by Bryan Laviolette | Apr 6, 2011
Brazil has the world’s most successful ethanol economy, with sugarcane as the feedstock. The U.S. has the second most successful ethanol program, but it’s held back by the limitations of corn, the primary feedstock used here. Why not switch over to sugarcane? The U.S....
by Bryan Laviolette | Mar 30, 2011
While some still hold out for huge buildup in auto sales, a pair of analysts said they believe the recovery will be moderate and steady through most of the current decade. Speaking at the Center for Automotive Research’s Road to Renewal II conference in Dearborn,...
by Bryan Laviolette | Mar 25, 2011
Analyst statements that auto production could drop by as much as 30% as part shortages become a huge problem shows that automakers may need to rethink their strategy in choosing suppliers. IHS Automotive said Thursday that the crisis surrounding the mega earthquake...
by Bryan Laviolette | Mar 24, 2011
Mercedes-Benz USA has named one of its veteran retail strategists to take over the troubled Smart brand. Tracey Matura, currently general manager of retail strategic development, was named to take over the brand a month after M-B announced it was canceling the Penske...
by Bryan Laviolette | Mar 18, 2011
Two German luxury sedans will face off against the world’s first mass-produced electric vehicle for World Car of the Year honors. The winner will be announced April 21, prior to the opening of the New York International Auto Show. The Germans are the Audi A8 and BMW 5...
by Bryan Laviolette | Mar 17, 2011
Remember the brouhaha last summer when General Motors was apparently trying to kill the Chevy nickname? Well, that plan seems to have been forgotten. GM’s U.S. vice president for Chevrolet, Rick Scheidt, used the nickname in a press release bragging about the...
by Bryan Laviolette | Mar 16, 2011
After a year in which a record 49 children from 2 months to 6 years of age died from heat stroke after being left unattended in a vehicle, Safe Kids USA has started a prevention campaign to get the message out before the temperatures heat up. The first 2011 death of a...
by Bryan Laviolette | Mar 11, 2011
A firestorm of controversy erupted after Chrysler’s social media agency accidentally sent a tweet that used the f-word on Wednesday. At one point, the automaker said one of its twitter accounts, @ChryslerAutos, had been compromised, but it later determined that...
by Bryan Laviolette | Mar 8, 2011
Ford may have given up on small and mid-size trucks for the U.S. market, but GM isn’t ready throw in the towel yet. During its 2008 restructuring, GM said it would kill its mid-size Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon pickups, but it would appear the automaker has...
by Bryan Laviolette | Mar 3, 2011
What would Mitsubishi be like without its best car, the Lancer Evolution X? Looks like we might get a chance to find out. According to a report in British car magazine Autocar, Mitsubishi’s future product plans do not include an 11th generation of the niche...
by Bryan Laviolette | Mar 2, 2011
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is calling on the federal government to increase standards for semi-truck trailers to prevent passenger cars from sliding underneath in rear-end collisions. The institute filed a petition with the National Highway Traffic...
by Bryan Laviolette | Feb 28, 2011
For the first time in my career, I’m commuting by freeway and it’s not pretty. Every day, I travel a 30-mile section of freeway, some of it six lanes, but mostly four, meaning there are three or two lanes going each way. So what have I learned during all this driving?...
