2015 Lexus LX 570
The owner of a Lexus LX 570 ought to be someone who: 1.
Gary S. Vasilash
Editor-in-Chief, Automotive Design & Production
Cadillac Unveils CT5 Sedan
General Motors Co.’s Cadillac unit has released images of its upcoming CT5 midsize sedan ahead of the car’s public unveiling at next month’s New York auto show.
Ford Relaunching F-150 Production after Supplier Fire
Ford Motor Co. expects to resume production of its F-Series pickup trucks, the company’s top selling and most profitable line, on Friday after a supplier plant fire idled output a week ago.
UPDATE: Impact of Supplier Plant Fire Spreads Across U.S. Carmakers
Last week’s fire at a Michigan supplier of light-weight metal component is disrupting production for at least five carmakers in the U.S.
Chassix Chairman Newsted Dies
Richard Newsted, chairman of Southfield, Mich.-based supplier Chassix Holdings Inc., died last Thursday in Las Vegas at age 58, Automotive News reports.
McLaren Supercar Ups Carbon Fiber Content and Tech Features
McLaren Automotive Ltd. has standardized a host of features and added new options for its 2016 model 650S supercar.
Dura CEO Joins Visteon in Finance Post
Visteon Corp. has named Jeffrey Stafeil as executive vice president and CFO, effective Friday.
U.S. Backs Significant Auto Materials Research
Car doors that can weigh 60% less.
Gary S. Vasilash
Editor-in-Chief, Automotive Design & Production
Range Rover Evoque MT’s Awarded SUV of the Year
Motor Trend has named Land Rover's all-new Range Rover Evoque as its 2012 Sport Utility of the Year, describing the vehicle as "very transformational" to the brand.
Judge OKs New Healthcare Trust for Supplier Retirees
A U.S. bankruptcy judge has approved a new Voluntary Employee Beneficiary Assn., (VEBA) a healthcare trust for more than 10,000 retirees of auto suppliers that abandoned their pension plans during bankruptcy, The Detroit News reports.
Ford to Sell One of its Last Remaining Ex-Visteon Units
Ford Motor Co. says its Automotive Components Holdings LLC unit has signed a definitive agreement to sell its Milan, Mich.-based blow-molded fuel tank business for an undisclosed price to Inergy Automotive Systems.
Meridian Abandons Pension Plans
The Pension Benefit Guarantee Corp., the U.S. federal pension insurer, has assumed responsibility for two underfunded pension plans with $31 million of obligations to the employees and retirees of bankrupt supplier Meridian Automotive Systems Inc.
Automotive Observations: Acknowledging Innovation
The Society of Plastics Engineers Automotive Div. announced the winners of its 31st annual Most Innovative Use of Plastics Awards.
The Inside Story
Looking Beyond the ExteriorWhile the exterior of the Pontiac Aztek has engendered the use of adjectives by automotive journalists and consumers alike in a way not seen or heard since the days of the Edsel, the interior of the vehicle has actually garnered some praise for its utility (even though Pontiac doesn’t call the Aztek a “sport utility vehicle,” but, rather, a “sport recreation vehicle”).Part of the inside story of the vehicle is the use of two engineering thermo-plastics—a polycarbonate/acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (PC/ABS) resin and an ABS resin from Bayer Corp.’s Plastic Div. (Pittsburgh, PA), Bayblend and Lustran, respectively—for the instrument panel (IP) and the knee bolsters.
Creating Clever Things With Plastics
The auto industry and its suppliers are coming up with some clever ways to do everything from saving gasoline to providing pedestrian protection with plastics. Here are the category winners in the SPE Automotive Div.’s annual plastics awards.
Gary S. Vasilash
Editor-in-Chief, Automotive Design & Production
Composite Coverup
The latest product from Quadrant Plastic Composites currently smoothes out the airflow under BMW’s 5 Series. Plans are underway, however, to mate this material with Class A panels for use in roof, hood, and trunk panels.
Christopher A. Sawyer
Contributing Editor
