IRVINE, Calif. — Land Rover North America is proud to announce that the 2008 Range Rover Sport has received the Automotive Lease Guide (ALG) Residual Value Award in the Luxury CUV segment. The annual Residual Value Awards identify those vehicles predicted to retain the highest percentage of their original purchase price after a conventional three-year lease term.“We understand the importance of residual values in our highly competitive business and are delighted by this recognition,” said Chris Marchand, executive vice president of Marketing and Sales, Land Rover North America.

The ALG awards are based on careful evaluation of segment competition, past vehicle performance and emerging trends in the industry.

“The 2008 awards prove once again that compelling design, high quality manufacturing and disciplined pricing and volume programs are essential to achieve the highest residual value,” said John Blair, Automotive Lease Guide’s Chief Executive Officer.

Land Rover’s Range Rover Sport and other award winners are featured on ALG.com as well as other automotive publications and websites dedicated to bringing the industry’s best-performing models into the public eye.

Source / Full Story: Ford Press Releases

GM Only Automaker to Build Hybrid Transmission in United States; 75 Percent of 2-Mode Suppliers U.S.-based

WHITE MARSH, Md. – General Motors’ Baltimore Transmission Plant today officially began production of the auto industry’s most technologically advanced hybrid transmission – the only hybrid transmission designed and built in the United States by a major automaker.

The 2-Mode Hybrid transmission will debut in the 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid and 2008 GMC Yukon Hybrid, the industry’s only full-size hybrid SUVs. GM’s Arlington, Texas, assembly plant will begin building the hybrid vehicles next month. For more information: http://media.gm.com/us/chevrolet/en/product_services/r_trucks/r_c_tahoe_hybrid/index.html.

“This 2-Mode Hybrid transmission is not only shifting the gears in the 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon Hybrids, it’s also helping shift GM’s efforts to reduce gasoline consumption and emissions into overdrive,” said John Buttermore, GM Powertrain vice president, global manufacturing. “Better yet, here in Baltimore we are showing that an American workforce is up to the task and can take the lead in advanced technology.”

More than 500 highly trained U.S.-based GM engineers and more than 350 highly skilled United Auto Workers members are assigned to the 2-Mode program, researching, developing, validating and manufacturing the most technologically advanced hybrid system in the auto industry.

In addition to GM designing and producing the 2-Mode transmission in the United States, more than 75 percent of the program’s suppliers are U.S.-based in 16 states.

Source and Full Story: GM Media Online