Automotive News (Page 1137)

If you are planning on shopping for a new Kia, you might just want to practice saying that. No, Australia's Holden hasn't become part of Kia. Instead, customers in 24 countries will be selected through local test drives & special showroom visit events to enjoy an all-expenses paid trip to Melbourne for the Australian Open Jan. 17-30, 2011.

Motor Trend has selected the Chevy Volt as its 2011 Car of the Year. Keeping with a trend common in automotive awards, the magazine has selected a car not yet available to the public for purchase. And, it has managed to select a car that has limited availability, too. When it rolls out in December, Chevrolet will only launch Volt in seven markets, in limited quantities: California, Texas, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Michigan and Washington D.C.

Lots of vintage BMW owners consider their cars to be works of art but 17 really are. The latest is a classic BMW 521i that has been turned into a piece of art by South African artist Esther Mahlangu at the Museum of Art and Design. Over the 35 years of the BMW Art Car program, 17 art cars have been added to the collection, the most recent is the BMW M3 GT2 by Jeff Koons that was unveiled earlier this year. Mahlangu was the first female and first African BMW Art Car artist to join the program.

GM IPO, scheduled for Thursday is already cult. The company raises stock price range and adds preferred shares to sale.

Audi plans to launch its first hybrid car next year. It will be based on the automaker's sport utility vehicle, the Q5.

Remember those diamond engagement ring commercials that claimed you should spend three month’s salary for a ring? Well, that’s nothing compared to the fact that you will spend, on average, almost six months of salary to purchase your next new car (then again most marriages don't last as long as a car loan). A study by Comerica Bank of Dallas claims cars are slightly more affordable in the third quarter of 2010.

Pirelli Tire North America has announced a major investment in its manufacturing facility in Rome, Georgia. Alabama and Georgia are quickly becoming major manufacturing hubs with Kia, Honda and Hyundai plants located there. The $12 million investment announced by Pirelli is going towards a compound mixing facility at the Rome, Georgia facility that has received from more than $92 million in investments since its inception in 2001.

Forday today announced 19 cities and markets where it plans to sell its electric car Ford EV, which is based on 2012 Ford Ford Focus. The list of those markets shows the automaker will target the major metro areas for its electric car's introduction.

Mercedes has tapped into the burgeoning Chinese automotive market by offering a Mercedes race-car school in China. The AMG Driving Academy in China takes place from Nov. 19 to Nov. 24 at the Shanghai International Circuit, a 3.5-mile F1 track. They’ll have some great vehicles at their disposal, including the SLS AMG, the SL 63 AMG, the C 63 AMG with Performance Package Plus, and the SLK 55 AMG.

Just like there are three major domestic manufacturers in the U.S., there are three major auto shows: Detroit, New York and Los Angeles. The Los Angeles show opens Friday, Nov. 19, after two jam-packed media days, with major debuts coming.

The 2010 Nissan Cube – by all measures a vehicle that should make sub-compact driving fun and practical. Don’t let the hype fool you. The Nissan Cube is the rare Nissan that does not have much going for it.

Judging from the images, posted on Toyota's Japanese website, the new Ractis may be a left hand drive. It does not seem surprising for the American and most of the European drivers, but this version of Ractis is for the Japan, where the drivers run their cars on the right side.

Porsche is taking a new mid-engine sized sports car to Los Angeles Auto Show. The company is keeping it secret, but experts have some ideas.

According to the Russian language car magazine Za Rulem BMW has the biggest stand at the Moscow Auto Show and is featuring this new concept car BMW Vision Efficient Dynamics.

The 2011 Dodge Charger has gotten a midcycle refresh that has added a ton of Dodge attitude, and the 2011 Dodge Challenger has received a new 392 cubic inch engine to make it one of the most powerful cars sold in America. These vehicles will make their formal public debut at the 2010 LA Auto Show but for those who can’t make it to LA, Dodge is touring the country with a 2011 Charger and 2011 Challenger SRT8 392.

Ford Motor Company announced today that starting with all 2011 models, Lincoln will offer their Lincoln Complimentary Maintenance Program on all new vehicles and they go so far as to call this a permanent program so this can presumably go on forever.