Events and Meetings
Kia Fleet Managers George Lykopoulos and Richard Pasta with Forte5 at Kia Ride and Drive.
The Rockwood Conservation area near Guelph, Ontario was the site of a showing of Kia’s new model line-up and the company’s annual fleet event. Attendees had the opportunity to drive Kia’s entire line-up including the just launched 2011 Sportage. On display as well were 2011 Optima (formally Magentis), 2011 Forte 5, and 2012 mid-size Cadenza. Kia’s Vice-President and COO Maria Soklis discussed a few of Kia’s upcoming plans.
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Among the golfers enjoying the day were (from left) Mark O'Brian, Autotrader, Kathy Ward, Canadian Black Book, Steve Somers, Jim Pattison Lease and Troy Campbell, PHH.
Canadian Black Book held its 13th Annual Charity golf tournament at Scarborough Golf Club recently. The event raises funds for the Tim Hortons Childrens charity and camps.
2011 Volkswagen Jetta.
Volkswagen unveiled its 2011 Jetta in San Francisco, California, it will be released in Canada in September. A 2.0 litre inline-four cylinder engine is base engine available. The 2.5L inline-five and 2.0L turbocharged inline-four Clean Diesel (TDI) are also available. Jetta becomes VW’s entry-level vehicle in Canada. “It is completely redesigned inside and out, and offers best-in-class cargo space and rear legroom,” said John White, President and CEO, VW Canada. “It offers the only Clean Diesel sedan available in the compact segment in Canada.”
2011 Volkswagen Jetta Interior.
Jetta is equipped with Intelligent Crash Response System, which turns off fuel pump, activates hazard lights and unlocks doors when airbags are deployed.
VW will offer $1,500 fleet incentive on Jetta gas models and $600 on diesel models. Jetta GLI model will be available in spring of 2011.
Chris Gittens, GE with Lisa Inness, Johnson & Johnson at GE ride and drive.
Raj Gheewala and Allison Scarangella, BMW were among the over 15 manufacturers providing vehicles for the ride and drive portion of the event.
GE Capital Fleet Services held its annual ride and drive at Hershey Centre in Mississauga, Ontario. A keynote address by Luke Clement, General Manager, Metering and Sensing Systems, GE Energy, informed attendees about 'smart' grids and the future of electric vehicles. More than 15 Automotive manufacturers took part in the ride and drive.
Bruce Lindsay, VW at Green Fleet Expo with LeAnne Anderson, PHH.
The City of Toronto hosted the fifth annual Green Fleet Expo (GFX) recently at Centennial College in Toronto. Panel members for light-duty and heavy-duty vehicle seminars featured OEM representatives outlining company 'green' initiatives. The seminars included: Grow Your Own Fuel, Electric Vehicle Roadmap, Green Government Practices and more. The event also included a ride and drive, and a trade show with vendors offering 'green' products. In conjunction with the GFX, Fleet Challenge Ontario held its Green Fleet 401, The Master Series, Future Directions for Sustainable Automotive Transportation and a breakfast forum.
Enjoying the dinner following golf was the winning foursome of Ken DeWolfe, Spectra Energy, Doug Morris, Direct Energy, Dan Christopher, Molson and Greg Grant, PHH.
NAFA’s Ontario chapter along with fleet minded vehicle manufacturers hosted a golf day in Ontario recently. As part of the event, a “closest to the pin contest was held in aid of the Toronto City Mission and its summer camp program. Canadian Automotive Fleet matched golfers donations and $3,000 was raised for the worthy cause.
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Jerry Daniel, General Motors, speaks during fleet meeting.
General Motors Canada recently held the latest in a series of 2011 cross Canada fleet preview meetings at Pearson Convention Centre in Toronto. The event featured GM’s focus on new products such as Chevrolet Cruze, GMC Terrain/Chevrolet Equinox and GM Heavy Duty trucks. Fleet customers also got a ‘heads-up’ about General Motors new Business Bridge program; a fleet vehicle telematics offering coming early in 2011. A ride and drive allowed fleet operators to test drive vehicles and get answers from the GM fleet team. Several van and truck upfitting suppliers were on hand to showcase products and services.
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Fiat 500 (European model shown).
Fleet customers from across North America gathered in Detroit recently to attend the Chrysler 2011 Fleet Preview meeting. Special guest speaker Sergio Marchionne, CEO, Chrysler and Fiat had a simple and unequivocal message for the 400 plus attendees; Chrysler is here to stay and fleet sales will continue to play a fundamental role in its plans. The meeting included detailed presentations on Chrysler’s powertrain developments, from increasing fuel efficiency in its internal combustion engines through to compressed natural gas (CNG) opportunities and hybrid and electric mobility options. Chrysler’s design guru Ralph Gilles took fleet customers through new product features and benefits and the thinking behind them. Attendees also had the opportunity to drive the all new Jeep Grand Cherokee, Fiat 500 and Police Interceptor at Chrysler’s Chelsea Proving Grounds and were some of the first customers to see 2011 products including Charger, 300, Durango and Compass.
Jerry Daniel and Joe De Stefano, GM, flank Paul Turner, TransportAction before taking an all-new 2011 GMC Acadia Denali out for a test drive.
Josh Bailey, Canadian Black Book (left)) and George MacPherson, Hertz Canada visit the Onstar Command centre where they learned more about the fleet management capabilities of the Business Vehicle Manager product.
General Motors held its 2011 fleet preview meetings in Detroit, Michigan recently. The event featured product and program presentations, an extensive ride and drive and an Onstar Command Centre tour. Canadian fleet operators, fleet management companies and daily rental customers participated in the meetings.
Dennis Desrosiers, Desrosiers Automotive Consultants Inc.
Fewer vehicles in 2009 had under or over inflated tires, according to a Rubber Association of Canada (RAC) study. RAC recently announced study results, which showed 54.6 per cent of vehicles Canada were operated with at least one tire over or under inflated, down from 71 per cent in 2003. Respondents in Calgary, reported highest levels of improper inflation, followed by Vancouver, Toronto, Sherbrooke, Winnipeg, and Fredericton. Desrosiers Automotive Consultants Inc., carried out the study.
Complete results of the study can be downloaded by clicking here.
Robert Lutz.
Mark Fields.
National Association of Fleet Administrators (NAFA) Institute and Expo took place recently in Detroit, Michigan. Katherine Vigneau, NAFA Vice-President for Canada won an Excellence in Education award during the expo. Mark Fields, executive vice-president, Ford Motor Company, and Robert Lutz, vice-chairman, General Motors, delivered keynote speeches. Lutz's appearance was once of his last as a member of GM.
To commemorate the event Kiera Walker (left) and Robert Nakou (second from right), Wind Mobile, take official delivery of the Malibu from Jeff Hartley and Deborah Pavao, Foss National Leasing.
Wind Mobile took delivery of a Chevrolet Malibu as its first fleet vehicle in Canada recently. The Wind Mobile fleet, managed by Foss National Leasing will also operate Chevrolet Equinox's in its operations across Canada. According to Robert Nakou, Fleet Specialist with Wind Mobile, “WIND Mobile chose Malibu and Canadian-made Equinox based on their fuel economy, lifecycle cost benefits and styling.”
(From left) Cam Jackson, Burlington Mayor and Brad Duguid, Energy and Infrastructure Minister with modified Escape.
The City of Burlington, and Burlington Hydro (BHI) will be the focal points for a recently announced major research study on functions, challenges and practical realities faced by a theoretical fleet of fully electric vehicles. The study involves federal, provincial and municipal levels of government funding and the participation of two universities, McMaster and Waterloo.
The Rapid Electric Vehicle Technology company of Vancouver converted a Ford Escape to fully electric mode (REV 300 ACX) for the project and will, in conjunction with other private sector companies, continue to be involved in and support the project over its one year timeline.
Fully converted, the Ford Escape becomes a sophisticated 400 volt vehicle with a 160 kilometre range and a top speed of 144 km/h.
(From left) John Kerr, Fleet Service Manager, FMC; Ron Gauthier ROM, Parts and Service, FMC; John Dill, Brock Ford; Rob Nicholson, Federal Justice Minister and Attorney General; Keith Dill, Dealer principal; Gary Dohring, President, Maaco.
Maaco Collision Repair and Auto Painting facility at Brock Ford Sales in Niagara Falls was opened for business following a recent grand opening when Brock’s Collision Centre was converted to a Maaco facility. "Not only will we present the complete Maaco menu of retail and fleet services but we can now offer our valued fleet clients a completely fleet friendly all-make service department on site along with an all-makes capable parts and accessory department," said Bob Mauro, Director, National Fleet Sales, Maaco.
(From left) Megan McDonald and Roma Pinnell, Compton Petroleum; Sheila McKenzie and Jeff Reader, Penn West; Robert Snowdon; County of Lethbridge; and Bruce McLeod, Subaru Canada.
The National Association of Fleet Administrators (NAFA) Calgary chapter members and guests were given a preview of the Calgary International New Car and Truck show. Show participants displayed vehicles and offered information for members and guests. The chapter’s annual general meeting followed to review a year-end summary of events, approve the financial report, evaluate up-coming events and present election results. The chapter’s positions of secretary and co-chair remain to be filled.
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Row of 2011 Ford Super Duty Pick-up Trucks.
Arizona's landscape was the backdrop for Ford to take the Super Duty pick-up through various tasks demonstrating its capability as a work truck. Super Duty towed a 10,000lb and 24,000lb (maximum towing capacity of 26,400lb for F-550 chassis cab with fifth-wheel hitch) trailer up and down mountains with ease. New available features include: electronic locking rear differential, hill descent control and transfer case skid plate. Super Duty also pulled an 85,000lb heavy-duty Caterpillar front-end loader. In addition, there was an off-road course over rocks and rugged terrain as part of the demonstration.
“The 2011 Super Duty is not only the most powerful, most capable and fuel-efficient heavy-duty pickup truck on the road, it performs the tough jobs with even more efficiency than ever before,” said Doug Scott, truck group marketing manager. “Customers can be confident that Super Duty’s class-leading capability comes with Ford’s ‘and solution’ of best-in-class fuel economy.”
Ford’s 2011 Super Duty will be featured in the April/May issue of Fleet Vans and Trucks.
Jack Rosebro, Founder, Perfect Sky.
At a recent breakfast forum, Fleet Challenge Ontario presented a Green Fleet 301 special topic, Hybrids and Electrification. Fleet managers in the audience listened to Jack Rosebro, founder of Perfect Sky speculate about what the next five years will bring in hybrid vehicle development.
Gitanjali DasGupta, Manager, Electric Vehicle Division, Electrovaya Inc.
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Mark Grimm, President, Nissan Canada Inc with Nissan NV.
Nissan unveiled the company’s first foray into the North American commercial vehicle market, the 2011 Nissan NV, at a press conference during the National Truck Equipment Association’s (NTEA) annual Work Truck Show in St. Louis, MO. According to Nissan, the NV will be the first body on frame high roof van in North America.
“The new kid on the block is also a long-time player in the global commercial vehicle market. Nissan brings a more than seven-decade tradition of durability, quality and reliability to our products,” said Mark Grimm, president, Nissan Canada Inc. “At the same time, we’ve taken a fresh look at every aspect of the CV business – including styling, powertrain, interiors, cost of operation and ownership, dealership sales and service operations and, most importantly, real world customer needs.”
Nissan NV High Roof Van.
The new Nissan NV will be manufactured in Canton, Mississippi and available through a select network of authorized Nissan Commercial Vehicle dealers across Canada. The van is due to go on sale in Fall 2010.
Video of Nissan NV launch at Work Truck Show.
Allison Scarangella and André Hilliges, Mercedes-Benz.
As part of the Canadian International Auto Show held in Toronto recently, Mercedes-Benz Canada hosted a fleet ride and drive event. Fleet customers had the opportunity to drive a wide variety of Mercedes-Benz products, including the new E-class sedan and Smart car products.
(From lefr) Tom Tanner, TransportAction Lease Systems discusses the merits of the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter commercial van with Cameron Maxwell, Mercedes-Benz Canada.
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