by Joseph Szczesny | Aug 8, 2014
Faced with tough new fuel economy standards that will climb to 54.5 mpg over the next decade, “lightweighting” has become the strategy of choice for automotive designers and engineers, according to a new survey. The upcoming launch of the “aluminum-intensive” Ford...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Aug 8, 2014
New car sales are stronger than they have been since the start of the Great Recession, and likely to keep climbing, according to industry analysts. Demand is expected to be especially strong in the coming weeks, with August traditionally one of the hottest months of...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Aug 8, 2014
General Motors is recalling almost 190,000 older SUVs for the third time to try to fix problem switches that could cause a vehicle fire. The problem is so severe that the maker is warning owners to park the vehicles outside until repairs can be made – but it doesn’t...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Aug 7, 2014
Sherrie Savela is ready to go all the way — from coast to coast, that is, and then back again. It’s a cool and crisp summer morning, the rising sun glinting off Lake Michigan as she grabs a quick breakfast before climbing back into her Mini Clubman. “I’m Going...
by Michael Strong | Aug 7, 2014
As a result of its ongoing investigation of a fired Ford Motor Co. engineer, the FBI seized the contents of that former employee’s work email account and a computer disk today. The company fired former engineer Sharon Leach, 43, after it was discovered she’d...
by Joseph Szczesny | Aug 7, 2014
If the prices of its new mid-sized trucks are any indication General Motors is ready to stake its claim in the segment. The 2015 Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon carry price tags comparable to rivals such as the Nissan Frontier and Toyota Tacoma. The Colorado starts...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Aug 7, 2014
General Motors will reveal an “all-new” version of its Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid vehicle at the Detroit Auto Show next January, a senior Chevy official confirmed during a speech at an industry confab. The new model is expected to remain true to its original...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Aug 7, 2014
Whether in traffic-congested California, or in Snowbelt states like Michigan, the nation’s roadways are in rough shape, a problem that not only causes fillings to jar, but adds to costs in terms of slower truck traffic and vehicle repairs. But the need to fix...
by Joseph Szczesny | Aug 7, 2014
Toyota Motor North America pledged $1 million to the Detroit Institute of Arts as part of the effort to raise $100 million toward a “grand bargain” that will help the City of Detroit emerge from bankruptcy, support city pensioners and protect the museum’s art...
by Joseph Szczesny | Aug 6, 2014
Disgruntled Fiat shareholders could – temporarily – thwart the completion of the Fiat-Chrysler merger, Sergio Marchionne, chief executive officer of both the Italian and American automakers, conceded. During a conference call today with analysts and journalists,...
by Joseph Szczesny | Aug 6, 2014
Chrysler Group LLC, which is now part of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, rode a steady increase in sales to 22% increase in net income during the second quarter. Net income for the second quarter totaled $619 million for the quarter, compared to $507 million in the...
by Joseph Szczesny | Aug 6, 2014
Automakers are maximizing the sweet spot in mix of sales, fuel economy and gas prices – bigger vehicles getting better gas mileage as fuel prices drop – and enjoying robust sales as a result. Fuel economy trends continue to improve despite the continuing surge in the...
