Change Coming for Volvo – But How Much?

Change Coming for Volvo – But How Much?

Like a kid after Christmas, expect to see the Chinese automaker Geely “play” with its “new toy,” should its planned acquisition of Volvo Cars go through, said the Swedish maker’s top executive. New production operations in China, as well as a Asian design and...
Chrysler Recalls Numerous Models for Bad Brakes

Chrysler Recalls Numerous Models for Bad Brakes

Chrysler is recalling more than 24,000 Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep vehicles from the last two model years for possible brake failures. The cars and trucks may have been built with an improperly formed clip that holds a rod to the brake booster. In some cases, the clip...
Book Review: Detroit Area Test Tracks

Book Review: Detroit Area Test Tracks

The move from street testing to dedicated facilities for automobiles took place in the early decades of the last century. Because of what could be the first recall in the industry – copper cooled Chevrolets without radiators in 1923 – General Motors established its...
Teamsters Use Ku Klux Klan Act to Protest at NAIAS

Teamsters Use Ku Klux Klan Act to Protest at NAIAS

More than 300 members of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters demonstrated in Detroit today and marched in a mock funeral procession to the North American International Auto Show at Cobo Center. It was part of an ongoing series of protests against Fiat for using...
GM Pumps Another $1 Billion into Loss Making Opel

GM Pumps Another $1 Billion into Loss Making Opel

The Adam Opel GmbH Supervisory Board today formally appointed GM Europe President Nick Reilly as CEO responsible for all Opel/Vauxhall activities worldwide, a post he assumed back in November. Hans Demant, is no longer Managing Director of Adam Opel GmbH and GM Europe...
Tata Nano Coming…Someday…Maybe

Tata Nano Coming…Someday…Maybe

The little Indian car that has made big headlines around the world showed up in Detroit this week, but only in prototype form.  Executives from Tata Technologies said they were not quite sure when a production version of the $2,500 Nano would be heading for U.S....
First Look: Renault Kangoo TomTom

First Look: Renault Kangoo TomTom

Renault has just introduced a new TomTom Edition in Europe of its wildly popular Kangoo. It is the fifth special edition of the 2010 Kangoo range, which includes existing Access, Authentique, Expression and Privilège versions. In France, Kangoo is the best-selling...
Marchionne Takes Fire

Marchionne Takes Fire

It’s not always easy keeping people happy when you’re running a car company.  For Sergio Marchionne, who heads both the Italian automaker, Fiat, as well as the troubled American car company, Chrysler, it adds up to double-trouble. The biggest issue, for the moment, is...
First Look: 2010 Camaro Synergy Special Edition

First Look: 2010 Camaro Synergy Special Edition

Chevrolet will offer a Camaro Synergy Special Edition in “limited quantities” starting next month and continuing through May — limited no doubt by the number they can build for one of the hottest cars on  the market. Synergy Special Edition, starting at $26,790,...
Marty’s Marketing Minutia

Marty’s Marketing Minutia

Committee being formed: Auto Anti Defamation League Though not as damaging as the auto execs appearance, “the four bankers of the apocalypse” (as they were called by the NYT) appearance before the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission, were publically castigated,...
Auto Show Green Hype Versus Web Search Reality

Auto Show Green Hype Versus Web Search Reality

As the press days fade from memory and actual buyers are allowed onto the show floor at Cobo Hall for the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, the latest data show that people could care less about the green machines that were universally hyped by...