First Drive: 2012 Audi A1 Sportback [w/video]

Filed under: Budget , Europe , Hatchback , Audi , First Drives , Luxury Do We Really Want Audi To Think This Small In America? Perhaps… It is perhaps with all the speed of a mighty iceberg, but increasingly, more and more North American buyers appear willing to think smaller when pondering their next auto purchase. The other shoe, which still has largely yet to drop, is for automakers to convince consumers of the merits of a luxury subcompact, paying a price premium for a longer list of creature comforts, options and badge appeal

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First Drive: 2012 Audi A1 Sportback [w/video]

Report: Ford scraps "Drive One" ad slogan in favor of "Go Further"

Filed under: Etc. , Marketing/Advertising , Ford Ford has adopted a new ad slogan designed to ward off complacency after successful run of nearly six years. The company is reportedly retiring its ” Drive One ” tag line for “Go Further,” which will be used in marketing campaigns in both the U.S.

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Report: Ford scraps "Drive One" ad slogan in favor of "Go Further"

Report: GM CEO stands up for Chevy Volt in D.C. hearing; Issa tells NHTSA: "I don’t believe you"

Filed under: Hybrid , Government/Legal , Safety , Hatchback , Chevrolet , Electric What a surprise. Today’s Congressional hearing over the Chevrolet Volt fire and the resulting investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration turned out to be contentious. The hearing took place in the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform’s Subcommittee on Regulatory Affairs, Stimulus Oversight and Government Spending. Just from the title of the event – “Volt Vehicle Fire: What did NHTSA Know and When Did They Know It?” – it was plain to see that chairman Darrell Issa was not looking to mess around

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Report: GM CEO stands up for Chevy Volt in D.C. hearing; Issa tells NHTSA: "I don’t believe you"

Official: Kimi Raikkonen marks official return to F1 with Lotus test run [w/video]

Filed under: Motorsports , Lotus Few drivers have caused the kind of speculation that Kimi Raikkonen has in the past few years alone. Will he take a Ferrari payoff and make way for Fernando Alonso ? Will he find another ride in Formula One ? Will he make it in the World Rally Championship ?

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Official: Kimi Raikkonen marks official return to F1 with Lotus test run [w/video]

Official: Volkswagen reveals production five-door Up!

Filed under: Budget , Etc. , Europe , Hatchback , Volkswagen Volkswagen has unveiled the new production model five-door Up! after patent drawings of the vehicle made their way to the web. The newest member to the Volkswagen small-car line is expected to land on dealer lots in Germany by early March, with availability opening up to the rest of Europe by summer. The vehicle will launch with the exact same engines and external dimensions as its three-door brethren

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Official: Volkswagen reveals production five-door Up!

Report: Ford to pay bonuses and raises, GM and Chrysler decline to do same

Filed under: Chrysler , Ford , Earnings/Financials , Canada Ford has announced that it will give both bonuses and merit-based raises to the company’s salaried workers in the United States and Canada for the first time since 2008, according to Reuters . On average, the manufacturer will offer a 2.7 percent salary increase based on individual performance. The company stopped offering the bonuses after the financial crisis of 2009 sent automotive sales into a plunge.

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Report: Ford to pay bonuses and raises, GM and Chrysler decline to do same