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The Nikkei Business Report

09 Nov 2009

The Nikkei 225 finished up 0.2% at 9,808 Monday, but volume was down at a 6-week low. Fast Retailing, Suzuki Motor, and Kubota were top gainers, but major power companies were among the hardest hit. Makiko Utsuda from The Nikkei has more.

Fiat's 5-Year Road Plan for Chrysler

05 Nov 2009

Fiat said its 5-year road plan to turn around Chrysler will result in the doubling of revenue. "There is no alternative but for Chrysler to be ambitious at this point," Stefano Aversa, co-president of restructuring specialists Alix Partners, said Thursday. "They have plenty of cash."

Ford's Safer Seatbelt 05 Nov 2009
Ford is unveiling its groundbreaking seat belt. CNBC's Phil LeBeau has the details.

Chrysler's Rebirth

05 Nov 2009

Chrysler is kicking off its rebirth and hoping its new game plan will please the government as well as the industry. Mike Jackson, chairman and CEO of AutoNation, shares his insight.

Toyota Reports Surprise Profit, but Outlook Bumpy

05 Nov 2009

Toyota's results blew past expectations Thursday. The Japanese automaker posted a surprise quarterly profit and halved its annual loss forecast. "Toyota is still making a loss. It's still going to face a very difficult future ahead," Graeme Maxton from The Insight Bureau said. "This doesn't mean that the auto sector has turned around."

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Behind The Wheel

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Sep.16

12:42 PM ET

Tuesday, 16 Sep 2008

GM And Why It Believes The Volt Is A Winner

Posted By:Phil LeBeau

Topics:Alternative Energy | Energy | Technology | Automobile Industry

Sectors:Oil and Gas | Technology | Automobiles and Parts

Companies:General Motors Corp

New Chevy Volt
Source: thecarconnection.com
New Chevy Volt
Long before General Motors unveiled its new electric car, the Chevy Volt, there was a buzz around GM that this car should be a winner. That's right, I used the words: should be. Predicting any car will be a hit is often a fool's game.

So why is GM [GM Loading... () ]so optimistic about the Volt?

• The biggest technical hurdles have been cleared. From the battery pack to the electronics, engineers have solved most of the biggest issues surrounding the Volt. That's not to say GM doesn't have other challenges for the Volt, but they are unlikely to be deal-breakers.

• The design is different but not weird. GM wants a car that will be recognizable while not standing out like a sore thumb. Like the Prius and other hybrids, the Volt features a sloped wind shield to make it more aerodynamic so the mileage is better.

• The Volt could enjoy the fruits of being the first mass market electric car in showrooms. With apologies to Tesla and other niche electric cars, GM's Volt should be the first electric car from a mass market brand. Yes, others are working on their own models, but if the Volt is first AND works, the GM could capture the halo-effect of leading the electric car revolution.

Do I think the Volt will be a winner? On paper I say yes. But in reality, I want to put it through it's paces over an extended period of time. That should happen by the end of 2010.