Archive for the ‘North America’ Category

Sources close to TheCarConnection.com report that a new Toyota Venza-fighter, a mid-sized crossover, will soon be coming from Honda. They say the vehicle is proposed for manufacture at Honda's Lincoln, Ala. plant that current employs over 4,000 Americans. Hmm...more jobs for Americans from a foreign automaker. Definitely sounds like an Obama Accord to us.

Rumors claim the vehicle will be loosely based on the European Honda Accord Tourer, itself a version of Acura's TSX. So we're talking a U.S. Accord with perhaps a shortened wheelbase (TSX) or a wheelbase identical to our Accord. Look at Brendy Priddy's spy shots of the vehicle (by way of...

With Fiat set to take 35 percent of Chrysler for no money down, gain access to Chrysler's dealer network in the U.S., and Chrysler to gain access to the Italian automaker's competitive small car platforms and machinery, what kind of exotic Italian steel can we expect to wrap our driving gloves around?

First off, the Fiat Group - which itself faced rather dire business circumstances not long ago before placing Italian-Canadian businessman Sergio Marchionne at the helm - consists of Ferrari and Maserati, both of which have a strong U.S. presence, and brands Alfa Romeo, Abarth, Lancia, and Fiat, none of which are currently sold in the U.S....

What seemed unthinkable decades ago when Toyota brought its frumpy, minuscule economy cars to the U.S. has now come to pass: worldwide sales dominance over the mighty GM. A few fuel crises, the labyrinthine maze of GM's countless divisions and middle management, and GM's reluctance to adapt to a rapidly changing automotive landscape are a few of the reasons for this seismic shift.

To be sure, Toyota is probably not popping any champagne corks, sharing sales struggles and a tough 2008 due to collapsing world markets, reduced consumer credit access, and wildly vacillating energy costs. Both manufacturers are facing serious revisions to their...