Saab’s partnership with Chinese automaker Hawtai could see the ill-fated Swedish luxury brand use its dealer network to sell cheap Chinese cars in America, with some priced at the magic $10,000 mark. “We laughed when the Japanese came,” Victor Muller, Saab’s chairman, told Automotive News. “We laughed when the Koreans came. But we will not...
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The first generation Chrysler 300 was famously described by comedian Katt Williams as “…a [Rolls Royce] Phantom…until a Phantom pull up next to you…”, and that ignominious distinction was no doubt fueled by the frequent addition of an aftermarket Bentley-esque egg-crate grille by some owners. Chrysler’s Mopar division is looking to capitalize on this trend by...
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Chrysler filed documents with the Security and Exchange Commission that revealed that parent company Fiat has a one year option to increase its stake in the American automaker to as much as 70 percent. The increase is contingent on Chrysler repaying its government loans, and the automaker will be issuing new debt in a bid to allow...
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Ferrari‘s complimentary service plan, already available in some world markets, will also be offered in the United States, on vehicles like the FF, 458 Italia and California. “We are currently working out the terms and details to adapt this plan to the U.S. market, which is the largest one for Ferrari,” said Enzo Francesconi, the...
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A group of 28 workers at General Motors’ Lordstown, Ohio plant are suing both GM and the UAW, claiming that they were wrongly classified as temporary workers, resulting in a 40 percent pay cut. The workers were hired in 2006, fired in 2007 and then re-hired 6 months later. The workers say they were classified...
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The Dacia Logan, intended to be sold in world markets as basic transportation, was never supposed to come to America, but somehow, 41 Dacia Logan station wagons found their way to Iowa, sans drivetrain. The fleet of Romanian-built compacts, engineered in collaboration with Renault, came without VINs as well, since the cars were intended to...
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Fashion designer Bijan Pakzad was famous for his Rodeo Drive boutique, which was dubbed “the most expensive store in the world”. While Bijan recently passed away from a stroke, his legacy will live on not only in the fashion world, but among automotive enthusiasts. Bijan was lucky enough to own a Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport,...
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Land Rover South Africa has taken the brand’s iconic Defender off-roader and converted one to run on fully electric power, with an 80 horsepower motor good for 63 miles of silent, emissions free driving at speeds of up to 37 mph. The Defender EV also retains a full four-wheel drive system despite its electric drivetrain....
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BMW‘s 1 Series is due for replacement next year, but so far BMW has only released a vague teaser of the car and its potential body styles. So far, observers seem to think that a 3-door and 5-door hatchback are set to be launched, at least in Europe. We’d expect that North America will get...
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MG Rover may have been able to retain much of its British character after being acquired by Chinese automaker SAIC, the company’s tie-in with General Motors may see the next generation MG Rover products use GM technologies, including platforms. The Roewe 750 sedan, formerly based on the Rover 75, may be based on the Epsilon...
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With the Nissan Leaf beginning to outsell the Chevrolet Volt, the competition between the two is heating up, and General Motors North America President Mark Reuss had some not-so-nice things to say about the car when asked for his thoughts. Reuss said that the Leaf was “…has a finite range and requires infrastructure and charging...
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Toyota Canada has cut its sales projections by a third and warned dealers that the supply of new vehicles is starting to be choked off as the company feels the effects of the March 11th earthquake that rocked northern Japan. While Toyota sent two memos to dealers regarding the revised sales forecast, the company refused...
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At the 32nd International Motor Symposium in Vienna, Austria, Volkswagen head honco Dr. Martin Winterkorn announced that the Volkswagen Group will launch a range of plug-in hybrids starting in 2013, calling electric vehicles the “task of the century” for the auto industry. Winterkorn didn’t specify which models would get a plug-in hybrid variant, and the move comes...
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Volkswagen gave us a first look at their Polo R WRC, a competition version of their Polo R hot hatch destined for the World Rally Championship. Powered by a 1.6L TSI four-cylinder engine, the all-wheel drive Polo R makes 296 horsepower thanks to turbocharging and direct injection. The usual competition modifications, like a rollcage, bucket...
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The MINI Countryman was originally offered with a 2+2 configuration that made it somewhat impractical for a significant portion of potential buyers, who need the fifth seat for whatever reason. MINI eventually decided to offer a fifth seat option in Europe, but has now decided that North Americans can have the option of a middle...
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A widespread outcry by race fans and Indianapolis residents has led to Donald Trump being given the boot from the Indy 500 pace car drivers seat. Trump was scheduled to drive a 2011 Chevrolet Camaro Convertible at this summer’s race. While Trump claimed earlier that he would not back down from the opportunity, race organizers...
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General Motors cruised to their fifth straight quarter in the black, announcing a gross profit of $3.2 billion, helped along by a sale of GM subsidiary Delphi for $1.6 billion in March. In a prepared statement, General Motors CEO Dan Akerson said “GM has delivered five consecutive profitable quarters, thanks to strong customer demand for...
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As a bachelor, Prince William was noted for his Audi S4 sedan, equipped with a 4.2L V8 and a stealthy grey paint job. But now that William is a married man, it might be time for something a bit tamer, and the Royal Family’s relationship with Audi means that the future King of England has...
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The upcoming Cadillac ATS is expected to slot below the mid-size CTS, and compete with upcoming compact luxury cars. In order to differentiate itself from the CTS, the ATS will get a series of smaller engines, with an Ecotec 4-cylinder or a small V6 (much like the high feature V6, seen above) among the possibilities....
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General Motors is investing $131 million into their Bowling Green, Kentucky factory to help improve the legendary plant that produces the Chevrolet Corvette, but a new car won’t show up for another two model years. Having made upgrades to the 2012 model, General Motors will focus on re-tooling the plant, while also adding 250 workers...
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Maserati‘s newest sedan, rumored to be a smaller model comparable to a BMW 5-Series in size, will be built in Italy, after a deal was struck between an Italian labor union and Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne. Workers at the factory, formerly managed by Bertone, agreed to longer shifts and shorter breaks in exchange for the...
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Volkswagen could barely sell one generation of the Passat here in the United States, but over in China, VW is selling no less than 4 different Passats, from the mid-1990’s B5 chassis car to the all-new, “Made for America” Passat that will be sold here. The New Passat, as the current car is dubbed, will...
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Saab is hitting the road in an effort to promote its new financial backers, but the road show will have to wait for approval from several authorities who must approve Saab’s transactions with China’s Hawtai Motor Group and Russian financier Vladimir Antonov. CEO Victor Muller will target major media events and car shows in an...
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The Ram Long Hauler concept is getting a fair amount of attention for its ability to travel 1,600 miles on a single tank of fuel, but you won’t have to wait for its Kentucky Derby debut on May 6th to see the rest of the truck. Surprisingly, the Long Hauler is quite opulent featuring tray...
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