by Paul A. Eisenstein | Apr 26, 2012
According to the Chinese zodiac, this is the year of the dragon. But you likely wouldn’t need a calendar to figure that out at this year’s Beijing Motor Show. The dragon, the classic symbol of luck can be found on any number of models on display at the event,...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Apr 26, 2012
The European economy may be teetering towards disaster but it was full steam ahead for Volkswagen AG, the German automaker handily exceeding analysts’ already optimistic expectations with a first-quarter profit of $4.2 billion. The 87% jump reflected VW’s steady sales...
by Joseph Szczesny | Apr 26, 2012
Final sales figures for April aren’t due out until next week but expectations are building for another month of automotive market momentum. Light vehicle sales in the U.S., including fleet, are expected to reach 1.2 million units for the month, up 3.4% from April...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Apr 26, 2012
Barely three years after it plunged into bankruptcy, the Chrysler Group is reporting its biggest quarterly profit in 13 years, its $473 million in earnings more than the automaker made for all of last year. The uptick in earnings reflects the maker’s strong sales for...
by Bryan Laviolette | Apr 25, 2012
There’s two ways to tell the story of the Fiat 500. Story no. 1: It seemed like a relatively simple trip. Two people, two duffel bags, one box of Easter flowers, a computer bag, one dog. But crammed inside the Fiat 500, no one was happy about the space allotted to...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Apr 25, 2012
Audi’s late-to-the-party commitment to battery power is getting charged up fast. The maker has already announced several upcoming products using its advanced electric drive technology – collectively dubbed e-tron – including a plug-in hybrid version of the 2-seat...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Apr 25, 2012
It’s always the other guy. The other driver who we expect to run the light or engage in some other risky behavior while behind the wheel. And that’s especially true, apparently, when it comes to the nation’s youngest motorists. While they’re aware of the dangers of...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Apr 25, 2012
Rolls-Royce is offering up a tasty treat for Beijing Motor Show-goers, a concept that appeals not just to your five basic senses of touch, sight, sound, smell and taste, but also what it describes as your spirit of ecstasy – a pun alluding to the maker’s classic hood...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Apr 25, 2012
It looks more like an electric rickshaw than a conventional automobile – which may be one reason why General Motors chose to unveil its second-generation “Electric Networked Vehicle” at Auto China 2012. But the little 2-seater points to the future of transportation,...
by Bryan Laviolette | Apr 25, 2012
Two U.S. senators are asking the Obama administration to explain the process it used to approve a $529 million loan to Fisker Automotive, which has suspended work on an electric car it planned to build in the U.S. Charles Grassley, the top Republican on the Judiciary...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Apr 24, 2012
When is a minivan not a minivan? When it is a cool box-on-wheels like the Scion xB. Or, at least, it was when the maker introduced the original, squared off hatchback nearly a decade ago – spawning a whole host of imitations. But a second-generation update left...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Apr 24, 2012
Ford Motor Co. CEO Alan Mulally has reason to celebrate after achieving one of the top goals he set after joining the Detroit automaker more than five years ago; Fitch Ratings boosting the maker’s debt to investment grade status. Though several other key ratings...
