Steves Auto Blog
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Top 1 Oil World Land Speed Shootout is scheduled for action at the Bonneville Salt Flats next week.
Originally Syndicated via RSS from Inside Line Automotive News
Steves Auto BlogFrench police find 28 kilos of cocaine hidden in classic Chevrolet.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Originally Syndicated via RSS from Inside Line Automotive News
Steves Auto Blog
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The General marks its centennial on Tuesday with the anticipated debut of its electrifying new model.
Originally Syndicated via RSS from Inside Line Automotive News
Steves Auto Bloghttp://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com//media/il/news/2008/0915/porsche.panamera.gran.turismo.160.jpg. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Originally Syndicated via RSS from Inside Line Automotive News
Steves Auto Blog
“> We’ve heard the domestic auto makers tell us that they’re taking square aim at Japanese cars before. Often to no avail. This time, Chevrolet is trying to reestablish itself in the compact market with the new Chevrolet Cruze, which goes on sale in Europe in March of next year and in the U.S. in April 2010. The company showed the car to the media in Detroit at a media event marketing its 100th anniversary.
“> Styling is subjective. But the Cruze is tasteful enough and certainly looks more modern than the very ‘90s-looking Cobalt that it will replace. It bears a slight resemblance to the Honda Accord family sedan. GM showed photos of the interior, which has a high-tech look to it. Ed Welburn, the company’s vice president of design, says the car’s interior will use some rich new materials. He said that it will be first rate. Welburn is pictured above with the car.
“> The question is, can GM get the kind of pricing that it wants? Chevrolet general manager Ed Peper didn’t announce the new prices, but indicated that the car will move upscale from where the Chevrolet Cobalt sits. A well-equipped Cobalt starts around $17,000. Cheaper trim levels start at $15,000.
“> In this case, Chevy has a pretty good story. Peper said the car will be bigger than the current Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla. With the car’s new 1.4-liter turbo engine, the fuel economy will be better than 40 miles per gallon. That’s also best in class, he says. Those are good bragging points. Bigger and more efficient.
“> That should help. It’s still a tall order to expect a domestic carmaker to get the kind of sales volume and pricing that Honda and Toyota can fetch. But then, GM has boosted prices of its new Malibu sedan pretty nicely. So the Cruze may have some momentum going in. The only complaint so far is that GM should be selling this in the U.S. next year when it hits showrooms in Europe. Chevy needs a quick follow-up to the Malibu’s success. And 2010 is too long to wait.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Originally Syndicated via RSS from Auto Beat
Steves Auto Blog
Ford Motor Co has no plans to seek additional investment from billionaire investor Kirk Kerkorian or to press the United Auto Workers union for additional concessions to save money, the No. 2 U.S. automaker’s top executive told Reuters on Monday.
Asked if Ford had any plans to seek additional investment from Kerkorian, a long-time activist investor in the auto industry who holds a 6.5 percent stake in the company, Ford chief executive Alan Mulally responded with a flat, “no.”
“The most important thing we do is manage that liquidity. We’ll continue to make multiple actions to improve our balance sheet,” he said at the Reuters Autos Summit.
Mulally also said the company was content with its current contract with the UAW.
“We are very pleased with our last contract negotiations. We reached agreement in many many aspects on wages and benefits and it really is an enabler for for us operating, as we talked about, profitably in the United States,” Mulally told the Reuters Autos Summit in Detroit.
Ford, along with Chrysler and General Motors have been seeking $50 billion in loan guarantees from the Federal Government to help see it through the current economic downturn and credit crunch. Last year’s energy bill signed by President Bush called for $25 billion in loans. But the severity of the downturn has prompted automakers to ask for more.
But because of the bailouts of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, the automakers’ have backed off the extra request and are instead asking that the original $25 billion be made available over one year.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Originally Syndicated via RSS from Auto Beat
Steves Auto Bloghttp://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com//media/il/news/2008/0915/kleemannclkl63black1.160.jpg. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Originally Syndicated via RSS from Inside Line Automotive News
Steves Auto Bloghttp://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com//media/il/news/2008/0915/audirs.160.jpg. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Originally Syndicated via RSS from Inside Line Automotive News
Steves Auto Bloghttp://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com//media/il/columns/kgross/monterey.auctions.08/30.duesenberg.dualcowl.phaeton.160.jpg. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Originally Syndicated via RSS from Inside Line Automotive News
Steves Auto Blog
Chrysler vice chairman Jim Press predicted Chrysler’s situation would stabilize in 2010, when it will introduce seven vehicles. Gone, he said, will be the overlapping nameplates Chrysler now develops for its three brands.
Press cited the example of Chrysler’s twin minivans, the Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan. In the future, the two products could be separated in the marketplace. One minivan might be built as a vehicle for younger consumers, while the other could retain traditional minivan attributes. He did not say which vehicle Chrysler might eliminate.
Chrysler is also trying to figure out what to do about its mid-sized sedans, Sebring and Avenger. Don’t blame Press for these cars, as he wasn’t there when they were developed.
You could blame vice chairman Tom Lasorda, who was COO and then CEO when they were being developed. But my vote would be to blame the Germans who cut the heck out of the budget, especially 40% of the budget on interiors. How bad are they?
J.D. Power only releases the top three vehicles in each category of its Initial Quality Study, which measures complaints in the first 90 days of ownership. Neither JDP, nor Chrysler released the cars’ scores. But one auto manufacturer talking about its own quality, flashed a ranking of mid-sized sedans on in its powerpoint presentation.
Of all mid-sized sedans—Camry, Accord, Fusion, Mazda6, Hyundai Sonata, Subaru Legacy, Mitsubishi Galant, Chevy Malibu, etc…..
Avenger and Sebring reported 171 and 183 problems per 100 cars respectively. That compares with say the 14th ranked car, Mazda6, which scored 128. The Legacy was the car ranked behind the Chrysler’s at 131. That means the Chryslers lag the next best mid-sized cars by over 40 points!!!!!! Ouch. Thanks Dieter.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Originally Syndicated via RSS from Auto Beat
Steves Auto Blog
Nissan’s light truck sales were up an astonishing 32.7% in August, according to autodata. Light truck sales for the industry were down 22%.
The Japanese company incentivized its dealers with $10,000 per light truck, say dealers. That was $5,000 in cash, and $5,000 in dealer cash provided the dealers hit certain sales targets. My sources tell me 92% of dealers hit the target. But dealers were buying down sticker prices with money they weren’t sure they would get if they didn’t hit the target.
Xterra and Frontier sales were healthy, up 77% and 56% respectively. Quest was also up a chunk of change. Titan was down 16%, and Armada SUV sales were down 26%. It makes you wonder why Nissan ever chased the pickup business.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Originally Syndicated via RSS from Auto Beat
Steves Auto Bloghttp://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com//media/il/news/2008/0912/2009saab93sportsedan.160.jpg. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Originally Syndicated via RSS from Inside Line Automotive News
Steves Auto Bloghttp://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com//media/il/news/2008/0912/suzukikizashi3concept.160.jpg. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Originally Syndicated via RSS from Inside Line Automotive News
Steves Auto Blog
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
All-new third-generation model bears closest family resemblance to Insight and FCX Clarity alt-fuel vehicles.
Originally Syndicated via RSS from Inside Line Automotive News
Steves Auto Blog
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Seven top yacht designers take a crack at customizing Range Rovers, and the results are set for a formal introduction at the Monaco Yacht Show 2008 later this month.
Originally Syndicated via RSS from Inside Line Automotive News
Steves Auto Blog
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Faux-serious ad campaign claims new VW minivan is causing a new baby boom as consumers rush to expand families to justify buying the Routan.
Originally Syndicated via RSS from Inside Line Automotive News
Steves Auto Blog
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Release of partial images on countdown Web site helps build the excitement.
Originally Syndicated via RSS from Inside Line Automotive News
Steves Auto Bloghttp://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com//media/il/news/2008/0911/ford.taurus.f34.160.jpg. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Originally Syndicated via RSS from Inside Line Automotive News
Steves Auto Bloghttp://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com//media/il/news/2008/0911/vwcaddysportsline.160.jpg. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Originally Syndicated via RSS from Inside Line Automotive News
Steves Auto Bloghttp://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com//media/il/news/2008/0911/toyotahybrid.160.jpg. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Originally Syndicated via RSS from Inside Line Automotive News
