Maserati

August 7, 2009

Fisker Hires Former Maserati North America CEO for Top Global Marketing Post

The former head of Maserati North America has signed on with plug-in hybrid developer Fisker Automotive .

Marti Eulberg, a former Volvo, Jaguar and BMW executive who took over as CEO of Maserati NA last year and resigned in April after less than a year on the job, will be Fisker's vice president for global sales and marketing.

Her hiring underscores Fisker's marketing message for its Karma extended-range hybrid sedan and convertible models: The Fisker Karma is a car for the well-to-do, and the European., Asian and Middle Eastern markets will be as important - possibly more so - than the U.S.

Eulberg's "experience as an international leader is why she will add tremendous value to our operation," said Henrik Fisker, co-founder and chief executive of the eponymous Fisker Automotive.

Fisker plans to begin building the $87,900 (base) plug-in Karma this winter, with deliveries to customers scheduled for the spring of 2010.

The company plans a second, more-accessible plug-in hybrid model, in the $45,000-$60,000 range, to follow the Karma.

Posted by: Permalink | Comments (0); John O'Dell August 7, 2009, 4:31 PM
Categories:: Fisker, Hybrid, Maserati, Plug-ins and Electric
Technorati Tags:: Fisker

May 12, 2009

Honda Insight Becomes 1st Hybrid toTop Japanese Auto Sales Charts

A little bit of news from Japan: Honda's Insight has become the first hybrid ever to top that nation's monthly car sales list.

The Japan Auto Dealers Assn. reported Monday that Honda dealers sold 10,481 Insights in April, making it the best-selling passenger vehicle in the country.

Honda's Fit subcompact was second with 9,443 sales, followed by Toyota's Vitz subcompact (it's the Yaris in the U.S.) with 6,341 sales and the Toyota Corolla with 6,341 sales.

April was not only the first time a hybrid has been the country's top seller, it is the first time since its February introduction in Japan that Insight sales have topped the 10,000 mark.

AS is the case in the U.S., sales of Toyota's aging Prius are slipping - badly in Japan with a 64 percent decline from April of '08 - as consumers wait for the introduction at the end of this month of the redesiogned and reengineered 2010 Prius.

That's helped Honda's smaller Insight jump to the top of the heap, as has the Insight's price, which at just about $19,500 U.S. (1.89 million yen) is almost $4,500 cheaper than the present generation Prius (2.33 million yen). In the U.S, the Insight launced in late March with a $20,470 base price.

Thje big price differential has led Toyota to green-light a stripped down version of the Prius that will be priced to compete with the Insight, and there's speculation in Japan that pricing for the 2010 Prius with a full standard equipment package will be about $1,500 (280,000 yen) less than the comparably equipped '09 model.

Toyota alrerady has said that in the U.S. it will launch the Prius at $22,000 plus delivery (which varies by region and can add $300 to $600 to the price), with a stripped "basic" model to foillow in the Fall at $21,000 plus delivery.

Isn't competition wonderful!

John O'Dell, Senior Editor

Posted by: Permalink | Comments (0); John O'Dell May 12, 2009, 6:14 AM
Categories:: Honda, Hybrid, Japan, Maserati, Toyota
Technorati Tags:: 2010 Honda Insight Hybrid

August 5, 2008

Ballot Measure Would Ban Most SUVs, Sports Cars From Swiss Roads

America's auto-emissions regulators have nothing on the youth brigade of the Swiss Green Party.

The youth have obtained the 100,000 signatures needed to put a measure before Switzerland's voters that would ban passenger vehicles that have a curb weight of more than 4,820 pounds, emit more than 250 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer, or have front ends deemed dangerous to pedestrians.

The measure would also ban diesel cars lacking particle filters. Non-compliant cars registered before the measure goes into law would be fitted with a governor limiting them to 62 miles per hour.

The measure, which is viewed as moderate by its proponents, would remove all but the most fuel efficient models from Swiss roads. The forbidden list contains 785 models. In Porsche's lineup, for instance, all but the Boxster and Cayman fitted with 2.7-liter engines would be barred.

Lots of Mercedes-Benzes, BMWs and Audis would be history, as would every Ferrari, Maserati and Lamborghini. Not all automakers would suffer. Lotus's entire lineup, for example, would be compliant.

The vote has not been scheduled and could be a couple of years away. Also, more than 90 percent of initiatives presented to Swiss voters since 1848 have been rejected. But "moderates" can hope.

Scott Doggett, Contributor