Magna not planning to take over any other car manufacturers
After four consecutive quarters of losses, Magna International Inc. appeared to benefit from cost reductions and posted a $51 million profit. Magna, North America ’s largest auto-parts supplier, has been on the news a lot because of its attempt to take a big stake in General Motors Co.’s Opel unit.
However, this plan fell through with [...]
GM to outperform the targets set in its earnings viability plan
While we won’t see the full picture until General Motors Co. reveals its third-quarter earnings report later this month, CEO Fritz Henderson claims that its situation is “more stable than what the outlook was even just two months ago.” Last April, GM outlined its earnings viability plan and now, Henderson is claiming that GM is [...]
2010 Suzuki Kizashi priced from $19,734
A lot is hanging on how the Kizashi mid-sized sedan from American Suzuki Motor Corp. will be received in the US. Recently, Suzuki has released its pricing details. A model with front-wheel drive and a six-speed manual transmission is priced from $19,734, including shipping.
A $1,500 premium is attached to an automatic continuously variable [...]
2011 Ford Explorer to receive airbags built into rear belts
Ford had infants and seniors in mind when it designed the 2011 Ford Explorer to have rear seat belts that include small built-in airbags. The inflatable belts, which will be optional on the Explorer, are devised to reduce head, neck and chest injuries in young children and the elderly. Ford safety officials said infants and [...]
GM approves plans to boost ad spending on vehicles from its Chevrolet brand
Expect to see much more of Chevrolet vehicles now that the General Motors board has approved plans to substantially increase ad spending. Chevrolet’s recent launches — Camaro, Equinox and Traverse – were all successful in the marketplace but the company believes that they were overshadowed by the automaker’s bankruptcy.
At the Reuters Autos Summit in Detroit, [...]
Report: Toyota denies allegations over floor-mat cover up
In response to a reprimand for reportedly misinforming the public, Toyota Executive Vice President Yukitoshi Funo said that it is not part of Toyota’s culture to cover up anything.
In fact, talks are ongoing with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to determine the cause of the safety recall of 3.8 million vehicles. He also denied [...]
Next Mazda MX-5 will be smaller and lighter
A smaller and lighter Mazda MX-5 – that’s what the next model will be like. According to Mazda insiders, this is an attempt to replicate the spirit of the original launched 20 years ago. Mazda’s R&D team is working on making the new car as light and compact as the first MX-5.
The current car was [...]
Chrysler badge will disappear from cars sold in Europe by 2011
By 2011, the Chrysler badge will cease to appear in cars sold in Europe . This leaves Jeep as the carmaker’s only nameplate in the continent. In order to streamline capital expenditure and distribution costs, Chrysler and Dodge cars will be rebadged as Lancia or Fiat models.
This action is in line with Fiat S.p.A’s [...]
Toyota reports a surprising quarterly profit and slashed its annual loss forecast
It would be an understatement to say that many were surprised that Toyota Motor Corp. had recorded a quarterly profit. It appears that Toyota is now on track to continue with this success similar to what its Japanese rivals have experienced.
The quarterly profit cuts its annual loss forecast by more than half. The rise in [...]
Chrysler’s five year plan
Chrysler and Lancia have joined forces to work on a very similar brand image, with the operations being overseen by Olivier Francois. Since the Chrysler 300C and Lancia Thesis are very similar propositions, Francois suggested this setup. He says that in the future, both brands will get models that reflect “timeless elegance” and recapture “style [...]
