Car Blog

The 19th Annual ‘United Way Bud Classic Car Show’ Takes Place This Saturday

For classic car lovers in Houston, it’s become a tradition each May. And this Saturday, an expected 250 classic cars of all makes, models, years and colors will compete for more than 150 awards at the 19th annual “United Way Bud Classic Car Show.”

The show will be held Saturday, May 1, at Anheuser-Busch’s Houston Brewery, 775 Gellhorn near the intersection of I-10 East and I-610 East. Other supporters of the event are Silver Eagle Distributors, Yellow Cab and the Bud Cruisers Car Club.

Money raised at Saturday’s event continues the local brewery’s longstanding support of United Way. Earlier this year United Way of Greater Houston received a $49,961 check from the Anheuser-Busch Foundation, representing an increase of about 3 percent in support from the previous year. Along with employee donations of $68,281, local contributions from the brewer in the last year totaled more than $118,000.

“Our annual car show helps support a great cause – the United Way,” said Rick Wohlfarth, general manager of the Anheuser-Busch Houston brewery. “For the last 19 years this event has been coordinated and run by volunteer Anheuser-Busch employees in Houston, who always have given generously to their friends and neighbors through the local chapter of United Way.”

The event is free to spectators. A charity auction will be conducted to benefit United Way. Registration is from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., with the car show taking place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. An awards presentation will be from 2 to 3 p.m.

“It’s fascinating to see the passion and attention to detail in the restoration process of these cars,” Wohlfarth said. “It’s that same passion that our employees exhibit on a daily basis when they brew, package and ship the best-selling beers in the world.”

Anheuser-Busch and its charitable foundation have supported United Way of Greater Houston for several decades. The Anheuser-Busch Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Anheuser-Busch, donating funds to hundreds of charities each year in communities across the country.

“Anheuser-Busch has been a wonderful partner with the United Way over the years,” said Anna Babin, president and CEO, United Way of Greater Houston. “Their commitment to the United Way helps strengthen our community and makes a lasting difference in the quality of life we all enjoy.”

The donations will be used to support a number of local health and human service programs through 15 non-profit agencies.

United Way of Greater Houston seeks to improve people’s lives by creating lasting changes in conditions that affect its communities. United Way collaborates with local business, government, nonprofits, faith-based groups and individuals to define and address the most pressing problems. At the same time, United Way continues its tradition of helping area residents meet basic health and human service needs by supporting innovative programs that have positive, measurable outcomes.

Source: Anheuser-Busch

Offer available on retail purchases of new 2010 Suzuki Kizashi, 2010 Suzuki SportBack, 2010 Suzuki SX4 Sedan, 2010 SX4 Crossover, 2010 Grand Vitara and 2010 Equator models through Aug. 31

Customers will receive a pre-paid gas card to cover three-month’s worth of gas.

American Suzuki Motor Corp. announced its nationwide “Free Gas for Summer” sales promotion, offering car buyers three months of free gasoline on retail purchases of any new 2010 Suzuki model, including the all-new Kizashi, SX4 SportBack, SX4 Sport sedan, SX4 Crossover, Grand Vitara and Equator. Already recognized as the second most fuel-efficient automaker in Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) with 29.7 mpg, as reported in the EPA 2009 Light-Duty Automotive Technology and Fuel Economy Trends Report, Suzuki offers motorists at the pump even more savings this summer driving season. The Suzuki “Free Gas for Summer” sales program kicks off May 1 and runs through Aug. 31.

“Suzuki recognizes the economic challenges Americans continue to face and thought this promotion was a great way to provide relief for car buyers,” said Koichi Suzuki, executive vice president, American Suzuki Automotive Operations. “Working through our U.S. dealer network, we’re happy to extend this program to consumers across the country, providing potential buyers even more reason to consider purchasing a Suzuki during the summer shopping season.”

Customers will receive a stored value debit card, ranging in value from $280 to $442, which can be used for fuel purchases. The amount of each stored value gas card is determined by several factors, including an assumed three-month timeframe for summer driving, the car’s EPA estimated highway mpg, the Federal Highway Administration’s estimated average of 1,000 miles driven per month and the U.S. national average price of one gallon of regular gasoline as determined by the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

To learn more about Suzuki’s “Free Gas for Summer” sales promotion, or to locate the nearest Suzuki dealer, please visit www.suzukiauto.com. In addition, Suzuki will celebrate the start of this summer’s sales promotion with giveaways on Facebook (www.Facebook.com/SuzukiAuto) and Twitter (@SuzukiAuto).

2010 Suzuki Auto Product Line

Suzuki Auto’s versatile line of vehicles includes the spirited four-door SX4 Sport, all-wheel-drive five-door SX4 Crossover, SX4 SportBack, refined Grand Vitara compact SUV, award-winning Equator pickup truck and performance-oriented Kizashi. Every vehicle in the line provides Suzuki’s standout virtues of durability, leading-edge style and high-end features at very competitive prices. All 2010 Suzuki automobiles are backed by America’s #1 Warranty: a 100,000-mile/seven-year, fully transferable, zero-deductible powertrain limited warranty.

Total U.S. Dealer Investment Tops $2 Billion Over The Last 10 Years

BMW continues to modernize its dealership network in the U.S. with state-of-the-art facilities. The latest addition is BMW of Minnetonka located just outside of Minneapolis, MN. The 223,000 square foot, multi-level facility is big enough to park 500 vehicles indoors, house 80 work bays and even a 12-seat movie theater.

The new facility is a $30 million investment and adds to the $2 billion spent by the BMW dealer network over the last ten years. Even in 2009, during one of America’s worst recessions, BMW Center owners invested $340 million to update and expand their sales and service areas. All of them recognized the need to provide not only superior levels of customer service, but also on improving their facilities to exceed the needs of today’s customers.

Currently, a total of 100 people are employed at the Center. A BMW of North America internal training and career development program guarantees employees learn about the latest business and technological developments and can continue to grow in their career path. Nationwide, BMW dealerships employ 20,000 people giving BMW a considerable impact in local communities.

“Minneapolis is a young, vibrant, dynamic place with a diverse and modern business mix,” said Jim O’Donnell, President of BMW of North America, LLC. “BMW of Minnetonka reflects the city’s energy and is a perfect fit for BMW’s future growth plans in the U.S.”

To ensure the best customer experience, BMW of Minnetonka is equipped with an escalator, latest surround sound system, automatic climate control, driving simulators, and a custom-built Business Center with the most advanced computers, printers, and fax machines.

Recognizing future requirements of the auto industry have changed, energy efficiencies and environmental solutions have been implemented such as using reclaimed water in their car wash, recycled waste oil and fluids to heat the service department, and wallpaper made from recycled plastic bottles. Additionally, highly efficient lighting fixtures are located throughout the facility to provide optimal brightness, while using the least amount of electricity.

During the grand opening celebration on April 21st, Peter Hasselquist, Dealer Principal, commented, “Our Center was designed to provide our customers and guests with the ultimate sales, service and parts experience – we expect the dealership to perform well and increase BMW’s presence in the region.”

The credit crunch has hit global and European economies hard.

The lack of available finances has affected investments and has been accompanied by a drop in consumer spending, rising unemployment and a decline in industrial output. As the major market for lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries is in the consumer, industrial and automotive end-user segments, demand has fallen, evidenced by the drop in revenues. However, the market is poised to rebound around end-2010 and, with the electric vehicle (EV) segment projected to explode in 2012-2013, the market is set for sustained expansion.

New analysis from Frost & Sullivan (http://www.powersupplies.frost.com/), European Secondary Lithium Battery Market, finds that the market earned revenues of $1,618.5 million in 2008 and estimates this to reach $1,759.4 million in 2015.

“Superior performance characteristics that make Li-ion batteries the preferred choice of industry will push growth in the future,” notes Frost & Sullivan Research Analyst Rajanand Rao. “Li-ion batteries have a high energy density of 120-160 Wh/kg, compared to 30-80 Wh/kg for Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) batteries.”

Moreover, Li-ion batteries do not suffer from memory effect and have a low self-discharge rate of about 5 per cent per month, compared to 10 per cent for common NiMH batteries. These superior characteristics of high power and long runtime make them suitable for consumer, industrial and upcoming electric and hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) applications.

The Li-ion battery is emerging as the chemistry of choice and is set to dominate the future of the battery industry, especially with EVs and HEVs poised for mass production. These segments are looking to adopt this chemistry owing to its advanced performance characteristics.

When Li-ion batteries were first introduced in the market, there were several problems connected with their safety and particularly, with their thermal runaway. The best example of these safety issues was the recall of millions of laptop batteries by Sony in 2006 that caused massive losses, both in terms of revenues and trust in Li-ion batteries.

“Li-ion batteries have a tendency to become unstable at temperatures above 140 degrees C,” explains Rao. “This needs to be overcome in order to boost customer trust in these batteries and promote their usage in the industrial as well as automotive segments.”

The need of the hour is to invest in R&D and find new materials that are safer as well as low cost. New cathode chemistries such as Li-iron phosphate and manganese spinel as well as anode and electrolyte technologies promise higher performance, while also providing improved safety.

“Continued R&D to find new and better chemistries, increasing process efficiency and curbing production costs will ensure a steady revenue flow,” advises Rao. “This, together with efforts to expand into the new space created by EVs should help increase, if not maintain, the current market share.”

European Secondary Lithium Battery Market is part of the Power Supplies Growth Partnership Services programme, which also includes research in the following markets: World Hybrid Electric and Electric Vehicle Lithium-ion Battery Market, World Hybrid Electric Vehicles/Plug-in Hybrid Vehicles Battery Market and, North American Starting, Lighting and Ignition (SLI) Lead Acid Battery Aftermarket. All research services included in subscriptions provide detailed market opportunities and industry trends that have been evaluated following extensive interviews with market participants.

Source: Frost & Sullivan

As a Chinese fairytale of “Eclosion to Butterfly” indicates, Geely alternative fuel vehicles have, through painstaking effort, come all the way to have their premiere on Beijing Auto Show this time. For years, Geely has been committed to R&D of alternative power systems for vehicles, and its 5 alternative fuel vehicles for mass production will be marketed in 2 years.

With eye-catching showcase in 2009 Shanghai Auto Show as a concept car only, Geely Intelligence (IG) this time is identified as a pioneering in-research model of Geely’s alternative vehicles. It is face lifted from former single door and 3+1 seat layout to double seagull-wing doors and 2+2 seat layout now, while remains its hybrid power and cost design.

Geely brings two electric vehicles this time — EK-1 and EK-2.EK-1 is lead-acid battery powered reaching 80km/h top speed and 80km range, and EK-2 is lithium iron phosphate battery powered with max. speed of 150km and range of 180km and can recharge 80% of battery capacity in 18mins.

In development of alternative power system, instead of restricting in one specific R&D direction, Geely diversified its development rating on different subjects during various time spans. According to related officer from Geely, currently, when various many factors are involved, in practical fleet, alternative fuel power is still but an option for the whole global auto industry, at least not such unified as the internal-combustion engine powered by petroleum. Considering this, on alternative fuel power solutions, Geely set its development mode of multiple propulsions ready to answer calls from both market needs and tomorrow challenges. Apart from battery electric vehicles, Geely showcase 1 vehicle model with GSC (Geely Intelligent Stop-Go System) and 2 models of GPEC (Geely Plug-in Electric Hybrid Vehicle) .

For plug-in hybrid electric power, a relatively mature alternative energy power technology, Geely has finished its application design in serial and parallel forms and ready for mass production. Geely’s EC7 is applied with GPECs(Geely Serial Plug-in Electric) with iron phosphate battery + 1.0 L engine, 60 km range when solely by battery, launch recently; EC8 is applied GPEC (Geely Plug-in Electric Hybrid Vehicle, parallel), good at fuel economy and dynamic performance, fitted with 2.4L engine to challenge international premium alternative energy vehicle.

BorgWarner Technologies Featured in 2010 World Car of the Year, World Performance Car, World Green Car and World Car Design of the Year Winners

Drivetrain and engine technology from leading global powertrain supplier BorgWarner powers the 2010 World Car of the Year winners, including the:

World Car of the Year: the Volkswagen Polo. For diesel models, BorgWarner produces variable turbine geometry (VTG) turbochargers, three-way valves, glow plugs and control modules. For gasoline models, BorgWarner supplies timing systems and high pressure transmission solenoids for the optional automated manual transmission.

World Performance Car of the Year: the Audi R8. BorgWarner produces high pressure transmission solenoids for the optional R-tronic automated manual transmission.

World Green Car of the Year: the Volkswagen BlueMotion (Golf, Passat, Polo). BorgWarner supplies variable turbine geometry (VTG) turbochargers and three-way valves for the 1.6-liter diesel Polo as well as glow plugs and control modules for the Golf, Passat and Polo.

World Car Design of the Year: the Chevrolet Camaro. BorgWarner produces transmission components, including friction plates and sprag one-way clutch assemblies, for the optional six-speed automatic transmission.

“BorgWarner’s leading technologies help these notable vehicles give consumers what they crave: better fuel economy, lower emissions and improved performance,” said Tim Manganello, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, BorgWarner. “Congratulations to Volkswagen Polo, Audi R8, Volkswagen BlueMotion (Golf, Passat, Polo) and Chevrolet Camaro for these prestigious honors.”

The seventh annual World Car awards recognize and reward automotive excellence on a global scale. Winners are chosen by an international panel of 59 automotive journalists from 25 countries. The awards were announced at the New York International Auto Show.