Ultraluxury brands on course for near 40% rise by 2020

Strong demand for ultraluxury brands -- driven by new models, improved U.S.

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Ford Flex: High ratings but low sales

The Ford Flex has a distinctive look, good reliability ratings and loyal owners. It's one of only two 2015 Ford nameplates recommended by Consumer Reports, and half of Flex buyers are new to Ford. But it was also the brand's slowest-selling U.

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Volvo self-driving car to hit Swedish roads

Volvo Cars' Drive Me pilot program announced last week will push autonomous driving a step closer to reality by putting 100 self-driving XC90 crossovers on Swedish streets by 2017.

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In a frigid winter, a torrid start to 2015

U.S. auto sales have started 2015 on a stronger note than expected, increasing the industry's chances of cracking 17 million vehicles this year for the first time since 2001.

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From behind the scenes to Honda's center stage

Takahiro Hachigo's consensus-driven leadership style could help bring a sense of closure and cohesion to Honda after a tumultuous era marred by economic crises, natural disasters and quality glitches.

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Dodge dealers called out for 'unscrupulous' Hellcat sales practices by FCA exec

Fiat Chrysler has taken the unusual step of warning some of its most enthusiastic customers -- about some of its dealers.

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GM tells Ally that GM Financial will get all of Chevy's subsidized leases

General Motors has notified Ally Financial that it will steer all of its lease subsidies for the Chevrolet brand to captive finance company GM Financial, instead of sharing them among Ally, GM Financial, and to a lesser extent, U.S. Bank.

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Snowbound New England dealers miss strong Feb. sales

As Massachusetts recovers from 100 inches of snow in recent weeks, many dealers there are reporting weaker-than-expected February sales, operational losses and lack of space because of massive snow piles.

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Auto safety advocate's work on airbags goes back to 1996

David Kelly, the former acting chief of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, was hired this week to oversee the 10-automaker consortium searching for the root cause behind Takata airbag explosions.

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Chevy Trax 'Hidden Gems' campaign leverages social media

Chevrolet is getting creative with its social media approach, using it to introduce a new vehicle. The 2015 Chevrolet Trax will be introduced in a social media campaign dubbed 'Hidden Gems.'

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Snowed under New England dealers miss strong Feb. sales

As Massachusetts recovers from 100 inches of snow in recent weeks, many dealers there are reporting weaker-than-expected February sales, operational losses and lack of space because of massive snow piles.

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Kelly's work on safer airbags goes back to 1996

David Kelly, the former acting chief of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, was hired this week to oversee the 10-automaker consortium searching for the root cause behind Takata airbag explosions.

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Group 1 names banker Doyle Arnold to its board

Group 1 Automotive has named a new director to its board seven days after another director resigned. The retailer said today its board of directors appointed Doyle Arnold, 66, as a Class I Director, effective immediately.

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GM retrenches in Thailand after Indonesia retreat

A day after announcing it is to stop making GM-branded cars in Indonesia, General Motors today said it would cease production of its Chevrolet Sonic in Thailand by the middle of this year.

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Fiat Chrysler recalling about 467,500 SUVs worldwide

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles said today it will recall about 467,500 SUVs globally in order to fix a fuel-pump issue that could cause engine stall.

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Mazda launches CX-3 small SUV, bets on diesel-only car for Japan

Mazda will sell only diesel-powered cars in the domestic launch of its key model for 2015, gambling it can convince the country's army of hybrid petrol-electric drivers that the days of sooty, noisy diesels are long gone.

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Nissan expects to reach 10% U.S. share goal ahead of schedule

Nissan North America Chairman Jose Munoz outlined a four-prong capacity expansion plan that could power Nissan to its 10 percent U.S. market share goal ahead of schedule.

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Nissan sees meeting U.S. sales goal with capacity in S.Korea, Japan

Nissan will be able to meet its goal of taking 10 percent of the U.S. market in two years without any major new investments and by making use of capacity available at factories in Japan and South Korea, a top executive said.

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Nissan can meet U.S. sales goal with capacity in S.Korea, Japan

Nissan will be able to meet its goal of taking 10 percent of the U.S. market in two years without any major new investments and by making use of capacity available at factories in Japan and South Korea, a top executive said.

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Mini designers dream up a racy Clubman for 'Gran Turismo 6' video game

Mini has joined a growing list of automakers that have released high-performance concepts for 'Gran Turismo 6' on the PlayStation 3 game system.

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Strike ends at Brazil GM plant after union flexes muscle

Workers at a General Motors factory in Brazil ended a six-day strike today after the company dropped plans to lay off 800 employees, the union said, ending the latest labor standoff in the troubled Brazilian auto industry.

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U.S. Senate panel OKs auto industry whistleblower incentive

A measure that would offer financial incentives for auto industry employees to expose safety defects won unanimous backing from a US Senate panel today.

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Fiat Chrysler to review its digital agency business, report says

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles has begun a digital agency review, people familiar with the matter told Advertising Age, an affiliate of Automotive News.

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Automakers choose aerospace firm to run Takata airbag tests

A consortium of 10 automakers formed to investigate the root cause behind Takata airbag inflator ruptures said today they have selected Orbital ATK to test the supplier's troubled inflators on their behalf.

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Federal-Mogul delays split into two public companies

Federal-Mogul, the powertrain and aftermarket parts supplier controlled by Wall Street investment mogul Carl Icahn, said this week it will delay a prior plan to split into two separate public companies during the first half of this year.

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