Industry News

September 26, 2005 Most Americans favour oil company taxes to finance alternative energy research Washington, D.C. - A poll conducted by the Opinion Research Corporation found that four out of five Americans surveyed would support a "tax on the windfall profits of oil companies", if the revenues were devoted to alternative energy research. The poll of 1,019 respondents, conducted for www.40mpg.org, also found that 87 per cent of Americans polled think oil companies are gouging gasoline companies; 81 per cent say the federal government is not doing enough about high energy prices and over-reliance on Middle Eastern oil; 73 per cent believe that recent gas …

William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com July 30, 2013 Interested in buying a used car? Then we got some good news for you. According to Associated Press (via The Detroit News), prices of used cars are dropping. Despite hitting an all-time high back in 2011 thanks to fewer used cars in stock, prices since then have been declining. According to to data from auction company Manheim, the average sale price of a vehicle at auction in June was $11,031, down 6 percent when compared to the peak of used car prices in May 2011. The reason? Sales of new vehicles are on the rise, which means an increase of used cars. Which vehicle segment saw the largest drop? That woul…

G. David Felt Staff Writer Alternative Energy - www.CheersandGears.com Worst Used Cars Compare.com reviewed the insurance industry reports on auto's, accidents, quality reports and much more to build a 5 point list on used auto's and what NOT to buy. The break down comes as follows: 1) Trade-Ins Dealers DO NOT WANT: Mini Cooper Jaguar S-Type Land Rover Discovery Mazda CX-7 This is due to the high failure rate of the power-trains. 2) Dealers DO NOT WANT brands that are no longer made, unless they are limited production versions, but for sure they do not want the following: PT Cruiser Dodge Grand Caravan SAAB Suzuki Saturn 3) Dealers do not want c…

http://www.autoblog.com/2008/12/27/seattle...-roads-by-desi/ Not long ago, Washington state's Department of Ecology was making noises about not letting people wash their cars at home because "what goes on the street goes into the creek." Now the state is on the opposing side of Seattle's efforts not to let harmful chemicals wash into the freshwater streams feeding into Puget Sound. Seattle is not using salt to clear the roads because it doesn't want the salt flowing into waterways. As well, the city's snow plows have rubber-edge blades that can clear snow, but can't get the ice off the road. Seattle's DOT cheif says the city is trying to "create a hard-packed surface"…

Hydrogen tries again Has the lightest and most abundant stuff in the universe found a new role in energy? The Economist HAVING soared on the promise of carbon-free motoring, the idea of the “hydrogen economy” crashed and burned when it collided with reality. Hundreds of experimental hydrogen-powered cars—once hailed as the best solution for reducing America’s dependence on foreign oil for over half its consumption—are now gathering dust in manufacturers’ parking lots. Hydrogen’s main attraction is that when it is “burned” in a fuel-cell or an internal-combustion engine, the only emissions are heat and a wisp of water vapour. Using hydrogen as a fuel—actually, it is mo…

http://www6.autonet.ca/News/story.cfm?stor...3156972-cp.html i get the feeling Toyota, GM, Honda & Ford aren't going anywhere seeing as they've pumped billions into new plants or plant upgrades.

William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com November 5, 2012 We knew the day was coming, just when was the question. Now, that day has arrived. Earlier tonight, American Suzuki Motor Corporation has announced they would be filling for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and close up their automotive division. "In evaluating its position in the highly regulated and competitive U.S. automotive industry, ASMC determined that its Automotive division was facing a number of serious challenges. These challenges include low sales volumes, a limited number of models in its line-up, unfavorable foreign exchange rates, the high costs associated with growing and maintaining an automotive d…

'Autonomous Emergency Braking' (AEB) and the various names this system goes under have the same goal; to bring the vehicle to a stop if the driver doesn't fails to engage the brakes. But a new study done by AAA reveals not all systems are equal and a very worrying trend concerning a consumer's belief in the system. There are two types of emergency braking systems, ones that are designed to bring the vehicle to stop to avoid a crash and ones that reduce speed to limit the severity of a crash. Unsurprisingly, AAA's tests showed that systems designed to avoid a crash did a better job than systems designed to limit the crash damage. At speeds under 30 mph, systems …

. Bob Lutz to Retire May 1 78 year old Lutz caps off a 47 year career in the automotive industry GM confirms Lutz to retire effective May 1, 2010.

Ok gang, I'm tackling a new study, transgenerational appeal of cars and I need the help from the young and old alike. Here it goes: What nameplates existing or retired do you think appeal or could appeal to the young and old alike. Prime example the Ford Mustang has strong appeal to boomers and millenials. Please state your age and the vehicles you think fit the bill. Price be damned, but we all know Ferrari's and Porsche's have widespread appeal. I'm looking for more attainable vehicles. If or when we get enough responses, we'll move along to phase two. Thanks gang! :CG_all:

Yep just in time for the Return of American muscle. 10 mpg Eh?

Automakers are leveraging new technologies such as automatic parking systems, concierge services, and mobile internet to bring people into showrooms. But a new study done by J.D. Power reveals that a number of owners aren't using it. J.D. Power published today the 2015 Driver Interactive Vehicle Experience Report, a new study which looks at 33 tech features in vehicles and ask owners if they have ever used them. According to the report, at least 20 percent of owners have never used 16 out of the 33 features (about 48.4 percent). The top five features that owners said they never use includes, In-Vehicle Concierge Services - 43% Mobile Routers - 38% Automatic Pa…

Former AT&T CEO to Become New GM Chairman Edward Whitacre Jr., 67, eventually will replace Kent Kresa, who will remain GM's interim chairman until the reorganized automaker emerges as a new company that's majority-owned by the U.S. government. Story Link

Buick Delta Compact Spied in China The 70s are back as Buick's Astra-based compact sedan was caught testing in China. Full story Buick Delta Spied in China

. The 2011 Cruze: Chevrolet Unveils U.S. Version Of The Popular, Fuel-Efficient Global Compact Sedan 2011 Chevrolet Cruze at a Glance: o Popular global car refined for America o Expected segment-best fuel economy – up to 40 mpg highway – with new family of small-displacement engines, including Ecotec 1.4L I-4 turbo o Progressive design with exceptional levels of refinement, quietness and build quality o More spacious interior and greater cargo room than Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla o Ten standard air bags help make it one of the safest cars in its class o Built at Lordstown, Ohio asse…

Chopping Competition January 2010 Cadillac XTS Let us kick off the new years by reviving the competitions which made C&G a place for visualizing designs, exchanging ideas, and changing thoughts. The first on the list is Cadillac XTS. As visible in our thread for the Cadillac XTS, the general perception for the vehicle has been mixed. So we offer you to make it better. The deadline is February 1st, 2010. So let us get the creative juices flowing for our first competition of 2010 - Cadillac XTS. First and Second Placed Entries will receive a Caddy related prize. Place your entries and/or Discuss Here: Chopping Contest for Cadillac XTS

http://today.reuters.com/investing/finance...AUTOS-SALES.XML

William Maley Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com December 30, 2011 The UAW isn't giving up on their effort to organize plants in the south, rather they're changing their main focus. Originally, the UAW was going to target Japanese automakers. However, the UAW is now going after the German automakers. Reuters report that the UAW believes given Germany’s history of dealing with its strong IG Metall union, executives at the German automakers would be more to let UAW reps to talk workers. Given the UAW's track record with trying to unionize transplants have failed miserably, this latest attempt seems to be a hail Mary. The UAW has seen it's membership drop more than 7…

William Maley Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com February 10, 2012 The House Science Committee approved a bill on Tuesday that bars the EPA from going forward with E15 till further studies are done. The bill sponsored by Rep. James Sensenbrenner (R-WI), was passed by a 19-7 vote as members voted along party lines. Automakers and and corn growers have clashed over E15, which is made from 15 percent corn-based ethanol biofuel since 2010. The EPA has allowed E15 use in 2001 and newer vehicles, but various interest groups, including Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, the American Petroleum Institute protested. "This bill will halt EPA's rush to introduce mid-level…

Since President Donald Trump was elected, automakers have been pushing for him to relax the stricter fuel economy and emission regulations coming into effect by 2025. Now there is another group calling for this. At the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) annual conference, dealers voiced support for the new president ease the upcoming regulations. "You inflate the price of the vehicle and a car that was maybe within reach of being affordable now may not be," said NADA's new chairman, Mark Scarpelli to Reuters. Scarpelli argues that the tech needed to improve fuel economy adds $1,500 to $3,000 to the price of a vehicle. He also says that a "diffe…

Meet the Volt ~September 19, 2008~ What better way for GM to celebrate its 100th birthday than to show off a vehicle that will no doubt have a crucial role in defining GM's next 100 years. Today, GM dropped official, unobstructed views of the production Volt. No Camo, no tarps, no GM executives standing in front of it. While much has changed from the concept car, the production Volt is quite a looker in its own right. Prius, you've been served! Official Production Chevrolet Volt Photos --- Happy Birthday, GM! ~September 19, 2008~ Cheers and Gears takes this opportunity to wish Genreal Motors a happy 100th birthday! Thank you, GM, for a century of beautifu…

Riding a motorcycle during the winter can be really fun, only as long as you are staying completely protected against the elements with the best quality motorcycle riding safety gears. Of course, you will definitely need a premium helmet to keep the head protected not just from injuries, but also from the harsh temperature, but you will also need a pair of riding gloves to keep the hands from freezing up! Using the gloves for hundreds of kilometers can make it dilapidated and dirty. Here's how to keep them clean and well maintained for your upcoming winter trip. Understanding the types of riding gloves Before we get started with the maintenance ste…

Libertine a UK firm was awarded a 2.6 million British pounds or $3,572,543 US dollars to take their free-piston generator concept to commercial production. Per Libertine web site, the IntelliGEN 20-40 kWe Smart Engine platform is for OEM builders of Hybrid buses, trucks and auto's as well as distributed power applications. Quoting their web site: Robust and flexible platform for lab-based combustion development and prototype validation 20-40kWe* two stroke engines with uni-flow scavenging, configurable for light, heavy and gaseous fuels Ground-breaking free piston motion control solution for the most demanding combustion appli…

Mopar or No Car Chrysler LLC to buy out General Motors It seems inevitable that GM is spiraling down the drain, and the automotive landscape as we know it is about t change. Where does that leave a GM enthusiast website? Simple: since Chrysler LLC is in much better shape, and has actually been making record profits, it has been announced that Chrysler will buy out GM. Sources familiar with the matter (but who wish to remain anonymous) have confirmed through unwritten material that Chrysler will buy out GM, kill Opel, Buick, Vauxhall, Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, Buick, and Saturn. They will leave Cadillac as the luxury brand, and Chrysler will slot where Buick does now…

_ Chevy Orlando Unveiled Ahead of Paris GM's Delta-based seven seater budget hauler is revealed by GM ahead of the Paris Auto Show, and will still only be sold in Canada, Europe, and Asia. Hit the link for more! Orlando Revealed

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The stock market has stopped being kind to electric vehicle companies that show much more promise than results. https://www.thestreet.com/investing/the-stock-market-has-no-mercy-for-tesla-ambitious-rivals?puc=yahoo&cm_ven=YAHOO The love at first sight between investors and young manufacturers of electric vehicles seems to have died. As often in every relationship, the beginnings are marked by great promises. Everything seems beautiful, everything seems light. Few important questions are asked because there is hope that we have drawn the right number so that we close our eyes to things that would normally have alerted us to slow down. We look forwa…

http://www.autoblog.com/2016/01/12/jeep-pickup-confirmed-report/ Autoblog is quoting the JEEP CEO as confirming that in 2017 you will be able to buy a Wrangler based Jeep Pickup Truck and it will be produced at the Toledo plant.

http://driving.ca/ford/mustang/reviews/road-test/first-drive-2016-ford-shelby-gt350-mustang

The Detroit News reported on January 16, 2008 that the Chevrolet Malibu and the Buick Enclave each won Urban Wheels Awards this week. For details, click here.

William Maley Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com February 10, 2012 Last night, Tesla introduced their next vehicle, the Model X. Based on on an extended platform of the 5+2 passenger sedan, the Model S, the Model X is a seven passenger crossover EV. Design of the Model X takes a Model S, enlarges it, and adds the back end of the BMW X6. The signature design feature of the Model X is what Tesla is calling falcon-wing doors, a two-piece articulated gullwing door. The trick with the falcon-wing doors is their ability to fold in while opening, thus making it easier to exit in tight spots. Like the Model S, the Model X will be offered with different battery sizes (60 an…

William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com December 7, 2012 Today, Aston Martin announced that Italian private equity firm Investindustrial has purchased a 37.5% stake in the company for $241 million. Kuwaiti firm Investment Dar still holds a majority stake in the company. Aston Martin said the deal would allow them to pour $1 billion into new product, funding development through 2018. Investindustrial beat out Indian truck and tractor producer Mahindra and Mahindra. Andrea Bonomi, Investindustrial's senior principal said that the group hopes to transform Aston Martin in a similar way to its revamp of Italian motorcycle company Ducati by expanding Aston's model…

And if the pic is anything to go by, it's going to be a mean-looking mere. More at the link: http://www.automobilemag.com/features/news/bugatti-chiron-prototype-reveals-its-mean-front-end/

Jesse Snyder Automotive News July 28, 2008 - 12:01 am ET Plunging Toyota sales paced a dreary June for Europe. All mass-market auto groups lost volume in 28 European markets last month as sales fell 7.9 percent to 1.43 million passenger vehicles, said ACEA, the European automakers association. June results pushed Europe's first-half sales to a 2.0 percent decline, to 8.34 million units. But the Toyota brand's 17.7 percent decline in June, coupled with an even steeper 25.6 percent loss at Toyota Motor Corp.'s Lexus luxury brand, was the worst result for the month. For the first six months, Toyota Motor was the only automaker with a double-digit loss in Europe…

It's Official: GM to Shrink to Four Brands ~January 12, 2009~ GMNA President Troy Clare, in an interview with Automiotive News, has said that GM will make good on its promise to Congress to drastically cut costs. The company will focus its efforts on Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC. Fans of Pontiac, Saab, and HUMMER should probably start worrying now. GM to Shrink to Four Brands

...I hope to god NOT. Who cares if it's functional...it's absoutely horrendous. It looks straight out of Eastern Europe with the sophistication of a kid's plastic toy car. Can you imagine the streets of New York clogged with these things? It's powered by a GM 4.3L V6 and is RWD. http://www.standardtaxi.com/

William Maley Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com April 16, 2012 To say Suzuki is hurting would be a large understatement. The brand is showing many signs of trouble which include, Suzuki's first quarter sales totaled 6,561 vehicles, a drop of 2% over last year. Meanwhile, in the same quarter, the market rose 13%. Suzuki skipped the Los Angeles and Detroit Auto Show Suspended their social media activity (i.e. Facebook & Twitter) two months ago Steve Younan, the top U.S. product planning and marketing executive, left in January and will not be replaced. Suzuki hasn't aired a ad nationally since 2009 In January, Suzuki stopped getting data from J.D. Powe…

By William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com January 21, 2013 Last month, Fisker founder and Chairman Henrik Fisker said the company was looking for "potential strategic partners". The search has led the company to China. According to Reuters, Fisker is in talks with certain Chinese automakers. Fisker's focus on China is due to the Chinese government's backing of local manufacturers in their efforts to acquire "green car" technology from abroad, as the government is trying to ramp up demand for electric cars and plug-in hybrids before the end of the decade. Sources tell Reuters that Fisker has talked with China Grand Automotive Services Co, a large dealership …

America. The land of opportunity. Various automakers around the world want to get in on this very lucrative marketplace. But as Automotive News notes, trying to break into the U.S. marketplace is close to mission impossible. Automakers who don't compete in the U.S. see numbers like "16-million-plus sales volume of new cars and trucks" and "average transaction price of $30,665, according to J.D. Power" and want a piece of this. But the U.S. is an unforgiving place. "People around the world look at the sales volumes going on here, and they look at the fortunes being made here, and they look at what the outlook is in other parts of the world -- and they want to be …

Autoblog We've gone from $25 billion to $34 billion and back down to $15 billion. The Detroit 3 CEOs have appeared before Congress twice. Congressional Democrats and the White House have spent the last few days wrangling over the final version of a long-in-the-making Auto Rescue/Bailout Bill and just before it's ready to take center stage on the floor of the House and Senate, this happens. House Republicans today have introduced a new bill in the 11th hour as an alternative to the bill we've all been talking about this past week that was engineered by Congressional Democrats and the Bush administration. The new House bill proposes that instead of handing over loans to…

Per Norway's own news and electrek story following up on the local news in Norway, they hit a record 54% electric auto sales market share for 2020. As more and more EV options come to market, gas and diesel sales have crashed. March 2021 gas auto sales were 4.8% of the market with diesel following at 4.7% market share. This is less than half of the market share they had for the same period a year ago. Norway originally set 2025 as a target of electric auto sales only for the whole country and now are on track to ensure this happens without any issue. As electrick story does point out, Norway is a small and rich country with strong EV incentives. As such, this h…

Around this time last year, rental car companies found themselves selling off a fair amount of their inventory as the COVID-19 pandemic devastated the travel industry. With travel starting to bounce back, rental car companies now find themselves with a new problem - a shortage of vehicles to rent. Usually, they would turn to automakers and buy up a batch of new cars to shore up inventory. But the on-going semiconductor shortage has automakers cutting back on production, and causing rental companies to look at used cars. “You would never go into auction to buy routine sedans and SUVs. These are special circumstances. There is a shortage of cars,” said Maryann Keller, …

GMAC Bank Changes Name to Ally Bank In an effort to help improve its image, GMAC Bank, owned by GMAC LLC, is switching its name to Ally Bank Full Story

GM to reimburse dealers until Cash for Clunkers rebates arrive The last thing GM wants its dealers to do is stop selling cars because they don't get the CARS money fast enough. So GM is stepping up to bridge the gap between the time a dealer submits a request for reimbursement and the government gets around to paying it. GM will begin providing cash advances equal to the amount of C4C rebates ($3,500-$4,500 per vehicle) to its dealers for every vehicle already sold under the program and any new transactions going forward. GM to reimburse dealers until Cash for Clunkers rebates arrive

Electrify America has released that they will have 800 Ultra-Fast charging stations with 3,500 fast charging connections by early 2022 covering 47 states and the District of Columbia. Currently Electrify America is working on new Ultra-Fast charging stations in Hawaii, South Dakota, Wyoming and Vermont that will complete the 47 states. Electrify America says they are also opening additional stations in Montana, Minnesota and New Hampshire, states with a small EV charging network presence. States that have passed legislature such as Washington state which starting in 2030 will ban the sale of new ICE auto's will have significant expansion of Ultra-Fast charging …

http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/coupes/1004_2011_mustang_v6_vs_2010_genesis_coupe_3_8_vs_2010_camaro_rs_vs_2010_challenger_se/index.html mods please move this topic if need be..... i find it hard to believe anyone would want a Scoupe coupe XL over the Camaro or Mustang, but to each their own.

Is this for real? http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=206...id=aZ4gr6yG.qto

By William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com February 24, 2013 Four months after Hurricane Sandy blasted the East Coast, the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) announced its revised estimates for the number of vehicles damaged in the storm's wake. The new total of vehicles damaged in Hurricane Sandy stands at 250,500 vehicles. This number is well above the estimate put out by National Automobile Dealers Association which say that 200,000 vehicles could be damaged. The majority of the vehicle losses stem from New York (150,000) and New Jersey (60,000). NICB's data also showed how massive Sandy was, with West Virginia (1,000), Maine (500) and Vermont (500) al…

http://www.economist.com/specialreports/di...ory_id=11565627 NOTHING ages faster than the future. A few years ago there was general agreement that if the internal-combustion engine ever was replaced by something clean, that something would be the fuel cell. A fuel cell is a way of reacting hydrogen and oxygen together in a controlled way and extracting electricity from the process. It was to be the precursor of what was known as the hydrogen economy, in which that gas would replace fossil fuels and power almost everything. Leaving aside the problems of transporting and storing a light and leaky gas, what no one was very clear about was where the hydrogen itself would …

Chevrolet Debuts the 2012 Sonic Sedan and Hatch 2012 Chevrolet Sonic Hatch and Sedan Media Gallery Be sure to watch the live reveal of the 2012 Sonic here on CheersandGears.com on January 10th at 6:15 eastern time. Small car with aggressive, youthful design in five-door and sedan models Available Ecotec 1.4L turbo with an estimated 138 hp (103 kW) Engineered for agile, athletic ride and handling Smart connectivity features including MyChevrolet smart phone app Only small car built in America Comments 0 : View Comments

Basically it's a mishmash of guilt for recommending TDIs to friends, a bit of an attempt to place it in context, and a warning to not anger tree-huggers. Link here: http://www.automobilemag.com/features/columns/1601-this-is-going-to-hurt-volkswagen/

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/11/nyregion/11plates.html I remember my parents' cars used to have orange plates like this back in the mid 80s.

As much as I dislike Wal-Mart, if they do this...I may cut them some slack for a change. Why Wal-Mart wants to sell ethanol http://money.cnn.com/2006/08/08/news/compa...dex.htm?cnn=yes

Daniel Howes Big Three can't play defense anymore Sen. Barack Obama's finger-wagging lecture this week to Detroit's automakers shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone who's paying attention. It's the future if maligned Motown doesn't start playing aggressive offense. Doesn't matter that an Illinois Democrat from the industrial Midwest, a man who would be president, shows scant understanding of the technology, market realities and human limitations of his remedies -- and then jumps on the campaign plane. It's the formula: Whack Detroit, ignore details and draw praise from most any corner outside of, say, three Great Lakes cities, meaning Obama understands very well the …

-- -- -- -- -- >>"A new discount plan from GMAC Insurance gives a discount on premiums to drivers of General Motors vehicles with the OnStar service if they let the insurer track the number of miles they drive. Other companies have been experimenting with similar programs, which is causing concern about how much privacy drivers may unwittingly give up in exchange for savings. The only information OnStar would share with GMAC insurance, both companies said, would be the number of miles driven each month. GMAC would use that information to help it calculate risk. Drivers must enroll in the OnStar Vehicle Diagnostics service to get the discount. The biggest …

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/11/29/con...ards/index.html There are some interesting points to the new fuel bill. One is credit alternative fuels, so would GM be better off only making 4 cylinders, diesels and flex fuel V8's? It also classifies F150s and Silverados as large work trucks exempt from the standards. This should be interesting.

It has not been an easy go for the organizers of the Detroit Auto Show. Last year, they had to cancel the revamped show due to concerns about the growing COVID-19 pandemic. The hope was to launch the indoor-outdoor event that would sprawl various parts of Detroit for 2021. But with COVID-19 still a major issue, organizers this afternoon announced the 2021 version would be canceled. Automotive News reports that a new, outdoor program called Motor Bella will take its place from September 21st to 26th at the M1 Concourse in Pontiac - about 40 minutes north of Detroit. The new program "will bring next-generation mobility and exciting vehicle debuts to media, show-goers a…

Volt to be Updated Throughout it's Lifecycle Most cars need to wait until a MCE or redesign to receive significant updates. The Volt is a little different however. Since much of the car's attributes are controlled via software, updates can be made on the fly as soon as they become available...kind of like updating your computer's OS. Follow the jump to see the rest of the article. http://www.cheersandgears.com/index.php?showtopic=28187

GM started BrightDrop as a decarbonizing last-mile delivery company. FedEx working to deliver on their corporate goal of zero-tailpipe emissions by 2040 choose only a couple months after BrightDrop's commercialization of the Zevo 600, the fastest all-electric vehicle to market in GM's history as the corner stone in FedEx's conversion from Diesel/Petrol last-mile delivery fleet to an EV fleet. To quote Mitch Jackson, Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO), FedEx: “At FedEx, we have ambitious sustainability goals, and our phased approach to vehicle electrification is a crucial part of our roadmap to achieve carbon neutral global operations,” “In just under six months…

Lexus, Cadillac Top Consumer Satisfaction Survey The Daily Auto Insider Friday, September 16, 2005 September 2005 Lexus is the highest-rated brand in terms of consumer satisfaction for 2005, barely topping Cadillac, according to a study released by automotive consulting firm AutoPacific, Inc. The results are calculated from owner satisfaction across 45 specific areas related to a vehicle's operation, comfort, safety and the overall purchase/lease experience, according to an AutoPacific news release. The 2005 ratings reflect input from buyers and lessees of new vehicles acquired September 2004 through January 2005. Cadillac won in 2001, shared top honors wi…

The past few years in the automotive industry has seen an explosion in technologies - whether its dealing improving the overall safety of a vehicle or figuring out a way to hook up your smartphone. Some of the tech makes the driving experience better, while others don't. So what do consumers think about the new technologies coming into vehicles? J.D. Power decided to find out. In their 2015 US Tech Choice Study, the company asked 5,300 consumers who either bought or leased a new vehicle within the past five years about the technologies that are being put in vehicles. Their results are interesting to say in the least. For example, safety tech is a big item for consumers.…

G. David Felt Staff Writer Alternative Energy - www.CheersandGears.com Jobs of the Future as Predicted by GM GM has posted a list with details of what this will entail of jobs in the auto industry by 2025. Quoting their media release: Electrical engineers – Battery, hybrid and plug-in vehicles are becoming mainstream. The internal combustion engine isn’t going anywhere soon, but the industry is developing alternative ways to make a car move. Electrified vehicles are more powerful and achieve greater range, and as more customers try these alternatives, demand can only be expected to grow. Over the next 10 years, more engineers will be needed to explore and deve…