Automotive News, Car Reviews, and Podcast
Toyota and Joby formed a joint venture on June 30, 2026 that hands Toyota 51% and exclusive rights to build the S4 air taxi. The real bet is manufacturing.
Read moreFerrari unveiled the Luce on May 25, 2026 in Rome. A four-door, five-seat, 1,036-hp EV from Maranello with Jony Ive inside and a polarized reception outside.
Read moreThe 2013 LA Auto Show presents a sensory overload of new cars — entry level Chevrolet and Toyota models to exotic models from Lamborghini and Aston Martin. But the auto show is also showcase for a varying array of auto industry statistics. J.D Power, the automotive industry analysis company, annually presents the statistics at LA Auto Show. Here’s a varied list of the 10 most interesting statistics from 2013 LA Auto Show: 1. The current average new-vehicle retail transaction price is $30,205. 2. The average customer cash rebate amount on a new vehicle transaction is $2,362. 3. Fifty-one percent of new-vehicle transactions include a customer cash rebate. 4. The average of a vehicle traded in for a new model is
Read moreCal Worthington, the iconic car dealer and commercial pitchman who shared the television spotlight for decades with a variety of animals all named Spot, has died. Worthington, 92, passed away Sept. 8 while watching football on television at his home in Orland, California. One of nine children, Worthington was raised in Oklahoma. An avid and decorated pilot, Worthington flew 29 missions over Europe as a bomber pilot in World War II. He also flew a Lear jet for many years. Worthington began his long car salesman career in Texas in 1950 and he prospered. He was a millionaire by age 30 and eventually owned dozens of car dealerships and had real estate interests in several states. With his homespun demeanor,
Read moreHonda has long been known for its efficiency, reliability and resale values. And its stellar safety reputation isn’t too bad, either considering the Honda Civic just received auto industry top honors among compact and sub-compact cars. Many of its competitors didn’t fare so well. The two-door and four-door Honda Civic have received “good ratings” front-end crash tests performed by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Half of the 12 compact and subcompact cars IIHS tested fared poorly and six performed well. Safety is critical in the fast-growing small-car market, with many buyers downsizing from larger vehicles. In addition to the two Civics, the Dodge Dart, Ford Focus, Hyundai Elantra and the 2014 Scion tC were “acceptable.” The Chevrolet Cruze
Read moreAndrew Rosenthal, who has covered presidential elections for 25 years and is the current editorial page editor of The New York Times, is not pleased how Gov. Mitt Romney is discussing the auto industry. Rosenthal writes the blog Taking Note for the newspaper and he’s upset with a new television advertisement he believes is inaccurate. He writes in part: “It’s odd for Mr. Romney to complain that Mr. Obama ‘took’ the automakers into bankruptcy, since he advocated a managed bankruptcy for those companies four years ago. It’s also odd for Mr. Romney to claim that he’ll fight for every American job, since he got rich, in part, by investing in companies that specialized in relocating jobs done by American workers
Read moreHyundai achieved its all-time best sales month in March 2012, with the South Korean manufacturer selling 69,728 vehicles. The record was a 13 percent improvement from March 2011, the company's previous best sales month. For the first quarter 2012, Hyundai sales have increased 15 percent over 2011 and overall retail sales through dealerships have risen 33 percent over last March. “As Hyundai continues to offer more fuel-efficient vehicles, we are seeing more and more consumers in our showrooms, resulting in greater 40-mpg highway vehicle sales than ever before,” said John Krafcik, president and CEO of Hyundai Motor America. “Our 40-mpg vehicle sales are up an astonishing 67.5 percent over last March.” Here are Hyundai's comparative sales numbers from 2011 to
Read moreHonda, which ranks no. 3 in the Japanese market and no. 5 in the U.S. market, is planning a further expansion into the auto-market and is expected to manufacture subcompact cars in Mexico. The move will also see the automaker hiring around 3,200 people. The new assembly plant that Honda plans to build in Mexico is mainly to contain costs and meet its demands in the small car sector. The Japanese company plans to spend around $800 million in this new venture and. It’s also the second major investment in market by a Japanese. Honda is hopeful to open the plant by 2014 and it would produce around 200,000 cars yearly. Mexico will have an opportunity to provide 3,200 new
Read moreKeith Buglewicz, a writer for DriverSide.com, has compiled an exhaustive list of car warranties and has determined that Hyundai offers the best overall automotive warranty among automobiles offered in the United States. The author writer of Hyundai: “When you see those Hyundai commercials touting the country’s best warranty, well, they’re not lying. Hyundai’s powertrain warranty is equaled in years by Mitsubishi and Kia – and in miles by several others, and Kia and Mitsubishi also offer just as long a period from bumper-to-bumper. “Mitsubishi even ties Hyundai with its roadside assistance. But Hyundai beats out Mitsubishi on two fronts. First, it offers unlimited mileage on its corrosion protection package. Second, it applies to all Hyundai models, including the sporty Genesis
Read moreA leading manufacturer of custom-built tyres for more than 96 years, Vogue Tyre and Rubber Company has announced the debut and availability of its 20-inch Signature V to retailers, wholesalers and new car dealerships. With its sidewall sporting a raised gold V and an asymmetrical tread design (10/32 inch tread depth), the new tyre features enhanced driveability and a quieter drive while returning longer wear. The mud and snow rated Signature V allows enthusiasts to purchase only one set without sacrificing performance or safety and eventually saving money. The Signature V is the first all-season luxury performance blackwall touring tyre the company has produced, capable of more than 40,000 miles without being replaced. With the Signature V tyre, drivers can
Read moreFor the second time in two years, General Motors has investigated faulty seat belts in Chevrolet Impalas and this time the examination has resulted in a recall of more than 300,000 of the longstanding vehicle. The automaker said that in 2009 and 2010 Impalas, the front safety belt straps may not be not secured to the lap belt anchor pretensioner that is mounted on the side of the doors. Thus, passengers may not be properly protected. GM also said straps can separate from the anchor in a crash, no longer restraining the passenger. No injuries or deaths have been reported, GM said. Introduced in 1958 as Chevrolet‘s most expensive car, the Impala is named as southern African antelope. Competing and
Read moreThe event will celebrate the significance of vehicular transportation and competition to Indianapolis and be a centerpiece of the numerous festivities planned to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the Indianapolis 500 on May 29. AUTOMOTIVE RESOURCES AND INFORMATION Auto Shipping Quote–Car Financing–Car Insurance Quotes–Car Loans–Online Car Insurance–Rental Cars–Used Cars The 100th Anniversary Indy 500 Celebration of Automobiles will feature two divisions of automobiles manufactured between 1911-’61, the first 50 years of the Indianapolis 500. Cars representing the 24 manufacturers that competed in the first Indianapolis 500 in 1911: Alco, Amplex, Apperson, Benz, Buick, Case, Cole, Cutting, Fiat, Inter-State, Jackson, Knox, Lozier, Marmon, McFarlan, Mercedes, Mercer, National, Pope-Hartford, Simplex, Stutz, Velie, Westcott., as well as other great classic cars produced between
Read moreFuel cells rely upon chemical reactions to generate energy rather than fossil fuels, and as such are considered cleaner, more affordable, and more reliable than the traditional energy sources. Bloom Energy’s national public debut after years of secrecy occurred Feb. 22 when the Dr. KR Sridnar, the compmay’s principal co-founder and CEO, was featured in a 60 Minutes interview with Lesley Stahl. The segment generated global response, but conspicuously absent from the interview was any relationship or potential application of the “Bloom Box” to the automotive industry pursuit for cleaner omissions and improved efficiency. Dr. Sridhar repeated the same enthusiasm in the press conference in San Jose, Calif., he did during his 60 Minutes interview. The technology has roots in
Read moreNissan North America, Inc. (NNA) has announced an agreement with Lance Armstrong, seven-time winner of the Tour de France and founder of the LIVESTRONG Charitable Foundation, to sponsor his new Team RadioShack team. The multi-year partnership includes the use of various Nissan products as the official vehicle of the team. Jaguar is the official sponsor of the new Sky Team based in England. Skoda is the official vehicle of the Tour de France. Team RadioShack features 25 riders, including Armstrong, from numerous countries. The squad will debut Jan. 17 at the Tour Down Under and will compete in major events throughout the season, including Tour of California in May and the Tour de France in July. Nissan has a strong
Read moreThe German automaker BMW AG, concerned front passenger seat airbags may not deploy, has recalled an estimated 200,000 X3 sport compacts in the United States made between 2004-2006. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported on its web site that small cracks could develop in a seat detection mat and deactivate the front passenger air bags. NHTSA said the air bag warning lamp and the passenger air bag “on-off” light would remain on. The head protection system, however, would not be affected, the government said. According to BMW spokesman Tom Plucinsky no injuries or accidents from the reported issue have occurred. If the seat detection mat fails to sense a person is sitting in the passenger seat, it deactivates
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