Mar31
Mar30
Tax payers money at good work again! Who do you call when automobiles are rocketing (intentional pun) out of control? As it turns out, the answer is the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, aka NASA. The Los Angeles Times is reporting that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has enlisted the help of NASA to solve the unintended acceleration conundrum that's led to the recall of nearly 10 million Toyota vehicles. A statement by the DoT says it is calling on...
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Mazda Motor Corp. today took another step toward independent product development, agreeing to lease hybrid drivetrain technology from fellow Japanese automaker Toyota Motor Corp. instead of longtime U.S. partner Ford Motor Co. The deal gives Mazda access to the electric powertrain system used in the third-generation Toyota Prius, which was launched last year and is the world's most popular hybrid vehicle. Mazda Executive Vice President Masaharu Yamaki said the electric-gasoline...
Mar29
China's Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co. agreed to buy Volvo cars from Ford Motor Co. on Sunday for $1.8 billion, a landmark agreement designed to vault the Chinese company onto the global automotive stage. Geely's acquisition of the Swedish brand is the latest example of how China's economic rise is reshaping large swaths of global business, Its huge market and increasingly powerful companies are playing a growing role around the world in industries ranging from cars to natural...
At home cruising on fabled Pacific Coast Highway, the 2011 Ford Mustang carries on its tradition of being Detroit's fun, powerful and original pony car. But under the skin, it's a whole new beast. The new Mustang, in showrooms in about a month, is billed as the first mass-market car to deliver more than 300 horsepower with highway gas mileage better than 30 miles a gallon. The base 3.7-liter V-6 has more horsepower than a Lexus ES (305 vs. 272) yet better highway fuel economy than a...
Mar26
Michigan's attorney general on Wednesday subpoenaed Toyota Motor Corp.'s U.S. arm for information on recent safety recalls regarding unintended acceleration. "Michigan drivers concerned about the safety deserve answers from Toyota," said the attorney general, Mike Cox, in a statement issued by his office. The subpoena was filed under Michigan's consumer protection act
Chrysler Group, reversing an earlier stance, said today it will offer to reinstate 50 closed dealerships within the next few days. Letters of intent will be sent to 50 of the estimated 400 rejected dealerships that have applied to get their franchises back through arbitration, Chrysler said in a statement. They “are in locations that offer customer service benefits and will have limited adverse impact on the dealers within our current network,” Chrysler said.
Mar25
Spy shooters caught the 2011 Bentley Continental GT unwrapped for an all-too-brief moment, and managed to snap off a handful of shots before a VAG security team snatched their camera away and deleted all the images... save one. However, this singular shot proves Bentley is taking considerable pains to update the aging GT with some new sheetmetal, a noticeably revised fascia and a sloping roofline that terminates into a more sculpted hatch.
The Ram marketing campaign will combine ads that feature the truck's image along with the information about product attributes that dealers like, said Olivier Francois, Chrysler's head of marketing. The Ram also will be appearing at more than 30 regional events this spring and summer as part of a campaign to connect with customers. Diaz, who is also Chrysler Group's lead sales executive, said the company was committed to backing the truck with plenty of marketing muscle. .