(July 29, 2012) LOS ANGELES — Get ready to see more hamsters riding around in the Kia Soul. The automaker is launching the fourth iteration of its popular rodent-centric marketing campaign, which includes TV spots starring animated hamsters — often wearing hip-hop gear— driving the hatchback, reports Advertising Age.

(July 28, 2012) DETROIT — General Motors researchers are developing a promising driver assistance feature potentially capable of detecting pedestrians and bicyclists on congested streets or in poor visibility conditions before the driver notices them.

The feature relies on Wi-Fi Direct, the peer-to-peer wireless standard that allows devices like some smartphones to communicate directly with each other rather than through a shared access point like a cell phone tower.

(July 27, 2012) AKRON, Ohio — Steve McClellan, president of Goodyear Tire Company's North American unit, announced today that Goodyear will hire 1,000 veterans over the next three years through its partnership with the United States Chamber of Commerce Hiring Our Heroes program.

(July 27, 2012) DEARBORN, Mich. — EcoBoost is taking over the world — at least when it comes to Ford Motor Company’s motorsports program in the month of August.
 
Ford’s latest engine technology, which provides increased fuel efficiency and decreased emissions without sacrificing power, has been a major hit with consumers worldwide. Beginning with the first weekend in August, motorsports fans will get a heavy dose of Ford EcoBoost highlighted through a unique livery on selected racing vehicles around the world.

(July 27, 2012)  Ford is recalling 424,000 Escapes in the United States, model years 2001 through 2004,  because a cruise control defect may cause the throttle to stick, leading to unintended acceleration.

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced it was investigating the safety defect July 17, based on 99 complaints, including 13 crashes and the death of a 17-year-old Arizona girl.

(July 27, 2012) DETROIT — The first 2013 Cadillac ATS compact luxury sport sedan intended for public sale was built Thursday at the Lansing Grand River assembly plant in Michigan, culminating a massive design and development project.

(July 27, 2012) AUBURN, Ind. — "Honeysuckle Rose", the famed tour bus of American country music icon Willie Nelson, is on the road again, this time crossing the auction block at Auctions America by RM's third annual Auburn Fall sale, Thursday, Aug. 30, to Sunday, Sept. 2, in Auburn.

(July 26, 2012) Kia’s all-new Carens compact MPV will make its world premiere at the Paris Motor Show on Sept. 27. The Carens was sold in the U.S. as the Rondo from 2007 through 2009. No word on whether this new generation vehicle will be sold in North America.

(July 26, 2012) COVENTRY, UK — Jaguar Land Rover — the UK's largest automotive design, engineering and manufacturing employer — will expand its workforce at its advanced manufacturing facility in Castle Bromwich to support the launch of new Jaguar models.More than 1,100 new jobs are being created, and a recruitment campaign for production operators is being launched on Wednesday.

(July 25, 2012) AUSTIN, Texas — OnStar and General Motors are partnering in a sustainable residential community demonstration to gain access to real-world driving and charging patterns of the largest community of concentrated Chevrolet Volt owners who also live in managed energy “smart homes.”

Chevrolet made 100 Volts available for purchase on a priority basis last September to residents participating in Pecan Street Inc.’s demonstration project in Austin, Texas.