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Breaking: SSC Ultimate Aero II: Red, white and blue Bugatti killer
Breaking: Paris Preview: GM unveils Chevrolet Cruze hatchback for Europe
Officially Official: Ford F-150 SVT Raptor gains SuperCrew, loses 5.4L V8 for 2011
Green: Ask AutoblogGreen: What's up (and down) with electric vehicle performance in hilly terrain

GM expects sales in China to grow 20% in 2009 1 year ago on Autoblog

General Motors boasted in April that it would double sales in China by 2013 with the introduction of 30 new or upgraded models over the next five years. Last month, GM forecasted that its vehicle sales in China would grow 10% this year alone and now it seems those numbers may have been a bit ...

REPORT: China passes U.S. in auto sales 1 year ago on Autoblog

Most of the world has been knee deep in a wicked recession for quite a while, and auto sales have been hit especially hard. Here in the U.S., the numbers have been abysmal, as the first half of the year saw only 4.8 million sales through June. China, on the other hand, is running away with the ...

REPORT: 'Personality traits' of automobiles studied 1 year ago on Autoblog

The styling of your vehicle makes a statement, of course. Designers spend years perfecting the craft of automotive sculpture, and are finely attuned to what types of shapes and conventions send a given message. Now, the researchers want to move in and figure out how to express what the artists ...

Canada pondering Cash-For-Clunkers too? 1 year ago on Autoblog

Historically speaking, Canada has gotten the blunt end of the stick when it comes to new car pricing compared to its southern neighbors. Pricing on many vehicles versus an otherwise identical U.S. counterpart has long been comparatively inflated, and America's recently passed Cash-For-Clunkers bill ...

REPORT: China rolls out 89 new models in six months - that's one every two days 1 year ago on Autoblog

We've been hearing Chinese officials say for quite some time now that there are far too many automakers in the country for a healthy market in the long-term, but we didn't realize until today just how out-of-hand it may be. According to state-run Chinese news agency Xinhua, China has seen an ...

Diesel TDI model grabs 81% of VW Jetta Sportwagen sales in June 1 year ago on Autoblog

General Motors, Ford, Chrysler, Honda and everyone else may not think there is much of a market for mainstream diesel vehicles in the United States, but Volkswagen would beg to differ. Since it launched its new generation diesels last fall in the Jetta and earlier this year in the Touareg, they ...

BREAKING: Chevrolet Camaro outsells Ford Mustang in June 1 year ago on Autoblog

Despite having fewer model variations on the market, pent up demand for the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro appears to have been enough to send the bad Bowtie past Ford's redone Mustang in June. Sales figures for the month are beginning to trickle in today, and General Motors says it shifted 9,320 Camaro ...

REPORT: Analysts suggest new vehicles sales could rebound to 10M pace in June 1 year ago on Autoblog

June auto sales will no doubt be ugly. In all likelihood, the sixth month of the year will be the 24th month in the past 25 to see a year-over-year sales decline. June could also bring a bit of good news, though, as an Automotive News poll of nine different industry analysts shows that sales may ...

REPORT: BMW threatening to oust Lexus as #1 luxury automaker in U.S. 1 year ago on Autoblog

Life is hard at the top, whether that precipice happens to be at the zenith of the overall sales chart or of a specific market niche, such as Lexus' position as the best-selling luxury automaker in the United States. Toyota's posh brand has held the top spot since the year 2000, with BMW ...

Lexus leads, Hyundai improves, while Infiniti drops in J.D. Power 2009 Initial Quality Study 1 year ago on Autoblog

J.D. Power and Associates has released its 2009 Initial Quality Study (IQS) and Lexus has taken the top spot away from Porsche, the initial quality leader for the past three years. The annual J.D. Power study measures IQS based on problems reported per 100 vehicles (PP100) -- a lower score ...

REPORT: GM cutting executive pensions, ex-CEO Wagoner to get pinched the most 1 year ago on Autoblog

With General Motors in bankruptcy, it was only a matter of time before pensions came under scrutiny. The Detroit News is reporting that GM CEO Fritz Henderson has confirmed that executive pensions beyond $100,000 per year will be cut by two-thirds. Recently defenestrated boss Rick Wagoner will ...

VIDEO: Vintage promo film made for Detroit's 1968 Olympic bid reveals city's precipitous decline 1 year ago on Autoblog

We often think of the 1950's as being the heyday for Detroit's fortunes, but even in the early-to-mid Sixties, it remained something of a modern marvel, thanks largely to its world-leading auto industry. This archival video was apparently commissioned as part of a failed bid for the 1968 ...

Putting It In Perspective: Largest bankruptcies in U.S. history displayed graphically 1 year ago on Autoblog

The benevolent-minded folks over at Good Magazine have commissioned infographic specialists Always With Honor to give us a little perspective on America's recent rash of bankruptcies. Using the 'sinking ship' metaphor to graphically show where the Chapter 11 filings of General Motors and ...

Kuwaiti Oil Minister reportedly says OPEC won't increase production until prices hit $100/barrel 1 year ago on Autoblog

America might get most of its oil from Canada, but the moves that OPEC makes still reverberate here. Thus, a statement by the Kuwaiti Oil Minister Sheikh Ahmed al-Abdullah al-Sabah to reporters yesterday probably won't help decrease domestic gasoline prices any time soon. OPEC's al-Sabah said that ...

REPORT: Lamborghini sees no recovery until 2011 1 year ago on Autoblog

After several years of record growth, Lamborghini, like most automakers, is struggling in a tough economy. Sales are down 30% so far in 2009, and the Raging Bull even laid off factory workers for seven weeks in an effort to keep down inventories. Chief Executive Stephan Winkelmann told Reuters ...

J.D. Power study shows people interested in new car tech, but not if they have to pay for it 1 year ago on Autoblog

Smaller, cheaper electronics have been a boon for the auto industry, as car technology has boomed over the past few years. J.D. Power has been studying the tech trend, surveying over 19,000 potential car buyers to gauge interest in new tech like nav systems and infotainment systems. The powerful ...

REPORT: Formula One teams, drivers get serious on break-away series 1 year ago on Autoblog

It's all or nothing for the Formula One Teams Association. The body representing the majority of the teams is still in the process of negotiating with the FIA over the proposed drastic budget cuts, but insists that the FIA has to take all of them or none of them. If Max Mosley's budget cuts are ...

Volkswagen continues inscrutable naming practice with new Amarok pickup 1 year ago on Autoblog

Remember when Volkswagen just named their cars for different winds? Scirocco, Jetta, Corrado, Santana – they all had a certain clean, sweeping quality about them, even if it wasn't immediately clear where the names came from. More recently, however, VW has gone further afield, invoking ...

Officially, Official: GM files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy 1 year ago on Autoblog

The die is cast: General Motors has filed for bankruptcy. As expected, the automotive giant filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection this morning in a New York court, listing $82 billion in assets and $172 billion in debts. As we told you earlier, the century-old company will gain extensive ...

REPORT: California still wants EPA waiver to set emissions standards until 2012 1 year ago on Autoblog

Even though President Obama's new national CAFE standards will lean on the stricter California standards for support and there was broad agreement that a national standard of this type is the way to move forward, the devilish details could still cause a disagreement or two. Problem One is that the ...

BREAKING: BBC says Magna has agreed to take majority stake in Opel from GM 1 year ago on Autoblog

According to the BBC News, supplier Magna International has come to terms with General Motors to purchase a majority stake in its European Opel division. While an agreement has been reached between the two parties, the German government – which has agreed to provide financial assistance for ...

Bloomberg says GM to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Monday 1 year ago on Autoblog

Despite today's word of coming to terms with its major shareholders on a debt-for-equity swap, Bloomberg is reporting that General Motors will join Chrysler in filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Monday. The move is widely expected, but the news agency is adding a bit of flesh to the story, ...

Autoblog Podcast #129 1 year ago on Autoblog

Episode #129 of the Autoblog Podcast is here! Chris, Sam, and Dan toss the ball around this week discussing the Lexus HS250h, the Toyota Prius's newfound chassis grace, the production version of the BMW 5-Series GT, Cadillac's sharp new SRX, and of course, a few questions. We even go back and ...

Study: 20% of all vehicles sold in U.S. to be hybrids by 2020 [w/POLL] 1 year ago on Autoblog

According to a recent study conducted by JPMorgan, hybrid sales are about to take off. Last year, there were some 480,000 total hybrid vehicles sold around the world, which represents less than 1% of global sales. By 2020, though, JPMorgan predicts that 11.28 million hybrids will be sold ...

AP says General Motors to announce 14 plant closures on Monday 1 year ago on Autoblog

According to a source at The Associated Press, General Motors will announce the closure of 14 factories on Monday morning. The shutterings will reportedly occur by the end of 2010, and are being viewed as part of GM's widely anticipated plans to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The move would not be ...

BREAKING: Visteon reportedly files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy 1 year ago on Autoblog

According to Automotive News, Visteon Corp. has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The Michigan-based tier-1 supplier was spun off from the Ford Motor Company back in 2000, and it has struggled ever since. The filing took place in a Delaware courtroom, where the company has listed total ...

BREAKING: GM lurches toward bankruptcy as bondholder offer fails 1 year ago on Autoblog

General Motors is teetering ever closer to the brink of bankruptcy today, as the automaker's exchange offer for its outstanding debt fell "substantially" short of the necessary take-rate. GM had offered some $27.2 billion of its unsecured public notes to its bondholders, but the offer expired at ...

California already looking ahead to tougher post-2016 mpg standards? 1 year ago on Autoblog

California's lead in setting stricter mileage standards for automobiles helped President Obama's administration formulate the new 35.5 mpg requirement for 2016. Since California's voice is so strong in the debate, we can see what might possibly be coming to the whole country in the later half of ...

Study surveys 25,000 owners, reveals most highly recommended vehicles 1 year ago on Autoblog

Not everyone gets car buying advice from the Autoblog Podcast (Ford can't build that many Fusions), so where do car shoppers turn for recommendations? Many potential buyers ask around among friends and acquaintances, especially those who recently purchased vehicles. AutoPacific asked 25,000 new car ...

STUDY: 88% of Americans believe hybrid leadership is crucial to U.S. - Do you? [w/POLL] 1 year ago on Autoblog

We Americans want hybrid leadership. We want to reduce our dependence on foreign oil. Trouble is, most of us aren't willing to pay for it. Johnson Controls surveyed 2309 adults on all matters hybrid, and it found that 84% of Americans believe the government should support the advancement of hybrid ...

Experts call GM bankruptcy 'almost inevitable' [w/POLL] 1 year ago on Autoblog

To stave off bankruptcy, General Motors must rework its union contracts, drastically cut its capacity, workforce and dealer networks – and convince creditors to take 10 cents on the dollar on $27 billion in unsecured debt. In two months. That's a herculean task for any company, much less for ...

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Autoblog Podcast #193 - Hot Mustangs, Volt Mileage, 1 Series M, Mazda design and Lotus Evoras

Chris, Sam, Alex and Dan convene for Episode #193 of the Autoblog Podcast. We cover the Ford Boss Mustang and Roush supercharger package, the latest Chevrolet Volt fuel economy dust-up, the BMW 1 Series M Coupe, Mazda's apparent new design language and the Lotus Evora S and Evora IPS. Thanks for listening!