Autoblog

It looks like residents of Ohio's Lucas County, home to Jeep's Toledo HQ, aren't buying into the hype, even if they're the ones building the things. Part of it is that Kia plays in more segments than Jeep, so while the brands do compete, Kia has an edge. We're not saying we want to see a Jeep minivan. In fact, we wish that the money spent on the Compass would have gone into making the Patriot's interior better, or at least not so cheap, rather than trying to deliver a Jeep for every taste.

The fact remains that registrations of new Kias jumped 20 percent in the last year, versus Jeep's near stagnant sales numbers. Kia's price-leader status likely has a lot to do with that growth. Jeep's premium airs and SUV/CUV specialization also don't do the brand any favors when it comes to appealing to Toledo buyers. The desire for an affordable fuel-efficient vehicle, not necessarily in the SUV form factor, makes a good argument for buying a Kia. It would be interesting to see a more apples to apples breakdown, though, as the numbers are merely brand totals, not broken into segments. If you were to examine total sales of the parent companies, rather than just divisions, Chrysler crushes Hyundai/Kia in Toledo.

Thanks for the tip, Tom!

[Source: Toledo Blade]

"This citation has ben brought to you by _________, for all your _________ needs. Thanks for using the Toledo PD, please drive safely and have a nice day."

The Toledo, Ohio police department needs to replace about 100 of its 140-car fleet at a time when money's tight. When budget deficits are forecast, getting funds can be a challenge, and that's what led the Toldeo department to offer cruiser sponsorships. In exchange for $15,000, the cars will have a 3 by 1 foot ad placed on the rear quarter panels. Four businesses have signed on so far, which means that two cars have been paid for. Toledo PD Chief Mike Navarre has received more negative feedback than good comments, but the bottom line is that it's going to offset the considerable annual cost of replacing all those cars. The influx of cash means the fleet gets replenished sooner while still leaving money for the many other things a police department needs. Innovative thinking in tough times is a consistent theme in America, and Toledo's not the first department to put ads on their cars. The Fire Department is keeping an eye on how the sponsorships unfold, and could roll out its own effort. We don't see what the big deal is; it's saving taxpayers money in the end. It's not like they've sold naming rights to the department or anything, so keep an eye out for new Chargers with a cop motor, a HEMI plant, cop tires, cop suspension, cop shocks, and an ad for Bambino's Pizza where 9-1-1 used to be.

[Source: Toledo Blade via Kicking Tires]

The Detroit News is reporting that a group of 25 Chrysler employees in Toledo have formed a group called the "Employee Buyout Committee" and are actively exploring the necessary steps required to see the fate of Chrysler end up in the hands of its employees. Their proposal would give Chrysler employees a 70% stake in the automaker, with DaimlerChrysler retaining the remaining 30%. The group appears to be making all the right moves so far, having submitted its proposal first to the UAW, whose legal department is now evaluating the proposition. The employee buyout plan was also mentioned at DaimlerChrysler's annual shareholder meeting in Berlin on April, 4. The committee's apparent spokesperson, Michele Mauder, has also sent the proposal to Chrysler Gropu CEO and DaimlerChrysler CEO Deiter Zetsch, humbly requesting the employee's bid at least be given equal consideration with bids from private equity firms like Cerberus Capital Management and Blackstone Group, as well as Canadian parts supplier Magna. A Chrysler spokesperson has also commented that the proposal is expected to be reviewed by the automaker's legal department.

If allowing Chrysler's own 50,000 UAW employees to own the automaker doesn't happen, the UAW has expressed that it would much rather thow its hat in the ring with Canadian parts supplier Magna than any of the private equity firms that have offers on the table. While the employee buyout plan is a long shot, and if successful, an incredible risk for the employees, it's also inspiring that a group of workers would be the masters of their own fate. Unfortunately, it's not yet known how much the employees could offer for a 70% stake in their employer, which, in the end, is likely DaimlerChrysler's number one consideration in this sale.

[Source: The Detroit News]

The Dodge Nitro received the green light from DaimlerChrysler back in 2005 to be produced as a 2007 model. Now, sibling blog Blogging Ohio posts that production of the SUV has began at Toledo's Jeep Liberty plant. The Nitro will be the first non-Jeep vehicle made there since production of the Dodge Dakota ended in 1995. The American/German automaker spent $100 million to expand the plant resulting in the addition of 750 employees and 150 robots. Currently, there are no details on price, nor any information about how many SUVs will be produced at the plant.

Related:
Spy Shots: Dodge Nitro's accidental sneak peek
Chicago Auto Show: Dodge launches 2007 Nitro

[Source: WNWO-TV via Ohio News Network via Blogging Ohio]

A lightly-camouflaged Dodge Nitro was tooling down the streets of Toledo, Ohio, when, BAM, the little 'ute struck the back of a semi after blowing a stop sign. Or so the story goes. The vehicle, which isn't available for public consumption yet, had something of an impromptu debut when it got into the little fender-bender courtesy of an engineer who was later ticketed for the incident. The Nitro's accident occurred near Jeep's Toledo plant, which will churn out dent-free examples for Dodge showrooms later this summer.

[Source: WTOL-TV]

(Thanks to Muamer for the tip)