41 Articles
Dec 7, 2006
Ford debuting new Focus in Detroit

Unfortunately, it's not the C1-based Focus we're all waiting for (though it appears we're closer than ever to that car's arrival on our shores). Still, the current Ford Focus has received only one nip/tuck refreshening since it debuted in North America way back in 2000, so the car unveiled in early January at the Detroit Show will be model's most signficant update yet. Here's what we know for sure: thr

John Neff
Dec 7, 2006
Starbucks now serving biodiesel (words)

What do Starbucks and AutoblogGreen have in common? Aside from a strange green color scheme, we also both like the words of Martin Tobias, the CEO of Imperium Renewables in Seattle. Imperium and Tobias get mentioned on this site now and again (see below) and now Tobias will be immortalized on a 16 oz. paper Starbucks mug soon (All right, immortalized is too strong a word for a disposable product, but "disposable-ized" sounds terrible).

Sebastian Blanco
Dec 7, 2006
Honda opens another design studio in Cali

Not that Honda styling is horrendous or anything, but several recent models have received lukewarm, if not downright tepid, responses to their exteriors (We're looking at you CR-V). Maybe Honda's new California design center will help the company find its way back to the aesthetically pleasing.

Frank Filipponio
Dec 7, 2006
Ford to show off new Focus at the Detroit Auto Show and is working on a smaller car

According to Jeff Gilbert at the WorldWide Automotive Report today, Ford will be showing off the new 2008 Focus next month at the Detroit Auto Show. The redesigned Focus has been making it's presence felt recently on the roads around Detroit, which is generally a sign that it's not far off. Unfortunately each time I've been next to one on the road I haven't had a camera handy, but others have. The '08 Focus has the n

Sam Abuelsamid
Dec 7, 2006
Great Wall not good enough for highway builder

Apparently some people feel that "Great" isn't good enough. Just days after a new law went into effect aiming to protect the Great Wall of China, a Chinese company wanting to build a highway through the Great Wall was fined for damaging it. The company, Hongji Landbridge Investment Development Inc., had to pay the maximum penalty of 500,000 yuan ($63,800) for dinking a section of the Wall in Inner Mongolia, according to the official news agency, Xinhua.

Frank Filipponio
Dec 7, 2006
Kia Rondo on sale and priced to move

The Autoblog staff was surprisingly impressed with the Kia Ronda that officially debuted at the 2006 LA Auto Show last week. The small people mover looks attractive, can seat up to seven with an optional third-row, and will come with Kia's standard battery of safety features and a 10-year/100,000-mile limited powertrain warranty. Our jet lag from the LA Auto Show has hardly subsided and Kia has already announced that Rondos are on their way to dealers and they're priced to sell. The base Rondo,

John Neff
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