by Bryan Laviolette | Mar 30, 2011
While some still hold out for huge buildup in auto sales, a pair of analysts said they believe the recovery will be moderate and steady through most of the current decade. Speaking at the Center for Automotive Research’s Road to Renewal II conference in Dearborn,...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Mar 29, 2011
With fuel prices nudging $4 a gallon again, the first time that has happened since the energy crisis of mid-2008, industry observers had been anticipating a sharp run-up in small car and hybrid sales. With rare exception, it isn’t happening. Indeed, demand for...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Mar 29, 2011
Nearly a century ago, automotive pioneer Henry Ford was fond of telling customers they could order a car “in any color, as long as it’s black.” Right now, his great-grandson William Clay Ford, Jr. has to tell buyers they can order a new Ford in almost any color as...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Mar 29, 2011
Mazda may soon be facing some serious competition in the affordable roadster market. After having the segment virtually all to itself as European roadsters have migrated steadily up-market, Mazda’s little MX-5 Miata may soon face challenges from Subaru, Toyota and...
by Joseph Szczesny | Mar 29, 2011
Ford Motor Company and Azure Dynamics have announced that the Norwegian Post has becomes the first European customer of the Ford Transit Connect Electric, placing an order for 20 of the battery-electric vans, or BEVs. “The Norwegian Post will be an environmental...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Mar 29, 2011
If any automaker benefited from the crisis at Toyota, last year, it was Honda. Data suggests it was the only manufacturer to pick up a significant number of once-loyal Toyota owners during the industry giant’s problems with unintended acceleration and other...
by Joseph Szczesny | Mar 28, 2011
Ford Motor Co. will receive the Deal of the Year award from the Export-Import Bank of the United States this week at the Bank’s 36th Annual Conference. The Export-Import Bank cited Ford for the company’s use of a $250 million Ex-Im Bank-guaranteed working...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Mar 28, 2011
It’s not going to be a good spring for Japanese automakers, the ongoing industry shutdown likely “push all companies into the red” for at least the first half of the year, warns a key industry analysts. But the impact, which has already struck General Motors, is...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Mar 28, 2011
If European regulators follow through on a proposal now getting serious consideration all fossil fuel-powered vehicles could be banned from the Continent’s roadways by 2050. The proposal is part of a plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Europe by 60% by...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Mar 28, 2011
Few have left such a legacy on the car world as David E. Davis. The knee-jerk response is to dub him the “dean of automotive journalism.” But knowing David for the entirety of my career I would assume that should this copy have fallen into his hands he’d have...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Mar 28, 2011
The little coupe slips out the side door of a nondescript warehouse on the fringe of Indianapolis. Tickling the throttle it surges ahead and effortlessly merges into traffic, yet so quiet it’s easy to miss as it rushes by. Were it not for the bright white decals on...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Mar 25, 2011
Automakers are facing increasingly problems due to the natural disaster that struck Japan two weeks ago, resulting in damage to a yet-unknown number of Japanese automotive parts plants. But while some makers are already curbing production due to shortages of...
