News archive

July 2010

2011 Toyota Tacoma to get new grille, minor changes

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(July 5, 2010) Toyota has dropped the goods on next year's Tacoma, the best-selling compact pickup in the U.S., and it includes a slight facelift and some shifts in transmission choices.

The 2011 Toyota Tacoma’s styling changes should not amount to more than revisions to the grille and tweaks to interior and exterior trim. That’s typical of what carmakers do to keep a model fresh as it advances in years.

GM gives 14 top managers $6.66 million in stock

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(July 4, 2010) DETROIT — General Motors gave stock valued at $6.66 million to 14 top managers, including $1.33 million worth to CEO Ed Whitacre, Bloomberg News has reported.

The 123,347 shares were valued at $53.98 each, a price determined by a third party, the company said Friday in filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Dodge builds final Viper on July 1

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(July 2, 2010) AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — Dodge Brand President and CEO Ralph Gilles and plant manager Shelly Brown Gordon welcomed more than 400 hundred loyal Viper owners at the Conner Avenue Assembly Plant in Detroit Thursday to present the ultimate factory customized 2010 Dodge Viper coupe to D'Ann Rauh.

Rauh and her husband Wayne from Arp, Texas, own more than 40 Dodge Vipers — the largest personal collection of Vipers in the world.

Toyota to recall 138,000 Lexus vehicles in U.S.

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(July 3, 2010) TOKYO — Toyota Motor Corp. said on Friday its Lexus division will recall about 138,000 vehicles in the United States to fix an engine glitch.

About 270,000 vehicles are being recalled worldwide, Toyota said.

Toyota said it would file the recall in Japan on Monday, covering 90,000 high-end sedans.

2011 Ford Edge official vehicle of Ironman

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(July 3, 2010) DEARBORN, Mich. — Much like a determined triathlete, the Ford Edge started out strong and is getting even better. Since its launch in late 2006, more than 380,000 crossovers  have been sold.

So it’s fitting that the all-new 2011 Ford Edge is the official vehicle of the 2010 U.S. Ironman event series, a competition that symbolizes strength, leadership and endurance.

Safety-Kleen purchases 140 Ford Transit Connect vans

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(July 2, 2010) DEARBORN, Mich. — Safety-Kleen Systems, the leading provider of environmental services, oil re-refining and responsible cleaning solutions, is replacing 140 large cargo vans in its national sales fleet with the Ford Transit Connect.

Through its products and services, Safety-Kleen enables other businesses to fulfill their green initiatives.

BMW to add 500 workers at Spartanburg plant

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(July 2, 2010) SPARTANBURG, S.C. —BMW Manufacturing announced today it will bring on board more than 500 new employees in the next few months to get ready for production of the next generation BMW X3.

This workforce increase also prepares Plant Spartanburg to meet growing demand of other models currently being produced for worldwide markets. The company said workers being hired under this process will be eligible for health, dental, 401(k) and vacation benefits.

Audi sales up 64 percent in China

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(July 2, 2010) INGOLSTADT, Germany —  Audi has sold more than 100,000 cars within a half-year period in China and Hong Kong for the first time ever — up 64 percent on the corresponding prior-year period. In June alone, the company delivered 21,436 cars to Chinese customers.

Chrysler Group has earned some bragging rights

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(July 2, 2010) Chrysler has a little something to brag about. It led the Detroit 3 in percentage of sales gains for June, reporting a U.S.increase of 35 percent versus June 2009. It was the third consecutive year-over-year percentage sales improvement, and double the industry’s average percentage increase.

GM's 2010 China sales surpass U.S. sales

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(July 2, 2010) General Motors' first-half sales in China surpassed those in the U.S. for the first time as the world's fastest-growing major economy propelled global auto demand, Bloomberg News reports.

Sales in China by GM and its joint ventures totaled 1.21 million vehicles in the six months ended June 30, topping U.S. deliveries of 1.08 million, based on figures reported separately by the Detroit-based company.