General Motors Co.’s North American president Mark Reuss today took the high road in responding to a Ford Motor Co. executive who was quoted harshly criticizing GM in a new book. This week, Jim Farley, who is Ford’s vice president for global marketing, sales and service, said he had called a top GM official to … Continue Reading →
Volkswagen of America’s president of manufacturing for its Chattanooga plant, Don Jackson, said the German automaker has had no talks with the United Auto Workers about organizing its new Tennessee plant.
Toyota Motor USA Sales President Jim Lentz warned that a failure by Congress to boost the $14.3 trillion debt limit could result in a huge decline in U.S. stock markets on Monday — potentially a 1,000-point drop, he said. The country could stop having enough money to pay its bills after Aug. 2. “Let’s hope … Continue Reading →
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood came to the White House to brief reporters today on the ongoing dispute in Congress over extending the authority of the Federal Aviation Administration. But The Detroit News tried to ask a question about tomorrow’s announcement to hike fuel efficiency standards to 54.5 mpg by 2025. We didn’t get very far … Continue Reading →
President Barack Obama is to appear at the Washington DC convention center speaking from a makeshift stage in Hall C flanked by nine vehicles and top auto executives. Detroit’s Big Three CEOs — Dan Akerson, Alan Mulally and Sergio Marchionne — are all expected to attend, as is UAW President Bob King. Top U.S. executives … Continue Reading →
HERNDON, Va. — Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood spent nearly an hour this morning talking to Volkwsagen of America employees at its headquarters in suburban Washington. The stated topic was distracted driving, but LaHood answered a number of other questions including an oft-asked question in the auto industry: what kind of car do you drive. LaHood … Continue Reading →
Bill Vlasic’s “Once Upon a Car: The Fall and Resurrection of America’s Big Three Auto makers — GM, Ford and Chrysler” offers lots of details on infighting at the car companies and what might have been — if executives had jumped from company to company. It’s also a flashback for reporters who spent the last … Continue Reading →
Nissan’s electric vehicle — the Leaf — surpassed General Motors Co. extended range electric vehicle, the Chevrolet Volt, in overall 2011 sales in June. In total, Nissan has sold 3,875 Leafs, while GM has sold 2,745 Volts through June 30. Last month, Nissan delivered 1,708 Leafs to GM’s 561 Volts. In June, GM said it … Continue Reading →
The influential magazine Consumer Reports plans to print its initial road test results of the electric vehicle Nissan Leaf in its October issue. David Champion, the senior director of Consumer Reports’ auto test division, said today that likes the Nissan Leaf’s size, acceleration and says it has been getting 80 miles on in range on … Continue Reading →
General Motors Co. said today it had made some changes in its media relations team, including naming a senior executive at Kelley Blue Book and an executive from GM Korea to manage executive interviews. The Detroit automaker said today it had named James Bell as its head of Consumer Affairs. GM also said that Jay … Continue Reading →