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As promised, here’s the second part of the explanation of why Concurrent CFD is different, or to use a cliché, a paradigm shift in CFD.

The animation below looks more closely at why concurrent CFD is different to conventional and upfront CFD. By expanding the CFD process we can see it involves quite a number of steps. In going through the animation you will see that both conventional and upfront CFD involve transferring geometry from the CAD system and cleaning it up so it’s suitable for analysis. The process has to be repeated as design (geometry) changes are made in the analysis suite and taken back into the CAD system to keep the two in sync, so it’s inherently messy.

(more…)

Anti-American Influences in Our Media, Part One

The Business Spectator has a look at the year ahead for coal seam gas in Australia – A pivotal year for coal-seam gas.

Santos’ update on the progress of its planned export LNG project in Queensland provides an early taste of what is to come in what will be a decisive year for the competing coal seam gas-fed projects at Gladstone.

With the big players – Santos and its partner Petronas, Origin Energy and its partner ConocoPhillips and BG Group – all pursuing multi-train developments, the race is on to sign up customers ahead of the flurry of final investment decisions that will need to be made at some stage this year. Santos and Petronas have said that their decision will be made in the middle of this year.

The timeframes are tight, with BG planning to bring its project on-stream in 2013, Santos and Petronas targeting 2014 and Origin and ConocoPhillips 2014-15. All the projects will need to lock in core customers this year, and probably by mid-year, if they are to stay on schedule.

The Gladstone projects are not just competing against themselves. There are a number of big new conventional LNG projects off Western Australia, the $US15 billion PNG LNG project has received final, albeit conditional, approval and has contracts for just about all its gas and there is also competition from other sources within the region, including expanded production from Qatar.

The abundance of prospective sources of supply may help explain why PetroChina walked away from a $US40 billion gas contract with Woodside last week because of delays in the development schedule of its Browse project (see Woodside’s PetroChina export agreement expires, January 4).

While there has been a proliferation of new LNG projects, however, all the Gladstone projects, and indeed the other LNG projects in the region, cite the strong general growth in Asian demand for LNG and the planned quadrupling of China’s terminal capacity by 2020 in particular as reasons for being very bullish about the outlook for their projects.

The SMH also has a look at CSG LNG, with the focus on Origin Energy – Origin ‘closes the gap’ on LNG.

ORIGIN Energy’s managing director, Grant King, says the company’s $35 billion liquefied natural gas project is closing the gap on its more advanced rivals, and this is strengthening its bid to sign up a gas buyer.

The Asia-Pacific LNG project, a joint venture between Origin and ConocoPhillips, is widely seen as the laggard among the companies vying to export LNG from coal-seam gas in southern Queensland.

Analysts say its share price of $17.66 barely factors the massive earnings potential of APLNG, because unlike its key rivals BG and a Santos-Petronas joint-venture, Origin has not found a buyer for its LNG.

But, after letting drilling, engineering and construction contracts in recent weeks, Mr King said Origin’s project was gaining ground. All the Queensland projects aim to start exporting gas by between 2014 and 2015.

”I think there is an increasing perception that our project is real and can deliver in that timeframe, and that’s all that matters,” Mr King said in an interview with BusinessDay. ”That’s far more important in the buyer’s eyes than being first, because each year buyers have needs for gas.”

Blacker Than Obama
Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich sits for an interview with Esquire magazine and outdoes himself in a comparison to President Obama.

Said Blagojevich: “It’s such a cynical business, and most of the people in the business are full of shit and phonies, but I was real, man — and am real. This guy, he was catapulted in on hope and change, what we hope the guy is. What the fuck? Everything he’s saying’s on the teleprompter. I’m blacker than Barack Obama. I shined shoes. I grew up in a five-room apartment. My father had a little laundromat in a black community not far from where we lived. I saw it all growing up.”

Blagojevich even claims David Axelrod called the day after Sen. John Kerry lost the election in 2004 to convince him to make a White House bid:

“You need to think about running for president in 2008. A new face from the Midwest to challenge Hillary Clinton. He used to work for me. He had Obama in his stable already — he’s a consultant, so he’s just gathering potential talents. That’s what these guys do — it’s all about picking winners.”

Can They Do That? How You Get Screwed at Work
A new book shows the power corporations wield over their employees has gone too far. It’s time to take action.

A new book shows the power corporations wield over their employees has gone too far. It's time to take action.

Wall Street’s Plot to Wreck America Must Be Revealed
We know little about the financial WMDs that destroyed our economy. This week’s Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission hearings must shed light on what happened in the meltdown.

We know little about the financial WMDs that destroyed our economy. This week's Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission hearings must shed light on what happened in the meltdown.

Mercenaries, Robot Planes and the CIA Produce Lethal Mix for Secret Afghan War
In Afghanistan, a militarized mix of CIA operatives and ex-military mercenaries as well as native recruits and robot aircraft is fighting a war in the shadows.

In Afghanistan, a militarized mix of CIA operatives and ex-military mercenaries as well as native recruits and robot aircraft is fighting a war in the shadows.

I’ve been meaning to blog this radio segment, on Minnesota Public Radio’s Midmorning program, in which renowned physicist Lawrence Krauss and myself discuss the scientific year in review–with particular emphasis on the changing of the guard in the Obama administration, the climate conundrum, and even the battle over science and religion (where I differ with Krauss maybe 5 %). You can listen here:

(Nuclear) War, What Is It Good For?
When the question of building a new generation of nuclear weapons came up at a fundraiser for Al Franken in mid-2007, his former Saturday Night Live colleague Jane Curtin quipped, “but we never used the old ones,” reacting as if…


United States – Saturday Night Live – Al Franken – Jane Curtin – Nuclear weapon

Presented By:

Nod, nod. Wink, wink.
I have been reading Adam LeBor’s absorbing, chilling book about Bernard Madoff’s fraud, The Believers: How America Fell For Bernard Madoff’s $65 billion Investment Scam, published a few months ago in the UK, but not yet in the US. The…


Bernard Madoff – Fraud – Wall Street – Adam LeBor – Business

Nothing like free money and the remembrance of good things past to drive stocks into the stratosphere.

As the latest update of Professor Robert Shiller’s cyclically adjusted PE ratio shows, US stocks are now more than 30% overvalued, at 21X earnings.  That’s more reasonable than the 100%+ overvaluation in 2000, but it’s close to the level of the three other bubble peaks of the 20th Century: 1901, 1929, and 1966.

Note also in this chart the fallacy of the “Fed model”, which argues that PEs should be high because interest rates are low, and vice versa.  That relationship has held for the last 30 years, but not earlier.  For two decades after the Great Depression (and, today, in Japan), interest rates were very low — and so were stock valuations.

Of course, today’s overvaluation doesn’t tell you much about what stocks will do next week, next year, or even the next 5-10 years.  As the chart above shows, before the 2007 market crash, stocks were overvalued for the better part of 20 years–and observing that didn’t help you make money.  On the contrary, it usually got you fired.

What today’s valuation does suggest is that stocks are priced to return a bit less than average over the next decade, perhaps 3%-4% real per year (inflation adjusted), as compared to the 6%-7% average.

Today’s valuations also suggest that stocks may have gotten way ahead of themselves, especially in light of the structural problems that will continue to bog down the economy.

As the chart above illustrates, every one of the prior mega-busts in the past century has been followed by a “trough” in which the cyclically adjusted PE ratio hit the high single-digits.  We didn’t quite make it there in March (the P/E bottomed around 12X), although we did get close.

This, combined with what is likely to be a decade of deleveraging, consumer retrenchment, and sluggish growth as we work off our debt binge, suggests that we still yet might hit that single-digit low before we take off on another secular bull market again.  This could be achieved either through another market crash, or a prolonged period of backing and filling as earnings growth gradually reduces the long-term PE ratio (this is what happened in the 1970s).

On the other hand, it is possible that that enormous stimulus and zero interest rates over the past two years will produce that “v-shaped” recovery.   At this point, given the extent of the recent rally, it would presumably have to be one heck of a “V” to send stocks soaring from here.  But the last eight months have already made idiots out of almost everyone.

See Also: Here It Is, The Sign Of The Top

Join the conversation about this story »

See Also:

• Here It Is, The Sign Of The Top
• Eric Sprott: Stocks Heading Below March Lows, We’re In A Two-Decade Bear Market
• El-Erian: We’re Still Riding The Sugar High, Stocks Could Drop 10% In 3-Week Span

Liz Cheney Airs Hypocritical Attack Ad On Obama For Waiting ?100 Hours? To Respond To Terror Plot
In their eagerness to place blame on President Obama for the attempted Christmas Day terrorist attack, Republicans have argued that the president waited too long to talk publicly about the matter. Karl Rove began the assault by complaining that Obama waited “72 hours before” addressing the American public. RNC Chairman Michael Steele and former NYC […]

In their eagerness to place blame on President Obama for the attempted Christmas Day terrorist attack, Republicans have argued that the president waited too long to talk publicly about the matter. Karl Rove began the assault by complaining that Obama waited “72 hours before” addressing the American public. RNC Chairman Michael Steele and former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani have piled on with a similar criticism.

Liz Cheney’s neoconservative political attack organization, Keep America Safe, is out with a new ad titled “100 hours.” Replete with images of Obama golfing, the ad — which imitates the TV show 24 — ends with the question, “How long did it take you to realize the system failed?”:

Of course, while Obama wasn’t speaking publicly about the terrorist incident, he was directing an immediate federal response.

Moreover, as Huffington Post’s Sam Stein documented, President Bush didn’t utter a single word about shoe bomber Richard Reid’s terrorist attack for six days, whereupon he simply said that he was “grateful for the flight attendant’s response, as I’m sure the passengers on that airplane.”

On ABC’s This Week, host George Stephanopoulos confronted Cheney about her hypocritical attack. “As many Democrats and others have pointed out, President Bush waited I think six days before doing much about Richard Reid, the shoe bomber,” he noted. Cheney evaded the question entirely, pretending not to hear it. “The point of that ad,” she said, “was this notion that you cannot win a war if you’re treating it as sort of an inconvenient sidelight.” Watch it:

McCain strategist: Palin thought candidacy was mapped by God

Brown seen as gaining on Coakley in race for Kennedy Senate seat
Massachusetts isn’t the likeliest backdrop for Republicans to begin their long climb back to a Senate majority. Democrats control both of the state’s U.S. Senate seats, the governorship, all 10 House seats and wide majorities in the state legislature.

‘Hillary effect’ cited for increase in female ambassadors to U.S.
In the gated Oman Embassy off Massachusetts Avenue, Washington’s first female ambassador from an Arab country, Hunaina Sultan Al-Mughairy, sat at her desk looking over a speech aimed at erasing misconceptions about her Muslim nation.

The High Price of Bravado
Ruben Navarrette, San Diego Union-Tribune

Al-Qaeda’s New Grand Strategy
Bruce Hoffman, Washington Post

Where is Obama on Iran?
Michael Goodwin, New York Post

Wall St. Reaps Biggest Bonuses Ever
Louise Story & Eric Dash, NY Times
Everyone on Wall Street is fixated on The Number. The bank bonus season, that annual rite of big money and bigger egos, begins in earnest this week, and it looks as if it will be one of the largest and most controversial blowouts the industry has ever seen. Bank executives are grappling with a question that exasperates, even infuriates, many recession-weary Americans: Just how big should their paydays be? Despite calls for restraint from Washington and a chafed public, resurgent banks are preparing to pay out bonuses that rival those of the boom years. The haul, in cash and stock, will run…

Filed under: Etc., Marketing/Advertising, Chrysler, Dodge

Automobiles and footwear, they’re not that different, right? They’re both transportation devices; Jimi said “his dusty boots is his Cadillac,” putting it all in perspective. Sergio Marchionne has Balkanized the marketing of Chrysler’s divisions, and Dodge has taken the opportunity to split from its long-serving agency BBDO, which has handled advertising and media buying for the whole of Chrysler.

BBDO’s contract runs out this month, and according to Automotive News, Dodge is going with the “Just Do It” Agency Wieden+Kennedy. In addition to coining that iconic phrase for Nike, a brand which W+K has been associated with since its birth in 1982. The firm’s Portland, Oregon arm also puts its mark on ESPN’s “This is Sportscenter” campaign, and was responsible for the recent Target Christmas spots. Lest you think there’s some kind of magic juju that goes into car advertising, W+K knows what it’s doing there, too. Adweek awarded Honda’s “Grrr” ad the title “Commercial of the Decade,” and the well-traveled “Cog” spot was also W+K’s work, so it’s obvious the firm knows a thing or two about auto. It’s not clear what direction Dodge’s advertising will go – especially now that it’s been split off from Ram – but the company is likely breathing a sigh of relief that it didn’t get tasked with the Chrysler brand, instead. We’re not sure there’s any type of advertising that could sell Sebrings.

[Source: Automotive News – sub req.]

Just Dodge It? Chrysler reportedly hires firm best known for Nike ads originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 11 Jan 2010 07:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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La muestra automovilística estadounidense se inaugura hoy y la firma del óvalo azul ha querido comenzarlo revelando ya la información y las imágenes del nuevo Focus en sus versiones de cinco y cuatro puertas. Esta generación volverá a ser global, como lo fue la primera y al igual que el nuevo Fiesta. Comenzará a fabricarse en Europa y Estados Unidos a finales de este año y se lanzará en esos mercados a principios de 2011. Más tarde se comercializará también en otros países de África, América y Asia.

El nuevo Focus es el siguiente de los 10 productos que tiene pensados Ford aprovechar de su plataforma C, siendo los primeros los nuevos C-Max y Grand C-Max que presentó en el pasado Salón del Automóvil de Fránkfurt en septiembre de 2009. Dado que su objetivo es el mercado global, los diseñadores han querido combinar rasgos de los diferentes continentes para poder satisfacer a los clientes de cada mercado, pero sin olvidar el estilo “Kinetic” que tantos éxitos le está cosechando.

En general, las líneas de la tercera generación del Focus poco tienen que ver tanto con la anterior de la variante europea como la de la americana. En el frontal predominan las tres enormes entradas de aire bajo la parrilla delantera, la cual está dividida por una franja cromada que está coronada por el óvalo de Ford. Por otro lado, los faros alargados y envolventes son una mezcla entre los del Focus europeo anterior y el Fiesta.

El lateral posee rasgos deportivos gracias a los pasos de rueda ensanchados y la línea ascendente de las ventanillas, que terminan su recorrido en un pilar C con una inclinación suave que recuerda al de un coupé. En cuanto a la zaga, en el caso del Focus de cinco puertas es difícil obviar los gigantescos pilotos traseros, que se prolongan tanto hacia arriba por el portón como por el ensanchamiento lateral de la carrocería. Además, se encargan de ocultar el tapón del depósito de la gasolina en el lado derecho del vehículo.

La trasera de la variante de tres volúmenes posee unos faros, también de gran tamaño, reminiscentes de los de los Mondeo y Galaxy. La altura y largura del maletero que se aprecian desde el exterior parece prometer un volumen de carga considerable, y los detalles de su diseño permiten que su integración en la carrocería resulte muy natural y no tan forzada como le ha ocurrido a otros modelos de cuatro puertas.

La carrocería se ha fabricado con nuevos aceros de alta resistencia, presentes en más de la mitad del coche. Estos ayudan a mejorar la seguridad de los ocupantes además de aumentar la rigidez torsional, que crece en un 25 por ciento con respecto al anterior Focus norteamericano, pero sin por ello aumentar el peso total del coche.

Ya en el habitáculo lo primero que salta a la vista es que el salpicadero, el volante y la estructura de la consola central son idénticos a los de los nuevos C-Max y Grand C-Max. El resto difiere por el diseño de las salidas de aire, los botones de la consola y algunos acabados que dependerán del nivel de equipamiento. En general, el interior destaca por un aspecto muy personal, el gran equipamiento tecnológico disponible y la sensación de calidad resultado del gran esfuerzo que Ford ha hecho para cumplir con las exigencias de los clientes de todos los mercados. Se nota, por ejemplo, en un nuevo sistema de aislamiento de ruidos que mejorará el confort de marcha.

Uno de los puntos fuertes del Focus ha sido siempre, como en otros modelos de Ford, el excelente manejo que ofrecen las configuraciones de la dirección y la suspensión. En la nueva generación se ha mejorado el diseño de elementos como la suspensión trasera multibrazo “Control-Blade”, la dirección asistida electrónica para dar una respuesta precisa tanto a altas velocidades como durante maniobras de aparcamiento, o un nuevo sistema de control dinámico del agarre en curvas (Dynamic Cornering Control System) que reduce el subviraje y mejora la tracción en los giros.

Con respecto a la gama de motores, Ford anuncia unos cuantos propulsores EcoBoost de cuatro cilindros turboalimentados con inyección directa. A Europa llegará un 1.6 de gasolina así como unos cuantos diésel TDCi Duratorq con tecnología common-rail que ofrecerán un consumo de gasolina entre un 10 y un 20 por ciento menor al que tienen los actuales. En Norteamérica recibirá un 2.0 TI-VCT que tendrá una potencia un 20 por ciento superior y un consumo reducido un 10 por ciento con respecto a los del 2.0 Duratec que reemplaza.

La transmisión que poseerá esa motorización será la automática Powershift de doble embrague seco con seis velocidades. Finalmente, Ford anuncia que en 2011 se lanzará en Norteamérica una variante totalmente eléctrica del Focus, la cual se producirá en su planta de Michigan. No se llega a decir si va a salir a otros mercados en algún momento.

El equipamiento tecnológico vendrá cargado de sistemas que faciliten a los ocupantes el control de las funciones del ordenador de a bordo, navegador o conexión Bluetooth entre otros. Uno de ellos es el MyFord, que en el caso de los niveles altos de equipamiento se aprovechará de una pantalla táctil de 8 pulgadas en la consola central para disponer todos los menús de los diferentes sistemas. Otro es el conocido SYNC, cuya nueva generación aumenta el número de dispositivos que se pueden conectar y actualiza el sistema de control por voz. También se podrán equipar un sistema de apertura sin llave, otro de semi-aparcamiento automático o cámara de visión trasera.

La versión europea del Focus, aunque no vaya a diferir en casi nada, podría debutar en marzo en el Salón de Ginebra. Hasta entonces os dejamos con las fotos de las variantes norteamericanas:

2011 Ford Focus

Fuente | Ford

El diario español AS adelanta que Pedro de la Rosa podría fichar por Sauber en cuestión de horas o pocos días ya que sólo faltan las firmas para confirmar el contrato. Supuestamente, habría conseguido cerrar el acuerdo debido a que el piloto español cuenta con dos patrocinadores, Universia, que pertenece al banco Santander y otro del que no ha trascendido su nombre.

El contrato sería para la próxima temporada ampliable a otra más. De ser cierto, Pedro de la Rosa habría ganado esta peculiar batalla al italiano Giancarlo Fisichella, uno de los pilotos que sonaba con más fuerza para correr en dicha escudería.

Esta elección habría sido decidida gracias al nuevo patrocinador de Sauber, Nestlé. Tras contar con un patrocinador principal, el equipo no tendría que buscar a pilotos que contarán con grandes patrocinadores y de esta manera centrarse en sus candidatos preferidos.

Related posts:

1. Pedro de la Rosa podría estar apunto de firmar con Sauber
2. Pedro Martínez de la Rosa sigue buscando un asiento en la parrilla
3. Pedro De La Rosa se encuentra negociando con Force India

It seems like Chevrolet has a new found love for the compact segment. Following the debut of the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze at the 2009 LA Auto Show, the bow-tie brand will introduce its next-generation Aveo (in concept form) later today at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show. Sales of the next Chevrolet Aveo will start in mid-2011. Production will start later this year at GM’s Orion Assembly plant early next year.

Joining the Cruze and Aveo in early 2012 will be the Chevrolet Spark, a 5-door minicar we’ve been really looking forward to.

“This small vehicle makes a big statement,” said Margaret Brooks, Chevrolet marketing director for small cars. “With its fresh, youthful approach, we believe Spark will appeal to customers who want excellent fuel economy, functionality and style at an affordable price.”

GM will announced more details on the Spark at a later date.

Click through for the press release.

Press Release:

Chevrolet: Big Steps For Its Small-Car Lineup

–  Aveo RS show car features European-inspired hot hatch design
– Cruze delivers spaciousness and amenities of a midsize car with the fuel economy of a compact
– Spark mini-car offers style, roominess and fuel efficiency
– Chevrolet announces another launch market and utility partnership for Volt

DETROIT – Chevrolet’s growing small-car lineup came together today at the North American International Auto Show with the introduction of the Aveo RS show car – a European-inspired hot hatch aimed at young enthusiasts.

The all-new Chevrolet Cruze and the Aveo RS show car – hinting at the next-generation Aveo production car – along with the all-new Spark five door mini car, showcase the foundation of Chevrolet’s growing small-car portfolio. Cruze will be available in the U.S. later this year, the all-new Aveo production car comes to the U.S. next year, and U.S. sales of the Spark begin in early 2012.

Chevrolet also announced that Michigan joins California as a key initial Volt launch market. Chevrolet is partnering with Detroit-based utility DTE Energy and other key Michigan stakeholders as part of a larger, real-world development and demonstration program to introduce customers to electric vehicles and establish vehicle charging programs. Last week, Chevrolet and OnStar demonstrated technology beyond the battery with the industry’s first working smartphone application that will give Volt owners 24/7 connection and control of vehicle function and OnStar features remotely.

“Our new small cars and the Volt electric vehicle with extended-range capabilities represent cornerstones in Chevrolet’s gas-friendly to gas-free approach,” said Jim Campbell, Chevrolet general manager. “We expect the trio of Spark, Aveo and Cruze to be fuel economy leaders, while the Volt can operate gas-free before switching to extended-range capability when the battery runs low.”

Here’s a look at Chevrolet’s small and compact car presence at NAIAS:

Chevrolet Aveo RS show car: The Aveo RS show car provides a glimpse of what designers have in mind for the future production car. One look at the show car’s electric Boracay Blue finish, motorcycle-inspired exposed headlamps and taillamps, low roofline, fender flares, large wheels and tires, and dual-cockpit interior hints at the next-generation Aveo.

“The current Aveo is a major player in Chevrolet’s global small-car portfolio,” said Campbell. “Our intent with the Aveo RS show car is to demonstrate Chevrolet’s vision and design potential for a small car we think customers will love.”

Focusing on Aveo’s target audience of young buyers, Chevrolet gave the show car a sporty appearance inside and out. An aggressive front fascia; clean, uninterrupted body side lines; an integrated rear roof spoiler; wide stance; and large, 19-inch, five-spoke wheels with a gun metal metallic Chevrolet logo and Boracay Blue brake calipers suggest upscale style and dynamic handling.

The Boracay Blue continues inside, with accent stitching in the instrument panel dual cockpit, front and rear door panels, gear shift boot, parking brake and seat bolster.

The Aveo RS show car features the same small-displacement 1.4L Ecotec turbocharged engine that will be available in the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze. Delivering 138 horsepower (103 kW), it performs like two powerplants in one, with the fuel economy of a small engine and the performance of a larger one. In the Aveo RS show car, the 1.4L turbo is mated to a six-speed manual transmission.

Chevrolet has previously announced the new Aveo will be built at Orion Assembly in Orion Township, Mich., in 2011, a move that will restore 1,200 jobs to Southeast Michigan. Retooling Orion Assembly for Aveo production is anticipated to begin in late 2010.

Chevrolet Cruze: The 2011 Chevrolet Cruze compact sedan is already on sale in Asia and Europe with strong market acceptance. Refined for America, the 2011 Cruze changes the rules by bringing a midsize car presence to the compact sedan segment. It will deliver many segment-leading features, more interior room and cargo capacity than the competition and upscale amenities such as Bluetooth, USB and navigation. It offers midsize roominess, safety and amenities with the fuel economy and expected price of a compact car. The U.S. production version of the Cruze was unveiled last month.

The Cruze affirms Chevrolet’s commitment to lead in small-displacement, turbocharged four-cylinder engines that are highly fuel efficient. Cruze is expected to deliver segment-leading fuel economy with a new Ecotec 1.4L I-4 turbo with variable valve timing – including up to 40 mpg on the highway with a high-efficiency model. The all-new Cruze will be built in Lordstown, Ohio beginning in the third quarter.

Chevrolet Spark: The five-door Chevrolet Spark, the smallest member of Chevrolet’s family of cars, brings style, roominess and versatility to a segment of extremely fuel-efficient small cars. Spark will provide great fuel economy, and its trim size makes it very agile in all kinds of driving conditions while still feeling substantial on the open road. The U.S. production version of the Spark will go on sale in early 2012.

More details on the U.S. version of the Spark will be announced at a later date.

Chevrolet Volt: Michigan joins California – announced last month at the Los Angeles Auto Show – as another initial retail market. Other markets will be announced later.

“Launching in California and Michigan gives us important West Coast and Midwest platforms that will allow us to introduce the Volt more effectively into broader regions across the U.S.,” said Maria Rohrer, Chevrolet marketing director for Volt.

Chevrolet will deliver more than 100 Volts to several utilities beginning in 2010 – including DTE Energy – as part of an extended research and demonstration fleet program. As part of the program, 500 charging stations will be installed for residential, business and public use. They will be used to learn more about the installation process, vehicle charging, and to gain customer feedback.

“A key factor in the widespread success of electric vehicles will be the ability of utilities to supply ‘fuel’ on demand and at a reasonable cost,” said Steven E. Kurmas, president and chief operating officer of DTE Energy’s electric utility, Detroit Edison. “Working with the auto industry, the Department of Energy and other stakeholders, DTE Energy and electric utilities nationwide are fully committed to developing a robust charging infrastructure that will support electric vehicles and make the transition to electric transportation a success.”

The program is made possible with a grant of more than $30 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds from the Transportation Electrification Initiative administered by the U.S. Department of Energy.

Chevrolet is also working with other Michigan entities outside of the Detroit area to begin making Michigan ready for plug-in vehicles. Utilities we are working with include the Lansing Board of Water & Light and Consumers Energy.

Chevy announced a similar partnership last month with the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) and California utilities Pacific Gas and Electric, Southern California Edison and Sacramento Municipal Utility District.

In an effort to expand the Volt ownership experience, Chevrolet and OnStar unveiled the auto industry’s first working mobile smartphone application last week. It will give Chevrolet Volt owners 24/7 connection and control of vehicle functions and OnStar features remotely.

OnStar’s Mobile Application takes technology beyond the battery and allows Volt drivers to communicate with their vehicle from Droid by Motorola, Apple iPhone and BlackBerry Storm smartphones. It uses a real-time data connection to perform tasks such as displaying the charge status and setting grid-friendly charge modes. The application:

* Displays charge status – plugged in or not, and voltage (120V or 240V)
* Provides flexibility to “Charge Now” or schedule charge timing
* Displays percentage of battery charge level, electric and total mileage ranges
* Allows owner to manually set grid-friendly charge mode for off-peak times when electricity rates are lowest
* Sends text or e-mail notifications for charge reminders, interruptions and full charge
* Sends text or e-mail notifications for charge reminders, interruptions and full charge
* Sends text or e-mail notifications for charge reminders, interruptions and full charge
* Displays miles per gallon, electric-only miles and odometer readings
* Shows miles per gallon, EV miles and miles driven for last trip and lifetime
* Remotely starts the vehicle to pre-condition the interior temperature

As inevitably as the setting sun, MotionApps have posted some screenshots on Facebook of the official PalmOS emulator for webOS, Classic, running on the Palm Pixi. Notably, the virtual hard button onscreen interface has been totally revamped in order to better fit on the Pixi’s smaller (320 x 400, vs 320 x 480 on the Pre) display. Rather than ape the vintage look of a PalmOS device, the Pixi version of Classic instead places the Home/Contacts/Calendar/Menu buttons into a webOS-style “capsule”, with an option to swap them out for the 5-way navigator buttons.

Hit the jump for the screenshots.