Industry

Chrysler CEO Robert Nardelli revealed yesterday that he expects the carmaker to remain in private hands for the next three years at least and was confident in the decisions being made by current owners, Cerberus Capital Management. Under its guidance, Chrysler has adopted a streamlined strategy...

Last month we reported that Ford would bring its European Kuga crossover and C-Max MPV to North America after the launch of the new Fiesta and next-generation Focus, and now latest reports claim Ford is set to retool its U.S. truck plans to build smaller passenger vehicles, including several...

A tax credit that makes it more affordable for American carmakers and companies in many other industries throughout the U.S. to invest in their respective research and development cycles expired at the end of 2007. The bill that would have reinstated it failed to pass the Senate by 10 votes...

The U.S. auto industry may be going through its worst slump in decades but that doesn’t mean it’s not a good opportunity for investors. That’s the belief of Michael Dell, CEO of the Dell computer company, who together with former Sonic Automotive President Jeffrey Rachor plans to...

The UK’s coolest brand is likely to go public within just three to four years if company chairman David Richards has his way. Aston Martin was sold last year in a historic deal that saw ownership transferred to Richards and a consortium of Kuwaiti investors and these investors are now looking...

General Motors' sales fell off more than 25% in May, thanks largely to a precipitous drop in large SUV and pickup truck sales. To counter the drop GM is going to focus on pushing its two-mode hybrid large SUVs. The company thinks more people would buy them if only they were aware they existed...

Rising fuel prices and demand for smaller vehicles are hitting sales of big SUVs and pickup trucks the hardest, and with the segment expected to shrink by about 500,000 units this year the launch of the next-generation Ford F-150 and Dodge Ram pickups couldn’t come at a worse time. Pickup...

May sales in the U.S. fell more than 25% for Chrysler compared to 2007 levels, but the company's sales outside the North American market have been on the upswing for 36 consecutive months. The growth is modest, but steady, and shows the company is capable of drawing new customers despite tough...

Update: BMW has responded to the reports of its difficulty in cutting its global overhead with a flat denial. The company says it has already had over 1,000 employees sign termination agreements, in stark contrast to the reports of only a few hundred terminations, first made by Germany's...

Despite having to drastically cut its SUV and pickup truck production in North America and shutdown several plants, GM CEO Rick Wagoner has defended criticism that Detroit’s carmakers have relied too heavily on SUV and truck sales and have been reluctant to develop more compact vehicles...

The latest report from influential analytical firm Harbour Consulting-Oliver Wyman has found that Chrysler’s Supplier Park plant in Toledo, Ohio, is the most efficient vehicle assembly plant in North America. Not only that, the Harbour Report also found that Chrysler’s overall...

Declining sales of pickups and SUVs has forced both GM and Ford to announce drastic production and job cuts and has even forced industry leader Toyota to readjust its outlook and sales projections for the rest of the year. Chrysler may be next to announce a round of cuts as its profits are heavily...

Oil independence has been the holy grail of American energy policy for years, but now experts in the field believe the United States could achieve the goal as early as 2030 - if the correct policy decisions are made. Robert Greene, a fellow at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, believes that oil...

Current roof-crush regulations require all cars sold in the U.S. to support 1.5 times their weight on their roofs on one side of the car. New rules proposed by the NHTSA would have the entire roof required to support 2.5 times the car's weight. Strong opposition is arising in the U.S. Senate, with...

Unsurprisingly, luxury makers topped the charts of J.D. Power's latest initial quality survey, but Ford's Mercury marque has risen to settle just behind Toyota for second among the mainstream brands. General Motors' brands also had a strong showing, with four of the maker's nameplates ranking above...

There's no doubt that the U.S. auto industry is facing tough times for foreign and domestic manufacturers alike. But it's not all doom and gloom - even though the overall market is down, and several companies are showing significant losses, a few dark horses are making a run at increases, including...

The restructuring plan announced today by General Motors shows a complete corporate strategy for adapting to the structural changes taking place in the American market. Unfortunately, that means some plants will have to be closed and some jobs cut. Among the first to go will be the Oshawa truck...

Despite fears of a worsening economy, rising fuel prices and shifting demand for smaller cars, Ford won’t be scaling back sales targets for its latest 2009 models such as the upcoming Flex crossover and the recently launched Lincoln MKS sedan. Last month Ford announced that it would cut...

GM today announced a range of strategic initiatives in response to growing demand for fuel-efficient vehicles and to economic and market challenges in North America. The major initiatives announced include new car and powertrain programs to meet changing demand in the U.S., new production details...

Detroit's Big Three have come under fire lately for their lack of preparation for the CAFE regulations and rising fuel prices. But good news about the changes that are being made inside their operations is starting to issue from the carmakers, and Chrysler is among the first to show improvement...