Autoblog

Click above for a high-res gallery of the 2008 Honda VTX

Honda has announced that next year it will cease motorcycle production at its Marysville, OH manufacturing plant. That facility's output, along with that of the Hamamatsu, Japan factory, will be shifted to the the company's brand new bike plant in Kumamoto next year. In 2007, Marysville built 44,000 Gold Wing and VTX models, though Honda notes that there will be no layoffs because of this shift in production. Instead, the Marysville workers will be reassigned to other Honda businesses in the fair state of Ohio.



[Source: IHT via The Kneeslider]

click above for more pics of the 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe

Fuel economy and CO2 emissions are on a lot of our minds right now, and many of us are re-examining our vehicle needs in an effort to save coin at the pump. The push to downsize has influenced the entire state of Ohio, which plans to switch its government fleet from 90-percent midsize sedans to one fortified with up to 50-percent of Ford Foci. Not only will the Focus save the state at the pump, but Ford's little economy car also costs less to buy. The Cleveland Plain Dealer, which calls the Focus "less stylish", pens the fleet cost of the Focus at about $12,000, while a Chevrolet Impala will run the state $16,000 or more. The switch to a Focus fleet will save the state $242,000 this year alone, and the dollar figures go up as more economy cars hit the fleet.

Of course some of the employees that have to drive the homely, yet practical, Focus are complaining about a lack of head and leg room. Unsympathetic DAS spokesman Ron Sylvester basically told complainers to shed some girth and deal with it. Who knows, maybe the state will use some of the savings to hook up its peeps with SYNC, which could give workers hands-free phone capabilities so they can complain about their car to friends while keeping both hands on the wheel. We're not so sure the rank and file will dislike the Focus though. We kinda liked it.

[Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer via The Truth About Cars]

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]

In 2008, 50,000 CR-Vs will be cranked out of Honda's assembly plant in Guadalajara, Mexico. Currently, the plant is used to build Accord sedans, to the tune of about 30k per year, but when CR-V production begins, they'll be no more hecho en Mexico Accords finding their way north. Instead, production of Honda's midsize sedan will move to their plant in Marysville, Ohio.

The move, which reportedly cost Honda over $8 million in upgrades, is due to a high level of demand for the 'lil 'ute in the U.S. that isn't being met by the automaker's plant in East Liberty, Ohio.

Of the 50,000 CR-Vs to be produced annually, half will head into the States, while the rest will remain south of the border. The production shift will begin this fall.

[Source: Automotive News – Sub. Req.]

We here in Ohio love our Ford plants. We've got 'em all over the place – in Cleveland, in Toledo, in Cincinnati... wait. Scratch those last two, as the Way Forward plan counts among its victims a stamping plant in Maumee near Toledo and a transmission plant in Batavia near Cinci. Ohio Governor Bob Taft and his Lt. Gov., however, have just offered Ford Motor Company a package worth $15.7 million in incentives to keep the Maumee plant open, however. Ford has graciously said it will review the offer, but Anne Marie Gattari, a Ford spokewoman, has already told the Detroit News that a turnaround plan unfortunately requires the idling of some plants, "and we don't expect that to change." Sorry Maumee, not even the great-grandson of William Howard Taft himself can save your stamping plant now.

[Source: The Detroit News]

According to AAA, our friends in the Buckeye State are benefiting from the end of the summer driving season by registering the lowest gas prices in the nation. Ohio residents are enjoying a 30-cent discount on fuel, compared to the national average, partly due to seasonal demand and increased competition between the purveyors of the go-juice.

The average cost of tank of unleaded in Ohio is $2.29 a gallon, which in comparison to this writer's residence in the Golden State, is a full 58 cents less than the fill-up station down the road. Fine, we'll see your cheap gas and raise you our ability to go skiing in our shorts.

[Source: NewsNet5.com]

We know at least one of you will take this post as a personal challenge to go out to your local dealerships, tape measure in hand, just to prove how wrong we are, but a 5-acre Toyota showroom in Cincinnati is now thought to be the biggest around. The square footage of the facility amounts to 68,000 square feet.

Apparently a converted Best Buy, we can just imagine Corollas on aisle 3, Tundras on aisle 10. Actually, the new Kings Toyota has a Starbucks, free wifi, six high-definition plasma screens and two rotating turntables at the entrance topped with Toyotas, so it's part indoor mall and part auto show.

Toyotas have been knocked before for having the soul of an appliance, so maybe this was inevitable. For now, Kings Toyota has bragging rights until one of you can best it.

[Source: Tracy's Auto Blog via Netscape, CNN Money]

Those who're reckoning to check out the first Chinese vehicle coming to the U.S. may want to book a trip to Columbus, Ohio. Sib site Blogging Ohio posts that not one, but two auto distributors have obtained the rights to distribute Chinese vehicles.

The Ricart Automotive Group will be distributing vehicles from the China Motor Company while the Midwestern Auto Group will distribute vehicles from Chery Automotive. Interestingly, there will be very little competition between the two groups since their respected automakers are targeting different car segments. China Motor Co. will be competing against the Accord, Camry, Fusion, Impala, and Sonata while Chery aims to compete against the luxury brands like Cadillac and Lexus. (Pictured is the Grunder from the China Motor Co.)

[Source: Business First of Columbus via Blogging Ohio]

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]