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To: Rickmas who wrote (4230)	6/6/1999 9:50:00 PM
From: Hawkeye	Respond to of 5827

Sunday June 6 1:21 PM ET Study: Ford To Pass Gm In Production By Michael Ellis DETROIT (Reuters) - The world's No. 2 automaker Ford Motor Co. (NYSE:F - news) will battle leader General Motors Corp. (NYSE:GM - news) for vehicle production supremacy before emerging as the victor by 2005, according to a study to be released Monday. For the first time since 1930, when the Model A was still rolling off the assembly line, Ford will take the top spot in the number of cars and trucks manufactured annually, while smaller automakers will feel increasing pressures to merge. Ford production will grow to 9.15 million cars and trucks in 2005 from an estimated 7.77 million in 1999, beating GM with 9.10 million in 2005, up from 8.08 million in 1999, according to the study prepared by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP unit Autofacts. ''They're basically battling for number one back and forth between now and 2005,'' said Greg Bonner, who co-authored the study with colleague Paul McCarthy. ''A minor shift in any one car line, which can occur in one year, obviously could throw that one way or another.'' Autofacts estimates included figures from automakers controlled by another car company. For example, Mazda Motor Corp., 33.4 percent owned by Ford, is included in Ford's total. Isuzu Motor Ltd., in which GM owns a 49 percent stake, is included in GM since by Japanese law, a stake greater than a 33.4 percent share is considered controlling interest. Also, all of Saab AG, 50 percent owned by GM, is considered in its tally since GM effectively controls the Swedish automaker. Ford climbed to within striking distance of GM, and is even expected to overtake its longtime competitor in revenues this year, with the $6.5 billion acquisition of Sweden's Volvo AG in January and strong demand for its truck products in its core U.S. market. On the other hand, GM's share of the critical U.S. market has steadily eroded from 50 percent in the mid-1950s to nearly 30 percent now. Following a recent spate of mergers and acquisitions, fourteen global automakers now account for 94 percent of worldwide production, with a top echelon of companies, dubbed ''The Global 6'' by the industry. They include Ford and GM, Japanese automaker Toyota Motor Co., the combined Renault SA and Nissan Motor Co. Ltd., Germany's Volkswagen AG, and DaimlerChrysler AG (NYSE:DAJ - news) . The others, labeled ''The Candidates Eight'' by Autofacts, could be plucked by a larger competitor or forced to merge with an equal in order to compete in a shrinking global industry, Autofacts said. They include Honda Motor Co, BMW AG, both of which have been eyed by larger automakers, as well as Fiat Spa, PSA Peugeot Citroen, Hyundai Motor Co Ltd and Mitsubishi Motors Corp., which is looking for a partner. ''Without a merger or an acquisition, none of the smaller players from number seven on down could hope to compete in that same league,'' Bonner said. ''These are the prey for the Global 6 because they just don't quite have the size necessary to shield themselves from acquisition.'' Merger activity, which hit a feverish peak earlier this year with Ford-Volvo and Renault-Nissan, has slowed recently. But the pace will heat up again during the next recession when many automakers which do not have the size, global reach or cash to survive a major sales downturn must find a partner, Bonner said.

To: Rickmas who wrote (4230)	6/6/1999 9:55:00 PM
From: Hawkeye	Respond to of 5827

From thecarconnection.com Green Machines A crystal-ball look at the environmentally friendly cars of the future. by Tara Baukus Mello There's a new species of auto that's currently in evolution, and it's as tiny as an infant in a hospital nursery. Some of the members of this group will not make it, but the strongest will survive and grow into mature adults as the years progress. It's the evolution of green machines — vehicles that are friendly to the environment. While it may seem like a contradiction to deal with green machines today, what with the current popularity of gas-guzzling, high-polluting SUVs, it's really not. Walk around the boardrooms at virtually any auto manufacturer, and you'll overhear plans for cars that use less fuel, burn it more efficiently, and still meet the performance, distance, safety and styling needs of today's American drivers. Consider these facts. More than half (56 percent) of the United States' gas supply is imported from foreign sources. That's fully 20 percent higher than was imported during the 1970s, when OPEC (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries) nearly brought the nation to a complete standstill. In addition, there are more vehicles on the road and drivers are logging more miles than ever before. Then, figure in that cars, trucks and SUVs account for one-third of all carbon dioxide emissions. Putting green machines on the road While you may not be alarmed by any of these statistics, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Energy, and other various government agencies are concerned. To counter the automobile's role in environmental pollution, these agencies are exercising their powers to ensure that the automotive industry does its part in making sure transportation is more environmentally friendly — whether they (or consumers) like it or not. At the heart of this push is Dr. Amory Lovins, a former experimental physicist who is now the director of research, executive vice president and CFO of the Rocky Mountain Institute, a nonprofit resource center. Lovins has set the automotive industry on fire by pioneering the concept of the ultralight hybrid vehicles he calls “hypercars,” a term trademarked by the Rocky Mountain Institute. Lovins' hypercar concept has caught the attention of several major manufacturers, who now are working on concept vehicles that rely heavily on the physicist's theories. So what does this green machine look like? It's not the jellybeanlike, one- or two-passenger vehicle that many might think of when imagining the vehicle of the future. No, in fact, the thought is that it would look much like current vehicle designs — a car, truck or SUV with room to accommodate up to four or five passengers. Yes, but how does it perform? The description sounds too good to be true: a vehicle that gets 100-200 miles per gallon with a 1,000-mile range, has the safety of a Volvo, the stiffness of a Mercedes, and the acceleration of a BMW, but with a price comparable to a Ford Taurus. No one, including Amory Lovins, knows whether this car can be built, but the auto industry is clearly headed in this direction. Toyota dealers in the United States will offer the Prius, a gas-electric hybrid based on the Corolla, beginning in mid-2000. DaimlerChrysler introduced the NECAR 4, a fuel cell vehicle based on the Mercedes-Benz A-Class that can go up to 90 mph and travel nearly 280 miles before refueling. Ford's P2000 research program is dedicated to producing clean and efficient vehicles, which include the P2000 Sedan and SUV unveiled earlier this year. This is just a few of the projects and companies that are involved. In the coming months, this column will share the activities in this evolving field and discuss how they directly relate to our driving habits and needs. As new technologies are developed, I'll explain them in easy-to-understand terms. Then, as new vehicles are introduced, you'll know firsthand about performance, safety and real-world practicality through road tests and reviews. (6/6/99)

To: Rickmas who wrote (4230)	6/6/1999 10:01:00 PM
From: Hawkeye	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 5827

Friday June 4, 9:18 pm Eastern Time Company Press Release SOURCE: Center for Resource Solutions Center for Resource Solutions Applauds Leadership on Green Power in White House Executive Order SAN FRANCISCO, June 4 /PRNewswire/ -- The Clinton Administration yesterday made history by releasing an Executive Order encouraging federal purchases of electricity generated with renewable resources. The Executive Order will serve as a landmark in long standing efforts to direct federal purchasing dollars towards cleaner, green sources of electricity. ''With this Executive Order, the Clinton Administration is challenging the federal government to be a national leader on use of green power,'' said Jan Hamrin, Executive Director of the Center for Resource Solutions. Hamrin continued, ''the multi-billion dollar federal energy budget can now be part of the pollution solution by being used to purchase electricity from renewable energy sources. After years of discussion,'' said Hamrin, ''it is a welcome sign to see the Clinton Administration putting its money where its mouth is on green power, energy, and the environment.'' The commitment by the White House comes in the midst of efforts by the Clinton Administration to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, promote clean air goals, and demonstrate the links between U.S. economic growth and environmental protection. The order will help free federal facilities managers from regulations requiring them to purchase cheap, dirty power despite its negative environmental impacts. Instead, it encourages them to improve energy efficiency and serve the load that remains with the most low-cost clean power option. The announcement -- coming during a period of increased Congressional interest in crafting national legislation on electric utility restructuring -- also helps reaffirm a Clinton Administration goal of using electricity deregulation which allows consumers greater choice in purchasing cleaner, greener electricity. SOURCE: Center for Resource Solutions