September Construction Climbs 13 Percent

Press Release

September Construction Climbs 13 Percent

New York, N.Y. – October 16, 2013 – New construction starts in September advanced 13% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $556.0 billion, according to McGraw Hill Construction, a division of McGraw Hill Financial.  Nonresidential building bounced back after losing momentum in August, and the nonbuilding construction sector was lifted by the start of several large power plants, which ran counter to the sharply downward trend for electric utilities that’s been present during 2013.  For the first nine months of 2013, total construction starts on an unadjusted basis were reported at $379.3 billion, up 2% from the same period a year ago.  If electric utilities are excluded from the year-to-date statistics, total construction starts in the first nine months of 2013 would be up 11%.

The September data raised the Dodge Index to 118 (2000=100), up from 104 in August and the highest reading for the Index so far in 2013.  From January through August this year, the Index had hovered within the fairly narrow range of 98 to 107.  “The overall level of construction activity will be affected by the presence of large projects in any one given month, and that was certainly the case in September,” stated Robert A. Murray, vice president of economic affairs for McGraw Hill Construction.  “While the extent of September’s gain overstates the current health of construction, the latest month did provide positive news for nonresidential building which continued the up-and-down pattern that’s occurred during 2013.  The September gain for nonresidential building reflected the manufacturing plant category posting a strong increase, commercial building staying close to its recently improved pace, and several institutional structure types rising from previously weak levels.  After the downward trend that’s been underway from 2009 through the first half of 2013, the institutional building sector may now be starting to stabilize, which is necessary for total nonresidential building to register growth.  At the same time, the recent Congressional impasse over federal appropriations for fiscal 2014 and raising the debt ceiling only adds to the sense of uncertainty, which hampers renewed expansion for nonresidential building going forward.”

Nonresidential building in September jumped 24% to $182.8 billion (annual rate).  The manufacturing plant category soared 289%, boosted by an $800 million ammonia production facility and a $615 million steel mill, both located in Louisiana.  Commercial building in September receded 3% following its 4% gain in August, due to a mixed pattern by project type.  Hotel construction in September increased 9%, supported by the start of a $75 million hotel resort in Anaheim CA, while office construction edged up 1%.  Large office projects that reached groundbreaking in September included a $435 million office campus for Facebook in Menlo Park CA, a $139 million county government office building in Van Nuys CA, and a $129 million renovation of a financial services office building in Des Moines IA.  Store construction in September held steady with its August amount, helped by $75 million for the retail portion of the $460 million Millennium Tower mixed-use building in Boston MA.  The commercial building total in September was pulled down by a 34% drop for warehouse construction.

Institutional building in September advanced 24%, rebounding after a 17% decline in August.  The healthcare facilities category, which has been lackluster for much of 2013, jumped 144%.  There were four large hospital projects that reached groundbreaking in September – a $437 million replacement hospital at Fort Bliss in El Paso TX, a $323 million cancer treatment center in Omaha NE, a $250 million hospital tower in Oak Lawn IL, and a $200 million medical center in Birmingham AL.  The educational building category in September grew 13%, aided by these projects – a $93 million two-building complex at Montclair State University in Montclair NJ, an $82 million public library in Austin TX, and a $74 million teaching and learning center at U.C.L.A. in Los Angeles CA.  For the smaller institutional categories, both public buildings and churches showed improvement in August, climbing 36% and 18% respectively.  Decreased activity in September was reported for amusement-related projects, down 27%; and transportation terminals, down 46%.

Nonbuilding construction, at $169.9 billion (annual rate), increased 33% in September.  Electric utility construction surged 466% after a weak August, departing from the declining trend experienced during most of 2013.  Large electric utility projects that reached the construction start stage in September included a $1.9 billion wind energy farm in Iowa, a $1.1 billion natural gas power plant in Virginia, a $700 million solar power facility in Nevada, and a $260 million transmission line grid in New Jersey.  The public works categories combined dropped 4% in September, as bridge construction fell a steep 61% from its elevated August amount, which included several very large projects.  The remaining public works categories in September showed gains relative to August.  River/harbor development jumped 55%, lifted by $615 million for canal work in the New Orleans LA area.  Sewer construction advanced 23%, while water supply systems increased 12%.  The miscellaneous public works category, which includes site work, rose 13% in September with the support of $360 million for site work at the planned Manhattan West complex in New York NY.

Residential building in September dropped 6% to $203.2 billion (annual rate).  Multifamily housing fell 14%, pulling back after rising by the same percentage during August.  Large multifamily projects that reached groundbreaking during September included the following – $334 million for the multifamily portion of the Millennium Tower mixed-use project in Boston MA, a $157 million multifamily tower in Long Island City NY, a $133 million multifamily tower in Chicago IL, and a $120 million multifamily tower in Boston.  Through the first nine months of 2013, the leading metropolitan areas for multifamily construction starts (ranked by dollar volume) were the following – New York NY, Boston MA, Washington DC, Miami FL, and Los Angeles CA.  Single family housing in September slipped 3%, registering its first month-to-month decline in dollar terms since January.  The September level of activity for single family housing was still healthy by recent standards – up 9% from January and 27% higher than the average monthly pace reported during 2012.  By geography, single family housing in September showed modest declines in all five regions – the Midwest, down 1%; the South Atlantic, down 2%; the Northeast, down 3%; the South Central, down 4%; and the West, down 5%.

The 2% gain for total construction starts on an unadjusted basis during the January-September period of 2013 reflected a mixed pattern by the three main construction sectors.  Nonresidential building matched the amount reported during last year’s first nine months, due to this behavior by segment – commercial building, up 9%; manufacturing building, up 1%; and institutional building, down 5%.  Nonbuilding construction year-to-date fell 20%, as a 63% plunge for electric utilities far outweighed a slight 2% gain for public works.  Residential building advanced 26% year-to-date, with single family housing up 29% and multifamily housing up 17%.

By geography, total construction starts during the first nine months of 2013 showed gains in three of the five major regions – the Northeast, up 13%; the West, up 7%; and the Midwest, up 6%.  The South Central retreated 2%, while the South Atlantic dropped 10%.  The South Atlantic decline reflected the comparison to the first nine months of 2012 that included the start of two large nuclear facilities.  If electric utilities are excluded from the year-to-date construction statistics in the South Atlantic, then total construction for that region in 2013 would show a 16% gain.

About McGraw Hill Construction:
McGraw Hill Construction provides essential data, news, insights, and intelligence to better inform construction professionals’ decisions and strengthen their market position. McGraw Hill Construction’s data, analytics, and media businesses – Dodge, Sweets, Architectural Record, and Engineering News-Record – create opportunities for owners, architects, engineers, contractors, building product manufacturers, and distributors to strengthen their market position, size their markets, prioritize prospects, and target and build relationships that will win more business. McGraw Hill Construction serves more than one million customers through its trends and forecasts, industry news, and leading platform of construction data, benchmarks, and analytics, including Dodge MarketShare™, Dodge BuildShare® and Dodge SpecShare®. Construction data is available for North American and global markets.  To learn more, visit www.construction.com.

About McGraw Hill Financial:
McGraw Hill Financial (NYSE: MHFI) is a leading financial intelligence company providing the global capital and commodity markets with independent benchmarks, credit ratings, portfolio and enterprise risk solutions, and analytics.  The Company's iconic brands include: Standard & Poor's Ratings Services, S&P Capital IQ, S&P Dow Jones Indices, Platts, CRISIL, J.D. Power, and McGraw Hill Construction.  The Company has approximately 17,000 employees in 27 countries.  Additional information is available at www.mhfi.com.

Media Contact:
Kathy Malangone, Senior Director, Communications:
McGraw Hill Construction, 212-904-4376, kathy.malangone@mhfi.com

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Construction Industry Needs to Make the Connection Between Improved Efficiency and Greater Competitiveness, According to New McGraw Hill Construction Report

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McGraw-Hill Construction's Laura Viscusi Honored at min's "Sales Executive of the Year" Awards

Press Release

McGraw-Hill Construction's Laura Viscusi Honored at min's "Sales Executive of the Year" Awards
June 28, 2012 - New York, NY

McGraw-Hill Construction, part of The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE: MHP), today announced that Laura Viscusi, Vice-President Integrated Media for McGraw-Hill Construction, and Publisher, Architectural Record, has won min's "Sales Executive of the Year" Award in the Sales Team Leader, Single Title, B2B category. The award ceremony took place at the Marriott Marquis in New York City. The event honors the most successful and innovative sales professionals in magazine media.

"I'm thrilled about this award and honored to be recognized among such a distinguished field of industry professionals," said Viscusi. "It takes an environment of support, vision and trust to help us ensure our customers' success in this rapidly evolving marketplace. I'm happy to say we have that environment at McGraw-Hill Construction."

In announcing Viscusi's award, presenters noted that Laura knows the importance of staying adaptable and connected to her audience, advertisers and sales team. Her commitment to excellence and inclusiveness, coupled with her natural creative talents have served her and her company well.  She has increased business across all three of the publications for which she has sales responsibility, including Architectural Record, GreenSource, and SNAP, with Architectural Record continuing to drive the highest volume of new customers in its competitive set.

"We celebrate Laura's success and congratulate her on this award. Her tenacity for achievement and enthusiasm for the customers and industry she serves is well-known to all who call her a friend, mentor, colleague or competitor," said Keith Fox, president of McGraw-Hill Construction. "She has strengthened Architectural Record's leading position and market share by marrying our reach and engagement with innovative programs that work for architects and for our customers. Like our media brands, she delivers."

The Sales Team Leader of the Year Award is the latest in a string of awards for Architectural Record and its staff.  In 2012, the magazine and website have received BtoB's Media Power 50 award, the Grand Neal Award, ABM's top Neal Award for overall excellence, and awards for the Best Use of Social Media, Best Integrated Package for "New York: The Death and Life of a Great American City," and Best Single Issue of a Magazine for its September 2011 issue about 9/11, Ten Years Later. Record's recent launch of its new Continuing Education app is seeing thousands of downloads, and it has surpassed 320,000 followers on Twitter.

For more information, visit http://construction.com/.

# # #

About McGraw-Hill Construction:
McGraw-Hill Construction connects people, projects, and products across the construction industry. For more than a century, it has remained North America's leading provider of project and product information, plans and specifications, and industry news, trends, and forecasts.  McGraw-Hill Construction serves more than one million customers in the global construction industry through Dodge, Sweets, Architectural Record, Engineering News-Record, GreenSource, and SNAP.  To learn more, visit www.construction.com or follow @mhconstruction on Twitter.

About The McGraw-Hill Companies:
McGraw-Hill announced on September 12, 2011 its intention to separate into two public companies: McGraw-Hill Financial, a leading provider of content and analytics to global financial markets, and McGraw-Hill Education, a leading education company focused on digital learning and education services worldwide.  McGraw-Hill Financial's leading brands include Standard & Poor's Ratings Services, S&P Capital IQ, S&P Indices, Platts energy information services, and J.D. Power and Associates.  With sales of $6.2 billion in 2011, the Corporation has approximately 23,000 employees across more than 280 offices in 40 countries.  Additional information is available at http://www.mcgraw-hill.com/.

Media Contact:
Kathy Malangone, Senior Director, Marketing Communications,
McGraw-Hill Construction, +1 212-904-4376, kathy_malangone@mcgraw-hill.com

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Dodge Momentum Index in December Rises Again

Press Release

Dodge Momentum Index in December Rises Again

NEW YORK – January 9, 2014 – The Dodge Momentum Index rose 1.2% in December compared to the previous month, according to McGraw Hill Construction, a division of McGraw Hill Financial. The Momentum Index is a monthly measure of the first (or initial) report for nonresidential building projects in planning, which have been shown to lead construction spending for nonresidential buildings by a full year. December’s increase brought the Momentum Index to 118.3 (2000=100), the highest reading since February 2009. Over the course of 2013, the Momentum Index showed steady improvement, with December up 32% compared to the same month a year ago. Despite the strong percentage growth during 2013, the Momentum Index remains significantly below its December 2007 pre-recession peak of 191.3.

The latest month’s increase for the Momentum Index was driven by both its commercial and institutional components. On the commercial side, the 1.5% gain was largely the result of greater planning activity for office and hotel development. Among the larger office projects to enter the planning pipeline in December were the $350 million Moffat Place Office Campus in Sunnyvale CA, the $300 million Boston Garden Office Tower in Boston MA, and the $95 million expansion of a Microsoft data center in Quincy WA. The 0.8% gain for the institutional component was due primarily to a pickup in plans for education-related buildings, the largest of which were a $120 million renovation/addition to the University of Michigan's School of Dentistry in Ann Arbor MI, a $100 million Nuclear Power Training Facility in Charleston SC, and a $90 million renovation to the University of Dearborn’s Engineering Laboratory in Dearborn MI.         

# # #

 About McGraw Hill Construction:
McGraw Hill Construction provides essential data, news, insights, and intelligence to better inform construction professionals’ decisions and strengthen their market position. McGraw Hill Construction’s data, analytics, and media businesses – Dodge, Sweets, Architectural Record, and Engineering News-Record  – create opportunities for owners, architects, engineers, contractors, building product manufacturers, and distributors to strengthen their market position, size their markets, prioritize prospects, and target and build relationships that will win more business. McGraw Hill Construction serves more than one million customers through its trends and forecasts, industry news, and leading platform of construction data, benchmarks, and analytics, including Dodge MarketShare™, Dodge BuildShare®, and Dodge SpecShare®. Construction data is available for North American and global markets. To learn more, visit www.construction.com.

About McGraw Hill Financial:
McGraw Hill Financial (NYSE: MHFI) is a leading financial intelligence company providing the global capital and commodity markets with independent benchmarks, credit ratings, portfolio and enterprise risk solutions, and analytics. The Company's iconic brands include: Standard & Poor's Ratings Services, S&P Capital IQ, S&P Dow Jones Indices, Platts, CRISIL, J.D. Power, and McGraw Hill Construction. The Company has approximately 17,000 employees in 27 countries. Additional information is available at www.mhfi.com.

Media Contact:
Kathy Malangone, Senior Director, Communications:
McGraw Hill Construction, 212-904-4376, kathy.malangone@mhfi.com

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January Construction Slides 13 Percent

Press Release

January Construction Slides 13 Percent

New York, N.Y. – February 21, 2014 – The value of new construction starts fell 13% in January to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $485.0 billion, according to McGraw Hill Construction, a division of McGraw Hill Financial.  The downturn followed a healthy performance in December, which was the third highest month for total construction starts during 2013.  January’s retreat encompassed all three main construction sectors, with moderate declines reported for nonresidential building and housing, as well as a more substantial loss of momentum for nonbuilding construction (public works and electric utilities) after a particularly robust December.  On an unadjusted basis, total construction starts in January came in at $34.1 billion, down 5% from the same month a year ago.

The January statistics lowered the Dodge Index to 103 (2000=100), compared to a revised 118 for December and below the average Index reading of 110 for all of 2013.  “The year 2014 began slowly, due to behavior specific to each of the three main construction sectors,” stated Robert A. Murray, chief economist for McGraw Hill Construction.  “Nonresidential building in 2013 advanced 7%, but the progress was occasionally hesitant, including sluggish activity at the end of last year that carried over into January.  At the same time, the prospects for continued growth for nonresidential building during 2014 are generally positive, helped by receding vacancies for commercial properties and some improvement in the fiscal health of state governments.  Residential building in 2013 climbed 24%, but towards the end of last year growth began to decelerate as mortgage lending to first-time homebuyers remained stringent. The January slowdown for housing was due in part to tough winter weather conditions, yet the deceleration in recent months bears watching going forward.  Nonbuilding construction in 2013 dropped 12%, as the steep pullback by electric utilities outweighed surprising growth for public works. Last year’s nonbuilding performance was also quite volatile on a month-to-month basis, including strong activity in December that’s now been followed by a sharp reduction in January. With 2014 not likely to see the same volume of very large public works projects reach the construction start stage, nonbuilding construction is expected to register another decline this year, and January’s downturn is part of that broader trend.”

Nonresidential building in January dropped 6% to $157.3 billion (annual rate), and was down 7% from last year’s average monthly pace.  The commercial building sector in January fell 13%, with declines from the prior month shown by hotels, down 43%; and warehouses, down 3%.  Hotels and warehouses posted strong percentage growth during 2013, with each rising 29%, and the sluggish activity in January is viewed as a pause in what’s expected to be continued growth for both structure types during 2014.  Cushioning the January decline for the commercial building sector was a 21% increase for office construction, helped by groundbreaking for such projects as a $125 million corporate headquarters in Houston TX, a $66 million office park in Mountain View CA, and a $44 million office building in Raleigh NC.  Store construction in January improved 4%, reflecting the start of a $30 million shopping mall in Lakeland FL and a $25 million department store in Las Vegas NV.  The manufacturing plant category had a strong January, jumping 44%, due to the impact of two very large projects – a $1.2 billion propane dehydrogenation facility in Texas and a $450 million oil refinery expansion in North Dakota.

The institutional building sector in January decreased 12%, as the recent signs of stability after a lengthy five-year decline continue to be tenuous.  The educational building category receded 3%, although the month did include the start of several large university-related projects – a $155 million renovation to an academic building at Princeton University in Princeton NJ, a $100 million business school at Baylor University in Waco TX, and a $92 million science and laboratory facility at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville TN.  Healthcare facilities in January dropped 17%, as this structure type continues to show an up-and-down pattern on a monthly basis, keeping renewed growth in a sustained manner on hold.  The smaller institutional categories in January were mixed, with reduced activity reported for transportation terminals (down 31%) and amusement-related work (down 20%), while public buildings (up 6%) and religious buildings (up 58%) showed improvement from depressed levels in December.  The decline for the amusement category was relative to a very strong December, which included the start of the $763 million Vikings Multipurpose Stadium in Minneapolis MN.  Large project support for the amusement category was also present in January, coming from $90 million estimated for a new facility at the Disney Animal Kingdom in Lake Buena Vista FL, as part of a larger $500 million project at that theme park.

Residential building, at $204.7 billion (annual rate), slipped 2% in January.  The retreat came as the result of a 6% decline for single family housing, which has now settled back for three months in a row.  The January single family decline was widespread geographically, with this pattern for the five major regions relative to December – the South Central, down 13%; the Northeast and West, each down 6%; the Midwest, down 3%; and the South Atlantic, down 2%.  Murray noted, “Harsh weather conditions in January played some role in the sluggish single family performance, in combination with the recent pickup in mortgage rates and the tight lending environment as it relates to first-time homebuyers.  Still, it’s expected that single family construction should soon regain upward momentum, given the very low inventory of new homes for sale and what’s anticipated to be a strengthening economy and jobs picture.”  Multifamily housing in January grew 12%, staying on the broad upward track that began back in 2010.  Large projects that supported the January increase were led by a $400 million condominium and apartment building in New York NY, as this metropolitan area continues to see very large multifamily projects reach groundbreaking.  Other large multifamily projects reported as January starts were located in Washington DC ($90 million), Miami FL ($69 million), Minneapolis MN ($54 million), and Dallas TX ($50 million).

Nonbuilding construction in January plunged 32% to $123.0 billion (annual rate), following its 40% surge in December.  New electric utility work dropped 61% from the elevated pace witnessed in December, returning to the downward path that was present for much of last year.  Although January did include the start of an $800 million natural gas-fired power plant in Pennsylvania, this was not enough to avert the category’s steep drop for the month.  The public works sector overall in January was down 25%, with declines across most of the project types.  While January did include the start of a $153 million highway paving project in Texas and the $126 million deck replacement of the Pulaski Skyway in New Jersey, highway and bridge construction for the month fell 35%.  Other January declines were reported for river/harbor development, down 26%; miscellaneous public works (site work, mass transit, and pipelines) down 13%; and water supply systems, down 5%.  Sewer construction was the one public works category to register an increase in January, rising 21%, with the lift coming from such projects as a $173 million sewer tunnel in Hawaii.

The 5% decline for total construction starts on an unadjusted basis for January 2014 relative to January 2013 was due to this performance by sector – nonresidential building, down 6%; residential building, up 8%; and nonbuilding construction, down 19%.  By geography, total construction starts for January 2014 relative to January 2013 showed declines in four of the five major regions – the West, down 15%; the South Atlantic, down 9%; the South Central, down 5%; and the Midwest, down 3%.  The Northeast was the only region to register a year-over-year gain for January 2014, advancing 15%.

Useful perspective can be obtained by looking at twelve-month moving totals, in this case the twelve months ending January 2014 versus the twelve months ending January 2013, which lessens the volatility present in one-month comparisons.  For the twelve months ending January 2014, total construction starts were up 5%, due to this pattern by sector – nonresidential building, up 6%; residential building, up 22%; and nonbuilding construction, down 13%.  By geography, the twelve months ending January 2014 showed the following behavior for total construction starts – the Northeast, up 16%; the Midwest and West, each up 9%; the South Central, up 2%; and the South Atlantic, down 5%.

About McGraw Hill Construction:
McGraw Hill Construction provides essential data, news, insights, and intelligence to better inform construction professionals’ decisions and strengthen their market position. McGraw Hill Construction’s data, analytics, and media businesses – Dodge, Sweets, Architectural Record, and Engineering News-Record  – create opportunities for owners, architects, engineers, contractors, building product manufacturers, and distributors to strengthen their market position, size their markets, prioritize prospects, and target and build relationships that will win more business. McGraw Hill Construction serves more than one million customers through its trends and forecasts, industry news, and leading platform of construction data, benchmarks, and analytics, including Dodge MarketShare™, Dodge BuildShare®, and Dodge SpecShare®. Construction data is available for North American and global markets. To learn more, visit www.construction.com.

About McGraw Hill Financial:
McGraw Hill Financial (NYSE: MHFI) is a leading financial intelligence company providing the global capital and commodity markets with independent benchmarks, credit ratings, portfolio and enterprise risk solutions, and analytics. The Company's iconic brands include: Standard & Poor's Ratings Services, S&P Capital IQ, S&P Dow Jones Indices, Platts, CRISIL, J.D. Power, and McGraw Hill Construction. The Company has approximately 17,000 employees in 27 countries. Additional information is available at www.mhfi.com.

Media Contact:
Kathy Malangone, Senior Director, Communications:
McGraw Hill Construction, 212-904-4376, kathy.malangone@mhfi.com

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Exploring the New Industrial Revolution

Exploring the New Industrial Revolution In The FoldHomeSubscribeAutodeskAbout the AuthorsAutodesk PR
Providing you with timely information and interesting story ideas is our goal here in the Autodesk® public relations department. January 2014 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat       1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31   « Seeing the World through a Different Lens |Main| AutoCAD 360 Named One of the Best Tablet Apps for Business »

12/05/2013Exploring the New Industrial Revolution

In the second of two Innovation Forums at Autodesk University 2013, five speakers explored the New Industrial Revolution and how technologies such as additive manufacturing, 3d and 4d printing, advanced robotics, the maker movement and bio-driven design that are rapidly changing how the world around us is designed and fabricated.

The session was hosted by Jen McCabe, Hardware Sorceress for the Downtown Project and Vegas Tech Fund, who spoke about the impact of crowdsourcing and crowd funding, now, “a viable way to start and grow a new hardware business.”   She used the example of Kano, a $99 build-yourself computer that has attracted over 9000 backers on KIckstarter and which she plans to build with her five year old nice as a Christmas gift as an example of this trend. 

 

Ben Kaufman, CEO of Quirky, spoke about their efforts to change the product development and launch process.  “The best ideas come from the living room,” he said, and cited examples of Jake Zien and his pivot power invention, to which over 700 Quirky members contributed active ideas and assistance to bring it to market.  “We’ve created a whole line of products based off of Jake’s PivotPower idea. Now, Jake’s a millionaire, and every time a PivotPower sells at Target or another store those 709 people get a profit, in real time. “    Kaufman also spoke about Quirky’s partnership with GE that has brought a whole new line of connected products to Home Depot. 

Mark Hatch, CEO of Techshop, discussed some of the ways that Techshop is helping drive new industrial revolutions by giving access to new tools and technology to a broad audience of users.  He cited the example of the new Detroit-area Techshop that was funded in part by Ford Motor Corporation and is open to the more than 30,000 engineers who are living in the area, most of whom are not working actively as engineers at Ford.  “Since the Techshop Detroit opening, Ford has seen a 55% increase in high quality patentable ideas.  More than half of those are directly attributable to opening our shop to Ford employees.  Right now there is a product idea that came up at Techshop that will probably go onto cars their cars – and this came from engineer who worked in marketing.  There was no long product development process, just a smart guy with the right ideas and access to tools.”   

 

David Benjamin, founder of The Living, showed work that his firm has done to use Autodesk Project Cyborg to explore, “A new design approach -- to generate, evaluate, evolve, select and produce.  We can now harness incredible biological systems and to make and apply them at a different scale.  Biological systems are already computers and factories.”

The final speaker, MIT Researcher, architect, designer, computer scientist and TED Senior Fellow Skylar Tibbits showed new examples of his on BioMolecular Self-Assembly and human scale 4D printing.   “There is a design space and a design boom happening.  DNA and biological materials become the building blocks,” said Tibbits. “Powered by Autodesk and others we’ve been able to generate things that we would never have been able to generate before.  We can go a step further and simulate things…optimize things.  And code can communicate with machines so we can physically make things that we couldn’t have made before.”

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Re: Inventor 2013 Autodesk User certification

For 2013, at least, there was only Certified Professional.  No more Certified User or Certified Associate.  Not sure if that will remain the same for 2014.

I wouldn't recommend trying to take the test as a beginner if you're paying for it.  If you go to AU, you'll get to take the test for free, and in that case absolutely - I'd say take it, and see what happens.  You'll at least get an idea of where you need to work on things.

THAT SAID, if you've got a decent amount of experience - and I believe the recommendation was 400 hours of use, but don't ask me where I saw that - the test is RIDICULOUSLY easy.  (Full disclosure: when I took the test, I was sitting at around 6,000 hours of Inventor use, versions 2009-2013.  I and another guy from my company took the 2013 certification test at AU2012.  We both finished in under an hour, and both passed with flying colors.  There were a few things there that I hadn't done much with in the past, but NOT a lot.

For me, 90% of the stuff on the Inventor 2013 Certified Professional exam is stuff I'd expect any entry-level employee to be able to do.

___________________________________________________________
Product Design Suite Ultimate 2013, 2014
Autodesk Inventor 2013 Certified Professional

Work: Dell Precision T1600 (Xeon E3-1280 / 16GB / 512 GB SSD / 250 GB (Internal) / 1 TB (External) / Quadro 600)
Home: i7-4770k / ASUS Z87-Pro / 16GB / 250 GB SSD / 1 TB HDD / 3 TB USB3 HDD / 2xRadeonHD 4870 in CrossfireX
Laptop: Toshiba Satellite P755-S5269 (i7-2630QM / 8 GB / 250 GB SSD / 750 GB HDD / GT540M)

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Inventor 2013 Autodesk User certification

For 2013, at least, there was only Certified Professional.  No more Certified User or Certified Associate.  Not sure if that will remain the same for 2014.

I wouldn't recommend trying to take the test as a beginner if you're paying for it.  If you go to AU, you'll get to take the test for free, and in that case absolutely - I'd say take it, and see what happens.  You'll at least get an idea of where you need to work on things.

THAT SAID, if you've got a decent amount of experience - and I believe the recommendation was 400 hours of use, but don't ask me where I saw that - the test is RIDICULOUSLY easy.  (Full disclosure: when I took the test, I was sitting at around 6,000 hours of Inventor use, versions 2009-2013.  I and another guy from my company took the 2013 certification test at AU2012.  We both finished in under an hour, and both passed with flying colors.  There were a few things there that I hadn't done much with in the past, but NOT a lot.

For me, 90% of the stuff on the Inventor 2013 Certified Professional exam is stuff I'd expect any entry-level employee to be able to do.

___________________________________________________________
Product Design Suite Ultimate 2013, 2014
Autodesk Inventor 2013 Certified Professional

Work: Dell Precision T1600 (Xeon E3-1280 / 16GB / 512 GB SSD / 250 GB (Internal) / 1 TB (External) / Quadro 600)
Home: i7-4770k / ASUS Z87-Pro / 16GB / 250 GB SSD / 1 TB HDD / 3 TB USB3 HDD / 2xRadeonHD 4870 in CrossfireX
Laptop: Toshiba Satellite P755-S5269 (i7-2630QM / 8 GB / 250 GB SSD / 750 GB HDD / GT540M)

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Autodesk 2013 Inventor of Year Voting Now Open

It’s been said that the digital era we live in represents a golden age of innovation, and Autodesk recognizes innovative inventors who design and develop standout products with the Autodesk Inventor of the Month (IOM) program. With a New Year is upon us, it’s time for the Autodesk Manufacturing community to select the 2013 Inventor of the Year from among the 2013 Autodesk IOM winners. Voting has kicked off here.

For more than seven years, the Autodesk IOM program has identified the most innovative among hundreds of thousands of designers and engineers that create with Autodesk Digital Prototyping tools. Recipients employ software including Autodesk Inventor software as part of Autodesk Product Design Suite, Autodesk Factory Design Suite, the Autodesk Simulation family of products and Autodesk PLM 360.

The company with the highest number of votes will receive the Inventor of the Year honor. Voting is under way and closes Feb. 14 at 5 p.m. Pacific time.

The Contenders: 2013 Inventor of the Month Winners

January 2013: Combat Group, a Malaysian-based manufacturer of automotive and industrial paint systems, was chosen for using Autodesk Product Design Suite and other digital prototyping tools to improve its accuracy of design and deliver products more quickly to the major automotive, two-wheeler and industrial companies with assembly plants in developing nations.

February 2013: Autodesk recognized BioLite for using Autodesk software to create wood-burning, power charging stoves that burn 90 percent cleaner than conventional wood-burning stoves or open fires. The portable BioLite CampStove and the larger BioLite HomeStove convert waste heat into electricity that can be used to charge small electronic devices such as cell phones, GPS units and LED lights.

March 2013: Chinese company CNR Changchun Railway Vehicles Co., Ltd. was selected for using Autodesk Inventor software to design curved, stainless steel railway passenger seats that are more attractive, comfortable and stable than existing solutions on subways, high speed trains and other urban railways.

April 2013: Two 2013 FIRST Robotics teams — Team 6002, The Basilisks from Terra Nova High School in Pacifica, Calif., and Team 4488, Shockwave from Glencoe High School in Hillsboro, Ore. — were recognized for their use of Autodesk Inventor software to design their award-winning robots and successfully advance to the world championship.

May 2013: Autodesk selected Plastics Research Corporation for successfully designing a factory with Autodesk Factory Design Suite that can make multiple millions ofcomposite pallets a year — a volume unmatched by any other composite pallet manufacturing facility in the world.

June 2013: Chemring Group PLC, a global manufacturer of defense and security products was chosen for its use of Autodesk Product Design Suite to address its entire product design workflow — including Autodesk Vault to ensure employees and partners can quickly and easily find all the design data they need to make better decisions and work more efficiently.

July 2013: EnviroGuard, an industry leader in spill containment and facility safety, was recognized because the company has been able to win several large projects both domestically and internationally by leveraging the many features and capabilities within Autodesk Product Design Suite.

August 2013: Autodesk selected Dearborn Mid-West Company (DMW), a provider of assembly line conveyor systems to all the major automotive manufacturers in North America, for using Autodesk Factory Design Suite software to better create turnkey conveyor solutions for its clients.

September 2013: Harbin Electric Group, one of China’s largest manufacturers of power devices, was selected for using Autodesk Product Design Suite to digitally prototype and accelerate the design of innovative nuclear power devices that can help China meet energy-related goals.

October 2013: Carducci Dual Sport founder and president Jim Carducci leveraged Autodesk Product Design Suite to develop a dream and convert a Harley-Davidson Sportster into an on-road/off-road motorcycle. Carducci’s conversion kit keeps passionate Harley fans from having to choose between a street-legal bike and an off-road bike.

November 2013: Autodesk chose Karcher North America, a leading provider of consumer, commercial and industrial cleaning equipment, for using Autodesk Product Design Suite to design the LANDA ECOS: a mobile “wash and reclaim” system.

December 2013: Asius Technologies and founder Stephen Ambrose were recognized for developing the Ambrose Diaphonic Ear Lens (ADEL): a new type of earpiece that solves the problem of hearing loss resulting from repeated earbud use. This pioneering creation was designed with the use of Autodesk Product Design Suite software.

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2014 Cadillac SRX

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TCC Rating work?The TCC Rating is a clear numeric rating value based on a 10-point scale that reflects the overall opinion of our automotive experts on any vehicle and rolls up ratings we give each vehicle across sub-categories you care about like performance, safety, styling and more.

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or “Go” (green) messages along with the numerical score so you can easily understand where we stand at a glance.

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? $(function () { $('.rating-tip-0').waypoint( // handler function(direction) { $(this).addClass('rating-tip-0-animation'); }, // options { offset: '100%', once: true } ); });Get Your Price The 2014 Cadillac SRX is the uniquely American pick among luxury crossovers; and its interior appointments and class-leading technology don't disappoint. Read more » Luxurious, distinctive interiorA rolling showcase of useful techSmooth, strong engineCUE is mandatoryDrives heavyDisappointing gas mileage $('.related-reviews li.see-more').live('click',function(){ if ($(this).hasClass('hidden')){ $(this).html(""); $("li.hidden:not('.see-more')", $('.related-reviews')).fadeIn(); } else { /*$(this).html("See Mode"); $("li.hidden:not('.see-more')", $('.related-reviews')).fadeOut();*/ } $(this).toggleClass('hidden'); });Choose a Style Below for Colors and Options Gas V6, 3.6L
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As the more carlike crossover utility vehicle in the lineup, the 2014 Cadillac SRX presents with a chiseled, gleaming exterior that fits right in with the Escalade SUV, combined with a daringly different interior style that follows closely in the footsteps of the GM luxury brand's contemporary sedans.

Compared to its top-selling rival, the Lexus RX 350, the SRX is a striking outlier, inside especially, even if it doesn't carry the swept-back, long-hooded proportions of those sedans—or quite enough of the panache and presence of the brawny Escalade, in our opinion. It fits in with other luxury crossovers on the outside, while the details and the overarching design of its interior make it its uniquely Cadillac.

Cadillac has kept the interior contemporary with some fresh trim and material combinations each year, and 2014 is no exception. This year there's a new trio of exterior colors—Graphite Metallic, Terra Mocha Metallic and Sapphire Blue Metallic—while there's a new Caramel interior with Ebony accents.

Among Cadillac models, the SRX is perhaps the one most focused more toward space and versatility than performance. Although the interior has just two rows of seating, there's ample space for five, with well-contoured seats front and back—plus extendable thigh bolsters in front and what most adults will find to be a great seating height. A new active noise cancellation system introduced last year uses a microphone to detect ambient noise and counteracts harshness; with it or not, the SRX cabin is a very quiet, comfortable place for the commute or a long road trip.

Power for all SRX models comes from a 308-horsepower, 3.6-liter V-6 engine, with a six-speed automatic transmission. You can get this vehicle with front- or all-wheel drive, and the all-wheel-drive models use a Haldex system with electronic limited-slip differential; the latter is a great choice for snowy climates and bad weather. Overall, though, the SRX isn't as quick or nimble as you might guess for this size of a vehicle with more than 300 hp; that's because of rather tall gearing and a hefty 4,500-pound curb weight. The engine makes its peak torque at 2,400 rpm, so the setup is relaxed enough, and the dash to 60 mph takes just seven seconds. It's from a standing start, or in passing maneuvers where the SRX doesn't feel as quick on its feet as the Acura MDX, Lincoln MKX, or even Lexus RX 350.

The 2014 SRX remains at the front of its class for safety, whether you judge that on occupant safety or active measures. It's earned top five-star ratings from the federal government as well as Top Safety Pick status from the IIHS; and last year Cadillac added an array of radar-, camera-, and sensor-based safety systems, including adaptive cruise control, cross traffic alert, a safety alert seat, and automatic front and rear braking assist. For 2014 Cadillac has added its Intellibeam headlamps as part of the Driver Awareness Package.

The SRX has one of the most advanced instrument panels on the market, with the CUE infotainment system included across the model line; it includes enhanced steering-wheel and instrument-panel controls, plus an eight-inch capacitive screen interface with proximity sensing—giving you more options only as your hands approach. The touch-based controls feature both haptic feedback and proximity sensing technology to ensure consumers know when a command has been registered. And the touch-screen is motorized and can flip up to reveal a hidden storage cubby. CUE can pair up to ten Bluetooth devices, and incorporates all the latest technology including standard HD radio, Bluetooth audio streaming.

Luxury Collection, Performance Collection and Premium Collection models add many more features, including three-zone climate control; adaptive forward lighting that swivels the headlamps in sync with vehicle steering; a power liftgate with adjustable height setting; and a dual-screen video system for rear entertainment.

Luxurious, distinctive interiorA rolling showcase of useful techSmooth, strong engineFlexible interior layoutGreat safety raingsCUE is mandatoryDrives heavyDisappointing gas mileageMushy brake pedalNext: Interior / Exterior »

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2014 Ford C-Max Hybrid

The 2014 C-Max Hybrid and C-Max Energi are Ford's first dedicated hybrids--meaning you won't find a simple, non-hybrid version out there. They're challengers to the Toyota Prius, and both are strong entries offering more driving enjoyment than the iconic Toyota hybrid.

In size and shape, the Ford C-Max pretty much splits the difference between the Prius Liftback and the more family-oriented Prius V wagon. At the same time, it's built on Ford Focus underpinnings, so it's essentially a tall-wagon version of that Ford subcompact. From the front, the C-Max gets a version of the large trapezoidal grille that's now used throughout much of the Ford lineup; alongside, accent lines and window angles add up to what is really a small minivan, or perhaps a tall and upright five-door hatchback. Inside, however, the C-Max builds on the interior of the Focus, with a rich and stylish dashboard and a number of high-end options; in all, it's a 'premium' look.

With a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and electric motor system, the C-Max powertrain delivers 195 combined horsepower--54 hp more than that of the Toyota Prius powertrain. While the C-Max is several hundred pounds heavier, it does in practice still translate to a driving feel that's much perkier and less stressed than the Toyota. Ford's hybrid C-Max is rated at 47 mpg on the EPA combined test cycle, just marginally worse than the 50-mpg Prius Liftback but better than the Prius V's 42 mpg combined.

In general, it's really tough to find fault in anything about how the 2014 Ford C-Max drives--especially if you use the Toyota Prius as a benchmark. Steering is very precise and well-weighted—nearly as good as what you'll find in the Ford Focus. With a curb weight of nearly 3,700 in base form and around 3,900 pounds in plug-in Energi form, it's not quite as agile and lithe as the Focus, but not ponderous either.

That C-Max Energi, the first-ever plug-in hybrid Ford has offered, offers a much more compelling alternative to the Prius Plug-In Hybrid. With a longer all-electric range of 21 miles (easy to do in real-world driving), it allows even medium-distance commuter the chance to go completely electric if they charge at home and at work. The key to the C-Max's very useful all-electric driving range is its far larger 7.6-kWh battery—versus 1.4-kWh in the standard C-Max hybrid. But that battery pack takes up some valuable cargo space, turning what would be a flat cargo floor into a compromised, multi-level affair that seems critically flawed when you flip forward the rear seatbacks. 

Otherwise, the C-Max Energi is pretty impressive for hauling four adults around. The back seats are a bit on the low side, leaving anyone adult-sized in a knees-up position; but there's plenty of legroom and headroom. Ride quality is firm but just agreeable enough, active noise cancellation and lots of sound-insulation measures help keep on-the-road refinement at its best.

The C-Max still hasn't been rated by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), but the federal government has given it a four-star overall rating (with four stars for frontal and five for side impact).A driver's knee bag is included in the usual range of safety equipment.

All C-Max Hybrids come with standard 17-inch aluminum alloy wheels, a six-speaker AM/FM/CD/MP3 audio system with USB and auxiliary input jacks, an illuminated glove box, keyless entry, dual-zone automatic climate control, rear-seat heater vents, the Sync voice-controls system, and the SmartGauge digital display system with InfoGuide screens that let the driver configure information on the car's operation and energy consumption. Lots of option packages and a la carte options include items such as heated side mirrors, a power liftgate, MyFord Touch, and a Parking Technology package that will let the driver direct the C-Max to steer itself into a parking space.

One final note: These impressions are based on time in 2013 models, and while the C-Max is mostly carry-over this year, Ford says that these models have new transmission gearing, essentially subbing in some taller ratios that might improve fuel efficiency. We'll update you on how this affects performance, if at all, as soon as we can get seat time in one of these 2014 models, which arrive later in the year. 

A worthy rival to the PriusStylish and high-quality interior Quiet, refined interiorPerky driving feelUseful plug-in Energi model

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2014 Nissan Murano

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TCC Rating work?The TCC Rating is a clear numeric rating value based on a 10-point scale that reflects the overall opinion of our automotive experts on any vehicle and rolls up ratings we give each vehicle across sub-categories you care about like performance, safety, styling and more.

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or “Go” (green) messages along with the numerical score so you can easily understand where we stand at a glance.

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? $(function () { $('.rating-tip-0').waypoint( // handler function(direction) { $(this).addClass('rating-tip-0-animation'); }, // options { offset: '100%', once: true } ); });Get Your Price The 2014 Nissan Murano is stylish and refined, but lacks some of the space and efficiency found in competitors. Read more » Powertrain smoothnessRight-sized footprint makes parking easierCoherent styling inside and out No manual mode for CVTLess-than-ideal visibilityToothy-smile grille $('.related-reviews li.see-more').live('click',function(){ if ($(this).hasClass('hidden')){ $(this).html(""); $("li.hidden:not('.see-more')", $('.related-reviews')).fadeIn(); } else { /*$(this).html("See Mode"); $("li.hidden:not('.see-more')", $('.related-reviews')).fadeOut();*/ } $(this).toggleClass('hidden'); });Choose a Style Below for Colors and Options Regular Unleaded V-6, 3.5 L
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Nissan's Murano is an easy-going crossover for an easy-going lifestyle, its rounded look and smooth driving qualities opting out of the overstyled look-at-me rat race, instead going for simple, straightforward form-meets-function.

Now nearing the end of its model cycle, the Murano is still a handsome crossover. Its proportions are anything but mainstream, with high shoulders and rounded, organic shapes that flow into each other. The result stands out from the blocky, rugged-look crowd. Inside, the cabin styling risks excessive mimickry of the exterior at times, but is, on the whole, attractive enough. New for the 2014 model year is the Tinted Bronze exterior with graphite interior combination; the Tinted Bronze paint was previously only available with a black interior.

Under the hood of the Murano you'll find just one engine: Nissan's proven and capable VQ V-6 engine. Displacing 3.5 liters and producing 260 horsepower, the engine is easily up to the task of moving the Murano about with pep. The continuously variable transmission (CVT) automatic isn't usually our cup of tea, but in the Murano, it seems to work well, with smooth acceleration and no excessive engine noise. Unlike some CVTs Nissan offers, the Murano's has no simulated "manual" gear shift points to call on directly. On the handling front, the Murano's steering and feel is direct and light, essentially no different from a mid-sized sedan.

Both front-wheel and all-wheel-drive versions are available--but the vast majority sold are front-wheel drive. The AWD option is available on all four trim variants: S, SV, SL, and LE. Opting for all-wheel drive will cost 1 mpg on the highway, bringing the standard Murano's 18/24 mpg city/highway to 18/23 mpg. Neither score is particularly impressive given the Murano's size.

The Murano's cabin is comfortable, especially in the front row, where the seats are adjustable for a wide range of body types and sizes, though head room is reduced a bit by the sunroof. Second-row seating is also short on head room, and the rear bench's height can seem too low for taller adults. Behind the second row, there's not as much cargo space as you might expect. Like the lack of second-row head room, these shortages are largely a result of the curvy exterior shape. Further hindering the utility of the cargo area is a high cargo floor and irregular shape to the space, even with the rear seats folded forward.

Last year, the Murano added a range of optional, new active safety systems, including blind spot warning, moving object detection, and lane departure warning. The four-trim Murano model range spans a similarly wide range of equipment and pricing. The higher-end SL and LE models offer a premium, almost luxury-class feel, but carry a price tag to match. The more affordable S and SV models cut some corners, but still offer a good base spec of features. All models get power windows, locks, and mirrors; climate control; and an audio system with AM/FM/CD head unit. Optional upgrades include a Bose audio system; heated steering wheel; navigation; Bluetooth; and a rearview camera.

Nissan's oddest duck, the Murano-based CrossCabriolet two-door convertible crossover, carries forward for the 2014 model year, too, now offered in one well-equipped model.

Powertrain smoothnessRight-sized footprint makes parking easierCoherent styling inside and out Maneuverable and responsiveNo manual mode for CVTLess-than-ideal visibilityToothy-smile grilleLackluster gas mileageNext: Interior / Exterior »

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Ford Tops Sales, Fiat Buys Chrysler, C-Max Goes Solar: What’s New @ The Car Connection

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2014 Dodge Avenger Review

The mid-size sedan category has never been a tougher, more competitive segment than it is today, and the 2014 Dodge Avenger wins points for its design but falls short of the competition in many other areas. It's a far better car than when it was launched--and largely seen only on car-rental lots--but like its cousin, the Chrysler 200 (nee Sebring), it's a reminder of the bad old days at Chrysler.

Ford Likely To Finish 2013 As America's #1 Brand (Again)

Ford is a popular brand to be sure, but in terms of sales volume, it can't compete with larger companies like Toyota and General Motors -- at least not on a global scale. But if we just focus on the U.S., the picture is a bit different. How is Ford outshining its competitors?

Donate Your Vehicle To Charity For A Last-Minute Tax-Deduction

In case you hadn't noticed, it's December 30. Many of you still face mounds of used wrapping paper and guest rooms that need a thorough cleaning, but you should also give a little bit of attention to your personal taxes -- especially if you've come out ahead this year.

Audi Sport quattro concept with laser headlights, 2014 Consumer Electronics Show

Enlarge PhotoFrom Motor Authority:

Audi Readies Sport quattro Concept With Laser Lights For 2014 CES

Audi is set to debut an evolved version of its Sport quattro plug-in hybrid sports car concept at the 2014 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas next week. After debuting in a bright yellow hue at the 2013 Frankfurt Auto Show last September, Audi’s Sport quattro concept has since adopted a new shade dubbed Plasma Red.

Ferrari LaFerrari Already Hits The Used Car Market

Despite Ferrari’s best attempts to screen buyers of its LaFerrari, with chairman Luca di Montezemolo himself determining the final cut, an example has already hit the used car market, mere weeks after deliveries commenced. It’s listed on the website of Munich dealership and is priced at 2.38 million euros ($3.24 million) with taxes.

Fiat To Buy Remaining Chrysler Shares In $4.35 Billion Deal

Fiat is ringing in the new year by agreeing to buy the remaining 41.46 percent stake in Chrysler that it doesn't own from the United Auto Workers VEBA Trust, in a deal valued at approximately $4.35 billion. So far only a Memorandum of Understanding has been signed and the deal is still subject to due diligence and independent review.

From Green Car Reports:

Ford C-Max Solar Energi Concept: Using The Sun To Charge Electric Car

Solar power has proven itself better for static charging than it has for on-vehicle use, even if Australia's Solar Challenge race has shown solar cars to be possible under certain, very specific conditions. The trouble is, electric cars draw too much power and take up too small an area for solar roofs to charge them as they drive along.

Residual Values On Battery-Electric Cars: KBB Is Not Optimistic

The year 2014 looks like it could be a very good one for plug-in vehicles, with new launches and expected sales increases heading the list of reasons to cheer. But it wouldn't be a near year without a few doom and gloom predictions, and the latest come from Kelly Blue Book's figures for electric car residual values.

Norway's Electric Cars: Already Too Popular?

Is it possible for electric cars to be too popular? Thanks to supportive government policies and relatively short average commuting distances, Norway has become the friendliest place in the world for plug-in cars.

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Fiat Coughs Up $4.35 Billion For Full Ownership Of Chrysler, Avoiding IPO

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Last time we reported on Fiat's attempt to purchase every single share of Chrysler, things had reached an impasse. The entity holding the rest of those shares was VEBA, a healthcare trust associated with the United Autoworkers Union, and VEBA wasn't happy with the money Fiat had offered to close the deal.

And so, majority-owner Fiat filed paperwork for Chrysler's initial public offering, forcing VEBA's hand. See, per the terms of Chrysler's 2009 restructuring, VEBA received a 41.5 percent stake in the automaker, but it could only sell 25 percent of those shares on the open market. The remaining 75 percent had to be sold to Fiat. By filing for an IPO, Fiat introduced an element of uncertainty: sure, VEBA could go along with the IPO and sell its Chrysler shares to the public, but there was no guarantee that VEBA would earn as much as Fiat was offering.

In other words, CEO Sergio Marchionne assumed that VEBA would ultimately opt for the bird in the hand (i.e. Fiat's offer to purchase the Chrysler shares) rather than the two in the bush (i.e. selling its Chrysler shares on the open market). And now, it appears that the gamble has paid off.

A NEW DAY FOR CHRYSLER, FIAT, AND THE UAW

According to a press release, Fiat will purchase the outstanding Chrysler shares from VEBA for a total of $3.65 billion. Of that sum, $1.9 billion will come from Chrysler, and $1.75 billion will come from Fiat.

But that's not all. To sweeten the deal, Chrysler will make an additional $700 million contribution to VEBA, paid in four equal annual installments of $175 million. And last but not least, Fiat and VEBA have agreed to nix a pending lawsuit over the VEBA-held shares.

Fiat and VEBA are expected to close on the deal around January 20. 

Although there's no official mention of the IPO from either Fiat or Chrysler, it's safe to assume that it's off, for now. Fiat and Marchionne have gotten what they wanted: full-ownership of Chrysler and its current river of cash, which will help stabilize Fiat until Europe's economy recovers. (Well, hopefully.)

That's not to say that Chrysler won't eventually go public -- chances are, the automaker will need an infusion of funds down the line -- but for now, Marchionne & Co. can start the new year off resolved to breathe a bit easier.

For more on this story, check out our colleagues at Motor Authority. 

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Ford Five Hundred

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Sold only from 2005 through 2007, the Ford Five Hundred was a large four-door sedan on an all-new platform that replaced the Taurus sedan in Ford's lineup. On its launch as a 2005 model, the Five Hundred was lauded for its large and spacious interior, but the bland styling received pans (along with many comparisons to the similarly shaped but sportier Volkswagen Passat) and the vehicle was widely viewed as underpowered.

The Ford Five Hundred launched with a 203-horsepower 3.0-liter V-6 engine and a choice of two transmissions: a conventional six-speed automatic or a continuously variable transmission (CVT). Oddly, the CVT returned lower fuel economy ratings, at 20 mpg combined compared to the automatic's 21-mpg figure. All-wheel drive was available only with the six-speed automatic, rated at 19 mpg combined. Acceleration was no more than adequate, but the ride and handling were good and the Five Hundred was clearly a huge step up from the aging Taurus and Crown Victoria sedans.

inside, a Five Hundred driver sat high, with upright seats several inches higher off the ground than those of the more low-slung Taurus. While adjustable pedals were offered on higher trim lines, the steering column tilted but did not telescope. Rear-seat room was considered generous, and a 60/40 split folding rear seat-back gave access to a large trunk and permitted items up to 9 feet long to be carried inside the car.

Standard equipment on the base SE trim level included cruise control; air conditioning; power locks, mirrors, and windows including one-touch operation for the driver's window; six-way power control for the driver's seat, along with a manual lumbar adjustment; and 17-inch alloy wheels. The mid-level SEL model added dual-zone automatic climate control, extra sound insulation, an eight-way adjustable power driver's seat and a flat-folding front passenger's seat, an in-dash CD changer with MP3 compatibility, upgraded interior finishes including wood trim and a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and rear-seat ventilation ducts.

The top-of-the-line Five Hundred Limited model sported larger 18-inch alloy wheels, full leather upholstery, power adjustment and lumbar support for the front passenger seat, a more powerful audio system including a subwoofer, an analog clock, and cream faces for the instruments. Options included a moonroof and a reverse-sensing system, as well as leather upholstery for lower trim levels.

When new Ford CEO Alan Mulally arrived in September 2006, one of his first questions was why Ford had tossed out the well-known Taurus name. He didn't get any answers he liked, so for 2008, the former Five Hundred was renamed the Taurus--restoring a name famous for Ford since the mid-1980s after a year-long interruption (the aging Taurus had sold alongside the Five Hundred for 2005 and 2006). The change from Five Hundred to Taurus included a light restyling that replaced the mesh grille with the new Ford corporate face launched on the 2006 Fusion: three brightly-chromed horizontal strips.

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Lincoln Zephyr

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The Lincoln Zephyr, produced only for the 2006 model year, was the car that launched what is now known as the Lincoln MKZ--under the luxury brand's new naming convention that prefixes every model name with "MK". The 2006 Zephyr used the model name of a lower-priced Lincoln model built from 1936 through 1940. The 2006 Zephyr then evolved into the 2007 Lincoln MKZ, with mechanical upgrades that included more power and available all-wheel drive.

Introduced as a mid-size four-door sedan smaller than the rear-wheel-drive LS model, whose last year was 2006, the Zephyr shared not only its underpinnings but much of its sheetmetal with the Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan introduced that same year. With identical doors and roof, only the front and rear styling was different, along with a more luxurious interior. Inside the car, a number of traditional luxury design cues--including a completely different dashboard, standard leather upholstery, and aluminum-finish trim with a choice of light or dark word trim--conveyed the car's "Lincoln-ness" and differentiated it from its mass-market siblings.

Only a single powertrain was offered in the 2006 Lincoln Zephyr, comprising a 221-horsepower 3.0-liter V-6 engine paired with a six-speed automatic transmission powering the front wheels. Reviewers lauded the car for its quiet cabin and good roadholding and handling, though its acceleration was only considered adequate, and didn't match up to competitors that included the sportier Nissan Maxima and Volkswagen Passat offered at the same price level.

Safety features included six airbags, including front and side bags for the two front-seat passengers as well as side-curtain bags for all four occupants in the outboard positions. Traction control and four-wheel disc brakes are standard, but reviewers noted the omission of stability control.

The 2006 Lincoln Zephyr came in only a single trim level, with standard features that included 17-inch alloy wheels, cruise control, keyless entry, and power windows, locks, and mirrors. Inside, the Zephyr featured leather upholstery and wood trim, 10-way power front seats with memory for the driver's side, dual-zone automatic climate control, a six-speaker audio system with in-dash CD changer, MP3 compatibility, an analog clock, and a split folding rear seat with a passthrough to the trunk, which was fairly large at 15.8 cubic feet. Options included a power moonroof, a navigation system using DVDs for storage, ventilated seats, and high-intensity discharge (HID) headlights. An optional THX-II audio system came with no fewer than 14 speakers and featured a 600-Watt amplifier.

When the 2006 Zephyr evolved into the 2007 Lincoln MKZ, it was fitted with a more powerful 263-hp 3.5-liter V-6 engine, optional all-wheel drive and satellite radio, and updated front styling. The 2006 Zephyr is thus a one-year model with a less powerful engine than the next three years of MKZ.

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