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As rival and sport-utility vehicle (SUV) sales were climbing ever higher, Volvo's share of the North market stalled. Why, then, has the Swedish automaker chosen not to compete in these [...]

The BMW Isetta is a classic car that is rich in history since it helped pave the way for other vehicles. BMW pioneered small city cars by introducing the Isetta in the 1950s. There are more than 160,000 of these unusual vehicles that currently sell between $6000 and $10,000.

Pundits figured Subaru for dead three years ago. Desperately, the dogged New Jersey-based importer turned to its roots -- with a twist. Lacking a truck platform to compete with sport-utility [...]

Ten years ago, Saab's public relations department sent journalists a box of 48 Godiva chocolates, each shaped like a tiny Saab. The candy symbolized 48 consecutive months of Saab's U.S. [...]

1997 Buick Regal Using hairline splits, GM's brand managers hope to slice the 4 million unit mid-sized sedan pie into precise pieces. Buick has turned up a clutch of 49-plus, [...]

Another mole has surfaced in Detroit with a great tale to tell. This time its veteran automotive and aerospace reporter Jim Schefter, who survived the eight-year battle that led to [...]

It's taken a long time, but Audi has turned the corner. Paced by its hot new A4 sedan, Audi has finally overcome the disastrous sales effects of the 'Unintended Acceleration' [...]

The GTO began the muscle-car craze when Pontiac engineers stuck a 389-cc V8 in a Tempest in 1964. Its debut was overshadowed by the Mustang until critics called it the best driving car in the US. Prices for a 1964 GTO range from $12-20,000.

For years, I've heard people say, 'GM has a lot of really smart engineers. Too bad their products don't reflect it.' Indeed, I've been skeptical, although I recognize that even [...]

Philosopher George Santayana's words are required reading for marketing pros. 'Those who forget the past,' he said, 'are condemned to repeat it.' Memorize that phrase? unless you're a Nissan employee. [...]

Toyota has sold more than 3 million Carnrys since the model first appeared in 1983. At mid-year; 1996 Camry volume was a scosh behind Taurus and Accord in a ding-dong [...]

This classic Ford car has an asking price of $15,000-$26,000. The car is described and the address of the seller along with contacts for spare parts are supplied. The Thunderbird is very popular and in its day even outsold the Chevrolet Corvette.

Lee Iacocca won't like Brock Yates' revealing new book but even he could learn from it. When corporate histories are studied, Chrysler's turnaround and the Kerkorian kiss-off will make excellent [...]

This year we celebrate 100 years of the automobile in, America. In that time, tons of makes and models have come and gone, leaving relatively few survivors. At old car [...]

The 1969 Triumph TR6 is an affordable, yet stylish roadster. Although, many of the design features were handed down from the 1961 TR4 model, the engine and transmission perform well. Prices usually run between $6,000-$10,000, and spare parts are plentiful.

Since Ford upped its share in Mazda and snatched control, everyone's speculating on what it'll do. Here's the crux of the problem. Mazda lacks a clear, memorable image. Two of [...]

There's been a lot of hype about Toyota's new RAV4 sport utility vs. the tried-and-true Jeep Wrangler. It reminds me of the fuss when Ford's Explorer was launched to battle [...]

The Mercedes 190SL was conceived as a scaled-down convertible version of the classic 300SL Gullwing. Introduced in 1955, good 190SLs can be had today for under $20,000.

Ten years ago, Honda bravely launched Acura, the first over-$20,000 Japanese luxury car. Pre-empting Toyota and Nissan, sixty dealers grew to 200+ new single-point stores. Car and Driver off-handedly praised [...]

At the Detroit Auto Show, GM put on a lavish four-division extravaganza called Brandscape. First, all the lights went out, then Rick Wagoner lulled folks to sleep with reams of [...]

Planning for the De Lorean sports car began in 1973, but the first cars did not reach the US until 1981. The cars were plagued with problems and were not well-received critically. The car was designed with many cliches and its engine was used in other vehicles. They cost $14,000 to $22,000 in 1995.

New SUVs are coming out of the woodwork at the North American International Auto Show Several entries appear in unlikely places, but with the 4x4 market skyrocketing, automakers (goaded by [...]

At the 1990 North American International Auto Show, Cadillac had a showcar called Aurora. Curvaceous and bold, it was very different from the angular Fleetwoods and DeVilles. Next to me, [...]

One of most sought-after classic cars is the 1954 Jaguar Mark VII. The car featured a twin-cam, 160-bhp. in-line six-cylinder engine as well as stylish leather and wood interiors. Models from 1951 to 1957 average around $6,500 to $13,500.

To know the industry, you've got to know the product. That's why Automotive industries' editors make a point of regularly driving as many different new vehicles as possible. The vehicles [...]

In 1986, as Mercedes-Benz sold a record 99,300 units here, Acura pioneered Japanese luxury cars. Lexus and Infiniti followed and their sales accelerated. By 1991, Cadillac, Lincoln and the top [...]

General Motors is infamous for introducing cars that aren't quite ready for market, developing them while they're being sold, then killing them just as they got to be pretty good. [...]

Automotive retailing is changing. Sure, some dinosaur salesmen still tell women customers: 'bring in your hubby, honey, and we'll talk,' but that's getting rarer. People are too busy to go [...]

Say the words `fascinating' and `spell-binding' in conjunction with business books and eyes will roll skyward. Books on business are usually not casual reading. As they attempt to hammer home [...]

Old brands may have tremendous equity, even if sales falter, but they also can have a dated image. Building a new brand costs plenty; that's why companies are reluctant to [...]

Name an automaker, with a 56-year-old brand, that ranks consistently in the Top 10 unit sales, without a pickup truck or a truly unique passenger car? Honda? Pontiac? Buick? No. [...]

A generation ago, my college roommate complained bitterly about having to go to work at his family's new car dealership. 'The factory. car haulers pull up, unload, and we have [...]

The Volkswagen Karmann-Ghia is a collectible automobile that became popular in the early 1960s. The automobile was mostly hand-built and was comparable to the Porsches during that time. The Karmann-Ghia's history is discussed.

Management experts will tell you its OK to make some mistakes in the course of doing business--but it's not OK to repeat them. That simple philosophy drove the US management [...]

The Vincent Rapide is one of the most collectible vintage motorcycles ever made. The Rapide's product history and that of the Black Shadow derivative are discussed.

Being a leader is tough. Retaining leadership is even tougher. Consider Ford's recent move to unseat Chrysler as minivan sales leader. Only a year after its introduction, Windstar is already [...]

There was probably a lot of high-fiving at GM headquarters after the recent NHTSA decision not to recall the 1973-87 full-size C/K pickups with side-saddle fuel tanks. In the short [...]

When GM annexed Saab, Ford bought Jaguar, and Chrysler was flirting with Fiat and running Maserati, America's Big 3 automakers were doing more than thinking internationally. There were no German [...]

Smaller than Toyota and Nissan in Japan, Honda's bold efforts here have made it a market leader. The 1984 Civic CVCC led the charge for cleaner-burning engines. The CRX preceded [...]

General Motors, a company that reduced its ranks by 74,000 people since 1991, has been searching nationwide for one new employee--a top marketing executive. That GM sorely needs a marketing [...]

Three years ago, at a lunch at Volkswagen's Wolfsburg headquarters, I talked with Board Member and R&D chief Ulrich Seiffert about VW's dreary US sales. I noted that Japanese automakers [...]

The US-spec M3 is only slightly slower than the European model but much more affordable at $35,800. It boasts better performance than a Nissan 300ZX or Toyota Supra, and with plenty of passenger and luggage space.

Volvo sold over 100,000 cars per year here in the US from 1985-1989. Sales dropped to 89,894 in 1990, slithered to about 67,500 for the next two recession years, and [...]

Asked about competition, former Porsche Cars North America CEO, Peter Schutz, told a story about two campers who confronted a giant grizzly bear in the woods. They both began to [...]

Audi US sales have fallen to almost no first-time buyers. Shoppers no longer recognize the brand's qualities. A new ad campaign is helping, but Audi is still not price competitive. The company needs to position and price its models against specific competitors.