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Blogs from the Detroit auto show

Monsters (ELR) vs. dogs (Corvette) in car design

Posted 12:01 am U.S. ET, Jan. 17
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Cadillac ELR/Converj designers faced a much easier assignment than the stylists who were told to design the seventh-generation Corvette. (GM)
JAMES B. TREECE:  DETROIT -- The Cadillac ELR won an EyesOn Design award this week for Best Production Vehicle.
Congratulations to Cadillac. The ELR is certainly a distinctive-looking vehicle, which keeps essentially all the design elements of the Cadillac Converj concept car.
But I couldn't help thinking wh ...
     Continue reading "Monsters (ELR) vs. dogs (Corvette) in car design" » Jan 17, 2013 12:01 am U.S. ET
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Debt ceiling standoff is an auto sales time bomb

Posted 12:01 am U.S. ET, Jan. 16
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How much will the congressional impasse over budget deficits and taxes impact U.S. auto sales in 2013? (BLOOMBERG)
JESSE SNYDER:  DETROIT -- The biggest drag on 2013 U.S. auto sales is the congressional impasse.
Auto executives, forecasters, economists and analysts all agree. I've rarely seen such unanimity on naming a single problem for the year ahead.
But let's be honest about the "congressional impasse" they all po ...
     Continue reading "Debt ceiling standoff is an auto sales time bomb" » Jan 16, 2013 12:01 am U.S. ET
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For Bill Ford, Lincoln is personal

Posted 12:01 am U.S. ET, Jan. 16
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Bill Ford: “Each and every member of the Ford family and the Ford management team is committed to this enterprise because Lincoln is a vital part of who we are." (BLOOMBERG)
BRADFORD WERNLE:  DETROIT -- For most members of the Ford Motor Co. management team, the resurrection of the Lincoln brand is a critical component of Ford's strategy to be a complete global car company and a sound business plan.
For Bill Ford, executive chairman of the company, Lincoln is much more personal.
...
     Continue reading "For Bill Ford, Lincoln is personal" » Jan 16, 2013 12:01 am U.S. ET
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Did Nissan's show marketing make scents?

Posted 3:01 pm U.S. ET, Jan. 16
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Nissan said its aroma -- labeled "the vert oriental" in French -- evokes the smell of green tea "during Chinese spring harvest."
DUSTIN WALSH:  DETROIT -- I had a little time Tuesday morning between interviews, meet-and-greets and general schmoozing to devote real time to the much-hyped scent at the Nissan display at ...
     Continue reading "Did Nissan's show marketing make scents? " » Jan 16, 2013 3:01 pm U.S. ET
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Dealers like Detroit show, prospects for year

Posted 12:01 am U.S. ET, Jan. 16
blogs
Volkswagen's concept for a mid-sized crossover.
AMY WILSON:  DETROIT -- Dealers touring the Detroit auto show liked what they saw. And they like their prospects for 2013.
Detroit's unveilings, from the redesigned Chevy Corvette to Volkswagen's teaser for its coming mid-sized crossover, reinforce the optimism dealers and others in the industry have for a continued sales resurgence.
...
     Continue reading "Dealers like Detroit show, prospects for year" » Jan 16, 2013 12:01 am U.S. ET
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Shel Woodard and the real Chrysler Turbine

Posted 12:39 pm U.S. ET, Jan. 15
blogs
(Brad Constant)
JESSE SNYDER:  DETROIT -- In a quiet spot on the Chrysler stand at the Detroit auto show is the Chrysler 300 Turbine concept car. As concepts go, it's mild: matte finish "Turbine Copper," 22-inch wheels and a billet grille, all to honor the 1963 Chrysler Turbine show car.
It made me smile. My late father-in-law, Sheldon Woodard, would have ...
     Continue reading "Shel Woodard and the real Chrysler Turbine" » Jan 15, 2013 12:39 pm U.S. ET
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VW's CrossBlue signals family hauling

Posted 11:58 am U.S. ET, Jan. 15
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The all-wheel-drive CrossBlue signals a new VW model slotted between the compact Tiguan and the Touareg. (VW)
GABE NELSON:  DETROIT -- Volkswagen AG is making it quite clear that the CrossBlue, the three-row crossover concept that the VW brand unveiled Monday in Detroit, is meant as a family-hauler, not an off-road monster.
Yes, the CrossBlue concept has four-wheel drive. Yes, it gets a hefty 306 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque. But it was ...
     Continue reading "VW's CrossBlue signals family hauling" » Jan 15, 2013 11:58 am U.S. ET
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Ford display has more than just product

Posted 9:03 am U.S. ET, Jan. 15
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Ford Chairman Bill Ford recently bought the 1903 Model A at auction. It was the third car built by his great grandfather, Henry.
JAMIE LAREAU:  The Ford Motor Co. display at the Detroit auto show is a theatrical production.
Literally.
Ford hired eight actors to portray company founder Henry Ford for the duration of the show, actor Jordan Whalen says.
It's part of the automaker's celebration of th ...
     Continue reading "Ford display has more than just product" » Jan 15, 2013 9:03 am U.S. ET
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Suzuki, hybrids and crazy concepts go missing

Posted 2:35 pm U.S. ET, Jan. 15
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Acura showed another NSX concept this year that is more production than concept. (BLOOMBERG)
NICK BUNKLEY:  DETROIT -- As always, there's a lot to see at the Detroit auto show.
But here's a look at some of the things NOT here this year:
Suzuki: After bowing out of the U.S. auto market in 2012, Suzuki has joined the ranks of Saab, Mercury, Pontiac and other ghosts of auto shows past.
Continue reading "Suzuki, hybrids and crazy concepts go missing" » Jan 15, 2013 2:35 pm U.S. ET
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Mining Facebook for the next big thing on wheels

Posted 12:04 pm U.S. ET, Jan. 15
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Nissan's Resonance concept -- a preview of the company's future crossovers. (BLOOMBERG)
NICK BUNKLEY:  Automakers like young people.
That's because old people tend to, inconveniently, to put it delicately, stop buying cars.
But liking young people is not the same as understanding what young people want, which is something the auto industry is mostly terrible at, despite constantly scouring F ...
     Continue reading "Mining Facebook for the next big thing on wheels" » Jan 15, 2013 12:04 pm U.S. ET
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In Detroit, show goers say, 'I built that'

Posted 9:39 am U.S. ET, Jan. 14
blogs Jesse Snyder is senior writer for Automotive News.
 
DETROIT -- Every auto show is a little different. Anywhere on the planet, show goers ogle the cars, with subtle differences in what turns on the locals.
But to me, Detroit is unique. It's not the venue or elaborate displays. It happens during the public days. The first time I noticed, it delighted me and stoked my hometown pr ...
     Continue reading "In Detroit, show goers say, 'I built that'" » Jan 14, 2013 9:39 am U.S. ET
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Why Day 1 of the show was just a bit odd

Posted 6:11 pm U.S. ET, Jan. 14
blogs
Hyundai's HCD-14 concept.
NICK BUNKLEY:  DETROIT -- Day 1 of the Detroit auto show had its share of odd, confusing and sometimes cringe-worthy moments.
Sergio's tattoo: Chrysler Group CEO Sergio Marchionne has become a media favorite since his arrival in Detroit for his bluntness and colorful quotes. He ventured into TMI-territory Monday when questi ...
     Continue reading "Why Day 1 of the show was just a bit odd" » Jan 14, 2013 6:11 pm U.S. ET
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NADA leaders talk facility upgrades at the Detroit auto show

Posted 2:48 pm U.S. ET, Jan. 14
blogs Jamie LaReau covers auto dealers for Automotive News.
 
Brick-and-mortar issues are on Bill Underriner’s mind as much as shiny new cars and trucks -- even when walking the floor of the Detroit auto show.
Underriner, the outgoing chairman of the National Automobile Dealers Association, was at the show Monday. When I asked him what’s a hot topic for dealers this year, he ...
     Continue reading "NADA leaders talk facility upgrades at the Detroit auto show" » Jan 14, 2013 2:48 pm U.S. ET
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Chevy keeps things short and simple... for a change

Posted 10:32 am U.S. ET, Jan. 14
blogs
Chevy's press conference -- celebrating the new Corvette -- was a model of efficiency, wrapping up in under 10 minutes.
NICK BUNKLEY:  Most carmakers unveiling new models at the Detroit auto show use up their allotted 25 minutes of time, and then some. Chevrolet, having already held a huge off-site reveal for the 2014 Corvette Stingray the previous night, apparently decided it had little else to say Monday.
Chevy's press conference was a model of efficiency, ...
     Continue reading "Chevy keeps things short and simple... for a change" » Jan 14, 2013 10:32 am U.S. ET
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Volvo's new CEO Samuelsson learning the ropes

Posted 11:14 am U.S. ET, Jan. 14
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Samuelsson's last job was CEO of the German truckmaker MAN (as pictured in 2009). (Bloomberg)
RICK JOHNSON:  DETROIT -- Hakan Samuelsson, the new Volvo CEO, was not at all what I expected when he turned up last night for his first Detroit auto show.
He looked more like Volvo's chief designer --tieless, sport jacket, casual pants, easygoing manner.
Four months into his new job, the 61-year-old Swed ...
     Continue reading "Volvo's new CEO Samuelsson learning the ropes " » Jan 14, 2013 11:14 am U.S. ET
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Chrysler pays tribute to 1963 concept car

Posted 9:51 am U.S. ET, Jan. 14
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Chrysler brand head Saad Chehab “fell in love with the color” of the 300S Turbine edition on a color board in the design center.
LARRY P. VELLEQUETTE:  DETROIT -- Chrysler Group dropped a surprise concept on its stand this morning, a Chrysler 300S Turbine edition that pays homage to the 50th anniversary of the automaker's famous 1963 turbine-powered concept car.
In addition to its striking matte copper paint, the 300S Turbine rides on special 22-inch hand-painted wheels that ...
     Continue reading "Chrysler pays tribute to 1963 concept car" » Jan 14, 2013 9:51 am U.S. ET
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Chrysler, profitable again, still avoiding wild show stunts

Posted 10:08 am U.S. ET, Jan. 14
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Chrysler had a faux blizzard for the Aspen in 2006. The company's near-death experience seems to have put an end to that kind of thing.
NICK BUNKLEY:  DETROIT -- Chrysler Group used to always have the most over-the-top, can't-miss reveals at the Detroit auto show, whether it be crashing a Jeep Wrangler through a plate-glass window or driving cattle through the middle of downtown.
The company's near-death experience seems to have put an end to all that, even now that it is p ...
     Continue reading "Chrysler, profitable again, still avoiding wild show stunts" » Jan 14, 2013 10:08 am U.S. ET
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Mark Reuss' good day at the office

Posted 8:11 am U.S. ET, Jan. 14
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“I'm very happy,” Reuss gushed Sunday while talking with reporters. (Bloomberg)
MIKE COLIAS:  DETROIT -- When you're the highest profile car guy at General Motors, there aren't many days at the office better than a Corvette reveal.
Sunday was a good day for Mark Reuss.
"I'm very happy," the GM North America president gushed Sunday while talking with reporters after introducing the s ...
     Continue reading "Mark Reuss' good day at the office" » Jan 14, 2013 8:11 am U.S. ET
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Maserati flagship leaves Chrysler roots behind

Posted 3:57 pm U.S. ET, Jan. 14
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Maserati is poised to begin its rebirth with a new Quattroporte large sedan debuting Tuesday here at the Detroit auto show, but the new sedan -- the flagship for the Fiat-Chrysler organization -- has very little North American content left.
LUCA CIFERRI:  DETROIT -- There is not much Chrysler left in the new Quattroporte, Maserati's CEO says.
Maserati is poised to begin its rebirth with a new Quattroporte large sedan that debuted Tuesday here at the Detroit auto show, but the new sedan -- the flagship for the Fiat-Chrysler organization -- has very little North American content ...
     Continue reading "Maserati flagship leaves Chrysler roots behind" » Jan 14, 2013 3:57 pm U.S. ET
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Jaguar Land Rover plays matchmaker

Posted 1:24 pm U.S. ET, Jan. 14
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Attendees view Jaguar Land Rover models Saturday at The Gallery in the MGM Grand Detroit ahead of the 2013 Detroit auto show.
:  DETROIT -- Jaguar Land Rover plans to increase its global dealer count by 26 percent in the next four years, but U.S. dealers will actually see their store count drop.
In the U.S. market, the luxury manufacturer's dualing strategy -- pairing Jaguar and Land Rover under one roof -- will mean fewer dealerships. The brands, howe ...
     Continue reading "Jaguar Land Rover plays matchmaker" » Jan 14, 2013 1:24 pm U.S. ET
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Old and new GM parties like it's ....

Posted 10:30 pm U.S. ET, Jan. 13
blogs
At the official unveiling of the 2014 Corvette on Sunday, the hall was packed with members of the past, present and perhaps future GM family.
JAMES B. TREECE:  A car as significant as a redesigned Chevrolet Corvette is cause for a party for General Motors.
That was evident tonight. At the official unveiling of the seventh-generation Corvette, the hall was packed not only with reporters, but also with members of the past, present and perhaps future GM family.
...
     Continue reading "Old and new GM parties like it's .... " » Jan 13, 2013 10:30 pm U.S. ET
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Women celebrated at Urban Wheel Awards

Posted 10:48 pm U.S. ET, Jan. 13
blogs Arlena Sawyers covers remarketing for Automotive News
 
DETROIT -- An impressive group of women were celebrated for their achievements in the auto industry at the 17th Annual Urban Wheel Awards show here Sunday night.
Among those women was my friend and former colleague Kathy Jackson, a veteran journalist who carried home the 2013 Urban Wheel Lifetime Achievement Award.
Continue reading "Women celebrated at Urban Wheel Awards" » Jan 13, 2013 10:48 pm U.S. ET
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Corvettes that might have been

Posted 10:30 pm U.S. ET, Jan. 13
blogs
A sample of what may have been a new Corvette. (JAMES. B. TREECE)
JAMES B. TREECE:  DETROIT -- It's a fair bet that every designer at General Motors wants to work on the iconic Chevrolet Corvette.
So when work began on a seventh-generation Corvette, GM design boss Ed Welburn gave everybody a shot. All of the designers at GM's studios around the globe were invited to submit sketches.
< ...
     Continue reading "Corvettes that might have been" » Jan 13, 2013 10:30 pm U.S. ET
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Detroit's show … grandiose in so many ways

Posted 12:01 am U.S. ET, Jan. 13
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Chevrolet's all-new 2014 Silverado pickup is prepped on Saturday for the 2013 Detroit auto show. (GM)
NICK BUNKLEY:  DETROIT -- It's that time again -- the time when journalists covering the North American International Auto Show bring out clichéd phrases such as "it's that time again" and "the cars are the stars."
For the next two days, allow me to be your eyes, ears and -- when visiting Nissan's Continue reading "Detroit's show … grandiose in so many ways" » Jan 13, 2013 12:01 am U.S. ET
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More power, glitz, organic food and smiles

Posted 11:59 am U.S. ET, Jan. 11
blogs
Workers ready a sign to tout the new Mazda6 mid-sized sedan at the Detroit auto show. (DAVID PHILLIPS)
DAVID PHILLIPS:  DETROIT -- Another year, another Detroit auto show and another slew of changes.
Automakers are scheduled to showcase about 55 new vehicles, 41 of them global debuts, at the 2013 show that opens with press previews next week. That is up more than 30 percent from the 42 vehicles introduced in 2012, show organizers say.
 ...
     Continue reading "More power, glitz, organic food and smiles" » Jan 11, 2013 11:59 am U.S. ET
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