Inside the Industry

GM's Certified Pre-Owned changes name, adds free maintenance

(June 11, 2011) DETROIT – Starting today, two years of standard maintenance including oil changes will be part of purchasing a Certified Pre-Owned Chevrolet, Buick or GMC vehicle as General Motors moves to tie pre-owned cars, trucks and crossovers to its brands.

Luxury cars make big moves in May on AutoTrader

(June 10, 2011) Luxury sporty cars dominated the biggest movers on AutoTrader.com.  The hottest cars in May based on searches included the new BMW 6-Series and the much-praised 2012 Audi A7.

GM to invest $47 million in powertrain plant

(June 10, 2011) DEFIANCE, Ohio — General Motors intends to invest $47 million in its Defiance powertrain plant to purchase tooling and equipment to increase volume of components for the fuel-efficient Ecotec 1.4-liter engine and the next generation of small block car and truck engines.

2011 Cadillac SRX recalled over airbag issue

(June 10, 2011) DETROIT — General Motors is recalling 50,500 Cadillac SRX luxury crossover models because the performance of the front passenger airbag differs from the owner's manual.

The recall, announced by GM on Friday, affects 47,401 vehicles in the United States, with the remainder in Canada and Mexico from the 2011 model year. The automaker said it knew of no crashes, injuries or complaints related to the issue.

Cadillac rolls out new showroom design

(June 10, 2011) DETROIT — Cadillac is rolling out a new, modern design for its dealerships as part of the brand’s “Defining Moments” customer service initiative.

Designed by Gensler architects and Cadillac designers, the new showroom layout features open, well-lit displays allowing customers to interact with the cars and dealership staff, and relax in a customer lounge with a coffee bar with custom-designed art and designer furniture.

Chevy dealers nationwide begin taking orders for Volt

(June 10, 2011) DETROIT — Chevrolet dealers in all 50 states will begin taking orders for the 2012 Chevrolet Volt electric car today. The suggested retail price for theVolt will start at $39,995 (or $32,495 assuming a full federal tax credit of $7,500, which is subject to the customer’s eligibility).

Ford going green with North American version of C-MAX

(June 11, 2011) STERLING HEIGHTS, Mich. — Ford has announced it is tripling production capacity of its electrified vehicle lineup through 2013, further boosting volumes of its all-new C-MAX Hybrid and C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid, which begins production next year.

Daimler Trucks plans to increase production, add jobs at three U.S. plants

(June 9, 2011) PORTLAND, Ore. (PRNewswire) — Daimler Trucks North America today announced that it plans to increase production and employment levels at its Mt. Holly, N.C. and Portland, Ore., truck manufacturing plants and a Gastonia, N.C., parts plant during the last half of 2011.

Subaru WRX STI sets road-car lap record at Isle of Man TT circuit

(June 9, 2011) The long-standing road-car lap record for the Isle of Man TT circuit has been comprehensively smashed in a production-spec Subaru WRX STI sedan.  In his very first run around the challenging 37.8-mile course, former British Rally Champion Mark Higgins posted a blistering lap time of 19 minutes and 56.7 seconds, translating to an average speed of 113 mph.  The peak speed achieved during the lap was 162 mph.

Mercedes unveils third-generation M-Class

(June 9, 2011) MONTVALE, N.J. (PRNewswire) — Mercedes-Benz announced today the all-new third-generation M-Class SUV. The all-wheel-drive SUV debuts with more contemporary styling and includes LED daytime running lights and taillights, chrome roof rails and optional panorama sunroof.