Sept. 30, 2011 online at www.uawlocal2250.com
• From Chairman Mike Bullock: Brothers and Sisters: The Bellefontaine Neighbors Police Department is having their annual Backstoppers BBQ on October 8th from 9:30am to 7:00 pm at the corner of Bellefontaine and Chambers Rd. The Backstoppers organization collects money to help families of fallen Police and Firefighters. Last year they collected a net of $3000. Let’s try to help them top that this year. Body shop employee Scott Riley's son Mike is a member of the Bellefontaine Neighbors Police Department and will be manning the grills.
• Second shift update: Anyone interested in transferring to another department (63b) or changing shifts needs to get their applications in by next Friday, Oct. 7. After that date there will be a freeze on these applications to help facilitate placing people whose jobs will be eliminated in the derate and staffing of second shift. Also if you are interested in being a team leader or a core team member you need to get your application in so you can get tested as there will be additions to both groups. The job bidding process will take place prior to any national hire employees arriving here. As has been the case, any primary job bid locks you in place for 90 days and any shift transfer locks you in for 6 months. When transferring to another department you need to realize that seniority will determine which shift you will be on. The freeze will on 63b and shift preference will last through Jan. 3. There will be more information to come on timing.
• From the Detroit News: Despite the stock market's swings and bad global economic news, auto sales held steady in September, auto executives and analysts said. But they're reviewing their predictions for the fourth quarter amid signs that the economic recovery is losing momentum. "There are buyers who've delayed their purchase decision about as long as they could," said Jeff Schuster, director of global forecasting at J.D. Power and Associates. He said pent-up demand bolstered September sales, which he estimates rose 9 percent from year-earlier levels. Automakers are scheduled to issue monthly sales on Monday. On an annual basis, the selling rate climbed to an estimated 12.9 million cars and light trucks from 12.1 million in August and 11.7 million a year ago, J.D. Power said. A better gauge of consumer sentiment — retail sales, or sales to individuals through dealerships — are expected in September to have reached the highest level since April, before the Japanese ran short of cars and car parts, J.D. Power estimated. But while consumers appeared to be in a resilient mood in September, Schuster said, "The test will be, can this continue through the end of the year, or does it run out of steam?"
• Edmunds “Inside Line” did a review of the Chevy Sonic LTZ (built at Lake Orion) and came away very impressed. “Given its excellent electric-assisted power steering, medium-firm brake pedal and intuitive clutch, we observed a consistency in this Chevy that Porsche engineers strive to achieve: matched effort in all driver controls…a revelation… Besides class-leading horsepower, the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic's turbocharged engine provides a welcome characteristic utterly absent in the subcompact world: torque. Producing a stout 148 lb-ft of twisting force at just 2,500 rpm, the Sonic's 1.4 turbo practically loafs compared to the Fiesta and Fit's naturally aspirated engines that need to be near full boil to make their peak torque at 5,000 rpm and 4,800 rpm, respectively. This low-rpm drivability around town in the Sonic is unique and is one of the reasons the competition needs to worry…Interior materials quality is very good… The design of the Sonic's cockpit is intuitive and well labeled — something we cannot say of either the Honda Fit or Ford Fiesta…Name a category and the Sonic either matches or dominates its competitors. The 2012 Chevrolet Sonic LTZ Hatchback doesn't need to be this good to fill the subcompact corner of the Chevy dealership. But we believe both this segment and sales of the Chevy Sonic are about to explode simultaneously…The last time we had such a strong impression of a game-changing car was when we drove the first Honda Fit. Four years later, the 2012 Chevy Sonic is set to redefine the segment with its performance, comfort, content and safety.” The as-tested price of the Sonic LTZ was $18,890 and included the 1.4 liter turbo 4-cylinder (40 mpg hwy), 10 air bags, 17 aluminum wheels and satellite radio w/bluetooth and 6 speakers.
• From the Car Connection: While radar-based collision detection systems aren’t new, General Motors is the first automaker to debut a simpler, more economical camera-based system. The camera will also provide drivers with a lane departure warning system, and it’s now an affordable option on the 2012 GMC Terrain crossover. The collision alert system, which operates at speeds above 25 miles per hour, uses a windshield-mounted high-resolution digital camera to capture some 14 frames per second. Each frame is analyzed by an image-processing algorithm to determine the change in position of objects in view. If the system detects a car in front, it signals the driver with a green icon; follow too closely, and that green icon changes to a solid red warning bar. Close on a vehicle in front too quickly, and that red bar will flash, an audible alert will sound and the Terrain will pre-charge its braking system to reduce stopping distances. That’s simplifying it a bit, since the system also takes into consideration speed, directional change, accelerator position and brake pedal position before calculating whether or not a warning is required. For rush hour commuting, warning range can be adjusted to accommodate traffic flow, or the system can be disabled entirely by the driver. The camera also senses the Terrain’s position within painted lane markers, at speeds above 35 miles per hour. Deviate from your lane without using a turn signal, and the lane departure warning icon changes from green to flashing amber, accompanied by a series of beeps. The camera and associated processing software is smart enough to function day or night, but can be affected by snow or mud obscuring the lens. Unlike radar-based systems, which can add thousands of dollars to the cost of a vehicle, GM’s camera-based system is a $295 option on the 2012 GMC Terrain.
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