Episode 273 – The Electric Coalition, Aptera Needs More Money, New Side Impact Standard
November 17th, 2009 at 12:00pm
Runtime 7:06
Yesterday, a group of CEOs gathered in Washington D.C. to launch the Electric Coalition, all with the idea of spurring sales of electric cars. The cofounders of Aptera Motors left their positions voluntarily to save money. The U.S. government wants to add a new side-impact crash standard. All that and more, plus a look at Mercedes’ updated A-Class compact hatchback.
Transcript and Story Links after the jump . . .
Here are today’s top headlines. The EV Coalition wants a ton of subsidies. Upstart automakers face big hurdles. And the government wants a new side impact standard.
Up next, we’ll be back with the news behind the headlines.
This is Autoline Daily for Tuesday, November 17, 2009. And now, the news.
Yesterday, an impressive list of CEOs gathered in Washington D.C. to launch the Electric Coalition, all with the idea of spurring sales of electric cars in the United States. The AP reports that Nissan, FedEx, Pacific Gas & Electric, A123 Systems and Johnson Controls-Saft were all there. They want 14 million EVs on the road by 2020 and 100 million by 2030. They also want tax credits for batteries and charging stations and loan guarantees for retooling plants. In fact, they want $120 billion over the next eight years. And that makes me wonder if this effort will ever get off the ground.
Hey, here’s another reason why Ford stock was up strongly in the third quarter. Reuters reports that billionaire investor and speculator George Soros bought 7.3 million shares of Ford for $53 million. Funny, this is also a guy who says we have witnessed the collapse of the global financial system and we’re no where near the bottom of that collapse. So why buy stock in Ford?
The cofounders of Aptera Motors, the manufacturer of those bulbous, three-wheeled cars have quit … for the time being. According to the LA Times, Steve Fambro and Chris Anthony left their positions voluntarily to save money. Right now Aptera is trying to secure financing and is gunning for federal loans to jump-start production of its 2e model. The car business ain’t easy. And all these upstarts trying to get into the car business are going to learn why the history of the industry is littered with failures.
Volvo is getting enough money to build the new S60. According to Bloomberg, KBC Bank will loan the company nearly 200 million euros or $300 million. Volvo plans to use the money to build the S60 starting next summer and will also use part of the loan to invest in another plant to build small cars.
Ratan Tata, the head of the company that bears his name, said that he expects Jaguar Land Rover will turn around. According to Bloomberg, Jaguar Land Rover has gone through rough times. But this week the company secured a $285 million loan and Tata also raised $750 million last month selling securities that will allow it to refinance debt it took on to acquire Jaguar Land Rover.
The government wants a new side-impact crash standard. Cars will be slammed into 10-inch diameter poles at up to 20 miles an hour. The New York Times says the regulation will be phased in from 2011 to 2014. This will force automakers to redesign their vehicles and will undoubtedly add weight. And let’s see if it has much impact on safety. In the U.S., most traffic fatalities involve people not wearing their seatbelts
The Fiat Doblo just made its official debut. There are two versions of the van, a passenger model that can hold up to seven people, and a cargo version. Four engine choices will be offered when it launches, one gas and three diesels, and after launch another diesel will be available as well as one that can run on either gas or methane. And this vehicle will almost undoubtedly make it to the American market as part of Fiat’s plans to grow the Ram brand in the commercial truck market.
Coming up next, a look at Mercedes’ updated A-Class compact hatchback.
For all of our European viewers this is nothing new, but most of our American audience probably hasn’t heard about the updated Mercedes-Benz A-Class, so we’re going to bring them up to speed.
For starters, the A-Class is the smallest car offered by Mercedes. It’s available as either a three- or five-door hatchback. This year, the company has updated its styling and given it some noteworthy new technology.
Buyers can opt for premium features like an automated parking system, PARKTRONIC. With 10 sensors in the front and rear bumpers it can FIND and then can STEER itself into an available parking space. All the driver has to do is operate the pedals.
Another nice feature on certain models is start/stop functionality for the engine, which the company claims lowers fuel consumption by around 9 percent! When the manual transmission is shifted into neutral and the brakes are applied the engine shuts off. It seamlessly restarts when the clutch is operated or the brake pedal released.
The big question is, will American consumers pay premium prices for small cars like this? The A-class starts at around 20,000 euros – that’s about $28,000, and tops out at more than 30,000 euro. That’s $41,000!
For now, we’ll just have to wait and see when Mercedes – and the rest of the industry – decides to bring premium small cars to North America. But the recent announcement by Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche that we’ll be getting the next-generation B-Class, a people mover that’s one size up from the A-Class, is encouraging.
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And that’s it for today’s top news in the global automotive industry. Thanks for watching, we’ll see you tomorrow.
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Comments (71)
November 17th, 2009 at 12:21 pm
Is it just me?
I’m sick to death of subsidies, bailouts, handouts, credits. Why the hell can’t we just get the playing field level and “Let the Best Car Win!”??
If electric cars are viable, and I think they are to some point, they should be able to stand on their own. As the technology matures, the marketplace itself will add all these “charging stations”. Now that marketplace MAY be local municipalities, who see a way to add recharging functions to their existing parking meters, or employers looking for a low cost benefit to their workers.
November 17th, 2009 at 12:35 pm
Tony I’m with you on this one.
It is funny, my wifes niece’s husband put a deposit on an Aptera a year ago. I guess he can kiss that money goodbye.
November 17th, 2009 at 12:44 pm
So the A-Class, M-B’s smallest car, can be had with parking assist. How lazy and incompetent are drivers becoming?
November 17th, 2009 at 12:56 pm
Without support, no EV will ever be profitable unless gas is $10 a gallon or more.
They deserve support because the gas vehicles are polluting the planet and are NOT paying for the damages, for more than 100 years now.
To level the playing field, Economists need to calculate the EXTERNAL costs and add them to the cost of gas and electricity as appropriate.
But most consumers have no clue what the above is all about, and that’s a pity.
November 17th, 2009 at 12:59 pm
As Tony says, no more subsides; whatever happened to ‘free enterprise’. If you don’t think you can sell them (for whatever reason, don’t build them), if you think you can, go for it.
And I’m with John M. on the topic of the new side impact requirements; getting the seat belt usage up would do more good for safety then by adding new regulations (that will probably increase weight) to already overweight vehicles (which consequently defeats the goal of increase fuel economy). Seems the government speak’ith with fork tongue (but we already knew that, didn’t we).
November 17th, 2009 at 1:17 pm
I’m scared to death of the electrification of the fleet. Several reasons come to mind. First, given that lithium is the preferred medium in batteries we are going to trade world head aches with the Mid East to Bolivia. Second, we will need a massive investment in infrastructure to service the refueling of our cars & trucks. Money we do not have. Third, we will now be burning our coal at an exponentially higher rate than we do now. Emissions from a smoke stack or tail pipe, you pick. Lastly, but not least, once we exhaust our coal supply, and we will, then what do we power our country with? Nuclear? How can we justify powering with nuclear and not allow others say in the Mid East to do the same. This is just bad, bad, very bad politics in motion.
November 17th, 2009 at 1:20 pm
Subsidies are not always wrong. Google started as a DARPA project. So did the internet. The Navy spent the bucks to develop nuclear reactors. So much science is paid for by the government. Robotics? Go call DARPA.
So if we car people want to see the development of electric cars and the infrastructure to support it, eg. convenient charging stations, we should also accept that the govt. has an interest in getting the country less dependent on oil, especially the imported kind.
November 17th, 2009 at 1:32 pm
I would like to know IF we ever get that many EVs on the road where would we get the elec? Some states you have to turn off your ac in your home to save elec, rolling black outs, and all the elec saving stuff out there.
November 17th, 2009 at 1:50 pm
Side impact is going to be mandatory,so we better get used to it.EV’s are great for the people who pretty much work and live in or very near to cities.As far as cross country goes,just not worth the extra expense since you would end up using gas anyways.
NO MORE BAILOUTS/HANDOUTS etc.These upstart auto companies are going to have to find their funds from private sources,or fail like so many others have.
Every day I see more and more need to get into bio-diesel powered vehicles.Increased weight from mandated safety features etc,we need the power and economy of today’s and tomorrows clean diesel technology.It will happen….sooner then later.
November 17th, 2009 at 2:00 pm
In this day of diminishing new car sales, I don’t understand why all these upstart companies that want to get into the business are doing it now. Unless they expect more handouts and grants from uncle Barack, auntie Pelosi et al, instead this would be the time for dealers and manufacturers to improve their used car business. They should embrace the opportunity.
November 17th, 2009 at 2:16 pm
California’s power grid is struggling with the added power of flat screen tv’s and wants to add a surcharge for useage. How do they plan on charging all of these battery operated cars???
November 17th, 2009 at 2:37 pm
…we are moving to alternative fuel sources whether we like it or not it’s going to happen. There also seems to be alot of confusion about Coal Powerplant pollution. We have the technology to practically reduce the emissions from coal fired power plants to zero. Just like diesel technology we can filter and remove practically all of the pollution and not let it exhaust into the air we breathe. The Older powerplants don’t want to do this as it is an expenisve retrofit…the EPA needs to make this coal powerplant technology mandatory.
November 17th, 2009 at 2:46 pm
As to the subsidies, grants, bailouts and handouts – I’d agree that not all are necessarily bad, but each should be looked at on its own merits. I just sat on a committee last week that gave away $1.8 million dollars for “safe routes to school”. While it sounds noble enough, why are all of us helping to build sidewalks in cities that are not enforcing policies already in place that require sidewalks on private and/or public property? That should be the responsibility of the homeowner and/or city! And alot of these projects were for “trails” – give me a break! If someone wants to build a trail to nowhere, feel free, but don’t ask me to help pay for it! Alot of these things, including many of the grants and subsidies in the automotive world, should be looked upon as “If we build it, will they come?” If the answer is “no”, then don’t build it!
November 17th, 2009 at 3:04 pm
>The government wants a new side-impact
>crash standard. Cars will be slammed
>into 10-inch diameter poles at up to
>20 miles an hour. The New York Times
>says the regulation will be phased in
>from 2011 to 2014. This will force
>automakers to redesign their vehicles
>and will undoubtedly add weight
And, let’s not forget, cars will ALSO be required to meet 35+ MPG fuel economy standards too.
The car I had from 1979-1987, a Plymouth Horizon, took ~15 seconds to accelerate from 0 to 60 miles per hour. With the way our government sees fit to squeeze the auto industry harder and harder between fuel economy and safety, my ’79 Horizon will be an outright hot rod compared to the performance we may have to settle for.
I can’t help but wonder if we might end up having to settle for cars that can only maintain 45-50 miles per hour, rather than the 60+ MPH (if not 70) we’re used to on the highway.
The next time some politico talks about “getting tough” with the auto industry, remember that what this amounts to is government getting tough with us and the standard of mobility we are accustomed to.
November 17th, 2009 at 3:14 pm
I’m pretty sure the B-Class is in Canada now and has been for several years so it’s been in NA for awhile.
Canada has also had the Acura 1.6/1.7/CSX for years (Acura version of the Civic). No small car phobia up North.
November 17th, 2009 at 3:20 pm
@Alex, that is precisely what the government wants: every body driving the same type car, going at the same speed like robots, just look at the report yesterday with that crazy platoon idea coming from Europe. Might as well ban cars and have everyone ride buses and trains
November 17th, 2009 at 3:25 pm
On another subject, has anyone else noticed how quickly the car companies have responded to the new MPG requirements that came out what, about 6 months ago?? At the time the requirements were announced, the basic sentiment was it could be done, but it was going to cost a ton of money and would barely be in place by the required date (excuse me for not remembering the date – 2012 or 2014 – something like that).
As examples, look at the new Chevy Equinox. I’m not sure what the EPA rating was for the prior model, but all of a sudden they can get 32mpg out of it? Or the new Kia Sorento. The prior model was good for 19 highway mpg, but now the Sorento has grown 4 inches longer, an inch wider and has more horsepower, and it’s good for 28 mpg highway. Wow!!! And just go down the list of all the new cars and you will find pretty much the same thing across the board.
Now, to get all of you humming out there, call me a conspiracy theorist, but I think the technology for 30+mpg has been there for a long time, but due to the influence of big oil and big money and other political aspects that none of us are even aware of, this high(er) mileage technology was just sitting on the shelf until the car companies were forced to use it. And I’d bet the technology for 50, 60 or maybe 70mpg is also available, but we aren’t going to see it until all the corrupt entities listed above decide to give it to us!
Every so often you hear about some old farmer in Missouri or Iowa or someplace like that who has developed a vehicle that will deliver super high milage. Then you never hear another word about it! I honestly believe that big oil is out there buying these guys off so we, the oil-consuming motorists, can continue to get screwed at the gas pump! And don’t tell me that these super educated engineers working for the car companies can’t figure out what some dumb old farmer can figure out in his shop. I’d really like to see some auto magazine or automotive authority do a story on this topic and find out what happens to these types of inventions. John, I’d love to hear your take on all of this?
And what prompted this from me today? Watching the price of gas at my local Quick Trip jump 17 cents in 3 hours yesterday! That is totally ridiculous and borders on fraud!
November 17th, 2009 at 3:32 pm
@Pedro Fernandez, lest ye’ forget the loan began under King Bush !!!
November 17th, 2009 at 3:38 pm
Want EV to go? Let more of the hotroders at them.Look at the vedeo.Hotroding did a lot of R/D on our gas car over the years.
http://www.opb.org/programs/ofg/segments/view/1686
November 17th, 2009 at 3:51 pm
@Paul: if you want to go back even further. Farmer Jimmy with the Chrysler bailout loan, but at least that was paid off. The point is that this is no time for start ups, at a time when 100 year old companies are struggling to stay alive, even real estate projects are going under due to lack of funds.
November 17th, 2009 at 3:56 pm
@Pedro Fernandez, yes, why stop there, only Nixon could go to China. Your move…
November 17th, 2009 at 3:56 pm
And the flood gates were opened.
November 17th, 2009 at 4:10 pm
Well…
November 17th, 2009 at 4:19 pm
And Roger Smith said GM products were as good as the Japanese, and his nose did not grow, so much for the Pinocchio story.
November 17th, 2009 at 4:20 pm
What does Nixon have to do with the auto industry?
November 17th, 2009 at 4:24 pm
Nixon went to China to open the market, duh !!! And I called the fomer President King George because you called the current President – uncle Barack.I’ll stop if you will. That’s all I ask,please.
November 17th, 2009 at 4:24 pm
please.
November 17th, 2009 at 4:25 pm
I believe you to be nothing like Thor. I hope.
November 17th, 2009 at 4:27 pm
Well I’d rather deal with an uncle than a King, No? And we don’t have Chinese cars here….. Yet
November 17th, 2009 at 4:27 pm
Pedro, do you think that platoon idea arbitrarily put the pod in the left lane? Those rats will try to hold highway speeds down by clogging the road. One more reason I keep wondering how long I’ll keep driving.
November 17th, 2009 at 4:31 pm
Si I should expect you stii to call the current President an uncle in the future ? Is that correct ? Kings can be brought down and uncle is part of the family unfortunatly.
November 17th, 2009 at 4:32 pm
So, and still, my mistake on the keyboard.
November 17th, 2009 at 4:33 pm
Nixon did open the floodgates economically speaking.
November 17th, 2009 at 4:36 pm
The Sorrento gains so much in fuel economy because it switches from a BOF patform to a unibody platform (it’s now essentially a reskinned Santa Fe). The Equinox uses a smaller, 2.4 L direct-injection 4-cylinder with less power than the former 3.4 L V6 and a 6-speed auto instead of the old 4-speed. That will be the trend going forward—fewer BOF vehicles, smaller, less powerful engines and more efficient transmissions. These developments however are not cheap. Extra gears, automated manuals, DSG, start-stop systems, direct injection, turbocharging, all add increased cost which is almost impossible to recover in higher prices. Low-rolling-resistance tires can help, but you make compromises in cornering and braking. Aside from increased weight due to safety regulation the other mitigator against fuel economy gains has been emission standards, which has particularly hurt fwd cars. Catalysts, particulate filters etc. all result in a higher load on the engine, resulting in either less power, worse economy, or both. Your 1978 Ford V8 that gets 40 mpg highway would be crippled by the current emission requirements (and don’t forget that it probably only produces 150 hp in the first place—a 4-cylinder Cobalt has more power).
November 17th, 2009 at 4:37 pm
So, you got something against the prez? I like the guy, I just don’t like my tax money used to bail out people that wouldn’t give me the time of day, you didn’t object to the reference to auntie Pelosi, now her I don’t like one bit, she’s one of them rich folk pretending to be one of us.
November 17th, 2009 at 4:41 pm
I do not call the President an uncle ! Then it’s up to the people of California to vote her out. Not me or you. My father earned 2 Purple Hearts & 1 Bronze Star to make that happen.
November 17th, 2009 at 4:42 pm
Not sure what state your in.
November 17th, 2009 at 4:43 pm
I can try to vote President Obama in 2012.
November 17th, 2009 at 4:43 pm
Back to cars, which this is about. The improvements in drive trains and mpg’s is undeniable. But more could be done, however with stricter safety requirements which add more weight, cost and complexity,
the govt is squeezing the auto industry way too much and the consumer ends up paying for all of it. Just today there was a horrific crash here in So. Fla due to driver recklessness.Involving big SUV’s. No amount of safety equipment would have saved these people
November 17th, 2009 at 4:44 pm
“they want $120 billion over the next eight years. And that makes me wonder if this effort will ever get off the ground.”
http://www.electrificationcoalition.org/coalition-members.php
So, these guys want YOUR Money, to profit from building a “little car” network, that the U.S. Consumer does not want.
This sounds like Oba-maos health care plan…
November 17th, 2009 at 4:45 pm
Then don’t call the President an uncle from down in Florida
November 17th, 2009 at 4:46 pm
Mr. Fernandez
November 17th, 2009 at 4:56 pm
I was not aware that calling someone an uncle is an insult, I happened to like and get along with a couple of my late uncles, and Mr. Stewart be thankful that you live in a country that gives you the opportunity to elect your leaders. Where I come from, people can’t.
November 17th, 2009 at 4:57 pm
O and John all you have to do is vote him out in 2012.
November 17th, 2009 at 4:57 pm
It’s that simple.
November 17th, 2009 at 5:11 pm
paulstewart ,
You are assuming that Oba-mao will not have collapsed the U.S.Dollar and our government has not be “realigned” before 2012.
http://blogs.reuters.com/james-pethokoukis/2009/11/16/china-questions-costs-of-us-healthcare-reform/
google “cloward piven”
November 17th, 2009 at 5:14 pm
Aren’t we both lucky then. I am thankful, I already told you my Father fought for this country, because he has 2 Purple Hearts & 1 Bronze Star. Well, now you know calling certain people an uncle is really not nice maybe in your former country but now that your a citizen of the U.S.A. you know.
November 17th, 2009 at 5:16 pm
How long do you care to keep this going, it’s up to you.
November 17th, 2009 at 5:18 pm
We can end this like Gentlemen and just say “goodnight”
November 17th, 2009 at 5:19 pm
I’m more than willing if you will.
November 17th, 2009 at 5:29 pm
John, that’s the hard part we have to wait and see. And cross that bridge if we get to it. This “realigned” that you speak about can be done by the ballot or the bullet. The secret service and law enforcement is there if some choose the bullet. I had no problem dropping a dime on anyone if they said REAL bad things about the former President who I never voted for. Just because I never voted for the guy, it doesn’t mean he’s not my President !
November 17th, 2009 at 5:36 pm
The U.S.Dollar will affect the Auto Industry…
CNBC – Dollar Will be Utterly Destroyed, Global Currency, New World Order
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpgZx-9FLbE
November 17th, 2009 at 5:42 pm
John, this is the HARD part. We are not between 1929-1941.The Ballot over the bullet. In this country we vote, sometimes we loose, sometime the person we vote for wins. CNBC or FOX does not foretell the future.
November 17th, 2009 at 5:43 pm
Give yourself a little credit.
November 17th, 2009 at 5:49 pm
Children, children.. don’t make me call your parents.
can we stay on subject, instead of making of pres-familly references or compare the president to Mao.
JohnMcElroy: The AP reports that Nissan, FedEx, Pacific Gas & Electric, A123 Systems and Johnson Controls-Saft were all there. They want 14 million EVs on the road by 2020 and 100 million by 2030. They also want tax credits for batteries and charging stations and loan guarantees for retooling plants. In fact, they want $120 billion over the next eight years. And that makes me wonder if this effort will ever get off the ground.
- Well- I hope this effort will get off the ground, as long as this companies will build and retool in the U.S. and no part of that money will be used for outsourcing/ or already outsource plants- sure, 300 billion if they want. Lets be honest, EV’s will never get off the ground, unless there’s a national grip.
- The worst part of the goverment getting into the car industry is today news of the gov. wanting to increase crash-safety standards, THAT WILL add weight to cars. The gov. wants more fuel efficient cars, but with more weight added to cars. Heaven’s sake.
Also, I like that FIAT Doblo, looks nice.
-
November 17th, 2009 at 5:56 pm
John,
The new KIA Sorento is a handsome vehicle.
I will be kicking the tires when it hits the showrooms. Your Guest, Hal Sperlich, on Autoline After Hours is right. A OEM like Mercedes Benz needs to decontenting it’s “A” and “B” segement vehicles to an affordable price which will attract younger buyers to the brand. All these Car Guys should listen to Peter Delorenzo that the Electric Vehicles will only to suitable for approxiately ten percent of the worldwide automotive fleet. In my case, I have a garage with a 120 outlet not three feet from the drivers door. I will hopefully be parking my brand new Chevy Volt, someday, if it ever is available. I think GM is obsessing over every little detail about the Volt far too much. The truth is that the EV1 was a perfect commuter vehicle for us single occupant drivers. The limited battery range does not scare me because of the onboard ICE auxillary power unit which uses regular gas station gasoline to run it can recharge the batteries whether they are Nickle or Lithium based. There is no need to make a huge investment in the Electric power grid in the near future. The problem is that Americans have been trained to think like the guys on Wall Street. The Wall Streeters only think ahead and couple of months or maybe a year until the next financial reporting period. American needs visionaries and leaders to successfully navigate a course to energy independence and self reliance. Those Men and Women who first settled and crossed the heartland this great nation while traveling to the western coast had real guts.
The astronaunts, scientists and engineers who enabled men to walk on the moon, talk about brains and guts! That is the stuff that built this great country of ours.
We need leaders who think 20, 30, 50 years into the future and lay the ground work now for those infra-structure projects that give us an educational system which rewards the best and brightest. Educated Americans able to create and revitalize our nation. These Americans like ourselves who will support American energy independence, bountiful harvests of food, clean air, water and the preservation of the land so that every American now and in the future can purse the American Dream.
November 17th, 2009 at 5:59 pm
Unfortunatly Salvador G my parents have passed away and at least 1 thing I learned from ny Dad and that is to stand up to bully’s. In my face or on a faceless screen. Your 100% right about the weight issue though.
November 17th, 2009 at 6:05 pm
FYI
“Obamao” was invented in Communist China…
http://bellalu0.wordpress.com/2009/10/19/heres-to-anita-a-obamao-teeshirt-from-china/
November 17th, 2009 at 6:22 pm
However he was legally elected like former President Bush was in both of his terms.
November 17th, 2009 at 6:23 pm
John, can we both agree to disagre as Gentlemen. Please.
November 17th, 2009 at 6:58 pm
OH -The Humanity!!!
November 17th, 2009 at 7:11 pm
People are falling from the sky, the flames are everywhere, O’ the horror !!!
November 18th, 2009 at 5:30 am
Awful car, that A-class. Stay away at all cost.
November 18th, 2009 at 7:16 am
WOW! 59 posts, and most of them BS SPAM by this paulstewart character…
“paulstewart Says:
November 17th, 2009 at 4:24 pm
Nixon went to China to open the market, duh !!!”
It really gets me that not only are you 100% wrong on this, but you are also 100% confident that the above nonsense is correct!!!!!!!!
Nixon went to china in 1972, NOT in 2002!!! In 1972, CHina was 100% WORTHLESS as far as trade and imports are concerned, it was, under MAo, a sorry, backward nation with nukes it developed with Soviet Aid and spying on the US.
Nixon went there to BREAK the Soviet-China alliance and change the COLD WAR dynamics and equilibrium!!! He cunningly took advantage of the rift between Mao and the SOviets.
BUT as an Economic president, he was a disaster almost as bad as that moron Jimmy Carter! He was NOT a Republican, not even a Conservative, in Econ policy. You probably do not remember his econ illiterate “Wage and Price controls” schemes, that are to the far lest of the Dems. Kind of like the retard in chief we got now. WHo is too young and clueless to be called anybody’s uncle, BTW.
November 18th, 2009 at 7:35 am
Our own Peter de Lorenzo hit the nail on the head below:
The “Smart”, or, more accurately, the “Dumb”. A dismal failure:
http://www.autoextremist.com/
November 18th, 2009 at 10:24 am
This board has lost it’s focus.
November 18th, 2009 at 10:56 am
“This board has lost it’s (SIC) focus.”
It always amazes me how many people get this wrong. “it’s”=”it is”. Did you really want to say that above? “The board has lost it is focus”?
There are other, really difficult, words in english that I and many others may have trouble spelling, or that have many different spellings, such as “maneuvering” (sp?), but why so many confuse “its” with “it’s” is a mystery to me.
November 18th, 2009 at 11:07 am
You made my point.
November 18th, 2009 at 11:56 am
You’re welcome…
But I suspect you would have preferred that I did not correct you and explain in easy terms how to avoid making this common mistake? SO you can keep making it?
No, you make the proverbial point, blame the messenger…
November 18th, 2009 at 2:45 pm
Jim Sachetti, sorry I meant 1972 NOT 2002. And yes it was the beginng to thaw relations.And I noticed you have mistakes in your post too. I’ll be happy to point them out if you’d like me too.Nixon was a republican. Maybe not in policies but he was a republican. But the President was elected nonetheless. You are the 1 full of BS AND A RETARD TOO.
November 19th, 2009 at 11:43 am
Andrew Charles Says:
November 17th, 2009 at 4:36 pm
“The Equinox uses a smaller, 2.4 L direct-injection 4-cylinder with less power than the former 3.4 L V6″
You meant MORE horsepower, did you not? The direct injection 2.4 in the new Equinox is 182 hp. The Chinese 3.4 in the old one was 175 hp.