by Paul A. Eisenstein | Aug 27, 2014
It’s been 13 years since Volvo last updated its big XC90 SUV, an interminable wait in an industry where customers are demanding faster and faster product updates. The maker this week finally rolled out a new version of the XC90, which will reach showrooms around the...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Aug 27, 2014
It was originally hailed as the future of the U.S. auto industry, only to be mothballed in the wake of General Motors’ bankruptcy and the abandonment of the maker’s failed Saturn brand. But GM is about to make a major investment in its Spring Hill,...
by Joseph Szczesny | Aug 27, 2014
As Toyota moves ahead with plans to reshape its North American operations, the automaker may get as much as $8.6 million in incentives to offset a $32.5 million expansion of its technical center in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Toyota is moving 250 purchasing jobs from...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Aug 27, 2014
The all-new XC90 SUV that made its debut this week marks the beginning of a major shift in powertrain strategy by Volvo Cars, the Swedish automaker abandoning V-6 and V-8 power in favor of more advanced 4-cylinder gas, diesel and hybrid technology. But Volvo is set to...
by Joseph Szczesny | Aug 27, 2014
Consumer Reports has placed Fiat Chrysler’s Ram 1500 EcoDiesel at the top of its full-size pickup truck ratings due to its performance in fuel-economy tests, while the influential magazine also lauded the Toyota Highlander SUV. The choice of the Ram Diesel underscores...
by Michael Strong | Aug 26, 2014
For the second year in a row, Americans are less satisfied with their new cars and trucks. Customer Satisfaction with new vehicles dropped 1.2% last year as 16 of 21 nameplates saw declines. According to the American Customer Satisfaction Index, the makers averaged 82...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Aug 26, 2014
Despite years of promises, Chinese automakers like Chery Automotive and BYD have yet to follow through by importing their products to the United States. But the long drought is expected to come to an end next year, and the first automaker to ship a Chinese-made...
by Joseph Szczesny | Aug 26, 2014
General Motors continues moving forward with its ambitious three-year plan to overhaul its information technology services by bringing them back in house with the opening of its next innovation center. The automaker opened its newest IT innovation center in Chandler,...
by Joseph Szczesny | Aug 26, 2014
Few economic sectors have mounted a more impressive comeback from the financial crisis in 2008 than the auto industry, according to a new study by the Boston Consulting Group (BCG). The study found that auto manufacturers and component makers delivered five-year...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Aug 26, 2014
With today’s unveiling of an all-new XC90, Volvo Cars is giving the world a good look at the many changes that will likely determine the future success of the Swedish automaker. While echoing the basic shape of the old Volvo XC90, the new ute adopts new, and more...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Aug 26, 2014
General Motors continues to say it knows of 13 deaths connected to the faulty ignition switches it used in a wide range of vehicles recalled earlier this year, but the special victims’ compensation fund it has set up has already received claims linked to the death of...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Aug 26, 2014
When Ford Motor Co.’s new “aluminum-intensive” F-150 pickup launches production in the coming months it will mark a critical next step in a revolution quite literally reshaping the auto industry, as a growing number of automakers switch from traditional steel to...
