Category Archives: new vehicle

Chevrolet Camaro SS Convertible to Pace Indianapolis 500

A Chevrolet Camaro Convertible will serve as the pace car of the 2011 Indianapolis 500. Chevrolet and Indianapolis Motor Speedway officials made the announcement at the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale classic auto auction yesterday, where a bidder will have the opportunity to purchase the first of 50 Indianapolis 500 Festival Committee cars this Saturday night.

The 2011 Camaro Convertible is the 22nd Chevrolet chosen to pace the race, and the seventh Camaro. Both the 100th anniversary of the first Indianapolis 500 and Chevrolet occur in 2011. Chevrolet. Arthur, Louis and Gaston Chevrolet all competed at the Brickyard. Continue reading

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January New Vehicle Sales up 23% from 2010. Slow Recovery?

January new-vehicle retail sales are forecast to come in at 632,100 units, which means a seasonally adjusted annualized rate (SAAR) of 10.0 million units, nearly 2 million units higher than January 2010. Continue reading

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General Motors Appoints Mary Barra, a GM Human Resources Executive, to Head Global Product Development

General Motors today named Mary Barra, 49, senior vice president, Global Product Development, to lead the design, engineering, program management and quality of vehicles for GM’s 11 brands around the world.

Barra comes to the high visibility position once occupied by formidable car guys, including Tom Stephens and Bob Lutz from her position as vice president, Global Human Resources. Prior to this appointment, Barra had been vice president, Global Human Resources since 2009. Both Lutz and Stephens carried the title of vice chairman, so Barra’s job has been downgraded in the latest GM reorganization. Continue reading

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Akerson Reorganizing GM Again! Product Development Split. Vice Chairman Stephens Moved to Chief Technology Officer

The new CTO position was said to be a “major element of Akerson’s goal to make the company more customer driven and technology focused.”

However, the previous GM technology position occupied by Larry Burns was in practicality more of academic exercise that produce reams of press releases extolling the virtues of fuel cells and other advanced technologies that had no immediate production prospects, and did not connect GM to customers or advance sales as the company sped toward bankruptcy. Continue reading

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Ford will invest $400 million in its Kansas City Assembly Plant

Ford Motor Company announced today that it will build a new vehicle at its Kansas City Assembly Plant in Claycomo, Missouri after Ford Escape production moves to Ford’s Louisville Assembly Plant. Continue reading

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General Motors Recalls Pickups, SUVs for Rear Wheel Lockup

General Motors is recalling almost 27,000 pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles from the 2011 model year because the rear wheels can unexpectedly lock, possibly sending the trucks out of control and causing an accident. Continue reading

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And the North American Truck of the Year is, well, a Car!

While automotive marketing is rife with absurdities, mangled language and downright disingenuous claims, automotive journalists can usually sort out the hype and prevarications. Apparently not so this year when it came to the North American Truck of the Year Award.
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Porsche 918 RSR Debuts in Detroit. Latest Flywheel Technology Fantasy or a Serious Le Mans Contender?

Porsche AG returned to the Detroit Auto Show for the first time in several years with a delicious 918 RSR single-seat racing car that uses a flywheel mounted on the passenger side to capture some of the energy normally wasted by converting kinetic energy to heat under braking. Continue reading

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Honda Debuts Civic Concepts at NAIAS for 2012 Models

The Honda Civic Si coupe and Civic sedan made world debuts at the North American International Auto Show today in thinly disguised “concept” form, providing the first official glimpse at the styling direction of what are mildly revised Civic models, … Continue reading

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Toyota Reveals Prius extended Family of Vehicles at the NAIAS

Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. unveiled a Prius family of vehicles today in Detroit, as part of its strategy of introducing 11 new hybrid models to its global lineup in the next 23 months. Continue reading

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VW Passat Debuts at NAIAS. Will be Built in Tennessee

Volkswagen has taken the wraps off its NMS – new mid-size sedan – and surprise it’s a Passat. True, it’s the largest Passat since its 1987 debut in a segment long dominated by the Japanese Big Three – Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, and Nissan Altima.

VW has been promising that this Passat is finally right for the American market, and it will mark the return of VW to more than a small player since the day when it dominated U.S. imports with the Beetle. Continue reading

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Ford Shows 2012 Focus Electric Vehicle at Consumer Electronics Show. 2012 Debut for Magna Conversion

Ford Motor Company unveiled in Las Vegas today its conversion of the Focus compact car to an electric vehicle. It was the first time a major automaker unveiled a new car at the Consumer Electronics Show. Ford claimed the Focus … Continue reading

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Buick Returns to U.S. Compact Car Market with $25,000 Verano

The all-new 2012 Buick Verano compact sedan debuts at the North American International Auto Show next week. It’s Buick’s third new model in the past two years in North America, following the Enclave crossover, and the LaCrosse and Regal sedans.

Buick is attempting the same positioning it has used on those, as it reenters the small car segment. So no surprise that Buick is claiming Verano is a combination of luxury and technology that can compete with Audi and Lexus models, according to John Schwegman, vice president of Buick marketing. Continue reading

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Toyota U.S. Sales Troubles Continue as 2010 Sales Results are the Same as a Depressed 2009. Overall the Market Grew 11%

Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A. today reported annual sales of 1,763,595 vehicles – the same as Toyota posted during 2009 in an auto market that grew at double digit rates for most other major makers, including 19% at Ford Motor … Continue reading

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Camaro Sales Top Mustang for First Time Since 1991!

With a sales growth rate in 2010 of three times that of the Ford Mustang, the Chevy Camaro took the annual sales leadership for the first time since 1991. Continue reading

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