(January 4, 2012) SANTA MONICA, Calif. — TrueCar.com estimated today that the average transaction price for light vehicles in the United States was a record high $30,686 in December, up $1,682 (5.8 percent) from December 2010 and up $189 (0.6 percent) from November 2011.

(January 3, 2012) SOUTHFIELD, Mich. — Worldwide new vehicle sales in 2012 are expected to rise 6.7 percent over 2011 volumes to 77.7 million vehicles, according to Polk, a global automotive market intelligence firm. 

Polk analysts believe the global economy will weather the current European sovereign debt crisis and consumers will return to showrooms around the world in 2012.

(January 3, 2012) DETROIT — The Autoweek editors spend so much time behind so many steering wheels that it takes a special car or truck to stand out from the pack. This year, the Audi A7 and the Land Rover Range Rover Evoque did just that, and they have been named Autoweek's Best of the Best/Car and Truck for 2012.

(January 3, 2012) YONKERS, N.Y. — Despite the influx of new vehicles into the small- and budget-car marketplace, the Honda Fit remains on top in Consumer Reports list of best value small cars. The Fit also re-emerged as the best overall value among some 200 different vehicles that were analyzed.

(January 1, 2012) ATLANTA — According to the 2011 AutoTrader.com Shopper Frame of Mind study, conducted with over 1500 recent vehicle purchasers, an overwhelming majority of respondents — 71% — purchased a car based on need rather than want. 

(December 30, 2011) WASHINGTON — As Americans pop the cork on New Year's Eve celebrations this weekend, AAA cautions partygoers against getting behind the wheel after the champagne toast. According to a recent analysis conducted by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, during the last decade, the years' highest number of alcohol-related traffic fatalities occur on New Year's Day.

(December 30, 2011) LOS ANGELES — For the luxury transportation industry, the discontinuation of the Lincoln Town Car marks the end of an era. Since the 1990s, the Lincoln Town Car has been the flagship of limousine companies' fleets.

In 2010, however, Lincoln announced it would cease production of the Town Car series, leaving the luxury transportation industry high and dry without a clear successor.

(December 28, 2011) IRVINE, Calif. — Kelley Blue Book www.kbb.com has announced its Top 10 Winter Driving Vehicles for 2012

The days are short, the nights are cold and the chances of encountering rain, snow, sleet or some other form of weather-related treachery during the course of any daily drive are at their peak. It just may be time for consumers to consider upgrading their current rides for vehicles more befitting the season. 

(December 27, 2011) SANTA MONICA, Calif. — TrueCar.comtoday released its December 2011 sales and incentives forecast. The forecast shows the following:

(December 27, 2011) BOSTON — While New Year's Eve may conjure images of a celebratory toast, it's also traditionally one of the worst days of the year for alcohol related car crashes and deaths for young drivers. And new data from a 2011 teen driving study by Liberty Mutual Insurance and SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) reveals an interesting yet cautionary anomaly: teens believe New Year's Eve is the most dangerous time of year to drive, yet it also is the holiday or event when teens most frequently drive under the influence of alcohol or other drugs.