MotorMediaWatch September 30: Paris Motor Show Previews +++ Audi S3 gets 7-speed DSG +++ 2010 VW Beetle is more mature +++ Honda reveals 2009 Element

Paris Auto Show Preview: Production Cars
Paris stands alone this year as Europe’s biggest auto show — or “Motor show” as they call it — and the world’s stage for auto debuts this week. (LAT)+++

Paris Motor Show Preview: Concept Cars
It’s time for the Paris Motor Show — it’s been the event that kicks off the auto show season and gets the automotive rumor mill grinding from China to Detroit.(LAT)+++

Sales of Souped-Up Pickups Slow
Buyers who were once willing to pay for a souped-up pickup are vanishing as soaring fuel prices hurt one of the U.S. auto industry’s most lucrative segments. (WSJ)+++

Chevy Dealer Files for Chapter 11
Chevrolet dealer Bill Heard Enterprises filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection amid a downturn in the U.S. auto industry.(WSJ)+++

Detroit City Council approves tax break for Volt plant
A $136 million tax abatement to help persuade General Motors Corp. to build the Chevrolet Volt extended-range electric car at the Detroit/Hamtramck Assembly Plant won approval today from the Detroit City Council.(DFP)+++

Gentex cuts outlook, shares tumble
Gentex Corp., the Zeeland-based maker of dimming rearview mirrors, cut its revenue expectations for the quarter ending Tuesday, citing production cuts and slowing demand for light vehicles. (DFP)+++

House votes today on bailout compromise
After reaching a compromise to pump $700 billion into the world’s financial markets, lawmakers took on an even tougher task Sunday: selling the pact to skeptical colleagues and wary Americans. (DFP)+++

Audi S3 gets 7-speed DSG
Audi made a bit of a splash earlier this year with the announcement that the new-for-’09 S3 would be available in either the three-door style or the more practical Sportback five-door hatch. (AUTOBLOG)+++

Governator vetos ban on lap-dogs while driving
California recently banned talking on cellphones, and then followed up by making texting illegal, while driving. (AUTOBLOG)+++

Scorched-Earth Monday: Bad news for Wall St. is bad news for auto industry
Writing about cars for a living is a beautiful thing. Aside from doing what we love, we’re able to keep ourselves somewhat insulated from the bigger issues ailing our world, content to avoid those unsavory subjects like a Klingon-filled elevator at a Star Trek convention.(AUTOBLOG)+++

2012 Volkswagen Golf expected to shed pounds
These days, when discussions turn towards the cars we’ll be driving a few years from now, efficiency and emissions are two unavoidable topics.(AUTOBLOG)+++

Harley-Davidson developing corner-carving trike
Harley-Davidson introduced its first official trike in years earlier in 2008 and now looks to flip things around a bit with a new reverse-trike that leans into corners.  (AUTOBLOG)+++

2010 VW Beetle to be ‘more mature’
When it was first unveiled, the Volkswagen New Beetle’s only mission in life was to emulate and modernize the look of the classic air-cooled Bug that was so popular in America during the ’60s and ’70s.(AUTOBLOG)+++

Suzuki unveils 2009 GSX-R1000
The Suzuki GSX-R1000 has been around since 2001, replacing the venerable 1100 sportbike that couldn’t quite match the performance of the sensational Yamaha R1 that was introduced in 1998.(AUTOBLOG)+++

Dodge offering rebates to pregnant German women
Dodge is looking to spur sales in Germany while at the same time increase the country’s birth rate in a new marketing campaign that’s one for the ages.(AUTOBLOG)+++

2009/10 Honda Element revealed in brochure
Thanks to Autoblog reader Brad, we now have proof Honda’s new corporate grille that first debuted on the 2009 Pilot will be making its way to the 2009/10 Element, as well. (AUTOBLOG)+++

BMW tuning: Dinan squeezing a V-10 in 3-Series

Dinan is a California based North American BMW tuner, which has set some wild dreams to be realized, one such thing is installing a 628 Hp based V-10 engine in a BMW M3. It is going to install the BMW V-10 DOHC 40-Valve 5.0-liter engine that is installed in the M5 and the M6 models that BMW makes. Read more

MotorMediaWatch September 29: VW Jetta TDI diesel: No fun, no lust +++ Tighter Loans to Deepen Auto Woes +++ Toyota Posts Production Decline +++ Viper sales talk quickens +++ 2008 BMW 650i Convertible

Paul Newman: A passion for racing
Highly competitive, Newman was drawn to the track, he told reporters, because in racing, unlike acting, the definition of “good” is not a murky matter of opinion. (LAT)+++

VW Jetta TDI diesel: No fun, no lust — and that’s perfect
I find the 2009 VW Jetta TDI’s lack of exceptionalism exceptional. This car is ordinary, routine, a mean of averages, a flat line on life’s electroencephalogram. It is non-provocative right down to its brake shoes. Find the most common of gardens, and the Jetta is that garden’s variety.(LAT)+++

Mazda6 is a 10 on looks
The stylish and lively 2009 Mazda6 has hit the road as the sportiest and most entertaining front-wheel-drive midsize sedan on the market.(TST)+++

Market forces speak: We want good mileage
More new-vehicle buyers than ever cite inadequate gas mileage as a reason for choosing one car over another, according to a study of vehicle preferences. (TST)+++

Automotive Q&A | A miss is not good over the miles
Q: I have a Mercury Sable wagon. The engine is the 3.0L V6, with 113,000 miles.  (TST)+++

Bridging Auto Makers’ Abyss
While U.S. government loans could form a bridge to get Detroit’s auto makers across the economic abyss, the firms that survive the slump won’t look much like the car companies we’ve known for the past 100 years.(WSJ)+++

Tighter Loans to Deepen Auto Woes
The increasing inability of car buyers to find financing for new automobiles is adding to concerns hanging over a U.S. auto industry.(WSJ)+++

Kia Borrego
Kia’s Borrego, an old-style SUV, looks, feels and drives like a blast from the past, before anyone coined the term “crossover.” (WSJ)+++

This Car Changed America
A look at Ford’s influential Model T, which debuted 100 years ago.(WSJ)+++

Toyota Posts Decline in Production
Toyota posted the biggest drop in Japanese auto production in more than a decade in August, as its domestic sales remained sluggish and exports slumped.(WSJ)+++

Honda Unveils New Version of City
Honda unveiled a new version of its best-selling compact sedan in India, aiming to boost sales amid concerns of a global slowdown. (WSJ)+++

“Flash of Genius”: an obsession with justice and auto parts
The true story of a man who fought Ford over his invention of intermittent windshield wipers.  (SJM)+++

$25-billion loan just the first step for rebuilding carmakers
Loans are one of several government aids that automakers will increasingly rely on to build the technology they need to survive.(DFP)+++

Will ‘Flash of Genius’ be trouble for Ford?
As if Ford Motor Co. doesn’t have enough problems. The automaker has lost almost $24 billion over the past 2 1/2 years, shed more than 50,000 jobs and can’t predict when it will make money again.(DFP)+++

Bank rates
Major Michigan financial institutions were surveyed last week to determine the interest rates they charge for loans, and APYs they pay for savings deposits.(DFP)+++

Auto news in brief: Aerial inspiration
For a new Maxima that would not look quite so much like the better-selling Altima, Doug Wilson, design manager of Nissan North America, looked to the skies. The new Maxima — particularly its hood and front fenders — drew inspiration from Lockheed Martin’s SR-71 Blackbird spy plane.(DFP)+++

Inland Pipe Rehabilitation keeps sewage out of sight, mind
Just imagine if, in the movie “The Graduate,” the career advice had been “sewage” instead of “plastics.” Then you, too, might be pulling down the double-digit revenue growth that profitable Detroit-based Inland Pipe Rehabilitation is recording these days, as the rest of the economy stalls.(DFP)+++

Inside Detroit Autos: Viper sales talk quickens
Chrysler LLC expects talks to sell the Dodge Viper to intensify within three to four weeks. The Auburn Hills automaker is spinning off noncore assets and indicated in August that the Viper sports car line could be sold.(DFP)+++

Revved up: What’s hot and what’s not in autos
Chrysler’s electric cars, Daimler AG and Flint make this week’s list.(DFP)+++

Ford test-drive program pays area schools
As part of Ford Motor Co.’s “Drive One 4 UR School” fund-raising program, Ford and its local dealers are kicking in $20 for every test drive that students arrange. Schools can raise up to $6,000 a year, and many are finding it’s an easy and fast way to raise money.(DFP)+++

DOWN THE ROAD
When the Mazda6 was introduced in 2003, it was instantly popular because of its nimble handling and precise steering. (SFC)+++

ROLLING HOMES
Chrysler has broken new ground with its hybrid Dodge Durango and Chrysler Aspen. Both rigs share virtually identical underpinnings, which include dual-mode hybrid systems that operate on electric motor and gasoline (SFC)+++

Driving with my Dad
John Nalty, business manager for Excel Distributing and a photographer for Donna Brammer Photography, lives in San Jose. I was sitting in my car on southbound Highway 101 near the San Jose airport when I just got tired..(SFC)+++

2008 BMW 650i Convertible
In 2004, the 6 Series BMW designation returned after a hiatus of 15 years. The 645Ci, in either coupe or convertible body style, exhibited stunning and innovative styling. Power came from a 4.4-liter, 32-valve V8  (SFC)+++

All-new 2009 Dodge Ram ready to charge truck market
Dodge has a new crew-cab truck that will challenge the leaders of the pickup truck market segment market. It’s the all-new 2009 Ram. Trucks only compose about 11 percent of the market, but they bring in big revenue (SFC)+++

2009 Honda Pilot EX-L 2WD
The latest Pilot SUV from Honda delivers more horsepower and torque than before and comes in a bigger package. The wheelbase and length overall have been extended, it is wider and more fuel is carried onboard. (SFC)+++

Kawasaki updates entire motorcycle line for ‘09
Kawasaki has pulled the covers off its new motorcycle line for ‘09, and there’s lots to discuss. A revised, lithe ZX-6R sheds about 20 pounds, much of it from the engine itself. (AUTOBLOG)+++

GM Plant earns J.D. Power Founder’s Award
Sure, the Chevrolet Impala and Buick LaCrosse are not the most exciting models in GM’s lineup, but the Oshawa, Ontario plant that’s been cranking out well-assembled W-platform vehicles for years has won a rare honor from J.D. Power and Associates. (AUTOBLOG)+++

Forum find: 2010 Audi A8?
The Audi A8 is understated and elegant…but its design is a little long in the tooth. It stays as is for model year 2009, but a significant revision is due for 2010, and we should expect to see that car unveiled sometime during the upcoming show season. (AUTOBLOG)+++

Possible sketch of Lamborghini’s Paris concept leaked
Lamborghini has now released three official teasers of the Urus, Estoque or whatever the Italian automaker is rumored to be calling its four-door concept for the Paris Motor Show these days. (AUTOBLOG)+++

2009 MINI Cooper Convertible photos hit the web
MotoringFile, ground zero on the web for all things MINI, has the scoop on the long-awaited 2009 MINI Cooper Convertible.(AUTOBLOG)+++

California gives its lawmakers unlimited gas cards
What’s up with California’s lawmakers? First, they pass legislation that makes it illegal to use cell phones while driving, yet texting while behind the wheel is still legal (AUTOBLOG)+++

 

Audi developing RS5…in Death Valley

BMW needs to be a little careful about AUDI as they are slipping slowly under the BMW’s cool image. It is totally breaking the stereotype, the new A5 is a there to compete with the BMW 3 series tow-door. But what about the M3? Well, there is new RS5 getting trained in the tough grounds of Death Valley. Read more

VW launches new Rabbit, red light for Tiguan Diesel…

VW has big plans for launch of new products at the Paris Motor Show; there is some good new and some bad. Good news first, there is a bunch of new diesel models to be launched, the first one being 3.0 Liter engine Touareg TDI, to be revealed at the Paris Motor Show, the production of the car will start somewhere in Mid-February 2009. Read more

Toyota’s IQ challenges the Smart

We don’t know the correlation between small cars and Smartness and IQs, but it sure is the part of the current trend. Toyota the Japanese Car Giant has made the IQ which is set to rival the Smart For Two from Germany. The car is almost three meters long a little more than the Smart. In this extra space it has back seats and boot. But if you are a tall driver there is no legroom but you should not buy the car in the first place if Space is the first thing on your mind. Read more

MotorMediaWatch September 26

Most new car buyers flip-flop after visiting a dealer
According to J.D. Power and Associates, 80% of new car buyers don’t buy the top car on their list because of a negative dealership experience. (LAT)+++

The Dangers of Teen Driving
Are American teenage drivers especially dangerous? The statistics commonly cited as proof don’t fully answer the question.(WSJ)+++

Honda Unveils New Version of City
Honda unveiled a new version of its best-selling compact sedan in India, aiming to boost sales amid concerns of a global slowdown. (WSJ)+++ 

Toyota Posts Decline in Production
Toyota posted the biggest drop in Japanese auto production in more than a decade in August, as its domestic sales remained sluggish and exports slumped. (WSJ)+++

EU Panel Backs Car Caps
In a setback for Europe’s auto makers, an EU panel backed a tougher approach to cap greenhouse-gas emissions from new cars. (WSJ)+++

GM Accelerates Cost Cutting
General Motors is speeding up a $10 billion cost-cutting plan and has hired an outside firm to help find ways to reduce spending. (WSJ)+++

Chrysler’s ‘08 Loss at $400 Million
Chrysler disclosed to dealers it has lost $400 million so far this year, just hours after it unveiled prototypes of new electric cars. (WSJ)+++

GM to build $370 million in Flint to make Volt engines
FLINT, Mich. — General Motors said today it will build a new factory in Flint to make four-cylinder engines for the Chevrolet Volt rechargeable electric car and other models.(SJM)+++

Auto company loans pass House
The U.S. House on Wednesday approved $25 billion in loans for the U.S. auto industry, as Michigan lawmakers vowed to press for an additional $25 billion next year.(DFP)+++

Auto loans could take up to 18 months
WASHINGTON – Loans for automakers and parts suppliers from a $25 billion pool expected to pass Congress this week might not reach the industry for six to 18 months, the U.S. Department of Energy said Thursday.(DFP)+++

Buyout town hall: Get answers to your questions
Do you need have questions about a buyout or early retirement offer? Do you expect your company to make one soon?(DFP)+++

GM to build new Flint plant for Volt generator
General Motors Corp. today announced it will invest $370 million in the United States to build a new manufacturing plant in Flint for its global 4-cylinder engines.(DFP)+++

Cerberus wants rest of Chrysler
Cerberus Capital Management has approached Daimler AG about acquiring the German automaker’s remaining stake in Chrysler LLC.(DFP)+++

GM seeks tax abatement to build electric Chevrolet Volt at Poletown
Assembly of the Chevrolet Volt extended-range electric car would bring 550 jobs to the city, General Motors Corp. officials told a Detroit City Council committee.(DFP)+++

GM to pitch Hummer, French site
General Motors Corp. plans to distribute marketing materials for its Hummer brand and a French transmission plant in October as part of a plan to accelerate the $15-billion cost-cutting and fund-raising plan it announced in July, Treasurer Walter Borst said Wednesday in a presentation to analysts.(DFP)+++

South Korean trade deal assailed
Democratic senators, Chrysler LLC and the UAW assailed on Wednesday barriers to selling cars and parts in South Korea, blaming the one-way flow of vehicles across the Pacific for the disappearance of thousands of U.S. jobs.(DFP)+++

2009 Pilot adds efficiency feature
The 2009 Pilot is the latest Honda to use cylinder deactivation to reduce fuel consumption and engine vibration. The SUV’s 3.5-liter V6 can shut down two or three of its cylinders to save gas when the Pilot doesn’t need the engine’s full output. (DFP)+++

Car shows
A motorcade of Model T’s that celebrates the 100th anniversary of the Model T can be viewed at several locations Saturday. The motorcade is to run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.(DFP)+++

Auto news in brief: Blue Water plan backed
Blue Water Automotive Systems Inc., the auto-parts maker that failed twice to sell itself, won court approval of a plan to liquidate its remaining assets and start repaying its biggest creditor, lender CIT Group Inc. (DFP)+++

All-new 2009 Dodge Ram ready to charge truck market
Dodge has a new crew-cab truck that will challenge the leaders of the pickup truck market segment market. It’s the all-new 2009 Ram. (SJM)+++

2009 Honda Pilot EX-L 2WD
The latest Pilot SUV from Honda delivers more horsepower and torque than before and comes in a bigger package. The wheelbase and length overall have been extended, it is wider and more fuel is carried onboard. (SJM)+++

2008 BMW 650i Convertible
In 2004, the 6 Series BMW designation returned after a hiatus of 15 years. The 645Ci, in either coupe or convertible body style, exhibited stunning and innovative styling. (SJM)+++

MotorMediaWatch September 25

Schwarzenegger outlaws text-messaging while driving
Starting in January, California drivers may not send, write or read messages on electronic devices. (LAT)+++

Most new car buyers flip-flop after visiting a dealer
According to J.D. Power and Associates, 80% of new car buyers don’t buy the top car on their list because of a negative dealership experience.(LAT)+++

Extra Protection
Auto makers have been beefing up their warranty offerings. Here are five rides with superior warranties. (WSJ)+++

Auto industry to get $25 billion in federal loans
In the next few years, consumers could see the fruits of $25 billion in government loans for the auto industry through a broader lineup of gas-electric hybrid vehicles, new plug-in electric cars and an expansion of fuel-efficient engines.(SJM)+++

Daimler in talks to sell remaining Chrysler stake
Germany’s Daimler said today that it is in talks to sell its remaining stake in Chrysler to private-equity firm Cerberus Capital Management.  (SJM)+++

Study: More buyers shunning cars over gas mileage
A new study of why consumers choose one new car over another says a growing number of buyers are turning down vehicles due to inadequate gas mileage.  (SJM)+++

Daimler in talks to sell rest of Chrysler to Cerberus
Cerberus Capital Management is in talks with Daimler AG about acquiring the German company’s remaining minority stake in Chrysler LLC, the companies said today.(DFP)+++

Lawmakers cheer $25B deal for auto industry
The U.S. House today approved $25 billion in loans for the troubled U.S.(DFP)+++

GM: Chevy Volt will bring 550 jobs to Detroit
Construction of the Chevrolet Volt electric car would bring 550 jobs to the city, General Motors Corp. officials told a Detroit City Council committee today.(DFP)+++

Chrysler leaps into electric vehicle race
Chrysler LLC looked like its old, scrappy self Tuesday in announcing ambitious plans to develop a full lineup of electric-drive vehicles, one of which it says will be ready for sale by the end of 2010.(DFP)+++

Automakers clear obstacle to loans
Detroit automakers cleared a major hurdle for government funding of $25 billion in loans to the auto industry — but lost a bid to have those loans applied to a wide range of new vehicles.(DFP)+++

Bold design gets luxury brand noticed
When a luxury brand has been sliding for as long as Ford Motor Co.’s Lincoln has — from more than 230,000 U.S. sales in 1990 to about 132,000 last year — it really has to pull out all its guns to grab consumers’ attention again.(DFP)+++

Ford progress hidden by economy, exec says
One of Ford Motor Co.’s top global leaders told the Free Press on Monday that the pangs in the economy, which are spreading from the United States to other global markets, are masking how successful Ford’s operations are being turned around behind the scenes.(DFP)+++

Judge allows Delphi to freeze pension plans to control costs
A bankruptcy judge on Tuesday approved Delphi Corp.’s proposal to freeze its pension plans as part of the auto supplier’s blueprint to cut its costs and eventually emerge from bankruptcy protection.(DFP)+++

Auto lenders push to add car loan debts to bailout
The auto lending industry jumped into the debate Tuesday over a $700-billion bailout for the U.S. financial market, warning that car loans could be choked off should lawmakers fail to restore the flow of money through Wall Street.(DFP)+++

Graphic: Chrysler’s electric contenders
Chrysler says it plans to bring to market one of three electric-drive vehicles by the end of 2010. The company hasn’t yet decided which one. The Chrysler EV and Jeep EV are range-extended versions of the Chrysler Town & Country minivan and four-door minivan, respectively. (DFP)+++

Auto news in brief: Supplier’s forecast up
ArvinMeritor Inc., the U.S. supplier that’s spinning off its auto-parts unit, boosted its annual profit forecast even with a weaker market. (DFP)+++

Aston Martin Lagonda line could have SUV flavor
When we recently posted on Aston Martin dragging Lagonda out of its crypt, one of the assertions was that “they’ve reportedly ruled out the possibility of a sport-ute.” (AUTOBLOG)+++

Isuzu not interested in GM’s medium-duty truck operations
It must be pretty hard to unload an unwanted truck business these days. Just ask General Motors, which has attempted to sell its medium-duty truck operations first to Navistar and then Isuzu. Both heavy-duty diesel makers have passed on the offer.(AUTOBLOG)+++

Nissan, Sharp and NTT DOCOMO develop smart-key phone
Those wacky kids in Japan can do all kinds of things with their cell phones that those of us in the U.S. can’t.  (AUTOBLOG)+++

House passes $25 billion loan for domestic automakers
The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill this afternoon approving a $25 billion low-interest loan for domestic automakers.(AUTOBLOG)+++

Behold! 2010 Ford Mustang thrones revealed
The 2010 Ford Mustang teasers continue, with a darkened shot of the new ‘Stang’s seats and center console.  (AUTOBLOG)+++

Dodge developing Challenger SXT, could be Canada only
The Dodge Challenger SE is a good-looking coupe that dealers say is selling very well. We liked the base Challenger SE because it carried most of the styling cues of its far more expensive and fast SRT8 sibling at a reasonable price, and we can’t wait to try out the mid-level HEMI-powered R/T. (AUTOBLOG)+++

MotorMediaWatch September 24

Chrysler charges into electric car race
The third-largest U.S. automaker unveils three battery-powered models, the first of which it would sell by late 2010.(LAT)+++

Suit accuses Auto Club of Southern California of replacing batteries needlessly
Tow truck operators were pressured to sell new batteries when just a jump-start was needed, says the suit on behalf of members.(LAT)+++

Harley-Davidson thrown by bumps in the road
Tight credit and costly gas are driving sales down for the big-bike maker. Hogs now share space with scooters.(LAT)+++

Cadillac CTS-V is full of sound, fury — and grace
The 556-horsepower sedan is a speedster that provides superb cornering and control in a refined and seductive package. (LAT)+++

Used-Car Donations Take a Hit
While many taxpayers still are giving away used cars, it’s generally no longer as attractive for tax purposes as it once was. (WSJ)+++

Chrysler’s ‘08 Loss at $400 Million
Chrysler disclosed to dealers it has lost $400 million so far this year, just hours after it unveiled prototypes of new electric cars (WSJ)+++

EU Seen Weakening Emissions Law
Europe’s first mandatory carbon caps on the auto industry will likely win an EU committee’s approval Thursday, albeit in watered-down form.(WSJ)+++

Chrysler plans to sell electric car in 2010
Chrysler charged up the electric car race Tuesday, muscling in on General Motors’s Chevrolet Volt by unveiling three electric-powered models and promising to put one of them on sale in the U.S. sometime in 2010. (SJM)+++

Chrysler leaps into electric vehicle race
Chrysler LLC looked like its old, scrappy self Tuesday in announcing ambitious plans to develop a full lineup of electric-drive vehicles, one of which it says will be ready for sale by the end of 2010.(DFP)+++

Automakers clear obstacle to loans
WASHINGTON — Detroit automakers cleared a major hurdle for government funding of $25 billion in loans to the auto industry — but lost a bid to have those loans applied to a wide range of new vehicles. (DFP)+++

 

Bold design gets luxury brand noticed
When a luxury brand has been sliding for as long as Ford Motor Co.’s Lincoln has — from more than 230,000 U.S. sales in 1990 to about 132,000 last year — it really has to pull out all its guns to grab consumers’ attention again.(DFP)+++

Ford progress hidden by economy, exec says

One of Ford Motor Co.’s top global leaders told the Free Press on Monday that the pangs in the economy, which are spreading from the United States to other global markets, are masking how successful Ford’s operations are being turned around behind the scenes.(DFP)+++

Judge allows Delphi to freeze pension plans to control costs

NEW YORK — A bankruptcy judge on Tuesday approved Delphi Corp.’s proposal to freeze its pension plans as part of the auto supplier’s blueprint to cut its costs and eventually emerge from bankruptcy protection.(DFP)+++

Auto lenders push to add car loan debts to bailout
WASHINGTON — The auto lending industry jumped into the debate Tuesday over a $700-billion bailout for the U.S. financial market, warning that car loans could be choked off should lawmakers fail to restore the flow of money through Wall Street.(DFP)+++

Graphic: Chrysler’s electric contenders
Chrysler says it plans to bring to market one of three electric-drive vehicles by the end of 2010. The company hasn’t yet decided which one. The Chrysler EV and Jeep EV are range-extended versions of the Chrysler Town & Country minivan and four-door minivan, respectively.(DFP)+++

Auto news in brief: Supplier’s forecast up
ArvinMeritor Inc., the U.S. supplier that’s spinning off its auto-parts unit, boosted its annual profit forecast even with a weaker market. (DFP)+++

Ford’s new Eco-Boost ethanol injection

Ford is currently working on a next generation engine technology that is meant to improve engine power and reduce emissions at the same time. This project is named Bobcat. It is working on a technology that uses direct injection of Ethanol. It is said a ethanol engine due to its average octane rating of 113 is able to give high performance at high compression ratios of engine. Read more

Next Page »