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Auto Notes compiled by Jerold B. Smith drivetrains, and the assembly plant is in Henley, England. Next on the horizon is the Tesla Model S, a battery-electric sedan due out in 2012. Pricing will likely be in the $49,000 range after rebates. The Tesla Roadster continues its popularity among drivers who want a sporty electric that has a range of up to 245 miles and zero emissions. Tesla electric sales exploding. The Tesla Motors 2.5 Roadster has plenty of buyers according to the Palo Alto, Calif., automaker. Though the new model of the $109,000 electric two-seater won’t be be available by the end of the year, the 18 factory stores Tesla has worldwide have been active with potential buyers. Its store in San Jose is getting 5,000 to 6,000 people a week visiting the showroom, while Denver’s store is averaging more than 10,000 visitors. One reason for high traffic is because consumers can also be educated on electric vehicle technology. About 1,650 roadsters are currently on the road in 31 countries. When production finishes on the new model, about 2,500 Tesla Roadsters will have been made since its introduction in 2008. The Tesla Roadster chassis is made by Lotus, Toyota provides the electric 100 years for Chevrolet. The Chevrolet brand of General Motors (GM) is celebrating its 100th anniversary in November. Founded by well-known car racer Louis Chevrolet and GM founder William C. “Billy” Durant in November 1911, the first car from Chevrolet was the 1912 Classic Six. Chevrolet and its fans have been participating in a 100-day countdown celebration that ends on Nov. 3 (vote for your favorite Chevrolet of all time at www.chevy100.com). The 1969 Chevrolet Camaro remains one of the most restored muscle cars of its era. Over the years, the brand has set the mark for trend-setting cars and trucks. Some of those include the 1932 Deluxe Sport Roadster, the post-war 1948 Chevrolet Pickup, the 1953 Corvette, the 1957 Bel Air (when “Chevy” was the shortened brand name), the still popular 1969 Camaro, the 1970 Chevelle, the 2009 Corvette ZR1, and now, the car for the times, the 2011 Chevrolet Volt. Since its inception, Chevrolet has sold more than 200 million vehicles worldwide and today is the world’s fourth largest vehicle brand. This year, it will introduce The 1932 Deluxe Sport Roadster from Chevrolet, with a rear rumble seat, set the mark for style and sportiness for its time. the all-new 2012 Sonic and next year the Spark will hit the U.S. market, both small cars that will appeal to those wanting high fuel economy. Show season begins. Fall marks the beginning of auto show season and the Los Angeles Auto Show is the trend-setter for new vehicle introductions and special awards. The mid-November show will feature more than 50 debuts of new cars and trucks, about 20 of which will be significant world premiers. In addition, the Design Challenge by automaker design studios will focus on designing Hollywood’s new movie car; and the 2011 Green Car of the Year award will be announced during press days (Nov.16-17) at the show. Also, the Motor Press Guild (MPG), the largest automotive media group in the nation, will announce its selection for the 2011 MPG Vehicle of the Year. Many of the vehicles shown at the LA Auto Show are fresh from displays at SEMA in Las Vegas in early November. Other major auto shows with global and North American debuts include the North American International Auto Show in Detroit (Jan. 15-23), Chicago Auto Show (Feb. 10-19), and the New York International Auto Show (April 6-15). The 2013 Infiniti JX Crossover will be one of many debuts at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November. It has advanced design and technological features, including a Moving Object Detection system and a blind spot intervention system. Price adjustment on electric car. Mitsubishi Motors North America has announced a $1,135 price increase on the 2012 Mitsubishi i all-electric-powered vehicle. The well-equipped entry level i ES model is now $21,625, while the premium-grade SE version has a new net value of $23,625, both after $7,500 federal tax credits. Even with the pricing adjustment, the 2012 Mitsubishi i remains the most affordable mass-market electric car currently available. n Page 10 October 2011 Parts & People www.partsandpeople.com
Turbo Wholesale Tires focuses on SUV, ultra high-performance applications was a tremendous opportunity in the ultra high-performance (UHP) and sport utility vehicle (SUV) segments. Still, business was very difficult, he said. “But many of the immigrant gas station owners referred their friends and relatives to me, and my business grew.” Sepetjian said the established mainstream independent tire dealers in Los Angeles didn’t know what to make of him at first. “I decided to visit them and tell them how I could help grow their businesses with the rapidly emerging UHP and SUV segments of our industry,” he said. Initially, he said he was met by rejection but that eventually many of the established independents started buying from him. “By focusing on the ultra high-performance and SUV niches, dealers quickly discovered I had the proper tire they needed for their specific application.” TWT soon became “the source” for UHV and SUV tires in the dynamic and competitive Southern California tire market, Septijian said, “and we watched our business soar.” After just a few years in business, TWT had become a multimillion-dollar company, he said. “In 2002, after opening a larger warehouse in Irwindale, sales surpassed $49 million. In 2010, sales grew Continued on page 12 The Turbo Wholesale Tires management team is composed of, from l., Sarkis Sepetjian, president; Bill Fuqua, national business development manager; and Jesse Ortiz, general manager. Sepetjian says sales will reach $200 million in 2011. by Dick DeLoach Irwindale, Calif. — Sarkis Sepetjian, president of Turbo Wholesale Tires, is a man of faith, which the Armenian Lebanese Christian immigrant said has had a dramatic effect on his station in life. “My parents instilled in me the values that I have today,” he said, “including the belief that if something falters or fails in my life, a new door of opportunity would open.” That’s what Sepetjian said happened when he traveled to Greece in 1976 and landed a job in a shoe factory. Sepetjian said he was doing well and soon began exporting shoes as well as women’s clothing from Greece to Lebanon. “The business was very successful, so I decided to come to the United States in 1982 and expand my business,” he said. When he arrived in the U.S., Sepetjian said he had $3,000 in his pocket and the rest of his capital tied up in women’s clothing. “Unfortunately, I discovered very similar styles of clothing were being imported from China and sold in the U.S. at half the price.” So Sepetjian said he was forced to liquidate his inventory at a fraction of his cost and started looking for a job. “I was discouraged but still reliant on my faith,” he said. Sepetjian said that shortly thereafter, he accepted an offer from a family friend to “keep an honest eye on things” at his two retail tire shops, one of them called Turbo Tire in Los Angeles.” Sepetjian said that by 1987, he had become the owner of the business and incorporated the company as Turbo Wholesale Tires (TWT). “At that time, gas stations had stopped carrying their own company tires, so there was a rare and unique opportunity for me,” he said. Initially, Sepetjian said, he started selling low-cost tires but quickly realized that there Parts & People October 2011 Page 11
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Page 9: 2011 INSTALLER AND BODY SHOP REBATE
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Page 41 and 42: People & Places SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Page 43 and 44: Continued from page 38 and later me

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