Chrysler is preparing to pay back $6.6 billion on government loans, but the company will do so not from its own cash but by re-financing existing debt. Current terms of the government loans have Chrysler paying 12 percent interest per year. While Chrysler would not be out of debt, they would theoretically free themselves from...
Continue Reading...
We’ve all needed a tow one time or another, and for those who like off-roading, it seems to be inevitable. One unlucky Chevrolet Silverado owner found himself stuck in some not-too-deep mud, and the vehicle that was up for the job was none other than a Subaru Legacy GT, a family sedan with a pretty...
Continue Reading...
Volvo CEO Stefan Jacoby has announced that their plans for a flagship sedan to compete with the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and BMW 7-Series have been put on hold, and may be dead altogether. “It is not in our midterm or long-term strategy right now,” CEO Stefan Jacoby said at last week’s Shanghai Auto Show. “That has...
Continue Reading...
Arizona officials say a 21 year old motorist survived a 200 foot drop after his car plummeted into the Grand Canyon. The driver in question claims it was an accident and was treated for non-life threatening injuries, and was able to remove himself from the car and ascend the 200 feet to seek help. No...
Continue Reading...
Volkswagen is looking to add an entry-level brand for the Chinese market as a means of stabilizing its lead in the Chinese marketplace. “We are currently evaluating with our partner First Auto Works whether we need to add a domestic brand to enter the low-cost portion of the Chinese market,” Soh Weiming, executive VP for Volkswagen’s...
Continue Reading...
Rolls- Royce is expecting a massive sales increase in the second quarter of this year, thanks to increased demand spurred by their “cheaper” Ghost model, which retails for a mere $246,500. The introduction of the Ghost in 2010 helped sales jump 167 percent, spurred by enormous growth in China. The brand expects to open 11...
Continue Reading...
Mapping out electric car charging stations onto an open source format like Google Maps seems like something totally self-evident, but the Department of Energy and Google are undertaking an official initiative to overlay EV charge points onto of a mapping application. The project will be known as the GeoEVSE forum, and comprise of a database...
Continue Reading...
Toyota is voluntarily recalling 51,000 Tundra pick-up trucks regarding a defect that reportedly occurs in 0.05 percent of Tundras sold. A drive shaft component, known as the slip yoke, may have been casted incorrectly, leading to a possible part failure. Although no injuries or deaths have been reported, Toyota is notifying dealers to be on...
Continue Reading...
Saab’s attempt at selling off assets to a Russian financial magnate Vladimir Antonov has stalled after the European Investment Bank told the Swedish auto maker to essentially find a new partner within a set time frame. The EIB and other parties have expressed concerns regarding Antonov’s reported Russian mafia connections. All parties involved are understandably...
Continue Reading...
Michael Waltrip is said to be racing at Le Mans this June, becoming the latest in a succession of stock car drivers to try their hand at the grueling 24 hour race. Together with Rob Kauffman and Rui Aguas, Waltrip will pilot a Ferrari for Italian outfit AF Corse. Waltrip will test the car at the...
Continue Reading...
Despite a 13 year hiatus from producing road-cars, McLaren is now planning on launching a new road-going vehicle every year, starting with the introduction of the new MP4-12C supercar. While timelines are still hazy, we do know that forthcoming products include an MP4 GT3, intended for international motorsports competitions, and an open roof MP4-12C. Beyond...
Continue Reading...
Although the Cadillac XTS sedan is an elegant and attractive looking sedan that should meet the needs of 95 percent of the brand’s customer base, Cadillac is still interested in a flagship vehicle built on a bespoke rear-drive platform, since executives feel that the front-drive underpinings of the XTS are not enough to compete with...
Continue Reading...
Nearly 5 months in to the calendar year, Lexus has admitted that it will not be able to sustain its lead in the luxury car sales race, due to tight supplies of vehicles and parts from Japan. With dealers down to a 30 day supply of cars (compared to a usual 60 or 90 day...
Continue Reading...
Mitsubishi is killing both its Endeavor crossover and Eclipse coupe and convertible due to slow sales, with both vehicles scheduled to die off in August. The Endeavor never found much love amongst car buyers, but the Eclipse has a long history in the performance car segment, even if its moved further away from its original...
Continue Reading...
Ferrari is aiming for global sales of 8,000 units within 8 years, unprecedented volumes for a sports car maker that has traditionally prided itself on exclusivity and the individual nature of their products. Sales of 6,800 to 7,000 Ferrari cars are expected this year, with the Japanese market being the deciding factor. Ferrari sells about...
Continue Reading...
Toyota‘s Vietnamese division has been left red-faced after obfuscating the seriousness of a recall for their export-market Innova minivan, with Toyota being forced to recall nearly 10 times as many vans as they initially claimed. Despite flaws the the braking system, wheel alignment bolts and the seats, Toyota claimed that only 8,830 cars would need...
Continue Reading...
NHTSA is investigating some 370,000 Jeep Liberty SUVs due to potential rust issues involving the lower control arms. NHTSA has recieved 9 complaints so far regarding rear control arm failure due to corrosion, with two of the incidents occurring at speeds greater than 50 mph. The Liberty has faced three previous recalls, in 2003 and 2006, totaling over 1 million...
Continue Reading...
General Motors is set to become the world’s largest automaker yet again, reclaiming the title from Toyota, whose operations have been hit hard by a production slowdown brought on by Japan’s natural disasters. With only a 30,000 vehicle gap in sales between the two companies at the end of 2010, GM should easily reclaim the...
Continue Reading...
The Chevrolet Sonic actually looks like a good vehicle, and not just in relative terms to the outgoing Aveo that it replaces. In a classic case of misplaced good intentions, Chevrolet decided to take things up a level with their Sonic Z-Spec package, that combines questionable visual patterns with the color palette of a Creamsicle....
Continue Reading...
The Mitsubishi i electric vehicle will start at $20,490 after a federal tax credit, coming in at nearly $5000 less than a Nissan Leaf. The $20,490 sticker price is for a base ES model, while the upgraded SE trim with an 8-speaker 360 watt stereo, leather wrapped steering wheel, 15″ alloys and fog lamps will...
Continue Reading...
Mazda confirmed that their previously unveiled Minagi concept will go into production as the Mazda CX-5, a small crossover intended to slot beneath their mid-size CX-7 and full-size CX-9. The CX-5 will be the first Mazda vehicle to come with a full suite of SKYACTIV fuel-saving technologies, among them an all-new engine designed for maximum...
Continue Reading...
The Chevrolet Volt won the World Green Car of the Year award at the 2011 New York Auto Show, beating out the Nissan Leaf and BMW 320d for the title. The World Car of the Year award is made up of 66 jurors from 25 countries, who are responsible for selecting the vehicles. This year,...
Continue Reading...
One of the worst kept secrets at the New York Auto Show belong to Jaguar, which unveiled their revised XF and XK luxury cars, including a 550 horsepower XK-RS. The XK-RS is billed as the fastest Jaguar ever, with a 550 horsepower version of the 5.0L supercharged V8. Jaguar hinted that their power rating was...
Continue Reading...
Subaru took the wraps off their new 2012 Impreza sedan and 5-door at the New York Auto Show, riding a wave of strong sales and revamped products designed to appeal more to American consumers. The Impreza, which has gotten less quirky over the years, looks downright generic in its newest incarnation, but underneath the skin,...
Continue Reading...
sidebar...
