Sunday, October 10, 2010

Detroit's automakers reclaiming market share

Detroit's automakers have been losing ground in their home market since 1996, but they're halting that trend this year at the expense of their Japanese rivals...M...
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Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Chrysler unveiled the redesigned 2011 Dodge Charger

AUBURN HILLS, Michigan — Chrysler has officially unveiled the redesigned 2011 Dodge Charger, which gets new sheet metal, a revised cockpit and a new Pentastar V6 engine. The car goes on sale in the fourth quarter....M...
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Friday, August 20, 2010

2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302 Anchors Dream Cruise Display

Ford Racing Performance Parts offering discount rates and on-site installation for Mustang owners; free Boss 302 T-shirts....M...
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GM IPO moves to reduce U.S. gov't stake

General Motors Co. filed paperwork Wednesday to hold an initial public stock offering, a landmark step toward selling shares to the public again and ending the government's majority ownership of the automaker....M...
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Chrysler previews new Jeep Wrangler

Chrysler Group LLC on Thursday released the first teaser photos of the 2011 Jeep Wrangler and Wrangler Unlimited, which go on sale later this year. Production of the popular off-roaders began this week in Toledo....M...
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Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Auto industry payback may surprise U.S. taxpayers | freep.com | Detroit Free Press

WASHINGTON -- Saving Detroit's auto industry may be a better deal for U.S. taxpayers than anyone expected.A Free Press analysis suggests that taxpayers could get back about $74 billion of the $86 billion the government made available in 2008 and 2009 to save General Motors, Chrysler and Ally Financial, the former GMAC.Auto industry payback may surprise...
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Toyota Subpoenaed Again by a U.S. Grand Jury - WSJ.com

Toyota Motor Corp. said Tuesday it has been subpoenaed by a federal grand jury in New York to submit documents related to problems with steering relay rods, part of an expanded investigation into the safety of its vehicles.The subpoenas to Toyota's U.S. subsidiaries on June 29 were issued by a U.S. grand jury in the Southern District in New York. They...
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Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Automotive World - US: Hyundai eyes pick-up tie-up with Chrysler - report

Hyundai has reportedly proposed plans to enter the pick-up market in the US by way of a partnership with Chrysler Group LLC.Reuters, citing unnamed sources familiar with this matter, said a proposal made by Hyundai to Chrysler earlier in 2010 involved Chrysler building a pick-up for Hyundai, based on the Ram pick-up platform.Chrysler's chief executive...
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Saturday, April 17, 2010

Porsche 911 Carrera S deserves mythical label

The 911 S is a mechanical dream, watch-like precision in a car. There's a reason German engineering comes with such a glorified reputation and the 911 S proves this at every turn....m...
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Toyota recalls 600,000 Sienna minivans (AP)

AP - As congressional investigators dig further into potential electronic problems in runaway Toyotas, the automaker is facing other safety concerns, recalling 600,000 Sienna minivans over rusting spare tire holders....M...
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Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Lexus GX 460 rated 'do not buy,' Toyota halts sale

AP - Toyota Motor Corp. has suspended sales of the 2010 Lexus GX 460 after Consumer Reports warned car shoppers not to buy the sport utility vehicle because handling problems could lead to rollover accidents during sharp turns....M...
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Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Class-action lawsuits could cost Toyota $3 billion

Miami -- Toyota owners claiming that massive safety recalls are causing the value of their vehicles to plummet have filed at least 89 class-action lawsuits that could cost the Japanese auto giant $3 billion or more, according to an Associated Press review of cases, legal precedent and interviews with experts.---...M...
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Toyota Prius with stuck accelerator glides to safe stop

El Cajon, Calif. -- A California Highway Patrol officer helped slow a runaway Toyota Prius from 94 mph to a safe stop on Monday after the car's accelerator became stuck on a San Diego County freeway, the CHP said.---...M...
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Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Geneva Show News: Alfa’s Guilietta hints at future Chrysler

Alfa Romeo's new Guilietta, unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show, is a far more significant car than it might appear.Not only has it got to appeal to a wider buying public as beleaguered Alfa tries to rebuild its European sales, it also forms the basis...
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GM recalls 1.3m cars over power steering fault

General Motors (GM) is recalling 1.3 million small cars in North America because of a power steering problem that has been linked to 14 crashes.The firm said four models were affected - the Chevrolet Cobalt, Pontiac G5, Pontiac Pursuit and Pontiac 4...
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Friday, February 26, 2010

Fiat 500C Abarth: 2010 Geneva Auto Show

TURIN, Italy — Fiat's Abarth brand will display performance editions of the 500C and the Punto Evo at the 2010 Geneva Auto Show.Abarth has kitted out the 500C in a choice of two-tone exterior paint schemes, loud graphics and 17-inch diamond-finish alloy...
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Thursday, February 25, 2010

Lotus Evora 414E Hybrid: 2010 Geneva Auto Show

HETHEL, England — Lotus Engineering has created what the U.K. firm calls a "high-performance technology demonstrator" in the Lotus Evora 414E Hybrid. The Lotus shares elements of its plug-in series hybrid drivetrain with a Giugiaro-designed concept from...
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Metro Detroit Toyota suppliers raided

The FBI raided the Detroit-area offices of three key Toyota Motor Corp. suppliers Tuesday night, officials said Wednesday.---...M...
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Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Spyker finalises purchase of Saab from GM

STOCKHOLM (AFP) – After months of negotiations and setbacks that left Saab's fate in limbo, Dutch sportscar maker Spyker said Tuesday it had finalised the purchase of the iconic Swedish brand from General Motors.Spyker's CEO Victor Muller told reporters...
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Sudden acceleration fix still an issue, Toyota says

Toyota Motor Corp. raised more questions about the safety of its vehicles than it answered Tuesday during a congressional hearing filled with dramatic moments and harsh exchanges....M...
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Expert Says He Found Flaw in Toyota Electronics System

Dr. David Gilbert, an associate professor of automotive technology at Southern Illinois University, told a congressional hearing that he has found a flaw in the electronics system of a Toyota that "would allow abnormalities to occur."...M...
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Tuesday, February 23, 2010

GM to add third shift at Ohio plant

General Motors Co. is expected to announce today that it is adding a third shift of production at its Lordstown assembly plant in Ohio to produce the new compact Chevrolet Cruze, according to a source familiar with the plan....M...
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2011 Maserati Quattroporte Sport GT S Awards Edition: 2010 Geneva Auto Show

MODENA, Italy — Maserati will unveil a special Quattroporte Sport GT S Awards Edition at the upcoming 2010 Geneva Auto Show. It will reach U.S. dealers in the second half of 2010 as a 2011 model....M...
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Monday, February 22, 2010

Tennessee couple to testify at Toyota hearing

Washington -- The first witnesses at Tuesday's House hearing into Toyota Motor Corp.'s sudden acceleration woes will be a Tennessee couple who reported a serious incident in 2006.---...M...
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Toyota Bragged of Savings From Limiting Recall

A Toyota document — one of thousands the company has turned over to members of two committees in the U.S. House of Representatives — brags that the effort to limit recalls saved the automaker $100 million.---...M...
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Friday, February 19, 2010

Toyota Recall Update #29: Corolla, Matrix Targeted in NHTSA Investigation

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on Thursday launched a formal investigation into consumer complaints about unresponsive steering in the 2009-'10 Toyota Corolla and Matrix....m...
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Toyoda will appear before Congress

Washington -- Toyota Motor Corp. President Akio Toyoda will testify before Congress next week -- a dramatic move as the company seeks to stem the fallout from a series of massive recalls....M...
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Thursday, February 18, 2010

Toyota Recall News:President Akio Toyoda Will Not Face The American People

With the mounting troubles at Toyota/Lexus they may never be able to recover. They are having steering problems, accelerator issues, floor mats sticking, brakes not working and deaths that maybe directly caused by these defects. Now they are being...
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Daimler Mercedes-Benz scraps dividend after 2009 loss

STUTTGART, Germany (Reuters) - German carmaker Daimler (DAIGn.DE) scrapped its dividend for the first time in 14 years after it swung to a worse-than-expected 2009 net loss, sending shares down to their lowest level in five months....M...
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Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Toyota Motor Corp. plans to shut down production

Washington -- Toyota Motor Corp. plans to shut down production again at two U.S. plants as it copes with the fallout from safety recalls....M...
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Chrysler Helps Alfa Romeo Return To America

Sergio Marchionne, Chrysler Group LLC chief executive, gave his clearest indication yet yesterday that the Alfa Romeo brand may make a return to the North American market as the Detroit automaker continues to look for ways to integrate its new partner,...
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2011 Bentley Continental Supersports Convertible: 2010 Geneva Auto Show

CREWE, England — The new 2011 Bentley Continental Supersports Convertible will debut at the 2010 Geneva Auto Show as a companion to last year's Continental Supersports coupe. Bentley claims its new model is the world's fastest four-seat convertible and...
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Toyota probes Corolla steering as its chief says he won't attend U.S. hearing

Tokyo -- Toyota is considering a recall of its hot-selling Corolla subcompact after complaints about power steering problems -- another blow to the world's largest automaker already reeling from a string of recalls for safety problems...M...
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Saturday, February 13, 2010

Chrysler-Fiat make a Huge $3.3 billion deal with a Russian vehicle builder

When Sergio Marchionne, chief executive officer of Fiat Group and Chrysler Group, signed off on a $3.3 billion deal with a Russian vehicle builder, he emphasized technology from Jeep was critical to the new alliance.Fiat is putting up half the $3.3 billion...
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Toyota recalls Toyota Tacoma pickups

Washington -- Toyota Motor Corp. is recalling 8,000 Toyota Tacoma pickups vehicles over concerns that a faulty propeller shaft may have cracks.---...M...
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Friday, February 12, 2010

2011 Ford Shelby GT500 ups horsepower, fuel economy

The 2011 Ford Shelby GT500 will get even more horsepower and better fuel economy, which could make it the first modern Shelby GT500 to dodge the gas guzzler tax, the company said today.The Shelby GT500 — which was to be shown to the media today in Allen...
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Dodge Ram wins 2010 MotorWeek Drivers’ Choice Award

Auburn Hills, Michigan – MotorWeek TV today announced that the Dodge Ram 1500, 2500 and 3500 trucks have won the show’s 2010 Drivers’ Choice Award for Best Pickup Truck. This is the second year in a row that MotorWeek has chosen Ram trucks for the a...
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2011 Hyundai Azera Gets Horsepower Boost: 2010 Chicago Auto Show

The 2011 Hyundai Azera, unveiled at the 2010 Chicago Auto Show, gets a horsepower boost and a new six-speed automatic transmission....M...
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Toyota Turns Down Award for Prius in Japan

Accepting kudos for the just-recalled 2010 Toyota Prius hybrid is inappropriate, Toyota said...M...
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Thursday, February 11, 2010

2010 Infiniti G37 Convertible

FRANKLIN, Tennessee — Nissan said the 2010 G37 Convertible, on sale now, will be priced from $44,350 for the seven-speed automatic version, up $500 from last year. The G37 Convertible Sport with six-speed manual gets new standard equipment, with a starting...
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Honda Recalls 378,758 Vehicles for Defective Air Bag Inflator

TORRANCE, California — Honda announced late Tuesday that it is expanding a recall to replace a defective air bag inflator in an additional 378,758 vehicles in the U.S. This latest action adds to the mounting recall woes of Honda, which last month announced...
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Toyota loses its way

Five years ago, Yoshi Inaba, then president of Toyota Motor Corp.'s U.S. sales operations, disclosed his biggest fear. It was that someday, some flaw in Toyota vehicles might go undetected and cause injuries, or worse, to the companys customers.---...M...
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Tuesday, February 9, 2010

State Farm says it warned NHTSA on Toyota in 2007 (AP)

AP - The nation's largest auto insurer said Tuesday it alerted federal safety regulators in late 2007 about a rise in reports of unexpected acceleration in Toyota vehicles, the latest warning sign to emerge about the massive recall---...M...
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2010 Dodge Challenger Furious Fuchsia Editions Unleashed

It's a far cry from the girlie Dodge La Femme of the Eisenhower era, but as close as the automaker is going to come to a pink Challenger. The 2010 Dodge Challenger Furious Fuchsia models were unveiled on Monday ahead of the 2010 Chicago Auto Show and...
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Fiat 500 Production Starts Soon

TOLUCA, Mexico, Feb 8 (Reuters) - Mexico could produce up to 130,000 Fiat 500s a year, seen as key to the recovery of Chrysler in the United States, with a $550 million investment, Fiat Chief Executive Sergio Marchionne said on Monday.A Chrysler plant...
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Monday, February 8, 2010

Ford Making Fix to 2010 Mustang Shelby GT500 Tire Information

DEARBORN, Michigan — Ford is making a fix to 243 of its 2010 Mustang Shelby GT500 cars because the rear tire size information was incorrectly marked on the label.The recall affects 2010 Shelby GT500s built between October 28 and December 3, 2009. Ford...
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Ford: Braking Glitch in 2010 Fusion and Milan Hybrids Will Be Remedied

DEARBORN, Michigan — Ford said Thursday it will update the software of the regenerative braking system on some 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid and Mercury Milan Hybrids that are already in customers' hands. Ford's action comes on the heels of a similar issue...
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Dodge Charger Super Bowl Ad - Man's Last Stand

The Super Bowl 2010 had some fun ads and One of the fan favorites was the Dodge commercial with Dexter Star Michael C. Hall voice over. "Man's Last Sta...
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Sunday, February 7, 2010

GM China sales nearly doubled in January

General Motors Co., which has long looked to China as a growth market, nearly doubled its sales there in January, a record for the month...M...
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Nissan 40th Anniversary Z: 2010 Chicago Auto Show

LONDON — Nissan in April will begin delivering the first of a limited run of cars to mark the 40th anniversary of the Z-car. In the U.S., the car will be called the 40th Anniversary Z, and it will debut at next week's 2010 Chicago Auto Show.In Europe,...
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Recall:Toyota to announce action soon for Prius hybrids

TOKYO (AP) -- Toyota said Sunday that it will soon announce plans to deal with braking problems in its prized Prius hybrid amid reports it has decided to issue a recall for the latest model in Japan, a possible new embarrassment for the world's biggest automaker---...M...
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Friday, February 5, 2010

Tesla Launches RHD Roadster

LONDON — Tesla Motors said a right-hand-drive version of the Roadster is going into production for the U.K. and other markets, with test drives available at the company's exclusive showroom in Knightsbridge. The projected price is $137,850.Tesla said...
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Toyota Recall Update #21: NHTSA Opens Prius Brake Probe

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Transportation on Thursday joined Japan's Ministry of Transport in opening a formal defect investigation into brake problems on the 2010 Toyota Prius.The U.S. investigation, to be conducted by DOT's National Highway...
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Seat Ibiza ST: 2010 Geneva Auto Show

The sport tourer from VW's Spanish subsidiary is the third entry in the Ibiza range.---...M...
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Thursday, February 4, 2010

Geneva auto show: Kia Sportage set for reveal

The world premiere of the all-new Kia Sportage is set for the Geneva motor show in March. The Sportage sports a dramatic makeover that helps should bolster the Korean brand's image.....M...
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