Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[REPORT: Cheney says Bush left GM bankruptcy for the next guy]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/06/09/cheney-bush-left-gm-bankruptcy-for-the-next-guy/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/06/09/cheney-bush-left-gm-bankruptcy-for-the-next-guy/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/06/09/cheney-bush-left-gm-bankruptcy-for-the-next-guy/#commentsFiled under: , ,



The writing's been on the wall for years: GM would have to declare bankruptcy if it had any hope of restructuring in order to survive in the long-term. And though the Obama administration's effective take-over of General Motors was hardly the first case of the government nationalizing a private company, President George W. Bush didn't want to be the one to do it.

This, according to former vice-president Dick Cheney, who reportedly admitted in a recent interview on Fox News that the Bush administration floated the $17.4 billion auto industry bailout package in order to give the outgoing administration enough time to exit and for the next administration to settle in before the house of cards in Detroit came tumbling down. According to Cheney, President Bush "decided that he did not want to be the one who pulled the plug just before he left office."

[Source: Motor Authority | Image: Mark Wilson/Getty]

REPORT: Cheney says Bush left GM bankruptcy for the next guy originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 09 Jun 2009 08:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bushbush administrationbush gm bankruptcyBushAdministrationBushGmBankruptcycheneydick cheneyDickCheneygeorge w bushGeorgeWBushgm bankruptgm bankruptcyGmBankruptGmBankruptcyobama administrationObamaAdministrationpresident bushpresident george w bushPresidentBushPresidentGeorgeWBushTue, 09 Jun 2009 08:27:00 EST<![CDATA[White House up to addressing auto aid, extra $25 billion could come from bailout package]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/11/11/white-house-up-to-addressing-auto-aid-extra-25-billion-could-c/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/11/11/white-house-up-to-addressing-auto-aid-extra-25-billion-could-c/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/11/11/white-house-up-to-addressing-auto-aid-extra-25-billion-could-c/#commentsFiled under: ,

Word on the street is that President elect Barack Obama spent some time in the oval office yesterday with current President Bush talking about the auto industry, and the junior Senator from Illinois urged the President to address the automakers' dire situation post haste. The President seems to be on the same page, with word coming out of the White House that it would consider a congressional proposal to carve out $25 billion of the nation's $700 billion bailout plan just for the auto industry. That's in addition to the already approved $25 billion worth of low-interest loans to automakers, the distribution of which may also get sped up considerably. Those low-interest loans may even get restrictions lifted that were to ensure they be spent on green cars and retooling factories, but now may be used for anything the domestic automakers deem most prudent. Nothing's final until it goes though Congress and gets the President's approval, but it would seem the considerable squawking coming from General Motors for federal aid has reached the ears of those who may actually do something about it. Whether they should or not is still an open debate.

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd, Jalopnik, Photo by JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty]

White House up to addressing auto aid, extra $25 billion could come from bailout package originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 11 Nov 2008 12:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>auto aidAutoAidgovernment aidGovernmentAidpresident bushpresident elect obamaPresidentBushPresidentElectObamaTue, 11 Nov 2008 12:35:00 EST<![CDATA[Obama promises more meetings with automakers if president]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/17/obama-promises-more-meetings-with-automakers-if-president/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/17/obama-promises-more-meetings-with-automakers-if-president/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/17/obama-promises-more-meetings-with-automakers-if-president/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Barack Obama has been less than friendly with Detroit automakers in the past, but he's promised to meet with them both during his campaign and afterwards if he makes it into the Oval Office. The presumed Democratic nominee told a crowd in Flint, MI that he would meet with executives to discuss how "we're going to build the cars of the future right here in Michigan." Obama also criticized President Bush not meeting with automakers until his sixth year in office, which actually isn't true. President Bush met with automakers in 2003, though his second meeting with industry execs was delayed several times in 2006.

Obama has also promised to deliver $150 billion in funding over 10 years and 5 million jobs in the "green sector." Some of the money is being promised to automakers to retool older plants for plug-in electric vehicle production, which would be welcome news to the financially struggling automakers. It's typical of politicians to promise the moon and stars while on the stump, so we're sure automakers are listening with a skeptical ear and taking notes. Time will tell if actions will take the place of words.

[Source: The Detroit News, Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty]

Obama promises more meetings with automakers if president originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 17 Jun 2008 13:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Barack ObamaBarackObamaChryslerFordGMPresident BushPresidentBushTue, 17 Jun 2008 13:29:00 EST<![CDATA[President Bush eases up on auto industry in State of the Union address]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/01/29/president-bush-eases-up-on-auto-industry-in-state-of-the-union-a/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/01/29/president-bush-eases-up-on-auto-industry-in-state-of-the-union-a/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/01/29/president-bush-eases-up-on-auto-industry-in-state-of-the-union-a/#commentsFiled under: ,



We'll be honest. We didn't watch President Bush's State of the Union address last night, the final one of his second presidential term. Our disinterest can probably best be measured by the fact that the address being broadcast in high definition was the only draw for us, which got us to watch for about five minutes and then it was back to American Gladiators on the DVR. Apparently we didn't miss much as it relates to the auto industry. Automotive News reports that the president called for more federal research into advanced batteries and renewable fuels for cars and trucks of the future, and that was about it. It's a far cry from last year's State of the Union where President Bush declared that the U.S. is addicted to oil and made a little weed called switchgrass famous. The heavy-handed 2006 address was likely one of the factors that led to getting a new energy bill passed in December with significantly stricter Corporate Average Fuel Economy requirements for automakers. With just a year to go in his final term, however, it seems President Bush isn't pushing the auto industry as hard as he did last year. At the same time, the auto industry also seems less in need of a push in 2008. The aforementioned new energy bill seems to have taken care of that.

[Source: Automotive News, Photo by TIM SLOAN/AFP/Getty]

President Bush eases up on auto industry in State of the Union address originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 29 Jan 2008 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>batteriesfuture vehiclesFutureVehiclespresident bushPresidentBushrenewable fuelsRenewableFuelsstate of the union addressStateOfTheUnionAddressTue, 29 Jan 2008 15:58:00 EST<![CDATA[President Bush signs energy bill into law]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/12/19/president-bush-signs-energy-bill-into-law/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/12/19/president-bush-signs-energy-bill-into-law/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/12/19/president-bush-signs-energy-bill-into-law/#commentsFiled under: ,



This morning President Bush put pen to paper (no doubt one of those really cool American President pens) and signed into law the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, all 822 pages of it. As we all know by now, the pillar of the law is an increase in Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards to 35 mpg by 2020. The increases will be built up over time beginning with the 2011 model year, which really isn't that far away. The measures regarding CAFE also don't apply fleetwide as one single standard, but will be adjusted based on the type of car or truck being measured. Nevertheless, after decades of nary a budge in this country's CAFE standards, an increase of some 40% is monumental and will likely begin immediately affecting the cars and trucks we buy.

We mustn't forget the path fraught with peril that this bill took to reach the President's desk. After being passed by the House of Representatives thanks to a compromise between Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich.), the bill moved to the Senate where it was voted on twice and failed before a large $21.8 billion tax provision was removed. Until that point, the President had promised to veto the bill. Without the tax provision, however, the bill was finally passed by the Senate, and then reapproved by the House just yesterday.

In order to meet the standards, we expect automakers to begin producing more mild hybrids in the near future, with full-on parallel hybrids being at least an option on most vehicles after that. The use of modern clean-diesel engines will also proliferate, especially in light-duty half-ton trucks like the Ford F-150 and Chevy Silverado that would have trouble meeting their own CAFE targets with traditional V8 engines. Then there's more exotic technology, like the series hybrid system being developed by GM for the Chevy Volt. If successful, expect other automakers to very quickly follow suit with their own series hybrid drivetrains. There's lots of simple and more complex technologies on the table that automakers will utilize to increase their CAFE rating, and no doubt the cost of developing these systems will be passed on to the consumer to some degree, as well. Supporters of the bill, however, remind us that reducing our dependance on foreign oil is a very good thing, and in the end, we only get one Earth on which to live.

[Source: The Detroit News, Photo by Shawn Thew-Pool/Getty]

President Bush signs energy bill into law originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 19 Dec 2007 12:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bushbush signs energy billBushSignsEnergyBillenergy billEnergyBillpresidentpresident bushpresident bush energy billpresident signs energy billPresidentBushPresidentBushEnergyBillPresidentSignsEnergyBillWed, 19 Dec 2007 12:02:00 EST<![CDATA[Mulally apologizes for frenzy over Bush joke]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/04/12/mulally-apologizes-for-frenzy-over-bush-joke/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/04/12/mulally-apologizes-for-frenzy-over-bush-joke/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/04/12/mulally-apologizes-for-frenzy-over-bush-joke/#commentsFiled under: , ,



"I'm gonna pay for that." That's what Alan Mulally said after beginning the now infamous "President Bush almost blew himself up" anecdote in his keynote speech to kick offf the 2007 New York Auto Show last week (video above). Truer words were never spoken by an auto exec. The firestorm that erupted after Mulally's anecdote hit the intertubes has been incredible. Though Autoblog reported on the anecdote in passing mere hours after it was told onstage, it received its biggest boost in visibility from the Detroit News' Business Insider column, which retold the story and began by saying ""Credit Ford Motor Co. CEO Alan Mulally with saving the leader of the free world from self-immolation."

This past Monday, Keith Olbermann broke up the fun being had at the President's expense by revealing a tape of the White House event in question that showed Mulally's funny story was not true at all, and that he never stopped President Bush from plugging an electrical cord into a hydrogen refueling port (check out that video after the jump). With the cat out of the bag, Mulally issued an apology via press release (do spouses accept those?) on Monday for his misleading anecdote. His embellishment of the situation with the President was apparently inspired by a bit that appeared on the Jimmy Kimmel Live show. For his part, Mulally stated, "I am no Jimmy Kimmel."

Though all should have ended there, Todd Lassa, who writes for Motor Trend, wrote a scathing diatribe on Tuesday against the "rampant blogosphere" that siezed upon Mulally's anecdote and repeated it at an exponential rate. Mr. Lassa, who fancies himself a member of our little blogging community (hint: he's not), proceeds to lash out at us "small-time bloggers" for not checking our facts, placing immediacy above accuracy, and leading major media outlets -- presumably ones like Motor Trend -- on wild goose chases. We're not entirely sure at which blogs his venom is aimed, since Lassa conveniently doesn't name any in particular, but we consider ourselves and our peers to be his target. We might've even taken his criticism into consideration if it hadn't concluded with a shill for his own site. Sigh... we wish we could all just get along, but old media seems to never want to play nice.

Continue reading Mulally apologizes for frenzy over Bush joke

Mulally apologizes for frenzy over Bush joke originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 12 Apr 2007 11:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Alan MulallyAlanMulallyblow upBlowUphydrogenkeith olbermannKeithOlbermannplug inPlugInPresident BushPresidentBushtodd lassToddLassThu, 12 Apr 2007 11:38:00 EST<![CDATA[Alan Mulally, super hero: Ford CEO saves President Bush's life]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/04/09/alan-mulally-super-hero-ford-ceo-saves-president-bushs-life/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/04/09/alan-mulally-super-hero-ford-ceo-saves-president-bushs-life/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/04/09/alan-mulally-super-hero-ford-ceo-saves-president-bushs-life/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Allan Mulally has already lived a very successful life, having helped save American icon Boeing, then taking over the reigns as Ford Motor Company's Chief Executive Officer. Now he has added 'the guy that saved President Bush' to the list. Mr. Mulally used his media audience at the New York Auto Show to tell a pretty great story about his recent trip to the White House.

Ford Motor wanted to give President Bush a first-hand look at their hydrogen electric plug-in hybrid, so the company arranged to have a demonstration of the uber-tech Ford Edge right from the White House lawn. When walking with the President towards the vehicle, Mulally noticed that the extension cord was placed to the rear of the car, where the Hydrogen fuel tank resides, instead of the side of the car. As Mulally saw the President approach the rear of the car, he decided that he should physically grab the president and "make sure he plugged into the electricity, not into the hydrogen."

We obviously don't know for sure whether or not the leader of the free world would have stuck an electrified cord into the Edge's Darwin-hole, but we do think it was a damn good idea Mulally stepped in to make sure Mr. Bush did the right thing. We don't think Ford's green initiative would have been able to recover if the company's best and brightest technology fried the President. Then again, given the approval numbers of Mr. Bush... we kid, we kid.

Thanks for the tip Chris!

[Source: Detroit News via Think Progress]

Alan Mulally, super hero: Ford CEO saves President Bush's life originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 09 Apr 2007 08:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bushedge plug-in hybridEdgePlug-inHybridford edgeFord Motor CompanyFordEdgeFordMotorCompanyhydrogenMulallyPresident BushPresidentBushMon, 09 Apr 2007 08:07:00 EST<![CDATA[Bush meets with Big Three, has open ear but no commitments]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/11/14/bush-meets-with-big-three-has-open-ear-but-no-commitments/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/11/14/bush-meets-with-big-three-has-open-ear-but-no-commitments/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/11/14/bush-meets-with-big-three-has-open-ear-but-no-commitments/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



We've just finished watching the coverage of a press conference held outside the White House following the president's meeting with General Motors CEO Rick Wagoner, Ford CEO Alan Mulally and Chrysler Group CEO Tom LaSorda. We attempted to watch the press conference live on Fox News, CNN and CNN Headline News, but each channel only allowed Rick Wagoner, the first of the three CEOs who grabbed the mic, about 30 seconds of uninterrupted air time. After that we got an earful of pointless and shallow commentary from no-name TV face jockeys who merely ran down the meetings itinerary rather than letting the men talk. Ugh. News channels suck.

Anyway, the gist of the meeting was that the president listened to the Big Three's concerns with an open ear, but offered no commitments that the government would jump to action on any of their points. The meeting's main talking points included energy security, the competitiveness of U.S. manufacturing, health care costs, the weak value of the yen and the rising cost of raw materials like steel. For all of the hoopla over this meeting finally taking place after two postponements, we're surprised that more didn't come of it. Although, considering how big this president is on the free market economy, the three gentlemen from Detroit should have known right from the start that our Commander in Chief would just order them to build better cars that people want to buy. If only it were that simple.

Click on through for a joint statement by General Motors, Ford and The Chrysler Group that was released immediately following the press conference. Feel free to discuss the finer points of government and civic duty in the comments, but keep it civil yourselves.

Continue reading Bush meets with Big Three, has open ear but no commitments

Bush meets with Big Three, has open ear but no commitments originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 14 Nov 2006 14:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>big threeBigThreeceolasordameetingmulalleypresident bushPresidentBushwagonerwashingtonTue, 14 Nov 2006 14:45:00 EST<![CDATA[The Exorcist V: The devil stole our gas profits]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/11/09/the-exorcist-v-the-devil-stole-our-gas-profits/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/11/09/the-exorcist-v-the-devil-stole-our-gas-profits/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/11/09/the-exorcist-v-the-devil-stole-our-gas-profits/#commentsFiled under: ,

According to an AP item, some gas station owners in Oklahoma are actually dropping Citgo brand gas, blaming slumping sales on Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's statements about President Bush being the devil. Citgo is a state-owned Venezuelan company.

Gas distributor Arkansas Valley says that it has seen a 10-15% drop in sales to some Missouri and Oklahoma stations following Chavez's United Nations speech where he called Bush "the devil."

"We started losing business at our stores," company president Weister Smith told the Tulsa World newspaper. "Some of our independent retailers came to us and asked us to make a change away from Citgo. Some of them actually covered up their Citgo signs."

Citgo had already announced plans to stop selling their fuel at 1,900 Citgo-branded stations in 10 states, including Oklahoma, by March. But some independent retailers are afraid consumers will start going elsewhere if they don't speed up the switch to another brand.

However, Duff Thompson, president of Fiesta Mart, dismissed these complaints by explaining that rumors of a boycott of Citgo stations started soon after the speech, leading him to switch brands at eight of the company's Tulsa stations.

"We have some stores showing declines," Thompson said. "But I wouldn't attribute it all to the Chavez situation."

And it's important for consumers to know that boycotting Citgo stations will hurt the station owners more than Chavez or the Venezuelan company. "It's not Citgo they're getting back at," Vance McSpadden, executive director of the Oklahoma Petroleum Association said. "It's that independent businessman who has got his livelihood invested in that business. That's who you're punishing."

[Source: AP via MSNBC]

The Exorcist V: The devil stole our gas profits originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 09 Nov 2006 08:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Arkansas ValleyArkansasValleyCitgoDuff ThompsonDuffThompsonFiesta MartFiestaMartOklahoma Petroleum AssociationOklahomaPetroleumAssociationPresident BushPresidentBushTulsa World newspaperTulsaWorldNewspaperVance McSpaddenVanceMcspaddenVenezuelan President Hugo ChavezVenezuelanPresidentHugoChavezWeister SmithWeisterSmithThu, 09 Nov 2006 08:35:00 EST<![CDATA[Guess who's coming to Washington? White House to meet with the Big Two Point Five]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/10/26/guess-whos-coming-to-washington-white-house-to-meet-with-the-b/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/10/26/guess-whos-coming-to-washington-white-house-to-meet-with-the-b/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/10/26/guess-whos-coming-to-washington-white-house-to-meet-with-the-b/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



In the never-ending saga between the Bush administration and Detroit's automakers, a tentative date has finally been set for a meeting.

During a radio interview, President Bush's political advisor Karl Rove confirmed that a discussion between GM, Ford and DaimlerChrysler would take place in mid-November. A specific date was not mentioned, mainly to allow the White House flexibility in it's scheduling.

A sit-down was originally planned in June of this year, with the conversation to center around health-care costs and alternative fuels. GM's Rick Wagoner and others in the industry have made it clear that a 'bailout' is not in the cards.

Related Posts:

[Source: Automotive News (Sub. Req.) and Detroit Free Press]

Guess who's coming to Washington? White House to meet with the Big Two Point Five originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 26 Oct 2006 08:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>big two point fiveBigTwoPointFivecarl roveCarlRoveDaimlerChryslerfordgeneral motorsGeneralMotorsgeorge bushGeorgeBushgmhealth careHealthCarepresident bushPresidentBushThu, 26 Oct 2006 08:08:00 EST<![CDATA[UAW chief flames Bush for failure to help automakers]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/09/12/uaw-chief-flames-bush-for-failure-to-help-automakers/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/09/12/uaw-chief-flames-bush-for-failure-to-help-automakers/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/09/12/uaw-chief-flames-bush-for-failure-to-help-automakers/#commentsFiled under:

Ron Gettelfinger, president of the United Auto Workers union, took a shot at President Bush Tuesday for his failure to put forward a national industrial policy addressing issues affecting U.S. automakers, ranging from out of control health care costs to Asian monetary policies.

Speaking at the Reuters Auto Summit in Detroit, Gettelfinger said it was "humiliating" that Bush found time to meet with TV "American Idol" Clay Aiken, but has put off meeting with auto industry executives until after the November election, going on to accuse Bush of "...walking away from the industry that does more for our economy than any other."

[Source: Reuters]

UAW chief flames Bush for failure to help automakers originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 12 Sep 2006 14:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>auto industrygeorge bushpresident bushuawTue, 12 Sep 2006 14:38:00 EST<![CDATA[Wagoner critical of fed's lack of action]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/08/12/wagoner-critical-of-feds-lack-of-action/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/08/12/wagoner-critical-of-feds-lack-of-action/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/08/12/wagoner-critical-of-feds-lack-of-action/#comments

Yesterday, General Motors CEO Rick Wagoner voiced his concerns over the federal government's lack of focus on the issues ailing the domestic auto industry. His talk came on the heals of a similar speech given by Mark Fields, President of FoMoCo, that aimed squarely at the contentious relationship between the auto industry and Washington leaders.

For those of you keeping count, the Bush administration has stood up GM, Ford and DaimlerChrysler, two, and by some accounts, three times for a sit-down discussion. Wagoner spoke to what has been perceived as a miscommunication regarding why the Big Two and a Half are seeking a dialogue with the U.S. government. The feds believe that automakers are looking for a bailout from their current financial woes, whereas in reality, a place that seems to be rarely visited by some in Washington, GM, Ford and DaimlerChrysler are looking for meaningful reforms to the rampant health care costs they're required to pay.

You want a staggering statistic? The General is the largest provider of health care here in the States. They spent over $5.3 billion for health care in 2005 and see an increase in 2009 to $7.4 billion. In just shy of three years, GM will be paying close to $7,000 a year for each employee's health benefits.

U.S. Rep. John Dingell from Dearborn summed it up best by saying, "Let's be honest -- this administration [has] done nothing for the auto industry except to whine that they want a bailout when the industry doesn't want a bailout,"

Click "Read" for the full article by the Detroit News.

[Source: DetNews.com]

Wagoner critical of fed's lack of action originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 12 Aug 2006 08:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DaimlerChryslerfederal governmentFederalGovernmentFordGMmark fieldsMarkFieldspresident bushPresidentBushRick wagonerRickWagonerSat, 12 Aug 2006 08:02:00 EST<![CDATA[Bush and automakers delay meeting]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/05/16/bush-and-automakers-postpone-meeting/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/05/16/bush-and-automakers-postpone-meeting/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/05/16/bush-and-automakers-postpone-meeting/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Bigwigs from DiamlerChrysler, Ford Motor Company and General Motors will have to wait for their date with the President. The expected meeting between the Big Three and President George W. Bush is now slated for June 2, moved back from the May 18 date as previously reported. The CEO deligates and the White House would have readers believe that the change in date isn't actually a 'postponement,' but rather the first time a firm date has been set. Regardless of any calendar semantics, the auto summit is expected to cover energy issues, health care and trade.

[Sources: Crain's Business Detroit; The Associated Press]

Bush and automakers delay meeting originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 16 May 2006 08:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AutomakersBig 3Big ThreeBig3BigThreechryslerenergy crisisEnergyCrisisfordgeneral motorsGeneralMotorsgeorge bushGeorgeBushPresident BushPresidentBushTue, 16 May 2006 08:03:00 EST<![CDATA[Automakers spared tougher CAFE rules - for now]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/05/11/automakers-spared-tougher-cafe-rules-for-now/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/05/11/automakers-spared-tougher-cafe-rules-for-now/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/05/11/automakers-spared-tougher-cafe-rules-for-now/#commentsFiled under: ,

The U.S. congress gave automakers a break Thursday, as the House Energy and Commerce Committee voted down a proposal to require 33 mpg fuel economy standards (averaged over cars and trucks) by 2015.

The same committee voted in favor of a bill to give the administration more authority to change CAFE rules going forward, as part of its attempt to get in front of voters' growing concerns about the rising cost of fuel.

The next stop for the Bush administration's bill is the full House of Representatives - expect a host of amendments as lawmakers try to respond to their constituents' growing concerns about the nation's energy policy.

[Source: Automotive News]

Automakers spared tougher CAFE rules - for now originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 11 May 2006 16:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cafefuel economyfuel economy standardsfuel mileagempgpresident bushUS congressThu, 11 May 2006 16:33:00 EST<![CDATA[Ten states to file suit for tougher CAFE rules]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/05/02/ten-states-to-file-suit-for-tougher-cafe-rules/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/05/02/ten-states-to-file-suit-for-tougher-cafe-rules/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/05/02/ten-states-to-file-suit-for-tougher-cafe-rules/#commentsFiled under:

The New York Times reports that California, New York and eight other states plan to file a suit to force the Bush administration to impose tougher CAFE rules on SUVs, trucks and minivans. The suit claims the federal government's analysis of the environmental impact of the new fuel economy regulations was not sufficiently rigorous. The states also assert that the government did not take into account the impact of gasoline consumption on climate change when formulating the new CAFE standards.

Meanwhile, President Bush is pushing a proposal to raise U.S. fuel economy standards, in a bid to address widespread consumer concern about rising fuel prices.

[Source: New York Times - registration required]

Ten states to file suit for tougher CAFE rules originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 02 May 2006 16:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cafefuel economygas mileagegas priceGasPricegeorge bushminivanpresident bushsuvtruckTue, 02 May 2006 16:23:00 EST<![CDATA[White House seeks to increase average fuel economy requirements]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/04/28/white-house-seeks-to-increase-average-fuel-economy-requirements/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/04/28/white-house-seeks-to-increase-average-fuel-economy-requirements/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/04/28/white-house-seeks-to-increase-average-fuel-economy-requirements/#commentsFiled under: , ,

President George Bush may look to Congress for authority to alter the Corporate Average Fuel Efficiency (CAFE) requirements for passenger cars, as part of the White House's latest bid to gain some political traction on the issue of rapidly spiraling energy costs. An arcane attribute of existing CAFE regulations has already allowed Bush to increase CAFE standards for light trucks and to implement a multi-tier standard that takes vehicle size into account. However, apparently making similar changes to the existing 27.5 MPG requirement for cars may require new legislation.

It's likely that any changes to the CAFE standard would take at least two years to take effect, since manufacturers would be given a minimum of 18 months to adapt their line-ups. Of course, since the required consumption bogey would likely be established by vehicle size, it's yet unclear whether this would result in a meaningful increase in the average fuel economy of passenger cars, as a manufacturer could simply produce larger vehicles if consumer demand doesn't drive an increase in efficiency.

[Source: MSNBC.com]

 

White House seeks to increase average fuel economy requirements originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 28 Apr 2006 16:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>CAFEcorporate average fuel economyFuel EconomyFuelEconomygas pricesMPGoil pricespresident bushFri, 28 Apr 2006 16:28:00 EST<![CDATA[Bush wants to lift cap on hybrid tax credits]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/04/26/bush-wants-to-lift-cap-on-hybrid-tax-credits/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/04/26/bush-wants-to-lift-cap-on-hybrid-tax-credits/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/04/26/bush-wants-to-lift-cap-on-hybrid-tax-credits/#commentsFiled under: ,

President George Bush believes lifting the current cap on tax credits for hybrids and advanced diesels is one step the government can take to deal with soaring gas prices.

The current tax credit scheme starts to phase out for a given brand of car once 60,000 vehicles are sold. Toyota's fast-selling hybrids will carry the automaker past the current cap by the middle of this year.

The cap has drawn criticism for being an effort to keep foreign automakers from reaping the lion's share of the sales benefits from the tax credit program, because their hybrid programs are considered more advanced than those of their U.S. competitors.

[Source: Automotive News]

Bush wants to lift cap on hybrid tax credits originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 26 Apr 2006 08:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>diesel tax creditgeorge bushhybridhybrid tax creditHybridTaxCreditpresident bushtax creditWed, 26 Apr 2006 08:53:00 EST