- US: Marchionne defends his ambitious Jeep plans – Just-auto: Fiat Chrysler Automobiles boss Sergio Marchionne was on the floor of the New York stock market on Monday, the newly merged company’s first day of trading – we wonder what he was thinking two days later when the world’s financial markets plummeted after poor data from the US heightened fears for the global economy.
- JAPAN: Carmakers bring home foreign-made models – Just-auto: Japan’s carmakers are bringing more foreign-built models into their domestic market as the yen continues to weaken, a move seen by the Nikkei’s Asian Review as a sign that companies are steadily establishing global production systems immune to exchange rate fluctuations.
- Ford F-150 a ‘Bold Move’ For Industry, Vehicle Line Manager Says – Wards: The new ’15 F-150 boasts a new aluminum body over a frame composed of different steel alloys.
- Infiniti to enter British Touring Car Championship in 2015 – Autocar: Premium car manufacturer lends its support to new not-for-profit Support our Paras race team for tin-top assault. Infiniti will enter the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship next year as title sponsor of a new not-for-profit motorsport team named Infiniti Support Our Paras Racing. Two new Infiniti Q50 race cars built to the BTCC’s NGTC rulebook will join the domestic tin-top series. The cars will be driven by Richard Hawken, who has won three championships at club level and tested for the…
- Luxury carmakers explore lower prices – Via Google News: Exotic car companies, eager to extend their reach beyond the super-rich, … Italian luxury automobile company Maserati, too, has gone down-market.
- Lexus Recalls 423,000 Cars in the U.S. – NY Times: The automaker says an improperly prepared gasket surface could cause fuel leaks and, potentially, fires.
- Wheelies: The Driverless Speed-Demon Edition – NY Times: Audi tests a driverless RS7 at speeds of up to 190 m.p.h.; Michigan’s governor considers anti-Tesla legislation.
- Mercedes-Benz lays out its vision for the powertrains of the future – Autocar: Downsizing, down-speeding and electric tech to play key parts in Mercedes’ powertrain strategy in the next decade. Mercedes-Benz technical chiefs have revealed an exciting mixture of technologies aimed at meeting short and long-term European CO2 legislation. More efficient engines, electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids and fuel cells all form part of Mercedes’ development strategy over the next 10 years.In engine development, the focus is on improved efficiency and performance.
- Econet Launches Connected Car Service – Via Google News: Telecommunications Company Econet Wireless has diversified into the automobile industry by launching Econet Connected Car, a fleet management …
- Audi RS7 prototype is world’s sportiest self-driving car [w/video] – Via Google News: Audi may not be the only automaker out there toying with self-driving automobile technology, but it is arguably the fastest of them. A few years back, …
- Cars don’t drive the millennials – Via Google News: A new report confirms this trend and offers reasons that millennials ? we’re talking 14- to 31-year-olds ? seem less drawn to the automobile thing.
- Honda accused by watchdog of not reporting all airbag incidents – Automotive News: Honda is being accused by a watchdog group of underreporting injuries and fatalities from defective airbags, hampering a federal government system designed to spot patterns in automotive flaws.
- Tesla Faces Possible Prohibition of Sales in Michigan – Via Google News: Tesla Motors Inc. (TSLA) would be blocked from selling its electric cars in Michigan, under legislation that … The National Automobile Dealers Association, which represents almost 16,000 new-car dealers, has opposed Tesla’s …
- Jay Leno confirms TV comeback with new CNBC car show – Via Google News: Jay Leno confirms TV comeback with new CNBC car show … Jay Leno has confirmed that he will host a new automobile-themed series for CNBC.
- Audi concept to usher in new styling era – Automotive News: Audi will introduce a new design direction with a concept car debuting next month at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
- Fiat-Chrysler plans to launch Avventura this month – Via Google News: In keeping with its stated plans of aggressive product roll-outs in India, automobile maker Fiat-Chrysler will launch its Avventura, a ‘contemporary …
- GM sued for $10 billion over losses on 27 million recalled cars – Automotive News: General Motors was hit with its biggest lawsuit so far over serial recalls, brought on behalf of drivers of 27 million vehicles seeking more than $10 billion in compensation for fallen car prices.
- GM sides with U.S. wireless carriers in net neutrality fight – Automotive News: GM has emerged as a heavyweight ally of the wireless carriers battling against stricter Internet traffic rules, with a new letter that linked the issue to wirelessly connected cars.
- Anti-Tesla bill reaches Michigan governor’s desk – Automotive News: Legislation that would prevent Tesla Motors from directly selling its EV lineup in Michigan has cleared the state’s legislative chambers and is awaiting the signature of Republican Governor Rick Snyder. The deadline to sign the bill is October 21.
- Cars Are Becoming More Distracting – Via Google News: Ford’s updatable SYNC AppLink feature will enable motorists [read drivers] in 7 million cars to press a button and, with a few spoken words, notify …
- US: GM says Q3 sales best since 1980 – Just-auto: General Motors sold 2,449,595 vehicles around the world in the third quarter of 2014, up 2% year on year but the company’s best third quarter since 1980. In the first nine months, sales were also up 2% to 7,371,743 units.
- Audi tests driverless car technology at 190 mph – Automotive News: In its effort to bring autonomous-driving technology to the streets, Audi is testing unmanned vehicles at speeds as fast as 305 kilometers (190 miles) per hour.
- Audi puts self-drive cars to the test at racing speeds of 305km per hour – Via Google News: Audi CEO Rupert Stadler speaks next to an Audi TTS Roadster car displayed on media day at the Paris Mondial de l’Automobile, October 2, 2014.
- GM’s Q3 global vehicle sales up 2% on strong China, U.S. demand – Automotive News: General Motors’ global sales rose 2 percent in the third quarter, driven by strong demand in the two largest auto markets in the world, China and the United States.
- Lexus Recalls 423000 Vehicles for Fire Risk – Via Google News: Lexus will recall 423,000 older models in the U.S. market over concerns that the cars could catch fire. It’s part of a larger global recall that affects …
- Jay Leno revs up a new show for CNBC – Via Google News: Much like fellow comedian Jerry Seinfeld’s “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee,” Leno has found success with a Web-based automobile series …
- Toyota Recalls 1.7 Million Vehicles Over Several Issues – Via Google News: Japanese automobile maker Toyota announced Wednesday that it is recalling 1.75 million cars worldwide due to brake problems and issues with its …
- GM’s Third-Quarter Global Vehicle Sales Up 2 Percent on Strong China, U.S. Demand – NY Times: General Motors Co’s global sales rose 2 percent in the third quarter, driven by strong demand in the two largest auto markets in the world, China and the United States.
- Toyota Recalling 1.67 Million Cars Globally – thedetroitbureau.com: Toyota is recalling 1.67 million vehicles worldwide, including 423,000 in the United States, for problems ranging from fuel leaks to faulty brake cylinders to defective emissions equipment. The U.S. vehicles include Lexus IS, GS and LS sedans built from January 2005 to September 2010 due to a possible fuel leak.
- Jay Leno signs deal to host new car series for CNBC – Via Google News: “We hope to highlight the passion and the stories behind the men and women who made the automobile the greatest invention of the 20th century.”.
- Fiat to launch Avventura this month, Abarth to follow – Via Google News: In keeping with its stated plans of aggressive product roll-outs in India, automobile maker Fiat-Chrysler will debut its Avventura, a `contemporary urban …