Daily Auto News: Oct. 16, 2006

TheCarConnection Drives: 2007 MINI Cooper S

Updating an icon can go horribly awry, can't it? On the one extreme, you end up with New Coke and what passes for Pop-Tarts these days. On the other, you come out with something quite tasty and meaningfully improved, like the latest MINI Cooper S. So brace yourself once more, nostalgia geeks, as TheCarConnection takes you for a drive in the newest iteration of the MINI.

New Clean Diesel Fuel Is Here

New, cleaner diesel fuel - with sulfur reduced 97 percent compared to the fuel it will eventually replace - is opening the door to a new generation of diesel vehicles in the United States. The new ultra-low sulfur fuel went on sale Sunday and has replaced 80 percent of the old diesel formulation at stations across the nation. With its relatively low sulfur content - 15 parts per million (ppm) of sulfur compared with 500 ppm found in the old fuel - the new fuel is a significant milestone in making diesels as clean and popular as they are in European markets.

Delphi-UAW-GM Deal Nearing

Delphi is close to reaching a memorandum of understanding that would provide the bankrupt supplier a way to keep critical supply contracts with General Motors, sources inDetroit said over the weekend. The talks between the bankrupt supplier and General Motors seem to be leading to a big contribution by the automaker. In addition to offering Delphi a future lifeline, GM also would agree to subsidize Delphi's labor costs, according to reports. It would also end the threat of a strike against Delphi by the United Auto Workers (UAW). Delphi would remain GM's largest supplier when it leaves bankruptcy, while GM's annual bill for parts would fall by roughly $2 billion, according to the Wall Street Journal. At the same time control of the company would pass into the hands of hedge funds.

       

Nissan Rogue

Nissan Rogue for Detroit

A picture's only worth a few dozen words when it comes to the Rogue, the newest Nissan. The new vehicle - shown only in this bare corner sketch - will make its debut at the Detroit auto show in January. Nissan offered no other details on the vehicle, which is expected to be a compact SUV smaller than the company's existing Murano. Stay tuned for details.

 

 

 

 

Scion Adds xB 4.0

The latest limited edition Scion will be the xB Release Series 4.0. The new edition, coming to showrooms next month, gets "Maziora Torched Penny" exterior paint, a color-shifting hue from Nippon Paint Co. A spoiler and a new grille accent the boxy exterior; inside, a color-keyed Razo shift knob shows up in manual editions along with special floor mats and other badging. Scion plans 2500 copies of the 4.0 for a $1930 premium for automatic 4.0s over the base price of $14,030; manual editions will be priced $50 higher.

 

FROM THE SOURCE headlines from the latest press releases

GM Expands OnStar Services to All Mobility-Adapted Vehicles

Name	Symbol	Last	Change
Autobytel, Inc.	ABTL	3.19	0.00 (0.00%)
Autoliv Inc.	ALV	56.28	+0.20 (+0.36%)
AutoNation Inc.	AN	20.85	-0.03 (-0.14%)
ArvinMeritor Inc.	ARM	14.48	+0.08 (+0.56%)
American Axle & Mfr. Holdings Inc.	AXL	17.95	+0.05 (+0.28%)
Ballard Power Systems Inc.	BLDP	6.04	-0.10 (-1.63%)
BorgWarner Inc.	BWA	59.81	-0.46 (-0.76%)
Cummins Inc.	CMI	135.14	-0.76 (-0.56%)
DaimlerChrysler AG (ADR)	DCX	51.07	+0.06 (+0.12%)
Dura Automotive Systems	DRRA	0.25	+0.02 (+8.70%)
Eaton Corporation	ETN	70.30	-1.40 (-1.95%)
Ford Motor Company	F	8.17	-0.06 (-0.73%)
General Motors Corporation	GM	32.99	+0.33 (+1.01%)
Gentex Corporation	GNTX	14.20	-0.09 (-0.63%)
Goodyear Tire & Rubber	GT	14.56	-0.17 (-1.15%)
Honda Motor Co. Ltd. (ADR)	HMC	34.68	-0.66 (-1.87%)
Johnson Controls Inc.	JCI	82.47	+0.20 (+0.24%)
Lear Corporation	LEA	24.28	+0.10 (+0.41%)
Magna International Inc.	MGA	74.76	-0.44 (-0.59%)
Motorola Inc.	MOT	26.20	+0.62 (+2.42%)
Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. (ADR)	NSANY	23.73	-0.05 (-0.21%)
Sonic Automotive Inc.	SAH	23.30	+0.03 (+0.13%)
Siemens AG	SI	84.40	-1.18 (-1.38%)
Sirius Satellite Radio	SIRI	3.88	+0.03 (+0.78%)
Toyota Motor Corporation (ADR)	TM	116.20	-0.73 (-0.62%)
TRW Automotive Holdings	TRW	25.03	+0.31 (+1.25%)
Tower Automotive Inc.	TWRAQ.PK	0.064	0.00 (0.00%)
United Auto Group Inc.	UAG	23.79	+0.03 (+0.13%)
Visteon Corporation	VC	8.35	+0.27 (+3.34%)
XM Satellite Radio Hold.	XMSR	12.05	+0.32 (+2.73%)