|
September 29th, 2011
Auto mover News : Six new jobs were created, and much more could be added later, Owen Sound MacLean Engineering plant after the company signed a contract to design and manufacture of transport vehicles Ontario Power Generation. Manufacturing is alive and well in Owen Sound. Six engineers have been hired to design the new GEN4 dry storage container vehicle, which will be used to transport fuel rods at a nuclear power plant in Ontario.
The contract with OPG is for one transport vehicle, but Griffiths said there is an option to build a second. Neither MacLean Engineering nor OPG would disclose the value of the contract. Company is excited, on a strategic level to have won the contract with OPG for a new product line. The company hopes to find other applications for the vehicle, to expand production.
MacLean Engineering, based in Collingwood, manufactures municipal vehicles and accessories and units associated mining to select parts of the vehicle and the mining company at its plant in Owen Sound. MacLean Engineering employs 96 people in Owen Sound and 450 companywide. The vehicle is about 7.3 meters long, five meters high, and five meters wide and weighs 35 tones. It will be able to carry loads of up to 80 tones. MacLean Engineering’s new contract is good news, given the closure of two major employers in Owen Sound in recent months.
Tags: MacLean Engineering, MacLean Engineering plant, MacLean Vehicle, Nuclear Fuel Rods, nuclear power plant, Ontario Power Generation, plant in Owen Sound, transport fuel rods
Posted in Auto transport, Cars, Road transport | No Comments »
September 22nd, 2011
Automover News: Hyundai Motor Company Australia (HMCA) has recorded its best-ever August sales result. Hyundai finished in fifth position overall with 7,417 sales achieving a market share of 8.4%. The sales result saw an increase of +13.1% August 2011 v. August 2010 in a total market which was up +7.3% over the same period.
|
|
In passenger car sales, HMCA ranked fourth for the month, and fourth YTD with 5,481vehicles sold and a market share of 11.3%. The multi-award winning i20 placed third in the light car segment with its best-ever sales result since launch of 1,163 vehicle sales and a market share of 10.4%.
The new Accent hatch and sedan models arrived in August, alongside the i20 hatch and i30 range, the new Accent offers consumers a range of solutions to their motoring needs in the smaller car market.
|
Hyundai Motor America (HMA) has announced an August sales figure of 58,505 vehicles, an increase of +9.1% August 2011 v. August 2010. Sales are up +21.3% August YTD versus the same period a year earlier.
Hyundai Motor Company has seen an overall increase in global sales of +5.1% rising from 292,491 in August 2010 to 307,320 in August 2011. Domestic sales also increased by +4% (August 2011 v. August 2010) with 51,322 units sold compared to 49,362 for the same period last year.
Tags: Automover News, Hyundai i20 cars, Hyundai i20 sales, Hyundai Motor America, Hyundai Motor Company, Hyundai Motor Company Australia, multi-award winning i20, new Accent hatch, smaller car market
Posted in Hyundai, Road transport | No Comments »
September 15th, 2011
Automover News: Volvo is one of the best car companies with boxy-but-safe sedans and wagons. If things go as Volvo management plans, they may soon be known as the safe green car manufacturer. First up is a switch to four-cylinder diesel and gasoline engines throughout their lineup. Volvo killed off the V-8 in 2010, but emphasized the use of five- and six-cylinder engines at a time when other automakers were paring back to four-cylinders. Volvo’s new Volvo Environmental Architecture (VEA) strategy is to use four-cylinder common rail diesel and gasoline direct injection engines throughout their product line, a move that Volvo insists will continue to meet customer expectations of the brand.
In fact, Volvo is claiming that the move to a more modern four-cylinder engine will, in some cases, increase both performance and fuel economy. The new engines will share as many common parts as possible, a move that Volvo expects to reduce engine-part inventory by as much as 60 percent. The new drive trains will be lighter, too, in some cases up to 198 pounds lighter than current six-cylinder drive trains. Fuel economy will grow by as much as 35 percent.
The common-parts idea will be carried over to Volvo’s platforms as well; thanks to something Volvo is calling Scalable Platform Architecture (SPA). By using a single, modular platform to build everything from the C30 hatchback up to the S80 sedan, a single production line can be used to build every vehicle in Volvo’s lineup. The SPA architecture will allow future vehicles to be as much as 330 pounds lighter than their current equivalents, with improved weight distribution and the possibility of introducing electrification into the Volvo drive train.
Tags: Automover News, best car companies, gasoline engines, modern four-cylinder engine, safe green car manufacturer, Scalable Platform Architecture, six-cylinder drive trains, Volvo cars, Volvo Environmental Architecture
Posted in Car moving company, Road transport | No Comments »
September 8th, 2011
Automover News: The Company boasts a most comprehensive and affordable all green fleet of rental vehicles at affordable prices. Located in Venice, California, they make it easy and convenient to rent a car as a driver coming from LAX airport. As the leading provider of hybrid car rentals in the area, MPG is progressive, has a great reputation for being the best rental car company in Los Angeles, and has great customer service and an unmatched selection of environmentally friendly automobiles.
The new 2012 Fisker Karma will be gracing the car lots of MPG Car Rental in LA soon, and MPG will be among the first car rental companies to be offering the luxury sedan. Fisker Automotive says the Fisker Karma has an unheard of fuel consumption of 100 miles per gallon, making filling the tank something drivers won’t have to very often at all. The Fisker Karma is a plug-in hybrid luxury sports sedan which was first debuted at the North American International Auto Show in 2008. It is the first car from Fisker Automotive, which is a new automaker located in Anaheim, California as of September 5, 2007. The selling price for the 2012 Fisker Karmas is anywhere from $95,900 for the basic model to $109,850 for the top of the line model.
MPG Car Rental is extremely excited to be offering to rent out the Fisker Karma, but it won’t be able until mid-October. An employee at MPG stated that the store has been on a waiting list for 10-11 months now. We are really excited to get the Fisker because we will be the only car rental company in LA that will have it available to rent. We expect a lot of people to be interested in renting the car. I read that Leonardo DiCaprio was driving one. This will be a nice high end car for customers to rent when they’re in town.
Tags: 2012 Fisker Karma, Automover News, hybrid car rentals, hybrid luxury sports sedan, LAX airport, Leonardo DiCaprio, MPG Car Rental
Posted in Auto transport, Car moving company, Cars, Road transport | No Comments »
September 2nd, 2011
Automover News: Volkswagen Australia has initiated an all-new addition to their highly successful Caddy line-up of vans and people movers called the Caddy 4MOTION. 4Motion is for all-wheel drive and its standard fit on both the Caddy Maxi Life and Caddy Maxi Van model variants. Car Advice was at the Australian launch of the vehicle this week, which included a test drive program from Albury/Wodonga to Falls Creek and back. First up was the Caddy Maxi Life. Its full model description is the TDI320 Caddy Maxi Life Comfort line 4MOTION. It might have started out in life as a compact commercial van, but in this guise, it’s a highly accomplished seven-seat people mover with a crazy amount of space and impeccable road manners.
|
|
Despite the total absence of any soft touch materials there’s a premium feel to the cockpit of the Caddy, which also extends across to the stripped out Maxi Van. It’s a combination of all-black plastics that are nicely patterned and a highly functional console and switchgear layout, including the oversize air conditioning vents and a thick-rimmed three-spoke sports-style steering wheel donated from the Golf. The fabric-upholstered seats (from the Volkswagen Polo) are superbly comfortable, even after a few hours behind the wheel. There’s plenty of side bolster too, which keeps your torso firmly in place so as you can properly enjoy the unusually good on road dynamics the Caddy Maxi Life is blessed with.
|
The second-row seats maintain a similar level of passenger comfort and are split-fold, while the third row is a bench seat set-up but does fold flat. In fact, if you want to use your Caddy Life 4Motion for house moving runs or trips to the local tip , all rear seats fold dead flat for easy high capacity loading. But if that’s not enough, you can easily remove the rear seats completely (row-by-row) for a Maxi Van-like load capacity. Most people movers in this segment lose much of their luggage capacity with all three seat rows in the upright position, but that’s where the Caddy Life is the standout vehicle. Not only is the aperture of the tailgate completely unencumbered for both width and height, allowing for dishwashers, washing machines and dryers to slide right in, but also there is a tone of space behind the third row.
Volkswagen Caddy Maxi Life TDI320 4MOTION 2.0-litre common-rail direct-injection turbo-diesel six-speed DSG (Direct Shift gearbox), 103kW/320Nm: $45,490 (Manufacturer’s List Price).
Volkswagen Caddy Maxi Van TDI320 4MOTION 2.0-litre common-rail direct-injection turbo-diesel six-speed DSG (Direct Shift gearbox), 103kW/320Nm: $36,490 (Manufacturer’s List Price).
Tags: Automover News, Caddy 4MOTION, Caddy Maxi Van model, fabric-upholstered seats car, luggage capacity, switchgear layout, Volkswagen Australia, Volkswagen Caddy Maxi Life, Volkswagen Caddy Maxi Van
Posted in Auto transport, Cars, Road transport, Shipping | No Comments »
August 25th, 2011
Automover News: Mazda has stopped the production of its RX-8 rotary engine sports car, citing falling sales and stringent global emissions standards. Production in Hiroshima, Japan, ended in early July and global sales of the car will conclude later this year. The RX-8 and the three generations of the RX-7 that preceded it have long been the foundation the brand’s fun-to-drive aura. The car’s high-revving 1.3-liter, twin-rotor rotary engine produces 232 hp at 8,500 rpm a big punch in a relatively small package.
But Mazda sold just 1,134 RX-8s last year, a 49 percent decline from 2009. Sales through July of 2011 were down another 21 percent. The RX-8, which has a base price of $27,590, including shipping, peaked at 23,690 sales in 2004. But the first-generation RX-7 surpassed 50,000 units throughout the early 1980s. Mazda’s U.S. dealers had 300 units in stock as of Aug. 1 for a 118-day supply, according to the Automotive News Data Center.
Mazda pulled the RX-8 from the European market last year after the car failed to meet local emissions standards. Without volume from Europe, Mazda couldn’t justify selling the RX-8. Exporting vehicles from Japan also has become more difficult. This isn’t the first time that Mazda has dropped its rotary engine sports car from the U.S. lineup. The RX-7 was pulled after the 1995 model year. A rotary-powered car didn’t return to American showrooms until the 2003 introduction of the RX-8.
And the RX-8′s demise may not be the end of the rotary engine at Mazda. A source says engineers in Hiroshima are still working on the next generation, 1.6-liter rotary engine, code-named 16X, that is said to have lower emissions, better fuel economy and more power. When unveiled at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show, the 16X had an enlarged elliptical shape for the combustion chamber and an enlarged eccentric center stroke in the rotor. Mazda also planned direct-injection fuel delivery in a rotary engine for the first time.
Tags: 2007 Tokyo Motor Show, American showrooms, Automotive News Data Center, Automover News, Maxda cars RX-8, Production in Hiroshima, rotary engine at Mazda, RX-8 European market, RX-8 rotary engine sports car
Posted in Auto transport, Car moving company, Cars, Public Transport | No Comments »
August 18th, 2011
Automover News: Container shipping companies create figures which can best be described as OK and at worst gloomy the biggest boy in the gang, freight carrier Maersk Line remains somewhat sheltered by its presence within the AP Moller Maersk Empire which issued half year figures today, profits depending heavily on the group’s oil related revenues. Although TEU volumes were up 6% the average freight rates, including bunker surcharges, were 3% lower than in the same period last year.
Actual container tally came out at 3.8 million forty foot equivalent units (FFE) producing a profit of $0.4 billion compared to last year’s equivalent of $1.2 billion. For the group overall revenue increased by 9% to $29.9bn primarily due to higher oil prices and container volumes. Profit for the period was 8% higher at $2.7bn positively affected by divestment gain from sale of Netto Food stores Ltd. UK of $ 0.7bn. The group annualised returns on invested capital after tax (ROIC) remained steady at 12.8%.
Tankers, offshore and other shipping activities made a profit of $250million up from $171 million. The big earner for Maersk was in oil and gas activities with profits of $1.2 billion against last year’s equivalent period which showed a $0.9 billion, showing an ROIC figure of 54.7%. Maersk continue to be the world’s number one container carrier with a total fleet of 621 such vessels of which 376 are chartered.
The official company outlook will be of interest to freight professionals with the group expecting only modest container profits for the foreseeable future. Despite feeling that global demand for seaborne containers will grow by 6-8% in 2011 the global supply of new tonnage is expected to grow more than the freight volumes especially on the Asia to Europe trade. This rebalancing will doubtless lead to freight rates remaining under pressure with high bunker and time charter costs expected to continue to exert a negative impact on profit margins.
Tags: Automover News, Container shipping companies, container volumes, freight professionals, high bunker, higher oil prices, Moller Maersk Empire, world’s number one container carrier
Posted in Movers, Ship transport, Shipping, Water Transport | No Comments »
August 11th, 2011
Auto mover News: Now a day’s more people like cars to drive and Toyoto introduces new models of the car every year. In 2012 Toyota Yaris, Sequoia, Tundra and Sienna get price hikes for the new model year.
Toyota announced today that the new Yaris model the Second-Smallest car in its U.S. lineup, will start at $14,115 for the two-door hatchback, excluding a $760 destination fee. That’s about $1,000 more than the 2011 model. $14,875 will get you a 2012 Toyota Yaris L three-door hatchback with a five-speed manual transmission. For The top of the line Yaris SE five-door hatch Yaris you will have to pay $17,960.
The new pricing places the Yaris above most of its competition. The Honda Fit starts at $15,100, the new Nissan Versa hatchback just hitting dealerships has a base MSRP of $14,380, and the Hyundai Accent begins at $14,595 for the base GS hatchback.
Toyota said the carry-over 2012 Sienna minivan will start at $25,330 for a new base 2WD cargo van with a V6 engine, including an $810 shipping charge. Pricing on the base 2012 Toyota Sienna with a four-cylinder engine remains the same at $25,870, including shipping. Entry into the Sequoia range starts at $40,930 for the 4×2 SR5 with a 4.6-liter V8, and ends at $61,805 with the 4×4 Platinum grade equipped with the 5.7-liter V8, reflecting an increase of $239. Prices for the 2012 Sequoia will go into effect beginning with its start of production on August 29.
Tags: 2012 Sienna minivan, 2012 Toyota Yaris, Auto mover News, four-cylinder engine, Hyundai Accent, Nissan Versa, Second-Smallest car toyoto, Toyoto new car models 2012, Yaris SE five-door hatch
Posted in Car moving company, Car shipping, Cars | No Comments »
August 4th, 2011
Automover News: Honda Australia announced its June retail sales results for private buyers. The Honda CR-V leading the SUV Compact category and Odyssey, leading the People Movers Under $55k category; Honda ranked second in the Light Model Under $25k segment with the Jazz and achieved total car sales for the month of 4,162 units.
Committed to offering our customers engineering excellence and worry-free motoring with an excellent value for money proposition and a fun driving experience, we are delighted that consumers are embracing Honda in this country. Our business strategy was to add value for our customers by delivering products with better specifications and adjustments to price. The Honda CR-V proved its promise as Australia’s best SUV Compact, stealing pole position in the category by selling 675 units and gaining a 10.27 per cent market share.
Taking out the top spot in the People Movers Under $55k category and achieving an outstanding market share of 33.23 per cent, Honda’s Odyssey achieved fantastic results in June, with 104 units of the popular car sold. The Jazz was the top performing car for Honda, selling 1,074 cars in June 2011 and achieving a 12.7 per cent market share in the Light Model Under $25k segment, ranking number two overall in the category.
With a history of delivering more from less and an exceptional driving experience that comes with a great value price tag, there has never been a better time to buy a Honda. The biggest engine manufacturer, a leader in automotive research and development and consistently rated a top performer in customer satisfaction, Honda has millions of delighted customers worldwide and more than 400,000 cars on the road in Australia.
Tags: Australia’s best SUV Compact, Automover News, biggest engine manufacturer, Honda Australia, Honda CR-V, Honda Jazz, Honda’s Odyssey
Posted in Car moving company, Road transport | No Comments »
July 28th, 2011
Automover News: Honda Canada has at large details and a photo of a meaner and more sculpted CR-V Concept that previews what the next-generation CR-V will look like when it arrives in showrooms early next year. The company also confirmed that the new CR-V, as will the Honda Civic, which shares the CR-V’s platform. It will also be built at the East Liberty plant in Ohio where the current CR-V is assembled, with Canadian production of CR-Vs coming online early in 2012.
Honda’s recent history of concept versions of production cars were little more than the real thing with larger wheels and tires, and darker tinted glass and headlights. If this concept CR-V follows that pattern, then the next CR-V certainly takes a more aggressive step forward in the styling department, with a radically upward-angled lower front clip that visually displaces the front bumper. This suggests a more adventurous approach angle to obstacles, though it is likely more a styling nod than a real improvement in off-road capability. Honda claims it’s a more Aerodynamic front face as well, the fuel economy and noise reduction benefits are more likely to place higher on the engineering (and consumer) priority list.
The next CR-V will also feature an all-new interior, says Honda, with a more accommodating and spacious design. The company did not confirm or deny spy shot suggestions that there may be a small third-row available on the CR-V for the first time. Rivals such as the Toyota RAV4 and Dodge Journey have dabbled with third-row options, but most vehicles in the compact crossover class are strictly five-seaters.
No engine or fuel economy details were forthcoming, but Honda Canada also confirmed that a new Canada-only touring model will be introduced for 2012. The CR-V seems destined to remain a Four-cylinder-only vehicle that emphasizes fuel economy over power, so don’t expect a swift turbo or V-6 version to add extra oomph to what has long been a slow mover but quick seller. With a record sales year in Canada last year, the CR-V is still proving popular in 2011 – it was the ninth best-selling truck in the market through the first half of this year.
Tags: Automover News, East Liberty plan, Four-cylinder-only vehicle, Honda canada CR-V, Honda Civic, larger wheels and tires in CR-V, Toyota RAV4 and Dodge
Posted in Auto transport, Car shipping, Cars, Road transport | No Comments »
|
|
