Categories: Auto Shows

Notes From the Detroit Auto Show

Posted by: Justin Bachman on January 10

By David Welch The mood in Detroit is considerably better at this year's North American International Auto Show than it was a year ago when General Motors was hunting momentum...

Detroit Auto Show: Chrysler goes Euro

Posted by: David Welch on January 12

There’s no doubt about it. Chrysler brand is going Euro. While the struggling carmaker didn’t have a press conference to unveil new models at the Detroit auto show, they...

Toyota, Honda to add some much-needed fun

Posted by: Ian Rowley on October 07

For much of the year, this month's Tokyo Motor Show, which opens to the public on October 23, has been shaping up to be a dreary affair. Most foreign...

Frankfurt Auto Show: Porsche's Electric Sports Car

Posted by: David Kiley on September 15

Frankfurt--Speaking publicly for the first time at the auto show here, Porsche’s new president and CEO, Michael Macht, revealed that the company is considering an electric-powered sports car that would...

Frankfurt Motor Show: Ford's New C-Max and Grand C-Max

Posted by: David Kiley on September 14

Frankfurt--Ford Motor Co. today said today that it is not only showing the new Ford C-Max, which will go on sale in Europe next year, but a second all-new...

Going green at the Shanghai show

Posted by: Ian Rowley on April 20

In recent times, environmental themes have been unavoidable at big auto shows and this year’s Shanghai show, which opened to the media today, is no different. That many of...

NY Auto Show: Subaru Readies Another Outback

Posted by: David Kiley on April 10

Subaru of America is showing the new Legacy wagon and sedan and Outback that will go on sale in a few months as a 2010 model. The Japanese brand,...

NY Auto Show: Acura ZDX Short of A Reinvention

Posted by: David Kiley on April 09

The rhetoric I heard from the Acura stand was over the top as I was walking to an intrerview at Ford. I heard a Honda exec talk about "re-inventing...

NY Auto Show: VW Considers Mini Car For U.S.

Posted by: David Kiley on April 08

Volkswagen AG is considering selling its Up minicar in the United States, said Stefan Jacoby, CEO of Volkswagen Group of America. Body styles of the Up family could be...

NY Auto Show: Hyundai Dumps Van. Just Says No To Badge Engineering.

Posted by: David Kiley on April 07

Later this year Hyundai will stop selling its Entourage minivan in the U.S. Hyundai CEO John Krafcik says the Entourage was a “cheap lesson in why you don’t do...

NY Auto Show: Audi Planning New Entry Sedan

Posted by: David Kiley on April 07

Audi officials said today that they have recently revamped their new product plans for the next ten years, and that a new entry level car is in the works...

Geneva Auto Show: VW Polo

Posted by: David Kiley on March 03

Volkswagen is showing its new sub-compact this week. I show a picture of the interior here because VW does the sharpest interiors in the land, especially for econo-cars. This...

Geneva Auto Show: Magna Takes Matters Into Its Own Hands

Posted by: David Kiley on March 03

If you are an auato supplier these days, you have to be pretty tired of waiting for your next margin cut from an automaker. Austrian automaker Magna Steyr is...

Geneva Auto Show: Ford Iosis Shows New Focus

Posted by: David Kiley on March 03

At the Geneva Auto Show, Ford Motor Co. showed the Iosis Concept. The car is pretty close to the new global Focus that Ford will unleash next year. For...

2010 Ford Taurus Has Tough Road Ahead

Posted by: David Kiley on January 23

Okay, I haven't driven the car yet. But pawing over the 2010 Ford Taurus at the North American International Auto Show this week gives me some reason for hope for...

Tesla Is Partner With Daimler for eSmart--Detroit Auto Show

Posted by: David Kiley on January 13

Tesla Motors founder Elon Musk said Tuesday morning that the company, which makes expensive electric roadster vehicles, has been working with German carmaker Daimler-Benz for the last 18 months, and...

Ford's Mulally Still Likes Ka for U.S.--Detroit Auto Show

Posted by: David Kiley on January 12

Ford CEO Alan Mulally says he still likes the tiny European Ka for the U.S. portfolio. His senior staff isn't so sure. Global product chief Derrick Kuzak and chief...

BMW: 2009 Has To be Better Than Forecasts--Detroit Auto Show

Posted by: David Kiley on January 12

Don't tell BMW's U.S. Chief James O'Donnell that 2009 is going to be as bad as the 4th quarter of 2008. The Scottish-born optimist says that President Obama's stimulus package...

Ford's Electrifying Future and Taxi Hopes-Detroit Auto Show

Posted by: David Kiley on January 12

Within the next three years, Ford said this week at the North American International Auto Show, the automaker is planning to release two electric-vehicle projects, along with its next...

Are These The Last Days of Chrysler?

Posted by: David Kiley on January 09

Is this the end of days for Chrysler…finally? I don’t wish it so. But it has been coming on for some time. And it’s like watching a loved one...

Ford Fusion Smokes Camry Hybrid on Fuel Economy

Posted by: David Kiley on December 30

If timing is everything, as the old saying goes, then Ford has all the talent of a hurricane the day of an outdoor wedding. First, the headline. The 2010...

Next Prius: Hybrid Dominance Continues

Posted by: David Kiley on October 16

Don't expect too much revolution in the next Toyota Prius, due at the Detroit Auto Show in January. From the looks of the exterior, it is very evolutionary. New...

Paris Auto Show: Chevy Orlando For Eur Eyes Only

Posted by: David Kiley on October 03

Not so long ago, GM teased us with the prospect of building the Chevy Orlando in the U.S., and even selling the mini minivan here. Pffft. GM execs say...

Paris Auto Show: New Lambo Estoque

Posted by: David Kiley on October 02

By Jack Ewing: Neither the financial crisis nor high fuel prices seems to be discouraging luxury carmakers from inventing new toys for the very wealthy. BMW has just launched...

Coming Headline: Chevy Cruze--42MPG

Posted by: David Kiley on September 15

Chevrolet chief Ed Peper only says that the Chevy Cruze, when it hits the market in mid 2010, will post fuel economy "North of 40 mpg." That's thanks to a...

Are SUVs a Symbol of Super Power?

Posted by: David Kiley on August 27

I caught a few minutes of Rush Limbaugh's radio show today. God help me. Rush, who is no fan of promoting the purchase of more fuel efficient cars, was blathering...

New York Auto Show -- Hold the Tumbleweeds

Posted by: Jim Henry on March 24

With all the recent rhetoric about lousy auto sales this year, you would expect to see tumbling tumbleweeds rolling along through the abandoned Jacob K. Javits Center, for the New...

NY Auto Show: Kia Came To Play

Posted by: David Kiley on March 21

Usually Thursday morning at The New York Auto Show is the dead zone, as is the lower level of the Javits Center in NYC in general. But Kia may...

NY Auto Show: A Pontiac Pickup? No, Thanks

Posted by: David Welch on March 20

Here is one car I just don’t get. General Motors plans to bring the pictured Pontiac G8 sport truck from its Australian Holden operations to sell in the states....

NY Auto Show: Ford. Drive One Again.

Posted by: David Kiley on March 20

Ford was not happy this week to have The Wall Street Journal bust out its up-coming new slogan, “Ford. Drive One.” That will replace “Bold Moves.” Despite the fact that...

NY Auto Show: Big Yellow Taxi

Posted by: David Kiley on March 20

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has ordered all city taxis to operate on hybrid engines by 2012 as part of his drive to reduce air pollution. The city's conventionally...

NY Auto Show: Of Ford and Top Hats

Posted by: David Kiley on March 20

Ford Motor Co. is amidst an overhaul of its global product development process to make it more efficient and cost effective. The 2009 Fiesta, for example, to be launched...

Just Don't Call it a Muscle Car

Posted by: David Welch on March 19

General Motors, eager to flog its reputation as a green company, has a slight problem. One of its most high-profile new cars will be the Chevrolet Camaro coming out...

Geneva Auto Show: Ford Fiesta

Posted by: David Kiley on February 27

Ford is showing the Ford Fiesta world car at the Geneva Motor Show. That’s because it will go on sale in Europe for the 2009 model year, while U.S....

Chicago Auto Show: New Acura RL Tries Harder

Posted by: David Kiley on February 07

The Acura RL has long been a neglected entry in the luxury segment. It always seems to be a little too small, a little under-powered. And the brand doesn't...

Chicago Auto Show: VW Routan Unveiled

Posted by: David Kiley on February 06

When I interviewed VW executives recently, none of them seemed very excited about the VW Routan, a minivan borrowed from Chrysler. It's no wonder. The Germans are very particular...

Chicago Auto Show: Denali XT

Posted by: David Kiley on February 05

Five years ago, I doubt a business case could be made for an El Camino comeback. But as the auto industry gets more and ore fragmented into niches, it's...

VW's Sales Target: Bold or Bull?

Posted by: David Kiley on January 17

I’m not as down on the Routan name for the Volkswagen van as Welch is. Volkswagen has a history of naming problems…God knows…but this isn’t the most egregious example....

Smart USA For Everyday

Posted by: David Kiley on January 15

The Smart fortwo is off to the races, so to speak. Seventy-four dealers and more than 30,000 $99 deposits. Smart USA chief Dave Schembri says the company’s research tells...

Cosmic Joy and Local Pain (in Detroit)

Posted by: Jim Henry on January 15

DETROIT -- Thanks to emerging markets, the global auto industry is a lot healthier than it feels in the United States, according to economists for the struggling Detroit 3 automakers....

Getting Plug-In and China Weary at NAIAS

Posted by: David Kiley on January 14

I'm as hopeful as anyone that electric plug-in vehicles are on the way. But pardon me if I can't get excited about the pronouncements of BYD Auto's plans for the...

Toyota Barking Up The Wrong Tree with A-Bat

Posted by: David Kiley on January 09

Toyota will show its A-Bat truck concept at next week's North American International Auto Show. It is a small hybrid concept. It's small, of course, because Toyota's two-mode hybrid...

Quiet debut for Subaru

Posted by: Douglas Macmillan on April 05

In the land of the jaw-dropping exotics, futuristic concepts, celebrity endorsements and Trail Rated Test Tracks of the 2007 New York International Auto Show, the 2008 Subara Impreza WRX...

NYIAS object of envy number one: Maserati GranTurismo

Posted by: Douglas Macmillan on April 05

There was plenty of drool to mop up in the high-end carmaker booths at this week’s auto show in New York. Ferrari showcased its aggressive 599 GTB Fiorano, Lamborghini...

Jeep, XM know how to please crowds at NYIAS 2007

Posted by: Douglas Macmillan on April 05

When Chrysler planned its Jeep off-road test track for the New York International Auto Show, I don’t think they expected snow flurries in early April. So I have to...

Ford's Mulally Backs Fields and Codino

Posted by: David Kiley on April 05

Ford CEO Alan Mulally said Wednesday after a popular keynote address that press reports, namely one in The Detroit News, were untrue regarding the likely replacement of Mark Fields and...

For Chevy mini-car concept, three is the magic number

Posted by: Douglas Macmillan on April 04

Groove, Beat, and Trax aren’t hip-hop DJs, they’re three sprightly little concept cars Chevrolet showed to the press at today's preview for the 2007 New York International Auto Show....

Bentley unveils luxury coupe, sells out of them

Posted by: Douglas Macmillan on April 04

Almost before the fizz of the champagne settled at the Bentley Brooklands’ New York Auto Show debut, marketing director Stuart McCullough announced that the window of opportunity for owning...

High-Tech Infiniti EX Concept Debuts at NYIAS

Posted by: Douglas Macmillan on April 04

First-day buzz at the 2007 New York International Auto Show flocked to the Infiniti booth, where a sharply designed G37 Coupe, set to hit showrooms in August, made its...

Ugh. Flex This Ford.

Posted by: David Kiley on March 23

I have been a fan of the Ford Fairlane concept vehicle since its introduction a few years ago. This week, I got a glimpse of photos of the production...

That Other Scion Model

Posted by: Matthew Vella on February 09

Much attention was paid this week to the newly unveiled re-designed Scion xB and all-new Scion xD. As David Kiley wrote in BusinessWeek two days ago, the hip, young...

A Hot Reception Online for Chevy Volt

Posted by: Matthew Vella on January 17

General Motors made big news with the introduction of the Chevrolet Volt electric vehicle at the Detroit Auto Show. With one new product -- a concept with at least...

Toyota Sticking To Demure Script. Ford Who?

Posted by: David Kiley on January 07

Toyota Motor Sales U.S. chief Jim Lentz wouldn't comment about whether he thought Toyota would surpass Ford Motor Co. in market sharethis year, and said it really doesn't matter. "We...

With 10 Days to Go, Embargoes Up In Smoke

Posted by: Matthew Vella on December 29

You've got to love the blogs. Over the past two weeks, the precious embargoes extended to journalists by auto manufacturers to keep quiet upcoming introductions have been violated left...