Volvo Concept Cars
Dieselgate 3.0: FiatChrysler Snubs Berlin, Leaves It With The Nuclear Option
Yesterday, I told you that it would be FiatChrysler’s turn to appear in front of Germany’s dieselgate commission, and to explain FiatChrysler’s proprietary diesel shenanigans. Well, I lied. Instead of FiatChrysler, a lawyer letter appeared yesterday, stating that Marchionne’s men won’t come to the meeting, that they won’t cooperate with Germany’s ministerial commission, and that they will talk to Italian authorities only.
Compliance Alone Won’t Keep Your Brand Safe
Anything the West can do, Japan can do too: Enron, Goldman Sachs, Madoff and Barclays versus Kanebo, IHI, Olympus, Toshiba, and just this past month we had Mitsubishi Motors admit to a second round of rigging fuel economy data for their cars. This incomplete list of Big League corporate skullduggery only makes one wonder how many more scandals are waiting to be uncovered.
U.S. Will Continue To Be A Job-Making Machine, Says Top Economist
The job market will continue to improve for months to come, says Joe Brusuelas, chief economist at professional services firm RSM. He speaks with Forbes contributor Simon Constable.
Why GM’s Autonomous Chevrolet Bolt is Running Around San Francisco
General Motors is testing two autonomous vehicles in San Francisco with a company it acquired earlier this year–Cruise Automation. The two Chevrolet Bolt Electric vehicles running around San Francsico streets have gear and sensors strapped to the roof, the tell-tale sign of autonomous testing.
How To Keep Your Pet Safe This Summer
While you’re having fun in the summer heat, make sure your pet does also, says Joey Teixeira, senior manager, ASPCA Adoption Center, along with his outrageously cute dog, Mervin the Chihuahua. The two sit down with Forbes contributor Simon Constable.
Motorcyclist Deaths Spiked 10% In 2015, New Report Finds
The number of motorcyclists killed in this country surged last year to an estimated 5010, which represents a 10 % increase compared to 2014. It is only the third year in U.S. history and the first time since 2008 in which the death toll is expected to exceed 5,000. This “grim news” comes as warm weather in many regions across the country prompts thousands of bikers to hit the road, the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), a nonprofit organization representing state highway safety offices, announced on Thursday.
Mario Andretti, IRE To Provide 200-MPH Fan Rides At Indy For First Time Ever
How would you like to scream across Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s famous yard of bricks at 200 mph in a two-seat, open-wheel car with legend Mario Andretti behind the wheel? On Monday, May 30 – the day after the 100th running of the Indy 500 race – 33 lucky fans that have paid $3,300 each will get that first-of-a-kind opportunity.
Chevy Entices Compact Sedan Shoppers With Extended Connected Car Data Plan
With its 24/7 Promise promotion for the redesigned 2016 Chevy Cruze, Chevy is making the decision to keep connected car data flowing a no-brainer for cost-conscious car shoppers in the compact sedan segment.
Maybe Traditional Automakers Could Be Winners In An Autonomous World?
Automotive executives have been suffering sleepless nights for years worrying that new technology thrusters like Google, Apple and Uber will suddenly blind-side them and effectively destroy their businesses. But maybe this isn’t inevitable because the traditional industry still has some formidable weapons.
2016 RC F: Restrained Aggression, Courtesy Of Lexus
Lexus has adhered its chrome badge to an aggressive looking performance coupe that goes by a simple three-letter name: RC F. Launched for the 2015 model year, the two-door sits atop the automaker’s RC lineup, which includes a four- and six-cylinder offering in RC 200t and RC 300 guise, respectively. The RC F is the celebrated flagship of the range, powered by a eight-cylinder engine that gives it enough muscle to rub elbows with some of the world’s best sports coupes — including the highly touted BMW M4, Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG, and Audi S5.
Opel’s Dieselgate Triggers A Revolutionary Suggestion: Automakers, Try The Truth
Today, a revolutionary suggestion to end all dieselgate scandals once and for all came to my attention: Tell the truth. “There is a big chance for automakers to jointly explain how they really comply with all those environmental norms. It would immediately deny the media all the stories they otherwise will continue to wallow in with gusto.” This immodest proposal can be found in Absatzwirtschaft, an arcane German publication dedicated to marketing and advertising. As a former member of the Mad Men community, I can assure you: If people like us get so disgusted by the cheating and lying that we suggest the ultimate sacrifice, namely telling the truth, then the end of the world is nigh. Sadly, it doesn’t look like the big communal coming clean is going to happen.
This Is The Cheapest Car In China
This little beauty is the cheapest car in China. It is called the Jiangnan TT. It is manufactured by Jiangnan Auto, a subsidiary of Zotye Automobile. The list price of the TT starts at 20,800 yuan but dealers offer a 5,000 yuan discount, and that brings the price down to just 15,800 yuan, or $2,415!
Why Investors Should Worry About Trump
Hillary would be better for the economy and for stocks, says Vinny Catalano, global investment strategist at Blue Marble Research.
Tesla Model 3
GM Vs. Ford: What The Bond Market Says About Detroit’s Big Auto Stocks
Today Goldman Sachs upgraded Tesla Motors. Apparently there wasn’t enough bonus money for traders to put a deposit down on a new Ferrari. But a cheap Model 3 seems more affordable and with the new image of Goldman Sachs as the banker for everyday people as evidenced by GSBank.com. Now that the vampire squid has told investors that Tesla deserves your money, why not look at what the bond markets think about the two largest car makers in the country.
Driving The Purist Porsche 911 Carrera And All-New Junior Supercar, The Carrera 4S
For a 250-mile loop from Napa to Albion on the Mendocino coast and back, I wanted bookends of the new twin-turbo Carrera lineup, starting my day in a base 911 with manual transmission and finishing with Porsche’s all-new junior supercar, the wide-body 4S, the final step in the Porsche lineup before reaching The Vaunted 911 Turbo.
Tesla Sets $1.4 Billion Stock Sale To Speed Up Model 3 Production
With pre-orders rolling in, Elon Musk and Tesla are raising more money to speed up production of the forthcoming Model 3, and maybe break the habit of missing deadlines.
Tesla Stock Offer Aims To Raise $2 Billion To Fund Audacious Manufacturing Plan
The electric car manufacturer needs more capital to crank up production in order to meet demand for its new Model 3 plug in car. And CEO Elon Musk needs money to pay his taxes.
Tesla Model 3
Goldman Sachs’ $250 Tesla Price Target Uses A Unique Calculation
Goldman Sachs’ upgraded Tesla to Buy using a unique price target calculation
11 Safest Off-Lease 2013-2014 Used Cars
Road Rage Undermining Highway Safety — Can’t We All Just Get Along?
A fifth of those surveyed said they’ve been “physically threatened” by another driver.
Electric Cars or CNG Vehicles? The Sequel
Four years ago I wrote an article asking the question whether consumers would be better off buying an EV or a CNG car.
Fiat Chrysler Shares Zoom, Then Stall, After China Bid Rumor
Reports Guangzhou Automobile of China is about to launch a bid sent FCA shares soaring until second thoughts by investors drove them down close to even for the day. Given that reports of possible merger candidates for FCA have ranged from GM to Ford and Volkswagen, maybe this rumor lacked a bit of pizzazz.
Dieselgate 2.0: Opel’s Counterattack Stalls, And Why There Are No Illegal Defeat Devices In The EU
GM?s European Opel arm made a huge mistake. The handbook of corporate crisis communication demands that when the company is under attack, the CEO is to be lathered with Teflon, and kept out of the line of fire as long as possible. Opel?s PR people flunked that lesson. They sent their CEO Hans-Peter Neumann to a hot propaganda front, and the boss went down in a hail of zingers.
Indian Cars Fail Crash Test
Five Indian cars failed crash tests conducted on them and scored zero stars, according to a vehicle safety assessor in the U.K., which called some of the cars “sub-standard”.
10 New Electric Cars From China
The market for electric cars in China is booming, supported by subsidies and other incentives like free license plates and free parking places and public charging stations are now popping up everywhere. In 2015 sales of new-energy vehicles (electric and plug-in hybrids) stood at 188,700 units, up a staggering 223% compared to 2015.
Why I Drive A Rolls-Royce Dawn: David Lee, CEO Of Hing Wa Lee Jewelers
“My father swam from Macau to Hong Kong. He was 13,” says David Lee of his father’s journey to the relative freedom and economic opportunity of British-controlled Hong Kong of the 1960s.
Why I Drive A Rolls-Royce Dawn: David Lee, CEO Of Hin Wa Lee Jewelers
“My father swam from Macau to Hong Kong. He was 13,” says David Lee of his father’s journey to the relative freedom and economic opportunity of British-controlled Hong Kong of the 1960s.
Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupe, Drophead Coupe Zenith Collection
Rolls-Royce Retires Phantom With Bespoke Zenith Collection
And in the process shows the rest of how to really host a picnic.
2016 Hyundai Sonata Eco: Five Reasons Why I Recommend It
Today’s seventh-generation Sonata is a solid alternative to the top-selling Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, Ford Fusion, and Nissan Altima, and its popularity continues to grow. Rather than climb behind the wheel of a premium Sport or Limited model, which are fitted with larger engines, I spent a week in Southern California with the Sonata Eco — a version with a small turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder — that has been engineered and configured to deliver impressive fuel economy without the need for an expensive hybrid powertrain.
The Future Of Self-Driving Cars
NXP’s BlueBox Computer Has Head Start In Self-Driving Car Race
Cars are turning into big computers on wheels, and many of the world’s biggest chipmakers are looking at the market for the next big wave of growth as the PC and smartphone markets falter.
Warren Buffett’s 10 Biggest Stock Bets
Berkshire Hathaway’s Apple Investment Puts Spotlight On Value Trap Debate In S&P 500
Discounted-priced stocks like Apple are luring in Wall Street’s most prominent investors.
Why Gold Is A Better Investment Than Apple
Both investments prompt emotions but which one is a better bet? Adam Johnson, founder of Bullseye Brief newsletter explains his thinking to Forbes contributor Simon Constable.
Five Things You Need To Know About The Chinese Car Market
The Chinese car market is in a word, massive. It’s truly gigantic and impressive, something like the world has never seen before, and will likely never ever see again. But what does “massive” really mean? Here are five things you need to know about China’s stunningly vast and unique auto industry.
Tesla Upbeat About Chinese Preorders, But Does It Translate To Success With China’s Consumers?
Tesla is more upbeat about its China prospects as the preorders of Model 3 come in. But the company still faces an uphill battle in winning over the country’s mass consumers.
The Week in Luxury Cars: Koenigsegg’s $2 Million Regera, Ford’s $450,000 GT, Tupak Shakur’s Hummer H1, and More
Last week’s luxury auto news in a nutshell.
VW, Daimler, Nissan, Mitsubishi, GM: Can We Finally Agree That Dieselgate Is An Industry Problem?
When dieselgate broke last September, automakers the world over tried to paint it as an incident isolated to rogue Volkswagen. This reporter disagreed, stating that the problem was and is widespread through the industry. This of course did not earn the reporter popularity points. In one incident, I received thinly veiled threats of libel and slander, made by a bullying representative of Europe’s ACEA auto manufacturer association. Truth is the best defense against libel, they say, and the truth is coming out in spades. This morning, “South Korea said that Nissan Motor Co Ltd had manipulated emissions on a diesel sport utility vehicle and that it planned to fine the automaker as well as sue the head of its Korean operations,” wrote Reuters. Within hours, the matter that affected all of 814 cars was all over the news. In April, Mitsubishi Motors admitted to manipulating fuel consumption data of its cars. The scandal led to the end of Mitsubishi’s independence. Last week, it was announced that Mitsubishi Motors will be – for all intents and purposes – be taken over by Nissan. To misstate fuel consumption is the same as misstating CO2 emissions. Despite being limited to the Japanese kei car oddity, the scandal was widely covered in the world media. Last week, GM admitted to overstating the fuel consumption of some of its crossovers. To misstate fuel consumption is the same as misstating CO2 emissions. The matter, along with GM’s explanation that it was an “inadvertent error,” was widely reported in the media. On Saturday, Germany’s Spiegel Magazin reported of a class action suit brought against Daimler AG, its CEO Dieter Zetsche, and its R&D chief Thomas Weber. The suit claims consumers were duped by Daimler’s claim that its “BlueTec cars are the world’s cleanest diesel.” This has found limited media echo so far, but that is likely to change later in the day. Last week, Germany was rocked by serious allegations that GM’s European Opel arm is using a number of defeat devices in two of its diesel cars. Opel has been summoned to appear in front of an investigative committee of Germany’s Transport Ministry this week. Netherland’s RDW, the regulator that issued the EU type approval of Opel’s Zafira Diesel, is considering a recall, and possibly (but unlikely) a loss of the type approval, Germany’s ARD News says. This is front-page news in Europe, it made headlines as far away as The Himalayan Times, but as far as the reporting in America goes, it didn’t happen. The incident has the potential to bring down GM’s Opel in Europe just like Mitsubishi was brought in Japan. Astoundingly, wide sectors of the U.S. media show little concern for the well-being of America’s largest automaker. These short excerpts from my bulging dieselgate files should dispel any notions that Volkswagen is the sole villain, and that the rest of the auto industry is all saints. Allow me a few comments and amplifications to the above.
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