Tag Archives: naias

Non-Spy Shot – Cadillac ELR Photographed in Southern California

General Motors has released this photograph of a Cadillac ELR hybrid electric vehicle, which will be revealed with nicer paint at the 2013 North American International Auto Show next week. Continue reading

Posted in alternative fuels, auto news, electric vehicles, new vehicle | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Next Generation Chevrolet Silverado Pickup to Debut in December

Chevrolet will unveil what is calling the all-new Silverado 1500 full-size pickup on 13 December at a special event in the Detroit area. In a release, Chevy claimed, “bold exterior design of the new Silverado reflects the enhanced capabilities of the truck while features such as jewel-like, projector beam headlamps showcase the careful attention given to every detail.” Presumably, this also means a “bold new grille.” Continue reading

Posted in auto news, design and styling, new vehicle, sales | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Dodge Dart Debuts Using First Fiat Architecture. More on Way

The U.S. Dart is in many ways similar to the original Ford Focus (C170) that was derived from a European Ford design a decade ago. And Dart faces the same challenges as well. Though bigger than that Focus – a decided plus in North America, and with much more content – it remains to be seen if Dart’s U.S. suppliers can rise to the quality challenge posed by competing small Japanese and Korean cars. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, design and styling, new vehicle, news, news analysis | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Honda Accord Coupe Concept – Its 2013 Comeback Car?

Given the competitiveness of the segment – accounting for ~20% of the cars sold in the U.S., Honda is currently behind in technology. This is an unexpected lag for what normally is a company that resides at the top of the innovation column of the scorecard is puzzling. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, environment, fuel economy or emissions, new vehicle, news, news analysis, sales | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Lincoln MKZ Concept Derived off Ford Fusion Debuts at NAIAS

Lincoln needs some sales successes and in the U.S – virtually its only outlet for this fading regional brand – where luxury car sales range from ~10-13% of the market annually. There’s an enormous opportunity now posed by Generation Y types, 80% of whom say they would consider a luxury car in the $30,000 range, which hasn’t escaped impending product actions at Lexus, Acura, BMW and Mercedes-Benz, among others. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, concept, design and styling, news, news analysis, sales | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Ford Debuts Mondeo Based, Mexican-Built Fusion at NAIAS

Ford’s relative lack of success in car segments will make this launch one to watch. The Number 2 automaker in U.S. sales should have picked up more than a 3.7% increase in passenger car sales during 2011 while the industry gained 9% in the view of critics. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, fuel economy or emissions, new vehicle, news | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Michigan Made Chevrolet Sonic Recall for Missing Brake Pad

How a car without brake pads could leave the Orion Township assembly plant, or pass a pre-delivery inspection was not addressed in the terse NHTSA filing. The embarrassing safety defect comes just before the public unveiling of the 2013 Sonic RS performance model – 138-horsepower from a turbocharged engine – at the North American International Auto Show in January. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, news, recalls, safety | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Toyota Launches Prius c Hybrid as Aqua in Japan for $21,700

In Japan the Prius c comes in seven models with a price ranging from $21,750 to $34,500 for lavishing equipped models for handicapped people. Look for the Japanese-built Prius c in the U.S. to start somewhere under $20,000 with several more expensive option packages. AutoInformed is betting Toyota will continue to use aggressive ‘comeback pricing’ and incentives to regain market share lost post-tsunami and Thailand floods this year. With the introduction of the all-new reduced price Camry last October, Toyota has regained 2 percentage points of U.S. share in the last two months. Continue reading

Posted in alternative fuels, auto news, electric vehicles, environment, fuel economy or emissions, global warming, marketing, milestones, new vehicle, news, news analysis, shows and events | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Lexus LF-LC 2+2 Sport Coupe revealed. Sort of…

In November, the Lexus Division of Toyota reported total sales of 19,458 units, up 6.7% year-over-year, the best month since March, the month of the infamous tsunami. With Lexus attempting to regain it’s top selling luxury brand spot in the U.S. that it lost this year to the Germans post tsunami, look for LF-LC to appear sooner rather than later. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, concept, design and styling, marketing, new vehicle, news | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Buick 2013 Encore Teaser Photo – Will it Play in China?

The real challenge for all new Buicks going forward is not whether the vehicle will play in Peoria, but rather how it plays in Shanghai? Buick sold a record of 59,763 vehicles in China in November – more than 5 times what it sold in the U.S. Little wonder the head of GM advance design in China is now Chinese. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, design and styling, marketing, new vehicle, news analysis, people | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Finalists in for 2012 North American Car and Truck of the Year

Cars selected were the 2012 Ford Focus, 2012 Hyundai Elantra and the 2012 Volkswagen Passat. Last year the Chevrolet Volt was the car winner. In the misleadingly named ‘truck’ category, the 2012 BMW X3, 2012 Honda CR-V and the 2012 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque made the final cut. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, awards, new vehicle, news, news analysis, results | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

New Compact Acura ILX to be Built in Indiana by Honda

This means Acura ILX will be Acura’s first-ever hybrid model, as well as the first Acura model to be produced in Greensburg, Indiana, which also builds the new 2012 Civic model. The plant recently added nearly 1,000 associates to support the move to two-shift production, which started on Oct. 24, 2011, doubling the plant’s capacity to 200,000 vehicles per year. In what is a major public relations error, Honda did not even release a teaser photo of the ILX. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, economy, manufacturing, new vehicle, news, news analysis | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

NAIAS – Acura, Lexus, Honda Will be Out in Force in Detroit

Acura announced today that it will show three all-new vehicles at the 2012 North American International Auto Show – NAIAS – including a compact sports sedan, a redesigned RDX crossover sport utility vehicle, and a concept version of the next generation Acura NSX super car. Honda, Toyota and Lexus will also have strong new vehicles. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, design and styling, new vehicle, news | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

GM Plans Four World Debuts at NAIAS. Where is Bob Lutz?

“ATS enters the biggest market segment in the global luxury car industry, both in terms of volume and importance,” said Barra.

No kidding. ATS better be good when it appears next fall.

But when I asked what GM consultant Bob Lutz was doing these days, Barra said she was trading e-mails with him about getting Lutz to drive a new Chevy Sonic, which has been on sale globally for a couple of years. While Barra called Lutz an “automotive rock star,” there was no hint in her brief response that she was spending any time with Lutz. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, marketing, new vehicle, news, news analysis, people | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Prius, Priuses, Prium and Prien? No, Toyota Prii is the Plural

Toyota Motor Sales announced yesterday at the Chicago Auto Show that the official plural of Prius is now ‘Prii.’ This Prii name is the result of a contest that launched in January at the North American International Auto Show in … Continue reading

Posted in auto news, marketing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment