by Tim Healey | Jan 10, 2011
Not satisfied with one small, sporty coupe, Hyundai has brought the Veloster to production to sit in the stable alongside the Genesis Coupe. That doesn’t mean the Veloster is a spiritual sibling to the Gen Coupe. Far from it. The Gen Coupe is a rear-drive track...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Jan 10, 2011
If you ask where the Toyota Prius is at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show don’t be surprised if the response is, “Which one?” Already the world’s best-selling hybrid-electric vehicle, Toyota plans to turn Prius into an even bigger presence, it confirmed Monday, by adding a...
by Bryan Laviolette | Jan 10, 2011
Criticisms of MyFordTouch and MyLincolnTouch, Ford’s revolutionary new graphical interface for Sync, could be solved by providing additional training, a Lincoln marketing executive said Sunday. C.J. O’Donnell, group marketing manager for Lincoln, said that...
by Bryan Laviolette | Jan 10, 2011
Don’t think for a moment that Honda is ready to give up any ground in a compact market that it has dominated with the Civic, one of its two bread-and-butter products. On Monday at the Detroit auto show, John Mendel, Honda’s executive vice president for...
by Bryan Laviolette | Jan 10, 2011
Volkswagen is making a $4 billion bet that building its new Passat in the U.S. will help the automaker drive its sales up to 800,000 per year in the U.S. market. But it will also be a boost to the U.S. economy. VW’s Ulrich Hackenberg said as the drapes were...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Jan 10, 2011
With some experts now forecasting gas prices of $5 a gallon in the not-too-distant future, the spotlight is shining ever brighter on electric propulsion. But there’ll be a number of different “flavors” of battery power suggests Ford’s global product development...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Jan 10, 2011
While you won’t see the new Ford Vertek concept vehicle roll into your local showroom anytime soon, it’s more than the typical fantasy-in-chrome show car. The prototype, making its debut at the Detroit Auto Show, this morning, is “a not so subtle hint at where we’re...
by Bryan Laviolette | Jan 10, 2011
For the 2010 Detroit auto show, Chrysler’s stand was little more than an Dodge Ram mounted upside-down to the ceiling and journalists following CEO Sergio Marchionne around the sparse display. The automaker’s display at the 2011 North American...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Jan 10, 2011
It was a virtual slam dunk for the two winners in this year’s North American Car and Truck of the Year balloting, both of which handily outscored their otherwise well-received competitors for the coveted trophies. Chevrolet Volt overwhelmed both the Hyundai Sonata and...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Jan 10, 2011
The mystery is over. While most makers have been providing clues – sometimes even complete dossiers – on the products they planned to launch at this year’s North American International Auto Show, Porsche kept everyone guessing until the coffee was boiling at their...
by Bryan Laviolette | Jan 10, 2011
An expert in “mesh” companies says the auto industry can help the fledgling share car industry by making share-ready cars. Lisa Gansky spoke at TED@MotorCity Sunday at the Max Fisher Music Center in Detroit. The talk was sponsored by Lincoln. TED is a series of talks...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Jan 10, 2011
For the first time in 17 years, Mercedes-Benz will put an oil burner into the flagship S-Class line-up. And to enhance the appeal, the 2012 Mercedes S350 BlueTec will come with the German maker’s all-wheel-drive 4Matic system. The return of the diesel suggests that...
