Customer satisfaction with domestic automobiles showed resilience despite an overall decline for the industry, according to a report released Aug. 17 by the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), Ann Arbor, Mich.
While overall automobile satisfaction dipped 2.4% from an all-time industry high to a score of 82 on a 0-100 scale, Ford and GM held steady as their Lincoln-Mercury and Buick nameplates took the lead for the first time ever. Chrysler, however, continued to underperform, with two of its three divisions at the bottom.  -Read more-

Having suffered a significant decline in the automotive segment in 2009 which was near catastrophic for its domestic OEMs, the prospects for the North American car market are looking significantly healthier in the first half of 2010, according to the latest figures supplied by JATO Dynamics, a provider of automotive intelligence.  -Read more-

BuickWhile April and May sales offered a continuing comeback in vehicle sales, highlighting what looked like a recovering market, June put a brake on the accelerating progress.
Even as Ford and GM paraded increased year-over-year sales of individual brands in their stables, the Detroit 3 reported June sales down as much as 13% from May; Toyota noted a May to June drop of 14%.  -Read more-

As the largest oil spill in U.S. history continues to leak into the Gulf of Mexico, the argument for domestically produced alternative fuels, like ethanol (E85), is back on, said GM.

Manufacturing plants continue to research and develop biofuels from a variety of unique sources. In fact, scientists are now converting materials like grass and woodchips into cleaner burning biofuel at a similar cost to that of producing a gallon of gasoline.

2010 F-150The editors at Kelley Blue Book’s Kbb.com compared five of the new full-size pickups and ranked them from top to bottom. Heavy Duty or Super Duty models, which are really intended for harder work and heavier loads, were excluded from the comparison. Among the Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Ford F-150, Nissan Titan, Ram 1500 (formerly Dodge, but now known as "Ram") and Toyota Tundra, the kbb.com editors lauded the F-150 as No.

2010 LotusCall it a sign of the times. In an era when relentlessly high fuel prices and increasingly stringent emissions requirements are putting a serious squeeze on displacement and cylinder counts, greater numbers of automakers are rallying behind the battle cry "Four is More" when it comes to creating performance cars with a 21st-century twist.
So says Kelly Blue Book, Irvine, Calif.  -Read more-

 

 

The summer sport compact market has new kits for new faces

3dCarbon performed wind- tunnel testing and computational fluid dynamic testing to make sure its Prius kit wouldn’t slow the vehicle down with any added accessories.

2010 XterraA recall for 48,700 of Nissan’s U.S.-built light trucks was expected to be announced the week of May 17 over concerns that a lower suspension control link might have been welded improperly. Nissan North America revealed that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration had been discussing the possibility of a recall May 14.

 

Chrome ready.

Just a touch or maybe a full dress-up or a carefully placed piece of chrome spiffs up a vehicle’s interior and exterior, enhancing the car, truck, CUV or SUV — and adding value to it, and good vibes for its owner and those who see it on the road, or even just parked.
Whatever a restyler can do to bring that special touch of class, shine and sparkle to a customer’s ride, makes for happy, satisfied people on both sides of the cash register.