Automakers: Page 315
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Courtesy of WardsAuto
Design Harmony: Lexus RX Achieves Harmonic Balance
Lexus interior designers handily bring a sense of calm and order inside the new '10 RX 450h hybrid CUV no small feat considering the technology inside. Contributing to the serenity are enough artistic flourishes to warrant a special exhibit at the Guggenheim. Take the dramatic swoops and bulges that make up the instrument panel. The lack of symmetry and the absence of a conventionally arrayed center
By Christie Schweinsberg • May 1, 2009 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Mazda Taps North American Design Chief
Derek Jenkins replaces Franz von Holzhausen as Mazda’s North American design director.
By Ward's Staff • May 1, 2009 -
Explore the Trendline➔
Courtesy of Kia Corporation
TrendlineArtificial Intelligence
Automakers and dealers alike are increasingly seeing the use case for AI within their operations. Explore some use cases in this trendline.
By WardsAuto staff -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Bankruptcy Creates Questions for Chrysler Dealers
Chrysler, at the urging of President Obama’s automotive task force, put together a list of its good and bad dealers about a month ago, which was approved by the task force earlier this week.
By Cliff Banks • April 30, 2009 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Chrysler, Canada Settle Tax Squabble
Daimler confirms it has divested itself of the 19.9% stake it retained in Chrysler since the auto maker was acquired by Cerberus.
By Eric Mayne • April 28, 2009 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Honda Fits Nicely in Winner’s Circle
From the sporty mesh on the steering wheel to the second-row “Magic Seat,” the Honda Fit represents a superb value. The competition was outgunned.
By Tom Murphy • April 27, 2009 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
GM to Kill Pontiac Brand, Reports Say
The speculation first arose in Australia, where GM sources the Pontiac G8 sports sedan from its GM Holden unit.
By James M. Amend • April 24, 2009 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Bankruptcy May Be Part of Chrysler Strategy
The bankruptcy filing would allow Chrysler to sell or close down operations and assets it doesn’t believe it will need and cancel franchise agreements with some dealers to thin its retail ranks.
By Ward's Staff From Wires • April 23, 2009 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Ford Completes Transformation of Kentucky Truck Plant
The facility, which currently assembles F-Series Super-Duty pickups, received a new flexible body shop and added a second trim shop to handle production of the Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator.
By Ward's Staff • April 23, 2009 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Renault and Saturn?
Editor's note: This story is part of the WardsAuto digital archive, which may include content that was first published in print, or in different web layouts.Is Renault the most likely partner for Saturn? Read the column to see the reasons why it might work.
April 20, 2009 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
GMC, Pontiac Shut Down? Not Without Bankruptcy
Editor's note: This story is part of the WardsAuto digital archive, which may include content that was first published in print, or in different web layouts.When yesterday's stories broke on various news agencies that General Motors Corp. was considering axing its Pontiac and GMC brands as a way ...
April 17, 2009 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
GM Sticking to 4-Brand Strategy, Looking to Trim Dealer Ranks More Quickly
GM’s CEO says today’s press conference is one of several planned as it works simultaneously to formulate a restructuring plan and prepare for a potential bankruptcy by June 1.
By James M. Amend • April 17, 2009 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
How Small Can GM Get?
A fair guess for a smaller GM might be a 10.2% market share in a few years. So in a 13 million-unit year, the new GM might sell fewer than half as many vehicles.
By Jerry Flint • April 13, 2009 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Honda Hopeful Dog-Friendly Element Fetches Buyers
Special items include a spill-proof water bowl and 12V ventilation fan for the rear cargo area and pet-restraint system for the cargo bay and second row.
By James M. Amend • April 9, 2009 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Audi Q7 TDI to Carry $3,000 Premium
American consumers are a generation behind in their thinking about diesel technology, says Audi’s U.S. chief.
By Herb Shuldiner • April 8, 2009 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
GM Takes on 2-Passenger Electric Vehicles With Project PUMA
Project PUMA recalls much of the Autonomy concept car GM unveiled in 2002.
By James M. Amend • April 7, 2009 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
New GMC Terrain CUV Features DI Technology, Styling From Acadia
The Terrain’s debut in late summer will mark the end of production for the Pontiac Torrent. Key competitors include the Ford Edge, Mazda CX-7, Nissan Murano and Hyundai Sante Fe.
By James M. Amend • April 5, 2009 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
GM Daewoo to Launch Chevy Volt Test Fleet in Korea
Feedback from the Volt test fleet will enable the auto maker to determine whether to add the U.S.-built electric hybrid to its product lineup here.
By Vince Courtenay • April 3, 2009 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Honda Offering Buyouts, Cutting Production
Honda does not detail the size of the separation packages it is offering U.S. and Canadian employees.
By Christie Schweinsberg • April 1, 2009 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Droptop Camaro Stalled; 4-cyl. Model Could Be Revived
There was No Convertible, High-performance model or 4-cyl. version on hand for the all-new '10 Chevrolet Camaro's official media rollout recently, but that doesn't mean they are off the table. The convertible Camaro has been confirmed for production by General Motors Corp., but its debut has been complicated by issues surrounding a key supplier. The top supplier filed for Chapter 11 (bankruptcy) protection,
By Jim Mateja • April 1, 2009 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Mazda to Offer Urea SCR
Mazda Motor Corp. Says It will be the first auto maker to offer a diesel-powered passenger vehicle with a urea selective catalytic reduction system in Europe when it launches a refreshed version of the CX-7 cross/utility vehicle later this year. Currently, some European auto makers sell light vehicles in the U.S. equipped with SCR systems, but in Europe only commercial vehicles are marketed with the
By Byron Pope • April 1, 2009 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Nation’s Top Ford Dealer Has Eye Out for New Franchises
North Hills, CA The nation's No.1 Ford dealer is keeping an eye out for new franchises still. Adding brands has been a big benefit for Galpin Motors in my 55 years here, says owner Bert Boeckmann, who at age 78 is active in the management of a 9-brand dealership group with sons Brad and Beau. I've signed a letter of intent for the Mahindra truck and SUV line from India, and I'm watching with interest
By Mac Gordon • April 1, 2009 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Hyundai Phasing Out Entourage Minivan
After Years of Slow Sales, A Hyundai Motor America official says the auto maker officially is pulling the plug on its Entourage minivan. We are phasing that vehicle out, Dave Zuchowski, vice president-sales, tells Ward's. We have maybe 1,000 units we're going to sell this year. The Entourage was Hyundai's first entry into the minivan market, but its lifecycle was marked by indecision. It had been
By Christie Schweinsberg • April 1, 2009 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
VW TDI is Overachiever
It's No Surprise Americans are Not Especially Fond of diesel cars. Past U.S. diesels have been clattery, smoky and slow compared with gasoline counterparts, and U.S. diesel fuel has been sticky, stinky, harder to find and sometimes a lot more expensive than gasoline. Yet today's quiet, quick and smokeless modern diesels are more popular than gasoline burners throughout most of Europe because they
By Gary Witzenburg • April 1, 2009 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
California Cities Come to Aid of Dealers
California has become the first state where municipalities have approved loans to dealers ravaged by the slump in new-vehicle sales. The unprecedented action involves appeals for loans from Chrysler LLC dealers in Victorville and Norco, cities with 106,000 and 24,000 populations, respectively, plus a Mazda dealer in Norco. Victorville is located in the Inland Empire area of Southern California. The
April 1, 2009 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Haldex Touts Fourth-Gen AWD System
Swedish Supplier Haldex AB is migrating its automotive customers to its new fourth-generation all-wheel-drive system, which the company says is more cost-effective, lighter and faster because it uses fewer parts. The first vehicle offering the new AWD system was Volkswagen AG's small Tiguan cross/utility vehicle. Since then, other VW Group brands have gravitated to the technology, including the VW
By Byron Pope • April 1, 2009
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