FORD GT40 LESS THAN
$150,000
Ford
says the upcoming production version of the GT40 concept vehicle won’t cost as
much as has been reported. The 500-hp GT, which may not carry the “40”
designation as a series production car, will be priced “substantially less than
$150,000,” according to Steve Lyons, Ford Division president. The company will
build three GTs in 2003, to commemorate Ford’s 100th anniversary and
the company’s 1-2-3 finish at the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans; regular production
of 1000 vehicles per year will begin in 2004.
Ford Concepts Command Millions by TCC Team (6/17/2002)
GM PREPS BIG TRAY OF
SEMA TREATS
GM’s display at November’s 2002
Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show will include vehicles from
the Chevy, Cadillac, Pontiac and Saturn divisions. The company will show many of
the vehicles planned for the aftermarket show on November 4 — vehicles including
Sunfires and Cavaliers with supercharged Ecotec 2.2-liter fours. The company
will also show a wide range of parts it’s making to become the platform of
choice for tuners. The show runs Nov. 5-8 at the Las Vegas Convention
Center.
RECALL REPAIRS TO BE
REIMBURSED
Beginning next year, automakers will have to reimburse drivers
who pay for repairs that are later covered under recalls. The National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) will require the coverage beginning in
January, in a decision linked to the Firestone/Ford recalls of 2000. The new
procedures will require carmakers to come up with a reimbursement process, where
some claims can be rejected. Those claims deemed fitting are to be paid within
60 days.
GAS
PRICES HIT YEAR HIGH
Drivers
are paying more at the pumps than any time this year, according to a study by
the Department of Energy. The DOE says prices this week are the highest since
last September, averaging $1.44 across the country. The 13-cent increase from
last year, Reuters reports, comes on rising crude prices and fears of war with
Iraq. As usual, West Coast drivers are paying the most — about $1.48 per gallon,
while the southeast Atlantic states have the best prices, on average $1.38 a
gallon.
Nissan Alpha-T Concept
Nissan
intends to take straight aim at the full-size U.S. pickup truck market when it
launches its first entry into the segment next year. Unlike Toyota, which chose
to market a slightly undersized Tundra, the as-yet-unnamed Nissan pickup will
have virtually identical dimensions to such full-size domestics as the Ford
F-150. “We don’t have any credibility in this segment, so we have to earn it and
to do that, we have to over-deliver in a lot of areas,” notes Nissan’s chief
product specialist for North American trucks, Larry Dominique. Among other
things, Nissan will offer a variety of body configurations and powertrain
options. Among other things, the Japanese automaker is considering a ¾-ton
version which would take aim at one of the fastest-growing niches within the big
pickup segment. The final decision on the ¾-ton will be made by Nissan CEO
Carlos Ghosn. Overall, there’s a 2.3 million unit-a-year market for full-size
pickups, a segment that has traditionally been one of the most domestic and
brand-loyal. But Nissan believes about a third of those buyers are open to
considering one of its trucks, which will be built at an all-new factory in
Mississippi. The initial V-8, designed specifically for truck use, will be
produced at a new line in Decherd, Tenn. Eventually, Nissan expects to produce a
full family of truck engines at Decherd.
CHRYSLER
RECALLS MINIVANS
Chrysler’s
2002 minivans are being recalled for a potential fuel leak. The company said on
Tuesday that it will recall nearly 143,500 minivans for a problem with a
fuel-tank weld that could pose a hazard. The vehicles involved were assembled at
Chrysler’s Ontario plant between September 2001 and March of this year. Some of
the vehicles will require new fuel tanks, the company says. Recall letters will
be mailed early next month.
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