General Motors is recalling 322,409 model year 2009 and 2010 Chevrolet Impala sedans because front seat belts may not be properly anchored, the automaker and federal regulators said on Friday. Get the full story »
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Retail sales up for 3rd straight month
Retail sales posted a third monthly increase in September as solid gains at auto, furniture and hardware stores helped to offset weakness at clothing and department stores. Get the full story »
GM sets aside up to 5% of IPO for employees
General Motors Co. will allocate up to 5 percent of the common stock to be sold in its initial public offering for its employees, retirees and dealers, the automaker said Thursday. Get the full story »
SEC delays Rattner case, NY probe ongoing
A proposed settlement between Steven Rattner, the former head of the U.S. auto task force, and the Securities and Exchange Commission over a pension corruption scheme was unexpectedly pulled from Thursday’s calendar, one source with knowledge of the matter said Thursday. Get the full story »
85,000 Mercedes recalled over power steering
Daimler AG is recalling about 85,000 Mercedes-Benz vehicles in the United States to prevent a loss of power steering fluid. Get the full story »
Toyota turns to free maintenance to boost sales
In an effort to boost sales, Toyota Motor Co. has begun pitching two years of free maintenance with the purchase of its Toyota and Scion cars, making them the first mass-market auto brands to offer such a service.
The offer is the latest in a campaign by the world’s largest automaker to reassure buyers that its cars are desirable amid massive recalls that have slowed sales.
The perk includes normal factory-scheduled maintenance, such as oil changes, as well as 24-hour roadside assistance for two years or 25,000 miles, whichever comes first.
Honda launches 70-mpg Fit to take on Toyota Prius
Honda presented its Fit Hybrid car in Tokyo Oct. 8, 2010. (Reuters/Issei Kato)
Honda Motor Co. said on Friday it would sell the hybrid version of its popular Fit subcompact for 1.59 million yen ($19,310) in Japan, making it the cheapest gasoline-electric car on the domestic market.
The company expects to sell about 5,600 units a month.
Competition in the hybrid segment is set to heat up as industry leader Toyota Motor Corp works to expand its line-up to meet growing demand for fuel-efficient cars from drivers around the world. Get the full story »
The most popular color for cars: Silver?
Next time you’re stuck in traffic, take the time to count the number of silver and gray cars on the road. Odds are, you are seeing more than ever.
Shades of silver and gray reached a record high in popularity this year, accounting for 31 percent of the 2010 model-year vehicles, according to PPG Industries, the Pittsburgh, Penn.-based commercial coatings manufacturer. That is the highest level since PPG began recording the data in 1990, and is up from 25 percent last year and 20 percent in 2008.
While no one has done a definitive study as to why silver rates as the favorite car shade, the economic downturn could have something to do with it, said Jane Harrington, manager of color styling at PPG offices in Troy, Mich., where PPG is holding its Automotive Color Trend Show. Get the full story »
Cadillac recalls 4,000 2010 SRX crossovers
Cadillac is recalling 3,996 2010 SRX crossovers for a possible damage to the power steering line.
If the line is damaged, power steering fluid could leak and cause a fire if it comes into contact with hot engine parts.
GM has had one report of such a fire but no reports of related crashes or injuries.
Toyota to bring out smaller, larger Prius models
A Toyota Motor Corp. worker checks a newly-assembled Prius at Toyota Tsutsumi Plant in Toyota, Japan. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi)
Toyota Motor Corp. will sell two variants of the Prius hybrid in the U.S. by the end of 2012, a larger and smaller version, according to two dealers who were briefed about the news.
One Prius will boast 50 percent more interior space and storage than the current model with the smaller one closer in size to the Yaris, said the dealers, who declined to be named because the matter is private. Get the full story »
Nissan to build 4-door for Smart in U.S.
A sketch of the Nissan-built hatchback that Smart USA will start selling late next year.
Penske Automotive Group subsidiary Smart USA said Wednesday that it will begin selling a subcompact car in the United States in late 2011, the first vehicle for the U.S. market under an expanded Daimler AG and Nissan Motor Co. partnership.
Penske, in a filing with U.S. regulators, said development, engineering and tooling costs to bring the four-door hatchback to Smart’s U.S. dealers will cost $25 million. About $1.5 million of that will be in the just-completed third quarter’s expenses. Get the full story »
Only 2 cars get 5 stars in tougher crash tests
Three new models crucial to U.S. automakers received four-star ratings in U.S. government crash-safety tests that were toughened in response to concerns voiced by safety and consumer groups.
But the latest version of the Toyota Camry, the best-selling car in North America, earned an average three stars and was outperformed by virtually every other vehicle in a first analysis of fifty-five 2011 models conducted by the Transportation Department. Get the full story »
Ford looks to close a third of Lincoln dealers
Ford Motor Co. plans to eliminate more than a third of its Lincoln dealers in large metropolitan areas over the next two years as part of its effort to revive the luxury brand, according to a dealer who attended a closed-door meeting Tuesday. Get the full story »
Tesla recalls 400 Roadsters over fire risk
(AP)
Tesla Motors is recalling more than 400 of its battery-powered Roadsters because of the risk that a power cable in the vehicle could short and catch fire.
Palo Alto, Calif.-based Tesla said it had received one report of a 12-volt cable in the vehicle chafing against a panel, causing the cable to short. Get the full story »
