Industry

With all the industry talk lately about batteries, the plants that build them and the technologies used in their construction it's clear that much of the automotive future will center around them. It turns out that a good portion of GM's present does too, thanks to 9,000 hybrids failing due to...

Porsche’s slowly tightening grip on Volkswagen is causing some ruffled feathers among upper management. Porsche is on the verge of increasing its stake beyond 50% in Europe’s largest carmaker and is expected to flex its muscles by controlling everything from product development to labor...

While U.S. automakers are rushing to develop new small cars to take advantage of the rapidly growing market, established players like Honda is having trouble keeping up with the strong demand and is being forced to look at ways to boost production. Sales of the Honda Civic in the U.S. have...

Cerberus Capital Management has denied selling any portion of its investment in Chrysler. A report earlier today by Financial Times, which was widely propagated by other sites, claimed that Cerberus Capial Management had sold over half its stake in the two firms to a consortium of 90 private...

Ford today completed the sale of its Jaguar and Land Rover operations to Tata Motors after first announcing the Indian carmaker as the next owner back in March. The sale is the culmination of Ford’s decision last August to explore strategic options for the Jaguar and Land Rover businesses, as...

The Detroit 3 have been berated from every direction for failing to anticipate the growth in sales of fuel-efficient vehicles, and now the trio are engaged in an uphill battle to reclaim market share largely lost to foreign rivals that offer a range of compact models and advanced hybrids. Catching...

Rising production costs and tighter margins are leading BMW to shift production of its vehicles to their most popular markets. Because BMW expects the X1 small SUV to sell primarily in Europe, and especially Germany, the company has announced it will produce it at the Leipzig plant. The X1 small...

Car buyers, especially those in the U.S., have historically been at little risk of over-thinking a purchase decision, instead relying on emotional or aesthetic factors. But as fuel prices soar, more buyers are purchasing with their heads, not their hearts, and that could drive consumers away from...

The world's best-selling hybrid is currently built in Japan and China, but with demand for the efficient cars in the U.S. remaining high, Toyota is reportedly considering adding Prius production to its joint-venture facility operated with General Motors. The two companies already use the New United...

The American auto industry is getting ready to take more losses this year as expectations for light-vehicle sales reach 13-year lows. Standard & Poor’s, a credit-rating agency, has expected light-vehicle sales to fall to 14.8 million units, and it will be the first time this figure has been...

Although fuel prices in the U.S. are low by global standards, recent price rises have brought the cost per gallon up by nearly 25%, precipitating strong change in the vehicle preferences of many Americans. In a pattern that intensified sharply in the past two months, buyers have been moving away...

Honda plans to increase supply of its Civic to meet increased demand for small cars in North America by freeing up capacity at its Alliston plant in Canada to make way for more production of the popular sedan. Honda will do this by moving production of the Pilot SUV and Ridgeline pickup, also...

Ford is continuing with its aggressive turnaround plan in its bid to recover from multi-billion dollar losses in 2007, with the latest measure, announced on Wednesday, set to shed more than 2,000 of its full-time salary jobs in North America. We’ve already seen Ford cut the number of its...

Falling demand for SUVs and pickups and the compounded effects of rising fuel prices and a slowing economy are hitting American automakers hard. Already reeling from shrinking market share and tough competition from cheaper Asian rivals, America's former Big 3 have been forced to speed up their...

The CEO of Italian carmaker Fiat, Sergio Marchionne, has revealed that a decision on U.S. production and re-launch plans for the Alfa Romeo brand could be made within six months and that negotiations are already taking place with companies in North America. However, a 2009 U.S. launch for Alfa...

Ferrari is planning a return to its coachbuilding heritage this year, catering to wealthy clients who desire something a little more exclusive than the 'off-the-shelf' Ferrari products. According to AutoWeek, the Italian sports car manufacturer will collaborate with at least three of its most...

The future of Mercury, one of Ford's subsidiary brands, is once again the subject of open speculation and this time its Mercury's own dealers that are asking Ford the tough questions. Members of the Lincoln Mercury National Dealer Council have asked Ford to reveal their plans for Mercury in order...

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) will unveil its new regulations in regard to vehicle roof strength requirements this June, a standard that hasn’t changed in more than 35 years. The move is part of the U.S. government’s sweeping reforms in safety standards to...

A convergence of factors is pointing Toyota toward a year of reduced growth in Europe. Weak sales in Germany, few new models and the lack of an incentive program for fleet sales mean the company's growth for 2008 will likely miss its 5% target. Refusal to fight a price war for fleet sales is one of...

Despite the battle raging against fuel consumption and emissions, Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann says his company will never reach the goals set by governments like the EU, and it appears that he doesn't think it's a problem. While cross-town competition Ferrari is considering a replacement of...