News Opinion (Page 112)

It was announced in September of 2011 that Top Gear US, which broadcasts on the History channel, will be extending its second season. For die-hard fans of the original Top Gear on the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), this is worse news than if World War 3 was announced.

Government policy changes, along with economic and environmental issues, are changing the Chinese auto market, which had the biggest growth worldwide the last two years, leading major manufacturers from the U.S., Europe and Japan to pin much of their annual planning on the market in the land of the Giant Panda.

Every year, new designs made to meet a specific set of criteria are showcased at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit. The Michelin Challenge Design sets up a scenario and then designers of all stripes (professionals, students, amateurs) submit vehicle designs based on those criterion. Here's some favorites from this year's Challenge.

The refreshed design of the Fusion line at Ford will match performance with aesthetics, adding to the already huge success the car has proven to be.

I finally remembered where I first saw this car, the Falcon F7 Series 1 Supercar, in person; it was at the Battery Show 2011 in Novi, Michigan. The vehicle was dressed in a flat black, coated carbon fiber finish. Now the Falcon F7 is all dressed up, painted a metallic orange, shining brightly and making a supercar impression at the NAIAS 2012.

If the stock market is supposed to be a forward-looking entity, then judging from the display at the NAIAS 2012 in Detroit, one has to wonder what are the factors that are keeping Ford stock from moving significantly higher.

Congratulations to the 2012 EyesOn Design winners. Designers chose the 2013 Ford Fusion as the EOD Production Vehicle Award Winner; and the Lexus LF-LC as the EOD Concept Vehicle Award Winner.

If you are a fan of SPEED channel's “The Car Show”, you might be disappointed to hear that show has not been picked up for a second season. Sadly, this means the show has been canceled.

The North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) 2012 just completed two full days of exciting new-vehicle introductions and upbeat press conferences signaling an enthusiasm not seen in the auto industry for a few years.

The North American International Auto Show is entering its 24th year as an international event, and an entourage of national and state elected government officials will visit on various days throughout the preview events, including four members of President Barack Obama's Cabinet.

With all the sales reports in, Chevrolet came out number one among all U.S. automakers in passenger car sales in 2011.

In case you haven’t noticed, changes in automotive marketing have been affecting auto shows worldwide by morphing for quite a few years now. Questions are, how much, how deep and will they forever change the traditional NAIAS press days as well as other auto unvelings?

Yes, contrary to all the green writers and readers out there, and just in time for the 2012 North American International Auto Show in Detroit , Pike Research’s latest survey shows consumer interest in plug-in electric vehicles has declined in the past two years. Question may be, why? Bet you can guess.

In case you haven’t noticed, web developers have moved away from internet development and shifted their efforts toward app development for smartphones and tablets, including OnStar. That explains why those that follow the NAIAS 2012 and CES 2012 say this will be a growth year for app development with automakers overseeing their selections.

Ford's strategic EcoBoost move and what it means to you.

There are unique aspects to every major auto show, especially hype which is ever present during press days; so the NAIAS 2012 will be no different. However, be prepared for more coverage by TorqueNews this year from press day events on design and technology.

It was mid-December when I wrote the potential for a breakout to the upside held a high degree of probability. With today’s trading, the technical breakout has now occurred for Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F).

Want to know the worst car show on television tonight, Jan. 2, 2012? Nope, it's not Top Gear USA (which seems to have disappeared from broadcast as far as my DVR can tell.) Nor is it the lazily named Car Show on SpeedTV.

With press review days a week away, rumors and auto web reports say the 2012 North American International Auto Show in Detroit will have a heavy focus on smaller cars. Question is, will the public be convinced to buy them?

Despite the well-known adage that investors hate uncertainty, those same investors will still play under the shadows of that phenomena in 2012. Question is: How might auto stock investors perform any better amidst the uncertainties in 2012?

Tesla, the electric car company, has never turned a profit from making cars. Something many in the automotive and financial world are wondering, “Will Tesla make money in 2012?”

With Friday being the last trading day of 2011, it’s time to look at the weekly chart of the Auto Sector Stocks for the year to see if there are any investing insights, opportunities and strategies for 2012, especially for January when the 2012 NAIAS takes place in Detroit.

The web is alive with the rumor that Ford is going to introduce a 2013 Shelby GT500 convertible at the Detroit Auto Show - and from this viewpoint it's a horrible idea. In what world does a driver need a 650 horsepower V8 with a soft-top convertible? It's got death trap written all over it.

Officials from the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), with Bellingham, Wash. Mayor Dan Pike, joined local business leaders as they celebrated the ground breaking of the state’s first AeroVironment DC fast charger and its segment of the West Coast Electric Highway.

The auto industry is an ever-changing, inscrutable business on a path fraught with detours, road hazards, cross traffic, patches of immobility, washed out bridges and damaged roadways. Finally shaken out of their Rip Van Winkle stupor by the Lehman Shock, Detroit’s Big Three made progress last year against the growing field of Asian and European competitors. Will 2012 serve to continue their successful growth?

Many look to electric cars not for ecological reasons, but because of greater efficiency, they're cheaper to drive.

It was recently announced that Saab, the venerable Swedish automaker, filed for bankruptcy protection. Saab did not need to do this though, as it had a chance with two Chinese firms to pull itself out from the dire financial situation it found itself in. However, General Motors (GM), blocked the deal. This begs the question... why can't Saab get a bailout?

Wall Street Journal and other sources in China reported today on the country’s change in rare-earth export quotas. However, there really doesn’t seem to be much change, especially the Chinese rationale behind the quotas.

As the second part of a new, end-of-year recognition awards, and hopefully the start of a TorqueNews tradition under the automotive technology category, the Best of the Best Advanced Automotive Technology 2011 goes to the Electric Supercharger of Controlled Power Technologies, which was recently acquired by Valeo.

As part of a new end-of -year recognition, and hopefully the start of a TorqueNews tradition, two recognition awards will be given under the automotive technology category based on a set of criteria. The first is the Best of the Best Production Automotive Technology 2011 which goes to the Buick eAssist.