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Buyers of traditional luxury brands are more open to lower-priced alternatives than you might think. What they found once they owned a luxury car was it didn't change their life
The American auto industry is rejuvenated. It is producing world-class vehicles that are proving to be surprisingly competitive with vehicles from top-rated names, like Honda and Toyota. So you want proof? The following is a quick look at some of the best new offerings from each of the Big Three domestic manufacturers
Toyota to Export Indian-Made Cars to South Africa
Toyota Motor Corp. (TMC) has announced plans to export cars manufactured by its subsidiary in India to South Africa
Sales of electric cars will skyrocket in the next five years, according to a new study conducted by Pike Research, which specializes in research in that area
Ford and Toyota to Develop New Hybrids
Ford and Toyota typically compete tooth-and-nail in the world's auto markets, but in a startling turn of events the two mammoth companies have announced that they will collaborate as equal partners to develop and market a new advanced hybrid system for light trucks and SUVs
GM Enters Electric Car Joint Venture With Chinese Automaker
General Motors announced that it has entered into a joint venture with a Chinese automaker to develop electric cars. The deal also involves transfer of battery and other electric vehicle technology
Japanese auto brands recapture the lead in key customer satisfaction survey, which puts American recovery in doubt
Cars Talking to Cars Is Next Safety Wave
We recently had the opportunity to participate in an event sponsored by Ford Motor Company that demonstrated how intelligent vehicles that wirelessly talk to each other could be effective in reducing crashes
In 1911, if you asked Billy Durant -- the prototypical American promoter/businessman -- if Chevrolet Motor Company would sell 180 million vehicles by 2011, he probably would have said, 'Damn right it will.' That was just the kind of guy William C. Durant was. Durant co-founded Chevrolet with race driver Louis Chevrolet on Nov. 3, 1911
Auto Industry Jobs & Careers Search
New Economy Standards Provoke Controversy
The Obama administration is proposing a 56-mpg fuel economy requirement by 2025. Should the regulations be imposed, the world's automobile companies will have to figure out a way to not only build vehicles that can deliver 56-mpg performance, but also persuade enough Americans to buy them. Auto industry experts agree that the latter is much more difficult to accomplish than the former
Mass Transit Cleans up Its Act
The use of alternative fuels in passenger cars is still being questioned, but one unexpected place where alternative-fuel use is gaining traction is in the transit bus sector.
Auto Industry Weathers High Fuel Prices
It may not be happy days again for the auto industry and its shareholders, but there is light at the end of the highway. High fuel prices have boosted sales of smaller cars, while luxury brands have been energized by improving economies and strong Chinese demand
If you think paying $4 for a gallon of gas is ridiculous and long for the days when gas cost a quarter, consider this: 93 years ago you could pay just 25 cents and drive away in your Oldsmobile or Studebaker with a gallon of gas. However ...
2013 Ford Taurus: Tomorrow's Car Today
The year 2013 is still way off in the distance for most of us, but Ford used the New York International Auto Show as a venue to introduce its 2013 model year Taurus and Taurus SHO, two very important models in its portfolio. Since General Motors took the same opportunity to show its 2013 Chevrolet Malibu, you can understand why Ford was willing to pull the wraps off the Taurus early
President Barack Obama's recent address on the fuel situation gave hope to advocates of electric cars, natural gas and, as we told you last week, propane. But it offered little solace to those in America's heartland who are the biggest promoters of ethanol
As Fuel Prices Rise, Small Cars Get Hotter
If you throw a line in the water and a fish bites, do you think you'll make a catch every time you go fishing? You may be wondering what this has to do with cars and fuel prices. Well, if you look at the trends over the past several decades, you'll see that consumers are unsophisticated when it comes to dealing with fluctuations in fuel price. Our present situation is a case in point
Hybrids, Electrics and Overseas Growth Pushing Ford Motor
Prospects are good for Ford, although the auto industry is cyclical, meeting higher fuel standards is expensive, and labor will look to gain from the company's improved fortunes
Ford's Mulally Wins Automotive Executive of the Year Award
Auto industry experts and the general public are agreed on one thing: Ford Motor Company is on a roll. So it is unsurprising that the prestigious 2011 Automotive Executive of the Year Award will be presented to Alan R. Mulally, president and CEO of Ford Motor Company
Giving the Red Light to Red-light Runners
Red-light running killed 676 people and injured an estimated 113,000 in 2009. One of the cruelest aspects of this problem is that nearly two-thirds of the deaths were people other than the drivers who ran the red lights. What to do about the problem?
Seniors Call on President Obama to Stem Gas Costs
If you are a senior on a limited income, you obviously view rising fuel costs as an ominous development. Now, a senior citizen's advocacy group called the Association of Mature American Citizens (AMAC) has called on President Barack Obama to take immediate action to stem gasoline prices that have been on the rise for the past several months.
Obama Should Challenge Country to Make a Clean Energy Automobile
The most remembered State of the Union Addresses are the ones that inspire and challenge us. Today, America needs to be challenged and inspired. I believe today's challenge rests in clean and affordable energy and the inspiration to achieve it can come through a speech coupled with a call to action. The key to prosperity lies in innovation and invention
A lot of words have been said and written about ethanol. Some say it is the solution to our reliance on imported oil. Others suggest that, as a green solution to our fuel and carbon dioxide emission problems, ethanol is a sham. But relatively few have talked or written about how corrosive ethanol is
Millions of Americans have a loved one over the age of 70. With one in five Americans caring for an older relative, the number of adults concerned about their parents' driving abilities is on the rise. The key question that has to be asked: When do you pull the keys?
The Ford C-Max, just introduced at the Detroit auto show, will be offered with a bewildering number of powertrains -- and it will likely make headlines, as it marks Ford Motor Company’s return to the minivan wars. But the seven-passenger C-Max is only one of the wide varieties of C-Max multi-activity vehicle models that will come to market here over the next two years
For a long time, Toyota had everything going its way. Its vehicles were adored by the American public and revered overseas. It was acknowledged as the automotive-technology leader. However, Toyota's unintended acceleration and safety recall problem threatened the very core of the company. Can Toyota recover?
Navigation, music, video and information systems in new cars are the rage. Consumers who are used to instant connectivity and a variety of entertainment choices at home and in the office are electing to have similar options in their cars
Sibling rivalry can often be a terrible thing, but in the case of the new version of the Audi A6 sedan -- introduced to the press at the North American International Auto Show -- it can be just great. We say that because the new A6 takes a lot of what is so good about the flagship A8 and it folds it into a more affordable, accessible package
Consumers More Aware of Alt-fuel Vehicles
The drumbeat of splashy TV advertising and reports in the media has created an awareness of electric and other alternative-fuel vehicles in the general public, but most people admit that they don't know all that much about the new technologies
Ford Vertrek: An Escape From the Escape
If you have champagne tastes and a beer budget, your crossover choices have been limited to some stalwart -- but unexciting -- choices like the Ford Escape. Now -- based on a long, hard look at the Ford Vertrek compact crossover concept just introduced at the North American International Auto Show -- we can report that things will change.
A lot of words have been said and written about ethanol. Some say it is the solution to our reliance on imported oil. Others suggest that, as a green solution to our fuel and carbon dioxide emission problems, ethanol is a sham. But relatively few have talked or written about how corrosive ethanol is
Millions of Americans have a loved one over the age of 70. With one in five Americans caring for an older relative, the number of adults concerned about their parents' driving abilities is on the rise. The key question that has to be asked: When do you pull the keys?
Smart Phone Apps Help Stop Distracted Driving
It's been worrisome enough that the drivers around you might be applying makeup, eating, talking on the phone, or texting. Now the guy in the next lane could be reading Zagat restaurant reviews on his GPS or, soon, updating his Facebook status. Carmakers continue to stuff new models with distracting devices. But companies are also adding technology to prevent driver distraction
Many consumers are still on-edge. They're saving more and living more frugally than before. The worry remains that they, like some people they may know, could be out of a job at any time. This is bad news for the car industry, but it might be the ideal time to buy a new car if you feel secure in your finances and are in need a new vehicle
Is the American market ready for a small Cadillac? Even in today's frugal economic climate, those buying cars opt for large vehicles. Crossovers and even SUVs are relatively hot right now, while small cars and hybrids are languishing -- yet in this climate, Cadillac has floated what it calls the Urban Luxury Concept
Hybrids, electrics and other alternative vehicles are dominating automotive news these days. And you might think the gasoline engine is headed down the path of the passenger pigeon. But that impression is very wrong. Frankly, there's both positive and negative news on electric car sales
Is Propane Fuel Getting a Fair Shake?
Globally, propane is the most widely used 'alternative' car fuel -- and for good reason. Propane fuel is abundant, relatively inexpensive and sourced in North America. It also burns clean. However, these arguments have largely fallen on deaf ears as govenrment officials seem intent on vehicle electrification at the expense of other technologies. Many auto experts believe this is a shame
Chevrolet Volt Becomes a Political Issue
The Chevrolet Volt may or may not be an electric car, depending upon whom you ask. But it certainly became a lightning rod of controversy during this past election season
How do you change behavior? By giving an incentive to change. And that’s exactly what the National Highway Traffic Administration has done over the past 32 years with its New Car Assessment (NCAP) Program.
At first glance, the new ethanol rules drafted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) might seem to be a bold step toward increasing consumers' use of this renewable fuel. But a deeper look shows that, while the new regulations appear to favor increased use of the biofuel, the finer points of the rules will likely mean little expansion of ethanol use
Toyota is recovering from the scandal of its cars' unintended acceleration and other recent headline-making problems. But to avoid similar issues in the future, the legendary company must return to the basic principles that made it so successful
If you're about to buy a new electric or plug-in hybrid vehicle, you should think seriously about where you're going to plug it in. Though many of the upcoming cars will plug into standard 110-volt sockets, you're liable to find the recharging time agonizingly slow.
The Most Anticipated 2011 Cars
Despite the sales doldrums that haunt America and reverberate worldwide, global automakers have put together some very, very interesting vehicles for the 2011 car-model year. In fact, one might accurately state that the most-anticipated of the 2011 cars are among the most interesting vehicles launched in the past 50 years. Let's take a look at them, shall we?
Battle of the Greenest: Electrics vs. Hybrid Cars
Two words are on the tip of the auto industry’s tongue these days: electric cars. Nissan is currently a media darling on the strength of its LEAF battery-electric car. Ford is building buzz with its Ford Transit Connect and Ford Focus battery-electrics. Meanwhile, GM is about to enter the competition with its Chevrolet Volt. All of which leaves Toyota behind the curve in battery-electric cars.
Don't Write Off Gasoline Engines Yet
We live in an era when press and politicians tout the wonders of the electric car. We're on the cusp of Nissan's salvo in the electric car arena, and if you believe the pundits, electrics are the wave of the future. So it must have come as a major shock when the winner of the most important Progressive Automotive XPRIZE category was a car powered by an internal combustion engine
American Car Buyers Think Small
How do you deal with an economy showing few signs of improvement? One method is to downsize -- and consumers are doing just that with their cars. Interest in compact cars increased considerably this year
Detroit Tops Auto Industry Customer Satisfaction
If your competitors are faltering, does that mean you're getting ahead? That's a question domestic automakers may be asking themselves, as customer satisfaction with their automobiles has shown resilience despite an overall decline for the industry
Electric Cars May Not Make the World Greener
These days, car manufacturers are converting cars and trucks they make to hybrid and electric power. Government regulations, not consumer demand, have driven car manufacturers that direction. But is the direction we are headed the right direction? Will it result in the greatest good for the greatest number of people? A new white paper suggests that it isn't
Recently the Japan Auto Manufacturers Association (JAMA) made a plea to the Japanese government to intervene in foreign exchange markets to weaken the yen. The American Automotive Policy Council (AAPC,) which represents Chrysler Group LLC, Ford Motor Co. and General Motors Corp., says it strongly objects to JAMA's action.
Chrysler Tries to Kick up Incentives in July
Auto industry optimism based on positive May sales results was crushed in June, a month that offered only lackluster sales. On the heels of those results, Chrysler became the first manufacturer to put a big push in the incentives wars this July in an effort to move the sales needle in a positive direction
GMAC Rebranded as Ally Financial
The world of auto financing will soon lose an iconic name. Ally Financial Inc. has announced that it will rebrand its GMAC consumer and dealer-related auto finance operations in the U.S., Canada and Mexico and begin using the Ally name.
American Cars vs. Import Cars: The Short Course on Vehicle Quality
Recent J.D. Power data indicates that American cars have surpassed import cars in vehicle quality, but what does it mean to you?
Compromise Between New and Used Cars
With the economy at a low ebb, there is little doubt that consumers are going out of their way to seek value, so it is not surprising that certified pre-owned cars are growing in popularity. But their current popularity might actually represent a wave of the future -- a wave that could well keep rolling even after the economy improves
Defaulting on an Auto Lease Contract
The number of consumers who are voluntarily defaulting on an auto lease contract (and walking away from a car) has tripled.
Smart USA launches the EV version of its diminutive Smart Car two-seater
Fuel Economy Limits for Big Trucks
The Obama administration has directed its regulators to set mileage and pollution standards for big-rig trucks. Is that a good thing?
Sweet Deal for the Auto Dealers
Car dealers, with their opaque pricing system and trade-in and financing tricks, make their customers feel like pigeons. The No. 1 consumer complaint received by the Better Business Bureau and other consumer agencies is on abusive financial practices by auto dealers, according to the Center for Responsible Lending
The Price of Global Climate Change Regulations
We can assume that most government regulations are instituted for benevolent reasons: to right a wrong, fix a problem or just generally improve conditions. But the sad fact is that many regulations have unintended, often-negative consequences. Could this apply to the set of regulations created around the world to address global climate change?
It might not be the Ford Model T, but the Tesla Motors Model S might be the Model T of the electric car industry -- at least if Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk has his way.
Toyota is more ready than ever to concede that its efforts in the hybrid, plug-in hybrid and fuel cell arenas are driven as much by U.S. government regulatory policy as by the possible implosion of the world's ecosystem
Auto industry insiders and consumers are asking what will happen to Toyota next: Are U.S. government regulators really out to get the Japanese company as many in Japan believe because of the Obama administration's ties to the United Auto Workers union and its support of GM and Chrysler bailouts? Has Toyota's vaunted quality system suddenly gone terribly awry?
Ford Motor Co. says it is further broadening its aggressive 'electrification plan' with the new Lincoln MKZ Hybrid unveiled at the New York International Auto Show
Ever heard of curbstoning? It's the repeated, unlicensed flipping of used cars for profit. Now there's nothing wrong with private-party used-car sales, and there's nothing wrong with profit, but there is a new effort designed to fight unlicensed dealers who pose as private parties in an attempt to defraud buyers of a used vehicle.
Seat Belt With Air Bag Brings More Safety
Air bags and seat belts are two safety innovations that have saved thousands of lives. So, why not combine the ideas? That's the thinking behind the world's first automotive inflatable seat belts. The innovation, to be introduced by Ford Motor Co., mixes attributes of traditional seat belts and air bags to provide an added level of crash safety protection for rear-seat occupants.
Stuttering Start for Electric Cars
You might get the impression, over the next year or so, that driving as you know it will never be the same again. The electric vehicle, you see, is about to arrive. The much-heralded Chevrolet Volt, able to travel up to 40 miles on a battery charged through a household outlet, is set to go on sale late this year. So is the Nissan Leaf, with a range of up to 100 miles
The electric vehicles coming soon are just one choice for green-minded drivers. Automakers offer a range of high-mileage cars that don't entail inconveniences. Some of the options
Toyota: Profit Over Principles
When Toyota President Akio Toyoda testified before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, an attitude was exposed that Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) correctly characterized as fostering a 'cutthroat corporate' environment that placed costs ahead of quality and safety.
Toyota's Reputation Remains Strong
The last two months have been devastating for Toyota's reputation as a quality and safety leader, but a new report found that despite the eight million Toyota vehicles recalled since October 2009, current Toyota owners are not yet wavering in their support of the company.
In the last 18 months, the auto industry has become something bigger than just the buying and selling of cars. It has become an ideological ground zero, a tug of war with many hands on the rope, labor, manufacturing, nationalism, elitism, environmentalism, jobs, the survival of a shrinking but vital American city: Detroit
Maybe Cash For Clunkers Helped The Economy After All
Daniel Gross at Slate makes the case that the evidence is in, and cash-for-clunkers gets a pretty good return as stimulus: If we use Taylor's estimate, about 250,000 extra cars were purchased (40 percent of 625,000). And if each cost $29,000, those sales generated about $7.3 billion in revenue in the space of a few weeks. That's a pretty good return on $2.6 billion in government spending.
Auto Dealers: Cash for Clunkers a Needed Boost
John McEleney is the chair of the Virginia-based National Automobile Dealers Association, which represents more than 90 percent of new-car dealers nationwide and lobbied hard for the program. He recently spoke about how dealers have been reacting to the program and what the problem was with reimbursements.
General Motors - Cutting the Auto Giant Down to Size
The once-unthinkable outcome of General Motors declaring bankruptcy, with Uncle Sam frantically pouring huge financial transfusions into the dying patient, became a reality the other day as Uncle Sam took majority control of its management and risk.
General Motors - GM's Fall & the Cars of My Youth
I wonder what my father would have thought of the self-destruction of General Motors. We were a General Motors family, but not a happy one. We always (but once) had Chevrolets.
General Motors - See the USA in Your Government Car
Despite disclaimers from President Obama that the government doesn't want to be in the car business, it is hard to see what it has bought with our tax dollars other than two of what used to be known as "the big three."
January auto sales a good sign, but rest of 2012 may be rockier than expected - The Detroit News
Bloomberg
The Detroit News
Following a spectacular showing at the Detroit auto show, I half expected Ford sales to triple. So a jump of 7.3 percent for the month was not as exciting. But there are some vehicle indicators that are not that good in January.
U.S. Auto Sales Highest Since Recession While Discounts Get Smaller: Cars
US Auto Sales Jumped in January
Auto sales boom in January as buyers turn to compact cars
Out-of-this-world auto design at 2012 Auto Show - Chicago Sun-Times
Chicago Sun-Times
By SANDRA GUY sguy@suntimes.com February 3, 2012 8:31PM The 2012 Chicago Auto Show opens to the public Feb. 10 and continues through Feb. 19 at McCormick Place. To find out more about the show, go to todrive.com/autoshow Visitors to the Chicago Auto ...
Auto wheel manufacturer with Sedalia plant sold to Brazilian firm - Kansas City Star
Kansas City Star
Brazil-based Iochpe-Maxion SA has finalized its acquisition of wheel manufacturer Hayes Lemmerz International, which has a manufacturing facility in Sedalia, Mo.. A company press release said the acquisition will see Iochpe-Maxion and Hayes Lemmerz ...
President Obama's claim that some wanted to let the auto industry die - Washington Post (blog)
Eco Auto Ninja
Washington Post (blog)
--President Obama, at the Washington Auto Show, Jan. 31, 2012 βOn the day I took office, our auto industry was on the verge of collapse. Some even said we should let it die. With a million jobs at stake, I refused to let that happen.
Obama Takes Shot at Romney, βsome wanted to let the auto industry dieβ
At auto show, Obama touts industry success
Obama Plays up Auto Industry Success Story
Auto sector grows in January, adding 15000 jobs - The Detroit News
USA TODAY
The Detroit News
By David Shepardson Las Vegas- Automakers and dealers added more than 15000 jobs in January as the auto sector continues to gain strength. Auto manufacturers and the parts sector added 7900 jobs in January. Overall, the US economy added 50000 new ...
Obama spurns foreign auto execs, cars at auto show
Obama attends DC Auto Show (before me)
President Obama's missed opportunity at the Auto Show
Auto industry off to strong start in 2012 - Bend Bulletin
Globe and Mail
Bend Bulletin
By Nick Bunkley / New York Times News Service DETROIT β New-vehicle sales in the United States were unexpectedly strong in January, an early sign that the auto industry could have its best year since 2007, carmakers and analysts said Wednesday.
January Auto Sales Accelerate
Auto sales in January show unusual strength
Auto shoppers in a buying mood in January
US Auto Industry In Recovery Mode - Fox Business
Chicago Tribune
Fox Business
The US auto industry is showing signs of a full recovery just three years after the financial crisis all but left the sector for dead, according to a presentation Friday by JD Power and Associates. Significantly, US consumers are paying historically ...
New Car Prices Rising Along With Sales
Hyundai executive cautious on U.S. auto sector - Edmonton Journal
Edmonton Journal
The US auto sector will not recover significantly until US home prices pick up and consumers feel more prosperous, a top Hyundai Motor Co. executive said Friday. John Krafcik, head of Hyundai's North American operations, said the recent US auto ...
True US autos recovery not here yet -Hyundai exec
The Dallas Auto Accident Attorneys at Grossman Law Offices File Suit Following ... - Houston Chronicle
Houston Chronicle
The victim hired the Dallas auto accident lawyers with Grossman Law Offices to investigate the crash. The lawsuit (Cause No: 199-04730-2010) was filed within the 199th Judicial District Court of Collin County where the accident occurred.
2012 Volkswagen Beetle TDI: Oil-Burning Bug to Have Debut at Chicago Auto Show - New York Times (blog)
New York Times (blog)
New York Times (blog)
By PAUL STENQUIST Volkswagen previewed a diesel-powered Beetle TDI Thursday, scheduled to be officially introduced at the Chicago auto show next week. The automobile is the third model of the redesigned Beetle, which went on sale last fall with ...
39 MPG Volkswagen Beetle TDI Coming To Chicago Auto Show
2013 Volkswagen Beetle TDI at the 2012 Chicago Auto Show
2013 Volkswagen Beetle TDI Revealed: Chicago Auto Show Preview
auto - Google News
Google News