Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche introduced the sixth-generation SL last night at an event at the Westin Book Cadillac. He recalled one of Mercedes most famous customers — the late Apple CEO Steve Jobs — and marveled at the changes the world has seen this year. “The president of France told his countrymen they need to … Continue Reading →

Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche said late Sunday that the German automaker will not enter a formal tie-up with the Renault-Nissan alliance. “We have a very clear understanding on both sides that these are independent companies,” Zetsche told reporters. “There is no intention for any further capital linkage.” When a reporter from Bloomberg News suggested it … Continue Reading →

Fortune named its 40 under 40 “hottest rising stars” this month — and General Motors Co.’s Dan Ammann was ranked seventh. The 39-year-old native New Zealander has been in the job since April, when the company’s prior CFO left. Last fall. he helped pitch GM’s successful IPO to investors, the magazine noted. He’s in good … Continue Reading →

Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, has sent new letters today to the head of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and two senior officials with the Environmental Protection Agency over answers they gave during last week’s hearing on the government’s plans to hike fuel efficiency to 54.5 … Continue Reading →

The White House said late Tuesday it plans to nominate a former key member of the Obama administration’s auto restructuring team to an advisory committee to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation. Harry J. Wilson, who unsuccessfully ran for New York State comptroller in November as a Republican, also was recently named to Van Buren Township-based … Continue Reading →

Labor Secretary Hilda Solis told reporters today that she has a new smaller government ride. Earlier this summer, she swapped out her govern

Labor Secretary Hilda Solis has ditched her full-size SUV for a smaller Chevy crossover. Solis may be the first cabinet official to downsize into a crossover — a Chevrolet Equinox — and may also be the first to ride in a vehicle assembled in Canada, rather than the United States. Solis told reporters today that … Continue Reading →

General Motors Co. announced Tuesday it will streamline the way it buys advertising as it trims the number of companies it uses to place media buys. On Wednesday, GM’s global chief marketing officer Joel Ewanick and global Chevrolet marketing chief Chris Perry held meetings with ad agencies on the review in New York. Ewanick headed … Continue Reading →

High gas prices and the soft economy are prodding Americans to drive less, according to data released by the Federal Highway Administration. In May, Americans drove 5 billion miles less than in May 2010, down 1.9 percent, to an estimated 254 billion miles. That’s the third consecutive month of declines. In April travel fell by … Continue Reading →