There’s the Honda N-Box and the Daihatsu Pico, but nothing at this year’s Tokyo Motor Show can compare to the extreme levels of cuteness on display at the Suzuki booth. In total, Suzuki has presented three new concept cars, ranging from near-production to downright absurd. In the latter category is the Q Concept (above), which...
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Toyota is banking on its plug-in Prius hybrid and other new models to help bring their sales numbers back to pre-2008 status, where Toyota had no trouble grabbing the global sales crown each year. Currently Toyota is poised to lose that trophy to General Motors, undoubtedly due to the earthquake in March in Japan and...
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According to Advertising Age, a sister publication to Automotive News, Chevrolet‘s Cruze, Kia‘s Soul and Jeep‘s Wrangler are among America’s top 25 hottest products for 2011, alongside Dove soap, Arizona Tea, Goldfish crackers, Sharpie markers and the Forever 21 clothing chain. There’s no doubting those three vehicles’ success, but we’d be willing to debate that...
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The world’s least expensive car, the Tata Nano’s original purpose in design was to be a modern Ford Model-T, mobilizing millions of families in India. Despite the Nano’s noble intentions, only 1,200 examples were sold in the month of September when initial projections expected a rather optimistic 20,000 vehicles per month. A new approach may...
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Despite the NHTSA stating that Chevy Volt owners do not have a reason for concern, just yet, General Motors is providing loaner cars to any worried drivers during the investigation. GM will begin to contact every Volt owner in order to clarify their concerns and each owner should receive a letter within the next few...
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After announcing that the new Dodge compact won’t be called a Hornet, speculation began on what it will be named when it’s released. Even though it’s set to unveil at the upcoming Detroit Auto Show in January, Chrysler Group CEO Sergio Marchionne still isn’t hinting at what the new Dodge compact will be called, nor...
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While Chevrolet is readying a diesel version of their Cruze compact in 2013, an interesting tidbit of information leaked out regarding another gas-saving variant of the Cruze – a plug-in hybrid model. Australia’s GoAuto reports that the Cruze will be a traditional plug-in hybrid, where the engine and hybrid system work in tandem, rather than...
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Volkswagen is out testing the 7th generation Golf, as seen here in spy shots, and the new car looks like it will retain much of the current car’s styling, but get a lower, wider and more aggressive profile. For North America, expect the 2.0TDI diesel to carry over, but the base 2.5L 5-cylinder is out, to be...
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In recent years, the number of cars in Latin America homes has grown exponentially. To take advantage of this growing market, car companies are offering cheap models to attract more customers into their showrooms. Some of Latin America’s best selling cars pose high risks of life-threatening injuries and are considered to be two decades behind...
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Even though this generation’s Audi A1 won’t be making it to North America, Audi has admitted that they’re considering launching the next-generation to us Americans. Nonetheless we have another variation to maybe look forward to, a five-door Sportback version of the Audi A1. Priced at a little under $23,000 based on today’s conversion rates, the...
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While automakers and outside research firms publish sales figures and earnings reports on a regular basis, one metric we rarely get a glimpse of is how profitable each vehicle is. In an era of re-badging and platform sharing, one would think that the most profitable vehicles are those with a large number of derivatives to...
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As Chevrolet continues to expand its lineup into Europe, both the Malibu and Volt received top ratings in the European New Car Assessment crash tests. Both sedans got five stars in all categories and also made the Volt the first U.S.-branded electric car that’s rated with Euro NCAP’s top assessment. “The Chevy Volt will...
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Chrysler has issued a recall on Dodge Journey and Fiat 500 models produced between October 24th, 2011 and October 26th, 2011. Even though it’s such a narrow timeframe, 340 vehicles are impacted by the recall due to a faulty brake issue. The vehicles produced in the Chrysler’s Toluca, Mexico plant may have been assembled with...
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Renault is in development of an ultra low-cost vehicle, along the lines of the Tata Nano. While the Nano is currently suffering from some awful sales numbers (initial projection of 20,000 a month but only saw 1,200 units sold in September), CEO of Renault/Nissan Carlos Ghosn is convinced that an extremely affordable vehicle would...
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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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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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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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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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The world’s cheapest vehicle has just gotten a whole lot (little bit?) better, with Tata announcing a batch of upgrades for their economical Nano. The 624-cc engine now makes a ferocious 37.5-hp, giving it a max speed of 65-mph. In addition to the performance increase, the Nano also got its suspension reworked which included a...
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In celebrating the launch of Fiat’s 500 in America, Fiat has decided to release a special Nation Edition 500. The 500 Nation will be introduced at the upcoming Bologna Motor Show. This special edition Fiat 500 is very patriotic, sporting a Stars & Stripes graphics package with 16-inch wheels. It will also come in an...
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Spanish automotive manufacturer SEAT, one of Volkswagen’s mainstream brands will be attending the Guangzhou Auto Show in China and looks to expand into the Chinese market by opening 15 dealerships this year. SEAT announced that 12 of the 15 dealership agreements have already been signed and that the remaining three are in their final stages...
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German auto giant Volkswagen is already Europe’s largest auto manufacturer, but it won’t rest until it becomes the worlds largest producer of cars. To achieve its goals, it needs to do very well in America, a market where it hasn’t made a profit since 2003, despite moving 256,830 units in 2010. VW wants to sell...
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Rumors have been swirling for quite some time now that Laura Soave, arguably the person responsible for bringing Fiat back into the U.S. market, would be replaced as the head of the Fiat brand in North America. Well the news is official now, with a press release being sent out moments ago confirming Soave’s exit...
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