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Ford’s Search For CEO Successor Is Underway
Ford is currently denying reports that an external CEO successor search is underway, but it appears that Ford Chairman Bill Ford Jr. discussed the possibility to “survey the external environment for potential candidates as a regular course of action.” We reported earlier that Four currently has four candidates internally to succeed Alan Mulally, Ford’s current…
Jeep Wrangler Nautic Concepts Debut At 2011 Paris Boat Show
w At the 2011 Paris Boat Show, Jeep decided to debut their collaboration with design studio Style & Design with two variants of their Wrangler Nautic Concepts. The two companies worked together to show off two different Wrangler Unlimited concepts, one white and one black. Both vehicles feature contrasting color-themed accessories, equipped with 20-inch wheels,…
2013 Dodge Dart Revealed With Alfa Romeo Underpinings
Dodge revealed teaser shots of their Dart compact car, designed to replace the wretched Caliber crossover, and so far it looks to be the first hit of Alfa Romeo-inspired product for North America. Using the underpinings of the lovely Alfa Giulietta compact, the Dart will use a 1.4L turbocharged Fiat MultiAir engine – good for…
Dozens of Worried Chevy Volt Owners Have Requested Buy Backs
Despite GM recanting their statement that they’d buy back Chevy Volts from concerned customers, a couple dozen have come forward requesting buy backs of their plug-in hybrids. The buy back statement originally came from GM CEO Dan Akerson, but GM’s PR department stepped in by backpedaling on that offer. Nonetheless, after receiving a couple dozen…
Honda To Increase Exports From North American Plants
In order to counter currency and geographical volatility, Honda announced the use of North American assembly facilities to produce vehicles for export. After experiencing earthquake, tsunami, and yen fluctuation, many Japanese automakers are discussing methods of minimizing the export output of domestic assembly plants and increasing product assembly overseas. Honda CEO Takanobu Ito tells Automotive…
J.D. Power Initial Quality Study Results Being Called Into Question
Car and Driver has published an article expressing its gripes with J.D. Power’s Initial Quality Study, stating that its results tell us less about a vehicle’s defects then we might think. J.D. Power’s IQS measures new-vehicle quality after 90-days of ownership and has done so since 1987, but the advent of more technologically advanced features…
GM Efforts Failed To Achieve Profitability For Opel
General Motor‘s European subsidiary, Opel has contributed greatly to GM’s engineering and technology development. Despite this, Opel has had difficulty making profit. GM Vice Chairman and Opel’s supervisory board chairman, Stephen Girsky explained to Financial Times Deutschland, “Unfortunately, our plan for making Opel profitable this year did not work.” Analysts suggest causes for Opel’s unprofitability include…
1969 Ford Mustang Boss 429 For Sale With Just 2,219-Miles
Up on eBay is an extremely rare 1969 Ford Mustang Boss 429, packing just 2,219-miles on the odometer with a starting bid of $185,000. The ’69 Boss 429 is one of just 858 made during a two-year production run. Powered by a 429-cubic inch NASCAR motor with 375-hp, this Boss 429 Mustang was made into…
Chinese Bank May Come To Saab’s Rescue
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Saab’s sob story saga might be coming to an end, though the information surrounding their pending acquisition is murky at best. Rumors swirled quickly around the media yesterday that the Bank of China, fourth-largest by market value had planned to acquire just under 50 percent of the company. Those reports are now being corrected— it’s a bank in…
Chevrolet Volt Battery Issues Growing, Safety Findings May Have Been Suppressed
Joan Claybrook, a former adminstrator at NHTSA believes part of the reason for the delay was the “fragility of Volt sales.” Yet she also believes that “NHTSA could have put out a consumer alert, not to tell them [customers] for six months makes no sense to me.”
Chevrolet Gives 3-Day Sonic Test Drive To People With Social Media Klout
Chevrolet is using social media as a “sampling source”, so if you’ve got some pull on social media hubs, you could be sampling the Chevy Sonic for three days. Working with Klout, a company that rates and ranks a person’s “social influence,” Chevrolet is trying out a new kind of sampling program for people with…
Buick LaCrosse GS Will Never Happen Says GM
That said, with the LaCrosse having already received more power for the 2012 model year, in the shape of the 303 hp LFX 3.6-liter bent six engine, perhaps the idea of a GS model with a turbo motor seems a bit superfluous, at least for the time being.
MIT Algorithm Can Predict Red Light Runners
Statistics gathered by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reveal that 700 of 7,000 traffic related fatalities in 2008 were caused by drivers that failed to stop at red traffic lights. What’s more, the red light offenders and the victims involved in the accident (whether passengers, pedestrians, or the driver of the other vehicle) share…
One-Off 1964 Pontiac Banshee Prototype For Sale [Video]
Originally proposed as a competitor to Ford‘s Mustang, the XP-833 project got two working prototypes, one a V8 convertible while the other was a coupe with a straight-six powerplant. The project was squashed in 1966, as GM’s brand-conscious boardroom wasn’t interested in producing the Banshee and both prototypes were ordered to be destroyed. But of…
Zipcar Launches Zipvan to Take On U-Haul
Zipcar’s growing success in the rental car business has encouraged the company to expand to cargo van rental services. Aiming its sights at van rental companies, U-Haul and Budget, Zipvan will have a pilot release in the San Francisco and Oakland area, beginning with a fleet of only six Ford E-150 vans in three San…
Aptera Motors Closes Its Doors, Three-Wheel EV Won’t Become Reality
Aptera’s visionary three-wheeled, two-seat electric vehicle will never become a reality as the company unfortunately announced that it closed its door effective December 2nd. The reasoning behind it – as it is often for many companies – was that Aptera ran out of resources. Paul Wilbur, President and CEO of Aptera Motors disclosed the company’s…
World’s Cleanest 1979 Camaro Z28 For Sale [Retro Resale]
You can stop rubbing your eyes. That’s not a computer generated 1979 Chevy Camaro Z28, that’s a real deal second generation F2 in immaculate, restored condition. To us, it’s not just the world’s cleanest 1979 Camaro Z28, but probably one of the cleanest cars we’ve ever laid eyes on. What’s probably more remarkable is its…
2013 Ford Mustang Cobra Jet Makes Its Debut
Ford officially announced its 2013 Mustang Cobra Jet at the 2011 Performance Racing Industry (PRI) show in Orlando, Florida, ready to roll into NHRA’s Stock and Super Stock classes and start dominating. The 2013 Cobra Jet will be limited to just 50 units and orders can be placed at a local Ford dealer where it’ll…
Toyota Sienna, Chevrolet Camaro Lead Sales In Respective Markets
With November vehicle sales numbers released, Toyota‘s Sienna still tops the minivan market, but Dodge‘s Caravan in closing in closely for the year while Honda‘s Odyssey and Chrysler‘s Town & Country are no real threat to take the 2011 sales lead. Chevy‘s Camaro however is at the top by a huge margin, compared to its…
Ford Increases US Production Based on Projected Sales
In fact, Ford predicts that its fourth quarter projections now show an increase in some 14,000 units, which means total production will hit around 674,000 cars and light trucks for Q4 2011.
UAW To Picket General Motors’ Orion Township Plant
UAW members are scheduled to picket outside General Motors’ Orion Township Plant today, where the Chevrolet Sonic and Buick Verano are built. Negotiations have stalled between the union and an in-house supplier owned by the Ambassador Bridge’s Moroun family. According to Pat Sweeney, president of Orion’s UAW Local 5960, current LINC Logistics employees make…
GM Is Willing To Buy Back Chevrolet Volt From Concerned Owners
General Motors is clearly taking the initiative in doing damage control with their Chevrolet Volt, first offering free loaners to Volt owners during the NHTSA investigation, and now offering to buy back Volts from any concerned owner. GM reassured that the cars are safe, but will have no reservations in purchasing back the vehicles. They…
Chevrolet Volt Won’t Reach Sales Target For 2011
GM set a lofty goal of selling 10,000 Chevrolet Volts in 2011 and has finally admitted that they won’t be able to hit their target sales mark this year and probably won’t be achieved until sometime in early 2012. Through the first 11 months of the year, Chevrolet has successfully moved 6,142 Volts while their…
Hennessey Venom GT Gets Convertible Version
The Hennessey Venom GT will get even cooler in 2013 with the option to go topless. The 1200 horsepower ultra-exclusive sports car will sell for a cool $1.1 million, $150,000 more than the coupe version. Even if you have the cash to swing one of these, you probably won’t be able to get one. Hennessey…
