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Kia will replace its best-selling Spectra this summer with the Forte, a slightly bigger and more powerful sedan. A coupe version of the Forte — Kia's first coupe — will follow in the fall. No hatchback version will be offered in the United States to replace the Spectra hatchback.
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Wandering around the Frankfurt auto show, you might think the electric era of the automobile is at hand. Virtually every automaker is displaying an electric vehicle or plug-in hybrid. But behind the enthusiasm for green vehicles lies a sharp split in executives' views of the potential of EVs. Some say EVs will be high-volume second cars for busy families. Others say they will be pricey niche players with limited utility.
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Ford Motor Co. is counting on the launch of the redesigned Fiesta to round out its lineup and boost sales in China, where Ford is playing catch-up. Ford sold 160,000 cars in China last year, down 6.5 percent in a market that grew 6.9 percent overall.
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Mazda will enter America's rapidly expanding small-car segment when it launches the Mazda2 here in fall 2010. The five-door hatchback, which is smaller than the Mazda3, is based on the same platform as the Ford Fiesta, which debuts in the United States next summer. The Mazda2 will compete with the Fiesta as well as such vehicles as the Toyota Yaris, Honda Fit and Chevrolet Aveo.
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Here is a look at some world debuts this month at the New York International Auto Show.
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PSA/Peugeot-Citroen could delay the introduction of plug-in diesel-electric hybrid cars as it seeks to cut costs during the economic downturn.
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Cobo renovation deal expected to move forward
A $288 million plan to expand and renovate Detroit's Cobo Center is expected to move forward after city council decided not to block the plan. State legislation passed earlier this summer allowed the council to reject the deal by Aug. 1. 3:22 pm U.S. ET | July 28
Detroit needs a whole new attitude and far more fuel-efficient cars, a new study by the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute concludes. To reverse decades of decline and the current financial crisis, the Detroit 3 need a broad, deep and fast transformation of their corporate cultures, including a replacement of management teams. 10:01 am U.S. ET | June 22 | UPDATED: 6/22/09 10:32 a.m. ET
Detroit auto show may leave Cobo, exec says
With a legislative deal to expand Detroit's Cobo Center dead, it's time for the Detriot auto show to look at other venues, the show's co-chairman said today. “At this point we need to consider any viable option that might be out there for us,” said Douglass Fox, auto show co-chairman. “There have been leaders -- (Oakland County Executive) L. Brooks Patterson comes to mind -- who have made those overtures. We need to explore those options.” 3:09 pm U.S. ET | April 17
Detroit City Council votes to kill Cobo Center deal
With a deal to expand Detroit's Cobo Center on the rocks, Detroit auto show organizers are concerned about the show's future. Cobo doesn't compare to facilities in Los Angeles and Chicago, two cities courting the show, said co-chairman Doug Fox. “If we're going to have a world-class show, we need a world-class facility,” he said. “And we need it for 2010.” 1:43 pm U.S. ET | Feb. 24 | UPDATED: 2/24/09 4:28 p.m. EST
Detroit 3 pull out of Tokyo auto show
The Detroit 3 automakers have pulled out of this year's Tokyo auto show to cut costs. Ford Motor Co. this afternoon confirmed Japanese media reports that Ford would not be participating this year. It wasn't clear if Volvo or Mazda would participate. Exhibiting in the show, which is held every two years, cost General Motors $2 million in 2007. That's money better spent elsewhere, said Rick Brown, president of GM Asia Pacific. 10:17 am U.S. ET | Jan. 14 | UPDATED: 1/14/09 4:02 p.m. EST
Dodge surprise: Challenger R/T Classic harkens back to '70s era muscle
Dodge is evoking the spirit of the original 1970 Challenger with a special edition car it will introduce later this month. Dodge quietly placed the Challenger R/T Classic special edition car on its Detroit auto show stand during press days but won't announce details until later this week. 2:57 pm U.S. ET | Jan. 13
Volvo's focus: styling and environment
Volvo, traditionally known for its strong safety record, also wants to emphasize design features and fuel efficiency in its marketing. “We want to do this in a more engaging way than we have done in the past,” said Stephen Odell, CEO of the Swedish brand. Jan. 13 10:24 CET
Fisker reveals hardtop convertible Karma S concept
Alongside the production version of the Karma sedan at the Detroit auto show, Fisker debuted the second model to join the Karma range. The Karma S (for Sunset) concept is spawned from the same aluminum spaceframe that underpins the sedan, but loses a set of doors. A retractable hardtop covers the four-passenger interior. 4:24 pm U.S. ET | Jan. 12
Lincoln eyes young, urban buyers with 'C' concept
Lincoln wants to appeal to the upscale urban consumer with the new Lincoln C concept, a Focus-sized small car unveiled at the Detroit auto show. Peter Horbury, Ford Motor Co.'s executive director of design for the Americas, says the Lincoln C offers “sensible indulgence.” 9:21 am U.S. ET | Jan. 12 | UPDATED: 01/12/09 4:05 p.m ET
Lincoln adds $40,000 'niche' crossover
DETROIT -- Lincoln wants the new MKT crossover niche vehicle to attract drivers in the market segment who want better fuel economy, but it remains to be seen if the vehicle can keep Ford Motor Co.'s luxury brand from dropping below 100,000 in U.S. vehicle sales for the first time since 1982. The 2010 Lincoln MKT, to be unveiled today at the Detroit auto show, goes on sale in late summer. 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 12
GM will build Volt batteries itself
General Motors plans to manufacture in-house the lithium ion batteries for the Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid, CEO Rick Wagoner said here today at the auto show. 11:04 am U.S. ET | Jan. 12
Toyota hopes new, lighter Prius will jolt sales
Toyota Motor Corp. is banking on its redesigned 2010 Prius to jump-start sales of the popular hybrid car. Sales of the Prius fell 12.3 percent last year to 158,884 units. Most of the decline came in the second half of last year when the economy faltered and gas prices plunged about 50 percent. 11:26 am U.S. ET | Jan. 12 | UPDATED: 1/12/09 2:39 p.m. EST
China's BYD to sell expensive cars in U.S.
China's BYD Auto plans to sell pricey, not budget, vehicles in the United States in 2011. The F6DM plug-in hybrid sedan will sell for “less than $30,000,” Chairman Wang Chuanfu told Automotive News China on Sunday at the Detroit auto show. The E6 electric van will be priced between $30,000 and $40,000, he says. 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 12 | UPDATED: 1/12/09 12:10 p.m. EST
Mercedes promises more-efficient new E class
Mercedes-Benz promises big fuel-economy improvements from the next-generation E class. On average, gasoline-powered versions of the car, which goes on sale in March in Europe, will consume 20 percent less fuel. Diesel variants will use 23 percent less fuel than the current models. For example, Mercedes says the 220CDI's new 170hp, four-cylinder diesel will burn 5.3 liters of fuel per l00 kilometers and have CO2 emissions of 139 grams per kilometer. By comparison, the current 220CDI needs 6.1 liters per 100km and emits 160g/km. Jan. 12 09:19 CET
Mercedes foresees big savings in engineering costs
Daimler will save at least 10 percent a year in engineering costs as a result of its move to a modular architecture system used in the development of new vehicles, said Daimler's head of research and development. Thomas Weber told Automotive News Europe the savings are a result of an increased effort to share more components across all product lines -- an initiative that started five years ago with the development of the current C class and will continue in future vehicle development. Jan. 12 09:04 CET
Lexus to keep new hybrid out of Europe
European customers who want to buy Lexus' first hybrid-only model will have to go a long way to get the car. "The HS 250h is intended mainly for North America and Japan, sales are not currently planned for Europe," said Serge Gachot, head of Toyota Motor Europe marketing communications. Lexus' first stand-alone gasoline-electric vehicle goes on sale in the U.S. this summer. Jan. 12 09:40 CET
Jaguar XFR gets supercharged V-8
Jaguar is expanding the XF range for the 2010 model year with the addition of the high-performance XFR. The lower-premium car is powered by a supercharged 510hp version of Jaguar's new 5.0-liter direct-injection V-8. That power is routed through a six-speed automatic transmission. Jaguar says the XFR goes on sale this spring. Jan. 12 09:34 CET
Audi to extend Sportback range with 2 new models
Building on the success of its A3 Sportback, Audi will give the upsized body style to two future models. One is a five-door version of the A5, which could arrive as soon as this autumn. The other is the Sportback concept that debuted Sunday at the Detroit auto show. The car previews the top-range A7, which is set to enter production in 2010. Jan. 12 10:12 CET
Audi to bring hybrid Q5 to U.S. in 2010
Audi will offer a hybrid version of its Q5 crossover in the United States starting in late 2010, says Wolfgang Hatz, head of powertrain development for the Volkswagen group. In an interview Sunday at the Detroit auto show, Hatz said Audi must offer a hybrid model to compete with rival vehicles that already offer the technology, such as the Lexus RX 400H. 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 12 | UPDATED: 1/12/09 9:30 a.m. EST
Low CO2 plan helps BMW residual values
BMW's decision three years ago to make its EfficientDynamics fuel-saving technologies standard on most models has done more than just lower fleetwide CO2 emissions. Klaus Draeger, the carmaker's head of r&d, said EfficientDynamics has made used BMWs more attractive to car buyers. Jan. 12 14:48 CET
Mini benefits from buyers spending less
As car buyers look to buy quality cars for less money, Mini will benefit, said Vice President of Brand Management Wolfgang Armbrecht. "People want top quality but many want to go several steps back with their investment," Armbrecht said. "Mini benefits a lot from this trend." Jan. 12 14:43 CET
GM to count on dealers to advertise 4 models
Chevrolet will look to dealers to do the bulk of the 2009 advertising for four primary vehicles: the Malibu sedan, Silverado truck, Traverse crossover and Cobalt compact car. General Motors will do the national advertising on the Camaro sport car and new Equinox crossover, with some national ad support on the Malibu. 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 12
Ford to launch new line of electric vehicles
Ford Motor Co. today announced a new line of electric vehicles coming between 2010 and 2012. Executive Chairman Bill Ford, speaking at the Detroit auto show, said Ford will roll out a plug-in commercial van in 2010. That will be followed by a plug-in Ford Focus-sized car in 2011 being developed jointly with supplier and coachbuilder Magna International Inc. 1:02 pm U.S. ET | Jan. 11
Kia rolls out roadster concept
Is there a roadster in Kia's future? At the Detroit auto show today, the wraps came off the Soul'ster concept, a ragtop version of the new Soul small car that Kia will bring out this spring. The exterior is similar to the production model Soul, but the Soul'ster has its own personality. It has two doors, compared with four on the Soul, and a two-piece top that allows the front and back seat areas to be opened independently. 3:54 pm U.S. ET | Jan. 11
Audi debuts Sportback concept
Building on the success of its A3, Audi is upsizing the sportback bodystyle with a twist with the debut of the Sportback concept at the Detroit auto show. Following the lead of Mercedes-Benz's CLS and sister brand Volkswagen with the CC, the five-door Sportback concept takes on a coupe-like roofline. 3:35 pm U.S. ET | Jan. 11
