American
Ford Focus Electric Gets Optional Rooftop Solar Panel Charging System
Electric cars not green enough for you? How about a solar powered car? Ford will be working with SunPower, an established solar provider, to build a solar energy system for the Focus electric vehicle that goes on sale later this year. Solar panels will be mounted on the car owner’s house or garage, to power…
Ford Focus Electric Full Launch Delayed
Ford is delaying the full launch of the 2012 electric Focus. Initially, the Focus EV was to be launched in 19 markets, including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Detroit and Seattle. However, plans have changed and the primary launch will be concentrated in California and New York. Ford’s electrified-vehicles marketing manager David Finnegan said, “For the…
2012 Ford F-150 Harley-Davidson: First Look
The Ford F-150 Harley-Davidson has been updated for 2012 with a new look and added features. On the outside, new design enhancements include unique bodyside graphics, 22-inch machined-aluminum wheels and a new exterior color choice – White Platinum Tri-Coat. The truck also features a bold front fascia and six-bar billet-style bright chrome grill. On the…
Ford FPV Falcon GT Black Gets Green Light For Production
Ford’s Australian high performance FPV division Black Concept sedan has been given the green light for production after their a concept version was unveiled last month at the 2011 Australian Auto Show. Following the excitement and positive feedback received at the show, the company decided to produce the car. The concept is based on FPV’s existing Falcon-based muscle sedan….
2012 Ford Edge Ecoboost Achieves 30 MPG Highway
Ford recently announced that the four-cylinder Ecoboost powered Edge achieves 21 mpg in the city and 30 mpg on the highway with the Ecoboost option, an improvement over the 3.5-liter V6 which gets 19 mpg city and 27 highway. The turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder produces 240-hp and 270 lb-ft of torque, down 45-hp from the V6 model,…
Chevrolet To Launch Spark Subcompact In First Half Of 2012
Today, General Motors confirmed that the Chevrolet Spark subcompact will be sold in the U.S. The Spark goes into production this month as the smallest car sold by Chevrolet. The General Motors executive director of North American production communications, Jason Laird, confirmed that the vehicle will launch between January to June 2012 as a 2013…
Dodge Durango Awarded Top Safety Pick From IIHS [Video]
The 2011 Dodge Durango was awarded the Top Safety Pick from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The SUV earned the award based on receiving a score of ‘good’ in front, side, rollover and rear crash tests. The Dodge Durango implements advances to offer 45 safety and security featuers aiding drivers in vulnerable situations as…
Batmobile Spotted In Pittsburgh While Filming “The Dark Knight Rises” [Video]
Fans of the Batman movies or car enthusiasts in general, may be interested to know that the Tumbler, which debuted in Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins, has been spotted prowling the streets of Pittsburgh. The latest addition to the franchise entitled ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ has yet to be completed, and the production crew for the…
Cadillac XTS Confirmed As Part of $117 Million Investment In Oshawa Assembly Plant
General Motors will invest $117 million in the Oshawa Assembly Plant in preparation to build the all-new Cadillac XTS. This move will also solidify 400 jobs on the company’s felixble assembly line. The XTS has been designed to compete against other large luxury cars, and production should begin in the first half of 2012. “This…
GM Posts $2.5 Billion Second Quater Profit
General Motors has announced a second quarter net income of $2.5 billion or $1.54 per fully diluted share. By comparison, GM’s Q2 2010 performance showed a net income of $1.3 billion or 85 cents per diluted share. Revenue has increased from $6.2 billion to 39.4 billion compared to the second quarter of 2010. Earnings before interest and…
Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne Hints At Stepping Down in 2016
Today, at the 2011 Management Briefing Seminars in Traverse City, Michigan, Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne hinted that he may step down from his position in the not-too-distant future. The 59-year old executive said Chrysler’s future plans will be “up to the guy after me, I think — after 2015, hopefully. Maybe a year later. Chrysler…
Imported From Detroit Project Launched With 8 Mile Style and Chrysler [Video]
The famous ‘Imported from Detroit’ Super Bolw ad staring rapper Eminem featuring the new Chrysler 200 was very successful for the automaker, and Chrysler is hoping to further this with yet another musical tie-in. Building on this success, the Chrysler brand and Eight Mile Style, a Detroit-based publisher of Eminem compositions, have partnered to release a…
Chrysler Announces 20 Percent U.S Sales Increase In July 2011
Chrysler, announced today that the American automaker has seen a 20 percent increase in sales this July (112,026 units sold) compared to the numbers of July 2010 (93,313 units sold). Jeep contributed to the 20 percent July sales uncrease with the 2011 Jeep Wrangler, which set an all-time sales record and the 2011 Jeep Compass which experienced…
NHSTA Furthers Ford Fusion Investigation
The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration has upgraded their investigation into consumer complaints that the 2010 Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan vehicles are affected by wheel stud fractures that cause the wheels to come off. The initial investigation of 317,315 Ford mid-sized sedans has been upgraded to an engineering analysis after more than 29 complaints and…
Fiat 500 Mopar Accessory Line
‘Today, it was announced that Mopar will be offering more than 150 accessories including key covers, graphics, body kits, bike carriers, roof racks and seat covers for the new 2012 Fiat 500. Prices will range from $21 for a locking gas cap to $1,400 for a body kit. “The FIAT 500 is one of the…
Ford Explorer Gains 4-Cylinder EcoBoost Engine, 28 MPG Rating
Ford is about to launch an EcoBoost powered Explorer SUV. The new EcoBoost engine is a 2.0-liter four-cylinder, with direct injection and a turbocharger and returns 20 mpg in the city and 28 mpg highway. The Ecoboost option will be limited to the front-wheel drive model only and have a maximum towing capacity of 2,000…
Chevrolet Volt Production Boosted To 5,000 Units Per Month
General Motors is trailing Nissan in electric car sales, prompting the the American automaker to boost output on Chevrolet Volt to 5,000 units a month as the automaker tries to take the lead. Nissan sold 3,875 Leaf units in June while GM followed behind with 2,745 vehicle sales. Tony Posawatz, vehicle line director for the…
Infiniti Donates Powerful QX56 Engine For Luxury Boat Project
Infiniti has embarked on a one-off project, donating a 5.6-liter 400-hp engine from the full-size Qx56, to help students from a local community college build a luxurious boat. Infiniti engineers are working with a team of automotive technical training program students from Tennessee Technical Center-Nashville and Nashville State Community College on the project. The…
Chrysler May Offer High-Performance Supercharger Package For LX-based SRT Models
Chrysler is cranking up the heat when it comes to SRT raw power. Chrysler is said to be looking at offering a supercharger package for its LX-based SRT products that could produce as much as 570-hp. Chrysler has been developing an Eaton-sourced supercharger package that will boost power for the 6.4-liter HEMI V8 from 470-hp…
2012 Cadillac SRX Gets Boost In Power, Priced at $36,060
GM has announced the pricing details for the 2012 Cadillac SRX and the crossover will get a new, more powerful engine. Pricing for the 2012 SRX will start at $36,060, including a destination charge of $875 and the model adopts a new 3.6-liter V6 producing 308-hp. The SRX will be get an improved six-speed automatic…
Hennessey Builds 1000-hp Cadillac CTS-V Coupe
Hennessey, the famous Texas tuner of Corvettes has just created the Frankenstein of Cadillacs. It’s called the V1000, and the 1000 stands for 1000-hp. The twin-turbo CTS-V Coupe is fitted with a 427 cubic-inch LS V8 featuring upgraded internals like forged low compression pistons, forged steel connecting rods, forged steel crank and ARP main studs and head…
GM Has Plans To Expand Compact Car Lineup
GM may decide to expand its compact car segment with a coupe version of the 2012 Verano sedan that will launch this fall. The Verano coupe has not been given the green light, though it would be an Opel Astra GTC with Buick style accents. Issues regarding the Verano coupe include how to insert a…
Four-Cylinder Engines Selling Better Than Sixes In America
American consumers are buying more four-cylinder vehicles than ever before. According to research by IHS Automotive, 43 percent of all new cars delivered in the U.S in the first half of 2011, were powered by four-cylinders. In 2005, 43 percent of all new cars in the U.S were powered by sixes. The remaining 57 percent…
GM May Add 8-Speed Automatic, Turbo Engine To 2014 Full-Size Trucks
With fuel economy being one of the for most issues for the entire auto industry, GM may plan to add eight-speed automatic transmissions and turbocharged engines to its next generation of full-size trucks. There has been no official word from GM concerning the powertrain decision to replace the outdated GMT900 full-size pickups and SUVs, but there is reason…
