by Paul A. Eisenstein | Aug 29, 2011
In a matter of minutes, the earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan’s northeast coast, last March, took tens of thousands of lives and created hundreds of billions of dollars in devastation. Few industries felt the impact more directly than the automotive world –...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Aug 29, 2011
Less than two weeks after lifting the covers on its next-generation GS 350 sedan, Lexus is offering up a tease of what’s to come, later this year, when it formally unveils two other spin-offs from the midsize GS line: the performance-oriented F-Sport and gas-electric...
by Tim Healey | Aug 29, 2011
Domestic makers often get slammed for the poor fuel economy of their sport-utility vehicles and crossovers, but Ford hopes to win kudos – and new buyers – as it expands the use of its new EcoBoost powertrains, a new 2.0-liter version of its high-mileage engine going...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Aug 26, 2011
With another payroll likely to be missed and suppliers still refusing to provide the parts it needs to re-open its headquarters assembly plant, Saab is reportedly ready to seek court protection to buy time as it goes searching for more funding. The news came hours...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Aug 26, 2011
Kia’s hip-hop hamsters are back and showing again that they’ve got soul. Make that Soul, with the Korean maker ready to roll out an updated version of its boxy crossover. The original, 2010 campaign for the Kia Soul introduced the animated stars and created perhaps...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Aug 26, 2011
Pay more, drive less. That seems to be the formula more and more American motorists are following these days. Despite a bit of a reprieve as fuel prices slip slightly, it appears U.S. motorists are steadily trimming back on travel, whether for vacations or simply...
by Joseph Szczesny | Aug 26, 2011
In an unusual turn, Volkswagen plans to export the new 2012 Beetle from Mexico to China. Only the third generation of the iconic VW small car, the 2012 Beetle will go on sale in the U.S. in October, then follow in markets around the world. VW officials don’t expect...
by Bryan Laviolette | Aug 26, 2011
This is the second in a two-part series about retired auto designer Colin Neale. Click here to read part one, which looks back on Neale’s long career designing the cars we drive. Automotive designers have gotten really good at designing cars that barely tickle the air...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Aug 25, 2011
Denied a waiver to use outdated airbag technology the Pagani Huayra supercar won’t make it to the U.S. this year – but it will reach the States, and with the latest safety technology, by 2013 says the company’s founder and chief executive. Expected to cost somewhere...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Aug 25, 2011
Even as skeptics question the market potential for the groundbreaking Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid, General Motors is charging into the battery world with the latest in a series of deals aimed at making it a leader in electric propulsion. The maker will expand its...
by Joseph Szczesny | Aug 25, 2011
Plagued by pollution and saddled with an increasingly massive bill for foreign oil, China is putting a major emphasis on switching to battery power – and rent-a-car company Hertz is teaming up with GE to take advantage of this transition. Hertz Corporation is...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Aug 25, 2011
Bling, bling…gone. For the fourth year in a row, the big Cadillac Escalade, a favorite among rappers and professional athletes, tops the list as the car more likely to be stolen, according to a new report by the Highway Loss Data Institute. The trade group’s data show...
