by Paul A. Eisenstein | Feb 18, 2011
After dithering for years over the future of Smart, Daimler AG is about to take a make-it-or-break it gamble on the long-struggling brand. In a surprise move, the German maker – which also builds the high-line Mercedes-Benz brand, announced it would pull Smart’s U.S....
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Feb 18, 2011
Chevrolet is about to become the next automaker to take aim at Ford Motor Co.’s well-reviewed Sync infotainment system. The new Chevy MyLink will go into production on several 2012 models and expand from there, the maker says, offering an array of voice-activated...
by Joseph Szczesny | Feb 18, 2011
Despite major league improvements in earnings during 2010, analysts fear Daimler AG’s turnaround is looking ragged around the edges. Analysts fear the company’s newly-announced earnings before interest and taxes fell well short of expectations and Daimler’s ability to...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Feb 18, 2011
A group of 64 former Chrysler dealers, terminated as part of the maker’s government-funded bailout, have sued the federal government for what they claim was the unjust taking of their businesses. The White House auto czar originally approved plans to slash thousands...
by Bryan Laviolette | Feb 18, 2011
Add Audi to the growing list of automakers that are exploring carbon fiber to help improve fuel economy and emissions. But interestingly, two other marquees within the extensive Volkswagen empire are already working on their own separate carbon fiber projects....
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Feb 17, 2011
While domestic automakers may be talking about increasing their automotive exports, BMW is practicing what it preaches. The maker, which recently focused on its U.S. manufacturing base in a Super Bowl commercial, was once again the biggest exporter of automobiles to...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Feb 17, 2011
Sure, folks are used to losing their shirts along the Strip, in Las Vegas. But that’s what you risk when you walk into a casino. But you’re also risking your car, it seems. The neon-hued city has one of the worst neighborhoods in country when it comes to car thefts,...
by Joseph Szczesny | Feb 17, 2011
If you didn’t know it, China is awfully important to General Motors. GM chairman and chief executive officer Daniel Akerson traveled to the booming Asian nation, this week, and emphasized that China remains critical to GM’s future – and will continue to...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Feb 17, 2011
For decades, Ford’s aging Crown Victoria has had a virtual lock on the hack business in the Big Apple. Sure, there’ve been the odd Honda Odyssey vans, Toyota Prius hybrids and even a few Ford Escape SUVs, but the Crown Vic has usually been the cab driver’s car of...
by Bryan Laviolette | Feb 17, 2011
The minivan wars are on. All of the major players are either making major updates to their boxes or introducing completely new models. The timing could be a good right to push minivans. With the possibility of rising fuel prices on the horizon, many car buyers will be...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Feb 17, 2011
He’s back. Or, at least, Bob Lutz may be soon. Long past the age when most old auto execs – and soldiers – fade away, the 79-year-old one-time Marine pilot and former General Motors Vice Chairman is reportedly being wooed to return to the automaker, though in a...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Feb 16, 2011
Who says it’s the year of the electric vehicle? That was so, well, January. Anyone who attended the recent Chicago Auto Show knows the spotlight has shifted to performance, with the Windy City preview of the Dodge Charger SRT8 and Camaro ZL1. For someone with the...
