Industry

Last year Volkswagen officials set an ambitious target to sell more than nine million vehicles worldwide by 2018, but with current levels hovering around the six million car mark VW will have to tackle the lucrative U.S. market if it has any hope of reaching its goal. Long term plans include...

Many found it puzzling when India’s Tata, a company that specializes in econo cars and commercial vehicles, announced plans to purchase a struggling luxury brand like Jaguar, but it appears there could be more to Tata’s takeover of Ford’s premium brands then first reported...

Porsche Cars UK has taken the unusual step of taking legal action against London mayor Ken Livingstone’s recent proposal for a £25 ($50) daily charge on high emissions sports cars and SUVs that drive though central parts of the UK capital. The new scheme will come into effect on October 27...

Electronic braking systems have been a major source of interest in the motor industry for years now but the idea of replacing slow and outdated hydraulic systems with instant-response electronic systems is nothing new. The aeronautical industry has been using electronic set-ups for years while the...

If you’re aren’t a fan of cars made with plastics and composite materials then the future isn’t looking too rosy because the next-generation of vehicles are going to feature lots more of the lightweight stuff and in places you wouldn’t normally expect to find it. Carmakers...

The end of the performance V8 engine is approaching. Of course, there will also be the odd enthusiast after the smooth revving and torqeuy nature of a big V8 but their numbers are dwindling fast. A new study has found that installation rates for V8 engines, the favored choice of powerplant for...

During a speech at GM’s oldest running production plant, U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama made it clear that he will help the Detroit 3 and the economy in general. This is in contrast to his previous criticisms towards the domestic carmakers, especially in regards to low-mileage SUVs...

In what could prove to be a major turning point in the fight against unfair protection policies in Asia, the U.S. has won a preliminary ruling in a World Trade Organization (WTO) case over Chinese tax policies that restrict imports of foreign auto parts into the world’s most populace country...

It’s no secret the Detroit 3 is losing market share to foreign makes, especially in North America were U.S. manufacturers have traditionally been the dominant players. Strong competition from Japanese and Korean makes have eroded the Detroit 3’s stranglehold on the U.S. market and has...

We've been hearing about the auto manufacturers toning down the quest for more horsepower, and while a good case can be made that it's time, there will always be those who want more. But now the auto insurance industry is coming out with some statistics that could bring the hammer down even harder...

GM’s financial results for 2007 have finally been revealed and as predicted its net loss for the period amounted to a whopping $38.7 billion, a new record for the General. Of course, most of this figure is the result of a tax write down undertaken in the second half of last year but GM's...

To most, hybrid vehicles like the Prius are a step in the right direction towards a future of ‘greener’ motoring but a new study has found that such cars are actually holding back other alternative powertrain technologies like hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and all-electric cars. French...

As the industry turns its gaze to the coming year, bleak outlooks predominate. Some makers are actually making headway, increasing sales in January compared to last year. Most are seeing sales slip away. Saab is one of the makers that doesn't see loss in its future, but neither does it see...

General Motors is one of the most diverse carmakers in the business, commanding up to eight brands in the U.S. alone. Officials now hope to harmonize all of these brands into smaller groups and in the process make marketing and buying the vehicles simpler. Last month GM sales Chief Mark LaNeve told...

One of Spyker’s key investors and former director of its F1 team Michiel Mol is reported to have sold his last remaining stake in the company to an investment fund in Latvia, essentially cutting all his ties with the ailing sports carmaker. Mol originally paid up to €37 million for his...

The recently announced Project Genesis aims to put Chrysler's house back in order by chopping models and combining dealerships. Streamlining the entire business, from top to bottom, is the basic goal. To that end, dealerships will have to get with the program or face going without a full line of...

Now that Chrysler is in private hands the tough decisions are coming hard and fast. Last year we saw officials axe cars like the PT Cruiser convertible, Pacifica, Crossfire and Dodge Magnum and now there are reports that even more models will be dropped from the current lineup. Under its new...

Some carmakers are looking towards electric vehicles and hybrids to end the reliance on fossil fuels while other manufacturers are backing biofuel vehicles that run on ethanol or other renewable fuels. GM is sitting on both sides of the fence, developing both plug-in hybrid technology and a range...

Updated: An official spokesman for Mercedes-Benz has confirmed that production of the CLS will remain at the current plant in Sindelfingen, Germany. This is in contrast to earlier comments from Mercedes COO Rainer Schmueckle, who said outsourcing of the CLS was in fact being considered. Original...

Excellent name recognition and reputation are key elements of successful luxury-market products, whether they are handbags or limousines. Aston Martin's primary shareholder, Kuwaiti firm Investment Dar, is planning to take advantage of Aston Martin's cachet by expanding the brand to include...