Articles tagged with: cars
Will this be a December to remember?
Car dealer managers across the country have rethunk their year-end staffing strategies. Until recent years, December sales were among the lowest for the year. However, in 2009, December was …
Thrifty Nano receives upgrades for the Indian market.
The Tata Nano is the world’s cheapest car and by cheap we mean two things: its low, low price point and its build quality. The former describes a …
Honda’s influence in America.
Washington — The American Honda Motor Company, Inc., got its start in 1959, becoming one of the first Asian automakers to set up a presence in the United States. Initially, Honda sold …
Limited ad funds will keep Suzuki away.
Attendance at national auto shows isn’t a given for journalist and automaker alike, but missing an event generally raises eyebrows, especially for car manufacturers. American Suzuki, one of the …
The global sales surge of Hyundai and Kia.
The top echelon of the auto industry has been led by Toyota over the past few years, with a recovering General Motors looking as it may outsell its …
Mini crossover finds its way into Nissan’s line up.
“What is it? Is it a Nissan?” asked my neighbor, Gary. “Yes, it is a Nissan — it’s called an Insect,” I joked. Well, not really. …
Maine raises the bar to 75 mph on one stretch of I-95.
Posted speed limits are something that drivers routinely flout, especially on isolated open roads where traffic is light, enforcement is minimal or non-existent and …
New midsize models to be built in Tennessee.
GM is returning to the plant that launched Saturn, a different kind of car company. Its Spring Hill, Tennessee, plant has been out of commission for the past …
Hundreds of Small Ways to Save Big at the Pump
How appropriate it is for an author to write a book addressing a problem every car driving consumer faces: high fuel prices. That’s exactly what Dr. …
Michigan Meanderings
Last week, I was invited to Michigan to test drive a pair of new EcoBoost-powered models — 2012 editions of the Ford Explorer and Ford Edge. That visit also gave me the opportunity to …
Current Ford Fusion is worth your consideration.
The Ford Fusion is on its last legs. No, not the model itself, rather the current generation of this popular midsize sedan is expected to be replaced, perhaps in …
Last hurrah for first generation Kia Soul.
Soul Update Planned
Look quickly, because the Kia Soul is going away. No, the model that was introduced at the 2008 Los Angeles Auto Show isn’t being retired, but it …
Why Honda’s midsize hybrid initiative failed.
Short Model Run
Produced for three model years from 2005 to 2007, the Honda Accord Hybrid is an example of an execution strategy gone wrong. Instead of bolstering Accord sales, the …
2011 Kia Optima Hybrid
Kia Motors America announced on Tuesday that its all-new for 2011 Optima Hybrid will retail from $26,500 when it goes on sale in early June. This sedan, rated at 35 mpg city …
Sibling to the Jeep Liberty, the Dodge Nitro was introduced for model year 2007, a five-passenger unibody sport utility vehicle designed for on- and off-road use. Like the Liberty, the Nitro goes places most modern …
Blue Oval continues to refine its business model.
Of the three Detroit automakers, the Ford Motor Company is the healthiest, has the newest products, is showing the biggest increase in market share and is enjoying the …
Some of my readers here on Auto Trends know that I mainly market myself as The Auto Writer, maintaining a blog of that name. I also contribute content for a handful of parts stores, am …
Prom season is here and while high school students are excited about all of the glam and glitter, many parents look upon the event with mixed feelings. This popular rite of passage is a clear …
When it comes to small vehicles, Chrysler Group LLC – parent to the Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep brands – has few models to offer. This is too bad because customers are demanding higher mileage vehicles, …
I am so glad that the federal government’s Cash Allowance Rebate System (CARS) program is over. Not because I didn’t think it was a good idea (I have mixed thoughts about that), rather the program …
Once in awhile I get through to my readers or, in the case of talking directly with my sister about cars, I pass along some important news which others are glad to receive.
Passing Along Helpful …
When Bob Elliott brought his silver 1986 Mercury Marquis to his local Ford dealer, he heard some news that he wasn’t prepared to take in: his 23 year old sedan with more than 225,000 miles …
Not everyone who owns a rusting relic will seek to trade their car in under the federal government’s “Car Allowance Rebate System” or CARS. More widely known as “cash for clunkers” the program has been …
Used car prices will often fluctuate depending on the popularity of the vehicle as well as other factors including the price of gasoline. Indeed, in 2008 owners of compact cars saw their prices increase as …
The on again, off again, on again and now stalled “Car Allowance Rebate System” or CARS has been deemed as a success, but that also depends on how you define the word success. As the …
The ink wasn’t even dry on the “cash for clunkers” bill that President Obama signed into law when word came out that scams were already taking place. It seems that some enterprising people were creating …
I’m not usually a fan of special edition models for the simple reason is that I don’t usually find that the extra packaging deserves the higher price. Also, I have seen special edition models which …
By far the largest brand owned by General Motors, Chevrolet stands to gain the most as parent GM restructures. At the same time, Chevrolet stands to lose the most if GM cannot pull everything off …
New Market For The Chevrolet Cruze
As far as good news goes, GM hasn’t been getting a lot of it lately. However, when reports of April 2009 auto sales came in for the Chinese market, that …
My wife is a huge fan of American Idol, has been one for years, so I am well aware that one of the biggest sponsors of the show is the Ford Motor Company. Last year, …
If there is one company who consistently brings forth products that car buyers want and at quality levels that are unsurpassed, then that company would be Toyota. Toyota’s reputation for building benchmark setting vehicles is …
When it comes to auto racing, Porsche is dominant having won tens of thousands of races down through the years. The Porsche 911 is perhaps the best symbol of the automaker’s racing prowess, winning countless …
This past week I put the finishing touches on my latest work, Finley Racing, a website with the race car enthusiast in mind. Initially launched in 2003 and owned by an actual race team, I …
Daimler AG and Chrysler LLC will soon sever their last remaining ties, a marriage first hatched in 1998 with their divorce completed in 2007.
Since selling off controlling interest in Chrysler to Cerberus Capital Management, L.P., …
Word that General Motors is about to announce the complete shut down of the Pontiac brand instead of paring it back is disappointing news to say the least. Given that GM is in precarious financial …
Happy anniversary, Auto Trends!
Most of all, thank you to all of my readers who have found this site and continue to follow my many updates.
I launched Auto Trends about a year ago, wanting to do …
