by Paul A. Eisenstein | Oct 4, 2013
Toyota’s touted new Corolla model received a mere “Marginal” rating in a new crash test designed to reflect real-world conditions, though it fared better in other tests conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Toyota isn’t alone, however. A number of...
by Joseph Szczesny | Oct 4, 2013
The price of gasoline is continuing to fall from its summer-driving-season peak — and that seems to have triggered a concurrent dip in the fuel economy of the vehicles American motorists are buying. Fuel prices have been on a rollercoaster ride this year –...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Oct 4, 2013
Facing an unexpected slowdown in sales, Chrysler plans a one-third cut in production of its two-seat sports car, the SRT Viper. Unveiled at the 2012 New York Auto Show and put on sale early this year, the $104,480 Viper was heralded as one of the best sports cars...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Oct 4, 2013
The four-day-old federal government shutdown is already being felt by the auto industry and the impact could force manufacturers, among other things, to delay the launch of some of their newest vehicles. The highly politicized budget impasse has forced about 800,000...
by Joseph Szczesny | Oct 3, 2013
Plans for an initial public offering of Chrysler stock could be delayed until next year, Sergio Marchionne, the CEO of both Chrysler and its Italian partner Fiat now says. Speaking to reporters during a visit to his hometown in Italy, Marchionne cautioned that he...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Oct 3, 2013
Calling it an “unprecedented decision,” Hyundai Motor Co. plans to completely eliminate not just cigarette lighters but the familiar round jacks they plug into from all off the vehicles sold in the home market, a move that could herald similar steps worldwide,...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Oct 3, 2013
Roadway debris is tentatively catching the blame for a fire that seriously damaged a Tesla Model S being driven in a Seattle suburb – with that news, combined with new concerns about the battery-carmaker’s high-flying stock sending the price of shares plunging by more...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Oct 3, 2013
Chrysler has had a history of pulling off some magic over the years, in some instances by coming up with truly breakthrough products such as the original Dodge Caravan and Jeep Grand Cherokee, other times by yanking a rabbit out of a well-worn hat, as it did when it...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Oct 2, 2013
What is the price of luxury? That might seem an intangible question to answer, but there’s no doubt the new 2014 Mercedes-Benz E550, at a starting price of $92,500, fits the bill. But what about the new Mercedes CLA, which is being advertised at its base price of...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Oct 2, 2013
While the all-new 2014 S-Class sedan might serve as the “flagship” of the Mercedes-Benz line-up, the German luxury maker’s big news this coming year is actually its smallest offering, the new CLA. At first glance, it’s easy to confuse the coupe-like sedan with the...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Oct 2, 2013
Ford Motor Co. Chairman Bill Ford Jr. has stepped into the swirl surrounding reports that the automaker’s CEO Alan Mulally might soon leave for a job with Microsoft. The 68-year-old Mulally was recruited from Boeing seven years ago and has been widely linked to the...
by Joseph Szczesny | Oct 2, 2013
Kia is preparing to roll out a battery-powered version of the latest-generation Soul crossover next year. Michael Sprague, Kia’s vice president of marketing communication, would not say when the Korean company planned to put the new EV on sale nor when it would be...
