by Paul A. Eisenstein | Dec 5, 2012
Ford is facing further problems with its 1.6-liter EcoBoost engine, the powertrain behind its latest recall. Nearly 90,000 Ford Escape and Fusion models sold in the U.S. were recalled late last week because of potential engine fire problems. But the problem could...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Dec 5, 2012
Sweden’s Prince Carl Philip will be strapping on a helmet and racing for the Volvo Polestar team in the Swedish Touring Car Championship next year. Consider it returning a favor. Despite its historic ties to the Scandinavian nation, Volvo hasn’t been Swedish owned in...
by Joseph Szczesny | Dec 5, 2012
Korean carmakers Hyundai and Kia seem to have survived the court of public opinion, sales holding up well despite the flap over false fuel economy claims – but their troubles are far from over, with a Senate committee threatening to call company officials to testify....
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Dec 4, 2012
The Ford F-Series has been the best-selling truck in America for three decades and topped the chart among all vehicles for a quarter century. The Toyota Camry and Honda Accord traditionally haven’t been far behind. In fact, of the estimated 14.3 million cars, trucks...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Dec 4, 2012
Short of having four wheels, tomorrow’s automobiles may look very different from those of today as automakers adapt to a variety of challenges like fuel economy and safety regulations, overcrowded highways and other concerns. So why not let the designers of tomorrow...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Dec 4, 2012
After charging up for the first 10 months of the year, sales of the Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid unexpectedly short-circuited last month. Volumes fell to barely half of September and October levels – ensuring that Chevy will end 2012 selling barely half as many Volts...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Dec 4, 2012
As it prepares to launch its first-ever ad on the much-watched Super Bowl, Lincoln will turn to comedian Jimmy Fallon and the “Twitter-sphere” for help, according to the Ford Motor Co. subsidiary’s new marketing chief. On Wednesday, Fallon will send out a...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Dec 4, 2012
Considering the strong performance by most automakers in November it might be easy to downplay the numbers from Volkswagen AG. After all, the maker reported a gain of “only” 29% for the month, less than half the increase of little Subaru. It was, nonetheless, the...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Dec 3, 2012
A glance over the November sales numbers reveals a month that might best be described as a “win-win” situation. There were few, if any, losers unless you count the modest 3% year-over-year increase at General Motors which fell well behind the overall industry upturn –...
by Michael Rose | Dec 3, 2012
For years we’ve been hearing about the surprising vim and vigor of people who hit age milestones like 40 that once meant the downhill slide had begun. Now 40 is being touted as the new 30. Might this milestone hold true for cars, as well? Is 40 miles per gallon the...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Dec 3, 2012
Ford Motor Co.’s new Escape crossover has been the subject of a series of recalls since its mid-year debut – and now faces another as the automaker warns versions of the popular CUV equipped with a 1.6-liter EcoBoost engine could overheat and catch fire. The problem...
by Joseph Szczesny | Dec 3, 2012
While Superstorm Sandy might have taken the wind out of the auto industry’s momentum in October, the storm’s aftermath appears to be have given sales a strong tailwind in November. Analysts now estimate the industry could have gained as much as 100,000 sales last...
