Autos

Growing number of Americans going carless

Paul A. Eisenstein — Wed, 22 May 2013 19:17:08 GMT

Whether by choice or because of financial necessity, the number of American households without a car has doubled over the past two decades – and is now approaching 10 percent.The impact of this trend could be significant, especially when it comes to alternative forms of transportation such as car-sharing and mass transit, according to research by CNW Marketing.“While the recession was in large par...

GM stock at highest point in more than two years

Paul A. Eisenstein — Tue, 21 May 2013 17:29:38 GMT

Perhaps it’s just a rising tide lifting all boats, but General Motors stock has hit its highest close in more than two years – beating the $33 a share price tag set during its initial public offering in November 2010.The resurgence comes as the overall stock market charges from one record to another, but also suggests that investors are impressed by the performance of the giant maker which earlier...

Detroit roars back after years of quality issues

Paul A. Eisenstein — Tue, 21 May 2013 17:29:38 GMT

Is Motor City getting its mojo back? After years of losing loyal customers frustrated by quality and reliability problems, domestic automakers are showing a new-found focus on customer service that is winning back skeptics – boosting sales, market share and profits.Despite the improvement, it may take awhile for the industry to totally repair its tarnished image. “I’d love to buy something from De...

Electric car maker Tesla to pay off $465M in federal loans

Michael Strong — Tue, 21 May 2013 17:29:37 GMT

Electric car maker Tesla Motors has shifted into a good place: CEO Elon Musk intends to use the potential $1 billion from a new stock offering to pay off the maker’s $465 million in Department of Energy loans – and to help pay for other products that would grow the California automaker.Musk, who uses tweets to signal his plans, has hinted that he will formally announce the payoff of the loans tomo...

Mercedes S-Class wows with 3D cameras and night vision

Paul A. Eisenstein — Sun, 19 May 2013 16:15:54 GMT

There was a time when luxury cars were defined by their sheer size and mass, their power, performance and, of course, exclusive details like leather seats and wood trim.Those factors distinguish the 2014 Mercedes-Benz S-Class, but there’s more to the redefined German flagship that fit the changing nature of the auto industry. From its LED lamps to the 3D cameras, radar and night vision systems tha...

Expect millions of electric car charging stations by 2020

Paul A. Eisenstein — Fri, 17 May 2013 13:25:04 GMT

Tesla Motors might have scored its first-ever profit during the first quarter, but sales of plug-in vehicles are lagging below expectations, which analysts blame on the high price of battery-based vehicles as well as their limited range.But the nascent electric vehicle market may get a big boost if a new study from IMS Research proves on target. It predicts the number of EV charging stations will ...

Subaru only small SUV ranked 'good' on crash test

Paul A. Eisenstein — Thu, 16 May 2013 19:54:11 GMT

Five popular crossover-utility vehicles failed the new overlap crash test designed to simulate an impact with a pole or other narrow object -- one of the most common sources of highway fatalities.Only the 2014 Subaru Forester passed the test, earning a “good” rating from the trade group the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The 2013 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport landed an “acceptable” rating.Re...

Subaru only CUV ranked 'good' on crash test

Paul A. Eisenstein — Thu, 16 May 2013 17:14:32 GMT

Used Fisker Karma EVs are the 'new Delorean' as prices tumble

Philip LeBeau — Wed, 15 May 2013 14:13:35 GMT

As used car deals go, this is one to make you think twice. Used Fisker Karmas, which sold for $103,000 just a year ago as new models, are now being sold for roughly half price. In some cases, those trying to sell the luxury extended-range electric car on eBay cannot even get bids above $50,000. Just ask Bill Michlin, a dealer with the Fields Auto Group in the Chicago suburb of Glencoe. He just...

As auto sales rebound, so do repossessions

Philip LeBeau — Wed, 15 May 2013 14:13:34 GMT

An increase in auto repossessions due to borrowers defaulting on their car loans is raising new questions about whether the auto industry is going too far selling new cars and trucks to those with subprime credit records. According to Experian Automotive, the percentage of auto repos in the first quarter jumped 16.9 percent, and the average charge-off for bad loans jumped more than $600 to $7,401....

Electric car maker Tesla defies skeptics

Paul A. Eisenstein — Mon, 13 May 2013 11:55:59 GMT

Bet against Tesla founder Elon Musk at your own peril. Just ask the short-sellers who predicted his Tesla Motors would be the next electric carmaker to short-circuit. Quite the opposite has happened. The California electric vehicle manufacturer reported this past week its first-ever profit of $11.2 million as sales of its Model S sedan outpaced even its own optimistic expectations. Tesla is promi...

Chrysler recalls 469,000 SUVs over gearshift problem

Reuters staff — Sun, 12 May 2013 19:41:56 GMT

Chrysler is recalling about 469,000 SUVs worldwide to update software after some vehicles' circuit boards were found to be transmitting signals that trigger inadvertent gear shifts to neutral, the No. 3 U.S. automaker said Saturday.Included are 2006- to 2010-model-year Jeep Commanders and 2005 to 2010 Jeep Grand Cherokees, of which about 295,000 are in the United States, 28,500 are in Canada ...

US safety watchdog probes Chevy Corvette headlight problem

The Associated Press — Fri, 10 May 2013 15:17:11 GMT

U.S. auto safety regulators are investigating complaints that the low-beam headlights can go dark without warning on some Chevrolet Corvettes. The probe by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration covers more than 103,000 Corvettes from the 2005 through 2007 model years. The agency says it has gotten 30 complaints from owners about low-beam headlight failure. No crashes or injuries have ...

LA edges out Honolulu for worst traffic

Michael Strong — Tue, 07 May 2013 18:20:27 GMT

After being replaced by Honolulu for a year, Los Angeles once again earned the title of the most congested metro area in the country. At 5 p.m. on a Friday in 2012, the average driver wasted more than 28 minutes in traffic, according to INRIX, a traffic information and services group that collects data for individual road segments.Read more: GM Rebuffs Criticism about ChinaIn its 2012 Traffic Scor...

Ralph Lauren shows off $700K supercar

Robert Frank — Tue, 07 May 2013 16:52:40 GMT

What do you buy for the car collector who has everything?Apparently, an RUF CTR-3.Ralph Lauren, the fashion mogul and vintage-car collector, recently took delivery of an RUF CTR-3, according to people familiar with the deal. Lauren was snapped by the car-parazzi taking it for a spin recently in the Hamptons.A spokesman for Lauren declined comment.For super-rich car collectors, the RUF is one of th...

BMW recalls 220,000 vehicles in widening airbag issue

Tue, 07 May 2013 13:39:22 GMT

BMW is recalling about 220,000 vehicles worldwide from model years 2002 and 2003 as part of a wider recall affecting airbags made by supplier Takata Corp, BMW said on Tuesday.The latest recall includes BMW's popular 3-Series sedans, coupes, convertibles and station wagons. Last month, 3.4 million vehicles worldwide made by Toyota Motor Corp, Nissan Motor Co, Honda Motor Co and Mazda Motor Corp wer...

Limping Lincoln brand gets bump from sedan sales

Paul A. Eisenstein — Sun, 05 May 2013 15:29:35 GMT

Ford Motor Co.’s struggling Lincoln division caught a much-needed break last month, with a sharp upturn in sales for its new MKZ sedan following months of weak demand that raised questions about the luxury brand’s long-term survival.Once a dominant nameplate in the U.S. market, Lincoln has fallen off the radar screen for most American luxury buyers, senior company officials admit, a downfall they ...

Driving with pets increases crash rates, study says

Michael Strong — Thu, 02 May 2013 18:47:05 GMT

As the head of the U.S. Department of Transportation, Ray LaHood repeatedly stated his goal to reduce distracted driving, such as talking while driving. A new study adds one more to his list of driving no-nos: Pets, particularly for senior drivers.Researchers at the University of Alabama-Birmingham say that both overall and at-fault crash rates for drivers 70 years of age or older were higher for ...

Ford hiring more than 1,000 on rising demand for F-series truck

Philip LeBeau — Thu, 02 May 2013 15:23:22 GMT

Ford, facing greater demand for its F-Series trucks, is adding a third shift and hiring more than a thousand new workers at its final assembly plant in Claycomo, Missouri where the popular F-150 pick-up is built, the auto maker said.The move is part of Ford adding a total of 2,000 jobs and expanding capacity at the plant outside of Kansas City, Missouri. "We are going to step up operations at ...

Electric car company Coda files for bankruptcy

Joseph Szczesny — Wed, 01 May 2013 19:40:05 GMT

Coda Holdings, parent of the electric-car maker backed by billionaire Philip Facone, has filed for bankruptcy and will seek to sell its assets.Coda Holdings shut down its automotive unit last year after failing to make good on its promise to sell 10,000 vehicles. The company sold fewer than 100 vehicles while employing 40 people. It will instead focus on its energy storage business, said Phil Murt...

US auto sales surge on truck and SUV demand

The Associated Press — Wed, 01 May 2013 15:04:51 GMT

Detroit's Big Three automakers posted higher sales last month amid rising demand for larger vehicles such as SUVs and pickup trucks.Strong demand for the Ram pickup helped drive Chrysler's sales up 11 percent last month as the company posted its best April in six years. General Motors Co.'s U.S. sales rose 11 percent in April on continuing demand for pickups as well as small cars. And Ford Motor ...

Chrysler sales up 11 percent in April

TOM KRISHER — Wed, 01 May 2013 13:25:38 GMT

Strong demand for the Ram pickup truck helped drive Chrysler's sales up 11 percent last month as the company posted its best April in six years. The increase is another sign that Americans continue to buy cars and trucks despite high unemployment and mixed economic signals. All automakers report monthly sales Wednesday, and industry analysts expect an overall increase of around 10 percent over Apr...

Spy photos reveal details of 2015 Mustang

Jim Dunne — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 17:02:29 GMT

It’s no secret that Ford is planning to throw a big party celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Ford Mustang when it rolls off the line next year. But what has remained a secret is what the 2015 Mustang looks like. Until now. Our spies captured images of the elusive 2015 Mustang model that reveal some details, even though the car is covered from front to rear. Ford is expected to unveil the all-ne...

Nissan, Honda recalling a slew of vehicles

Michael Strong — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 15:00:32 GMT

Nissan Motor Co. and Honda Motor Co. announced recalls for the second time this month as quality issues continue to plague some Japanese automakers. Nissan is recalling more than 123,300 2013 Altimas while Honda is doing the same with 2012 and 2013 Fit Sports. For Honda, it’s the fourth recall this year.This latest recall marks the second time this month Nissan and Honda have issued recalls al...

Chevy Corvette jumps in price (plus $8K for leather interior)

Paul A. Eisenstein — Sun, 28 Apr 2013 14:11:52 GMT

Anyone who put off buying a Corvette to wait for the new model is going to have to dig a little deeper in their pockets to get behind the wheel of the new model. The 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray starts at $51,995, including $995 for delivery -- $1,400 more than the current version. The Stingray convertible starts at $56,995.The Detroit Bureau: Ford Sets Earnings Record in North AmericaThen aga...