Chrysler will have a short 2011 model year, as its revamped efforts for this year haven’t even finished arriving, while ordering for the 2012 model year cars will begin in just over a month. After its 2009 bankruptcy, Chrysler doubled down to bring out a slate of revised products for 2011. A total of 16...
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With its Lincoln luxury brand currently facing tumultuous times, parent company Ford has created a new internal division to help bring Lincoln back up to speed, after a period where the brand lacked resources needed to compete. Ford has set aside a staff of 85 to help work on various aspects of the Lincoln brand,...
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Word was leaked yesterday about a Buick version of the Chevrolet Volt being developed by GM. The vehicle would be a more luxurious version of the already fairly upscale Volt, according to a report by Bloomberg. This would make a fourth nameplate to carry a very similar platform. Already in Germany, Opel is showing its...
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Fiat may currently own a 25-percent stake in Chrysler, but that’s not enough for them: by the end of the year, says Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne, the Italians will increase their stake to over 51% and own more than half of Chrysler. While not an outright merger (because Chrysler is probably pretty wary of those...
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Rumors of Holden vehicles, specifically the rear-drive Commodore, coming to the U.S. have always been a fixture of the automotive media, and with the Holden-based Pontiac G8’s demise a few years ago, some of them have seemed to be more wishful thinking than anything of substance. General Motors is bringing back the larger Holden Statesman...
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The last V6-powered Ford F-150 was sold to the public in 2008, and only 11% of sales were made up of the smaller-engined trucks. Three years later, and Ford’s gamble to offer not one but two V6s in America’s best-selling vehicle seems to be paying dividends, with 35% of F-150’s sold coming with either the...
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Determined to make sure the launch of their new 2012 Focus is flawless, Ford is road testing the first examples of the new Focus for 30 miles, an unprecedented length for a mainstream car. Ford will take a Focus from its Wayne assembly plant to a Dearborn test track for evaluation, and then a further...
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Jeep is launching an ambitious campaign in Europe to boost sales eight-fold by 2014, with a new premium small SUV helping to lead the way. The next generation Jeep Compass is expected to debut around 2014, and will be based on the same platform as the Alfa Romeo Giulietta, and the Compass will also share...
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A Japanese factory that makes batteries for the Chevrolet Volt is back online today after being temporarily shut down since the March 11th earthquake. Hitachi Automotive operates the three plants, one of which produces batteries for the Volt. GM has apparently ordered 100,000 battery packs for the Volt. The other two produce various vehicle components,...
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Taking shots at your competitors is nothing new in the advertising world, but North Americans generally see the kind of gentle ribbing that comes from restrictive libel laws and the preference for subtlety over braggadocio. Not so in Brazil, where Nissan ran a campaign for their Tiida small car (aka the Versa on our shores)...
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What’s one simple way to extend range on the next-gen Fisker gasoline-electric powered car? Cut pork from the gasoline-engine side of the equation by using a lighter-weight, three- or four-cylinder engine. According to information leaked by very knowledgeable sources, Fisker is weighing the feasibility of a dedicated range-extended engine after the current crop of Karma models...
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Ford is asking dealers to curtail orders of three shades of red paint, and one hue called “Tuxedo Black” due to difficulties sourcing metallic elements needed for the paint. The element, which is produced by a Japanese supplier, is unable to be produced to due damage resulting from the natural disasters that occurred in the...
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Cadillac is back with their web series highlighting the CTS-V Race Car and its quest for victory in the World Challenge series. We’ve already brought you the first 3 episodes and now we have the 4th installment ready to go. This episode shows the team gearing up for its first real race, and we’re about...
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British radio personality Tim Westwood may have bought a Cadillac Escalade, but the brand has had inconsequential sales throughout Europe for its entire life. Even GM’s poor attempt at a Euro-friendly Caddy, the ill-fated BLS sedan. The misfortunes of Cadillac hasn’t stopped GM CEO Dan Akerson, who was quoted by Autocar as saying “The only thing you...
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With the Chevrolet Cobalt SS being a critical (if not commercial) success, General Motors has been pushing for an SS version of their new Chevrolet Cruze small car, and the program looks like it’s a go, with much of the work being done by their Australian Holden division. While details are still preliminary, a more...
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It wasn’t exactly a secret. With Thailand being one of the most popular single markets for small and mid-size pickups – the biggest in the world according to GM’s Susan Docherty, it’s hardly surprising the General chose the Bangkok Auto Show to reveal its global Ford Ranger competitor, the Chevrolet Colorado. However, the actual truck...
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With the New York Times erecting a “pay wall” around their online section, many web enthusiasts are crying foul at the venerable paper’s decision to abandon the online modus operandi of making information free. But 200,000 of the Times’ best customers will be eligible for free access (worth about $150) thanks to Lincoln, which is...
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Ford‘s strategy involving smaller cars priced at a premium will become even more important if gasoline rises beyond $4 gallon, said Ford of the Americans President Mark Fields. “There is a natural kind of water level that if a gallon of gas goes over, that may shift the market mentality,” Fields told Automotive News. “When it...
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General Motors Shreveport, Louisiana factory that builds the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon will face a production halt until March 21st due to supply chain issues stemming from Japan’s natural disasters. GM hasn’t specified which part is causing the stoppage, but both trucks feature a manual transmission made by Japanese firm Aisin. GM apparently has...
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The Saturn Vue is back, but you won’t be able to buy one. That’s because the Chevrolet Captiva Sport, essentially a rebadged Vue, will only be available to fleet customers. With either a 2.4L Ecotec 4-cylinder or a 3.0L direct injection V6, the Captiva will offer an adequate powertrain for all types of customers, but...
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For all the hype surrounding the Fiat 500, Ford‘s CEO, Alan Mulally, has become one of its most prominent detractors, condemning the car to failure before it’s even launched. Speaking to the Italian language magazine Panorama, Mulally remarked “I do not see large market in the U.S.A. for a smaller car than the Fiesta. Those that tried...
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Automotive News is reporting that the Chevrolet Corvette sales are on the rebound after being on a steady decline since 2006. At their peak 5 years ago, Chevrolet moved 36,518 Corvettes. By contrast, Chevrolet only sold 12,624 in 2010. The first two months of 2011 have seen a 13 percent sales increase compared to January...
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For all the dismissive attitudes surrounding GM CEO Dan Akerson, his latest machinations seem particularly astute, even if they don’t quite jibe with the tastes of “car guys”. For months, Akerson has been creating a contingency plan for when oil prices rise to $120 per barrel. Akerson is on record stating that “I don’t think...
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General Motors is recalling 10,179 Buick Lacrosse sedans and Cadillac SRX crossovers due to a fault defroster. The problem is actually a software glitch rather than a physical defect, but one that prevents the unit from properly clearing the windshield. Should the windshield fail to be clear, visibility problems could arise and result in a...
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