Xerox Corporation announced yesterday that it would acquire Affiliated Computer Services (ACS) for $6.4 billion. ACS is a major, long-time player in the speed camera, red light camera, tolling and parking ticket business. Xerox, famous for its domination of the photocopying market from the 1960s to the 1980s, sees the purchase as a way to reinvent itself and dominate the business outsourcing market. “By combining Xerox’s strengths in document technology with ACS’s expertise in managing and automating work processes, we’re creating a new class of solution provider,” Xerox CEO Ursula M. Burns said in a statement. “A game-changer for Xerox, acquiring ACS helps us expand our business and benefit from stronger revenue and earnings growth.”

Read More >

If there’s a better symbol of OEM brain drain than Mike Donoughe, I’m not aware of it (but let me know in the comments). Eighteen months ago he was Chrysler’s “star engineer” tasked with leading development of much-needed Sebring/Avenger replacements. He left ChryCo in what appeared to be a clash with senior management, and we’re still waiting for new models to take the place of the gruesome twosome. His next stop was Tesla where he became the head of manufacturing and engineering in July 2008. Within months Donoughe had survived a vicious purge (by txt!), and probably began planning his exit. Having announced his plans to leave Tesla for product development firm St. Clair Consortium, Donoughe is leaving another OEM just as they appear to need him most.

Read More >

TTAC’s call for Chrysler to reveal what the hell it plans on doing with U.S. taxpayers’ $10 billion “investment” has been answered. According to Automotive News [sub], a plan for Chrysler’s product line-up is “emerging” ahead of the official reveal in . . . November. That said, calling so-called plan “vague” would like be calling Hillary Clinton’s tome “It Takes a Village” slightly left-leaning and insufficiently attributed. Anyway, here ya go: “A Chrysler brand with more luxury than Cadillac. A Dodge brand known for driving dynamics. A Jeep lineup that is — well, Jeep. And vehicles to cover every market segment so that wildly fluctuating fuel prices won’t destroy sales.” Sounds crazy and it’ll never work.

Read More >

I’ve often wondered why Ford hasn’t played-up the fact that it never suckled on Uncle Sam’s teat. Oh wait; what’s this? “Ford gets $5.9 billion loan from Department of Energy“? Well, that doesn’t count, right? It’s not a bailout, right? Anyway, discretion is the better part of valor, they say. The day may come when Ford needs to exercise the line of federal credit they established around the time of Bailout V1. I guess it makes sense to let the media trumpet the “fact” that FoMoCo isn’t a ward of the state and leave it at that. So it was a complete surprise to see Ford slap down GM today, in a Detroit News article about the rush to put cars on lots post-Cash for Clunkers. “We knew that our inventories would be drawn down, so we planned increases. We factored that into our production schedule,” said George Pipas, head of sales analysis at the Dearborn automaker. “GM may have been more conservative. They’re now doing what we did a month ago.” Ouch! Could this be the start of some serious cross-town bitch-slapping? Probably not. Still, we can dream . . .

Apparently so. Automotive News [sub] reports that “Fiat Group manufacturing guru Stefan Ketter inspected Chrysler’s Sterling Heights Assembly Plant in suburban Detroit this morning as part of a series of North American plant visits to improve Chrysler quality and efficiency, UAW officials said today.” So why is this news? Other than the fact that maybe Ketter hasn’t been to ChryCo plants before now? I mean, you’d kinda hope that Fiat’s main manufacturing man would have checked-out ALL Chrysler plants prior to U.S. taxpayers handing the Italians over ten billion dollars and the keys to the bankrupt automaker’s, uh, fortune. Anyway, boy what a guru! “[UAW Local 1700 President Bill] Parker said he was optimistic after Ketter’s four-hour visit today that the Sterling Heights plant would stay open beyond the current Sebring production run through December 2010.” Is Ketter a hypnotist? If he is, he’s a damn good one.

“It’s our company’s long-term target, to be China’s No. 1 automaker by 2015 and to be the world’s leading car maker by 2025,” Build Your Dream’s marketing reps tell the AP. Ready for a reality check? BYD sold only 400k units last year, almost all of them in China. In fact, just a few years ago BYD wasn’t an automaker at all, but a battery supplier to laptop and cell phone companies. Several years and a big investment from Warren Buffet later, BYD is getting all kinds of cocky.

Read More >

The NYT covers some of the advancements in the steel that goes into cars. One surprise? “North America doesn’t have to take a back seat to anyone,” when it comes to steel content, according to an analyst who specializes in automotive steel. Apparently the steel industry has been feeling the heat from aluminum, composites and other materials, and they’re fighting back with super-strong high-tech alloys that can still be stamped or molded. Still, the pull between high-quality components and cost-cutting never ends. And as thestreet reports, a looming trade war with China could soon make the steel game even crazier.

UPI reports on recently-released documents which detail the extent to which states went to secure GM’s recent compact car manufacturing contract. Wisconsin had committed “$213.14 million in concessions from United Auto Workers Local 95, $100 million in Enterprise Zone tax credits and $24 million in discounts from health insurers and providers,” according to the report. Another $100M was added to the incentive package after Wisconsin officials learned that it was falling behind in the bidding, bringing the total package to $409M. Which wasn’t even close to enough to beat out Michigan’s winning bid, which totaled $1B.

Read More >

China’s recent decisions to allow defaults on commodity future contracts and subsidize raw material imports are seriously messing with the commodities markets, giving voice to paranoia in every sector of the economy. In the auto industry, that means the now-familiar cries from those who worry far too much about the availability of raw materials for battery making. Automotive News [sub] reports that worldwide demand for 15 “rare earth” elements will exceed demand by 40k tons “in the next few years,” raising challenges for the nascent hybrid and battery electric segments.

Read More >

Autocar reports that BMW is considering licensing Toyota’s iQ city car platform for its long–rumored neo-Isetta EV. In return, Toyota would reportedly get access to BMW’s MINI platform. It’s understandable that BMW would want to trade for a city car platform (they all look/drive the same anyway), but why would Toyota want a platform that could be mooted by improving the Yaris’s underpinnings? Also, is BMW not aware that Aston is doing its own iQ re-skin? How did the Bavarians not pick up on the scornful reception that news elicited? Meanwhile, Toyota is also in platform-sharing talks with Daimler. When did Toyota become the new Fiat?

Chrysler has removed Hyundai and Mitusbishi logos from the joint Global Engine Manufacturing Alliance plant in Dundee, Michigan, reports the Freep. Plant employees anonymously confirm ChryCo’s executive desire to be rid of the alliance, and GEMA reps tell Automotive News [sub] that “there are discussions about that going on at the highest levels.” The Dundee plant manufactures 1.8-, 2.0- and 2.4-liter Hyundai-designed engines for Chrysler’s small cars, and internationally the alliance builds engines for over twenty models. The obvious motivation is the same as all of Chrysler’s recent announcements, namely moving into a tighter orbit around planet Fiat. Chrysler is proving to be more useful to Fiat as a tool to screw with Fiat’s international competitors than as a way of making inroads on the American market. Meanwhile, Fiat’s actual plan for Chrysler in the US seems to be limited to creating a client for Fiat’s engines and platforms. So much so that Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne is reportedly considering replacing Cummins diesel engines with Fiat oil burners in upcoming Ram 1500 models.

swine flu Bird Flu Symptoms tamiflu rumsfield
rumsfeld tamiflu Tamiflu Contains Mercury flu prevention signs
tamiflu without a prescription Tamiflu During Pregnancy flu treatment
swine flu prevention kits Tamiflu For Children 2008 buy tamiflu w/ no prescription
“flu symptoms” Flu Prevention Signs Alendronic acid tamiflu alternative flu prevention 416.
san luis potosi swine flu Purchase Tamiflu swine flu cartoon
what are some treatments of swine flu How Is The Swine Flu Transmitted flu mask p95
cold and flu remedy Swine Flu Veracruz order tamiflu
tamiflu pregnancy Swine Flu 1976 can you get better from h1n1 without tamiflu
comprar tamiflu Natural Swine Flu Prevention Acheter tamiflu alendronic acid tamiflu 655.
there is no treatment for swine flu Dog Flu how long does the flu usually last
“swine flu cdc” Cancun Swine Flu tamiflu or relenza
tamiflu for children Swine Flu Origin swine flu tamiflu
tamiflu buy Tamiflu Availabilty tamiflu dosing
intestinal flu Tamiflu Suspension No Prescription tamiflu order without a prescription
mercury in flu shots Baxter Avian Flu Vaccine Europe swine flu in illinois
cdc tamiflu! H1n1 Flu false flu security
flu symtoms Tamiflu Otc Switch tamiflu for sale
tamiflu and to relenza. Best Flu Treatments Remedy for stomach flu roche and employer stockpiling tamiflu 913.
tamiflu capsules Buy Tamiflu W No Prescription where to buy tamiflu
flu protection Tamiflu Elderly tamiflu rumsfeld
symptoms of the flu Why Is It Called Swine Flu who manufactures tamiflu
flu tamiflu powder Flu Prednisone Shot swine flu italy
swine flu vaccine Tamiflu En Espana tamiflu for sale
swine flu symptoms treatment Tamiflu New Zealand swine flu italy
flu prevention signs Tamiflu Z-pack prevention of swine flu
can pets get the swine flu Tamiflu Dosage bird avian flu prevention, treatment & tamiflu
Swine flu indiana swine flu info 910. Avian Bird Flu And Tamiflu swine flu preventions
symptoms of the swine flu Flu Vaccine And Coumadin the swine flu
tamiflu maker Soap Note For Tamiflu tamiflu stock
treatment of flu Swine Flu Incubation Period “swine flu outbreak”
h1n1 swine flu How Did Swine Flu Start rumsfeld’s growing stake in tamiflu fort detrick
signs of swine flu Order Tamiflu Paypal tamiflu not effective h5n1
swine flu origin, Home Treatment Of The Flu avian flu treatment
swine flu and steroid treatment; Tamiflu Price “swine flu and symptoms”
swine flu course progression duration treatment tamiflu Tamiflu Rumsfield flu symptoms headache
swine flu statistics Tamiflu Rumsfeld flu portland or,
flu tracker Flu Georgia “swine flu natural treatments”
“swine flu natural treatments” Tamiflu Reactions swine flu in florida
Pharmacist role in flu prevention tamiflu pharmacist role in flu tamiflu 727. Still Died After Taking Tamiflu ap news tamiflu
pig flu Swine Flu In Ohio tamiflu melbourne
flu virus, Is Tamiflu By Prescription Only swine flu treatments,
swine flu info Texas Swine Flu stomach flu and treatments
spanish flu Tamiflu High Blood Pressure flu pandemic declared
stomach flu symptoms? Swine Flu Syptoms tamiflu melbourne
Over the counter tamiflu pandemic flu 335. Tamiflu Where Can You Buy Online cdc tamiflu!
california swine flu; Tamiflu Dose For Influenza Swine flu containment treatment swine flu course progression duration treatment tamiflu 162.
cold and flu treatments Tamiflu Prescribing Directions For Swine Flu “tamiflu efficacy”
tamiflu for swine Newsday Counterfeit Tamiflu swine flu statistics
intestinal flu Government Tamiflu treatment for the flu
swine flu protection Tamiflu And To Relenza. mercury in flu shots

When GM released the Chevrolet Traverse, it ended speculation about the American automaker’s ability to stay on the “no badge engineering” band wagon. The CUV is a lightly-disguised fourth iteration of GM’s Lambda-platformed mini-behemoths, appearing after the GMC Acadia, Buick Enclave and Saturn Outlook. Equally important, the Traverse hailed from GM’s Spring Hill, Tennessee, factory; ground zero in the epic failure known as Saturn brand. Or, more poignantly, the plant that’s located smack dab in the middle of Senator Bob Corker’s patch. You remember Corker: the politician who raked Chrysler, Ford and GM’s CEOs over the congressional coals when they appeared on Capitol Hill with their multi-billion dollar “bridge loan” begging bowls. All of which is a preamble to the fact that GM’s removing Chevy Traverse production from Spring Hill and sending it to Delta Township in Lansing, Michigan. Payback? Or a sign of a dead model walking? Yes and maybe, as the sales numbers reveal . . .

Read More >

State-owned stakes in the Russian auto firm AvtoVAZ, truck builder Kamaz and engine firm Avtodizel are being merged to create the first national auto conglomerate of the Carpocalypse. AvtoVAZ chairman Boris Alyoshin is stepping down, and will be replaced when the merger is complete. A new firm, created out of Russian Technologies, has been formed as a holding company for the government stakes which amount to 37.8% of Kamaz, 25% of AvotVAZ and 30% of Avtodizel. Renault owns another 25 percent stake in AvtoVAZ. But underlying weakness in the merging firms and the complication of government-owned conglomerate governance raise concerns for the latter-day Leyland. “It is hard to see any synergy from the unification of the passenger car producer and the heavy truck maker,” Alfa Bank analyst Georgy Ivanin tells AFP. “The decision making process in both companies may slow as the management structure gets more complicated.” Not to mention the “been there done that” factor.

Toyota’s board has voted to end production at its NUMMI plant starting in March 2010, reports the AP [via sfgate]. The factory in Fremont, California, was a joint venture between Toyota and GM, but its future was first cast into doubt when GM announced it was withdrawing after discontinuing the Pontiac Vibe built there. The state of California discussed incentives to keep Toyota (and its 4,600 jobs) at the plant, but Toyota’s 1 million unit global capacity reduction was the higher priority. It’s possible that state incentives could lure other OEMs to the factory, but local incentive-grubber Tesla has already declined pursuit of NUMMI on the grounds that it was more factory than the start-up could handle.