Vehicles: Page
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Courtesy of WardsAuto
Ward’s Names Interior of Year Winners
Editors picked the winners after evaluating 35 vehicles in February and March. The winners will be honored May 21 at the Ward’s Auto Interiors Conference, to be held at the Dearborn Ritz Carlton.
By Tom Murphy • April 6, 2009 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
EV Proponents Refute Obama’s Criticism of Chevy Volt
Plug In America, a national coalition of electric-vehicle owners and enthusiasts, calls the auto industry task force’s comments “discouraging.”
By James M. Amend • April 2, 2009 -
Explore the Trendline➔
Courtesy of Toyota Motor North America
TrendlineTop 5 stories from WardsAuto
Automakers are evaluating their long-term strategies, revisiting their product mix, and approach to both retail and manufacturing approach along the way.
By WardsAuto staff -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
GM’s Hybrid Stimulus
They Say Everything is Bigger in Texas. Now add hybrids to the list, with the launch of the '09 Chevrolet Silverado/GMC Sierra 2-Mode Hybrid pickup. The nation's second-largest pickup market behind California starts seeing the trucks at dealerships now, as does the rest of the U.S., but they arrive everywhere during a record-weak economy, inexpensive gasoline and a nightmarishly low new-vehicle sales
By James M. Amend • April 1, 2009 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Automobile Rows of Yesteryear
The grand avenues of American cities often doubled as the streets of automotive retailing grandeur in the years between the First World War and the Korean War. Dubbed automobile rows, many magnificent dealerships lining these avenues were architectural marvels, often designed by noted architects. Depending on the building style of the time, facades were of limestone, terracotta or brick. Most buildings
By Mike Davis • April 1, 2009 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Tows Tops for Roadside Assistance Calls
In its 20 years of providing roadside service, here are AutoVantage's Top 5 problems on the road, garnered from more than 1 million roadside assistance dispatches: Breakdowns requiring tows (60%) Lockouts (12%) Jumpstarts (10%) Tire changes (9%) Fuel deliveries (1%) Other auto insights from the experts at AutoVantage: Car life spans continue to improve. In 1977, half of the vehicles had a life expectancy
April 1, 2009 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Ford Diverting Hydrogen Fuel-Cell Research Funds to Focus on EVs
“We’ve clearly demonstrated the viability of (hydrogen fuel cells) as a propulsion system, but not as a business equation,” Scott Staley, chief engineer, hybrid- and fuel-cell technology development, tells Ward’s.
By Byron Pope • March 25, 2009 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
New Prius Tough to Beat
With a starting price likely around $20,000, and boffo fuel economy, the third generation of the world’s best-selling hybrid should stay on top.
By Christie Schweinsberg • March 25, 2009 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Roush Develops Fifth-Generation Specialty Mustangs in Record Time
Roush relied heavily on computer-aided design and engineering systems for design and validation that allowed engineers to go from “art to part” quickly and reliably.
By Byron Pope • March 19, 2009 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Battery Pack Adds Muscle to Volt’s Chassis
GM engineers say they favor development of a rapid-charging infrastructure over schemes centered on providing quick substitutions of depleted batteries for fully charged ones.
By David E. Zoia • March 19, 2009 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Researchers Say Compressed Air Could Pave Way to Smaller Engines
The concept would allow auto makers to replace a 3.0L V-6 with a 1.0L inline 2-cyl., say developers at a Swiss engineering school.
By William Diem • Feb. 23, 2009 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Roush Aims to Create ‘Green-Collar’ Jobs With Propane-Powered Commercial Vehicles
LPG powertrains offer a viable solution to gasoline, Roush says, noting they reduce greenhouse-gas emissions 18%, create 20% less NOx, produce up to 60% less carbon dioxide and emit few particulates.
By Byron Pope • Feb. 20, 2009 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
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Courtesy of WardsAuto
GM Appoints Manager for New Uzbek Engine Plant
Construction of the Uzbek manufacturing operations began in the Tashkent region in late December, with start of production set for March 2011.
By Peter Homola • Feb. 12, 2009 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Ricardo Engine Technology Poses Potential Advancement for Ethanol
Ricardo thinks the technology’s time-to-market will coincide nicely with the expected arrival of next-generation cellulosic ethanol.
By James M. Amend • Feb. 6, 2009 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Oz Auto Makers Build Fewer Vehicles in 2008, Face Growing Threat From Imports
Deliveries of locally built vehicles accounted for half of the Australian market a decade ago but last year represented just 16.9% of a total 1,012,164 units.
By Alan Harman • Feb. 2, 2009 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Great Looks, Great Mileage
Automotive designers should be commended for doing their part to forestall depletion of the precious natural resources necessary to drive internal-combustion engines as we know them today.Aerodynamicists have saved untold barrels of oil purely by styling hybrid-electric vehicles with smooth surfaces, steeply raked windshields, sleeker mirrors and uncluttered underbodies, allowing them to slice through air like a hot knife through butter.
By Tom Murphy • Feb. 1, 2009 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Vehicle-Repossession Firms Using High-Tech Devices
Financial firms are using new technologies in their repossession efforts. For instance, RecoveryTech Inc., a Texas firm, sells a dash-mounted camera device that is programmed to detect license plates of wanted vehicles. It helps if you are going through a parking lot filled with cars, says Rod Arends, World Omni's assistant vice president-collections. As soon as it recognizes the vehicle in question,
By Steve Finlay • Feb. 1, 2009 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Interior Concept Challenges Convention
Normally when you think about shaving pounds from a vehicle, you think of downsizing or substituting lighter alternatives to steel. Supplier Faurecia SA is proposing a weight reduction strategy that quite literally is a bare bones approach, sometimes stripping off the skin and celebrating the substrate. Dubbed Light Attitude, Faurecia is showing a grouping of interior and chassis design concepts that
By Drew Winter • Feb. 1, 2009 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Heuliez Looks to Be Player in European EV Market
Pelican sales are projected at 400-600 units this year, depending on whether Heuliez or designer Eco & Mobility is doing the forecasting.
By William Diem • Jan. 29, 2009 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Tax Cut Sparks Taiwan Vehicle Demand
A tax revision that saves buyers NT$30,000 on some models is credited with sparking demand.
By John Westbrook • Jan. 28, 2009 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Toyota Names First American-Born Chief Engineers
Greg Bernas is appointed chief engineer for the development of the Venza CUV and Solara coupe. Randy Stephens becomes chief engineer for the Avalon large sedan.
By Christie Schweinsberg • Jan. 13, 2009 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Next-Gen Prius Debuts With Estimated 50-MPG Rating
The world’s best-selling hybrid is new for ’10, with fuel economy increased using a variety of measures, including a bigger engine.
By Christie Schweinsberg • Jan. 12, 2009 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
VW Poland to Launch Output of 1.6L Common-Rail Diesels
VW Motor Polska, which currently employs some 1,100 workers, will continue to produce 1.9L TDI diesel engines, as well.
By Peter Homola • Jan. 8, 2009 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Ward’s 10 Best Engines 2009
Adversity has been known to bring out the best in people.President George W. Bush's approval ratings soared as he attempted to heal the nation after the 2001 terrorist attacks. People routinely run into burning buildings to rescue family, friends, total strangers and even pets. Without overstating matters, the future of the U.S. auto industry hangs in the balance, and adversity has turned into desperation.
By Ward's Staff • Jan. 1, 2009 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Death to 4-Banger Moniker
Naturally Aspirated 4-Cyl. Engines have made the Ward's 10 Best Engines list about as often as a 2-cycle Briggs and Stratton. In 14 years, we've honored 60 engines, and only two have been naturally aspirated inline-4s not arrayed as hybrids. Heck, 4-cyl. engines, in general, have been grossly under-represented, as only 12 have made the list over the previous 14 years. Ward's judges shunning I-4s for
By Tom Murphy • Jan. 1, 2009
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