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 Forecasts drop for 2012, 2013 U.S. auto sales
For much of this year, gains in United States auto sales have been a bright spot in an economy that remains weighed down by joblessness, a still-sluggish housing market and global uncertainty. Now, those outside factors have started to drag on the auto industry, likely slowing the rate that sales will grow through 2013, analysts said today. ...  story
|  How engines will get smaller, more efficient
Automakers say they will squeeze much more efficiency from the internal combustion engine. For instance, they will use excess heat to warm engine lubricants more quickly to reduce friction. Better transmissions will reduce friction, and turbocharging and direct injection will boost power from small engines. ... story
| Consumers want 4-year payback on green cars, Ford says
 About 1 in 4 car buyers is willing to pay extra for a fuel-efficient powertrain if the investment can be recouped in four years or less, a senior Ford executive said today. ... story
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| TC BUZZ | JASON STEIN
Modest growth is fast enough
On a day when industry sales forecasts dropped, confidence about the recovery drooped and even Dodge slipped out of NASCAR racing, suppliers could still find a silver lining at a standing-room only morning session here.
If you're a North American supplier, focused on technology and a good balance sheet, there's good news: You've got a real future.
That's even in a U.S. market suddenly predicted to gain a dose of lethargy. And even in a sector of the industry that was supposed to devour itself in downsizing.
Suppliers are telling us two things: As every region but China and North America slows, more work is migrating here, thanks to favorable currency exchange rates and relatively strong demand.
Also, suppliers that supposedly would be squashed because they weren't ready for a sizzling recovery haven't been -- thanks to the lack of a sizzling recovery.
"The survivors have thrived," Jeff Schuster of LMC Automotive said.
Come again?
Wasn't there supposed to be a bullet to the head of most suppliers in 2012 thanks to a lack of capacity, lack of qualified personnel and lack of stomach to add capital, cash or both?
As Paul Taylor, chief economist at the National Automobile Dealers Association, said Tuesday: "Suppliers missed the bullet in the first half of the year. Modest growth, it turns out, is better."
In short, slow is good.
Published: Aug 7 12:01 am U.S. Eastern time
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Chrysler sees 'targeted' electrification, executive says
 Chrysler Group plans to make some electric versions of its vehicles, said Bob Lee, vice president and head of engine and electrified propulsion engineering. ... story
| N.A. production almost back to normal, but it's not business as usual
 Vehicle production in North America is gradually returning to pre-recession levels, but suppliers won't be able to return to business as usual. Automakers are expected to produce 17. ... story
| Suppliers provide key parts for Ford 3-banger
 Electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids have established toeholds in the United States. Now get ready for a new fuel-economy contender, the three-cylinder gasoline engine. ... story
| Harman welcomes Apple into automotive infotainment
 With a $16 billion book of future business, Harman International Industries Inc. is on a tear. In April, the company said it had signed a $2. ... story
| Suppliers to the 2013 Nissan Altima
 Suppliers to the 2013 Nissan Altima include Plastomer, Autoliv, ThyssenKrupp, Shawmut, Uniseal, Cadillac Products, Autoneum, Superior Industries, New Mather Metals, Fraenkische, TI Automotive,... ... story
| Suppliers to the 2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid
 Suppliers to the 2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid include TeKspan Automotive, Guelph Tool, Gestamp, MacLean-Fogg, Zanini, Johnson Electric, Midway Products, INA, FAG, Koyo, KSPG Automotive, Behr, Yazaki,... ... story
| Study: Lithium ion battery prices to tumble
 The price of automotive lithium ion batteries is expected to fall dramatically by the end of the decade and even further by 2025, according to a McKinsey study released today. ... story
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Auto suppliers have until Sept. 7, 2012, to apply for the 2013 Automotive News PACE Awards. The awards, which are co-sponsored by Ernst & Young and the Transportation Research Center Inc., recognize suppliers for innovations in four categories: Product, Manufacturing Process and Capital Equipment, Information Technology and Open.
Winners will be announced at a gala awards ceremony on April 15, 2013, in Detroit.
The Automotive News PACE Awards program is open to all automotive suppliers. The application fee is $1,500. To apply, visit www.autonews.com/pace. Questions? Call 313-446-6039. | | | | | |
Video
Manufacturing Job 1: Cutting costs, saving time
Automakers are at a turning point as they deploy post-recession profits to sharpen their manufacturing edge while dealing with the threat of another economic downturn. Ford is pushing a common, global system to cut costs, build more vehicles at each plant, and respond swiftly to changes in demand. At Chrysler, 3D models of plant tools have spotted problems and saved millions -- long before the start of production. Watch the video | Sponsored by  |
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