by Paul A. Eisenstein | Nov 14, 2012
A month after announcing its biggest single recall ever, Toyota has revealed some new quality problems that will force it to make safety-related repairs on another 2.8 million vehicles – including its high-profile Prius hybrid models. The news could deliver a further...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Nov 13, 2012
Ford has had a troubled history when it comes to minivans – first rejecting the design that instead became Chrysler’s industry game-changing Voyager and Caravan models, then fielding a fleet of me-too designs that never caught on with consumers. Now, after being out...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Nov 13, 2012
So far, most hybrid systems have been designed as one-size-fits-all technology. Sure, a few software tweaks might shift emphasis from mileage to performance, but the approach led to significant compromises when the same hybrid driveline was used across a maker’s...
by Joseph Szczesny | Nov 13, 2012
Apparently Germans are getting serious about electric vehicles. The City of Berlin is preparing to expand its effort to become the showcase metropolis in Europe for electromobility. After a rather slow start, the public charging infrastructure within the German...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Nov 13, 2012
Global automotive growth will likely be constrained in the short-term but will likely accelerate once the world economy recovers from its current problems, according to a pair of new reports, with the number of passenger vehicles on the world’s roads expected to more...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Nov 13, 2012
As this month’s presidential election clearly demonstrated, there’s a significant demographic shift taking place in America – and you don’t have to check the voter rolls to confirm that. Simply look around you on the highway. While women drivers may still be a subject...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Nov 12, 2012
“Passion” is a word one hears a lot in conversations with Toyota executives these days, up to and including President Akio Toyoda, who points to recent introductions like the Scion FR-S and Lexus GS to underscore his intentions. But it’s beginning to look like that’s...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Nov 12, 2012
A small Australian firm wants to reinvent the wheel. Known as Carbon Revolution, the firm has developed what it claims to be the world’s first one-piece carbon fiber wheels. Super-light but extremely costly, CF is seen by many as the material of the future, at least...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Nov 12, 2012
Stung by a series of embarrassing mistakes that saw even import-friendly Consumer Reports magazine turn thumbs down, Honda will unveil what insiders have dubbed an “emergency refresh” of the maker’s long-popular Civic model at the upcoming LA Auto Show. Putting a...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Nov 12, 2012
With the “emergency refresh” of the Honda Civic leading the list, expect to see plenty of headlines emerge from the LA Auto Show later this month, organizers hinting that “nearly 50” new models will make their debut during the two-day press preview...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Nov 12, 2012
There was a time when only a select group of BMW models wore the vaunted M badge. But with plenty of buyers ready to fork over tens of thousands of dollars more for the added power and prestige it was little more than a matter of time before we expected to see the...
by Joseph Szczesny | Nov 9, 2012
Despite some persistent carping about the system’s effectiveness and ease of use, Ford Motor Co. and Microsoft are celebrating the fifth anniversary of the partnership which spawned the groundbreaking Sync voice-activated infotainment system. With over 5 million Ford...
