Industry News

GM to boost output due to clunkers incentives The increases include an extra day of work at the Lordstown, Ohio, assembly plant and increased hours at a factory in Orion Township, Mich., said the union officials, who asked not to be identified because the announcement, expected Tuesday afternoon, had not been made. Story Link

_ Ford Unveils MyTouch Ford has unveiled an impressive new driver technology system called, MyTouch, which aims to appeal to technophiles the way the iPhone has. Ford Unveils MyTouch

Saturday, November 26, 2005 Print this Comment on this E-mail this Report suggests taxing hybrids, billing drivers by mile to boost funds Chamber of Commerce study says Congress needs find new revenues for highways By Jim Abrams / Associated Press WASHINGTON -- Taxing hybrids and other fuel-efficient cars and billing drivers for miles driven are among the approaches being suggested to avert a shortfall in money to maintain the nation's highways. Less than four months after President Bush signed a six-year, $286.4 billion highway and public transit act, a report commissioned by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce says the federal Highway Trust Fund is running out o…

G. David Felt Staff Writer Alternative Energy - www.CheersandGears.com Bosch Selling WaterBoost Injection for Turbo Engines Seems since BMW M4 using a Bosch water injection system that works, Bosch has decided this is what the future is for all turbo engines and has come out with a solution kit to sell to all OEMs of Turbo Engines called WaterBoost. Essentially this is added to the intake side with a water vapor injection to cool the piston, increasing density and driving longer life and more power from the engine. This technology is not new and has been around since WWII when it was used in supercharged planes to assist during hard maneuvers …

2019, Volkswagen CEO Dr. Herbert Diess and Ford President and CEO Jim Hackett form a partnership that covers the following: Volkswagen to join Ford in investing in Argo AI, the autonomous vehicle platform company, at a valuation of more than $7 billion. Tie-up allows both automakers to independently integrate Argo AI’s self-driving system into their own vehicles, delivering significant global scale Ford will use Volkswagen’s electric vehicle architecture and Modular Electric Toolkit (MEB) to design and build at least one high-volume fully electric vehicle in Europe for European customers starting in 2023, more efficiently advancing its promise to del…

Magna to Acquire Majority Stake of Opel According to the BBC News, supplier Magna International has come to terms with General Motors to purchase a majority stake in its European Opel division. Follow the jump for full details. http://www.cheersandgears.com/index.php?sh...c=33589&hl=

_ GM Revives Regal GS with new Concept GM's new concept based on the Opel Insignia OPC brings the Regal GS name back. Continue reading to learn more. GM Revives Regal GS with new Concept

Sounds like they're as capable as always, though I still don't care much for the new grille on the higher-end stuff. Here's the link: http://www.motortrend.com/news/2016-ram-truck-van-full-line-review/

Infotainment systems are one the banes of the automotive world. From confusing interfaces and controls, to issues with crashing and features not working. Add distracting drivers to this list. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety worked together with researchers at the University of Utah to measure the time it took to complete the task, and the visual and mental demand on the driver. 120 drivers were asked to perform various tasks such as operating the stereo and putting in information for navigation system using all input methods - touchscreen, physical controls, and voice commands. They would do this in 30 different vehicles on a two-mile stretch of road going 25 mp…

Earlier this month, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles filed a complaint with the U.S. International Trade Commission over the Mahindra Roxor - a side-by-side off-road utility. FCA alleges that the certain design elements of the Roxor infringe on the " intellectual property rights of FCA's Jeep design," and is wanting to stop the sale of the model in the U.S. Mahindra is fighting back. Reuters reports that the company has filed a public interest statement with the U.S. ITC and started proceedings in a Michigan court for an injunction into FCA's complaint. We are asking the court to block Fiat from participating in the ITC [International Trade Commission] claim -- an injunc…

2010 GMC Terrain Revealed GM has finally revealed the all new 2010 GMC Terrain. It's polarizing design is sure to spark plenty of opinions. Check out the full article, gallery, and our take on it after the jump. http://www.cheersandgears.com/index.php?sh...t=0#entry486288

Chevy MPVs/CUVs spotted. One of them Production Orlando? Ted's sharp eye has caught a glimpse of what could be the production Orlando along with another CUV/MPV, with one of them clearly influenced by teh Volt's front end styling. Follow the jump to see the video where it was seen and discuss. http://www.cheersandgears.com/index.php?sh...mp;#entry529241

. Interactive Review: 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS RS Manual 2010 Camaro SS RS Manual interactive review: questions welcome and updates to follow.

Yesterday, Hertz has announced that it reached partnership deals with both Uber and Lyft to provide vehicles to drivers. The deal will see Hertz proving drivers of the ride-sharing startups of vehicles that have been rotated out of their fleet. Drivers will get special rates on these vehicles. Hertz spokesman Bill Masterson says the rate for midsize vehicles will be $180 per week, including mileage and insurance. Why is Hertz making deals with Lyft and Uber? You only need to go back earlier this year when the company said ride-sharing services was limiting growth. Hertz thinks that if you work with and not against, you might have a shot of succeeding. “We consider…

Canadian Magna International has surpassed Delphi to become the largest auto supplier in North America. The first time a top supplier is outside the US.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,465524,00.html good the whole way through.

Lutz says next Chevy Impala to stay front-drive, gain hybrid variant The new front driver will feature many new technology features to directly compete with the Ford Taurus. Also, expect the Impala to get bigger and feature some type of GM hybrid technology. Discussion What do you think GM should include in the next Impala?

_ Chrysler Releases First 2011 Durango Interior Photo Chrysler has released the first official image of the 2011 Durango's new interior.

In light of the GM Ignition Switch and Takata airbag recalls, you would think owners would be aware whether or not their vehicle has a notice and take it in to be repaired. Unfortunately, you would be wrong. Bloomberg reports that only two-thirds of vehicles get repaired. Even more worrying is a third of vehicles under a recall notice aren't repaired within 18 months. “Recalls are only successful, and they only save lives, if they end up getting the cars fixed,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said. So how do you get owners to repair vehicles? Well that's what NHTSA and automakers will be talking about today at meeting in Washington D.C. with the focus on imp…

The past few years have seen a number of start-ups tackling an issue that has been a thorn in the side of consumers, buying a used car. Companies such as Beepi, Carvana, Shift, and Vroom have their own take on selling used vehicles, but the goal is the same - make it less of a hassle to buy a car by selling directly to a consumer through the internet at a lower price. But one of these companies has folded most of their operations. Beepi, one of the first companies to launch back in 2014 folded most of its operations last week and announced yesterday that it would be merging Fair.com, a soon to launch online vehicle retail platform. As a result, 180 people lost their …

William Maley Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com January 4, 2012 At next week's Detroit Auto Show, Volvo will show of a XC60 Plug-In Hybrid Concept. The XC60 Plug-In Hybrid Concept will sport a brand new 2.0L turbo-four producing 280 HP. The gas engine is mated to a 70 HP electric motor giving a combined power output of 350 HP. 0-60 takes around 5.8 seconds and can get 50 MPG. Drivers can choose from three different modes how much of the available power from the gas and electric motor are used: Pure: All electric mode, range of 35 miles Hybrid: Mix of gas and electric power. CO2 emissions are 53 g/km Power: Maximum Power is available Volvo says the XC6…

G. David Felt Staff Writer Alternative Energy - CheersandGears.com & Black-Knight It seems that just yesterday Japanese automakers and their vehicles were seemingly and unanimously praised for their quality and reliability. However, today a new series of recalls out of the land of the rising sun herald a stark reminder that not every automaker is perfect. Today, might finally be a major wake up call for some that these companies are not bullet proof. Today Toyota, Nissan, Honda and Mazda announced recalls totaling 3.4 million auto's world wide, with over 1 million in the US alone. The recall is over defective airbags. These are airbags supplied to these companie…

According to Channel 3 KCRA news as reported on msn.com, California has pushed through their first gas tax raise in 23 years to address their $130 Billion plus backlog of road repairs / upgrades. This will be covered by the following increases: Gas tax $.12 per gallon Diesel $.20 per gallon Auto Registration $25 - $175 per auto. They say this will add about $10 per month to the average driver's monthly cost. While many people say it is more expensive and will be tougher, they also say the roads are needed to be repaired. Interesting is while this got pushed through by the Governor, republicans in the state which are a minority in both houses say this i…

Cadillac World Thorium Fuel Car Concept Proving designers can have a sense of humor when naming their creations, this futuristic Cadillac is designed to provide its own power and last 100 years before maintenance. Follow the jump to see Loren Kulesus's futuristic creation. http://www.cheersandgears.com/index.php?sh...mp;#entry461949

http://www.caranddriver.com/ no vette! Audi S4 BMW 3 series / M3 Cadillac CTS / CTSv Ford Fusion Hybrid Honda Accord Honda Fit Mazda Miata Mazdaspeed 3 / Mazda3 Porsche Boxster / Cayman VW GTI fair list.

G. David Felt Staff Writer Alternative Energy - www.CheersandGears.com Motor Trend reports details of Fords new GT350R Rims. GT350R Carbon Fiber Wheels Interesting that only a few months ago in a differnt thread we were talking about tires and rims and I mentioned that Carbon Fiber rims would be the future and here Ford is making it happen with real rims. Only 18lbs compared to 33pounds per rim for a 40% reduced weight and able to survive curb strike tests as well as Corrosive salts, road chemicals and UV. So is the future to go to Carbon Fiber for more auto's? Can you fix a cracked or chipped Carbon Fiber rim like aluminum and steel or is it…

So, it turns out that Hitler's "people's car" had a lot to do with a Jewish ex-racing driver. Well. Didn't know any of THAT before. More at the link: http://driving.ca/porsche/auto-news/news/motor-mouth-the-untold-plight-of-porsches-forgotten-founder-adolf-rosenberger

What happens when you take a CALSTART Advanced Transportation graduate with a marketing and product development leader and connect them with Lee Iacocca, many others who are specialists in the EV industry and a connection to NASA? EV FOR EVERYONE (orbiselectric.com) You get a brain trust of individuals who have access to funding and additional folks that have helped set Bonneville Salt Flats speed records with a passion to help people convert to electric vehicles in minimal time. ORBIS ELECTRIC believes if there is a better way to allow folks to convert their vehicles to electric vehicles in minimal time, that the adding of gigatons of CO2 to the atmosphere…

Toyota poised to cut global production By Michiyo Nakamoto in Tokyo Published: August 26 2009 11:28 | Last updated: August 26 2009 19:37 Toyota is poised to slash production by as much as 580,000 vehicles – nearly 6 per cent of global capacity – in an effort to stem losses amid the sharp downturn in vehicle sales. The world’s largest carmaker, which is forecasting its second consecutive net loss this year, said it would shut a production line in western Japan from next spring through to the second half of 2011, reducing output by 220,000 vehicles. The Japanese company is also looking to pull out of Nummi, its manufacturing joint venture with General Motors in Ca…

What can be done to get rid of this scourge on our roads? Seriously, you can see whenever a driver in front of you is texting and driving simply by the erratic way their car moves. How many people die as a result of this a year? Way too many IMO.

GM shows Cadillac 3 series-fighting ATS, all-new XTS, 2012 Malibu Tomorrow morning at 8:00 AM EST, General Motor's President and CEO, Fritz Henderson, will be hosting a webcast to update the public and the media on the automaker's turnaround efforts, during which Henderson is expected to make a new product announcement. Autoblog has some info involving some of GM's upcoming models and concepts. Follow the Jump for details Story Link

G. David Felt Staff Writer Alternative Energy - www.CheersandGears.com China's Solution to Mass Transit, Drive Over the Cars! China has decided that due to the population they have and the mass transportation that a different way of thinking is needed. They came up with the idea that if the buses drove over the auto's they could use the same road for both personal and mass transit. These buses would hold 1000 people at a time. As such, they had this video and mock model of what it would look like posted here on the BBC web site: BBC Video on proposed buses This seem to go over well and as such, a large circle route was done with a fully functio…

Romania received three non-binding offers in the sale of a majority stake in carmaker Daewoo Automobile Craiova, the privatisation commission said on Thursday. The new European Union member's centrist government had previously said it hopes to wrap up the sale of 72.4 percent in Daewoo by the summer, after it bought back the majority stake in the company from its bankrupt owner late in 2006. Link: http://www.reuters.com/article/tnBasicIndu...269681920070426

Congratulations America. It seems we now buy more SUVs and crossovers than sedans according to a new study from IHS Automotive. Through May of 2014, IHS says that SUVs and CUVs account for 36.5 percent of new car registrations, compared to the 35.4 percent of registrations for sedans. This is a reversal from five years ago where sedans stood at 36.3 percent of registrations, compared to the 31.4 percent for SUVs and crossovers. “It’s not that sedans have become unpopular. It’s just that CUVs have really grown. They drive like cars, but they have higher positioning, the option for four-wheel drive and better fuel economy. There’s more space for seating. It’s easy to see w…

I lol'ed a lot through the article, because nearly all that stuff has happened to me (including court silliness. Sadly, I chose to represent myself, with less-successful results). Now I own a clean record and a radar detector that gathers dust. Link to a fun read here: http://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/a27505/how-i-got-rid-of-my-radar-detector-and-stopped-getting-tickets/

While the primary focus at PSA Group for the past few months has been purchase of Opel and Vauxhall from General Motors, there has been another project that has been going in the shadows, the return of the French automaker to the U.S. Speaking at the CAR Management Briefing Seminars this week in Traverse City, MI, the CEO of the recently established PSA North America Larry Dominique gave a status update. Back in April, PSA made their first foray into North America with the launch of car-sharing service TravelCar in Los Angeles and San Francisco. The next step is the launch of the Free2Move application into North America. Already launched in Europe, the applicati…

The bad news keeps hitting Faraday Future. Earlier this month, we reported on the fight between the automaker and its latest backer, Evergrande Health Industry Group. Faraday claims that Evergrande failed to provide additional funds as part of an investment deal. Evergrande has denied this claim and has brought in lawyers to fight this charge. But this row has caused the electric car start-up to make some difficult decisions. The Verge obtained an email sent to Faraday Future staff on Sunday night, announcing that staff salaries would be cut by 20 percent, and laying off some workers. The email also states that FF CEO Jia Yueting has decreased his annual salary to $1…

AutoNation CEO Wants Greater Gas Taxes "We have to do something to favor the new technologies and send a message to American consumers that gasoline prices are going to be systematically higher," he said. "A gas tax is a statement from the government that this is an issue of national security and we're going to do something about it." Read "AutoNation CEO calls for higher gasoline taxes" @ Yahoo (how very appropriate)

G. David Felt - Editorial Staff Writer Alternative Energy - CheersandGears.com 2012 Insurance Industry Top 25 Vehicles stolen This week the insurance industry released their top 25 stolen vehicles list for 2012. Interesting is only one consistent truck made the list, but two motorcycles made the list this year in addition to one very popular V6 / V8 4 door sedan. What I found interesting is the sheer amount of what I call boring cars that people seem to steal over and over. Question to you all: Are these auto's just the easiest to steal or is there another reason that you can think of as to why these mass produced yawners keep getting stolen? 2009 Nissan Altima - # …

This story is posted by MSN in their auto forum from a U.S. News and World Report story on "Why Are Manual Transmission Disappearing?" Thought it was an interesting piece. I agree with some of what is said but also feel there is a lack of effort on why some might still want a manual or how they can keep the value by being an informed sales person. I will agree that the best anti-theft device is a manual transmission now. Seems the news has more and more stories about the craziness of people breaking in to steal an auto and when it is a manual they end up having to leave. http://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/ownership/why-are-manual-transmissions-disappearing/ar-…

Toyota Motor Corp (7203.T) and Mazda Motor Corp (7261.T) plan to build a $1.6 billion U.S. assembly plant, the two said on Friday, as part of an alliance that will also see the Japanese automakers jointly develop electric vehicle technologies. The two will take small stakes in each other as part of the tie-up: Toyota, the world's second-largest automaker by vehicle sales last year, will take a 5 percent share of Mazda, extending its dominance in Japan's auto sector. Mazda will take a 0.25 percent share of its larger rival. The plant, something of a surprise at a time of overcapacity in the U.S. market, will be a boost to U.S. President Donald Trump, who campaign…

Harry Stoffer Automotive News June 26, 2008 - 3:21 pm ET WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration's plan to raise fuel economy standards 25 percent over five model years isn't tough enough, a group of lawmakers said today. Rep. Edward Markey, D-Mass., chairman of a House committee on climate change and energy independence, said high gasoline prices should compel the administration to go even higher. Markey said pending fuel economy rules should require cars and trucks to average 35 mpg by 2015 -- about 40 percent higher than today. He and other lawmakers will be making that point in a letter to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Markey said. Th…

In this case it was an AWD 2.0T with the new eight-speed auto. They did wish (again) for a simpler interior and wondered if a 5.8 to 60 time was indicative of an "overtaxed engine" (say what?). But the new eight-speed drew raves, getting better FE scores and acceleration times than their last 2.0T, which was RWD. More at the link: http://m.caranddriver.com/reviews/2016-cadillac-cts-test-review

Renault, Toyota, VW Lead European Car Sales Decline (Update2) By Laurence Frost and Chad Thomas Oct. 16 (Bloomberg) -- European car sales fell in September on weaker demand for Renault SA, Toyota Motor Corp. and Volkswagen AG models as declines in Germany and Spain undermined buoyant business in eastern Europe. New car registrations fell 1.5 percent to 1.42 million vehicles from 1.44 million a year earlier, the Brussels-based European Automobile Manufacturers Association said today in a statement. Sales for the first nine months of the year gained 0.8 percent to 12.2 million. European carmakers are looking east for customers amid sagging demand in home markets. A 9…

They loved both of them, but they said the Camaro made more sense. Well. Poop. Link here: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0sNUs-xRRjk

In reading the write up at electrek, this got me to thinking about the current state of Li-ion batteries where China controls the world Li-ion supply by owning 75%. As such all major battery production companies produce a heavy amount of their batteries in China and ship across the world. The current 46th administration of the US has committed $400 billion to buying / using US made batteries in a wide range of products, auto's military, etc. and part of this is to spur investment by US tech startups to drive forward aggressively in moving into solid state battery packs that use various minerals that are not controlled by China. To quote the story at the li…

Camaro Tops Mustang in June Sales Camaro sales are off to a strong start, and the Camaro has taken the crown from the Mustang for the month of June for highest sales of the Muscle trio. Full Story

February 23, 2010 Lawmakers’ Ties to Toyota Questioned at Start of Inquiries By ERIC LICHTBLAU WASHINGTON — As Congress prepares to open hearings on Tuesday into Toyota’s rash of safety problems, government watchdog groups are questioning whether the deep financial and personal connections between lawmakers and the carmaker could taint the inquiries. Toyota, as both a major employer in the United States and a major lobbying force in Washington, has staked out a position in the capital unlike almost any other foreign corporation, with close ties to a number of the lawmakers who will lead inquiries into the safety defects that have led to the recall of more than eight m…

William Maley Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com April 22, 2012 Ex-Saab CEO Victor Muller on-again, off-again affair with the sports car company he started, Spyker appears to be back on. During Muller’s tenure at Saab, Spyker was put up for sale to the highest bidder. A few companies were interested, but none bit, which has become a blessing in a disguise. Since Saab has bid adieu, Swedish Automotive has changed its name to back to Spyker. Now, Muller has some big plans in store. De Telegraaf is reporting Muller wants to see Spyker’s production reach 1,000 units annually. Last year, Spyker built only 12 of its C8 supercars. Muller also wants add models to Spyker’…

Automakers back single crash rating Automakers on Wednesday offered support for a Bush administration proposal to overhaul the government's crash test program for new vehicles and create a single safety ranking. The major problem with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration program is that nearly all vehicles pass current tests, making it difficult for consumers to differentiate between vehicles. NHTSA wants to toughen the voluntary standards, some of which haven't been changed significantly since the program's creation in 1979, as well as reduce three crash ratings to one. At a public hearing Wednesday in Washington to hear experts' comments on the program,…

Mazda and Toyota announced today a new alliance that will strengthen their current partnership and see the two collaborate on a number of projects. The big news is a new, $1.6 billion joint-venture assembly plant for the U.S. The location hasn't been revealed, but it will produce Corollas and Mazda crossovers. The plant is expected to open in 2021 and produce up to 300,000 vehicles per year. The other big news deals with the two forming a shared capital structure. Toyota will acquire 5.05 percent into Mazda, and Mazda will get 0.25 percent of Toyota. The two will also work together on developing electric vehicles and various safety technologies. Additionally, Mazd…

National mile-driven tax pilot program tucked into $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill By Haris Alic - The Washington Times Thursday, August 5, 2021 The White House's $1.2 trillion infrastructure package includes a pilot program for a national mile-driven tax, contradicting President Biden's previous dismissal of the policy. Tucked within the 2,702-page infrastructure bill is obscure language requiring the Department of Transportation to test the feasibility of taxing drivers for the number of miles they travel. The tax would be broad enough to target any “passenger motor vehicles,” including light…

NADA Guides Releases Their “Hardest to Find” list William Maley - Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com June 10, 2011 NADA Guides just put out their list of the “Hardest to Find” vehicles. NADA did a analysis of dealer inventories and sales data to help them compile their list. They also avoided low production models since their short supply is due to exclusivity. The list of vehicles that are in short supply are the Ford Explorer, Honda Civic, Hyundai Elantra, Hyundai Sonata, Kia Sorento and Toyota Prius. NADA says all of the vehicles had less than a 30 day inventory supply. Automakers consider anything with less than 50 day supply – an estimate of how lo…

Everybody touts automotive safety, and laments driver incompetence as a fact of life in the USA; mainly because the theme idea is that everybody has a right to a drivers license, and access to all the roads in the USA---- Freedom to travel, right? Well, what if we started to say, O.K., you can drive--- somewhere--- if you qualify! Instead of the drivers license that we all can get basically by fogging a mirror, what if you had to demonstrate your ability to handle a vehicle competently in several emergency reaction situations, and were graded on how well you avoided an accident? This would include performance handling as well. Then, this score value was …

G. David Felt Staff Writer Alternative Energy - CheersandGears.com Year 2013 is half way over and before even I could start sifting through the reports to see what or who was on top for best selling auto's MSN Auto's beat me to it with the top 20 selling auto's based on the first and second quarter sales reports. 1. Ford F-Series Sales through June: 367,486 Percentage change: +22 2. Chevrolet Silverado Sales through June: 242,586 vehicles Percentage change: +24.7 percent 3. Toyota Camry Sales through June: 207,626 vehicles Percentage change: -2.9 percent 4. Honda Accord Sales through June: 186,860 vehicles Percentage change: +20.4 percent 5. Ram 1500 Sales thr…

Feel free to move this if this is in the wrong area. http://www.cbc.ca/national/blog/video/poli...g_chrysler.html Pretty interesting video about Frank Stronach, and his company Magna, and why it'd be in his interest to partner with another Canadian company and purchase Chrysler. And since it is CBC, it is 'relatively' unbiased. But it's eight and a half minutes, which kind of sucks.

Harry Stoffer Automotive News April 21, 2008 - 4:25 pm ET WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration apparently will try to spruce up its battered environmental image with an Earth Day announcement of higher fuel economy standards. Although there was no confirmation as of this afternoon, administration officials on Tuesday, April 22, are expected to reveal proposed fuel economy standards for cars and trucks in the 2011-15 model years. The Department of Transportation said Secretary Mary Peters will make an announcement on " protecting the environment." Federal law dictates that standards must rise to a combined 35 mpg by 2020, about 40 percent higher than today.…

Latest Camaro News Forget all of the doom and gloom surrounding Detroit, the economy, and possible bankruptcy. Put that all aside and enjoy some good news. We've got a lot going on with the Camaro, including the official site launch, mpg figures, which includes the V6 getting 29 mph highway, and the start of regular production! So take a breather from all the bad, it's time for some good. Follow the jumps to see it all: Camaro Begins Regular Production Camaro mpg Figures released, V6 gets 29 mpg highway 2010 Chevy Camaro Configurator Website Launched

Cummins Inc., the manufacturer of diesel engines, has reached an agreement with the United States and the State of California. The $1.675 billion settlement would be the largest penalty for Clean Air Act Violations. Hundreds of thousands of engines were found with an emission-cheating defeat device. There were 630,000 defeat devices from 2013 to 2019 RAM 2500 and 3500 trucks. The Clean Air Act requires automakers and engine manufacturers to comply with emission limits. Defeat devices can be hardware or software, which can modify emission tests. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland from The Justice Department issued the following statement: “The Justice Departmen…

The Obama administration’s oversubscribed “cash for clunkers” scheme looks likely to founder in the Senate this week as bipartisan opposition mounted on Monday to the $2bn extension passed last week in the House of Representatives. Republican senators described the scheme, in which car users can take up to $4,500 (€3,170, £2,710) in government vouchers to trade in their vehicles for more fuel efficient ones, as a “boondoggle” – or a waste of time and money – and all but threatened to filibuster the planned extension. This would almost certainly kill prospects of renewing the scheme before the Senate returns from recess in September. Republicans also pointed out that t…

2007 North American Car and Truck of the Year finalists announced By DALE JEWETT | AUTOMOTIVE NEWS AutoWeek | Published 12/13/06, 12:30 pm et Link to Original Article @ AutoWeek DETROIT -- The Honda Fit, Saturn Aura and Toyota Camry are the finalists for the 2007 North American Car of the Year award. Finalists for the 2007 North American Truck of the Year award are the Chevrolet Silverado, Ford Edge and Mazda CX-7. The finalists for both awards were announced today here. The winners will be named Jan. 7, at the start of press preview days for the North American International Auto Show. The finalists were culled from a candidate pool of 12 cars and 14 t…

By William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com January 29, 2013 Ray LaHood, the Transportation Secretary of the Obama administration announced today that he would be stepping down. "I have let President Obama know that I will not serve a second term as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation. It has been an honor and a privilege to lead the Department, and I am grateful to President Obama for giving me such an extraordinary opportunity," LaHood wrote in an email. LaHood has put forth a number of initiatives during his time as transportation secretary including a campaign to reduce distracted driving, promote high-speed rail, and repair roads and bridg…

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23715179/

January is usually not a strong month for car sales as it just after the holidays and people don't have the money to buy a new car. This is reflected in our January sales figure ticker where most automakers post small increases and decreases. There were some automakers that posted some surprising numbers. Nissan reported a 10 percent increase and Toyota noted an impressive 16.8 percent rise. The two automakers credit their utility as a key reason for the rise. But Bloomberg reports there is another reason for these rises. Pulling data from Cox Automotive, Bloomberg found out that fleet deliveries for the month rose 46 percent for Nissan and 69 percent for Toyota. Mos…

https://www.onallcylinders.com/2018/12/21/ubers-self-driving-program-is-back-behind-the-wheel-after-fatal-crash-last-spring/?fbclid=IwAR015BqIXKKQxRVK1g0Zn10OK-9XxAaNzXd2tpf9wJ6v3B1WcsCm0nFTKKQ "Uber’s latest foray into autonomous vehicle testing will be more limited from a standpoint of scope and speed. The car will be held to a speed limit of 25 mph and is restricted to a one-mile loop in Pittsburgh’s Strip District. Additionally, the test vehicles are required to have two drivers (i.e. “mission specialists”) at all times during operation."

GM POSTS $1.3-B NET INCOME FOR SECOND QUARTER General Motors earned $1.3 billion in the second quarter, mostly in North America, which more than offset a $200-million loss in Europe and smaller profits from the rest of the world. Read the news here.

auto extremist read the first two bits on this page. I more than agree with what he is saying on both topics here. Toyota's new hybrid ads are full of pomposity and also, the highlight on Japanese protectionism and currency manipulation, well, maybe we're about to hit the wave here soon where folks get a little anti-japan sentiment. I'm ok with some Japanese car bashing, personally. "Not only will the grass be greener, you'll see more of the world, you'll live longer, your days will never end, you'll see forever, and you're going to die if you don't start driving a Toyota with Hybrid Synergy Drive. What? You didn't get the…

Automakers catering to aging baby boomers By Jeremy Cato So, you are a well-educated professional, perhaps in your 40s, but more likely in your 50s, and you want some luxury in your transportation. The world, as they say, is your oyster. Automakers have discovered – rediscovered? – 50-something buyers, and there are a lot of ‘em. So automakers are introducing a nice array of new models for aging baby boomers, all the while keeping in mind that old auto industry axiom: you can sell a young man's car to an old man, but you can't sell an old man's car to a young man. Well, "young" is a relative term here. By "young" we're referring …

CBS link Here is what LA Times has to say LA Times story haha i just find this interesting...

William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com November 13, 2012 The news of Suzuki automobiles leaving the U.S. has left their dealers with a choice, either take a cash settlement or take Suzuki to court. Last week, American Suzuki Motor Corporation was authorized by a U.S. Bankruptcy Court to borrow $45 million dollars as part of a settlement with dealers. The settlement would give dealers a cash settlement, and a new contract giving the dealers the rights to operate as parts and service centers for Suzuki vehicles if the dealers voluntary surrender their agreements with Suzuki. There’s two problems with the settlement. For one, the settlements to be paid out, Suz…

A group of ten automakers have agreed to equip all of their new vehicles with an automatic emergency braking (AEB) system in the near future. Audi, BMW, Ford, General Motors, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Tesla, Toyota, Volkswagen, and Volvo announced today they will work together with the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on an agreement and timeline to make automatic braking standard on all of their models. AEB systems work to prevent or lessen the effects of a rear-end collision by detecting an imminent collision and apply the brakes to slow or stop the vehicle. This technology is becoming commonpl…

Only a couple of months after electric vehicle start-up Lucid Motors came out of the dark and unveiled an unnamed prototype vehicle, they have unveiled their first model named the Air. The model is taking direct aim at Tesla and their Model S sedan. The Air is powered by two electric motors - one on each axle - and can be paired with either a 100 kWh or 130 kWh battery pack. Total output stands at 1,000 horsepower. In terms of range, the 100 kWh battery pack is estimated to provide over 300 miles and 130 kWh battery pack is estimated to provide around 400 miles. Outside, the Lucid Air looks like something out of Minority Report. The front is short and fea…