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Automotive News - China automotive sales and production, suppliers and OEM in Chinese market, China's homegrown players and their expansions overseas.: SAIC, GM to form joint venture in India in early 2010

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 18:15:00 -0500

Shanghai, December 4 (Gasgoo.com) General Motors and its Chinese partner SAIC Motor Corp jointly announced today that they will form a vehicle manufacturing joint venture in India early next year, Xinhua News reported. [...]

Automotive News - China automotive sales and production, suppliers and OEM in Chinese market, China's homegrown players and their expansions overseas.: GM to buy Suzuki stake in Canada venture, ending ties

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 17:17:00 -0500

General Motors Co. will take over its Canadian carmaking venture with Suzuki Motor Corp., in its second exit this year from a partnership with a Japanese automaker. Suzuki agreed to sell its entire 50 percent stake in the venture, Cami Automotive Inc. [...]

Automotive News - China automotive sales and production, suppliers and OEM in Chinese market, China's homegrown players and their expansions overseas.: Chery Auto to launch electric car QQEV this month

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 16:59:00 -0500

Shanghai, December 4 (Gasgoo.com) Chery Auto is set to unveil its own electric vehicle QQEV at the end of this month, sina.com said yesterday, citing a company executive. The car will be priced at 40,000 yuan ($5,860) to 50,000 yuan. The electric car will have a speed range of 60-70 km/hour. [...]

Automotive News - China automotive sales and production, suppliers and OEM in Chinese market, China's homegrown players and their expansions overseas.: BYD gets bank's support for new energy project

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 14:45:00 -0500

Shanghai, December 4 (Gasgoo.com) China's battery and electric car maker BYD Co., Ltd. has received 15 billion yuan ($2.2 billion) in credit from the Bank of China, the bank said yesterday, Reuters reported. The capital may be used for BYD's new energy project. [...]

Automotive News - China automotive sales and production, suppliers and OEM in Chinese market, China's homegrown players and their expansions overseas.: GM to sell China JV majority control to SAIC

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 12:15:00 -0500

Shanghai, December 4 (Gasgoo.com) General Motors has agreed on a deal to sell majority control of its China venture and transfer half of its India unit to Chinese partner SAIC, China's biggest automaker, Reuters reported, citing sources familiar with the deal. [...]

Automotive News - China automotive sales and production, suppliers and OEM in Chinese market, China's homegrown players and their expansions overseas.: VW looks to buy Porsche stake next week

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 11:18:00 -0500

Volkswagen will likely complete the first stage of its planned integration with indebted Porsche SE when VW buys a 49.9 percent stake in Porsche's profitable sports car business next week. [...]

Automotive News - China automotive sales and production, suppliers and OEM in Chinese market, China's homegrown players and their expansions overseas.: India's Maruti Suzuki to raise output by up to 75%

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 10:31:00 -0500

Maruti Suzuki, India's top carmaker, plans to raise production by up to 75 percent over the next five years in a bid to hold on to its 50 percent market share, the Economic Times reported on Thursday. "Depending on how the car market performs, we would like to like to reach [...]

Automotive News - China automotive sales and production, suppliers and OEM in Chinese market, China's homegrown players and their expansions overseas.: GM's Lutz sees limited share for electric cars

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 10:26:00 -0500

General Motors Co sees limited sales of electric cars over the next five years and will ramp up output of its much-anticipated Volt plug-in cautiously, the automaker's vice-chairman said on Wednesday. [...]

Automotive News - China automotive sales and production, suppliers and OEM in Chinese market, China's homegrown players and their expansions overseas.: Dongfeng-Yulon joint venture approved by regulators

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 10:16:00 -0500

Dongfeng Motor Corp., one of major automakers in Mainland China, and its Taiwanese partner Yulon Motor Co., Ltd. just gained the approval from Chinese regulators for their joint venture Dongfeng Yulon Motor Co., Ltd. (transliterated). The venture, with registered capital of CNY 1. [...]

AutoblogGreen: Fisker: VP Biden not the reason we chose Delaware

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 10:03:00 -0500

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, Manufacturing/Plants, Fisker

Fisker Karma - Click above for high-res image gallery
What does Joe Biden have to do with Fisker Automotive? On the surface, the answer would seem to be nothing at all.. or at least it [...]

Jalopnik: Dirty Love: The Baja 1000 Toyota 4Runner [La Auto Show]

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 10:00:00 -0500

Number of comments: 3
Toyota built a 2010 4Runner for last month's Baja 1000. The truck finished second in the Stock Mini class, and the Big T brought it to L.A. still covered in Mexican dirt. Amen. ... [...]

Automotive News - China automotive sales and production, suppliers and OEM in Chinese market, China's homegrown players and their expansions overseas.: Customer satisfaction still lags for Chinese cars

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 09:52:00 -0500

Chinese auto makers have made great progress in improving product quality, but customer satisfaction with the design and performance of Chinese made cars has not greatly improved. That is the conclusion of market researcher J.D. Power. [...]

Automotive News - China automotive sales and production, suppliers and OEM in Chinese market, China's homegrown players and their expansions overseas.: PSA better placed than rival Renault in key China

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 09:40:00 -0500

As European scrappage incentives wane, PSA Peugeot Citroen wants a bigger slice of the booming Chinese market, and analysts prefer its stretch targets to Renault's caution. [...]

Green Car Congress: Hyundai Makes Stop-Start System An Option for More i30 Models

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 09:34:34 -0500

Number of comments: 1

Hyundai has updated its i30 range for 2010, and is making its Intelligent Stop & Go technology (ISG) (earlier post) available as an option on all i30 models with manual transmission, giving improvements in fuel economy of up to 10 percent on the hatchback and 14 percent on the [...]

Autoblog: Lexus LFA to be sold in Europe through one dealership

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 09:32:00 -0500

Filed under: Car Buying, Performance, Europe, Lexus, UK

Lexus LFA at Lexus Park Lane - Click above for high-res image gallery

We're not the vindictive types here at Autoblog, but we can appreciate some measure of poetic justice. After' [...]

Automotive News - China automotive sales and production, suppliers and OEM in Chinese market, China's homegrown players and their expansions overseas.: Brilliance shareholder selling up to $121 mln shares

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 09:32:00 -0500

Brilliance China Automotive's (1114.HK) shareholder is selling up to $121 million worth of shares, a term sheet obtained by Reuters showed on Thursday. Huachen Automotive Group, a shareholder of Brilliance, is selling 400 million secondary shares at HK$2.20 to HK$2.35 per share, representing a 3. [...]

Jalopnik: Cadillac CTS-V Batmobile: Quick, To The Country Club! [Custom Cars]

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 09:30:00 -0500

Number of comments: 17
Bish! Bam! Pow! Kerpop! My Hip! Spotted in Pasadena, this Cadillac CTS-V has been transformed into the ultimate Batmobile for elderly crime fighters. Could Bob Lutz really be the caped crusader? ... [...]

Automotive News - China automotive sales and production, suppliers and OEM in Chinese market, China's homegrown players and their expansions overseas.: GM, SAIC to expand beyond China with India JV

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 09:30:00 -0500

The partnership between General Motors Co. and China's SAIC Motor Corp. (600104.SH) is set to take its first step onto the global stage with the launch of a joint venture in the competitive Indian market. [...]

Automotive News - China automotive sales and production, suppliers and OEM in Chinese market, China's homegrown players and their expansions overseas.: GM, Chrysler propose to resolve dealer claims

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 09:27:00 -0500

General Motors Co and Chrysler proposed steps on Thursday to resolve complaints from terminated dealerships and head off potential congressional intervention. [...]

Straightline: How To Build a 638-hp LS9 Supercharged V8

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 09:23:09 -0500

Haven't you always wanted to build a 638-horsepower V8? Us too. Now, with this handy instructional video, you can. First [...]

Automotive News - China automotive sales and production, suppliers and OEM in Chinese market, China's homegrown players and their expansions overseas.: China XD plastics to triple capacity on auto outlook

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 09:20:00 -0500

China XD Plastics Co., the country's biggest producer of modified plastics for auto parts, plans to almost triple production capacity over the next two years and is considering buying U.S. rivals as part of its expansion. [...]

Daily automotive news and comment: CANADA: GM to take full ownership of CAMI JV

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 09:04:00 -0500

General Motors of Canada has said it will acquire full ownership of the CAMI Automotive Incorporated (CAMI) car assembly joint venture in Ingersoll, Ontario, through a purchase transaction to buy shares currently owned by long-time partner Suzuki Motor. [...]

Autoblog: REPORT: GM selling control of Chinese joint venture to SAIC, half of India operations

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 09:00:00 -0500

Filed under: China, GM, Earnings/Financials

It has been a busy week at General Motors. The week started off with CEO Fritz Henderson's abrupt resignation, then executives converged on the LA Auto Show where Bob Lutz was the keynote speaker and then the[...]

Jalopnik: Foreign Automaker-Loving Senator's Daughter's Chevy Saved By GM OnStar [Car Crime]

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 09:00:00 -0500

Number of comments: 48
The daughter of Senator Bob Corker, ardent Detroit carmaker critic and lover of foreign automakers, has GM's OnStar system to thank for recovering her Chevy Tahoe after being carjacked in D.C.... [...]

AutoblogGreen: Ford accepting applications for Fiesta Movement 2

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 08:56:00 -0500

Filed under: MPG, Ford

2011 Ford Fiesta - Click above for high-res image gallery

Ford finally unveiled the U.S. version of its B-Segment Fiesta yesterday at the LA Auto Show, and thanks to some clever marketing, the Blue Oval's newest small car [...]

Daily automotive news and comment: US: Ford Credit sees repossessions rising as jobs go

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 08:54:00 -0500

Vehicle repossessions in the US are beginning to "creep back up" amid higher unemployment rates, Ford Motor Credit's finance chief has said. [...]

The Truth About Cars: GM Buys Out Suzuki In Canada

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 08:51:26 -0500

Number of comments: 6
What, GM actually has the money to BUY companies? Suzuki says they want sell the whole shebang in their 50:50 joint venture in Canada to their JV partner, General Motors, says the Nikkei [sub]. That would be the end of a more than 20-year marriage. Interestingly, Suzuki says they will sell [...]

Daily automotive news and comment: UK: 2010 still a difficult year - Ford's Fleming

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 08:45:00 -0500

Ford of Europe chief John Fleming has said vehicle sales should recover at some point in 2010 or 2011 but added that an underlying weak economy makes forecasting for next year difficult. [...]

TCC Confidential: MORE: Another Day, Another Shakeup at GM: Lutz Reassigned

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 08:30:00 -0500

UPDATE: Following this morning's 9 am conference call for GM employees, further details have emerged on the latest shakeup at General Motors. "I want to give people responsibility and authority deeper in the organization, and then hold them accountable," said chairman of the board Ed Whitacre. To further that goal, [...]

Autoblog: LA 2009: Toyota debuts its plug-in Prius for North America

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 08:29:00 -0500

Filed under: LA Auto Show, Hybrid, Sedan, Technology, Hatchback, Toyota, Electric

Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid - Click above for high-res image gallery
Toyota rather unceremoniously parked their plug-in Prius hybrid prototype at its North American market [...]

Daily automotive news and comment: GERMANY: GM chief insists Europe restructuring essential for profit

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 08:19:00 -0500

Following an all-employee meeting at Opel headquarters in Rüsselsheim today, Opel/Vauxhall CEO Nick Reilly and works council chairman Klaus Franz said they were "united" in the goal of building a successful company again. [...]

Jalopnik: New GM CEO Futzes With Org Charts, Bob Lutz's "Maximum Marketer" Job [Carpocalypse]

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 08:15:00 -0500

Number of comments: 50
Bloomberg's reporting this morning new GM interim CEO Ed Whitacre's making big changes fast, drawing up a new management blueprint in "four hours" that ousts Bob Lutz from the role of "Maximum..." [...]

Auto Observer: More GM Gyrations: Lutz to be Reassigned, Reports say

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 08:08:08 -0500

General Motors Vice Chairman Bob Lutz is being reassigned to a new role and some younger execs will be moved up in the continuing shake-up of the management ranks, being outlined later Friday morning.

Chairman Ed Whitacre, who [...]

AutoblogGreen: Audi twists e-tron 3319 lb-ft torque rating

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 08:08:00 -0500

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Audi

Audi e-tron concept - Click above for high-res image gallery
When introduced at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September, Audi boasted its all-electric e-tron was fitted with four electric motors producing "230 kW (313 hp) and 4,500 Nm" [...]

TCC Confidential: L.A. Auto Show: 2010 Audi A3 TDI Earns Green Car Of The Year

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 08:06:00 -0500

The 2010 Audi A3 TDI has been dubbed Green Car of the Year, making it the second time in a row that a clean diesel vehicle has taken the honor. (Last year's winner? The 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI.) Ron Cogan -- editor of Green Car Journal, which presented [...]

The Truth About Cars: Ka-Ching! BAIC Has The Funds To Buy Saab

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 08:02:26 -0500

China’s BAIC has received a $2.93 billion line of credit from the Bank of China, says Reuters. The question of course is: What for? BAIC, the car company owned by the city of Beijing, has said before it might still be interested in buying Saab from GM. When questioned again, BAIC declined [...]

Autoblog: Porsche Design gears up for the sunshine with new driving and sportswear collection

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 08:01:00 -0500

Filed under: Etc., Porsche

Porsche Design Sport Spring/Summer 2010 Collection - Click above for high-res image gallery
It may be getting colder across the country, but in Porscheland, things are heating up. The German automaker just took the wraps off its ultimate [...]

Straightline: Pastrana to Attempt Record Setting Rally Car Jump on New Year's Eve

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 08:00:46 -0500

The kid is at it again -- trying to shorten his life, that is. But at the same time extending his string of firsts in the action sports world. This time Pastrana will attempt to jump a Subaru WRX STI rally car from the end [...]

Jalopnik: Custom 1991 NSX Convertible for $45,900! [Nice Price Or Crack Pipe]

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 08:00:00 -0500

Number of comments: 81
The Acura NSX was a vehicle of firsts — first production car with titanium connecting rods, etc. And today, Nice Price or Crack Pipe brings you the opportunity to be the first on your block to... [...]

Daily automotive news and comment: UK: Car sales up nearly 60% on scrap and tax incentives

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 08:00:00 -0500

New car sales in Britain jumped 57.6% in November compared to the same month last year, the biggest rise this year, as buyers continued to take advantage of a government incentive scheme and a temporary 2.5% cut in sales tax. [...]

Daily automotive news and comment: SWEDEN: Saab sells old 9-5 tooling to BAIC

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 07:39:00 -0500

Saab has sold the production equipment for its outgoing 9-5 models to Beijing Automotive Industry Holding Corp (BAIC), according to media reports. [...]

Wheels: Geek Squad to Test Mitsubishi i-MiEV Electric Car

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 07:30:48 -0500

Number of comments: 1
Mitsubishi says it plans on selling the funky-looking i-MiEV in the United States in the near future, but until then, it will supply the retail chain Best Buy with four examples. [...]

Daily automotive news and comment: UK: Renault F1 team said to be for sale

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 07:21:00 -0500

British race car and vehicle engineering specialist Prodrive is rumoured to be interested in acquiring Renault's Formula One team. [...]

Daily automotive news and comment: CHINA: SAIC, GM, to expand cooperation in Asia

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 07:17:00 -0500

China's Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation Group (SAIC) and General Motors Company on Friday said they would extend their cooperation in Asia to include model sharing and manufacturing facilities in India. [...]

Alternate Route: Friday Funnies

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 07:12:09 -0500

There are days when I really miss Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In, especially in a week where we have something like Tiger's self-inflicted soap opera going on. I can see the joke wall now...

Alan Sues: What's the difference between a Cadillac Escalade and a golf ball?

Judy Carne: Tiger [...]

The Truth About Cars: GM Sells Its Future To China

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 07:10:54 -0500

Number of comments: 9
And so it happened. Xinhua (translation via Gasgoo) has put on the wire that General Mayhem will “transfer half of its Indian operations to SAIC Motor by setting up a 50-50 joint venture there with the Chinese partner.” As expected, “GM and SAIC have also reached an agreement to transfer [...]

Straightline: Spy Photos: Next-Generation Porsche Cayenne

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 07:00:00 -0500

It's hard to believe, but the current Porsche Cayenne is entering its seventh year of production. Prototypes for Porsche's second-generation Cayenne have been seen countless times, but never with such minimal disguise as in these photos taken this week in Germany. Nearly [...]

Green Car Congress: European, Japanese and American Heavy-Duty Vehicle and Engine Manufacturers Call for Global Policy Cooperation to Improve Energy Efficiency and Emissions of Road Freight Transport

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 06:30:00 -0500

Number of comments: 1

The world’s leading heavy-duty vehicle and engine manufacturing companies are urging the close cooperation between policy makers in Europe, the United States and Japan to develop practical and effective fuel-efficiency measurement metrics, methodologies and regulations which would then be used all around the globe.

More than a dozen chief executives [...]

Green Car Congress: EIA: Total Greenhouse Gas Emissions in the US Down 2.2% in 2008; Transportation Sector Emissions Down 4.7%

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 06:03:00 -0500

Greenhouse gas emissions in the US economy, 2008. Source: EIA. Click to enlarge.

Total US greenhouse gas emissions in 2008 were 2.2% below the 2007 total, according to the just-released report by the US Energy Information Administration, Emissions of Greenhouse Gases in the United States 2008.

The [...]

Green Car Congress: PwC: Global Carbon Budget For 2000-2050 Could Be Exhausted By 2034

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 06:00:00 -0500

Global accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers has analyzed carbon emissions from 2000 to 2008 and concluded that the world’s “carbon emissions budget”, or ability to emit carbon dioxide while still maintaining a “fair chance” of limiting average global temperatures to no more than 2 ºC (3.6 ºF), is about 10% off [...]

Straightline: Effective Advertising? New Chrysler 300 Commercial Advocates for Release of Myanmar Dissident

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 06:00:00 -0500

So there's a new commercial for the Chrysler 300 that advocates for the release of a Myanmar pro-democracy/human rights leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, who is under house arrest for most of the last 14 years.

We support the release of Aung San Suu Kyi, too, but this is [...]

Karl on Cars: Weekly Top 3: Lessons From The 2009 L.A. Auto Show

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 06:00:00 -0500

So I've been hanging out at the Auto Show this week, and I am extremely pleased to report that I have learned exactly three worthwhile lessons. Weekly Top 3? Three lessons? Just in time for my inaugural CarPool post on December 3rd 4th? Sometimes, friends, everything happens for a reason. Read on,' [...]

TCC Confidential: Mitsubishi Planning New Compact SUV And Minicar For U.S.

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 05:59:00 -0500

It's no secret that Mitsubishi's sales performance in the U.S. has been floundering in recent years. Sales, in the first nine months alone, are down 47% for Mitsubishi. While other Japanese automakers like Honda, Toyota and Nissan have experienced increase sales in the past couple of years, Mitsubishi has [...]

Autoblog: AutoblogGreen for 12.04.09

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 05:53:00 -0500

#saleschart { border: 0px solid #333; border-collapse: collapse; } #saleschart td { padding: 7px; border-bottom: 0px solid #ccc; vertical-align: top; margin: 0; line-height: 1.3em; font-size: 100%;} #saleschart th.bottomrow { border-right: 1px solid #333; } #saleschart tr.features1 { border-top: 1px solid #333; } #saleschart td.bottomrow2 [...]

Daily automotive news and comment: NEW ZEALAND: November sales down by month and year

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 05:33:00 -0500

November new car sales of 4,486, though down on last month's registrations and November 2008 results, were in line with the industry forecast for 2009, New Zealand's Motor Industry Association (MIA) said on Friday. [...]

Daily automotive news and comment: LA SHOW: VW on the Up!

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 05:10:00 -0500

Volkswagen this week chose the Los Angeles motor show - in a state where import brands mostly dominate the sales charts for the the world premiere of its Up! Lite concept with hybrid driveline which, it claimed, is the world's most fuel-efficient four-seater. [...]

Straightline: You Write the Caption

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 03:01:00 -0500

Welcome to the inaugural Friday caption contest on Straightline.

This contest will run simultaneously with the weekly contest on the Long-Term Road Test blog, and it works just the same: You submit your captions, we pick a winner at 4 p.m. Pacific [...]

BlueOvalNews Feed: READY FOR WINTER? FORD ADDS NEW REMOTE START FEATURE, HEATED STEERING WHEEL TO WARM CUSTOMERS

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 02:53:59 -0500

Ford, responding to increasing consumer demand, is heating up its vehicle lineup with winter-weather options including a factory-installed remote start system and heated steering wheel. . . . [...]

BlueOvalNews Feed: FORD TO PARTICIPATE IN GOLDMAN SACHS 2009 GLOBAL AUTOS CONFERENCE

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 02:52:29 -0500

On Friday, Dec. 4, John Fleming, executive vice president and chairman and CEO, Ford of Europe, [...]

The Truth About Cars: GM Out Of Control In China, India

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 00:35:04 -0500

Number of comments: 6
China and the world are waiting for a press conference to be held at 5pm local time (0900 zulu,) for which GM is promising “some important GM news,” relating to SAIC, says Reuters. Nick Reilly will take time off from restructuring Opel, and will personally host the conference. It is widely expected [...]

Autoblog: LA 2009: Custom "Mazdaspeed2" tops the fun-per-pound charts in LA

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 22:02:00 -0500

Filed under: Concept Cars, LA Auto Show, Motorsports, Budget, Performance, Hatchback, Mazda

Mazdaspeed2 Concept - Click above for high-res image gallery

As cool as some of those custom Ford Fiestas are at the LA Auto Show, these even tidier [...]

Corvette: Sales, News & Lifestyle: Loma Performance Unveils the Corvette C6.BlackforceOne

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 22:01:00 -0500

German-based tuner Loma Performance takes the term "wide body" to a whole new realm with its "BlackforceOne" Corvette package. The only thing that falls flat here is the press releases comparison that this Corvette is somehow "reminiscent" of Boeing's Air Force One. [...]

Autoblog: REPORT: Audi twists e-tron concept's 3319 lb-ft torque rating

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 21:27:00 -0500

Filed under: Etc., Technology, Audi, Electric

Straightline: Mazda Reaches Out to Bloggers for the Mazda 2

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 21:00:00 -0500

There were a bunch of us swarming around the 2011 Mazda 2 after the curtain had dropped down around it just moments before at its reveal during the Los Angeles auto show during press day. Mazda's new entry into a B-car segment [...]

Autoblog: LA 2009: Luna and Toby model the 2010 Honda Element Dog Friendly package

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 20:58:00 -0500

Filed under: Aftermarket, LA Auto Show, SUV, Wagon, Etc., Crossover, Honda, Specialty

Luna, left, and Toby, model the Honda Element Dog Friendly edition - Click above for high-res image gallery
Honda certainly can't be accused of running a dog' [...]

Leftlane News: 2009 Los Angeles Auto Show: The Definitive Roundup

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 20:52:15 -0500

Number of comments: 10
The media preview days of the 2009 Los Angeles Auto Show have come to an end, thus concluding our coverage of the event. We’ve put together a roundup of all the major debuts that took place this year, including several production cars and a handful of concepts. All 347,000 square feet [...]

Autoblog: Ford accepting applications for Fiesta Movement 2

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 20:28:00 -0500

Filed under: Budget, Sedan, Marketing/Advertising, Hatchback, Ford

2011 Ford Fiesta - Click above for high-res image gallery

Ford finally unveiled the U.S. version of its B-Segment Fiesta yesterday at the LA Auto Show, and thanks to some clever marketing, [...]

Straightline: Road Debut of Ford Fiesta S2000 at Rally Scotland

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 20:12:29 -0500

Several weeks ago we covered the unveiling of the Ford Fiesta S2000 rally car in Cumbria, England. Built by M Sport, the company which builds Ford's current Focus WRC, the Fiesta is scheduled to replace the Focus in the WRC in 2011 (albeit with a smaller 1600cc turbocharged [...]

Autoblog: LA 2009: Hands-on with Hughes and Mercedes-Benz's new telematics apps

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 19:59:00 -0500

Filed under: LA Auto Show, Etc., Technology, Mercedes-Benz

Hughes Telematics recently announced its partnership with Mercedes-Benz on the automaker's new line of "mbrace" mobile telematics solutions. The system, which connects mbrace-equipped vehicles with an app installed on the [...]

The Truth About Cars: Ask The Best And Brightest: Will Ed Whitacre Hire Himself?

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 19:55:30 -0500

Number of comments: 22
If there’s a word to describe the feeling inside GM right now, it would be “nervous.” Though nobody was surprised that Fritz Henderson would leave at some point, it’s clear that his ouster was strangely timed and indicative of Ed Whitacre’s desire for rapid results. In an instant, Whitacre public [...]

AutoblogGreen: LA 2009: Mitsubishi will bring an EV to U.S. in 2011, but it might not be the i-MiEV

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 19:42:00 -0500

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Mitsubishi, LA Auto Show

Mitsubishi i-MiEV - click above for high-res image gallery
Here's a line from Mitsubishi's press release dated April 9, 2009:
Ending months of heightening speculation, Mitsubishi Motors North America President and CEO Shinichi Kurihara confirmed [...]

Autoblog: LA 2009: Galpin Motors makes up for Aston Martin no-show, brings the whole lineup

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 19:32:00 -0500

Filed under: LA Auto Show, Performance, Aston Martin

Galpin Aston Martin at the 2009 Los Angeles Auto Show - Click above for a high-res image gallery
It's been a meager LA Auto Show this year for exotic cars. Many didn't even show' [...]

Autoblog: Inside Line editors pick their 'Most Wanted' for 2010 - do you agree?

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 19:00:00 -0500

Filed under: Audi, Ford, Mazda, Porsche

Inside Line Most Wanted 2010 - Click above for high-res image gallery
We love award season, even if it is a bit tough to keep up with them all. Motor Trend has a set of [...]

Straightline: Audi A3 TDI Wins Green Car of the Year Award

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 18:44:27 -0500

The Germans have been telling us for oh, decades now, that diesel is the answer to all our problems. And now it looks like the green movement has fallen under their spell as the Audi A3 TDI took home [...]

Karl on Cars: 2009 LA Auto Show: Mitsubishi i-MiEV

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 18:41:29 -0500

The i-MiEV will be included in Best Buy's Geek Squad tech service fleet.

Mitsubishi has gotten on the electric-car bandwagon with the i-MiEV, a cheerful little sedan that kind of reminds me of a door stopper. The i-MiEV has a range of 100 [...]

Autoblog: LA 2009: Audi A3 TDI named 2010 Green Car of the Year in diesel repeat

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 18:41:00 -0500

Filed under: LA Auto Show, Hatchback, Audi, Diesel

Audi A3 TDI - Click above for high-res image gallery

At the LA Auto Show this morning, the Audi A3 TDI was crowned the 2010 Green Car of the Year, [...]

Jalopnik: BMW 5 Series GT Has Some Positive Elements [La Auto Show]

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 18:40:00 -0500

Number of comments: 89
In case you were wondering, there are some redeeming characteristics to the BMW 5 Series GT. First, it's got frameless windows, which are always cool in our book. Also, with the half-hatch open, it... [...]

AutoblogGreen: Ford: New remote start option will reduce harmful emissions by up to 75%

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 18:33:00 -0500

Filed under: Etc., Ford, Lincoln, Mercury

Good news, Ford fans: The Blue Oval is finally stepping into the 21st Century by adding remote start and heated steering wheels to its line of cars and trucks. The remote start option will [...]

Autoblog: Suzuki's Kizashi Test Drive Challenge offers $100 to Audi A4 and Acura TSX buyers

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 18:20:00 -0500

Filed under: Car Buying, Sedan, Acura, Audi, Suzuki

2010 Suzuki Kizashi - Click above for high-res image gallery
It's best to aim high, right? While most of the automotive world (ourselves included) are busy comparing the rather wonderful Suzuki [...]

Jalopnik: Scion Kogi xD Mobile Kitchen: Insert Iron (and Steel) Chef Joke Here [La Auto Show]

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 18:20:00 -0500

Number of comments: 59
Hello, Kitchen Car. Hello, built-in grill; hello, mini fridge; hello, ice chest and sink. Will you be my friend? Can I cook in you? Are you the cutest little mobile cookspace that ever was? I think... [...]

Autoblog: LA 2009: Bye-bye boxy, hello 2010 Hyundai Tucson

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 18:19:00 -0500

Filed under: LA Auto Show, Crossover, Hyundai

2010 Hyundai Tucson - Click above for high-res image gallery
Hyundai just took the wraps off their all new 2010 Tucson CUV. A right-sized (i.e. compact) crossover designed in Frankfurt, Germany - as opposed to [...]

Ask Patty: Envisioning the Ultimate Youthmobile at the Los Angeles Auto Show

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 18:13:59 -0500

As timeless as hanging out at the mall, automobiles have played an important role in young people's social lives, acting as a means of self expression as well as a necessary tool for interacting with friends. Today, communication technology is changing how we connect and [...]

Straightline: SMS 570X at the L.A. Auto Show

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 18:10:00 -0500

We saw Steve Saleen's nasty (i.e., either wicked or tacky, depending on your perspective) SMS 570X at the 2009 L.A. Auto Show yesterday -- surrounded by the displays of Fisker, Spyker, and Aston!

The 570X debuted [...]

Autoblog: Best Buy Geek Squads to start testing Mitsubishi i-MiEV

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 17:58:00 -0500

Filed under: LA Auto Show, Hatchback, Mitsubishi, Specialty, Electric

Mitsubishi Geek Squad i-MiEV - Click above for high-res image gallery
While Mitsubishi didn't unveil any new vehicles at the LA Auto Show today, company president Osamu Masuko did announce' [...]

Autoblog: Ready, Set, Go! Clever stoplight concept counts down to green

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 17:40:00 -0500

Filed under: Safety, Technology

Eko stop light - Click above for image gallery

We've got the stoplights in our neighborhood timed pretty well, but it's pretty painful when you're at a foreign intersection and have absolutely no idea when the light will turn [...]

Green Car Congress: MIT Researchers Propose Using Solid Oxide Fuel Cells for Natural Gas Power Generation With Zero Emissions

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 17:30:01 -0500

Number of comments: 10

MIT researchers are proposing a novel electricity generation process using natural gas and solid oxide fuel cells at high electrical efficiency (74%HHV) with zero atmospheric emissions. A paper on their work is in press in the Journal of Power Sources.

The system suggested by Postdoctoral associate Thomas Adams and [...]

AutoblogGreen: Renault EVs to be available for test drives during Copenhagen climate conference

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 17:22:00 -0500

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Renault

Renault Fluence ZE Concept - click above for high-res image gallery
When attendees get to the big climate change conference in Copenhagen next week, they will have an opportunity to sample some of Renault's upcoming fleet of electric vehicles. A sampling of [...]

TCC Confidential: CARS Trades, New Models Bring Subaru A Record Year Of Sales

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 17:21:00 -0500

As overall auto sales have slumped, Subaru has been one of the few bright spots in the auto industry this year, with many year-over-year sales increases to report; in fact, through November of this calendar year, Subaru has already sold as many vehicles as it did in all [...]

Straightline: Baja 1000 Toyota 4Runner Stops by L.A. Auto Show Before Bath

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 17:20:59 -0500

The 2010 4Runner didn't win the Stock Mini class in last month's Baja 1000, but it definitely got dirty. And Toyota didn't bother running it through a car wash before parking it on its stand at the 2009 L.A. [...]

Autoblog: LA 2009: BMW ActiveHybrids get North American debut; 7 Series model priced from $103,125

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 17:20:00 -0500

Filed under: Concept Cars, LA Auto Show, Coupe, Hybrid, Sedan, Performance, Crossover, BMW, Luxury

BMW ActiveHybrid X6 - Click above for high-res image gallery
BMW took advantage of California's proclivity for greenwashing to give its ActiveHybrid [...]

Karl on Cars: The Rise of the Fastback or, When Form over Function Gets Foolish

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 17:20:00 -0500

Fastback styling is back in a big way. Giving the impression of speed when the car is standing still, this head-turning school of design was used on Talbot-Logos and Packards in the '30s, many American cars in the '40s and '50s and of course, the pony/muscle cars [...]

The Truth About Cars: GM, Chrysler Agree To Reconsider Dealer Cull

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 17:17:32 -0500

Number of comments: 19
Bowing to legislative pressure, GM and Chrysler have announced today that they will initiate reviews of the dealer cull undertaken during bankruptcy. GM is announcing a “Comprehensive Plan To Address Dealer Concerns,” while Chrysler characterizes its agreement as a “Binding Independent Review Process for Discontinued Dealers.” Both firms take pains [...]

Inside Line Automotive News: GM China Sales Set Record

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 17:06:00 -0500

U.S. automaker sets new all-time mark in November, as its year-to-date sales in China top 1.6 million units. [...]

Jalopnik: Commenter Of The Day: Andy Wilman Edition [Commenter Of The Day]

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 17:00:00 -0500

Number of comments: 36
Andy Wilman is the producer of and writer for Top Gear. You probably haven't heard of him because he typically stays behind the scenes, but it's largely him and not Clarkson, May or Hammond that we...' [...]

Autoblog: LA 2009: Ford Taurus and Volvo XC60 named International Car and Truck of the Year

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 16:58:00 -0500

Filed under: LA Auto Show, Sedan, Crossover, Ford, Volvo

Ford Taurus and Volvo VX60 named International Car of the Year - Click above for high-res image gallery
Hold onto your hats folks, because while magazine award ceremonies [...]

Green Car Congress: Omnitek Awarded License to Convert Diesel Engines to Operate on Natural Gas in Peru

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 16:39:40 -0500

Number of comments: 1

Omnitek Engineering Corporation has been granted a license from the government of Peru to perform diesel-to-natural-gas conversions in the country. The conversions will be performed under a Productores de Equipos Completos, PEC, (Complete Equipment Producers) license.

In March the company entered the Peruvian market with a multi-year contract to convert [...]

Autoblog: Fifth Gear: Hope yet for Britain's other car show?

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 16:39:00 -0500

Filed under: Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, UK, Celebrities, Rumormill

Our heart goes out to the crew at Fifth Gear. It really does. Because it's got to be tough living in the shadow of the BBC show that spawned it. We're talking about Top Gear, of' [...]

TCC Confidential: Focus On Fours, Direct Injection Helps Keep Hyundai On A Roll

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 16:37:00 -0500

As shoppers remain worried about the day-to-day economics of driving, Hyundai is looking like one of the best-prepared automakers. The automaker has a new focus, for its new and upcoming products, of keeping weight and engine size down, and it shows both in the new 2010 Tucson introduced at [...]

Jalopnik: 2010 Subaru Impreza WRX STI Special Edition: Because "Antidisestablishmentarianism" Was Taken [La Auto Show]

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 16:30:00 -0500

Subaru's STI Special Edition is essentially an ordinary STI with the suspension of the Japanese-market STI Spec C and the longest vehicle name in all of creation. Details, gallery, and press release... [...]

Karl on Cars: 2009 LA Auto Show: Images from the Show Floor

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 16:30:00 -0500

There's a veritable feast for the eyes at the L.A. Auto Show -- from the ridiculous to the sublime. Click through to see the gallery.

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