Seismologists in Japan say there’s an 87 percent chance of a magnitude 8.0 quake hitting the Tokai region (between Tokyo and Nagoya) in the next 30 years. That region includes the coastal areas of Hamamatsu, home to Suzuki Motor Corporation’s manufacturing and research and development...Read More»
Supply and production interruptions due to the March earthquake in Japan (and the resulting tsunami) have left the new 2011 Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet in short supply—and from the sound of it, some shoppers might not even see Nissan's quirky new soft top crossover in showrooms until after...Read More»
Hyundai and Kia are this month expected to pull ahead of Toyota and Honda, to be the third top-selling brands in the U.S. market after only GM and Ford. Even more to the point, Hyundai and Kia are expected to be the only major brands with sales up versus April. According to the pricing-intelligence...Read More»
Toyota president Akio Toyoda -- scion of the Toyoda family for which the company is named -- recently held a press conference on the subject of the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami that hit northern Japan on March 11. And in the middle of it all, in response to what could've been a pre-arranged...Read More»
On Friday, we told you about the ways that automakers have suffered following the recent Tohoku earthquake and tsunami. From imaginary problems with Korean companies to very real parts shortages, the disaster has had a direct impact on the way that U.S. consumers view Asian brands. Now, the world's...Read More»
If you're a smart shopper, looking for a small or fuel-efficient car, you might want to consider heading out to the dealership this weekend. That's because even next week, analysts are predicting that prices will be considerably higher. As we reported yesterday, worries over gas prices and...Read More»
If you're planning to replace your current vehicle with a new one at any point this calendar year—especially a small car—you might want to step up the timeframe and consider heading out to the showroom. Now. Why? Because if price matters—as it should—you'll probably have to...Read More»
This spring and summer, General Motors [NYSE: GM] and Ford Motor Co. [NYSE: F] both have an opportunity to learn from the mistakes of the past and bolster their small-car sales. Concerns regarding gas prices, coupled with currency issues and earthquake-related supply pinches, might altogether help...Read More»
If you're set on getting a particular vehicle this year—especially a small-car model or a Japanese-brand model—you might want to go get it sooner than later. Inventories are definitely getting tighter as a result of the earthquake (and resulting tsunami) in Japan a month ago. According...Read More»
In the aftermath of the devastating March 11 earthquake and resulting tsunami, Japan's automakers are just starting to formulate plans to get rolling once again—at least in part. After being shut down for more than a month, several of Toyota's plants will begin limited production between...Read More»
If you're looking for one of several Ford or Lincoln vehicles in black or red, you'd better be ready to settle with what's out at the dealership—and potentially even paying a little extra. Ford has just told its dealerships to halt orders of some models with certain hues of semi-metallic red...Read More»
