The 2010 Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-CELL made its debut last month and is ready to enter production as early as this year. Of the 200 units to be produced, about 100 will come to the United States, primarily in California, in early 2010. “They will go to private customers,” Thomas Weber, Daimler AG board member for [...]
Rather than just covering vehicle debuts at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show, there is a lot more news you can pick up here from company executives attending the show. In one such situation, BMW of North America’s CEO, Jim O’Donnell, confirmed that the luxury German automaker will offer 4-cylinder in the U.S. before 2015 to meet [...]
Speaking to the press at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show, Volkswagen Group of America’s CEO, Stephen Jacoby, said that the company is considering bringing back the Phaeton luxury sedan back to the United States with a diesel powertrain. He said that Volkswagen is eager to reverse the decision to pull the slow-selling $70,000 plus sedan [...]
President Barack Obama’s administration has paid a total of $2.5 billion of the $2.9 billion claimed by dealers during the Cash for Clunkers incentive and his hoping to pay the rest by the end of the month. “All dealers will be paid by or before the end of September, probably before,” Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood [...]
Last week Ford announced that it will be providing Jay Leno with a battery electric version of the Ford Focus sedan for his new self-named show. Celebrities visiting Jay Leno on the show will drive the Focus BEV as they compete in the “Green Car Challenge” segment of the show and will compete for best [...]
General Motors Company’s top-level executives will now be allowed to fly business class on all flights. The company released its luxury expense policy today saying that employees should try to lease GM vehicles “whenever feasible” when on a business trip. The policy said that any events costing more than $10,000 must be approved by a [...]
During his visit to General Motors Company’s Lordstown Assembly plant yesterday, President Barack Obama told about 2,200 workers that GM’s survival was essential to the U.S. economy. “I didn’t run for President to manage auto companies. It wasn’t something on my to-do list,” Obama said. “But in the midst of a deep recession and financial [...]
- Key Competitors: Ferrari 430 Scuderia, Ferrari 458 Italia and yes, we’re just kidding. – Engine: 180-hp 1.4L Turbo T-Jet 16v. – Transmission: MTA (Manual Transmission Automated). – Pricing: A limited number of units will be made. Prices TBA. Abarth has unveiled their new 695 Tributo Ferrari, which is based on the Fiat 500. Ferrari touches include [...]
- Key Competitors: Aston Martin V8 Vantage Roadster, Porsche 911 Carrera 4S Cabriolet, Bentley Continental GTC. – Engine: 4.7L V8 producing 440-hp/361 lb-ft. – Transmission: 6-speed automatic. – Performance: 0 to 62 mph 5.4 seconds. Top speed comes in at 176 mph. – Pricing: TBA. Maserati has taken the top off its GranTurismo Coupe here [...]
- Key Competitors: TBA – Engine: 1.0L 3-cylinder engine, direct-injected, turbocharged; mated to hybrid module. – Transmission: 6-speed Dual Clutch. – Fuel-Economy: 3.3l/100km or 71 mpg in U.S. terms. – Production Possibility: Hyundai says the model hints at a future entry-level hybrid CUV. Hyundai has unveiled the ix-Metro Concept, the fifth in the Hyundai Namyang Design (HND) [...]
