Bajaj Auto Ltd, India’s No. 2 motorcycle maker, has not reached a decision on making light trucks with Renault, and is prepared to go it alone, Managing Director Rajiv Bajaj said.

“We haven’t reached any conclusion with Renault on that,” Bajaj told reporters.

“We are open to an alliance, and if Renault does not want to partner us, it will be a Bajaj project,” he said, adding that they were not in talks with other commercial vehicle makers for an alliance.

Pune-based Bajaj Auto has 50 percent in a venture with Renault and partner Nissan Motor to make a $2,500 car from 2011, to take on Tata Motors’ similarly priced Nano, which is scheduled to go on sale later this year.

“The car deal with Renault does not preclude us from doing a deal with someone else for commercial vehicles, but from our side if we do partner someone, it will be Renault,” he said.

Bajaj Auto, a unit of Bajaj Holdings & Investment Ltd, also makes scooters and leads the Indian market for three-wheeled motorised rickshaws. It has said it planned to make light trucks in the sub-1 tonne to 3.5 tonnes.

Tata Motors, also the top bus and truck maker, has scored a big hit with Ace, its sub-1 tonne truck, and others are keen to enter the segment, which is growing fast on the back of improving roads and a ban on overloading.

The venture for the small car, which will have an initial annual capacity of 400,000 units for the local and other emerging markets, will make a vehicle that is “high-quality, low-cost, high on fuel-efficiency and low on emissions”, Bajaj said.

Codenamed ULC, it will aim at a fuel-efficiency of 30 km per litre of petrol, and carbon dioxide emissions of about 100 grams per km, he said.

That would make it less polluting than cars in the European Union, which has proposed tough legislation to force down emissions of carbon dioxide to 120 grams per km from 2012.

“So in terms of being green, fuel-efficient and priced right, it will be quite unique,” Bajaj said.

“It will be a niche product, as we do not want to be a part of the mainstream market. Being in the rat race (of small cars) only means you will lose your shirt,” he said.

Car makers including Fiat, General Motors, Ford Motor, Hyundai and Toyota Motor have also expressed an interest in making a small car that is affordable to more consumers in emerging markets such as India.

Renault Chief Executive Carlos Ghosn has praised the “frugal engineering” of Indian manufacturers including Mahindra & Mahindra, with whom Renault has a venture for the Logan sedan.

Bajaj Auto also has the ability to keep costs low while remaining profitable, Bajaj said. “We don’t have the size, the scale or the reputation to do what global car makers are doing,” he said. “But our margins are a healthy 14 percent, which is higher than many others.”

Dump truck financing, or financing for trucks, is just like financing anything else. In order to find the right loan program you need to find a lender that offers a loan program designed for your needs. If you need to finance dump trucks, semi trucks, or heavy duty trucks, then you will need to find a lender that not only offers a loan program for vehicles, but that also specializes in business vehicle loans.

To qualify for dump truck financing you will need to go through the standard loan process. First you will need to find a lender. Secondly you will need to fill out an application form and submit the required documentation. And finally your loan application will need to be approved by the lender. Your ability to qualify for truck financing will depend on a lot of things including the type of truck that you are trying to finance, how long you have been in business, what your credit history is, what collateral you have, and the type of business that you operate.

If you are having a difficult time finding a 100 percent dump truck financing program, or if you have not been able to qualify for one of these loans then you may want to consider other financing options. Your first alternative to 100 percent truck financing is partial financing. In this case you would put down a percentage of the truck’s value in your own money and then finance the remaining balance with a truck loan. These loans are much easier to qualify for then 100 percent loans, and they tend to offer better rates and terms. Your second option is to lease instead of buying your truck. Leasing has several advantages over buying, with one advantage being that it offers more tax benefits than purchasing the machine outright.

Automobilecontacts.com is all about buying and selling trucks, cars, Atvs, Rvs, Boats etc. with growing markets and booming Industrial technology, there are emerging as well advanced markets across the globe. In businesses it has necessarily become important to have some or the other vehicle specially Trucks because they offer versatility of usage. At Automobilecontacts.com, you can buy and sell your latest trucks or machines by registering absolutely FREE of cost without paying any money. Trucks as they say can fulfill any requirement may it be for a business reason or personal or for that matter any other reason, trucks are trucks you can avoid them when the need arises. Get the latest new and used trucks on our site and enjoy the comfort for lifetime. We have dealers joining us from across the continent placing their latest, not very old trucks for sale on the site, in the end you are a person to benefit. So grab it!

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Germany tightened rules on the sale of heavy trucks to Iran and Syria over concern that the vehicles may be used to launch short- and medium-range missiles.

In a ruling issued today by Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government, vendors of trucks with three or more axles weighing at least 20,000 kilograms (20 metric tons) will in future need permission for Iran- or Syria-bound sales, according to parliament’s daily bulletin.

Merkel’s government has gained information “that both countries use ordinary civilian vehicles for their mobile military rocket programs,” the bulletin reported, citing the government. Short- and medium-range rockets “pose a special risk in the politically instable Middle East,” it said.

European Union states last year adopted United Nations embargo recommendations on limiting so-called dual-use exports that can be adapted in Iran for military use. Permits for selling dual-use technology are granted only in exceptional cases, according to the German industry and trade chambers that advises vendors.

Ute von Fellberg, a spokeswoman for Daimler AG, said in an interview today that the truck maker has no current program of sales of three-axle vehicles to Iran. Truck-maker MAN AG’s spokeswoman Nina Gutzeit today didn’t respond to phone calls made to her office. MAN and Daimler AG’s truck division both have sales offices in Iran.

Merkel’s arms export controllers, an ad-hoc council of ministers, convenes in secret and does not report in detail on its deliberations.

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Carl and Shayne Patterson are in the market for a brand new truck. It’s a decision fewer and fewer Americans seem to be doing during these days of high gas prices.

“I have to haul a boat and I need a truck to haul but if it wasn’t for that I’d buy a hybrid,” says Carl Patterson.

The couple is considering buying a Toyota Tundra. But they’re not the only ones feeling the pinch of high gas prices. car dealerships are seeing a decline in Truck sales as many consumers are trading in those gas guzzlers for more fuel efficient vehicles.

“We do get a lot of domestic pickups and SUV’s being traded in on sedans,” says Robert Derrick, internet sales manager with Dick Dyer Toyota.

He says the dealership has seen an increase in small car sales. “The family, they’re looking at their dollar, their pocket as you definitely have a spike as far as the sedans. And better gas mileage,” says Derrick.

And while Toyota and other import dealers are feeling the pain from the pump, domestic dealers aren’t fairing any better. Jeremy Carter, internet sales manager with Love Chevrolet says his car dealership may have more to lose.

“It’s definitely hurt our market especially Chevrolet and most American car companies. Our trucks and SUV’s are much bigger sellers than our cars. We’re trying to push and get all the cars we can and stay away from the trucks which is the complete opposite of what we would have done 2 years ago,” says Carter.

But he says the push toward smaller cars is not coming easy for some of their loyal truck customers. “We’ve heard a lot of, man I love my truck, but I just don’t know if I can drive it anymore,” says Carter.

Meanwhile the Pattersons say if they do decide to purchase a new pickup, they’ll be driving it as a last resort. “I’ll probably still drive my old truck that gets good gas mileage and just leave this one for hauling the boats and campers and stuff like that,” says Patterson.

General Electric said that it has tested a hybrid version of a haul truck, the kind of giant Dump truck that’s used at a mine or to haul away mountains of dirt.

The system works just like a Toyota Prius, more or less. The engine feeds electricity to a battery that runs the drivetrain. During braking, the spinning wheels act as a generator for the battery.

The batteries in the hybrid off-highway truck is the same sodium-based battery used in GE’s locomotives, according to the GE Research blog.

The hybrid haul truck wasn’t just announced in honor of Earth Day.

Rising fuel prices are pushing truck manufacturers to adopt more efficient and clean technologies.

Volvo is developing a range of Mack trucks with the goal of making them carbon neutral. A hybrid Mack dump truck can save between 25 percent and 30 percent on fuel costs.

OK, now I’m just bragging, but meandering up the coast of California on a sunny morning with the top down in a little Mazda Miata is a pretty damn good way of making a living. The sun’s out, the road is winding and I have nothing to do today other than enjoy the scenery. Though I’m not quite sure why I’m driving the aforementioned Miata. Or, more accurately, I’m sure I’m going to be disappointed, ambivalent or just plain confused about the major change Mazda has wrought to its iconic little roadster for the new model year — a retractable hardtop.

When Mazda announced it would be building a collapsible hardtop version of the MX-5, it seemed like the answer to the proverbial question that nobody asked. After all, nobody much complained about the soft-top, and the electro-hydraulic retracting tops on the market are notoriously expensive, not to mention that, when stowed, they eat up cargo space already at a premium in most convertibles, especially a little one like the MX-5.

Imagine my surprise then when Tony Harold, the product planning guru for Mazda Canada, announced that the power retractable roof would cost but $2,195 extra and that it would be available on all trims levels of the MX-5 from the base GX ($28,095) to the top-of-the-line GT ($34,195). What were Mercedes, Jaguar et al. talking about when they claimed that the high cost of retractable roofs was the justification for their high prices and the reason for not installing such a collapsing top on their expensive convertibles? What makes this even more amazing is that MX-5s ordered with the folding roof also get all-new quarter panels and a taller trunk-lid to blend into the collapsed roof’s silhouette.

As for my second concern, trunk space, it turns out that, when stowed, the entire roof is stored ahead of the MX-5’s trunk so none of the little Mazda’s admittedly precious cargo capacity is diminished. I confirmed this by transferring all of my luggage from the trunk of a soft-top to a hardtop version.

If anything, the hardtop version has a smidgen more cargo space. Once again, I have to ask, why does a much more expensive Mercedes-Benz SLK have to lose so much of its trunk space every time I want to drive alfresco? Surely, if a minuscule MX-5 can accomplish the task of stowing a hard roof without penalty, so can a more expensive SLK.

The rest of the MX-5 stays much the same. The roof and its related gear exact a 36-kilogram weight penalty, but the 166-horsepower (163 in the automatic version) 2.0-litre four handles that without much difficulty. The rear suspension has been stiffened to accommodate the extra avoirdupois so there’s no difference in handling. And the roof is only 10 millimetres taller than the soft version, so the Miata doesn’t look much different with this hardtop than it would with the old-style roof that required stowing in your garage. And there are plenty of bonuses. In situ, the roof adds to the chassis’ structural rigidity, calming the ride and aiding handling a bit.

The big advantage, however, is in the greatly diminished wind noise. Anything over 120 kilometres an hour in the soft-top version makes anything less than a bellow unintelligible to the passenger even though he’s barely half a metre away. With the hardtop up, it’s quite easy to hold a conversation without constantly screwing your face up in the “eh?” mode. For that reason alone, the $2,195 Mazda Canada is asking for the hardtop is a steal.

It also adds to new-found all-round ability of the recently revised MX-5. While the new MX-5’s greater power and sporty handling have been applauded, there’s been an even bigger jump in the roadster’s everyday ability. Not quite as small as it once was, the new MX-5 also doesn’t feel as tiny. The overriding impression is of a teenage runabout that’s matured into an adult automobile. The new MX-5 feels more planted, more stable and less nervous than Miatas of old.

Daimler AG, the world’s second- largest maker of luxury vehicles, said first-quarter profit dropped 32 percent, more than estimated, after a stake in former U.S. unit Chrysler dragged down earnings and truck sales fell.

Net income declined to 1.33 billion euros ($2.07 billion), or 1.29 euros per share, from 1.97 billion euros, or 1.89 euros, a year earlier, Stuttgart, Germany-based Daimler said in a statement today. Analysts had predicted a profit of 1.46 billion euros. Revenue barely rose to 23.5 billion euros.

Daimler’s 20 percent stake in Chrysler, the third-largest U.S. automaker, wiped 491 million euros from earnings as a slowing economy hurt sales. Revenue at the truck business, the world’s largest, fell 13 percent to 6.33 billion euros as U.S. deliveries plummeted 47 percent. Mercedes-Benz Cars boosted both profit and sales.

“The relatively weak truck sales clearly show that this business is not a one-way street,” said Juergen Meyer, who helps oversee 1.2 billion euros, including Daimler shares, at SEB Asset Management in Frankfurt. “The profit development at the passenger cars unit was, on the other hand, quite pleasing.”

Chief’s Forecast

Chief Executive Officer Dieter Zetsche said demand from Russia and China means full-year operating profit should still be “well above” 2007’s level, excluding the impact of Chrysler. Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, the No. 1 maker of luxury cars, said today that first-quarter profit fell 17 percent on the U.S. slowdown while predicting a gain in full-year pretax profit.

Daimler, whose year-ago earnings were swollen by a gain from the sale of a stake in European Aeronautic, Defence & Space Co., fell 69 cents, or 1.4 percent, to 50.19 euros. The stock has declined 25 percent this year, reducing the company’s market value to 48.4 billion euros.

Zetsche sold 80.1 percent of Auburn Hills, Michigan-based Chrysler to New York-based buyout firm Cerberus Capital Management LP in August, severing a nine-year tie that cut Daimler’s market value by $12.6 billion.

Daimler’s remaining holding had a negative impact of 491 million euros in the first quarter, including a 340 million- euro operating profit reduction and a 151 million-euro writedown on the residual values of Chrysler vehicles.

The CEO said this month that industry sales in the U.S. would be “much lower” as a result of the credit crisis and a declining level of confidence in the economy. He predicted a 2 percent increase in car deliveries worldwide.

EADS Disposal

Daimler booked a gain of 1.56 billion euros in the first quarter of 2007 from its holding in EADS, owner of Airbus SAS, the world’s largest maker of commercial aircraft.

The carmaker is 80 percent hedged against shifts in the dollar this year and more than 40 percent hedged for 2009.

Mercedes-Benz Cars, which has cut 9,700 factory jobs since 2005, reducing costs by 7.1 billion euros, boosted operating profit 45 percent in the first quarter to 1.15 billion euros. The division’s revenue increased 4 percent on demand for new models. The unit’s earnings will rise this year and operating profit will reach 10 percent of sales by 2010, Daimler has predicted.

Mercedes is seeking to wrest back market share from Munich- based BMW while fending off Volkswagen AG’s Audi unit and Toyota Motor Corp.’s Lexus division.

The truck division’s operating profit fell 24 percent to 403 million euros as demand in the U.S. plunged 47 percent to 21,204 trucks. Western European sales also declined because of production stops connected to a supplier’s lack of capacity, the company said.

Daimler’s first-quarter earnings were boosted by a 449 million-euro gain from the sale of property in Berlin.

Construction equipment performs multi various tasks mostly using hydraulic power. Some of the recent innovations in the construction equipment industry carry fully computerized hydraulic control systems, energy-saving measures and features needed for comfortable and efficient operation. With the current focus on environment, most of the construction equipment is geared to perform with less noise, less vibration and low emissions.

Mini excavators are meant for use in urban areas with a dense population. They are designed for efficient functioning in narrow jobsites with safety features such as tip-over protection, falling object protection to avoid the dangers involved in urban construction.

Large Excavators are mostly used in mining. In the mining industry, heavy loads are carried continuously, the large excavators are geared for non-stop performance with durability.

Cost-efficiency is one important factor in the mining industry, hence only an excavator that provides lowest cost per ton for material movement is ideal. To get significant savings, these large excavators need very low maintenance cost and a longer life.

Where mobility of operation is the important factor, wheeled excavators are the ideal construction equipment. They can work on any terrain and can be easily controlled in different terrains.

Wheel loaders come with various options which are designed for operational ease. The levers and pedals can be operated with minimum force to achieve better control. Visibility is the important factor for wheel loaders for comfortable operations. In construction sites, the hydraulic pump motor in the wheel loaders provides easy mobility.

Articulated dump trucks are mostly used in construction sites located in hilly terrains. Because of the sloping terrain, the operator in the cabin is provided with more visibility of the surrounding area. The truck comes with diagnostic display controls and warnings for malfunctions to provide safety.

Rubber crawler carriers are good for uneven and muddy construction locations. Even when carrying heavy loads, on soft ground conditions, these carriers should run smoothly to prevent accidents. At the same time when used on a paved road, they should not damage the surface of the road. Another factor to be noted is that the rubber crawler carrier should be able to pull out of hindrances and ditches in the construction site.

Ohio’s unemployment is at 5.3 percent, and some noted economists say the country is in a recession, but the demand for more drivers of semi-trucks remains high.

In Ohio, the hiring is swift, said local recruiters.

“If you want to be working, truck driving is still a great job,” said Mike Moscinski, vice president of TrainCo. Inc., a driving school with an office in Perrysburg. “You can support your family, pay your bills, and have some extra [money].”

On average, drivers are paid $35,000 their first year, $40,000 to $50,000 a year within two years, and can increase to $80,000, several experts said.

Motor Carrier Services Inc. in Northwood, which recruits 25 drivers annually, is seeking two. It operates 100 trucks and requires two years’ commercial driving experience.

In Findlay, Garner Transportation Group is recruiting five to six drivers. It operates 90 trucks.

“We’re extremely busy in terms of freight and recruiting,” said Tim Chrulski, a recruiter with the company. “This is an industry that will never go away.”

In Perrysburg, Falcon Transport Co. is hiring 10 to 15 drivers.

Overall, the trucking industry is divided on the economy’s affects. Some argue that the industry is in a slump, others call that nonsense.

The Toledo Trucking Association said trucking is increasing because of imports, but national organizations contend the in-dustry is hurting.

“Freight is in a bit of a slump,” said Clayton Boyce, an executive at the American Trucking Association, representing 3,700 fleets.

“There has been a downturn since 2007 in the amount of freight available for hauling.”

Still, drivers are in short supply, said Mr. Moscinski and others. “It’s a great time to get into the business,” he said.

By 2016, the number of truck-driving jobs will increase by 258,000, according to projections from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects.

More than 110,000 driving jobs are available nationally now, the American Truck Driving Association said.

Several local driving schools are poised to help.

TrainCo. Truck Driving School offers programs each month - a four-week day class, five-week night class, and 14-week weekend class.

The cost is $3,400 to $4,000 for 140 hours of instruction.

Owens Community College in Perrysburg Township has a two-week intensive program that costs $3,400 and includes 40 hours of classroom and 40 hours of driving instruction.

School instructors warn, however, the field is not for everyone.

“The lifestyle of a truck driver is very difficult,” said Mr. Moscinski of TrainCo. “If you take people that have punched a job 9 to 5 in a factory, and now they’re gone two weeks at a time and away from their family, people get into it and say ‘Not for me!’•”

Long-haul drivers can be on the road for two days, a week, or several weeks at a time.

Some drivers, however, are attracted by the lifestyle, said Mr. Boyce, of the national trade group.

“Some people love that job, and they tend to be people who don’t have children,” he said. “A new trend is to have married couples or retired men and women take jobs as long-haul drivers and get out to see the country.”

Because long-haul driving is so difficult, the employee turnover rate is exceedingly high, 80 percent and and above.

As a result, the industry is constantly looking for new drivers.

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