Even as General Motors readies their new Chevrolet Colorado mid-size pickup, Ford and Chrysler are hedging their bets that consumers won’t return to the floundering small truck market, and continue to opt for full-size pickups instead. General Motors has claimed that the new Colorado will do most of what a full-size truck can do with...
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Canadians should get ready to kiss the Chrysler Town and Country goodbye, as Chrysler seeks to trim its minivan lineup down to a single nameplate – but the opposite will be occurring in the United States, with the Dodge Caravan getting the axe, as the Caravan will now become the exclusive minivan sold by Chrysler...
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The BMW 5-Series ActiveHybrid will make its debut at this December’s Tokyo Auto Show, featuring BMW’s familiar twin-turbo I6 engine and an electric motor that will produce a total output of 340 horsepower. Backed by an 8-speed automatic, the car will be able to operate in pure electric mode up to 37 mph. The ActiveHybrid’s...
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Fiat will build Alfa Romeo vehicles in China starting in July, 2012, as part of a joint venture with local partner Guanhzhou Automobile Group Co Ltd. Company president Zeng Qinghong told Automotive News that “Besides the Fiat brand, after talks between the two shareholders, we will introduce the Alfa Romeo brand to the venture company.” No timetable...
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Despite recently weak sales, Nissan is adamant that the Cube “has found its place in the market” and will keep it in its lineup even though they haven’t mentioned a word about a next-generation model. When the Cube was first introduced in 2009, it sold 21,000 units while 2010 followed up with 23,000 units. For...
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Consumer Reports has made allegations against Volkswagen that the company provided press vehicles that were built to a higher standard than versions sold to consumers. Stories of “ringer” press vehicles are legend in the automotive world – most recently, Ferrari was accused of providing press cars that performed far better than customer cars. Now, the venerable consumer...
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As to why, the company cites the traditional argument that small cars have thin profit margins, especially when they have to be imported, as VW would have to do with the Up! and Polo, at least in the short term.
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The electric mobility pod from Chevrolet called EN-V will be shown in its latest form at the Tokyo Motor Show from Nov. 30 to Dec. 11. The EN-V, which stands for Electric Networked – Vehicle, made its world debut in 2010 at the World Expo Shanghai, and is designed to solve congestion in heavily populated...
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Are you frustrated with your car’s nav system? Join the club – a new study out by J.D. Power and Associates Reports says that drivers are annoyed with their navigation systems. Consumers are reporting that they are becoming increasingly frustrated with their in-car navigation and infotainment systems. The problem seems to be complexity of these...
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During a recent statement, Girsky said that “in order to fully leverage [Opel’s] potential we will continue to work on optimizing the cost structure, improve margins and make use of economies of scale within the group.”
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In the case of the latter, Audi’s US President, Johann De Nysschen says that the pushing back the A6 and A8 Hybrids was largely done to “minimize complexity” in the lineup, since Audi is already planning to introduce a Q5 Hybrid for 2012.
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A Cadillac diesel? It could happen. Or should we say, happen again. In a recent interview at the launch of the brand’s new XTS flagship sedan (above) at the LA Auto Show, Caddy marketing boss Don Butler admitted that a diesel-powered Cadillac is a possibility. Butler highlighted the torque, as well as the high mixture...
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Is it OK to love one of your kids more than the others? If you work for Jeep the answer is a resounding yes. After the launch of the Grand Cherokee SRT8, brand enthusiasts might like to see other SRT-badge models, but they won’t. The same goes for the upcoming diesel version, which only recently...
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Subaru has the Legacy and Outback and now Volkswagen has the Passat and the Passat Alltrack. Essentially a high-riding version of the Passat wagon (“Estate”) offered in Europe, the car will make its official debut next week at the Tokyo Motor Show. Along with flared fenders, a stainless steel-look front bumper garnish and some matte-chrome...
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Fiat could blame American consumer sentiment. They could also blame J.Lo’s advertising debacle. Or perhaps, the fault lies with the car. Whatever the case may be, sales numbers for the 2012 Fiat 500 are disappointing. According to Automotive News, Fiat’s re-introduction into the United States reports will fall significantly short of its 50,000 unit sales...
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Chrysler is getting some Italian style thanks to former Ferrari designer Lorenzo Ramaciotti, 63, who will now be lending a hand at Chrysler and Lancia. Ramciotti was lured out of retirement to head up the project, which aims for a common design language for the two brands. “We are trying to find an international language, which...
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The Volkswagen up! is now offering an incredible promo exclusively in Germany. According to Auto Express, a new VW up!, carrying a 10,000 Euro MSRP, can be leased for a mere 95 Euros a month. There are no strings attached either. There is no initial deposit necessary. Nor are there additional road tax, servicing, roadside...
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With Italy as one of its main markets, it’s no surprise that the Fiat Group would bring a huge collection of new and special edition models to the Bologna Motor Show. This year, the Fiat Group will headline the local auto show with a new 2012 Fiat Sedici model, a Fiat 500 Nation Limited Edition,...
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Mansory’s extravagant creations are becoming more hit-or-miss in terms of success, but thankfully their rendition of Audi’s R8 Spyder is tolerable if not elegant. Known to sometimes go over the top, we’re surprised by the subtle approach Mansory took with Audi’s exotic convertible supercar. Of course carbon fiber is incorporated, featured on the new front...
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Often overlooked in complicated car projects and builds is the handling aspect of the finished product. Sure, you can squeeze a huge powerplant into any chassis and give it eye-popping performance numbers, but if the car can’t even make a left turn, what’s the point? Nissan’s Juke-R project has captured the attention of every car...
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Mercedes-Benz promises that we’ll see the next-generation SL in all its glory before the year is over, and more details have been released as they work towards their goal. The revamped SL roadster will feature a body shell made of 89-percent aluminum, making it almost 310-lbs lighter than its predecessor. In addition to the lightweight...
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Alabama’s touchy immigration laws resulted in the arrest of a Mercedes-Benz executive who remains unnamed at this time. The Associated Press revealed that the German executive was stopped when driving a rental car that did not have tags and was then arrested and brought to police headquarters when he failed to provide the Alabama police officer...
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The California Department of Motor Vehicles slapped Chrysler this month to the tune of $955,000 in fines. “We hope other manufacturers will see what happened in this case and think twice about doing something similar,” said Brian Moss, director of government affairs for the California New Car Dealers Association, in an interview with Automotive News. The...
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Bargain hunters, start your engines. The countdown to Black Friday is on, and if you’re in the market for a new car, you could score yourself a great deal on this sale-tastic holiday. There are a host of 2011 and 2012 vehicle models that are offering 15 to 20 percent off the manufacturers’ suggested retail...
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