FIRESTONE SETTLES SUIT OVER RECALLED TIRE FOR $7.5
MILLION
In
an eleventh-hour maneuver, Bridgestone/Firestone has settled with the Texas
family suing the tiremaker for faulty manufacturing and tread-separation issues
resulting in rollovers when mounted on Ford Explorer SUVs. The case was
considered precedent-setting because it is the first of more than 500 lawsuits
against Ford and Firestone to go to trial and a jury. (If such a trial were
heard and decided by a jury, that jury could be empowered to assess blame
between Firestone and Ford, thus deciding who was to blame and how much.) But
the Texas trial never got that far: While in its fourth day of deliberation on
Friday, the jury was called back into the courtroom by District Judge Filemon
Vela who announced that a settlement had been reached. Ford has already settled
with the family, agreeing to pay $6 million. Firestone has settled more than 150
of the cases against it out of court, but the company still has about 400
lawsuits pending.
TX Family Settles
with Firestone
by Jim Burt (8/26/2001)
TCC's
award-winning Firestone coverage
'VETTE
TO JOIN 400-HP CLUB?
The
word on the street is that General Motors is toying seriously with idea of
building a Chevrolet Corvette to compete with the elite European supercars. The
super-Corvette’s estimated $100,000 price tag and significant bump in horsepower
would make it the most expensive production car in America (if you don’t count
the $395,000 Saleen S7). Currently, the flagship ‘Vette, the Z06, lists for
around $45,000 and tops out at 385 horsepower. The SuperVette would be a
showcase of GM materials and engine technology, designed to run with the best
that Porsche, BMW and Ferrari have to offer, at a relatively bargain price when
compared to those lofty European makes. Such a marketing move has a clean logic
to it, considering GM’s efforts to expand itself as an international automaker
and the emerging climate for exclusive supercars in Europe, Japan and the
U.S.
Preview: 2002
Corvette Z06
by Marty Padgett
(6/20/2001)
BELT
USAGE UP IN USA, SAYS NHTSA
According
to the results of a study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA), a significant majority of front-seat occupants—73%—use their seatbelts.
This percentage is an all-time high for seatbelt wearing in the United States,
and suggests that Americans are paying more active attention to their safety
than ever. "In many situations, the most crashworthy vehicle in the world is not
going to help you unless you take the personal responsibility to help the
vehicle help you," advises NHTSA chief Jeffrey Runge.
And in a related story, the National Safety Council has
released a report that says the number of deaths caused by airbags has been cut
in half since 1996, even while the number of vehicles on the road equipped with
airbags has tripled. Back in 1996, according to the NSC report, airbags were to
blame in 35 deaths. Last year, however, that number dropped to 18. More
significantly, the drop in children’s deaths related to airbag deployment was
even steeper: 25 in 1996 versus just six in 2000. The executive director of the
NSC’s Air Bag and Seat Belt Safety Campaign praised parents for increasing their
awareness on child safety in automobiles. "Clearly the message has gotten
through to the public that children 12 and under should be restrained in the
back seat," he said.
NHTSA SAYS
TIRES ARE LOW
A survey just released by the National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has concluded that under-inflation of
tires on passenger vehicles is rampant in the U.S. Prompted by the Bush
Administration’s emphasis on transportation safety, the study concluded that 27%
of the cars and 32% of the passenger trucks, vans and SUVs are being driven with
one or more substantially under-inflated tire. Driving on under-inflated tires
significantly increases the chances of premature tire failure, tread separation
and blowouts. Not only that, but a tire that’s low on air makes the engine work
harder and use up more fuel. The problem is so severe that a rule being drafted
by NHTSA will require all vehicles manufactured after November 2003 to be
equipped with a tire-pressure-monitoring system that warns drivers of low tire
pressure.
NHTSA: Tires Under Pressure by Marty Padgett (9/3/2001)
FIRESTONE
TAKES POWER BEATING
The
latest J.D. Power and Associates consumer-satisfaction survey is a timely tale
of tires. Michelin tires took top honors for the fourth straight year in the
cars and minivans category, while Dunlop pulled off a first-time-ever top
ranking for pickup, sport-utility vehicle and full-size van tires. Legally
embroiled Firestone lost significant ground in both categories, slipping to a
below-average ranking in each. Pirelli enjoyed a huge leap in status as the most
improved passenger-car tiremaker, while Uniroyal secured the most-improved spot
in light-truck tires.
TCC's award-winning Firestone
coverage
CHRYSLER
CUTS 2002 PRICES ACROSS THE BOARD
The
Chrysler Group is slashing prices an average of just under one percent in an
effort to regain lost market. George Murphy, the Chrysler Group's vice president
of marketing, said the price cuts would not substitute for rebates and other
incentives. The incentives won't go away but the lower prices will help Dodge,
Chrysler and Jeep attract web browsers, who are hunting for lowest sticker
price. The same strategy has already helped the Chrysler Group boost minivan
sales, Murphy said. The new pricing strategy also encompasses even deeper cuts
on some vehicles such as the Chrysler 300M and the Jeep Grand Cherokee. Prices
on the 300M are coming down $1,200 on average and prices on the Grand Cherokee
will drop $2,000 to make it more competitive with the Ford Explorer.
2002 Jeep Liberty
Limited
by Marc Stengel
(7/30/2001)
NISSAN
ANNOUNCES ALTIMA PRICES
Hoping
to make a dent in the midsize market and draw buyers "before they become Camry
and Accord loyalists," Nissan will launch the new, larger and significantly
upgraded Altima sedan at a base price of $16,349. That’s $334 over the outgoing
model, revealed Jed Connelly, Nissan senior vice president of sales and
marketing, during an appearance in Detroit. The automaker hopes to sell as many
as 190,000 of the new sedans a year, the capacity of its plant in Smyrna,
Tennessee, though Connelly admitted the sluggish economy could be an obstacle.
In a conversation with TheCarConnection.com, Nissan VP Jack Collins added that
Nissan "has plans" for the Altima’s new platform, which is "capable" of serving
a variety of non-traditional products. In other words, industry sources suggest,
that could include some new crossover models due to market closer to
mid-decade.
Preview: 2002
Nissan Altima
by Bob Storck
(8/6/2001)
WHAT’S
NEW FOR 2002: ACURA
Acura
has performance on its mind for the 2002 model year. In addition to the recently
introduced RSX coupe replacement for the Integra, the company has a hotted-up
Type-S version RSX close on the way boasting 200-horsepower and a 6-speed manual
transmission. Even the stylish but more sedate TL sedan is getting the “Type-S”
treatment next year. That means more power—260 horsepower from its 3.2-liter
V-6, courtesy of this year’s CL Type-S coupe—plus a stiffer suspension and
special alloy wheels. The ultra-Acura, the aluminum-bodied NSX sports car, will
remain as is mechanically with its VTEC-inspired 3.0-liter V-6 still producing
290-hp, but its exterior gets a facelift and new taillight treatment for the new
year. The flagship Acura RL and sporty CL models soldier on largely unchanged
from 2001.
2002 Acura
RSX
by John Pearley Huffman
(6/25/2001)
WHAT’S
NEW FOR 2002: ASTON MARTIN
Although
most of us will be standing at the sidelines when it comes to driving the latest
offerings from Aston Martin, the company’s 2002 lineup is nothing if not
fascinating to read about. The new model year will see the luxury carmaker’s
roster double from one model to two—the DB7 and the Vanquish. All-new for 2002,
the Vanquish is a 460-horsepower 6.0-liter V-12 engine wrapped in an aluminum
and carbon-fiber shape that rings in with both classic and contemporary accents.
Even by conservative estimates, the Vanquish will vanquish a 0-60 sprint in
under five seconds. With the "base" DB7 (with a supercharged in-line six)
dropped, the DB7 Vantage (coupe) and DB7 Volante (convertible)—both powered by a
420-hp 5.9-liter V-12—will live on as two of the most beautiful cars in the
world.
Preview: Aston
Martin V12 Vanquish
by TCC Team
(10/16/2000)
BOND REVERTS TO ASTON FORM
After
three cinematic stints driving BMW automobiles, Pierce Brosnan—a.k.a. James
Bond, Agent 007—is returning to his British roots. For the 20th Bond
film—as yet unnamed, but said to be using Beyond the Ice as its working
title—007 will be doing battle with evil while piloting an Aston Martin
Vanquish, thus returning to Bond’s historic marque of record as written by his
creator, novelist Ian Fleming. After the BMW Z3 roadster from Goldeneye,
the 5-Series sedan in Tomorrow Never Dies, and the Z8 super-roadster in
The World Is Not Enough, it will be nice to see 007 back behind the wheel
of a proper British supercar, especially one with a 6.0-liter V-12 and 460
horsepower. BMW was reportedly shaken by the announcement, but not stirred to
comment.
Preview: Aston
Martin V12 Vanquish
by TCC Team
(10/16/2000)
MOTOROLA,
LINCOLN TEAM UP FOR TELEMATICS
Motorola
and Ford have announced that Motorola will be the exclusive provider of the new
Lincoln Vehicle Communications System (VCS) available in 2002 Lincoln models.
VCS is an in-car communications and telematics system that seamlessly integrates
a portable, docking Motorola Timeport, voice-recognition technology, and
satellite-based route guidance, roadside assistance, emergency assistance and
crash notification. When docked in its cradle, the phone connects with the
Lincoln’s electronics and audio system, and can be used to make hands-free
social/business calls or to subscription-based assistance and information
services. VCS will be available as an option on 2002 Lincoln LS, Town Car and
Continental models.
Telematics:
Drivin' and Spying?
by Frank Bohanan
(1/28/2001)
The Digital
Car by Eric Peters (11/20/2000)
FORD TO
LAUNCH SPORT-UTE MAGAZINE
In
the interest of multi-layered marketing and brand awareness, Ford Motor Company
is starting a magazine for its sport-utility vehicle customers. No
Boundaries magazine will be published quarterly, beginning next month. It
will serve as an extension and a reinforcement of Ford’s "No Boundaries"
advertising campaign, with a strong SUV-as-a-lifestyle message. The company
predicts an initial distribution, er, circulation of 100,000 copies.
Ford Video
Library
(7/20/2001)
WJR Auto Report:
'02 Explorer by TCC Team
(4/9/2001)
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