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Never heard of anyone in my entire career having trouble with a genuine Mack remanufactured water pumps. And your failed pump is the original unit? So you've never experienced a Mack reman water pump on that engine?

A factory reman unit sold by your local Mack brand distributor.

Chevy dealers report for medium-duty Michael Wayland, Automotive News / September 3, 2018 Hundreds of Chevrolet dealers are preparing their stores for what could be one of the most significant boosts for their fixed operations business in a decade. "There is a huge amount of business that's been waiting for us to get back into this market and business," said Mike Bowsher, chairman of the Chevrolet National Dealer Council. Bowsher, owner of Carl Black Automotive Group, in Kennesaw, Ga., is one of more than 400 Chevy dealers who have agreed to sell medium-duty commercial trucks, including new Chevrolet Silverado 4500HD, 5500HD and 6500HD trucks that are scheduled to go into production in early December. Dealers across the country — from Carl Black's Chevrolet stores in Georgia to Silveira Chevrolet in Sonoma, Calif. — have been anticipating the arrival of such trucks for months, if not years. "Those of us who lost medium-duty in the past, we lost a lot of service business, and we lost a lot of gross profit due to those sales going away," Bowsher said. GM exited the medium-duty segment as part of its 2009 bankruptcy, allowing Ford Motor Co. to increase its commercial leadership position and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles' Ram to expand its business. Many Chevy dealers re-established medium-duty operations two years ago to support the brand's low-cab-forward trucks, but the Silverado medium-duty trucks are expected to be the bread and butter of Chevy's new commercial lineup. "We have a number of dealers that are going to grow their facility for either stocking or service or just building an adjacent building for the expansion," said John Schwegman, director of commercial product and medium duty at GM Fleet. "It's not about what's the minimum requirement. It's about 'How do I maximize my return for this opportunity?' because they see it as a significant opportunity." Upgrades Requirements include training for sales and service staff on commercial vehicles as well as parts and other specifications such as service door heights and lifts to accommodate the trucks. GM said about a third of the more than 400 medium-duty dealers are new to the business or are re-establishing their operations for the medium-duty Silverados. GM has established a "Commercial College" to help train dealers for the medium-duty trucks, including the low-cab forwards, which dealers are required to sell alongside the Silverados, according to Paul McKay, manager of commercial dealer operations. About 2,000 people are expected to be trained as part of the program, which is a mix of on-site, online and remote training for sales and service staff. "What we want to just make sure is when these [medium-duty] customers call or they come visit, we want to make sure our dealership partners are ready to meet the needs of that customer," McKay said. Silveira Chevrolet, a newcomer to Chevy's medium-duty truck business, has installed two service bays and plans to add sales and technician staff as needed, according to Darron Kendall, commercial-sales manager. Silveira, he said, decided to enter the business to offer a full line of vehicles for its customers, including a "large number of clients" in the wine business in Sonoma and Napa counties in Northern California. "By being able to handle all of their vehicles, we can ensure that we maintain a great relationship with them to ensure that all of their vehicle needs are met," said Kendall, who declined to disclose how much the dealership has spent on meeting medium-duty requirements. GM previously estimated the cost to meet the requirements at $100,000 to $200,000. Incremental training and parts could cost $10,000 to $15,000 for those dealers. Others such as Randy Marion already have the infrastructure in place and have continued to service commercial vehicles despite GM exiting the segment. "We've been out of the game, but now we're getting back into the game," said Marion, owner of Randy Marion Chevrolet-Buick-Cadillac in Mooresville, N.C. "We're really excited." Marion, one of Chevrolet's highest-volume commercial dealers in the country according to GM, has about 40 employees working on its commercial business. He said that number could increase as the dealership gets more business from the Silverado trucks. GM executives have said they expect three adjacent sales of other vehicles with each medium-duty truck sold. That, according to officials, should translate to additional fixed-operations business. "It could be and should be significant," said Keith McCluskey, owner of McCluskey Chevrolet in metropolitan Cincinnati. "If there's that many adjacent sales, then let's extrapolate that into the fixed operations." Priority service Another main dealer-led focus as GM prepares to launch the Silverados is ensuring dealers offer extended "priority service" hours for medium-duty customers to expedite maintenance and repairs, according to McKay. "These medium-duty customers have high expectations and doing service work during just normal business hours doesn't always work," he said. For example, McCluskey Chevrolet is already open seven days a week with service hours for retail customers, including until 3 a.m. weekdays. The store plans to keep those hours for its medium-duty business, including an early-morning pickup. "It's an important part of the business," McCluskey said. "It can be a very high volume model for those of us who focus on it." .

Why can't Ford's US market videos look this good? . . . .

Automotive News / July 16, 2018 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Fusion's not the problem; it's Ford TO THE EDITOR: The Fusion was the right car at the right moment, but Ford's current decision process for the car is wrong ("For Ford, Fusion was right car at wrong time," autonews.com, July 1). Floating the idea of scrapping a car that still sells over 200,000 units says more about Ford management than the car. Since its 2005 launch, the Fusion has at many times ranked as high as the top sedans in this segment in quality. It offers all-wheel drive (AWD), which is not only rare in this segment, but one of the most-demanded options, especially in the snow regions. While Ford complains about declining sales of the Fusion, dealers and customers have not been able to get enough of the AWD versions, especially for lease renewal customers who do not want a crossover. Ford is mistaken if it thinks 200,000 customers will automatically buy Ford crossovers. Ford has been heavily courting Wall Street reaction to its strategies, but it may want to court reaction from loyal customers and dealers. It did not help to fuel speculation last December by implying — and much later confirming — that the Fusion will go away. Dealers can attest to the number of disapproving calls from customers. Good decisions by Ford have been to reduce ordering complexity for 2019 Fusion models and make more safety features standard. It may want to also consider changing the name of the Sport model to "ST" and having high-riding/sitting sedan and wagon versions of the Fusion to boost sales and profits. KARL MILLER: White Plains, N.Y, The writer is a sales consultant.

Scania Group Press Release / September 3, 2018 PHEV/HEV based on Scania’s new truck generation For urban applications in distribution and construction Runs 10 km with zero tailpipe emissions Fuel savings of up to 15 percent expected, can run on HVO Scania Zone facilitates sustainable operation in sensitive areas Electric PTO and potential for PIEK compliance open for night-time city operations on uncongested streets At the IAA fair in Hannover, Scania is disclosing a plug-in hybrid electric truck (PHEV) based on the new truck generation. The PHEV and its sibling hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) truck can use Scania Zone to facilitate seamless compliance with emissions and speed regulations in certain zones. “We at Scania continue on our eMobility pathway with a ‘here and now’ approach, offering solutions that have the necessary capabilities in place for supporting urban customers in a sustainable way from day one,” says Maria Johansson, acting Product Director, Urban, Scania Trucks. “We will first introduce a HEV version, and a PHEV will follow next year. Scania customers get a solution with reliable hardware, regenerative charging, no range anxiety, zero tailpipe emissions and without compromising their total operating economy.” The new hybrid trucks are powered by Scania’s DC09, an inline five-cylinder engine that can run on HVO (hydro treated vegetable oil) or diesel, working in parallel with an electric machine generating 130 kW (177 hp) of power and 1,050 Nm. The lithium-ion rechargeable battery’s energy window is set to 7.4 kWh to secure a long battery life. The trucks can be driven in fully electric mode without any support from the combustion engine, thanks to electric auxiliaries for steering and brake air supply. “Hybrids are state-of-the-art in terms of the total operating eco­nomy, up­time and sustainability of today’s urban truck operations,” says Johansson. “Com­bined with HVO, it will bring CO2 reductions of up to 92 percent while offering out­standing productivity in the ever-expanding urban areas where truck operators are facing challenges such as safety issues, environmental demands and congested streets.” Scania’s HEV can be ordered from November 2018, the PHEV will follow in 2019. More about Scania’s hybrid trucks Scania’s first HEV (hybrid electric vehicle) was based on the former truck generation, known as the PGR. Here Jesper Brauer, Product Manager, Urban, Scania Trucks, talks in more detail about the solutions and intentions behind the new Scania hybrid vehicles based on the new truck generation. Why a Scania hybrid? What’s the customer value? “We can see how most new truck solutions operating in urban areas will gradually migrate to full electrification in the next decade when the battery technology and the necessary infrastructure are in place. But until then our industry is in what I would call a transition period, where solutions like hybrids and alternative fuels – or a combi­nation of the two, like our hybrid trucks – will offer the best solutions and reasonable total operating economy figures for real-world customers.” “Scania’s new hybrid trucks can operate day in and day out in challenging urban environments, offering the same uptime and foreseeable need for maintenance as conventional Scania trucks. But when adding the electric, zero-tailpipe-emission capabilities, they turn into a tool that offers a sustainable transport solution like no other comparable truck. Their powerful electric machine and a useful operative range of 10 km in electric mode open up a world of oppor­tunities.” “Distribution trucks as well as urban construction trucks will, for instance, have the opportunity to fulfil tasks in areas that are sensitive and crowded in the day during night time instead. They have zero emissions and noise levels well below the 72 dB(A) that have become a de-facto standard, based on the Dutch PIEK regulation.” What is Scania’s strategy regarding charging and battery usage? “The lithium-ion technology is still the best proven solution available. Just like in our former HEV truck, the HEV/PHEV trucks are primarily utilising regenerative braking for their charging by capturing kinetic energy. The intention is to drive the truck in Auto Zero Tailpipe Emission (ZTE) mode, which means that the electric machine is always used to start moving and at lower speeds, provided that energy is available in the battery. Using the Auto ZTE mode will result in the lowest possible fuel con­sumption since it will cut the internal combustion engine (ICE) every time that is favourable.” “The coming PHEV (plug-in) option will mean that the truck can always start its work fully charged. Then complementary charging can also be carried out during a driver’s shift while their truck is parked for loading or unloading, or while they are resting. Adding 22 kW of power to the battery takes about 20 minutes with a regular power supply. Even more considerable fuel savings can be achieved in this way.” “We have set quite conservative parameters for battery usage, to secure a long battery life. By avoiding battery drainage and high spikes, the battery will last between four to seven years under normal conditions, depending on the operation. The driver can force battery charging while driving (to prepare for their expected need for ZTE driving) but that will of course result in a fuel penalty.” How can the driver steer and monitor battery usage? “In these vehicles, the driver can monitor the energy flow in the instrument cluster. When the brakes are applied, the truck will be able to tell whether the brake power provided by the electric machine can handle all the regenerated energy or the exhaust brake or if service brakes must provide support. In a display in the instru­ment cluster, blue arrows will show if the generated power can be fed straight back into the battery. If the driver actually brakes harder than what the re­generative system can handle, the arrows will turn yellow.” “Just like with any other heavy truck, a planned, driving style using anticipation pays off from many perspectives. The display in the instrument cluster also shows the battery’s status and the expected ZTE driving range.” “These trucks have an electric retarder, with the typical Scania retarder lever on the steering column. It offers five various positions: 1-3 mean braking only with the electric machine; position 4 means maximal braking with the electric machine plus utilising the ICE’s exhaust brake; while position 5 means that a down­shift for in­creased engine braking is added.” Which engine options are available with the hybrid? “The truck can be ordered with any DC09 engine, with 280, 320 or 360 hp. The truck on display at IAA has a DC09 320 engine. What more is new about this hybrid truck generation? “We have included a new power boost option in these trucks, for instance. If the driver does a kick-down, the electric machine will offer a power boost of 50 kW or some 250 Nm, provided that the battery is sufficiently charged. If the driver chooses Per­­for­mance mode, an extra boost of 20 kW or 150 Nm is always added during accele­ration even if the kick-down function is not engaged.” “In fact, our hybrids will automatically boost the available torque in many situations to avoid the need for down­shifts, which of course increases the fuel-saving potential. They will in general use quite different gear-shifting strategies compared with con­ven­tional trucks. The typical starting gear is 5 or 6, thanks to the massive torque that is readily available from the electric machine. And when braking or reducing the speed of a vehicle, down-shifts are avoided to maximise power regeneration.” What about the electric PTO, how is that useful? “In order to utilise the truck’s full potential, urban truck solutions like these need to have a full set of capabilities, like an electric mode functionality that ensures that the truck remains silent and the possibility to operate bodybuilding features like a crane without creating a disturbing noise. “We have also provided the hybrids with electric power steering and an electric brake compressor, which means they can run in truly electric mode without having to put the ICE on idle for brake air supply, for instance.” What about services and financing? “When we offer solutions like this, they will gradually come with the kind of services that will help our customers take full advantage of them. Neither the complete truck nor the ICE is ‘complicated’, but as always when electrification is part of the picture, factors like residual value, battery life-length and reparability must be taken into consideration.” How does Scania Zone fit in with hybrid trucks? “Scania Zone is an optional Scania Fleet Management service that fits excellently with hybrid trucks, for instance, but Scania Zone can of course be used with all kinds of modern Scania Trucks.” “Scania Zone supports drivers by facilitating compliance with traffic regulations or local environmental zones. Scania Zone delivers position-based adjust­ments or suggestions in pre-defined zones in real time to the vehicle, thus helping the driver to comply with the rules.” “Our PHEV/HEV can use functions in Scania Zone such as Speed limit and Auto­mated electric mode when entering a sensitive geographical zone. When the truck leaves the zone, it automatically returns to regular operation.” Please find a separate press release about Scania Zone in Scania’s IAA press kit. Which kinds of operations would trucks like this be suitable for? “They will of course fit within Scania’s modular system and we offer a number of cab series and axle configurations for both tractors and rigid trucks. In combination with the three diffe­rent power levels we offer with DC09, it means that a broad variety of urban application trucks can be tailor-made based on our hybrids, and they will be capable of handling GTWs weighing up to or even more than 26 tonnes.” “All kinds of distribution trucks are what first comes to my mind, but it doesn’t stop there. Urban tippers, preferably with L-series cabs, as well as waste-handling trucks and all kinds of vehicles for public maintenance in urban environments will most likely fit within this solution since we offer P- and G-series cabs as well.” Can you guarantee the 10 km range? “It is never black or white when talking about range. Yes, 10 km is a relevant number under normal conditions, but it can of course vary. It depends a lot on the driving conditions, the number of stops and starts, whether or not it is hilly, the outside temperature and so on. Under ideal conditions, the actual figure can also be higher.” Finally, what’s it like driving a hybrid like this one? “It is a truly relaxed experience, just like driving any other Scania truck from the new generation. This actual truck at IAA has an L-series cab which of course adds extra capa­bilities when driving in busy urban environments. But apart from that, this could be any Scania distribution truck since the smart functions and the sustainability are so well integrated in the truck itself. And it handles well; you won’t notice the extra weight and the powertrain works seamlessly.” “And that is kind of the point: operating innovative trucks like Scania’s hybrid should not be more complicated than operating a ‘normal’ truck. Scania as a manufacturer and all our potential customers out there have a learning curve to climb the coming decade. That is why each commercial step that the solutions customers are expected to actually pay for and earn money from, has to be a real-world solution capable of handling real challenges.” . .

Volkswagen Group Press Release / September 3, 2018 Clarity, strength and innovative transport solutions - that is what TRATON stands for, as Andreas Renschler, Chairman of the Board of Management of TRATON AG and member of the Board of Management of Volkswagen AG, explains in this interview. Mr. Renschler, what was wrong with the name Volkswagen Truck & Bus? Didn’t you like it? (Laughing) There was nothing wrong with the name. But it is no longer the right name for our Group. So, what are the reasons? Why are you renaming your company? Well, there are several reasons. First of all: The time has come for a new kind of company in the transportation industry. We aim for nothing less than transforming the way we do our business – and our customers will benefit from that. We will embrace a new model based on the spirit of partnerships and openness. This is the key for quick action in our rapidly changing environment. You already started this approach by building up and intensifying your global partnerships. For instance with Navistar in North America, Hino and Sinotruk in Asia, and Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, which is now part of Volkswagen’s volume group. Therefore, we need an unique name in order to behave self-confident and independent on the global stage. The new name TRATON is the next milestone on our way to increase independence – and an important step towards capital market readiness. TRATON will definitely foster our visibility as a leading Group for innovative transportation solutions. It will increase our attractiveness for new talents as well as for capital markets. And of course, it will also make it easier to distinguish us from Volkswagen AG. Very important is also the internal effect: The name will strengthen the Group’s joint identity and uniqueness! TRATON reflects the DNA of a company, that was designed for and born in a new era of transportation. I assume you discussed more options. Why did you choose TRATON? Actually we discussed a lot of options! Our creative team explored hundreds of names. From Eastern mythology to compounds, to acronyms, to Scandinavian folklore. Believe me, no stone was left unturned in our quest to find the best name for our new company. And you have to consider: It also had to be available. With TRATON, we have found a name reflecting the terms that are important to us and define our identity. And what are these terms that TRATON reflects? You can find them literally in the name. The first three letters hint to the transportation business we operate in. They invoke our vision to transform and reinvent ourselves and also the entire transportation system. And of course they also show our respect to over a century of our brands’ tradition. A tradition of creating innovative solutions for the movement of people and products. The last three letters explain our great responsibility for moving immense tonnage around our world. Eventually the “on” in the end showcases our always-on attitude. Around the clock, around the world, we enable our customers and partners to stay always on with our innovative products. To sum it up: The name that we created, is powerful and unique. And TRATON will drive us into an exciting future. (Smiling) I can strongly recommend to watch our TRATON brand movie on our website! With this strong messages: Will we one day see a TRATON truck on the highways? Definitely not! Our brands will keep their own and proud identity! This is very important for us. For our customers, nothing changes due to the name change. Our brands will continue to provide strong solutions to serve their customers’ demand. Going forward, we will have an even more clear positioning with this strong new umbrella for our brands in the market: MAN, Scania, Volkswagen Caminhões e Ônibus, and RIO. So, if the brands’ identity is that important, what will TRATON stand for? You have to think bigger. The role of the Group is to see the entire picture. Transportation has reached a new era. Everything is in a flow thanks to an increasing transportation of goods, digitization and connectivity. And on the other side we see ever higher emission standards and all other kinds of regulations. We are designed for and born in this new era: combining the agility and spirit of a start-up with the extensive experience of our great traditional brands. With this unique set-up, we are perfectly positioned to deliver the best solutions – and by that to re-invent transportation for future generations. This is what TRATON stands for! Your ultimate goal is creating the Global Champion of the industry. Can you achieve this easier as TRATON than as Volkswagen Truck & Bus? TRATON sharpens the focus on our Global Champion strategy. It will make us better, so that we can improve transportation. We have a clear goal: we want to become Global Champion of the transportation industry. Don’t forget: Our group was formed to achieve that goal. And we are making good progress! Since our foundation, we have grown together faster than expected. Now we are running at full speed on our way to capital market readiness. The new identity will increase our independence even further, bring us a higher visibility and grant us flexibility to finance future growth. Our Group contains tremendous potential that we will fully evolve – this is just the beginning! .

Scania Group Press Release / August 31, 2018 At IAA in Hannover 20–27 September, the full Scania new generation truck range will be on display, including trucks for long-haulage, construction and urban applications – all alternatively fuelled. Scania also takes a further step to the already broadest alternative offer in the market by introducing a plug-in hybrid distribution truck. This full range of alternative fuel trucks and buses is a manifestation of the increasing opportunities for decarbonisation. .

Jessica Contrera, The Washington Post / September 3, 2018 He arrived at the coal mines, textile mills and industrial factories dressed in a three-piece suit. He wooed those in charge, asking to be let in. He was just a humble Bible salesman, he claimed, who wanted to spread the good word to the laborers inside. What Lewis Hine actually wanted was to take photos of those laborers — and show the world what it looked like when children were put to work. In the early 1900s, Hine traveled across the United States to photograph preteen boys descending into dangerous mines, shoeless 7-year-olds selling newspapers on the street and 4-year-olds toiling on tobacco farms. Though the country had unions to protect laborers at that time — and Labor Day, a federal holiday to honor them — child labor was widespread and widely accepted. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that around the turn of the century, at least 18 percent of children between the ages of 10 and 15 were employed. Hine’s searing images of those children remade the public perception of child labor and inspired the laws to ban it. Today, the Library of Congress maintains a collection of more than 5,000 of Hine’s photographs, including the thousands he took for the National Child Labor Committee, known as the NCLC. “It was Lewis Hine who made sure that millions of children are not working today,” said Jeffrey Newman, a former president of the New York-based committee. The organization’s mission wasn’t about showing the public that children were being used for financial gain — that was already a well-known fact. At the time, many believed the practice had substantial benefits. Youths could learn the value of hard work. Businesses could increase their productivity and decrease the hourly pay. Parents could depend on their children to support the family, meaning the adults could work less or not at all. As one mother remarked to the NCLC in 1907: “I am really tired of seeing so many big children ten years old playing in the streets.” Hine’s photos showed the price: unsafe working conditions, dangerous machinery and business owners who refused to educate the children or limit their working hours. Though there had been investigations that attempted to expose these circumstances in the past, “The industry simply dismissed those reports as — the term they would use today is — ‘fake news,’ ” said Hugh Hindman, a historian of child labor. “When Hine comes along and supplements the investigations with pictures, it creates a set of facts that can’t be denied anymore.” Taken with a heavy Graflex camera, Hine’s photos were paired with captions and stories from his interviews with the children, who would tell him their ages, backgrounds and working conditions. If they didn’t know their own age, Hine would estimate it by measuring them. As a Bible salesman or in one of his other disguises — he posed as a postcard salesman and a machinery photographer, Hine could hardly be seen whipping out a measuring tape. That’s why he wore a three-piece suit. He could measure the children against the buttons on his vest. Hine’s affinity for telling the stories of the downtrodden probably came from his own start in life. At 18, he began working at a Wisconsin furniture factory after the death of his father. It was up to Hine to keep his family financially afloat. According to the International Photography Hall of Fame, Hine worked 13 hours a day, six days a week, until he could move on to a seemingly better job — as a janitor in a bank. He began taking college courses on the side to become a teacher. One of Hine’s mentors encouraged him to move to Manhattan and begin his teaching career in one of the city’s private schools. It was there that Hine picked up photography. In the hope of teaching his students to respect the new wave of immigrants coming into the city, he began visiting Ellis Island and photographing the new arrivals. Hine’s work attracted the attention of the NCLC, which had been founded in 1904 with the mission of ending child labor. The organization had a particular project in mind for Hine. Today, the use of photography as a tool to expose wrongdoing is hardly revolutionary. But in Hine’s time, when newspapers were just beginning to incorporate photos into their daily product, it was nearly unheard of. Hine is credited with inventing the term “photo story” and for popularizing a style of portraiture in which the subject looks straight into the camera. His images demand that the viewers look into the children’s eyes. In many, the children are looking right back. The National Child Labor Committee published Hine’s photos in its publicity material, trying to influence lawmakers and power players to address the injustice being done. Exhibits, newspapers and progressive media outlets picked up his outrage-inspiring work, ensuring it was seen across the country. But there was no such thing as going viral in the early 1900s. The spread of Hine’s photos and the reform that they inspired was extremely slow. The Fair Labor Standards Act, the federal law that would prohibit most employment of minors, wasn’t passed until 1938. Hine died two years later — long before his work would be recognized for the impact it had. Now Hine’s photos appear in museum exhibitions, are sold at auctions for upward of $5,000 apiece and are credited with influencing generations of documentary photographers. “If Hine were working today, he’d be traveling the world, photographing kids still working 14 or 15 hours a day with no serious pay and no health benefits,” said photo historian Daile Kaplan. But the effort that funded and published Hine’s work, the NCLC, is no longer continuing his legacy. The organization spent more than a century investigating labor issues in fields, sweatshops and well-known corporations, including Burger King. But in 2017, it shut down without announcing its closure. Its website disappeared. Its phone number still rings, but no one answers. Newman, the former NCLC president, said the organization simply ran out of money and had trouble paying its debts. In its final years, the threat of child labor didn’t have the fundraising power it once did. In a rare instance in which an organization dedicated to a social ill had worked itself out of a job, the NCLC board decided to “declare victory and just move out,” Newman said. “There may well come a time when the NCLC may need to be reinvented and started up again,” he predicted. Without the NCLC, there remains one organization still bearing Hine’s name: a fellowship for Duke University graduates who want to become documentarians. The young fellows chronicle lives inside food pantries, foster homes and struggling neighborhoods. Their work is in the spirit of Hine’s legacy — but looks incredibly different. Along with still photos, they employ video, audio and even virtual reality to show the injustices of the world. None, as of yet, has had to impersonate a Bible salesman to get the job done. .

“Lethal Automated Weapons Systems” with artificial intelligence. Just what the world needs. You can be sure this technology is some ten years ahead of what we're told. Someday in a remote enclave, parents will tell their children, "Long, long ago, mankind lived throughout the world..................". -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Associated Press / September 3, 2018 A key opponent of high-tech, automated weapons known as “killer robots” is blaming countries like the U.S. and Russia for blocking consensus at a U.N.-backed conference, where most countries wanted to ensure that humans stay at the controls of lethal machines. Coordinator Mary Wareham of the Campaign to Stop Killer Robots spoke Monday after experts from dozens of countries agreed before dawn Saturday at the U.N. in Geneva on 10 “possible guiding principles” about such “Lethal Automated Weapons Systems.” Point 2 said: “Human responsibility for decisions on the use of weapons systems must be retained since accountability cannot be transferred to machines.” Wareham said such language wasn’t binding, adding that “it’s time to start laying down some rules now.” Members of the LAWS conference will meet again in November.

Emergency damage control. Note how the global market Ford Mondeo is so much richer in appearance than the US market variant (Fusion). ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ford Says It Plans to Upgrade Mondeo Family Car, Not Kill It Aine Quinn, Bloomberg / September 3, 2018 Ford Motor Co. said it’s standing by its Mondeo family car, adding it will move forward with plans for an upgrade of the 25-year-old model and denying a Sunday Times report that it plans to halt production. The Mondeo remains a “core part” of its product line-up in Europe, and there will be improvements introduced later this year, the U.S. automaker said Monday in an emailed statement. The Sunday Times reported that dropping the Mondeo and other models would be part of a global revamp that would see up to 24,000 jobs slashed, many of them in Europe. “We have upgrades coming for Mondeo later this year, which will see new powertrains as well as exterior and interior updates as well as enhancements to the Mondeo Hybrid range,” the company said. Speculation over changes to the lineup follows an acknowledgement by Ford that its European operation needs a major redesign to deliver on targets and that it is focused on cutting costs to improve performance. Unite union, which represents workers at Ford engine plants including in Bridgend and Dagenham in the U.K., said it was pressing Ford to invest and future proof its British factories. The carmaker also denied the Sunday Times’ claims that plans are afoot to end production of the Galaxy and S-Max models. All three are manufactured at Ford’s plant in Valencia, which also makes the Kuga and Connect. The site employs approximately 3,480 people. .

Ford explores major job, product cuts in Europe Bloomberg / September 2, 2018 Ford Motor Co. may cut up to 24,000 jobs and stop producing models such as the Mondeo as it tries to revive its European business, the Sunday Times reported. The carmaker lost $73 million in Europe between April and June, hurt by declining diesel sales and weak car offerings, the newspaper said. Ford faces additional uncertainty from Brexit, which could lead to tariffs on cars and parts traded between the U.K. and continental Europe, the Times said. Morgan Stanley analysts estimate Ford will shed 12 percent of its 202,000 workers, mainly in its European operations, the Times reported. Ford has about 12,000 workers in the U.K. in factories, r&d, administration and dealerships, according to the newspaper. Ford is likely to end production of the Mondeo, Galaxy and S-Max people carriers in favor of more profitable crossovers and SUVs, the Times said, citing unnamed people familiar the plans. The sources said Ford may also cut its amount of dealerships. The review’s conclusions, which aren’t expected for several months, may also recommend putting some or all of Ford’s European unit into a joint venture with a rival such as Volkswagen AG, the newspaper reported. Ford Europe President Steven Armstrong said the company is focused on “aggressively attacking costs, implementing facility and product program efficiencies to lower product and material cost, as well as capital intensity in Europe,” the Times reported. Last week Ford canceled plans to import a new crossover model from a plant in China after President Donald Trump’s tariffs undermined the business case for bringing the vehicle to the U.S. market. Moody’s Investors Service last week lowered Ford’s credit rating to a step removed from junk, citing risks associated with a turnaround effort that CEO Jim Hackett has warned could cost $11 billion and take years.

Timmy and his family are good people. We've been previously introduced to his father Charlie and brother Jason. https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/46921-kenworths-haul-train-innovation/?tab=comments#comment-346186

It's actually due to Germany's social welfare policies and its co-determination act of 1976 (Mitbestimmungsgesetz) which requires that half the seats on a company's board be held by Works Council (union) members (companies with over 2,000 employees).

The VW brand, not the whole VW Group, is the least profitable brand in the world, barely above zero. Porsche, Audi and Skoda, all very profitable, carry VW.

Ford Everest: A Raptor in seven-seat SUV drag David Kavermann, Drive, NZ / September 1, 2018 You could be forgiven for thinking the Ford Everest is all but identical to the Ranger ute; the only difference being the SUV body shell. But you’d be wrong. Although the idea of building a full-size SUV atop a ladder frame chassis isn’t unique to Ford — Holden, Isuzu and Toyota have all had a crack as well — the lengths Ford’s engineers, designers and marketers have gone to ensure the Everest isn’t mistaken for “just a truck” promises to elevate the company’s version to heights its competitors cannot match. Of course there are carryover parts between the Everest and Ranger, but like all things, it’s the attention to finer details and specific tuning changes that separate them behind the wheel. “Our goal with the new Everest was to take an already capable vehicle and make it more car-like,” explained Everest programme manager Dan Ciccocioppo. In the three years since the Everest’s debut, Australian-based Ford engineers have funnelled feedback from owners on both sides of the Ditch to improve the seven-seat SUV in four key areas: noise vibration and harshness (NVH), ride quality (or “plushness” as Ciccocioppo preferred to call it), safety and fuel economy. “We’ve listened to customer feedback to work out what they want and how they use their cars, but perhaps most importantly with the MY19 version, we’ve had the time to work through engineering changes, which we can now bring to market,” Ciccocioppo said. The Everest’s development was Australian-led, based out of Ford’s You Yang Proving Grounds in Victoria and included “millions of kilometres of testing around the globe.” For the New Zealand market, one fully-spec’d Ford Everest Titanium four-wheel drive will replace the current two-model Trend and Titanium line-up — with the first new models due to arrive in dealerships this month. Stylewise, the Everest Titanium will be available in new colours with HID auto levelling headlamps and 20-inch wheels. The grille and bumper have been slightly tweaked but the design keeps in line with the company’s top-selling Ranger. In the cabin, Titanium models feature full leather seating, dual glass sunroof, powerfold third-row seating with 50:50 split and illuminated stainless steel scuff plates. An 8-inch colour touchscreen display with Sync3, voice control and satellite navigation and 10-speaker audio system with amplifier is also standard. Beneath the bodywork are new hidden features such as keyless entry and a hands-free tailgate. There are new driver assist technologies, too, with Autonomous Emergency Braking, Traffic Sign Recognition and Blind Spot Information System with Cross-Traffic Alert fitted as standard. One of the biggest changes for the 2019 model is under the hood. The new Everest is powered by the same 2-litre four-cylinder Bi-Turbo engine found in the Ranger Raptor, producing more power (14kW), torque (30Nm) and improved fuel efficiency than the 3.2-litre five-cylinder it replaces. The Bi-Turbo engine produces 157kW of power at 3750rpm and 500Nm of torque between 1750 and 2500rpm. The Everest also gains the Raptor’s 10-speed gearbox, the same ’box found in the V8 Mustang. In Everest trim, Ford say the 10-speed has been calibrated to stay in the lowest gear possible. The new engine and gearbox increase towing capacity from 3 to 3.1 tonnes and a reduced fuel consumption rating from 8.5L/100km to 7.1L/100km. Driving the 2-litre and 3.2-litre back-to-back revealed the new engine to be a big step forward. It’s undoubtedly quieter and more refined, and the smaller capacity unit is more then up to the task of hauling the seven-seat SUV on- or off-road. Another key difference between the Everest and Ranger is the suspension set-up. Repositioning of the stabiliser bar — a design unique to the Everest — has allowed Ford to fit stiffer roll bars (reducing body roll) and soften spring rates to better absorb bumps. The changes result in a ride hold, feel and comfort few SUVs in this class can match. The Everest can soak up bumps with ease on uneven surfaces, all the while losing none of the off-road capability we’ve come to expect from the outgoing model. Logically, the Everest’s natural competition will come in the form of the ute-based Holden Trailblazer, Isuzu MU-X and Toyota Fortuner, but Ford believe the new updated model has to goods to attract customers loyal to established nameplates like the Land Cruiser Prado. With sales local sales totalling around 50 units every month, Ford is hoping the latest model will draw more interest in the relatively new nameplate. Add to that more than 1000 litres of boot space, improved on-road refinement and go-anywhere capability off-road,the Everest SUV could be one of the most under-rated models in New Zealand’s booming SUV market. Ford Everest Titanium Price: $87,990 (US$65,342) Engine: 2.0-litre turbo diesel, 10-speed automatic Pro: Greatly improved feature set, engine, ’box, ride comfort — without compromising off-road capability Con: Single model range could hinder entry-level buyers .

The Ford “Focus Active” compares with the Volkswagen CrossGolf and Sportsvan, and Suzuki SX4 S-Cross, none of which unfortunately are sold in the US market.

Ford scraps plan to import Focus Active amid U.S.-China trade war Michael Martinez, Automotive News / August 31, 2018 DETROIT — Ford Motor Co. on Friday said it is canceling plans to import a wagon version of the Focus to the U.S. from China because tariffs enacted by the Trump administration would cut into profits too much. The automaker won't reconsider its decision even if the tariffs are eventually dropped, a spokesman said. Ford had planned to bring the Focus Active to the U.S. in the second half of 2019 after discontinuing the sedan variant here. It had expected to sell fewer than 50,000 units a year. "The impact to our future sales is expected to be marginal," Kumar Galhotra, Ford's president of North America, told reporters on a conference call. "Our viewpoint is that, given the tariffs, our costs would be substantially higher. Our resources could be better deployed at this stage." The decision will mean the end of the venerable Focus nameplate in the U.S. Galhotra said the automaker did not see "significant risk" for its other two imports from outside North America: the EcoSport crossover from India and the Transit Connect van from Spain. The automaker is in the midst of a global restructuring expected to cost $11 billion over the next three to five years. It's revamping its North American vehicle lineup by eliminating all sedans in the coming years as it works to achieve 10 percent profit margins in the region. Ford said it would bring the Focus Active to the U.S. in April, when it announced the cuts to its sedan lineup and said it would be one of only two cars to remain at North American dealerships, along with the Mustang. The Focus Active already is sold in Europe, and Ford said it would continue with plans to build it in China for that market as well. Automakers have urged the Trump administration not to impose tariffs on vehicles built in China. General Motors recently asked for an exemption on its China-made Buick Envision, which is currently under review. If it doesn't receive that exemption, executives have warned that GM could drop that vehicle from its U.S. lineup. Ford said an exemption would not have applied to the Focus Active because of its production timing and thus did not seek one. The Trump administration has so far slapped 25 percent tariffs on $50 billion in Chinese goods. Bloomberg reported this week that the administration is considering a plan to impose duties ranging from 10 to 25 percent on $200 billion in Chinese imports as soon as a public-comment period concludes next week. .

VW exec touts potential of Ford partnership Christiaan Hetzner, Automotive News / September 1, 2018 WOLFSBURG, Germany -- Volkswagen Group expects that a strategic partnership with Ford Motor Co. would not unequally favor the German automaker even though it is nearly twice the size of its U.S. rival, said a key VW executive behind the potential deal. VW and Ford said in June that they were considering a joint development and production alliance that would include light commercial vehicles and could strengthen the companies' overall competitiveness. The goal would be to form a "strategic alliance," an upgrade over the industry's more common project-based cooperations. In his first public comments about the potential tie-up, Thomas Sedran said he was confident a final deal could be reached that would ensure both sides benefit equally. "When we finalize this alliance, you can be assured it will be balanced. There is no junior, nor senior partner, but rather two companies at eye level that will closely cooperate with one another," he said during an interview at VW's headquarters here. "There might be specific years where there will be a difference in production volumes, but in the sum total it is very balanced," he said, praising the early results from the teams performing due diligence. In his former job as VW's head of group strategy, Sedran played a key role in bringing the companies together. On Saturday Sedran took up a new role as CEO of VW's light commercial vehicle division. In terms of numbers, VW dominates Ford. It delivered 10.7 million vehicles worldwide last year, generating $268 billion in revenue vs. Ford's 6.6 million vehicle sales and $156 billion in revenue. This kind of mismatch has led to conflicts in the past. A similar strategic partnership that Volkswagen struck a decade ago with Suzuki bitterly collapsed after the Japanese company felt it was being bullied. Suzuki sued successfully to get back the 20 percent stake it had sold VW. VW's market capitalization is twice that of Ford's. Unlike with Suzuki, however, there are no equity interests or cross-shareholdings envisioned this time. Light commercial vehicles Volkswagen believes a deal could generate at least $464 million annually in gross added earnings in the midterm by focusing its initial efforts on the joint development and manufacture of light commercial vehicles such as delivery vans and utility trucks. "I wouldn't rule out anything [on the car side], but the focus is let's first get the LCV projects running," Sedran said. "We want a concrete project vehicle that has a start of production and a certain volume, and then can talk about other issues." Ford and VW previously cooperated on large minivans with the Volkswagen Sharan and Ford Galaxy built at the jointly owned AutoEuropa plant near Lisbon, Portugal, starting in 1995. Ford later sold its share to VW and moved the Galaxy onto its global C/D-segment platform that also underpins models such as the S-Max minivan and Mondeo sedan. "Ford was a logical partner. Other companies are already in alliances, but now the two market leaders in Europe are joining forces," Sedran said, adding that each only controls about 15 percent of the European light commercial vehicle market. That means he sees little risk that antitrust authorities might try to prevent a deal. "The product life cycles are a good match. We will build for them. They will build for us." Joint pickups? Sedran declined to reveal the range of planned projects, but several people familiar with the matter told Automotive News Europe that Volkswagen was looking to save development costs on a second-generation Amarok pickup. First debuting eight years ago, the VW truck that competes with Ford's Ranger is the only one of the group's 300-plus models to use body-on-frame construction common to pickups. The Amarok, built in South America and Europe, is not homologated for sale in the U.S. When rival Mercedes-Benz became the first premium brand to offer a pickup in November, it saved costs by using the Frontier's body-on-frame architecture supplied by partner Nissan. The X 250 d model even borrows the Japanese automaker's 2.3-liter engine -- only the flagship V-6 model comes with a Mercedes power plant. VW unveiled the Tanoak concept in March at the New York auto show. While the vehicle earned plaudits, insiders say it is unclear whether truck buyers would consider a unibody truck like the Tanoak when others, except the Honda Ridgeline, are body-on-frame. While the Amarok is the most obvious project in which VW is interested given its unique characteristics and advanced age, it is not the last. VW's Crafter cargo van had been a largely badge-engineered Mercedes Sprinter built in a Mercedes factory until the cooperation ended in 2016. Mercedes wanted to redirect the 50,000-unit annual capacity set aside for the Crafter for its own growth. The volume for the new Crafter, launched last year and developed by Volkswagen, has been modest compared with ambitions, however. Only 31,100 vans were delivered to customers through July worldwide, a fact officials attribute to the complex ramp-up of a model offered in various dimensions, body styles and drivetrain combinations. Ford is successful with the Transit commercial van and its Tourneo passenger version, achieving global volumes that exceed those of VW's respective Transporter and Multivan, the sixth-generation of the vehicle better known as the Microbus. "The problem is Volkswagen's other light commercial vehicles are all only a few years old -- the Caddy and Transporter were launched in 2015 and the Crafter only last year," said a source familiar with the talks, doubting these models would be able to contribute materially to VW's midterm synergy target. Many light commercial vehicle models are in the market for a decade or longer before being replaced, so it could be years before any of the trio is built on a Ford-VW joint architecture. Although Sedran's predecessor succeeded in lifting VW's light commercial vehicle division's operating margin by 310 basis points to 7.2 percent last year, he is still being benchmarked against Mercedes' 9 percent. Sharing costs with a partner would help protect returns. "We have to undertake enormous efforts to fulfill our emission targets and we see in the plans that the expenditure per vehicle is increasing considerably," he said. When Sedran sells a car version of a commercial vehicle, European regulators apply the same stringent fleet emission targets it applies for a Golf compact car even though a Multivan is much larger. "That was one of the drivers behind the talks with Ford, which has similar challenges," Sedran said. U.S. plans One aspect that might help forge ties is Sedran's skepticism about launching any commercial vehicles like the Crafter or Transporter in the U.S., which he does not believe is growing fast enough to support the entry of another player such as Volkswagen. The first product he thinks could have a realistic chance to compete there would be the full-electric I.D. Buzz van expected in 2022, Sedran declined to comment on whether Ford might gain access to VW's scalable MEB architecture for battery-powered vehicles. When asked whether he expected a deal between VW and Ford to be signed by year end, Sedran said he was optimistic. "We realized fairly quickly that it worked from a cultural perspective and there was the right chemistry with the main actors," he said. "At the end of the day both sides need to sign, but I'm confident since it's all been constructive and in a spirit of partnership."

BBC World News / September 1, 2018 Two people injured in a stabbing incident at Amsterdam's central railway station on Friday are American tourists, the US ambassador has said. "We are aware that both victims were US citizens and have been in touch with them and their families," Pete Hoekstra said in a statement on Saturday. The suspected attacker was shot and wounded by police. He was later identified as an Afghan citizen. Authorities said: "It has emerged the man had a terrorist motive." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ RT / September 4, 2018 The man who stabbed two American tourists at Amsterdam's busy Central railway station says he was motivated by insults to Islam in the Netherlands and that he chose his victims at random, according to prosecutors. The 19-year-old Afghan national, identified as Jawed S., said he traveled to Amsterdam from Germany – where he has residency – to carry out the attack, citing what he believes to be repeated insults against Allah, the Koran, and Islam's Prophet Mohammad in the Netherlands, the Public Prosecution Service wrote in a statement. The attacker specifically mentioned the name of the anti-Islamist Dutch politician Geert Wilders. However, he declined to mention the Prophet Mohammed cartoon contest that Wilders had planned on holding but recently canceled due to security concerns. Drawing the Prophet Mohammed is considered blasphemous in the Muslim faith.

X doesn't have a meaning as many assume (I need to scan this when time allows). In the "Mack Highway Vehicle Unit Symbol Definition" page of the salesman's manual (dated 6-65): S - Truck, six-wheel [Note: truck, not tractor] LS - Truck, six wheel, weight-reduced version SX - Truck, six-wheel, off-the-road dumper or mixer X - Truck, four-wheel, dumper or mixer Remember, the first digit indicated gross vehicle weight. For example, R487ST, the 4 indicates a GVW of 30,500 to 56,000 pounds, and a GCW of 53,000 pounds. For example, R685ST, the 6 indicates a GVW of 30,500 to 76,000 pounds and a GCW of 65,000 to 76,800 pounds. For example, DM863SX, the 8 indicates a GVW of 31,000 to 100,000 pounds.

Timmy, are those wheels for Downer EDI?

Diesel News Australia / August 2018 At Bayswater in Victoria this week, a locally-produced DAF CF85 prime mover, the first DAF truck assembled in Australia was presented to, long-term customer and supporter of DAF, Cahill Transport, by Paccar Australia managing director, Andrew Hadjikakou. “Handing over the first locally DAF is not the only reason to be excited today,” said Andrew. “News has come to us from Paccar corporate, in Seattle. It was confirmed that over the next two and a half years Bayswater will expand this facility and by 2021 we will double our plant size. We will be able to build more trucks with higher levels of quality and better safety.” Andrew handed over the keys of the first DAF to directors of Cahill Transport, Michael and Daniel Cahill, at a ceremony where they took possession of the CF85 510hp prime mover at the end of the production line. DAF trucks are being scheduled into build slots that have previously been occupied solely by Kenworth trucks for the past 47 years. According to Paccar, the decision to locally produce the DAF CF85 will in time allow the company the opportunity to provide DAF customers with higher levels of customisation through local engineering input and greater cost savings through local parts sourcing. The new investment announced this week will see a doubling in size for the manufacturing facility at Bayswater. The current rectangular building will be extended to turn it into an L shaped building with all of the components arriving at a receiving point at one end. The journey of new Kenworths and DAFs will see the rearranged line deliver the finished product at the other end of the new facility, where it currently exits. This investment should further enhance the capacity of Kenworth and DAF to produce even more trucks than is currently possible and allow the company to reduce waiting times for new custom built product. Currently, the facility is producing 15 Kenworths every day. The project to bring DAF production to Australia only began just over a year ago and involved ten factory engineers and technicians travelling to the three European DAF production facilities. This team worked alongside the teams building the DAF product to learn all about all of the parts needed, build sequences, assembly processes and get experience in handling the unique tooling used to build the CF85. This team is now back working on the production line and travel down the production line with the DAF trucks to assemble them side-by-side with the Kenworth product. The current plan will see two DAF CF85s coming down the line each week in Bayswater. The process used to assemble the DAF CF85 here in Australia uses the CKD method, (completely knocked down). The truck arrives asa kit with all of the components required to create a new truck, apart from the wheels and tyres, which are sourced here in Australia. .