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Chrysler Gambles on Fun Fiat 500e

Banking on the growing popularity of the 500 subcompact, engineers in Auburn Hills combine electric power with signature Italian performance.

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May 23, 2013

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Chrysler Gambles on Fun Fiat 500e

Banking on the growing popularity of the 500 subcompact, engineers in Auburn Hills combine electric power with signature Italian performance....More
May 23, 2013

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'13 Fiat 500e

There’s something a bit more aggressive about the electric 500 than the Pop or Lounge gasoline-powered versions. Designers note the stance is slightly wider (to accommodate the battery), and the body sits lower.
May 20, 2013

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And Now for Something Completely Different 1

The Mini Cooper Paceman is provocative, deliberately offbeat and not for everyone....More
May 20, 2013

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'13 Mini Paceman

Mini Cooper Paceman designed to be much more than 2-door Countryman.
May 15, 2013

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Lexus IS Short of 3-Series Target

Lexus IS 250 and up-level IS 350 come with upgraded interiors and all-new sheet metal, but carry-over engines won’t steal away BMW intenders....More
May 15, 2013

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'14 Lexus IS 250

Lexus targeted the BMW 3-Series with the all-new IS 250 and 350 sports sedans, which feature improved driving dynamics and upgraded interiors.
May 13, 2013

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'14 Jaguar F-Type

What makes the F-Type compelling, besides the intoxicating exhaust note and big power from all three supercharged V-6 and V-8 engine options, is its singular ability to fill the niche between the German entry-level roadsters and the premium convertibles. (See related story: Jaguar F-Type Honors Iconic Past)
May 13, 2013

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Jaguar F-Type Honors Iconic Past

The new roadster is masterfully styled, plenty fast, dynamically sound and capable of upholding the E-Type legacy. But can it catch the Porsche 911?...More
May 2, 2013

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WardsAuto

Sun Finally Shines on Chevy Impala

GM brings to dealers a 10th-generation model with the sort of styling, technology and performance honoring its heritage....More
May 2, 2013

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'14 Chevrolet Impala

'14 Chevrolet Impala finally gets the attention it deserves.

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WardsAuto Blogs

May 21, 2013

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Dealers Object to Sales Leads Routed to Competitors

Some dealers think they are paying for exclusive leads when, in fact, they are getting ones that are passed around and re-sold....More

May 20, 2013

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Dynamics in Surging Large Pickup Segment Mostly Point to More Market Share

Supporting the production rise are large-pickup sales in the U.S., which could top 1.9 million in 2013 and shoot past 2 million next year....More

May 17, 2013

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Historic Piquette Avenue Plant Experiences Rebirth

The Piquette plant built 12,000 Model T’s by 1910, and by then the car’s runaway success gave birth to yet another big idea: Ford’s Highland Park plant 4 miles (6.4 km) to the north, a hulking complex 10 times larger than the humble wood and brick Piquette facility that later was used to produce Studebakers....More

May 15, 2013

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No Wonder They Call It Branding

If John Wayne were asked to mosey in to a design studio and help create a pickup truck, chances are he'd rustle up something like the Ram 1500 Laramie Longhorn....More

May 13, 2013

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Semi-Autonomous Cars Surest Bet in Five Years 1

If you wager on where the automotive market is going, look at what will be required by future government regulations, what will be affordable and what will not resemble an economic stimulus for trial lawyers....More

May 8, 2013

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Auto Makers Need to Fess Up on Fleet Sales 4

Are auto makers pulling back on fleet sales? It's difficult to know as so few are open about the practice....More

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Editor's PIcks

May 20, 2013

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Hyundai Output Losses Total $1.43 Billion as Korean Workers Refuse Weekends

Union rank-and-file workers have criticized their own negotiators, saying they rejected an April 26 deal because Hyundai was demanding a productivity increase in return for a small pay raise....More

May 21, 2013

Article

WardsAuto

Brazil Sees Auto Plant Boom as Vehicle Importers Rethink Strategies

OEMs that ignore the government’s incentive programs do so at their own risk, says an executive from the association of vehicle importers. In practice, companies that do not adhere to the program will have their IPI tax hiked 30% on imports....More

May 20, 2013

Article

WardsAuto

GM Pickup Inventories, Sell-Down Going Smoothly, Reuss Says

The auto maker needs stocks to remain above the industry average of roughly 80 days, because it has been idling assembly plants to changeover tooling for the ’14 models trickling in to dealers now....More

May 20, 2013

Article

WardsAuto

GM Thailand Powertrain Plant Earns Zero Landfill Status

The achievement makes the auto maker a leader in local environmental responsibility, which is especially important as the heavily industrialized Rayong region is suffering the effects of growing pollution....More

May 17, 2013

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WardsAuto

April Vehicle Sales Hint at European Market Recovery

Despite last month’s uptick, the sales pace must gain speed if auto makers’ forecast of a 5% decline this year is to be reached....More

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May 20, 2013

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Dynamics in Surging Large Pickup Segment Mostly Point to More Market Share

Supporting the production rise are large-pickup sales in the U.S., which could top 1.9 million in 2013 and shoot past 2 million next year....More

May 17, 2013

Article

WardsAuto

North American Light-Vehicle Production Up 13.7% in April

Detroit Three output grew 11% in the month, compared with year-ago. Ford enjoyed the biggest gain, up 19.7%, with 263,553 cars and trucks....More

May 16, 2013

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WardsAuto AutomotiveCompass Global Update: May 2013

Video brief highlights updates to future product and production plans from the Wards/AC global forecast....More

May 13, 2013

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WardsAuto Outlook: Are We On Pace for a 15.5 Million Year?

March sales prompted some analysts to raise their 2013 forecast, but were the heightened projections too much too soon?...More

May 10, 2013

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WardsAuto

Mix Shifts, But April U.S. Fuel Economy Remains at Record Level

For the second consecutive month, U.S. light vehicles attained record fuel efficiency even as sales continued to shift toward traditionally less-efficient segments....More

May 7, 2013

Article

WardsAuto

Record First-Quarter North American Capacity Utilization; 12-Month Average to Climb

Ford and Nissan are the two biggest reasons industry capacity utilization is running at 100% or more, but they are getting a lot of help from manufacturers with only one or two facilities, nearly all of them on 3-shift/crew schedules....More

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WardsAuto/AutomotiveCompass Global Vehicle & Powertrain Forecasts.

Interest in autonomous vehicles continues to grow, but technical, legal, regulatory and cost hurdles remain. When will true driverless cars reach the U.S. market?

Hot Topic

Autonomous Vehicles: Analysis and coverage of issues and technologies related to self-driving cars.

May 22, 2013

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Future HMI Systems Linked to Autonomous Driving Trends

Human-machine interface systems should be designed to enhance, not distract, the driving experience, panelists here say, acknowledging mistakes have been made and that future trends point to simpler interfaces....More

May 16, 2013

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WardsAuto

Supplier Roundup

A roundup of this week’s news involving automotive suppliers....More

May 16, 2013

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WardsAuto

U.S. Senate Committee Probes Implications of Semi-Autonomous Cars

“Until cars assume complete responsibility for driving, the critical challenge is to design vehicles so that drivers clearly understand how the car works. Even small design changes can violate drivers’ expectations and confuse them.”...More

May 14, 2013

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WardsAuto

OEM Cost Decisions to Determine Future of Connected Vehicles, USDOT’s LaHood Says

Most early connected-vehicle safety technologies making their way into volume vehicles, such as lane departure and forward collision alert, are bundled into expensive option packages....More

May 13, 2013

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Semi-Autonomous Cars Surest Bet in Five Years 1

If you wager on where the automotive market is going, look at what will be required by future government regulations, what will be affordable and what will not resemble an economic stimulus for trial lawyers....More

May 10, 2013

Article

WardsAuto

Oz Experts Tout New Pedestrian-Safety Technologies

Researchers are developing the capability to assess and rate the new technologies’ effectiveness and promote their adoption and uptake in new cars....More

May 2, 2013

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10-Year Horizon Suspect, But Autonomous Vehicles Still Hold Promise

Fully automated driving may come eventually, but in the meantime the technology’s building blocks could be the ultimate answer to distracted-driving concerns....More

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