Automotive
American Auto Industry About To Go On Hiring Spree
June 10, 2013 7:57 am | by Tom Krisher, AP Auto Writer | News | CommentsThe auto industry's stepped-up hiring will help sustain the nation's job growth and help fuel consumer spending. On Friday, the government said U.S. employers added 175,000 jobs in May, roughly the monthly average for the past year and a sign of the economy's resilience.
Stripped-Down Harley Rebounds From Recession
June 10, 2013 7:53 am | by M.L. Johnson, Associated Press | News | CommentsThe company made $624 million last year, the best annual profit since 2008. It also boosted profit by 30 percent in this year's first quarter, compared to the same period in 2012. With lower costs and more efficient production, analysts say Harley is in a good position to grow as the global economy improves.
Q&A: ISO 9001 And ISO 14001 Standard Revisions
June 7, 2013 2:26 pm | Articles | CommentsDeveloped through global consensus, International Organization for Standardization standards help to break down barriers to international trade. It just so happens that the revision cycle has fallen on some of the world’s most popular standards, with both ISO 9001 (quality) and ISO 14001 (environmental) among those currently being revised.
GM To Lay Off 560 Workers To Retool Engine Plant
June 7, 2013 1:55 pm | News | CommentsGeneral Motors is laying off 560 workers while it retools an engine plant near Detroit to build a new motor. GM says layoffs at the Romulus, Mich., factory will start in August and run to late 2015. The company is rebuilding the inside of the factory to make a new, more efficient V-6 engine.
Comprehensive Recall Protection, Inside And Out
June 7, 2013 9:22 am | by Joel Hans, Managing Editor, Manufacturing.net | Articles | CommentsIn today’s business climate, in particular for many industries that serve consumers directly operate under the assumption that they’ll be subjected to a recall incident at some point. But what about the manufacturers who still think, ‘I’ve never had a recall. It’s not going to happen to me.’?
GM CEO Says Dividend, Share Buyback Possible
June 7, 2013 8:18 am | by Tom Krisher, AP Auto Writer | News | CommentsGeneral Motors CEO Dan Akerson says the company's finances are sound enough to consider paying a dividend or even buying more of its stock from the U.S. government. The CEO, in comments after GM's annual meeting Thursday, also said the company first has to keep investing in new vehicles and equipment.
Sporty New Corolla Aimed At Youthful Buyers
June 7, 2013 8:11 am | by Tom Krisher, AP Auto Writer | News | CommentsThe Toyota Corolla, an aging, stodgy but reliable economy car, is getting a radical new look. The world's largest automaker was rolling out a new version of the compact Thursday night at a splashy event in Santa Monica, Calif., hoping to shed the old version's low-cost image and attract new, younger buyers to its brand.
GM To Offer Free Oil Changes On Most 2014 Models
June 6, 2013 1:48 pm | News | CommentsGeneral Motors says it will offer free oil changes, tire rotations and inspections for two years on most of its 2014 models in an effort to boost customer loyalty. The company announced the offer at its annual stockholders meeting in Detroit on Thursday.
Chrysler To Recall 630,000 SUVs Worldwide
June 6, 2013 8:06 am | by Tom Krisher, AP Auto Writer | News | CommentsThe automaker will recall more than 409,000 Jeep Patriot and Compass small SUVs across the globe from the 2010 and 2012 model years to fix air bag and seat-belt problems. It's also recalling 221,000 Jeep Wranglers worldwide from 2012 and 2013 to fix transmission fluid leaks.
Toyota To Exempt Workers With Young Kids From Nightshift
June 6, 2013 7:46 am | News | CommentsToyota will also consider bearing part of the cost of hiring babysitters for those employees working at its factories not equipped with nurseries, the sources said Wednesday. The automaker is planning for babysitters to cover early morning hours for its workers until kindergartens open.
New Mini Cooper Paceman Fights 'Cute' Label
June 5, 2013 1:21 pm | by Ann M. Job, For The Associated Press | News | CommentsMini officials debuted the Paceman as a crossover sport utility vehicle. But no one — Mini fan or not — considered the Paceman an SUV during the test drive. They mostly thought it was intriguingly different. You have to see it in person to understand, because pictures don't communicate the dimensions.
Treasury To Sell 30M Shares Of GM Stock
June 5, 2013 8:07 am | News | CommentsThe Treasury Department says it will sell an additional 30 million shares of General Motors stock this month in its on-going effort to dispose of all of its remaining shares of the giant automaker acquired as part of the government's bailout of GM.
UT Study Shows Economic Impact Of VW Plant
June 5, 2013 8:06 am | News | CommentsA research study by the University of Tennessee at Knoxville shows Volkswagen's assembly plant in Chattanooga is responsible for more than $643 million in annual income. The study also estimates that the plant increases state and local tax revenue by $53.5 million annually.
Chrysler Refuses Request To Recall Vehicles
June 4, 2013 1:39 pm | by Dee-Ann Durbin and Tom Krisher, AP Auto Writers | News | CommentsChrysler is refusing a request by U.S. safety regulators to recall about 2.7 million vehicles to fix fuel tanks that could leak and cause fires in rear-end collisions. The company says it's been asked by the government to recall Jeep Grand Cherokees from 1993 through 2004 and Jeep Libertys from 2002 through 2007.
Safety Agency May Expand GM Air Bag Recall
June 4, 2013 8:35 am | News | CommentsU.S. safety regulators are checking to see if more General Motors cars should be recalled because the air bags won't inflate. The probe covers about 400,000 Chevrolet Cruze and Sonic small cars, the Chevrolet Camaro muscle car and the Buick Verano small car from the 2012 model year.
Ex-Porsche CFO Guilty Of Fraud In VW Bid
June 4, 2013 7:58 am | News | CommentsPorsche's ex-finance chief has been convicted of fraud after a court found he provided false information during the German sports car marker's failed 2009 attempt to take over Volkswagen AG. Former Porsche CFO Holger Haerter was fined an unspecified amount after being found guilty Tuesday by a Stuttgart state court, the dpa news agency reported.
Auto Sales See Big Gains In May
June 3, 2013 11:48 am | by Dee-Ann Durbin and Tom Krisher, AP Auto Writers | News | CommentsGeneral Motors reported its strongest monthly sales since September of 2008. Chrysler, Ford, and Toyota also reported increases. Nissan Motor Co. notched its highest May sales ever after cutting prices on seven popular models early in the month. Only Volkswagen said sales fell compared with May of last year.
Ford Recalling 465,000 Vehicles For Fuel Leaks
June 3, 2013 10:09 am | News | CommentsFord is recalling about 465,000 cars and SUVs because the fuel tanks can leak and cause fires. The global recall affects the Ford brand's Fusion, Explorer, Taurus, Flex, Police Utility and Police Interceptor. Also covered are the Lincoln MKS, MKT and MKZ. All the vehicles are from the 2013 model year.
GM Unveils Reworked Chevy Malibu
May 31, 2013 8:16 am | by Tom Krisher, AP Auto Writer | News | CommentsThe 2014 version of the car, which goes on sale this fall, gets a new engine in the base model that boosts gas mileage, more back-seat legroom, a restyled front end, an updated interior, and suspension changes that will improve the car's handling, GM said Friday.
Tesla Promises To Add Charging Stations
May 31, 2013 7:29 am | News | CommentsThe company said Thursday that by the end of next month, it will triple the number of charging stations it runs from the current eight, and the number will go to around 100 in the coming year, putting stations within reach of almost the entire populations of both countries.
Cheap Leases Offered To Spur Electric Car Sales
May 30, 2013 1:42 pm | by Tom Krisher, AP Auto Writer | News | CommentsAuto companies in the U.S. are lowering lease prices for electric cars as they try to jump-start slow sales in a competitive market. Honda announced Thursday that it's slashing the monthly lease cost of its tiny Fit EV by one-third to $259 a month. Honda also is throwing in other goodies such as a free home charging station and unlimited mileage.
CODA Bonuses Pulled, More Bankruptcy Issues Remain
May 29, 2013 1:27 pm | by Randall Chase, AP Business Writer | News | CommentsAttorneys for failed electric car maker CODA Holdings have withdrawn a request asking a bankruptcy judge in Delaware to approve up to $425,000 in bonuses for 16 top managers and directors. The company withdrew the request prior to a hearing Wednesday after it drew objections from creditors and a U.S. bankruptcy trustee.
Hitachi Automotive Expanding Its Operations In Ga.
May 29, 2013 11:04 am | News | CommentsThe expansion will require an additional 290,000-square-foot facility adjacent to its current two buildings, Gov. Nathan Deal said in a written statement. The company's current facility, formerly Unisia of Georgia Corp., was established in Monroe —about 45 miles east of downtown Atlanta — in 1996.
Toyota Starts Traffic Data Service For Businesses
May 29, 2013 7:24 am | News | CommentsToyota is using live-time traffic information from 700,000 Toyota vehicles on Japanese roads to offer what it calls a "big data" service to local governments and businesses that helps drivers during disasters. Toyota Motor Corp. said Wednesday the 200,000 yen ($2,000) a month service will start June 3 in Japan.
Trailblazing Israeli Electric Car Company To Close
May 28, 2013 8:11 am | by Josef Federman, Associated Press | News | CommentsIt was an audacious idea that came to symbolize Israel's self-described status as "Start-Up Nation," a company that believed it could replace most gasoline-powered cars with electric vehicles and reduce the world's reliance on oil — and all within a few years. But it all came crashing down.
