North American International Auto Show
Dates for 2009 Detroit auto show announced
Organizers of the Detroit auto show have announced that the 2009 show will take place January 11-25, 2009, at Cobo Center in Detroit. Press previews will be conduct January 11-13, 2009 followed by the industry preview on January 14-15. [REG] 4:01 pm U.S. ET | Feb. 11
Ford will probably develop its new rwd cars in the U.S.Ford Motor Co. is likely to engineer and design its new rear-wheel-drive cars in the United States. "The vehicles that we're looking at will be designed where they're engineered, and those global rear-wheel-drive platform vehicles will be engineered here in the United States, as far as I know," said J Mays, Ford group vice president of design. [SUB] 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 21 |
Farley: Ford must groom the marketIn the two years before its Verve concept goes on sale in the United States, Ford will work to persuade U.S. consumers to consider a subcompact from a company better known for trucks. The U.S. car was a late addition to Ford's global B-car project and thus is slated to arrive in 2010. [SUB] 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 21 |
Auto show walkaround: Chasing the YIPS around DetroitWe asked reporter Mark Rechtin to give us his personal list of hits and misses at the auto show. He did so, and we appreciate his efforts. But next time we'll make sure he takes a bodyguard with him Mark Rechtin is Los Angeles bureau chief for Automotive News. [SUB] 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 21 |
Good design: Solving problems, making a statement
How do you make a vehicle in a new segment look like it belongs to the brand? How do you make a small vehicle feel big? And how do you evoke a brand's history without looking old? [SUB] 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 21
German summitAmong other things, the Detroit auto show is a meeting place where global executives can bump into each other for a casual chat. [SUB] 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 21 |
New Acura TSX will get a diesel
Honda's first U.S. diesel engine will debut next year on Acura's redesigned TSX sedan. At the auto show here, CEO Takeo Fukui announced that Honda Motor Corp.'s new clean diesel will appear first on an Acura. He did not say which vehicle, but Honda sources say it will be the TSX. [SUB] 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 21
DETROIT AUTO SHOW
NSX design remains up in the air
Acura designers still can't decide on the look of the next-generation NSX sports car -- and they're running out of time. [SUB] 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 21
Toyota: We'll crack 35-mpg CAFE before 2020Toyota last week fired a series of broadsides at General Motors' claim to environmental superiority. Toyota Motor Corp. CEO Katsuaki Watanabe and other officials made several announcements at the Detroit auto show concerning the company's alternative-powertrain plans. [SUB] 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 21 |
Audi predicts 1 million global sales in 2008Audi AG says it will break the 1 million mark in global sales for the first time this year and set a record for the U.S. market. Audi CEO Rupert Stadler said at the Detroit auto show that the increase will be fueled by new vehicles, including the A4 compact sedan that already is on sale in Europe. The A4 goes on sale in the United States this fall. [SUB] 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 21 |
Toyota crosses over into tricky segmentChrysler Pacifica. Mercedes-Benz R class. Ford Freestyle. The road to crossover glory is littered with the wreckage of vehicles that suffered from an identity crisis. Buyers couldn't quite figure out what they were. This fall, Toyota will launch its own effort at a crossbred crossover -- called the Venza. [SUB] 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 21 |
Chrysler: 'Hemi is not powertrain of the future'Chrysler LLC is looking beyond its legendary Hemi V-8 engine as it prepares for a new generation of car buyers and tighter fuel economy standards. "The Hemi is not the powertrain of the future," said Jim Press, Chrysler co-president. "It's the powertrain of today." [SUB] 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 21 |
Chrysler concepts show brand tweaksA trio of concept cars that Chrysler LLC unveiled here simultaneously indicate how the company plans to reduce model overlap between its three bands. Jim Press, co-president of Chrysler LLC, says Chrysler is preparing for the day when more of its dealerships sell Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep under one roof. [SUB] 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 21 |
Some of what we heard at the Detroit auto showComments made by executives during the Detroit auto show: [SUB] 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 21 |
Subaru relies on new ForesterU.S. sales for Subaru of America Inc. in 2007 fell short of their 2006 mark, but that was no surprise to the automaker. Tom Doll, Subaru of America executive vice president, said here at the auto show that Subaru initially forecast lower sales figures for 2007 because "we had so much of our product line in transition." [SUB] 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 21 |
Nissan exec: Cube is coming to AmericaThe Cube -- a boxy, small-engine car suggestive of Toyota Motor Corp.'s Scion xB -- has been sold in Japan since 1998. Nissan North America Inc. has been studying the car's sale here for the past two years but has officially remained noncommittal. "The Cube is coming to the U.S. market," said Shiro Nakamura, global design director for Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. [SUB] 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 21 |
Corvette has a future -- but maybe a lighter, greener oneThe Chevrolet Corvette will live on despite tougher fuel economy rules. But the redesigned car, expected in about 2012, could be lighter and smaller than today's Corvette. And the V-8 that powers the Corvette of the future may be smaller than the one used today. [SUB] 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 21 |
Sales hope springs from the springs -- coils, that is
The 2009 Dodge Ram is designed to banish one of the curses of all pickups. Let's call it rear axle hop. Dodge claims its new five-link, coil-spring rear suspension is a segment first, and will dispense with that bone-rattling, slightly unnerving dance that occurs when the solid rear axle, suspended only by leaf-springs, encounters bumps or goes around curves, especially when the bed is empty. [SUB] 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 21
Dodge: Crew cab will grab truck shareThe Dodge Boys aren't revealing volume plans for the 2009 Ram pickup, but one thing is certain: Dodge wants a larger share of the full-sized pickup market. When the 2009 Ram comes to market next fall, a crew cab will be added to the light-duty stable, replacing the mega cab, which accounted for less than 10 percent of Ram sales. [SUB] 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 21 |
Ford still funds Jag, Land Rover product developmentJaguar and Land Rover are on the block, but Ford Motor Co. is continuing to fund product development programs for its two British luxury brands. Some Ford insiders said recently that the company had frozen future product development work when Jaguar and Land Rover were marked for sale. But last week top executives denied that funding had stopped. [SUB] 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 21 |
Volvo considers North American productionVolvo isn't ruling out building cars in the United States, its CEO said last week. "It could be an avenue that we will explore," Fredrik Arp said in an interview at the Detroit auto show. [SUB] 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 21 |
Horbury wants a more aerodynamic F-150Ford's restyled, re-engineered 2009 F-150 pickup will go on sale this fall, but designers already are thinking about how to create a more fuel-efficient body shape for the next-generation F-150. The major issue with all pickup design is the open cargo box, which creates tremendous drag, says Peter Horbury, Ford Motor Co.'s North American design director. [SUB] 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 21 |
VW hints at vehicles for new N.A. plantVolkswagen won't disclose the location for an assembly plant that it wants to build in North America, but a senior executive hinted last week at the products the plant will build. Stefan Jacoby, CEO of Volkswagen Group of America, said the company will decide this summer where to locate the plant. [SUB] 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 21 |
M-B could build C class in U.S.If Mercedes' overall sales keep rising in the United States, local production of the volume-leading C class would be a logical step, says Mercedes Car Group COO Rainer Schmueckle. [SUB] 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 21 |
Hyundai upgrades next Sonata's interior
What's the one thing Hyundai Motor Co.'s U.S. product chief would change about the Sonata sedan? No question about it -- the interior. And he's about to get his wish. [SUB] 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 21
GM to test ZR1 carbon fiber weight savingsGeneral Motors will use the 2009 Corvette ZR1 to study the feasibility of outfitting high-volume vehicles with lightweight carbon fiber parts. "Carbon is one-fifth the weight of a composite, which is half the weight of steel," says Tom Wallace, vehicle line executive for the Chevrolet Corvette, Cadillac XLR, Pontiac Solstice, Saturn Sky and Opel/Vauxhall GT. [SUB] 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 21 |
Honda Pilot has more room, powerHonda introduced the second-generation Pilot last week, calling the redesigned SUV more powerful, roomier and safer than the current model. "It's cleaner, safer, funner and better in every way," John Mendel, executive vice president of American Honda Motor Co., said at the auto show. [SUB] 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 21 |
Zetsche sees 20% diesel mix for Mercedes-Benz
Diesels could account for more than 20 percent of Mercedes-Benz's U.S. sales in a few years as buyers discover the diesel's fuel-economy advantages, executives say. Mercedes-Benz officials say the brand sold about 12,500 diesel vehicles in the United States in 2007, out of total U.S. sales of 253,277 units. That's just under 5 percent. [SUB] 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 21
DETROIT AUTO SHOW
Indiana plant will boost Honda's flexibility
Building Honda Civic sedans in Greensburg, Ind., will allow the automaker to change the production mix in its East Liberty plant in Ohio to help meet demand for the redesigned CR-V small crossover. [SUB] 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 21
DETROIT AUTO SHOW
Customer demand for CTS sedans strains production capabilities at Cadillac
Cadillac dealers can't get enough of the 2008 CTS sedans, but General Motors is struggling to build more of them. Because of production snarls at GM's Grand River assembly plant in Lansing, Mich., a certain percentage of vehicles produced must be Cadillac STS sedans and SRX crossovers. [SUB] 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 21
GM to increase Enclave outputGeneral Motors is boosting production of its hot-selling Buick Enclave crossover. It will also switch to a "turn and earn" allocation system in which dealers who sell the most Enclaves will get the biggest allotment of them. [SUB] 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 21 |
GM hopes to have E-Flex test vehicles ready by June
General Motors plans to have vehicles powered by lithium ion batteries ready to demonstrate by June and remains confident in its ability to build the Chevrolet Volt by 2010. "I'm confident in the batteries," said Bob Lutz, GM's vice chairman of global product development, at the auto show. [SUB] 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 21
Plastic spoiler saves weightThere's less than meets the eye in the spoiler on the Lincoln MKT concept car shown last week at the Detroit auto show. The rear window and spoiler are all one piece of polycarbonate glazing, essentially molded plastic. [SUB] 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 21 |
Cadillac aims high with ProvoqGeneral Motors is counting on the Cadillac Provoq crossover to win buyers that the SRX mid-sized SUV never could. The Provoq, which was shown at the auto show as a fuel cell concept, is expected to replace the SRX in about 2009, powered by a V-6 gasoline engine. [SUB] 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 21 |
Pontiac to launch G8 marketing in MarchTV spots for Pontiac's new G8 sedan will debut in March during broadcasts of the NCAA college basketball tournament. The G8, Pontiac's first rear-wheel-drive sedan since the 2005 Pontiac GTO, goes on sale this spring. [SUB] 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 21 |
Toyota: Detroit 3 tried to 'destroy' Tundra launch
The Detroit 3 tried to "destroy" the launch of the Toyota Tundra last year by adding incentives to their own full-sized pickups, says Toyota's top U.S. executive. But in the end, General Motors, Ford Motor Co. and Chrysler LLC probably only hurt themselves, says Yuki Funo, CEO of Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. [SUB] 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 21
DETROIT AUTO SHOW
Chrysler revives 'cab forward' design
After falling out of favor during the DaimlerChrysler years, "cab forward" is back in Chrysler's vocabulary. Trevor Creed, Chrysler's chief designer, uttered the phrase last week while introducing the Chrysler ecoVoyager concept at the Detroit auto show. [SUB] 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 21
Time is relativeFor most purposes, the time difference between Detroit and Brussels is six hours. But in the exotic world of auto marketing, sometimes Saturday comes before Thursday. European carmakers Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz value the distinction of having models make their world premieres at the Detroit auto show. [SUB] Jan. 21 06:01 CET |
New Mercedes SUV gets rugged lookWhile the style of some SUVs may have gone sleek and sporty, Mercedes-Benz wants to buck the trend with its new GLK class. Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche told Automotive News Europe that the German automaker wants the new premium SUV to have a more authentic off-road appearance. He is confident it will be a strong competitor to the BMW X3. [SUB] Jan. 21 06:01 CET |
3 Chinese carmakers move closer to selling in EuropeChinese automakers Geely Automobile, Changfeng Motor and BYD Auto say they plan to sell cars in Europe by 2011. Geely hopes to start selling its CK lower-medium sedan in Europe “within three years,” Geely International regional manager Ronnie Wong said at the auto show here. [SUB] Jan. 21 06:01 CET |
A tale of two crossoversBMW is confident its X6 crossover will be a success -- especially in North America. Meanwhile rival Mercedes-Benz is reconsidering the look of its R-class crossover after two years of slow sales mostly in North America. [SUB] Jan. 21 06:01 CET |
Land Rover rolls out 3-door SUV conceptIf built, the LRX concept would give the Land Rover a sporty looking three-door entry-level offering. A production version of the LRX could arrive as early as 2009, according to industry insiders. But that could change because of the brand's possible sale to Tata Motors of India. [SUB] Jan. 21 06:01 CET |
Chrysler's China car is not EU-ready
Chrysler still plans to sell a China-built small car in Europe and the US, but the project is proceeding very slowly. “There is still a lot of work to do to get our new small car compliant with EU and US standards,” said Michael Manley, Chrysler executive vice president of international sales, at the auto show [SUB] Jan. 21 06:01 CET
DETROIT AUTO SHOW
Lexus to launch first hybrid-only model next year, Watanabe says
Lexus' long-rumored first hybrid-only model will debut in 2009. So far, Lexus only sells hybrid variants of existing models, such as the RX SUV and GS and LS sedans. [SUB] Jan. 21 06:01 CET
Small is big at Detroit auto showNow that the covers are off all the concepts and future production vehicles at this year's Detroit auto show, I have a clear snapshot of what to expect in the next few years. Small is big. Style is hot. High-quality interiors rule Richard Truett is an Automotive News staff reporter. [SUB] 3:37 pm U.S. ET | Jan. 16 |
Daimler considers expanding its platformSmart CEO Anders Jensen told Automobilwoche, sister publication of Automotive News Europe, the carmaker is still deliberating how its platform can be expanded. Rainer Schmückle, Smart chief operating officer and board member of Mercedes-Benz Cars, told the German press agency dpa in Detroit that the automaker has not decided how such a variant would look. [REG] Jan. 15 16:30 CET |
Toyota beefs up crossover lineup with VenzaToyota Motor Corp. is adding to its lineup of crossovers with the addition of the Venza, unveiled Monday at the Detroit auto show. While the Toyota Highlander wears the look of an SUV, the Venza leans more toward the station wagon end of the crossover spectrum. [REG] 10:09 am U.S. ET | Jan. 15 |
Saturn shows 3 more hybridsSaturn today ramped up its hybrid vehicle line with the introduction of the Vue Two Mode Hybrid, Vue Greenline Plug-in Hybrid and the Flextreme concept. [REG] 4:55 pm U.S. ET | Jan. 14 |
Chrysler, Jeep roll out conceptsChrysler LLC will show two alternative-fuel concept vehicles at the Detroit auto show this week. The Chrysler ecoVoyager will be powered by an electric motor generating 268 hp with a range of 40 miles on a charge. [SUB] 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 14 | UPDATED: 1/14/08 3:18 p.m. EST |
RX-8 gets refinedThe fact that Mazda waited five years to do an update to the RX-8 is a testament to how refined the package was from the start. For the 2009 model year, Mazda will give the RX-8 a shot in the arm with freshened looks, performance tweaks and a new enthusiast-focused R3 trim level. [REG] 3:36 pm U.S. ET | Jan. 14 |
CTS coupe concept takes aim at BMW, MercedesCadillac revealed a new CTS coupe concept here today at the auto show. The coupe would add to a lineup that includes a sedan and a performance sedan that also was revealed today. [REG] 10:40 am U.S. ET | Jan. 14 |
Fisker plans premium plug-in by late 2009Fisker Automotive plans to sell the first of its premium plug-in hybrid vehicles in the fourth quarter of 2009. The company, formed by former Aston Martin head designer Henrik Fisker, showed a production version of the Fisker Karma today at the auto show. [REG] 1:21 pm U.S. ET | Jan. 14 |
Lincoln MKT concept points to a large crossoverFord Motor Co. is showcasing its intention to build a large luxury crossover with the Lincoln MKT concept debuting today, Jan. 14, at the Detroit auto show. The MKT concept comes with a highly stylized and richly appointed interior that probably wouldn't be duplicated in a production vehicle. But the MKT's exterior shape and much of its content could survive. [SUB] 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 14 |
Big-buck trucks defy sales trendFord Motor Co. executives, who are rolling out the Platinum series F-150 at the Detroit auto show, say they don't know where the ceiling is for luxury pickups. The F-150 Platinum, which was scheduled to be unveiled Sunday and will go on sale in fall, is the most luxurious F-150 ever, company executives boast. [SUB] 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 14 |
Hyundai's evolution: The GenesisHyundai will introduce its first U.S. rear-drive and V-8 vehicle when the 2009 Genesis sedan arrives on dealer lots this spring. Hyundai was scheduled to show the production model of the Genesis at the Detroit auto show on Sunday. [SUB] 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 14 |
Provoq is Caddy's small crossoverThe Provoq crossover concept that debuted last week at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas shows Cadillac's intent to offer a small crossover. General Motors picked the show to introduce its fifth-generation fuel cell and to solidify the automaker's intention to position Cadillac as its technology leader. [SUB] 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 14 |
Toyota hints at pint-sized pickupToyota's vehicles tend to get bigger with each new product generation -- especially the trucks. The current Tacoma "compact" pickup is larger than the T100 "full-sized" pickup that arrived in 1993. So Toyota has come up with the A-BAT concept, driven by the notion that some younger buyers may want a smaller, less-expensive truck. [SUB] 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 14 |
Forester loses tall-wagon stylingAs it tries to boost sales, Subaru is shedding the quirky styling and image that sustained the brand for decades. The latest vehicle to be transformed is the 2009 Forester crossover, which looks more like a conventional small SUV than a tall wagon. [SUB] 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 14 |
Borrego SUV offers Kia's first V-8Kia Motors CEO Len Hunt today showed off the Korean automaker's first vehicle with a V-8 engine – the 2009 Borrego midsize SUV. [REG] 7:21 pm U.S. ET | Jan. 13 |
Upstaged by a bull, Chrysler exec presses onNo bull was going to stop Jim Press from his mission of telling the world about the 2009 Dodge Ram pickup. [REG] 11:18 am U.S. ET | Jan. 13 | UPDATED: 1/13/08 12:15 p.m. EST |
Lancer Ralliart: A spicy Mitsubishi sedanThe Evolution no longer greatly eclipses the rest of the Lancer lineup with the introduction of the 2009 Ralliart. Unlike the last-generation Lancer Ralliart, the new version has a nice boost in power and handling ability. The Ralliart slots nicely between the GTS and Evolution performance flagship. [REG] 6:57 pm U.S. ET | Jan. 13 |
Mitsubishi Concept-RA: Next Eclipse?Are you looking at the next-generation Eclipse? Maybe, maybe not. Mitsubishi officials won't say for sure, but if the 2007 Tokyo show's Concept ZT hinted at the 2009 Galant, perhaps the Concept-RA is a look at the next Eclipse. One thing we can say for sure: The car, unveiled at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, is one of the show's coolest concepts. [REG] 6:14 pm U.S. ET | Jan. 13 |
Hyundai enters luxury market with Genesis sedanHyundai unveiled the Genesis -- its first premium sedan -- today at the auto show. The car, which goes on sale next summer in the United States, offers a variety of luxury features and engine choices. [REG] 6:47 pm U.S. ET | Jan. 13 |
BMW takes aim at U.S. with X6 SUVBMW sees the U.S. market as offering the biggest potential for its new X6 SUV. Stefan Krause, the BMW board member responsible for sales and marketing, predicts continued growth for SUVs in the United States. [REG] 6:32 pm U.S. ET | Jan. 13 |
BMW's first full hybrid will be X6
BMW AG will make the X6 its first full-hybrid vehicle to go into production. The German automaker unveiled a concept version of the X6 today at the Detroit auto show. [REG] 6:17 pm U.S. ET | Jan. 13
Auto show: What if a Detroit 3 CEO came … and nobody noticed?What if the CEO of a Detroit 3 automaker walked the floor of the Detroit auto show -- and almost nobody noticed? That's pretty much what happened today in what has to be the most surreal experience I have had in my 17 years covering this show. Richard Truett is an Automotive News staff reporter. [SUB] 5:14 pm U.S. ET | Jan. 13 |
Subaru wants new Forester to boost U.S. salesU.S. sales for Subaru of America Inc. in 2007 fell short of their 2006 levels, but that was no surprise to the company. Tom Doll, Subaru of America Inc. executive vice president today said the company initially forecasted lower sales figures for 2007 because the year was to be a transition for the company's product lineup. [REG] 4:28 pm U.S. ET | Jan. 13 |
New Honda Pilot has more room and powerHonda Division says the new Pilot SUV is more powerful, roomier and safer than the current model. Honda officials unveiled the 2009 vehicle at the Detroit auto show. It goes on sale this spring. [REG] 3:18 pm U.S. ET | Jan. 13 |
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