May 3, 2013
- General Motors' first quarter net profit dropped 14 percent, to $865 million, as profit in North America slipped and losses in Europe narrowed.
May 2, 2013
- Pros and Cons* Pros The 2013Volkswagen Touareg is one of the only crossovers to offer a diesel engine. Thanks to an efficient all-wheel drive system, the agile Touareg handles the snow very well. Its roomy and comfortable cabin is also surprisingly ergonomic. Cons However, some of its drawbacks include underwhelming contours and overall heaviness. Plus, it remains to be seen how reliable this vehicle turns out to be. Photo: Volkswagen Price The VW...
- Pros and Cons* Pros The generous storage capacity and cargo dimensions of the 2013 Mercedes-Benz E Class Wagon are its obvious strong points. This sleek Mercedes shares the remarkable fit and finish, hush cabin, ideal driving position and innovative security features that we've come to expect from this brand. Cons On the flipside, its nonathletic nature is handicapped by vague steering, hard to modulate brakes and a significant weight problem. What's more, certain not-so-user-friendly...
- Summary The all-electric Nissan LEAF was launched in the Canadian market back in 2011. It has a best in class 120 to 160 km autonomy. The LEAF is well equipped to face our cold winters as the front and rear seats, side rear-view mirrors and steering wheel are all heated. LEAF owners can get the most out of the battery by paying attention to small details such as using the heated seats, which consume a modest 1 to 2 kilowatts instead of the climate control, which devours at least 10 more...
- Tesla Motors sold more than 4,750 Model S sedans during the first quarter of this year, earning the company a profit and seriously challenging the Chevrolet Volt and Nissan LEAF. In fact, some sources claim that the Model S might already be outselling these two. We don't know for sure, because Tesla does not disclose monthly sales. The Volt was by far the best-selling plug-in car last year, with more than 23,000 units. Tesla also announced that the 40 kWh battery package will no longer be...
- Summary This car was certainly the talk of the town in 2013. It was a fixture in even the smallest and remotest auto shows across North America. Initially launched as a concept vehicle at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show, it has definitely come a long way. Brainchild of former Aston Martin designer Henri Fisker, this plug-in hybrid luxury sports sedan has a cast of high-profile backers, including former Chrysler president Tom Lasorda, who was appointed CEO, as well as Leonardo DiCaprio, who has...
- Summary The all-electric Nissan LEAF was launched in the Canadian market back in 2011. It has a best in class 120 to 160 km autonomy. The LEAF is well equipped to face our cold winters as the front and rear seats, side rear-view mirrors and steering wheel are all heated. LEAF owners can get the most out of the battery by paying attention to small details such as using the heated seats, which consume a modest 1 to 2 kilowatts instead of the climate control, which devours at least 10 more...
- Pros and Cons* When it comes to exterior styling, the 2013 i-MiEV has most people agreeing to disagree...opinions on this matter range from 'cute' to 'cart'. It's a zero-emission vehicle, as are the other all-electric vehicles in the market, and can comfortably accommodate four passengers, luggage and all, despite its diminutive stature. Price The base price ranges from $33,998 (ES) to $35,498 (SE) before government rebates, which makes the i-MiEV the most affordable EV on the Canadian...
- It's time to find out if a rookie can turn in a respectable lap time at the fabled Nürburgring with just two days' training I've never been more pleased to be in sunshine. For I am at the Nürburgring circuit in Germany with a driving brief for the first time, about to see if a rookie can be taught to be a king of the 'Ring after a two-day intensive training courseI'll be honest: I doubt Hans Stuck or Sabine Schmidt will have too much to worry about in 48 hours' time, but at least with some...
- Rising demand for Detroit 3 pickups helped lift U.S. auto sales 9 percent last month, while surprising declines at Toyota and Volkswagen took some steam out of the market's recovery. The seasonally adjusted annual sales rate came in at 14.
May 1, 2013
- UPDATED: Strong demand for large pickups and new models propelled Ford Motor Co., Nissan Motor Co., General Motors and Chrysler Group to double-digit sales gains in April, signaling the auto industry's recovery remains solid.
- Strong sales of the Ram pickup and Dodge models helped Chrysler Group post an 11-percent increase in April sales, extending the automaker's streak of U.S. gains to 37 months.
- ZF Lenksysteme supplies the new Opel/Vauxhall Zafira Tourer's fast-responding, fuel-saving electric power steering system. ZF's so-called Servolectric system is based on the power-on-demand principle.
- Pros and Cons* Pros Able to accommodate four passengers, the Scion iQ 2013 offers comfy front seats, a unique silhouette, legendary Toyota reliability, a nice driving position and an okay turning circle. Cons Tight backseat, bad soundproofing, stiff rear suspensions (twist-beams), cheap interior finish and a non-ergonomic dashboard equipped with a practically inaccessible Bluetooth system are some of the car's downfalls. Price Sold at $17,070, there's only one Scion iQ model currently on...
- Car sales in China are expected to hit 30 million a year in the next decade - and they'll include plenty of domestic talent Rapid expansion of the Chinese car market is already a cliche, yet if latest estimates are anything to go by, it has hardly begun.According to Mathieu Vennin, one of PSA’s principal experts on the Chinese market, in 10 years’ time world demand for cars will have passed 90 million a year (currently it’s 58 million), propelled mainly by rising demand in South America and...