April 2016

Ford transforming Dearborn campus to further drive innovation

(April 13, 2016) DEARBORN, Mich. — Ford has announced plans to transform its Dearborn facilities into a modern, green and high-tech campus to foster innovation and help drive the company’s transition to an auto and a mobility company.

The 10-year transformation of the company’s more than 60-year-old Dearborn facilities will co-locate 30,000 employees from 70 buildings today into primarily two locations — a product campus and a world headquarters campus. More than 7.5 million square feet of work space will be rebuilt and upgraded into even more technology-enabled and connected facilities.

GM recycles water bottles to make Chevy Equinox part

(April 13, 2016) DETROIT — General Motors is turning its employees’ recycled water bottles into a new life: noise-reducing fabric insulation that covers the Chevrolet Equinox engine. The bottles — collected from five of its Michigan facilities — are also being turned into air filtration components and insulation in coats for the homeless community.

BMW Group has biggest sales month in history in March

(March 13, 2016) MUNICH, Germany —  March saw the BMW Group sell more vehicles than in any other single month in the company’s 100 year history. A total of 240,659 BMW, Mini and Rolls-Royce vehicles were handed over to customers around the world, an increase of 3.5% on the same month last year. In the first three months of the year, sales increased 5.9%, totaling 557,605 vehicles.

Toyota and Clemson partner to unveil Gen-Z-focused concept

(March 13, 2016) DETROIT, Mich.  — Most of Toyota’s North American vehicles are engineered in Southeast Michigan. The newest concept to wear the automaker’s famous badge, however, has its roots firmly planted in the red clay of South Carolina.

Jaguar Land Rover launches new technology start-up

(April 12, 2016) LONDON — Jaguar Land Rover has launched InMotion, a new technology business that builds apps and on-demand services to overcome modern travel and transport challenges. Next month InMotion will begin real-world testing of a number of different services such as car sharing and car ownership solutions, across North America, Europe and Asia in the coming months.

Ford F-150 only pickup to get a 'good' rating in IIHS overlap test

(April 12, 2016) DEARBORN, Mich. — The 2016 Ford F-150 SuperCab was the only full-size pickup to take home a “good” rating among the nameplates tested in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s latest small-overlap crash test. The truck earned the rating after receiving crashworthiness upgrades following a shaky performance last year.

Gateway to Acura lineup, the 2017 ILX goes on sale this week

(April 12, 2017) TORRANCE, Calif. — The 2017 Acura ILX goes on sale Wednesday, April 13, retaining the popular enhancements introduced last year that helped make it one of the most popular models in the entry luxury segment. The manufacturer's suggested retail price starts at $27,990.

Vehicle of choice for the Geek Squad — Toyota Prius c

(April 12, 2016) An armada of agents is about to roll out in Toyota Prius c. Their mission: to help people across America get the most from their technology. Starting this week, Best Buy’s Geek Squad will dispatch more than 1,000 of the vehicles — fully decked out as the new Geekmobile — nationwide.

Unique 20.9-foot Audi A8L measures up to customer demand

(April 12, 2016) INGOLSTADT, Germany — Audi has gone to even greater lengths to deliver all of the familiar trappings associated with its flagship A8 L model in an entirely unique format of considerable proportions. At the special request of a European customer, the premium brand has created the Audi A8 L extended, a built-to-order model measuring 20.9 feet (251 inches) in length and with a wheelbase of 165 inches.

Nissan offers new Murano to emerging golf star Smylie Kaufman

(April 11, 2016) NASHVILLE — After a Saturday-best round, which landed Smylie Kaufman in the final pairing at the 2016 Masters, one of golf's new rising stars told the world in an interview on CBS that he lived at home with his parents and drove a 2008 Nissan Murano. Now Nissan is offering to upgrade him to the all-new 2016 Murano.