Wednesday, December 4, 2002

Fox/Sports Service: Launching On DirecTV, Time Warner

ANAHEIM, Calif. December 4, 2002 Dow Jones reported that Fox Entertainment Group Inc. unit Fox Cable Networks Group plans to launch a new 24-hour sports digital programming service in the summer of 2003. In a press release Wednesday, the unit said DirecTV Inc., a unit of Hughes Electronics Corp. , and AOL Time Warner I ... Continue reading

Auto Nation To Use Veridiem Software

MAYNARD, Mass., Dec. 4, 2002; Veridiem(TM), the leader in enterprise software and services that help companies continuously optimize their return on marketing, announced today that AutoNation, Inc., America's largest retailer of both new and used vehicles, is conducting a pilot using the Veridiem Enterprise Marketing(T ... Continue reading

American Consumers Rate German Cars Highest Among All Car Brands

MINNEAPOLIS, Dec. 4, 2002; German car brands have high recognition and acceptance in the USA, particularly Mercedes and BMW. Japanese brands like Lexus and Toyota in particular also enjoy high levels of popularity. Conversely, Americans give a comparatively less favorable ratings to cars produced in their own country. ... Continue reading

Motor Press Guild Names Dean Batchelor Award Winner

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 4, 2002; The Motor Press Guild last night presented its Dean Batchelor Award to Gordon Kirby during the organization's annual Holiday Awards Dinner at the Petersen Automotive Museum. Kirby, motorsports journalist and author of five auto-racing books, was recognized for his compelling biography of Mari ... Continue reading

Telematics is Not a Question of If, but When

MINNEAPOLIS--Dec. 4, 2002--According to a recent study by Telematics Research Group, Telematics is not a question of if, but when, and what functions will become prevalent. According to the report, Telematics will enable a host of functions from vehicle and passenger safety to comfort and convenience features. "The con ... Continue reading

DENSO Develops World's First CO2 Car Air Conditioner

TOKYO, Dec. 4, 2002; DENSO Corporation, parent company of Southfield, Mich.-based DENSO International America, has developed with Toyota Motor Corporation the world's first non-fluorocarbon car air conditioner using natural refrigerant, carbon dioxide (CO2). Toyota's fuel cell hybrid vehicle FCHV, launched on Dec. 2, i ... Continue reading

Board Bouncing - Laskawy Goodyear To GM

AKRON, Ohio, Dec. 4, 2002; The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company announced today that Philip A. Laskawy, 61, has resigned from its board of directors to accept a position on the General Motors Corp. board. Laskawy, retired chairman and chief executive officer of Ernst & Young LLP, had been a member of Goodyear's board sin ... Continue reading

Porsche sees record profit as Cayenne sells out

STUTTGART, Germany, Dec 4, 2002; Nick Tattersall writing for Reuters reports that German sportscar maker Porsche AG (Frankfurt:PSHG_p.F - News) said on Wednesday it was set for a ninth consecutive year of record profit after selling out its new Cayenne model even before the sports utility vehicle reaches dealers. The c ... Continue reading

Saint Paul Gas Station Offers Motorists Free E85 Fuel Today, 4-7 p.m.

SAINT PAUL, Minn., Dec. 4, 2002; Drivers of "flexible fuel vehicles," cars, minivans and trucks designed to burn either ethanol or traditional gasoline, can receive up to 15 gallons of free E85 fuel today at the Holiday Stationstore, 600 Snelling Ave N., Saint Paul, from 4-7 p.m. E85 is a blend of 85 percent ethanol an ... Continue reading

Volvo Cars of North America Launches National Search for Everyday Heroes

NEW YORK--Dec. 4, 2002-- Volvo for Life Awards to be a Multi-year Program to Celebrate Ordinary People Doing Extraordinary Things -- Nominations Accepted at www.volvoforlifeawards.com Volvo Cars of North America today launched a national public service program to inspire people to make outstanding contributions to thei ... Continue reading

New Luxury Motorhome Debuts Featuring an Attached Garage

LOUISVILLE, Ky., Dec. 4, 2002; Over the last few years, motorhomes have become more and more like houses, featuring luxuries such as full-sized baths, granite kitchen countertops and expandable rooms called "slideouts." Now comes a motorhome with an attached garage. A Michigan-based chassis manufacturer and an Indiana- ... Continue reading

Volkswagen's Audi, Toyota Corolla : Good Bumper Test Rating - Complete Results

December 3, 2002 ARLINGTON, VA -- In 5 mph crash tests conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety to assess and compare how well car bumpers resist damage in low-speed impacts, the midsize 2002 Audi A4 performed well. Another midsize car, the 2003 Honda Accord, performed reasonably well but not as well as ... Continue reading

GM: Saturn Sales To Amost Double

Detroit, December 4, 2002; Joe Miller writing for Bloomberg News reports that General Motors Corp.'s unprofitable Saturn division will increase annual sales to more than 500,000 cars and trucks by 2005 from about 285,000 this year by adding models and dealerships. The world's largest automaker will give Saturn a new mi ... Continue reading

SF Judge Gives Ford A $69 Million Reversal

SAN FRANCISCO December 4, 2002; Karen Gullo writing for Bloomberg reported that the Ford Motor Co. legal team persuaded a court to throw out a $69 million jury award to a Nevada couple who said a flawed parking brake caused their truck to roll over their 3-year-old son, who was killed. The 9th U.S. Circuit of Appeals r ... Continue reading

GM Sees Stationary Fuel-Cells First Then Cars

FREJUS, France December 4, 2002; Alan Katz writing for Bloomberg reported that General Motors Corp. is staking out a future for fuel cells that will be at least as dependent on sales to factory managers as drivers. The No. 1 carmaker began test drives for journalists of its prototype Hy-Wire fuel-cell car yesterday in ... Continue reading

Volvo Recalls 65,000 Cars

WASHINGTON, DC December 4, 2002; The AP reported that Volvo Cars of North America is recalling 65,000 cars because the seat heaters could short circuit and catch fire. The recall involves 1996 models of the Volvo 854 and 855 equipped with seat heaters. Excessive compression of the seat cushion could damage the electric ... Continue reading

New Fuel-Contamination Test Facility Available at Southwest Research Institute

SAN ANTONIO--Dec. 3, 2002--Southwest Research Institute(R) (SwRI(R)) has completed a 5,000-square-foot laboratory dedicated to fuel contamination research and testing. The new facility provides greater flexibility in the number and type of fuel systems and components that can be tested, improving scheduling for client ... Continue reading

Racing Radios Moves Headquarters To Hampton, Georgia

Contacts: Chris Thornton Racing Radios 707/897-0051 chris.thornton@racingradios.com Barbara Evans Evans MMPR 661/287-5842 818/404-5770 (cell) evansmmpr@earthlink.net FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE RACING RADIOS MOVES HEADQUARTERS TO HAMPTON, GEORGIA Customer-friendly site, adjacent to Atlanta Motor Speedway, is conveniently loc ... Continue reading

Racing Radios Launches Custom Scanner Headsets at 2002 PRI Trade Show

Contacts: Chris Thornton Racing Radios 707/897-0051 chris.thornton@racingradios.com Barbara Evans Evans MMPR 661/287-5842 818/404-5770 (cell) evansmmpr@earthlink.net FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE RACING RADIOS LAUNCHES CUSTOM SCANNER HEADSETS AT 2002 PRI TRADE SHOW Custom-painted scanner headsets in team colors let fans show l ... Continue reading

Auto Industry U.S. November Results by Auto Groups

DETROIT, Dec 3, 2002 Reuters published the following U.S. sales and market shares of cars and light trucks listed by auto groups and their wholly owned subsidiaries for November versus the same year-earlier month and for the year-to-date. Percent changes are based on the daily sales rate. ... Continue reading

BMW INTROS 760Li Yachtline - Full Story

BMW 760Li: The new Ultimate Luxury Driving Machine arrives Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey, November 8, 2002...It has been barely a year since BMW's "New 7" was introduced, but what an eventful year for BMW. No mere evolutionary product, The New 7 was instead a bold statement about who BMW is, what BMW stands for, and where ... Continue reading

Gift Ideas for the Auto Enthusiast; Specialized Car Parts for All Types of Drivers

SEATTLE--Dec. 3, 2002--From high-performance windshield wipers to luxurious customized floor mats, a wide range of popular auto accessories are available this holiday season for car lovers. More people than ever are adding specialty parts and accessories to their vehicles. Sales of specialty parts have grown almost 83 ... Continue reading

General Motors and Todey Chevrolet of Oxnard, Calif.Donate $10,000 to the Oxnard High School Band

FOR RELEASE: December 3, 2002 Donation is Single Largest Contribution to School Band Program Oxnard, Calif. - General Motors and Todey Chevrolet of Oxnard, Calif. recently donated $10,000 to the Oxnard High School Band, the single largest contribution ever made to the band program. The gift, a joint effort between GM's ... Continue reading

Chad Knaus and Jimmy Fennig Win IRWIN "Crew Chief of the Year" Honors

For more information, contact: Yancey Casey Golin/Harris International (312) 729-4379 Editor's Note: Final standings appear at end of release Chad Knaus and Jimmy Fennig Win 2002 IRWIN Crew Chief of the Year Honors VERNON HILLS, Ill., December 3, 2002 - Solid efforts and yearlong consistency both on the track and in th ... Continue reading

Arnage Limousine by Bentley Mulliner - If You Have To Ask How Much $ You Can't Afford It

Bentley Mulliner is the specialist personal commissioning department of Bentley Motors. Although newly launched, it can trace its ancestry back more than 200 years, and continues Bentley's fine reputation for hand craftsmanship and the individualisation of its cars. Services include the building of unique one-off vehic ... Continue reading