by Paul A. Eisenstein | Sep 6, 2011
The name, BYD, is short for Build Your Dreams, but these days, it’s more like a nightmare for the once-promising Chinese battery-car maker. With sales this year off by 23%, the maker is planning to lay off as many as 2,600 workers – somewhat ironically, most of them...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Sep 6, 2011
American motorists are used to equating price with pounds and inches. The bigger and heavier the car the more it costs. But Europeans have come to recognize that good things often come in small packages. And with fuel prices surging to nearly $10 a gallon in some...
by Mike Davis | Sep 6, 2011
The latest sales numbers saw a steady increase in demand for small cars and crossovers but there were a few anomalies. Based on the sales of the Ford Crown Victoria you might have thought it was the hottest new product on the market. Anything but. Long beyond its...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Sep 2, 2011
While the spotlight has been shining on China and India, in recent years, there’s another booming market among the so-called BRIC nations. Fueled by its fast-growing middle-class, automotive demand in Brazil has been red hot and that’s leading makers to commit to...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Sep 2, 2011
Old soldiers don’t die, and in the case of Capt. Robert A. Lutz, USMC-Ret., they don’t even fade away. “Maximum Bob,” as many have come to call him, will be rejoining General Motors as a part-time consultant and those who know him say that despite his 79 years of age,...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Sep 2, 2011
Cash-starved Saab Automobile is close to landing a $157 million bank loan that could help it steer clear of bankruptcy, according to reports. The deal, if completed, would provide enough cash to cover current salaries, pay off angry suppliers who’ve been threatening...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Sep 2, 2011
Anxious to rebuild demand after six months of product shortages, Toyota says it will launch its new 2012 Camry sedan in mid-September, about two weeks ahead of its original schedule. Camry is just one of 10 product launches Toyota is scheduling over the next year,...
by Bryan Laviolette | Sep 2, 2011
Ford has gone on record to say that it knows its Lincoln brand needs to step up its game. So what’s wrong? This MKX crossover offers a good chance to examine some of the issues. The MKX is the Lincoln version of the Ford Edge. Both vehicles were freshened for 2011...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Sep 1, 2011
This is an update of our earlier report with additional sales results from Ford, Toyota, Honda and other makers. August auto sales exceeded even the more optimistic forecasts – countering concerns the auto industry would be hammered by fears of a double-dip recession...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Sep 1, 2011
The smokescreen flows smoothly up and over the hood, the stream arcing gracefully over the roof. But, when it hits the mirror it shatters into eddys and curls. Who knew something so small could cause so much trouble. Actually, it’s something John Cafaro was well...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Sep 1, 2011
While a number of major carmakers have yet to report in, early indications suggest August auto sales exceeded even the more optimistic forecasts – despite fears of a double-dip recession and a hurricane that shut down much of the East Coast during the final weekend of...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Sep 1, 2011
BMW is recalling nearly a quarter-million vehicles due to a pair of potential safety problems, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has announced, making it one of the biggest safety-related recalls by the German maker. The most significant problem...
