Johnson Controls Sells Automotive Electronics Business To Visteon

MILWAUKEE, Jan. 13, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- This did not happen at the North American International Automotive Show in Detroit, but you know everyone is talking about it in the Motor City.

Johnson Controls, (NYSE: JCI), a global multi-industrial company with established core businesses in the buildings, automotive and energy storage industries, today announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to sell its automotive electronics business to Visteon Corporation (NYSE: VC) for $265 million. Under the terms of the agreement, Visteon will acquire Johnson Controls' instrument cluster, infotainment, display, and body electronics products. The company previously sold the HomeLink® product portion of its electronics portfolio to Gentex Corporation in September 2013. 

"We are pleased with this agreement. Visteon is a good strategic fit for the business and will provide the right level of commitment and the best long term value for our customers and employees," said Alex Molinaroli, chairman and CEO of Johnson Controls.

This transaction will complete Johnson Controls' divestiture of the automotive electronics business which in aggregate realized total proceeds in line with original expectations of over $965 million.  

As previously communicated, the company elected to move away from automotive electronics as part of its broader strategy to focus on core businesses and reallocate capital to further diversify its portfolio and maximize shareholder value.

Visteon Corporation is a global automotive supplier that designs, engineers and manufactures innovative components and systems for virtually every vehicle manufacturer worldwide through businesses including Visteon Electronics, Visteon Interiors and Halla Visteon Climate Control Corp. Visteon's family of businesses generated $13.8 billion in sales in 2012. Visteon employs about 22,000 people in its consolidated operations in 29 countries, and has corporate offices in Van Buren Township, Mich. (U.S.);Shanghai, China; and Chelmsford, UK.

The acquisition is subject to certain regulatory and other consents and approvals and is expected to be completed in the second quarter of the 2014 calendar year. Other terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Where Are The Workers? by Rod Kackley examines the problems facing manufacturers in Michigan as the roar is restored to the U.S. auto industry. Where Are The Workers? is available wherever ebooks are sold including Amazon,Barnes & Noble, iTunes and Vook.

Auto Industry Is Entering a Golden Age of Innovation, Says Boston Consulting Group

Regulatory Mandates, Changing Consumer Expectations, and Technological Advances Are Driving Increasing Innovation, According to New Research by The Boston Consulting Group

DETROIT, Jan. 13, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --The global automobile industry is entering a new golden era of innovation and advancement, and the ability to innovate in four key areas—power train, lightweight materials, connectivity, and active safety and assisted driving—will be a major factor in individual carmakers' success in the years ahead, according to new research by The Boston Consulting Group (BCG).

The research, released today during the press preview of the North American International Auto Show inDetroit, draws on several sources, including the results of a new U.S. consumer survey, an analysis of patent filings, BCG's annual study of the world's most innovative companies, and the firm's experience working with major automotive companies around the world. The findings will be published in a BCG report later this month. Here are a few highlights:

Innovation in the global automotive industry is intensifying.

• Fourteen automakers are among the top 50 most innovative companies in BCG's 2013 survey, compared with 10 carmakers in 2012 and only five in 2005. Three companies (Toyota, Ford, and BMW) rank in the top 10, and nine automakers are in the top 20. For the first time since BCG began conducting this survey nine years ago, there are more auto manufacturers than consumer companies in the top 50 and more carmakers than technology companies in the top 20.
• R&D spending at these 14 original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) increased at an annual rate of 8 percent since 2009, while spending at leading tier-one suppliers[1] rose by 5 percent a year.¹
• From 1995 through 2011, the number of patent applications filed by OEMs increased by only 3 percent annually, while the number of filings by tier-one suppliers rose 6 percent a year. A recovery from the 2008 crisis has resulted in the number of applications by tier-one suppliers leaping 37 percent, while the number by OEMs has jumped by 28 percent.

The focus on innovation has been in four areas: power train, lightweight materials, connectivity, andactive safety and assisted driving.

• The four areas had patent application growth rates of 6 to 15 percent from 1995 through 2011, compared with an average growth rate for all patent filings by OEMs and tier-one suppliers of only 4 percent.
• Filings in all four areas showed only an 8 percent decline from 2008 through 2009, compared with an average drop in the number of applications of 25 percent.
• Filings increased 10 percent faster than the average growth rate in the bounce-back years from 2010 through 2011.

Consumers value the introduction of new technologies and features.

• New BCG research on U.S. consumers shows that most car buyers want to purchase a car from a company seen as innovative—almost 60 percent say this is a very or somewhat important consideration.
• A key characteristic of an innovative automaker, according to car buyers, is being the first to introduce new technologies.
• U.S. consumers see features related to connectivity, safety, and fuel economy as the most innovative in today's vehicles. Most U.S. consumers rank connectivity and safety features in the top 5 of some 20 new features in vehicles today (see exhibit).

"Innovation in the automotive industry is retaking center stage," said Xavier Mosquet, a BCG senior partner and coauthor of the study. "Consumers want to buy cars from companies that bring new technologies to market, and connectivity, safety, and fuel efficiency are three of their top priorities. The ability to innovate in these areas will be a major factor in individual automakers' success in the coming years."

Regulatory and marketplace demands with respect to fuel efficiency, connectivity, and safety, as well as technological advances that are making new features possible and reducing their cost, are driving the renewed focus on innovation.

Mosquet, who coleads BCG's global Automotive practice, and his coauthors say that OEMs and tier-one suppliers need to address three areas with a sense of urgency:

• T he shift from mechanical to software-driven vehicles . Cars are no longer primarily mechanical devices. Rather, automobiles are increasingly becoming software driven (literally, as well as in other ways). Given the rise of electronics and the fact that software features reduce tooling cost, as well as allow for configuration later in the product development cycle, the shift to more software in cars will continue. This shift requires auto executives to think about product life cycles—and the involvement of their companies with them—in new terms.
• The quickening pace of product development. Consumer electronics and technology companies have taught consumers to expect a rapid pace of innovation. This expectation will make it more and more difficult for automakers and their suppliers to adhere to the current three- to five-year product design and development process. Car manufacturers will need to experiment with alternative design processes, new development models, and in the longer term, advanced manufacturing techniques. The ability to discern early what consumers see as the most valuable innovations will also create an advantage.
• The increasingly prominent role of tier-one suppliers in innovation and technological development. The importance of tier-one suppliers in innovation and product development will escalate. These companies are already playing a bigger role in innovation in the areas of power train, interior design, and chassis components—historically the R&D domains of carmakers. In addition, the determinants for differentiation are shifting toward connectivity and active-safety features, in which tier-one suppliers have substantial expertise. Those manufacturers that construct the most effective collaboration models, encouraging and rewarding supplier R&D investment, will build a long-term advantage.

"Other areas of innovation loom large as well, such as alternative fuels and assisted driving," said Massimo Russo, a BCG senior partner and coauthor of the study. "Those automakers that determine how to organize themselves to harness and direct fast-moving developments in power train, lightweight materials, and, most critically, software, electronic components, and connectivity will establish a decided advantage over competitors in the near and longer term."

Last Chance Mile: The Reinvention of an American Community tells the stories of the people who changed the way Grand Rapids, Michigan is seen by the world. Buy Now from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes or Abbott Press.

Last Chance Mile can also be ordered from your favorite bookseller, and is on the shelves of Barnes & Noble-Woodland Mall, Schuler Books & Music-28th Street and West Coast Coffee-Monroe Center, Grand Rapids.

Stryker Green Debuts on 2014 SRT Viper at North American International Auto Show

 

• Latest high-impact, hand-painted, show-car quality exterior color is available across Viper model lineup
• New 'Grand Touring' package brings standard Nappa leather seats, sophisticated chassis electronics and exclusive paint colors to the Viper's entry price class

The newest, high-impact exterior paint color for the SRT Viper is being shown for the first time at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. 

The Chrysler Group's SRT (Street and Racing Technology) brand introduced "Stryker Green," an evolution of the iconic Snakeskin Green exterior color that first appeared in 2008, which features enhanced green and yellow pigments and a "liquid mercury" appearance. The color is the perfect choice for SRT enthusiasts that want to take their SRT Viper to the next level of exclusivity with a vivid and unique color that reflects light to show off the dramatic curves of the Viper.

"We're continuing to develop and build unique, low-volume, special-edition colors for the Viper that adds to the exclusivity of our American-built flagship supercar," said Ralph Gilles, President and CEO, SRT Brand and Motorsports. "Every SRT Viper is painted with a process that is very similar to what we use for our show cars.  The application of the new Stryker Green exterior paint is a very detailed and intricate process, taking approximately eight hours to complete. The process first starts with a base color coat followed by a green-tinted mid-coat and topped off with a clear finish. Each coat application adds depth and accentuates the curvature of the Viper's exterior design."

Also making its debut on the 2014 SRT Viper is the Grand Touring (GT) special package featuring standard Nappa leather seats, five-mode Electronic Stability Control and the two-mode Bilstein® DampTronic Select suspension, both previously only available with the Viper GTS price class. The GT option package will be limited to the new Stryker Green and Venom Black exterior colors.

Stryker Green exterior color will be available starting in February on the Viper GTS price class, and the SRT price class with the new GT package.

The SRT Viper isn't just the ultimate supercar, it's also a perfect canvas for high-performance parts and accessories from Mopar.

This Moparized SRT Viper showcases lightweight carbon fiber components with an exposed carbon fiber performance X-Brace, which is almost 50-percent lighter than the production version with the same strength and functional stiffness.

Additionally, a prototype aero package has been fitted to the show car with a Mopar carbon fiber rear wing and extended front corner splitters.

SRT Viper  

The fifth generation of iconic American-built supercar returned in 2013 as the SRT (Street and Racing Technology) brand's flagship performance machine with more power and performance, superior craftsmanship, new technologies and creature comforts. Power from the all-aluminum, 8.4-liter mid-front V-10 engine delivering 640 horsepower and 600 lb.-ft. of torque -- the most torque of any naturally aspirated sports-car engine in the world, combines with triple-digit weight reduction to produce the best power-to-weight ratio of any Viper ever. Standard safety features include electronic multistage stability control, traction control and new 4-channel anti-lock brake system (ABS).

The iconic supercar is hand-built at the Conner Avenue Assembly Plant in Detroit -- the Viper's home since 1995. Both SRT Viper and SRT Viper GTS models offer new interior and exterior designs incorporating premium materials and new exterior surfaces with aerodynamically functional details that are beautifully integrated into the high-tech carbon fiber and aluminum skin. On the inside, designers and engineers strived to rethink all its touch points and upgrade all its material appointments and technologies. The Viper GTS model adds many premium features including a leather wrapped interior, five mode electronic stability control and a two mode adjustable suspension.

Chrysler Looks at Human Biology In Design of New CNG Vehicles

 

• Patent-pending technology mimics human lungs to benefit CNG-tank capacity, formability

• Technology development supported by grant from Michigan Economic Development Council’s Technology Innovation Challenge

• Chrysler Group builds the industry’s only mass-production CNG-powered pickup, a Ram 2500

Chrysler Group is looking inward – to the human body – for inspiration to design the next generation of fuel tanks powering compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles.

“Within the human lung are countless individual sacks called alveoli,” says Enrico Pisino, Chrysler Group’s Senior Manager-Innovation. “These sacks combine to expand the lung’s total air capacity. We are using this same approach to improve the packaging of CNG tanks.”

Chrysler Group’s work is supported in part by a $50,000 grant from the Michigan Economic Development Council’s Technology Innovation Challenge, which matches companies with Michigan-based strategic partners to accelerate advanced-technology initiatives.

While CNG has a per-gallon-equivalent cost-advantage of approximately $1 compared with gasoline, its energy density is less by volume. As a result, CNG-powered vehicles require larger fuel tanks to deliver range that is comparable to that of gas- or diesel-powered vehicles.

Current CNG tank designs also are limited to cylindrical shapes to accommodate the pressure at which the gaseous fuel is stored.

Chrysler Group’s patent-pending technology addresses both issues by expanding tank capacity and enabling designs that conform to the vehicle, as do other fuel tanks. The result is a no-compromise solution that preserves space intended for passengers and/or cargo.

Chrysler Group already has a CNG vehicle on the market. The Ram 2500 Compressed Natural Gas truck is the industry’s only factory-built CNG-powered pickup, rolling off the same assembly line as conventionally powered vehicles

Available for retail and fleet sale, the Ram 2500 Compressed Natural Gas truck features a 5.7-liter HEMI® V-8 engine that burns CNG. When that fuel is depleted, it automatically and seamlessly switches to gasoline.

On a single fill-up, the truck can travel 255 miles on CNG and a total of 745 miles when equipped with an available 35-gallon reserve gas tank.

Chrysler Group has a long history with CNG. In the 1990s and early 2000s, the company produced dedicated CNG-powered full-size vans, minivans and pickup trucks.

Chrysler Group’s strategic partner, Fiat S.p.A, is a world leader in CNG-powered vehicle production.

Restore The Roar: Manufacturing Renaissance, a five-part ebook essay series is available anywhere ebooks are sold including Amazon, Barnes & Noble and iTunes. The series begins with the Great Collapse, the story of the fall of the auto industry and how it brought most of Michigan down with it.

Last Chance Mile: The Reinvention of an American Community tells the story of how Grand Rapids, Michigan survived The Great Collapse with the help of scientists, artists, zombies (yes, zombies), and two of the world's richest families.

Last Chance Mile is available wherever books are sold online and on the shelves of Barnes & Noble-Woodland Mall, Schuler Books & Music-28th Street and West Coast Coffee-Monroe Center, Grand Rapids, Michigan.

For more of Rod Kackley's books, articles and essays, go to www.rodkackley.com and download his free app through Google Play and the App Store. 

What Is Manufacturing's Problem?

What Is Manufacturing’s Problem?

By Rod Kackley

Manufacturing drives Michigan. Every job created in manufacturing leads to 2.5 new jobs in the state, according to George Erickcek, a senior economist at the W. E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research.

He told his audience at the 17th Annual West Michigan Economic Outlook event in Grand Rapids all of the job growth in Michigan in 2013 was due to manufacturing.

However, manufacturing employment is still 24,000 jobs below the number of people working in that sector in 2000, and is 3,800 less than 2008. 

Still, there are jobs to be filled in Michigan’s factories. Skilled workers are in high demand. Where are the workers? Where is Michigan manufacturing’s lost generation?

Erickcek believes manufacturing is having so much trouble finding young workers to fill jobs that are being created by the resurgence of the auto industry and the retirements of seasoned manufacturing employees because it has such a bad reputation.

One generation told another factory life was not for them. And for once, their kids believed them.

“Manufacturing’s track record doesn’t look that good to eighteen-year olds,” Erickcek said during The Right Place Inc. event inside the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel, December 12, 2013.

Yet, he believes manufacturing is going to continue to fuel Michigan’s economy. 

The strength of Michigan’s leading economic sector could actually be a blessing in disguise for those eighteen-year olds looking for work, and their parents who want them to stay in Michigan even if the teens have no desire to turn a wrench.

Erickcek pointed to 2014 auto sales forecasts of more than 16 million vehicles, and said, “The car industry is going to give Michigan the breathing room to diversify and no be such a one-horse town.”


Grand Rapids, Michigan has its own talent issues, which are an example of why diversifying is so important. Click here for that story.

Where Are The Workers, the second book in the five-part ebook series, Restore The Roar: Manufacturing Renaissance by Rod Kackley, is available wherever ebooks are sold, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes and vook.com.

Scientists, artists, zombies and two of the richest families in the world helped Grand Rapids, Michigan change the way it is seen by the world, and the way the world sees this American community.

Last Chance Mile: The Reinvention of an American Community tells their stories, and is available wherever books are sold including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and iTunes, as well as Barnes & Noble-Woodland Mall, Schuler Books & Music-28th Street and West Coast Coffee on Monroe Center.

To order an autographed hardcover or softcover edition of Last Chance Mile, please go to www.rodkackley.com

For more books, articles, and essays written by Rod Kackley, please download his free app through Google Play or the App Store, or go to www.rodkackley.com.

Detroit Three Automakers Report Strong October 2013, Chrysler has best October since Great Recession

General Motors Renaissance Center

General Motors Co. (NYSE: GM) dealers delivered 226,402 vehicles in the United States in October, up 16 percent versus a year ago. Retail sales were also up 16 percent and fleet sales were up 14 percent.

“Chevrolet, Cadillac and Buick-GMC all performed well in the month, and the sales tempo really picked up after the government shutdown ended,” said Kurt McNeil, vice president, U.S. sales operations. “We are particularly pleased with our truck momentum. Chevrolet and GMC have the newest and best light duty trucks, sales are accelerating and we are gearing up for the second, third and fourth phases of our strategic truck plan.”

Ford Motor Company's (NYSE: F) October U.S. total sales of 191,985 vehicles rose 14 percent over a year ago. Retail sales are up 15 percent, at 142,487 vehicles. It is the company's best October retail sales performance since 2004.

Gains were broad-based, with passenger cars up 19 percent, utilities up 9 percent, and trucks up 14 percent. Ford Fusion and Fiesta posted best-ever October sales, and F-Series again topped 60,000 sales.

"October was simply an outstanding retail performance, as consumers continued to choose Ford for great fuel efficiency, styling and value at all levels of the market," said John Felice, vice president, U.S. marketing, sales and service. "The combination of great new products, such as Fusion and Escape, along with the strength of our dealers helped us achieve our best October retail sales month since 2004.”

Chrysler Group LLC today reported U.S. sales of 140,083 units, an 11 percent increase compared with sales in October 2012 (126,185 units), and the group's best October sales since 2007.

The Chrysler, Jeep®, Dodge and Ram Truck brands each posted year-over-year sales gains in October compared with the same month a year ago. The Ram Truck brand's 22 percent increase was the largest sales gain of any Chrysler Group brand during the month. Chrysler Group extended its streak of year-over-year sales gains to 43-consecutive months in October. 

"After a choppy start to the beginning of the month, Chrysler Group sales accelerated in the second half of the month with renewed consumer confidence and the launch of our all-new Jeep Cherokee," said Reid Bigland, Head of U.S. Sales. "Following a meticulous focus on quality, our new Jeep Cherokee began shipping to dealers and quickly selling which helped us to achieve our 43rd-consecutive month of year-over-year sales increases."

Restore The Roar: Manufacturing Renaissance, an ebook series beginning with The Great Collapse is now available through Amazon and wherever ebooks are sold. It also forms the foundation for Rod Kackley's novel-in-progress, Blue Collar, the stories of Baby Boomers who vow to break out of the twilight of their own mediocrity.

Auto Sales Expected To Stay Strong In Second Half Of 2013

J.D. Power and LMC Automotive Report: July New-Vehicle Retail Sales -- Let the Good Times Roll

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif., July 19, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- New-vehicle sales are kicking off the second half of 2013 in very strong fashion, with new-vehicle retail sales in July expected to increase by 12 percent from a year ago, according to a monthly sales forecast developed jointly by the Power Information Network^® (PIN) from J.D. Power and LMC Automotive.

Retail Light-Vehicle Sales
New-vehicle retail sales in July 2013 are projected to come in at 1,127,100 vehicles, a 12 percent increase from July 2012.  The seasonally adjusted annualized rate (SAAR) in July is expected to be 13.2 million units, nearly the same robust level exhibited in June 2013. Retail transactions are the most accurate measure of true underlying consumer demand for new vehicles.
PIN data shows that in the first half of 2013, new- and used-vehicle transaction prices have increased 3 percent.  In addition, there has been an increase in the utilization of longer-term vehicle loans and an increase in leasing, when compared with the same period a year ago.
The customer-facing transaction prices for new vehicles are averaging $28,824, and incentive spending per vehicle is averaging $2,847 in the first half of 2013. The average used-vehicle price is $18,751 in 2013.
"Elevated new vehicle transaction prices are being enabled by the availability of longer-term loans, affordable leases and strong used vehicle values, compounded by the availability of low interest rates," said John Humphrey, senior vice president of the global automotive practice at J.D. Power.
Loans of 72 months or longer are accounting for 30 percent of new-vehicle retail transactions in the first half of 2013, up from 29 percent in the first half of 2012. Additionally, leasing has increased to 24 percent in the first half of 2013, compared with 21 percent in the same period of 2012.
"The rise in new-vehicle leasing, where the typical lease term is just three years, is providing a counterbalance to the rise in extended-term financing, where a vehicle may be financed for 5 or 6 years," said Humphrey.
Total Light-Vehicle Sales
Total light-vehicle sales in July 2013 are expected to grow to 1,336,700, an 11 percent increase from July 2012. Fleet sales, which typically average between 15 and 16 percent of total sales in July, are expected to fall within the lower end of the average, with volume projected at 209,600 units.
J.D. Power and LMC Automotive U.S. Sales and SAAR Comparisons

	July 20131	June 2013	July 2012
New-Vehicle Retail Sales	1,127,100 units (12% higher than July 2012)2	1,128,935 units	969,983 units
Total Vehicle Sales	1,336,700 units (11% higher than July 2012)	1,402,408 units	1,152,351 units
Retail SAAR	13.2 million units	13.3 million units	11.5 million units
Total SAAR	15.9 million units	15.9 million units	14.1 million units

¹Figures cited for July 2013 are forecasted based on the first 10 selling days of the month.
²The percentage change is adjusted based on the number of selling days in the month (25 days in July 2013 vs. 24 days in July 2012).
Sales Outlook
LMC Automotive is raising its forecast for both retail and total light-vehicle sales in 2013. The outlook for total light-vehicles is now at 15.6 million units—previously 15.4 million units—while the retail light-vehicle sales forecast increases to 12.8 million units from 12.6 million units.
"The overall trend in vehicle demand has outshined economic growth, and looking forward, the improving economic fundamentals should hold demand at the current level, if not accelerate it over the next several months," said Jeff Schuster, senior vice president of forecasting at LMC Automotive. "With a strong tailwind, it is not unreasonable to think about a 16-million-unit level of demand in 2013."
North American Production
North American light-vehicle production in 2013 is up 4 percent through June, compared with the same period in 2012. For the high-volume producers, Ford retains the strongest year-over-year increase at 14 percent, with robust demand continuing for the Fusion. Fiat-Chrysler holds steady in positive territory with a 1 percent increase. General Motors volume is off by 4 percent, compared with a year ago due to weaker large SUV volume ahead of the upcoming redesign and competitive pressure in the midsize car segment.
The European brands are tracking consistent with the industry growth, averaging a 4 percent growth rate from 2012. Despite a slowdown in demand for Hyundai, production growth remains robust at 15 percent year-to-date, while Toyota is on a 3 percent growth rate from a year ago.
Vehicle inventory in early July is at a 61-day supply, up slightly from 57 days in June. The inventory level has increased to 3.3 million units in July from the 3.2 million units in June.
LMC Automotive's forecast for 2013 North American production remains at 16.0 million units, a 4 percent increase from 2012. Excess capacity is very lean across the region, with some manufacturers and vehicle segments in short supply. Capacity utilization is expected to remain above 90 percent for 2013 and into 2014.

Restore The Roar: Manufacturing Renaissance tells the story of the revival of manufacturing in Michigan from autos to beer to farm to fork. This five-part ebook essay series is available for immediate download. It begins with The Great Collapse. For a preview, just click here.

Better Than You Thought: Dynamite December

2013 Chevy Spark

Let's end 2012 with a pleasant surprise. December should turn out to be a dynamite sales month for the auto industry. Cars are moving. Trucks are rumbling. New sets of keys are being pressed into the hands of proud owners at a rate we thought we would never see again just a year ago.

Next year should be just as good, if not a little better. What could go wrong? What if the industry can't keep up with demand?

We will get to that in a few paragraphs. First, the good news...

With annual year-end clearance events in full swing, new-car sales are expected to surpass 1.35 million units in December, pushing the industry's closely followed seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) to 15.2 million units, according to Kelley Blue Book, www.kbb.com, the leading provider of new and used car information. 

After a strong November and December, the final sales tally for 2012 should approach 14.5 million units overall.  This tally would amount to a more than 13 percent year-over-year increase and the third consecutive year of double-digit auto sales gains.  While incremental sales growth will continue in 2013, Kelley Blue Book does not expect to see a fourth consecutive year of double-digit sales gains.

With employment and consumer confidence expected to improve only modestly next year, Kelley Blue Book expects sales growth will come at a slower pace from this point forward.  While modest economic growth will help keep sales stable in 2013, Kelley Blue Book expects to see as many as 250,000 to 300,000 additional sales from consumers who will arrive at the end of their lease term next year. 

Although most signs point to additional sales growth in 2013, Kelley Blue Book will keep a close eye on the 'Fiscal Cliff' discussion, as a tax increase for middle-income households could slow sales growth through next year and beyond.

So, what could go wrong besides the Fiscal Cliff? How about this? The industry is not ready. I am not talking about the OEMs. I am talking about the supply chain that GM, Ford, Chrysler, Toyota and the rest depend on.

More on that will be published in Restore the Roar, a series of e-books that will be out early in 2012. For now, take a look at the sample chapters that I have posted at www.rodkackley.com

∞ ∞ ∞ 

Last Chance Mile: The Reinvention of an American Community is available now wherever books are sold including Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Abbott Press.

Special autographed editions are also on the shelves of Schuler Books & Music in Grand Rapids and Kentwood, Michigan and are also available by clicking the Buy Now button on this page.