Articles in section Auto Industry News http://www.autotropolis.com/article.manager Sat, 28 Nov 2009 16:32:47 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.3 http://www.autotropolis.com/article.manager/images/M_images/joomla_rss.png http://www.autotropolis.com/article.manager Articles in section Auto Industry News http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/end-nears-for-pontiac-with-final-us-made-vehicle.html Pontiac G6 (http://www.autotropolis.com/pontiac/g6/research.html) made headlines for modest mid-cycle refreshment, but to show how volatile the current automotive climate is, that design turned out to be a swan song for the popular G6 lineup. Following General Motors’ announcement that it was phasing out the Pontiac (http://www.autotropolis.com/pontiac/research.html) division, the final U.S. made Pontiac vehicle is just another step in the official death of the 83-year-old brand. While the last Oldsmobile ever produced, a 2004 Alero sedan, received a grand send off as it was signed by hundreds of assembly workers and now rests in a museum, but the same fate will... Fri, 27 Nov 2009 14:26:34 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/2011-buick-regal-confirmed-for-oshawa-production.html Chevrolet Impala (http://www.autotropolis.com/chevrolet/impala/research.html) and the popular Chevrolet Camaro (http://www.autotropolis.com/chevrolet/camaro/research.html), and there are also rumors that the Cadillac (http://www.autotropolis.com/cadillac/research.html) XTS (replacement for the STS and DTS) will also be produced in Oshawa. Had the Saturn (http://www.autotropolis.com/saturn/research.html) situation not played out the way it has so far, the Opel Insignia would have been the next-generation Saturn Aura (http://www.autotropolis.com/saturn/aura/research.html), but now the Insignia is now just months away from becoming the next Buick Regal. To get the Buick Regal on the market as quickly as possible, production will initially take place alongside the Insignia in Rüsselsheim, Germany early next year, which... Fri, 27 Nov 2009 12:34:12 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/the-automotive-news-week-in-review-november-27-2009.html Pair of Long-Awaited Luxury Vehicles Make Their Debut Cadillac CTS (http://www.autotropolis.com/cadillac/cts/research.html) Coupe, the two-door complement to the current Cadillac (http://www.autotropolis.com/cadillac/research.html) CTS sedan and sport wagon lineup. Cadillac has not tackled the high end coupe market since 2002, when the full-size Cadillac El Dorado bowed out for the last time. The new Cadillac CTS Coupe evokes little of the older Caddy, as it makes use of a performance-oriented rear-wheel drive platform and strong, angular looks that are well in line with Cadillac’s current styling language. The vehicle will be sold with a 3.6-liter V-6 engine that... Thu, 26 Nov 2009 22:14:29 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/saabs-demise-imminent-as-koenigsegg-backs-out-of-deal.html Saab (http://www.autotropolis.com/saab/research.html) was delivered what could turn out to be a knock-out blow today with the announcement that Koenigsegg Group A.B. has backed out negotiations to purchase the brand. Koenigsegg stated that a lack of funding has forced it to withdraw its offer, which many in the industry had considered a done deal. Koenigsegg, itself based in Sweden and well known for its production of high end supercars, had originally signed an agreement with GM in June to purchase Saab and begin rebuilding the car company. In the months since the initial announcement, Koenigsegg had not only... Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:55:19 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/acura-releases-more-info-on-2010-zdx-crossover.html Mercedes-Benz (http://www.autotropolis.com/mercedes-benz/research.html) CLS-Class practically invented the term “four-door coupe” while BMW (http://www.autotropolis.com/bmw/research.html) applied this sometimes polarizing design element to create its X6 sport activity coupe. Now Acura (http://www.autotropolis.com/acura/research.html) is looking to use the sleek, popular design cues on its latest crossover with the 2010 Acura ZDX, and with the BMW X6 (http://www.autotropolis.com/bmw/x6/research.html) square in its sights, the all-new ZDX will go on sale on December 15, 2009 with a starting MSRP of $45,495.By far, the ZDX’s most unique feature is its design. While there are many crossovers to compete against, the sporty, coupe-like ZDX definitely... Mon, 23 Nov 2009 21:35:49 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/the-automotive-news-week-in-review-november-20-2009.html Ford (http://www.autotropolis.com/ford/research.html) to Unleash New Police Interceptor There is no question that the Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor occupies a unique niche in the automotive market. Although the vehicle’s platform, which dates back almost 30 years, has been deemed too archaic to remain a part of Ford’s consumer lineup, it still represents a strong income stream in the form of fleet sales – particularly to police departments. It turns out that the Ford Crown Victoria’s ancient body-on-frame design gives law enforcement the reliability and ease of repair they need from a vehicle that sees significant miles... Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:21:32 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/mazda-confirms-production-la-debut-for-2011-mazda2.html With Ford (http://www.autotropolis.com/ford/research.html) set to introduce its 2011 Fiesta in North America next summer, Mazda (http://www.autotropolis.com/mazda/research.html) didn’t want to miss the opportunity to release its own subcompact car that shares its underpinnings with the Ford hatchback. Taking advantage of the “green” publicity given to the Los Angeles International Auto Show, Mazda plans to take the wraps off its 2011 Mazda MAZDA2 early next month. Like the Ford Fiesta (http://www.autotropolis.com/ford/fiesta/research.html), the Mazda MAZDA2 has been a big hit in automotive markets around the world, but Mazda announced that the North American-bound production model of the MAZDA2 would be unveiled... Thu, 19 Nov 2009 23:31:49 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/redesigned-2010-volkswagen-jetta-sportwagen-hits-showrooms.html Volkswagen (http://www.autotropolis.com/volkswagen/research.html) of America’s announcement that it would be switching the styling of the 2010 Jetta SportWagen to match the all-new Golf hatchback, and after seeing the car in person and in newly released press photos, I can honestly say the new car is much better looking. Although the Jetta SportWagen made its initial debut last year as a 2009 model, it used the same styling as the Rabbit and the Jetta sedan. In an attempt to capitalize on the new look of the all-new Golf, VW gave the SportWagen a cleaner, more unique appearance simply by changing altering... Thu, 19 Nov 2009 21:55:02 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/toyota-recall-and-repairs.html Toyota (http://www.autotropolis.com/toyota/research.html) has now offered to replace the gas pedals on over 4 million Toyota vehicles.The recall occurred after a high-speed crash in California killed five people. One of the passengers made a 911 call, stating that the accelerator pedal was stuck and the brakes were not working. The speeding vehicle was a 2009 Lexus (http://www.autotropolis.com/lexus/research.html) on loan to the driver while his car was being serviced. The out-of-control Lexus sped down a highway, crashed into a vehicle, continued through traffic and ended up on fire in a river.The initial recall was for certain models of Toyota cars and... Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:11:01 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/volt-based-cadillac-converj-likely-to-enter-production.html Ever since Cadillac (http://www.autotropolis.com/cadillac/research.html) introduced the Converj concept vehicle in Detroit earlier this year, there have been rumors for and against the car’s production potential. Built off the same Voltec platform as the highly anticipated Chevrolet (http://www.autotropolis.com/chevrolet/research.html) Volt, a production version of the Cadillac Converj could give the luxury automaker a major advantage over Lexus (http://www.autotropolis.com/lexus/research.html) and its ever-growing number of hybrid cars and crossovers. If the Cadillac Converj extended range electric vehicle (E-REV) does go into production, it would likely be the first electric vehicle offered by a luxury automaker without sacrificing the styling, luxury and performance... Mon, 16 Nov 2009 11:19:00 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/volkswagen-announces-2010-vw-jetta-tdi-cup-street-edition.html Volkswagen (http://www.autotropolis.com/volkswagen/research.html) launched its own racing series based on the car called the TDI Cup. The series uses young, aspiring racecar drivers piloting Jetta TDI sedans which were only slightly modified from a stock car. After showing a concept version of the car at the 2008 SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) show, Volkswagen is finally getting ready to introduce a street version of its diesel-powered racecar, the 2010 Volkswagen Jetta (http://www.autotropolis.com/volkswagen/jetta/research.html) TDI Cup Street Edition. The coolest part of the 2010 VW Jetta (http://www.autotropolis.com/volkswagen/jetta-sedan/research.html) TDI Cup Street Edition is that it is almost a... Fri, 13 Nov 2009 17:03:24 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/ford-preparing-next-gen-police-interceptor-for-2012.html Ford (http://www.autotropolis.com/ford/research.html) Motor Company has announced that it will introduce an all-new Police Interceptor early next year. Ford has already confirmed that the current Crown Victoria (pictured left) and its 30-year-old Panther platform will cease production in late 2011, and it said that the replacement for the Crown Victoria will be offered without interruption of the current model. With the Crown Victoria’s production assured through the end of 2011, the new car probably won’t go into production until late 2011 or early 2012 for the 2012 model year. To create the best possible replacement for the iconic cop... Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:15:12 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/the-automotive-news-week-in-review-november-13-2009.html Volvo (http://www.autotropolis.com/volvo/research.html) Aims At Younger Crowd With Twilight Tie-In Volvo C30 (http://www.autotropolis.com/volvo/c30/research.html) coupe and a new Volvo XC60 (http://www.autotropolis.com/volvo/xc60/research.html) crossover – but they have also expanded their online presence to further draw the attentions of teenage vampire fans. The crux of their web effort is a game called “What Drives Edward?” in reference to the film’s main undead character. By mobilizing the film’s fanbase, Volvo has seen a huge spike in the number of people who access the company’s primary website, primarily the section where visitors can configure the Volvo XC60 online. Given that the vehicle... Fri, 13 Nov 2009 14:07:55 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/mitsubishi-shows-sketch-for-2011-compact-crossover.html Mitsubishi (http://www.autotropolis.com/mitsubishi/research.html) is having a bad year. Looking to bolster its lineup that includes just one new model for 2010 (the Lancer Sportback), Mitsubishi has released a sketch of a future compact crossover that is based on the 2007 Mitsubishi Concept-cX concept vehicle that debuted at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show. Mitsubishi says that its unnamed crossover will go on sale in February 2010 and make its worldwide debut at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show next March. Fitting in line with the current Lancer and the upcoming Outlander GT, the front of the crossover will feature the large,... Thu, 12 Nov 2009 21:45:50 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/buick-officially-unveils-2011-buick-regal.html Buick (http://www.autotropolis.com/buick/research.html) Regal and its counterparts in China (Buick Regal) and Europe (Opel Insignia), GM has finally released official details of the new entry-level Buick including powertrain, production and dimensions. Looking to change how it is perceived by the buying public, the 2011 Buick Regal will not only help expand Buick’s lineup to four models, but it will also help Buick compete against solid luxury sport sedans such as the Acura TSX (http://www.autotropolis.com/acura/tsx/research.html), Volkswagen Passat (http://www.autotropolis.com/volkswagen/passat/research.html) and the all-new Volvo S60 (http://www.autotropolis.com/volvo/s60/research.html).The popularity of the European-designed Opel Insignia eventually gave way to the Buick Regal in China, but there... Thu, 12 Nov 2009 18:05:34 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/volvo-releases-first-images-of-2011-volvo-s60.html Volvo (http://www.autotropolis.com/volvo/research.html) is preparing to launch a redesigned version of one of its most popular models, the S60 sedan. With an all-new look inspired by the 2009 Volvo S60 (http://www.autotropolis.com/volvo/s60/research.html) Concept, the 2011 Volvo S60 will officially debut at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show next March with production starting later in the summer. While most of the details are still unknown about the 2011 S60, Volvo has released a pair of images showing the sleek new shape of its mid-size luxury sedan.After almost a full decade on the market, Volvo is giving the S60 a new look with a... Tue, 10 Nov 2009 09:21:08 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/chrysler-group-kills-envi-division-shares-ev-development-with-fiat.html Chrysler (http://www.autotropolis.com/chrysler/research.html) Group held a day-long press conference detailing the future additions to each of the four brands, but today the struggling automaker announced a surprising cut from its vehicle development. Chrysler has announced that its ENVI team, which produced a trio of electric vehicle (EV) prototypes in seemingly record time, has been disbanded due to Chrysler and Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne’s belief that the EV market will struggle until more advanced battery systems are developed. ENVI, its naming derived from ENVIronment, was put together by Chrysler’s former owner Cerberus Capital Management back in 2007 to quickly design... Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:46:19 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/ford-looks-to-improve-vehicle-safety-with-rear-inflatable-seat-belt.html Over the last twenty years, the number of safety devices inside cars has grown by a considerable amount, but according to Ford (http://www.autotropolis.com/ford/research.html) Motor Company there is still room for improvement. Looking to improve on one of the simplest safety devices in a car, Ford has developed a seat belt with an integrated airbag for better protection for rear passengers. While front passengers get active head restraints, front airbags and seat belt pretensioners, rear-seat occupants usually only get a roof-mounted side-curtain airbag effective in reducing injuries during side-impact collisions and vehicle rollover incidents. Ford’s inflatable rear seat... Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:14:16 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/the-automotive-news-week-in-review-november-6-2009.html Chrysler (http://www.autotropolis.com/chrysler/research.html) Unveils Future Plans Dodge Dakota (http://www.autotropolis.com/dodge/dakota/research.html) and the Dodge Viper (http://www.autotropolis.com/dodge/viper/research.html). With regards to the latter, Chrysler stated that a fresh Dodge (http://www.autotropolis.com/dodge/research.html) Viper will most likely be developed after the current generation has been off the market for a few years, although details were not available. The Dodge Dakota, on the other hand, may make the unusual leap to a unibody design, which is currently featured on only one other pickup truck in North America – the Honda Ridgeline (http://www.autotropolis.com/honda/ridgeline/research.html), which has failed to light the world on fire in terms of sales.... Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:41:23 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/acura-confirms-acura-tsx-sport-wagon-for-2011.html From the very first picture that Honda (http://www.autotropolis.com/honda/research.html) Motor Company showed of its 2010 Honda Accord (http://www.autotropolis.com/honda/accord-sedan/research.html) Crosstour, there were many questions as to why it didn’t just bring the European Accord station wagon over. As it turns out, that wagon is being brought over to the United States after all, but like the European Accord sedan, it will be joining Honda’s luxury division as the 2011 Acura TSX (http://www.autotropolis.com/acura/tsx/research.html) Sport Wagon. Going up against vehicles such as the Cadillac CTS (http://www.autotropolis.com/cadillac/cts/research.html) Sport Wagon and the BMW (http://www.autotropolis.com/bmw/research.html) 328i Sports Wagon, the all-new Acura (http://www.autotropolis.com/acura/research.html) TSX (http://www.autotropolis.com/acura/tsx/research.html) Sport... Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:30:36 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/future-chrysler-brand-developments.html In addition to a new logo, Olivier Francois, president and CEO of the Chrysler (http://www.autotropolis.com/chrysler/research.html) brand, hopes the signature brand of the Chrysler Group can overhaul its entire image to become a leader in luxury and style. For years, Chrysler vehicles have simply been rebadged and slightly more luxurious versions of Dodge (http://www.autotropolis.com/dodge/research.html) models, but Francois hopes that moving forward Chrysler can “design cars that start out revolutionary and end up timeless.” By 2014, the entire Chrysler vehicle lineup will be completely redesigned from what it is today and it will grow from its current four-model lineup to... Wed, 04 Nov 2009 19:37:52 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/future-jeep-brand-developments.html Jeep (http://www.autotropolis.com/jeep/research.html) will likely have the easiest road ahead of it, but that doesn’t stop it from soldiering forward with a new lineup of products over the next four years. The biggest task that the iconic Jeep brand has ahead of it is focusing on its core strength of off-road capabilities while delivering a vehicle that is stylish, attractive and comfortable to drive. Mike Manley, president and CEO of the Jeep brand, said that Jeep will begin using Fiat platforms in 2013 without sacrificing the rugged “Trail Rated” abilities expected from a Jeep vehicle. To capture the true... Wed, 04 Nov 2009 19:04:34 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/future-dodge-ram-brand-developments.html The newly formed Chrysler (http://www.autotropolis.com/chrysler/research.html) Group LLC recently spun off the truck lineup from its Dodge (http://www.autotropolis.com/dodge/research.html) division and labeled in the all-new Dodge Ram brand. It seems that the Dodge Car brand will continue to offer crossovers and SUVs, so the Dodge Ram brand would provide work trucks and vans including the Dodge Ram pickups, the Dodge Dakota (http://www.autotropolis.com/dodge/dakota/research.html) and the Dodge Sprinter (http://www.autotropolis.com/dodge/sprinter/research.html). Fred Diaz, president and CEO of the Dodge Ram brand, confirmed this by indicating that this brand “must focus on truck customers and commercial vehicles.” Mercedes-Benz (http://www.autotropolis.com/mercedes-benz/research.html) has already announced that it will... Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:15:59 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/future-dodge-car-brand-developments.html Today is a big day for the future of Chrysler (http://www.autotropolis.com/chrysler/research.html) as each brand lays out the future developments planned through 2014, but the Dodge (http://www.autotropolis.com/dodge/research.html) Car brand probably has one of the toughest roads ahead of it looking at the current products. Ralph Giles, president and CEO of the Dodge Car brand, talked about the future of Dodge in the marketplace ranging from new models from Fiat that will be added to the lineup, revised interiors to give its cars a more competitive edge as well as exciting new vehicles to continue the trend of sporty, athletic... Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:14:45 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/dodge-car-brand-ceo-confirms-end-of-dodge-viper-production.html Dodge Viper (http://www.autotropolis.com/dodge/viper/research.html) was the first vehicle to have its production go back on line, but the iconic sports car will be end production next year according to Ralph Giles, President and CEO of the Dodge (http://www.autotropolis.com/dodge/research.html) Car Brand. Giles said that the Dodge Viper SRT-10, which has been around since 1991, will cease production in July 2010. The Dodge Viper, along with its powerful V-10 engine, is hand-built at Chrysler’s Conner Avenue Assembly plant in Detroit, Michigan. Production of the Dodge Viper has been up in the air over that past 18 months including an attempt to... Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:28:49 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/nissan-previews-the-2010-nissan-rogue-krm.html The compact crossover segment is chocked full of competitors, so to help its entrant stand out from the crowd, Nissan (http://www.autotropolis.com/nissan/research.html) is preparing to offer a limited-edition version of its 2010 Nissan Rogue. Building on a popular model of the Nissan Cube (http://www.autotropolis.com/nissan/cube/research.html), Nissan will add the Krōm trim level on its 2010 Rogue. Like the factory-accessorized version of the 2009 Nissan cube, the new Nissan Rogue (http://www.autotropolis.com/nissan/rogue/research.html) Krōm focuses solely on exterior visual enhancements to give it a more unique and customized look. Nissan GT-R (http://www.autotropolis.com/nissan/gt-r/research.html), while the standard egg-crate grille is replaced with a smaller, two-bar... Tue, 03 Nov 2009 19:06:39 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/the-automotive-news-week-in-review-october-30-2009.html General Motors Extends Money Back Guarantee Cadillac (http://www.autotropolis.com/cadillac/research.html), Chevrolet (http://www.autotropolis.com/chevrolet/research.html), Buick (http://www.autotropolis.com/buick/research.html) and GMC (http://www.autotropolis.com/gmc/research.html) vehicles might seem impressive, there are those who point to the complex rules that must be followed by unsatisfied owners as the true reason for the small number of returned cars and trucks. Participation in the program also precluded being able to claim a certain cash incentive, which lowered overall participation to just under 500 buyers. So far, only 4 vehicles have been dropped off at the dealerships from which they originally came, although at least 10 times as many have... Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:47:28 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/the-automotive-news-week-in-review-october-23-2009.html $42,000 Rebate on Tesla Roadster in Colorado No, that’s not a typo. The state of Colorado is willing to give Tesla Roadster buyers the deal of a lifetime in the form of a $42,000 income tax credit should they choose to purchase the electric car. The stunning discount is part of an aggressive eco-program implemented by the state with an eye towards encouraging new car shoppers to invest in alternative fuels. How exactly did they arrive at the $42,000 number? Colorado uses a complex formula that takes into account the difference in price between the... Fri, 23 Oct 2009 13:30:58 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/2011-lexus-lfa-supercar-unveiled-in-tokyo.html Audi (http://www.autotropolis.com/audi/research.html) and Mercedes-Benz (http://www.autotropolis.com/mercedes-benz/research.html) are just two mainstream luxury automakers that also happen to specialize in exhilarating performance vehicles, but now Lexus is (http://www.autotropolis.com/lexus/research.html) looking to join these ranks with its long-awaited supercar. Based on the 2007 Lexus (http://www.autotropolis.com/lexus/research.html) LF-A Concept vehicle, Lexus unveiled the production version of the 2011 Lexus LFA at the Tokyo Motor Show this week. Going up against cars like the Audi R8 (http://www.autotropolis.com/audi/r8/research.html), Mercedes-Benz SLS Gullwing and even the Nissan GT-R (http://www.autotropolis.com/nissan/gt-r/research.html), the performance of the all-new Lexus LFA is matched by the stunning design. Despite sporting a much different take on... Fri, 23 Oct 2009 09:20:44 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/kia-unveils-2011-kia-cadenza-sedan.html Back in July, we reported on a future flagship sedan from Kia (http://www.autotropolis.com/kia/research.html) Motors, but those reports were base on concept vehicles and design sketches. Kia has finally taken the wraps off the production model of the luxury sedan which is based heavily off the KND-5 concept vehicle that was debuted earlier this year at the Seoul Motor Show. Kia also announced that the sedan, known internally as the VG, will be called the Cadenza in markets outside of Korea when it goes on sale next spring as a 2011 model. When it goes on sale early next year,... Wed, 21 Oct 2009 09:06:19 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/nissan-celebrates-milestone-with-limited-edition-2010-nissan-370z.html Nissan (http://www.autotropolis.com/nissan/research.html) Motor Company launched a sporty little coupe under the Datsun nameplate and called it the Z. Since its introduction, the Nissan Z has seen six generations of designs, so to celebrate the four decades of the car Nissan will offer a special package on the 2010 370Z. The classic lines of the 1970 Nissan 240Z live on today in the current model, but the limited edition package will be yet another way for Z car fans to pay homage to the legend. Seeing as how the latest Z is already an excellent performance vehicle, all of... Wed, 21 Oct 2009 09:05:12 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/the-automotive-news-week-in-review-october-16-2009.html Bob Lutz Steps Up With Cadillac (http://www.autotropolis.com/cadillac/research.html) CTS-V ChallengeChevrolet Corvette (http://www.autotropolis.com/chevrolet/corvette/research.html). Anyone over the age of 21 who gets their application in on time will be able to take part in the Challenge, which is shaping up to be a fun publicity stunt on the part of a company that could use as much goodwill as possible from beleaguered car buyers.Volvo (http://www.autotropolis.com/volvo/research.html) to Introduce Diesels and HybridsVolvo V70 (http://www.autotropolis.com/volvo/v70/research.html) PHEV. This hybrid is capable of traveling for up to 30 miles on battery power alone, and features and electric motor driving the rear wheels and a diesel... Fri, 16 Oct 2009 13:33:54 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/brumos-porsche-hosts-2010-porsche-panamera-gala.html Porsche Panamera (http://www.autotropolis.com/porsche/panamera/research.html) set to go on sale this weekend, the new four-door Porsche (http://www.autotropolis.com/porsche/research.html) received a fitting unveiling this week from storied Porsche affiliate and race team, Brumos Porsche. President of Porsche North America Detlev Von Platen (pictured below) was in attendance to help unveil Porsche’s “new kid on the block” at an exclusive reveal at the J. Johnson Gallery in Jacksonville Beach, Fla. Besides the three models that were represented each of the car’s trim levels, the Porsche Panamera was showcased next to the last Porsche car to offer a front-engine, rear-wheel drive layout: the 928.... Thu, 15 Oct 2009 16:32:35 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/buick-regal-rejoins-north-american-lineup-for-2011.html Cadillac (http://www.autotropolis.com/cadillac/research.html) and Lincoln (http://www.autotropolis.com/lincoln/research.html) have abandoned all of its history to use an annoying three-letter naming system, but thankfully some nameplates are being reintroduced. While the Dodge Charger (http://www.autotropolis.com/dodge/charger/research.html) drew some criticism for reviving the muscle car name on a full-size sedan, Buick probably won’t have that problem when it reintroduces the Regal nameplate after a six-year hiatus. Based off the Opel Insignia, the all-new 2011 Buick (http://www.autotropolis.com/buick/research.html) Regal will slot in below the LaCrosse and will expand Buick’s lineup to four models. Originally, the Insignia was to spawn the second-generation Saturn Aura (http://www.autotropolis.com/saturn/aura/research.html), but with Saturn... Wed, 14 Oct 2009 18:23:02 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/chevy-vp-confirms-next-generation-impala-sedan.html Chevrolet (http://www.autotropolis.com/chevrolet/research.html) Caprice, many were left wondering what remains of Chevy’s big car lineup. In a discussion regarding the future of the Camaro convertible and the Volt, Chevrolet’s vice president Brent Dewar confirmed a replacement for the aging full-size Chevy (http://www.autotropolis.com/chevrolet/research.html) Impala sedan. Although GM has repeatedly stated that there will be no retail availability for the Caprice, this should be taken with a grain of salt as the automaker previously stated that there would be no new Chevy Caprice in the first place. Since the current Impala has been on the market since 2005, expect to see the... Wed, 14 Oct 2009 00:22:58 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/vw-new-beetle-to-get-new-design-bigger-interior-in-2012.html Dodge Challenger (http://www.autotropolis.com/dodge/challenger/research.html), but no automaker has successfully introduced a second-generation vehicle based on their retro model. The Ford (http://www.autotropolis.com/ford/research.html) Thunderbird was quietly killed of as was the Chevrolet (http://www.autotropolis.com/chevrolet/research.html) SSR, and the Chrysler PT Cruiser (http://www.autotropolis.com/chrysler/pt-cruiser/research.html) and Volkswagen New Beetle (http://www.autotropolis.com/volkswagen/new-beetle-coupe/research.html) are still soldiering on with designs more than a decade old. While the PT Cruiser will likely be killed off in coming years without a replacement, good news for Beetle fans is that VW plans on introducing a successor to the New Beetle (http://www.autotropolis.com/volkswagen/new-beetle-coupe/research.html) in 2012.Speaking at a press event in Wolfsburg, Germany, Volkswagen (http://www.autotropolis.com/volkswagen/research.html) of America... Tue, 13 Oct 2009 16:09:31 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/porsche-chief-hints-at-panamera-cabriolet.html Porsche (http://www.autotropolis.com/porsche/research.html) style, the 2010 Panamera (http://www.autotropolis.com/porsche/panamera/research.html) will be the groundwork for future models including a convertible. Using the Porsche Panamera (http://www.autotropolis.com/porsche/panamera/research.html) as the basis for a convertible would provide the car with a larger, more spacious cabin than the 911 Cabriolet can offer, and it would likely focus more on luxury (like a Bentley) rather than performance (like a 911) although all of Porsche’s offerings already deliver sufficient amounts of both.Of course, nobody has come out and confirmed the existence of a future Panamera Cabriolet, but Wolfgang Duerheimer, Porsche development chief, said, “We have a... Mon, 12 Oct 2009 17:13:46 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/toyota-floor-mat-recall-details.html Toyota (http://www.autotropolis.com/toyota/research.html) and Lexus (http://www.autotropolis.com/lexus/research.html) vehicles have been affected by a recent recall. The reason: the driver’s side floor mat may cause a fatal accident. Back in August a 2009 Lexus ES (http://www.autotropolis.com/lexus/es/research.html) crashed in Santee, California, causing the death of four occupants. Before the actual crash, an occupant inside the car had called 911 and said the accelerator was stuck and the brakes were not working. An oversize floor mat is believed to have jammed the accelerator and brake pedal, causing the fatal crash. The floor mats were fitted by a Lexus dealer. Loose or oversized... Mon, 12 Oct 2009 03:51:45 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/the-automotive-news-week-in-review-october-9-2009.html Mazda (http://www.autotropolis.com/mazda/research.html) to Invest Heavily in Green TechnologiesAlthough the Japanese company currently shares some of corporate parent Ford’s hybrid drivetrain technology in the form of the very limited edition Tribute SUV hybrid, Mazda does not currently offer a hybrid passenger car. Aware of its competitive limitations in this area, Mazda has decided to offload $1.1 billion in stock in order to raise funds for its own internal alternative fuels development effort. The funds will be part of a $3.3 billion dollar research and development effort, with at least $700 million of that amount being slated for the exploration of... Fri, 09 Oct 2009 14:04:26 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/2010-highlander-gives-toyota-11-models-built-in-north-america.html Toyota (http://www.autotropolis.com/toyota/research.html) switches production of the 2010 Highlander crossover from Japan to the United States. This now gives the Toyota nameplate a total of 11 vehicles that are produced in North America – two less than Ford (http://www.autotropolis.com/ford/research.html) and three less than Chevrolet (http://www.autotropolis.com/chevrolet/research.html). Although identical to the 2009 model, the 2010 Toyota Highlander (http://www.autotropolis.com/toyota/highlander/research.html) is now built at the Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indiana, Inc (TMMI) plant in Princeton, Ind. alongside the Sequoia SUV and Sienna minivan. To accommodate Highlander production, Toyota invested an additional $450 million in its TMMI facility.Initially, the Highlander was going to... Fri, 09 Oct 2009 01:00:56 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/2010-honda-accord-crosstour-proves-that-beauty-is-more-than-skin-deep.html Honda (http://www.autotropolis.com/honda/research.html) just validated those quotes with a handful of interior pictures of the 2010 Honda Accord Crosstour. In early September, Honda posted pictures of its newest crossover on Facebook and was instantly bombarded with negative feedback and picture comments. What they should have done was posted pictures of the interior first and then the exterior shots later as the Crosstour’s cabin is by far its best attribute. With the Accord Crosstour going on sale next month, Honda is hoping that the attention will shift from the controversial exterior design to the spacious, innovative cabin.Despite its unconventional styling, the... Tue, 06 Oct 2009 22:20:05 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/toyota-previews-sporty-ft-86-concept.html Toyota (http://www.autotropolis.com/toyota/research.html) has invested too much of its time to hybrids and small cars in recent years when it has to end a press release conveying the fact that its latest concept vehicle is “neither an electric vehicle nor a hybrid.” Set to debut at the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show, Toyota released some images and details of the sleek FT-86 Concept vehicle. This is the vehicle that many in the automotive industry have referred to as the “Toyobaru” since it is being co-developed by Toyota and Subaru (http://www.autotropolis.com/subaru/research.html) (Toyota holds a 16.5 percent stake in Subaru’s parent company, Fuji... Tue, 06 Oct 2009 14:23:30 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/chrysler-group-ceo-confirms-separate-ram-brand-management-shakeup.html Saturn (http://www.autotropolis.com/saturn/research.html) and Pontiac), but the Chrysler (http://www.autotropolis.com/chrysler/research.html) Group recently announced that it would be adding a new division. In addition to the Chrysler and Jeep (http://www.autotropolis.com/jeep/research.html) divisions, Dodge (http://www.autotropolis.com/dodge/research.html) will be split into two divisions: the Dodge Car brand will focus on passenger vehicles while the Dodge RAM brand will focus on trucks and commercial vehicles. Chrysler Group LLC CEO Sergio Marchionne hopes that the new branding will create new, unique products that reflects Dodge’s image.Ever since Fiat took over the mess that Daimler and Cerberus had created, Marchionne has been looking for ways to get the smallest... Mon, 05 Oct 2009 19:56:22 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/chevrolet-back-on-the-beat-with-2011-caprice-9c1.html Even though the Ford (http://www.autotropolis.com/ford/research.html) Crown Victoria and its 30-year-old Panther platform are on the brink of retirement, there isn’t another vehicle on the market that has been able to handle the daily rigors of a police patrol vehicle better. Sure, other vehicles like the Chevy (http://www.autotropolis.com/chevrolet/research.html) Tahoe, Dodge Charger (http://www.autotropolis.com/dodge/charger/research.html) have donned the iconic black-and-white paint jobs, but all have been lacking the size, stability and strength that the body-on-frame Crown Vic provided. Although the mammoth sedan hasn’t been available to retail customers since 1997, Ford Motor Company has confirmed that the Crown Victoria police interceptor will remain... Mon, 05 Oct 2009 12:22:46 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/vw-announces-details-for-2010-golf-models.html Although it seems like Volkswagen (http://www.autotropolis.com/volkswagen/research.html) has taken its time delivering the highly acclaimed Golf VI to North America, the car is now one step closer to its debut after VW announced details, pricing and fuel economy for the base Golf, the diesel-powered Golf TDI and the performance-tuned GTI. Like the current lineup, the hatchback will be available in a two- or four-door configuration, but the 2010 model year beings the added excitement of VW’s TDI clean-diesel engine. VW of America just released the 2010 Golf to dealers this week, and with the final specs now available the... Fri, 02 Oct 2009 13:18:07 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/the-automotive-news-week-in-review-october-2-2009.html Penske Backs Out of Saturn (http://www.autotropolis.com/saturn/research.html) Deal, Brand’s Future Looks GrimIt seemed over the course of the summer of 2009 that General Motors had found willing suitors for each of its spurned brands – save Pontiac (http://www.autotropolis.com/pontiac/research.html), of course, which had been destined for the scrap heap from day one. While HUMMER (http://www.autotropolis.com/hummer/research.html) and Saab (http://www.autotropolis.com/saab/research.html) each still appear be in good hands, Saturn has been left at the altar by Penske Automotive (http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/penske-deal-falls-apart-saturn-likely-going-under.html), which unfortunately indicates that the car line will follow Pontiac to the crusher in the near future.The details of the Penske deal included several clauses... Fri, 02 Oct 2009 12:59:36 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/honda-cr-z-hybrid-getting-closer-to-production.html Honda Insight (http://www.autotropolis.com/honda/insight/research.html). The concept’s naming is an acronym for “Compact Renaissance Zero” indicating its zero emission abilities, but the name is also a clear nod to the iconic Honda (http://www.autotropolis.com/honda/research.html) CR-X hatchback.In both size and purpose, the CR-Z three-door hatchback is a successor to the small CR-X, but the concept (as well as the production model) will balance performance with fuel economy by pairing Honda’s fuel-efficient Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) system with a 1.5-liter inline-4. Exact numbers haven’t been released yet, but one factor that is sure to add to the performance capabilities of the CR-Z is the... Thu, 01 Oct 2009 15:03:03 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/penske-deal-falls-apart-saturn-likely-going-under.html Saturn (http://www.autotropolis.com/saturn/research.html) division. Heading into bankruptcy GM was an automaker made up of eight separate divisions, but it had vowed to emerge from the proceedings a more streamlined unit with only four core divisions (Buick (http://www.autotropolis.com/buick/research.html), Cadillac (http://www.autotropolis.com/cadillac/research.html), Chevrolet (http://www.autotropolis.com/chevrolet/research.html) and GMC). Talks immediately began swirling as Roger Penske’s automotive group showed interest in purchasing Saturn, but today both the Penske Automotive Group and GM announced that the talks have been terminated and that Saturn is likely follow the same fate as GM’s Pontiac (http://www.autotropolis.com/pontiac/research.html) and Oldsmobile division. Penske had originally sought to purchase the Saturn Corporation from... Wed, 30 Sep 2009 22:03:13 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/gm-puts-duramax-diesel-engine-production-on-hold.html Ford (http://www.autotropolis.com/ford/research.html) and Chrysler (http://www.autotropolis.com/chrysler/research.html) have new models and new technology to offer, General Motors made an announcement that could be devastating to the Silverado and Sierra pickup trucks. With the new Dodge (http://www.autotropolis.com/dodge/research.html) Ram Heavy Duty and Ford F-Series Super Duty expected to hit dealerships by the end of the year, GM’s New Year party will be marked by a temporary production stoppage for the Duramax diesel engine used in the heavy duty version of the Chevrolet Silverado (http://www.autotropolis.com/chevrolet/silverado/research.html) and GMC Sierra (http://www.autotropolis.com/gmc/sierra/research.html) (the latter pictured here in the 3500 HD SLT Crew Cab configuration). The production stoppage... Wed, 30 Sep 2009 18:32:00 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/toyota-announces-pricing-for-2010-4runner.html Toyota (http://www.autotropolis.com/toyota/research.html) revealed the all-new 2010 4Runner (http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/2010-toyota-4runner-unveiled-in-texas.html) (pictured left), we questioned the need for the new engine option which gave up too much towing capacity while providing almost no fuel economy gains. Well, as it turns out, Toyota will use the new inline-4 option to offer a value-priced model that now comes with a starting MSRP that beats the starting price of the outgoing 2009 4Runnerby more than $1,000. The new engine may help to lower the 4Runner’s price point, but it is likely to come at the expense of the SUV’s rugged nature.As the base model of... Wed, 30 Sep 2009 12:45:25 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/chevy-camaro-adding-convertible-z28-models-for-2011.html Chevrolet Camaro (http://www.autotropolis.com/chevrolet/camaro/research.html) is proving to be an extremely popular car as it continues to outsell its main rival, the Ford Mustang (http://www.autotropolis.com/ford/mustang/research.html). General Motors seems well aware that if the Camaro is to have any shot of keeping ahead of the Mustang, it needs to broaden the car’s lineup. Slated to debut for the 2011 model year, we expect the retro Chevy (http://www.autotropolis.com/chevrolet/research.html) Camaro to offer a pair of new models that are just as timeless as the Camaro itself: the Camaro convertible and the high-performance Camaro Z28. Heading into its highly publicized bankruptcy, both models of the... Wed, 30 Sep 2009 09:10:31 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/cadillac-confirms-cts-v-wagon-coupe-on-the-way.html Cadillac CTS (http://www.autotropolis.com/cadillac/cts/research.html) finally gives General Motors’ luxury division a competent sedan to go up against the segment-owning German sedans, so to build on its popularity Cadillac (http://www.autotropolis.com/cadillac/research.html) has announced two new body styles that will bear the CTS nameplate – the 2010 CTS Sport Wagon and the 2011 CTS Coupe. To make the CTS even more competitive against the likes of the BMW M5 (http://www.autotropolis.com/bmw/m5/research.html), Audi (http://www.autotropolis.com/audi/research.html) S6 and Mercedes-Benz (http://www.autotropolis.com/mercedes-benz/research.html) E63 AMG, Cadillac will offer both the wagon and coupe with a high-performance V-Series model based heavily on the CTS-V sedan. GM has already confirmed that the... Tue, 29 Sep 2009 17:12:26 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/the-automotive-news-week-in-review-september-25-2009.html Ram to Step Out on its OwnChrysler (http://www.autotropolis.com/chrysler/research.html) has received word from parent company Fiat that it may be time to seriously re-think the Dodge (http://www.autotropolis.com/dodge/research.html) brand. Part of any new strategy would be separating the Ram pickup from the Dodge family and making it a brand all on its own. This new line of vehicles would include the current full-size pickup as well as smaller trucks, commercial vehicles, vans and a number of sport-utility vehicles. Dodge would be further reshaped by a focus on more performance-oriented vehicles sharing platforms with Italian marque Alfa Romeo. In order to prevent... Fri, 25 Sep 2009 15:36:29 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/2010-toyota-4runner-unveiled-in-texas.html Toyota (http://www.autotropolis.com/toyota/research.html) and its all-new 2010 4Runner, which not only gains a more rugged appearance to match its capabilities, but it also grows considerably in size to allow for third-row seating. The 2010 Toyota 4Runner (http://www.autotropolis.com/toyota/4runner/research.html) should hit dealership showrooms before the end of the year.When the 4Runner first went on sale back in 1984, it competed against rugged utility vehicles such as the Jeep (http://www.autotropolis.com/jeep/research.html) Cherokee, Chevrolet (http://www.autotropolis.com/chevrolet/research.html) S-10 Blazer and the Ford (http://www.autotropolis.com/ford/research.html) Bronco II, but in recent years the market has switched from off-road SUVs to car-based crossovers. Despite this trend, the 4Runner will remain true... Fri, 25 Sep 2009 10:05:12 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/loads-of-chrome-2011-ford-f-series-super-duty.html Ford (http://www.autotropolis.com/ford/research.html) has introduced its redesigned workhorse, the F-Series Super Duty, with not only a new exterior look but also a new assortment of capable drivetrain options from which to choose. A fitting venue to launch a pickup truck, the 2011 Ford F-Series Super Duty was introduced this morning at the annual State Fair of Texas located in Dallas.It is no coincidence that Ford is redesigning the Super Duty after just four years on the market as the 2010 Dodge (http://www.autotropolis.com/dodge/research.html) Ram Heavy Duty will be arriving this winter and the heavy duty pickups from General Motors (Chevrolet Silverado... Thu, 24 Sep 2009 14:20:54 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/gm-aims-for-small-premium-market-with-buick-avant-concept.html General Motors is in a tight squeeze as it attempts to develop desirable, new products across its four divisions that fit the future trend of vehicle downsizing and improved fuel efficiency. With Saturn (http://www.autotropolis.com/saturn/research.html) and Pontiac (http://www.autotropolis.com/pontiac/research.html) gone, Chevrolet (http://www.autotropolis.com/chevrolet/research.html) can only take so many small cars, so GM is looking for a way to spread smaller cars to Cadillac (http://www.autotropolis.com/cadillac/research.html) and Buick (http://www.autotropolis.com/buick/research.html) without driving away business. The problem, according to GM’s Director of Advanced Design Andrew Smith, is that the most challenging aspect of this is designing a small car that doesn’t compromise any of the... Wed, 23 Sep 2009 12:25:02 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/paper-or-plastic-chrysler-eliminating-paper-owners-manuals.html Chrysler (http://www.autotropolis.com/chrysler/research.html) Group LLC has announced that for all 2010 model year vehicles, it will eliminate bulky owner’s manuals made out of paper and replace them with a more earth-friendly (and glove box friendly) digital version stored on a DVD. Chrysler says this move will save 930 tons of paper (the equivalent of 20,000 trees) each year, but we think it will also help free up some valuable storage space normally taken up by the bulky paper manuals. We could also argue that with no hybrids in its current lineup, this latest step is about the extent of the... Mon, 21 Sep 2009 17:56:25 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/hyundai-unveils-2011-sonata-in-korea.html Hyundai (http://www.autotropolis.com/hyundai/research.html) sold its first car in the U.S. back in 1984, it has gained a solid reputation for offering small, fuel-efficient cars but lacking in terms of styling. That all changed, of course, with the introduction of the Genesis (both sedan and coupe) and it appears the stylish design language will now spread to other Hyundai models including the redesigned 2011 Sonata. The Hyundai Sonata (http://www.autotropolis.com/hyundai/sonata/research.html) has been one of South Korean automakers best-selling cars in recent years, but in a market that includes the Chevrolet Malibu (http://www.autotropolis.com/chevrolet/malibu/research.html) and Ford Fusion (http://www.autotropolis.com/ford/fusion/research.html), the Sonata’s boxy design looked even... Fri, 18 Sep 2009 13:41:10 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/the-automotive-news-week-in-review-september-18-2009.html Leasing Makes a ComebackChrysler (http://www.autotropolis.com/chrysler/research.html) is the latest Detroit-based car company to revamp its financing options to once again include a lease option. Over the course of the past 12 months, leasing had largely disappeared from the domestic auto sales vocabulary, due to the recession and consequent bankruptcies of the Pentastar and GM. Interestingly, Chrysler has chosen GMAC, the former financial arm of General Motors as its preferred lender.GM itself re-introduced a limited lease option in the month of August, one which was available only on select vehicles from Cadillac (http://www.autotropolis.com/cadillac/research.html), Chevrolet (http://www.autotropolis.com/chevrolet/research.html) and one model each from Buick... Fri, 18 Sep 2009 12:53:02 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/vw-unveils-2010-r20-hot-hatch.html Before we’ve even had the chance to get behind the wheel of the 2010 Volkswagen (http://www.autotropolis.com/volkswagen/research.html) Golf and the enthusiast-oriented TDI and GTI variants, VW used the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show to unveil its high-performance Golf model, the all-new R20. Much like the 2004 and 2008 Volkswagen R32 (http://www.autotropolis.com/volkswagen/r32/research.html), the R20 will be a limited-production, hot hatch based on the three-door Golf. In true Volkswagen fashion, the R20 is a refined competitor to street-legal rally cars such as the Subaru Impreza (http://www.autotropolis.com/subaru/impreza/research.html) WRX STI and the Mitsubishi Lancer (http://www.autotropolis.com/mitsubishi/lancer/research.html) Evolution.Building on the stunning performance of the original hot hatch,... Wed, 16 Sep 2009 18:48:53 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/toyota-going-big-in-texas-with-2010-4runner.html Lexus LS (http://www.autotropolis.com/lexus/ls/research.html), but it doesn’t seem to be abandoning the SUV market just yet. Showing the importance of trucks and SUVs in North America, Toyota will introduce the fifth-generation of its rugged 4Runner SUV later next week at the 2009 Texas State Fair. Worthy of a debut at the truck-friendly fair, the all-new 4Runner will keep the body-on-frame layout (shared with the Toyota FJ Cruiser (http://www.autotropolis.com/toyota/fj-cruiser/research.html) and Tacoma) allowing it to tackle rugged off-road terrain. On a more environmentally conscious note, the 2010 Toyota 4Runner (http://www.autotropolis.com/toyota/4runner/research.html) will also get a more fuel-efficient engine option in addition to its... Wed, 16 Sep 2009 00:24:55 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/volvo-gets-sporty-with-2011-c30-r-design.html Volvo C30 (http://www.autotropolis.com/volvo/c30/research.html), we started to grow curious about the sporty R-Design model. Well, Volvo (http://www.autotropolis.com/volvo/research.html) must have felt our hot-hatch yearnings and released a few images and details of its sporty hatchback ahead of its official debut at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show. Volvo is not often known for delivering sporty designs when it comes to its safe vehicles, but with the addition of the R-Design package to the redesigned C30 that trend may soon change.Inspired by the design language of the XC60 and the 2009 S60 Concept vehicle, the all-new C30 received a much more aggressive look... Mon, 14 Sep 2009 22:21:43 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/green-cars-charge-into-frankfurt.html In the weeks heading into any major auto show, there are always instances of either concept or production vehicles being leaked “accidentally” by some publication or strategically by the automakers. Gearing up for the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show, most of the cars being talked about were high-performance sports cars such as the Mercedes-Benz (http://www.autotropolis.com/mercedes-benz/research.html) SLS AMG Gullwing, McLaren MPR-12C and even the Fiat 695 Abarth Tributo Ferrari (http://www.autotropolis.com/ferrari/research.html), but with just days left until the doors open, green cars are now making a hard push. Ranging from hybrids to diesels to electric vehicles, the green cars that... Mon, 14 Sep 2009 16:17:25 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/the-automotive-news-week-in-review-september-11-2009.html 2011 Mercedes-Benz (http://www.autotropolis.com/mercedes-benz/research.html) SLS AMG Gullwing Swoops into ViewMercedes-Benz finally pulled the official wraps off of its next generation supercar this week with the unveiling of the 2011 SLS AMG Gullwing (http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/mercedes-benz-unveils-2011-sls-amg-gullwing.html). The vehicle borrows heavily from the past glory of the original 300SL Gullwing that has become one of the most sought after collector cars in the industry. The short roof, protruding front end and long hood all harken back to an earlier time in automotive design. The coupe also features gullwing doors that open vertically, last seen on a production car wearing the Delorean badge. Interestingly, the... Fri, 11 Sep 2009 12:56:44 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/audi-releases-images-of-2011-r8-spyder.html Audi (http://www.autotropolis.com/Audi/research.html) is among the best in the industry. Not only has it managed to churn out sexy coupes including the A5/S5 and the R8, but now it is keeping each car’s attractive design while hacking off the top. Earlier this year, the 2010 Audi A5 (http://www.autotropolis.com/Audi/A5/research.html) Cabriolet and 2010 Audi S5 (http://www.autotropolis.com/Audi/S5/research.html) Cabriolet made their debut in Paris, and now Audi is set to launch a more high profile convertible courtesy of the R8. Changes to Audi’s halo supercar are minimal, which means that the car will keep its sexy lines and breathtaking performance with the added enjoyment... Thu, 10 Sep 2009 09:42:56 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/mercedes-benz-unveils-2011-sls-amg-gullwing.html Dodge Viper (http://www.autotropolis.com/Dodge/Viper/research.html) to within an inch of its life, it was clear that the Gullwing would have a hood as long as an airport runway. One element that didn’t appear until a recent spy picture was revealed are the pronounced fender arches tipped with swept-back headlamps and the upright front fascia that houses a gaping grille with a prominent Mercedes-Benz logo – both obvious nods to the legendary 300SL. The overall shape is very similar to the SLR McLaren, but the proportions are more inline with an oversized 300SL. As its name suggests, the gull-winged doors open 70... Thu, 10 Sep 2009 00:05:46 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/vw-audi-announce-pricing-on-diesel-hot-hatch-duo.html Volkswagen (http://www.autotropolis.com/Volkswagen/research.html) AG is aiming to fix that by pairing hybrid-like fuel economy with the driving dynamic of a compact hot hatch thanks to a new duo of TDI diesel-powered vehicles. Volkswagen and sister company Audi (http://www.autotropolis.com/Audi/research.html) will each be launching a new diesel-powered vehicle this fall, and both automakers recently announced pricing for their respective entrants. The 2010 Volkswagen Golf TDI will start at $21,990 when it goes on sale in November, while the 2010 Audi A3 (http://www.autotropolis.com/Audi/A3/research.html) TDI will start at $29,950 when it goes on sale early next year.It is no secret that German automakers love... Tue, 08 Sep 2009 18:34:57 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/volvo-redesigns-c70-c30-for-2011.html Volvo (http://www.autotropolis.com/Volvo/research.html) has really started a design renaissance starting with the introduction of the 2010 XC60 crossover. Following the design language of the XC60 and the 2009 S60 Concept vehicle, Volvo recently released a set of images showing the redesigned C70 convertible and C30 hatchback that will make their debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show later this month. As is the case with most European models, the new C70 and C30 are likely to go on sale later this year as 2010 models but will wait until early next year to hit the U.S. as 2011 models.While the C70... Tue, 08 Sep 2009 14:22:08 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/gmc-joining-luxury-crossover-market-with-2010-acadia-denali.html GMC (http://www.autotropolis.com/GMC/research.html) is commonly known as the rugged, work-ready division of General Motors and consistently offers trucks, vans and SUVs to back that up, but the “professional grade” division also has a more luxurious side thanks to the Denali edition of the Envoy, Yukon and Sierra. According to Dayna Hart, communications group manager of Buick (http://www.autotropolis.com/Buick/research.html) and GMC, GMC has approved a Denali version on the Acadia, and it will offer the luxury full-size crossover soon. The 2010 GMC Acadia (http://www.autotropolis.com/GMC/Acadia/research.html) Denali would replace the short-lived Envoy Denali which is being discontinued (along with the entire Envoy lineup) following... Fri, 04 Sep 2009 18:02:59 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/the-automotive-news-week-in-review-september-4-2009.html Mercedes-Benz (http://www.autotropolis.com/Mercedes-Benz/research.html) Further Cuts Ties with Chrysler (http://www.autotropolis.com/Chrysler/research.html) The popular Dodge Sprinter (http://www.autotropolis.com/Dodge/Sprinter/research.html) van, a unique take on the cargo segment normally dominated by the Ford E-Series (http://www.autotropolis.com/Ford/E-Series/research.html) and the Chevrolet Express (http://www.autotropolis.com/Chevrolet/Express/research.html), will no longer be produced in Pentastar form. The vehicle was actually a licensed version of the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, a van which is popular throughout Europe thanks to its diesel engine availability and tall roofline that enables even full-size adults to stand up inside without bumping their heads. The move by Mercedes-Benz to terminate this platform sharing with Dodge (http://www.autotropolis.com/Dodge/research.html) is yet another in... Thu, 03 Sep 2009 23:30:30 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/audi-exec-throws-jabs-at-chevy-volt-future-evs.html Chevrolet (http://www.autotropolis.com/Chevrolet/research.html) Volt that may or may not be the savior for General Motors, de Nysschen said that the Volt is a car for idiots and didn’t have too many kind words for EVs either. Friendly competitive banter between automakers or selfless plugging of your own technology is fine and all, but tossing blatant insults at consumers is rarely  a good idea.Chevrolet’s Volt has had a huge target on its back ever since GM claimed that it will get 230 miles per gallon, but de Nysschen’s problem with the car is the price at which it will start. Chevy... Thu, 03 Sep 2009 20:27:38 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/bmw-confirms-production-of-two-new-models-for-mini.html BMW (http://www.autotropolis.com/BMW/research.html) began producing the new MINI lineup in 2001, it has strayed about as far as possible without tarnishing the Cooper’s iconic name and even offered electric, Clubman and JCW variants of the new MINI Cooper (http://www.autotropolis.com/MINI/Cooper/research.html). Now, BMW has announced that it will be expanding the lineup with two all-new vehicles that are set to make a debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show later this month. As the iconic English automaker celebrates its 50TH birthday, BMW AG chairman Dr. Norbert Reithofer announced that MINI (http://www.autotropolis.com/MINI/research.html) would not only be unveiling a pair of concept vehicles in Frankfurt,... Thu, 03 Sep 2009 19:09:50 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/ford-transit-connect-shows-strong-sales-in-first-month.html Transit Connect (http://www.autotropolis.com/Ford/Transit-Connect-Wagon/research.html), and as it turns out, small businesses like the new model just as much as we did. In its first full month on Ford (http://www.autotropolis.com/Ford/research.html) dealership showrooms, the car-based cargo van has sold more than 2,000 units. Ford says that during the month of August, dealers had less than a 10-day supply of Transit Connects which is well below the industry average. Ford said that while large commercial fleets and small businesses are the target market, the all-new Transit Connect is also finding support from non-business users.With a focus on fuel economy, it could just happen... Thu, 03 Sep 2009 16:18:17 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/daimler-adds-sprinter-to-mercedes-benz-lineup-drops-dodge.html Dodge Sprinter (http://www.autotropolis.com/Dodge/Sprinter/research.html) to make it appear more like the Mercedes-Benz (http://www.autotropolis.com/Mercedes-Benz/research.html) Sprinter sold throughout Europe. Of course, the only advantage of doing so is to have Mercedes-Benz’s iconic three-point star in the grille adding a more luxurious look to the cargo and passenger van. Starting on Jan. 1, 2010, Daimler AG will stop offering the Sprinter under the Dodge (http://www.autotropolis.com/Dodge/research.html) name and begin selling it under the Mercedes-Benz brand. This move will be one more step in the complete separation between the German automaker and what is now the post-bankruptcy Chrysler (http://www.autotropolis.com/Chrysler/research.html) Group. The European-designed full-size van will... Wed, 02 Sep 2009 17:50:24 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/chrysler-freshens-up-2010-dodge-caliber.html Chrysler (http://www.autotropolis.com/Chrysler/research.html). Then owned by, I mean partnered up with, what is now Daimler AG, Chrysler has since gone through the hands of Cerberus Capital Management and bankruptcy to now be partly controlled by Fiat. Moving forward, one thing Chrysler has to do to avoid utter failure is to offer better execution of interior designs including styling, materials and comfort. On the heels of one of Chrysler’s most impressive interiors, in the all-new Dodge Ram 1500 (http://www.autotropolis.com/Dodge/Ram-1500/research.html), Detroit’s smallest automaker is now turning its attention to one of the worst vehicle interiors on the market found in the Dodge... Tue, 01 Sep 2009 15:28:01 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/honda-releases-first-images-of-2010-accord-crosstour-cuv.html Toyota (http://www.autotropolis.com/Toyota/research.html) Venza filling a perfect niche between a crossover and a sedan, Honda is quickly following suit with the upcoming 2010 Honda Accord Crosstour. After teasing a pair of images, Honda has finally taken the wraps off the new model for all to see. The bad news for Honda is that the design of the all-new Accord Crosstour doesn’t seem to be making any friends, but the good news is that the Acura (http://www.autotropolis.com/Acura/research.html) ZDX is suddenly starting to look much more attractive. Shortly after Honda’s countdown page expired and a pair of images were released, the “Honda... Tue, 01 Sep 2009 12:06:26 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/the-automotive-news-week-in-review-august-28-2009.html Cash for Clunkers – By the Numbers The government-sponsored “Cash for Clunkers” program, officially known as the CARS initiative, ended on Monday. Through CARS, vehicle buyers were eligible to receive a rebate of up to $4,500 on the purchase of a new car or truck, provided that they traded in an older clunker and qualified for certain fuel economy stipulations and other requirements. The program was met with an incredible response from the public. Over 690,000 applications were made for the rebate vouchers, for a total of $2.878 billion dollars in funds paid out to automobile... Fri, 28 Aug 2009 15:36:15 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/suzuki-details-future-lineup-plans.html At one point in the last year, Suzuki (http://www.autotropolis.com/Suzuki/research.html) was rumored to be pulling out of the North American market due to diminished sales, but the Japanese automaker constantly denied these rumors. Today, Suzuki seemingly made a definitive statement that it will remain in the United States thanks to a report that detailed an overhauled lineup through the 2013 model year. In addition to new models such as the 2010 SX4 SportBack (pictured left) and the all-new 2011 Kizashi sedan (pictured below), Suzuki is reportedly preparing new models for the U.S. market including a new subcompact hatchback and... Wed, 26 Aug 2009 13:17:28 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/honda-announces-plan-for-ev-by-2015.html Toyota (http://www.autotropolis.com/Toyota/research.html) Motor Corporation and General Motors are being joined by their rivals Ford (http://www.autotropolis.com/Ford/research.html) Motor Company, the Chrysler (http://www.autotropolis.com/Chrysler/research.html) Group and Nissan (http://www.autotropolis.com/Nissan/research.html) Motor Company to introduce EVs that will make a debut as soon as next year. One company that is an obvious omission from discussions regarding EV development is Japan’s No. 2 automaker, Honda (http://www.autotropolis.com/Honda/research.html) Motor Company. Looking to join its main competitors in the electrification of cars, there have been multiple reports that Honda is preparing an EV for the U.S. that will go into production by 2015. Although the Honda FCX Clarity is... Mon, 24 Aug 2009 22:36:58 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/suzuki-adds-to-sx4-lineup-with-2010-sportback.html If the SportBack name sounds familiar, don’t be surprised. With Mitsubishi (http://www.autotropolis.com/Mitsubishi/research.html) and Audi (http://www.autotropolis.com/Audi/research.html) already planning to add this designation to the Lancer and A5/S5, respectively, Suzuki (http://www.autotropolis.com/Suzuki/research.html) has released official details about its all-new SX4 model, the 2010 SportBack. Last month, we reported on Suzuki’s attempt to expand the SX4 lineup by adding a front-wheel drive version of the Crossover hatchback called the SportBack, and today Suzuki made the new model official while releasing production specifications. Joining the SX4 Crossover, Sport and Sedan, the 2010 Suzuki SX4 (http://www.autotropolis.com/Suzuki/SX4/research.html) SportBack will focus on improving fuel economy of... Mon, 24 Aug 2009 19:25:29 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/gm-cancels-buick-cuv-phev.html Saturn VUE (http://www.autotropolis.com/Saturn/Vue/research.html), but after GM divests itself from Saturn (http://www.autotropolis.com/Saturn/research.html) it announced earlier this month that the technology would go to a future Buick (http://www.autotropolis.com/Buick/research.html) product. Now GM has announced that the proposed Buick crossover is being cancelled due to overwhelming negative feedback and now looks to keep the same timeline and introduce a PHEV crossover for 2011. This announcement is a promising sign that the “New GM” is more streamlined and more in tune with the demands of the auto market to make such a quick decision. Seeing it as merely a rebadged version of the... Fri, 21 Aug 2009 13:54:32 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/chrysler-dumps-lifetime-powertrain-warranty-for-2010.html Volkswagen Routan (http://www.autotropolis.com/Volkswagen/Routan/research.html) SE, I was just about to note that one of the biggest things hindering the sales of VW’s latest minivan. While the Routan’s almost-identical cousins, the Dodge Grand Caravan (http://www.autotropolis.com/Dodge/Grand-Caravan/research.html) and Chrysler (http://www.autotropolis.com/Chrysler/research.html) Town Country, both offered Chrysler’s Lifetime Powertrain Warranty, the best the German van could managed to offer was VW’s Carefree Maintenance Program. Had I posted earlier in the day, my information would have been incorrect by day’s end as Chrysler announced that it was ending the lifetime warranty program after just two years on the market. Chrysler introduced its Lifetime... Thu, 20 Aug 2009 22:57:22 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/volkswagen-jetta-new-beetle-plant-goes-on-strike.html Volkswagen (http://www.autotropolis.com/Volkswagen/research.html) AG suffered a major blow this week when its Puebla, Mexico plant went on strike. Although the strike will not affect customers going into the last weekend of the stimulus program, it will likely cause longer delays for the Volkswagen Jetta (http://www.autotropolis.com/Volkswagen/Jetta/research.html) which is already seeing a six-month waiting list for certain models. The strike is the result of a wage dispute between VW and the union of its employees in regards to pay increases and bonuses, and talks are continuing by both sides to end the work stoppage. As far as the demands of the... Thu, 20 Aug 2009 21:45:37 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/cash-for-clunkers-to-be-garaged-monday-august-24.html One stay of execution appears to be all that the Cash for Clunkers program is destined to get. It was announced today that the federal government will be shutting down the CARS initiative effective the evening of Monday, August 24. Unlike some programs, which are shuttered due to ineffectiveness, Cash for Clunkers has been a victim of its own success. The primary reason for its early termination, prior to the Fall deadline, has been the fact that so many citizens have taken advantage of the rebates it offered that there is no more financial fuel... Thu, 20 Aug 2009 19:11:40 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/iihs-adds-roof-strength-test-to-small-cars.html Following up on the roof strength tests applied to small crossovers and SUVs earlier this year, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) is now applying its new testing procedure on a handful of subcompact cars. The IIHS hopes that the new test, which is much more demanding than the government’s future requirements, will further increase vehicle safety by making vehicle rollovers more survivable. With its new test just ramping up, the Institute tested six of the smallest cars available in the United States (Chevrolet Aveo (http://www.autotropolis.com/Chevrolet/Aveo/research.html), Honda Fit (http://www.autotropolis.com/Honda/Fit/research.html), Hyundai Accent (http://www.autotropolis.com/Hyundai/Accent/research.html), MINI (http://www.autotropolis.com/MINI/research.html) Cooper, smart fortwo... Thu, 20 Aug 2009 18:58:21 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/production-increases-clunkers-boost-sales-chrysler-changes-warranty.html The success of the “Cash for Clunkers” initiative is having a number of effects on the domestic auto industry. Perhaps most jarring is the fact that dealerships and automakers alike have had to make the abrupt transition from having a surplus of inventory crammed into storage lots and cargo ships to suddenly possessing a relatively short supply of the most desirable models in their lineups. Interestingly, it is not only those vehicles which display outstanding fuel economy which have been hit by shortages. Ford (http://www.autotropolis.com/Ford/research.html), for example, is being forced to scale up production of the... Thu, 20 Aug 2009 17:42:27 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/kias-new-us-plant-to-build-redesigned-sorento-crossover.html Kia (http://www.autotropolis.com/Kia/research.html) Motors has been preparing its first production facility in the United States for some time, and now it has a vehicle to build there. Kia recently announced that it plans to build the all-new 2011 Sorento crossover at the Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia in West Point, Ga. later this year. Not only will the new Sorento get a new design and a more spacious interior, but it will also grow in size to compete in the midsize crossover market that currently includes the Mazda CX-7 (http://www.autotropolis.com/Mazda/CX-7/research.html), Dodge (http://www.autotropolis.com/Dodge/research.html) Journey and the Ford Edge (http://www.autotropolis.com/Ford/Edge/research.html). In addition to... Wed, 19 Aug 2009 21:29:33 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/big-luxury-sedans-debut-in-monterey.html Don’t get us wrong, we love the advanced green technology being introduced on a multitude of electric cars destined for the near future, but the automotive world also needs its share of luxury, too. Thankfully, California’s Monterey Peninsula Automotive Week is a great place for automakers to introduce new luxurious sedans including the 2009 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. Just days after Hyundai (http://www.autotropolis.com/Hyundai/research.html) confirmed that it will be bringing its full size Equus sedan to the United States next year, some major players in the luxury market also showed some future products at the events in Monterey. While... Wed, 19 Aug 2009 13:12:30 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/coulomb-technologies-offers-plug-in-charging-solution.html There are numerous challenges involved in rolling out an energy infrastructure that can accommodate the thousands, if not millions of plug-in electric cars that are being touted as the wave of the future in the United States. To be sure, the logistics associated with building charging stations and ramping up electrical production are first and foremost on the minds of policy makers attempting to guide the development of this new transportation paradigm. However, there are some other, less obvious stumbling blocks strewn across the path towards a greener America. One such sticking point are local energy... Sat, 15 Aug 2009 15:40:51 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/cash-for-clunkers-tweaks-and-tribulations.html Just as the Cash for Clunkers program recently received a breath of life in the form of billions of extra dollars of government funding, some tales have begun to emerge regarding the darker side of the economic initiative. Perhaps the most worrying story to have been associated with CARS comes from would-be buyers who have been coerced into signing onerous contracts by a few less than scrupulous dealers. Especially towards the beginning of the Clunkers program, there were many reports of dealerships not being able to claim their rebate reimbursements from the government, whether due to errors... Fri, 14 Aug 2009 16:33:14 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/phoenix-kit-transforms-2010-chevrolet-camaro-into-trans-am-that-never-was.html Chevrolet Camaro (http://www.autotropolis.com/Chevrolet/Camaro/research.html) was welcomed with open arms by the bowtie muscle car community as a welcome replacement for the pony car which had seen its production cease in 2002, there were a sizeable number of GM fans who felt left out by all of the publicity and fanfare. With the dissolution of Pontiac as a brand, there would be no Trans Am built on the Camaro’s platform, and the idea that the fabled muscle car icon would never again tread America’s highways was a huge disappointment to loyal Pontiac buyers. Some Trans Am fans decided to... Fri, 14 Aug 2009 16:06:56 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/hyundai-confirms-equus-for-us-market-in-2010.html Fri, 14 Aug 2009 12:12:30 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/nissan-announces-changes-for-2010-sentra-models.html Nissan (http://www.autotropolis.com/Nissan/research.html) released the details behind its upgraded 2010 Sentra (http://www.autotropolis.com/Nissan/Sentra/research.html) sedan. Besides minor exterior changes, the big news for the little sedan is the addition of one of the most affordable factory-installed navigation systems on the market and significant MSRP reductions for most of the trim levels. With the 2010 Nissan Sentra (http://www.autotropolis.com/Nissan/Sentra/research.html) models hitting dealership showrooms now, Nissan says it will be available in five trim levels (2.0, 2.0 S, 2.0 SR, 2.0 SL and SE-R) with a base price starting at $15,420. While price reductions are always a great way to attract consumers, it’s the other... Wed, 12 Aug 2009 19:27:43 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/gm-confirms-drop-top-chevy-camaro-in-2011.html Wed, 12 Aug 2009 15:54:50 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/nissan-claims-2011-leaf-will-get-367-mpg-rating.html Just this morning, we reported that General Motors announced that the 2011 Chevrolet (http://www.autotropolis.com/Chevrolet/research.html) Volt is expected to get around 230 miles per gallon in the city, but Nissan (http://www.autotropolis.com/Nissan/research.html) is now using GM’s math to calculate the estimated fuel economy for its pure electric vehicle, the 2011 Nissan LEAF. Well, it didn’t take very long for the folks at Nissan to do the math that GM is claiming to be based on a new methodology developed by the Environmental Protection Agency on the all-new LEAF EV that is expected to debut around the same time as the... Tue, 11 Aug 2009 20:03:57 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/gm-announces-2011-chevrolet-volt-will-get-230-mpg-city.html Tue, 11 Aug 2009 11:18:47 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/2012-mercedes-benz-amg-diesel-could-be-on-the-way.html The higher-ups behind the future of Mercedes-Benz (http://www.autotropolis.com/Mercedes-Benz/research.html) have stated their intentions to emphasize cleaner, more fuel-efficient vehicle offerings. Such a nature-friendly attitude can be seen in the superiorly efficient Bluetec engine system that graces many a Mercedes-Benz nameplate these days. As it seems, the push for more fuel-efficient vehicles carries over to the German automaker's high-performance AMG division. Late in 2008, AMG announced plans to launch a new diesel model by 2012. The 2012 Mercedes-Benz AMG diesel will be based on the high-performing AMG Hammer of the 1980s. Built off of the Mercedes-Benz W124 and debuting... Tue, 11 Aug 2009 02:51:59 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/the-next-generation-bmw-3-series-to-feature-significant-changes.html BMW 3 Series (http://www.autotropolis.com/BMW/3-Series/research.html) has long been the Germany luxury car company’s best selling vehicle. Over the past 5 years, the 3 Series has accounted for about 40 percent of BMW’s total sales. It’s not hard to see why this particular automobile has been able to appeal to so many premium car buyers – the 3 Series is available in sedan, coupe, convertible, wagon and even all-wheel drive editions, which helps to make it the Swiss Army knife of sporty entry-level luxury vehicles. It follows, then, that it is something of an event whenever BMW (http://www.autotropolis.com/BMW/research.html)... Sat, 08 Aug 2009 20:13:56 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/2010-ford-taurus-sho-points-towards-automakers-upmarket-strategy.html Ford Taurus (http://www.autotropolis.com/Ford/Taurus/research.html) has been positioned at the forefront of the company’s lineup renaissance. Flush with consumer confidence thanks to the decision not to accept government handouts like Chrysler (http://www.autotropolis.com/Chrysler/research.html) and General Motors, Ford (http://www.autotropolis.com/Ford/research.html) is debuting an aggressive plan to seize a larger portion of North American auto sales through increased vehicle quality and cutting edge design. The Ford Taurus is certainly an impressive mid-size sedan, but perhaps the boldest move by Ford has been the decision to release an SHO edition of the automobile. The original Taurus SHO was produced for a ten year... Fri, 07 Aug 2009 17:12:38 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/ford-explorer-to-undergo-sea-change.html Ford (http://www.autotropolis.com/Ford/research.html). The company has recently announced that it intends to dramatically refresh its vehicle lineup between now and 2012, with the hopes that up to 90% of its cars and trucks will see significant new investment in terms of technology and design. While the pledge is global in scale, Ford’s enormous presence in the North American market means that American buyers will no doubt have a number of new and interesting options available to them in Ford showrooms. Some of those changes are already starting to trickle down into the market. For years, the... Fri, 07 Aug 2009 15:24:18 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/gm-teases-future-buick-cuv-for-2010-phev-coming-in-2011.html Buick (http://www.autotropolis.com/Buick/research.html) was a fine luxury accent to Pontiac (http://www.autotropolis.com/Pontiac/research.html) and GMC (http://www.autotropolis.com/GMC/research.html) dealerships, but with the closure of Pontiac, Buick is going to be getting some new models not only to keep people coming to the dealers, but also to make the division a younger brand with fresher products. In addition to a small, new sedan possibly named the Regal, Buick is also planning to offer a sub-Enclave crossover based on the current Saturn VUE (http://www.autotropolis.com/Saturn/Vue/research.html) and Cadillac SRX (http://www.autotropolis.com/Cadillac/SRX/research.html). In addition to adding a compact luxury crossover to the ever-growing number of competitors, GM expects to use... Thu, 06 Aug 2009 15:49:40 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/hyundai-redesigning-sonata-for-2011-adding-hybrid-for-2013.html As Hyundai (http://www.autotropolis.com/Hyundai/research.html) prepares to introduce the redesigned Sonata sedan next year as a 2011 model, the company is also getting ready to offer its first hybrid powertrain in the Sonata due out for the 2012 model year. Based on Hyundai’s Blue Drive hybrid system that it displayed at last year’s Los Angeles International Auto Show, the 2012 Hyundai Sonata (http://www.autotropolis.com/Hyundai/Sonata/research.html) Hybrid will use an advanced hybrid system to improve the car’s fuel economy. As for the design of the new Sonata, expect a much sportier look and stance with a swept roofline similar to the Volkswagen CC... Wed, 05 Aug 2009 16:00:08 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/chrysler-runs-out-of-cars-cuts-back-incentives.html Chrysler (http://www.autotropolis.com/Chrysler/research.html) has announced that it is scaling back incentive programs because the automaker is running out of cars to sell. This news is very surprising given that in the spring Chrysler, along with General Motors and several import car companies had inventories backed up to such a degree that they were running out of space to store all the excess.The recent upswing in Chrysler's sales can be attributed to the double impact of both the Cash for Clunkers (CARS) program and Chrysler’s decision to essentially double the $4,500 maximum rebate offered by the government with a rebate plan... Tue, 04 Aug 2009 18:04:59 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/daimler-ag-considering-smart-forthree-model.html Smart fortwo (http://www.autotropolis.com/Smart/fortwo/research.html) is having a seating capacity that is limited to just two occupants. In the past, a four-passenger Smart model, called the forfour, was an utter failure in Europe, but apparently Smart hasn’t given up yet on introducing a larger car. Evident by a set of patent sketches, Daimler AG, parent company of Smart (http://www.autotropolis.com/Smart/research.html) GMbH, is planning to compromise between the fortwo and forfour with a three-passenger vehicle called, you guessed it, the forthree. If the Smart forthree makes it into production, look for it to debut sometime in 2013 as a 2014 model. Although... Tue, 04 Aug 2009 16:37:18 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/chevrolet-orlando-on-schedule-for-us-debut-voltec-a-possibility.html If General Motors has learned anything from its recent bankruptcy ordeal, it’s that sometimes smaller is better. Moving forward, not only will GM’s portfolio of brands be half of what it was last year, but the models each division offers will shrink as well as a push to offer more fuel-efficient vehicles. As a part of that plan, Chevrolet (http://www.autotropolis.com/Chevrolet/research.html) is readying a compact seven-passenger vehicle, which can best be described as a crossover, called the Chevrolet Orlando, which debuted as a concept vehicle last year at the Paris Motor Show. While the Chevy (http://www.autotropolis.com/Chevrolet/research.html) Orlando has been... Tue, 04 Aug 2009 15:15:32 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/nissan-unveils-affordable-ev-in-2011-leaf.html Nissan’s (http://www.autotropolis.com/Nissan/research.html) plans to introduce an affordable zero-emissions vehicle to the market, and yesterday the company did just that by taking the warps off the 2011 Honda (http://www.autotropolis.com/Honda/research.html) and Toyota (http://www.autotropolis.com/Toyota/research.html), when it came to hybrid-electric vehicles, but the introduction of the LEAF should give Nissan an edge in the race to produce zero-emission and oil-independent vehicles not only in its home country but in the world wide market as a whole. According to Nissan’s press release will go on sale in late 2010 as a 2011 model in Japan, the Untied States and Europe. The LEAF’s naming,... Sun, 02 Aug 2009 17:14:45 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/2010-toyota-fj-cruiser-bumps-power-fuel-economy.html Jeep Wrangler (http://www.autotropolis.com/Jeep/Wrangler/research.html), it would probably be the Toyota FJ Cruiser (http://www.autotropolis.com/Toyota/FJ-Cruiser/research.html). With its classic styling and rugged off-road capabilities, the FJ Cruiser has been a popular choice in the compact SUV market since it went on sale in 2007. For 2010, the Toyota (http://www.autotropolis.com/Toyota/research.html) FJ Cruiser gets even better with enhancements to the engine and suspension that improve performance, fuel economy and handling. The biggest improvement for the 2010 Toyota FJ Cruiser came through tweaks to the engine and its timing. The sole engine, Toyota’s 4.0-liter V-6, will now use dual VVT-i and roller rocker... Sat, 01 Aug 2009 22:30:45 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/kia-releases-sketches-of-future-luxury-sedan.html Kia (http://www.autotropolis.com/Kia/research.html), very long to try out its hand in luxury with the upcoming Kia VG sedan. Like the Hyundai Genesis (http://www.autotropolis.com/Hyundai/Genesis/research.html) sedan, the Kia VG will be aimed at a higher end luxury segment than what the company is used to targeting, but seeing the direction of both the VG concept vehicle that made its debut back in April and the trio of recent design sketches Kia showed off this week, it looks like the new VG may be up to the task. The VG will initially be limited for sale just in South Korea, but at... Fri, 31 Jul 2009 19:37:48 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/cars-rebate-program-runs-out-of-gas.html In a surprising turn of events, it seems as though the heavily touted “Cash for Clunkers” program might be over a mere four days after it officially started. Although originally set to debut on July 27th, the federal government allowed car dealerships to begin accepting trade-ins as early as July 1st. Due to an unprecedented response from car buyers interested in taking advantage of the up to $4,500 rebate towards a brand new, fuel efficient car, the Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS) program would seem to have already fully tapped out the $950 million dollars it had... Fri, 31 Jul 2009 11:35:12 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/bmw-withdraws-from-f1-draws-ire-of-supporters-owners.html In a move that many fans and owners have seen as a tarnish on the brand, BMW (http://www.autotropolis.com/BMW/research.html) has announced that it is pulling out of Formula One racing, effective at the end of the current season. While the news is shocking in the sense that F1 participation brings considerable prestige to European automakers, there are a number of mitigating factors that make it easier to understand why BMW would choose to no longer compete at the apex of motorsports.The first, and most direct reasoning behind BMW’s decision is cost. It is estimated that it costs the... Thu, 30 Jul 2009 16:42:07 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/toyota-safety-connect-and-lexus-enform-better-late-than-never.html Toyota (http://www.autotropolis.com/Toyota/research.html) has announced definitive roll-out plans for its own vehicle telematics system. The version installed in Lexus (http://www.autotropolis.com/Lexus/research.html) cars and trucks will be branded as Enform, while Toyota’s will be named Safety Connect.Although made public earlier in the year, until today the automaker had been unable to provide concrete information as to when the feature would make its debut in an actual production vehicle. That mystery was dispelled with the revelation that the very first systems will be installed on a number of different Lexus automobiles and sport-utility vehicles starting August 1st. Slated to make... Thu, 30 Jul 2009 12:54:36 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/gm-releases-sketches-of-future-compact-chevy.html Chevrolet (http://www.autotropolis.com/Chevrolet/research.html) Agile was designed entirely in Brazil and will be built in Argentina starting this fall, but many have begun to speculate that this is in fact the new vehicle that GM plans to produce in Michigan. If this is the new small car for Chevrolet, the big question we ask is whether or not this vehicle will eventually become the next-generation Chevy (http://www.autotropolis.com/Chevrolet/research.html) Aveo5. With Ford (http://www.autotropolis.com/Ford/research.html) getting ready to introduce the Ford Fiesta worldwide (including the United States for 2011), Chevrolet could use a competitive small car with a sporty design.Based on the sketches alone, the... Wed, 29 Jul 2009 19:49:34 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/gm-closes-delaware-plant-ending-sky-a-solstice-production.html Pontiac Solstice (http://www.autotropolis.com/Pontiac/Solstice/research.html) and Saturn Sky (http://www.autotropolis.com/Saturn/Sky/research.html). The Wilmington Assembly Plant opened in 1947 and, at its peak, employed more than 5,000 employees.From the very beginning, both the Solstice and Sky were highly regarded as tools to help turn both GM divisions around. For Pontiac (http://www.autotropolis.com/Pontiac/research.html), the Solstice helped revived the excitement that has been missing since the company killed off the Firebird. As for Saturn (http://www.autotropolis.com/Saturn/research.html), the Sky was a sporty, non-plastic bodied roadster that helped breathe a little life into the brand by offering a stylish design and a powerful, rear-wheel drive powertrain. During their brief existence,... Wed, 29 Jul 2009 17:46:53 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/ferrari-introduces-2010-458-italia.html Ferrari (http://www.autotropolis.com/Ferrari/research.html) has finally taken the wraps off its latest sports coupe, the 2010 458 Italia. Set to replace the aging but still beautiful F430, Ferrari will officially introduce the all-new 2010 458 Italia at the Frankfurt Motor Show this September. Like the 2009 California, the 458 Italia exhibits a much sleeker and sexier exterior design than past Ferraris, but it is the latest to carry on the tradition of a high-horsepower, rear mid-mounted engine. With the addition of the new 458 Italia, the oldest car in Ferrari’s current lineup is the 612 Scaglietti (http://www.autotropolis.com/Ferrari/research.html) that made its debut... Wed, 29 Jul 2009 16:07:11 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/leaked-images-of-2010-saab-9-5-hit-the-web.html Going into bankruptcy, there were reports that General Motors didn’t want to ditch the Saab (http://www.autotropolis.com/Saab/research.html) brand because the upcoming 9-5 sedan was that good, and after seeing initial pictures leaked through various Web sites, we think GM was probably right. Since the 9-5 replaced the Saab 9000 back in 1999, the car really hasn’t seen any major changes which many attribute to the brand’s current problems. Unfortunately for GM, though, by the time the 2010 Saab 9-5 (http://www.autotropolis.com/Saab/9-5/research.html) goes on sale, the Saab division will be owned by Swedish supercar automaker Koenigsegg. Regardless, Saab’s all-new flagship sedan will... Tue, 28 Jul 2009 19:37:42 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/fomoco-announces-plans-to-shrink-strengthen-lineups.html Ford (http://www.autotropolis.com/Ford/research.html) Motor Company may have been the only domestic automaker not to receive federal bailout loans, but that doesn’t mean the automaker was running efficiently either. Product overlapping and vehicle rebadging were two of the biggest problems Ford, Lincoln (http://www.autotropolis.com/Lincoln/research.html) and Mercury (http://www.autotropolis.com/Mercury/research.html) models suffered from, and now Ford is making sure that the problem goes away for good. In addition to killing off a few redundant or outdated models, Ford is also looking to revamp the lineup for all three divisions to make them more competitive and keep the good momentum from this year carried into the... Tue, 28 Jul 2009 12:11:59 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/bmw-releases-photos-details-on-2011-x1.html After months of teaser pictures and spy photographs of camouflaged test mules, BMW (http://www.autotropolis.com/BMW/research.html) has finally released official images and details about its fourth addition to its sport activity lineup, the 2011 X1. With the BMW Mercedes-Benz (http://www.autotropolis.com/Mercedes-Benz/research.html) GLK-Class, Audi (http://www.autotropolis.com/Audi/research.html) Q3 and the Cadillac SRX (http://www.autotropolis.com/Cadillac/SRX/research.html) when it goes into production later this year. The biggest news for this small luxury crossover is that, according to BMW’s press release, it plans on offering a wide range of powertrain options including a fuel-efficient diesel engine. Although the specific details have yet to be finalized, it the X1 sDrive18d with... Mon, 27 Jul 2009 22:33:21 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/honda-ceo-confirms-production-of-fit-hybrid-cr-z-coupe.html We previously reported on the advancements of hybrid powertrains for Honda (http://www.autotropolis.com/Honda/research.html) Motor Company, but recently the company divulged information as to the future of its hybrid-electric vehicles. In addition to the Civic Hybrid and 2010 Insight, Honda's CEO Takanobu Ito announced that the company will begin production of two new hybrid models starting next year - a sporty hybrid coupe based on the 2007 CR-Z Concept (pictured left) as well as a hybrid version of the Fit. Likely to both be 2011 model year vehicles, the production version of the CR-Z and the Fit hybrid will go on... Mon, 27 Jul 2009 18:31:47 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/suzuki-offering-sx4-sportback-for-2010.html Suzuki (http://www.autotropolis.com/Suzuki/research.html) hasn’t been in the news too much lately other than reporting substantial sales declines, but if recent reports are true, the Japanese automaker is looking to further cash in on the SX4 lineup. Recent reports indicate that Suzuki will begin offering a toned down version of its SX4 Crossover aimed at improved fuel economy possibly to be named the SX4 SportBack. The purpose of a hatchback SX4 stripped of the Crossover title, would be to compete against subcompacts such as the Honda Fit (http://www.autotropolis.com/Honda/Fit/research.html), Chevrolet (http://www.autotropolis.com/Chevrolet/research.html) Aveo5 and the Hyundai Accent (http://www.autotropolis.com/Hyundai/Accent/research.html). Suzuki has already expanded the... Mon, 27 Jul 2009 14:28:55 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/toyotas-north-american-identity-to-get-makeover.html Toyota (http://www.autotropolis.com/Toyota/research.html) is a car company which has spent the last 15 years largely divorcing itself from the enthusiast side of the market in an effort to concentrate on its bread and butter cars, vans and crossover SUV’s. The company's efforts in the luxury realm have followed a similar path, with the Lexus (http://www.autotropolis.com/Lexus/research.html) division producing competent vehicles which lead its segment in quality and engineering yet do not provide the same white knuckle driving experience offered by competitors such as BMW (http://www.autotropolis.com/BMW/research.html), Mercedes-Benz (http://www.autotropolis.com/Mercedes-Benz/research.html) or even Cadillac (http://www.autotropolis.com/Cadillac/research.html).In many ways, this strategy has been successful, with vehicles... Fri, 24 Jul 2009 20:30:21 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/2010-chevrolet-camaro-adds-transformers-special-edition.html Looking to cash in on the big screen success of a certain alien robot that takes the shape of a yellow Camaro, General Motors is offering a special edition package that mimics the lead protagonist, Bumblebee, in the live action Transformers movie series. With Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen still in theaters, Chevrolet (http://www.autotropolis.com/Chevrolet/research.html) and Hasbro are teaming up to offer the wannabe Sam Witwickys of the world their own Bumblebee courtesy of the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro (http://www.autotropolis.com/Chevrolet/Camaro/research.html) Transformers Special edition. GM used Comic-Con (an annual comic book convention in San Diego, Calif.) to introduce the special edition car... Fri, 24 Jul 2009 16:17:06 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/2010-brings-forth-four-door-coupe-onslaught.html From the moment that Mercedes-Benz first introduced the CLS-Class to the world in 2005, competitors in just about every segment have been scrambling to offer what is now known as four-door coupes. While a traditional coupe has a sporty roofline and two doors, the new four-door coupes obviously have an extra set of doors, but they also exhibit similar proportions as their two-door counterparts. Four-door coupes many not be for everyone though as the sporty roofline usually limits rear-seat occupancy to just two passengers. Following the CLS-Class, this design grew in popularity to include entry-level luxury sedans such as... Thu, 23 Jul 2009 22:24:58 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/gms-onstar-shuts-down-stolen-cars-remotely.html GMC (http://www.autotropolis.com/GMC/research.html) vehicles once these two features have been rolled out and word of their effectiveness becomes common knowledge. Thu, 23 Jul 2009 12:58:10 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/government-drops-warranty-assistance-may-put-dealerships-on-life-support.html Chrysler (http://www.autotropolis.com/Chrysler/research.html). The initiative, which had been managed by President Obama’s auto industry task force, had been implemented just prior to the bankruptcy of each automaker with the goal of increasing consumer confidence. The idea behind the program was that consumers were far less likely to purchase a vehicle from a company that might no longer exist by the end of the year, particularly if they were unable to access their warranty and service protections.Now that both brands have emerged from bankruptcy and appear to have achieved a stable restructuring, the federal government has determined that its... Thu, 23 Jul 2009 12:37:23 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/free-ak-47-with-every-truck-purchase.html In a down economy, it’s certainly not easy for auto dealerships (http://www.autotropolis.com/car-dealers/) to move trucks in any significant number. In fact, sales numbers for 2009 have been downright dismal, even when compared to the depressing figures reported in 2008. 28% fewer vehicles have been sold so far when compared to the same time last year. This has lead to a number of dealerships scratching their heads trying to figure out how to attract buyers into their showrooms. In the spirit of the idea that there is no such thing as bad publicity, one dealership has... Wed, 22 Jul 2009 23:03:31 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/vw-turns-tables-purchases-porsche.html Volkswagen (http://www.autotropolis.com/Volkswagen/research.html), it was announced this week that VW would assume not only a controlling interest in the sports car brand but in fact buy up 100 percent of the company’s shares. The deal, which will see Volkswagen shell out 11.28 billion dollars to the Porsche and Piech families who currently own the company, is a startling revelation in the current economic climate, and one which is made all the more interesting given the recent history between the two organizations.The event that triggered the build-up to this earth shattering purchase decision can be traced back to 2007 when... Sat, 18 Jul 2009 20:45:52 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/lutz-puts-stake-into-reanimated-pontiac-g8s-heart.html Pontiac G8 (http://www.autotropolis.com/Pontiac/G8/research.html) would live on in Chevy guise. GM vice president Bob Lutz was forced to do an about-face and take back the announcement he had made in a web chat earlier in the week regarding the continued production of the G8 platform.Calling the Australian-derived sedan (built using the same bones as the Holden Commodore) “too good to waste”, Lutz boldly asserted that Chevrolet (http://www.autotropolis.com/Chevrolet/research.html) would revive the Caprice name and attach it to the large four-door automobile. While the initial statement was received in some quarters with incredulity – after all, GM had repeatedly made... Sat, 18 Jul 2009 20:09:35 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/details-emerge-about-mercedes-benz-sls-amg-gullwing.html Mercedes-Benz (http://www.autotropolis.com/Mercedes-Benz/research.html) has already ended production of its SLR McLaren (http://www.autotropolis.com/Mercedes-Benz/SLR-McLaren/Convertible/research.html) supercar, and is now readying the next generation high-performance coupe, said to be called the SLS AMG Gullwing. Named after its gull-wing doors, the upcoming Mercedes SLS AMG Gullwing is reminiscent of the iconic Mercedes 300SL that was produced from 1955 until 1963. Mercedes-Benz plans to officially unveil its new super coupe at the Frankfurt Motor Show this September, but most of the information is already known about the vehicle (thanks to officially released information as well as multiple leaked documents and images). It’s unclear as to when... Fri, 17 Jul 2009 18:03:42 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/potential-new-nhtsa-regulations-intrude-into-cockpit.html The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration is responsible for ensuring that the pace of automotive safety keeps up with the technological advancements that have radically transformed the industry. With the advent of complex computer systems that are capable of taking almost complete control over a vehicle’s acceleration and braking, as with laser and radar-guided cruise control, the ability of a vehicle to step in and intervene during a potentially dangerous situation has dramatically increased.Several proposed changes to American automobile safety regulations, originating from the NHTSA, draw from this technological cornucopia in addition to addressing a simpler, more... Thu, 16 Jul 2009 22:43:46 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/proposed-cadillac-xts-shifts-luxury-brand-in-risky-new-direction.html Cadillac (http://www.autotropolis.com/Cadillac/research.html) continues to retool its lineup as General Motors realizes the need to expand the company’s offerings in order to better compete with the broad range of vehicles sold by other luxury car companies. For the past several years the company has largely stuck with 3 sedans – the mid-size CTS, the larger STS (pictured left) and the legacy DTS – and 2 SUV’s in the form of the SRX crossover and the Escalade truck. With the SRX having been recently redesigned and the STS and DTS reaching the scheduled end of their platform lifetimes, it... Thu, 16 Jul 2009 13:40:27 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/toyota-may-end-nummi-without-gm.html Toyota (http://www.autotropolis.com/Toyota/research.html) Motor Corporation, many began to speculate what would become of the assembly plant in Fremont, Calif. Today, Toyota answered back by saying that it is considering ending production at the plant and expects to make a decision by the end of this month. Both companies formed the joint venture back in 1984, and the plant currently builds Toyota Corolla (http://www.autotropolis.com/Toyota/Corolla/research.html), Toyota Tacoma (http://www.autotropolis.com/Toyota/Tacoma/research.html) and the Pontiac Vibe (http://www.autotropolis.com/Pontiac/Vibe/research.html), but as the Pontiac (http://www.autotropolis.com/Pontiac/research.html) division goes, so does the Vibe and GM’s need for the factory. Initially, both companies scrambled to come up with other options for the... Sat, 11 Jul 2009 22:02:27 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/bob-lutz-confirms-pontiac-g8-will-become-chevrolet-caprice.html Pontiac G8 (http://www.autotropolis.com/Pontiac/G8/research.html) following the elimination of the brand later this year. At first, the G8 was to suffer the same fate as the rest of Pontiac’s lineup, but this morning Lutz announced that the Holden-built G8 would be transferred over to the Chevrolet (http://www.autotropolis.com/Chevrolet/research.html) brand reviving the Caprice nameplate. The Holden Commodore is already sold as the Chevy Lumina in the Middle East, and now the rear-wheel drive sedan will remain on U.S. soil for a little bit longer graced with a bowtie on the grille. No timetable has been set for the Pontiac-to-Chevrolet conversion, but the Caprice... Sat, 11 Jul 2009 15:15:16 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/new-chrysler-says-dodge-viper-will-stick-around.html Dodge Viper (http://www.autotropolis.com/Dodge/Viper/research.html) was a sure goner as Chrysler (http://www.autotropolis.com/Chrysler/research.html) LLC emerged from bankruptcy and partnered up with Fiat to form the new Chrysler Group LLC. Against all odds, Chrysler confirmed that the powerful two-seater will live on despite the company’s focus on adding smaller, more fuel-efficient cars to its lineup and the fact that Fiat owns Ferrari which is one of the main competitors to the Viper. Chrysler had initially planned to close the Connor Avenue Assembly Plant, where the Viper has been hand built since 1995, this December, but the automaker now says that production of the... Fri, 10 Jul 2009 19:24:32 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/volvo-adds-r-design-treatment-to-2010-xc60.html test drive the 2010 Volvo XC60 (http://www.autotropolis.com/buying-guides/new-car-reviews/road-test-2010-volvo-xc60.html), and while our review focused plenty on the compact crossover’s safety, luxury and styling, there really wasn’t much to say about the vehicle that involved the word sporty other than its wide stance. Fortunately, Volvo decided to spice up the all-new XC60 with some sporty flair courtesy of an R-Design treatment similar to other Volvo models. The R-Design focuses on tightening up the XC60’s handling while improving its overall look and stance. The 2010 Volvo XC60 R-Design will maintain the same rugged qualities expected from a Volvo XC vehicle, but it will... Fri, 10 Jul 2009 17:21:05 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/chevrolet-silverado-topples-ford-f-150s-sales-reign.html Ford F-150 (http://www.autotropolis.com/Ford/F-150/research.html). The light pickup truck was not only the best selling vehicle overall in the United States for a 23 year period, it has also been the best-selling truck for an additional 8 years. Much of this extended sales success has been attributed not only to the quality of the product, but also to the fact that its primary competition from General Motors has always been split down the middle thanks to the company’s dual GMC (http://www.autotropolis.com/GMC/research.html) / Chevrolet (http://www.autotropolis.com/Chevrolet/research.html) truck strategy. With buyers able to choose between the Chevrolet Silverado (http://www.autotropolis.com/Chevrolet/Silverado/research.html) and the... Fri, 10 Jul 2009 12:09:53 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/gm-emerges-from-bankruptcy.html Pontiac (http://www.autotropolis.com/Pontiac/research.html), HUMMER (http://www.autotropolis.com/HUMMER/research.html), Saturn (http://www.autotropolis.com/Saturn/research.html) and Saab (http://www.autotropolis.com/Saab/research.html) from any long term plans, with the sale of two of the four virtually guaranteed at this point, pending only approval by various governmental agencies. Opel is also on its way out, with the European division having been spun-off to an investment group that will see GM’s role reduced to that of 35% ownership. This whittles the company down to four brands: Chevrolet (http://www.autotropolis.com/Chevrolet/research.html), Buick (http://www.autotropolis.com/Buick/research.html), GMC (http://www.autotropolis.com/GMC/research.html) and Cadillac (http://www.autotropolis.com/Cadillac/research.html). The new deal also sees GM cutting their production plants from 47 down to 34... Fri, 10 Jul 2009 11:17:51 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/jaguar-officially-unveils-2010-xj.html Jaguar (http://www.autotropolis.com/Jaguar/research.html) enthusiasts, July 9, 2009 has been marked on the calendars for some time. The occasion? After multiple teaser images and videos, Jaguar has finally unveiled the latest iteration of its flagship sedan, the XJ, today in London. Filling the shoes of Jag’s top model, the 2010 XJ will have some hefty competition to go up against ranging from “everyday” sedans like the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and BMW 7 Series (http://www.autotropolis.com/BMW/7-Series/research.html) up to exotic sedans such as the Maserati Quattroporte and Porsche’s all-new Panamera. With the new XJ hitting showrooms this winter, Jaguar finally has a flagship sedan that... Thu, 09 Jul 2009 19:59:12 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/new-wagon-killing-crossovers-on-the-horizon-from-bmw-and-honda.html BMW 5 Series (http://www.autotropolis.com/BMW/5-Series/research.html) Gran Turismo (pictured). Stylistically, the vehicle is meant to evoke the presence of the standard 5 Series mid-size sedan while offering the same kind of downward-swept rear hatch found on the controversial BMW X6 (http://www.autotropolis.com/BMW/X6/research.html). The company appears to have taken a similar route as that originally mapped out by Volvo (http://www.autotropolis.com/Volvo/research.html) and Subaru (http://www.autotropolis.com/Subaru/research.html) when creating a crossover vehicle – that is to say, keeping away from any truck-like pretensions while still offering increased cargo space and a unique outward appearance. BMW (http://www.autotropolis.com/BMW/research.html) claims that the Gran Turismo offers rear headroom... Wed, 08 Jul 2009 21:17:54 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/future-coupe-combines-toyota-and-subaru-with-rear-wheel-drive.html Collaboration in the automotive industry is nothing new. Domestic and foreign car companies have regularly engaged in technology exchanges, platform borrowing and joint engine development programs in order to shore up areas where their own particular expertise is thin. Famous examples include the Diamond Star Motors venture that linked Mitsubishi and Chrysler and produced the Eagle line of vehicles, as well as the more recent partnership between Volkswagen and Dodge to produce the VW Routan minivan.Sometimes market forces can combine in such a way that they make for strange bedfellows and produce vehicles that are not entirely... Wed, 08 Jul 2009 20:47:51 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/toyota-planning-plug-in-hybrid-for-2012.html Not wanting to give up the crown as top hybrid automaker, Toyota (http://www.autotropolis.com/Toyota/research.html) Motor Corporation is reportedly in the midst of designing a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) set to launch in 2012. Both Ford (http://www.autotropolis.com/Ford/research.html) Motor Company and General Motors are planning high profile introductions of their own PHEV models due out by 2011, while Honda (http://www.autotropolis.com/Honda/research.html), Nissan (http://www.autotropolis.com/Nissan/research.html) and Mitsubishi (http://www.autotropolis.com/Mitsubishi/research.html) are planning full electric vehicles within the next two years. In response, Toyota is planning to produce 20,000 to 30,000 fuel-efficient plug-in hybrids by 2012. Toyota is already planning to offer about 500 plug-in hybrids worldwide... Mon, 06 Jul 2009 21:05:42 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/chevy-camaro-tops-muscle-car-sales-for-june.html Chevrolet (http://www.autotropolis.com/Chevrolet/research.html) and its all-new 2010 Camaro (http://www.autotropolis.com/Chevrolet/Camaro/research.html). Not only has the model revived the legendary muscle car name for Chevrolet, but in just its first full month of sales it has overtaken the Ford Mustang (http://www.autotropolis.com/Ford/Mustang/research.html) for the first time since 1993. Revived for the 2010 model year, the Chevy Camaro finds itself in a familiar spot reminiscent of the muscle era. Going up against both the newly redesigned 2010 Ford (http://www.autotropolis.com/Ford/research.html) Mustang and the all-new 2009 Dodge (http://www.autotropolis.com/Dodge/research.html) Challenger (http://www.autotropolis.com/Dodge/Challenger/research.html), the fifth-generation Camaro is off to a great start with General Motors reporting that 9,320 units were... Mon, 06 Jul 2009 14:50:03 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/2010-jaguar-xj-to-make-official-us-debut-in-miami.html Jaguar XJ (http://www.autotropolis.com/Jaguar/XJ-Series/research.html) is essentially the same dating back to mid-1970s and even recognizable when compared to the original sedan from 1968 (2009 model pictured right). Following one of the longest runs of what has become a retro design, the Jaguar (http://www.autotropolis.com/Jaguar/research.html) XJ is finally getting a completely new design to complement the sexy lines of the XF sedan and XK coupe. Jaguar’s flagship sedan is scheduled to make its worldwide debut in London on July 9th, but it has recently been confirmed that the car will make its debut in the United States this fall at the South... Wed, 01 Jul 2009 14:47:14 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/gm-ending-joint-venture-with-toyota.html Pontiac (http://www.autotropolis.com/Pontiac/research.html) division, many wondered what would happen to the joint venture with Toyota (http://www.autotropolis.com/Toyota/research.html) that was responsible for building the Pontiac Vibe (http://www.autotropolis.com/Pontiac/Vibe/research.html) (pictured). GM finally answered all questions after announcing that its relationship with Toyota via the New United Motor Manufacturing, Inc., or NUMMI, would cease this August after 25 years. In a brief statement released this week, GM North America President Troy Clarke said that the joint venture would not be part of the “New GM” as the automaker emerges from Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The NUMMI plant is located in Fremont, Calif. and is currently responsible... Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:02:02 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/jaguar-adding-xf-supercharged-for-2010.html Jaguar XF (http://www.autotropolis.com/Jaguar/XF/Sedan/research.html) is still fresh in the market, the British-based automaker is intent not to let the car grow old (like the S-Type did) following the introduction of the all-new XJ flagship sedan (http://www.autotropolis.com/Jaguar/XJ-Series/research.html). After just two years on the market, Jaguar (http://www.autotropolis.com/Jaguar/research.html) is shaking up the engine lineup on the XF to offer improved performance and offer another option for those looking to get behind the wheel of Jaguar’s sexy sedan. New for 2010, the Jaguar XF Supercharged replaces the 4.2-liter supercharged V-8 with a detuned version of the 5.0-liter supercharged V-8 found under the hood of... Mon, 29 Jun 2009 21:27:32 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/buick-releases-details-on-the-new-2010-lacrosse.html Buick (http://www.autotropolis.com/Buick/research.html) may actually attract the younger demographic it desires, it held a Web-based introduction for the 2010 LaCrosse (http://www.autotropolis.com/Buick/LaCrosse/research.html) this morning to announce official details for its new entry-level sedan. This morning, Buick used a virtual conference to announce further details on the upcoming LaCrosse including pre-recorded video interviews and chat rooms to get information out of engineers and vehicle designers. The biggest news for 2010 is that the base LaCrosse will come with a fuel-efficient inline-4, while upper trim levels will now be available with all-wheel drive. When the 2010 Buick LaCrosse (http://www.autotropolis.com/Buick/LaCrosse/research.html) goes on sale this... Tue, 23 Jun 2009 02:24:23 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/2010-ford-mustang-offers-glass-roof-option.html Fri, 19 Jun 2009 02:09:44 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/chrysler-puts-eight-plants-back-online.html Chrysler (http://www.autotropolis.com/Chrysler/research.html) emerged from its bankruptcy proceedings but it has also formed a promising partnership with Fiat. The New Chrysler, Dodge Viper (http://www.autotropolis.com/Dodge/Viper/research.html) convertible and roadster. Work at this plant resumed on June 15, but other plants aren’t expected to start back up until the week of June 29. As expected, most of the plants reopening build some of Chrysler’s most popular vehicle including the Jeep (http://www.autotropolis.com/Jeep/research.html) Wrangler, Dodge Grand Caravan (http://www.autotropolis.com/Dodge/Grand-Caravan/research.html) and Chrysler 300 (http://www.autotropolis.com/Chrysler/300/research.html) . In addition to the vehicle assembly plants, supporting plants including transmission, stamping and powertrain facilities will also reopen to supply the seven... Thu, 18 Jun 2009 16:37:26 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/2010-ford-mustang-adds-track-pack.html With the return of the Chevrolet Camaro (http://www.autotropolis.com/Chevrolet/Camaro/research.html) and Dodge Challenger (http://www.autotropolis.com/Dodge/Challenger/research.html), Ford (http://www.autotropolis.com/Ford/research.html) Motor Company is trying to make sure that its Mustang continues to be a top performer heading into its 45th consecutive year of production. Already redesigned for the 2010 model year, the latest Mustang carries the same traits of the original 1964½ Mustang that helped make pony cars popular in the first place. For those looking to actually take their Mustangs on racetracks and road courses, Ford has just introduced an optional Track Pack to improve the car’s handling and cornering capabilities. Available this summer... Fri, 12 Jun 2009 20:06:10 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/penskes-plans-for-saturn.html Roger Penske (pictured) is a man of many hats. Most people in the automotive world know him for his racing heritage that includes ownership of NASCAR and IndyCar race teams, while non-automotive buffs may recognize his name from big yellow commercial trucks. His most recent venture was the acquisition of the Saturn Corporation (http://www.autotropolis.com/Saturn/research.html) from General Motors to keep the 24-year-old automaker alive as well as maintain the jobs of its dealership employees. Since the June 5, 2009 announcement that Penske Automotive Group had purchased Saturn (http://www.autotropolis.com/Saturn/research.html), many in the industry wonder what direction he will take to make... Thu, 11 Jun 2009 15:07:40 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/gm-considering-g8-for-remaining-core-division.html The 2010 model year is going to be a nasty one when it comes to fans of General Motors products. For Pontiac (http://www.autotropolis.com/Pontiac/research.html) enthusiasts, the news is even worse. Pontiac will offer only one vehicle in 2010, the Pontiac Vibe (http://www.autotropolis.com/Pontiac/Vibe/research.html), while eliminating every other model including the sporty Solstice (http://www.autotropolis.com/Pontiac/Solstice/research.html), the full range of G6 (http://www.autotropolis.com/Pontiac/G6/research.html) models and the fun-to-drive G8 (http://www.autotropolis.com/Pontiac/G8/research.html) – I doubt many people will miss the G5 (http://www.autotropolis.com/Pontiac/G5/research.html), G3 (http://www.autotropolis.com/Pontiac/G3/research.html) or Torrent (http://www.autotropolis.com/Pontiac/Torrent/research.html). Along with the Solstice, the G8 was finally bringing some excitement back to Pontiac thanks in large part to the Holden... Thu, 11 Jun 2009 15:06:30 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/tata-nano-may-come-to-us-in-2011.html These days, finding an affordable $2,500 car at a dealership is practically unheard of, but soon Jaguar (http://www.autotropolis.com/Jaguar/research.html) and Land Rover (http://www.autotropolis.com/Land-Rover/research.html) dealership lots may be getting a vehicle starting at this price brand new. If Tata Motors, current owner of the British Jaguar Land Rover automakers, gets its way, the Tata Nano could make its way to the United States by the end of 2011. The Tata Nano, recognized as the world’s cheapest new car, will go on sale in India next month and is expected to hit the North American automotive market in 2011. It’s not clear... Mon, 08 Jun 2009 18:33:58 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/fiat-500-heading-to-chrysler-dealerships.html After last month’s announcement that Chrysler LLC (http://www.autotropolis.com/Chrysler/research.html) was in fact merging with Italian automaker Fiat S.p.A., rumors and speculation began swirling about which Fiat vehicles would show up on Chrysler dealer (http://www.autotropolis.com/car-dealers/chrysler/) showrooms. Ever since the demise of the Dodge Neon (http://www.autotropolis.com/cars/search.directory/Dodge.htm), Chrysler dealerships have struggled to draw customers into showrooms for anything other than big trucks, SUVs and sedans, but that is all about to change. Fiat has officially confirmed that one of its most iconic small cars, the Fiat 500 (pictured), will be go on sale in the United States through Chrysler’s dealership (http://www.autotropolis.com/car-dealers/chrysler/) network and... Tue, 02 Jun 2009 17:54:47 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/gm-plans-to-reopen-idled-us-plant-for-new-small-car.html With all the talks about plant closures and shift cuts, it’s always good news to hear about automakers reopening manufacturing plants that were previously idled. For General Motors, plans are already set to idle 14 plants in the U.S., but one factory may be reopened in the future in order to build a new small car. GM says that the idled plant will be retooled to broaden its fuel efficient lineup including the new Chevrolet Volt and Cruze so speculations about which model could be built on this unknown plant are focused on either the Chevrolet Spark minicar or... Fri, 29 May 2009 21:24:18 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/honda-may-introduce-hybrid-fit-in-2010.html Honda may have been the first automaker to sell a hybrid-electric vehicle in North America, but Toyota quickly dominated the market with the introduction of the Prius in 2001. In addition to the current Civic Hybrid and the introduction of the second-generation Honda Insight, it is reported that Honda is preparing to challenge Toyota’s hybrid supremacy worldwide by offering a hybrid-electric version of the subcompact Fit hatchback. A hybrid version of the Honda Fit would most likely undercut the price of the Insight (already the least expensive hybrid on the market) by thousands of dollars, but fuel economy still... Thu, 28 May 2009 15:16:26 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/daimler-ag-teams-up-with-tesla-motors.html In the modern automotive era, startup automakers are quite rare. Tesla Motors, responsible for the all-electric Roadster, has seen its fair share of critics since it launched in 2003, but recently received a promising partner from one of the oldest automakers in the world. This week, Daimler AG announced that it acquired a 10 percent equity stake in Tesla Motors estimated to be worth a “double digit” million dollar sum to form a strategic partnership for the advancement of sustainable mobility. This partnership will give Daimler AG the technology and resources to produce an all-electric version of the smart... Wed, 27 May 2009 19:16:54 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/official-bmw-unveils-5-series-gran-turismo.html Last week we showed a glimpse of the upcoming 5 Series Gran Turismo and speculated as to many of its drivetrain components. Now BMW has released official details on the all-new model and released a slew of pictures detailing just about every aspect of the new car. The only details that remain to be seen are starting prices and the release date, to which we’re guessing the 5 Series GT could go on sale somewhere in the low $60,000 range later this year. The 2010 BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo will come in three different assortments although it’s not... Fri, 22 May 2009 23:11:00 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/smart-offering-free-transmission-upgrades-on-2008-models.html As one of the most recognizable vehicles currently available in North America, the smart fortwo has gained quite a following for its impressive fuel economy, unique design and small stature. Unfortunately, an overwhelming number of smart owners were complaining about the lackadaisical shifting exhibited from the car’s automated manual transmission. Not that people should expect the car to handled like a sports car, but the delays between gears was obviously too much to bear. To alleviate the situation, smart announced that it would be providing transmission upgrades on all 2008 fortwos at no cost to the consumers.Essentially a voluntary... Fri, 22 May 2009 19:08:40 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/vw-shows-a-glimpse-of-next-gen-jetta-sportwagen.html As Volkswagen prepares to launch the sixth generation of its Golf hatchback around the world, plans are already in line to replace other Golf-based models namely the sedan and station wagon variants - known as the Jetta and Jetta SportWagen in the U.S. Sales of the European-spec 2010 Volkswagen Golf Estate began today giving fans of the current Jetta SportWagen a glimpse of what the future holds. In sedan form, the current Jetta body has been on sale since 2005, so we’re expecting a replacement next year as a 2011 based off the new Golf. The 2011 Volkswagen... Fri, 22 May 2009 13:36:07 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/gm-offers-vehicle-value-protection.html When it comes to buying a new car, more consumers are starting to take resale value into account about as much (if not equal) to factors such as the sticker price and cool new options – and for a good reason. It’s true that simply driving off the dealership’s lot can shave thousands off the resale value of a new car, but General Motors is looking to bolster consumer confidence in its products by guaranteeing the resale value of certain vehicles in its lineup. On select 2008, 2009 and 2010 model vehicles, GM is now offering its Vehicle Value... Tue, 19 May 2009 20:09:54 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/audi-releases-details-about-future-products.html Speculating about an automaker’s future lineup is fun and all, but hearing specific information straight from the horse’s mouth is even better. Although reports have been swirling about new products from Audi ranging from a new minicar up to a soft top version of the Audi R8, the automaker has been hush on all accounts – until yesterday. Audi AG chairman Rupert Stadler laid out products set for the near future at an investors meeting. The news out of Ingolstadt should be good enough to please just about anyone whether you’re looking for a green car, a high-performance car... Thu, 14 May 2009 23:03:43 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/chrysler-looks-to-trim-dealer-network-by-25-percent.html As a part of its bankruptcy restructuring, Chrysler is expected to announce significant dealership closings that will take effect next month. In a conference call with Chrysler Vice Chairman and President Jim Press and Chrysler Executive Vice President of North American Sales & Marketing, Global Service and Parts Steven Landry, Chrysler LLC is looking to close approximately 789 dealerships or almost a quarter of its current dealer network. Press said that there is no appeals process for the dealerships and Chrysler is working with rejected and accepted dealers to redistribute vehicle inventory ahead of the June 9, 2009 dealership... Thu, 14 May 2009 20:48:29 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/new-opel-astra-seems-destined-for-buick.html It’s no secret that General Motors is planning to close or sell off its Saturn division, but questions remain what will happen to Saturn’s current lineup of vehicles. While vehicles such as the Saturn Outlook, Saturn VUE, Saturn Sky and Saturn Aura are all similar to other GM models they will not be entirely missed, but the European-designed Astra is exclusive to Saturn. In an effort to replace the Ion coupe and sedan in 2008, Saturn looked to GM Europe’s Opel division to source the Astra three- and five-door hatchback. With Saturn and Pontiac both ending their existence under... Wed, 13 May 2009 22:47:22 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/suzuki-halts-production-of-xl7-crossover.html Last month, when General Motors announced its plans to close Pontiac by the end of 2010, many questions arose regarding the New United Motor Manufacturing, Inc. (NUMMI) - GM and Toyota’s joint venture manufacturing facility in Fremont, Calif. where the Pontiac Vibe is produced. Now, another GM joint venture is being affected by the slow automotive market, but this time as a result of GM’s partner. Suzuki recently announced that it would halt production indefinitely for its XL7 crossover at the CAMI Automotive Inc. joint venture facility in Ontario, Canada. Not that this should be any major news to... Wed, 13 May 2009 16:39:55 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/vw-introduces-ueber-hot-hatch-volkswagen-r20t.html Touareg Hybrid (http://www.autotropolis.com/Volkswagen/Touareg-2/SUV/research.html), but it isn’t forgetting about its enthusiast cars either. With the introduction of the all-new Golf set for this summer, VW is said to be preparing a sporty version carrying the R moniker: the R20T. In European markets, the VW R20T will use the sleek and sporty Scirocco as its basis, but considering that car is not sold in the United States chances are the MkVI would be used for a sport model. With the sport compact segment heating up and the success of the 2008 R32, a Volkswagen R20T would possibly have the power to... Wed, 13 May 2009 02:10:04 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/hyundai-to-test-us-interest-in-equus-sedan.html As big of a hit that the Hyundai Genesis has been so far during its short time on the market, it doesn’t appear the Hyundai will be resting on its laurels in its bid to take on the upper echelon of luxury sedans. With the Genesis sedan being compared to just about every midsize luxury sedan on the market, Hyundai is now eyeing the full size luxury sedan market by gauging public opinion of the Equus sedan. To gauge interest in its new sedan, Hyundai will be shipping 100 examples of the Equus for display in dealership showrooms in... Fri, 08 May 2009 21:52:42 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/gm-slims-down-performance-lineup.html compared the HHR SS against its main rival, the Caliber SRT4 (http://www.autotropolis.com/buying-guides/hot-hatch-comparison-2009-dodge-caliber-srt4-vs-2009-chevrolet-hhr-ss.html), and chose the HHR SS as a clear winner. As for the Impala SS, the 303-horsepower 5.3-liter V-8 model will be dropped for the 2010 model year leaving the 224-horsepower 3.9-liter V-6 Impala LTZ as the new top of the line offering. For Cadillac, the XLR-V was already doomed following the announcement that the entire Corvette-based XLR line would be discontinued at the end of the 2009 model year, but the loss of the STS-V is aimed at increasing the popularity of the smaller, faster CTS-V.... Fri, 08 May 2009 16:54:15 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/production-audi-r8-tdi-canceled.html After all the recent talk of German automakers introducing fun to drive and fuel efficient diesel-powered cars, Audi has finally given its word that at least one diesel vehicle won’t be making it into production – the Audi R8 V12 TDI. Following initial speculation that had the diesel-powered sports car joining the growing R8 lineup, Audi officially canceled the program due to the monetary investment that would be required to outfit the car. The oil-burning, torque-spewing R8 was first showed to the public in concept form (pictured) at the 2008 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Development costs... Thu, 07 May 2009 21:16:56 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/bmw-readying-5-series-gt.html When BMW debuted the Concept CS four-door coupe in 2007, many thought this was the direction that the upcoming 7 Series sedan would be taking. Instead, the CS Concept showed a similar design of what BMW plans to call the 5 Series Gran Turismo when it goes into production next year. The production model should vary little from the 5 Series Gran Turismo Concept that was displayed at this year’s Geneva Motor Show. The BMW 5 Series GT is basically a smaller version of the BMW X6 with its sloping roofline, four-passenger cabin and unique cargo system. Although it... Wed, 06 May 2009 21:24:41 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/chrysler-introduces-aggressive-may-incentives.html new vehicle incentives (http://www.autotropolis.com/Chrysler/rebates.html) through the end of May. The current round of incentives apply to all Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep vehicles through June 1, 2009 and are aimed directly at lowering the bottom line price. According to Chrysler Executive Vice President North American Sales and Marketing Steven Landry, "Consumers are telling us that the net purchase price of the vehicle is the most important factor right now, so we are pleased to introduce incentives that address what the consumer is looking for."To help bolster its lagging sales, which fell 48 percent last in April, Chrysler is offering $4,000... Wed, 06 May 2009 18:55:10 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/chrysler-bankruptcy-could-delay-2010-2011-models.html Nobody ever thought that once Chrysler LLC filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, everything would immediately get better. During the 30-60 day bankruptcy phase, all of Chrysler’s production has ceased which is one of the main factors that could delay 2010 models, while tooling and equipment issues could cause delays for 2011 models. A partnership with Fiat S.p.A. could help alleviate product down time, but estimates are putting the first Fiat car in Chrysler showrooms no sooner than 18 months. With important vehicles such as the redesigned LX sedans, the Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger, and the all-new 2011 Jeep... Tue, 05 May 2009 02:32:54 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/mercedes-benz-prices-new-e-class-coupe-sedan.html After introducing the latest version of its midsize offering at this year’s Geneva Motor Show, Mercedes-Benz has now affixed a set price to each model of its all-new 2010 E-Class. Available in either sedan or coupe layouts, the 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class coupe will have a starting MSRP of $48,925 while the sedan will start at $49,475. With these new prices, the biggest news is the fact that the base 2010 E350 sedan will cost $4,600 less than a base 2009 E350. The new 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class will go on sale next month with four models being available and eventually... Mon, 04 May 2009 20:56:33 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/audi-to-expand-a5-lineup.html After adding a few key models to improve sales, Audi is now beginning to focus on sportier, niche vehicles to bolster its lineup. One such vehicle that is expected to help with that task is the upcoming Audi A5 Sportback, which would be Audi’s response to four-door coupes like the Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class. The basic design of the new Audi four-door coupe should be strongly resembled by the Sportback Concept showed at this year’s North American International Automobile Show in Detroit. Essentially, the A5 Sportback would be a hatchback version of the A4, but it will feature the aggressive styling... Fri, 01 May 2009 18:09:39 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/bmw-to-show-2011-7-series-hybrid-in-frankfurt.html Although BMW and Mercedes-Benz were both part of the group that helped create the two-mode hybrid system used on GM and Chrysler’s full-size SUVs, neither automaker has released a vehicle with the fuel-efficient hybrid components. Mercedes-Benz recently showed the upcoming S400 Hybrid, but other than a concept vehicle, BMW hasn’t put the hybrid powertrain to work yet - until now. BMW recently announced that it will introduce the 2011 BMW 750Hi at the Frankfurt Motor Show this September. The 750Hi is a production version of the 7 Series ActiveHybrid Concept and is expected to go on sale in the... Thu, 30 Apr 2009 19:14:10 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/ford-donating-to-cancer-research-for-customer-test-drives.html After introducing the Ford Advantage Plan to cover payments for up to 12 months for customers who lose their jobs, www.fordcares.com (http://www.fordcares.com) and print out a registration form and number or obtain the registration form by participating in an upcoming Komen Race for the Cure event. Either way, take the form into any Ford, Lincoln or Mercury dealership and test drive any vehicle to activate the donation. Thu, 30 Apr 2009 15:22:16 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/gm-losing-12-fuel-efficient-cars-with-pontiac-saturn-closures.html Last year, General Motors boasted its vehicles’ fuel efficiency by pointing out that it offered 20 vehicle models that got at least 30 miles per gallon on the highway. Following the announcement that the Saturn brand will not survive into next year and Pontiac will be gone by the end of 2010, GM will lose 60 percent of its most fuel-efficient vehicles including two hybrid models. Accounting for 12 of the 20 vehicles included in GM’s over 30 mile per gallon club, the loss of Saturn and Pontiac will definitely impact GM’s fuel economy credibility. It is not clear... Thu, 30 Apr 2009 13:36:12 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/ford-fusion-hybrid-sets-world-record-during-1000-mile-challenge.html Last week we reported on Ford’s effort to drive the all-new 2010 Fusion Hybrid on a 1,000-mile trip from Virginia to Washington, D.C. Over the course of this past weekend, not only did Ford’s team of drivers succeed in passing the 1,000-mile Challenge, but after arriving in the nation’s capital, the Ford Fusion still had nearly one-third of a tank of gasoline remaining. After 69 continuous hours of driving, the Ford Fusion Hybrid would more than double the estimated range of the car which is 700 miles. With a third of a tank to go, Ford’s 1,000-mile Challenge would... Tue, 28 Apr 2009 21:20:02 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/three-fatal-moves-that-killed-pontiac.html From the beginning of its heyday right up until the end, General Motors’ Pontiac division was a brand focused on building excitement. With cars such as the legendary GTO and Firebird up to the latest Pontiac Solstice and G8 GXP, Pontiac has always had a knack for producing powerful cars with inspiring, timeless designs. While the Saturn, Saab and HUMMER brands of GM are probably rightfully exiting stage left, it pains us to see such a storied brand suffer the same fate as Oldsmobile and Plymouth. Today, GM announced that it will phase out Pontiac by the end of... Mon, 27 Apr 2009 20:53:35 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/mazda-expands-market-for-hydrogen-powered-rx-8-re.html Hydrogen and hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles have recently gained momentum from automakers as the next step in fuel-efficient vehicle designs. With Ford Motor Company, General Motors, Honda and Toyota Motor Corporation have all introduced hydrogen-powered vehicles either as prototypes or low-production models, and now Mazda Motor Corporation is joining the group with its hydrogen-powered, rotary-engine RX-8 Hydrogen RE. While the RX-8 Hydrogen RE has been available for lease in Japan since 2006 in limited numbers, Mazda announced that it will begin offering the fuel-efficient sports coupe for lease in Norway starting this summer. Unlike hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles, cars like the... Sun, 26 Apr 2009 20:52:06 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/lexus-sets-price-for-new-is-convertible.html Following Lexus’ introduction of the convertible version of its Lexus IS sedan last October, there really hasn’t been much news to report on since. To remedy that, Lexus recently announced the starting prices for the IS 250C and IS 350C which will both go on sale later next month. While the IS sedan has a starting MSRP just over $31,000, the 2010 Lexus IS 250C will start at $38,490 while the more powerful 2010 Lexus IS 350C will start at $43,940 – neither price includes the requisite $875 destination fee. Both Lexus IS convertible models will join what is... Sun, 26 Apr 2009 16:39:42 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/audi-to-celebrate-centennial-with-new-model.html This summer as Audi R8 (http://www.autotropolis.com/Audi/R8/research.html) Spyder, RS5 performance coupe, A7 four-door coupe or the A5 (http://www.autotropolis.com/Audi/A5/research.html) Sportback. Judging by recent spy photos taken in both Germany and the United States, the drop-top R8 and souped-up RS5 are the closest production ready vehicles that Audi hasn’t introduced yet. Regarding the R8 Spyder, it isn’t clear as to how the top will be removable with the mid-engine layout, but the sleek sport coupe will definitely lose its iconic side blades in the transition. With Audi preparing to launch the all-new R8 5.2 FSI V-10, however, chances are that a summer... Fri, 24 Apr 2009 22:10:11 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/chevrolet-reintroduces-the-corvette-grand-sport.html As a final hurrah for the C4 Corvette (1984-1996), Chevrolet introduced a limited-edition model in 1996 called the Corvette Grand Sport. The 1996 Grand Sport not only signified the end for the C4 ‘Vette, but it also paid homage to the race-ready 1963 Corvette Grand Sport designed by legendary Corvette engineer, Zora Arkus-Duntov. For 2010, Chevrolet is once again applying the Grand Sport moniker to the Corvette to bridge the gap between the base Corvette models and the sport-tuned Z06 model. Chevrolet unveiled the 2010 Corvette Grand Sport at the 12th Annual C5/C6 Corvette Birthday Bash at the National... Fri, 24 Apr 2009 19:58:56 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/ford-planning-1000-mile-roadtrip-on-a-single-tank-of-gasoline.html This weekend, Carl Edwards will strap into a Ford Fusion and prepare for a long driving adventure. No, he won’t be piloting his Aflac-sponsored, NASCAR-ready No. 99 Fusion, and yes, he will be hitting some major straight-aways in addition to both left AND right hand turns. Edwards, along with a team of five other drivers, will attempt to drive the all-new 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid 1,000 miles on a single tank of gasoline. The 1,000-Mile Challenge will not only help promote the new Fusion Hybrid, but it will also help Ford show consumers how to drive more fuel efficient... Fri, 24 Apr 2009 01:20:20 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/hot-hatch-2010-mazda-mazdaspeed3.html Nobody should question the fact that Volkswagen introduced the hot hatch segment with the Golf GTI, but over the years, Mazda has managed to perfect this recipe and dominate the segment. Following the introduction of the all-new Mazda MAZDA3 sedan and hatchback, the company has predictably introduced the latest version of its hot hatch, the 2010 Mazda MAZDASPEED3, at this year’s New York International Auto Show. The heart of the MS3 might be the turbocharged engine, but Mazda also wanted to improve the car’s look and driving dynamic on the new car. When the 263-horsepower MAZDASPEED3 goes on sale... Thu, 23 Apr 2009 22:00:51 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/new-york-debut-2010-subaru-outback.html For years, Subaru stayed out of the overcrowded crossover and SUV race by offering what it called its sport utility wagon: the Subaru Outback. Subaru used the 2009 New York International Auto Show to debut the fourth generation of the Outback which has grown in size to offer a more spacious interior. While its sedan counterpart, the Subaru Legacy (which itself was completely redesigned for the New York Auto Show), focuses on providing a sporty ride, the Subaru Outback aims at providing a more stylish alternative to crossovers and SUVs without giving up the interior space that makes the... Wed, 22 Apr 2009 20:12:30 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/is-the-delta-ii-platform-gms-k-car.html General Motors may be putting its reputation and future profitability on the line with the upcoming 2011 Chevrolet Volt (pictured), but it’s actually the Volt’s underpinnings that could end up being GM’s saving grace. Like Chrysler’s compact K-car platform that lasted throughout much of the 1980s, GM’s Delta platform is the company’s best shot at not only getting back into profitability, but also once again offering competitive entry-level vehicles. In addition to the Chevrolet Volt and its Opel Ampera counterpart, the Chevrolet Cruze is expected to be just one of a handful of future vehicles riding on this platform... Wed, 22 Apr 2009 14:37:12 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/gained-in-translation-buicks-chinese-popularity.html Somewhere between Detroit and Shanghai, a very peculiar event is taking place unbeknownst to most American drivers. While Tiger Woods did all that he could to revive Buick’s old-person image, it apparently only takes a couple great designs to make the company one of the most popular automakers in the Chinese market. This couldn’t be any more evident than a pair of new Buick vehicles (one production and one concept) that recently debuted at the 2009 Shanghai Motor Show. Between the 2009 Chinese-market Buick Regal 2.0T (pictured) and the Buick Business MPV people mover, it’s apparent that General Motors’... Tue, 21 Apr 2009 21:50:27 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/gm-chrysler-closing-dealerships-at-record-pace.html Americans are finding themselves with fewer options when it comes to searching out a new or used car dealership in their local area thanks to war of financial attrition that is cutting a significant number of dealers out of the picture. Beginning in 2008 and accelerating through the first quarter of 2009, automobile dealerships marketing a wide range of different brands of vehicles have been closing left, right and center, as a combination of factors have made it increasingly difficult to stay in business selling cars. More than 881 were closed in 2008, setting a record that... Tue, 21 Apr 2009 21:32:10 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/toyota-cuts-prius-msrp-to-compete-with-honda-insight.html After having ruled the compact hybrid roost for so many years, Toyota’s Prius has recently had to face a serious challenge from the resurgent Honda Insight. The Insight had been the original competitor to the Prius when it was first introduced, but the awkward-looking two-seater had been taken out of production after 2006 while Honda weighed its gasoline / electric options. Enough hype had eventually gathered in the green car movement for the Insight to emerge this spring as a fully-featured compact hybrid hatchback.The 2010 Honda Insight now offers four doors, up to five passenger seating and... Tue, 21 Apr 2009 20:57:16 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/controversy-dogs-task-force-evaluation-of-chevrolet-volt.html The White House’s Automotive Task Force was fairly devastating in its criticism a few weeks ago of the Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid sedan. The Volt, which offers a 40 mile range while running on battery power in addition to a much longer driving experience thanks to an on-board gasoline engine, has been positioned as the focal point of General Motors’ future lineup. However, the Task Force stated that the Volt was far too expensive to build and would feature too high of a price tag for it to become a central component of GM’s reorganization plan.GM’s reaction... Tue, 21 Apr 2009 01:32:41 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/hyundai-gm-mazda-recall-over-2-million-vehicles.html When purchasing a certified used vehicle (http://www.autotropolis.com/cars/used/search-page-basic.aspx) by a reputable car dealership (http://www.autotropolis.com/car-dealers/), but in the case of private party sales it is definitely a case of buyer beware.Used car shoppers were given a serious reality check over the past week thanks to extensive recall announcements from two major automakers. The first notice was issued by Hyundai (http://www.autotropolis.com/Hyundai/research.html) will also be recalling close to 1 million vehicles due to a series of different faults. Over 531,000 Hyundais sold between 2005 and 2008 require a brake light switch to be replaced, due to a malfunction which can keep... Tue, 21 Apr 2009 00:49:52 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/epa-smartway-means-lower-financing-rates.html Buying a ‘green’ vehicle has never before been so trendy, so accessible – and so confusing. There are many different classifications of cars and trucks which are considered ‘environmentally friendly’, and it can be difficult to know which vehicle might be the best fit for you. The question of what qualifies as green, and what does not becomes even more important for new car buyers who are interested in taking advantage of favorable interest rates (http://www.autotropolis.com/Financing-Home.aspx) on loans for vehicles which bear the SmartWay seal of approval. The new incentive has been rolled out in conjunction... Mon, 20 Apr 2009 21:28:22 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/porsche-panamera-gets-official-debut-in-shanghai.html After what has seemed like ages since the car was first talked about and almost an equal amount of time since Porsche first showed official images of the car, the 2010 Porsche Panamera finally made its official debut at the 2009 Shanghai Motor Show. Despite its likeness to the iconic 911 sports coupe, the Panamera is a four-door coupe based off the Porsche Cayenne sport utility vehicle with a front-engine, rear-drive or all-wheel drive layout. When the Panamera goes on sale in the United States this fall, it will compete against such cars as the Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class (the originator... Mon, 20 Apr 2009 17:07:13 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/volkswagen-may-top-toyota-for-world-sales-leader.html As the first quarter comes to a close for what is shaping up to be a dismal 2009 sales year, the Volkswagen Group’s success in a few key emerging markets may give it enough sales to surpass Toyota Motor Corporation as the new worldwide sales leader. Just a year after topping General Motors, Toyota is in jeopardy of losing the top spot due to slow sales in its key markets, while VW has improved in key emerging markets to challenge Toyota’s dominance. Last year, VW topped Ford Motor Company for the number three spot and then was forecast to... Sun, 19 Apr 2009 00:28:21 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/summer-fuel-prices-far-lower-than-expected.html With temperatures warming up across the country, many drivers are bracing for the inevitable rise in gasoline prices that accompanies the summer traveling season. Traditionally, far more Americans take to the nations highways on vacation during the fair weather months, and this increased fuel demand has almost always been accompanied by a significant spike in fuel costs. The most extreme example occurred in 2008, when per-gallon pricing jumped above the $4 dollar mark due to a combination of global economic and political factors.2009, which has so far not given drivers much to be thankful for in the... Fri, 17 Apr 2009 23:47:18 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/volkswagen-diesels-more-popular-than-bmw-diesels.html When it comes to diesel car sales in North America buyers seems to be favoring the tried and true over the glitzy and new. For years, European car companies have been struggling to bring their efficient and inexpensive diesel products to America. The primary barriers have been extremely strict air pollution regulations – especially in the state of California – and a general apathy displayed by car buyers towards diesel technology, which is largely considered the province of pickups and semi-trucks on this side of the Atlantic.The recent fluctuations in gasoline pricing has caused many car buyers... Fri, 17 Apr 2009 23:18:15 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/potential-buyers-start-moving-on-hummer-saturn-brands.html The past month has proven fruitful for General Motors in terms of making progress towards an eventual re-organization. While the details of how the company might emerge from its current state of financial disarray are still unknown, clear indications have been given that certain brands on their way out of the picture may be gone sooner than later. More importantly for current owners of vehicles produced by those companies on the chopping block, who have been holding their breath for most of 2009, it appears as though there may be saviors waiting in the wings to ensure... Fri, 17 Apr 2009 21:31:39 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/ford-and-bmw-reveal-new-incentive-programs-for-car-buyers.html It might sometimes seem as though the current recession has only affected domestic car companies. While American brands might have been hit the hardest by the financial woes which have accompanied the current economic downturn, sales across the entire industry have taken a huge plunge, with very few automakers being able to post more than incremental increases or even hold the line against mounting consumer apathy. This week, a European brand and a Detroit-based car company both reacted to the continued sales funk in very different ways.BMW's Maintenance Program Upgrade BMW has been the most recent import... Fri, 17 Apr 2009 21:08:21 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/union-contracts-could-foil-fiat-chrysler-alliance.html As close as Chrysler LLC and Fiat S.p.A. are at agreeing to terms on a win-win alliance, Chrysler’s union workers may end up negating the deal. Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne recently stated that the planned alliance could be abandoned altogether if the labor unions are not willing to accept substantial labor cost reductions. What once was a sure deal in getting Chrysler and Fiat working together, has now been given just a 50-50 shot at survival according to Marchionne. With the U.S. government’s April 30 deadline on the deal closing in, the failure of this partnership could prove send... Wed, 15 Apr 2009 17:47:18 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/100-mpg-suv-in-the-cards-from-raser-technologies.html With all the talk of plug-in hybrid compact cars and two-mode hybrid SUV’s, pickup truck buyers can’t help but feel a bit left out of all of the hype that has developed around the green vehicle revolution. Pickups usually have to work for a living, and this means that the reduced power offered by some of the current electric vehicle systems on the market just doesn’t cut the mustard when it’s time to haul a load of bricks or tow a horse trailer.Realizing that there was potential in this market gap, Raser Technologies (http://www.rasertech.com/media/movies/html/fev_jan09.html) has stepped up to... Wed, 15 Apr 2009 02:05:04 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/chevrolet-spark-to-lead-gm-into-the-city-car-revolution.html recent testing by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (http://www.autotropolis.com/autotropolis-columns/car-buying-review/honda-fit-toyota-yaris-and-smart-test-poorly-in-collision-study.html) which revealed that the Honda Fit, Toyota Yaris and Smart ForTwo left drivers and passengers at serious risk of injury during accidents involving front-end impacts with larger vehicles. The Smart car fared worst of all, launching itself into the air and spinning rather spectacularly when it was run into a Mercedes-Benz C-Class sedan at 40 miles per hour. Data gathered from the test indicated that occupants, especially the driver would have been severely hurt during the collision.All three car automakers represented in the tests – especially Smart... Wed, 15 Apr 2009 00:51:36 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/costco-muscles-into-certified-pre-owned-auto-sales.html People have gotten used to hitting big box stores in order to satisfy a huge variety of their shopping needs. In addition to specialized outlets such as Home Depot and Lowes, wholesale retailers like Costco have in the past decade or so greatly expanded the type of merchandise that they offer. This has included moving heavily into automotive products and services, including mechanical work and tire installation and sales.In addition to their in-house offerings, Costco introduced the Costco Auto Program 20 years ago, a service which referred potential new vehicle buyers with local car dealerships. The... Tue, 14 Apr 2009 21:47:15 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/new-york-debut-2010-kia-forte-koup.html Back in February, we reported on Kia’s replacement for the Spectra compact sedan, the all-new 2010 Kia Forte, and Kia has used the 2009 New York International Auto Show to an introduce an even sportier version of its newest compact model, the 2010 Forte Koup. Both new models used the 2008 Kia KOUP Concept as inspiration, but the Forte Koup stays truer to the concept’s two-door design including the aggressive front and rear fascias and the sleek C-pillars that accentuate the coupe’s sporty purpose. Looking to take on the coupe versions Honda Civic, Ford Focus and Chevrolet Cobalt, the... Tue, 14 Apr 2009 20:49:28 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/detroit-electric-partners-with-proton-to-bring-entry-level-evs-to-us.html The idea of an electric automobile is often presented as a modern concept, one which has only recently been made possible thanks to technological advances. In actual fact, some of the very first vehicles ever built were powered by electricity. Before the gasoline-burning internal combustion engine was developed and refined into the power plant of choice, everything from steam to hydrogen and oxygen was implicated in trying to get from point A to point B without a horse. Amongst the varied automotive experiments were simple electric cars, which competed for the attention and dollars of the... Tue, 14 Apr 2009 03:58:30 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/mercedes-benz-s400-hybrid-lags-behind-lexus.html Fresh from the release of a brand new hybrid edition of its popular M-Class sport utility vehicle, Mercedes-Benz have finally revealed a tentative release date for its similarly-powered full-size sedan. First presented to the media at the beginning of 2008, buyers in North America have been anxiously awaiting the German competitor to the popular Lexus LS 600h L. The company had been quite coy as to when the vehicle would make it to showrooms in the United States, but it would seem that the warm reception afforded the ML450 hybrid prompted the luxury car company to solidify... Tue, 14 Apr 2009 03:36:25 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/despite-negative-press-buyers-still-attracted-to-suvs.html Not more than a year ago, the death knell had supposedly been sounded for sport utility vehicles and their assorted truck-like brethren. Rising gasoline prices, stricter pollution controls and a public backlash against the conspicuous consumption that many of these plus-sized vehicles represented combined to form one of the most negative atmospheres to be faced by a specific type of automobile since the Pinto crisis of the 1970’s. The future seemed to be clear: small, fuel-efficient automobiles that would be safe, frugal and leave a smaller carbon footprint in their path.Flash ahead to April of 2009,... Tue, 14 Apr 2009 02:24:00 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/hyundai-discontinuing-production-of-entourage-minivan.html The South Korean automaker duo of Kia and Hyundai has never seemed like the type to give up on anything early. Transforming its image from a cheap, economy car maker to a competitive automaker, the Hyundai Kia Automotive Group has successfully entered just about every vehicle segment imaginable ranging from subcompact (Hyundai Accent) to full-size SUV (Kia Borrego). Apparently one segment that one of the largest automakers in the world is not willing to stick with is minivans. Hyundai recently announced that following the 2009 model year, it will discontinue production of its Entourage minivan. Merely a rebadged version... Mon, 13 Apr 2009 22:28:23 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/chrysler-introduces-pentastar-v-6-engine.html Jeep’s (http://www.autotropolis.com/Jeep/research.html)flagship SUV is crucial to the survival of Chrysler, the importance of the new Jeep’s engine will not only help streamline the production process, but it will help lower production costs as well. The all-new 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 will debut next year in the Grand Cherokee and will spread across Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep vehicles replacing a total of seven V-6 engines that currently exist. The all-aluminum, double overhead cam (DOHC), E85-capable Pentastar V-6 will initially be built at Chrysler’s engine plant in Trenton, Mich. and will help usher in a new era of advanced powertrains for... Mon, 13 Apr 2009 19:20:08 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/new-york-debut-2009-scion-iq-concept.html Back in February, we reported that Scion was planning to add a fourth model to its current lineup possibly based of the 2008 Scion Hako Concept. At the 2009 New York International Auto Show, Scion showed another coupe-based concept that may further hint at a future model for Toyota’s funky, youth-oriented brand. The 2009 Scion iQ Concept is based off the Toyota iQ that goes on sale in Europe this year as a 2010 model. With the minicar segment heating up with vehicles like the smart fortwo currently on sale and the possibility of the Volkswagen up! making it... Mon, 13 Apr 2009 16:11:12 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/chrysler-aims-to-broaden-electric-vehicle-options.html While those who have been shopping for a plug-in electric car have been inundated with information and publicity from ENVI program has been fully detailed on a special website (https://www.chryslerllc.com/en/innovation/envi/overview/), which specifically mentions 5 vehicles slated for production in 2010. At the same time, a fresh round of prototypes have hit auto shows around the world.Leading the way in terms of driving excitement is the Dodge Circuit EV, a vehicle which resembles a cross between the Dodge Viper and the Mitsubishi Eclipse. Designed with speed and handling in mind, this zero-emissions pure electric vehicle claims a 0... Fri, 10 Apr 2009 23:01:20 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/cadillac-to-offer-premium-buyers-a-fuller-luxury-lineup.html While consumer confidence on their products might remain lower than that enjoyed by rival Ford, the decision by General Motors to spinoff as many of its underperforming assets as it possibly could seems to have been successful. With Saab claiming that they will have found a buyer by June of this year and HUMMER currently being courted by as many as three different suitors, the industry giant appears to be on the verge of slimming down what many have criticized as a bloated and undifferentiated lineup.The idea behind the restructuring plan is to focus marketing efforts around three... Fri, 10 Apr 2009 22:03:34 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/2010-cadillac-srx-gets-redesigned-hybrid-coming-soon.html Buyers on the lookout for an SUV that isn’t too big, isn’t too thirsty and might even offer a hybrid option were give a fresh choice this week thanks to Cadillac’s decision to showcase the 2010 Cadillac SRX at the New York Auto Show. Previous versions of the SRX attempted to combine the large, square greenhouse of a traditional American station wagon with a heavy dose of Cadillac’s edgy, angular exterior styling. The result was a somewhat confused body shape that turned off nearly as many buyers as it attracted.The new SRX is an entirely different story,... Thu, 09 Apr 2009 22:46:49 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/aaa-study-reveals-vehicle-operating-costs-remain-flat.html With the current state of the economy in a downward spiral, many drivers and potential car buyers are happy to see that at least the cost of fuel at the pump has remained relatively stable over the past 9 months or so. Gasoline prices remain at a bit less than half what they were in the summer of 2008, which saw a huge spike drive the cost per gallon into the $4.00 range across the United States.However, while fuel prices might no longer be reaching into the stratosphere, the actual cost per mile of driving in America currently... Thu, 09 Apr 2009 19:26:00 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/vw-considering-bringing-up-minicar-to-us-market.html Recent reports indicate that Volkswagen AG may overtake General Motors for the second largest automaker in the world, but VW plans to continue introducing products until it reaches its goal of one million annual sales by 2018. In addition to the all-new Golf Mk VI, Volkswagen Group of America CEO Stefan Jacoby said that the company is also planning to bring a production version of its up! minicar concept to the U.S. The Volkswagen up! concept vehicle was shown at three auto shows in 2007 in three forms: a three-door hatchback, four-door small minivan and a four-passenger, rear-wheel drive... Thu, 09 Apr 2009 18:40:03 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/good-news-bad-news-for-electric-car-buyers.html New car buyers holding off on a purchase until they can park a reliable, factory-backed plug-in electric hybrid vehicle in their driveway were given a mixture of good news and bad news this week from the automotive industry.The happy tidings came from the New York Auto Show, where the atmosphere was decidedly less grim than the North American International Auto Show that took place in Detroit in January. Mitsubishi was on hand with its i-MiEV, a small commuter electric vehicle that had been making a tour of the worldwide auto show circuit but had yet to hint at... Thu, 09 Apr 2009 17:33:13 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/new-york-debut-2011-jeep-grand-cherokee.html Jeep Grand Cherokee (http://www.autotropolis.com/Jeep/Grand-Cherokee/SUV/research.html) at 2009 New York International Auto Show. Since its launch in 1993, the Grand Cherokee has always been forced into a double life that balanced a smooth on-road presence and rugged off-road capabilities. The redesigned 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee not only continues to serve both roles, but it now offers one of the most stylish designs and luxurious interiors that a Jeep has ever seen. The fourth-generation Jeep Grand Cherokee will go into production next spring in the same location that all previous Grand Cherokee models have been built – Chrysler’s Jefferson North Assembly Plant... Thu, 09 Apr 2009 16:54:24 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/aaa-report-says-vehicle-operating-costs-holding-steady.html Despite considerably lower fuel prices over the last several months, the American Automobile Association's (AAA) recently-released edition of "Your Driving Costs" suggests little has changed this past year when it comes to overall motoring costs for new vehicles. Not surprisingly, SUVs pull the most pocket change per-mile, while small sedans prove to be the easiest on the wallet.According to AAA, the average cost of operating an SUV breaks down to 68.4 cents per mile, with an annual operating cost of $10,259. This is down a mere 1.3 cents from last year, reflecting lower fuel prices which greatly... Thu, 09 Apr 2009 07:58:13 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/goals-set-for-fiat-stake-in-chrysler.html Following the inequality of the “merger of equals” between Daimler and Chrysler in recent history, Chrysler LLC is looking to make sure that same outcome isn’t repeated with its new partnership with Italy’s Fiat automaker. Assuming the deal still goes through, Chrysler is setting goals for Fiat to attain in order to increase its equity stake in the prospective deal. After recent merger talks with Nissan-Renault and General Motors, a partnership between Chrysler and Fiat seems like a promising way to get the smallest of Detroit’s Big Three back to becoming a competitive player in the automotive market. While... Wed, 08 Apr 2009 22:11:00 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/bmw-introduces-performance-tuned-x5-m-x6-m-for-2010.html Dating back to 1985, BMW has offered factory-tuned variations of most of its vehicles as coveted M cars which continually showcase the pinnacle of street legal performance. To date, all of BMW’s current vehicles have been offered as tuned M cars except the flagship BMW 7 Series and the BMW X Series sport activity vehicles (SAV). This trend will change when the 2010 BMW X5 M and 2010 BMW X6 M go on sale later this year. Like the M3, M5 and M6, the all-new X5 M and X6 M will maximize performance and handling and receive more distinguishable... Wed, 08 Apr 2009 18:17:17 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/jeep-j8-finally-hits-american-shores.html American Expedition Vehicles (http://www.aev-conversions.com/) to assemble and sell J8 kits in the U.S. The company, whose primary business is selling parts and gear to trail addicts, will be in charge of the vehicle’s distribution, which will be limited to a small number of 2010 models. Even with Chrysler’s blessing, AEV’s Jeep J8 kits will still be missing a few important components. Customers will be responsible for installing their own engines and transmissions, which can be contracted out through certain AEV dealers or done by independent mechanics. Motor choices include a 2.8 liter, 4-cylinder diesel that... Tue, 07 Apr 2009 23:25:26 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/gmc-cadillac-maximize-luxury-in-hybrid-suvs.html As much as people have been questioning past and present vehicle decisions made by General Motors, one undeniable success that the company has recognized is its full-size sport utility vehicle program. Building off the popularity of its big SUVs, in 2008 GM became first automaker to offer a hybrid version of a full-size SUV by equipping the Chevrolet Tahoe, GMC Yukon and Cadillac Escalade with a fuel-efficient two-mode hybrid system. Now GM is supplying additional luxury to a pair of its hybrid SUVs by adding the 2009 GMC Yukon Denali Two-Mode Hybrid and the 2009 Cadillac Escalade Two-Mode Hybrid... Tue, 07 Apr 2009 19:02:22 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/ford-makes-deal-to-cut-99-billion-in-debt.html Ford Motor Company solidified its position as the strongest domestic automaker on Monday, declaring success with its debt-restructuring plan that will ultimately save the manufacturer nearly $10 billion dollars.The crux of Ford's plan involves the swapping of outstanding debt for shares of common stock. All total, Ford will offer $2.4 billion in cash and 468 million shares of stock in exchange for a debt reduction of $9.9 billion dollars, a full 40 percent drop from the nearly $26 billion in debt reported by the company last December. The debt reduction will also bring an annual interest... Tue, 07 Apr 2009 07:15:41 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/american-car-buyers-back-to-buying-big-despite-recession.html Back in the summer of 2008, when $4.00 a gallon gas was a reality and the energy outlook for the United States looked bleak, there was a significant change in the buying habits of the average car driver. Smaller cars began to come to the fore as families became unwilling to handle the high fuel bills associated with running their crossovers (http://www.autotropolis.com/research.html).Times have changed, and while gasoline is much less expensive than it was at the mid-point of 2008, a new set of economic realities have beset drivers – namely, a growing recession and general economic uncertainty.... Sat, 04 Apr 2009 00:04:26 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/steve-saleen-will-honor-warranties-for-saleen.html The saga for specialty car manufacturer Saleen, Inc. got some surprising help yesterday from a former employee who also happens to be the original founder. In a press statement, Steve Saleen announced that his new company the abrupt termination of Saleen, Inc. (http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/saleen-mj-acquisitions-scraps-warranty-coverage.html), and the subsequent sale of assets to MJ Acquisitions early last February. "While my new company, SMS Supercars, has no legal or moral obligation to take up any of the warranty claims against Saleen, Inc. or MJ Acquisitions, Inc., I would like to make a bold statement on the right way to treat customers,"... Sat, 04 Apr 2009 00:03:13 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/new-plug-in-cars-coming-but-can-power-grids-cope.html Buyers have been tantalized and teased by the prospect of plug-in hybrid cars for the past few years. The reality of these vehicles being massed produced by major car companies is fast approaching. Not only has local electrical grid upgrades (http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/chevrolet-concerned-about-power-grid-for-2011-volt.html) as a part of its four-point plan to introduce a viable plug-in infrastructure in the United States. Called the 'Plug-In Ecosystem', the plan also revolves around building affordable cars, improving plug-in technologies and creating plug-in communities.While GM claims that adding 10 million plug-ins overnight would only increase total US electricity consumption by 0.8 percent, there... Fri, 03 Apr 2009 21:23:39 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/chevrolet-concerned-about-power-grid-for-2011-volt.html As Chevrolet prepares to begin real world driving tests on a fleet of Volt electric car test mules, it is quickly realizing that the nation’s power infrastructure is likely to be one of the biggest variables in the new Volt’s success. Chevrolet says that its 2011 Volt will still be ready for production by 2010 with sales starting next November, but Chevy is worried that early adapters may face additional challenges with the new electric car due to the lack of public charging stations. Chevrolet is hoping that power company and government agencies alike will step in to support... Fri, 03 Apr 2009 18:31:09 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/mercedes-benz-hybrid-changes-the-green-suv-game.html High-end hybrid buyers will finally have an option other than Lexus when it comes to imported luxury sport-utility vehicles, as Mercedes-Benz threw their hat into the green arena with the announcement of the Mercedes-Benz ML450 Hybrid. Based on the popular M-Class SUV which was responsible for jump-starting the upscale truck trend in the 1990’s, the ML450 is the very first hybrid vehicle available in the United States from a German manufacturer.Until now, both Mercedes-Benz and Audi have preferred to use diesel powertrains when it comes to reducing fuel consumption and improving environmental impact, while BMW has largely stayed... Fri, 03 Apr 2009 16:47:47 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/subaru-and-hyundai-recession-proof.html In just two years, annual auto sales in the U.S. have been cut nearly in half, from 16 million vehicles sold in 2007 to a seasonally-adjusted average of just under 9 million as of March 2009. Saying it's a tough time to be an auto manufacturer would be an understatement in every sense of the word.Unless of course you're Subaru or Hyundai. While most every manufacturer has suffered horrific year-to-year losses, these two automakers have managed to stay relatively unscathed. Granted, both manufacturers are smaller in scope next to giants like General Motors and Ford, but then... Fri, 03 Apr 2009 04:25:22 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/mazda-puts-on-a-happy-face.html Most automakers use unique design cues on their vehicles to create a family resemblance. For instance, Dodge uses the crosshair grille on most of its lineup, while Audi uses a large, chrome-trimmed trapezoidal grille. Mazda will also start to use a recognizable face on many of its new vehicles starting with the 2009 MAZDA6. The new look includes pronounced arches over the front wheels, thin, slanted headlights and a larger interpretation of the company’s signature five-point grille. If cars like the all-new 2010 MAZDA3 leave you feeling in a good mood, it’s because the new design makes the car... Thu, 02 Apr 2009 20:13:48 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/hyundai-planning-phev-for-us-by-2012.html Following the successful launch of the all-new full-size Chevrolet (http://www.autotropolis.com/Chevrolet/research.html) Volt. With an expected release date in late 2012, Hyundai says that it is preparing to introduce a plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV) based off its Blue-Will Concept (pictured) that will be on display at the 2009 Seoul Motor Show. Hyundai’s plans for a fuel-efficient hybrid vehicle will continue the progression of the South Korean automaker in the U.S. market as quality and technology continue to advance with each new model introduction.Hyundai’s Blue-Will Concept vehicle showcases the possibility for a future Hyundai PHEV in both the technology and design. Like... Thu, 02 Apr 2009 17:04:44 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/entire-acura-lineup-receives-top-ratings-from-nhtsa-iihs.html To most consumers, Acura’s 2009 model vehicles (http://www.autotropolis.com/Acura/research.html) have attained the highest safety ratings from both the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Both vehicle safety agencies rated Acura’s vehicles for front-, side- and rear-impact protection and gave all models the top possible ratings. These latest safety results should help Honda’s luxury nameplate gain significant recognition as not only a leader in vehicle luxury and performance, but also as a top safety leader in the industry. Helping Acura accomplish this historic feat of safety, the company’s entire lineup has... Thu, 02 Apr 2009 15:10:37 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/ford-volvo-introduce-new-leaders-for-design-teams.html Vehicle designs at both Ford and Volvo will both be under new supervision starting May 1 with the announcement of two key staff movements. Peter Horbury (pictured), the executive director for Ford design in North America, will take over as Volvo’s vice president of design, while Moray Callum, currently director of design for Ford cars in North America, will fill Horbury’s vacancy. Both men have hugely influenced vehicle designs at almost every brand owned by Ford Motor Company since the 1990s, will most likely continue to produce stunning designs in their new roles. Both moves come as a direct... Wed, 01 Apr 2009 23:33:59 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/auto-sales-continue-slide-through-march.html March 2009 auto sales in the U.S. were once again well below 2008 figures, yielding an overall drop close to 40 percent with domestic manufacturers leading the way.General Motors led the decline among the top six automakers with a drop of nearly 45 percent. Despite holding a better financial position than the rest of the domestic manufacturers, Ford took the second spot with a 42 percent plunge, while Chrysler and Toyota both reported a sales dip of approximately 39 percent. Nissan reported a decline of nearly 38 percent, while Honda enjoyed a loss of "only" 36 percent.... Wed, 01 Apr 2009 22:35:11 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/new-york-debut-2010-subaru-legacy.html As automakers prepare for the 2009 New York International Auto Show, most companies are concerned about keeping the wraps on new vehicles until the final moment of the car’s introduction. Subaru on the other hand just released detailed information as well as slew of images showing off its redesigned 2010 Subaru Legacy sedan. The 2010 Subaru Legacy uses a design inspired from the Subaru Legacy Concept that was shown at the this year’s North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The redesigned Subaru Legacy is longer, taller and wider than the outgoing model, while retaining the heart that has... Wed, 01 Apr 2009 17:15:59 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/ford-ceo-ford-can-compete-with-foreign-automakers.html While the fates of General Motors and Chrysler are still up in the air pending additional loans from the federal government, Ford Motor Company seems to be in the best spot among Detroit’s Big Three. Just days before the President of the United States spoke on the futures of GM and Chrysler and demanded the resignation of GM CEO Rick Wagoner, the Detroit News ran an article where Ford CEO Alan Mulally said that the Blue Oval is finally competitive with the foreign automakers. Thanks to a restructured debt plan, reworked union agreements and reduction in dealership inventory, Ford’s... Wed, 01 Apr 2009 03:40:59 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/white-house-declares-the-volt-too-pricey-to-save-gm.html Buyers interested in one of the latest electric vehicles on its way from Detroit were dealt a blow to their confidence recently when the White House made disparaging remarks about the chances that the vehicle will ever find widespread success. The comments came the day after President Obama had addressed the nation regarding his administration’s plan to continue to assist ailing American automakers.The Chevrolet (http://www.autotropolis.com/Chevrolet/research.html) Volt, which troubled manufacturer Toyota Prius (http://www.autotropolis.com/Toyota/Prius/research.html) as the go-to hybrid, as that model’s lower pricing and well-established reputation are hard to overcome. Spokesmen at General Motors were quick to point out... Wed, 01 Apr 2009 01:50:32 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/gm-ford-roll-out-plans-to-make-your-car-payments.html No doubt influenced by the strong sales figures posted by Hyundai for the first month of 2009, General Motors and Ford have unveiled their own versions of Hyundai's Assurance Plus Program, in which manufacturers will make payments on new vehicle purchases in the event of a major life event, such as losing a job. Whereas Hyundai will also allow buyers to return their recent purchases without a negative credit impact, GM and Ford will only offer payment assistance."The biggest thing the country and consumers are ... grappling with these days in confidence," said Mark Fields, Ford's president of... Wed, 01 Apr 2009 01:07:19 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/ford-gm-and-the-irs-announced-triple-threat-of-incentives.html Only one day after President Obama addressed the nation regarding federal plans to assist domestic automakers, both Ford and General Motors unveiled efforts of their own to get buyers back into their respective showrooms. Echoing a similar car buyer protection program put into place in January by Korean car company Hyundai, each auto giant will now offer a form of payment protection for those who choose to purchase a brand new car.Ford Advantage PlanFord’s plan is the simplest. Labeled the Ford Advantage Plan, it is designed to cover car payments for any Ford buyer who loses their... Tue, 31 Mar 2009 18:50:53 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/federal-government-to-guarantee-gm-chrysler-warranty.html American car buyers were given one less reason to worry this week as President Obama revealed his government’s commitment to stand behind the warranties being offered on current General Motors and Chrysler vehicles. This eases a substantial amount of anxiety surrounding new car sales in the United States, since many potential shoppers had been putting off purchasing a vehicle from a company which might not be able to survive past the next few months.The reasons to avoid buying a car from an automaker on shaky financial ground are plentiful, but chief among them has been the worry that... Tue, 31 Mar 2009 02:52:26 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/retro-goes-retro-classic-styling-for-2009-dodge-challenger.html Chevrolet (http://www.autotropolis.com/Chevrolet/research.html) Camaro and a redesigned 2010 Ford Mustang (http://www.autotropolis.com/Ford/Mustang/research.html). Dodge introduced the 2009 Challenger R/T Classic following the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, and now Dodge showed the 2009 Challenger SE Rallye package that is now available for order from Dodge dealerships.The 2009 Dodge Challenger SE Rallye will primarily center around the dual racing stripes on the hood and trunk and a stylish set of classic-looking five-spoke wheels. The SE Rallye also gets a decklid spoiler similar to the Challenger SRT8 as well as Micro Carbon interior inserts. There will be seven colors available (Brilliant Black,... Mon, 30 Mar 2009 21:00:59 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/washington-says-wagoner-out-gm-chrysler-not-viable.html President Obama outlined his strategy for dealing with the domestic auto industry today as General Motors and Chrysler reached the end of their three-month lifeline set forth by the Bush Administration without meeting the requirements of the deal. "In keeping with that agreement, each company has submitted a plan to restructure," said Obama in a press briefing from the White House. "But after careful analysis, we've determined that neither goes far enough to warrant the substantial new investments the companies are requesting."Under the new government terms, General Motors will have a 60-day reprieve to meet new guidelines and submit... Mon, 30 Mar 2009 17:33:30 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/the-pony-car-deals-are-out-there.html Car companies across the world are cutting back on their budgets, and a sizable chunk of that change has been pulled out of advertising and promotion. The days when manufacturers would take the press along on junkets to exotic locations where they would be wined, dine and eventually drive the car in question are now in the past. The same applies to major media buys – the big brands are looking for ways to make their dollars work smarter, and this means rolling back the number of ads that get pasted into magazines or flashed across a... Sat, 28 Mar 2009 00:42:33 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/big-steps-in-cafe-mean-bigger-fuel-savings.html It’s an accepted fact by most car shoppers that modern vehicles get far better fuel mileage than older used models. With a few exceptions, such as small automobiles like the Volkswagen (http://www.autotropolis.com/Volkswagen/research.html) Golf and Jetta which have always been frugal when it comes to fuel, great strides have been made in recent years in terms of reducing the fuel consumption of almost every type of vehicle on the market.When buying a new car, fuel economy is often one of the more important features that can help determine what ultimately gets parked in the driveway. In order... Fri, 27 Mar 2009 22:56:42 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/will-electric-car-buyers-have-to-pay-a-gas-price-ransom.html Some car shoppers are deciding to hold off on buying a new vehicle due to the current economic uncertainty that has many wondering about their job security, along with the viability of the major car companies currently plying the market. Others have decided to wait and see if long-promised electric vehicles will finally be made available from North American manufacturers.This second group of buyers may be disappointed, however, when the final pricing of these EV’s are revealed. Speaking candidly during a recent conference call, General Motors (http://www.autotropolis.com/research.html)' Bob Kruse indicated that the sales price of the hyped-up... Fri, 27 Mar 2009 22:12:17 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/coming-soon-2010-volkswagen-golf-gtd.html Volkswagen has kept itself pretty busy with news regarding the launch of the sixth-generation Volkswagen Golf. Recently, VW released specs, information and pictures about the newest version of the original hot hatch with the upcoming 2010 Volkswagen Golf GTI and then went on to announce that the VW Rabbit name will be dropped (once again) in lieu of the global Golf nameplate. Now VW officially released information regarding a new vehicle that has only been speculated about up to this point – a diesel-powered version of the performance GTI, the 2010 VW GTD. The 2010 Volkswagen Golf GTD will... Fri, 27 Mar 2009 20:27:36 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/tesla-introduces-new-ev-2012-model-s.html After the successful launch and hype surrounding with its initial electric vehicle (EV), the 2009 Tesla Roadster, Tesla is following up the sporty two-seater, open-top EV with a seven-passenger luxury EV sedan, the 2012 Tesla Model S. With EV cars like the Fisker Karma and Chevrolet Volt preparing to hit the scene, the Tesla Model S will be part of a growing segment of family vehicles focusing on advanced, green technology. The Tesla Model S will go on sale in 2012 with a starting MSRP of $57,400, but purchasers of the Model S may qualify for a $7,500 tax... Fri, 27 Mar 2009 17:27:49 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/gm-saab-to-continue-platform-sharing.html Following its plan for financial viability in front of Congress, General Motors said that to get back to profitability it had to focus on four core products: Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac. This left the remaining four companies under GM’s portfolio in the dark about their futures. Saab’s fate with GM is already sealed following an announcement that the two companies would part ways in January 2010, but GM announced this week that it would continue working with the Swedish automaker for at least the next five years. This extended partnership would benefit both automakers, but would give Saab... Thu, 26 Mar 2009 20:46:49 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/hybrid-price-wars-toyota-plans-cheaper-smaller-hybrid.html For the better part of the last decade, automakers were hard at work increasing the numbers their hybrids were capable of such as miles per gallon and range. Now a battle is brewing to get one of the most important numbers as low as possible, the car’s MSRP. After Honda introduced the 2010 Insight with pricing starting at $19,800, the iconic Toyota Prius suddenly looked like it might lose its crown as the industry’s top-selling hybrid model with lame-duck 2009 model having a starting MSRP $2,200 more than Honda’s offering. To avoid losing its status as the hybrid automaker,... Thu, 26 Mar 2009 16:58:24 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/car-cloning-ring-leaves-buyers-stuck-paying-for-nothing.html The vast majority of drivers get to park a vehicle in their driveway in return for signing over a few hundred dollars a month. Not everyone is so lucky. Recently, a number of buyers who had purchased used cars in Florida and Illinois were informed that not only were the vehicles that they thought they had purchased legitimately were in fact stolen, but that they were going to be seized and returned to their rightful owners. Those payments, however? They’ll have to keep making them.This nightmare scenario is the result of a recent FBI sting... Wed, 25 Mar 2009 23:27:48 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/iihs-tests-small-suvs-for-rollover-safety.html Following the safety concerns that the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (http://www.iihs.org/) (IIHS), it has enacted a tougher set of standards for vehicle roof strength that far surpass that required by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/) (NHTSA). The IIHS says that more than 10,000 people each year are killed in rollover crashes and increasing the roof safety will help save countless numbers of lives. Recently, the IIHS tested a dozen small crossover SUVs using its new testing system and came up with surprising results. Although all of the vehicles tested conform to the NHTSA’s roof strength standards,... Wed, 25 Mar 2009 01:05:47 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/bring-on-the-2010-volkswagen-golf-gti.html Volkswagen single-handedly created a new automotive niche when it introduced the first-generation Golf GTI back in 1976. The term “hot hatch” was first coined to describe performance versions of hatchback economy cars, which increased in popularity during the 1980s with cars like the GTI and Honda CRX leading the way. Volkswagen has already announced that its sixth-generation Golf MkV will be coming to the U.S. this fall as the 2010 Volkswagen Rabbit, but the performance-tuned 2010 GTI will debut a couple months earlier some this summer. The all-new GTI MkVI gets a much more aggressive design than the outgoing... Tue, 24 Mar 2009 15:59:32 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/nissan-to-offer-buyers-fresh-green-choices.html Buyers interested in high end hybrids have until recently had very few choices. In fact, Toyota’s Lexus division is the only luxury marque to offer a gasoline / electric hybrid system, available in the LS and GS sedans, as well as the RX SUV. None of the major Germany companies – Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi – have been able to bring a hybrid to market. This has largely been a result of their decision to focus on diesel vehicles as fuel savers, since diesel cars sell well in Europe and do not face the same emissions... Tue, 24 Mar 2009 02:47:49 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/tata-nano-minicar-launches-in-india-could-come-to-us.html India-based Tata Motors officially launched its much-anticipated Nano minicar today amidst production delays and doubt about the solvency of the company. The Nano is being heralded as a "people's car" thanks to its basic, stripped-down design and a base price of just $1980, making in the cheapest new car in the world."The Nano represents the spirit of breaking conventional barriers," said Tata Motors Chairman Ratan N Tata at a press conference. "From the drawing board to its commercial launch, the concept, development and production of the car has overcome several challenges. It is to the credit of... Tue, 24 Mar 2009 02:08:07 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/2009-chevrolet-corvette-gt1-championship-edition.html In street form, the www.badboyvettes.com (http://www.badboyvettes.com). Corvette Racing featured “Jake” in the 2007 ALMS season finale and it can be found under the hood of the new ZR1, but the 2009 GT1 edition Corvette prominently features the mean-looking logo on the hood and it’s embroidered on the seat headrests and center console cover; a yellow GT1 logo is also stitched into the seats, center console lid and the instrument panel under the “Corvette” stitching. Adding to the embroidered logo, the cabin stands out from base Corvette models by using yellow stitching on the seats, instrument panel, center console and... Mon, 23 Mar 2009 16:30:50 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/gm-bondholders-holding-firm-as-automaker-deadline-approaches.html General Motors bondholders -- who combined hold $27 billion dollars in GM debt -- have come under increasing fire from Washington this past week to accept a two-thirds reduction of that debt in exchange for additional equity in the company. Representatives for the bondholders argue that they're being asked to make much larger sacrifices than other involved parties, and that neither GM nor the federal auto task force have attempted to work with a plan bondholders submitted to Washington on March 5.In an open letter sent today to the U.S. Treasury as well as the auto task force,... Mon, 23 Mar 2009 02:21:16 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/off-kilter-market-sees-some-new-cars-cheaper-than-used.html Honda (http://www.autotropolis.com/Honda/research.html), for example, are in some cases more expensive than fresh, un-driven editions of the same car.At first it would seem unlikely that such a situation could ever come to pass, but the unique confluence of circumstances that currently exist in the car market have made the impossible possible. At the heart of the matter is supply and demand – with so few buyers opting for a new vehicle, car companies have been forced to offer Toyota Camry (http://www.autotropolis.com/cars/search.directory/Toyota/Camry.htm) is a better deal if driven right out of the showroom instead of from the back of the... Fri, 20 Mar 2009 23:31:42 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/bailouts-so-far-not-restoring-consumer-confidence.html One of the loudest points made by General Motors and Chrysler when seeking financial aid from the American government was that they felt it would be impossible to attract buyers to their products if their companies appeared to be teetering on the edge of bankruptcy. Funding was essential, they explained, to maintain the appearance of a healthy future for both companies and not have their sales cut off at the knees. Given that vehicle sales were crucial to the continued existence of either company, the issue seemed to make sense at the time of the hearings in... Fri, 20 Mar 2009 23:04:07 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/2010-roush-427r-ford-mustang.html When ever a new Roush (http://www.roushperformance.com/). At its assembly plant in Livonia, Mich., Roush showed a pair of its newly tuned Mustangs – the 2010 Roush 427R. The new performance-tuned Mustang will mark the first time that Roush has been able to offer a supercharged engine option upon a new vehicle’s release. While boosting power was a must in any tuned Mustang, Roush always adds unique styling and improved handling to help its cars stand out from the crowd of aftermarket-tuned Mustangs. Any Mustang tuner worth its weight in burnt rubber knows that the first order of business is... Fri, 20 Mar 2009 14:28:28 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/autonation-dealership-group-will-make-your-car-payments-for-you.html Fear is a strong motivator in the current economy, especially when it comes to making a major purchase such as an automobile. In fact, even qualified buyers who can easily afford a new car payment are hesitant to commit to doling out cash on a monthly basis for a period 3 to 5 years, simply because they may not be confident in the stability of their employment situation. This has wreaked havoc on the standard distribution model of the automotive business, with unsold cars stacking up not only at dealerships (http://www.autotropolis.com/car.dealership/index.htm) but also at ports and staging... Fri, 20 Mar 2009 04:09:48 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/auto-suppliers-get-5-billion-bailout-from-tarp.html The U.S. Treasury Department announced today that it would extend $5 billion dollars to U.S. auto parts suppliers through a new initiative called the Auto Supplier Support Program (ASSP). The funds will come from the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP), and while the news may seem positive for suppliers, the amount is still well below the amount requested just last month, leaving room for speculation that the move is just a temporary fix until the fates of General Motors and Ford (http://www.autotropolis.com/Ford/research.html) has made no official comment on the operation but Chrysler and General Motors -- both of... Thu, 19 Mar 2009 23:08:19 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/tax-rebates-see-tesla-model-s-still-touching-50k.html Those who dream of buying an electric car that combines a dash of pizzazz with an impressive level of performance were given hope with the announcement that the Tesla Model S will end up costing less than $50,000. The beleaguered electric car company, which has had problems fulfilling its backlog of orders as well as communicating with the public and customers alike as to its sales and service strategy, is making use of a significant tax break on the books for buyers of pure electric automobiles in the hopes of luring potential eco-friendly drivers into showrooms. The... Thu, 19 Mar 2009 22:37:32 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/buick-ties-jaguar-in-most-dependable-car-rankings.html Domestic cars have long gotten a bad rap when it comes to build quality, a reputation which has seen their resale values typically fall far lower and far faster than Japanese imports. Buyers have been less likely to consider picking up a secondhand car (http://www.autotropolis.com/cars/used/search-page-basic.aspx) built by General Motors, Ford or Chrysler due to concerns about how much time that vehicle is going to spend at the repair shop instead of on the road – and just how much those repairs are going to cost them. At least one of the big three has taken a major... Thu, 19 Mar 2009 20:21:28 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/buick-jaguar-top-latest-jd-power-survey.html For the first time in 14 years, Lexus is not at the top of J.D. Power and Associates’ annual Vehicle Dependability Study. Tying for this year’s top spot, Buick and Jaguar have managed to greatly improve their overall quality and reliability with 122 problems per 100 vehicles, knocking Lexus to the number three spot with 126 problems per 100 vehicles. Although Buick has been close to the top in recent years, Jaguar made a surprising surge from the 10th spot last year to its share of the top spot this year. With Lexus dropped to the third spot overall,... Thu, 19 Mar 2009 18:06:31 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/chrysler-celebrates-25-years-of-the-minivan.html It seems that in such a down year, all the automakers are looking for just about any reason to put out some positive PR last week, K-car (http://www.autotropolis.com/cars/search.directory/Chrysler.htm) in 1981, Chrysler used an extended version of this platform to underpin its new minivans back in 1984. Since then, Chrysler has dominated the minivan segment in both sales and innovations. In addition to creating the entire segment, the Chrysler minivans have also been host to a large number of segment-first design elements such as dual-sliding doors, fold-flat seating (also known as Stow ‘n Go) and useful in-floor storage compartments.... Wed, 18 Mar 2009 18:14:52 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/jeep-introduces-rocky-mountain-value-package.html Chrysler has always been good at introducing enticing new value packages to its vehicles heading into spring. Later this month, Jeep will continue this trend and introduce the new Rocky Mountain value package on three of its more popular models to help bolster sales. The Jeep Patriot, Liberty and Grand Cherokee will all be available with the Rocky Mountain Edition which adds over $2,300 worth of options and equipment for only $1,595. The new value package will be offered on all three vehicles in both two- and four-wheel drive layouts, and it bundles several desirable options into a single... Tue, 17 Mar 2009 14:13:51 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/auto-task-force-hoping-for-best-planning-for-worst.html Amidst renewed rumors and talk of auto bankruptcies, the lead advisor to President Obama's auto task force told the Detroit Free Press yesterday that bankruptcy was "not our goal," but stopped short of ruling it out altogether.Steven Rattner, who was recruited by Treasury Secretary Geithner to oversee the task force, remained upbeat about the situation facing General Motors and Chrysler, both of which have been surviving on federal money since the beginning of the year. Despite the optimism, Rattner did concede that bankruptcy -- while never the first choice in situations like this -- was "sometimes necessary."This comes... Tue, 17 Mar 2009 07:42:40 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/saleen-mj-acquisitions-scraps-warranty-coverage.html Specialty manufacturer and tuning company Saleen, Inc. has been in hot water for the last year or so thanks to the economic downturn. Company founder Steve Saleen resigned amidst rumors of dissatisfaction with board members back in May of 2007, followed by the closing of the company's only direct retail outlet in Irvine, California a few months later. The resulting snowball effect saw the specialty high-performance manufacturer close up shop in California, relocating its headquarters to Troy, Michigan where it essentially closed up even further. A string of auctions saw much of the company's assets liquidated... Mon, 16 Mar 2009 23:32:30 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/introducing-the-2010-mitsubishi-lancer-sportback.html In an attempt to get just a little more competitive among compact cars, Mitsubishi is getting ready to introduce a sleeker, more stylish version of its popular Lancer sedan: the 2010 Lancer Sportback. The Lancer is already one of the most stylish cars among compact sedans, but now the new Lancer Sportback looks to take on the best among compact hatchbacks including the Hyundai Accent, Toyota Matrix and Pontiac Vibe. When the 2010 Lancer Sportback goes on sale late this summer, it will be available in the two upper trim levels of its sedan counterpart, GTS and Ralliart. Pricing... Mon, 16 Mar 2009 20:43:54 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/plunging-resale-values-hit-toyota-harder-than-expected.html There are many reasons that buyers choose a particular brand of automobile – style, power, practicality and comfort – but there are also some considerations which don’t have anything to do with the engineering of the vehicle itself. Chief amongst those intangibles that come into play during the purchasing process is resale value. For example, luxury cars are notorious for losing sometimes as much as 30% of their initial worth in the first year of ownership, a fact that keeps many drivers from buying new and instead allowing others to take the depreciation hit before scooping the... Mon, 16 Mar 2009 19:51:41 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/acura-shows-first-glimpse-of-its-new-coupe-inspired-crossover.html Rumors have been floating around the automotive world for sometime about a mysterious new Acura crossover, but today Acura officially showed the first real picture of the sporty crossover that will eventually join its lineup. With the BMW X6 and Infiniti FX dead in its sights, the new Acura CUV will sport a unique shape and will probably ride on the same chassis as the midsize Acura MDX. Unlike the conventional design of the MDX, however, the new Acura crossover will have a sleeker, more coupe-like roofline which will most likely limit occupancy to just four passengers.... Mon, 16 Mar 2009 16:40:19 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/gm-may-choose-buick-cadillac-brands-to-showcase-opel-insignia.html For General Motors, recent attempts to introduce European-inspired Opel vehicles into the United States haven’t exactly gone as planned, but while the Cadillac Catera and Saturn L-Series were relative failures, both cars went on to inspire award-winning cars for both brands like the Cadillac CTS and Saturn Aura. By 2008, four of Saturn’s five models were shared with Opel and the company was managing to offer attractive, fun-to-drive vehicles including the Saturn Sky and Saturn VUE. With GM’s plans to break ties with its once-hopeful Saturn brand, it appeared that future Opel vehicles along with the recently introduced Opel... Mon, 16 Mar 2009 16:30:02 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/daimler-and-bmw-step-back-from-the-merger-brink.html The automotive world is getting smaller – and not just in terms of sales. As unsold cars begin to pile up in dealer lots, major automakers are slashing their lineups, pruning out unsuccessful models and in the case of brands out to pasture (http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/saab-wins-bankruptcy-protection-in-sweden-says-goodbye-to-gm.html). Smaller niche brands are finding it difficult to weather out the current financial storm, as their cash reserves are typically not at the same level as some of the other giants in the industry. This makes it tougher for them to fund daily operations or expand in to new market segments.... Mon, 16 Mar 2009 03:18:00 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/electric-power-steering-to-dominate-ford-lineup-by-2012.html Electric power steering (EPS) units gained attention in the 1980s, usually paired with a conventional hydraulic pump that was driven by an electric motor instead of the engine. Without the parasitic drag of a mechanical power steering pump, more engine power could reach the wheels with less fuel burned in the process, but early EPS attempts struggled with reliability and power consumption. Honda is credited with offering the first commercially available, purely-electric power steering unit on its NSX super car in the early 90s, but advancements in electronics and power distribution over the past 20 years --... Sat, 14 Mar 2009 22:12:04 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/toyota-lexus-celebrate-one-million-hybrids-sold-in-us.html Not a company intent on letting others have all the fun, 100,000th hybrid SUV (http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/ford-celebrates-100000th-hybrid-suv.html), Toyota not only bragged about its milestone, but laid out its aggressive plan to see worldwide sales of its hybrid vehicles hit one million units annually within the next 10 years. Since the Prius debuted in July 2000, Toyota has introduced a total of six hybrid vehicles ranging from crossovers up to luxury sedans, and the company is planning to introduce another 10 hybrid models by 2012. Since the first Toyota Prius went on sale in Japan in 1997, Toyota has sold over 1.7... Fri, 13 Mar 2009 16:28:46 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/big-deals-on-big-power-from-dodge-and-pontiac.html It is difficult not to take a hard look at the household spending these days, thanks to constant recession talk coupled with dour predictions about the future of the economy. Families and individuals are trying to save money where they can, and that often includes cutting back on small luxuries such as eating out, going to the movies or buying an extra-large coffee on the way to work.But if you can swing it, you might want to consider loosening the reigns on your gas budget, because both Pontiac and Dodge have recently made it much more ‘affordable’ to... Fri, 13 Mar 2009 03:23:56 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/pay-per-mile-taxes-gain-ground.html While states such as Massachusetts are contemplating an increase in registration fees for gas guzzlers as well as considering the incremental introduction of higher per-gallon taxes at the fuel pump, others are beginning to look for more innovative methods for increasing their automotive-related revenue. Tolls are already popular in many parts of the United States, but there are some organizations which are interested in adopting a technology-based tax solution – one which tracks the movements of every single driver in America. The use of GPS tracking devices to charge drivers a per-mile tax every time they are... Fri, 13 Mar 2009 02:19:30 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/entry-level-car-buyers-to-get-an-electric-option.html The democratization of the automotive industry continues thanks to the burgeoning electric car market. Whereas previously, small car companies struggled to compete against the entrenched research and development and industrial bases of the major players in the car game, electric car sales have blown things wide open. The reduced tooling and design costs associated with these alternatively-powered vehicles, combined with the fact that automakers around the world have been caught largely flat-footed when it comes to electric car development has meant an explosion of boutique car makers offering ready for prime time products ahead of Ford, Toyota... Thu, 12 Mar 2009 22:39:43 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/ford-celebrates-100000th-hybrid-suv.html After just five years in production, Ford Motor Company recently held a celebration marking the 100,000th hybrid SUV to roll off the production line of its Kansas City Assembly Plant in Claycomo, Mo. First introduced in 2004, the Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner were the world’s first hybrid sport utility vehicles combing the best attributes of SUVs with the benefits of a small, hybrid-electric car. As a silver Ford Escape hybrid rolled off the assembly line on March 10, Ford took the opportunity to recognize the milestone. Now, as hybrid vehicles are popping up from just about every manufacturer,... Thu, 12 Mar 2009 19:53:05 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/a-letter-to-saab-owners-does-little-to-quell-uncertainty.html Saab owners can certainly be excused for feeling neglected over the past few months, as swirling bankruptcy rumors and a virtual abandonment by General Motors of the brand have put the company’s survival in question and reduced the trade-in and resale value of Saabs across the country. In February, GM publicly stated that Saab is not in their future plans, and that it may not even endure until its planned independent spin-off in 2010 unless it is sold or the Swedish government steps up with some form of financial support for the ailing company – which moved less... Wed, 11 Mar 2009 23:47:38 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/car-recycling-rates-lead-the-industry.html Automakers are doing more than turn to alternative fuels when it comes to designing environmentally conscious vehicles. Improving production efficiency in assembly plants and creative use of materials also play a large role in determining the final carbon footprint of a Rabbit (http://www.autotropolis.com/Volkswagen/Rabbit/research.html) in North America later this year, derives close to half of all of its materials from recycled sources. Forty percent of the entire mass of the Golf has been recovered from previously scrapped vehicles, industrial waste and left over pieces rescued from production facilities. In some cases, the degree to which Volkswagen has gone... Wed, 11 Mar 2009 23:11:13 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/recent-studies-favor-fast-charging-for-electric-vehicles.html One of the largest hurdles to overcome with respect to rolling out a lineup of pure electric vehicles has been how to handle the relatively low capacity of modern battery technology. With the range of some electric cars such as the Chevrolet Volt hovering around 40 miles at the low end, and some manufacturers promising closer to 200 miles per charge, it is apparent that an infrastructure must be established across the entire nation that can handle the energy needs of electric cars on a long road trip.Initially, the solution which seemed to make the most sense would... Wed, 11 Mar 2009 21:52:20 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/revised-uaw-deal-could-save-ford-500-million-annually.html Throughout all of the talks in Washington, D.C. regarding the fate of the Big Three automakers, contract concessions with the United Auto Workers union were considered to be one of the biggest things standing in between the automakers and their eventual return to profitability. After tense negotiations, Ford Motor Company and the UAW have come to terms on a reworked labor agreement. The new agreement is said to save Ford an estimated $500 million annually thanks to the elimination of the union’s job bank and revised retiree health care funding. Employee break times, holiday bonuses and paid holidays have... Wed, 11 Mar 2009 20:25:38 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/new-dodge-ram-improves-market-share.html Despite the gloominess at pickup truck (http://www.autotropolis.com/car.search/BodyStyle/Truck.htm) market to 20 percent, meaning that one out of every five full-size pickups sold in February was a Dodge Ram. This is the biggest market share the Ram has held in five years and with the all-new, Cummins-powered 2010 Ram Heavy Duty set to debut this fall, the Ram should have no problem gobbling up more of the full-size pickup truck market. The gained share of the market most likely came from a combination of the falling sales of the class-leading Ford F-Series and Chevrolet Silverado and the fact that Dodge now... Wed, 11 Mar 2009 18:33:48 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/50-years-of-barbies-rides.html 2009 is the year that Barbie turns 50 years old, and looking back over her 5 decades of pop culture dominance, not only has she kept girls of all ages entertained throughout their childhoods, but she’s also owned some pretty cool rides. When first introduced at the end of the 50’s, Barbie was portrayed as a girl on the go, someone who was glamorous but also someone who hovered just far enough outside of the jet-set that girls could realistically dream about having her lifestyle. This meant that most of the various accessories that were sold alongside... Wed, 11 Mar 2009 17:50:55 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/consumer-reports-releases-american-top-picks-for-2009.html In 2006, Consumer Reports released its first list of Top Picks from American car companies. This was a somewhat controversial move for the organization, which is primarily known for unbiased product reviews which take nothing into account other than quality and performance – certainly not country of origin. While the publication did receive criticism for what seemed like a somewhat protectionist point of view, Consumer Reports claims that it had received a huge amount of mail from car buyers who were determined to purchase only vehicles built in the United States, and as such they felt that... Tue, 10 Mar 2009 23:18:11 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/global-vehicles-and-thailand-argue-against-chicken-tax-on-imported-pickups.html Hardly a day goes by in the mainstream press where the automotive industry isn’t chided for producing large, fuel-thirsty trucks and other utility vehicles instead of focusing on efficiency and offering affordable yet still useful products to buyers who require more than what a car can offer. Rarely mentioned, however, is one of the biggest barriers towards this type of truck being introduced to the American market: the ‘Chicken tax’. There is not shortage of small, affordable and capable pickup trucks around the globe. In fact, this type of vehicle has been popular in Asian... Tue, 10 Mar 2009 23:16:42 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/2009-jaguar-xf-tops-list-of-dealership-repair-visits.html Car buyers are often wary of picking up secondhand luxury vehicles (http://www.autotropolis.com/cars/used/search-page-basic.aspx), due to the perception that with so many electronic features and doodads installed, the chances of something breaking down while the vehicle is out of warranty are much greater than that of a standard automobile. This worry especially applies to cars designed in the past few years, which have incorporated ever-increasing amounts of technology in order to better coddle and transport their comfort-seeking drivers.However, expectations surrounding newer luxury cars are often quite different. Not only do lofty purchase prices create an aura of build quality... Tue, 10 Mar 2009 23:14:52 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/controversial-economic-stimulus-targets-older-cars.html Owners of older cars are feeling the pinch from two fronts when it comes to pressure from activist groups and government organizations to encourage the scrapping and crushing of vehicles past a certain age. The idea behind this type of thinking is that new automobiles are much more fuel efficient and produce fewer emissions than those built in the past, and that by making it more difficult for drivers to find parts for their current vehicles or even inexpensive older replacement automobiles, they will have no choice but to buy new. This attitude has recently been taken... Tue, 10 Mar 2009 23:12:22 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/cheapest-hybrid-2010-honda-insight.html Honda is intent on proving two myths about hybrid vehicles: a) the Toyota Prius is the definitive hybrid on the market, and b) hybrids cost more than conventional cars of similar size. When Honda’s wedge-shaped hybrid hatchback goes on sale later this month, it will benefit from a starting MSRP of $19,800 - $2,200 less than a base model Toyota Prius and almost $4,000 cheaper than the Civic Hybrid (although this number doesn’t take the car’s $670 destination fee into account). The 2010 Honda Insight hits dealerships on March 24 and should help make fuel-efficient hybrid cars more attainable... Tue, 10 Mar 2009 17:23:23 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/nhtsa-child-safety-seat-testing-questioned.html The Chicago Tribune caused a sensation amongst car buyers and industry watchers at the beginning of March with a report that claimed many of the child seats the parents have been trusting for years to keep their infants and toddlers safe while on the road may in fact not be up to the task. The evidence used by the newspaper to buttress their shocking claims came from a series of tests performed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration where 31 models of child seat were purportedly deemed unsafe due to the level of injury that they would... Tue, 10 Mar 2009 00:08:56 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/gm-cuts-hpvo-but-svt-and-srt-are-here-to-stay.html Performance car lovers were dealt a serious blow in February when it was announced that General Motors would be cutting their future development of the SS and V-Series (http://www.autotropolis.com/Cadillac/research.html) automobiles. The company’s High Performance Vehicle Operations team (HPVO), which was charged with the long term strategy surrounding high speed versions of standard 300C (http://www.autotropolis.com/Chrysler/300-Series/research.html), Charger and Jeep Grand Cherokee (as well as the turbocharged 4-cylinder engine that powered the SRT-4), these engineers and designers have been largely responsible for regenerating the company’s image by introducing exciting and attractive automobiles at reasonably affordable prices. Although the loss of... Mon, 09 Mar 2009 23:15:16 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/automakers-are-offering-big-incentives-to-woo-buyers.html For the folks out there who still have the financial stability to afford a large purchase, now is the time to invest in that new car you've been thinking about. Manufacturer rebates and incentives for the month of February averaged nearly $3000 across the entire auto industry, representing a 16 percent increase from the same time last year. Take one glace at these incentives side by side, and it becomes apparent which manufacturers are getting desperate.Domestic Rebates & Incentives Arguably closest to failure is Chrysler LLC, and they also happen to be the company throwing the biggest bones to... Mon, 09 Mar 2009 22:36:20 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/new-car-sales-slowdown-leads-to-higher-used-car-prices.html Plenty of media coverage has been given over to stories concerning the plummeting online classified (http://www.autotropolis.com/cars/used/search-page-basic.aspx) and auction sites has increased by an order of magnitude. The situation on dealer lots is made worse thanks to an unexpected consequence of poor new car sales. A significant portion of the used cars found at the dealer are acquired via trade-ins. When a buyer purchases a new car and negotiates to trade in their former vehicle to drop the sticker price, they usually get far less than the open market value of their automobile. This allows dealers... Mon, 09 Mar 2009 22:07:40 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/massachusetts-announces-possible-hummer-tax.html Buyers enamored of a certain brand of brawny sport-utility vehicle would do well to be wary of new proposed legislation emanating from the state of Massachusetts. Governor Deval L. Patrick, intent upon creating a new source of revenue for the cash-strapped state and also taking a stand when it comes to environmental issues has been advancing a plan to increase the registration fee for vehicles which consume a significant amount of fuel during everyday driving. In what has been dubbed as the ‘Hummer tax’, Governor Patrick’s initiative would not be implemented on its own, but rather be... Mon, 09 Mar 2009 21:44:35 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/toyota-becomes-the-first-japanese-automaker-to-seek-financial-assistance.html After months of devastating sales reports amid a still-frozen global credit market, the financing arm of Toyota is seeking financial assistance of its own from the Japanese government to help offset the losses."Toyota is not in danger. It's out to get the lowest price for funding that the strength of its credit can get," said Yasuaki Iwamoto, an analyst at Okasan Securities.The company is reportedly seeking approximately $2.1 billion dollars in government-backed loans to help offset funding costs. Toyota officials say the company is also considering international support for loans that could include public sources."On the balance sheet,... Mon, 09 Mar 2009 18:14:22 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/used-car-sales-filling-void-in-a-volatile-market.html As bad as the economy is, people still need transportation. It's no secret that new car sales are positively in the toilet, so in the absence of shiny new SUVs or luxury cars there are three basic possibilities: Public transportation, fix up the old car, or get a used one.Current figures for public transportation aren't available, though a general consensus suggests buses won't be overcrowded any time soon. Repair shops around the country are definitely reporting an increase in business, so yes, people are holding onto their cars longer. However, it's the used car market... Mon, 09 Mar 2009 18:08:06 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/february-2009-sales-have-us-new-car-sales-hit-rock-bottom.html Although the continued sales drop for new cars probably isn’t making anyone happy, the fact that the percentage decline has stayed constant over the last three months may indicate that the industry has at least hit rock bottom. Another telling sign about last month’s sales was that the majority of all brands saw a drop well over 20 percent meaning that people aren’t just staying away from domestic cars (as some outlets have previously reported), but consumers are staying away from new car purchases altogether. Detroit’s Big Three continue to lead the overall decline among major automakers, but only... Wed, 04 Mar 2009 16:07:17 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/february-new-car-sales-worse-than-expected.html The folks who were optimistic about the new car market in the U.S. are now eating double-digit declines to the tune of 41 percent, compared to the same period last year. The higher-than-predicted drop represents the worst February for new car sales in a quarter century.Dwindling consumer confidence thanks to rising unemployment, plunging home prices and gridlocked financial markets were once again the main culprits in the decline. Fleet sales -- generally a sizable amount of new car business during the late winter months -- were also cited by manufacturers as a factor in what has become... Wed, 04 Mar 2009 07:19:37 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/2010-dodge-ram-heavy-duty.html Back when SUVs and big trucks were popular, people bought these bulky vehicles not for their immense cargo capacities or towing capabilities, but rather they were purchased as status symbols. With a down economy and last year’s gasoline reality check, the days of casual-use full-size SUV and pickup truck purchases might be over, but there are still plenty of work that must be done. Following up the introduction of its all-new 2009 Ram 1500 pickup, Dodge recently introduced its work-ready 2010 Ram Heavy Duty at the Chicago International Auto Show. The new Dodge Ram 2500 and 3500 will be... Tue, 03 Mar 2009 22:47:44 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/mercedes-benz-continues-g-class-production-through-2015.html While automakers are currently trying to find just about any way possible to come up with fresh, new products to top the competition, Mercedes-Benz (http://www.autotropolis.com/Mercedes-Benz/research.html) recently signed an agreement that would prolong the life of one of its models that is more than 30 years old, the Geländewagen (a.k.a. the G-Wagen or the G-Class). Magna Steyr, the contracted company that produces the G-Class for Mercedes-Benz, announced that the two companies signed a contract that would keep the rugged G-Class in production until 2015. Helping to mark the 30th anniversary of the civilian-minded G-Class, Mercedes-Benz will also introduce a special... Sun, 01 Mar 2009 20:33:18 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/2010-chevrolet-camaro-ss-to-pace-2009-indy-500.html When the 93rd running of the Indianapolis 500 commences this May, a familiar car will lead the field of open-wheel racecars to the green flag. For the fifth time in its history, the Chevrolet Camaro will pace the historic Indy 500. This Memorial Day weekend, a 2010 Chevy Camaro SS will pace the legendary race with a unique red over silver paint scheme. This race will mark the fourth time a new generation of Camaro has held this honorary spot. The Chevrolet Camaro made its debut as an Indy pace car in 1967 - the year it... Fri, 27 Feb 2009 22:17:08 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/ford-chooses-ohio-plant-to-build-ecoboost-engines.html In its effort to improve the overall fuel economy of its cars without affecting performance, Ford Taurus (http://www.autotropolis.com/Ford/Taurus/research.html) SHO feature a slightly more powerful EcoBoost, rated at 365 horsepower, to give the performance sedan added kick. Compared to other engines with that kind of power, the EcoBoost will be able to offer a reduction of up to 15 percent of harmful carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions while achieving a gain of up to 20 percent in fuel economy. No fuel economy estimates have been announced for 2010 Ford models equipped with the EcoBoost, but current Flex and MKS models... Fri, 27 Feb 2009 21:14:01 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/consumer-reports-ranks-honda-tops-among-automakers.html Each year, Consumer Reports releases a list ranking each automaker according to how each vehicle performed in a set of tests. The rankings also measure each automaker’s reliability based on Annual Auto Surveys sent out to the magazine’s subscribers. Consumer Reports publishes an annual “report card” for all automakers and then publishes a recommended list from each company. This year, Consumer Reports tested over 300 vehicles from the 15 major automakers and once again found that Subaru (http://www.autotropolis.com/Subaru/research.html), Honda Element (http://www.autotropolis.com/Honda/Element/research.html) and Toyota Yaris (http://www.autotropolis.com/Toyota/Yaris/research.html) were among these automakers’ vehicles that failed to garnish a recommendation. The biggest problems... Fri, 27 Feb 2009 00:24:52 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/gm-posts-massive-losses-for-q4-2008-drops-30-billion-in-2008.html General Motors announced an adjusted fourth quarter 2008 loss of $5.9 billion dollars on Feb. 26, with a net loss of $9.6 billion for the same period. The stark losses pale in comparison however to the overall financial picture at GM, which also reported a yearly loss of $16.8 billion dollars, not including special items such as payouts and restructure costs. Once those variables are added in, 2008 losses for General Motors reached $30 billion dollars, the second largest drop in the history of the company."2008 was an extremely difficult year for the U.S. and global auto... Thu, 26 Feb 2009 18:33:57 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/hyundai-assurance-program-protecting-car-buyers.html While other auto manufacturers suffered double-digit sales declines during January, car of the year (http://www.autotropolis.com/wiki/index.php?title=Autotropolis_2009_Car_of_the_Year) titles not just from our staff and numerous other publications, but the official North American Car of the Year trophy announced last month at the Detroit International Auto Show. The real success story for the automaker is the Hyundai Assurance Program, which allows Hyundai owners to return their car without penalty in the event of a major life circumstance, such as a job loss."We got off to a quick start in January thanks to the rollout of our all new Hyundai Assurance Program,... Thu, 26 Feb 2009 00:34:31 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/street-legal-performance-introduces-the-2009-pontiac-g8-firehawk.html After years of being known for specialty tuned Pontiac Firebirds, Street Legal Performance (SLP) is throwing a supercharger and other performance goodies at the Pontiac G8 (http://www.autotropolis.com/newcar/Pontiac/G8/index.html) GT to create the latest iteration of the iconic Firehawk. During its lengthy existence, the Pontiac Firebird Trans Am had many souped-up performance versions that could be bought right off a Pontiac showroom. While the last generation Firebird ended with the ram-air inducted WS-6, General Motors’ partnership with Street Legal Performance, or more commonly known as just SLP, gave Pontiac one of the best handling and most identifiable Firebirds ever, the... Tue, 24 Feb 2009 18:26:27 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/2010-mercedes-benz-e-class-coupe-and-sedan.html The aged E-Class has now been on the market since 2002, but it still retains its Mercedes elegance and luxurious interior. This year, Mercedes-Benz will launch the all-new E-Class for 2010 and expand the lineup to include a coupe and convertible. So far, the sedan and coupe models have been revealed to the public, while the convertible and station wagon versions will most likely show up at auto shows later in the year. The 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class will be have even more to offer in the midlevel luxury segment that includes the BMW 5 Series, Acura TL and Audi... Mon, 23 Feb 2009 23:21:57 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/ford-engages-generation-y-with-a-special-2011-fiesta-contest.html Ford Focus (http://www.autotropolis.com/Ford/Focus/research.html) in the company's line up when it reaches U.S. shores, and be available in either sedan or hatchback format.Ford invites digitally-inclined drivers to apply for the Fiesta Movement online at www.fiestamovement.com (http://www.fiestamovement.com). Applicants must submit a two to five minute video, showing off their social networking skills and explaining why they should be chosen as an agent. Ford says 1500 people have already entered the contest, with thousands more expected to sign on in the coming days. All entries must be received by March 13, 2009. Select photos by Jeffrey N.... Mon, 23 Feb 2009 06:37:01 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/saab-wins-bankruptcy-protection-in-sweden-says-goodbye-to-gm.html After a 20-year marriage in which the niche Swedish-based automaker lost money every year but one, General Motors announced that Saab 9-7x (http://www.autotropolis.com/Saab/9-7X/SUV/research.html) / Chevrolet TrailBlazer (http://www.autotropolis.com/Chevrolet/TrailBlazer/SUV/research.html), or the 9-2x wagon which was a thinly-disguised Subaru Impreza (http://www.autotropolis.com/Subaru/Impreza-Wagon/Wagon/research.html) station wagon.Officials with the company remain optimistic about the brand's future, which will include three new vehicle launches in the next 18 months."With an all new 9-5, 9-3X and 9-4X all ready for launch over the next year and a half, Saab has an excellent foundation for strong growth, assuming we can get the funding to complete engineering, tooling and manage... Mon, 23 Feb 2009 04:33:20 +0100 http://www.autotropolis.com/auto-industry-news/general-motors-halts-its-high-performance-operations.html General Motors is pulling away from the performance genre, with plans to disband the company's High Performance Vehicle Operations (HPVO) unit effective immediately. While that internal designation may not resonate with many folks, the HPVO group was the team responsible for the SS and V-series performance cars and trucks in the GM line up.Speaking to Automotive News on Feb. 19, GM Spokesman Vince Muniga said the decision was part of the company's restructuring plan submitted to the Treasury earlier in the week. Per that agreement, the company will instead focus its efforts on efficiency, churning out a... Sun, 22 Feb 2009 08:45:10 +0100