Auto News 5

The BMW i3 will cost 34,950 euros in Germany and $41,350 in the United States. The i3's price has been keenly awaited because the high price of electric vehicles is deterring potential customers.

Honeywell, which manufactures the air-conditioning refrigerant R1234yf together with Dupont, has dismissed Daimler's fears over the product.

Honeywell, which manufactures the air-conditioning refrigerant R1234yf together with Dupont, has dismissed Daimler's fears over the product.

CarMax sold at retail twice as many used cars and trucks in its 2012 fiscal year as its nearest competitor.

Mercedes-Benz may expand its compact front-wheel-drive lineup when a second generation debuts in 2018, Daimler AG CEO Dieter Zetsche said.

Katie Bowman Coleman took over a single-point operation in 2012. She needed to grow to compete against larger dealership groups in metro Detroit.

No vehicle symbolizes Honda's wide-ranging efforts more than the redesigned Honda Fit.

General Motors is rolling out its newest electrified vehicle in two of the most eco-friendly states. But the newcomer will have to make its way in a market that is becoming more crowded, confusing and cutthroat.

Volkswagen Group of America has cut its 2013 U.S. sales target for VW division, a sign that executives don't expect the brand to break out of its current slump by year end.

Two years ago, AutoNation Inc. decided to invest millions in its parts and service business. So far, that bet hasn't paid off.

Dealers say they are paying Google dramatically higher prices than they were just seven months ago to snag smartphone users searching for vehicles and dealerships. Gold Coast Cadillac in Oakhurst, N.J.

Mercedes-Benz has fixed a series of problems that enabled BMW and Audi to surpass it in global sales and profits, Daimler AG CEO Dieter Zetsche says. All except one, that is: customer satisfaction in the United States.

Mike Linn, CEO of the National Independent Automobile Dealers Association for 14 years, stepped aside July 1.

Lexus will add another coupe to its stable, supplementing its IS C retractable hardtop with a pure coupe called the RC 350 that will be unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show in November.

Veteran industry executive Wolfgang Ziebart has joined Jaguar Land Rover's management board as head of product development.

The redesigned 2014 Mercedes-Benz S class that debuts this fall is loaded with high-technology safety features packaged into what Mercedes calls Intelligent Drive and Magic Carpet Ride -- features that automatically adjust to road conditions.

Consumption competition
Sometimes, change is necessary. It might not always seem like the best idea, or even be easy, but sometimes it's needed. A change can be refreshing it can even be enlightening. Sometimes, sticking to the same-old, same-old is just that: the same old.

Such is very much the truth when it comes to automobiles. Change brings about new technology, inventions, and designs. Change means customers have more to choose from, other options; sometimes better options.

What does all this have to do with diesel vehicles and our latest comparison drive? Well, when we suddenly got our hands on a brand new 2014 Chevrolet Cruze 2.0TD (powered by a diesel engine), we immediately wanted to pit it against the name tried and tested in the auto industry, in North America, when it comes to diesel: Volkswagen.

It's no lie that Volkswagen is the leader in diesel cars in our market, and that's not necessarily because they're the best, but more because they are the only option. Besides the American diesel trucks, there are very few options in North America when it comes to affordable diesel-powered family sedans.

However, the time has come for Volkswagen to have some serious competition, and not just from the likes of Chevy. Mazda is lining up the Mazda6 diesel, and Honda is teasing with a diesel Accord. Finally, we'll have a few more options.

But do we want them?

Well, that's what we set out to discover. While we tried out best to get our hands on a Jetta TDI, we had to settle for a Golf TDI which we knew was identical in all specs to the Jetta and nearly every point to the Chevy Cruze diesel (vehicle weight, price, space, engine), despite the segment difference.

So, we set out on a daylong drive -- covering close to 375 kilometres on open highways and country lanes and some traffic laden city settings. Who proved more efficient? More pleasant to drive? More economical overall? Did we prove that VW still holds the diesel crown or are they about to be dethroned by the newcomers?

Photo: Mathieu St-Pierre

Continue reading VW vs. Chevy: The diesel Comparison Drive

A few weeks after Chevrolet launched an ad to promote its all-new 2014 Silverado pickup truck, here comes a different version specifically aimed at female customers.

Titled ''Her Horse,'' the clip shows how women can appreciate the many attributes of the Silverado as much as men.

From GMM

Michael Schumacher has singled out a quartet of drivers as the very best in formula one at present.

The great German, who with 91 wins and seven titles is the most successful driver in the sport's history, finally called time on his long career at the end of last season.

Now, watching on, the 44-year-old Schumacher said he is most impressed by a group of four.

"Vettel, Alonso, Raikkonen and Hamilton are the best at the moment," he told the Italian Sky programme I Signori della Formula 1.

"They're all human, of course, so they all have their weaknesses, but they all work hard to hide them. But that is also the secret to always-better results and to not making mistakes. I am not going to analyse it further -- I think the best one wins," Schumacher smiled.

Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) leading Fernando Alonso (Ferrari) in Montreal. (Photo: WRi2)

The former Ferrari and Mercedes driver was also asked to comment on the 2013 season, and unsurprisingly, it didn't take long before the 't'-word was uttered.

"The season is not so much different from the previous one," he said, "except perhaps when it comes to the problems with the tires. I already said last year after Bahrain that something is not working quite right, that there are problems, but now everyone has noticed.

"On the other hand, as always, the best one wins. And that is rightly so," added Schumacher.

"The biggest problem for me is that the tires should be compatible with the majority of the teams, not just a few cars as has happened in these last two years," he said.

I was chatting with Miranda recently about some of our memorable drives and how those memories related mostly to the cars we were driving. In the course of the conversation, I came up with my three favourite 2013 model year cars I had the chance to drive.

The list is a little odd, to say the least, but it all makes sense -- at least to me. If you've read any of Auto123.com's material, mine in particular, you'll have probably noted that the Ford Mustang Boss 302 and Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 have left indelible marks on my psyche.

These two cars embody everything that the car business represents in my books. They are magnificently efficient and rapid ways to cover ground in a whirlwind of sights and sounds. As I write these lines, I'm developing goose bumps thinking about the two cars -- or is that because I'm listening to Portishead?

It is then fairly easy to understand why these cars are on my list; they're fast, sexy, and freakin' fast! Wait, did I say that already? But the third car?

The last member on this list is the 2013 Volvo XC70 T6 AWD. How's that for a contrast?

If the ‘Stang and ‘Maro are young and “hip” cars; the Volvo is the exact opposite. It's a station wagon (which I absolutely love), and, well, it's a Volvo... Tack on the fact that my tester was brown and the image is complete.

You see, here's a car that with 300 hp and 325 lb-ft of torque can really move and can also cover ground at quite the clip.

This is how we got on the subject as I took the XC70 to New York City in the spring for the Auto Show. A part of the road to get there from my hood crosses the Adirondack Mountains and I could not think of a better road trip car with space, luxury, comfort, lots and lots of comfort, and power other than the XC70.

Truth be told, I'd probably take the Volvo XC70 over the other two if I could only pick one... Nah, I wouldn't... Or would I?

Tastes are a matter that cannot really be discussed and many are often baffled by my often ridiculous or off-the-wall discriminations, but I'm of the opinion that variety is the spice of life.

Tastes come in all shapes and sizes. Clearly, this applies to me. Now, if Porsche built a pickup, my list would have to grow to four units...

Photo: Sébastien D'Amour