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Posts Tagged ‘Washington Auto Show’

Library of Congress Launches Registry of Historic Vehicles

1964 Shelby Daytona Coupe first among potentially thousands of unique automobiles.

by on Jan.23, 2014

The prototype for the 1964 Shelby Daytona Coupe lands on the new Historical Vehicle Registry.

The Library of Congress has launched a national registry of historically significant vehicles, each one of which will be arrived at and certified by The Department of the Interior through collaboration with the Historical Vehicle Association.

The announcement came at the Washington D.C. Auto Show Day. The first vehicle to be entered onto the registry will be displayed for the public at the show—the 1964 Shelby Daytona Coupe—number CSX2287—one of six such race cars produced by Carol Shelby to take on Ferrari in the GT Series.

Setting the Record Straight!

The Shelby was the first car on the Registry, said HVA President Mark Gessler, because it “so perfectly” fit all the criteria the group will use going forward to get vehicles certified by the Dept. of Interior for the Library of Congress. “It is historic, iconic, associated with one of the great car producers, Shelby…it’s a prototype and it is unrestored.”

This week also happens to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the Shelby Daytona Coupe’s debut on the track.

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2015 Cadillac ELR Takes Green Car Tech Award for “Regen on Demand”

System gives Caddy ELR a more sporty feel – and longer range.

by on Jan.23, 2014

Cadillac's ELR allows a driver to send more energy back to the battery with the tap of a paddle shifter.

Paddle shifters have become increasingly commonplace in recent years, a way for motorists to get a more sporty feel from vehicles equipped with an automatic gearbox – but Cadillac has taken an alternative approach with its new ELR plug-in hybrid which uses its paddle shifters to increase the amount of energy that can be regenerated and stored in its battery pack.

Dubbed Regen on Demand, the new system was honored as “Green Car Technology of the Year” during a ceremony at the 2014 Washington Auto Show, beating out nine other environmentally friendly technology including a new Audi turbodiesel, a super-light carbon fiber body from BMW and Hyundai’s new hydrogen fuel-cell system.

Plug In!

“Ever-increasing efficiency is crucial to our driving future,” said Ron Cogan, publisher of the magazine Green Car Journal, which organizes the annual award, who called the Cadillac Regen on Demand technology, “an intriguing feature that adds a new dimension to the driving experience.”

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Opinion: Foreign Makers Whine Over Obama “Snub”

Complain Obama didn't kick their tires, too.

by on Feb.03, 2012

The President checks out a Chevrolet Volt at the Washington Auto Show. He missed the Prius plug-in.

Everybody knows about the decline of the American economy. At the same time, aided and abetted by the talking heads on CNN, Fox News and MSNBC, Amercans are well on their to becoming a nation of chronic whiners.

The latest example comes from Washington D.C. where a handful of automotive executives who were asked to be on hand while President Barack Obama visited the Washington D. C. Auto Show this week.

Insight!

Obama, however, didn’t visit their exhibits and instead spent his time at the GM , Ford and Chrysler stands, leaving the foreign executives supping coffee or whatever. But instead of going on to their next meeting or complaining to the wives or companions, the brass from the Asian and European manufacturers, most of whom are Americans, went whining to the media, sparking all kinds of learned analysis about why Obama hates foreign carmakers.

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Obama Admin Presses Success of Auto Industry

President at D.C. Auto Show, VP Biden off to Michigan supplier.

by on Jan.31, 2012

The President checks out a Chevrolet Volt at the Washington Auto Show.

Barely a week after declaring “the U.S. Auto industry is back,” in the state-of-the-union message, President Barack Obama and VP Joe Biden took that message on the road,  the two men pressing for still more job growth – and for a political advantage in the upcoming election.

The President, who has had to defend his decision to bail out both General Motors and Chrysler, paid a visit to the annual Washington Auto Show to get a look at the latest models and to make it clear he will stand by his controversial decision.  Meanwhile, VP Biden  will be landing in Grand Rapids on Wednesday to visit an automotive supplier and promote the administration’s call for manufacturing jobs to return to the U.S.

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“It’s good to remember the fact that there were some folks who were willing to let this industry die,” Pres. Obama said during his tour of the auto show – a direct reference not only to the general position of the Republican party but specifically the stand taken by Mitt Romney, the apparent front-runner for the GOP’s presidential nomination.

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GM Withdraws Request for $14 Billion in U.S. Loans

Maker also planning expanded roll-out of Chevy Volt.

by on Jan.27, 2011

GM is in much better shape, says design chief Welburn.

General Motors has withdrawn a request for $14.4 billion in low-interest loans it was seeking through the Department of Energy, proclaiming it has enough cash to fund the development of battery cars and other high-mileage models.

The news came on the same day the maker said it will speed up the roll-out of its highly-touted Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid.  The original plan called for GM to provide about 10,000 Volts – recently voted North American Car of the Year – to dealers in select markets this year, then expand nationwide in 2012.  GM is now looking to boost production to 25,000 or more in 2011 and to get some of the battery-based vehicles to all its dealers before year’s end.

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“We’re confident of our progress and the strong global performance of our company,” GM’s global design director Ed Welburn said during an appearance at the Washington Auto Show.

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Think Fast! New EV Fast Charge Method Announced

Zero-to-80% charge in 15 minutes, said to be a new standard.

by on Jan.26, 2010

A new time joins the zero-to-60 mph number, minutes from depleted to mostly recharged.

Electric vehicle manufacturer Think will announce later today  that it will join with AeroVironment, Inc. (NASDAQ: AVAV) to jump-start the fast-charge infrastructure in the United States.

The announcement will come at a 15-minute news conference at the Washington Auto Show.

Fifteen minutes is the time it will take to charge a Think City electric vehicle from completely depleted to 80% using an advanced fast-charge system, establishing what Think thinks is a new benchmark for the rapidly developing electric vehicle industry.

“This is a major leap forward for electric vehicles, according to Think CEO Richard Canny. “ The development and deployment of very-fast-charge stations will help speed the electrification of automobiles in the United States and globally.”

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We're Fast!

Think will also announce that it has chosen EnerDel, the Indiana-based lithium-ion battery manufacturer, to be the exclusive battery supplier for its City electric vehicles sold in the U.S. through 2012. EnerDel also will also supply at least 60% of the batteries for City electric vehicles sold in Europe.     (more…)

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