by Paul A. Eisenstein | Aug 8, 2011
These days, you never know where a new car might first show up. While most makers continue to rely on major auto shows, such as those in Detroit, Frankfurt or even Beijing, industry planners have been looking for ways to avoid getting lost in the crowd. The unveiling...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Aug 8, 2011
It’s becoming almost the norm for Saab, the maker fighting off yet another threat that could drive it into bankruptcy. This time, however, it’s the maker’s workers who were threatening to deliver the coup de grace. The union representing 1,600 salaried employees in...
by Joseph Szczesny | Aug 8, 2011
Jeeps have always traded on their rugged capability. But for once the brand guys at Chrysler have decided to forego tradition and build a Jeep for speed. The Jeep Grand Cherokee becomes the fourth new 2012 offering from Chrysler to wear the SRT badge, along with the...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Aug 5, 2011
With sales of the new Karma battery car unofficially underway, California battery-car start Fisker Automotive will roll out an additional variant of the costly commuter car at the upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show. The sleek combination of a sports car and a plug-in...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Aug 5, 2011
Is there a billion-dollar deal in the works between Japanese auto giant Toyota and the American battery-car upstart Tesla Motors? That appears to be a very real possibility according to comments by Tesla’s founder Elon Musk. The relationship between the two...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Aug 5, 2011
Maserati is expected to pull the wraps off its eagerly awaited SUV at the upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show, several well-placed sources have confirmed, while there are reports the Italian automaker might also reveal two new sedans, as well. The three models are key...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Aug 5, 2011
You may be out of work but at least you may be able to save money when you fill up the tank to drive to your next job interview. Crude prices continued to slip on Friday, with some markets slipping to barely $86 a barrel from the year’s $115 peak set in May. That...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Aug 5, 2011
Nearly 2 million vehicles will be impacted by a pair of recalls involving Honda and Chrysler. The newest recall involves a potentially faulty transmission used on a variety of Honda vehicles built between the 2005 and 2010 model-years. In all, about 1.5 million...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Aug 4, 2011
It wasn’t your typical auto show, but Ford CEO Alan Mulally was as boyishly exuberant as always when he rolled onto the stage for The Late Show With David Letterman in a new Ford Focus Electric – Letterman himself behind the wheel. Grabbing a seat on the New York set...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Aug 4, 2011
Can a new name and a few added features salvage one of Honda’s slowest-selling models? Apparently, the Japanese maker is hoping so as it transforms last year’s Accord Crosstour into just the Honda Crosstour for 2011. Even normally upbeat Honda executives, including...
by Joseph Szczesny | Aug 4, 2011
Negotiations between Chrysler and the United Auto Workers are off to a good start, the automaker’s top executive says, while United Auto Workers Union chief Bob King continues to stress cooperation over confrontation. “The tone of the dialogue so far has...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Aug 4, 2011
With the upcoming demise of the RX-8 sports car, a piece of Mazda’s history will vanish. But a senior company engineer tells TheDetroitBureau.com that the Japanese maker aims to bring back the rotary engine – in all-new form – shortly after mid-decade. Formally known...