by Paul A. Eisenstein | Dec 7, 2010
Barely a year ago, even some of the most affluent, credit-worthy customers were being turned away when they applied for automotive loans – one reason new car sales slumped to a decades-low 8.6 million for 2009. But things are starting to turn in a positive direction,...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Dec 6, 2010
Say the word, “hybrid,” and you’re likely to respond with, “Toyota.” And for good reason, considering the maker accounts for 75% of the gas-electric vehicles currently on the road, primarily in the form of the Toyota Prius. But the Japanese maker’s luxury marque has...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Dec 6, 2010
Want to see if you can live with an electric vehicle? Your first step may be to check the fleet at your local Hertz rental office. The nation’s largest daily rental company is charging into the emerging battery car market, and plans to add the new Smart Electric...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Dec 6, 2010
Tata Technologies, a subsidiary of India’s Tata Group, plans to hire 400 engineers by the end of the year at its technical center near Detroit to help with engineering projects for car makers in North America. Dan Saad, Tata Technologies’ director of...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Dec 6, 2010
The increase in availability of “medical” marijuana only underscores the nation’s tolerance for drug use, whether for pharmaceutical or recreational applications. But that worries federal safety regulators who are finding drugs involved in a growing number of...
by Jim McCraw | Dec 6, 2010
You have to understand. This is Italy. This is not Paris or Frankfurt or Detroit or Chicago or LA. This is the Bologna Motor Show, and Bologna is in the center of Italy, home to Maserati, and close to Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Ducati, to name a few. Italy is the...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Dec 3, 2010
The innovative, if controversial Honda Element will be pulled from production at the end of the 2011 model-year, the Japanese maker has announced. Launched in 2002, as a 2003 model, the Element was an archetype of the boxy design niche that has gone from unique to...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Dec 3, 2010
Hoping to reduce inadvertent accidents when motorists back up – in particular, when driver can’t see children standing behind their vehicles, federal regulators are proposing new rear visibility standards that – for all intents – would likely require the use of...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Dec 3, 2010
With a new Camaro Convertible on the way, can a true performance version of Chevrolet’s pony car be far behind? For the fans who’ve been eagerly awaiting the return of the Camaro Z28 there appears to be good news, hints General Motors President Mark Reuss. In an...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Dec 3, 2010
They’re called “zero-emission vehicles,” but skeptics often question just how environmentally-friendly battery cars are, citing the fact that, at least in the U.S., a large share of our electric power comes from coal. Audi aims to modify skeptics, as it begins ramping...
by Henny Hemmes | Dec 3, 2010
One of the more storied models in the history of an iconic company recently made its return, the Porsche Speedster taking its bows at the Paris Motor Show. While purists might insist the new, 911-based model has little in common with the original 356 Speedster of...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Dec 2, 2010
The U.S. automotive market could recover faster than many had foreseen, analysts from IHS forecast Wednesday, with volumes likely to surge past the 17 million mark by mid-decade. A variety of factors, ranging from immigration to an upturn in the economy will likely...
