GM of Europe concerned Asian suppliers will take electric vehicle market by storm
Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Green Daily, Europe/EU, Asia
Vauxhall / Opel Ampera – Click above for high-res image gallery
General Motors of Europe president Nick Reilly is none too pleased to see Asian suppliers jump out to a quick lead in electric vehicle (EV) technology. In fact, he fears that Asian rivals might just “take the market” if the European manufacturers don’t react quickly. Reilly’s concern stems from the ability of the Asian automakers to quickly move forward with new battery technologies and other EV-related components. As he said, the speed of advancement in technology from the Asian companies is simply “amazing.”
Reilly, who is also chief executive officer of Opel/Vauxhall, hopes that many of the European brands can react quickly to overcome an influx of Asian parts. As Reilly said, “We must not miss that boat and allow Asian manufacturers to enjoy our market opportunities.” Reilly admits that the task of overcoming Asian rivals will not be easy, but he believes that it can done. According to Reilly, here’s how Europe can push back and take control of its own EV market:
Europe will also need unprecedented technological breakthroughs and major investments. It will be even more important to balance out environmental, social and competitiveness objectives. There is a massive shift of economic power to the East, and Europe must not be complacent. This means that we need to accept that more flexibility and hard work is required and that we need to be on the forefront of relevant education and research and development innovation.
But with many Asian manufacturers already pumping out EV components and advancing technology at a steady rate, the road to overtake them keeps getting longer everyday.
Lamborghini Gallardo milestone reached
Lamborghini has announced that the 10,000th Gallardo has rolled off the assembly line in Sant’Agata Bolognese.
The car, in Midas yellow LP 560-4, will be delivered to its Chinese owner.
Initially launched in 2003, the Gallardo rapidly became one of the most popular supercars in the world. Over the years, Lamborghini expanded the model range by introducing variants like the LP 560-4 Spyder, the LP 550-2 Valentino Balboni, and the LP 570-4 Superleggera.
According to Stephan Winkelmann, President and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini, “The Lamborghini brand is extreme, uncompromising and Italian, and the Lamborghini Gallardo has played an exemplary role in defining and delivering our brand reputation into our worldwide markets. Today Lamborghini is represented in 45 countries by over 120 dealers, with the strength and presence of the Gallardo product playing a significant role in the growth and recognition of our brand.” Read more…
Barrett-Jackson OC ’10: Louis Vuitton-trimmed 1962 Cadillac fetches $40K
Filed under: Convertible, Auctions, Cadillac, Design/Style, Luxury
1962 Cadillac Series 62 Convertible – Click above for high-res image gallery
Check eBay Motors or Craigslist for a ’62 Cadillac convertible and you’re likely to find a slew of them for less than ten grand. A particularly nice example might fetch twice that. So why did this particular Series 62 convertible bring in $40,000 at the first Barrett-Jackson auction in Orange County, California? Probably because OC-dwellers loves them some Louis V.
While this Series 62 Custom Convertible was pretty stock underhood, the car featured a tangerine metal-flake paint job courtesy of House of Kolors, a custom touchscreen sound system with over 1000 watts of power, and ginormous 22-inch wheels. All that aside, it was the monogrammed top and interior that really put this special caddy into the 40K range. What seemed like a square mile of genuine Louis Vuitton leather and “vinylized Egyptian cotton” – just like the handbags! – was used to fabricate the custom top and to cover almost every interior surface save for the gauges. Whether this car will be driven or used as a tear-down for its handbag raw materials is a question only the new owner can answer. Check out the gallery below.
Ford plans unique delivery strategy for new Fiesta owners
Filed under: Marketing/Advertising, Ford
Ford Fiesta ownership application – Click above for high-res image gallery
Social media has been a critical element of Ford’s marketing strategy during the run-up to the 2011 Ford Fiesta launch, so it comes as no surprise that it’ll play a part in the customer delivery experience as well. In-showroom kiosks will play Fiesta Movement videos and act as photo booths for new owners. Before driving off the lot, Fiesta owners receive a USB thumb drive pre-loaded with an audio tutorial explaining the Fiesta’s features and and how to use them. Naturally, this can be played back through the Sync system right in the car.
Once in front of a computer, drivers can then use the thumb drive to install a program that lets them access and modify their delivery photos, then share them with other Fiesta owners. The desktop application also provides a wiki with tips on how to use the Fiesta, get podcasts and other related information. It’ll be interesting to see how Ford follows up the Fiesta launch when the new Focus arrives at the end of this year.
Oil dependence “somewhat” of a problem to most Americans
Time for change
But how much are we willing to pay?
73 percent of Americans believe that it is “somewhat important” for America to change its fossil fuel dependence, with 42 percent of those polled believing change is very “important”, according to a recent Rasmussen Poll.
Kia Donates Borrego SUVs for Firefighter Training
In the last decade, wildfires have wrought considerable havoc in Southern California, often testing the limits of firefighting crews as well as requiring assistance from out of the state. In cases where the fires spread to urban environments, causing people to become trapped in buildings and cars, saving lives becomes crucial. That’s where facilities like the Rio Hondo Regional Truck Academy in Santa Fe Springs come in. Rio Hondo offers courses designed for professional firefighters to train and also educate emergency medical responders about saving lives in emergency situations, including vehicle accidents where time and techniques in rescuing occupants from stranded vehicles are critical .
Kia Motors recently aided Rio Hondo’s programs by donating 26 Borrego SUVs to the academy for instructional training. These vehicles will be used in a variety of scenarios that simulate real fire and emergency situations, plus as late-model vehicles they allow both students and instructors to learn about the latest in modern technology features such as airbags, while utilizing the right tools to remove the occupants quickly and safely. The donation also comes at a time when many states, particularly California are struggling with budget issues, including funding for emergency services.
“We know many government agencies are in need of support during these difficult times and providing Rio Hondo with these vehicles is an ideal fit,” stated VP Marketing, Kia Motors of America.
David Kang, Truck Academy instructor for Rio Hondo, added, “without this donation from Kia Motors, we would not be able to do this training. The use of these Kia SUVs will allow firefighters from all over Southern California to learn the latest in vehicle technologies and save lives.”
[Source: OC Metro]
Incoming search terms:
- donate SUV disqus
