Mazda Delays North American Launch of SKYACTIV-D Clean Diesel Engine

Mazda has delayed the North America launch of its 2.2 liter SKYACTIV-D clean diesel engine, from its intended debut this Spring, saying SKYACTIV-D can meet emission regulation requirements without the use of a NOx after-treatment system, but it was decided that further development is required to deliver the right balance between fuel economy and Mazda-appropriate driving performance.

I was looking forward to this introduction, especially after seeing that Sam's Club sells diesel fuel for about 16 percent more than regular unleaded gas which makes the cost saving - fuel efficiency equation make sense. Mazda showed off it's clean diesel at the 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show where Mazda North America President Jim O'Sullivan discussed diesel in a SaxtonOnCars interview.

2015 Audi A3 Sedan - All-New Starts at $29,900

The 2015 A3 sedan, with leather seating, a panorama glass sunroof and bi-xenon headlights as standard, with the 1.8 TFSI® engine will start at $29,900 and with the 2.0 TFSI® powertrain will start at $32,900, both mated to the standard 6-speed S tronic® transmission. The premium plus package for an additional $2,900 will include exclusive 18" 10-spoke-design Audi wheels, an aluminum interior package, and keyless entry while the prestige package, for an additional $8,800, will include everything that is offered in premium plus, as well as a sportier S Line® exterior kit, Driver Assistance, a Bang & Olufsen Sound System, Audi MMI navigation plus, Audi Connect, Convenience package and full LED headlights for $8,800.

The A3 sedan will be joined later this year by the Audi A3 Cabriolet, A3 TDI clean diesel, high-performance S3 sedan and in early 2015, the A3 Sportback e-tron® gasoline electric hybrid (PHEV).

2015 Lexus RC F Goes On Sale This Fall

The 2015 Lexus RC F is powered by a 5.0-liter 32-valve V8 engine with more than 450 horsepower and more than 383 pound feet of torque and mated to an eight-speed Sports Direct Shift transmission with paddle shifters. The RC F uses a Torque Vectoring Differential, a first in a Lexus, to increase driving performance. The RC F was inspired by the Lexus LFA but will hopefully cost less, a lot less.

Aircraft cockpit-like instruments include a large centrally mounted tachometer that alters according to drive mode, digital and analog speedometer, differential torque vectoring monitor, G-Force meter, oil and water temperature gauges, mileage information and a stopwatch. The RC F goes on sale this Fall.

The all-new 2015 Lexus RC Coupe, available with a 2.5 liter hybrid or 3.5 liter V6, also goes on sale this Fall. 

Volkswagen Beetle Dune Concept With 210 Horsepower

The Volkswagen Beetle Dune concept, in “Arizona”, a yellow-orange metallic paint and based on the R-Line model, shows the potential for a new production version of what VW calls "the sportiest Beetle ever". Powered by a 210 horsepower turbocharged and direct-injection TSI® 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine mated to a six-speed DSG® dual-clutch automatic transmission, the Beetle Dune has a manufacturer estimated fuel economy rating of 23 mpg in the city and 29 mpg on the highway. The wheel wells widen the body by 1.1 inches per side to give a total width of 73.4 inches, an increase of 2.2 inches over a stock Beetle. The Dune's overall length has increased by 0.5 inches to 168.9 inches and the car is both 2.0 inches higher off the ground and 0.8 inches taller than the R-line.

2015 Mercedes‑Benz S600 Coming This Spring

The Mercedes‑Benz S600 with a 523 horsepower 6.0L V12 biturbo engine delivering 612 lb-ft of torque is available with a long wheelbase and a luxurious equipment package. The S600 now for the first time features the ECO start/stop function as standard along with the MAGIC BODY CONTROL suspension with ROAD SURFACE SCAN, the Driving Assistance Package with Active Lane Keeping Assist, Active Blind Spot Assist, BAS PLUS with Cross-Traffic Assist, DISTRONIC PLUS with Steering ASsist, PRE-SAFE® Brake with Pedestrian Recognition and PRE-SAFE® PLUS, head-up display, and COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS in addition to the adaptive Brake Assist system.

Mercedes‑Benz S600 will be launched in this Spring.

2015 BMW M3 Sedan and M4 Coupe - All-New Early This Summer

The all-new 2015 BMW M3 Sedan (above), the fifth generation of the M3, and 2015 BMW M4 Coupe (below) are powered by an all-new 425 horsepower 3.0-liter inline-6 engine with M TwinPower Turbo technology delivering peak torque of 406 lb-ft and mated to either the standard 6-speed manual transmission or the optional 7-speed M Double Clutch Transmission. The standard sprint from zero to 60 mph takes the new BMW M3 Sedan and new BMW M4 Coupe 4.1 seconds and equipped with the 7-speed M Double Clutch Transmission, 3.9 seconds. Top speed is 155 mph and fuel consumption has improved nearly 25 percent over the previous model.

The CFRP (carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic) roof, which was only on the outgoing M3 Coupe version, is a standard feature on both the new BMW M3 Sedan and the new BMW M4 Coupe. Both the new BMW M3 and new BMW M4 are equipped as standard with BMW M compound brakes or available optional lighter BMW M carbon ceramic brakes, which come with gold-painted calipers.

The all-new 2015 BMW M3 Sedan and 2015 BMW M4 Coupe models will go on sale early this Summer.

Audi allroad shooting brake Crossover concept car

The Audi allroad shooting brake Crossover concept car achieves 408 horsepower from a 288 horsepower 2.0 TFSI transverse mounted two-liter four-cylinder turbocharged engine and e-tron-quattro technology that produces 300 kW of power from plug-in hybrid drive with two electric motors connected to a six-speed e-S tronic dual clutch transmission. The car is 163.8 inches long and at 123.8 mpg has a total driving range of more than 509 miles.

There is the EV mode for all-electric driving where the rear axle electric motor can accelerate the two-door car to a top speed of 80.78 mph. In Hybrid mode,  the electric motor in front acts as a generator driven by the engine, charging the battery to extend the car’s effective electric driving range. In Sport mode, the electric motor at the rear axle works together with the 2.0 TFSI in a boost mode.

2015 Acura TLX Prototype Goes Into Production For Mid-Year Delivery

The 2015 Acura TLX Prototype is 3.8 inches shorter in overall length (190.2 inches) than the current TL, and rides on the same 109.3 inch wheelbase as the TL between the smaller ILX and larger RLX sedans. Coming in two-wheel and all-wheel drive configurations, the TLX has two engine choices. An all-new 2.4-liter 16-valve inline 4-cylinder engine employs direct-injection and Acura's i-VTEC® valvetrain, and is significantly lighter than previous Acura engines of similar configuration and displacement and is mated to an all-new 8-speed dual clutch transmission with torque converter. Another choice is a 3.5-liter SOHC V-6 that also employs direct injection and VTEC variable valve control and cam timing along with fuel-saving Variable Cylinder Management™ cylinder deactivation technology and is mated to a new 9-speed automatic transmission. The all-new 2015 TLX performance-luxury sedan is launching mid-year at Acura dealerships nationwide. 

2015 Cadillac ATS Coupe Coming This Summer

The all-new 2015 Cadillac ATS Coupe rides on the same 109.3-inch wheelbase as the sedan offering the choice of rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, powered by a 272 horsepower 2.0L turbocharged four-cylinder engine or a 321 horsepower 3.6L six-cylinder engine featuring direct injection and dual overhead camshafts with continuously variable valve timing, and matched with the Hydra-Matic 6L45 six-speed automatic transmission with tap-shift control. A six-speed manual is also available with the 2.0L Turbo. The 2015 Cadillac ATS Coupe goes on sale this summer.

2015 Subaru WRX STI - All-New 305 Horsepower Flagship

The all-new 2015 Subaru WRX STI powered by a 305-horsepower 2.5-liter turbocharged BOXER engine has a stiffer chassis, firmer springs and faster steering along with Active Torque Vectoring, Multi-Mode Driver Controlled Center Differential Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive, Multi-Mode Vehicle Dynamics Control, and a Brembo® Performance Brake System with Super Sport ABS. A new multi-information central display with 4.3-in. LCD screen provides a multitude of vehicle system functions, including a standard rear camera display, a boost gauge display, audio (on non-navigation models), Bluetooth and climate control settings, and a VDC screen showing traction control operation. Subaru will offer a WRX STI Launch Edition, limited to 1,000 units and exclusively featuring WR Blue paint and gold BBS® forged alloy wheels and unique interior trim.

2015 Audi Q3 Coming this Fall

The new 2015 Audi Q3, coming this Fall in a front wheel drive or optional Audi quattro® permanent all-wheel drive, is powered by a 200 horsepower 2.0 TFSI four-cylinder engine as standard and mated to a six-speed Tiptronic® transmission.

Nissan Sport Sedan Concept Makes Debut

Nissan Sport Sedan Concept is a front-wheel drive Sport Sedan Concept powered by a 300-plus horsepower 3.5-liter V6 engine backed by a sport-tuned Xtronic CVT® and features a suspension layout with performance dampers.

2015 Honda Fit Is All-New With More Horsepower This Spring

The all-new 2015 Honda Fit, completely redesigned from the ground up, is slightly shorter (-1.6 in.) and wider (+0.3 in.) with a longer wheelbase (+1.2 in.) with an increase in passenger volume (+4.9 cu ft) and rear legroom (+4.8 in.) compared to the previous model. The 2015 Fit is equipped with an all-new 130 horsepower direct-injected 1.5-liter DOHC i-VTEC engine, 13 horsepower more than the outgoing engine, and paired to two new transmissions, a 6-speed manual or a Continuously Variable Transmission with available paddle shifters. The EPA-estimated fuel economy ratings are 33 city/41 highway/36 combined for the CVT-equipped models. The 2015 Fit will be in production next month and go on sale in the U.S. this Spring.

2015 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 With 625 Horsepower Coming Next Year

The 2015 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 with at least 625 horsepower from an all-new LT4 6.2L supercharged V-8 engine, and an all-new, high-performance eight-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters for manual control. The new Corvette Z06 will be available in early 2015. 

2015 Hyundai Genesis Is All-New With AWD Model Coming This Spring

The all-new 2015 Hyundai Genesis has a redesigned advanced high-strength steel platform making it stiffer to accommodate its new available HTRAC® AWD system, using no shared components with its previous generation. The 2015 Hyundai Genesis is offered with a choice of rear-wheel-drive or new HTRAC® All-Wheel-Drive (AWD) configurations.

The Genesis 3.8-liter direct-injected Lambda engine has also been further optimized to deliver a flatter overall torque curve at low rpm for enhanced driveability producing 311 horsepower and 293 lb.-ft. of torque. The Genesis 5.0 has the 420 horsepower Tau 5.0-liter V8 engine and is also mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. The new Genesis will be built at Hyundai’s Ulsan, Korea plant, with U.S. sales beginning in the Spring.

Porsche 911 Targa 4 and 4S Arrive This Summer At $102K Plus

The Porsche 911 Targa 4, powered by a horizontally opposed 350 horsepower 3.4-liter 6-cylinder engine, will have an MSRP of $102,595. Equipped with the optional Porsche Doppelkupplung (PDK) and Sport Chrono package, the 911 Targa 4 accelerates from zero to 60 mph in 4.6 seconds and is capable of a top track speed of 174 mph (175 mph with the manual transmission).

The Porsche 911 Targa 4S has a 400 horsepower 3.8-liter horizontally opposed 6-cylinder engine with a price tag of will have an MSRP of $117,195, and accelerates from zero to 60 mph in 4.2 seconds when equipped with optional PDK and Sport Chrono package. The 911 Targa 4S is capable of reaching a top track speed of 183 mph when equipped with a manual transmission and 182 mph with PDK.

Both 911 Targa models will come in AWD when they arrive this summer.

Chevrolet Sweeps 2014 Car and Truck Of The Year Honors

The all-new Chevrolet Corvette Stingray,  the most powerful standard model ever, with 455 horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque from a 6.2L V-8 engine, is the 2014 North American Car of the Year receiving 211 points topping the Mazda3 with 185 points and the Cadillac CTS with 94 points.

The Chevrolet Silverado 1500 pickup truck, available with a 355 horsepower 5.3L EcoTec3 V-8 switching to four cylinders for an EPA estimated highway fuel economy of up to 23 mpg, is the 2014 North American Truck of the Year, receiving 219 points to the Jeep Cherokee with 174 points and the Acura MDX with 97 points. It's the first time Chevrolet has won both awards in the same year. 

Kia GT4 Stinger Concept

Kia GT4 Stinger Concept

2015 GMC Canyon Pickup Truck Coming This Fall

The 2015 GMC Canyon pickup truck, offered in base, SLE and SLT models, in 2WD and 4WD models, and with an All-Terrain package offered on SLE models, comes with a standard estimated 193 horsepower 2.5L I-4 engine or an available estimated 302 horsepower from 3.6L V-6 engine offering a payload of at least 1,450 pounds and a trailering rating (when properly equipped) of at least 6,700 pounds. A Duramax 2.8L turbodiesel engine is coming in the 2016 model year. GMC will continue to work on and develop the Canyon until the start of production this Fall.

2015 Chrysler 200 Sedan Starts At $22,695 In Second Quarter

The all-new 2015 Chrysler 200 Sedan offers a 295 horsepower 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 engine or the standard 184 horsepower 2.4-liter MultiAir®2 Tigershark I-4 engine mated to a standard nine-speed automatic transmission, which enables expected highway fuel economy ratings of 35 miles per gallon. The 2015 Chrysler 200 sedan is all new from the ground up and has a starting MSRP of $22,695 (including $995 destination). The 2015 Chrysler 200 is available in four different models in the United States and will arrive in volume in dealer showrooms in the second quarter of this year. Customers can choose from the 2015 Chrysler 200 LX model, Chrysler Limited model, Chrysler 200S model and the premium Chrysler 200C.

Toyota FT-1 Concept - Video Game To Reality

Toyota FT-1 Concept, first devised by Calty Design Research in the Sony PlayStation Gran Turismo game, is now life size on display in Detroit.

2015 Ford F-150 Pickup Coming Later This Year

The all-new 2015 Ford F-150, part of the Ford F-Series truck lineup, America’s best-selling truck for 37 consecutive years and America’s best-selling vehicle for 32 years, will come in five primary trim levels: XL, XLT, Lariat, Platinum and King Ranch. Chrome appearance packages are available with XL, XLT, Lariat and King Ranch. Monochromatic sport appearance packages are available with XL, XLT and Lariat. The 2015 Ford F-150 offers four engines: a new 2.7-liter EcoBoost with standard Auto Start-Stop and a 3.5-liter V6 engine with twin independent variable camshaft timing join the the 3.5-liter EcoBoost and 5.0-liter Ti-VCT V8.

The 2015 Ford F-150 has a new 8-inch LCD productivity screen in the instrument panel, SYNC® with MyFord Touch®, hill start assist, MyKey®, rear view camera, reverse sensing, trailer brake controller and extendable tailgate step. The F-150 also features second-row inflatable safety belts with a tubular airbag that inflates in the event of a crash, curve control automatically provides four-wheel braking when the truck is going into a corner too fast, adaptive cruise control uses radar technology to monitor traffic ahead, lane-keeping system helps avert unintentional drifting, blind spot information system with cross-traffic alert, which uses radar hidden in the taillamps to detect a vehicle entering a driver’s blind spot while driving or backing up.

2015 Audi A8 Arrives This Summer With Refreshed Look

The 2015 Audi A8 sedan still offers the 333 horsepower 3.0 TFSI as the entry level engine and the 500 horsepower 6.3-liter FSI® W12 engine as the high end powerplant while the 4.0T V8 engine now produces 435 horsepower up from 420. The outside look shows off a new LED headlamp, grille, bumper, and splitter and hood design and inside there's an available 22-way front and rear comfort seats with 5 different massage functions.

Technology includes active lane assist, secondary collision assist that automatically applies the brakes following a collision to help avoid possible secondary collisions and there's night vision assistant that has pedestrian detection and now animal detection is able to highlight larger animals. There's head-up display projecting information onto windshield. Audi park assist helps steer the car into a parking space Audi Side assist and Audi pre sense® plus. The Audi MMI® navigation plus system that includes Google Earth mapping, Google Voice local search functionality and a Wi-Fi hotspot for up to eight devices.

The S8 has a 520 horsepower 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged, direct-injected V8 engine. The new 2015 Audi A8 and S8 will arrive in the U.S. this summer.

Volvo Concept XC Coupé Shows Off What's Coming

The second of Volvo’s three concept cars is the new two-door, four-seat Volvo Concept XC Coupé. Tony Nicolosi, President and CEO of Volvo Cars North America discussed vehicles that are coming at the LA Auto Show in November.

Volkswagen Passat BlueMotion® Concept Boasts 42 MPG

The Volkswagen Passat BlueMotion® Concept is a non-hybrid, gasoline-engine mid-size sedan with an all-new version of the Volkswagen 1.4-liter EA211 TSI® engine with direct injection and turbocharging that delivers 150 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque for an manufacturer estimated highway fuel economy rating of 42 mpg. The Passat BlueMotion® Concept also offers Active Cylinder Management technology which deactivates the valvetrain on cylinders two and three for situations when the driver only applies light throttle pressure to maintain specific city speeds, previously seen on the European Volkswagen Polo and Golf models. 

Kia GT4 Stinger Sports Car Concept To Debut Soon

The Kia GT4 Stinger rear wheel drive 2+2 sports car concept with a carbon fiber front splitter and powered by a 315 horsepower turbocharged 2.0-liter engine will be shown off in Detroit in 10 days.

2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 Arrives For $75,000 This Spring

The 2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 with a 505 horsepower 7.0L LS7 engine delivering 481 lb-ft of torque mated to a close-ratio six-speed manual transmission will have a suggested retail price of $75,000 (includes destination and freight charges, as well as the gas-guzzler tax) and will be available to order in late January with the first cars delivered to customers in the spring.

The new Z/28 power is distributed to the rear wheels via a Torsen limited-slip differential featuring a helical gear set, rather than traditional clutch packs, for optimal traction. The new Z/28 is offered in Red Hot, Black, Silver Ice Metallic, Ashen Gray Metallic and Summit White. The only available option is a $1,150 package that adds air conditioning and a total of six audio speakers. The standard Z/28 package includes one speaker. Power is distributed to the rear wheels via a Torsen limited-slip differential featuring a helical gear set, rather than traditional clutch packs, for optimal traction.

December and Full Year 2013 U.S. Auto Sales

General Motors delivered 230,157 vehicles in December, down 6 percent versus a year ago with retail sales were down 6 percent and fleet sales were down 9 percent. For 2013 GM delivered 2.8 million vehicles in the United States with retail sales increasing 11 percent and total sales up 7 percent compared with 2012.

Ford Motor Company December sales were 218,058 vehicles up 2 percent with retail up 3 percent while 2013 U.S. sales totaled 2,493,918 vehicles, up 14 percent.

Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. reported December 2013 sales results of 190,843, an decrease 1.7 percent from year-ago month. Full year 2013 sales of 2,236,042 is a 7.4 percent gain over last year.

Chrysler Group reported U.S. sales of 161,007, a 6 percent increase compared with sales in December 2012 (152,367), Chrysler's best December sales since 2007. Full-year Chrysler Group sales of 1,800,368 were up 9 percent in 2013, compared with sales during 2012.

American Honda reported 135,255 Honda and Acura vehicles were sold in December, eclipsing last December's strong sales by 1.9 percent. Total 2013 vehicle sales of 1,525,312, an increase of 7.2 percent for the year and the second-best result in company history. Honda Division annual sales reached 1,359,876 in 2013, a year-over-year increase of 7.4 percent and the second best all-time sales total for the Honda brand. The Acura Division posted year-to-date sales of 165,436, a 5.9-percent gain and the best result since 2007.

Nissan U.S. sales for December 2013 of 109,758 was an increase of 10.5 percent compared to last year. In 2013, Nissan sold 1,248,420 vehicles in the U.S., an increase of 9.4 percent over 2012 and the best annual sales total in Nissan's history.

Hyundai Motor America December sales of 63,005 was up six percent versus the same period in 2013, the best December in company history and the first December to break the 60,000 mark. Annual sales were 720,783, up 2.5 percent over a record setting 2012.

Kia Motors America reported December sales of 33,631, a 14.2 percent drop from a year ago and for the year Kia reported it's second-best annual sales of 535,179 vehicles, a 4 percent drop from 2012.

Volkswagen of America reported December deliveries of 34,015, a 22.7 percent drop from last December. 2013 full year sales of 407,704, down 6.9 percent from 2012. Separately, Audi set an all-time monthly sales record in December 2013 with sales of 17,013 new models, a 14.6 percent improvement over the previous monthly sales record set in December 2012. Audi achieved its fourth-consecutive year of record U.S. demand by recording full-year sales of 158,061, a 13.5 percent increase over the previous annual record set a year earlier.

The BMW Group in the U.S. (BMW and MINI combined) reported December sales of 43,981 vehicles, an increase of 0.3 percent from the 43,855 vehicles sold in the same month a year ago. At year end, the BMW Group (BMW and MINI combined) is up 8.1 percent on sales of 375,782 compared to 347,583 in 2012, a new record for the BMW Group U.S.  

Subaru of America reported December 2013 sales of 40,172, the best December ever for the company, an increase of 9.6 percent over December 2012. For the year, record sales of 424,683 was an increase of 26.2 percent over the previous record of 336,441 vehicles, which was set in 2012.  This fifth consecutive record also represents the largest ever single-year increase in volume for the brand.

Mercedes-Benz USA reported its best-ever December for the Mercedes-Benz brand with sales of 33,007, increasing 17.3 percent and its highest annual sales volume with sales of 312,534 for the Mercedes-Benz brand in 2013, a 14 percent increase from the 274,134 vehicles sold in 2012. Sprinter Vans achieved an annual sales total of 21,816, gaining 4.2 percent. Adding 9,264 units from smart, MBUSA's year-end total hit a record 343,614, increasing 12.6 percent from the 305,072 vehicles sold the previous year.

Jaguar Land Rover North America reported December 2013 U.S. sales for both brands of 7,308, a 17 percent increase from 6,223 units in December 2012. Jaguar Land Rover North America sales for the year were 66,962, up 20 percent from 55,675 units in 2012. Jaguar sales were 1,544, up 47 percent up from 1,049 units in December 2012 while sales for the year were 16,952 up 41 percent from 12,011 in 2012. Land Rover sales reached 5,764 units, up 11 percent from 5,174 units in December 2012 and sales for the year achieved an all-time high of 50,010 up 15 percent from 43,664 in 2012.

Mitsubishi Motors North America reported December sales of 6,423, up 56.2 percent compared to December 2012. Mitsubishi sales were up 7.7 percent for the year.

Volvo Cars of North America reported U.S. sales of 4,888, a 20.5 percent decrease from December 2012, due to a planned strategy to move away from fleet units and focus on retail sales. For the year, U.S. sales were 61,233, down 10.1 percent versus 2012.

Porsche Cars North America December sales of 3,246 cars was an increase of 10 percent over last December and for the year Porsche Cars North America set an all-time U.S. sales record, with 42,323 cars sold in 2013, up 21 percent over 2012.

Sales will be updated as manufacturers report.

Lexus RC 350 Coupe Coming This Year - In Red?

The all-new Lexus RC 350 Coupe was introduced in Tokyo in late November and will debut in the U.S. in Detroit in two weeks and launch later this year. The Lexus RC 350 Coupe will presumably be powered by a similar 270 horsepower V6 engine that's currently used in other models. We'll find out soon enough.

On the issue of RED CARS, according to the DuPont Automotive Color Popularity Report, 8 percent of the cars in the U.S. in 2012 were red. As seen on this chart, the top global vehicle colors in DuPont’s report are as follows:
1.         White/White Pearl – 23 percent
2.         Black/Black Effect – 21 percent
3.         Silver – 18 percent
4.         Gray – 14 percent
5.         Red – 8 percent
6.         Blue – 6 percent
7.         Brown/Beige – 6 percent
8.         Green – 1 percent
9.         Yellow/Gold – 1 percent
10.        Others – 2 percent

Infiniti Q50 Eau Rouge Concept High Performance Sedan

The Infiniti Q50 Eau Rouge high-performance design concept based on Infiniti's Q50 sedan is influenced by Formula One racing and loaded with carbon fiber parts, including front splitter, rear diffuser, side sill skirts, roof and door mirror casings. The Q50 Eau Rouge will premiere at the 2014 North American International Auto Show in Detroit on January 13.

David Zuchowski Becomes CEO and President of Hyundai Motor America

David Zuchowski (left), Hyundai Motor America executive vice president of sales will become President and CEO effective January 1, 2014 taking the place of John Krafcik (right) who will step down after five years at the helm upon the successful completion of his contract on December 31, 2013.

Zuchowski joined Hyundai Motor America in February 2007 as vice president of Sales with responsibility for all sales, sales operations, market representation, field operations and overall dealer relations. A 33-year veteran of the automotive industry, Zuchowski was previously with Mazda North America, where he served as vice president of Sales and Field Operations. Zuchowski began his career in 1980 at Ford, where he progressed through various executive-level positions including regional manager, product marketing manager, national merchandising manager and field operations manager for the Ford and Lincoln Mercury divisions.

Merry Christmas - Happy New Year

Jaguar Land Rover North America Gets New President From Chrysler

Joachim W. (Joe) Eberhardt (left) is the new President of Jaguar Land Rover North America coming from Chrysler Group where he had executive leadership sales, marketing and service roles that included DaimlerChrysler UK, Mercedes-Benz U.S.A. and Daimler-Benz AG.

Jaguar Land Rover North America November U.S. sales for both brands hit 6,047, a 37 percent increase from November 2012. Year-to-date Jaguar Land Rover North America sales are 59,654, up 21 percent over 2012, with Jaguar up 41 percent and Land Rover up 15 percent.

2013 Los Angeles Auto Show Summary On KNX1070 Newsradio

KNX Business Hour Host Frank Mottek checks in for an LA Auto Show summary of new vehicle introductions and awards on Day 2 (Nov. 21, 2013) of the Media Days from the LA Convention Center.

2015 Mercedes-Benz C300, C400 Loaded With Technology

The all-new 2015 Mercedes-Benz C-Class launches in the U.S. with the C300 4MATIC permanent all-wheel-drive system with a 235 horsepwoer 2.0L turbocharged direct-injection in-line four cylinder engine and a C400 4MATIC with a 329 horsepower 3.0L turbocharged direct-injection V6. The all-new C-Class has a 3 inch longer wheelbase (112 inches) and is 3.7 inches longer overall (184 inches) and 1.6 inches wider (71 inches) compared with the previous model.

The new C-Class is loaded with technology. ATTENTION ASSIST comes as stndard, to warn the driver of inattentiveness and drowsiness with an adjustable level of sensitivity that can inform the driver in a separate view in the instrument cluster about their level of drowsiness and how long they have been driving since their last break. The COMAND system navigation function flags up nearby break options as stopovers, providing the system has been specified in the vehicle.

Adaptive Brake Assist offers protection from collisions from speeds as low as 4 mph. COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS features a function that is able to carry out autonomous braking at speeds of up to 124 mph, thereby reducing the severity of collisions with slower or stopping vehicles. The system also brakes in response to stationary vehicles at a speed of up to 31 mph, and is able to prevent rear-end collisions at speeds of up to 25 mph. DISTRONIC PLUS with Steering Assist is a semi-automatic traffic jam assistant which at speeds under 37 mph is able to follow the vehicle ahead even where lane markings are unclear or completely lacking, thus providing a safe and convenient means of following the flow of traffic. The BAS PLUS Brake Assist System can now also detect crossing traffic and boost the braking force if the driver fails to apply the brakes sufficiently; the PRE-SAFE® Brake can detect stationary vehicles as well as pedestrians, brake automatically if the driver fails to react, thus preventing accidents up to 31 mph and mitigating the severity of collisions at speeds of up to 45 mph. In flowing traffic the PRE-SAFE® Brake provides assistance according to the same mode of operation throughout the speed range from 4 to 124 mph. Enhanced Active Lane Keeping Assist can now also prevent the vehicle from unintentionally drifting out of lane when broken lane markings apply and a risk of a collision arises, e.g. as a result of vehicles overtaking at high speed, parallel traffic or even oncoming traffic, by applying the brakes on one side.

2015 Lincoln MKC Luxury Compact SUV Starts At $33,995 Next Year

The 2015 Lincoln MKC, Lincoln’s first entry in the small premium utility segment introduced a week before the Los Angeles Auto Show, comes standard with a 240 horsepower 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine along with a push-button gear shift that controls the automatic transmission for a starting manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $33,995 (including destination and delivery charges).

The 2015 Lincoln MKC will have three trim levels, Premiere, Select and Reserve when it goes on sale next summer. The Reserve package has the 275-horsepower twin-turbo EcoBoost® engine 2.3-liter EcoBoost Engine ($1,140) and optional all-wheel drive and continuously controlled damping (CCD) suspension ($2,495 MSRP).

Available features include park out assist, Deepsoft Bridge of Weir leather, Vista Roof®, 19-inch wheels, voice-activated navigation, hands-free liftgate and driver-assist technologies and Approach Detection, which senses when an owner is near and responds by illuminating “welcome mats” on the ground next to both front doors. Simultaneously, headlamps, taillamps and door handles glow with soft lighting tuned to complement the vehicle’s exterior color.

Jonathan Browning Leaving VW of America, Michael Horn Takes Over

Jonathan Browning, 54, President and CEO of Volkswagen Group of America since 2010, is leaving the Group for personal reasons and returning to the UK. Michael Horn, 51, Head of Volkswagen Global After Sales, who joined Volkswagen in 1990, will become President and CEO of Volkswagen Group of America on January 1, 2014.

Axel Schulte-Hürmann, 52, succeeds Horn in After Sales of the Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand. Ludger Fretzen, 48, will be the new Head of Volkswagen Passenger Cars Brand Sales, North America, succeeding Terence Johnsson who moves to Head of Overseas Sales with Audi.

Volkswagen of America reported 30,727 vehicles delivered in November, down 16.3 percent from a year ago but still the second highest level since 1973. Year-to-date sales of 373,689 is a 5.3 percent decline from 2012.

GM's Ackerman Retires, Solso Chairman, Barra CEO, Ammann President

Mary Barra, new GM CEO

Dan Ammann, new GM President

General Motors Chairman and CEO Dan Akerson, 65, who took the roles on September 1, 2010, will step down earlier than expected, on Jan. 15, 2014, after his wife was recently diagnosed with an advanced stage of cancer.

Tim Solso, 66, the former chairman and CEO of Cummins will succeed Akerson as Chairman. He's been a member of the GM Board since June 2012.

Mary Barra, 51, with 33 years of experience at GM and currently executive vice president, Global Product Development, Purchasing and Supply Chain, will become the next CEO of the company and join the GM Board. Mark Reuss, 50, executive vice president and president, North America, will replace Barra as executive vice president, Global Product Development, Purchasing and Supply Chain. Alan Batey, 50, currently senior vice president, Global Chevrolet and U.S. Sales and Marketing, will replace Reuss and is named Executive Vice President and President, North America. Batey joined GM’s Vauxhall operation in 1979.

Dan Ammann, 41, executive vice president and chief financial officer, was named company president and will assume responsibility for managing the company’s regional operations around the world. The global Chevrolet and Cadillac brand organizations and GM Financial will also report to Ammann.

Steve Girsky, 51, vice chairman, Corporate Strategy, Business Development and Global Product Planning, will move to a senior advisor role until leaving the company in April 2014. and will remain on the GM Board of Directors.

Ackerman Announces Retriement

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