Tuesday, August 31, 2010

The Car Connection

The Car Connection

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Smart Sales Sputter, But Upcoming Products Will Broaden Appeal

Posted: 31 Aug 2010 04:33 PM PDT

Smart's newness in the U.S. is wearing off, and demand for its only U.S. model, the Fortwo two-seater is, falling. According to Automotive News, the Smart brand will likely sell fewer than 100,000 vehicles worldwide, down from 114,000 in 2009. Citing a report from the German paper Der Spiegel, it reports that U.S. sales will likely this year be...


GM Asks Chevy Dealerships To Stock Hondas, Toyotas

Posted: 31 Aug 2010 02:33 PM PDT

General Motors officials have put out a request to the automaker's 3,000 Chevrolet dealerships, asking them to have Toyota and Honda vehicles on hand—not just for display, but for back-to-back test-drive comparisons with the Chevrolet Cruze. According to AutoWeek, citing Chevrolet small-car marketing director Margaret Brooks, the company is...


Feds Investigate Potential Steering Issue In 2011 Hyundai Sonata

Posted: 31 Aug 2010 10:47 AM PDT

U.S. officials are investigating a potential steering issue, on the new 2011 Hyundai Sonata. The defect investigation, opened by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI), looks into a steering-hardware failure that could lead to loss of vehicle control. The investigation was opened because of field...


Video: Fiat Launching This Year With 165 Dealerships In 119 U.S. Markets

Posted: 31 Aug 2010 08:24 AM PDT

A week ago, we told you that Chrysler's Sergio Marchionne was planning to meet potential Fiat dealers and explain his vision of the American Fiat network. Yesterday, the CEO did just that, and he seems to have generated lots of enthusiasm among attendees -- even though other dealers are clearly worried about adding a brand to the Chrysler family...


2011 Honda CR-Z: Three Test Drives, Three Editors' Opinions, Five Questions

Posted: 31 Aug 2010 05:50 AM PDT

It's not all that often that three different High Gear Media editors test-drive the same model within a few weeks of each other, but that's what happened with the 2011 Honda CR-Z two-seat hybrid sports coupe. First, editorial director Marty Padgett got our first drive in June and wrote it up for our sister site Green Car Reports. Then, last week...


2011 Hyundai Santa Fe To Be Built On Kia's Georgia Production Line

Posted: 31 Aug 2010 05:00 AM PDT

The 2011 Hyundai Santa Fe will join its corporate cousin the 2011 Kia Sorento on the Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia (KMMG) production line in West Point, Georgia. Limited production of the new Santa Fe will start at the plant September 27, with a full shift being added by October 1 to handle the increased output. Hyundai's Santa Fe was...


Photos: Padgett's Post-Recall Prius Pedal, Accelerator Shortened

Posted: 31 Aug 2010 04:10 AM PDT

While the dust is now settling on a year's worth of recalls by a beleagured Toyota, the company is still working to modify millions of vehicles that are potentially involved in recalls over sudden acceleration or other safety issues. Toyota Prius models built from 2004 to 2009 are part of a recall announced in November to reshape the accelerator...


Transportation Officials: Rural Congestion Highlights Funding Need

Posted: 30 Aug 2010 07:00 PM PDT

Getting away for the long weekend? You might not completely get away from traffic. Part of the issue: that our population has nearly doubled, as well as shifted significantly, geographically, since the Interstate system was launched in 1956. According to a new report, you increasingly likely to experience traffic bottlenecks in rural areas, either...


Suzuki Swift Delayed To 2012 Or Beyond

Posted: 30 Aug 2010 05:45 PM PDT

One of Suzuki's most intriguing new models—the all-new Swift hatchback—isn't arriving to U.S. dealerships this year after all. According to Automotive News, citing American Suzuki's head of product development and business Steve Younan, the product plans for the Swift were put on hold after Volkswagen bought about 20 percent of Suzuki...


2011 Buick Regal: An IIHS Top Safety Pick

Posted: 30 Aug 2010 08:45 AM PDT

GM's new 2011 Buick Regal has earned the top safety accolade from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Its Top Safety Pick status confirms top scores in front, side, and rear impact, as well as the new rollover (roof crush test). The latter, which measures the maximum force sustained when a metal plate is pressed against a specified...


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