January 2017

Dodge raising the bar again two years after Hellcat — the Demon is on the way

(January 14, 2017) AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — Dodge shocked the performance world when it launched the most powerful and fastest muscle cars in the world — the Challenger SRT Hellcat and Charger SRT Hellcat. Now, two years later, Dodge is raising the bar again with the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon.

Ford debuts augmented reality at Detroit auto show

(January 14, 2017) DETROIT — Ford is debuting an augmented reality presentation at the 2017 North American International Auto Show that immerses consumers with its newest vehicles and technologies in ways they’ve likely never experienced before. “Think of augmented reality as the blending of virtual reality with real life,” says Garett Carr, Ford global auto shows manager. “It’s like having x-ray vision, with the power to take people deeper into our product and technology stories — it feels a little like magic.”

Toyota expands Takata airbag recall

(January 13, 2017) PLANO, Texas — Toyota has announced that, based on recent information from Takata as required by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, it is expanding its recall involving Takata front passenger air bag inflators.
 
The involved vehicles are equipped with a particular type of Takata inflator.  According to Takata, a safety defect may arise in front passenger air bag inflators in the involved vehicles due to inflator propellant degradation occurring after prolonged exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.  This may result in an inflator rupture when the air bag deploys.

Volkswagen shaping era of electric mobility with I.D. BUZZ concept

(January 13, 2017) DETROIT — The era of electric mobility has begun, and Volkswagen will be shaping it with the I.D. BUZZ concept presented this week at the North American International Auto Show. A Microbus for a new era, the electric concept forges links between the origins of the Volkswagen brand and its electrifying future. 

The I.D. BUZZ, like the compact I.D. presented at the Paris Motor Show, is another new Volkswagen vehicle that gives compelling design to electric mobility and reflects a transformation of the brand and its models.

A Chevy survivor



This 1946 Chevrolet sits in a salvage yard, perhaps waiting for a new owner. The '46 Chevrolet was basically a carryover from the 1942 model after production of new cars ceased during the World War II years. All 1946 models relied on a 6-cylinder, 90 horsepower engine carried over from the pre-war years.
(Photo by Ralph Gable)

BMW Group enjoys record sales worldwide in 2016

(January 12, 2017) DETROIT — Despite losing its luxury car sales title to Mercedes-Benz in the U.S. in 2016, the BMW Group achieved its best ever sales, the sixth year in a row the company has set a new sales record, maintaining its position as the world’s leading premium car company with its three brands, BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce.

Honda adds all-new dedicated hybrid model to growing electrified lineup

(January 12, 2017) Honda this week announced a new dedicated hybrid model that will be made in America and launch nationwide in 2018, as part of the Honda Electrification Initiative, which will expand the company's portfolio of electrified vehicles. Honda also announced it will expand the use of its innovative two-motor hybrid powertrain from passenger cars to its light truck lineup in the future.

Ford shows dashboard of the future in all-new Ford GT

(January 12, 2017) DEARBORN, Mich. — Like the glass cockpit in airplanes and race cars, the all-new Ford GT features an all-digital instrument display in the car’s dashboard that quickly and easily presents information to the driver, based on five special driving modes. The innovative 10-inch wide digital instrument display is far advanced from the original Ford GT, when the cockpit was hardwired with a fixed set of analog gauges, buttons and knobs across the dashboard that had to address almost every situation.