Needless to say, green advocates were not pleased with the news that sales of gasoline-electric hybrids in the United States fell 9.9 percent in 2008. Not pleased, but not surprised either. When gasoline was going for $4 a gallon, hybrids looked good — vital even. But with the automotive industry in the er . . [...]
An updated version of Microsoft Sync will show up in the 2010 Fords and will include:
- traffic info
- directions, and
- voice navigated news.
The guys over at Engadget, who haven’t been big fans of Sync, did a hands on review earlier this month complete with video shot inside a Ford Escape.
It’s short and sweet, but [...]
So Ford says it will release a range of plug-in electrics between 2010 and 2012, the results of its so-called Project M, an internal campaign started last summer with the goal of producing an all-electric in six months. In an industry where a model can be in development for months — years even — that’s [...]
These days everything automotive seems to be gloom and doom, but there are innovations and indications of progress out there under the layer of black mourning cloth. For instance, the world’s largest supplier of carbon fiber, Toray Industries Inc., of Japan, has acquired a 21 percent take in ACE Advanced Composite Engineering GmbH, its chief [...]
So, in the midst of all the automotive gloom and doom — a recap in case you’ve been on another planet:
- Chrysler shut down for a month starting today.
- Chevy backing out of New Year’s Eve sponsorship deals.
- Ford shutting down 10 plants from Jan. 5-12.
- Toyota operating at a loss.
- Honda scrapping the NSX [...]
Toyota’s decision to halt its plans to build the venerable Prius hybrid at a facility in Mississippi raises a number of interesting considerations. The foreign car companies are not immune to the current downturn in the industry, although they’re not suffering like GM and Chrysler. The real issue here would seem to be the fact [...]
There’s little else that’s been occupying automotive news for the past few days than the $15 billion deal brokered between Congressional Democrats and the Bush White House to bail out General Motors and Chrysler. (Ford wants a $9 billion line of credit, but isn’t asking for loans at this time.) In the end, although Speaker [...]
Ford isn’t quite as bad off as ailing General Motors, saying it has adequate operating capital to last through 2009. If potential customers make their buying decisions on safety standings along, Ford leads the automotive pack with 16 vehicles rated as “top safety picks” for 2009.
The designations are worked up by the Insurance Institute for [...]
As you know, I have a love / hate relationship with the Tesla electronic roadster. So, I snorted my coffee a little when I read an article in Sunday’s New York Times by Randall Stross, “Only the Rich Can Afford It. Should Taxpayers Back It?” (Not providing a link because you have to have a [...]
Just a quick note to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving and if you plan to be out shopping on Friday, our sincerest wishes that you emerge unscathed from the retail madness. If you’re in need of some automotive eye candy, don’t miss this video from Good Morning America on their look at cars of the [...]