by Paul A. Eisenstein | Nov 15, 2010
Opel has officially begun taking reservations for the 2011 Ampera, Europe’s first extended-range electric vehicle. The near-twin of the Chevrolet Volt, which is just going on sale in the U.S., the Opel E-REV will go for about $59,000, depending on the market. Opel is...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Nov 15, 2010
For years, U.S. automakers – as well as many of their import rivals – have aimed to emulate the success of the industry’s global sales leader, Toyota. But as Chrysler struggles to rebuild, in the wake of last year’s bankruptcy, it is targeting a very different...
by Jim McCraw | Nov 15, 2010
It’s been a busy year for the folks at Chrysler. Almost exactly a year ago, new CEO Sergio Marchionne outlined an aggressive plan to turn the once-bankrupt company around. And if anyone doubted him, the proof will soon start rolling into showrooms – starting with a...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Nov 15, 2010
With General Motors’ long-awaited IPO expected to take place in a matter of days, the once-bankrupt automaker will begin the process of selling off the 60.1% holdings of the U.S. Treasury, a stake that, among critics, has earned GM the sobriquet of “Government...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Nov 12, 2010
With its balance sheet back in the black, General Motors appears to be finding some significant ways to spend some of its newfound loot – like getting back into the premier IndyCar racing series. The maker’s global product operations chief said today that an all-new...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Nov 12, 2010
It didn’t take long for the digital cash registers to ring at Neiman-Marcus, the highline retailer selling out a special edition of the long-awaited Chevrolet Camaro Convertible in a matter of minutes. Now, however, it’s time for everyone else, and days ahead of the...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Nov 12, 2010
Chevrolet believes it has rolled out a secret weapon that could get it noticed in a segment of the market long overwhelmingly dominated by import rivals such as Honda and Toyota. The U.S. maker’s new Cruze Eco model, equipped with a manual transmission, has been rated...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Nov 11, 2010
It can be tough to be given the wrong name. But what’s the problem with being named Zoe? Nothing – at least not until a French automaker decided to use that name for one of its new models. Now, Renault is facing a legal challenge filed on behalf of two young girls...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Nov 11, 2010
Confirming CEO Jeffrey Immelt’s promise to convert half its sales and service fleet to battery power, General Electric says it will purchase 12,000 Chevrolet Volts and will acquire a total of 25,000 electric vehicles by 2015. While a growing number of fleet customers...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Nov 11, 2010
Looking for a little more excitement out of your new Ford Mustang Boss 302? It’s as simple as switching keys, the automaker has revealed. Owners of the 440-horsepower pony car will get two sets of keys, it turns out, the second being a special TracKey that does a few...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Nov 11, 2010
You might miss the little white van, hidden in the back of a nondescript warehouse in the Detroit suburb of Oak Park, but it could kick off a significant revolution in the years ahead. Later this month, the first 29 of those vans – or more precisely, those Transit...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Nov 11, 2010
Here’s a good look at Land Rover’s new 5-door Range Rover Evoque, a more functional take on the 3-door crossover that the British marque revealed at last month’s Paris Motor Show. You can check it out in the sheet metal, next week, when it makes its debut at the Los...
