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2 million extra doors was the best call Daimler made during 'marriage of equals'

Posted 12:35 pm U.S. ET, May 17
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A popular off-roading magazine calls the Daimler-era call to add two extra doors to the venerable Wrangler "the best automotive industry decision of the last decade."
It's easy to criticize the way Daimler AG ran and ultimately left Chrysler during the disastrous "marriage of equals" era. I know because I've done it on a regular basis.
But even the worst marriages can produce spectacular kids -- or in this case, products. And today, the 1 millionth copy of one of the best results of Chrysl ...
     Continue reading "2 million extra doors was the best call Daimler made during 'marriage of equals'" » May 17, 2013 12:35 pm U.S. ET
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In the Land of Many Buicks, one in particular stood out

Posted 3:59 pm U.S. ET, May 17
SHANGHAI -- If you were an alien from another world and your spaceship landed in Shanghai, you would immediately conclude that Buick is a planetary titan among automotive brands.
Buick is the third-leading brand in China behind Volkswagen and Hyundai through March with 5.3 percent of the market, according to data from LMC Aut ...
     Continue reading "In the Land of Many Buicks, one in particular stood out" » May 17, 2013 3:59 pm U.S. ET
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Is the S in the new Mercedes S class for Shanghai?

Posted 12:01 am U.S. ET, May 15
The new Mercedes-Benz S class made its world premiere today in Hamburg, Germany, but Shanghai might have been more appropriate. Why? China accounted for 49 percent of all S-class sales from 2010-2012.
By comparison, 15 percent of total S-class sales were in Europe during the three-year period and the United States accounted f ...
     Continue reading "Is the S in the new Mercedes S class for Shanghai?" » May 15, 2013 12:01 am U.S. ET
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Can battery rental reduce consumer jitters with EVs? Smart thinks so

Posted 2:02 pm U.S. ET, May 14
Editor's note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly identified the supplier of the battery used in the 2013 Smart ForTwo Electric Drive.
 
Consumers have a lot of gripes about the battery life in high-tech products.
Batteries seem to ...
     Continue reading "Can battery rental reduce consumer jitters with EVs? Smart thinks so" » May 14, 2013 2:02 pm U.S. ET
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Silverado hand-wringers should relax -- for now

Posted 12:15 pm U.S. ET, May 9
SAN ANTONIO -- There was hand-wringing, even some flat out panic, when General Motors unwrapped its next-generation Chevrolet Silverado in December.
Many dealers, enthusiasts and writers questioned whether the pickup's design went far enough. There was also disappointment at the lack of a sexy technology to hit back at the Fo ...
     Continue reading "Silverado hand-wringers should relax -- for now" » May 9, 2013 12:15 pm U.S. ET
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Ram photo shoot goes horribly, horribly wrong

Posted 12:00 pm U.S. ET, May 7
I love puns, so when photos arrived of the big blue Pacific crashing against a floundering Ram heavy-duty pickup during a beach-photo-shoot-gone-wrong, my mind just raced.
"Guts. Gnarly. Ram."
"Ram 2500 --fathoms?"
"Finally, the perf ...
     Continue reading "Ram photo shoot goes horribly, horribly wrong" » May 7, 2013 12:00 pm U.S. ET
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For VW, new turbo brings more power, fuel economy for key models

Posted 8:00 am U.S. ET, May 3
A new crop of turbocharged Volkswagen Jettas and Beetles will start to show up in U.S. dealerships this month.
These cars will look like the other 2013 Jettas and Beetles from the outside, but will get Continue reading "For VW, new turbo brings more power, fuel economy for key models" » May 3, 2013 8:00 am U.S. ET
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Why the Stingray's $52K sticker should come with an asterisk

Posted 1:55 pm U.S. ET, April 26
DETROIT -- General Motors resisted the urge to jack up the price on the 2014 Corvette Stingray, despite major enhancements on the seventh-generation sports car.
The $51,995* sticker for the coupe, which is expected to hit showrooms by September, is just 1,400 bucks more than the current model, even with its more powerful engi ...
     Continue reading "Why the Stingray's $52K sticker should come with an asterisk" » Apr 26, 2013 1:55 pm U.S. ET
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Looking for a Chinese car in Shanghai

Posted 12:01 am U.S. ET, April 19
If I were an executive at a Chinese domestic automaker, I would be very worried. Why? It is difficult to find a Chinese-brand car on the streets of Shanghai, the country's largest city with more than 23 million inhabitants.
I experienced this first hand visiting the city for the auto show. During a long bus ride from the Shan ...
     Continue reading "Looking for a Chinese car in Shanghai" » Apr 19, 2013 12:01 am U.S. ET
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Why GM might rename its new mid-sized pickups

Posted 1:08 pm U.S. ET, April 18
Mark Reuss says the next-generation Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon mid-sized pickups will be so much better than the bland outgoing models, General Motors might come up with new names.
"We're targeting a new generation of buyer with a new truck," the GM North America president told reporters this week.
Continue reading "Why GM might rename its new mid-sized pickups" » Apr 18, 2013 1:08 pm U.S. ET
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With GLA, Mercedes aims for younger shopper

Posted 5:07 pm U.S. ET, April 17
Mercedes-Benz is poised to take aim at the growing compact crossover segment with the five-door GLA -- a vehicle company executives say will be packed with premium features but carry a competitive price tag.
Mercedes is unveiling a concept version of the GLA crossover at the Shanghai auto show. It's a wedge-shaped vehicle tha ...
     Continue reading "With GLA, Mercedes aims for younger shopper" » Apr 17, 2013 5:07 pm U.S. ET
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The story behind low Acura ILX production numbers

Posted 2:18 pm U.S. ET, April 16
LOS ANGELES -- Those with keen eyesight will have noticed an aberration in the production numbers listed by the Automotive News Data Center.
The Honda Motor Co. plant in Greensburg, Ind., built just 91 units of the nearly new Acura ILX entry-luxury sedan in March. This came after a couple of previous slower months.
Continue reading "The story behind low Acura ILX production numbers" » Apr 16, 2013 2:18 pm U.S. ET
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The great car commercial -- Mercedes style

Posted 11:05 am U.S. ET, April 11
Mercedes-Benz -- intent on creating nonstop buzz for the new CLA sedan -- is turning to a source of marketing new to the company.
It has hired young filmmaker and director Casey Neistat, 32, to make four short films for social media about the compact coupelike sedan that goes on sale in September. Mercedes-Benz is trying to a ...
     Continue reading "The great car commercial -- Mercedes style" » Apr 11, 2013 11:05 am U.S. ET
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Confused by pickup claims? That's the idea

Posted 3:01 pm U.S. ET, April 8
DETROIT -- The five automakers that build full-sized light-duty pickups must hate tree-grown fruit because they sure go out of their way to avoid apples-to-apples comparisons.
The fuel economy ratings for General Motors' redesigned 2014 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra light-duty pickups highlight the confusing claims that ...
     Continue reading "Confused by pickup claims? That's the idea" » Apr 8, 2013 3:01 pm U.S. ET
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Why the stakes are high for Chrysler's new minivan

Posted 2:48 pm U.S. ET, March 29
After way more than a year of debate back and forth, Chrysler Group has settled on a design for its next generation minivan.
But in an interview with the Detroit Free Press at the New York auto show this week, Chrysler design head Ralph Gilles wouldn't disclose whether the single minivan would remain a Chrysler Town ...
     Continue reading "Why the stakes are high for Chrysler's new minivan" » Mar 29, 2013 2:48 pm U.S. ET
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Subaru turns a new leaf: Bold styling

Posted 7:44 pm U.S. ET, March 28
Subaru isn't known or widely praised for bold design. Loyal buyers of the brand often are more concerned about safety and durability than styling; they often shun conspicuous or expensive cars.
But Subaru has been updating its styling and you can no longer call its models quirky. The BRZ coupe that went on sale last year turn ...
     Continue reading "Subaru turns a new leaf: Bold styling" » Mar 28, 2013 7:44 pm U.S. ET
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Hybrid wave raises marketing questions

Posted 2:23 pm U.S. ET, March 28
The wraps came off of the 2014 Infiniti QX60 Hybrid Wednesday afternoon in New York, and the model signals a clear new path for the luxury brand. There will be hybrid powertrain options for almost every new model Infiniti introduces.
But there will also be new marketing challenges -- not just for Infiniti, or for the rest of ...
     Continue reading "Hybrid wave raises marketing questions" » Mar 28, 2013 2:23 pm U.S. ET
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Range Rover banks on 3 out of 3

Posted 1:24 pm U.S. ET, March 28
NEW YORK -- With three new or redesigned models in three years, Range Rover is poised to grow in the U.S. market and better compete with rival vehicles it couldn't take on before.
Range Rover is the more upscale brand of the two SUV/crossover brands -- the second is Land Rover -- that Land Rover North America markets here. ...
     Continue reading "Range Rover banks on 3 out of 3" » Mar 28, 2013 1:24 pm U.S. ET
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Re-engineered Durango punches its ticket to the ball

Posted 12:01 am U.S. ET, March 28
Since its relaunch as a 2011 model, the Dodge Durango has been the large and largely ignored stepsister of its much-celebrated platform mate, the Jeep Grand Cherokee.
While the Grand Cherokee scooped up awards and headlined Chrysler Group's marketing campaigns, the Durango soldiered on in relative obscurity, despite its role ...
     Continue reading "Re-engineered Durango punches its ticket to the ball" » Mar 28, 2013 12:01 am U.S. ET
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Why the next wave of Italians is important

Posted 12:56 pm U.S. ET, March 27
NEW YORK -- The next wave of Italians has arrived, as the wall at the Fiat stand here proclaims: The 500, 500c, 500e and 500L.
You might argue there's only one Italian in U.S. Fiat stores -- the 500 -- and that until dealers get some more product, Fiat is extending the brand any which way it can.
...
     Continue reading "Why the next wave of Italians is important" » Mar 27, 2013 12:56 pm U.S. ET
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Kia compact coupe, hatchback go turbo

Posted 10:15 am U.S. ET, March 27
NEW YORK -- Most compact cars are engineered to be a means of affordable transportation for the masses, often sacrificing fun for practicality.
With its redesigned Forte lineup, Kia seems to be doing the opposite. The Forte will be the industry's only compact car lineup that offers sporty versions with turbocharged engines in ...
     Continue reading "Kia compact coupe, hatchback go turbo" » Mar 27, 2013 10:15 am U.S. ET
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In N.Y., cars consumers actually want to buy

Posted 9:44 am U.S. ET, March 26
The automotive sales climate is quite different on the different sides of the Atlantic Ocean -- and the auto shows in Europe and the United States show it.
The European auto market continues to crater, to put it bluntly. With the stream of unsettling financial news, European consumers seem reluctant to buy new vehicles, even ...
     Continue reading "In N.Y., cars consumers actually want to buy" » Mar 26, 2013 9:44 am U.S. ET
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Why the '14 Honda Odyssey won't be a crummy minivan

Posted 5:00 pm U.S. ET, March 26
NEW YORK -- Don't take this the wrong way, but the 2014 Honda Odyssey sucks. Literally.
For its midcycle freshening, the Odyssey is including the "HondaVAC," which Honda claims is the first-ever in-vehicle vacuum system.
Available in the Odyssey Touring Elite trim level, the HondaVAC will b ...
     Continue reading "Why the '14 Honda Odyssey won't be a crummy minivan" » Mar 26, 2013 5:00 pm U.S. ET
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Why the LaCrosse facelift is sorely needed

Posted 2:00 pm U.S. ET, March 25
Buick is showing a refreshed LaCrosse sedan this week at the New York auto show. And it's not a moment too soon.
The LaCrosse has been the workhorse of Buick's recovery. The sedan, launched just weeks after General Motors' mid-2009 bankruptcy, was deemed by many as the most important debut in decades for Buick, which was figh ...
     Continue reading "Why the LaCrosse facelift is sorely needed" » Mar 25, 2013 2:00 pm U.S. ET
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Porsche's 50 years of evolution

Posted 2:01 pm U.S. ET, March 22
LOS ANGELES -- Many automotive journalists, when asked for their fantasy road test, would promptly reply, "A Porsche 911, up the California coast."
Although I've been doing this job for 20 years, until a few weeks ago I had never been fortunate enough to embrace this experience.
I have eval ...
     Continue reading "Porsche's 50 years of evolution" » Mar 22, 2013 2:01 pm U.S. ET
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Corvette Stingray price? Read the fine print for a clue

Posted 12:00 pm U.S. ET, March 20
If you're counting pennies to buy a 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, your target price is $71,860.
How do I know? Always read the fine print.
That figure was buried in the rules for the Race To Win A Corvette contest, listed as the approximate value of the car that is part of the grand-pri ...
     Continue reading "Corvette Stingray price? Read the fine print for a clue" » Mar 20, 2013 12:00 pm U.S. ET
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Is that available with the Luddite package?

Posted 2:59 pm U.S. ET, March 15
This month the iconic British motoring series Top Gear stumbled into a fantastic idea for automakers to pursue on future vehicles.
The Luddite trim level.
The comedy show's presenters argued -- quite reasonably -- that automobiles stuffed with modern electronic cabin gadgets had gr ...
     Continue reading "Is that available with the Luddite package?" » Mar 15, 2013 2:59 pm U.S. ET
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Why sales of the new Impala must come the hard way

Posted 10:59 am U.S. ET, March 12
SAN DIEGO -- Here's a prediction for a headline you're likely to see this fall: "Impala sales slide."
Not because the 2014 Chevrolet Impala, redesigned for the first time in eight years, is a bad car. It's a leap over its predecessor and should be plenty competitive with the Toyota Avalon, Ford Taurus and other big sedan riva ...
     Continue reading "Why sales of the new Impala must come the hard way" » Mar 12, 2013 10:59 am U.S. ET
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A brand's coming-out party in Geneva

Posted 12:01 am U.S. ET, March 7
GENEVA -- People could argue all day about the most important debut at the Geneva auto show.
Despite the glitz and glamour of models such as the Alfa Romeo 4C, Ferrari LaFerrari, Lamborghini Veneno and Chevrolet Corvette Stingray convertible, the most meaningful debut may have been by an entire brand: Qoros.
Continue reading "A brand's coming-out party in Geneva" » Mar 7, 2013 12:01 am U.S. ET
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A prenatal nose job for the Jeep Cherokee? Or...

Posted 2:19 pm U.S. ET, March 6
Is Jeep planning a nose job for the 2014 Cherokee, even before its official unveiling this month in New York?
A mule spotted last week by an Automotive News reporter in Los Angeles shows that they're at least testing the idea.
Beneath its covered front fascia, the hacked-up Alfa Gu ...
     Continue reading "A prenatal nose job for the Jeep Cherokee? Or..." » Mar 6, 2013 2:19 pm U.S. ET
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