by Paul A. Eisenstein | Apr 30, 2012
It’s one of the industry’s older plants and one that has not had an especially distinguished history. Not until now, anyway. But going forward, Chrysler officials are determined to transform their Belvidere, Illinois assembly plant into one of the best in the...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Apr 30, 2012
What seemed, just last week, a crisis that could bring the global auto industry to its knees may actually turn out to be little more than an annoyance, or so industry leaders could learn today. A late March explosion at a chemical plant in Germany left automakers...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Apr 30, 2012
With its unexpectedly strong first-quarter earnings it’s no wonder Chrysler officials have been crowing about the turnaround of a company that was bankrupt just three short years ago. Those profits have largely been driven by a surge in demand for models ranging from...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Apr 30, 2012
It’s becoming increasingly difficult to call Volvo a Swedish car company. These days, most of its top management – headed by CEO Stefan Jacoby, a former Volkswagen executive – is German and it is now owned by China’s big Zhejiang Geely Holding Group. Further...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Apr 30, 2012
With apologies to Mark Twain, reports of the death of the rotary engine are premature, though not greatly exaggerated. Mazda has decided to give its Wankel-powered RX-8 a temporary reprieve, adding an extra 1,000 units to its final run. But what happens beyond that is...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Apr 27, 2012
Technologies allowing cars to “talk” to one another could cut the highway collision rate by as much as 80%, sharply reducing the number of injuries and fatalities, according to the nation’s top automotive safety regulator. The National Highway Traffic Safety...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Apr 27, 2012
Preliminary signs suggest Daimler AG is gaining traction from the ongoing product blitz launched by its flagship Mercedes-Benz brand, the German manufacturer reporting a 20% increase in net income for the first quarter, earning jumping to more than or 1.4 billion...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Apr 27, 2012
While we’re often warned to steer clear of stereotypes the fact is that they’re often accurate and useful. And nowhere, it seems, is that more true than when it comes to identifying the type of cars men and women choose. Guys, a new study reveals, like cars that are...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Apr 27, 2012
Honda earnings for the January to March quarter rebounded by 61% as the maker was able to finally overcome production cuts forced by last year’s devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan. But the disaster still took a sharp toll on Honda’s full-year profits....
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Apr 27, 2012
The supercharged 5.8-liter engine in Ford’s newly-updated Shelby GT500 has officially been certified by the Society of Automotive Engineers as the world’s most powerful series production V-8. The big powerplant, used in Ford’s top-end Mustang, will make 662 horsepower...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Apr 27, 2012
Ford Motor Co. saw its first quarter net income plunged 45% compared to a year ago to $1.4 billion, or 35 cents a share, the maker blaming higher taxes and lower European and Chinese sales for the sharp slide. But North American results were their best in over a...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Apr 26, 2012
After a late evening that included a few too many drinks the last thing you’re looking for is driving to work on a Monday morning. No problem. Just plug in your destination, close your eyes and let your autonomous vehicle drive to the office for you. What has long...
