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19.2.11

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Porsche SE wants to retain and build on its position as the world’s most profitable carmaker, Automotive News Europe reported, according to the e-mailed preview of an article that will appear in Tuesday’s edition.

Volkswagen AG needs to build five or six new plants worldwide to meet demand, the magazine said, citing Chief Executive Officer Matthias Mueller. The VW Group plans to sell 10 million and 11 million cars a year and production capacity is at a maximum 8 million, the magazine reported.

Mueller also said Porsche wants to sell 30,000 units a year on average of the new 911, compared with about 20,000 units last year when the old 911 came to the end of its life cycle.

To contact the reporter on this story: Ragnhild Kjetland in Frankfurt at rkjetland@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Vidya Root at vroot@bloomberg.net

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15.2.11

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ECOtality, a provider of clean electric transportation technologies and Roush have started the mass manufacturing of its Blink Level 2 Charging Stations at Roush Manufacturing.

ECOtality partnered with Roush in July 2010 to manufacture the company's Blink home and commercial charging stations.

The company said that the agreement marked a major move for Roush into the electric vehicle industry.

This is an important evolutionary step for Roush and the automotive industry, as an existing Roush automotive facility has been modified to now support the developing EV industry, said the firm.

ECOtality president Don Karner said throughout each step of the EV Project, they've seen unprecedented consumer demand for electric vehicles, and partners like Roush have played a key role as they've brought their smart charging stations to market.

"Roush's stellar reputation and automotive OEM experience made them an ideal partner as we made the move to full-scale manufacturing," Karner said.

"Together we are excited to bring an innovative, American-made charging station to EV drivers nationwide."

The Blink charging stations form the centerpiece of the rich charging infrastructure network ECOtality is deploying, as part of the DOE-backed EV Project.

The home charging stations offer several advantages over conventional charging stations, including advanced energy monitoring capabilities that allow homeowners to optimize their energy usage and charge their vehicles when rates are lowest.

The company said that, the Blink Network charger interface is the hub where users can receive information about their EV and Blink Home Charging Station including charge status, statistics and history.

9.2.11

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The director of the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI), Shrikant Marathe, said on Tuesday the institute proposes to build laboratories on the land to be deleted from the hill-top zone and converted to public-semi-public zone. “The construction will not lead to a concrete jungle on the hill,” he assured.

Marathe was speaking to reporters on Tuesday to dispel fears that ARAI’s proposed expansion would lead to concretisation of Vetal Tekdi and loss of its green cover. Marathe said the state government allotted the entire survey number 102, measuring 260 acres in Kothrud, to the ARAI on 90 years’ lease in 1970.

Though the entire land was allotted to the ARAI, its activities are spread over 25 acres, of which its laboratories and office buildings cover 3.5 acres. The remaining land, except for internal roads, has been developed for tree cover, he said.

Under the proposed expansion plan, the ARAI would set up advanced laboratories to develop less polluting Euro-5 and Euro-6 technologies for greener and safer vehicles. These facilities are required to be used along with the existing facilities.

“It is a logical extension, considering the future needs of the automobile sector and could not be set up elsewhere,” he said.
The ARAI director said the laboratories would be set up under the National Automotive Testing Research and Development Infrastructure Project (Natrip), an ambitious initiative of the Union government’s ‘Automotive Mission Plan 2006 to 2016’.

This plan has the vision of raising the auto sector’s contribution to gross domestic product (GDP) to 10% and creation of over 25 million jobs.The Union ministry of heavy industries has sanctioned Rs250 crore for this ultra-modern research and development project.Marathe said if the land is not available, then this Rs250-crore project can go outside Maharashtra and it will be a big deterrent for industry in Pune.

He said it is important to note that only another 3.5 acres would be utilised for this expansion and the total area under construction of both existing and proposed development would be less than 5% of the total land. ARAI’s expansion plan does not include any residential construction.

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SAVAGE, Md., Feb. 9, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The Automotive Training Institute awarded a $45,000 scholarship to John and Mary Ann Bryant of Islip, N.Y., owners of Sonrise Automotive. The Bryants have owned the shop for 14 years and have four bays with four technicians. The scholarship was available to automotive shop owners who demonstrated in writing why they deserved to win. The offer was advertised in Motor Age magazine and ASA's AutoInc.  magazine to over 100,000 shop owners over six months. The scholarship will be used for ATI's 30 month Re-Engineering Program to help Sonrise increase profits, car count, technician productivity and retirement strategies.








The gift was given by all 80 ATI associates in an effort to give back to the industry and a family business they felt they could really help. CEO and Founder Chris "Chubby" Frederick is pictured with the Bryants and their winning check. This is the first of many scholarships ATI hopes to award and part of their existing philanthropic strategies to support many client charities.

About ATI
The Automotive Training Institute provides management training and coaching to over 1000 automotive shop owners every week of the year. ATI holds 18 Cash Profit Bootcamps each month across North America and has helped over 25,000 shop owners change their business and revitalize their passion about being in business. Many of the leading automotive aftermarket suppliers offer rebate coupons to ATI courses because ATI seminars offer such great educational value to shop owners. All ATI's courses and instructors are approved by the Automotive Management Institute (AMI). ATI received the AMI Annual Recognition Award, which is the highest honor the Institute bestows on an organization that has taken specific action to encourage, enhance and support opportunities for automotive industry professionals to improve their business management skills.

Frost and Sullivan, with offices around the world, honored ATI with their Customer Value Leadership Award in Automotive Management Coaching for excellence in offering a two to one guaranteed return for their clients, reduced costs and increased profits, and for applying technology to improve the business. Last year ATI clients averaged over $10,000 in monthly cash profit on their coaching and training investment. Visit www.autotraining.net to hear more about the award from AutoNetTV.

Contact: 
Matt Anderson
Rebate and Scholarship Manager
1-888-471-5800 X 9172
manderson@autotraining.net 


Source: www.prnewswire.com