by Joseph Szczesny | Apr 9, 2014
Daimler AG predicts a big increase in earnings this year despite intense competition from its rivals, Audi and BMW. “We are beginning 2014 at the same pace with which we finished 2013,” Dieter Zetsche, chairman of Daimler board of management and head of...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Apr 9, 2014
Despite sluggish sales for its Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid, General Motors appears to be making an even bigger bet on the future of electric vehicles as it prepares to invest $449 million in a key battery-car assembly plant and the factory that produces the...
by Michael Strong | Apr 9, 2014
For the second consecutive year, new car buyers voted Honda “Best Overall Brand” in Kelley Blue Book’s annual Brand Image Award study. The company also took the “Most Trusted Brand” honor for the third straight year. Kelley Blue Book, also known as KBB, gives out...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Apr 9, 2014
In one of the largest announcements in several years of major safety-related news, Toyota Motor Co. is recalling nearly 6.4 million vehicles for a variety of problems worldwide. Some of the vehicles are actually covered by more than one recall, and the announcement...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Apr 9, 2014
Ford is hoping to pull off a three-peat with its compact Focus model. Laying claim to having the world’s best-selling passenger vehicle, the Detroit maker has pulled the covers off the updated Focus sedan it will launch later this year. The 2015 Ford Focus will get a...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Apr 9, 2014
General Motors is facing the threat of a $7,000 a day fine for its “failure to fully respond” quickly enough to a demand by federal regulators for information about its ignition switch recall. The fine is retroactive to April 3rd and will continue to mount until the...
by Michael Strong | Apr 8, 2014
Since there are no cows in San Francisco, apparently folks have taken to tipping Smart cars in the city. Four of the tiny cars were tipped the other day in two different parts of the city. The police say there are no suspects and have no idea why it was done. While it...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Apr 8, 2014
Expect to pay less for gasoline this summer than you did a year ago – but just barely, says the U.S. Department of Energy. The Energy Information Administration predicts the typical American motorist will shell out $3.57 for a gallon of self-serve no-lead gasoline, a...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Apr 8, 2014
The state’s political leaders did everything they could to keep the union out of Volkswagen’s big assembly plant in Chattanooga, Tenn., but they may also have short-circuited plans by the automaker to expand that factory to add production of a major new...
by Joseph Szczesny | Apr 8, 2014
The owners of a Chevrolet Corvette and a Chevrolet Sonic may soon have something in common beyond the “bow-tie” emblem on their vehicles: each can wait up to 50 miles to change a flat tire. Bridgestone is introducing a line-up of replacement run-flat tires for a...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Apr 8, 2014
In the beginning, there was Genesis. But even as its second-generation luxury sedan begins rolling into showrooms, Hyundai is looking at its options for expanding its presence in the luxury car market, the maker’s top U.S. executive told TheDetroitBureau.com. And one...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Apr 8, 2014
Tesla has had its fair share of legal troubles in recent months as it battle New Jersey and other states intent on blocking the maker’s plans to set up a network of company-owned stores rather than going with the traditional franchise system. The maker has routinely...