by Joseph Szczesny | Apr 29, 2011
Daimler AG’s first-quarter net profit nearly doubled to $1.65 billion, revenue increasing by 17% on stronger sales across the company’s business lines – which, in turn, prompted a prediction of record sales for Mercedes-Benz passenger cars this year. “We achieved...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Apr 29, 2011
Federal safety regulators have launched a preliminary investigation into reports that nearly 900,000 General Motors sport-utility vehicles could be subject to unexpectedly running out of fuel and stalling because of potentially faulty gas gauges. Though the problem...
by Joseph Szczesny | Apr 29, 2011
Paying off Chrysler government loans will permit Fiat to gain a majority stake in the U.S. maker, but it will also help Chrysler shore up its bottom line, says Sergio Marchionne, the man managing both of the automakers. Meanwhile, Treasury Sec. Timothy Geithner says...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Apr 29, 2011
Cadillac is looking to go topless. Years after abandoning its last drop-top, the domestic luxury maker is reportedly developing a new convertible that will be part of a wave of new products coming to market by mid-decade. The Detroit maker is apparently opting for a...
by Joseph Szczesny | Apr 28, 2011
Chrysler Group LLC is selling its neighborhood battery car unit, Global Electric Motorcars, LLC to Polaris Industries Inc. Chrysler spokesman Gualberto Ranieri said GEM, which is based in Fargo, North Dakota, didn’t fit into Chryusler’s portfolio. However, the sales...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Apr 28, 2011
It was a great first quarter for Hyundai, the upstart Korean carmaker that has been much of the auto industry’s established order a scare. The maker reports it earned $1.75 billion for the January to March period, a 46% jump. With demand up everywhere from Berlin to...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Apr 28, 2011
Faster than most folks can get “2011 Porsche 911 GT3 RS 4.0” out of their mouths, the Schwabian automaker’s “ultimate” normally-aspirated sports car will hit 60 – on the way to a top speed of 193 mph. The appropriately named GT3 packs a new 4.0-liter flat-six in its...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Apr 28, 2011
By just about any metric you choose – from fuel economy to long-term reliability – today’s automotive offerings continue to get better and better. But there are still a few clunkers. And Forbes magazine has come up with a list of what it claims are the worst cars on...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Apr 28, 2011
This story has been updated to reflect Chrysler’s official confirmation it will pay off its federal loans. Treasury Sec. Timothy Geithner will take a tour of Chrysler’s Jefferson North Plant today, but it will be more than just a friendly visit, the automaker...
by Bryan Laviolette | Apr 28, 2011
When it comes to insurance, it’s all about experience. And right now, insurers have virtually no experience insuring the new breed of electric vehicles. With electric vehicles starting to trickle into the marketplace, insurance companies are trying to figure out how...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Apr 27, 2011
Spend some time wandering New York’s Jacob Javits Convention Center and you might think there’s a ragtop renaissance underway. There are a score of new and more familiar convertibles on display at this year’s New York Auto Show. But despite their seeming abundance,...
by Joseph Szczesny | Apr 27, 2011
Team Lotus Enterprises has expanded its motorsports base by acquiring Caterham Cars, an investment group led by London-based Corven Ventures. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Both makers trace their heritage back to Colin Chapman, the founder of Lotus Cars, the...
