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Subaru, Volvo Come Up Big in Latest Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Awards
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s awards can make or break a car’s future, something Subaru and Volvo know quite well. Both manufacturers get to tout top honors in 2012 thanks to their safety-conscious cars. Subaru is now the only manufacturer that can claim IIHS Top Safety Picks for every one of their models. Subaru…
Chrysler Tests Plug-In Electric Hybrid Trucks
The Big three do some things really, really well: like building pickup trucks that turn construction guys giddy. While each company has had their fair share of foibles over the past decade they’ve managed to stay more-or-less true to themselves. That’s why you might be really surprised to find out that Chrysler announced plans today…
Buick Verano, Chevrolet Cruze Production Remains Postponed
Chevrolet‘s Cruze conundrum is causing collateral damage for Buick and continuing longer than expected. General Motors halted production at the Lordstown, Ohio plant of the globally distributed sedan, citing problems with a parts supplier, though the company didn’t disclose specifics. “A further process review shows General Motors is not ready to resume production of the Chevrolet Cruze…
Iconic Fiat Plant Sold To Chery
Fiat‘s iconic assembly plant on the Island of Sicily closed on November 24th and has been taken over by an investor. The plant, which opened in 1970 and manufactured primarily Fiat 500s was sold for a token single euro. Massimo Di Risio, one of Italy’s largest car dealers, is that investor. He plans to re-open the…
BMW to Launch New Electric Vehicle Brand In China
BMW is turning to Brilliance Jinbei Automobile, an already-established Chinese partner, to work their way around new legislation aimed at promoting Chinese cars. Ian Robertson, director of sales and marketing for BMW told Automotive News Europe said the new brand, which will exist solely to sell electric vehicles in China, will only use limited BMW…
Porsche Sales Spike 25% in 2011
The tumultuous world economy doesn’t seem to be having an affect on Porsche, their sales are up 25 percent over last year at this time. “In the current year, we have already set new customer delivery and order book records,” said Bernhard Maier, Porsche AG board of management member for sales and marketing. The company…
Ford Lays Groundwork For CEO Succession
Ford CEO Alan Mulally isn’t on his way out, though succession plans are being considered according to a top Ford executive. Mark Fields, Ford‘s president of the Americas, emphasized the importance of developing a succession plan, despite there being no plans for Mulally’s retirement. Fields, who is one of the candidates to move into the…
Chevrolet Cruze Production Halted, Unnamed Supplier To Blame
General Motors halted production of their popular Cruze sedan yesterday after a supplier issue hampered production. Chevrolet says they plan to resume production as soon as possible, though they declined to disclose what the issue was. Production officially stopped around 1 p.m. EST according to a spokesperson for the Lordstown, Ohio, factory where the Cruze…
Aptera: A Brief Chronology Of The Collapse
Last week we brought you a story about Aperta employees boorishly smashing the remaining shells of their 2e electric vehicle, including quotes from their disgruntled former CEO, Steve Fambro. You may wonder how things went so wrong. If you haven’t been following the Aptera saga, or if you don’t know what Aptera is, this is a good…
Audi Surpasses Mercedes-Benz Sales For First Time
Unless there’s some sort of Christmas miracle in Mercedes showrooms, Audi is set to pass their competitor for the first time to take the number 2 spot for global luxury car sales. The company’s sales volume grew by 18 percent this year, compared to Mercedes’ seven. Though the numbers aren’t final until the ball drops…
BMW And General Motors Partnering For Fuel Cell Technology
According to Reuters, General Motors and BMW are jumping into bed over fuel cells. GM is already established as a leader in the technology, though they are staying tight-lipped about the partnership according to Autoblog. BMW told the site that they are “speaking about various future technologies.” Additionally, German business magazine, Wirtschafts Woche says according to an…
Volvo Designer Pays Tribute To P1800 Coupe
Volvo chief designer Christopher Benjamin took took his artistry to the social media masses in a tribute to the 50th anniversary of the Volvo P1800. In case you don’t know, the P1800 was Volvo’s take on a sports car in the early ’60s and were produced for about a decade, as a rival for the…
Acura ILX Compact Sedan to Get Hybrid Powertrain, Choice of Two Gas Engines
Honda is conceding defeat to Mercedes, BMW and Lexus but that could be good news for fans of the brand. Their reassessment means a fully-refreshed line including new cars as soon as this spring. The first in line is their new ILX compact sedan which will be based on the global Civic platform. The move…
GM Crossovers Get Innovative New Airbag, Lane Departure Technology
General Motors is targeting a safety issue with new equipment that until now has been unaddressed. They plan to release a front-seat center-airbag (pictured above) that deploys between the driver and passenger seats. The new feature is supposed to improve safety in the event of far-side impact crashes, which statistics show to be responsible for…
Future GM Vehicles To Use More Carbon Fiber
g General Motors is taking steps to make carbon fiber a major component in their future production vehicles by working with Teijin Ltd. of Japan. Carbon fiber is a labor-intensive product, meaning it is expensive to implement in production vehicles. That expense generally restricts its use to low-production models like the Chevrolet Corvette Z06. That will all…
NHTSA Denies Wrongdoing In Chevrolet Volt Fire
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is flatly denying any wrongdoing around the time it took to release data suggesting the Chevrolet Volt might catch fire. Earlier this week reports surfaced that Volts suffering severe crashes might be at risk of catching fire. GM hasn’t released an official statement explaining the phenomenon, but information…
Ford Cash Dividend Reinstated For Next Quarter
It seems Ford‘s financial health is improving after an announcement that they will reinstate a cash dividend on their stocks at 5 cents a share. Ford originally abandoned the dividend in 2006 as part of an effort to preserve cash after posting a total of $9 billion in losses the previous five years. They hadn’t…
Ford Boss 302SX Mustang Concept Unveiled
Ford is thinking about adding a mid-range track car to their Boss 302S and 302R lineup. They quietly debuted a concept called the 302SX at the recent Performance Racing Industry trade show in Orlando, FL. Don’t let their modest unveiling fool you, this car is something to talk about. It borrows aspects of the new Cobra Jet drag…
Mercedes-Benz C-Class and E-Class Coupes Get 4Matic All-Wheel Drive
Mercedes-Benz is adding all-wheel-drive to their C-class and E-class coupes according to a report by Car and Driver. Until now, both coupes were available exclusively in rear-wheel drive. The 4Matic versions will only be available with one engine option: Mercedes’ 3.5-liter V6 making 302 horsepower and 273 lb-ft of torque. Despite the 4-matic option, Mercedes will…
Wireless Charging On The Way For Nissan and Mercedes
w If it seemed space-aged to charge your cellphone wirelessly a few years ago, what do you think of doing the same thing with your car? Nissan and Mercedes-Benz are playing with the idea, and showing off what they have so far. The Mercedes B Class E-Cell concept may make use of the technology in the…
Aptera Employees Destroy Prototype Electric Vehicles On Camera
Maybe the staff at Aptera watched the printer-smashing scene in Office Space too many times and felt like taking some frustration out on inanimate objects. Whatever their reason the video footage of their antics is creating a stir. Last Sunday we reported that Aptera, the environmentally focused startup responsible for building funky-looking 3-wheeled EVs…
Chevrolet Volt Fire Solution Expected Soon, Coolant Leak May Be The Culprit
General Motors is moving closer to a solution for the fires that occurred in Volts after crash testing earlier this year. Fox News reported yesterday that, according to an unnamed source, fires sparking inside Chevrolet‘s lauded green car might be caused by coolant crystallizing on the car’s battery after a crash, leading to a short…
Smart For-Us Pickup Truck Concept Announced
If you were one of the unfortunate kids who never got a Power Wheels for your birthday, you might be in luck thanks to Smart. No it’s not a joke, though it is just a concept car. Smart sent out a press release today detailing its new For-Us pickup truck. With the most serious face…
Fiat Panda 2 Remains As Entry Level Model In Europe
You might find it strange, but in Europe when automakers release a new model, they don’t always retire the old one. That’s the case with Fiat‘s Panda 2, which will now run under the new “Panda Classic” title. Fiat debuted the new model at last September’s Geneva Motor Show, where it seemed likely the old…
