future
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Hidden away in General Motors' plans for the next 60 days is a bankruptcy strategy that could see its most successful brands peel off to form a second company, leaving the other brands to languish in bankruptcy for a more extended period. The news comes from an anonymous source within GM via Reuters, and includes hints at what the new company would look like. Formed out of the most profitable units within the current GM, the company would split off during the early parts of a GM bankruptcy filing, reorganizing into a separate business. Other brands, like Saturn, Pontiac, Hummer and...
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Spy shots: First test-mules for Ford’s global Focus?In Europe, the Ford Focus is an affordable, well-engineered and stylish small car available in hatch, sedan, wagon and convertible bodystyles. The car is also available with a number of options, including dual-clutch transmissions, flex-fuel engines, a folding hard top roof (convertible models...
Jeremy Weber -
U.S. Volkswagen CEO: EVs won't be viable for 35 years
If the futurism of the 1950s and 1960s taught us anything as a culture, it's that what seems a sure thing today may prove laughably optimistic in a few decades. Stefan Jacoby, CEO of Volkswagen Group of America, thinks a similar situation is playing out with electric cars today. Jacoby's main...
Nelson Ireson -
Ford previews next-gen Focus with new Iosis Max concept
Going global with its products is the new theme at Ford, and the Focus is no exception, so American hatch fans can feel free to get excited: the new Iosis Max concept previews the next-gen car to be built right here in the U.S. The Wayne plant in suburban Detroit and the Louisville plant in...
Ralph Hanson -
Next-gen Ford Focus could feature EcoBoost powerplant, 43mpg
Although Lincoln's C Concept may have struck few chords with show-goers, its theoretical internals could live on in a future Ford Focus. The latest reports indicate Ford is considering a 1.6L 180hp (134kW) four-cylinder EcoBoost engine for its next Focus, capable of pushing highway fuel economy as...
Nelson Ireson -
GM studying plug-in hybrid recharging infrastructure
General Motors and Spanish energy company Iberdrola have joined forces to determine what is needed in terms of infrastructure to implement a mass embrace of plug-in electric vehicles in the European market. The study will examine how cars will be recharged, and the effect this will have on...
Ralph Hanson -
As set out in Maslow's hierarchy of needs, basic survival must first be established before one can move on to worry about the esoteric concerns of philosophy, morality or ethics. In an odd twist of logic, however, America's car companies have been forced to premise their immediate survival on their past work on a long-term future in hearings before Congress. At the core of General Motors' plan lies the ongoing development of the Volt plug-in hybrid, which will have cost the company about $750 million by the time it hits the road in 2010. Called before Congress to present plans for viability...
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Next-generation BMW 1-series could get 'shooting brake' variant
BMW released an updated version of the 1-series compact late last year and since then a suspicious prototype of the hatch has been captured running around German streets. At first appearance the car looks like an ordinary 1-series hatchback but look closer and you’ll notice several key...
Siddarth Raja -
Expert says electric grid ready for plug-in hybrids
Plug-in hybrid cars, like the Chevrolet Volt or the upcoming Toyota Prius plug-in, are viewed by many as the way of the future. Offering the possibility of exclusively electric transport to the bulk of drivers, but with the possibility for the extended range afforded by a reserve of combustible...
Ralph Hanson -
Next-gen Chrysler PT Cruiser sketched
The PT Cruiser has enjoyed a long and surprisingly successful run since its debut in 2000, but rumors of its demise have been spreading for some time. Nevertheless, a graphic designer has taken the time to envision what the PT Cruiser might look like if it were to live on for another generation...
Alex Kaufmann
