Industry

A German automotive supply company has announced a system that applies basic principles of sonic tuning to produce an exhaust system capable of rendering nearly any sound desired. The problem of hybrid cars being too quiet for pedestrian safety is well-known, but the company also sees other, more...

A recall for 200,000 North American BMW vehicles with potentially malfunctioning airbags was revealed today in a bulletin by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The bulletin states the affected vehicles include: 2004 and 2005 5-series sedans, 2004-2006 X3 SUVs and a portion...

While the American auto market shifts towards smaller vehicles, manufacturers are struggling to make large profit margins on their compact cars, which traditionally have been supplementary to truck and large car business. Ford has a plan to increase profit margins on small cars, however, by...

Saving jobs and investing new money in plant expansion is a story that runs against the current of the industry's present outlook, but Chrysler today announced it will be doing exactly that. By building a new body shop and upgrading its paint operations at the Jefferson North plant in Detroit...

A drop in the price at the pump won't deter Ford from its plan to revamp its North American lineup, a company official said today. This year's first-half fuel price rises prompted the entire industry to change its tactics even as they face dismal sales on product lines better suited to fuel prices...

The impending Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) regulations are set to have a major impact on the types of vehicles both sold and produced in the United States, as carmakers resort to changing the composition of their lineups to meet the tough new standards. The stringent guidelines set by the...

Toyota is now well-recognized as the world’s biggest and most profitable carmaker but even it cannot afford to see its closest rivals go out of business. Given the tightly interlinked ties between carmakers, suppliers and regulators, even if one major company goes under it could spell serious...

A report released today by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reveals that the vehicles produced during the first half of 2008 have set the record for the most fuel efficient to date. Including both cars and light trucks (meaning both pickups and SUVs), the national average...

Mary Ann Wright, head of the hybrid-battery joint venture for Johnson Controls and Saft has made a strong statement about the need for new thought and organization for the government officials and agencies that deal with the advanced vehicle industry. Criticizing the U.S. Council for Automotive...

The struggle to save energy is forcing businesses and governments alike to rethink their energy usage from every angle. Chrysler has come up with a proposal for the UAW that would see both the Detroit company and all of its employees using less energy every day during production by switching to a...

Fans and owners of Carroll Shelby's creations in the Shelby American Auto Club (SAAC) have come to a resolution with the man himself, ending the battle that started earlier this year. The basis of the disagreement was over Shelby's perception of the club's use of his image and likeness for profit...

Carmakers are struggling and the global economy is straining under the weight of high oil prices, but cars haven't been this affordable in nearly 30 years. Calculated by relating the number of weeks it takes for the median family's income to pay for the average new-vehicle price, the quarterly...

Volkswagen's Jetta TDI is already eligible for a $1,300 tax credit courtesy of the Internal Revenue Service, thanks to its clean diesel engine. Now, the IRS has also extended this to certain Mercedes-Benz models. Previously the federal alternative-powertrain tax credit only applied to hybrid...

Last week saw Toyota announce its first profit drop in nine years, with the carmaker revealing a 39% decline in its global operating profit the quarter ending in June this year. The industry juggernaut has now revealed an even worse result in percentage terms for its North American unit, with...

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) has expressed an interest in purchasing a large stake in Daimler, according to new reports from Germany. The ADIA is wholly owned by the Abu Dhabi Government and is purported to be one of the largest wealth funds in the world, with estimates for the fund...

Fuel isn't the only substance in a car made from oil. Many synthetic plastics are also petroleum-derived, and automakers are looking to recycling as a way of reducing the costs of the flexible material. So far the plans don't include much in the way of using recycled plastic on the user-interface...

In an effort to ramp up availability of its small cars for the North American market, General Motors has officially started production at its San Luis Potosi complex in Mexico. The plant will be building the Daewoo-based Aveo (Aveo5 model pictured)for sale throughout the continent. The plant...

You may not know him by name, but Frank Stephenson is the man responsible for the designs of the Mini Cooper, the Fiat 500 and the Alfa Romeo Mi.To - three of the most lauded hatchbacks of the last decade. He is also responsible for the design of the Ferrari F430 and 612 Scaglietti in addition to...

The European Union has taken the first major steps to establishing a next-generation vehicle-to-vehicle communications system by passing a motion today to reserve an EU-wide frequency band for vehicle applications. With a targeted goal of reducing road accidents, today’s motion aims at...

Switzerland's political system, like that of California and several other states and nations, allows for individuals to propose legislation upon the gathering of enough signatures to support the bill. One such proposition by the youth section of the Swiss Green Party would ban all vehicles weighing...