Car News
Toyota suing Old GM over shutdown of NUMMI plant?
Filed under: Government/Legal , Plants/Manufacturing , GM , Toyota , Earnings/Financials Toyota is still upset about how its joint NUMMI venture with General Motors was handled, and according to Automotive News , the Japanese automaker has now filed a lawsuit to the tune of $73 million. The suit is against Motors Liquidation Co., the company created to pick through the discarded ashes of “Old GM.” Toyota states that when General Motors pulled away from the NUMMI facility in 2009, it breached the contract between the two automakers. The $73 million covers research and development costs that were poured into the Fremont, California facility before it was shuttered last year.
Mazda celebrates turning 90, looks back at logos
Filed under: Etc. , Marketing/Advertising , Mazda Mazda celebrates 90 years and we look at its changing logo – Click above for high-res image gallery Mazda turns 90 years old this year, and during the Japanese automaker’s near-century of building cars, it has stayed true to the Zoom-Zoom ethos that defined it
Ford nabs former Cadillac stylist for new Lincoln design chief
Filed under: Hirings/Firings/Layoffs , Cadillac , Ford , GM , Lincoln , Design/Style Max Wolff, formerly of General Motors , has been hired by Ford Motor Company to head up Lincoln ‘s design team effective January 3, 2011. During his tenure at GM, Wolff was most recently responsible for leading Cadillac ‘s exterior design team, though he also held positions at the automaker’s Holden and Daewoo divisions. Ford sees Wolff’s global design experience as a benefit for Lincoln, bringing “a fresh perspective that will challenge us internally and take Lincoln to new levels of prestige,” says Derrick Kuzak, Ford’s Group Vice President for Global Product Development.
By the Numbers – November 2010: Almost Done With Oh-Ten Edition
Filed under: By the Numbers Subaru, Hyundai and Kia set full-year sales records The subtitle above should surprise no one. Of all the automakers operating in the U.S., Subaru , Hyundai and Kia are the only automakers to increase sales month after month through this years-long recession while their competitors have faltered. As such, all three are enjoying new full-year sales records a month ahead of the Times Square ball dropping
Audi makes a push for solar
Filed under: Europe , Technology , Hatchback , Electric Audi is rolling out a new solar program for its fledgling fleet of eTron electric vehicles. The German manufacturer is planning to expand the solar panel system at its facility in Ingolstadt so that the electric vehicle’s batteries may be charged using clean, renewable energy from the sun.
BMW Motorsport changes leadership as Mario Theissen exits stage left
Filed under: Motorsports , Hirings/Firings/Layoffs , BMW Incoming and outgoing BMW Motorsport directors Jens Marquardt (left) and Mario Theissen (right) For over a decade now, BMW has had its racing program directed by one man: Mario Theissen. Having joined the Bavarian automaker as a development engineer back in 1977, Theissen became the company’s motorsport director in 1999, driving BMW onto the Formula One grid as an engine supplier to Williams before spearheading its acquisition of the Sauber team, which he then ran until the BMW’s withdrawal from the sport at the end of the 2009 season.
GM repays another billion of its debt
Filed under: GM , Earnings/Financials , South Korea General Motors continues to clean up its ledger book, and the latest transaction has GM wiping $1 billion off the table. In Korea, the GM Daewoo Auto & Technology subsidiary, otherwise known as GM Daewoo, plans to pay back the 10-figure debt it owes to its Korean revolving credit facility. The debt will be paid in full by the end of this month
GT5 creator reveals fixes in the works, more functionality coming
Filed under: Toys/Games Gran Turismo 5 has been pretty polarizing, right out of the gate. Some diehard fans are so excited that it’s here, they may not care about the obvious issues the game has at launch. On the other end of the spectrum, some folks are quick to deride the racing sim as being terrible when that’s far from true.
Video: Ken Block hypes Gymkhana GRID Invitational
Filed under: Motorsports , Etc. , Marketing/Advertising , Videos Ken Block presents the Gymkhana GRID Invitational – Click above to watch video after the jump If you haven’t seen parts one , two or three of Ken Block’s Gymkhana clips, then this must be your first time on the internet.
Daily U-Turn: What you missed on 12.1.10
Review: 2011 Subaru Impreza WRX Just over an inch of extra width makes all the difference to the 2011 WRX.
