by Paul A. Eisenstein | Sep 21, 2015
Facing an onslaught of new, high-mileage competitors, Tesla Motors is suddenly having to boost its own range to stay competitive. And that includes not only the familiar Model S sedan, but also the upcoming Model X, as well. Until recently, the top-range version of...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Sep 21, 2015
We’re not supposed to see the all-new Hyundai Elantra until it makes its splashy debut at the L.A. Auto Show in November. But if you ignore the “Avante” badge on the new mode that has just been unveiled in the Korean carmaker’s home market, well, you’ve got a good...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Sep 21, 2015
Accused of cheating on emissions standards, Volkswagen and its upscale Audi brand have been ordered to recall nearly 500,000 diesel cars sold in the U.S. – but that is likely to be only the start of the problems facing the German maker. Within hours of the...
by Joseph Szczesny | Sep 21, 2015
Despite winning the first raise in 10 years for long-time union members and employees hired during the post-recession expansion of the FCA U.S., the United Auto Workers is bracing for a potential fight over ratification of the new contract, which some members complain...
by Michael Strong | Sep 21, 2015
In 2011, President Barack Obama predicted there would be 1 million EVs sold in the U.S. by 2015. He would have been correct if only he had expanded the scope a bit … to the world. More than just a call to action as part of that year’s State of the Union speech, the...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Sep 18, 2015
If you’re going to build the world’s most expensive SUV, it might seem logical to offer the world’s most expensive in-car clock, as well. At least, that’s what Bentley plans to do when it starts rolling out the new Bentayga in a few months. The full-size ute, with its...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Sep 18, 2015
Volkswagen will have to recall about 500,000 diesel-powered vehicles, the government has declared, because it surreptitiously equipped them with software designed to detect when they were undergoing emissions testing and later allow the vehicles to emit higher levels...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Sep 18, 2015
Automakers normally go to great pains to promote their latest models. But when the new Fiat 500e was launched a couple years ago, Fiat Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne asked potential buyers to steer clear, admitting, “We will lose $10,000 per vehicle.” The primary...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Sep 18, 2015
In the 1973 film, “Sleeper,” Woody Allen is revived after being frozen following a botched operation. To escape the inept police state trying to terminate him, he steals a car that looks like a bubble, with frosted windows and no steering wheel. He simply tells it...
by Michael Strong | Sep 18, 2015
It appears that more than just Tesla’s Elon Musk thinks that the auto industry’s future is electric. The recent Frankfurt Motor Show was inundated with EVs, with the most intriguing perhaps being BMW’s 330e. For 2016, BMW redesigned the 3-Series and has been steadily...
by Joseph Szczesny | Sep 18, 2015
In a letter to the employees of FCA U.S. Chief Executive Sergio Marchionne said the new tentative labor agreement with the United Auto Workers puts the company on a more cooperative and ultimately competitive footing. “I believe this agreement, which still...
