Archive for the ‘Automobiles’ Category
Lane drift warning among most desired new options, survey says.
by Michael Strong on Jul.23, 2014
Auto Pacific's new FADS survey shows an increase in drivers wanting advanced safety systems on vehicles.
While a self-driving car may be in our future, for now drivers just want for some additional safety help as they’re motoring along America’s highways and byways, according to a new study.
The top desired features showing the largest growth are lane drift warning systems and backup collision intervention, backup cameras and drowsy driver monitoring systems.
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The lane drift warning was the biggest riser in Auto Pacific’s annual Future Attribute Demand Study (FADS). The demand jumped 26% from 2013 to 2014, the company said. (more…)
Tags: Auto Pacific, Auto Pacific survey, FADS, Google, Navigant Research, TheDetroitBureau.com., auto safety, auto technology, automotive safety technology, lane drift warning system, michael strong, nissan, self-driving cars, thedetroitbureau
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Maker's recall woes drag on.
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Jul.23, 2014
The Chevy Camaro is one of the many vehicles targeted by the six new GM recalls.
After a brief reprieve – and hints that the worst of its safety problems had ended – General Motors has announced another six recalls collectively covering more than 700,000 cars, trucks and crossovers.
The latest move brings to more than 26 million the total number of vehicles GM has recalled since the beginning of the year. And when added to the service actions announced by competitors as varied as Ford, BMW and Toyota, the industry overall is fast approaching the 45 million mark, well surpassing the previous record, set in 2004, when 34.1 million vehicles were called back for safety problems.
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GM officials tried to put a positive spin on the latest action, global safety czar Jeff Boyer asserting that this goes to “signify how we’ve enhanced our approach to safety.”
But the seven new recalls also come as something of a setback for a company whose reputation had already taken a hammering during the first half of the year. By late June, GM officials had been dropping strong hints that they had largely addressed all the company’s outstanding safety problems.
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Tags: 2014 chevrolet malibu, GM recalls, auto news, auto safety, car news, car safety, gm news, gm safety, paul a. eisenstein, paul eisenstein, thedetroitbureau
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Recall notice provides next steps on getting repair completed.
by Michael Strong on Jul.23, 2014
If you find this in your mailbox, don't panic. Open it to find out what you need to do to ensure your vehicle is safe to drive.
Due to the sheer number of vehicles recalled in the United States this year – in excess of 40 million – you very well may have a vehicle that is involved in some sort of safety-related service action.
So, the big question is: what do I do now?
On Track!
Well, first: don’t ignore that notice. Experts warn that even seemingly minor recalls can involve life-threatening defects and must be dealt with. (more…)
Tags: Chrysler Recall, Ford recall, GM Recall, TheDetroitBureau.com., auto recall, honda recalls, ignition switch recall, kia recalls, michael strong, new recall record, nhtsa recalls, paul a. eisenstein, recall news, recall notice, recalls, record year recall, thedetroitbureau, toyota recalls, what to do for recall
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Buyers echoing sentiment as sales up 40% this year.
by Joseph Szczesny on Jul.23, 2014
Consumer Reports recently gave the Buick Regal a glowing review, putting it in a tie for second-best vehicle in its segment.
Buick was at death’s door just a few years ago. A staid image and a mandate to cut down the number of brands in its portfolio, it looked like General Motors’ oldest nameplate would be heading to the scrap heap of automotive history.
However, GM surprised everyone by keeping Buick and repositioning the brand. And now those efforts are paying off in spades as Consumer Reports recently gave the Buick Regal a big pat on the back and sales of the Regal and the brand are both up double digits.
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Consumer Reports, after testing the Regal and the new Volvo S60, described both cars as serious competition for the more prestigious competitors from BMW and Mercedes-Benz. Apparently, the magazine was a bit late to the party as Regal sales are up nearly 40% through the first half of this year. Buick’s overall sales are up 12.5% in the first half of the year. (more…)
Tags: Buick Regal, Buick turbocharged four-cylinder, Consumer Reports Buick, Regal, Regal news, TheDetroitBureau.com., buick, buick news, consumer reports, general motors, gm, joseph szczesny, thedetroitbureau
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New JD Power APEAL study finds buyers, on whole, less satisfied with latest vehicles.
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Jul.23, 2014
Porsche dominates APEAL with products like the 911.
Automakers are intent on entering the connected world, loading their latest vehicles up with high-tech features such as 4G WiFi hotspots, voice-operated navigation, and even infotainment systems that can read out Facebook posts. But while these may appeal to young, tech-savvy shoppers, other buyers question the benefits, according to a new report by J.D. Power and Associates.
The quality consultancy’s latest APEAL study finds that, on the whole, car buyers are slightly less pleased with the new cars, trucks and crossovers they are being offered this year. But the survey of recent buyers did find gains in owner satisfaction when it comes to improvements in vehicle fuel economy. Buyers are much more ambiguous about high-tech additions to their new vehicles.
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Porsche was the highest-ranked brand in the latest study, while Hyundai delivered a surprise by landing the top spot among mainstream brands.
“Manufacturers often look to new features and technologies to keep their vehicles fresh and attractive, but designing systems that consumers find intuitive and easy to use has been a challenge,” said Power Vice President Renee Stephens.
(more…)
Tags: 2014 apeal, 2014 power apeal, auto news, car buyers satisfaction, car news, dodge news, highest quality cars, hyundai news, hyundai owner satisfaction, jd power apeal study, jeep news, mitsubishi news, most satisfying cars, paul a. eisenstein, paul eisenstein, porsche news, porsche owner satisfaction, thedetroitbureau
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Revenues up 6% as demand grows for new S-Class, other models.
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Jul.23, 2014
Daimler AG CEO Dieter Zetsche during a recent product unveiling. Mercedes plans to launch 30 new models by the end of the decade.
Promising to regain its once-formidable lead as the world’s top luxury car manufacturer, Daimler AG has unleashed an unprecedented product assault that has begun gaining traction with consumers – driving a surge in second-quarter sales and earnings for the parent of the Mercedes-Benz and Smart brands.
With revenues up 6%, to $42.4 billion, Daimler posted a net profit of nearly $3 billion for the April to June period. But perhaps more telling was the fact that earnings before interest and taxes, or EBIT, shot to 7.9% of revenue during the latest quarter, up from 6.4% a year earlier.
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“We are growing profitably, our strategy is bearing fruit,” said Daimler AG Chief Executive Dieter Zetsche in statement accompanying the earnings announcement. “We are very satisfied with the second quarter and continue to work effectively on structural improvements.”
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Tags: Mercedes-Benz sales, auto news, car news, daimler earnings, daimler news, daimler profit, dieter zetsche, mercedes cla, mercedes mexico, mercedes news, mercedes nissan, mercedes pullman, mercedes s-class, mercedes sales, paul a. eisenstein, paul eisenstein, smart news, thedetroitbureau
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by Paul A. Eisenstein on Jul.22, 2014
Jeep Grand Cherokees from model years 2005-2007 are part of a larger recall of Chrysler vehicles with ignition problems.
Chrysler is expanding an earlier recall, targeting nearly 800,000 older Jeep models because of an ignition switch problem that could cause the vehicles to stall and disable their airbags and other safety systems.
The move comes as federal safety regulators investigate reports that drivers inadvertently can bump the keys on as many as 1.2 million Chrysler products, causing them to turn from the On to Off or Accessory position. The problem is similar to one that has led to the recall of millions of General Motors products in recent months. But the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is looking into the possibility the problem could occur on products built by other manufacturers, as well.
Keeping You Safe!
While Chrysler and its dealers prepare to notify customers and schedule repairs, the maker is advising owners to remove everything but the ignition key from their key rings to reduce the risk of an unintended stall-out. (more…)
Tags: Chrysler Recall, Chrysler ignition problem, Chrysler ignition recall, GM ignition recall, Jeep ignition problem, Jeep recall, TheDetroitBureau.com., chrysler news, chrysler nhtsa, ignition recall, jeep news, national highway traffic safety administration, nhtsa news, paul a. eisenstein, thedetroitbureau
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CEO replaces Farley as head of Lincoln.
by Joseph Szczesny on Jul.22, 2014
Kumar Galhotra is succeeding Jim Farley as President of Lincoln. Farley remains in charge of Ford's global marketing efforts.
Less than a month after taking over as Ford Motor Co.’s CEO, Mark Fields is making his first tweak to the company’s leadership team by replacing Jim Farley as the head of Lincoln with Kumar Galhotra, who had been vice president of engineering. The pair will report to Fields and the change is effective Sept. 1.
Farley, who came to Ford from Toyota with a reputation as a brilliant marketer and will remain in charge of global marketing, was charged with creating a new approach to customers for the company’s struggling luxury unit.
We're a Luxury You Can Afford!
However, as Lincoln rebuilds and expands it’s only natural that the brand has a dedicated leader, Ford officials said. (more…)
Tags: Fields appoints Galhotra, Ford leaders shuffle, Ford luxury brand, Ford's Jim Farley, Ford's Mark Fields, Lincoln leadership, Lincoln new president, Lincoln's Kumar Galhotra, TheDetroitBureau.com., ford news, joseph szczesny, lincoln news, new Lincoln boss, thedetroitbureau
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Redefining the muscle car.
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Jul.22, 2014
At 707-hp, the 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat claims to be the most powerful muscle car ever to roll out of a Big 3 plant.
If you thought the golden age of muscle cars was gone and forgotten, Dodge has a big surprise coming for you next year — actually, a whole bunch of them.
After bringing back its retro-styled Challenger coupe in 2009, the Chrysler performance brand has made steady gains on the stalwarts of the modern muscle car era, the Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro. And for 2015, Challenger is getting not only a major design update, but a host of new variants including the new SRT Hellcat which, at a smoking 707 horsepower, is being billed as the most powerful factory- assembled muscle car ever.
We Give You the Muscle!
While modern muscle cars aren’t for everyone, models like the Challenger are gaining traction not only with the Baby Boomers who grew up listening to the squeal of rubber, but also younger buyers looking for something out of the ordinary.
(more…)
Tags: 2015 dodge challenger review, 2015 dodge challenger srt hellcat review, auto news, car news, challenger hellcat review, chrysler news, dodge challenger 392, dodge challenger review, dodge challenger scat pack, dodge challenger sxt, dodge news, joe szczesny, muscle car reviews, thedetroitbureau
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New change brings focus on entry-level small cars.
by Michael Strong on Jul.22, 2014
GM folded its European operations in the newly branded Opel Group as part of its plans to return to profitability.
General Motors plans to make its European operations profitable are taking shape as the automaker has rebranded its European unit as the Opel Group and a renewed its focus on small, profitable cars.
The re-branding took effect July 1. The new organization is based in Rüsselsheim, Germany, and will also oversee Chevrolet’s operations in Russia and Cadillac in Europe.
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“Today, we are more than just Opel/Vauxhall,” Karl-Thomas Neumann, CEO of the management board of Opel Group, said in a statement. “With the Opel Group, we align our organizational and legal entity structure in Europe with the business operations. (more…)
Tags: GM Europe news, GM European losses, Opel Group, Opel/Vauxhall, TheDetroitBureau.com., adam opel, general motors europe, gm europe, gm news, gm opel, michael strong, opel news, thedetroitbureau
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