Detroit Auto Show
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Spiced up middle-aged Corolla key to Toyota profits, sales lead

TOKYO (Bloomberg) -- With Toyota Motor Corp. back on top as the world's largest automaker, President Akio Toyoda isn't looking to a relative youngster like the Prius hybrid to defend that lead.
Instead, ... 12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 2

Prime time for big pickups

DETROIT -- Low incentives, new products and construction sites filled with aging pickups have set the stage for an especially competitive -- and lucrative -- battle in the one segment the Detroit 3 still dominate: big pickups.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 21

Sizing up Detroit

West Coast Editor Mark Rechtin -- our tireless chronicler of such things as "micro-cheese-grater" interiors and front ends that evoke "a dachshund snorting a gopher hole" -- walked the floor of the Detroit auto show gathering first ... 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 21

BMW EV's range extended by motorcycle engine

DETROIT -- BMW AG will offer a two-cylinder motorcycle engine and a generator to extend the range of its i3 electric. Herbert Diess, BMW's head of r&d, said the package will be offered as an option on the i3. He did not say how ... 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 21

Nissan Leaf price cut puts heat on rivals

DETROIT -- Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn opened his press conference last week at the Detroit auto show with a bombshell: Nissan will cut the base price of the Leaf electric vehicle by $6,400. Ghosn was heading off a likely barrage of ... 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 21

Compact is 'top priority' for Jaguar

DETROIT -- Jaguar wants to re-enter the compact segment and is considering multiple body styles, the brand's top executive said. Designs and shapes have been discussed, but nothing has been approved, said Adrian Hallmark, Jaguar's ... 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 21

Side Swipe

Ask a world-famous designer at the Detroit show why his new vehicle has a sharp crease down its side, and chances are he'll talk about emotion. "Cars have to be highly emotional," insists Won Kyu Kang, gazing at the BMW 4-series ... 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 21

Mercedes to add 2 models to S-class range

DETROIT -- Mercedes-Benz's redesigned S-class range, which begins to arrive this fall, will grow from three vehicles to five with the addition of a convertible and an ultraluxury sedan. The new top-of-the-line model, which will ... 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 21

VW to make turbo engines standard

DETROIT -- By year end, three of the key cars in Volkswagen's U.S. lineup will be offered with a smaller, turbocharged engine, VW executives said last week, as the brand downsizes in an effort to boost fuel economy. VW will make a ... 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 21

Toyota Furia sheds some light on the next Corolla

DETROIT -- Some of Toyota's critics say the Corolla symbolizes the company's need to move away from tired styling; they complain that compared with newer compact sedans from Ford, Mazda, Hyundai and Kia, the Corolla is downright dowdy. ... 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 21

Mercedes' big CLA buildup begins with the Super Bowl

DETROIT -- A 60-second TV spot in the fourth-quarter of next month's Super Bowl will kick off Mercedes-Benz's marketing for the CLA, a four-door compact with coupe styling that goes on sale in September. So far, CLA marketing has ... 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 21

Cadillac's spin on the ELR: Get 'em before they're gone

DETROIT -- Cadillac will produce a limited number of the ELR plug-in hybrid, unveiled at the auto show here last week. That's a good thing, Caddy executives say. "Cadillac ought to have an air of exclusivity," Cadillac Global ... 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 21

Turbo 4 cylinder, diesel planned for Infiniti Q50

DETROIT -- Infiniti will expand the powertrain options on its highest volume sedan to include a turbocharged four-cylinder engine and a clean diesel for Europe. The luxury brand revealed the plans while introducing the Q50 at the ... 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 21

Lutz, GM end consulting deal

General Motors has parted ways with former product boss Bob Lutz, 80, who had been a paid part-time consultant for GM since September 2011. Lutz told Automotive News his GM contract expired Dec. 31, and the ... 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 21

Tesla factory running full tilt

Tesla Motors' Fremont, Calif., assembly plant is now at its full run-rate of 20,000 electric Model S sedans per year. The company also has begun producing 60 kWh vehicles -- the midgrade trim level -- in addition to the ... 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 21

VW ponders U.S. pickup

Ulrich Hackenberg, the Volkswagen AG board member in charge of product development, says VW might consider a pickup for its U.S. lineup -- but not until after 2018. VW sells a light pickup called the Amarok in many ... 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 21

Nissan spices up Versa hatch

DETROIT -- Nissan will position its redesigned Versa hatchback to go after what it expects to be continued growth in the compact and subcompact segments. The company unveiled the hatchback at the Detroit auto show last week. The ... 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 21

Niche products still a priority at Nissan

DETROIT -- The casual observer of Nissan product development for the past year or two could easily get the idea that the company has shifted its focus from interesting-but-marginal niche products to big-selling mainstream volume products. ... 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 21

Execs unfazed by Dart's slow start

DETROIT -- Top Chrysler Group executives took responsibility for the 2013 Dodge Dart's sluggish sales start but said they have "a lot of levers" available to boost sales. The Dart compact sedan, developed jointly by Chrysler and ... 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 21

Lincoln to explore 'mass customization'

DETROIT -- Lincoln wants to let shoppers custom-order vehicles with an array of special touches. Jim Farley, Lincoln's senior global leader, calls it "mass customization." "This is something we did at Scion," Farley said ... 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 21

JCI gets deal to produce 48-volt batteries

DETROIT -- Supplier Johnson Controls Inc. is developing a 48-volt lithium ion battery for European automakers. The higher voltage is needed to handle a growing number of electrical systems that save fuel but need more volts, such ... 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 21

Infiniti Q50 Hybrid will have awd option

DETROIT -- A dealer from one of Infiniti's large stores in the Northeast stopped Ben Poore during the Detroit auto show. "Just tell me that the Q50 Hybrid will come as an all-wheel drive," the dealer begged Poore, vice president ... 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 21

Bentley ultraluxury SUV nears final approval

DETROIT -- Bentley Motors is close to a decision to build an ultraluxury SUV, according to CEO Wolfgang Schreiber. The vehicle would share a platform with Audi, Volkswagen and Porsche. It is expected to debut within three years. ... 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 21

Marchionne: Shortages of parts slow Jeep sales

DETROIT -- Chrysler Group is pressing suppliers to the Jeep Wrangler and Grand Cherokee to increase capacity after bottlenecks cost the company up to 70,000 lost sales globally in 2012, Chrysler-Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne said at the ... 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 21

New rules coming for Jaguar stores

DETROIT -- Jaguar Land Rover North America will announce new standards this spring for the interiors of Jaguar dealerships, said CEO Andy Goss. Dealers will get details in April, and the changes must be made "as soon as possible," ... 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 21

New Kia flagship targets top end of sedan market

DETROIT -- Kia hopes its new Cadenza flagship sedan will attract a growing number of buyers shopping in between mainstream and luxury segments. Pricing wasn't announced, but the Cadenza is likely to start above $30,000 when it goes ... 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 21

Chevy revamps 'Blue Arch' spots

DETROIT -- Chevrolet is revamping a national advertising campaign that prominently features its dealerships and jokey salespeople in vignettes patterned after "The Office" TV show, the brand's top marketing executives said. Chevy ... 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 21

Ford's van plan: More flexibility

DETROIT -- The Ford Transit, coming to dealerships in the first half of 2014, offers commercial customers three roof heights, three body lengths and two wheelbases. It provides much more flexibility than the E series, the venerable ... 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 21

Automakers strain suppliers with surge in U.S. models

DETROIT (Bloomberg) -- Automakers plan to introduce 61 new or redesigned models in the United States this year, 50 percent more than any year since 2006.
While the resurgence gives consumers more ... 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 19

U.S., Asia driving sales gains in global supercar market

DETROIT (Bloomberg) -- For the crowd gathered at the MGM Grand casino in Detroit last weekend, chef Wolfgang Puck's lamb with mint-cilantro vinaigrette and wild-mushroom risotto were only the appetizer.
12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 19

Autoweek: Chevrolet Corvette best in show at Detroit

DETROIT -- After attending 59 Detroit auto-show vehicle introductions, Autoweek editors holed up in a room at One Autoweek tower this week and debated their picks for the show's Editors' Choice Awards.
1:53 pm U.S. ET | Jan. 18

Carmakers get creative with crossovers as SUV alternative

DETROIT (Reuters) -- Volkswagen AG's CrossBlue concept, which previews a new mid-sized seven-passenger crossover vehicle the German automaker plans to build in Tennessee in early 2015, is not the sexiest model on the floor of the Detroit ... 6:46 pm U.S. ET | Jan. 16

Tesla nimbly updates Model S over the air

DETROIT -- As a start-up company building a new vehicle in a new plant with many employees new to car assembly, Tesla Motors faces its share of challenges.
But Tesla's small size has meant that running ... 3:02 pm U.S. ET | Jan. 16

Automakers set pace on safety advances

DETROIT (Bloomberg) -- Customers of Toyota Motor Corp.'s redesigned Lexus LS460 costing about $70,000 can add a safety feature that emits an infrared beam to provide the driver the equivalent of an extra set of eyes.
12:56 pm U.S. ET | Jan. 16

Ford Atlas concept signals next F series, fuel-economy advances

DETROIT -- Ford Motor Co., trying to protect its turf in the large pickup market, unveiled a concept truck today that previews the company's next-generation F series and advances in fuel economy.
The ... 9:25 am U.S. ET | Jan. 15 | UPDATED: 1/15/13 1:06 p.m. ET -- adds more detail

ELR gives Cadillac green halo

DETROIT -- Cadillac today unveiled the ELR sports coupe, a plug-in hybrid wrapped in a bold, flashy package that belies its green-car bona fides.
The ELR is the second application of General Motors' ... 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 15

Cadenza is Kia's new U.S. flagship

DETROIT -- Kia today showed off the Cadenza sedan, a new range-topping U.S flagship that underscores the brand's upscale ambitions.
The Cadenza, sold in Korea as the K7, will go on sale in the second ... 11:15 am U.S. ET | Jan. 15 | UPDATED: 1/15/13 4:23 p.m. ET

Acura's next MDX adds front-drive model

DETROIT -- The redesigned 2014 Acura MDX will be sold in both front-drive as well as its traditional all-wheel drive setup, Acura said Tuesday. The front-drive version is a response to Sunbelt dealers' requests.
10:45 am U.S. ET | Jan. 15 | UPDATED: 1/15/13 2:20 p.m. ET -- adds more details

Lexus pitches IS's sports sedan engineering

DETROIT -- The redesigned 2014 Lexus IS sedan has had its driving dynamics significantly retuned for a sportier feel, even though much of the car, including its exterior styling, is carried over from its previous generation, the ... 9:30 am U.S. ET | Jan. 15 | UPDATED: 1/15/13 10:15 a.m. ET -- adds more detail

Nissan spices up Versa hatch in small-car bid

DETROIT -- Nissan Motor Co. is positioning its redesigned Versa hatchback to go after what it expects to be continued growth in the compact and subcompact segments.
The company unveiled the hatchback ... 8:15 am U.S. ET | Jan. 15

Farley: Lincoln to explore Mini-style customization

Editor's note: An earlier version of this story inaccurately described Farley's responsibilities at Lincoln.
DETROIT -- The interior of the Lincoln MKC Concept features the Lincoln logo, known ... 8:30 am U.S. ET | Jan. 15 | UPDATED: 1/16/13 9:05 am ET -- corrected

Toyota Furia sheds light on next Corolla

DETROIT -- Toyota offered a vision of its next-generation Corolla sedan that arrives in late 2013 with the unveiling of the Furia concept at the auto show here.
The Furia's wheelbase is four inches ... 2:30 pm U.S. ET | Jan. 14 | UPDATED: 1/14/13 6:01 p.m. ET

BMW offers low-price version of the 3 series

DETROIT -- BMW of North America lowered the entry-level price of the 3-series sedan by $4,300 with the introduction of the 320i on Monday.
The four-cylinder 320i puts out 180 hp, 60 hp fewer than the ... 5:17 pm U.S. ET | Jan. 14 | UPDATED: 1/14/14 5:35 p.m. ET

Nissan slashes base Leaf price for 2013 model

DETROIT -- Nissan Motor Co. will cut the base price of the slow-selling Leaf electric car by 18 percent, or $6,400, the automaker said today.
The company will sell a 2013 base Leaf S for $28,800, down ... 3:23 pm U.S. ET | Jan. 14

Hyundai's rakish HCD-14 concept heralds next design phase

DETROIT -- Hyundai showed the future direction of its rear-drive premium car designs with its HCD-14 Genesis concept today at the Detroit auto show.
Hyundai says its HCD-14 Genesis concept heralds the ... 3:00 pm U.S. ET | Jan. 14 | UPDATED: 1/14/13 3:23 pm ET - updated for press conference

VW aims at family crossover market with CrossBlue concept

DETROIT -- Volkswagen brand -- signaling its intentions to target another high-volume U.S. segment -- introduced a three-row crossover concept Monday at the Detroit auto show.
With six seats and a ... Jan. 14, 2013 17:15 European CT

Honda plans Fit-based subcompact crossover for U.S.

DETROIT -- Honda says it will be the first automaker to sell a subcompact crossover in the United States when its Fit-based vehicle arrives early next year. A concept version of the vehicle was unveiled at the auto show here.
2:00 pm U.S. ET | Jan. 14 | UPDATED: 1/14/13 2:49 p.m. ET - adds more detail

Infiniti Q50 replaces G37, becomes tech showcase

DETROIT -- Infiniti is upping the ante on its biggest volume model with a redesign that makes it a showcase of new technologies.
Nissan Motor Co.'s luxury arm introduced the new 2014 Q50 -- the new ... 9:45 am U.S. ET | Jan. 14

New Vette on the way -- but only for top Chevy dealers

DETROIT -- The seventh-generation Chevrolet Corvette, scheduled to be unveiled at the auto show here this week, will be in showrooms by late summer. But some Chevy dealers will be left out. For the first time, General Motors is ... 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 14

VW aims at family crossover market with CrossBlue concept

DETROIT -- Volkswagen AG's VW brand -- signaling its intentions to target another high-volume U.S. segment -- introduced a three-row crossover concept today at the Detroit auto show.
With six seats and ... 11:15 am U.S. ET | Jan. 14