery and charging industries.

Specifically engineered for airport ground support equipment, neighborhood electric vehicle operations, and marine and transit applications, the exclusively patented eTec SuperCharge is based on advanced algorithms that allow faster charging with less heat generation and longer battery life than any other fast charge system available. Using the eTec SuperCharge, airports and airlines can convert from diesel and propane ground support equipment to clean electric systems that produce zero emissions. Currently installed in 12 major airports in North America, there are more than 300 eTec SuperCharge systems in daily operation that service more than 1,000 electric ground support equipment.

The acquisition by ECOtality provides eTec the ability to increase our operations in the research, testing and development of alternative-fueled and electric energy systems and infrastructures, said Don Karner, president, eTec. As one of the few players in the fast-charge battery market, we recognize the shift in the transportation industry towards more electric dominant power systems. The acquisition by ECOtality provides us the opportunity to aggressively expand the market share of the eTec SuperCharge system and explore additional markets and applications such as plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, pure electric vehicles and their respective infrastructures.

Founded in Phoenix, Arizona in 1996 to support the development and installation of battery charging infrastructures for electric vehicles, eTec focuses on several areas related to electric and alternative-fuel transportation including:

* Battery performance testing.

* Testing and consulting of HEV, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV), EV and hydrogen vehicle fleet.

* Design and installation of electric vehicle charging stations for public access, commercial fleets, and residential applications.

* Design and construction of alternative-fuel infrastructure (including electric, compressed natural gas (CNG)/hydrogen-blended fuels and pure 100 percent hydrogen).

* Development of hydrogen-powered internal combustion engine (ICE) Silverado trucks and refueling stations.

* Vehicle testing and failure analysis for automotive companies and U.S. Department of Energy.

* Development of lithium and nickel-metal hydride batteries.

* Consulting and technical support for coal gasification and hydrogasification projects.

Products currently offered by eTec include the eTec SuperCharge fast charge system, EV battery chargers, EV traction batteries, hydrogen and CNG blending fuel dispensers and hydrogen ICE vehicle conversions. eTecs clients include major automotive companies, international airlines and airports, public utilities, leading research institutes, and federal government organizations, including the U.S. Department of Transportation and the U.S. Department of Energy. For more information about eTec, please visit www.etecevs.com.

Source : http://www.theautochannel.com (11/7/2007)

Jeep(R) Leads Chrysler LLC Growth Outside North America  
AUBURN HILLS, Mich., and STUTTGART, Germany, -- Jeep(R) brand sales outside North America have grown 15 percent in 2007, and the brand led Chrysler LLC sales outside North America with 79,520 units sold through October. The Company's International sales increased 14 percent (19,797 units) for the month and were up 18 percent for the year (196,626 units). That added a 29th month to the Company's record of consecutive months of year-over-year sales increases.

Markets with a growing auto industry have been promising for Chrysler. Through October 2007, sales in regions such as Asia Pacific, Latin America and the Middle East have seen growth of 17 percent, 25 percent and 65 percent respectively. The increased sales in emerging markets, especially China, Brazil and Russia, have contributed significantly to the Company's overall growth outside North America.

"It is important to recognize opportunities outside North America to balance the impact any one region can have on the business," said Michael Manley, Executive Vice President - International Sales, Marketing and Business Development. "Our focus on growth is not only to increase sales internationally, but also to ensure that the growth is balanced among the Company's three brands. Our continued focus must be on developing great products that are appropriate for our markets, world-class quality and the development of the most competitive distribution channels."

Year-to-date, Jeep has claimed the place as top-Chrysler LLC selling brand with 79,520 units sold, an increase of 15 percent over the same time period last year. Many of the recently-introduced products for the brand have been posting solid sales. The all new Jeep Wrangler has doubled the sales of it predecessor model, and Grand Cherokee continues to gather strong sales numbers ranking it as the number-two selling vehicle for Chrysler LLC outside North America.

"The expanded portfolio for the Jeep brand has resulted in a sales increase of more than 10,000 units so far this year, and established it as the Company's highest volume brand outside North America," said Thomas Hausch, Vice President - International Sales. "Replacements for existing models, such as Grand Cherokee and Wrangler have been very well received; and this month in Morocco, we are launching the all-new Jeep Cherokee to International markets, which we believe will help the brand grow its global presence even further. Overall, with 197,000 units sold year to date, we have already surpassed the total calendar year sales for 2005, and Jeep has contributed significantly to this accomplishment."

Despite its limited time in markets outside North America, Dodge vehicles claim two places out of the Company's top-five selling vehicles in October with Caliber (number one) and Nitro (number four). Chrysler also has two vehicles in the top-five in October -- the 300C and Grand Voyager.

Chrysler LLC sells and services vehicles in more than 125 countries around the world, and Chrysler sales outside North America currently account for approximately eight percent of the Company's total global sales. Vehicles available range across all three Chrysler brands, with limited availability on some trucks and SUV models. The Company's operations outside North America have been experiencing year-over-year sales increases since 2004, and will continue to increase the number of product offerings, powertrain options and RHD availability through 2007.

Source : http://www.automotive.com (11/7/2007)

GEM green vehicles vital to niche markets -- check us out at LA Auto Show  
GEM is celebrating 10 years of manufacturing neighborhood electric vehicles this year. With all the green focus at LA Auto Show, GEM's long time position as a green transportation option is more relevant than ever!

GEM's established technology, reliability and unique good looks have led to steady growth and avid customers -- over 35,000 GEMs have been manufactured and distributed to date, 14,000 in California alone. As automakers, including GEM's parent company, Chrysler, are increasingly focused on electric cars, GEM continues to fulfill a vital niche.

GEM will be sharing a booth with Chrysler at the LA Auto Show beginning November 14.

GEM Facts & Figures

Affordable: Low cost - low maintenance

*Inexpensive - Six models that range from $6,795 to $12,495

*72-volt battery system powers a range of 30 to 40 miles on a charge

*GEMs can be recharged in any standard 110-volt outlet

Fuel consumption: Pennies per day

*In the U.S., the average car trip is between four and six miles on low speed roads.

*The all-electric GEM vehicles cost only pennies a mile to operate and receive a range from 30 to 40 miles on a charge

Reliable: Excellent performance over 200 million miles driven

*2007 Blue Sky Merit Award from WestStart-CALSTART for improving air quality in California and worldwide

*Nearly 10 million gallons of gasoline saved

*Over 150 tons of tailpipe pollutants spared from reaching the air

Models: Six models - Street legal in 40 states - 35 mph or less*

*Passenger and cargo models - including the new eL XD utility vehicle -- hold up to six passengers

*Assembled in the U.S.A.

*Greener fleet options for city parks, police departments, sports teams, master planned communities and university campuses

Source : http://www.theautochannel.com (11/7/2007)

Indianapolis 500 Eight-Time I 500 Starter Freeland Dies At 82  
Don Freeland, an eight-time starter in the Indianapolis 500 from 1953-60 and the third-place finisher in 1956, died Nov. 2 in San Diego after a period of declining health. He was 82.

Freeland had perhaps his best Indianapolis 500 run in 1955, when transmission failure robbed him of finishing second only 22 laps from the end. He also finished seventh in 1954 and 1958.

A U.S. Navy veteran who had served as a diesel mechanic in the South Pacific during World War II, Freeland began his racing career shortly after the war with track roadsters in Southern California. Migrating to the Midwest with many of his colleagues in the early 1950s, he divided his time for a brief period between driving AAA sprint cars and serving as a self-proclaimed "stooge" on the Bob Estes Championship car that was under the joint care of Jud Phillips and A.J. Watson. Whenever Watson and Phillips needed a driver, they all joked, Freeland was ready to jump in, the Estes "ride" becoming his for five of the next six years.

A steady and reliable driver in AAA and USAC National Championship events who was almost invariably around at the finish, the laconic Freeland scored 36 top-10 finishes between 1952-60. He won four poles, led 134 laps of competition and had 10 finishes of either second or third. He ranked third in the 1956 USAC championship points standings.

For several years in the late 1950s and early 1960s, Freeland was one of several drivers who made quite an impact as a member of the Champion Spark Plug Companys Highway Safety program, in which "500" drivers would visit the nation's high schools to give safe-driving tips to students.

He is survived by his wife, Jan, and a daughter, Deana, who reside in Torrance, Calif., where Freeland spent most of his life.

Source : http://www.theautochannel.com (11/7/2007)

RACING BUSINESS Full Speed Ahead for the Grand Prix of Cleveland  
Full Speed Ahead for the Grand Prix of Cleveland City of Cleveland and Grand Prix reach new five-year agreement to hold the event at Burke; 2008 Grand Prix scheduled for June 20-22

For twenty-six consecutive years, the shores of Lake Erie have come alive each summer when the Grand Prix of Cleveland roars into town for the annual celebration of speed at Burke Lakefront Airport. Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson and Grand Prix officials announced today that this tradition will continue, thanks to a new five-year agreement between the City and the Grand Prix to hold the event at Burke through 2012. Organizers also announced that the 2008 event, the first under the new agreement, will take place June 20 - 22.

"The Grand Prix is a significant annual event for the City of Cleveland. It is a popular attraction that puts Cleveland on the world stage and delivers an annual economic impact of some $30 million," said Mayor Frank G. Jackson.

"The Grand Prix of Cleveland is one of the City's unique assets," said Council President Martin J. Sweeney. "We are pleased to have a healthy partnership with the Grand Prix and look forward to many races to come."

The Grand Prix entered an exciting new era prior to the 2006 event, when Mi-Jack Promotions and chairman Michael T. Lanigan were announced as the new promoters of the event. With financial security and a fresh approach under new ownership, the Grand Prix has experienced a revitalization with renewed fan support, increased corporate sponsorships, and a number of new fan-friendly attractions. In 2007, attendance increased 31% to 151,426 fans, signaling a return to glory for the Grand Prix. Grand Prix officials are optimistic that the future looks even brighter.

"We are very proud to be carrying on the great traditions of the Grand Prix of Cleveland," said Michael T. Lanigan. "Our primary focus has been the great fans of Northeast Ohio, and we believe that we have accomplished our goal of providing them with a tremendous weekend experience that the entire family could enjoy. We are also appreciative of the tremendous support from the Northeast Ohio community, including our corporate sponsors, the fans, Cuyahoga County, and Mayor Jackson and the City of Cleveland."

When the event returns next June for the 27th annual Grand Prix of Cleveland, the festivities will once again be headlined by the Champ Car World Series, North America's premier open-wheel racing series. Since Bobby Rahal won the inaugural race as a rookie in 1982, some of the greatest names in auto racing have taken the checkered flag on the famous course at Burke Lakefront Airport on the shores of Lake Erie, including Al Unser, Jr., Mario Andretti, Emerson Fittipaldi, and current stars Paul Tracy and Sebastien Bourdais. The event's rich history has established the famed Burke Lakefront Airport track as one of the best and most storied circuits in the Champ Car World Series.

"The Grand Prix of Cleveland is one of the cornerstone events of the Champ Car World Series, and we are very pleased to be returning to Burke Lakefront Airport for the 27th consecutive year," said Champ Car CEO and President Steve Johnson. "We thank Mayor Jackson for his leadership and vision, and look forward to working closely with Mike Lanigan and his team in conducting another crowd-pleasing event in Cleveland next year."

The Grand Prix of Cleveland will also feature a number of top support series to allow fans to see some of the sport's up-and-coming stars compete throughout the race weekend. Included in the weekend schedule will be the Cooper Tires Presents The Champ Car Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda, the Star Mazda Championship Presented by Goodyear, and the SCCA Pro Racing SIRIUS Satellite Radio MX-5 Cup.

In addition to world-class racing, the 2008 Grand Prix of Cleveland will feature a myriad of activities to create a "three-day festival of speed" for fans of all ages. Popular returning attractions will include live music, the Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital Family Fun Zone, extreme sports demonstrations, go-kart racing, and the Miss Grand Prix of Cleveland contest.

Fans will have a chance to get in on the action on February 4, when tickets for the 2008 Grand Prix of Cleveland go on sale to the general public. Ticket prices for most seats remain the same, with reserved seats at $35 and grounds admission tickets available for $10.

Source : http://www.theautochannel.com (11/7/2007)

Queens Speech covers climate change and congestion bills  
Her Majesty's Most Gracious Speech to both Houses of Parliament on Tuesday 6 November mentioned that a Bill will be brought forward to make the United Kingdom the first country in the world to introduce a legally binding framework to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. The speech added that the Government will introduce legislation to provide clean, secure and affordable supplies of energy, and to tackle congestion and improve public transport.

Commenting on the announcement of a forthcoming Regulatory Enforcement and Sanctions Bill in the Queens Speech, Alec Murray, chairman of the Retail Motor Industry Federation, said: The Government has at long last demonstrated an awareness of the regulatory burden that it has unwittingly created for UK businesses, and I hope that we will see some positive results from their good intentions.

Stephen Joseph, the Campaign for Better Transport's executive director, pointed out concerns the group has about the proposed Planning Reform Bill and the large house building programme planned: "The Local Transport Bill can help if it really improves bus services and uses road charging to fund them and other public transport. However, we are concerned that unless good public transport and local services are provided from Day 1, the new housing thats planned will entrench car dependence and high carbon emissions. The Planning Reform Bill needs to protect peoples right to object to transport and other projects and to challenge the need for them."

Source : http://www.autoindustry.co.uk (11/7/2007)

TVS sues Bajaj for Rs 2.5 bn  
India`s third biggest two-wheeler maker, TVS Motor said that the company filed a suit in the high court of judicature at Bombay on Oct. 22, 2007, against Bajaj Auto and others. (Defendants) inter alia praying to the effect, that a decree for the sum of Rs 2.50 billion be passed against Defendants, and in favor of the Plaintiffs as damages, and the Defendants be directed to withdraw, all such defamatory statements in the nature and form as set out in detail in the Plaint and to tender an unqualified apology thereof.

The company (`Plaintiff`) also filed a suit in the high court of judicature at Madras under Section 106 of the Patents Act, 1970 against Bajaj Auto inter alia praying to the effect that it be declared that the threats held out by the Defendant that the Plaintiff is infringing the Defendant`s Patent No.195904 and that Defendant is proposing to take infringement action against the Plaintiff are unjustified and that Defendant be restrained from continuing the issuance of said threats and such further and other reliefs as more particularly prayed in the said Plaint.

Source : myiris.com (11/7/2007)

Gas Pumps To Be Google-ized  
SAN FRANCISCO ; The AP reported that lost drivers soon will be able to Google for help at the pump.

As part of a partnership to be announced Wednesday, the online search leader will dispense driving directions at thousands of gasoline pumps across the United States beginning early next month.

The pumps, made by Gilbarco Veeder-Root, include an Internet connection and will display Google's mapping service in color on a small screen. Motorists will be able to scroll through several categories to find local landmarks, hotels, restaurants and hospitals selected by the gas station's owner.

After the driver selects a destination, the pump will print out directions. Eventually, Gilbarco Veeder-Root hopes to enable motorists to type in a specific address and get directions.

"We think the service will create more customer loyalty for retailers,'' said Gilbarco Veeder-Root spokeswoman Lucy Sackett.

Greensboro, N.C.-based Gilbarco Veeder-Root will initially offer the service in about 3,500 gas pumps and expand based on retailer demand.

Unlike most of Google's services, this one won't include ads bringing the company income. But participating retailers will be able to make extra money from other merchants that offer coupons on the service.

Making maps available at gas pumps appealed to Google because the Mountain View-based company wants to make its services available whenever and wherever people need them, said Karen Roter Davis, a principal business development manager for Google.

Also this week, Google unveiled plans for free cell phone software designed to make it easier and more enticing to reach the Internet on mobile devices. The first so-called smart phones equipped with Google's software, called "Android,'' won't be available until the second half of next year.

Calling up a map at a gas pump should be particularly popular among motorists who are too stubborn or embarrassed to pull over and ask someone for help, Roter Davis said. "This will be sort of a Googley, more stealthy way of getting directions.''

Source : http://www.theautochannel.com (11/7/2007)

Special Event Michelle Theriault Makes A Change For 2008 Season  
After two seasons with Team GLOCK Racing, Michelle Theriault has decided the time is right to make a change. The 21-year-old Bristol, Conn. native announced today that she has left the team and is actively pursuing opportunities in NASCAR and ARCA for the 2008 season. It was a tough decision, explained Theriault. GLOCK provided me with the opportunity to showcase my abilities and for that Im extremely grateful. But there comes a time when a change is necessary for continued growth.

Ive had some very positive opportunities presented to me for 2008 and I always welcome hearing from other teams and sponsors who support females in motorsports, continued Theriault.

Ive proven that I am dedicated to being successful and am confident that there will be many more successes in the future. Theriault has been racing for 16 years. She started in Quarter Midgets, notching more than 200 feature wins in seven seasons.

In 2001, she began competing in Legends at Atlanta Motor Speedway and quickly earned the distinction of becoming the first female winner in the Pro division and first female champion. She graduated to the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series in 2003 and followed it up with a three-year stint in the USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series where she became the first female competitor to qualify for three consecutive national championships.

In 2007, Theriault completed her rookie season in the NASCAR Busch East Series scoring two top 10 finishes in her first two starts and ended the season 13th in the championship. She also competed in six ARCA RE/MAX Series races.

In addition to Theriaults on-track success, she has enjoyed many off track accolades as well. She starred in CMTs reality show The Drive in 2005 and recently signed on with a major production company to develop a motion picture highlighting her racing career. Im very excited about the movie, said Theriault. Weve obtained the necessary financial backing to go forward. The great part is that whichever team and sponsor I work with in 2008 will become a main focal point. Not many other drivers can offer this level of exposure.

Source : http://www.theautochannel.com (11/7/2007)

SPECIAL EVENT International motorsport stars descend for karting event of the decade  
Sunday 25 November 2007 sees motorsport stars from all over the globe come together for the charity kart race of the decade - The Race Against Cancer. In aid of Cancer Research UK, the event promises to bring together the biggest names from two and four wheels for a frantic and pure racing event in 100cc racing karts.

The location of this spectacular event will be Rye House Kart Raceway, Hertfordshire, England. Near London, the all-day event will play host to stars from a wide range of other motorsport formulae, with plenty of other motorsport themed entertainment also underpinning the day.

The main race will see stars young and old battle in an exciting format to see who is truly king of motorsport. A single-lap qualifying session will show which driver has the greatest composure and talent to lap fastest, before the first of two heats. Names such as Alain Menu (ex-British Touring Car Champion), Romain Grosjean (2007 European F3 Champion), Chris Harris (2007 British Speedway Champion), Javier Villa (2007 GP2 winner) will compete in the final race of the day - The Race Against Cancer final, with over 30 world-class reputations on the line.

As well the feature race, the event will feature a celebrity and motorsport icons race. Faces from motorsport include Sam Michael (Williams F1), Mike Gascoyne (Spyker F1) and David Lapworth (Prodrive); celebrities from music, TV and sport supporting the day include the likes of Alan Fletcher (Karl Kennedy in "Neighbours") and Emily Scott ("FHM" / "Maxim" model).

An 80mph demonstration race by elite junior drivers from the UK and Europe will open the event (is the next Lewis Hamilton lurking on this grid?). In addition, a trackside village will house rally cars, plus automotive exotica in the form of Aston Martins, Lamborghinis and Ferraris, with a select few also taking to the circuit to wow the fans.

Co-organiser Matt Roberts said: "It will be fantastic, with a fabulous variety of events happening on the day. Never have so many international names come together to race on British soil, so it will be an amazing experience for spectators to witness what will no doubt be an explosive day of racing.

"With everything else happening on the day - such as the super cars and rally cars demonstration - there is something for everyone to enjoy. We hope the event will communicate the message and tireless work which Cancer Research UK undertakes each day to combat this terrible disease, and that our donation will go some way in helping to get rid of cancer from the world."

The goal of the event is to raise maximum awareness and money for future cancer research, as shown by 100 percent of all proceeds from the event going to charity. The final donation will be made to Cancer Research UK, the world's leading independent organisation dedicated to cancer research.

Tickets are available from Ticketmaster.co.uk for just £25 each. With demand expected to go through the roof, as fans of all types of motorsport rush to see their heroes take on other motorsport stars, we encourage you to buy tickets as soon as possible and support this great cause.

Source : http://www.theautochannel.com (11/7/2007)

TEAM REPORTS InvestLinc/CJM Racing Phoenix Pre-Race  
JASON KELLER/ INVESTLINC TEAM FAST FACTS:

The CJM Racing team will make their 15th NASCAR Busch Series (NBS) race attempt this weekend at Phoenix International Raceway (PIR)

In their limited schedule this season, CJM Racing has garnered four top-10 finishes with veteran driver Jason Keller

InvestLinc returns as the primary sponsor of the No. 11 CJM Racing entry at PIR

Keller will return to PIR after a two year absence from the mile track; his best finish was fourth place back in 2002

Keller has completed 98% of the laps attempted at PIR; 1555 out of 1586

In eight starts at PIR; Keller has averaged a starting position of 21st and a finishing position of 17th

The InvestLinc team will be running chassis #02 at PIR; #02 is the same chassis run at Nashville (sixth) and Chicago (35th)

THOUGHTS ON THE SEASON AS IT COMES TO A CLOSE:

"We've done a lot in a short amount of time at CJM Racing. Tony and Bryan Mullet went and redid their entire program and in just six short months. The guys that have been a part of this have been amazing and everyone has put their heart and soul into making it a success. I'd say looking back on it now that it has been a success and will continue trying to improve on what we have learned."

THOUGHTS ON PHOENIX INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY:

"I haven't raced on this track since 2005 but there is no doubt this is one of my favorite race tracks of the season. I'm a big fan of the mile tracks and this one has a very distinct personality to it. The configuration of the corners and banking is different. You may be good in one and two but three and four are completely different. You have to find a balance in the handling to be competitive around this track."

NOW THAT ALL THE HYPE ABOUT THE ALL-TIME START RECORD HAS SUBSIDED; HOW DO YOU FEEL LOOKING BACK ON IT ALL?:

"It was a little overwhelming at times and I really tried to not make a big deal out of it all. Looking back I realize that it was a huge accomplishment and I'm very proud to be where I am at today. The support from everyone was amazing."

Source : http://www.theautochannel.com (11/7/2007)

First drive: Cadillac CTS  
First drive: Cadillac CTS

We test next summer's new CTS

Executive car to cost around £27,000

Two petrols at launch; diesel in 2009

Elvis was a Cadillac fan - fitting, because many of its cars have been reminiscent of 'The King' in his latter career: big and brash.

Fortunately, this new CTS is more subtle. The mix of clean, angular lines - but with just enough American show - are similar to its predecessors, but it looks that bit more muscular and appealing.

In the cabin

There are improvements in the cabin, too. Quality has taken a big step forward and the design is now smart and modern.

The upper dashboard is trimmed in leather and most of the other materials look good.

Only the hard silver plastic on the centre console lets the side down a little.

The cluttered dash layout is more of a problem, because you struggle to tell the various switchgear apart at a glance.

Still, two-way steering wheel adjustment and electric seats make it easy to get comfortable.

Those upfront also have decent space, but, given that the CTS is longer than a BMW 5 Series, rear space is disappointing.

There's reasonable legroom, but headroom is tight and the door aperture is awkwardly shaped. Its 373-litre boot is only fractionally bigger than that in a Ford Focus', too.

On the road

UK buyers will be able to choose from 208bhp 2.8 and 307bhp 3.6 V6 petrol engines at launch. A diesel option won't be available until mid-2009.

We drove the 3.6, which gives strong acceleration, even if the standard auto 'box can be indecisive.

The 3.6-litre car comes on sports suspension, which controls body movement well, but transmits lumps and bumps through to those on board in gory detail.

The CTS isn't as agile as it could be, either, because the steering is slow to respond. Occupants also have to put up with a fair bit of road noise over coarse surfaces.

Buying and owning

In truth, prospective buyers probably don't expect the CTS to equal its German rivals in some areas. They will, however, expect value for money.

The good news is that the CTS will undercut much of the opposition on price - it'll come in at around £27,000.

The bad news is that unless it bucks the trend set by Cadillac's recent models, residual values will be weak - and because there's no diesel, fuel and company car tax bills will be sky-high.

At least you should get a generous specification. Equipment levels haven't been confirmed, but leather upholstery, dual-zone climate control and adaptive xenon headlights are likely to be standard.

The 2.8 model may also be available with four-wheel drive, whereas the 3.6 is rear-wheel drive only.

Whichever one you choose, you won't be able to get your hands on one until summer next year.

Source : http://www.whatcar.co.uk (11/7/2007)

Infiniti G35 Wins Edmunds' Inside Line Sport Sedan Comparison Test  
2008 Infiniti G35

SANTA MONICA, Calif.--Inside Line, Edmunds.com's high-speed online car magazine, today announced that the 2007 Infiniti G35 Sport won the latest comparison test of sport sedans, which is described in full Comparison Test: 2007-2008 Sport Sedans

The Inside Line editorial team recently compared five sport sedans:

2007 BMW 335i (MSRP $46,650 and Edmunds.com True Market ValueÂ(r) (TMVÂ(r)) of $44,290), equipped with a six-cylinder, 300-horsepower engine and six-speed automatic transmission;

2008 Cadillac CTS(MSRP $44,715 and TMVÂ(r) of $44,159), equipped with a six-cylinder, 304-horsepower engine and six-speed automatic transmission;

2007 Infiniti G35 Sport (estimate $36,800 and TMVÂ(r) of $34,928), equipped with a six-cylinder, 306-horsepower engine and five-speed automatic transmission;

2008 Lexus IS350 (MSRP $47,815 and TMVÂ(r) of $47,651), equipped with a six-cylinder, 306-horsepower engine and six-speed automatic transmission; and

2008 Mercedes-Benz C350 Sport (MSRP $41,935 and TMVÂ(r) of $41,841), equipped with a six-cylinder, 268-horsepower engine and seven-speed automatic transmission.

"All five of these sedans are excellent cars and its hard to find a reason not to buy any one of them," reports Edmunds Inside Line Senior Road Test Editor Josh Jacquot. "The Infiniti G35 Sports engaging driving character, high feature content and low cost were especially appealing."

The 2007 BMW 335i came in second place and was praised for its speed and comfort. The 2008 Cadillac CTS earned third place and impressed the editors with its superior interior quality and design. The 2008 Lexus IS350 took fourth place and was applauded for its performance. The 2008 Mercedes-Benz C350 came in fifth place; the editors especially appreciated its high-end audio and navigation system.

Vehicle Rankings from 2007 2008 Sport Sedan Comparison Test

1. 2007 Infiniti G35 Sport

2. 2007 BMW 335i

3. 2008 Cadillac CTS

4. 2008 Lexus IS350

5. 2008 Mercedes-Benz C350

To read the test and to get more information on the editors' evaluations and rankings, visit 2007

2008 Sport Sedans Comparison Test

Lively discussions about this comparison are currently underway in the 2007 - 2008 Sport Sedan Comparison Test message board in Edmunds.com's CarSpace Forums

Source : http://www.theautochannel.com (11/7/2007)

Kia Motors America Announces Name of New Midsize SUV  
IRVINE, CA - : Kia Motors America (KMA) today announced it will give its new midsize SUV the moniker of "Borrego" when it debuts in January at the Detroit Auto Show. The Kia Borrego will be manufactured in Korea and go on sale in North America in late spring or early summer of 2008 as a 2009 model.

Built with body-on-frame construction incorporating the latest in NVH engineering philosophy, Borrego will be Kia's newest addition to its well-rounded full-line of vehicles that continually provide value, safety and a steadfast 10-year/100,000-mile warranty to consumers. Borrego will be available with either a V6 engine or the company's first V8 offering, which will also boast Kia's largest towing capacity to date.

Kia Motors America -- the sales, marketing and distribution arm of Kia Motors Corporation in Seoul, South Korea -- offers a complete line of vehicles through more than 630 dealers throughout the United States.

Source : http://www.theautochannel.com (11/7/2007)

Hybrids to feature in centenary Great Race  
Entries for next years 100th anniversary re-run of the famous 1908 New York to Paris "Great Race" include a group of car enthusiasts who aim to promote hybrid cars by driving around the world on the least amount of fuel possible.

Ten teams driving hybrid electric cars will join the Innovation Class of next summer's Great Race from New York to Paris and attempt to complete the almost 22,000 mile (35,000 km) course by driving as efficiently as possible.

The participation in the Great Race will be the first in a series of MPG Challenges, created in partnership with Hybridfest Inc, the organisers of the USAs largest hybrid car festival.

Bill Ewing, chief executive of event promoter Great Race Sports said, "Clearly the world has a big fuel problem. Dealing with global warming issues requires conservation as well as alternative fuels. The MPG Challenge brings attention to the importance of improving fuel economy by squeezing the most out of hybrids in a way that people relate to."

Eric Powers, president of Hybridfest said, "We are very excited about our involvement in creating the MPG Challenge. Some of the best hypermilers in the world have already expressed interest in participating and showing the world how to do something as mind boggling as driving around the world with as little fuel as possible."

Source : http://www.autoindustry.co.uk (11/7/2007)

Maruti gets order for `Versa` from Orix worth Rs 100 mn  
Maruti Suzuki India bagged order for 300 units of multi-purpose vehicle `Versa` from multinational fleet operator Orix, reports Economic Times.

The order is estimated to be worth over Rs 100 million. Orix approached Maruti Suzuki (Q, N,C,F)* for a customised version of Versa, which it intends to run as radio taxis in Delhi, sources said. The vehicle delivered to Orix will be a seven seater and it will be named `Versa OX`. It will see changes in the interiors such as seating arrangements with more luxurious upholstery, sources added.

Source : myiris.com (11/7/2007)

Novelis Wins Aluminum Hood Contract for Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand...  
DETROIT, -- Novelis Inc. has been selected by Chrysler LLC to supply aluminum sheet blanks for the hoods of the all-new 2008 Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan minivans. Novelis is the world's leading supplier of high-performance aluminum sheet for use in automotive applications.

"Supplying high-performance aluminum for these popular minivans marks another vehicle segment expansion for Novelis aluminum in the automotive market," said Pat McNulty, Automotive Director for Novelis North America. This contract represents the first use of aluminum for Chrysler minivan hoods.

Chrysler's use of aluminum helps reduce vehicle mass, improve fuel economy and reduce emissions as well as improve vehicle performance and handling - factors that help make the minivans the best vehicles to transport people and things. Novelis also supplies aluminum sheet blanks for the hood of Chrysler's Jeep(R) Commander and numerous other vehicles in both North America and Europe.

Novelis will supply aluminum sheet blanks from its North American manufacturing system which includes plants in Oswego, N.Y., and Kingston, Ontario.

Source : http://www.automotive.com (11/7/2007)

Kolkata firm unveils cheapest 100cc bike  
KOLKATA: Taking on two-wheeler giants like Hero Honda and Bajaj Auto, a little known city based company - Global Automobiles (GAL) - on Wednesday launched India's cheapest motorcycle at Rs 19,990. Rock 100, powered by a 100cc engine, also provides one of the best mileages in the category at 125 kilometers per litre, the company officials claimed.

'Rock100' is priced almost Rs 10,000 lower than its nearest competitor in this category, Bajaj Auto's Platina, which costs nearly Rs 30,000. Hero Honda's cheapest 100cc model 'CD Dawn' is priced at Rs 33,000 while TVS Motor's 'Star City' costs around Rs 33,000.

Industry analysts said, ''The price at which Rock 100 is launched is a certainly very attractive. However, one would have to wait for the a few months to see how well it stands the competition from the automobile giants.'' GAL chairman Santanu Ghosh said that 'Rock 100' has been designed and developed at the company's Hooghly facility. ''We are rolling out 'Rock 100' nationally.

The company will appoint more than 800 dealers nation-wide. Initial response to the bike is encouraging and we are confident of carving out a niche for ourselves in the 7.6-million two-wheeler market,'' he said.

The company has worked on developing this model for over six months and has spent about Rs 10-12 crore, Ghosh said. ''We have a team of about 15 who are currently working on three more bikes. We plan to launch a 150cc gearless scooter, a 150cc motorcycle and a 200cc motorcycle in the near future,'' Ghosh said.

The company, which started operations in February this year, is expecting a turnover of Rs 400 crore in the first year. ''We expect the venture to be profitable in the next few months,'' Ghosh said. Rock 100 is the second product from GAL, the first being a 125cc motorcycle, Xpression, which has sold about 10,000 units in West Bengal.

GAL claims that Rock 100 will have a mileage of 125km/litre, one of the highest and plans to export the product to Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka. It intends to initially produce 3.6 lakh two-wheelers annually. The company has already received bookings for 1.6 lakh two-wheelers.

Source : Economic Times (11/8/2007)

Amtek sees $16-18 mn cost savings from UK acquisition  
MUMBAI: Auto parts maker Amtek Auto Ltd has paid $40 million in an all-cash deal to acquire UK-based Triplex-Ketlon, a senior official said on Wednesday.

The synergies from the acquisition will result in cost savings of $16-18 million annually by the third year, Amtek's Finance Director Santosh Singhi said.

Source : Economic Times (11/7/2007)

Volvo Bases Crash Predictions on Real Car Accident Reports - VIDEO STORY  
GOTHENBURG - : A new research model, developed by Volvo Cars, uses real accident reports to predict the chain of events that occur before and during a collision. After investigating more than 36,000 accidents over a 35-year span, the Volvo Cars accident research team can predict the consequences of the collision, as well as what initially led to the accident. Studying this chain of events helps Volvo Cars develop effective car safety systems to reduce accidents and the risk of serious injuries.

Source : http://www.theautochannel.com (11/7/2007)

San Francisco Chronicle|SFGate.com 50th Annual International Auto Show  
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - New introductions, concept cars and prototypes from the world's major manufacturers will highlight the San Francisco Chronicle|SFGate.com 50th Annual International Auto Show, November 22 - December 2, 2007 at the Moscone Convention Center.

Among the new and exciting vehicles being exhibited at the Auto Show are the BMW 335 series, Chevy's Bumblebee Camaro from the movie "Transformers", the 2008 Dodge Viper plus the stunning 2008 Ford Shelby GT500KR "King of the Road" and Bullitt Mustangs. Also from Ford are the 2008 Ford Sport Trac Adrenalin and the 2009 Flex. Infiniti is bringing the PT EX, Jaguar will be displaying the fabulous new XF and KIA has the new Optima and Amanti. In addition, Lincoln Mercury is showing the 2009 MKS, Maserati will be exhibiting the sensuous 2008 Gran Turismo, while Subaru will present the all-new 2008 Impreza WRX. Concept cars include Chrysler's Airflite, the Jeep Treo and Suzuki's SXBox and SXGMR.

Presented by AutoTrader.com, the International Auto Show is the premier auto exposition in northern California and the only auto show held regionally that lures the dazzling high-tech displays from the world's major manufacturers. This year's show will feature more than 800 vehicles representing the work of over 40 manufacturers and will offer Bay Area residents their first opportunity to see all the new 2008 models in one place. Among the other manufacturers exhibiting their new products at this year's show are: Acura, Audi, Ferrari, Honda, Hyundai, Lamborghini, Land Rover, Lotus, Mercedes Benz, Mini, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Porsche, Scion and Toyota to name just a few.

In addition to the 2008 model vehicles, the Auto Show will feature Extreme Autofest Automotive Lifestyle Show, an exhibit full of tricked-out imports, domestics, luxury, and exotic vehicles; classic hot rods from Dominator Street Rods and racecars from Infineon Raceway and Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. The Show will also have an extensive auto accessory booth area with aftermarket products, interactive exhibits and much more.

The International Auto Show, which is supported by the California Motor Car Dealers Association, will open on Thanksgiving and run for 11 days. The show will fill the 1.2 million sq. ft. Moscone Center and is expected to draw approximately 400,000 spectators making it the largest exhibition of any kind in the greater Bay Area and the second largest auto show in the western United States .

Show hours are: Thursday, November 22 - Sunday, November 25: 10:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. Monday, November 26 - Thursday, November 29: 11:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. Friday, November 30 and Saturday, December 1: 10:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. Sunday, December 2: 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Source : http://www.theautochannel.com (11/7/2007)

PPG Named Finalist, Given Honorable Mention in 2008 PACE Award Program  
TROY, Mich., -- PPG Industries , the world's leading manufacturer of transportation coatings, was named a finalist and received honorable mention in the 2008 Automotive News PACE Award program.

The PACE (Premier Automotive Suppliers' Contribution to Excellence) Award recognizes innovation, technological advancement and business performance of suppliers that contribute products, processes, information technology, materials or services directly to the manufacture of cars or trucks. It is presented jointly by Automotive News, Microsoft, SAP and Transportation Research Center Inc.

A five-time PACE Award winner, PPG was named a finalist in the manufacturing process and capital equipment category for Green Logic paint detackifier. Used by domestic, European and Japanese automakers, Green Logic paint detackifier is added to the water wash system in automotive paint spray booths to denature and remove over-sprayed paint. The patented formula, which incorporates chitosan derived from crab, lobster and shrimp shells, provides an environmentally responsible alternative to detackifiers derived from non- renewable, petroleum-based raw materials or based on chemistries containing residual-free formaldehyde.

Green Logic paint detackifier has been named "best in class" by OEM users and nominated for many environmental awards because it helps automakers realize performance gains in paint detackification and overall paint spray booth operations. It also offers greater ease of operation and savings from reduced spray booth maintenance, biocide use and wastewater treatment.

Source : http://www.theautochannel.com (11/7/2007)

Dana Corporation Supplying Drivetrain Components, Modules for All-New 2008 Jeep Liberty  
TOLEDO, Ohio, -- Dana Corporation announced today that it has begun supplying Spicer(R) drivetrain products - including front and rear propshafts and front suspension modules - to Chrysler LLC for the all-new 2008 Jeep(R) Liberty.

"Dana has been supplying products for Jeep vehicles since they were first produced and is honored to be selected as an important supplier for 2008 Jeep Liberty," said Michael J. Burns, Dana chairman and CEO. "This vehicle program is another example of how Dana provides innovative solutions designed to exceed our customers' expectations."

Dana's Spicer(R) Life Series(R) front and rear propshafts reduce noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) levels. The steel front propshaft features staked-and-centered cardan universal joints and is manufactured utilizing a pressure-welding process with shielding gas. The design results in reduced run-out that allows for less rotational variance.

The friction-welded aluminum rear propshaft features a splined-tube design, which helps improve crash performance, and includes staked-and- centered cardan universal joints at both ends.

These welding technologies ensure precise component orientation, substantially improving initial propshaft balance characteristics. Staked- and-centered universal joints eliminate unwanted looseness and provide a smoother, high-speed dynamic performance.

The front suspension modules feature Dana's Spicer(R) axle technology and will be assembled at Dana's Toledo, Ohio facility. The front axle is tested immediately after assembly to ensure the highest quality NVH levels are achieved.

Dana also supplies Victor Reinz(R) cylinder-head covers for the 3.7-liter engines and Victor Reinz(R) exhaust manifold gaskets for the 2.4-liter world engines.

Dana has been supplying drivetrain technologies for Jeep vehicles since the first Willys MA was produced in 1941 and has provided axles and propshafts for the Jeep Liberty since its inception in 2002.

Source : http://www.theautochannel.com (11/7/2007)

CORR 2007 PRO LITE CHAMPION ROBERT NAUGHTON ALSO WINS DRIVER OF THE YEAR  
Championship Off Road Racing celebrated the end of the 2007 season Monday evening in Primm, NV. Hosted by NBC sports commentator Bill Weber, the night was full of laughs, exciting highlight videos and of course the crowning of the 2007 Champions. Pit reporter Kelli Stavast and SPEED commentator Ken Stout handed out the awards and kept the audience entertained all evening.

Three of the most coveted awards of the evening were voted on by the competitors. Pro Lite Champion Robert Naughton took home Pro Driver of the Year. Curt Greaves, Crew Chief of five time Champion Johnny Greaves was awarded Crew Chief of the Year and newcomer Larry Foddrill was named Sportsman Driver of the Year. Foddrill also won the Super Buggy Championship and the Fox Racing Shox Super Buggy Rookie of the Year.

Pro 4 driver Troy Herbst had a very impressive season earning him not only 3rd in the Pro 4 points, but also Pro 4 Tubeworks Rookie of the Year. Amosil Kumho driver Scott Douglas finished 2nd in the Pro 4 points standings and Carl Renezeder winner of this past weekends Jason Baldwin Memorial Cup also won the Pro 4 Championship. This is Renezeders fourth CORR Championship. Renezeder also finished 3rd in the Pro 2 points standings.

Las Vegas native Rob MacCachren sponsored by Red Bull finished second in the Pro 2 standings. Jerry Whelchel driver of the Monster Energy Drink number 41 won the Pro 2 Championship. Alan Pflueger took home the Tubeworks Pro 2 Rookie of the Year award. In the Pro Lite class Rodrigo Ampudia finished third, Casey Currie placed second and Garit Wallace took home the Howe Performance Power Steering Pro Lite Rookie of the Year.

Bryce Menzies was the young standout Monday evening winning Fox Racing Shox Single Buggy Rookie of the Year and the 2007 Single Buggy Championship. Bruce Fraley took home second place in the Single Buggy Points standings for Menzies Motorsports. Cory Boyer who won both Single Buggy races this past weekend also secured 3rd in the points standing. In the Super Buggy division Ron Dalke finished third and Larry Job took home second behind Super Buggy Champion Larry Foddrill.

Tire and Engine Manufacture awards were also given out Monday night. Ford took home both the Pro 2 and Pro Lite Engine Manufacture award, while Chevrolet took home the Pro 4 Engine Manufacture award. BF Goodrich was awarded the tire manufacture award in the Pro 2 and Pro 4 series, with Maxxis taking home the Pro Lite tire manufacture award.

Dont forget to watch the Jason Baldwin Memorial Cup on NBC December 8th. CORR will return for the 2008 season in May with two more race weekends and an extra half hour on NBC. For all up to date information regarding CORR and its television schedule visit www.corracing.com.

Championship Off Road Racingâ„¢ brings high action, four wheel motorsports including 2 wheel drive and 4 wheel drive trucks to the closed course off road arena. The 2007 CORR season includes seven events at tracks located in Los Angeles and San Diego, CA, Fort Worth/Dallas, TX and Primm, NV.

Source : http://www.theautochannel.com (11/7/2007)

Google Pumps Up Service at Gas Stations  
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. You will soon be able to Google for directions at the gas pump. The giant Internet search engine will begin offering lost drivers directions using Google's mapping service on gas pumps throughout the U.S. in early December.

In a unique twist, the gas pumps will also come with an Internet connection.

The new service is part of a Google partnership with Greensboro, North Carolina-based Gilbarco Veeder-Root, the maker of gas pumps. "Consumers can view maps on the pump's screen and locate their desired destinations," said Gilbarco Veeder-Root in a statement on its Web site. "They can also search Google's local business listings by category (restaurant, hospital, gift shop, etc.) to find the nearest choices. Once a destination is selected, consumers can also print the driving directions at the pump."

The company notes that this is "safer than using Internet-enabled devices from the driver seat and far more reliable than just asking a stranger."

The service will initially be offered in about 3,500 gas pumps nationwide and expand based on demand.

Source : http://www.edmunds.com (11/7/2007)

Back to school for Westfield  
Westfield Sportscars has handed out years of expertise and knowledge whilst supporting young engineers at Ludlow Church of England School.

Their goal is to help youngsters in the production of an eco-car with an enviable performance of 170 miles per gallon.

The students, who are participating in a Shell sponsored event to design, build and drive a machine using the least amount of energy, built the car using a range of recycled materials including BMX wheels and a 50cc moped engine.

Following a successful outing at the Shell Eco Marathon, the students have now designed a car for 2008, which they hope will achieve a staggering 660 mpg.

Their latest design was unveiled at an event attended by Ludlow MP, Philip Dunne, Darren Hodson of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers and Westfield Sportscars' Managing Director, Julian Turner.

Commenting on the students' success, Julian Turner said, "Our congratulations go to all the students and staff involved in this project.

"With declining numbers of students contemplating engineering as a career, and the ever increasing threat from carbon emissions, Westfield is delighted to be able to support this innovative scheme."

Source : http://www.newcarnet.co.uk (11/7/2007)

TEAM REPORTS Franchitti Entered in NASCAR Busch Series Races in Phoenix and Homestead  
Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates (CGRFS) announced today driver Dario Franchitti will make his third and fourth appearances in the NASCAR Busch Series on Nov. 10 at Phoenix International Raceway and Nov. 17 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

The next step in Franchitti's stock car learning curve will take place this weekend in the No.42 Target Dodge Charger on the 1-mile oval in Phoenix after previously contesting the ARCA race at Talladega Superspeedway, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Martinsville Speedway and the last two NBS races at Memphis and Texas. Franchitti will again race under the guidance of CGRFS Crew Chief Brian Pattie.

Last month CGRFS announced Franchitti had signed a multi-year agreement with the organization to compete in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) beginning in 2008. Franchitti will become the first European driver in the 59-year history of NASCAR to join the series full time when he assumes the driving duties of No. 40 Dodge Avenger next season.

Source : http://www.theautochannel.com (11/7/2007)

Flybrid to launch KERS at AI show  
Flybrid Systems LLP, the Silverstone, UK based company, which is developing a new high-speed flywheel-based energy storage and recovery system for use in Formula One and other forms of motorsport as well as road vehicle applications, will launch the initial version of the device at the Autosport Engineering exhibition which takes place on the first two days of the 2008 Autosport International Show.

Flybrid Systems partners Jon Hilton and Doug Cross believe their company is the first in the world to demonstrate a high-speed spinning flywheel that can survive a crash test of the severity used for F1 frontal impact testing.

Hilton said, We are delighted to be launching our new kinetic energy recovery system at the Autosport Engineering Show. The device on display will be a racing car system and we expect this green technology to generate a lot of interest."

The Autosport International Show takes place at the UKs National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham on January 10-13.

Source : http://www.autoindustry.co.uk (11/7/2007)

GM to record $39bn non-cash charge for a deferred tax valuation allowance in third quarter  
General Motors will record a net non-cash charge of $39 billion for the third quarter of 2007 related to establishing a valuation allowance against its deferred tax assets (DTAs) in the U.S., Canada and Germany.

In accordance with the Financial Accounting Standards Boards Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (SFAS) No. 109, Accounting for Income Taxes, GM has evaluated its DTAs quarterly to determine if valuation allowances were required.

GM had determined in previous accounting periods that a valuation allowance was not necessary for its DTAs in the U.S., Canada or Germany, but SFAS No. 109 guidelines require that a valuation allowance should now be established due to more recent events and developments during the 2007 third quarter.

A significant negative factor was the companys three-year historical cumulative loss in the third quarter of 2007 in the U.S., Canada and Germany on an adjusted basis. Another significant factor was the ongoing weakness at GMAC Financial Services related to its Residential Capital, LLC (ResCap) mortgage business, including substantial U.S. losses incurred in 2007. Finally, the company admits it faces more challenging short-term market conditions in the U.S. and Germany.

The establishment of a valuation allowance does not have any impact on cash, nor does such an allowance preclude us from using our loss carryforwards or other deferred tax assets in the future, said Fritz Henderson, GM vice chairman and chief financial officer.

Its also important to note that the establishment of a valuation allowance does not reflect a change in the companys view of its long-term automotive financial outlook, Henderson added. GM continues to believe that its new product introductions, combined with the new GM-UAW labor agreement, once fully implemented, will significantly improve GMs competitive position in the U.S. and better position the company to utilize tax benefits in the U.S. and Canada in the future.

Source : http://www.autoindustry.co.uk (11/7/2007)

RMA Announces Seventh Annual National Tire Safety Week  
WASHINGTON, -- The Rubber Manufacturers Association today announced the Seventh Annual National Tire Safety Week will be held April 20-26, 2008.

The annual event is an initiative of the Rubber Manufacturers Association's "Be Tire Smart -- Play Your PART" program, a year-round effort designed to help drivers learn the simple steps they can take to ensure that their tires are in good working condition. RMA is the national trade association for tire manufacturers.

Tire manufacturers and retailers nationwide will work to educate motorists about proper tire care and maintenance. RMA provides tire retailers, auto dealers and automotive repair shops with free "Be Tire Smart" brochures and other materials. Many participating retail outlets use the opportunity to promote tire care through advertising, promotions, free tire pressure checks and conducting media outreach.

"Each year, more and more of our partners are taking initiative and investing resources and time to promoting National Tire Safety Week," said Dan Zielinski, RMA vice president, public affairs.

Responses to partner surveys conducted by RMA after National Tire Safety Week show that more than half of the retailers that advertised reported a positive effect on customer and community relations. Twenty-five percent of those returning survey information said participation in National Tire Safety Week helped increase sales and attract new customers.

National Tire Safety Week participation grew from 15,000 retail outlets in 2006 to 18,500 in 2007.

"We are grateful that we are able to take advantage of the expertise, experience and enthusiasm of so many people who are knowledgeable about tire care and dedicated to consumer education," said Zielinski.

Partners in the Be Tire Smart program include tire retailers, auto dealers, safety advocates and state government agencies. Among the list of Be Tire Smart partners are: AAA, American Car Care Centers (ACCC), Automotive Service Excellence (ASE), Big 10 Tires, Belle Tire, Big O Tires, Costco, Discount Tire Co., Expert Tire, Firestone Complete Auto Care, GCR Tire Centers, Goodyear Auto Centers, Just Tires, Kaufman Tire, Les Schwab, Merchant's Tire, National Tire and Battery (NTB), National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA), Northwest Tire, Peerless Tires, Pep Boys, Sears Automotive Centers, STS Tire and Auto Centers, Sullivan Tires, Tire Factory, Tire Industry Association (TIA), Tire Kingdom, Tire One, Tires Plus, Tire Warehouse, Town Fair Tires, VIP Parts, Tires and Service, Wal-Mart Tire and Lube Express and many others.

Tire and auto retailers who are interested in obtaining free RMA materials for National Tire Safety Week can order them online at http://www.betiresmart.org. Those who have participated in the event before can expect to receive materials again this year.

The Be Tire Smart program is funded by RMA's tire manufacturer members: Bridgestone Americas Holding, Inc., Continental Tire North America, Inc., Cooper Tire & Rubber Company, The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, Michelin North America, Pirelli North America, Inc., Toyo Tire North America, and Yokohama Tire Corporation.

For more information on the Be Tire Smart Program and National Tire Safety Week visit www.betiresmart.org.

The Rubber Manufacturers Association is the national trade association for the rubber products industry. Its members include more than 80 companies that manufacture various rubber products, including tires, hoses, belts, seals, molded goods, and other finished rubber products. RMA members employ over 120,000 workers and account for more than $21 billion in annual sales.

Source : http://www.automotive.com (11/7/2007)

Fire engines should be yellow, not red  
Fire engines should be yellow, not red

Insurance firm wants yellow fire engines

Studies show yellow is more visible than red

Red perceived as black at night

An insurance broker has suggested that fire engines should be painted yellow, rather than red.

The call by yesinsurance.co.uk follows several studies which have indicated that vehicles painted with darker colours, such as red, are often less visible than those that are yellow.

Lime yellow is highlighted as one of the safest colours, because it can be more easily spotted by day and by night, as well as in snowy conditions when white vehicles are less noticeable.

However, although no study has proposed a definitive 'safest colour', all have suggested that lighter colours, such as white and yellow, are safer than dark colours.

'From an insurance point of view, we make no distinctions on colour, but where emergency vehicles are concerned, research seems to indicate that lime yellow is the most visible colour,' said the insurer's spokesman, Paul Purdy.

Source : http://www.earthtimes.org (11/7/2007)

CarMax Experts Provide Advice on How to Improve Your Gas Mileage  
RICHMOND, Va., -- With the national gas price over three dollars per gallon, CarMax, Inc. , the nation's largest retailer of used cars, has advice to help you save money on gas for your vehicle.

"Even though gas prices have become a burden, there are still ways to save money on fuel," said ASE Certified Master Technicians Juan Crespo and Todd Gartner. "Maintaining your vehicle and driving it efficiently can assist with improving your gas mileage and decrease fuel spending."

Here are some "car-wise" tips from CarMax experts:

1. Drive Efficiently

-- Drive the speed limit: gas mileage decreases at higher speeds.

-- Don't drive aggressively: speeding, quick acceleration and excessive braking all waste gas.Driving aggressively lowers gas mileage both on the highway and when driving around town.

-- Use overdrive and cruise control: If your vehicle has a manual overdrive, make sure it is ON; overdrive reduces engine speed, which helps to save gas.Cruise control also saves gas by maintaining a consistent speed.

-- Avoid idling: idling for longer than 30 seconds uses more gas than starting up your engine.

2. Maintain your Vehicle

-- Get the manufacturer's recommended maintenance done: keeping your car in shape improves gas mileage.

-- Make sure your tires are filled to the correct pressure: this can increase gas mileage by three percent.Always refer to the manufacturer's specifications.

-- Whenever possible, use synthetic oil: look for "Energy Conserving" motor oil; it will reduce friction and increase fuel economy.

-- Check and replace dirty air filters: clogged filters can decrease gas mileage up to 10 percent.

3. Plan Ahead

-- Combine errands: this will save time, money and gas.

-- Carpool: carpooling and ride sharing can cut weekly gas costs in half.

-- Remove excess weight: excess weight in the cab or trunk can reduce mileage.Every extra 100 pounds reduces fuel economy by approximately two percent.

-- Eliminate excess wind resistance: roof racks and carrier crates on the top of the car create drag or wind resistance.Removing these items can increase fuel economy by about five percent.

-- Use air conditioning when traveling at highway speeds: driving with the windows open uses more fuel due to the increased drag.

-- Fill up your car in the morning: early morning is the best time because the gasoline is cooler and denser.Since gas pumps measure volumes of gas and not densities, you get more fuel for your money.

Source : http://www.theautochannel.com (11/7/2007)

RACING BUSINESS Speedway Motorsports Reports Results For The Three and Nine Months Ended September 30, 2007  
CONCORD, N.C.--Speedway Motorsports, Inc. (SMI) today reported record third quarter 2007 total revenues of $87.6 million, increasing $2.9 million or 3% over 2006. Also, SMI reaffirmed its full year 2007 earnings guidance of $2.43 to $2.53 per diluted share as further described below.

Excluding equity investee losses of Motorsports Authentics, the Companys third quarter non-GAAP(1) 2007 net income was $4.4 million and $0.10 per diluted share. The Companys consolidated net loss was $13.6 million and $0.31 per diluted share for the third quarter 2007. The decreases in consolidated net income and diluted earnings per share are largely attributable to losses of Motorsports Authentics, the Companys merchandising joint venture with International Speedway Corporation.

Third quarter and year-to-date 2007 results as compared to 2006 were impacted by, among other factors, the following:

* sizable current period losses of Motorsports Authentics as further described below;

* lower revenues under NASCARs new broadcasting rights agreement as expected;

* higher effective income tax rates as expected; and

* Bristol Motor Speedway hosted a major National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) racing event in the third quarter 2007 that was held in the second quarter 2006.

Third Quarter Comparison

For the third quarter 2007 as compared to 2006:

* total revenues were $87.6 million in 2007 compared to $84.8 million in 2006;

* equity investee after tax losses were $18.0 million or $0.41 per diluted share in 2007 compared to $616,000 or $0.01 per diluted share in 2006;

* non-GAAP(1) net income, before equity investee losses, was $4.4 million in 2007 compared to $5.3 million in 2006;

* non-GAAP(1) diluted earnings per share, before equity investee losses, were $0.10 in 2007 compared to $0.12 in 2006;

* consolidated net loss was $13.6 million in 2007 compared to net income of $4.7 million in 2006; and

* consolidated diluted loss per share was $0.31 in 2007 compared to diluted earnings per share of $0.11 in 2006.

Year-to-Date Comparison

For the nine month 2007 period as compared to 2006:

* total revenues were $420.6 million in 2007 compared to $419.1 million in 2006;

* equity investee after tax losses were $20.3 million or $0.46 per diluted share in 2007 compared to $1.6 million or $0.04 per diluted share in 2006;

* non-GAAP(1) net income, before equity investee losses, was $78.9 million in 2007 compared to $84.0 million in 2006;

* non-GAAP(1) diluted earnings per share, before equity investee losses, were $1.79 in 2007 compared to $1.91 in 2006;

* consolidated net income was $58.6 million in 2007 compared to $82.4 million in 2006; and

* consolidated diluted earnings per share were $1.33 in 2007 compared to $1.87 in 2006.

(1) Equity Investee Losses and GAAP and Non-GAAP Reconciliation. The Companys third quarter 2007 operating results and diluted earnings per share were significantly impacted by its 50% share of charges reflected by Motorsports Authentics for inventory and tooling impairment associated with certain recently announced NASCAR driver and team changes and other excess merchandise inventory. Net income before equity investee losses and diluted earnings per share before equity investee losses are non-GAAP (other than generally accepted accounting principles) financial measures presented in this press release as supplemental disclosures to net income and diluted earnings per share.

The following schedule reconciles those non-GAAP financial measures to their most directly comparable information presented using GAAP, and separately presents net income or loss and diluted earnings or loss per share for the Companys consolidated operations, equity investee losses of MA, and the Companys operations excluding MA equity investee losses, all net of taxes. Management believes such information is useful and meaningful to investors because it identifies and helps in understanding, using and comparing the Companys results of operations separate from equity investees for the periods presented. Management uses the non-GAAP information to assess the Companys operations for the periods presented, analyze performance trends and make decisions regarding future operations because it believes this separate information better reflects ongoing operating results. This non-GAAP financial information may not be comparable to similarly titled measures used by other entities and should not be considered as alternatives to net income or diluted earnings per share determined in accordance with GAAP.

Source : http://www.theautochannel.com (11/7/2007)

Britain's biofuel agency  
A new Agency to manage Britain's commitment to biofuels has been established by the Department for Transport (DfT).

The Renewable Fuels Agency will be responsible for the day to day running of the Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation, coming into force in April next year.

By 2010, the Obligation will mean that 5% of all the fuels sold in the UK should come from biofuels, which could save 2.6m to 3m tonnes of carbon dioxide a year.

The Chairman of the Agency will be Professor Ed Gallagher, former Chief Executive of the Environment Agency.

Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly said, "The creation of the Renewable Fuels Agency marks a big step forward in creating a strong long-term market for biofuels in the UK.

"I want the Agency to make sure the Obligation is run efficiently and effectively, but I also want it to take the lead in making sure the biofuels we use in this country come from sustainable sources, saving the most carbon possible."

Professor Gallagher commented, "I am very pleased and excited to have been appointed.

"Climate change is one of the biggest challenges that we face today and I am convinced that biofuels can have an important role in tackling it. But it is essential that they are truly sustainable."

He continued, "I am looking forward to working with the oil industry, biofuel companies, environmental groups, motorists and the general public to ensure that biofuels fulfil their potential."

The Renewable Fuels Agency will officially start work in April, when the Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation comes into force. It will be based in Hastings.

Source : http://www.newcarnet.co.uk (11/7/2007)

McQueen 'Stang  
Ford is due to unveil its special edition Mustang at next week's Los Angeles motor show.

Designed to commemorate Steve McQueen's legendary turn in the 1968 movie Bullitt, this dark highland green version boasts a 4.6-litre V8 that kicks out 315bhp - 15 more than the regular one - as well as chassis, suspension and brake upgrades.

It also features some other very cool touches, including a Bullitt filler cap and debadged grill, just like police detective Frank Bullitt's original.

The exhaust note has even been modelled on the sound heard in the movie, from a specially mastered DVD.

7,700 will be produced, starting early in 2008.

Source : http://www.topgear.com (11/7/2007)

Azure Dynamics reports third quarter 2007 results  
OAK PARK, MI, PRNewswire-FirstCall/ - Azure Dynamics Corporation ("Azure" or the "Company") a leading developer of hybrid electric and electric powertrains for commercial vehicles, today announced its financial results for the three and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2007. The Company also provided an update on corporate and product development activities in the quarter.

2007 Third Quarter Highlights

-Established new head office in Oak Park, Michigan;

-Signed a commercial development and cooperation agreement with a major fleet, which became Azure's third lead customer for the P1 Delivery Van Program;

-Finalized agreement with Kidron Inc. ("Kidron") for 1,000 Low Emission Electric Power ("LEEP") systems;

-Received initial purchase order release from Electro Autos Eficaces of Mexico ("EAE") for 200 drive systems;

-Awarded the 2007 Deloitte Technology Green 15 as a top performer in environmental technology;

-Completed equity financing subsequent to the quarter end for $30.0 million in gross proceeds.

"During the third quarter of 2007, we established our new corporate headquarters in Oak Park, Michigan, in the heart of the U.S. auto industry," said Scott T. Harrison, Chief Executive Officer of Azure. "Relocating our corporate office to this strategic location will help us expand our relationships with key industry partners, such as the Ford Motor Company, and further our ongoing business development and commercialization initiatives."

"We made major progress in the commercialization of our core products, Delivery Vans, Shuttle Busses, and Electric Drive Solutions during the third quarter. We signed a commercial development and cooperation agreement with a major delivery fleet on the Ford E-450 chassis," continued Mr. Harrison. "The successful completion of this program will result in this customer purchasing a minimum of 10 percent of their annual delivery truck buy from Azure Dynamics. Also in the quarter, we completed an additional 6 shuttle busses for the BOEDC and UPROSE contracts. In addition, we continued to move forward with our LEEP program, and finalized an agreement with Kidron for 1000 LEEP systems to provide auxiliary power for cold storage trucking applications."

Financial Results

Revenue for the third quarter of 2007 totalled $1.5 million compared to $0.4 million in the third quarter of 2006. For the nine months ended September 30, 2007, revenue totalled $2.3 million compared to $2.8 million in the same period a year ago. The increase in revenue for the three months ended September 30, 2007 was due to the ramp up of deliveries from the G1 shuttle bus program. Net loss for the third quarter of 2007 was $8.5 million, or $(0.04) per share, compared to a loss of $9.0 million or $(0.06) per share in the third quarter of 2006. Net loss for the nine months ended September 30, 2007 was $21.9 million, or $(0.11) per share, compared to a loss of $18.4 million or $(0.12) per share for the same period a year ago. The increased net loss for the nine months ended September 30, 2007 was primarily related to higher levels of activity in operations, product support and sales and marketing, as well as one-time charges for the exit costs related to facility closures and senior management changes.

Before contributions, the Company's engineering, operations and product development expenses for the quarter totalled $4.4 million (including $2.6 million in product development costs), compared to $7.1 million for the same period in 2006 (including $5.6 million in product development costs). For the first nine months of 2007, the Company's engineering, operations and product development expenses totalled $12.8 million (including $7.4 million in product development costs), compared to $12.5 million in the nine months ended September 30, 2006 (including $8.2 million in product development costs). During the third quarter, the Company continued to focus on the development of its P1 program and electric drive solutions, as well as ongoing production activities associated with the G1 shuttle buses and electric components.

As of September 30, 2007, the Company's net cash and cash equivalents totalled $5.8 million, and working capital totalled $11.5 million, compared to cash and cash equivalents of $3.8 million, and working capital of $3.3 million, as at September 30, 2006, and cash and cash equivalents of $27.2 million, and working capital of $32.4 million, as at December 31, 2006.

Corporate

In the third quarter of 2007, Azure finalized previously announced arrangements to relocate its head office and, on September 19, 2007, announced that it had established its new corporate headquarters in Oak Park, Michigan. The facility's strategic location, close to Azure's key industry partners, is expected to meet all of the Company's ongoing business development and production needs. The State of Michigan has granted Azure a tax credit valued at more than US$1.7 million over the next seven years. The city of Oak Park has also proposed an 11-year local tax abatement worth an estimated US$55,400.

The Company does not anticipate any material changes to employee counts at its other facilities. Azure will maintain its electric drive solutions business unit and facility in Boston, Massachusetts, and the bulk of its hybrid and hybrid-electric systems engineering and technology development team will remain at its facility in Vancouver, British Columbia. The Company will also maintain a service facility in Mississauga, Ontario to support major customers in the Toronto area.

On September 20, 2007, Azure announced that it had been presented the 2007 Deloitte Technology Green 15, awarded as a top performer in environmental technology. "The Deloitte Technology Green 15 Awards recognize those Canadian companies that offer solutions to global environmental challenges by creating intellectual property (IP) and technology that reduce society's environmental impact," said John Ruffolo, National Leader, Technology, Media & Telecommunications Industry Group, Deloitte. "Companies such as Azure Dynamics are creating technology solutions that have a significant environmental impact and demonstrate a compelling return on investment."

Subsequent to the end of the third quarter, Azure completed an equity financing for $30.0 million in gross proceeds. The Company plans to use the proceeds of the offering to fund its ongoing product development, as well as general corporate purposes.

Source : http://www.automotive.com (11/7/2007)

Runoffs Programming Begins This Week on SPEED  
Programming from this year's SCCA National Championship Runoffs Presented by AT&T starts Wednesday November 7 on SPEED with the Sports 2000 and GT-Lite races.

A thrilling three-way battle between John Fergus, Marc Mercer and Nick Mancuso in Sports 2000 kicks things off at noon (EST). Polesitter and defending National Champion Mercer can't put a wheel wrong when going up against Fergus, who's in search of his fifth S2000 National Championship. Throw Runoffs rookie Mancuso into the mix and you have a recipe for a last lap dog fight.

GT-Lite is next at 1 p.m. Joe Kristensen's Acura Integra sits on pole, but local driver Chris Bovis shares the front row in a Honda CRX. When Bovis motors away at the start, Kristensen gets locked into a battle for second with the Nissan 200SX of Peter Zekert. Once in firm control of the runner-up spot, Kristensen sets his sights on Bovis, but does he have enough laps left to catch him, or will Bovis capture his first National Championship on home turf? Set your TV to SPEED to find out.

If you miss them the first time, the races will re-air at 3 a.m. and 4 a.m. on Thursday, November 8.

Source : http://www.theautochannel.com (11/7/2007)

Pointer Telocation Appoints Mr. Israel Ronn as GM Technology & Products  
GIVATAYIM, Israel, Pointer Telocation Ltd. (TASE: PNTR), a leading provider of services to insurance companies and car owners, including road-side assistance, towing and stolen vehicle retrieval services in Israel, Argentina and Mexico, announced the appointment of Mr. Israel Ronn, as GM Technology & Products.

Mr. Israel Ronn has over 15 years of experience in Business Management. Mr. Ronn served as CEO of several companies in US and Israel such as Telrad USA and Tenecs. Mr. Ronn led the merger of Tenecs and Congruency which created Telrad Connegy. In his most recent position, Mr. Ronn held the position of CEO at Cellmax Systems.

Pointer CEO Mr. Danny Stern said: "We welcome Mr. Ronn and are confident that he will contribute to Pointer Telocation due to his vast experience. Israel will lead Cellocator's products and technology to enhance and improve our offering to our existing customers and to additional target markets".

Source : http://www.automotive.com (11/7/2007)

ALMS parliament's lord drayson resigns to run in american le mans series  
One of the British government's senior members of the House of Lords has taken a leave of absence from politics -- to go racing in the American Le Mans Series.

Lord Drayson, who was serving as Minister of State for Defense Procurement and Defense Minister in the House of Lords, resigned his political post today. The Aston University graduate with a PhD in robotics and former founder of PowderJect Pharmaceuticals, plans to compete in a yet to be named bio-ethanol fueled car in the Series beginning next season.

In a letter to Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Lord Drayson said: "As you know, I have a passion for motor racing and over the past year have competed in the British GT championship, racing a unique bio-ethanol fueled race car, achieving an 'historic first' win for a green fueled car and coming second overall in the championship.

"A number of special circumstances have now presented me with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take my racing to the next level. I have the opportunity to race in the American Le Mans Series in the United States, a key step toward my eventual dream of success in the Le Mans 24-hour endurance race.

"I have always admired the American Le Mans Series and particularly its vision to have bio-fuel entries in 2008 and can't wait to start."

It is expected that Drayson will provide further details about his program before the end of the year.

Source : http://www.theautochannel.com (11/7/2007)

CORR Carl Renezeder Secures His Fourth Corr Championship  
Championship Off Road Racing had an eventful first day of racing at the brand new Las Vegas international Off Road Raceway in Primm, NV. Carl Renezeder secured the Pro 4 Championship. Robert Naughton secured the Pro Lite Championship and the Las Chance qualifier determined the final drivers in the 2nd Annual Jason Baldwin Memorial Cup Race.

Rodrigo Ampudia started on the pole in the Jason Baldwin Memorial Cup Last Chance Qualifier today. When the race went green Scott Taylor took off with the lead. Steve Sourapas spun out in turn one of lap 3. Taylor in his Skyjacker Ford continued to stretch out his lead with Evan Evans in his Potawatomi Pro 2 holding onto second position. Seven time Supercross Champion Jeremy McGrath in his Monster Energy Drink number 71 began to reel in the two front runners while running in third. Evans was able to pass Taylor on lap 6 of 16. Ampudia who started on the pole hung on to fourth while a battle broke out between Sourapas and Porter for the fifth position. Evans was out of the race on lap 8 of 16 with transmission failure. The competition caution came out on lap 8. When the race went green again, Taylor resumed the lead with McGrath in second, Ampudia in third, Porter in fourth and Sourapas rounding out the top five. McGrath went to the inside of turn one to pass Taylor, but was unable to make the pass. Barlow crashed going onto the table top on lap 11 bringing out the caution. McGrath attempted again to pass Taylor on the inside of turn four, but was unsuccessful. Porter got turned around in turn two after bumping the back of Ampudias Pro 2. With three laps to go Taylor continued to lead the field with McGrath in second and Mike Oberg battling him for position. Ampudia in his Papas and Beers/Monster Energy Drink Pro 2 held onto the fourth position. In the end Taylor took home first, McGrath took second and Oberg finished in third. Drivers that qualified for the Jason Baldwin Memorial Cup race from the Pro 4 class today were Josh Baldwin, Tim Herbst, John Marking and Jerry Daugherty. In the Pro 2 class the drivers that qualified were Scott Taylor, Jeremy McGrath, Mike Oberg, Rodrigo Ampudia, Steve Sourapas and Mark Porter.

Rodrigo Ampudia started on the pole in the Pro Lite Points race today with Pro Lite Champion Kyle LeDuc on the outside in his Rockstar Energy Drink number 99. LeDuc took the lead coming out of turn one of lap one. Ampudia ran in second and Marty Hart held onto third. Casey Currie left the race on lap one and defending Pro Lite Champion Chad Hord also left early in the race. Garit Wallace in his number 51 Nissan took the third position after passing Jeff Huseman on lap 3 of 14. The competition caution came out on lap 8 of 14. When the field took off again LeDuc continued to lead the field. Wallace who was running in third was able to pass Ampudia coming out of turn two for the second position. Ampudia struggled with his Pro Lite ending up in the tenth position after running up front for most of the race. In the end it was LeDuc with the win, Wallace in second and Liam ODonnell rounding out the podium.

Defending Pro 2 Champion Carl Renezeder led the field at the start of the Lucas Oil Racing Series Pro 2 Points race today. Renezeder got pushed to the inside of the track going into turn one of lap one pushing him back to the seventh position, ultimately forcing a complete restart. When the race went green MacCachren took off with the lead in his Red Bull number 29. Renezeder held onto second with pressure from Jerry Whelchel who ran in third. Seven time Supercross Champion Ricky Johnson ran in fourth with Pro 2 Rookie Rodrigo Ampudia in his Papas and Beers/ Monster Energy Drink number 36 rounding out the top five. Johnson passed Whelchel for the third position on lap 6 of 15. Ampudia fell back to the thirteenth position, while Scott Taylor in his Skyjacker Pro 2 moved into the fifth position. The competition caution came out on lap 9. When the race went green again, MacCachren continued to lead with Renezeder in second, Johnson in third, Greg Adler in fourth and Taylor rounding out the top five. Meanwhile Renezeder began to reel in MacCachren with 2 laps remaining. When the race finished MacCachren took the win, Renezeder took second and Johnson finished third.

Rick Huseman in his Fabtech number 36 started on the pole in the Lucas Oil Racing series Pro 4 race. When the race went green Scott Douglas in his Amsoil number 7 took off with the lead, while Huseman got pushed back to the eighth position. Defending Pro 4 Champion Johnny Greaves ran in second with Troy Herbst in his Rockstar Energy number 19 rounding out the top three. When Troy Herbst came up to compete for the second position he was pushed off turn two by Greaves. Troy moved back to the fifth position. Douglas who was leading the race lost it in turn two on lap 4 causing him to loose the lead and fall back to third. Greaves in his Monster Energy Drink/Potawatomi Toyota took over the first position with Josh Baldwin in his Toyo Tires number 86 in second. The competition caution came out on lap 9. When the race went green Greaves and Baldwin took off pulling away from the field. Rick Huseman hit one of the moguls on the front stretch going into turn two causing him to flip two times in the air. The caution was brought out. Huseman was ok, but was unable to return to the race. The race went green with two laps to go. Greaves held onto the lead with Baldwin in second and Troy Herbst taking over third. In the end it was Greaves with the win, Baldwin in second and Troy Herbst rounding out the podium.

The excitement continues tomorrow at the Las Vegas International Off Road Raceway in Primm NV. Gates open at 9 AM and the main event starts at 12:30 PM.

Championship Off Road Racingâ„¢ brings high action, four wheel motorsports including 2 wheel drive and 4 wheel drive trucks to the closed course off road arena. The 2007 CORR season includes seven events at tracks located in Los Angeles and San Diego, CA, Fort Worth/Dallas, TX and Primm, NV.

Source : http://www.theautochannel.com (11/7/2007)

Subaru backs Vulcan project  
A recently restored Vulcan bomber from Britain's Cold War nuclear strike force took to the skies again last week.

And Subaru (UK) Limited is supporting the project to keep Avro Vulcan XH558 in flight-worthy condition.

The plane, the only Vulcan still in working condition, had a successful maiden-flight at Bruntingthorpe Proving Grounds.

With funding from the government lottery commission, and many of the companies who produced the original components being reformed, the restoration was the culmination of a massive team effort by Dr Robert Pleming, David Walton and generations of dedicated engineers.

Three pilots are required to fly the plane at any one time, all of whom work for commercial airlines, and are part of a team of six volunteer pilots who rotate their schedules around each air show.

As they are unable to completely dedicate their time to the Vulcan project, a school will soon be opened to qualify pilots to operate the plane.

Subaru has donated three 5-seater Tribecas which are being used for promotional activities at airshows.

The luxury SUVs have proved invaluable when towing trailers and transporting operatives.

With plans to operate the plane between 25-30 hours per year, starting in January, the Tribecas look set to be a prominent feature alongside the Vulcan for a long while to come.

Source : http://www.newcarnet.co.uk (11/7/2007)

SafeAuto Insurance Expands Westward into Missouri  
COLUMBUS, Ohio, -- Missouri drivers can rest a bit easier knowing a new automobile insurance provider is available with a proven history of keepings its customers legal for less. Columbus, Ohio-based SafeAuto Insurance is expanding its operations into the Show Me State with its brand of minimum coverage insurance beginning November 8, 2007.

(Logo: www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20071017/CLW004LOGO )

Minimum coverage auto insurance is designed to meet state specific insurance law requirements. In Missouri, the law requires all drivers to carry minimum liability coverage for at least $25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident and $10,000 for property damage. The law also requires uninsured motorist coverage in the amounts of at least $25,000 for bodily injury per person and $50,000 for bodily injury per accident.

Since SafeAuto offers the minimum coverage necessary and not all of the extras like many other providers, the savings is passed along to the customer in the form of low monthly payments. Minimum coverage is a great option for the budget-minded Missouri driver from 16-years-old to 60 and beyond.

"We are thrilled to be available as an affordable option for Missouri drivers," said Jon Diamond, president of SafeAuto. "People rely on their vehicles like never before and our coverage is perfect for those who want to keep on the road and within their budgets."

Vehicles operate day and night, and so does the reliable customer service center at SafeAuto. Friendly and helpful support personnel are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, every day of the year for everything from proof of insurance requests to claims reporting.

Source : http://www.earthtimes.org (11/7/2007)

13 Year Old Volunteer is Making a Difference at the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Museum  
Skylar VanZile walks in the footsteps of his great-grandpa, who was employed by Auburn Automobile Company in the 1920s and 1930s.

The next time you visit the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Museum in Auburn, Indiana you might want to pay close attention to the volunteers at the museum, because you might mistake one for a kid! Skylar VanZile, of Auburn, is a 13-year-old volunteer gallery host at the museum and has been donating his time to the museum since March of this year. This "Boy Wonder" has taken his passion for Auburn's automotive heritage and history to the next level by sharing its history with others.

Like most kids his age, Skylar likes to read, collect models, and wants to be a fireman when he grows up, but every Monday and Wednesday at 4 p.m. you will find him at the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Museum, talking to guests and pulling more information from other museum volunteers about the museum and its 120 cars on display. "I have always been interested in Auburn's history and the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Museum is a big part of it. I came here with my parents on a Wednesday afternoon and have been hooked ever since," said VanZile.

"This kid is like a sponge," said Bob Brotherton, Skylar's mentor and fellow museum volunteer. "He soaks up everything I give him. So often, I'll take him around the museum and tell him the history about certain cars on display and when I ask him about it the next day, or even the next week, he is able to repeat it back to me almost verbatim. It's so refreshing to have a young man like Skylar interested in these great cars on display," said Brotherton.

Skylar has received many hours of one-on-one training from Bob Brotherton and is in the process of becoming a museum docent. Museum docents give tours to groups that visit the museum. "I hope to give tours to groups of adults and to kids my age. You're never too young to learn about cars and automotive history," said Skylar.

Besides the obvious age difference, Skylar has something else that sets him apart from most volunteers. Skylar has a unique connection to the museum's history and Auburn Automobile Company that very few volunteers can claim, "My great-grandpa is Ora Shambaugh, and he worked on the assembly line in the Final Assembly Department at Auburn Automobile Company in the 1920s and 1930s. By volunteering at the museum, I get to carry on the story that my great-grandpa was a part of over 75 years ago, and it is my way of giving back to the community," said VanZile.

Giving back to the community runs in Skylar's family. Skylar's father is the Fire Chief of Auburn's Fire Department, Mike VanZile. Mike has been giving back to the community for nearly 25 years; 15 years in Auburn, and 10 years as a volunteer firefighter in Butler. "I am proud of my kids and I hope I have instilled in them how important giving back to the community is, and how it makes our city a better place," said Mike. Skylar's 10 year old brother, Landon, wants to follow in Skylar's shoes someday and be a volunteer at the museum when he gets a little older. "He has to be a little older, like 12 or 13 years old," said Skylar. Spoken like a true big brother.

The Auburn Cord Duesenberg Museum - where the world's finest cars of yesterday live today! Over 120 classic, antique, vintage and special interest cars are display with other automotive related exhibits on three floors. The museum is located in the National Historic Landmark, original 1930s national headquarters of the legendary Auburn Automobile Company. Admission is charged, with group and family rates available. The museum is open daily from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. year round. In 2007, plan a visit and bring your family to the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Museum, a place where automotive history comes to life! acdmuseum.org

Source : http://www.theautochannel.com (11/7/2007)

TEAM REPORTS GANASSI/SABATES PIR Advance  
AJ Allmendinger and the No. 41 Imation Dodge Team Facts:

* AJ is Back: A.J. Allmendinger is returning to the Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates (CGRFS) lineup this weekend at Phoenix International Raceway (PIR) to pilot the No.41 Imation Dodge in the Arizona Travel 200. Allmendinger first raced for CGRFS earlier this year at California Speedway in the No.42 Memorex Dodge. He went on to compete in four more races, totaling five NASCAR Busch Series starts altogether for CGRFS. Allmendinger is the full-time driver of the No.84 Red Bull Toyota in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series. Team Red Bull and CGRFS reached an agreement earlier this season that allowed Allmendinger to drive the No.42 car. The two teams extended the agreement earlier this week to put Allmendinger in the No.41 Dodge for the final two races of the 2007 season. Allmendinger is originally from Los Gatos, Calif. He started racing in open-wheel, in which just last year he collected five CHAMP car victories. For more information about Allmendinger go to www.ajallmendinger.com

* Coming Home to Tucson: Todd Drakulich, the No.41 Imation front tire carrier, is originally from Tucson, Ariz. Drakulich has been working in NASCAR for the last three years, starting in 2004 at Ultra Motorsports carrying tires for the No.1 NASCAR Craftsman Truck of Ted Musgrave. Since then, he has also carried for the No.99 and No.21 Busch teams before joining CGRFS earlier this year to work on both the No.41 and No.42 Busch teams. Drakulich has been involved in racing for more than seven years. He started his motorsports career, helping out at Tucson Raceway Park on the weekends. He is a 1998 graduate of Amphitheatre High School.

* Standings Update: The No.41 CGRFS Busch team is 18th in the overall NASCAR Busch Series (NBS) owner ranks. With a current tally of 3,374 points, the team is just 88 away from the top 15.

* Chassis: Allmendinger will make his sixth NBS start this weekend in chassis #754. This is the same car that carried Reed Sorenson and the No.41 Wrigley's Juicy Fruit team to their first victory of the 2007 season this past July, which marked Sorenson's second win at Gateway International Raceway. The same car also helped Sorenson and team score a top-15 start and top-10 finish at New Hampshire International Speedway in late June.

* When to Watch: The NBS Arizona Travel 200 is scheduled to start at 4:30 p.m. EDT on Saturday, November 10, and will broadcast LIVE on ESPN2, MRN and Sirius Satellite Radio Channel 128. Qualifying for the 200-lap competition is scheduled to start Noon EDT on Saturday and will broadcast live on SPEED (TV).

Dario Franchitti and the No. 42 Target Dodge Team Facts:

* Franchitti To Race this Weekend and Next: Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates (CGRFS) announced today driver Dario Franchitti will make his third and fourth appearances in the NASCAR Busch Series (NBS) on November 10 at Phoenix International Raceway (PIR) and November 17 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. This weekend's run will mark the next step in Franchitti's stock car learning curve, as he races again under the guidance of CGRFS crew chief Brian Pattie. Last month, CGRFS announced Franchitti had signed a multi-year agreement with the organization to compete in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) beginning in 2008. Franchitti will become the first European driver in the 59-year history of NASCAR to join the series full-time when he assumes the driving duties of No. 40 Dodge Avenger next season.

* Looking Back: Dario Franchitti's most recent stock car effort was this past Saturday's NBS race at Texas Motor Speedway, where he scored an 18th-place start and 25th-place finish. Before that, he raced at the Memphis Motorsports Park in late October, during which he qualified an impressive third on the grid in the third race of his stock car development schedule, and ran in the top 15 for over 75% of the race. His brake pedal failed on lap 192 resulting in unavoidable contact with the rear of the No.77 car. He finished the race running in the 32nd position. Prior to Memphis, Franchitti competed in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Martinsville Speedway and the ARCA race at Talladega Superspeedway.

* He's got talent: Franchitti joins CGRFS with impressive open-wheel credentials. The 34-year-old recently captured the 2007 Indianapolis 500 title, becoming only the second Scottish-born driver to win the race (Jim Clark in 1965), before going on to win the 2007 IndyCar Series Championship over Ganassi driver Scott Dixon in the final turn of the season. With over 180 starts under his belt between the CART and IndyCar Series resulting in 18 wins, 17 poles, 63 top-five and 95 top-10 finishes (1997-2007), Franchitti is the winningest driver in U.S. open-wheel history from Great Britain. He also captured the prestigious 12 Hours of Sebring in the LMP2 Class earlier this season in his first ever American Le Mans Series start - much like Montoya did in February at the Rolex 24 At Daytona for CGRFS in his first sports car start.

* Chassis: Crew chief Brian Pattie and his Target crew are pulling out chassis #753 to race this Saturday at Phoenix International Raceway (PIR). The car helped the No.42 team and CGRFS development driver Kevin Hamlin score their second-straight top-10 finish in late July. The team came home with a seventh-place finish from Gateway International Raceway on July 21 and then the following weekend they pulled out chassis #753 to turn a 30th-place starting position into an eighth-place finish with Hamlin at the O'Reilly Raceway Park in Indianapolis, Ind.

Source : http://www.theautochannel.com (11/7/2007)

NASCAR NCS Series Crew Chiefs Fined, Placed On Probation  
NASCAR announced today that Chad Walter, crew chief of the No. 24 Chevrolet driven by Casey Mears and Tony Eury Sr., crew chief of the No. 88 Chevrolet driven by Brad Keselowski in the NASCAR Busch Series, have been fined and penalized due to rule violations at Texas Motor Speedway.

Both crew chiefs were fined $10,000 and placed on probation until December 31, 2007, for violating Sections 12-4-A (actions detrimental to stock car racing), 12-4-Q (car, car parts, components and/or equipment used that do not conform to NASCAR rules) and 20A 10.7F: (lug nuts were not fully threaded; threads had been removed) of the 2007 NASCAR Busch Series Rule Book.

Source : http://www.theautochannel.com (11/7/2007)

Chrysler Grand Voyager to cost £25,995  
Chrysler Grand Voyager to cost £25,995

Starting price the same as outgoing model

Two updated engines to choose from

Three trims on offer

The new seven-seat Chrysler Grand Voyager will cost from £25,995 when it goes on sale in February 2008 - the same starting price as on the outgoing model.

Buyers have the choice of two updated engines: a 193bhp 3.8-litre V6 petrol engine or a 163bhp 2.8-litre turbodiesel. Both are linked to a six-speed automatic gearbox.

Safety features include traction control, stability control, a tyre-pressure monitoring system, front and side curtain airbags as standard.

Other new features include heated seats in the first and second rows, a rear-view conversation mirror, electric windows in the powered sliding side doors, moveable LED reading lamps and three-zone climate control.

There are three trim levels: LX, Touring and Limited.

The innovative Stow 'n Go seating system, which means the Grand Voyager can go from a seven-seater to a two-person cargo carrier at the touch of a button. It's standard on all cars.

The Grand Voyager will also feature Swivel 'n Go, which turns the second row of seats 180 degrees to face rearwards and allow conversation with rear-seat passengers. This will be an option on the Limited models for the first time.

Prices

2.8-litre CRD LX six-speed automatic £25,995

2.8-litre CRD Touring six-speed automatic £27,995

2.8-litre CRD Limited six-speed automatic £32,995

3.8-litre petrol Limited six-speed automatic £32,995

Source : http://www.whatcar.co.uk (11/7/2007)

NASCAR SCS Series Notes  
Down To The Wire: Chase Participants Head For Phoenix

A Gordon Rebound A Phoenix Possibility

NASCARs New Car Set For 16th And Final Race In 07 No. 22 Team Bolsters Top-35 Ranking In The Loop: Gordon, Johnson Also Close In Pre-Race Stats

On The Line: Kyle Busch On The NASCAR Teleconference

Desert Duel: Johnson, Gordon Renew Title Battle In Phoenix

Tight, tough and unyielding.

Description applicable both to the setting of Sundays Checker Auto Parts 500 and to the title battle it features.

As the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series roars into Phoenix International Raceway, reigning series champion Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowes Chevrolet) leads four-time series champion Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet) by 30 points atop the standings.

Sundays event is the penultimate in the 2007 Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup and focus has crystallized upon those two drivers.

Hendrick Motorsports teammates, theyve traded the Chase lead throughout the first eight events Johnson reclaiming it with last Sundays victory at Texas Motor Speedway. And although third-place Clint Bowyer (No. 07 Jack Daniels Chevrolet) lurks 181 points behind Johnson, the title-eligible pairing of past and present champions appears set.

We have momentum going our direction right now, Johnson said, but it's only 30 points. And if you look at the last two weeks, I've been able to make up roughly 60 points, and Jeff hasn't had bad races the last two events. He's had strong finishes. So it's not like he's had bad nights. So I can finish tenth and he can win and I'm back in second.

Johnson enjoys the most momentum; hes fresh off three consecutive victories for the second time in his six-year career, having conquered Martinsville Speedway, Atlanta Motor Speedway and Texas, respectively, in preceding weeks.

The last time Johnson won back-to-back-to-back was during the 04 Chase, when he won at Lowes Motor Speedway, Martinsville and Atlanta, respectively.

Johnson also owns a series-high nine wins in 07.

But this weeks locale may favor Gordon, who excels on Phoenixs narrow, flat one-mile track. He won in April from the pole his first Phoenix victory and has three poles, eight top-five and 14 top-10 finishes there.

Johnson who finished fourth in April has three top-five and six top-10 finishes at Phoenix.

How close are they, aside from 30 points in the standings? Close enough for one bobble to make a desert-sized difference.

NASCARs season-to-date Loop Data statistics offers more concrete quantification: Johnson has a series-high 934 Fastest Laps Run while Gordon has a series-high Average Running Position of 9.2.

Pre-race Loop Data statistics for Phoenix show Johnson second in Laps in the Top 15 (1,446) with Gordon third (1,384).

And theyre also one-two in season-to-date Driver Rating. Johnson has a series-high 109.8 rating, followed by Gordon with the second-highest rating of 108.6.

Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Notebook, Week 9

Two To Go, Time To Go Catch standings leader Jimmie Johnson.

Thats second-place Jeff Gordons charge with two races remaining in the Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup not as monumental a task as it appears.

Johnsons win at Texas last Sunday erased his then-nine-point, second-place deficit to Gordon, boosting him into a 30-point lead.

So its Gordon in second as NASCAR NEXTEL Cup teams prepare for Sundays Checker Auto Parts 500 at Phoenix.

The one-mile track nestled at the foot of the Estrella Mountains isnt quite his playground, but its been kind enough that Johnson may find himself on the defensive this weekend.

First, the statistics: Gordon has one win, three poles, eight top fives and 14 top 10s at Phoenix. Johnson has three top fives and six top 10s.

Then, the facts: Gordon won his first race at Phoenix in April, and now goes for the season sweep there. Johnson kept pace in the spring with a fourth-place finish.

Here, the numbers: Fifteen times in 07, Gordon has out-pointed Johnson by more than 30 points in consecutive races. Phoenix is among those tracks.

In successive April weeks, Gordon finished fourth at Texas and won at Phoenix, out-pointing Johnson by 151 points.

The Phoenix win coupled with one at Talladega Superspeedway the following week helped Gordon out-point Johnson by 50 points during that two-race sequence.

Gordon also has a series-high 20 top fives and 29 top 10s in 07. He has six wins, second only to Johnsons series-high nine victories.

Johnson ranks second with 19 top fives and is tied with two-time series champion Tony Stewart (No. 20 Home Depot Chevrolet) with 22 top 10s.

Jeff Gordon has out-pointed Jimmie Johnson in 15 consecutive 07 races:

Feb. 18 & Feb. 25 (Daytona/California) +93 March 25 & April 1 (Bristol/Martinsville) +40 April 1 & April 15 (Martinsville/Texas) +106 April 15 & April 21 (Texas/Phoenix) +151 April 21 & April 29 (Phoenix/Talladega) +50 June 4 & June 10 (Dover/Pocono) +173 June 10 & June 17 (Pocono/Michigan) +185 June 17 & June 24 (Michigan/Infineon) +61 June 24 & July 1 (Infineon/New Hampshire) +44 July 1 & July 7 (NH/Daytona) +41 July 7 & July 15 (Daytona/Chicago) +107 July 15 & July 29 (Chicago/Indy) +200 July 29 & Aug. 5 (Indy/Pocono) +124 Oct. 7 & Oct. 13 (Talladega/Lowes) +74 Oct. 13 & Oct. 21 (Lowes/Martinsville) +44

Phoenix To Host 07 New-Car Finale

Sundays Checker Auto Parts 500 is the 16th and final time that series teams will compete with the Car of Tomorrow NASCARs next-generation race car in 07.

The new car will be used fulltime in 08. Teams were schedule to run it in 16 of 36 events this year to prepare for next season.

Phoenixs April event marked just the third new-car event. It has competed at nine other tracks this season Bristol Motor Speedway, Martinsville Speedway, Richmond International Raceway, Darlington Raceway, Dover International Speedway, Infineon Raceway, New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Talladega Superspeedway and Watkins Glen International.

Hendrick Motorsports has won eight of the 15 previous new-car events, including the April race at Phoenix, where Jeff Gordon triumphed.

Teammate Jimmie Johnson won the most recent new-car event, the fall race at Martinsville three weeks.

Series teams also tested at Atlanta Motor Speedway two weeks ago, on the Monday and Tuesday following that tracks October event. That test the seventh and final NASCAR-sanctioned test of 07 was in preparation for the new cars 08 debut on 1.5-mile tracks.

Versatility The New-Car Key

Using the same chassis at different tracks is a hallmark of NASCARs new car borne out by the following numbers:

Through 15 new car events and three new car specific tests

13 teams have used the same chassis in six events Seven teams have used the same chassis in seven events Five teams have used the same chassis in eight events Three teams have used the same chassis in nine events Two teams have used the same chassis in 10 events

On The Bubble: No. 22 Tightens Grip On 35th Place

A 21st-place finish last week at Texas halted the No. 22 Caterpillar Toyotas recent streak of consecutive bad outings at Martinsville and Atlanta. Which means driver Dave Blaney and his Bill Davis-owned team gained some points and breathing room in their quest to retain the crucial 35th spot in the car owner standings.

Blaneys team now leads its closest pursuer the No. 21 Ore-Ida Ford (owned by Glen Wood and driven by Bill Elliott) by 127 points in the owner standings. The margin between positions 35 and 36 had shrunk to 82 points prior to last Sundays Texas race, thanks to consecutive finishes outside the top 30 by the No. 22.

Blaney and his team are only 23 points out of the 34th position, currently held by the No. 45 Wells Fargo Dodge owned and driven by Kyle Petty.

The top 35 teams in the owner standings are guaranteed automatic starting spots each week. Other teams must earn their berths based on qualifying speeds.

2007 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Owner Points After 34 Races

Pos. Points Team Owner Driver

30th 2,847 No. 88 Ford Robert Yates Ricky Rudd 31st 2,844 No. 66 Chevrolet Joe Custer Jeremy Mayfield 32nd 2,778 No. 38 Ford Robert Yates David Gilliland 33rd 2,736 No. 70 Chevrolet Joe Custer Johnny Sauter 34th 2,677 No. 45 Dodge Kyle Petty Kyle Petty

35th 2,654 No. 22 Toyota Bill Davis Dave Blaney

36th 2,527 No. 21 Ford Glen Wood Bill Elliott 37th 2,390 No. 10 Dodge James Rocco Scott Riggs 38th 2,214 No. 83 Toyota Dietrich Mateschitz Brian Vickers 39th 2,183 No. 00 Toyota Cal Wells David Reutimann 40th 1,784 No. 55 Toyota Buffy Waltrip Michael Waltrip

Keys To Victory

Phoenix International Raceway

Kevin Harvick: Phoenix is another place where you need to get through the center of the corner, but you also have to have forward bite. As the run goes on, the car tends to get tighter in the center of the corner, so you need to keep your car turning well there and be able to stay in the throttle up off.

Crew chief Todd Berrier: Phoenix is very similar to a (New Hampshire) or Richmond, the races are short, and you really have to have your act together when the thing starts; its really hard on brakes. Its really similar to (New Hampshire); you have to turn well, but you have to do it all really early because its a 300-lap race. If youre off a little bit, youre 30th, it takes a long time to get back to the front.

In The Loop: Too Close To Call Between Johnson And Gordon At Phoenix

Round 8 of the Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup went to Jimmie Johnson, winner of three straight and nine overall this season.

Johnson now owns a 30-point lead over Jeff Gordon with two races to go. The next obstacle: The one-mile oval in the Arizona desert, Phoenix International Raceway.

And the Loop Data statistics couldnt be more even at Phoenix. In the five Phoenix races since 2005, Johnson and Gordon are neck-and-neck in practically every key category which makes a duel a Homestead likely.

The Phoenix tale of the tape:

Driver Rating: Johnson edges Gordon, 112.5 to 107.3 Average Running Position: Johnson nips Gordon, 6.1 to 8.1 Laps in the Top 15 (out of 1,560): Johnson leads Gordon, 1,445 to 1,384

The duos performance at Phoenix mirrors their performance in this years Chase. Actually, their stats over the eight Chase races couldnt be more similar they have each led 267 laps over the eight races, for instance.

The tale of the tape from the first eight Chase races:

Average Finish: Gordon leads Johnson, 4.6 to 5.3 Driver Rating: Johnson leads Gordon, 113.0 to 105.4 Average Running Position: Johnson edges Gordon, 10.931 to 10.988 Percentage of Laps in the Top 15: Gordon leads Johnson, 81% to 79.7%

And of those vying to play spoiler, Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet) makes the strongest case to visit Victory Lane.

Harvick swept there last season, and sits atop most Loop Data statistics. He ranks first in Driver Rating (113.8), Average Running Position (5.8) and Laps in the Top 15 (93.1%). Additionally, hes notched 122 Fastest Laps Run, third-most.

Also watch for Tony Stewart this weekend. For the first time all season, Stewart failed to crack the top-10 in three consecutive races. The slide could end Sunday. Stewart finished second in two of the last three Phoenix races and has a Driver Rating of 102.6 there.

NNCS, Etc.

On The Line: Kyle Busch On Weekly NASCAR Teleconference

Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup competitor Kyle Busch (No. 5 Kelloggs/ CARQUEST Chevrolet) was the guest on Tuesdays weekly NASCAR Teleconference. Hes fourth in the Chase standings with two races remaining in the season.

Following are some teleconference highlights:

Q. With so much going on in the Chase, you're running four events this weekend, is there a chance to get burned out; or, is this a chance that you look at to keep your mind off of everything else and be ready for Sunday?

BUSCH: Well, I think it's both ways. You can get burned out pretty easily, but I feel like I'm young enough and have a good time still and do everything I want to do. It's another way to keep your mind off it. So we're just trying to go out there and do the best I can, of course, in whatever I race, doesn't matter what it is.

Q. What do you think you have learned from Jeff and Jimmie over the years as far as achieving a level of consistency?

BUSCH: I think learning from Jeff and Jimmie, I think you learn everything, every day. There's a bunch of stuff that you learn in this deal, in this series and in this way of life. So you know, for me, it's been a learning experience my whole career. And what I've learned from Jeff and Jimmie is just consistency. And of course I've got the will to win, but for some reason, not quite able to do it as often as they are. But you know, just trying to get out there every weekend, trying to do the best we can having a good team and having good leadership. Everything like that makes it seem a little bit easier, I guess.

Looking forward to next year being able to move over to the Gibbs side and still want to keep that tradition going. I guess I've become a better points racer, per se; being able to be more consistent and get involved in less wrecked and start stirring less controversy, per se.

Q. Third in the points, is that a realistic goal?

BUSCH: Yeah, pretty much that's what we're looking towards. We want to get Hendrick Motorsports in the top three. It's a great goal and we've had great runs in the Chase. Last year we struggled and couldn't do anything right, and this year, it seems as though we can really hit it strong and run well if something doesn't happen. We got wrecked at Kansas and we got wrecked at Talladega, and then again at Atlanta we got caught there with the pit stop problem, and got mired back in traffic and had a bad finish there. If it wasn't for some of those things, we would be right there contending for this thing, too. We've led laps in almost all of the races here so far and we have been running up front in all the races. So it's been good to see that.

For the complete transcript, please visit www.nascarmedia.com.

Montoya Maintaining Rookie Points Lead

Juan Pablo Montoya (No. 42 Texaco/Havoline Dodge) continues to lead the Raybestos Rookie of the Year point standings over David Ragan (No. 6 AAA Insurance Ford).

Montoya finished 25th at Texas while Ragan was 37th, increasing his lead to 20 points (234-214).

Manufacturers Standings

Chevrolet continues atop the Manufacturers standings, leading Ford by 84 points after another victory by Jimmie Johnson. Last Sundays win gave Chevrolet 25 victories this season.

Watch Out For These Guys

This weeks spotlight may shine brightest on title contenders Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson, but other Chase participants also boast good Phoenix histories.

Kevin Harvick and Richard Childress Racing teammate Jeff Burton (No. 31 AT&T Mobility Chevrolet) lead all drivers with two wins each at Phoenix. Burton is seventh in the Chase standings; Harvick is eighth.

A reminder: Harvick also leads three significant categories in NASCAR Loop Datas pre-race statistics for Phoenix. Hes tops in Average Running Position (5.803), Driver Rating (113.8) and Laps in the Top 15 (1,452).

Four other Chase drivers have one Phoenix win Tony Stewart, Matt Kenseth (No. 17 DEWALT Ford), Kyle Busch and Kurt Busch (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge).

Triple Duty Time In Phoenix

Both Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick have the opportunity to embellish their Phoenix statistics across the board this weekend.

Both are participating in all three NASCAR events at PIR Sundays Checker Auto Parts 500, the NASCAR Busch Series Arizona.Travel 200 on Saturday and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Casino Arizona 150 on Friday.

Busch also will commute to his hometown of Las Vegas to compete in Saturday nights Fall Classic Super Late Model feature at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway Bullring.

The Race: Checker Auto Parts 500 Presented by Pennzoil The Place: Phoenix International Raceway The Date: Sunday, Nov. 11 The Time: 3:30 p.m. (ET) TV: ABC, 3 p.m. (ET) Radio: MRN; SIRIUS Satellite Radio, Channel 128 The Track: 1-mile oval The Distance: 500 kilometers/ 312 miles/ 312 laps The Purse: $4,998,497 2006 Polesitter: Jeff Gordon 2006 Winner: Kevin Harvick Series Standings Pos. Driver Pts. 1 Johnson 6,382 2 Gordon 6,352 3 Bowyer 6,201 4 Kyle Busch 6,043 5 Edwards 6,025 6 Stewart 6,009 7 Burton 5,951 8 Harvick 5,943 9 Kurt Busch 5,929 10 Kenseth 5,928 11 Hamlin 5,858 12 Truex Jr. 5,858 Pre-Race On-Track Schedule (ET): Friday Practice, 11:30-1 p.m. Qualifying, 3:40 p.m.; SaturdayPractice, 9-9:50 a.m. and 12:50-1:50

Source : http://www.theautochannel.com (11/7/2007)

Volvo Expects Sales in China To Grow 80% in 2007 and 2008  
SHANGHAI - : Volvo said its China sales are expected to grow 80 percent this year and the next, local newspaper Shenzhen Economic Daily reported today.

"Volvo has sold 14,000 vehicles in China in the first ten months of this year, and we are confident to achieve an 80 percent growth rate this year and next year, " said Dr. Alexander Klose, CEO of Volvo China.

He also said that Volvo S40 accounts for 55 percent of the total Volvo sales in China. The automaker has just started to produce S40 at Changan Ford in Chonqing last year.

Earlier this week, Volvo unveiled a plan to locally produce Volvo S80 in China at its Changan Ford plant by the end of next year. S80 will compete with such premium models as Audi, BMW and Benz that have already started local production in China.

Source : http://www.theautochannel.com (11/7/2007)

The National Insurance Crime Bureau Announces Free "VINCheck" for Unrecovered Stolen Vehicles  
DES PLAINES, IL - : For the second time in as many years, the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) is launching another free service to help protect the nation's consumers.

Over one million vehicles have been stolen annually in the United States since 1986. With an annual average recovery rate of just 63 percent, several million vehicles remain unaccounted for and could possibly end up being purchased by unsuspecting consumers.

To help prevent innocent people from buying a stolen vehicle and to help recover stolen vehicles that may enter the commerce stream in the future, NICB today is activating the nation's first Unrecovered Stolen Vehicle Database as a free service to the public.

Anyone anywhere can now run a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) through this database and determine if it has been reported stolen by one of NICB's over 1000 member insurance companies.

To check a vehicle simply visit the NICB web site, www.nicb.org, and follow the on-screen directions for the VINCheck search feature which is located on the home page.

In recent months, NICB Special Agents have identified numerous stolen vehicles that were in the process of being sold by auto dealers or restored by collectors. These examples demonstrate how even car-savvy people can be duped into unknowingly buying a stolen vehicle. If it happens to experts then the risks are even greater for ordinary consumers.

Seeing a way to help mitigate that risk and to provide another free service to help protect the nation's drivers, NICB sought and received the cooperation of its member companies to make this feature possible.

It was in this same spirit of cooperation and assistance that NICB's member companies provided their Hurricane Katrina-related auto claims information to create the flood vehicle database. This unprecedented effort was launched on October 17, 2005, and amassed over 300,000 vehicle and boat records which gave prospective buyers critical information to prevent the fraudulent sale of potentially flood-damaged vehicles.

The National Insurance Crime Bureau is the nation's leading non-profit organization exclusively dedicated to preventing, detecting and defeating insurance fraud and vehicle theft through information analysis, investigations, training and public awareness.

Source : http://www.theautochannel.com (11/7/2007)

Lear Introduces Aventino(TM) Collection of Premium Automotive Leather  
SOUTHFIELD, Mich., -- Lear Corporation , one of the world's largest suppliers of automotive seating systems, electrical distribution systems and electronic products, today unveiled its Aventino(TM) Collection of premium automotive leather at Fashion Show held for automotive executives and journalists at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Detroit.

By utilizing the exclusive People-Vehicle-Interface Methodology(TM) (PVI Method), Lear employs an innovation development discipline that turns market opportunities into the products that consumers want in their vehicles. Following the PVI Method led Lear to develop its own line of premium leather. Influenced by current fashion trends and crafted by Lear's world-class fabricating capabilities, the Aventino Collection, reflects Lear's latest new product innovation.

"The Aventino Collection features the same unparalleled luxury, style and design cues that consumers have appreciated in fashion couture," said Ray Scott, Lear's president of the North American seating business. "With Aventino, fashion is no longer only about the clothes you wear; it's the handbag you carry, the case for your cell phone and now it is the seats in your car."

It all starts at Lear's Aventino design studio, located at the Global Innovation & Technology Center at Lear's headquarters campus in Southfield. Here, designers with degrees in Fine Arts and Fabric Design, study color and trim trends in the fashion and home decor segments and analyze consumer research for use in product design and development.

Through our research, ten major trends emerged for automotive leather:

-- Color

From subtle to bold, a wide variety of colors to choose from to create a vehicle interior

-- Contrast

Stitching and sections of the seat can be contrasted in various manners to create a visually appealing 'canvas'

-- Gloss

A matte finish differentiates the material for a sophisticated appearance

-- Metallic

A hot trend in fashion used in a subtle manner satisfies the appeal of a metallic appearance and creates a 'Wow!" effect

-- Weaving

Basket weaving with tack stitching is just one way to incorporate weave designs onto a seat

-- Exotics

The popularity of animal print textures can be beautifully incorporated into the vehicle seat pattern

-- Quilted

Quilting has recently been used on designer bags and shoes, and creates the appearance of sophistication and luxury in a car seat

-- Perforations

Perforation add even more character to your customized seats

-- Variation

Different grain sizes and shapes for your own personal taste

-- Stitching

Baseball stitching is thick and noticeable, yet also trendy

-- Personalization

Embossing your seats with initials, logos, or symbols

-- Effects

Choose a distressed or crinkled surface finish to achieve a vintage look

"The ultimate product differentiator in Aventino leather is the sense of vehicle personalization it is capable of providing as a result of its best-in-class styling, textures, finish and color," said Mara Ignatius, Craftsmanship manager at Lear. "Aventino leather is an opportunity for consumers to imprint their own style through the look and feel of their car seats to express their identity."

Of equal importance to Lear's immediate customers, the automakers, is its vertical integration and expertise in automotive seating. As a full seat integrator, Lear has a proven track record with every element of the seat, from producing seat structures and all its contents right up to the seat "trim" -- the fabric or leather covering -- as well as 100% production of the completed assembly delivered to the vehicle manufacturer. Lear's start-to-finish capabilities, global scale, ISO quality certifications and Six Sigma best practices all add up to superior total value in its Aventino Collection.

In addition to the Southfield design studio in Southfield, Lear has established a showroom at its 151,000 square-foot trim facility in Victoria Plant in Mexico, which performs leather finishing, cutting, perforation, embossment and special logo work. As an industry leader in leather cutting and finishing with a full-service laboratory, Lear is capable of finishing between 3,700 - 6,000 hides per day. This allows Lear to have complete control over timing-related issues, product availability and quality as well as the ability to leverage quantities of scale in purchasing the raw materials.

"Lear understands each step of the process to build and trim a complete seat, and does it better than anyone else, in either high-volume applications or a niche production environment," said Scott. "Nobody compares to Lear in terms of our total seat capability, from market research to design and throughout the entire production process. From start to finish, we intend to lead the automotive seat industry."

Lear Corporation is one of the world's largest suppliers of automotive seating systems, electrical distribution systems and electronic products. Lear's world-class products are designed, engineered and manufactured by a diverse team of more than 90,000 employees at 236 facilities in 33 countries. Lear's headquarters are in Southfield, Michigan. Lear is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol [LEA].

Source : http://www.theautochannel.com (11/7/2007)

2007 LA Auto Show: BMW M3 Coupe & Sedan to Debut/h1>  
WOODCLIFF LAKE, NJ - BMW will unveil one of the most anticipated new cars of the year as it raises the performance benchmark once again with the North American premieres of the 2008 M3 Coupe and Sedan at the Los Angeles Auto Show. The all-new 4th generation 2008 M3 Coupe and the all-new 4 door M3 Sedan will arrive in the spring of 2008 and will feature a high-revving V-8 engine developing 414-horsepower at 8,300rpm, a first in a series-production BMW M3 and the highest-performing M3 ever offered by BMW's M division.

The BMW M3 Coupe will feature a unique carbon fiber roof panel that reduces weight by 44lbs versus the optional steel roof panel with moonroof. Both the M3 Coupe and Sedan will feature driver-adjustable settings for crucial dynamic controls including steering, damping and stability (and an available steering-wheel-mounted "MDrive" button to store the preferences) and a sports oriented interior that can be optimized to a driver's desires, including the comprehensive entertainment/navigation system operated through BMW's latest iDrive controller.

Lightweight, efficient V8 at the heart of the BMW M3 The move to eight cylinders in the fourth generation BMW M3 provides a powerplant offering the seemingly disparate characteristics of more power, increased efficiency and reduced weight when compared with the previous six-cylinder M3 engine. Displacing 3,999 cubic centimeters (4.0 liters), the new light-alloy engine produces 414 hp at 8,300 rpm and 295 pound-feet of torque at 3,900 rpm with 85 percent of the maximum torque available consistently through 6,500 rpm. This power output represents a 17% increase over the six-cylinder from the last generation M3 yet the new engine weighs 7% less and consumes 8% less fuel than its predecessor.

Manual transmission, twin-disc clutch and Variable M Differential Lock Power from the BMW M3 Coupe and Sedan's V8 is transmitted to the rear wheels through a close-ratio six-speed manual gearbox. The performance parameters of the M3 dictated heat management as a key design factor for both the transmission and clutch. The transmission features integrated temperature-dependent oil cooling management, while internal ventilation maximizes heat dissipation for the twin-disc clutch.

The new final drive comes with a Variable M Differential Lock generating up to 100 percent locking action with fully variable action whenever required, ensuring optimum traction on all road surfaces.

Latest-generation of Dynamic Stability Control

The electronic Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) monitors driving conditions and intervenes through the application of brakes and reduced engine power to stabilize the BMW M3 and help avoid major over- or under-steer situations.

In addition to engine controls and the ABS, other systems integrated in the DSC are Automatic Stability Control (ASC), which prevents the wheels from spinning on surfaces with reduced traction; the Start-Off Assistant, which prevents the car from rolling back when setting off on a grade, as well as Cornering Brake Control (CBC), which prevents the car from spinning or swerving out of control when applying the brakes in a bend.

The latest version of DSC includes additional functions for even greater driving safety. Whenever the driver is likely to apply the brakes in full within the next few seconds, the system builds up pressure in the hydraulic brake circuit and pre-loads the brake pads to ensure an immediate response. The Dry Braking feature removes water film from the discs in wet conditions, thus reducing the chance of water interfering with the braking process.

Electronic Damper Control recognizing the driver's style of driving The optional Electronic Damper Control (EDC) allows the driver to tailor the vehicle's chassis dynamics to his or her preference through one of three modes: Sport, Normal and Comfort.

The response of all dynamic driving systems is carefully tailored to the power and performance of the new BMW M3, with electronic intervention of the various systems naturally taking the dynamics of the car into account. Indeed, the driver even has the option to individually configure specific parameters, thus adjusting the response of the car to his personal preferences.

Interior design oriented an active driving experience with luxury There is no question as to the heritage of the vehicle upon opening the door of the new BMW M3 thanks to the M car logo in the door sills. The unique nature of the vehicle carries to the dash where the dual circular instruments typical of BMW - the speedometer and fuel gauge as well as the tachometer and oil temperature display - are in specific M style. A feature typical of BMW M cars is the variable warning zone on the tachometer that informs the driver of the recommended engine speed depending on the engine oil temperature.

The M3's leather steering wheel, with its thumb contours resting firmly in the driver's hands, provides an optimum grip for precise movement of the steering wheel. The spokes within the steering wheel incorporate the remote control buttons for the audio system and mobile phone, as well as the optional MDrive button. An additional auxiliary button may be programmed through the optional BMW iDrive system.

A premium AM/FM/single-disc CD audio system comes standard with an auxiliary input jack. Individual entertainment options include SIRIUS satellite radio, HD radio and a USB-enabled port for control of an Apple iPod or iPhone media player. These three options can be bundled together in the Technology Package, should one choose to have them all together.

For vehicles equipped with Navigation, the comprehensive information and entertainment systems are controlled by the refined BMW iDrive. Selecting the Navigation/iDrive option also brings the performance-oriented, steering-wheel-spoke-mounted Mdrive button.

Source : http://www.theautochannel.com (11/7/2007)

RACING BUSINESS Petty Enterprises To Relocate NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Operation  
The winningest organization in NASCAR announces its first move since its inception in 1949. Richard and Kyle Petty, in efforts to garner continued wins and championships, have agreed to move Petty Enterprises closer to the center of NASCAR activities in the greater Charlotte, North Carolina area.

They have reached a multi-year lease agreement for shop space located in the city of Mooresville. The space was formerly occupied by Robert Yates Racing and its two-car Nextel Cup operation.

Petty Enterprises, founded by Richards father, Lee, in 1949 as Lee Petty Engineering, is currently headquartered in Level Cross, North Carolina. At that location, the 60,000-square foot sprawling facility has become one of the most successful in motorsports history. The organization has won 268 NASCAR Nextel Cup races, 10 NASCAR Nextel Cup titles and nine Daytona 500 championships from inside the hallowed ground.

Level Cross will always be the home of the wins and championships that the Petty family built, said team owner Richard Petty. It is where Petty Enterprises was founded and where the team has won and built a legacy in NASCAR. Petty Enterprises and Level Cross are the same as Lambeau Field and the Green Bay Packers, Yankee Stadium and the New York Yankees and Boston Garden and the Boston Celtics.

At the same time this is a very exciting time for Petty Enterprises and our partners, continued Petty. We are going to continue the heart and soul that is in Level Cross to what now has become the center of the NASCAR world. This was a tough and emotional decision for our family. We care deeply about our roots and this community. We will always call Level Cross our home as we never forget where we came from. We are looking forward to continuing our legacy at this new location.

The move, to begin in December and be completed by end of the year, includes the #43 Cheerios/Betty Crocker Dodge driven by Bobby Labonte and the #45 Marathon American Spirit Motor Oil/Wells Fargo/Tire Kingdom Dodge driven by Kyle Petty. Its another move in the forward direction since 2006 when Robbie Loomis was named Vice President of Race Operations and 2000 Nextel Cup champion Bobby Labonte was announced as driver of the famed 43 Dodge.

Source : http://www.theautochannel.com (11/7/2007)

USAC NASCAR Ties Strong In Phoenix' "Copper World"  
Several NASCAR participants are competing in Thursday's USAC "Copper World Classic" at Phoenix (Ariz.) International Raceway as drivers or car entrants.

Two-time Nextel Cup Champion Tony Stewart is fielding three Midgets to be driven by Ricky Stenhouse Jr. of Olive Branch, Miss., Levi Jones of Olney, Ill. and Tracy Hines of New Castle, Ind. Stenhouse currently ranks third in National Midget series points, while Jones is seventh. Hines is returning to the series after a layoff due to a motorcycle injury.

Busch Series Champion and Nextel Cup regular Carl Edwards is fielding a Silver Crown car for Cameron Dodson of Greenfield, Ind. Dodson is eighth in the latest Silver Crown points.

Nextel Cup series regular Kasey Kahne has entered a pair of Midgets, one to be driven by Brady Bacon of Broken Arrow, Okla, who is eighth in the National standings.

Nextel Cup series regular J.J. Yeley of Phoenix will drive for A.J. Foyt in the Silver Crown race and for Laguna Beach, Calif. car owner Steve Lewis in the Midget race.

Nextel Cup series regular Ryan Newman of South Bend, Ind. will drive a Midget for Columbus, Ind. car owner Keith Kunz.

Busch Series regular Jason Leffler of Long Beach, Calif. is entered in the Silver Crown race in a car fielded by PDM Racing of Indianapolis, Ind.

Busch Series competitor Bobby East of Brownsburg, Ind. will drive for Nebraska car owner Terry Klatt in the Midget race.

Busch Series competitor Bryan Clauson of Noblesville, Ind. will pilot a Midget for Columbus, Ind.'s Keith Kunz as a teammate to Ryan Newman.

Thursday's 32nd Annual "Copper World Classic" events, presented by FastSigns Southwest, include practice, followed by Midget qualifying at 2:45 pm and K & N Silver Crown qualifying at 3:45. The 25-mile Midget feature gets the green flag at 7:45 pm, followed by the 100-mile Silver Crown race at 8:30.

Source : http://www.theautochannel.com (11/7/2007)

GM Reports Third Quarter Financial Results  
DETROIT, -- General Motors Corp. today announced its financial results for the third quarter of 2007, marked by record global sales, further improvement in its core automotive business driven by solid financial performance in key growth markets around the world and improved liquidity.

"We continue to implement the key elements of our North America turnaround strategy, and these initiatives are driving steady improvement in our financial results, despite challenging North America market conditions. In addition, we are very encouraged by our performance in emerging markets. Our record third quarter global sales are strong evidence that our commitment to great cars and trucks is being embraced by consumers around the globe," said Rick Wagoner, GM chairman and chief executive officer.

The company's improved performance in its automotive operations was more than offset by special charges of $37.4 billion related largely to a previously announced valuation allowance against its deferred tax assets, as well as lower reported GMAC Financial Services income, down $630 million versus the year-ago quarter as a result of continued pressures in the mortgage industry.

GM reported a net loss of $39 billion (including Allison Transmission, which is classified as a discontinued operation), or $68.85 per diluted share, for the third quarter of 2007, compared with a reported net loss of $147 million, or $.26 per diluted share, in the year-ago quarter.

Special items included a net non-cash charge of $38.6 billion due to a valuation allowance against deferred tax assets related to operations in the U.S., Canada and Germany as required under SFAS No. 109, Accounting for Income Taxes. Also included was a favorable $3.5 billion after-tax gain on the sale of the Allison Transmission business in August 2007, for which GM received $5.4 billion in proceeds. GM also had special charges of $1.6 billion in pension service costs related to prior labor agreements, $0.4 billion associated with restructuring actions and $0.4 billion related to an adjustment to the Delphi reserve. Details on all of the special charges are included in the "Highlights" section of this news release.

Excluding special items, GM had a 2007 third-quarter adjusted net loss of $1.6 billion, or $2.80 per diluted share, compared to net income of $497 million, or $.88 per diluted share, in the year-ago quarter. The variance was driven primarily by a significant decline in net income at GMAC, as well as increased corporate expense related to legacy cost, foreign exchange and various 2006 tax benefits, partially offset by improved performance in automotive operations.

GM Automotive Operations

GM's global automotive operations posted net income of $122 million from continuing operations on an adjusted basis in the third quarter of 2007 (reported net loss of $40.6 billion), an improvement of $577 million compared to an adjusted net loss from continuing operations of $455 million (reported net loss of $401 million) in the same quarter 2006. Results for GM's automotive operations, specifically GMNA, exclude Allison Transmission, which was classified as a discontinued operation as a result of the sale of that business which was concluded in August 2007.

GM generated record third quarter automotive revenue of $43.1 billion. The company also achieved record global third quarter sales of 2.39 million cars and trucks, up four percent compared to the third quarter 2006, driven by exceptionally strong demand in emerging markets and improved performance in developed markets. GM also set a number of third quarter sales records around the globe, including a 22 percent increase in GMLAAM, 16 percent increase in the GMAP region, and 15 percent gain in GME.

"We continue to see solid progress in the fundamentals of our automotive business. We're very pleased with our strong sales performance in key markets outside of North America, and growing retail momentum in the U.S. driven by products like the all-new Cadillac CTS. We're also very encouraged by the early reactions to our all-new Chevrolet Malibu and 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon two-mode hybrids - the world's only full-size hybrid SUVs," said Wagoner.

GMNA had an adjusted net loss from continuing operations of $247 million in the third quarter 2007 (reported net loss from continuing operations of $38.2 billion, which includes charges of approximately $36.5 billion for a valuation allowance against its deferred tax assets and $1.3 billion for pension service costs related to prior labor agreements), compared to an adjusted net loss of $660 million from continuing operations in the third quarter 2006 (reported net loss from continuing operations of $667 million). GMNA's improved adjusted earnings reflect favorable mix, pricing and better warranty performance, which were partially offset by lower volume and increased material cost.

GME posted an adjusted net loss of $90 million in the third quarter (reported net loss of $2.9 billion, which includes charges of $2.5 billion for a valuation allowance against deferred tax assets in Germany and restructuring charges of $262 million), compared to $39 million loss in the third quarter of 2006 (reported net loss of $126 million). The variance in adjusted net income reflects the softness of the German market and unfavorable currency exchange, which was partially offset by improved pricing and higher volume.

GME achieved record third quarter sales of about 524,000 units, aided by continued momentum of GME's multi-brand strategy during the period. Chevrolet is amongst the fastest growing global vehicle brands in Europe, posting record third quarter sales of 113,000 vehicles. GM gained further ground in the growing Russian market, with sales up by 75 percent over the same quarter 2006, to a record 65,700 vehicles.

GMAP recorded adjusted net income of $138 million in the third quarter (reported net income also $138 million), compared with $57 million in the year ago period (reported net income of $205 million, which included $148 million in favorable tax-related items). This favorable earnings performance was driven largely by strong export growth from GM Daewoo, continued strong sales and profitability in China, and improved earnings in India and Australia.

GM achieved 16 percent sales growth in the Asia Pacific region, resulting in record third quarter sales of 327,500 units. GM China sold 230,000 vehicles, a 21 percent increase compared with the year ago period. GM sales in the region were also aided by the strong performance of GM Daewoo products, including the Chevrolet Captiva.

GMLAAM achieved all-time record earnings and quarterly sales in the third quarter, posting adjusted earnings of $340 million (reported net income also $340 million), up 86 percent compared with strong earnings in the year ago period of $183 million (reported net income also $183 million). The earnings improvement was driven primarily by volume growth, favorable pricing and vehicle mix.

GMLAAM set a third quarter sales record of over 329,000 vehicles, up almost 22 percent year-over-year. All-time sales records were achieved in Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Argentina and Egypt. The successful launch of the Chevrolet Captiva in South Africa, Venezuela, Colombia and the Middle East helped drive strong sales in the region.

GMAC

As a standalone company, GMAC Financial Services reported a net loss of $1.6 billion for the third quarter 2007, compared to a net loss of $173 million in the third quarter 2006. The reported results for the third quarter of 2007 included a $455 million goodwill impairment charge at Residential Capital, LLC (ResCap), while a goodwill impairment charge of $695 million related to GMAC Commercial Finance was reflected in results for the third quarter of 2006.

Results were dominated by the effects of the dislocation in the mortgage and credit markets on the real estate finance business, which more than offset the continued strong performance at GMAC's automotive finance, insurance and other operations.

GM recognized $757 million of the net loss attributable to GMAC as a result of its 49 percent equity interest and accrued preferred dividends (reported net loss of $803 million).

Cash and Liquidity

GM continues to have a strong liquidity position. Cash, marketable securities, and readily-available assets of the Voluntary Employees' Beneficiary Association (VEBA) trust grew to $30 billion as of September 30, 2007, up from $27.2 billion on June 30, 2007. The balance includes $5.4 billion of net cash proceeds from the completion of the Allison Transmission transaction in August 2007.

GM had negative adjusted automotive operating cash flow of $2.5 billion in the third quarter of 2007, improved from a negative $3.9 billion in the third quarter 2006.

Forward-looking Statements

In this press release and in related comments by General Motors' management our use of words like "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "forecast," "initiative," "objective," "plan," "goal," "project," "outlook," "priorities," "target," "intend," "evaluate," "pursue," "seek," "may," "would," "could," "should," "believe," "potential," "continue," "designed," "impact," or the negative of any of those words or similar expressions is intended to identify forward-looking statements that represent our current judgment about possible future events. We believe these judgments are reasonable, but GM's actual results may differ materially due to a variety of important factors. Among other items, such factors include: the ability of GM to realize production efficiencies, to achieve reductions in costs as a result of the turnaround restructuring and health care cost reductions and to implement capital expenditures at levels and times planned by management; the pace of product introductions; market acceptance of our new products; significant changes in the competitive environment and the effect of competition in our markets, including on our pricing policies; our ability to maintain adequate liquidity and financing sources and an appropriate level of debt; changes in the existing, or the adoption of new laws, regulations, policies, or other activities of governments, agencies, and similar organizations where such actions may affect the production, licensing, distribution, or sale of our products, the cost thereof or applicable tax rates; costs and risks associated with litigation; the final results of investigations and inquiries by the SEC and other governmental agencies; changes in accounting principles, or their application or interpretation, and our ability to make estimates and the assumptions underlying the estimates, including the range of estimates for the Delphi pension benefit guarantees, which could result in an impact on earnings; negotiations and bankruptcy court actions with respect to Delphi's obligations to GM, negotiations with respect to GM's obligations under the pension benefit guarantees to Delphi employees, and GM's ability to recover any indemnity claims against Delphi; labor strikes or work stoppages at GM or its key suppliers such as Delphi or financial difficulties at GM's key suppliers such as Delphi; completion of the final settlement with the UAW and UAW retirees, including securing class certification in a form acceptable to GM, the UAW and class counsel; completion of the final settlement with the UAW and UAW retirees, including obtaining court approval in a form acceptable to GM, the UAW, and class counsel; treatment of the terms of the 2006 Settlement Agreement pursuant to the Retiree MOU in a manner acceptable to GM, the UAW and class counsel; GM's completion of discussions with the Staff of the SEC regarding accounting treatment with respect to the New VEBA and the post-retirement medical benefits for the covered group as set forth in the Retiree MOU, on a basis reasonably satisfactory to GM; shortages of and price increases for fuel; factors affecting GMAC's results of operations and financial conditions and changes in the residential mortgage market, especially in the nonprime sector; significant changes in the competitive environment and the effect of competition in GMAC's markets, including on GMAC's pricing policies; GMAC's ability to maintain adequate financing sources; GMAC's ability to maintain an appropriate level of debt; restrictions on the ability of GMAC's residential mortgage subsidiary to pay dividends and prepay subordinated debt obligations to GMAC; changes in the residual value of off-lease vehicles; changes in U.S. government-sponsored mortgage programs or disruptions in the markets in which GMAC's mortgage subsidiaries operate; changes in GMAC's contractual servicing rights; changes in the credit ratings of GMAC or GM; and changes in economic conditions, commodity prices, currency exchange rates, or political stability in the markets in which we or GMAC operate. The most recent annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K filed by GM and GMAC provide information about these factors, which may be revised or supplemented in future reports to the SEC on those forms.

Source : http://www.automotive.com (11/7/2007)

Focus ST500 special edition  
Ford has announced the arrival of a new special edition of the high performance Focus ST, called the Focus ST500.

Priced from £20,495, it will be available to just 500 UK customers.

The Ford Focus ST500 is based on the top-of-the-range Focus ST3 with the addition of unique features.

All models are finished in metallic black with classic silver bonnet, roof and side stripes which are designed to echo the livery of the winning GT40 in the 1-2-3 victory at Le Mans in 1966.

Power comes from the Focus ST's acclaimed 20-valve five-cylinder Duratec 2.5 engine, which develops 225PS at 6,100rpm and 320Nm of torque at just 1,600rpm.

Since its introduction in 2005, the Focus ST has established itself as one of the leading "hot hatchbacks" and received critical acclaim from the specialist media and enthusiast customers alike.

Included in the Focus ST500's unique specification are scarlet leather Recaro sports seats and matching upholstery and special ST500 badging.

The car also has automatic Xenon high-intensity headlamps, auto-dimming rear view mirror, rain-sensing wipers and solar-reflect windscreen.

Source : http://www.newcarnet.co.uk (11/7/2007)

SafeAuto Insurance Expands Westward into Missouri  
COLUMBUS, Ohio, PRNewswire/ -- Missouri drivers can rest a bit easier knowing a new automobile insurance provider is available with a proven history of keepings its customers legal for less. Columbus, Ohio-based SafeAuto Insurance is expanding its operations into the Show Me State with its brand of minimum coverage insurance beginning November 8, 2007.

Minimum coverage auto insurance is designed to meet state specific insurance law requirements. In Missouri, the law requires all drivers to carry minimum liability coverage for at least $25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident and $10,000 for property damage. The law also requires uninsured motorist coverage in the amounts of at least $25,000 for bodily injury per person and $50,000 for bodily injury per accident.

Since SafeAuto offers the minimum coverage necessary and not all of the extras like many other providers, the savings is passed along to the customer in the form of low monthly payments. Minimum coverage is a great option for the budget-minded Missouri driver from 16-years-old to 60 and beyond.

"We are thrilled to be available as an affordable option for Missouri drivers," said Jon Diamond, president of SafeAuto. "People rely on their vehicles like never before and our coverage is perfect for those who want to keep on the road and within their budgets."

Vehicles operate day and night, and so does the reliable customer service center at SafeAuto. Friendly and helpful support personnel are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, every day of the year for everything from proof of insurance requests to claims reporting.

Source : http://www.automotive.com (11/7/2007)

BMW Group reports third-quarter revenues up 19.2% but reduced 9-month profit  
The BMW Group increased sales volume, revenues and earnings figures for the third quarter 2007 and said yesterday it is well on its way towards achieving its earnings target for the full year. The company is also heading towards a sales volume for the year of over 1.4 million vehicles, with growth in the high single-digit percentage range. All three group brands are forecast to achieve new retail sales volume records.

Third-quarter revenues of the BMW Group rose by 19.2% to â‚13,778 million (third quarter 2006: â‚11,557 million) on increased sales volumes. Profit before tax improved by 6.3% to â‚765 million (third quarter 2006: â‚720 million), while net profit rose by 77.7% to â‚803 million (third quarter 2006: â‚452 million) partly as a result of tax effects.

Revenues for the nine-month period grow by 11.1% to â‚40,412 million (first nine months 2006: â‚36,368 million). Group profit before tax fell to â‚2,682 million (first nine months 2006: â‚3,248 million, -17.4%). Adjusted for the exceptional gain on the partial settlement of the exchangeable bond on shares in Rolls-Royce plc, profit before tax would have decreased by 9.4%. The group profit after tax was â‚2,143 million, down 2.0% from â‚ 2,187 million in the first nine months of 2006.

January to September earnings were affected by the cost of market launches and production start-ups for numerous new models, high raw material costs, substantial expenditure for the development of new engines and the on-going weakness of the US dollar and Japanese yen.

CEO Norbert Reithofer said the BMW Group aims to achieve retail sales of more than 1.8 million vehicles per annum by 2012. On the cars side of the business, the company is targeting a return on capital employed (RoCE) of 26% and a return on sales of between 8% and 10% from 2012 onwards.

The BMW Group had a worldwide workforce of 107,731 employees at the end of the third quarter 2007, 704 or 0.7% more than a year earlier.

The number of BMW brand cars sold in the nine-month period to September went up by 6.3% to 929,379 units (first nine months 2006: 874,208 units). The sales volume for the period from July to September rose by 10.8% to 306,964 units (third quarter 2006: 277,088 units).

The MINI brand also registered sharp sales volume growth rates in the third quarter, with the number of cars sold rising by 25.2% to 57,315 units (third quarter 2006: 45,788 units). Sales volume for the nine-month period increased by12.3% to 164,891 units. Sales in excess of 220,000 MINI has been set as the target for the full year.

The number of Rolls-Royces delivered during the nine-month period rose by 21.9% to 579 units (first nine months 2006: 475 units) thanks to the new Cabriolet Drophead CoupÃ(c), which has been available since July. Third quarter sales jumped by 51.6% to 285 units (third quarter 2006: 188 units).

Third-quarter revenues of the Automobile segment grew faster than sales volume, with segment revenues rising by 18.2% to â‚13,107 million (third quarter 2006: â‚11,088 million). Profit before tax improved by 15.2% to â‚704 million on the back of a good sales volume performance. Segment revenues for the nine-month period amounted to â‚38,782 million (first nine months 2006: â‚35,262 million), 10.0% ahead of the corresponding figure last year. But profit before tax fell by 8.8% to â‚2,114 million, hit by exchange rate fluctuations, higher raw material prices, market launch and production start-up costs for new models and higher research and development costs.

The Financial services segments profit before tax improved by 4.9% to â‚191 million in the first nine months, while revenues rose by 32.0% to â‚3,569 million. The proportion of new BMW Group cars leased or financed by the captive Financial Services businesses during the first nine months of the year was 44.7%, 2.5 percentage points above the proportion recorded for the corresponding period in 2006.

Source : http://www.autoindustry.co.uk (11/7/2007)

Denver Area Porsche Dealer Prestige Imports Reaffirms Commitment to Porsche Brand  
Denver, CO, United States, Established Denver area based Porsche dealership Prestige Imports reaffirms its commitment to customer service excellence in Porsche automobile sales and service in the Rocky Mountain Region.

Denver, Colorado area Porsche dealer Prestige Imports has announced its renewed commitment to providing an outstanding customer experience in connection with the sales and service of Porsche automobiles. Longstanding Denver area Porsche dealer Prestige Imports has provided attentive customer service to its loyal customer base from its location on Colfax Avenue in Lakewood near Denver dating back from the early 1970s. The Porsche dealership enjoys a reputation throughout Colorado and the Rocky Mountain region as a reputable and trusted dealership that provides a high quality experience for Porsche automobile sales and service customers.

Denver area Porsche owners perennially enjoy the Porsche high performance approach to delivering a superior automobile and driving experience. Porsche automobiles regularly win accolades for quality and prestige according to automobile industry reviewers and the public alike. Porsche customers in the Denver area customers frequently cite Porsches combination of style, performance and prestige as being central to the cars appeal. Porsche automobiles seen on the streets and highways of Denver and the Rocky Mountain region are known to turn heads like no others.

The Denver Porsche dealer is open Monday through Saturday. Additional information about Prestige Imports and its inventory of Porsche automobiles is available at the companys website.

Source : http://www.newswiretoday.com (11/7/2007)

Fiat Nuova Croma Is Station Wagon With Style  
TURIN, Italy Fiat has introduced its Nuova Croma, calling the overhauled station wagon "a car of substance" and "the roomiest car in its segment." The new model echoes the styling of the recent releases from Fiat, including the Grande Punto and Bravo.

The new look for the wagon includes teardrop-shaped headlights; aero touches including wings, rear spoiler and side skirts; and chrome details on the window frames and grille. Interior amenities include an Interscope sound system, DVD player and CONNECT Nav Plus navigation system. Numerous safety features include Fiat's electronic stability (ESP) and ABC with electronic brakeforce distribution as well as anti-slip, hill-holder and hydraulic brake assist features. True to Fiat's claim of spaciousness, there are 17.7 cubic feet of cargo capacity with the seats up, and 56.9 cubic feet with the rear seats folded.

The new wagons get Fiat's second-generation Multijet engine range, topped by the 2.4-liter, 200-horsepower unit paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. Two other gasoline and three turbodiesel engine choices are also available.

On-sale dates and pricing were not released.

What this means to you: In the age of crossovers, the station wagon is not dead yet. Fiat says so.

Source : http://www.edmunds.com (11/7/2007)

TEAM REPORTS Musgrave, No. 9 Team ASE Toyota Finish 1st at Texas  
Musgrave, No. 9 Team ASE Toyota Win at Texas Motor Speedway Ted Musgrave and his No. 9 Team ASE Toyota Tundra crew emerged victorious in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race held under the lights at the ultra-fast Texas Motor Speedway last Friday evening. With 72,000 enthusiastic fans on-hand for the Silverado 350K, Musgrave would parlay his third place qualifying effort, a little bit of good racing fortune while capitalizing on a pair of late-race cautions to secure what had been an elusive win in the Lone Star state.

"This is probably the best truck I've had as far as driving-wise wise and stuff." said Musgrave after qualifying third on Thursday evening in the Lone Star state, I even came across the radio after my (qualifying) lap and said it must be slow because it drove so well and they said 'no' - you're actually third quickest."

Hunting for his 17th truck series win, Musgrave raced up front with point leader Mike Skinner in the No. 5 Toyota, but an early pit stop for fuel and tires put the Team ASE Toyota out of synch with the race leaders.

"We were a little different on the sequence of pit stops and the tire wear. I led a lot of laps and then the 5 (Mike Skinner) got by me and he's running for a championship. So, we wanted to keep our nose clean and I was hoping we could race him back. Then, the caution didn't come out and we had to stop for fuel early." said Ted Musgrave after winning his first truck series race of the 2007 season.

Musgrave led early, but fell back as the race and the tires on his Team ASE Toyota wore on. Musgrave steered clear of several accidents that produced 23 caution laps. When co-leaders Chad McCumbee and Jack Sprague tangled on a single attempt at a green-white-checker finish, Musgrave acquired the lead as the seventh, race- ending yellow flag came out to close the event under caution.

Musgrave snapped a frustrating 66-race winless streak that reached back to Gateway International Raceway in 2005, the same year the Franklin, Wisconsin native won the NCTS driver championship.

"We've had a few of these stolen away from us here," Musgrave said, It's a sweet victory to come back and have something like that fall in my hands where I had a little luck. Now I can finally say I won at Texas after so many tries. I was just hoping for a top-five (near the end), but if you play your cards right, sometimes it comes to you."

Musgrave was recently paired with newly appointed Crew Chief Mike Abner who found himself celebrating in Texas' victory lane in only his second race as leader of the No. 9 Team ASE Toyota crew.

"I get two more shots at it. Mike (Abner, crew chief) is doing a heck of a job and the guys are pumped up." Musgrave proclaimed, "We're running good and hopefully we'll be able to get them again in Phoenix."

Next up for Ted Musgrave and the No. 9 Team ASE Toyota will be the Casino Arizona 150 at Phoenix International Raceway on November 9, 2007. SPEED will have live NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series coverage starting at 8:00 PM Eastern Time and MRN Radio on select affiliates nationwide. TruckSeries.com will have complete event coverage including practice, qualifying, and race updates online at www.truckseries.com.

What is Team ASE? In the early days of racing, the driver was often recognized as the main reason for a team's success. Recently, the crew chief and crew have been acknowledged as equally important in creating a winning situation for every race team. A parallel exists between racing and the automotive service industry. Similar to the way a crew chief and crew must deliver a satisfactory product to the driver in order to win the race, an employer and the technicians in a service and repair shop must satisfy the needs of their customer in order to create return business. But what makes TEAM ASE most unique is the level of commitment from our certified technicians involved in the program - both on and off the track. Being competitive on the race track is important to TEAM ASE because ASE is itself a standard of excellence. However, TEAM ASE's success in motorsports is not solely measured by pole position, top-five finishes or by slapping hundreds of decals on racecars. There is much more to the TEAM ASE program.

Source : http://www.theautochannel.com (11/7/2007)

Export boom drives UK damper company expansion  
The Witney, UK based suspension damper company Nitron Racing Systems is moving to new premises that will allow it to expand its manufacturing operation to cope with increased export business.

Until 2005 Nitron was a respected company in the motorsport industry making high performance shock absorbers for cars and motorcycles but reliant mainly on UK sales with a modest export market. Its fortunes changed when managing director Guy Evans contacted the Oxfordhsire offices of Business Link seeking advice on how to develop the firm was told about a trade mission to Japan organised by Government body UK Trade and Investment which proved to be a major breakthrough almost doubling the companys turnover.

Evans said, "I wanted to sell to Japan because of the size of the motorsport market there. Now, two years later, our product has the same amount of exposure as the market leader.

"Our current unit is now too small for the eight of us working here. Moving to new premises will allow us to employ more staff in the design room and in the assembly room, which is necessary as we launch a new range of products for 2008."

Source : http://www.autoindustry.co.uk (11/7/2007)

NASCAR NCS Series Notes  
RCR, Roush Fenway Headed For Desert Showdown in Phoenix

Turmoil: Plenty Of Drama Remains For Final Standings Slots

In The Loop: Bowyer Hopes For Phoenix Repeat Dodge, Toyota In Two-Race Shootout For Third In Manufacturer Race Champions Week Media Activities Dec. 6-7 In Orlando

Game On: Final Two Races A Chance For Roush Fenway Redemption

Now that Carl Edwards (No. 60 World Financial Group Ford) has clinched the NASCAR Busch Series driver title, his team can let out a collective breath and focus on wins in the last two races of the season.

And to start the final sprint, his record at Phoenix International Raceway bodes well.

Edwards won the 2005 fall race from the pole and has four top fives and five top-10 finishes overall in his five races at Phoenix.

The No. 60 team also has extra motivation. Its leader, crew chief Pierre PK Kuettel, is a Phoenix native who would covet a win at his home track. The crew also has to swallow that it likely wont win the owner championship to go along with Edwards driver title.

The No. 29 Richard Childress Racing team is the frontrunner for the owner crown. So the impetus for wins is paramount to the No. 60 crew these final two races.

The No. 29 Holiday Inn Chevrolet comes to Phoenix leading the owner standings by 113 points over the No. 20 Chevy of Joe Gibbs Racing. In order to clinch the owner title, the No. 29, to be driven by Scott Wimmer at Phoenix, needs leave this weekend with a 196-point advantage over the No. 20 an 83-point gain.

The split title has happened only once before in NASCAR national series competition in 2003, Brian Vickers won the driver championship but RCR won the owner title with the driver duo of Kevin Harvick and Johnny Sauter. Jeff Burton has shared the No. 29 ride with Wimmer this year.

Either way, the battle between the two teams should be electrifying at Phoenix. The last five races at the one-mile track have been won by Roush Fenway Racing or RCR. Matt Kenseth (No. 17 Arbys Ford) is the defending race winner while Clint Bowyer (No. 2 BB&T Chevrolet) won last April.

Time Ticking Away For Drivers To Avoid Top 10 Tumble

Following his fifth-place finish at Texas last Saturday, Matt Kenseth was able to slice into the lead held by Mike Wallace (No. 7 GEICO Chevrolet) for 10th place in the standings.

Wallace who finished 21st at Texas dropping 22 points to Kenseth comes to Phoenix 52 points ahead of the defending race winner.

But Wallace isnt the only driver in a precarious position with two races to go.

Even with Kenseth on his bumper, Wallace is in a similar stalking role with ninth-place Marcos Ambrose (No. 59 Kingsford Ford). Ambrose is 37 points ahead of Wallace and has been struggling to hold on to his top-10 standing over the last four races where his average finish has been 28.3.

Despite Ambroses slump, Greg Biffle (No. 16 3M Scotch Tape Ford) is feeling some pressure from the Aussie. Biffles eighth-place standing is secure by only 31 points over Ambrose. Biffle, like Kenseth, is a two-time winner at the one-mile track.

Meanwhile, Jason Leffler (No. 38 Great Clips Toyota), who won the pole at Phoenix for the April 2005 race, is fighting to stave off reigning series champion Kevin Harvick (No. 21 AutoZone Chevrolet). Lefflers hold on third is in jeopardy as fourth-place Harvick trails by just 20 points.

In The Loop: Bowyer, Kenseth Set Up For Duel In the Desert

Brilliant. Dominant. Unstoppable.

Any of the above could be used to describe Clint Bowyer during last Aprils NASCAR Busch Series Race at Phoenix International Raceway.

In that event, Bowyer led 120 of the 200 laps and racked up some impressive stats in the process. In spending all 200 laps in the top 15, he earned a Driver Rating of 148.5 (a perfect Driver Rating is 150.0), an Average Running Position of 1.4 and had 52 Fastest Laps Run.

Over his five career-series races at Phoenix, Bowyer has an average Driver Rating of 110.4, an Average Running Position of 9.1 and 125 Fastest Laps Run (more than any other driver). He has also spent 81.2% of the total laps run in the top 15.

But since 2005, no driver has enjoyed more success than Matt Kenseth. Over his last four Phoenix races, he has three top fives, including a win from the Busch Pole at this race last year.

His Loop Data statistics are phenomenal: a Driver Rating of 123.9, an Average Running Position of 4.0, 90 Fastest Laps Run, and has spent 99.3% of the laps the top 15.

Also, watch for series regular Jason Leffler to shine at Phoenix. He finished seventh at this race in 2005 and among the regulars, heads most of the stat lists.

In his four Phoenix races since 2005, Leffler has a Driver Rating of 95.2, an Average Running Position of 12.6, 52 Fastest Laps Run and he has spent 60.4% of the total laps run in the top 15.

Scott Wimmer will try to keep the momentum going for the No. 29 team as it inches closer to the 2007 owner championship. But Phoenix has presented a speed bump of sorts for Wimmer.

Driving for a different team, he finished 42nd at this race last season. On the bright side, he does have a Phoenix win on his resume (2002). Meanwhile, Denny Hamlin will pilot the No. 20. Hamlin has two consecutive top-five finishes at Phoenix, and a Phoenix Driver Rating of 98.7.

NBS, Etc.

Phoenix Homecomings, Part II: Although born near Toronto, Canada, Pierre Kuettel moved to Phoenix shortly thereafter and calls the area home. Other happy Phoenix returns feature J.J. Yeley (No. 1 Miccosukee Resort Chevrolet). He has three top-10s in six career series races at his home track and craves a win there. Also, Michael McDowell (No. 00 Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota), who made his series debut last week at Texas where he finished 20th, was born in Phoenix. McDowell, 22, is scheduled to race for Michael Waltrip Racing in the final two races of the year. He made his NASCAR debut two weeks ago at Martinsville in the Craftsman Truck Series (30th) and has won four times on the ARCA circuit this season. Additionally, Stephen Leicht spent an abbreviated time as an Arizona resident, living in the city of Ahwatukee, a suburb of Phoenix between the ages of three and five. He began racing go-karts in Arizona before his family made a permanent move to Asheville, N.C.

Harvick Stands Alone In Second: Kevin Harvicks win at Texas last week not only made him the all-time series leader in victories at the track with four, but also moved him out of a second-place tie with Jack Ingram for second on the all-time win list. Harvicks win gives him 32 in 190 races; Ingram had 31 in 274 events. Mark Martin is the career leader with 47 victories in 224 races. Harvick will join Kyle Busch (No. 5 Sta-Green/Lowes Chevrolet) with triple-duty driving at Phoenix. Both are entered in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, NASCAR Busch Series and NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series races.

Keselowski Gaining Ground: Brad Keselowski (No. 88 U.S. NAVY Chevrolet) is staging a hard charge in the series Raybestos Rookie of the Year standings. Since joining JR Motorsports in mid-July, Keselowski has gone from fifth place and 66 points behind third place (then Juan Pablo Montoya) to fourth-but more importantly-only one point behind Kyle Krisiloff (No. 14 Lily/Walgreens Ford) in third. Keselowski has been one of the hottest series regulars in the seasons second half, posting five top 10s and his career-best finish, a sixth-place effort last Saturday at Texas where 17 double-duty drivers were entered.

Colemans JGR Swan Song: Brad Coleman (No. 18 Carinos Chevrolet), the 19-year-old from Houston, Texas who fashioned solid finishes while running a partial 16-race schedule for Joe Gibbs Racing this year, makes his final start for the team before moving to Brewco Motorsports and a full-time ride in 2008. Coleman claimed his first career pole at Talladega in addition to registering three top fives and five top 10s this year. Coleman will also run a limited NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule next year for Hall of Fame Racing, whose team owner, Tom Garfinkel, is executive vice president of the Phoenix-based Arizona Diamondbacks. The No. 18 team will also host Steve McCarty (R), who wrote the Steve Miller Band hit Fly Like an Eagle, in their pit on Saturday.

Of Note -- Phoenix: Jason Leffler will have a busy schedule this week at Phoenix, competing in four races in three days. He will run the USAC Midget and Silver Crown races on Thursday night, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race on Friday night and the Arizona.Travel 200 on Saturday afternoon. This Veterans Day weekend the No. 88 U.S. NAVY team will honor the casualties and survivors of the attack on Pearl Harbor with a special Pearl Harbor Survivors Association decal on the car. On Dec. 7, 1941, 2,390 U.S. personnel were killed and 1,178 were wounded in the attack. The association was formed in 1958 with the goal to Remember Pearl Harbor Keep America Alert. Also Team Rensis cars the No. 35 McDonalds Ford of Bobby Hamilton Jr. and the No. 25 FreeCreditReport.com Ford of Richard Johns - will adorn a special logo for a non-profit organization, Freedom Is Not Free, aimed at aiding wounded service members, their families and the families of the fatally wounded.

The Directors Take: Phoenix

Phoenix is a track of compromises.

At a track like Hometead, where both ends are equally shaped, teams can pick one setup and put it on the car.

But at a track like Phoenix where the radius of the corner and the banking is different on each end, some teams set the car up to be very good in Turns 1 and 2 and it is what it is in 3 and 4 or vice versa. Or, they will compromise and find something that will work on both ends.

Phoenix almost races like it has a fifth turn due to the dogleg on the backstretch, so the teams will be working on balancing the car to get the driver comfortable.

One of the unique features of racing at Phoenix is the start time. Due to the proximity to sunset, it can be tough for the drivers going into Turn 1. Theyll use either a tinted tear-off on their helmet or theyll put tape on the inside of the winshield to peel off as the sun sets and the race progresses.

2007 NASCAR BUSCH SERIES RAYBESTOS ROOKIE OF THE YEAR STANDINGS

Driver Points 1. David Ragan 233 2. Marcos Ambrose 202 3. Kyle Krisiloff 180 4. Brad Keselowski 179 5. Juan Pablo Montoya 165 6. Brad Coleman 163 7. Robert Richardson Jr. 114 8. Justin Diercks 51

2007 NASCAR Busch Series Champion's Week

The 2007 NASCAR Busch Series Champions Week media activities with Carl Edwards, the series champion, top 10 drivers in the final standings and the Raybestos Rookie of the Year will be held Dec. 6-7 in Orlando, Fla.

On Thursday, Dec. 6, media are invited to attend a luncheon featuring the champion and top 10 drivers at the ESPN Club on Disneys BoardWalk beginning at 10:30 a.m.

From 1 3:00 p.m., Edwards and the top 10 drivers will drive hot laps for the media at the 1.5-mile Walt Disney World Speedway.

The NASCAR Busch Series Awards Banquet will take place at the Portofino Bay Hotel on Friday, Dec. 7.

The NASCAR Busch Series Awards Banquet on Dec. 7 is an invitation-only event and is a separate activity from Champions Week media events. If you do not receive an invitation but are interested in attending the banquet, please contact Sue Redstone (information below).

For further information or to RSVP for Thursdays activities, please contact Sue Redstone (sredstone@nascar.com, 386-947-6870).

Be sure to log on to NASCARMedia.com for schedule updates.

ESPN2

ESPN2 continues its season-long coverage of the NASCAR Busch Series with live racing from Phoenix International Raceway. The telecast of the 200-mile race begins at 4 p.m. ET with NASCAR Countdown.

Dr. Jerry Punch will anchor ESPN2s coverage with analysis by 1989 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series champion Rusty Wallace and two-time NASCAR champion crew chief Andy Petree. Dave Burns, Jamie Little, Mike Massaro and Shannon Spake will report from the pits.

Allen Bestwick will host NASCAR Countdown. Dale Jarrett, the 1999 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup champion and one of the founding drivers of the NASCAR Busch Series, will join Bestwick in the ESPN Pit Studio along with Brad Daugherty, a former winning team owner in the NASCAR Busch Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.

2007 At-A-Glance: NASCAR Busch Series Leaders After 33 Of 35 Races:

Season Traditional Statistics: Driver points Edwards (4,494#) Victories Harvick (6) Races led Edwards (20) Laps led Ky. Busch (968) Top-five finishes Edwards (14) Top-10 finishes Edwards, Harvick (14) Owner points Richard Childress Racing (No. 29) - (4,753) Money Won Edwards ($1,116,060) Miles led Ky. Busch (1,301.08) Busch Poles Hamlin (5) Closest to 10th M. Wallace 10th (3,188 pts) 11th Kenseth (- 52) Consecutive Weeks in Top 10 Edwards, Harvick (33)

Season Loop Data Statistics: Driver Rating Edwards (105.7) Average Running Position Edwards (10.0) Fastest Laps Run Edwards (529 fastest laps) Quality Passes Edwards (964) Laps In Top 15 Edwards (5,022 of a possible (6,153)

# - clinched driver championship

Showdown Out West Between Dodge, Toyota; Ford Seeks Third Straight Phoenix Fall Win

With two races left in the season, its a two-manufacturer race for third in the final Bill France Performance Cup rankings. Dodge has a nine-point led over Toyota for the third-place spot heading to Phoenix.

Dodge has one win at Phoenix Jamie McMurrays 2004 victory. Toyotas first series start at the track was last April when its three drivers placed 10th, 12th and 18th. Dodge had two divers in the top 18 last spring. Those two manufacturers also have the stout record of Ford has at Phoenix to contend with six wins in the previous 11 races. Clint Bowyer won last April in a Chevy.

Chevrolet claimed its series-leading 14th title back in September and Ford has held steady in second for the bulk of the season. Kevin Harvicks win at Texas Motor Speedway last Saturday was the 20th for Chevrolet this season, the seventh time in its 26-year NASCAR Busch Series tenure that it has reached the 20-victory plateau.

Pontiac, with 21 wins in the inaugural series season in 1982, is the only other manufacturer to eclipse 20 wins in a season. Chevy holds the record with 24 in 1999.

Manufacturers' Championship 2007 Point Standings Chevrolet 229 Ford 192 Dodge 147 Toyota 138

Up Next: Ford 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway

The final race of the 2007 season and the final race for the series sponsor, Anheuser-Buschs Busch Beer brand after 26 years takes center stage at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Saturday, Nov. 17. The broadcast will begin at 4 p.m. ET on ESPN2.

Carl Edwards will officially be crowned as the 19th and last NASCAR Busch Series champion, while the series owner title could still be on the line between the No. 29 RCR Chevrolet and the No. 20 JGR Chevy.

A pair of former series champions holds the win and pole marks at Homestead. Florida native Joe Nemechek, the 1992 series champion, has three wins, while 2000 champ Jeff Greens two poles are the standard.

Matt Kenseth, whose 23 wins are sixth all-time in series history, is the defending race winner while two-time series champion Kevin Harvick sat on the pole last November.

Fast Facts

The Race: Arizona.Travel 200 The Place: Phoenix International Raceway The Date: Nov. 10, 20071 The Time: 4:30 p.m. (ET) TV: ESPN2, 4 p.m. (ET) Track Layout: 1-mile D-shaped oval Race Purse: $1,408,944 2006 Winner: Matt Kenseth 2006 Pole: Matt Kenseth

2007 Point Standings

Pos. Driver Points 1 Edwards 4,944# 2 Reutimann 3,942 3 Leffler 3,733 4 Harvick 3,713 5 Ragan 3,567 6 Hamilton Jr. 3,434 7 Leicht 3,337 8 Biffle 3,256 9 Ambrose 3,225 10 Wallace 3,188 # Cliched Title

Pre-Race Schedule: Friday Practice, 10-11:20 a.m.; Rookie Practice, 1:05-1:30 p.m.; Final Practice, 1:35-2:35 p.m. Saturday Qualifying, 10:05 a.m. (impound).

Source : http://www.theautochannel.com (11/7/2007)

LeaseCompare.com Goes Green; Competitive Lease Payments Now Available on Hybrid Cars  
CINCINNATI--Automobile Consumer Services, Inc. (ACS), the leader in online direct-to-consumer auto leasing, announced that it now offers competitive lease programs on hybrid models through its popular auto leasing website www.LeaseCompare.com.

Hybrid technology is changing fast. With leasing, consumers can drive the most current models and not have the worry and risk associated with selling vehicles with outdated technology, says Tarry Shebesta, President of ACS and a certified lease consultant.

The following hybrid models are currently available for lease at LeaseCompare.com:

Ford Escape

Honda Accord, Civic

Lexus GS450h, LS600h L, RX400h

Mercury Mariner

Nissan Altima

Saturn Aura

Toyota Camry, Highlander, Prius

Hybrid car lease payments can be viewed here:

:www.LeaseCompare.com/hybrid_car_lease_quotes.php

Chevrolet, Chrysler, GMC, Hyundai, Mercedes and Porsche have announced plans to launch hybrid models in the near future.

Hybrid car leasing has been limited to dealer lease offers, where available, notes Shebesta. Now, consumers can choose the vehicle and the dealer and go online to LeaseCompare.com to select the best lease among many offers.

LeaseCompare.com is the best alternative to dealer leasing and, as the name suggests, provides an interactive tool to instantly evaluate leasing options from a number of sources. Customers can lock in a competitive lease quote they like and apply for credit online. ACS facilitates the lease and pays the vehicle seller.

Source : http://www.theautochannel.com (11/7/2007)

TEAM REPORTS Kyle Krisiloff, No. 14, Lilly/Walgreens, PIR Preview  
Kyle Krisiloff, Phoenix International Raceway Preview With only two races left to run in the NASCAR Busch Series this season, Kyle Krisiloff returns to Phoenix International Raceway (PIR) driving the No. 14 Lilly/Walgreens Ford to compete in the Arizona.Travel 200 on Saturday.

Krisiloff, who has only one previous start at PIR with a finish of 23rd in the Busch Series race earlier in the season, hopes to perform well and stay out of trouble entering the last two remaining races of his rookie season.

³I¹m looking forward to going back to Phoenix,² Krisiloff said. ³Our team has done a great job getting the No. 14 Lilly/Walgreens Fords ready to race this year. Our cars have been good, and have helped us get decent finishes on the one-mile tracks. I want to have a few more good runs before the season is over.²

Heading in to the last two races of the season, the No. 14 Lilly/Walgreens Ford sits 32nd in owner points. Hoping to move up at least two positions to 30th to lock-in a guaranteed starting position for the 2008 season, Krisiloff thinks the car the team is bringing to Phoenix may be just what they need to secure a solid run.

³We are bringing chassis No. 05, which has been my favorite one of the season, to Phoenix,² Krisiloff said. ³We ran well with it at Gateway and at Dover. This chassis has the potential to get our team the type of finish we need to have these last two [races]. There is not any reason why it should not handle just as well this weekend. The Lilly/Walgreens team and I are going to do everything we can to have a great performance for everyone at Lilly and Walgreens.²

Eli Lilly and Company, a leading innovation-driven corporation, is developing a growing portfolio of first-in-class and best-in-class pharmaceutical products by applying the latest research from its own worldwide laboratories and from collaborations with eminent scientific organizations. Headquartered in Indianapolis, Ind., Lilly provides answers ­ through medicines and information ­ for some of the world¹s most urgent medical needs. Additional information about Lilly is available at www.lilly.com Walgreens Co. is the nation¹s largest drugstore chain with fiscal 2006 sales of $47.4 billion. The company operates 5,850 stores in 48 states and Puerto Rico, including 77 Happy Harry¹s drugstores in Delaware and surrounding states. Walgreens is expanding its patient-first health care services beyond traditional pharmacy through Walgreens Health Services, its managed convenient care clinics inside drugstores. Walgreens Health Services assists pharmacy patients and prescription drug and medical plans through Walgreens Health Initiatives, Inc. (a pharmacy benefits manager), Walgreens Mail Service Inc., Walgreens home Care Inc., and Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy. More information about Walgreens is available at www.walgreens.com Joslin Diabetes Center, affiliated with Harvard Medical School, has helped revolutionize the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of diabetes since it¹s founding more than a century ago. Joslin is the world¹s largest diabetes research center, diabetes clinic, and provider of diabetes education, and its staff of renowned physicians, researchers and clinical specialists is dedicated to preventing and curing diabetes. Joslin and Walgreens have a multi-year partnership to develop and deliver awareness, wellness, prevention and education programs to Walgreens customers with diabetes. For more information on Joslin, call 1-800-JOSLIN-1 or visit www.joslin.org Racing Against Diabetes, a public awareness campaign sponsored by Eli Lilly and Company and Walgreens, is designed to educate people at risk for and living with diabetes. Diabetes is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States, affecting nearly 21 million Americans; yet, one-third of those affected are unaware they have the disease. Seeking to build diabetes awareness both on and off the track, the Racing Against Diabetes campaign hosts diabetes education programs in NASCAR race markets across the country. The first cause-marketing effort of its kind in the NASCAR Busch Series, Racing Against Diabetes works alongside the Joslin Diabetes Center, the world¹s largest diabetes research center/clinic and provider of diabetes education.

Source : http://www.theautochannel.com (11/7/2007)

Brown: let's lower UK emissions by 60%  
Brown: let's lower UK emissions by 60%

Local Transport Bill announced Aims to avoid congestion increase

Climate Change Bill aims to lower emissions

Prime Minister Gordon Brown has confirmed plans to reduce UK carbon dioxide emissions by at least 60% by 2050 and allow local authorities to press ahead with road charging.

The measures, which have been public knowledge for some time, were announced in the Queen's Speech, which traditionally opens the new Parliamentary session.

Government estimates suggest that unless it takes action, there will be a 22% increase in congestion by 2015.

As a result, it is giving local authorities the power to introduce local road pricing schemes.

It hopes that by investing the power in local authorities, the schemes will be tailored to suit the surrounding communities.

Meanwhile, the Climate Change Bill will result in the UK becoming the first country in the world to introduce a legally binding framework to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

It is intended to stimulate investment in the technology needed to move the UK towards a low carbon economy, partly by encouraging the use of biofuels among road hauliers.

Source : http://www.whatcar.co.uk (11/7/2007)

Jay Leno Reveals His "Green" Corvette - VIDEO STORY  
LAS VEGAS - : Late night talk show host Jay Leno briefly left his "Tonight Show" routine in L.A. last week to participate in the 2007 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show in Las Vegas. Leno, known for having a passion for cars, showcased a vehicle he designed himself an E85-powered Corvette Z06.

The vehicle features a custom, 500-cubic inch engine that generates an estimated 600 horsepower and runs solely on E85. E85 is an alternative fuel composed of 85 percent ethanol, renewable fuel made primarily from domestically grown corn, and 15 percent gasoline.

Source : http://www.theautochannel.com (11/7/2007)

Volvo XC70 Surf Rescue On Patrol at the 2007 SEMA Show  
LAS VEGAS - : Volvo unveiled its new XC70 SR at the Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Association (SEMA) exposition last week in Las Vegas. The car, Volvo indicates, was designed to emulate lifeguard vehicles seen at many California beaches. The four-door SUV features a 5-inch-lift suspension for improved ground clearance, heavily modified body panels, and specially-made oversized tires with a tread designed for increased grip on loose and sandy soil. The XC70 also includes first-aid equipment and custom rescue surfboards.

Source : http://www.theautochannel.com (11/7/2007)

Geely Unveils New Logo; Student Designer Wins $260,000  
SHANGHAI - : Geely Holding Group, China's largest privately-owned automaker, unveiled its new logo at Beijing Geely University yesterday, the company announced yesterday.

"The new logo will start to be used in new vehicle models launched next year; it will not affect existing models," said Geely's vice president Wang Ziliang.

Earlier sources familiar with the plan said the logo will first be used on London taxicabs produced by Manganese Bronze and Geely's joint venture in Shanghai next year. Geely bought U.K. automaker Manganese Bronze in 2006 in order to boost the sales of its cheap cars globally.

The designer of the logo, a student from Anhui University, has a won 2 million yuan ($260,300) award from Geely. In January this year, Geely set aside 3.6 million yuan (or about $484,000) for the logo design contest and the winner was finally selected by online voting as well as 66 experts.

Source : http://www.theautochannel.com (11/7/2007)

Ford's special-edition Focus ST  
Ford's special-edition Focus ST

Just 500 ST500s being sold

Priced at £20,495

Colour scheme echoes 1966 Le Mans winner's

Ford has launched a special edition of its Focus ST hot hatch.

The Ford Focus ST500 is based on the Focus ST3, but features metallic black paintwork with a silver bonnet, roof and side stripes.

The livery matches that of the winning Ford GT40 in the 1966 Le Mans race, where Ford finished first, second and third.

Other features include red leather sports seats, special ST500 badges, xenon headlights, rain-sensing wipers and a sun-reflecting windscreen.

As with the ST3, the ST500 is powered by a 222bhp 2.5-litre petrol engine.

Ford is building 500 Focus ST500s and they go on sale for £20,495.

That's £500 more than the normal ST3's list price, but there are some pretty tempting deals on Focus STs at the moment.

Source : http://www.whatcar.co.uk (11/7/2007)

Red diesel abuse costs UK millions  
Filling up with red diesel is illegal unless it's for an agricultural vehicle

Red diesel abuse costs taxpayers £350m

Customs performing crackdown on abuse

Hefty fines for abusers if caught

Thousands of British motorists are running their cars on illegal fuel - and there are fears rising oil prices could make the problem more widespread.

HM Revenue and Customs officials have carried out spot checks at petrol stations, supermarkets and car parks to catch motorists using fuels that are meant for use in agricultural machinery, and therefore aren't taxed as highly.

In some areas, one in five tanks in vehicles stopped were found to contain red diesel, which is only intended for off-road farming vehicles.

Apart from its identifying dye, red diesel is identical to normal diesel, but only costs about 35p a litre - about 65p less than ordinary fuels.

So far this year, more than 1700 private cars have been found running on the illegal fuel.

Estimates suggest that the illegal use of red diesel is costing UK taxpayers £350 million each year.

'People who use the illegal fuel are abusing the tax system. They cheat the whole country out of vital funds for public services.' said a Revenue and Customs spokeswoman.

Penalties for using red diesel illegally are imposed on a sliding scale. For instance, a person who used £27 of red diesel could be hit with a £500 penalty.

Source : http://www.whatcar.co.uk (11/7/2007)

2009 Mercedes-Benz CLK Spotted in Germany  
STUTTGART, Germany After evading spy graphers for some time now, the 2009 Mercedes-Benz CLK coupe has finally been spotted on the streets of Stuttgart.

Based on the same platform as the recently introduced C-Class sedan, the next-generation CLK coupe shows signs of a similar design. The front fascia has a more squared-off shape, although our spy shooters said they saw signs of quad headlights in place of the single-lens design used on the C-Class. Mercedes went to great lengths to disguise the shape of the C-pillars, so expect to see a more distinctive design than the current model.

Engine choices aren't expected to change much. The current 3.5-liter V6 will most likely remain the base power plant, with the 5.5-liter V8 continuing as an option. Rear-wheel drive will continue as well, although there is speculation that 4Matic will be added as an option.

Look for the debut of the 2009 Mercedes-Benz CLK at the 2008 Geneva Auto Show, with sales in the U.S. expected by the end of the 2008.

Source : http://www.edmunds.com (11/7/2007)

GM Reports Third Quarter 2007 Financial Results  
DETROIT, -- General Motors Corp. today announced its financial results for the third quarter of 2007, marked by record global sales, further improvement in its core automotive business driven by solid financial performance in key growth markets around the world and improved liquidity.

"We continue to implement the key elements of our North America turnaround strategy, and these initiatives are driving steady improvement in our financial results, despite challenging North America market conditions. In addition, we are very encouraged by our performance in emerging markets. Our record third quarter global sales are strong evidence that our commitment to great cars and trucks is being embraced by consumers around the globe," said Rick Wagoner, GM chairman and chief executive officer.

The company's improved performance in its automotive operations was more than offset by special charges of $37.4 billion related largely to a previously announced valuation allowance against its deferred tax assets, as well as lower reported GMAC Financial Services income, down $630 million versus the year-ago quarter as a result of continued pressures in the mortgage industry.

GM reported a net loss of $39 billion (including Allison Transmission, which is classified as a discontinued operation), or $68.85 per diluted share, for the third quarter of 2007, compared with a reported net loss of $147 million, or $.26 per diluted share, in the year-ago quarter.

Special items included a net non-cash charge of $38.6 billion due to a valuation allowance against deferred tax assets related to operations in the U.S., Canada and Germany as required under SFAS No. 109, Accounting for Income Taxes. Also included was a favorable $3.5 billion after-tax gain on the sale of the Allison Transmission business in August 2007, for which GM received $5.4 billion in proceeds. GM also had special charges of $1.6 billion in pension service costs related to prior labor agreements, $0.4 billion associated with restructuring actions and $0.4 billion related to an adjustment to the Delphi reserve. Details on all of the special charges are included in the "Highlights" section of this news release.

Excluding special items, GM had a 2007 third-quarter adjusted net loss of $1.6 billion, or $2.80 per diluted share, compared to net income of $497 million, or $.88 per diluted share, in the year-ago quarter. The variance was driven primarily by a significant decline in net income at GMAC, as well as increased corporate expense related to legacy cost, foreign exchange and various 2006 tax benefits, partially offset by improved performance in automotive operations.

GM Automotive Operations

GM's global automotive operations posted net income of $122 million from continuing operations on an adjusted basis in the third quarter of 2007 (reported net loss of $40.6 billion), an improvement of $577 million compared to an adjusted net loss from continuing operations of $455 million (reported net loss of $401 million) in the same quarter 2006. Results for GM's automotive operations, specifically GMNA, exclude Allison Transmission, which was classified as a discontinued operation as a result of the sale of that business which was concluded in August 2007.

GM generated record third quarter automotive revenue of $43.1 billion. The company also achieved record global third quarter sales of 2.39 million cars and trucks, up four percent compared to the third quarter 2006, driven by exceptionally strong demand in emerging markets and improved performance in developed markets. GM also set a number of third quarter sales records around the globe, including a 22 percent increase in GMLAAM, 16 percent increase in the GMAP region, and 15 percent gain in GME.

"We continue to see solid progress in the fundamentals of our automotive business. We're very pleased with our strong sales performance in key markets outside of North America, and growing retail momentum in the U.S. driven by products like the all-new Cadillac CTS. We're also very encouraged by the early reactions to our all-new Chevrolet Malibu and 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon two-mode hybrids - the world's only full-size hybrid SUVs," said Wagoner.

GMNA had an adjusted net loss from continuing operations of $247 million in the third quarter 2007 (reported net loss from continuing operations of $38.2 billion, which includes charges of approximately $36.5 billion for a valuation allowance against its deferred tax assets and $1.3 billion for pension service costs related to prior labor agreements), compared to an adjusted net loss of $660 million from continuing operations in the third quarter 2006 (reported net loss from continuing operations of $667 million). GMNA's improved adjusted earnings reflect favorable mix, pricing and better warranty performance, which were partially offset by lower volume and increased material cost.

GME posted an adjusted net loss of $90 million in the third quarter (reported net loss of $2.9 billion, which includes charges of $2.5 billion for a valuation allowance against deferred tax assets in Germany and restructuring charges of $262 million), compared to $39 million loss in the third quarter of 2006 (reported net loss of $126 million). The variance in adjusted net income reflects the softness of the German market and unfavorable currency exchange, which was partially offset by improved pricing and higher volume.

GME achieved record third quarter sales of about 524,000 units, aided by continued momentum of GME's multi-brand strategy during the period. Chevrolet is amongst the fastest growing global vehicle brands in Europe, posting record third quarter sales of 113,000 vehicles. GM gained further ground in the growing Russian market, with sales up by 75 percent over the same quarter 2006, to a record 65,700 vehicles.

GMAP recorded adjusted net income of $138 million in the third quarter (reported net income also $138 million), compared with $57 million in the year ago period (reported net income of $205 million, which included $148 million in favorable tax-related items). This favorable earnings performance was driven largely by strong export growth from GM Daewoo, continued strong sales and profitability in China, and improved earnings in India and Australia.

GM achieved 16 percent sales growth in the Asia Pacific region, resulting in record third quarter sales of 327,500 units. GM China sold 230,000 vehicles, a 21 percent increase compared with the year ago period. GM sales in the region were also aided by the strong performance of GM Daewoo products, including the Chevrolet Captiva.

GMLAAM achieved all-time record earnings and quarterly sales in the third quarter, posting adjusted earnings of $340 million (reported net income also $340 million), up 86 percent compared with strong earnings in the year ago period of $183 million (reported net income also $183 million). The earnings improvement was driven primarily by volume growth, favorable pricing and vehicle mix.

GMLAAM set a third quarter sales record of over 329,000 vehicles, up almost 22 percent year-over-year. All-time sales records were achieved in Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Argentina and Egypt. The successful launch of the Chevrolet Captiva in South Africa, Venezuela, Colombia and the Middle East helped drive strong sales in the region.

GMAC

As a standalone company, GMAC Financial Services reported a net loss of $1.6 billion for the third quarter 2007, compared to a net loss of $173 million in the third quarter 2006. The reported results for the third quarter of 2007 included a $455 million goodwill impairment charge at Residential Capital, LLC (ResCap), while a goodwill impairment charge of $695 million related to GMAC Commercial Finance was reflected in results for the third quarter of 2006.

Results were dominated by the effects of the dislocation in the mortgage and credit markets on the real estate finance business, which more than offset the continued strong performance at GMAC's automotive finance, insurance and other operations.

GM recognized $757 million of the net loss attributable to GMAC as a result of its 49 percent equity interest and accrued preferred dividends (reported net loss of $803 million).

Cash and Liquidity

GM continues to have a strong liquidity position. Cash, marketable securities, and readily-available assets of the Voluntary Employees' Beneficiary Association (VEBA) trust grew to $30 billion as of September 30, 2007, up from $27.2 billion on June 30, 2007. The balance includes $5.4 billion of net cash proceeds from the completion of the Allison Transmission transaction in August 2007.

GM had negative adjusted automotive operating cash flow of $2.5 billion in the third quarter of 2007, improved from a negative $3.9 billion in the third quarter 2006.

General Motors Corporation

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

This press release and the accompanying tables include the

following non-GAAP financial measures:

(a) adjusted net income,

(b) managerial cash flow and

(c) GM North America vehicle revenue per unit. Each of these financial measures excludes the impact of certain items and therefore has not been calculated in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). This press release also contains a reconciliation of each presented non-GAAP measure to its most comparable GAAP financial measure.

Management believes these non-GAAP financial measures provide meaningful supplemental information regarding our operating results because they exclude amounts that GM management does not consider part of operating results when assessing the performance of the organization and measuring the results of GM's performance. In addition, GM has historically reported similar non-GAAP financial measures. GM believes that inclusion of these non-GAAP financial measures provides consistency and comparability with past earnings releases. GM management uses these non-GAAP financial measures to evaluate GM's performance and believes these measures allow GM management to readily view operating trends, perform analytical comparisons, benchmark performance among geographic regions and assess whether the GM North American structural cost turnaround plan is on target. Also, GM management uses adjusted net income for forecasting purposes and in determining our future capital investment allocations. Accordingly, GM believes these non-GAAP financial measures are useful to investors in allowing for greater transparency of supplemental information used by management in its financial and operational decision-making.

While GM believes that these non-GAAP financial measures provide useful supplemental information, there are limitations associated with the use of these non-GAAP financial measures. These non-GAAP financial measures are not prepared in accordance with GAAP, do not reflect a comprehensive system of accounting and may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies due to potential differences in the method of calculation between companies. Costs such as the special attrition program and restructuring charges that are excluded from GM's non-GAAP financial measures can have a material impact on net earnings. As a result, these non-GAAP financial measures have limitations and should not be considered in isolation from, or as a substitute for, net earnings, cash flow from operations, or other measures of performance or liquidity prepared in accordance with GAAP. GM compensates for these limitations by using these non-GAAP financial measures as supplements to GAAP financial measures and by reviewing the reconciliations of the non-GAAP financial measures to their most comparable GAAP financial measures. Investors are encouraged to review the reconciliations of these non-GAAP financial measures to their most comparable GAAP financial measures that are included elsewhere in this press release.

Adjusted Net Income

Adjusted net income excludes charges for the special attrition program; restructuring, plant closure and impairment charges; gains and losses on the sale of business units and business interests; charges associated with the Delphi bankruptcy; charges associated with changes in estimates and accounting changes; and certain tax related items.

The following is a discussion of each adjustment to the net income (loss) determined in accordance with GAAP to arrive at adjusted net income:

-- Deferred tax assets and tax-related items.GM established valuation allowances against its deferred tax assets in the U.S., Canada and Germany.The charge associated with establishing these valuation allowances is excluded from adjusted net income. Other tax related items excluded from adjusted net income are:

(1) the impact of the reduction in corporate income and trade tax rates in Germany;

(2) the reversal of our deferred tax valuation allowance at GM Daewoo; and

(3) unusual tax events that may result as GM is involved in the sales of its business units and business interests from time-to-time.Management believes the exclusion of these valuation allowance charges and tax related items from adjusted net income is useful because management does not consider these charges part of GM's core earnings in evaluating the performance of the business and excludes these costs when evaluating the performance of the Corporation, its business units and its management team and when making decisions to allocate resources among GM's business units.

General Motors Corporation

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures (Continued)

-- Gains and losses on the sale of business units and business interests. The gains and losses on the sale of business units and business interests are excluded from adjusted net income. While GM is involved in sales of its business units and business interests from time-to-time and may have significant gains or losses from such sales in the future, such events have historically occurred sporadically. Management excludes the gains and losses associated with these events when it evaluates the Corporation's operations and for internal reporting and forecasting purposes and for allocation of additional resources.

-- Change in estimate regarding period of economic benefit of existing pension prior service cost. Our non-GAAP financial measures exclude the charge associated with this change in accounting estimate. Management believes the exclusion of this change in estimate from adjusted net income is useful because management does not consider these non-recurring charges part of GM's core earnings. Accordingly, management does not consider these costs as part of its core earnings for purposes of evaluating the performance of the business, and excludes such costs when evaluating the performance of the Corporation, its business units and its management teams and when making decisions to allocate resources among GM's business units.

-- Restructuring, impairment and plant closure charges. Our non-GAAP financial measures exclude exit costs and related charges, primarily consisting of severance costs, lease abandonment costs, product impairments and any subsequent changes in estimates related to exit activities. Management believes the exclusion of restructuring and impairment charges from adjusted net income is useful because management does not consider these costs part of GM's core earnings in evaluating GM's operational managers and the exclusion permits investors to evaluate the performance of our management the same way management does. Additionally, management excludes restructuring and impairment charges in determining the allocation of resources, such as capital investments, among the Corporation's business units and as part of its forecasting and budgeting.

-- Delphi charges. Our non-GAAP financial measures exclude the estimated charges associated with comprehensive settlement agreements, consisting of a Global Settlement Agreement and a Master Restructuring Agreement, entered into with Delphi in connection with therestructuring of Delphi's operations. Management does not consider these costs as part of its core earnings for purposes of evaluating the performance of the business, and excludes such costs when evaluating the performance of the Corporation, its business units and its management teams and when making decisions to allocate resources among GM's business units.

-- Special attrition program charges. Our non-GAAP financial measures exclude the estimated charge associated with the special attrition program agreement among the UAW, GM and Delphi. Management believes it is useful in evaluating the performance of GM, its management teams and its business units during a particular time period to exclude charges associated with the special attrition program because the charge occurs irregularly. Accordingly, management does not consider these costs as part of its core earnings for purposes of evaluating the performance of the business, and excludes such costs when evaluating the performance of the Corporation, its business units and its management teams and when making decisions to allocate resources among GM's business units.

General Motors Corporation

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures (Concluded)

Managerial Cash Flow

GM also reports non-GAAP managerial automotive operating cash flow in its earnings releases and charts for securities analysts. Management believes that providing managerial automotive operating cash flow furnishes it and investors with useful information by representing the cash flow generated or consumed by its automotive operations, including cash consumed by automotive capital expenditures and equity investments in companies related to our core business and cash generated by sales of automotive operating assets and equity investments in companies related to GM's core business, before funding non-operating-related obligations including debt maturities, dividends and other non-operating items. Management uses this non-GAAP financial measure to assess its automotive cash flow when evaluating the performance of GM, its business units and its management teams and when making decisions to allocate resources among GM's business units.

GM North America Vehicle Revenue per Unit

GM's earnings releases and charts for securities analysts also include the use of a non-GAAP measure of revenue per vehicle. Management uses revenue per vehicle to track operating efficiency and to facilitate comparisons between periods and between manufacturers, and believes that it would provide valuable information to investors who are interested in identifying trends and comparing different companies. Revenue per vehicle includes certain vehicle sales to other GM regions that are excluded from GAAP reporting, and excludes non-vehicle sales such as service parts and operations and OnStar service, and other income that GM does not derive from the sale of vehicles, such as interest on the GM credit card. Management also includes sales to daily car rental companies in revenue per vehicle, although they are not treated as sales under GAAP reporting because of GM's repurchase obligations.

Source : http://www.theautochannel.com (11/7/2007)

Saab's looking at you  
A new electronic system from Saab spots driver fatigue and responds accordingly with a warning.

Unlike other similar systems, the Saab Driver Attention Warning System does not rely on measuring an erratic change in the steered direction of the vehicle.

It is designed to detect the onset of drowsiness or inattention, rather than the immediate consequences.

More than 300 people a year are killed by falling asleep at the wheel.

The Saab system alerts the driver by using a combination of text and voice messages, or vibrations in the seat cushion, as soon as the risk of drowsiness or inattention is detected.

It utilises two miniature infrared cameras, one installed at the base of the driver's A-pillar and the other in the centre of the main fascia, which are focused on the driver's eyes.

The image from the cameras is analysed by software that deploys a series of alerts when the pattern of eye-lid movement indicates the onset of drowsiness, or when the driver is not looking at the road ahead.

The system measures the driver's rate of eye blinking. When the cameras detect a pattern of long duration eye-lid closures, indicating the potential onset of drowsiness, a series of three warnings is initiated.

In the first instance, a chime sounds and a text warning message "Tired?" is displayed in the main instrument panel.

If the driver's eye-lid movement does not immediately revert to a normal 'wide awake' pattern, a speech message "You are tired" is then delivered through the car's audio system.

If there is still no response, a stronger warning tone and the message, "You are dangerously tired - stop as soon as it is safe to do so!" will come over the audio.

The trial is part of a development and validation process that could see the system become available in future Saab cars.

Source : http://www.newcarnet.co.uk (11/7/2007)

Infiniti Celebrates Design and Performance with the Hispanic Community in a...  
NASHVILLE, Tenn., -- Infiniti announced today the launch of the ground-breaking brand campaign, "Disenodesempeno" or "Design and Performance", celebrating the passion and talent of well-known artists in the Hispanic community.

The brand campaign entails a multi-platform approach which integrates the personal interplay of Hispanic designers and performers into television, print and proprietary events. The talent pool is comprised of accomplished and revered artists including:

*Jose Chardiet, glass blower

*Douglas Rodriguez, chef

*Frederico Uribe, artist

*Jorge Blanco, sculptor

*"Chocolate" Armenteros, trumpeter

*Annette Aguilar, percussionist

*Ely Guerra, musician

*Ofelia Loret de Mola, dancer

Three key market events will be held to coincide closely with auto shows and will include talent from the campaign to provide demonstrations of their work in design and performance. Infiniti vehicles will be displayed on-site and the campaign's television spots will be shown. The first event launches in Miami on at the Rubell Gallery in Miami's Design District. Los Angeles is the second stop on the event circuit, where a reception will be held on November 16 at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) in Los Angeles. The final event is scheduled for November 28 in New York City at STK, a new style steakhouse in the heart of the Meatpacking District.

"Design and performance have always been core elements of the Infiniti brand," says Ben Poore, vice president of marketing for Infiniti. "We are very excited about this opportunity to engage consumers on a deeper level by celebrating design and performance with such passionate and talented artists and the Hispanic community as a whole."

Source : http://www.automotive.com (11/7/2007)

TEAM REPORTS CJM Racing Announcement  
CJM Racing made their debut into the NASCAR Busch Series (NBS) just six short months ago and has definitely made a name for themselves. The team, who previously ran a limited NASCAR Nextel Cup schedule in 2006, has become a competitive force in the NBS and are looking forward to continuing with that success in 2008. Owners, Tony and Bryan Mullet, have confirmed that the team will commit to the first 10 races in the 2008 Nationwide Series.

"We came into this program knowing it was a building block for 2008 and we feel that we have proven ourselves on the track. Our guys have done an incredible job making us competitive each week," explained team owner Tony Mullet.

With the first ten races set in stone, the team hopes that a successful search for sponsorship partners in the off-season will result in a full-time 2008 program.

"We have all the key elements in place. We're just looking for a sponsorship partner to help us contend for the Nationwide Series championship next year. We are willing to invest additional resources to bring greater value to the sponsor and show what we are capable of producing on the track," Tony remarked.

CJM Racing has competed in 13 NASCAR Busch Series events this season with veteran driver Jason Keller. To date, the team has garnered four top-10 and seven top-20 finishes. There is no doubt that CJM Racing is a strong competitor in a series shrouded with NASCAR Nextel Cup regulars.

Source : http://www.theautochannel.com (11/7/2007)

Future Shock: Volkswagen Scirocco  
The Volkswagen Scirocco, a revival VW nameplate which first surfaced at the 2006 Paris Motor Show in the form of the IROC Concept, has been the subject of much speculation since the concept debuted. These latest spyshots confirm that the IROC's large trapezoidal grille will make it onto the production car -- part of its outline can be seen through the heavy camouflage.

The hatchback shape of the rear belies the common designation of the Scirocco as a coupe - though the term has seemingly evolved into a catch-all for any car with a sharply sloped roof. A hardtop coupe/convertible built using hardware from the Eos is widely rumored to be the car's other variant.

Of course, the illustrations pictured of the coupe/convertible are still speculation based on the spied vehicle and available intel, but if proven accurate, foretell an aggressive and attractive-looking car.

Powertrain options are still up in the air as well. The much-maligned 2.5-liter inline-five probably won't see duty in the Scirocco, with the base engine in Europe likely to be the 1.4-liter Twincharger. A performance version powered by the automaker's ubiquitous 2.0-liter turbo four is probably in the plans, as well as numerous diesel powerplants.

The jury is still out on whether Volkswagen will sell the Scirocco stateside and in what form if it did. This Arizona-plated mule is a positive indication of a possible U.S. version, but the question of where the Scirocco fits into VW's lineup remains. Depending on the engine, the hatchback coupe would be muscling in on the territory of the Rabbit and GTI. The hardtop coupe/convertible is probably the easier sell in the U.S., as it could be marketed as a sportier and less feminine alternative to the Eos.

The hatchback is expected to go on sale in Europe sometime in 2008, likely as a 2009 model, with the coupe/convertible possibly arriving a year later.

Source : http://www.motortrend.com (11/7/2007)

TRW Extends Electric Parking Brake Technology Across Wider Vehicle Range With...  
LIVONIA, Mich., -- TRW Automotive Holdings Corp. , the global leader in active and passive safety systems, is unveiling a new electric drum-in-hat (eDIH) park brake concept that frees up valuable interior space, allows for easier installation with fewer components, and integrates with other safety systems to bring the safety and comfort benefits of electric park brake technology to a range of larger vehicles. The system is anticipated to be production-ready by 2011.

"TRW is in a unique position to combine its market-leading expertise in electric park brake technology with our drum-in-hat rear brakes where we hold a market leadership position in North America," said Josef Pickenhahn, vice president, braking engineering for TRW. "We are extending the range of electric park brake solutions to vehicles requiring drum-in-hat parking brakes to include all of the enhanced performance characteristics, comfort and convenience advantages that electric systems offer."

The eDIH system, along with other TRW electric park brakes, eliminate the need for hand levers or foot pedals in the cabin interior to engage the park brake. You simply use a switch to activate the system. This frees up valuable interior space and allows for greater freedom of vehicle cockpit design, along with improved crash characteristics in the pedal area.

Additionally, the TRW eDIH is a fully electric park brake system, not a cable puller, as is the case with a number of competitive systems. The connections are purely electrical and there are no cables, which add significant cost and complexity during the vehicle manufacturer's assembly process and can cause reliability issues.

Safety is also significantly enhanced by electric park brake systems. These systems better protect against vehicle roll away because the maximum clamp force is always applied. And in emergency stopping situations, rear wheel anti-lock can be applied to prevent spinouts, something not offered by conventional mechanical park brake systems.

Additional functions such as Auto Hold and Hill Hold provide drivers a greater degree of safety, comfort and convenience. When activated, Auto Hold holds the vehicle in a stationary position until the driver presses the accelerator pedal -- making it unnecessary to keep the brake pedal depressed in situations such as traffic jams. Hill Hold does not allow the vehicle to roll on a hill either from a parked position or in situations such as traffic lights.

The eDIH system is ideal for larger vehicles which require a greater clamp force for parking than is currently available from electric park brake caliper systems. This vehicle segment already uses a high percentage of drum-in-hat style rear brakes that can easily be adapted to the eDIH system. The eDIH system can effectively park vehicles up to the 19,000 lb. GVW range.

In addition, a number of high-end performance vehicle manufacturers prefer drum-in-hat rear brake solutions and are currently considering the eDIH system as an alternative to their current park brake solution. A major consideration is the ability to tune the service brakes separately from the park brake with no compromise in the performance of either system.

"The improved performance, ease-of-assembly and lower warranty costs of electric park brake solutions like the electric drum-in-hat make these systems an excellent long-term solution for vehicle manufacturers while providing greater safety, comfort and convenience for vehicle owners," concluded Pickenhahn.

Source : http://www.automotive.com (11/7/2007)

Toyota and Its Partner Robot To Make a Significant Philanthropic Contribution in Detroit  
Toyota and its trumpet playing Partner Robot will be joined by Mayor Kwame M. Kilpatrick to announce a significant philanthropic contribution in Detroit at the Youth Engineering & Science (YES!) EXPO hosted by Michigan Technological University.

Ford Field

Media entrance near Gate A on Brush Street

Please plan to arrive 15 minutes early to receive media credentials.

Immediately following this announcement, Toyota's Partner Robot, a walking robot that actually plays the trumpet, will perform as part of the YES! EXPO's main show, scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m.

Toyota's Partner Robot is a technological achievement which was created to one day assist people with a variety of activities including elderly care, general assistance and automotive manufacturing.

Source : http://www.theautochannel.com (11/7/2007)

The National Insurance Crime Bureau Announces Free "VINCheck" for Unrecovered Stole...  
DES PLAINES, Ill., -- For the second time in as many years, the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) is launching another free service to help protect the nation's consumers.

Over one million vehicles have been stolen annually in the United States since 1986. With an annual average recovery rate of just 63 percent, several million vehicles remain unaccounted for and could possibly end up being purchased by unsuspecting consumers.

To help prevent innocent people from buying a stolen vehicle and to help recover stolen vehicles that may enter the commerce stream in the future, NICB today is activating the nation's first Unrecovered Stolen Vehicle Database as a free service to the public.

Anyone anywhere can now run a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) through this database and determine if it has been reported stolen by one of NICB's over 1000 member insurance companies.

To check a vehicle simply visit the NICB web site, http://www.nicb.org, and follow the on-screen directions for the VINCheck search feature which is located on the home page.

In recent months, NICB Special Agents have identified numerous stolen vehicles that were in the process of being sold by auto dealers or restored by collectors. These examples demonstrate how even car-savvy people can be duped into unknowingly buying a stolen vehicle. If it happens to experts then the risks are even greater for ordinary consumers.

Seeing a way to help mitigate that risk and to provide another free service to help protect the nation's drivers, NICB sought and received the cooperation of its member companies to make this feature possible.

It was in this same spirit of cooperation and assistance that NICB's member companies provided their Hurricane Katrina-related auto claims information to create the flood vehicle database. This unprecedented effort was launched on October 17, 2005, and amassed over 300,000 vehicle and boat records which gave prospective buyers critical information to prevent the fraudulent sale of potentially flood-damaged vehicles.

The National Insurance Crime Bureau is the nation's leading non-profit organization exclusively dedicated to preventing, detecting and defeating insurance fraud and vehicle theft through information analysis, investigations, training and public awareness.

Source : http://www.automotive.com (11/7/2007)

s: Lear Introduces Aventino(TM) Collection of Premium Automotive Leather  
SOUTHFIELD, Mich., -- Lear Corporation , one of the world's largest suppliers of automotive seating systems, electrical distribution systems and electronic products, today unveiled its Aventino(TM) Collection of premium automotive leather at Fashion Show held for automotive executives and journalists at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Detroit.

To view the Multimedia News Release, go to: : www.prnewswire.com/mnr/lear/30561/

By utilizing the exclusive People-Vehicle-Interface Methodology(TM) (PVI Method), Lear employs an innovation development discipline that turns market opportunities into the products that consumers want in their vehicles. Following the PVI Method led Lear to develop its own line of premium leather. Influenced by current fashion trends and crafted by Lear's world-class fabricating capabilities, the Aventino Collection, reflects Lear's latest new product innovation.

"The Aventino Collection features the same unparalleled luxury, style and design cues that consumers have appreciated in fashion couture," said Ray Scott, Lear's president of the North American seating business. "With Aventino, fashion is no longer only about the clothes you wear; it's the handbag you carry, the case for your cell phone and now it is the seats in your car."

It all starts at Lear's Aventino design studio, located at the Global Innovation & Technology Center at Lear's headquarters campus in Southfield. Here, designers with degrees in Fine Arts and Fabric Design, study color and trim trends in the fashion and home decor segments and analyze consumer research for use in product design and development.

Through our research, ten major trends emerged for automotive leather:

-- Color

From subtle to bold, a wide variety of colors to choose from to create a vehicle interior

-- Contrast

Stitching and sections of the seat can be contrasted in various manners to create a visually appealing 'canvas'

-- Gloss

A matte finish differentiates the material for a sophisticated appearance

-- Metallic

A hot trend in fashion used in a subtle manner satisfies the appeal of a metallic appearance and creates a 'Wow!" effect

-- Weaving

Basket weaving with tack stitching is just one way to incorporate weave designs onto a seat

-- Exotics

The popularity of animal print textures can be beautifully incorporated into the vehicle seat pattern

-- Quilted

Quilting has recently been used on designer bags and shoes, and creates the appearance of sophistication and luxury in a car seat

-- Perforations

Perforation add even more character to your customized seats

-- Variation

Different grain sizes and shapes for your own personal taste

-- Stitching

Baseball stitching is thick and noticeable, yet also trendy

-- Personalization

Embossing your seats with initials, logos, or symbols

-- Effects

Choose a distressed or crinkled surface finish to achieve a vintage look

"The ultimate product differentiator in Aventino leather is the sense of vehicle personalization it is capable of providing as a result of its best-in-class styling, textures, finish and color," said Mara Ignatius, Craftsmanship manager at Lear. "Aventino leather is an opportunity for consumers to imprint their own style through the look and feel of their car seats to express their identity."

Of equal importance to Lear's immediate customers, the automakers, is its vertical integration and expertise in automotive seating. As a full seat integrator, Lear has a proven track record with every element of the seat, from producing seat structures and all its contents right up to the seat "trim" -- the fabric or leather covering -- as well as 100% production of the completed assembly delivered to the vehicle manufacturer. Lear's start-to-finish capabilities, global scale, ISO quality certifications and Six Sigma best practices all add up to superior total value in its Aventino Collection.

In addition to the Southfield design studio in Southfield, Lear has established a showroom at its 151,000 square-foot trim facility in Victoria Plant in Mexico, which performs leather finishing, cutting, perforation, embossment and special logo work. As an industry leader in leather cutting and finishing with a full-service laboratory, Lear is capable of finishing between 3,700 - 6,000 hides per day. This allows Lear to have complete control over timing-related issues, product availability and quality as well as the ability to leverage quantities of scale in purchasing the raw materials.

"Lear understands each step of the process to build and trim a complete seat, and does it better than anyone else, in either high-volume applications or a niche production environment," said Scott. "Nobody compares to Lear in terms of our total seat capability, from market research to design and throughout the entire production process. From start to finish, we intend to lead the automotive seat industry."

Lear Corporation is one of the world's largest suppliers of automotive seating systems, electrical distribution systems and electronic products. Lear's world-class products are designed, engineered and manufactured by a diverse team of more than 90,000 employees at 236 facilities in 33 countries. Lear's headquarters are in Southfield, Michigan. Lear is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol [LEA].

Source : http://www.automotive.com (11/7/2007)

Ricardo and QinetiQ to Demonstrate Low Cost, High Performance Battery Technology fo...  
VAN BUREN TWP., Mich., -- Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion) battery technology shows significant promise for hybrid and electric vehicle applications in terms of its comparatively high power and energy density, and ability to retain charge for extended periods. However, commercial challenges remain in terms of both cost and weight. Ricardo and QinetiQ have embarked on a two-year collaborative project part-funded by the UK Government's Department for Transport, which aims to dramatically reduce the costs of Lithium-Ion batteries for hybrid vehicles while protecting or further improving vehicle performance.

The specific objective of the Reduced cost Li-Ion (RED-LION) project is to demonstrate the application of new Li-Ion cell chemistry in a hybrid vehicle battery with an estimated production cost of one-third that of conventional battery technologies and around half the weight. If successful, this breakthrough technology could make hybrid and electric vehicles commercially more attractive and hence make a significant impact on global CO2 emissions.

In June 2006 Ricardo, QinetiQ, and PSA Peugeot-Citroen unveiled their 100g/km CO2 Efficient-C full hybrid diesel demonstrator vehicle based on a Citroen Berlingo Multispace. While this vehicle provided an uncompromised package and superior performance compared with the equivalent current production turbo-diesel model, the project partners estimated that its incremental manufacturing cost needed to be reduced by around 50 percent (to approximately $2,900) for the technology to become fully commercially viable based on prevailing fuel prices and consumer fiscal incentives.

The battery system represents around one-third of the incremental manufacturing cost of a typical hybrid vehicle as well as considerable addition to the vehicle mass. If successful, the RED-LION project will demonstrate commercially viable technologies that are capable of delivering sub-100g/km CO2 emissions with superior performance compared to the equivalent current production vehicle.

Mel Brooks, managing director of QinetiQ's Energy and Materials business, said:

"QinetiQ has a strong track record in delivering high-energy Lithium-Ion battery technology to military customers. This leading edge battery technology emanating from defense is now poised to make a significant difference to the viability of hybrid vehicles with the RED-LION project helping to ensure that cost does not stand in the way of more widespread commercial adoption."

Neville Jackson, Ricardo technology director, said: "By incorporating the very latest high performance Li-Ion battery technology, which offers the potential for significant reductions in both manufacturing cost and weight, we aim to demonstrate that we have made progress in developing the commercial case for hybrid diesels. We have already demonstrated that acceptable package and superior performance is possible from a hybrid diesel powertrain and with this project, we aim to show that it can be made commercially viable too. This promising battery technology could deliver significant benefits to many vehicle types including electric and plug-in hybrid, as well as full diesel and gasoline hybrids."

With technical centers and offices throughout Europe, the U.S. and Asia, Ricardo is a leading independent technology provider and deep-content strategic management consultant to the world's transportation sector industries. The company's engineering expertise ranges from vehicle systems integration, controls, electronics and software development, to the latest driveline and transmission systems and gasoline, diesel, hybrid and fuel cell powertrain technologies. Its customers include the world's major automakers, tier 1 suppliers and leading motorsport teams. The headquarters of Ricardo's U.S. operations, Ricardo, Inc., is located at Van Buren Township, Michigan. The company's skill base represents the state-of-the-art in low emissions and fuel-efficient powertrain technology, and can be best summarized: "Ricardo is Fuel Economy." Ricardo plc posted sales of $344 million in financial year 2007 and is a constituent of the FTSE techMark 100 index - a group of innovative technology companies listed on the London Stock Exchange.

Source : http://www.automotive.com (11/7/2007)

Mazda Hooks Up With Norway To Develop "Hydrogen Society"  
HIROSHIMA, Japan At first glance, it may seem like a case of strange bedfellows: the announcement that Mazda is linking up with Norway to develop hydrogen fuel and hydrogen vehicles. But drill down a bit and it makes a lot of sense.

Mazda and HyNor (Hydrogen Road of Norway) on Wednesday announced that they will collaborate in the development of hydrogen fuel and hydrogen vehicles. One part of the collaboration includes the purchase by HyNor of 30 Mazda RX-8 Hydrogen RE vehicles, the first time such vehicles have been sold outside of Japan. Mazda describes the move as "a big step in Mazda's Hydrogen vehicle development history" and lauds Norway as "one of the countries closest to the realization of a hydrogen energy society."

HyNor is on a path to develop a "hydrogen energy infrastructure" along a route of 580 kilometers (360 miles) from Oslo to Stavanger. The project envisions a hydrogen world with buses, taxis, cars and other types of transport systems.

"We think this cooperation will speed up the process of introducing hydrogen as a zero-emission fuel," said Ulf Hafseld, chairman of HyNor, in a statement. "By using the internal-combustion engine as a feasible technology to accelerate realization of the real hydrogen world, we can develop a hydrogen infrastructure much faster."

Source : http://www.edmunds.com (11/7/2007)

Subaru Builds a Better Battery  
Subaru G4e

Washington DC ; The AIADA newsletter reported that bucking the industry trend towards Hydrogen fuel cells, Subaru has released a vastly improved second cut at a plug-in battery-electric commuter car.

The 65-kilowatt, 5-seater G4e's new high energy-density lithium-ion batteries give it a 200km range from a charge and using a quick-charger it can be topped up to 80% in only 15 minutes. According to BusinessWeek, the new Subaru's stats make it an instantly viable commuter, while underlining the exciting potential the battery sector will offer.

With 40 units of Subaru's older EV R1e battery-electric vehicle already out, Subaru has announced the arrival of an updated 5-door version with more than twice the range thanks to advances in lithium-ion battery technology.

The G4e (which stands for "Good 4 Earth") has a aerodynamically-efficient exterior that helps to get the most from the battery pack, which is located under the floor of the vehicle to keep a low, stable center of gravity.

Source : http://www.theautochannel.com (11/7/2007)

Chinese Auto-maker BYD to Mass Produce Dual Mode Electric Cars Next Year  
SHANGHAI - : The president of Chinese automaker BYD, Wang Chuanfu, said in Shenzhen that his company will start volume production of dual mode electric cars called F6DM in the second half of next year.

BYD's dual mode vehicle is, at the same time, an Electric Vehicle (EV) and a Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV). Starting in 2009, all BYD-produced vehicles will be powered by dual mode engines, Wang said.

Currently the powertrain costs for this dual mode vehicle is about 50,000 yuan ($6,707). After the production capacity is raised to 200,000 units, the powertrain costs can be reduced to 300,000 yuan ($4,024), according to Wang.

The production costs of BYD F3 dual mode vehicle will be 100,000 yuan ($13,415)-130,000 yuan ($17,439), much lower than Toyota hybrid Prius, which is sold at about 280,000 yuan ($37,562) in Chinese market.

Source : http://www.theautochannel.com (11/7/2007)

Noble International, Ltd. Announces Global Expansion, Manufacturing Footprint...  
TROY, Mich., -- Noble International, Ltd. ("Noble" or the "Company") reported recent business developments and financial results for the third quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2007. The highlights are as follows:

Global Business Developments

As previously announced on August 31st, the Company acquired ArcelorMittal's Tailored Blank Arcelor ("TBA") laser-welding operations for approximately $300 million, with ArcelorMittal receiving 9.375 million shares of Noble's common stock and the balance in the form of cash, assumption of certain TBA obligations and a subordinated note. As part of the transaction, Noble acquired eight production facilities, including one facility in the United States, plus interests in joint ventures in China and India. The European facilities are located in Belgium, France, Germany, Slovakia, Spain and the United Kingdom.

The TBA business combination has given Noble a solid, global manufacturing footprint in developed markets. However, an important part of Noble's long- term strategy includes developing a presence in emerging markets throughout the world. The Company has identified Thailand as a key emerging market and, as such, is in the final stages of negotiating an agreement in principle to form a joint venture with Sumitomo Corporation ("Sumitomo") to supply laser- welded blanks in Thailand. Noble and Sumitomo management are in the advanced stages of jointly negotiating a pre-sourcing agreement with an Asian OEM on a global platform with up to twelve laser-welded applications to be produced in Thailand and two other emerging markets new to Noble. Separately, the Company has signed a memorandum of understanding with Sumitomo to investigate setting up laser-welding capabilities in Sumitomo's steel service centers around the globe, including opportunities in Malaysia and Indonesia. As the auto industry continues to migrate towards common designs to produce "world cars," it is imperative the Company be flexible enough to establish manufacturing capabilities wherever customers require them yet remain confident these facilities will have consistent access to steel. The significant global presence of Noble's existing partners, ArcelorMittal and Sumitomo, should allow the Company to ensure steel is supplied to new facilities in emerging markets as opportunities arise. Management believes investing to advance the Company's manufacturing capabilities in emerging markets complements its existing positions in China and India.

Shanghai Baosteel & Arcelor Tailor Metal Co., Ltd., a joint venture of which Noble acquired partial ownership as part of the TBA transaction, is already the leading laser-welder in China with over 30% market share. This substantial market presence in China is supplemented by WISCO Noble (Wuhan) Laser Welding Technology Co., Ltd., Noble's joint venture with an affiliate of Wuhan Iron and Steel Company ("WISCO"). This WISCO joint venture recently received a letter of commitment from a customer for significant work, including a prototype order which is scheduled for January. The WISCO joint venture facility is expected to be laser-welding capable by the first quarter of 2008 and blanking capable by the end of the second quarter of 2008. In addition to the developments in China, the Company's joint venture in India, Arcelor Neel Tailored Blank Pte. Ltd., reached "production-ready" status in the third quarter of 2007.

Noble now operates 24 production facilities worldwide, which includes the two joint ventures in China and the one joint venture in India. The TBA transaction has provided Noble with significant geographic and customer diversification and the critical mass necessary to support global automobile platforms. Management believes by further expanding the Company's presence in Asia and emerging markets, Noble will be properly-positioned to provide customers with its products and technical capabilities anywhere in the world.

Manufacturing Footprint Optimization

The strategic acquisitions of Pullman Industries ("Pullman") and TBA give the Company the opportunity to optimize operational synergies to further strengthen its competitiveness in the marketplace. As such, the Company has decided to consolidate one of its roll-forming facilities in South Haven, Michigan and its laser-welding facility in Holt, Michigan, which was acquired as part of the TBA transaction. All business from these two facilities will be moved to other Noble facilities to optimize capacity utilization. Management currently estimates the Holt facility will close in the second quarter of 2008 and estimates net income statement closure costs of $1.3 million through the end of 2008. Management believes the South Haven facility will close in the fourth quarter of 2008 and estimates net income statement closure costs of $2.4 million through the end of 2008. The Company estimates the consolidation of one of the South Haven facilities and the Holt facility will generate net cost savings of $3.6 million annually beginning in 2009.

Financial Results

The Company posted record third quarter revenue of $211.9 million, an increase of 127.4% over the $93.2 million of revenue reported for the third quarter of 2006. For the 2007 third quarter, the Company posted a net loss of $3.5 million, or $0.21 per share. The net loss for the third quarter of 2007 included the negative impact of the following pre-tax items:

-- A non-cash charge for $1.3 million related to the change in the value of currency hedges pursuant to the August 31st acquisition of TBA

-- A foreign currency exchange loss of $0.5 million

-- Start-up costs for the Tonawanda, New York facility of $0.4 million

-- Costs related to lost production because of a labor strike at General Motors and the sabotage of a gas pipeline in Mexico of $0.4 million

-- Certain costs of $0.5 million related to the acquisition of TBA

These one-time items negatively impacted earnings by $0.11 per share. Pre-tax earnings were additionally impacted by $3.2 million for direct launch costs and launch-related inefficiencies in certain roll-forming facilities and costs related to the planned closure of one of the South Haven facilities. These costs negatively impacted earnings by $0.12 per share. In the third quarter of 2006, the Company reported net earnings of $2.4 million, or $0.17 per diluted share, which included a pre-tax, commercial settlement of $1.6 million, or $0.07 per share.

For the nine months ended September 30, 2007, the Company reported revenue of $554.7 million, up 82.9% from the $303.2 million reported for the comparable period in 2006. Net loss for the first nine months of 2007 was $1.9 million, or $0.12 per diluted share. For the first nine months of 2006, the Company reported net earnings of $10.0 million, or $0.71 per diluted share.

Third Quarter Financial Results Commentary

Revenue in the third quarter of 2007 increased to $211.9 million from $93.2 million in the third quarter of 2006. The increase in sales was primarily due to the October 2006 acquisition of Pullman, representing $67.4 million of the revenue increase, and the August 2007 acquisition of TBA, representing $47.4 million of the revenue increase. In addition to the growth from acquisitions, the Company was also able to generate organic sales of $3.9 million over the prior year through a combination of marginally higher light vehicle production volumes and programs launched at new production facilities.

Gross margin in the third quarter of 2007 was $11.2 million compared to $8.0 million in the comparable 2006 period. Noble's gross margin increased due to the addition of the roll-forming programs from the Pullman acquisition as well as one month of operational results from the TBA acquisition. As a percentage of sales, gross margin was 5.3% in the third quarter of 2007. Gross margin in the third quarter of 2006 was 8.5% but was positively impacted by a $1.6 million commercial settlement. Without the settlement, third quarter 2006 gross margin was 6.9%. The Company's third quarter 2007 gross margin was negatively impacted by $3.2 million of direct launch costs and launch-related inefficiencies on certain roll-formed products which includes $0.6 million of costs related to the planned closure of one of the South Haven facilities. Other negative items impacting the Company's gross margin in the third quarter included $0.4 million of start-up costs at the Tonawanda, New York facility and $0.4 million of costs related to lost production because of the labor strike at General Motors and the sabotage of a gas pipeline in Mexico. In addition to these isolated costs, gross margin as a percentage of sales was negatively impacted by higher pass through steel content on laser- welding programs. Relative to the rest of the year, third quarter margins tend to be depressed as the North American OEMs' customary two-week shutdown in July results in much lower fixed overhead absorption.

Selling, general and administrative ("SG&A") expense of $10.8 million in the third quarter of 2007 increased from $4.1 million in the third quarter of 2006. The increase in SG&A costs is due to the addition of personnel from the acquisition of Pullman and TBA as well as costs to launch the Tonawanda, New York facility and to support other key growth initiatives. In addition, the Company expensed $0.5 million of certain costs related to the TBA acquisition. As a percentage of sales, SG&A expense increased to 5.1% from 4.4% in the third quarter of 2006. Due to the reasons discussed above, operating profit decreased to $0.4 million in the third quarter of 2007 compared to $3.9 million in the third quarter of 2006.

During the second quarter of 2007, Noble entered into a contingent foreign currency purchase price hedge related to its acquisition of TBA. This purchase price hedge was put in place because the purchase price was based in U.S. dollars but was to be funded with Euro-denominated debt. Although this derivative instrument offered a significant economic hedge for the Company, it did not qualify for hedge accounting treatment. Accordingly, the Company recorded an expense of $1.3 million in the third quarter of 2007 related to the change in value of this foreign currency hedge. This forward contract was terminated at the closing of the TBA transaction and, therefore, will not have any income statement impact on quarterly results going forward.

Net interest and other expense totaled $5.2 million in the third quarter of 2007 compared to net interest and other income of $0.3 million in the 2006 third quarter. The increase in expense was primarily due to the aforementioned non-cash charge on foreign currency hedges pursuant to the TBA transaction, interest expense increasing by $3.3 million and $0.5 million of foreign currency exchange losses in the third quarter. The higher interest expense was driven by debt incurred pursuant to the Pullman and TBA acquisitions. As a result of the foregoing, the Company reported a pre-tax loss for the third quarter of 2007 of $4.8 million compared to $4.2 million pre-tax income in the third quarter of 2006.

EBITDA for the third quarter of 2007 increased to $8.7 million from $7.1 million in the third quarter of 2006.

Year-To-Date Financial Results Commentary

Revenue for the first nine months of 2007 increased 82.9% to $554.7 million from $303.2 million for the comparable period in 2006. The acquisitions of Pullman and TBA accounted for $187.3 million and $47.4 million of the revenue growth, respectively. The Company was also able to achieve organic revenue growth of 5.5% despite North American light vehicle production decreasing 3.2% for the first three quarters of 2007 versus the same period in 2006.

Gross margin for the first nine months of 2007 increased to $38.8 million from $29.9 million in the comparable 2006 period. The increase is primarily the result of the acquisition of the Pullman roll-forming operations in October 2006 and TBA in August 2007. As a percentage of sales, gross margin was 7.0% for the first nine months of 2007. Gross margin in the comparable 2006 period was 9.9% but was positively impacted by a $1.6 million commercial settlement. Without the settlement, gross margin for the first nine months of the 2006 was 9.3%. Gross margin in the first nine months of 2007 was negatively impacted by $12.6 million of direct launch costs and launch-related inefficiencies on certain roll-formed products which includes $0.6 million of costs related to the planned closure of a roll-forming facility. Gross margin was also negatively impacted by the $0.8 million of costs related to the Tonawanda facility start-up, the General Motors labor strike and the sabotage of a gas pipeline in Mexico. Gross margin as a percentage of sales was further depressed by higher steel content on laser-welded products.

SG&A expense for the first nine months of 2007 rose to $26.1 million from $13.3 million for the comparable period in 2006. SG&A expense related to facilities acquired in the Pullman and TBA transactions accounted for approximately $10.8 million of the increase. The Company also expensed $0.5 million of certain costs related to the TBA acquisition. As a percentage of sales, SG&A expense increased slightly to 4.7% for the first three quarters of 2007 from 4.4% for the first three quarters of 2006.

Net interest and other expense was $15.3 million in the first nine months of 2007 versus $0.8 million in the same period in 2006. Net interest expense increased to $9.9 million from $1.1 million due to debt incurred from the fourth quarter 2006 acquisition of Pullman and the August 2007 acquisition of TBA. During the first nine months of this year, Noble recorded a $3.3 million non-cash loss on the extinguishment of debt and recognized losses of $3.0 million related to the change in value of hedges related to the TBA acquisition. The combined impact of higher interest expense and non-cash losses resulted in the Company recording a pre-tax loss of $2.6 million in the first nine months of 2007 compared to $15.7 million of pre-tax income in the first nine months of 2006.

EBITDA for the first nine months of 2007 increased to $32.1 million from $24.7 million in the first nine months of 2006.

Management Comments

Noble's Chief Executive Officer, Thomas L. Saeli, commented, "This was an historic quarter for Noble International. By executing the TBA transaction, we now have the global footprint and critical mass to offer future and current customers our products and technical capabilities wherever they should do business. Noble has more than doubled in size in less than one year. Growth of that magnitude does not come without its challenges, some of which were experienced in our third quarter. We believe the issues impacting this quarter's financial results are short-term. We are working to rectify these issues and remain confident in our ability to execute the Company's long-term strategy.

The acquisition of TBA stands out as a landmark event in this Company's history and we believe will pave the way for the future growth of Noble. The Company is also very excited about the substantial opportunities presenting themselves in China, India, Thailand and other emerging markets. The recent hiring of Jim Orchard as Noble International's Chief Operating Officer could not have been timelier. Mr. Orchard's vast operational experience, both in North America and overseas, will prove invaluable as we learn to operate on a global basis. Management looks forward to providing the investment community future updates as we begin to realize the benefits of our new, larger worldwide enterprise."

Earnings and Free Cash Flow Guidance

The Company experienced several one-time charges as well as continued launch costs and launch-related inefficiencies in the third quarter. The combination of these factors dragged down third quarter financial performance which was also impacted by lower production volumes due to July OEM plant shutdowns. Looking forward, the roll-forming programs, which have been driving our launch costs and launch-related inefficiencies, reached full production early in the fourth quarter. Accordingly, the margins on these roll-formed products should improve substantially going forward. The Company anticipates the fourth quarter to return to more normalized profit levels despite some recent volatility in early fourth quarter production at the North American OEMs.

For 2008, we expect total revenue of approximately $1.2 billion. Earnings are expected to be in the range of $1.45 to $1.55 per diluted share. This earnings guidance would have been higher but has been adjusted to reflect the impact of the recent announcement from Chrysler regarding 2008 volume reductions and costs related to the closure of two production facilities which are anticipated to be incurred in 2008.

For 2008, we expect to generate free cash flow in the range of $2.50 to $3.00 per basic share. This free cash flow per share guidance enforces our philosophy of managing our business to maximize free cash flow. Free cash flow per share is greater than earnings per share primarily because our anticipated depreciation expense is projected to be greater than our expected capital expenditures in 2008 and beyond. In arriving at this estimate, we assume the Company invests $35 million in capital expenditures to fund its growth initiatives. Actual expenditures may be less once we analyze the utilization of our existing assets. At some point, annual depreciation expense will converge down to annual capital expenditures and, accordingly, earnings per share are expected to increase towards our current free cash flow per share-all other things being equal. There are no unusual working capital adjustments impacting our free cash flow guidance, and we expect this guidance to be the base we will build upon in 2009 and beyond as we begin to realize growth synergies from the TBA and Pullman transactions.

Conference Call Information

Noble will host a conference call to discuss its operating results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2007 at 10 AM ET, Thursday, November 8, 2007. The dial-in numbers for the call are 800-690-3108 or 973-935-8753 and the conference ID number is 9415196. A replay of the conference call will be available through November 15th by dialing 877-519-4471 or 973-341-3080. The passcode for the replay is 9415196.

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Information

In addition to the results reported in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States ("GAAP") included throughout this news release, the Company has provided information regarding "EBITDA" (a non-GAAP financial measure). EBITDA represents earnings from continuing operations before income tax, plus interest expense, depreciation and amortization.

EBITDA is not presented as, and should not be considered an alternative measure of operating results or cash flows from operations (as determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles), but are presented because they are widely accepted financial indicators of a company's operating performance. While widely used, however, EBITDA is not identically calculated by companies presenting EBITDA and is, therefore, not necessarily an accurate means of comparison and may not be comparable to similarly titled measures disclosed by other companies.

Management believes that EBITDA is useful to both management and investors in their analysis of the Company's operating performance. Further, management uses EBITDA for planning and forecasting in future periods. For a reconciliation of EBITDA to net income from continuing operations, see the attached financial information and supplemental data.

Safe Harbor Statement

Noble International, Ltd. is a leading supplier of automotive parts, component assemblies and value-added services to the automotive industry. As an automotive supplier, Noble provides design, engineering, manufacturing, program management and other services to the automotive market. Noble delivers integrated component solutions, technological leadership and product innovation to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and Tier I automotive parts suppliers thereby helping its customers increase their productivity while controlling costs.

Certain statements made by Noble International, Ltd. in this presentation and other periodic oral and written statements, including filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, are "forward-looking" statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements, as well as statements which address operating performance, events or developments that we believe or expect to occur in the future, including those that discuss strategies, goals, outlook or other non- historical matters, or which relate to future sales or earnings expectations, cost savings, awarded sales, volume growth, earnings or a general belief in our expectations of future operating results, are forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements are made on the basis of management's assumptions and estimations. As a result, there can be no guarantee or assurance that these assumptions and expectations will in fact occur. The forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to materially differ from those contained in the statements. Some, but not all of the risks, include our ability to obtain future sales; our ability to successfully integrate acquisitions; changes in worldwide economic and political conditions, including adverse effects from terrorism or related hostilities including increased costs, reduced production or other factors; costs related to legal and administrative matters; our ability to realize cost savings expected to offset price concessions; inefficiencies related to production and product launches that are greater than anticipated; changes in technology and technological risks; increased fuel costs; work stoppages and strikes at our facilities and that of our customers; the presence of downturns in customer markets where the Company's goods and services are sold; financial and business downturns of our customers or vendors; and other factors, uncertainties, challenges, and risks detailed in Noble's public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Noble does not intend or undertake any obligation to update any forward looking statements.

Source : http://www.automotive.com (11/7/2007)