'Green' Cars Boost Thai Auto Industry

April 2, 2008 -- Incentives from the Thai government to encourage automakers to produce fuel-efficient "eco-cars" have yielded a raft of major investments and started to change how Thais drive, experts say. Tax breaks for automakers and car buyers were unveiled last year, as the government worried that Thailand's position as the world's biggest maker of light pickups might not be enough to guarantee the future of its auto industry. The kingdom churns out 900,000 one-ton trucks every year -- about three-fourths of global output.

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Car firms suffer double-digit falls in US sales

Workers in the US car industry are facing a summer of factory shutdowns, overtime restrictions and additional lay-offs as the worsening economy sends vehicle sales into a sharp decline.

Figures from all the major car makers yesterday showed sales in March were down in double-digit percentages compared with a year ago, and industry executives said 2008 is on course to be the US's worst year for sales in 15 years.

"I'd like to be able to tell you the worst is behind us but I can't really say that," Ford's marketing chief, Jim Farley, told investors, as the company revealed a 14 per cent slide in sales of cars and light trucks. General Motors said its monthly sales had collapsed by 19 per cent, while Toyota revealed a 10 per cent decline.

Worse for the industry, the most expensive – and therefore the most profitable – vehicles, such as SUVs, are being deserted by customers in favour of cheaper, more fuel-efficient models.


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http://www.bangkokpost.com/Business/03Apr2008_biz50.php

Wilson Electronics is introducing at the CTIA Wireless 2008 show in Las Vegas the latest in its industry-leading line of cellular signal improvement products: the SignalBoost(TM) Mini-Amp Kit. Designed for use in cars, trucks, RVs, and other vehicles, this plug-and-play kit reduces dropped calls, extends signal range, and increases data rates for all Cellular and PCS carriers. It supports multiple cell phones and cellular data cards simultaneously, installs in minutes and can be moved easily between vehicles.

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Stanley pins hopes on eco-car project

Thai Stanley Electric Plc has pinned its hopes on the eco-car project, which will involve total production of 700,000 units per year. The listed Thai-Japanese manufacturer of automotive bulbs, lighting equipment and moulds and dies, currently supplies products to many vehicle and motorcycle producers. They include Honda, Mitsubishi, Isuzu, Toyota, Nissan, Suzuki, Ford and Mazda, Yamaha, Kawasaki and Cagiva.

''So far, we have not yet started talking with the seven eco-car makers even though some of them are our existing customers,'' said executive vice-president Apichart Lee-issaranukul.

However, the factory in Pathum Thani has ample capacity to support new car production of 200,000 units per year.

The Board of Investment has approved eco-car promotional privileges for six global manufacturers: Honda, Nissan, Suzuki Mitsubishi, Toyota and Tata.


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Hertz Rent a Car Completes Acquisition of Franchise Locations in Czech Republic and Slovakia

Hertz Global Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:HTZ - News) announced that its Hertz Rent a Car (RAC) brand in Europe has acquired the vehicle rental businesses of its franchise partner Rentex Autopujcovna a.s. in the Czech Republic and of Rentex's subsidiary Car Solutions s.r.o. in Slovakia. The move provides Hertz, the leading general use car rental brand, with a strong corporate foothold in Central and Eastern Europe.

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Many factors contribute to total cost of vehicles

A cheaper car can cost you more in the long run than a more expensive model, so consider how much that model will cost you to own. Consumer Reports says these factors contribute to total cost:

• Depreciation. This is a vehicle's loss in value over a defined period. Some vehicles depreciate faster than others because of oversupply, limited appeal or rebates on similar new models.

• Fuel costs. They can really add up, especially for SUVs. You could pay more than $10,000 to fill up a Dodge Nitro over five years, for example, while a more efficient RAV4 would cost $2,000 less.

• Interest. To obtain an estimate, assume a 15 percent down payment and use the average interest rate of 6.86 percent as reported by Bankrate.com in December to estimate the total charge.



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Environmental & Energy

There has been a recent push by both public and private sectors to introduce new initiatives to combat and adapt to climate change; however, adapting to climate change involves more than simply changing a light bulb or buying a more fuel-efficient vehicle. Climate change is affecting the way in which we do business, particularly as industry braces for new environmental legislation, shareholders demand greater action on climate change, and more stringent disclosure standards are introduced. A heightened awareness of climate change issues is generating increased interest in how organizations manage their carbon footprint, which is leading to increased interest in the opportunities and risks associated with climate change.... .



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