by Joseph Szczesny | Sep 22, 2011
The United Auto Workers union plans to make Ford Motor Co. the focus of the next round of negotiations in its drive to fashion new contracts with domestic automakers as talks with Chrysler are placed on hold. Chrysler officials have confirmed that the UAW has extended...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Sep 21, 2011
Nearly six of every 10 Ford F-Series pickups now are being purchased with V-6 powertrains, Ford officials confirm, a significant shift away from the classic V-8s that have long been the engines of choice among full-size truck buyers. The downsizing reflects a variety...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Sep 21, 2011
Audi plans to trim the weight of its hefty Q7 sport-utility vehicle by as much 770 pounds. The maker is just the latest to announce plans to significantly cut the heft of its future products. Ford Motor Co., for example, hopes to trim the weight on future product...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Sep 21, 2011
There’s something endearingly odd about the new Hyundai Veloster. The Korean maker’s latest entry — which some are comparing to the old Honda CRX, others to the Mini Clubman – is an immediate eye-catcher. But it takes a moment to realize something is just,...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Sep 21, 2011
A Swedish appeals court has given Saab what amounts to a reprieve, a chance to raise cash and pull its finances into order rather than plunge into a bankruptcy process many believe would result in the closure of the long-troubled automaker. The decision for the Court...
by Joseph Szczesny | Sep 20, 2011
General Motors Co. is obligated to reopen its assembly plant in Spring Hill, Tenn. under the terms of its tentative new labor agreement with the United Auto Workers Union. Union officials also said Tuesday they expect the new four-year GM contract — which is...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Sep 20, 2011
With gas prices on the rise again, motorists are frantically searching for ways to improve their fuel economy. That’s convinced many drivers to downsize, whether switching from a big truck to a small car or simply shifting from a V-8 to a V-6. But a new report...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Sep 20, 2011
It was all about “jobs, jobs, jobs” for United Auto Workers Union negotiators as they hammered out their new 4-year contract with General Motors, union leaders said today as they revealed the specific details of the settlement. But the agreement also contains some...
by Mike Davis | Sep 20, 2011
As an “Ol’ Kentucky Story-teller” and, here, an automotive historian, I have always been fascinated by “What If” interpretations of history. To cite just a couple of examples: In modern terms, “what if, after its invasion, the U.S. had discovered that Iraq indeed was...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Sep 20, 2011
General Motors’ new joint venture with its Chinese partner SAIC will focus on the development of an all-new battery-electric vehicle, a senior GM official says. The U.S. automaker will not provide the Chinese with intellectual property for what many see as its crown...
by Joseph Szczesny | Sep 20, 2011
A Department of Energy program designed to promote the development of a new generation of battery cars could have its funding cut as part of the effort to rein in the federal budget deficit. Republican leaders are proposing to shift money away from the...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Sep 20, 2011
Under pressure from the Beijing government,t General Motors has agreed to provide access to its proprietary electric vehicle technology to its lead Chinese partner. The move is raising numerous concerns, critics contending that China is, for one thing, using unfair...
