The New 2011 Dodge Charger

Will the new Dodge Charger get back to it's legendary muscle car status? One name that gets muscle car enthusiasts excited is Charger. Most die hard cars buffs feel Dodge missed the mark with the Dodge Charger. It has capable performance with the 5.7...

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Chrysler To Unveil The 500 and Electric 500 at Detroit International Auto Show

Bloomberg is reporting information gleaned from anonymous sources that Chrysler will be unveiling an electric version of the Fiat 500 at the Detroit Auto Show next month.,Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne was quoted as saying his company plans to sell over...

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Is Chrysler Going To Reveal The Electric 500 and Chrysler Delta?

The Internet is a buzz with the rumors of a shared platform Chrysler/Lancia Delta to be unveiled at the Detroit International Auto show. Also the Small 500 and 500 Electric. This would be great news for Chrysler if they can do so. With Ram winning the...

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GM CEO Whitacre doesn't want job long-term

General Motors Co. Chairman and CEO Ed Whitacre said he does not want to be the CEO long-term and said federal pay restrictions are making the job search difficult.---...M...

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GM says it will downsize RenCen workforce

Detroit -- General Motors Co. has trimmed the number of workers it vows to keep at its Renaissance Center headquarters to 2,000 from 2,500---...M...

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GM in talks with Dutch, Chinese over Saab

Dutch carmaker Spyker Cars NV emerged as a suitor Sunday to acquire Saab from General Motors Co., which struck a tentative accord with Beijing Automotive Industry Holding for the right to produce versions of the Swedish manufacturer's older models in China, according to people familiar with the talks----...M...

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GM moves CFO to new post

Ray Young, whose department has come under intense criticism from the White House, was named vice president of international operations this morning.---...M...

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Motor Trend Truck of the Year: 2010 Dodge Ram Heavy Duty

A heavy duty truck has won Motor Trend’s coveted Truck of the Year title -- an award the magazine has rarely given to a heavy duty truck that occupies a small niche of the market.Dodge redesigned the Ram 1500 in 2009, adding a better driving experience...

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Chrysler plans for future Ram after Dakota

One future product idea that has survived the transition from bankrupt Chrysler to the new Chrysler Group LLC is a unibody pickup to replace the Dodge Dakota, which will be discontinued in 2011.---...M...

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Workers may get a stake in Opel

General Motors Co. is considering granting workers at the Adam Opel GmbH division a stake in the unit as the biggest U.S. automaker seeks to secure a deal on labor concessions in Europe---...M...

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Whitacre shakes up GM brass

Edward Whitacre Jr. seized the reins at General Motors Co. three days into his tenure as CEO and reshuffled the automakers management team, giving more responsibility to younger executives and women and emphasizing accountability as a core GM value.---...M...

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Chrysler Group LLC will translate into dazzling stock market success

Fiat may get mileage from Chrysler after all Maybe, just maybe, Fiat Group SpA's link with Chrysler Group LLC will translate into dazzling stock market success.While some investment analysts think Chrysler is unsalvageable, and therefore of no use to...

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Four Chrysler vehicles were named Top Safety Picks for 2010

Four Chrysler vehicles were named Top Safety Picks for 2010 by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety while Toyota failed to place a single car or truck on the list. Chrysler also had more domestic models on the list than either Ford or General Motors.Chrysler...

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Chrysler zeroes in on quality

Chrysler Group LLC's senior vice president in charge of quality told The Detroit News on Wednesday that changing the companys culture to collectively attack quality problems has been as difficult -- and essential-- as making better cars---...M...

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U.S. encouraged by Fiat plan for Chrysler

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. government is encouraged by the turnaround plan for Chrysler presented by Fiat SpA (FIA.MI) but will not push for a quick offering of the automaker's shares, a senior official said."We see management with a huge sense...

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GM to make Volt announcement, show off Cruze at L.A. auto show

General Motors Co. will announce a list of initial retail markets for the Chevrolet Volt extended-range electric car at next months Los Angeles International Auto Show.---...M...

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GM offered $2.6M tax break to stay at RenCen

The state Tuesday approved additional tax incentives to ensure General Motors Co. keeps its headquarters in Detroit and help several companies create jobs in a state stung by manufacturing cuts.---...M...

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Chrysler revamps electric program

Chrysler Group LLC is restructuring its electric program as it works to develop hybrids and electric vehicles for its own brands as well as for partner Fiat SpA---...M...

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GM to put electric Cadillac Converj into production

General Motors Co. will expand its electric vehicle lineup by building the Cadillac Converj, a luxury car some feared would never move beyond the concept stage because of GMs financial troubles.--...M...

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GM's Reilly to manage Opel/Vauxhall until CEO is found

General Motors' head of international operations, Nick Reilly, will assume responsibility immediately for GMs Opel and Vauxhall operations in Europe until a new CEO is appointed.---...M...

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GM hourly workers face permanent layoffs

Detroit -- While General Motors Co. does not plan any deep job cuts, the automaker still has too many hourly workers and could permanently eliminate some of the 6,000 to 7,000 workers currently on layoff---...M...

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Chrysler lays out lofty revival plan

Auburn Hills -- Chrysler Group LLC Chief Executive Sergio Marchionne laid out an ambitious, detailed plan Wednesday to revive the struggling Auburn Hills automaker by replenishing its lineup with high-quality and attractive models to more than double sales within five years and start generating profit in 2011.---...M...

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GM will cut jobs in Opel strategy

Washington -- General Motors Co. said Wednesday some 10,000 European jobs will be sacrificed at its money-losing Adam Opel GmbH unit, which the automaker decided this week to keep, rather than sell to Canadas Magna International Inc. and its Russian partner, Sberbank.----...M...

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Marchionne: Man with the plan to rescue Chrysler

CEO to unveil his 5-year strategy WednesdayFrom the dark rumpled sweaters he wears most days to his modest, fourth-floor command post at the Chrysler Tech Center in Auburn Hills, Sergio Marchionne has said that he is intent on debunking the "Great Man"...

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Toyota Designs Fuel Efficient Cars, but can't design a floor mat- 3.8 Million Recalled

3.8 Million Toyota cars recalled for floor mats. They have balled up under brakes and caused accelerators to stick.Washington -- Toyota Motor Corp. began mailing notices this week to 3.8 million vehicle owners, urging them to remove their floor mats...

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$5.6 billion in new capital in GMAC

The Treasury Department plans to inject up to $5.6 billion in new capital in GMAC -- the latest effort to help the auto finance giant, a government official confirmed late Tuesday....M...

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2010 Dodge Ram truck intro to be well financed

Scott Burgess / The Detroit NewsThe 2010 Dodge Ram Heavy pickup will hit dealerships in a few weeks with a new look and the same powerful engines, but with a well-financed marketing campaign in tow, Chrysler LLC executives said Tuesday. "There is pent-up...

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Chrysler's product plans to be shown in 'six-hour extravaganza'

WINDSOR, Ont. — Some industry analysts are calling it "a six-hour extravaganza." That's the length of time Chrysler Group LLC has allotted for the public unveiling of its long-awaited, five-year product and business plan.Journalists and auto analysts...

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Europe's politics hold up GM's Opel sale

The Germans aren't the only ones hoping to hurdle European Union objections to General Motors Co.'s plans to sell a majority stake in its Adam Opel GmbH unit. GM is pushing to close "open issues" in a binding deal, perhaps as early as this week, that...

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GMAC: Most Chrysler dealers to qualify for new loans

GMAC Financial Services President Bill Muir said Sunday that the number of Chrysler dealers expected to close because they dont qualify for new loans through the lender is likely to be small----...M...

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GM OKs Hummer deal

General Motors Co. has reached a sales agreement for its Hummer brand with a Chinese company that plans to keep the rugged auto company's headquarters in the Detroit area.--...M...

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Chrysler Has Electric Vehicle As Part Of 5 Year Plan

VERRONE, Italy -- Auto makers Chrysler Group LLC and Fiat SpA are working together on developing an electric car, a Chrysler board member confirmed Thursday. Alfredo Altavilla said the development process is "going very well" with Chrysler contributing...

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Chrysler Top Seller In Mexico

Boosted by year-over-year sales increases of Dodge Journey, Dodge Ram, Jeep® Patriot and Chrysler Town & Country, Chrysler Mexico achieved an 11.8 percent market share in September—its best share performance in the past 18 months, beating Ford for...

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Chrysler to outline 5-year business plan

Chrysler Group LLC will unveil its five-year business and product plan Nov. 4, the company said today. The briefing by CEO Sergio Marchionne for media and analysts will be held at the Auburn Hills headquarters. Chrysler and Fiat SpA formed a new company June 10 and Marchionne has been working with his management team on a strategy to better differentiate...

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Feds probe Toyota Tundras

2000-01 models face inquiry into corrosion, brake, spare tire issuesWashington -- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on Tuesday opened a preliminary investigation into corrosion on 218,000 Toyota Tundra pickups -- the latest safety issue to dog the Japanese automaker. In a notice on its Web site, NHTSA said its Office of Defects Investigation...

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Chrysler seeks luxury market, but analysts see tough sell

Chrysler Group LLC wants to push its namesake Chrysler brand upscaleThe automaker is eyeing a position "a notch above Lincoln, a notch above Cadillac," Chrysler brand chief Peter Fong told reporters at the Frankfurt Motor Show last month. The Auburn Hills automaker declined to comment further as it prepares an overall business and product plan expected...

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Chrysler vehicle launches at risk in feud with Daimler AG

The launch of key Chrysler Group LLC vehicles next year is being threatened once again by a new parts dispute between the automaker and former owner Daimler AG. At risk are the next-generation Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango sport utility vehicles...

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GM, dealers begin the end to Saturn

A day after a Saturn deal with Roger Penske fell through, General Motors Co. proceeded with plans to shutter 350 dealerships and there was little indication a deal could be salvaged or another suitor found.--...M...

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Sergio speaks: Chrysler's future will be better

New Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne hasn’t been talking much since the company emerged from bankruptcy on June 2. While rival General Motors has come out with an aggressive advertising campaign that attempts to get skeptics to look at its new cars, Chrysler...

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GM to close Saturn after Penske pulls out of deal

The last-minute collapse of a deal for the Saturn brand between General Motors Co. and Roger Penske dooms about 350 dealers, 13,000 employees and a brand created as a counterpunch to Japanese compact carmakers.---...M...

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GM's top electric car exec quits

Bob Kruse, who recently led a critical Chevrolet Volt team and devised the automaker's long-term electric vehicle strategy, has resigned months before the vehicle's debut, The Detroit News has learned.---...M...

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Toyota to Issue Largest-Ever Recall - Killer floor mats

USA - Toyota says it will recall 3.8 million vehicles in the United States to address problems with a removable floor mat that could interfere with the vehicle?s accelerator and cause a crash. The company says it will be the largest recall in its history. Owners could learn about the safety campaign as early as next week. Toyota and the government...

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GM's return policy may not be worth the hassle

You fell in love with that $22,000 Chevy Malibu because of its color, style and price. After driving it home, you realize it's not what you wanted. Maybe it's the way it handles on the highway, the location of the cup holders or the shape of the seats.--...M...

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Chrysler to ship 400 Ohio jobs to Michigan

Workers headed to metro Detroit plantsChrysler Group LLC plans to offer about 400 jobs in metro Detroit to workers from its Twinsburg, Ohio, stamping plant, while the automaker prepares to freshen its slow-selling midsize sedans -- a move that could temporarily extend jobs of about 1,300 workers at the Sterling Heights assembly plant.Twinsburg, one...

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Chrysler group mulls how to make most of Fiat's technology

Chrysler group mulls how to make most of Fiat's technologyAlisa Priddle / The Detroit NewsThe Chrysler Group LLC board met in Auburn Hills on Friday to figure out how best to use Fiat engineering and technology to make future products such as midsize sedans -- and where. The nine-member board is to provide a report to the U.S. auto task force next...

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Chrysler refines product, business plan

Alisa Priddle / The Detroit NewsThe board of Chrysler Group LLC will meet in Auburn Hills today to go over details of the five-year product and business plan that will be presented to the U.S. government next week and made public in mid-November. It...

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Chrysler prepares to rehire some employees

After 35,000 job cuts in the past two years and a bankruptcy that shifted control to Italy's Fiat SpA, Chrysler Group is preparing to rehire an unspecified number of salaried workers and ask current workers to put in overtime to get new models to market...

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GM rehiring 2,400 workers as production ramps up

General Motors Co. is rehiring 2,400 workers at three plants that are boosting production and absorbing work lost in an unprecedented round of closings announced before the automaker's bankruptcy filing....M...

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Chrysler exec Jim Press owes IRS, credit union more than $1.4M

Deputy Chief Executive Jim Press owns more than $18 million worth of real estate in some of the country's priciest ZIP codes, but he has financial problems more commonly found on the factory floor, not the boardroom.---M...

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GM dealers clamor for more vehicles

In an internal report, obtained by The Detroit News, General Motors Co. officials were surprised to find dealers wanted far greater numbers than the company had projected.---...M...

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American Axle deal reached

Detroit-based American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings Inc. has avoided bankruptcy with a new agreement with its lenders and a cash infusion from its largest customer, General Motors Co.---...M...

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Dealers indicate Penske close to buying Saturn

Saturn dealers nationwide have received new sales and service agreements from Roger Penske, a sign the auto icon is close to finalizing a deal for the castoff General Motors Co. brand.--...M...

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Automakers can top fuel rules, energy chief says

Washington -- U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu said Thursday automakers are capable of going beyond the 34.1 miles per gallon fleetwide fuel efficiency standards proposed by the Obama administration for the 2016 model year.---...M...

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Ford F150 Uses Tires Made In China-Tire tariff jolts Ford supplier

Tire tariff jolts Ford supplierKorean firm with factories in China weighs options to keep outfitting F-series trucksBryce G. Hoffman / The Detroit NewsFew things scream "American" louder than Ford Motor Co.'s F-series pickup, but some models of the best-selling...

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Chrysler to start leasing; dealers await sales boost

The Chrysler Group said Wednesday that it will start leasing again, a move that dealers hailed as holding the potential to improve sales.Through August, Chrysler's U.S. sales are down 39% compared with a year ago. At the Frankfurt auto show Wednesday,...

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Fiat can hit sales target with Chrysler alone

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Italy's Fiat (FIA.MI) can reach its target of selling between 5.5 and 6 million vehicles with Chrysler alone but the group still considers renewal of Italy's car sale incentives as vital.If the Italian government did not renew car...

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Chrysler CEO Has Five-Year Plan

FRANKFURT -- Chrysler Group LLC Chief Executive Sergio Marchionne said Wednesday he has designed a five-year plan for the auto maker and plans to share some of the details in November. Mr. Marchionne, who is also CEO of Fiat SpA, said Fiat expects Chrysler's...

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Magna executive says EU won't block Opel deal

Frankfurt -- The co-chief executive of Magna International Inc. said Tuesday that he doesn't believe the European Union will block his company's acquisition of a majority stake in Opel.......M...

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Marchionne Managing Chrysler Means 5 Mobile Devices in Backpack

Sept. 14 (Bloomberg) -- To save Chrysler Group LLC, Chief Executive Officer Sergio Marchionne has to create a mid-size sedan that can compete with the world’s best. It’s a three- to five-year job, and he may have two years to do it. Chrysler, which got...

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GM rescinds 27,000 pay cuts for white-collar workers

General Motors Co. restored salaries for white-collar workers and some executives Friday in a bid to retain employees critical to the automakers revival.--M...

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GM offers 60-day, cash-back guarantee

Board chairman to pitch four brands in major ad campaignRobert Snell / The Detroit NewsGeneral Motors Co., trying to woo consumers after a trip through bankruptcy, will launch a new advertising campaign Monday touting a 60-day money-back guarantee featuring...

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GM sells Opel to Magna, Sberbank

General Motors Co. will enter into the latest of a series of alliances in key overseas markets after agreeing to sell control of its German carmaker Adam Opel GmbH.--...M...

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Chrysler buys out engine plant in Dundee

Chrysler Group LLC, the automaker run by Fiat SpA since exiting bankruptcy in June, said Thursday it bought out Mitsubishi Motors Corp. and Hyundai Motor Co. stakes in a Michigan engine factory.--...M...

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GM rolls past 1 million miles in fuel cell demo

Buffalo, N.Y. -- General Motors Co. is now 1 million miles into its fuel cell experiment and company officials say having everyday people drive a test fleet of pollution-free cars has convinced them they are on the right track.---...M...

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President Obama to make first auto plant visit

Washington -- President Barack Obama plans to make a speech at General Motors Co.'s assembly plant in Lordstown, Ohio, next week, his first visit to a U.S. auto plant as president.--...M...

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GM to lay off about 1,000

General Motors Co. needs to lay off about 1,000 white-collar workers this month because only 1,900 accepted early retirement and buyout offers, the automaker said Wednesday.--...M...

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Gov to shift its stakes in GM and Chrysler to independent trust

By Silla Brush - 09/09/09 The federal government should consider shifting its massive stakes in General Motors and Chrysler into an independent trust to provide better oversight and transparency, a government watchdog panel will report on Wednesday.The government has supported the U.S. auto industry with more than $70 billion in bailout aid and has...

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Chrysler: Dodge Ram No. 1 in vehicle accessories

The Dodge Ram full-size pickup boasts the most accessories of any vehicle in Chrysler Group LLC's lineup, the automaker said Tuesday. The Jeep Wrangler is a close second, followed by the Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan minivans, the...

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Chryslers New Ram Plan Poses Brand Jam

Chrysler is potentially headed for a brand problem that will rival the pickle that GM is trying to extricate itself from.Here is the deal. Chrysler has three main brands at the moment: Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep. But it has made it clear to the ad agencies pitching its ad account that it is splitting off its pickup truck and commercial vehicle business...

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GM: Fleet airbags required

General Motors Co. will not allow fleet purchasers to skip buying side airbags on 2010 models, the company said Friday.---M...

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GM plant restarts production in Venezuela

CARACAS, Venezuela -- General Motors Co.'s Venezuela affiliate says it has restarted an auto assembly plant that was idled for two and a half months.--M...

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Old Chrysler defaults on loan payment

The portion of Chrysler LLC that remains in bankruptcy had costs of $10.2 billion in June, which is more money than the company was left with to cover the costs of liquidation.--< a href="http://www.detnews.com/article/20090905/AUTO01/909050313/1148/rss25">M...

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Old Chrysler's costs outstrip assets

The portion of Chrysler LLC that remains in bankruptcy had costs of $10.2 billion in June, which is more than the amount the company was left with to cover the costs of liquidation.The June operating report for Old Carco LLC, the name for the bankrupt pieces of the automaker, was filed with the New York bankruptcy court Friday. Chrysler LLC filed for...

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Big Three get image boost

An overwhelming percentage of new-car buyers said they would consider a vehicle made by Detroits Big Three, according to a survey released Wednesday by the Consumer Reports National Research Center.--...M...

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GM to pay another $50 million for Delphi benefits

Washington -- General Motors Co. has agreed to pay another $50 million to fund health benefits to nearly 50,000 Delphi Corp. hourly retirees and their dependents, union officials said Tuesday.href="http://www.detnews.com/article/20090902/AUTO01/909020331/1148/rss25">...M...

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Car sales rebound during Cash For Clunkers

The federal "cash for clunkers" program lifted U.S. auto sales in August to the first monthly, year-over-year gain since October 2007, raising hopes the market is beginning to rebound.Analysts and auto executives expect demand to fall in September, in...

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RHJ ups cash in Opel bid

RHJ International SA increased its offer for General Motors Co.'s Opel unit, agreeing to inject more cash into the unprofitable division and seek less in loan guarantees from the German government. Under the revised bid, RHJ would contribute 300 million euros ($426 million) instead of 275 million euros, Arnaud Denis, a spokesman for the Brussels-based...

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Idle GM plants spark interest from automakers

Prospective buyers eyeing sites considered difficult to unloadForeign and domestic automakers have expressed interest in buying factories being sold by the former General Motors Corp. as part of its bankruptcy case. Al Koch, chief restructuring officer...

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Chrysler Group LLC-Several models sell out in August

Chrysler Group LLC today reported a 5 percent sales increase compared with July 2009 despite low inventory levels on a number of popular nameplates.Dealership traffic continued at a high level during the month of August, in part due to the U.S. government’s...

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Dodge Ram pickup is only new Chrysler for '10

Chrysler has only one all-new vehicle for 2010 but is adding fuel-efficient versions of existing products and making more features standard in a lineup that must carry it through next year.Competes with: Ford F-Series, Chevy Silverado Looks like: A bigger...

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