he Yomiuri Shimbun reported that major beverage manufacturers will increase the price of fruit juices from May due mainly to a rise in the price of oranges in the international market caused by a boom in demand for bioethanol that has prompted many orange farmers to switch to sugarcane.
Sugarcane is a raw material for bioethanol, which is an alternative auto fuel to gasoline.
The rise in the price of oranges is having a knock-on effect on the price of other juices, such as apple and grapefruit, according to industry sources, causing industry concern over sales.
Meiji Dairies Corp. will increase the price of four Minute Made products from Tuesday, including "Orange 100%" and "Pink Grapefruit 100%" one-liter packages, by 20 yen to 260 yen, excluding tax. full story
Monday, April 30, 2007
Monday, April 23, 2007
Ford Says Quaility on Par With Toyota
The quality of Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles is virtually equal to that of Toyota and Nissan, according to the first quarter 2007 model-year Global Quality Research System (GQRS) report.
Ford, Lincoln, Mercury brand vehicles are at 1456 TGWs compared with Nissan at 1457 and Toyota at 1453 TGWs per 1,000 vehicles.
"Our latest performance continues a trend that has seen Ford Motor Company significantly improve vehicle over the last few years" said Bennie Fowler, vice president, Ford Global Quality. "We have more work to do, but there is no question that Ford Motor Company builds world-class vehicles. We can compete with anybody."
Ford Motor Company reduced its corporate TGW rate by eight percent, bettering the overall industry improvement of two percent. more...
Ford, Lincoln, Mercury brand vehicles are at 1456 TGWs compared with Nissan at 1457 and Toyota at 1453 TGWs per 1,000 vehicles.
"Our latest performance continues a trend that has seen Ford Motor Company significantly improve vehicle over the last few years" said Bennie Fowler, vice president, Ford Global Quality. "We have more work to do, but there is no question that Ford Motor Company builds world-class vehicles. We can compete with anybody."
Ford Motor Company reduced its corporate TGW rate by eight percent, bettering the overall industry improvement of two percent. more...
Monday, April 16, 2007
Fortune Magazine Interview With Lee Iacoca - The Future Of Detroit's Auto Industry
Your third book, due out this month, is about the state of American leadership. How is Detroit doing on that score?
(IACOCA)-- I give [GM CEO] Rick Wagoner a lot of credit. He had a lot of pressure on him, but he kept his cool and he stayed with his plan. Their styling is getting better, and they're doing better. Ford has more difficult problems than GM. It has so much invested in the truck business; it has got to get some good cars.
I think this new guy from Boeing [CEO Alan Mulally] knows the business pretty well. Not the auto business, but he knows what it takes to run a big organization and deal with the labor unions. As for Chrysler, [president] Tom LaSorda is doing a great job in manufacturing, but I don't know what's going to happen. I'm reading about it every day. I would hate to see Chrysler go under. It would be tough to live with. full article
(IACOCA)-- I give [GM CEO] Rick Wagoner a lot of credit. He had a lot of pressure on him, but he kept his cool and he stayed with his plan. Their styling is getting better, and they're doing better. Ford has more difficult problems than GM. It has so much invested in the truck business; it has got to get some good cars.
I think this new guy from Boeing [CEO Alan Mulally] knows the business pretty well. Not the auto business, but he knows what it takes to run a big organization and deal with the labor unions. As for Chrysler, [president] Tom LaSorda is doing a great job in manufacturing, but I don't know what's going to happen. I'm reading about it every day. I would hate to see Chrysler go under. It would be tough to live with. full article
Monday, April 9, 2007
2007 Jaguar XK Coupe Review - A Love Story
“You delight in the metal strips on the running board section of the after-wing. Running your hand across them discovers a delicacy in polished steel, perfect for muddy boots or brogues. They stand out like expensive fountain pens bejeweling the deep luster of the black paintwork. Each is longer than the last, each pointing to the vertical louvers on the bonnet. Scattered elements made of stainless steel glisten on the bodywork like brooches. The entire car exudes strength, fortitude, an easy gracefulness, British practical design and purpose at its very best as exercised in the 1920s.” I wrote that paragraph on seeing Sir William Lyons Swallow Jaguar SS90 Prototype in a heritage museum. Lyrical it may be but the car inspires poetic prose. More than that, it’s a man’s car; it does manly things, makes manly noises, and has lots of manly metal to polish. It was designed to be both sporty and a GT, as was its successor, the SS100. Every road-going Jaguar sports car since has been imbued with the same manly GT qualities. read full review
Tuesday, April 3, 2007
Ford Mustang Sales
It was a spur-of-the-moment decision. That's how Katy Long of Novi, Mich., ended up driving home in a new 2007 Ford Mustang GT convertible.
"I have always wanted a convertible, that's absolutely what it is," says the 26-year-old automotive lease renewal specialist, who took delivery of her dark grey Mustang GT from Varsity Ford in Ann Arbor, Mich., recently. "I wanted to make the best of the upcoming spring and summer, so I decided to make the move and I'm thrilled with it."
It is that time of year again when convertible lovers, even first-time owners like Long, take to the road to enjoy the open air and a renewed feeling of adventure. Convertible season is upon us.
"In many markets, customers are emerging from the thaw and have a renewed interest in life and convertibles," said George Pipas, Ford manager, U.S. Sales Analysis and Reporting. "Springtime has always been a part of Mustang's magic since it was introduced in April of 1964." read more...
"I have always wanted a convertible, that's absolutely what it is," says the 26-year-old automotive lease renewal specialist, who took delivery of her dark grey Mustang GT from Varsity Ford in Ann Arbor, Mich., recently. "I wanted to make the best of the upcoming spring and summer, so I decided to make the move and I'm thrilled with it."
It is that time of year again when convertible lovers, even first-time owners like Long, take to the road to enjoy the open air and a renewed feeling of adventure. Convertible season is upon us.
"In many markets, customers are emerging from the thaw and have a renewed interest in life and convertibles," said George Pipas, Ford manager, U.S. Sales Analysis and Reporting. "Springtime has always been a part of Mustang's magic since it was introduced in April of 1964." read more...
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