Industry
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At present the only Alfa Romeos on sale on these shores is the 4C sports car and its 4C Spider convertible variant. Over the coming years, the automaker will start adding more models to its lineup, with an aim to have at least eight separate model lines by 2018. This will also require the addition of more engines, but rather than borrow units from sister brand Fiat, as has been the case in the past, Alfa plans to introduce new, more exciting powerplants. In an announcement made this week, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles [NYSE:FCAU] CEO Sergio Marchionne confirmed that Alfa Romeo will start...
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Aston Martin And Fisker Settle Things "Amicably"Project Thunderbolt is a no-go. That's the official (and expected) word coming forth as Aston Martin and Henrik Fisker have apparently resolved their lawsuit. For those not familiar with the story, this all started when Fisker presented a new design study for a potential limited-run build of a car...
Jeff Glucker -
VW To Establish New Engineering Center At U.S. PlantGerman auto giant Volkswagen is furthering its commitment to the U.S. market with the establishment of a new engineering center at its plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The new center should help increase local input in vehicles designed for the U.S. market as well as speed up their development...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
On Heels Of Cadillac Leaving Livery, MGM Resorts Adopts CNG-Powered XTS Stretch LimosWhile Cadillac is moving out of the livery segment—it doesn't jive with new chief Johan de Nysschen's vision for the brand—we'll be seeing XTS-based limos on the road for years to come. With that in mind, MGM Resorts International has adopted the world's first fleet of CNG-fueled...
John Coyle -
Ralph Gilles Named Fiat Chrysler Automobiles Design ChiefFiat Chrysler Automobiles [NYSE:FCAU] has promoted its straight-shooting designer—and weekend racer—Ralph Gilles to the role of head of design for the group. At the same time, Gilles has also been appointed a member of FCA’s overarching Group Executive Council, led by CEO and...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
High-Fidelity Allstars: Harman Buys Bang & Olufsen Automotive BusinessPremium audio company Harman has added another arrow to its quiver of boutique marques with the acquisition of Bang & Olufsen's automotive business. ALSO SEE: 2016 Cadillac CT6 Revealed Ahead Of New York Auto Show The legendary Danish company—arguably as famous for its stunning designs as...
John Coyle -
Lately, there have been rumors Honda’s version of the Civic compact hatch sold overseas will be offered in the U.S. in the near future, raising hopes that the Civic Type R performance flagship will come with it. Things really heated up when a prototype for the new Civic Type R was spotted testing on U.S. soil, not too far from a factory where Honda plans to build new turbocharged four-cylinder engines. And then, just a couple of weeks ago, reports out of Japan claimed Honda will start selling its Civic hatch in North America by as early as the summer of 2016. ALSO SEE: Lincoln...
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Volvo To Build Cars In U.S.Volvo has confirmed plans for a new vehicle assembly plant in the U.S. The Swedish automaker, owned by Chinese automaker Geely as well as the Chinese government, is committed to spending $500 million in the plant, which is expected to come online around 2018. A location is yet to be confirmed, with...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
BMW Celebrates Three Millionth Vehicle In Spartanburg, Status As Largest U.S. Auto ExporterWhile enthusiasts the world over still complain about forbidden fruit, in reality, today's automotive industry is more global than ever. Fiat and Chrysler have merged, Pirelli is now—in a Twilight Zone-worthy twist—property of the Chinese government, Jaguar Land Rover is a subsidiary of...
John Coyle -
Toyota previews new TNGA modular platformToyota is implementing a raft of measures to ensure it remains among the top automakers not only in terms of volume but profitability, too. And one of the key measures is the introduction of a new modular platform, the Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA), designed for mid-size cars. Other...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Pirelli Sold To State-Owned ChemChina, Pininfarina May Go To MahindraPirelli will be sold to state-owned China National Chemical Corp (ChemChina) after shareholders for the Italian tire manufacturer agreed to the deal, estimated to be worth 7.3 billion euros (approximately $8 billion). Pirelli is the fifth largest tire manufacturer in the world and is known for its...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
L3 Holding Buys Rights To De Tomaso, Promises Mid-Engine Sports CarLegendary Italian performance brand De Tomaso, at one time a Formula One constructor and maker of some tasty sports cars like the Pantera and Mangusta, recently came close to a revival when earlier this decade a group led by a former Fiat exec bought the rights and announced plans for some new...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
British billionaire Richard Branson has hinted that his Virgin empire may eventually expand into the world of electric cars, sparking speculation that it may not be just Apple and Google posing a threat to the standalone car brands. Speaking to Bloomberg at the recent Formula E electric car race in Miami, a competition in which Virgin competes under the Virgin Racing banner, Branson confirmed that he had people working on electric cars. "We have teams of people working on electric cars," Branson replied when quizzed about Virgin’s participation in the Formula E Championship. "So you...
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Buick And Jaguar Top 2015 J.D. Power Customer Service StudyAccording to the customers surveyed in J.D. Power’s latest Customer Service Index (CSI) study, Buick and Jaguar had the most satisfying dealerships among mainstream and luxury brands respectively. Buick has been at or near the top for the past several years but for Jaguar it’s a return...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Tesla Can Now Sell Directly To Public In New JerseyNew Jersey Governor Chris Christie today signed into law a provision for Tesla Motors’ [NSDQ:TSLA] unorthodox direct-sales model in the state. Dealer associations have been fighting to block Tesla’s direct-to-consumer model in several states, including New Jersey. ALSO SEE: Watch Kids...
Nelson Ireson -
Maserati Cutting Ghibli And Quattroporte Production On Back Of Slowing DemandAfter posting record sales of 36,500 units in 2014 thanks mostly to the new Quattroporte and Ghibli sedans, Maserati is finding that demand is now cooling off and that production needs to be curtailed. That’s the word of a union official who spoke recently to Automotive News (subscription...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Elon Musk: Autonomous Cars May Lead To Driving Being OutlawedTesla Motors [NSDQ:TSLA] CEO Elon Musk has come out and stated what many opponents of autonomous cars may be secretly fearing: driving becoming outlawed. Musk made the comments at a conference held by tech company Nvidia on Tuesday. “In the distant future, I think people may outlaw driving...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Mercedes To Build Next-Gen Sprinter Van At New South Carolina PlantHot on the heels of last week’s confirmation of Mercedes-Benz’s V-Class-based Metris mid-size van for the U.S. market, the German automaker has now announced that the next generation of its full-size Sprinter van will be built at a new plant located in Charleston, South Carolina. The...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
When we learned China's Foton was going to officially relaunch—after half a century of dormancy—Germany's Borgward marque at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show, we thought the company's long-rumored concept might finally be ready for prime time. MUST WATCH: Here's A ‘Furious 7’ Extended Look Video But as opposed to any 21st century sheet metal, the spotlight was on a gorgeous two-tone 1957 Isabella Coupe. We'll have to wait until the 2015 Frankfurt Auto Show—scheduled for September—to get a first glimpse of what a reborn Borgward will look like. There were...
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Mazda Starts Production Of New MX-5 MiataMazda this week began production of the all-new MX-5 Miata, which is due to go on sale here later in the year as a 2016 model. The home of the MX-5 is Mazda’s Ujina Plant No.1 located in Hiroshima, Japan, and it is at this plant that Fiat’s version of the new MX-5, which was recently...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Detroit Electric Opens First ShowroomAfter revealing its upcoming SP:01 sports car in production trim earlier this year, revived electric car company Detroit Electric is now showing off its first showroom, a new flagship store adjacent to the company’s plant in Leamington Spa, England. The new showroom will enable potential...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
China's Foton Set To Launch Revival Of Borgward At The Geneva Motor ShowEven among auto enthusiasts, the Borgward name isn't particularly well known. During its heyday, the brand was distinguished by its use of advanced technology, but the last time a car sporting the Borgward badge rolled off the line in Germany, the Beatles were playing the Cavern Club, John F...
John Coyle -
Lexus Tops Dependability Study In 2015, GM Brands Perform WellLexus has been voted the most dependable brand for the fourth year in a row in J.D. Power’s Vehicle Dependability Study, which for 2015 saw the average number of problems per brand rise significantly. It should be noted, however, that criteria for the study was enhanced this year, particular...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Honda replaces CEO amid Takata airbag recall fiasco and slowing salesSupplier firm Takata’s ongoing airbag recall has affected a number of automakers but primarily its biggest customer, fellow Japanese firm Honda, which on Monday announced that its embroiled CEO Takanobu Ito will be replaced. News of the defective Takata airbags, which have inflators that can...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran