by Joseph Szczesny | Nov 30, 2010
Even as it confirms plans to add another 1,000 jobs to boost its battery car program, General Motors said it is contemplating whether to expand production of the new Chevrolet Volt. GM CEO Dan Akerson, while stopping short of saying the Volt will be a runaway hit,...
by Joseph Szczesny | Nov 30, 2010
General Motors considers the initial public offering of its new stock a great success after raising an all-time record $23.7 billion for its principal shareholders and the company itself, said CEO Dan Akerson during his first public appearance since the IPO was...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Nov 30, 2010
The big number recalls continue at Toyota, more than a year after the maker announced the first safety campaign caused by runaway vehicles. The latest action involves 650,000 of Toyota’s third-generation Prius hybrid due to a defective coolant pump that can cause the...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Nov 30, 2010
While some folks routinely give old clothes to charity, those worn jeans and torn sweaters are far more likely to end up in the landfill. But Ford Motor Co. has found yet another, better use for those old bell bottoms. With the debut of the 2012 Focus, cotton from...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Nov 30, 2010
Cadillac will make its return as a high-profile sponsor of professional golf, next year, and aims to bring a PGA tournament event back to Detroit, the maker announced. The move underscores a broader strategy by General Motors to resume its long-time role as a major...
by Bryan Laviolette | Nov 30, 2010
Government assistance to General Motors and Chrysler enabled orderly bankruptcy proceedings and led to the saving of more than 1.14 million jobs in 2009 alone, according to a recently released study by an automotive think tank. The study, by the Ann Arbor-based Center...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Nov 29, 2010
After watching its top battery car competitor, the Chevrolet Volt, snag several key endorsements, the 2011 Nissan Leaf has landed a big one of its own. The compact battery-electric vehicle, or BEV, has been named European Car of the Year, overcoming tough competition...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Nov 29, 2010
It spent years at the top of the SUV sales charts before crashing, ignominiously, in the wake of a safety scare. But even before the completely redesigned 2011 Ford Explorer actually rolls into showrooms it’s showing strong signs of success. With the new...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Nov 29, 2010
In the midst of a major new product roll-out, Bentley is about to undergo a major shake-up in its management team, as well. Long-time CEO Franz-Josef Paefgen will retire, with Wolfgang Durheimer slotted in as his replacement next February. The executive shift comes as...
by Denise McCluggage | Nov 29, 2010
Odd though it may seem, I am smitten with the Ford Transit Connect. First, there’s the name. Two words with individual meanings that seem rather specific. “Transit:” getting from one place to another. And “connect:” hooking up, joining. But together they seem like one...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Nov 29, 2010
The underwriters of General Motors’ recent IPO have exercised an option permitting them to sell another 71.7 million shares, a so-called “over-allotment” worth $2.37 billion. Along with another 13 million shares of convertible preferred stock, that brings the final...
by Joseph Szczesny | Nov 26, 2010
The U.S. Department of Energy is offering the Vehicle Production Group a $50 million conditional loan to support the development of a six-passenger, factory-built wheelchair accessible vehicle. The VPG vehicle would use compressed natural gas for fuel and be produced...
