Dominating the news today: The New York Auto show, GM’s ongoing troubles, and the new Camry.
- Alfa Quiet About Big News in the Big Apple – thedetroitbureau.com: Alfa Romeo is giving the NY Auto Show the silent treatment. It’s back for the first time in two decades, marking the maker’s U.S. rival. But, as TheDetroitBureau.com reports, the Italian automaker didn’t schedule a news conference to preview the Alfa 4C’s launch.
- Chrysler updates its Dodge muscle cars – DetN: Chrysler Group LLC is expected to reveal refreshed versions of its Dodge Charger and Challenger muscle cars today at the New York International Auto Show featuring new sheet metal, new technology and the return of the Bumble Bee.
- BMW Reveals Array of New Models – thedetroitbureau.com: With nearly 60 new models debuting this week, there’s a lot to see at the 2014 NY Auto Show. And BMW is responsible for a disproportionate share of those new offerings, reports TheDetroitBureau.com, with an emphasis on performance.
- Nissan Offers Owners of the Leaf E.V. Free Electricity – NY Times: The company said at the New York auto show that charging will be free for two years in several markets for new Leaf customers.
- GM Test Drivers Warned of Problems in 2006 – WSJ: General Motors ordered a more robust ignition switch in 2006 for a Cadillac then in development after complaints from test drivers that the vehicle would shut off if the ignition was bumped, newly released documents show.
- GM redesigned Cadillac ignition switch in ’06 – DetN: General Motors Co. redesigned an ignition switch in a pre-production Cadillac in 2006 after it found problems similar to those in 2.6 million now-recalled cars linked to 13 deaths, documents released Wednesday show.
- HMG And Sen. Blumenthal’s Appeal To Judge To Reject GM Liability Protection – Wards: Today, HMG issued a statement in agreement with U.S. Sen. read more
- GM to seek court protection against ignition lawsuits – Reuters: General Motors Co said it would ask a U.S. court to bar lawsuits related to actions before its 2009 bankruptcy, signaling a tougher stance toward legal claims stemming from its recent recall over faulty ignition switches.
- Toyota unveils 2015 Camry with ‘athletic’ exterior – DetN: Toyota Motor Corp. is giving the best-selling car in the United States a mid-cycle upgrade and complete exterior redesign.
- Toyota Unveils Remodeled 2015 Camry Sedan – WSJ: Toyota Motor Corp. has remade the Camry sedan, unveiling the new design of its best-selling U.S. vehicle to reporters at the New York International Auto Show.
- AutoNation stepping away from third-party leads – Automotive News: AutoNation, tired of paying high prices for online leads, plans to de-emphasize third-party lead providers such as TrueCar, AutoTrader.com and Cars.com, CEO Mike Jackson says.
- SWEDEN: Nevs headcount climbs to 700+ as 9-3 deliveries start – Just-auto: National Electric Vehicle Sweden (Nevs) says it now employs more than 700 people at its Trollhättan plant in Western Sweden as 9-3 production starts to ramp up.
- AutoNation says Q1 net income rose 15% to $95.1 million – Automotive News: Despite 10 weeks of problematic winter weather to start the year, a late March rebound in dealership traffic helped drive AutoNation’s net income 15 percent higher in the first quarter of 2014 from the year-earlier period, the company said today.
- INDIA: Mahindra and Mahindra plans seventh auto plant – Just-auto: Mahindra & Mahindra seventh automotive plant in Tamil Nadu will start operations by 2015-16 with a completely new model range, a local media report said.
- Facelifted VW Touareg Set for Beijing Debut – thedetroitbureau.com: We’ve not yet seen all the new products set to debut at this year’s New York Auto Show, but several makers have already begun rolling out new products set to debut in Beijing this coming week — including the 2015 VW Touareg. TheDetroitBureau.com has more.
- UK Third successive quarter of growth in Europe – Just-auto: The European new car market recorded a third successive quarter of growth thanks to a 9.3% year on year increase in March.
- UK: MG reveals concept EV – Just-auto: SAIC Motor’s MG division has revealed a UK designed and developed electric vehicle as part of the brand’s 90th anniversary celebrations.
- US: Discovery Sport to replace Land Rover’s Freelander – Just-auto: Land Rover has confirmed the first nameplate in its redesigned Discovery family – previewed in concept form at the New York motor show this week will be the Discovery Sport “premium compact SUV”.
- BRAZIL: Nissan will enlarge its model line to grow in Brazil – Just-auto: Brazil’s current weak auto sales, likely to spill over from 2014 into 2015, seems to be far from the best background for the huge investment just made by Nissan in Resende, 100 miles northwest of Rio de Janeiro City.
- Lincoln maps out China retail strategy – Automotive News: Lincoln set up a showcase called The Lincoln Space in a busy pedestrian area of central Beijing today to outline its strategy for entering the world’s largest auto market.
- Can Alfa Romeo succeed in the US with the 4C? – Autocar: Alfa Romeo is returning to US soil, but will need to compete with its premium German rivals and Jaguar to make its mark as a European player.
- Volkswagen Touareg revisions focus on economy – Autocar: Revisions for the 2015 Touareg SUV aim to improve fuel consumption and reduce CO2 emissions.
- Volvo V60 Polestar first drive review – Autocar: Volvo V60 Polestar lacks edge, but offers a glimpse of more advanced performance Volvos to come from Polestar.
- Henrik Fisker designs new Viking Concept motorcycle – Autocar: New Viking Concept motorcycle from Danish custom motorcycle company Lauge Jensen features V-twin engine.
- Dodge Charger tames rough edges with 2015 nose job – Automotive News: The 2015 Dodge Charger underwent a nose job that trades its previously bulbous front fascia for a more subtle look reminiscent of the smaller Dodge Dart.
- 2015 Challenger muscles up; interior revamped but retains retro look – Automotive News: The 2015 Dodge Challenger has more power, an available eight-speed transmission and few changes to its retro exterior. Engineers coaxed 15 more hp from the top-end 6.
- Bling King: 2015 Cadillac Escalade – DetN: The big yacht is pickup-based and shares specs with Chevy’s Tahoe But the $72k Escalade is much more than a Tahoe in a tux. It puts OMG in SUV.
- Ford setting Lincoln’s China plan in motion – DetN: Lincoln Motor Co., the luxury vehicle brand in a decades long sales funk, is putting the finishing touches on its plans to enter the Chinese market this year.
- Car Culture: Coffee klatch caters to car fans – DetN: If the long-awaited sight of green grass and last weekend’s taste of 70-degree temps has you itching to come out of hibernation on weekends, you might enjoy cruising down the highway some spring morning to a new auto-oriented meet-up series getting underway in Wixom on May 3.
- Many ‘green’ cars carry greenhouse gas – DetN:
- More power for revised Dodge Challenger – Autocar: Dodge celebrates Challenger’s 1970s roots with the latest incarnation of the iconic muscle car.
- 2015 Nissan Murano – NY Times: The crossover gets a new look for 2015.
- 2015 Jeep Renegade – NY Times: Jeep hopes a small crossover makes a huge splash.
- 2015 Kia Sedona – NY Times: Kia tries to make the case for the minivan as a modern-day family mover.
- 2015 Chevrolet Trax – NY Times: A look at the “miniutility vehicle” from the 2014 New York auto show.
- What Lamborghini’s Huracán and a Honeycomb Have in Common – NY Times: Lamborghini’s chief designer draws his inspiration from nature.
- A Quick, Satisfying Drive in the 2015 Honda Fit – NY Times: The Fit features sharper styling and a revised interior layout that makes it feel much larger than it is.
- Volkswagen SUV Decision Could Come Soon – WSJ: A highly anticipated decision on whether Volkswagen AG will make a new sport-utility vehicle in the U.S. could come within the next several months, the head of the auto maker’s American operations said.