2008 01 03_ford_hybrid_profile
1
K CMY ▼ DOW: -220.86 Close: 13,043.96 ▼ NASDAQ: -42.65 Close: 2,609.63 Inside Briefing 2 Autos 3 Markets 3 TODAY ON FREEP.COM Automakers release December sales figures A look inside the new Corvette engine 1E ◆ D Thursday, Jan. 3, 2008 Business dept.: 313-222-8765, [email protected] www.freep.com Detroit Free Press Nancy Gioia loves taking in the Michigan outdoors on horseback, and she has a pen- chant for recycling just about everything, even masking tape — a lesson she learned from her Depression-era par- ents while growing up in Li- vonia. “If you don’t reuse things, you’re being wasteful,” she said one day at the Livingston County stable, where she boards her two horses, Moe and Zoom. Still, Gioia, Ford Motor Co.’s director of sustainable mobility technologies and hy- brid vehicle programs, doesn’t consider herself an environmentalist. “Maybe I just associate it more with extremists,” she explained. Still, as the woman squarely in charge of painting Ford’s future green, with new technologies that will make Ford’s future cars and trucks cleaner and more efficient, she has an environmental mission all the same. “The whole world has to change the way we do things,” said Gioia, who be- lieves climate change is a real problem. “I just feel very strongly we have to live very responsibly.” So even though she won’t use the “e” word to describe herself, she said, “My job is very compatible with my be- liefs. … This is in my DNA.” Biofuels, hybrid vehicles key For Gioia, that job means managing the engineering development of a mind-bog- gling array of possible techni- cal directions automakers could take to make cars and trucks cleaner and more effi- THE ACCIDENTAL ACTIVIST 2007 photo by ROMAIN BLANQUART/Detroit Free Press Nancy Gioia gets ready to ride her horse Bask Motif, aka Moe, at Turning Point farms in South Lyon. She is an avid outdoorswoman and leads Ford’s sustainability programs, but don’t call her an environmentalist. “Maybe I just associate it more with extremists,” she said. FUELING FORD’S GREEN ENGINE “My job is very compatible with my beliefs. … This is in my DNA.” NANCY GIOIA, Ford Motor Co.’s director of sustainable mobility technologies and hybrid vehicle programs Gioia is on a mission to develop cleaner vehicles By SARAH A. WEBSTER FREE PRESS BUSINESS WRITER See GIOIA, 3D The popularity of the new Chevrolet Malibu is good news for General Motors Corp. and for the workers in its Orion Township Assembly plant. Speaking to report- ers Wednesday, Mark LaNeve, GM’s head of sales, service and mar- keting in North Ameri- ca, said the automaker has expanded produc- tion of the redesigned midsize sedan to a sec- ond plant — its Orion Township plant — be- cause it is not able to meet demand for the vehicle. The big complaint from dealers about the Malibu so far, LaNeve said, is that they can’t get them in showrooms fast enough. The Malibu was named the Free Press Car of the Year and is a finalist for North American Car of the Year, an award that will be presented at the North American International Auto Show at Cobo Center this month. The automaker continues to produce the Malibu at its longtime home in Fairfax, Kan., but added it to the Orion assembly line — which also makes the Pontiac G6 — on Dec. 3. The Malibu and the G6 are built on the same ve- hicle platform. The company wouldn’t say what per- centage of the vehicles produced in Orion are Malibus, but Chevrolet spokeswoman Nancy Libby said the plant is producing 60 vehicles an hour with two shifts a day. Fairfax is also operating with two shifts per day. Workers in Orion Township told the Free Press in August that they expected to win pro- duction of the new hot-selling Orion plant is building Chevrolet’s hot Malibu 2nd site is effort to keep up with demand for the sedan Mark LaNeve, GM sales and marketing executive By KATIE MERX FREE PRESS BUSINESS WRITER See MALIBU, 2D Crude oil prices hit $100 a barrel for the first time ever Wednesday in New York trad- ing, meaning consumers can expect higher prices. The price fell back into the high $90 range by the end of trading, but the event con- firmed that rising crude oil prices will translate into re- cords at the pump, said Ben Brockwell, director of data, pricing and information ser- vices for the Rockville, Md.- based Oil Price Information Service. “We have already forecast … that retail prices will aver- age between $3.50 and $3.75” a gallon for regular self-serve “during most of the year,” he said. Gas prices were already ris- ing. Michigan gas prices are averaging $3.099 a gallon for regular self-serve, up 85.9 cents from a year ago, AAA Michigan said Wednesday. Contact JOE GUY COLLIER at 313-222-6512 or [email protected]. Crude oil price closes near $100 By JOE GUY COLLIER FREE PRESS BUSINESS WRITER Sources: New York Mercantile Exchange, futures.tradingcharts.com Detroit Free Press Oil prices (Crude per barrel) $100 95 90 85 70 65 60 80 75 Wednesday’s close: $99.47 Oct. Dec. Jan. Sept. Nov. 2007 2008 Aug. ❚ Answers on oil impacts. 2D Party time General Motors Corp. begins the countdown to its 100th birth- day today with a 24-hour in- vitation-only virtual media forum with its top executives from around the world, beginning with Chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner at 10 a.m. Check www.freep.com throughout the day to see what’s breaking. While the online chats are exclusively for the media, later in the day, the public will be able to visit a Web site GM is launching as part of its celebration at www.Gmnext.com. Using the Web site, workers, retirees and the public will be able to participate in GM’s cele- bration by chronicling their mem- ories and knowledge of General Motors in public blogs. - KATIE MERX between it and soft-roaders — luxury crossovers with no rough-terrain creden- tials like the BMW X3, Infiniti FX, Land Rover LR2 and Lincoln MKX. The GLK is about 178 inches long, slightly longer than the LR2 and a couple of inches shorter than the X3. The GLK’s scalloped hood and upright sides emphasize its connection with the GL, as do the concept’s seven-speed auto- matic transmission and all-wheel drive. Mercedes-Benz plans to display a rug- ged little concept SUV at the North Amer- ican International Auto Show in Detroit on Jan. 13 that’s nearly identical to an up- coming production model. Called the GLK, the compact off-roader is a step smaller than Mercedes’ M-class midsize SUV. Its upright styling clearly draws on the larger Mercedes GL-class SUVs, however. The concept is called the GLK Freeside. The production model is likely to be on sale within a year. Mercedes emphasizes the vehicle’s off- road capability to underscore its connec- tion with the big GL and draw a distinction Power comes from a fuel-efficient, 2.2- liter, four-cylinder turbodiesel that meets U.S. emissions standards and produces 170 horsepower. Interior features include black leather, chrome accents and unique wood trim, which has a distinctive black color offset by white grain. Contact MARK PHELAN at 313-222-6731 or [email protected]. Mercedes to show off compact SUV idea Mercedes-Benz The Mercedes concept off-roader is called the GLK Freeside. The production model is likely to be on sale within a year. It has a 2.2-liter, four-cylinder turbodiesel. By MARK PHELAN FREE PRESS AUTO CRITIC
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Transcript of 2008 01 03_ford_hybrid_profile
KC M Y
� DOW: -220.86Close: 13,043.96� NASDAQ:-42.65Close: 2,609.63
InsideBriefing 2Autos 3Markets 3
TODAY ON FREEP.COMAutomakers releaseDecember sales figures
A look inside the newCorvette engine 1E
�
DThursday, Jan. 3, 2008 Business dept.: 313-222-8765, [email protected] www.freep.com Detroit Free Press
Nancy Gioia loves takingin the Michigan outdoors onhorseback, and she has a pen-chant for recycling just abouteverything, even maskingtape — a lesson she learnedfrom her Depression-era par-ents while growing up in Li-vonia.
“If you don’t reuse things,you’re being wasteful,” shesaid one day at the LivingstonCounty stable, where sheboards her two horses, Moeand Zoom.
Still, Gioia, Ford MotorCo.’s director of sustainablemobility technologies and hy-brid vehicle programs,doesn’t consider herself anenvironmentalist.
“Maybe I just associate itmore with extremists,” sheexplained.
Still, as the womansquarely in charge of paintingFord’s future green, with newtechnologies that will makeFord’s future cars and truckscleaner and more efficient,she has an environmentalmission all the same.
“The whole world has tochange the way we dothings,” said Gioia, who be-lieves climate change is a realproblem. “I just feel verystrongly we have to live very
responsibly.”So even though she won’t
use the “e” word to describeherself, she said, “My job isvery compatible with my be-liefs. … This is in my DNA.”
Biofuels, hybrid vehicles keyFor Gioia, that job means
managing the engineeringdevelopment of a mind-bog-gling array of possible techni-cal directions automakerscould take to make cars andtrucks cleaner and more effi-
THE ACCIDENTAL ACTIVIST
2007 photo by ROMAIN BLANQUART/Detroit Free Press
Nancy Gioia gets ready to ride her horse Bask Motif, aka Moe, at Turning Point farms in South Lyon. She is an avid outdoorswoman and leadsFord’s sustainability programs, but don’t call her an environmentalist. “Maybe I just associate it more with extremists,” she said.
FUELING FORD’SGREEN ENGINE
“My job is very compatible with my beliefs. …This is in my DNA.”
NANCY GIOIA, Ford Motor Co.’s director of sustainable mobility technologies and hybrid vehicle programs
Gioia is on a mission todevelop cleaner vehicles
By SARAH A. WEBSTER
FREE PRESS BUSINESS WRITER
See GIOIA, 3D
The popularity of the newChevrolet Malibu is good newsfor General Motors Corp. andfor the workers in its OrionTownship Assemblyplant.
Speaking to report-ers Wednesday, MarkLaNeve, GM’s head ofsales, service and mar-keting in North Ameri-ca, said the automakerhas expanded produc-tion of the redesignedmidsize sedan to a sec-ond plant — its OrionTownship plant — be-cause it is not able tomeet demand for the vehicle.
The big complaint fromdealers about the Malibu sofar, LaNeve said, is that theycan’t get them in showroomsfast enough.
The Malibu was named theFree Press Car of the Year andis a finalist for North AmericanCar of the Year, an award that
will be presented at the NorthAmerican International AutoShow at Cobo Center thismonth.
The automaker continuesto produce the Malibu at itslongtime home in Fairfax,
Kan., but added it to theOrion assembly line —which also makes thePontiac G6 — on Dec. 3.The Malibu and the G6are built on the same ve-hicle platform.
The companywouldn’t say what per-centage of the vehiclesproduced in Orion areMalibus, but Chevroletspokeswoman NancyLibby said the plant is
producing 60 vehicles an hourwith two shifts a day.
Fairfax is also operatingwith two shifts per day.
Workers in Orion Townshiptold the Free Press in Augustthat they expected to win pro-duction of the new hot-selling
Orion plantis buildingChevrolet’shot Malibu2nd site is effort to keep upwith demand for the sedan
MarkLaNeve, GMsales andmarketingexecutive
By KATIE MERX
FREE PRESS BUSINESS WRITER
See MALIBU, 2D
Crude oil prices hit $100 abarrel for the first time everWednesday in New York trad-ing, meaning consumers canexpect higher prices.
The price fell back into thehigh $90 range by the end oftrading, but the event con-firmed that rising crude oilprices will translate into re-cords at the pump, said BenBrockwell, director of data,pricing and information ser-vices for the Rockville, Md.-based Oil Price InformationService.
“We have already forecast… that retail prices will aver-age between $3.50 and $3.75” agallon for regular self-serve“during most of the year,” hesaid.
Gas prices were already ris-ing. Michigan gas prices areaveraging $3.099 a gallon for
regular self-serve, up 85.9cents from a year ago, AAAMichigan said Wednesday.
Contact JOE GUY COLLIER at313-222-6512 [email protected].
Crude oil pricecloses near $100
By JOE GUY COLLIER
FREE PRESS BUSINESS WRITER
Sources: New York Mercantile Exchange, futures.tradingcharts.com
Detroit Free Press
Oil prices(Crude per barrel)
$100
95
9085
706560
8075
Wednesday’sclose:
$99.47
Oct. Dec. Jan.Sept. Nov.2007 2008Aug.
� Answers on oil impacts. 2D
Party timeGeneral Motors Corp. begins
the countdown to its 100th birth-day today with a 24-hour in-vitation-only virtual media forumwith its top executives fromaround the world, beginning withChairman and CEO Rick Wagonerat 10 a.m. Check www.freep.comthroughout the day to see what’sbreaking.
While the online chats areexclusively for the media, later in
the day, the public will be able tovisit a Web site GM is launchingas part of its celebration atwww.Gmnext.com.
Using the Web site, workers,retirees and the public will beable to participate in GM’s cele-bration by chronicling their mem-ories and knowledge of GeneralMotors in public blogs.
- KATIE MERX
between it and soft-roaders — luxurycrossovers with no rough-terrain creden-tials like the BMW X3, Infiniti FX, LandRover LR2 and Lincoln MKX.
The GLK is about 178 inches long,slightly longer than the LR2 and a coupleof inches shorter than the X3.
The GLK’s scalloped hood and uprightsides emphasize its connection with theGL, as do the concept’s seven-speed auto-matic transmission and all-wheel drive.
Mercedes-Benz plans to display a rug-ged little concept SUV at the North Amer-ican International Auto Show in Detroiton Jan. 13 that’s nearly identical to an up-coming production model.
Called the GLK, the compact off-roaderis a step smaller than Mercedes’ M-classmidsize SUV. Its upright styling clearlydraws on the larger Mercedes GL-classSUVs, however.
The concept is called the GLK Freeside.The production model is likely to be onsale within a year.
Mercedes emphasizes the vehicle’s off-road capability to underscore its connec-tion with the big GL and draw a distinction
Power comes from a fuel-efficient, 2.2-liter, four-cylinder turbodiesel that meetsU.S. emissions standards and produces170 horsepower.
Interior features include black leather,chrome accents and unique wood trim,which has a distinctive black color offsetby white grain.
Contact MARK PHELAN at 313-222-6731 [email protected].
Mercedes toshow offcompactSUV idea
Mercedes-Benz
The Mercedes concept off-roader is called the GLK Freeside. The production model is likely to beon sale within a year. It has a 2.2-liter, four-cylinder turbodiesel.
By MARK PHELAN
FREE PRESS AUTO CRITIC
