With sales in slump, dealer finds niche in vehicle transport 06-29-2009
HACKENSACK, N.J. — When Roland Reznik saw his car business slowing, he had another idea.

Improvements keep Prius as hybrid to beat 06-29-2009
The Toyota Prius that debuted in the U.S. in the 2001 model year has become the nation's best-selling hybrid.

Good Mazda3 gets better 06-29-2009
Mazda's entry-level model has aged remarkably well since the current generation's introduction in 2004, serving as a slightly sportier alternative to the Toyota Corolla.

Hybrid-less automakers fight back 06-29-2009
TOKYO — Major auto manufacturers whose product lineups do not include gasoline-electric hybrid cars have introduced models equipped with other types of fuel-saving technologies in the hope of competing with Toyota Motor Corp. and Honda Motor Co., both of which have enjoyed skyrocketing sales of their hybrid models.

Cash for Clunkers may be too clunky for consumers 06-29-2009
SAN FRANCISCO — President Barack Obama will likely have his heart in the right place when he signs the so-called Cash for Clunkers bill into law this summer, but it remains to be seen if the government-backed program can hit its mark.

Reborn Chrysler gets a European makeover 06-29-2009
DETROIT — Working from a modest office in a wing of Chrysler's Auburn Hills Technical Center — rather than the 15-floor executive tower next door — Chrysler Group LLC's new chief executive, Sergio Marchionne, is quickly bringing clarity and direction to the automaker that exited bankruptcy just two weeks ago.

BMW 750 Li: A true classic in-waiting 06-29-2009
I always reserve the first weekend in June for the Greenwich Concours d'Elegance in Greenwich, Conn., where I serve on a panel of — ahem — esteemed judges who decide which ultra-shiny ancient automobile is best in its class.

Sexy XC60 carries Volvo further from its safely stodgy past 06-19-2009
Volvos have always possessed an icy stoicism, a firm-yet-reassuring character. 

Dealers facing tight supply of SUVs, trucks 06-19-2009
DALLAS — If you've got your eye on a new SUV, don't blink.

Automotive Q&A: Primer on the gauges 06-19-2009
Question: Can you please help me to understand my gauges? How hot is too hot, and how many volts should I have?

Got advice for Roger Penske? 06-19-2009
What should Roger Penske do with Saturn?

Thinking in the box with Nissan Cube 06-19-2009
Somewhere between 1998 and 2009, the Nissan Cube's moment passed.

Fouled-plug problem isn't going away 06-19-2009
Question: I have a question about my '96 Tahoe that I hope you can help me with. 

Insight gives Prius a run for its mileage 06-19-2009
Prius haters, what are you going to do now? The new Honda Insight is out, and it's a snappy, no-frills car that could put a dent in Toyota's grip on the hybrid market. 

As good as it gets: 2010 Bentley turns heads and 
is one sweet ride, with $276,405 price tag to match 06-19-2009
"Is that the new Chrysler?" the guy asked, shouting through the rolled-down window of his white Ford Explorer.

Auto bailouts aren't new fad 06-16-2009
Name a failing automaker that needed outside help to survive.
Not General Motors or Chrysler. That's too easy.

What might help automakers: Junk the gibberish car names 06-16-2009
WASHINGTON — What exactly is a Cadillac DTS or a CTS and how is a Mercedes CLK different from an SLK?

Kia Soul mixes offbeat cool, performance 06-16-2009
Like the way the godfather of soul James Brown's style and energy blasted American music out of the easy-listening blahs, the 2010 Kia Soul hatchback mainlines fun and funk into a bland brand heretofore defined by the logical appeal of low prices and long warranties.

Automotive Q&A: Tracking down an EVAP leak 06-16-2009
Question: Help! My car has a problem that causes the check engine light to be on all the time.

Genesis: You'll hardly know it's a Hyundai 06-16-2009
The most obvious feature of Hyundai's new luxury sport sedan, the Genesis, is also its most subtle feature: a lack of identity.

Engineer to reshape GM product lines 06-16-2009
General Motors' new global product development boss Tom Stephens is a different kind of Detroit executive: a car guy who's as enthusiastic talking about the performance of the high-mpg turbocharged 1.4-liter engine that will power the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze as about the 600-horsepower V8 in his restored 1967 Chevrolet Impala.

Why dump so many auto dealers? 06-16-2009
With General Motors and Chrysler in bankruptcy, the universal sadness is palpable.

Toyota to ramp up U.S. output by 65,000 06-09-2009
NEW YORK - Toyota Motor Corp. is set to increase its U.S. production by 65,000 vehicles for the June-August period, the company announced Wednesday.

Will 'Cash for Clunkers' come alive? 06-09-2009
Like a lot of Americans, Florence King, who needs a new car, is watching, waiting, wondering.

Penske near deal to buy GM's Saturn brand 06-09-2009
DETROIT - Roger Penske, who led Detroit's Super Bowl preparations, downtown cleanup program and revived the city's grand prix racing - all while running the nation's No. 2 auto retailer - is on the verge of rescuing General Motors' embattled Saturn brand.

Beyond the showroom: Most of us have bought a new 
car, but few understand how automotive retailing works 06-09-2009
NORFOLK, Va. - Don Hall, president and CEO of the Virginia Automobile Dealers Association, was speaking recently to a politician about the closing of auto dealerships when he realized that the politician had little idea about how the industry works.

A great new car crop 06-09-2009
This is shaping up to be a great year for cars. The irony is almost unbearable. 

When daytime running lights just won't run 06-09-2009
Question: The daytime running lights (DRLs) on my 2003 Chevrolet Suburban don't switch on during daylight. 

Automotive Q&A: Illuminating the cause of light moisture 06-09-2009
Question: I have a 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix. About a year ago I noticed moisture in the tail light so I had it replaced with a used one.

Auto executives urged to help imperiled dealers 06-09-2009
WASHINGTON - Senate lawmakers have implored the heads of General Motors and Chrysler to help workers at dealerships slated to close as part of the companies' bankruptcies, while the auto chiefs defended their decisions Wednesday as necessary to revamp their businesses.

GM tradition likely to end for many 06-09-2009
DETROIT - Rollin Green, 24, has enjoyed the cumulative benefits of being in a General Motors Corp. family that went to work for the company in the 1940s, but that tradition may end with him.

How much power for electric cars? 06-02-2009
Question: I have been reading stories about plug-in cars like the Chevrolet Volt and one thing that I haven't been able to find out is how much it costs in electricity to recharge the cars. Do you have an answer for me on that?

Automated 'robo-calls' pitching dubious 
auto warranties are driving many of us crazy; 
now the government is cracking down 06-02-2009
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. _ The phone rings. You answer and a recorded message says: "Your car's factory warranty is about to expire!"

Slipped knives won't switch on the airbags 06-02-2009
Question: Trying to scrape a parking sticker off the inside of the windshield of our 1999 Ford Explorer Sport, I let a table knife slip down between the plastic dash and the windshield. 

At last, the key to teen-driver safety? 06-02-2009
ORLANDO, Fla.- Krisita Burket, a product specialist for Ford Motor Co., slipped the key into the ignition of a Ford Escape and demonstrated how to make a teenager's life less adventurous.

Automotive Q&A: How does a tire-pressure system work? 06-02-2009
Question: I have a tire pressure read-out on my new Jeep Compass and just love it. 

Foreign carmakers offering big discounts 06-02-2009
TOKYO - With car sales sputtering amid the global recession, foreign carmakers in Japan have launched discount campaigns in a bid to overcome the double disadvantage they suffer as many of their products are not subject to tax breaks or government purchase subsidies for eco-friendly car buyers.

Need a new car? Experts say the time is ripe, 
thanks to myriad factors, to invest in a vehicle. Here's why 06-02-2009
Given the turmoil in the automotive industry, you wouldn't think it's a favorable time to buy a car, but industry experts say declining sales, production cutbacks and manufacturer incentives might make it a good time after all.

Volt is sporty, fun in test spin 05-28-2009
DETROIT - General Motors drove a stake through the notion that environmentally friendly electric cars can't also be fun and sporty in a brief test drive of the company's Chevrolet Volt powertrain.

Sixth sense: Back from the dead, the 
lively Mazda6 is sure to raise spirits 05-28-2009
Consider it a case of automotive Alzheimer's. Before driving the 2009 Mazda6, I couldn't remember anything distinctive about the first-generation Mazda6 or its predecessor, the 626.