Production

The phenomenally weak market in the U.S. is setting record lows on a regular basis, and today is no exception: China has surpassed the U.S. in total car sales for the month of January. Conservative estimates for 2009 have the U.S. market selling 10.5 million or more vehicles, but so far this year...

Large SUVs and minivans have fallen on the hardest of times in the industry's late downturn, and casualties of the recession mount daily. Today's trio in triage are the Infiniti QX56, Nissan Quest and Nissan Armada. Nissan today confirmed that it would be bringing U.S. production of the three large...

In January we brought you news of Toyota's predicted surpassing of Chrysler in North American output in 2009, and nearly two years ago we reported on the Detroit 3 slipping below 50% market share in the U.S. Now the trend continues, with the Detroit 3's North American car output slipping below 60%...

The tough times facing the car industry are not new, but the extended duration is beginning to take its toll on even the most luxurious carmakers. Having already announced that it would be cutting its 1,850-member workforce by up to 600 jobs, Aston Martin has now revealed that it will put its...

General Motors yesterday announced it would be laying off 2,000 workers and reducing production at 10 North American plants over the coming months. At the same time, AM General, producer of the Hummer H2, laid off 200 workers from its Mishawaka, Indiana plant. Now GM's extended production halts...

Toyota's North American car output will surpass Chrysler's for the first time during the first quarter of 2009. The two companies' downward trajectories will soon cross, leaving Toyota as the third largest domestic producer behind Ford and General Motors. Both Chrysler and Toyota are sharply...

There's something to be said for persistence, especially in the face of rejection, but in the case of the Mercedes-Benz R-Class, persistence may not be enough. The slow-selling crossover has hit its zenith, but is still short of the hopes Mercedes had for it when it debuted in 2005. Built in the...

The global downturn in car sales is a familiar topic these days, and even the production juggernaut of Toyota is facing unseen declines in demand for its products. To help realign output with that demand, the carmaker recently announced plans to shut down all 12 of its Japanese plants for a total...

Slumping sales and surplus supply are old hat by now, but the ongoing effects of the poor economy mean carmakers must continue to adjust their capacity and output to remain viable. Honda's readjustment, like its American counterparts, is unfinished, and today it revealed another 3,100 temporary...

The automotive industry's story in 2008 has become a familiar one: high hopes dashed on the rocks of a stormy economy. But not all brands and carmakers fared poorly despite the general malaise - including some, like Rolls Royce, that actually set new records. Total sales for Rolls Royce cars were...

The global downturn in car sales is a familiar topic these days, and even the production juggernaut of Toyota is facing unseen declines in demand for its products. To help realign output with that demand, the company has planned to shut down all 12 of its Japanese plants for a total of 11 days in...

While it may not have the heritage or sex appeal of traditional supercars, there is no denying that the Gumpert Apollo has struck a chord with many motoring enthusiasts. With its outrageous looks and Ferrari-beating performance, the Gumpert Apollo has been hailed as an impressive piece of...

The precipitous drop in new vehicle sales in the U.S. has hit SUVs and trucks the hardest with small cars and hybrids rapidly gaining market share. That up-tick in share isn't enough to offset the overall slump in volume, however, as even Toyota has decided to put off U.S. production of the Prius...

Since Tata purchased Jaguar and Land Rover from Ford earlier this year, things have been looking decidedly up for both brands. Jaguar even posted its first sales increase in two years in May, largely as a result of the successful XF debut. Now, however, the realities of the global economy are...

Earlier we reported that Porsche would be slowing down production at its Zuffenhausen plant in Germany from December 22 through January 9 due to flagging sales, and now we can report that more production cuts are expected to take place. The sports carmaker now plans to stop production for a full...

Even the upper tier of the mass-market luxury car manufacturers are facing troubled times this year. Sales are down, inventories are up and there appears to be no end in sight. In response to this situation, Daimler has decided the right move is to cut all production for at least one month...

Renault's funky Kangoo line of micro-vans, or MPVs, gains a new member today as the company reveals the Be Bop, modeled closely on the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show Kangoo Compact Concept. Built around a large glass cabin and a small four-seat platform, the Be Bop is Renault's entry into the lifestyle...

Genres like motorcycle, car and all-terrain vehicle are becoming increasingly blurred as more manufacturers make forays into three-wheeled territory. Like a more athletic version of the Can-Am Spyder, Norway's Brudeli Leanster 654L has finally entered production. Based around the KTM 690 Supermoto...

The all-new Cruze compact car from General Motors Company [NYSE:GM] was just revealed in some detail this morning, but already GM has announced its plans to put a half-billion dollar fund behind the car's production and promotion in the U.S. Of that $500 million, $350 million will be headed...

Tesla announced today plans for its second model, a new electric sedan to be called the Model S. It will be manufactured at a new plant in California, though Tesla did not disclose its location. Neither did the company state a start date for production, but rumors suggest it will begin around 2010...