If there’s no Champagne, can it still be an auto show?

Actually there was a splash of it at press days for the New York auto show, but it was in a most unusual place: the EV Innovations kiosk. And it was little more than a kiosk, located deep in the basement of the Javits Center. That’s where on Thursday, the final day — in the final hour — of press previews, EVI’s Inizio electric-car concept was unveiled. There wasn’t a lot of Champagne to go around, but that wasn’t a problem; most of the press had gone home by then.

The media’s complaint was that there wasn’t much to see this year. At least in comparison to previous years, that was true enough. Remember stunts of a few years back, such as Arnold Schwarzenegger – then just an actor – “crashing” a new Hummer into ABC’s Times Square studio? Or Nascar drivers operating hybrid taxis around Manhattan? Or swank parties in Fifth Avenue showrooms or SoHo art galleries or Rockefeller Center’s sky-high Rainbow Room? In a way, it all seems very long ago. Things change.

EVI, for instance, is a very small player. But these days its future appears as bright as anyone else’s in this beleaguered industry. EVI may not have sold too many cars yet – if any – but it isn’t billions of dollars in the hole, either.

The General Motors stand here was quieter than a wake. A relatively low-level executive introduced a throwaway vehicle on Wednesday and then vacated the premises, as far as I could tell. There weren’t even any press materials handed out – just a small sign that gave a Web address for information online. In years not that far gone by, reporters were burdened down with binders full of information, CDs full of pictures and bags of swag. Some were so lavish that they found their way to eBay (and some of those – like scale models of the cars just introduced - brought a fair amount of money).

But the G.M. stand this year was almost as devoid of tire kickers as it was glittering new models. The small display of cars used in a coming “Transformers” movie sequel was a highlight.

The situation was only slightly better at Chrysler, but only because it seemed like they might start liquidating their stand displays. A flashing video board kept reminding attendees of “Employee Pricing Plus Plus!” I don’t recall a hard-sell effort like that at an auto show before. Cue the salesmen in plaid sports coats.

The Ford stand, by comparison, looked almost festive. Not much to unveil here, but Ford still has some acclaimed new models, which made their debuts at earlier shows this year, and were for the most part previously unseen by New Yorkers. At Ford, there were plenty of people milling around, a certain amount of excitement was in the air and about all that was lacking was a balloon drop.

As John Krafcik, acting president and chief executive of Hyundai Motor America, said earlier in the week, “Flat is the new up.”

Luxury car manufacturers were noticeably low-key — if you could find them at all. I never saw a Rolls Royce display. Daimler’s luxury flagship, Maybach, brought a single car, and it was parked in a lonely corner like an afterthought. Demand for a car with a $5,00 perfume atomizer option can’t be that high these days.

Bentley, which provided the only champagne reception at the Los Angeles auto show last fall, offered merely snacks this time around. What can you expect when the factory back home in England is operating part time?

In the place of luxury cars in the main hall was Fisker Automotive, the electric car start-up out of California, which occupied quite a bit of real estate, even though it only had two car models to display.

One of the most difficult things to get right these days, when it comes to what’s left of the automobile industry, is affecting the proper mood. Mournful? Optimistic? Apologetic? Empathetic? Indignant? Militant?

It’s all quite sad, to those who have followed the industry for many years. We used to make fun of the outrageous fashions worn by booth models, the smoke machines and pyrotechnic displays. It’s a terrible feeling having lived through the good old days and not realizing then that’s what they were.

Source (article): NYTIMES

Source (pictures): GUESTOFAGUEST, FOTOMAIL, NYTIMES

WASHINGTON, D.C. — OnStar has introduced new state-of-the-art technology that can send a signal to a stolen vehicle that will gradually reduce engine power. The technology is said to help police cut down on high-speed chases and will help to recover stolen vehicles more quickly.

The so-called “Stolen Vehicle Slowdown” will makes its debut on 1.7 million General Motors vehicles — primarily Chevrolets — in the 2009 model year. No word yet on how much the new technology will cost consumers. An OnStar advisor “working with law enforcement” will send a signal to a subscriber’s stolen vehicle to cut engine power, the GM subsidiary said in a statement. GM showed off an instrument panel that flashes “engine power is reduced” when the system is activated.

“The Stolen Vehicle Slowdown service will allow our subscribers added peace of mind by possibly preventing their vehicle from being used as an instrument of harm if it happens to be stolen,” said Chet Huber, OnStar president.

What is left unsaid is what other circumstances besides theft might prompt the activation of the system. Murder suspect O.J. Simpson’s legendary slow-speed car chase along California’s I-405 in a white Ford Bronco comes to mind as one possible example of where the system may be applicable. While the system undoubtedly will help the police, it also seems to threaten an individual’s absolute control over his or her vehicle. Civil libertarians may be appalled or alarmed over this latest radical technology.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that 30,000 police chases occur yearly and about 300 deaths occur as a result of those chases.

“We look forward to having technologies like Stolen Vehicle Slowdown available to aid our officers in apprehending suspected car thieves and keeping our officers, highways and citizens safe,” said David Hiller, national vice president of the Fraternal Order of Police.”

What this means to you: You will either welcome this new OnStar technology or see it as a scary manifestation of Big Brother grabbing control of your vehicle

Source (article): EDMUNDS INSIDE LINE

Source (picture): SINGLETRACKS.COM

GENEVA - GM’s Adam Opel GmbH subsidiary presented the lithium-ion battery powered hatchback Ampera on Tuesday at the Geneva Motor Show, where electric-powered vehicles emerged as one way to persuade environmentally aware consumers to buy new cars during the global recession.

Other automakers — including Chrysler, Mitsubishi and Ford — also touted their plans for cars equipped with electric motors as the industry both seeks to overcome the current crisis that has decimated sales and meet increasingly tough environmental and carbon emission standards.

Only European giant VW bucked the trend, saying its answer to the electric car would come out “in the coming decade.”

European drivers could be silently cruising around in the Ampera by the end of 2011 — up to 40 miles per plug-in, augmented by another 300 miles of extended range from a gasoline engine. The car is the European relative to GM’s Volt plug-in hybrid set to debut in the United States next year.

The Ampera presented in Geneva was a white four-door sedan with a hatchback — and a set of front headlights that created a menacing, masculine impression. An Opel official demonstrated how the car could easily be plugged into any household electrical supply.

“This is the kind of game-changing technology that the auto industry needs to respond to energy and environmental challenges,” President of GM Europe Carl Peter Forster said.

Source (article): MSNBC

Source (picture): GMVOLT.COM