Yearly Archives: 2009
More than 7,600 GM Workers Take Buyout Offer
General Motors announced today that 7,631 United Auto Workers have accepted early retirement and buyout offers. The buyout will allow GM to cut costs and hire new, less expensive workers. "This is a significant milestone of progress towards our restructuring plan," said GM Spokesman Tony Sapienza. "There is more work to do, but this will help us become leaner and...
Mazda is Working on a Diesel to Go Head to Head with Hybrids
Mazda announced today that it is working on a new diesel engine that will be as fuel-efficient as some hybrids in 2011 as part of its plans to improve fuel mileage without the aid of expensive electrical systems. Mazda has set a target of raising its global car fleet's fuel economy by 30 percent by 2015. It plans on doing...
BMW Z2 Gets the Green Light for Production…Expected in 2012
It's been rumored for a while that BMW has been working on a smaller roadster that will be dubbed the Z2 and according to AutoBild, BMW executives have now given the small roadster the green light. The Z2 will be based on the 1 series and will be offered as a roadster and a small coupe, just like the...
GM Kills Plans for a Diesel Engine for Cadillac in Europe
Cadillac has been struggling to gain traction in Europe. A much needed diesel engine, which would have made Cadillac more competitive in Europe has now been canceled. Cadillac was expected to receive a 2.9-liter V6 turbodiesel that was developed with and was to be manufactured by Italian diesel-engine expert VM Motori S.p.A. According to division spokesperson Joann Krell the diesel...
Hyundai BLUE-WILL Concept Headed to Seoul Motor Show
Hyundai is going to unveil the BLUE-WILL concept car at the Seoul Motor Show next week. Hyundai's new plug-in hybrid concept car features a 1.6L direct-injection engine, which is mated to a CVT and a 100kw electric motor. The concept also features lithium-ion batteries that are located under the rear seat. The concept also features dye-sensitive solar cells, which can...
Audi to Unveil Audi TT RS Roadster at Leipzig Motor Show
Audi has announced the world premiere of the Audi TT RS Roadstar at the Leipzig Motor Show next week. The Audi TT RS Roadster is powered by a 340 horsepower turbocharged 2.5L engine that propels the car from 0-62 mph in 4.7 seconds. It features all-wheel-drive and an ungraded suspension with high-performance brakes. The Audi A4 allroad quattro, Audi A5 Cabriolet,...
VW Kills the Rabbit Nameplate…Again!
Over 30 years ago, the successor of the VW Beetle, the Golf was dubbed the Rabbit in the US. So while the rest of the world had the Golf, we had the the same vehicle as the Rabbit. Eventually the Rabbit name was killed due to quality issues with the first generation, and we got the Golf in the...
Toyota's New Low-Cost Hybrid Will be Based off the Yaris
After weeks of speculation about a new low-cost Toyota hybrid, it's finally been confirmed that Toyota is indeed working on a new cheaper hybrid that will fit in below the Prius. The new hybrid is going to use the same Hybrid Synergy drivetrain as the new Prius installed in the Yaris platform. This is obviously an answer to the Honda...
Kia Unveils Forte LPI Hybrid in South Korea
Kia has officially unveiled its first mass production hybrid model that is based on the new Forte sedan, the Forte LPI hybrid. The Forte LPI hybrid is powered by a mild-hybrid system that features a 1.6L engine mated to an electric motor. The Liquefied Petroleum Injected (LPI) engine generates 114 hp and the electric motor generates an extra 20 hp....
IIHS Announces New Roof Strength Tests…Small SUVs are Tested First
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has launched a new roof strength rating system and has chosen to put 12 small SUVs up to the test. More than 10,000 people are killed a year in rollovers and SUVs rank higher compared to cars and minivans. In the Institute's roof strength test, a metal plate is pushed against 1 side of...
