plus 4, Former NFL player and Tri-Valley standout athlete Rick Kane dies at 55 - Inside Bay Area |
- Former NFL player and Tri-Valley standout athlete Rick Kane dies at 55 - Inside Bay Area
- Indian auto industry in top gear despite global gloom - Hindustan Times
- Market aligned right for new-car shoppers - Chicago Tribune
- Hot rod or junker? - Hannibal Courier-Post
- Time's nearly up on year-end car deals - PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
| Former NFL player and Tri-Valley standout athlete Rick Kane dies at 55 - Inside Bay Area Posted: 30 Dec 2009 07:08 AM PST Rick Kane, a football star at Amador Valley High School who went on to a professional career with the Detroit Lions, has died. He was 55. Kane died Christmas morning at his home in Reno from complications of pneumonia, his family said. Kane was born in Nov. 12, 1954, in Lincoln, Neb., and moved with his family to Pleasanton when he was 12, according to family. He was one of the best all-around athletes to come out of the East Bay Athletic League, graduating from Amador Valley in 1973. He was a star in football as a running back and in track and field as a sprinter and long jumper. Kane attended the University of Oregon, where he earned the Len Casanova Award for rookie of the year in 1973, according to family. He transferred to San Jose State in his junior year, where he became the college's first 1,000-yard rusher with 1,143 yards in 1975. . Kane was drafted by the Lions in 1977 and had a nine-year NFL career as a running back. He played primarily for the Lions except for a brief time with the Washington Redskins, his family said. "He was real proud of what he did," said his son, Sean Michael Kane. He said his dad had a lot of memorabilia on display at his home, including game balls and pictures with players such as Chicago Bears running back Walter Payton. After football, Kane had a 25-year career in the automotive business, including 16 years as sales manager for Reno Jeep Chrysler. He worked the last four years at Scott Motor Company, according to family. In 2005, Kane had a leg amputated following a traffic accident. The Reno Gazette reported that a 17-year-old girl, distracted by her cell phone, crashed into Kane's motorcycle, seriously injuring his leg. Kane later started an amputee support group, the paper reported.Kane is survived by his wife of 13 years, Dianne; his mother, Ann Kane; daughter Kelly Grace Kane and sons Ryan James Kane, Sean Michael Kane and John Lewis Kane; and numerous extended family and friends. He was preceded in death by his father, Gerald Kane, and his sister, Diane Baer. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 1095 Golconda Dr., in Reno. Burial will follow in Mountain View Cemetery. Arrangements are with Walton's Funeral Home of Reno. Staff writer Jeff Faraudo contributed to this report. Reach Eric Louie at 925-847-2123. Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction. |
| Indian auto industry in top gear despite global gloom - Hindustan Times Posted: 30 Dec 2009 08:06 AM PST Even as global auto majors went into reverse gear in 2009, the Indian industry largely bucked the trend, launching new models for the domestic market and registering significant growth in exports. The year saw the commercial rollout of the world's cheapest car, Tata Nano, as also some expensive models like the Rs.37.5-million (about $750,000) Phantom and the Rs.25-million ($250,000) Ghost (both from Rolls Royce), apart from Volkswagen's famed Beetle, priced at Rs.2 million ($40,000). During the year, the overall car market grew around 15 percent over 2008, and a similar pattern is expected in 2010, experts maintain. According to Neeraj Garg, Volkswagen India group sales director: "Car manufacturers are betting on hatchbacks in the B+ segment. We expect the segment to constitute nearly 75 percent of volumes in the coming years." According to Garg, the B+ segment is expected to grow 30 percent by virtue of new launches from Nissan (unnamed model), Ford (Figo), Volkswagen (Polo), and General Motors (Beat). Spark, the compact car from General Motors, will now come in an electric version, thanks to a tie-up with Bangalore's Reva Electric Car Co. "We expect the electric Spark to be launched next November. We will provide the battery kit and use GM's dealer network to distribute our models," said Reva co-founder and deputy chairman Chetan Maini. Apart from Nano and the high-end Rolls Royce models, 2009 saw a slew of other launches. Japan's Honda launched the Jazz, the homegrown Mahindra and Mahindra unveiled its multi-purpose Xylo, Italy's Fiat drove in its hatchback Grande Punto, and Tata Motors introduced Jaguar and Land Rover, the iconic British brands it acquired last year. Similarly, Maruti Suzuki debuted its Ritz, South Korea's Hyundai launched the diesel i20, the Czech Republic's Skoda showcased the new Laura while Japan's Toyota rolled out the latest version of sports utility vehicle Land Cruiser. Ernst and Young has predicted the Indian passenger car market to grow at 12 percent annually over the next five years to touch 3.75 million units by 2014 from 1.89 million units at present. "The industry's turnover is estimated to touch $155 billion by 2016," said analysts with Ernst and Young, adding this would make the Indian auto industry the seventh largest in the world, and the third largest by 2030, behind China and the US. The government's Automotive Mission Plan also envisages India emerging as the world's seventh largest carmaker by 2016, contributing over 10 percent to the country's $1.2-trillion economy from under five percent at present. India is also expected to consolidate its position as an automobile hub, with 2.75 million units to be sold overseas and about a million units in the domestic market. "India and China are the only markets that have remained profitable," said Pawan Goenka, president of the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), an industry lobby for the auto sector in India. With the Indian auto industry growing at 15-25 percent annually for the past five years, spurred by demand from the country's large middle class with growing disposable incomes, some companies in the country like Maruti Suzuki have even outgrown their parents. The auto industry feels the government's initiatives -- like more funds for roads and highways with special focus on rural infrastructure -- would also go a long way in helping the industry. The two-wheeler industry too logged good growth with motorcycles and gearless scooters leading the way. While Mahindra and Mahindra debuted with its two-wheeler during the year after it bought the Kinetic group's business, the Pune-based Bajaj Auto announced its decision to exit the scooters business that had become a household name with the "Hamara Bajaj" campaign. Bajaj also lost a patent case against TVS Motor, which then launched a few models to fill in gaps in product portfolio. "We would like to be present in each segment," said TVS marketing president H.S. Goindi. Players in the commercial vehicles segment, which was severely hit by the recession, are similarly upbeat. "With the economy reviving and growth predicted at over 7 percent, commercial vehicle segment can expect good times ahead," said Ashok Leyland chief operating officer Vinod Dasari. Commercial vehicle manufacturers sold more buses thanks to the funds provided under the Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission (JNURM). But the Hero group exited the commercial vehicle joint venture with Daimler, citing tough market conditions. Industry insiders maintain that next year will see the entry of Daimler with its light commercial vehicle Fuso Canter. The German company is expected to commission its Indian plant in 2012. General Motors also has a pact with China's Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp to make light commercial vehicles in India by 2011. Milestones for Indian automobile industry during 2009: January -Bus-making venture between Tata Motors and Brazil's Marcopolo goes on stream at Dharwad, Karnataka -Maruti Suzuki's first consignment of A Star cars despatched to Europe -Ashok Leyland bags order to supply 875 low-floor CNG buses from Delhi Transport Corp -Ashok Leyland bags $10.5-million order from Honduran Army for supply of vehicles February -Maruti's Swift becomes the first model to touch 300,000 in sales in the shortest time of three years and eight months March -Tata Motors launches world's cheapest car Nano April -Mahindra and Mahindra launches two-wheelers May -Maruti launches premium hatchback Ritz -Tata Motors concludes an agreement for amending bridge finance loan raised for acquiring Jaguar and Land Rover, extending the final maturity of $1 billion to Dec 31, 2010. July -First Nano delivered in Mumbai September -Maruti decides to transform Gurgaon plant into engine assembly and machine facility and shift production to Manesar -Ford India announces the launch of small car Figo -General Motors signs agreement with Reva to develop electric car October -Tata Motors raises $750 million through global depository receipts and convertible notes -Mahindra and Mahindra launches 0.5-tonne four-wheel compact truck at Rs.165,000 November -H.W. Park takes over as new Hyundai Motors chief executive December -Maruti exports 100,000 A Star units -Mahindra and Mahindra signs joint venture agreement with Yueda, China to set up a tractor plant there
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| Market aligned right for new-car shoppers - Chicago Tribune Posted: 30 Dec 2009 05:14 AM PST |
| Hot rod or junker? - Hannibal Courier-Post Posted: 30 Dec 2009 04:52 AM PST Tina Watson sees more good than bad in a new Missouri law that lets car owners go longer without state-required inspections. Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction. |
| Time's nearly up on year-end car deals - PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW Posted: 29 Dec 2009 09:00 PM PST Consumers must act quickly to take advantage of some year-end auto-buying deals. General Motors Co. is offering deep discounts on its remaining Saturn and Pontiac vehicles. And a federal tax credit on purchases expires Friday. Dealers say buyers must complete a purchase before midnight Thursday. The federal tax credit on state and local sales tax began Feb. 16 with the economic stimulus program approved by Congress in January. Buyers can write off the taxes paid on the first $49,500 spent for a new car, light truck, motorcycle or motor home, potentially saving the buyer thousands, depending on their tax bracket. Some dealers said the tax deduction didn't get a lot of publicity after an initial hype. Others said they saw an increase in showroom traffic in recent weeks. "Many people have been in the last few days to take advantage of the deal before it expires," said John Mann, new car sales manager at Baierl Kia in Ross. Mark Smail, president of the Smail Auto Group, located in Hempfield, Westmoreland County, said his dealership used posters in its showroom to remind people of the tax break. As the sales-tax break expires, General Motors this week stepped up deep discounts designed to get remaining 2009 Saturns and Pontiacs off dealers' lots. Between now and end of business on Monday, the automaker will pay its dealer network $7,000 for every new Saturn and Pontiac remaining, provided the dealers move the vehicles to their rental or service fleets. By selling the vehicles basically to themselves, dealers can sell the cars and trucks to customers at a discount, although technically the vehicles would be labeled "used" because the dealer is the first owner. Smail, who only has a handful of 2009 Pontiacs remaining, said GM already was offering $6,500 off Pontiacs. Zero percent financing for 72 months in lieu of rebates also is available. "This allows people to get an extra $500 off if they buy by Jan. 4," Smail said. Earlier this year, GM announced it no longer would make Pontiacs, and when a deal to sell the Saturn brand to Penske Automotive collapsed in the fall, the auto giant likewise said it no longer would produce Saturn. The close-outs are part of General Motors' restructuring plan. Sales of Pontiac and Saturn plunged this year, down 32.3 percent and 61.5 percent, respectively, through November.
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