Author: Staff (Page 154 of 202)

Nissan collects $650,000 from buyers who just want to be first

April 26, 2010 /

Looks like demand is there for the new Nissan Leaf but how many can they build? With this type of excitement and demand around vehicles like the Leaf and the upcoming Chevy Volt electric cars might finally be for real in the marketplace. Both companies need to answer the call and get these machines rolling off the assembly lines early and often.

From AutoNews.com:

In three days, U.S. consumers gave $656,865 to Nissan for the chance to buy a Leaf electric sedan when it arrives in December.

Ain’t capitalism grand.

Starting on Tuesday, April 20, consumers could pony up $99 for what was called a refundable reservation fee. By Friday morning, 6,635 would-be buyers had charged the fee to their credit cards.

For their money, they got…well, nothing, really.

This is not a deposit on the car. It doesn’t count against the $32,780 sticker price.

Read the full article here.

New Cars, Nissan

Ford unveils minicar for China at Beijing show

April 26, 2010 /

This new minicar from Ford shows us just how important the Chinese market has become. The Ford Start compact will go after the fast growing minicar segment in China that the Blue Oval needs to play a larger role to be a major player in China.

From the Detroit Free Press:

Ford said Thursday it plans to build what may be its first-ever three-cylinder engine for a car in China and is showing the engine in a concept car called the Ford Start at the Beijing Auto Show.

The Ford Start showcases a 1.0-liter, direct-injection, turbocharged engine that Ford said it plans to begin building in the “near future.”

Eventually, Ford expects to introduce the engine, which will be part of Ford’s EcoBoost engine family, in all regions, including the U.S., said Ford spokesman Mark Schirmer.

Read the full article here.

New Cars, News

Chevy’s 8 1/2 Foot Bed Longhorn Truck Hauls More Ass

April 26, 2010 /

The headline on this piece was too good to pass up!

From theTruthAboutCars.com:

Take a good look at this Chevy truck’s bed, if you can: six inches from the front of the bed, there’s a seam. That’s where the extra inches were welded on to make a Longhorn, America’s only 8 1/2 foot long production pickup. Why bother with six extra inches? To make room for one more Hooters girl, obviously. Weight distribution, for the ever larger slide-in campers that were all the rage back then. The C30 Longhorn could take a twelve foot camper, without the horrendous sway that was so common to see back then, with folks trying to haul camper and big families in their half-ton trucks. How many vacations turned (over) into nightmares? This nice truck with a 402 CID big block is available for sale, with an asking price of $14,500! Not to be left out, Ford had a solution to the camper problem too.

Read the full article here.

News

Cadillac Converj Rises From The Dead at Beijing Auto Show

April 26, 2010 /

Is it or isn’t it? Rumors were strong and and judgment passed that the Cadillac Converj was dead and now it shows up in Beijing. That’s right the Cadillac Converj is back into the “still kicking” mode and just might see an assembly line one day in the future. GM needs to build this vehicle as it is one of the sleekest cars on the circuit.

From AutoGuide.com:

Cadillac’s Converj electric car, reported to be dead, has made an appearance at his year’s Beijing Auto Show, sparking speculation that the opulent alternative fuel vehicle is still alive and kicking.

The Converj, which mates the Chevrolet Volt’s electric powertrain with the features and amenities of a Cadillac, can travel about 40 miles on electric power alone, and then uses a gasoline motor for propulsion. The car can be plugged in to recharge its batteries as well. And did we mention it looks awesome?

Read the full article here.

New Cars, News

Global brands face threat of rising China car quality

April 24, 2010 /

We keep reading about the rising auto sales in China but what about the Chinese brands taking their show in the road? This is a good piece on how the Chinese automakers are rising fast in regards to quality and could be major players in some key markets pretty quickly.

From AutoNews.com:

BEIJING (Reuters) — When Ric Hull first looked at launching Great Wall Motor pickup trucks in Australia last year, he considered rebranding them, worried their obvious Chinese origins would raise questions about their quality.

Ateco Group, Hull’s auto importing and dealership company, decided against marketing the low cost models under “GWM” label, instead embracing the trucks’ made in China credentials, and sales are booming.

“We initially thought: do we resolve the brand question, do we call them GWM? But then we thought that people would know anyway, and that seems to be working very well,” Hull said.

Read the full article here.

News

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