Ever since Henry Ford’s Model T popularized automobiles in 1908, car companies have worked tirelessly designing, manufacturing, marketing and selling different models in the hopes that each would enjoy longevity in the marketplace. The brands associated with the major players have in recent years been challenged in terms of sales, and in some cases have [...]

WASHINGTON — General Motors Co. said Tuesday it was recalling about 1.5 million vehicles worldwide to address a problem with a heated windshield wiper fluid system that could lead to a fire, its second recall over the issue in two years.
The recall affects several pickup trucks, sport utility vehicles, crossovers and passenger car models from [...]

Google is making its way into the automotive industry in several deals. One could require the Mountain View, Calif., search engine to work closer with rival Microsoft.
Ford plans to add Google Maps to its Sync in-car communications platform, available by June, on all 2010 and 2010 models equipped with the Sync system, powered by [...]

PARK RIDGE, NJ, (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) — Hertz Rent2Buy, The Hertz Corporation’s online car sales program, and Chase now provide Hertz Rent2Buy customers the option of financing their vehicle purchase through Chase Auto Finance.
“We are pleased to have Chase as our top lender in the Hertz Rent2Buy program,” said Mark P. Frissora, Hertz [...]

SANTA MONICA, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Edmunds.com, the premier online resource for automotive information, today announced the winners of the Edmunds.com Consumers’ Top Rated® vehicle awards for 2010.
“These awards recognize the vehicles that actual owners rate the highest.”
“All year long consumers rate their vehicles using Edmunds.com’s Consumer Ratings and Reviews tool,” explained Sylvia Marino, Edmunds.com’s Executive Director [...]

There is always that moment in the car dealership when the customer, seated in the potential new purchase, is pulled from the vehicle and led to a cubicle only to sit and watch as information is slowly entered on a desktop computer.
A new approach, being tested by Daimler AG’s Mercedes-Benz dealerships starting this week, aims [...]

Sales and Incentives at Highest Point in More Than a Year
SANTA MONICA, Calif., PRNewswire/ — TrueCar.com (www.truecar.com), the authority on new car pricing, forecasted today that May 2010 light vehicle sales (including fleet) in the U.S. is expected to be 1,050,290 units, an increase of 7.0% from April 2010 and a leap of 13.6% from [...]

The Senate voted Monday to exclude auto dealerships in the financial overhaul bill. If passed, consumer auto loans through the dealership won’t be regulated by the proposed Consumer Financial Protection Agency. President Obama will reportedly receive the bill to sign by July 4.
The Senate voted 60-30 to approve a nonbinding motion that urges Senate negotiators [...]

Finance Department income is generated from various sources including the Finance Products. Profits from these products contribute greatly to the total finance profit. Controlling the financing and presentation of the finance products also protects the gross profit of the Sales Department and secures the deal transaction.
Complete knowledge of products is the foundation for a [...]

J.D. Power sees May US auto sales up 17 pct from yr-ago
Full-year 2010 US forecast at 11.8 mln, from 11.7 mln
Fleet sales make up for slack May retail sales figure
May retail sales hampered by weaker buyer incentives
DETROIT (Reuters) – J.D. Power and Associates raised its forecast for 2010 U.S. light-vehicles sales to 11.8 million from [...]