Autoblog

Rumormill: Chrysler to sell Jeep to International? If so, it's news to Chrysler

Sam Abuelsamid — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 10:59:00 EST

Filed under: SUV, Chrysler, Jeep, Rumormill

Ever since Cerberus bought a controlling interest in Chrysler, many have openly speculated that the private equity fund would ultimately split up the company and sell it off. Those rumors have intensified in the last six months as the troubles of Chrysler and the rest of the industry have grown. Of the three brands in the stable, Jeep is generally considered to be the only one that has any significant value to potential buyers. Interestingly, the same thing was true in 1987 when Chrysler bought American Motors Corporation just to get the Jeep brand.

A report has just popped up on the website for JP Magazine that the International Trucks unit of Navistar has purchased Jeep. We've contacted Chrysler for a comment on the story and spokesman Ed Garsten told us he hasn't "...heard a thing on this." The story may turn out to be untrue - in fact, we suspect it may be an unfortunately-timed April Fool's joke that's been published online commensurate with that publication's newsstand schedule. Despite all that, International would perhaps be a fitting owner for Jeep. Back in the '60s and '70s, the International Scout was perhaps the closest competitor to the CJ and old Scouts are still popular among off-roaders. As for the fate of Jeep and the rest of Chrysler, we'll have to keep waiting.

[Source: JPMagazine]

Rumormill: Chrysler to sell Jeep to International? If so, it's news to Chrysler originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 23 Feb 2009 10:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Navistar not going to buy GM's medium duty truck business

Jonathon Ramsey — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 14:58:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Etc., Work, Chevrolet, GM, GMC

It's an epic poem that could have been written by Byron: you suffered a nasty breakup and met a new girl, you dated for a while, things were looking outstanding, you proposed... and then the bottom dropped out of the medium-duty truck business. We've seen it all before. And now that it's happened, Navistar has backed away from it's non-binding commitment to purchase GM's medium-duty truck operations.

GM and Navistar only had a memorandum of understanding, so there appears to be no harm, no foul in Navistar getting icy feet. The brief announcement of the dissolution presents it as a mutual affair: "Due to significant marketplace and economic changes, GM and Navistar have decided not to renew the memorandum of understanding to purchase GM's medium duty truck business," but we imagine GM standing at the altar, watching its Navistar groom bolt from the church and hop in a taxi.>

GM is still talking to Navistar and looking at other ways to ~~dump~~ find a good home for its medium duty truck business. A shame, because they make some fine vehicles.

[Source: GM]

Navistar not going to buy GM's medium duty truck business originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 20 Aug 2008 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spy Shots: International LoneStar Class 8 tractor

Alex Nunez — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 10:34:00 EST

Filed under: Chicago Auto Show, Work

Click image for 5 more shots of the LoneStar

Big rigs are awesome. We freely admit that this isn't our area of expertise, but when something particularly cool and truck-related comes along, we're more than happy to share. Thanks to an Autoblog reader named Johnny, who sent in the photos you see here, something cool indeed came along.

We don't know if the pair of rigs you see are concepts or a new production model that's set to debut sometime soon. The Mid-America Trucking Show -- the biggest show in the industry -- is coming up in March, so these might be headed there. Our submitter at first thought that they might just be show vehicles, but some details lead him to believe that this could be a new production model sporting a nifty new hood design. The thing that has our tipster thinking "production" is that different sleeper configs are shown. The silver rig's is taller and incorporates a large fairing, while the black one's is less pronounced. Aside from the swoopy front end, the layout seems conventional, with exposed fuel tanks and the like. The final clue that these may be upcoming production trucks is on the rear mud flap of the black rig, which has something like "LongStar" or "LoadStar" emblazoned on it. (It's LoneStar -- see update below.) Most of International's trucks have "Star" nomenclature, and the "Star" moniker on the pictured vehicle is not one currently in use. We'll have to wait and see what plays out in the coming weeks, but one thing's certain: these things are bitchin'.

Thanks for the photos, Johnny!

UPDATE: According to commenter FC, the trucks are examples of International's new Class 8 flagship tractor, the LoneStar, will will be officially premiered at the Chicago Auto Show next month. Sadly, we don't think one of these will fit in the Autoblog Garage. Thanks, FC!

Gallery: International's mystery big rigs

Spy Shots: International LoneStar Class 8 tractor originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 12 Jan 2008 10:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Navistar set to buy GM's medium duty trucks

John Neff — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 10:56:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Etc., Work, GM

You may recall that Navistar supplies Ford with diesel engines for its Super Duty trucks. You may also recall that the last two diesel engines used in Ford's Super Duty pickups (the current 6.4L Power Stroke and last generation's 6.0L) have had some quality problems. The 6.0L Power Stroke was known for problems stemming from defective fuel injectors, while the newer 6.4L has had one recall related to high exhaust temperatures that could ignite diesel fuel in the particulate filter, causing an impressive light show out the tailpipe. Because of their strained relationship on account of these engines, Ford and Navistar are likely to part ways in the near future.

So what do you do when your biggest client dumps you? You walk across town and strike a deal with its competitor. General Motors announced this morning that it has entered into a "non-binding memorandum of understanding" (read: gentleman's handshake) with International Truck and Engine Corporation to sell its medium-duty truck business to the Navistar owned-and-operated subsidiary. Thus, Navistar will eventually take over building and selling the GMC TopKick and Chevy Kodiak trucks. That's right, while Ironhide will remain a GMC vehicle, he'll no longer be owned by GM.

To be fair, Navistar was undoubtedly forced to produce the last two Power Stroke diesels for Ford in a hurry to meet rising emissions standards, which likely contributed to the problems that both engines have had. Apparently that doesn't bother GM, as we expect the TopKick and Kodiak will likely eschew their Duramax turbodiesels for International diesel engines after the deal is done.

[Source: GM]

Continue reading Navistar set to buy GM's medium duty trucks

Navistar set to buy GM's medium duty trucks originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 20 Dec 2007 10:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EPA unveils hydraulic hybrid UPS delivery truck

Alex Nunez — Mon, 26 Jun 2006 12:57:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal, Green, Work

This week in Washington, the EPA pulled the wraps off of the hydraulic hybrid vehicle we reported it was developing back in December of 2005.

The result of the cooperative effort between the EPA, UPS, Eaton, and International Truck is a familiar-looking brown UPS delivery van. The only clue that this is no standard UPS truck is the fairly subtle "Low Emission Hydraulic Hybrid" label it sports on its side panels. The Hydraulic Hybrid eschews batteries and electric motors, instead mating the truck's diesel engine to a hydraulic propulsion system, made up of a series of hydraulic storage tanks and pumps. This system replaces the conventional drivetrain completely, and offers similar benefits to gas/diesel-electric hybrids such as regenerative braking. The hydraulic system's ability to store and deliver larger amounts of power also can be used to provide launch assistance to the tune of 100 horsepower for 20 seconds.

The benefits of using a hydraulic hybrid system, according to EPA claims, are a 60%-70% increase in fuel economy (based on lab tests), a 40% reduction in CO2 emissions, and a lower "hybrid penalty" costwise, which can be recovered in as little as three years due to fuel savings (1,000 gallons of diesel/year) and reduction in brake maintenance costs.

The UPS demonstrator truck displayed will begin working daily routes in the Detroit area this summer. Presumably, data will be collected and analyzed based on this real-world application of the technology.

The system is currently seen as potentially being a boon to urban commercial/industrial vehicle applications such as delivery vehicles, school buses, and garbage trucks, all of which operate in a mostly stop-and-go environment that would optimze the use of the hybrid system. The Army is also testing a truck equipped with a similar powertrain.

Update: AutoblogGreen did an informative post on Hydraulic Hybrid technology earlier this month. Check it out for more background info.

(Joint press release, EPA info and links after the jump.)

[Source: New York Times]

Continue reading EPA unveils hydraulic hybrid UPS delivery truck

EPA unveils hydraulic hybrid UPS delivery truck originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 26 Jun 2006 12:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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