Car Chute

PRINCETON, Ind. (AP) — A southern Indiana city that scored an economic coup in the 1990s by landing a Toyota Motor Corp. plant is celebrating the plant’s 15th anniversary.

The Princeton Daily Clarion reports (http://bit.ly/nQd1LK ) that Toyota executives and workers along with local residents were marking Friday’s anniversary with events that include a look back at the 1996 groundbreaking ceremony and the plant’s progress since then.

The plant south of Princeton is the region’s largest employer, employing about 4,100 people who earn an annual payroll of $288 million. Toyota says the 4 million square-foot plant supports another 6,500 regional jobs.

The plant about 20 miles north of Evansville makes Sequoia and Highlander sport utility vehicles and Sienna minivans. About 2.9 million vehicles have rolled off the plant’s assembly lines since it opened.

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Information from: Princeton Daily Clarion, http://www.tristate-media.com/pdclarion

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Johnson Controls Completes Acquisition of Li-ion Automotive Battery Joint Venture

PR Newswire — September 30, 2011

MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin, September 30, 2011 /PRNewswire/ –

Johnson Controls, Inc., (NYSE: JCI) and Saft (Euronext: SAFT) have closed on the agreement to end their joint venture, Johnson Controls-Saft, which was formed in 2006 to develop and manufacture Li-ion vehicle batteries. Under the terms of the agreement, Johnson Controls has acquired Saft’s share of the company for $145 million in cash. Johnson Controls will also receive an expanded perpetual license to use certain Saft Li-ion technology in all markets.

All assets of the joint venture, including the company’s new plant in Holland, Michigan, are retained by Johnson Controls. The joint venture’s current facility in Nersac, France will be transferred to Saft at the end of 2012. The parties have also agreed to terminate all legal proceedings between the companies.

Beginning Oct. 1, 2011, Johnson Controls will operate the company under the Johnson Controls name and will fulfil the company’s existing contractual agreements and work with customers and suppliers accordingly.

About Johnson Controls:

Johnson Controls is a global diversified technology and industrial leader serving customers in more than 150 countries. The company’s 154,000 employees create quality products, services and solutions to optimize energy and operational efficiencies of buildings; lead-acid automotive batteries and advanced batteries for hybrid and electric vehicles; and interior systems for automobiles. Johnson Controls’ commitment to sustainability dates back to its roots in 1885, with the invention of the first electric room thermostat. Through its growth strategies and by increasing market share we are committed to delivering value to shareholders and making our customers successful. In 2011, Corporate Responsibility Magazine recognized Johnson Controls as the #1 company in its annual “100 Best Corporate Citizens” list. http://www.johnsoncontrols.com

Contact:

Rebecca Fitzgerald +1-(414)-524-2945 Rebecca.K.Fitzgerald@jci.com

Ina Longwitz +49-511-975-1031 Ina.Longwitz@jci.com

Subject Codes: PC/t.110930114634398, PR/dest.Public, PT/lang.en, RE/Wisconsin, IN/AUT, IN/CHM, IN/CPR, SU/TNM

Company Codes: NYSE:JCI, EuronextParis:SAFT, OTC-PINK:SGPEY

Johnson Controls Completes Acquisition of Li-ion Automotive Battery Joint Venture

PR Newswire — September 30, 2011

MILWAUKEE, September 30, 2011 /PRNewswire/ –

Johnson Controls, Inc., (NYSE: JCI) and Saft (Euronext: SAFT) have closed on the agreement to end their joint venture, Johnson Controls-Saft, which was formed in 2006 to develop and manufacture Li-ion vehicle batteries. Under the terms of the agreement, Johnson Controls has acquired Saft’s share of the company for $145 million in cash. Johnson Controls will also receive an expanded perpetual license to use certain Saft Li-ion technology in all markets.

All assets of the joint venture, including the company’s new plant in Holland, Mich., are retained by Johnson Controls. The joint venture’s current facility in Nersac, France will be transferred to Saft at the end of 2012. The parties have also agreed to terminate all legal proceedings between the companies.

Beginning Oct. 1, 2011, Johnson Controls will operate the company under the Johnson Controls name and will fulfill the company’s existing contractual agreements and work with customers and suppliers accordingly.

About Johnson Controls:

Johnson Controls is a global diversified technology and industrial leader serving customers in more than 150 countries. The company’s 154,000 employees create quality products, services and solutions to optimize energy and operational efficiencies of buildings; lead-acid automotive batteries and advanced batteries for hybrid and electric vehicles; and interior systems for automobiles. Johnson Controls’ commitment to sustainability dates back to its roots in 1885, with the invention of the first electric room thermostat. Through its growth strategies and by increasing market share we are committed to delivering value to shareholders and making our customers successful. In 2011, Corporate Responsibility Magazine recognized Johnson Controls as the #1 company in its annual “100 Best Corporate Citizens” list. http://www.johnsoncontrols.com

Subject Codes: PC/t.110930114528240, PR/dest.Public, PT/lang.en, PC/ticker, PC/ticker.bloomberg, PC/ticker.rics, RE/Michigan, RE/Wisconsin, RE/France, IN/AUT, IN/TRN, SU/TNM, SU/JVN

Company Codes: NYSE:JCI, Bloomberg:JCI@US, Bloomberg:SAFT@FP, RICS:JCI.N, RICS:S1A, EuronextParis:SAFT, OTC-PINK:SGPEY

Dudes really, get a life … It really looks good, yes it got some changes, but it really represent Chev, not Opel. If you don’t like it, go Nissan or whatever.

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Production rose in August at domestic, overseas factories

Associated Press

Tokyo — Toyota Motor Corp. said Wednesday its global production rose for the first time in a year in August as Japanese automakers continued to recover from the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.

Worldwide output at Japan’s biggest automaker climbed 10.6 percent from a year earlier to 626,817 vehicles. Production rose at both domestic and overseas factories, especially in South Africa, Australia, Asia and Europe.

Its exports of passenger cars climbed 15 percent, but domestic sales fell more than 25 percent.

Toyota is preparing to ramp up production to make up for losses caused by the March earthquake and tsunami, which wiped out auto parts suppliers. Between October and March 2012, it plans to build an extra 350,000 vehicles.

Rival Nissan Motor Co. also reported robust figures for August. Its global production jumped almost 24 percent to 385,112 vehicles — its best-ever August performance. The figure was offset in part by a 2.5 decline in Japan.

Sales in Japan fell 19 percent, while exports surged 34 percent.

Nissan said its global gains are being powered by strong demand for models like the Altima sedan, Versa hatchback and Rogue crossover.

Meanwhile, Honda Motor Co. posted its seventh straight month of lower production, lagging behind its main rivals and underscoring the impact of a strong yen and global economic uncertainty. Worldwide output fell 9.3 percent to 261,524 vehicles.

Honda’s Japan sales slid more than 47 percent, and exports tumbled almost 38 percent.

Among Japan’s other carmakers, Suzuki Motor Corp. posted an 11.5 percent decline in global production to 206,049 vehicles.

Worldwide output at Mazda Motor Corp. fell 3 percent to 94,052 vehicles. At Mitsubishi Motors Corp., it declined about 8.3 percent to 82,351 vehicles.

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The Hilton Head Island Motoring Festival Concours d’Elegance was created 10 years ago simply to help raise funds for the Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra. Today, it is considered one of the top automotive events in the country.

That’s music to Carolyn Vanagel’s ears.

“Exhibitors are scrambling to get in our concours,” said Vanagel, president of the festival. “We’ve reached a point now that we’re really playing on a national stage.”

WEB EXTRA: Click here to see our behind the scenes footage from our cover shoot.

Like a traditional orchestra, the motoring festival is made up of four parts: The Savannah Speed Classic (Oct. 28-30, Hutchinson Island), The Motoring Midway (Nov. 5-6, Hilton Head Island), The Car Club Jamboree (Nov. 5, Hilton Head Island) and The Concours d’Elegance (Nov. 6, Hilton Head Island).

Vanagel stresses the festival has something for everybody, not just motorheads.

“Every year, it’s different,” Vanagel said. “We have different cars and different exhibits. Every year you come, you’re going to see something fresh and new.”

SAVANNAH SPEED CLASSIC

The festival will open with historic sports car racing on Oct. 28-30 at The Grand Prize of America Track on Hutchinson Island.

While the Classic is linked to the concours, the type of “historic” vehicles at the two events will be very different. Cars in Sunday’s concours must be pre-1972 and motorcycles must have been made before 1980. The only restriction on models getting into the three-day Speed Classic is that they can’t be run on a current racing series.

That opens the door for some serious horsepower.

Several groupings of classes will race against one another. One grouping for vintage Indy cars will feature classics driven by well-known drivers such as Mario Andretti and A.J. Foyt.

Spectators will also be able to test drive cars and SUVs from automotive sponsors including BMW, Porsche and Land Rover. For an additional fee, those in attendance can also jump in a car with a professional driver and get up to racing speeds. The cost is $50 for a manufactured vehicle or $100 for an actual race car.

Several notable Grand-Am drivers will also be on hand, including Bill Auberlen, Joey Hand, Hurley Haywood and Grand Marshal Boris Said of NASCAR Sprint Cup fame.

“I expect to see a lot of really cool cars,” Said said. “And I love cars.”

In addition to all the racing, there will also be a beer garden and live music.

MOTORING MIDWAY

The Motoring Midway takes place Nov. 5-6 at the Coastal Discovery Museum at Honey Horn on Hilton Head Island. It is an event unique to the motoring festival, though other events have started to mimic it in recent

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The Irish Times – Wednesday, September 28, 2011

A round-up of today’s other stories in brief

VW loans €27m 

VOLKSWAGEN Bank has said that it currently has a 75 per cent acceptance rate for customer applications.

The finance arm of the car firm’s Irish operation has said that year to date in 2011 it has lent €27 million to finance new Volkswagen cars.

The firm has announced lending rates which begin at 3.9 per cent APR and they will also offer personal contract plans on a range of cars in 2012.

According to Adam Chamberlain, head of VW Ireland sales and marketing, current arrears among lenders are running at less than 1 per cent.

European Parliament drive against road deaths 

A “VISION” of the future of private motoring in Europe, which involves a range of high-tech gadgets both in the car and on the roadside, was outlined at the European Parliament this week.

Among the recommendations in a report expected to be adopted by MEPs in a vote in Strasbourg today are city-wide speed limits of 30km/h; “alcolocks” which prevent a driver starting the car until he passes a breath test; an “eCall” system in which the car itself will call the emergency services in the event of an incident; and a range of satellite enhanced detectors identifying inappropriate speed and sleepiness of drivers.

Also included in the report is a recommendation to enhance the deployment of intelligent transport systems – overhead, roadside and radio messages advising drivers of a range of issues from weather conditions to travel times and crashes ahead.

The report urges the European Commission to ensure that road signs, highway codes and blood alcohol limits be harmonised throughout the EU by 2013.

MEPs said the least the Commission should do would be to draw up an action plan for 2011-2020 to cut the overall number of road accident deaths by half, deaths of children under 14 by 60 per cent, and serious injuries by 40 per cent.

About 35,000 people die in crashes in the EU each year, down more than one-third from 2001, and while the EU wants to halve this number by 2020, the author of this week’s report, German Christian Democrat MEP Dieter-Lebrecht Koch, is calling for “Vision zero, the prevention of all road deaths”.

While many of the report recommendations may seem like science fiction, they were well received by MEPs including Ireland West MEP Jim Higgins, who had called for their implementation without delay.

Chevrolet eyes up Europe 

AS IT CELEBRATES its centenary next month, Chevrolet is determined to make a concerted effort in Europe. According to spokesman Tom Albright, the firm is preparing to offer its Volt electric range extender model to Europeans next

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Admiral Reveals Tailgating Tops List for Bad Driving Behaviour

PR Newswire — September 29, 2011

CARDIFF, September 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ –

Britain’s most annoying driving behaviours have been revealed in a new poll, and it’s the dangerous practice of tailgating that gets British drivers most hot under the collar.

Car insurance [http://www.admiral.com ] specialist Admiral commissioned YouGov to survey 2,500 drivers as part of the annual Admiral Survey of Motorists, and found the aggressive act of tailgating was top of the list, with over three quarters (79%) of motorists saying it infuriates them. Next was not indicating (70%) followed by cutting up (64%) and not paying attention (64%).*

Hogging the middle lane was also irritating (55%), as was driving too slowly (52%), drivers not saying thank you when you give way (44%), speeding (30%), and racing at traffic lights and junctions (22%).

Admiral managing director Sue Longthorn said: “Tailgating is incredibly dangerous, so it’s not a surprise to see how much it annoys motorists. Not leaving enough room should the car in front need to brake can lead to accidents as you need time to react. Some motorists even think it’s acceptable to intimidate the driver in front by driving very close to them, which is totally unacceptable.

“Not indicating and cutting up can also prove dangerous for yourself and other drivers. And there could be other consequences, as if the police catch you, convictions for dangerous or careless driving can range from 3 penalty points on your licence to two years in jail.”

Alongside these annoying driving behaviours, it appears the nation’s roads have become a less pleasant place to be over the years. In fact, 62% of the motorists Admiral surveyed agreed that road users are less courteous than they were five years ago and 69% agree that they get irritated by the lack of courtesy from other road users.

More information on this and the rest of Admiral’s Annual Survey of British Motorists can be found at http://www.admiral.com/surveyofmotorists.

Notes to Editors:

*Respondents were able to choose as many bad driving acts from the list as they wanted.

All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 2,500 adults who have a driving licence and at least one car in their household. Fieldwork was undertaken between6th-9th May 2011. The survey was carried out online.

About Admiral

Admiral, (a trading name of EUI Ltd) launched in 1993, and is part of Admiral Group plc. It was set up to target those motorists who traditionally pay higher than average premiums, including those under-35, living in cities or driving hot hatches. It now offers its unique Admiral MultiCar policy for households with two or more cars.

Admiral is proud to support Samaritans throughout 2011.

Admiral writes its motor insurance business to a consortium of insurers, these being Admiral Insurance Company Ltd, Admiral Insurance (Gibraltar) Limited and Great Lakes Reinsurance (UK) plc.

Admiral’s salesline is 0800 600 800 – open from 8am to 11pm on weekdays, from 9 am to 8pm on Saturdays, and on a Sunday between 10am and 8pm

Admiral’s web site address is http://www.admiral.com

The Admiral Group employs over 4,500 people in the UK and has more than 2.8 million customers in the UK.

PR Contact: James Carnduff Admiral Capital Tower Greyfriars Road Cardiff CF10 3AZ +44(0)29-2043-4333 http://www.admiral.com [http://www.elephant.co.uk ]

Subject Codes: PC/t.110929055807723, PR/dest.Public, PT/lang.en, RE/United_Kingdom, IN/AUT, IN/INS, IN/TRN, IN/TRT, SU/SVY

just-auto Exclusively Reveals Subaru’s “go it Alone” Strategy on Hybrid Technology

PR Newswire — September 29, 2011

BROMSGROVE, England, September 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ –

Sources at Subaru have told automotive business web site just-auto.com that the company has decided – contrary to expectations – not to buy-in Toyota’s full hybrid HSD system for future Subaru hybrid models, but to develop its own mild hybrid system instead.

The news is a big surprise as it had been widely expected that Subaru would benefit not only from Toyota’s manufacturing expertise but also its industry leading hybrids capability and production base for hybrid components.

Now, a Subaru executive – speaking anonymously to just-auto – has confirmed that the company will launch a hybrid model in Japan in 2013, as indicated in Subaru’s “Motion-V” strategic plan for 2011 to 2015.

However, Subaru’s upcoming hybrid will not utilise the Toyota Hybrid Synergy Drive (HSD) system mated to an existing Subaru boxer engine. Instead, Subaru’s stubbornly independent engineers have created a Honda-style mild hybrid, without the ability to run solely on electric power at low speeds.

It is likely that the Subaru hybrid model to be launched in Japan in 2013 will be a version of the Legacy D-segment four-door saloon. But Subaru of America had not yet decided which model should launch the hybrid in the US (which is the world’s largest hybrid market).

The full article is available on just-auto.com at: http://www.just-auto.com/news/subaru-swerves-toyota-hsd-and-opts-to-go-it-alone-on-hybrid-tech_id115094.aspx

Subject Codes: PC/t.110929045920249, PR/dest.Public, PT/lang.en, RE/United_Kingdom, IN/AUT, IN/TRN, IN/ALT, IN/TRT, IN/GRE, SU/TNM