by Ken Zino | Mar 11, 2010
Ami Gadhia, the Policy Counsel for Consumers Union, vowed to make changes in the way the respected organization handles safety matters in prepared testimony today in front of a hearing by the House Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection. Consumer...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Mar 11, 2010
Though Toyota announced the recall of 2007 through early 2010 Prius sedans, back in October, to fix a problem with so-called “pedal entrapment,” the maker says it is still not ready to start making repairs to the hybrid. There is no set date, but “we’re hoping very...
by Ken Zino | Mar 11, 2010
Chevrolet is extending the Corvette lineup with a carbon fiber package on the 505 horsepower (377 kW) Z06 model. The lightweight limited edition of 500 sports cars includes black carbon fiber rockers, splitter and roof panel with the full-width body color spoiler. The...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Mar 11, 2010
You may have to take a number and wait if you walk into Continental Toyota, in Hodgkins, Illinois. After suffering a huge slump, last month, in the midst of the maker’s ongoing recall crisis, sales have taken off like a shot since Toyota rolled out some of its...
by Joseph Szczesny | Mar 10, 2010
The fate of the Hummer brand is now hanging by a slender thread after General Motors Corp. rejected eight separate offers for the brand and ordered employees working on Hummer to wind down the group’s operations. Until a few weeks ago, it looked like Hummer, one of...
by Ken Zino | Mar 10, 2010
A House Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection tomorrow will hold a hearing called, “NHTSA Oversight: The Road Ahead,” to examine the effectiveness of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in protecting you and your loved...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Mar 10, 2010
What was once among the world’s fastest-growing car markets has struggled to avert disaster in recent months. Now, Russian authorities hope to turn things around by borrowing an idea that’s worked in a number of other markets, including the U.S., throwing money at...
by Ken Zino | Mar 10, 2010
The Wall Street Journal started a media feeding frenzy yesterday when it reported, inaccurately, that Toyota plans to announce a new recall for the 2004-2009 Prius to attend to the potential risk for floor mat entrapment of accelerator pedals. Toyota told me “no...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Mar 10, 2010
Conventional wisdom has it that big trucks are an endangered species. If so, don’t tell it to Detroit makers, who’re unleashing an assortment of macho machines designed for those with serious towing and hauling needs. Coming a month after the Chicago Auto Show debut...
by Ken Zino | Mar 9, 2010
Last week, General Motors announced that it would triple the investment it was willing to make in its money-losing Opel/Vauxhall subsidiary from €600 million to €1.9 billion or ~$2.6 billion of the $5 billion needed to fix the company. Nick Reilly, CEO of...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Mar 9, 2010
Despite some well-publicized problems with the administration of last year’s so-called Cash for Clunkers program, the venture performed even better than anticipated, according to a new study that shows it brought significant incremental sales to a struggling U.S....
