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The police vehicle market is flush with new iron from all quarters, making the results of this year’s Michigan State Police Vehicle Evaluation hotly anticipated. Ford brought its new Taurus-based Police Interceptor, Chrysler had the 2011 Dodge Charger Police Pursuit model, and General Motors showed up with the Chevrolet Caprice Police Patrol Vehicle. Preliminary results of the performance and dynamics testing put the Caprice PPV on top of its rivals, says GM, but there’s a catch.

Chevrolet is touting the unofficial test outcome (final results will be released later this year) as proof of the Caprice PPV’s superiority. Being quicker to both 60 and 100 mph and offering shorter stopping distances are performance attributes that officers appreciate, as is a 6.0-liter V8 and a chassis that handled Grattan Raceway with the best average lap time. Thing is, despite the fact that Ford’s forthcoming Taurus-based cruiser was on-hand and competed in the tests, GM only compares its new Caprice to the ancient Crown Vic. The reason? The Blue Oval’s new PI won’t be available for more than a year. According to the blokes at Jalopnik who were on-hand for the shootout, the Caprice was actually bested by the AWD Taurus PI in braking and lap times, but GM has fashioned the ‘not available yet’ loophole to create victory (nevermind that the Caprice isn’t on the streets yet either).

Of course, good performance numbers aren’t all there is to police work, or departments would patrol in Corvettes. Chevrolet says the Caprice PPV leads in interior space and thoughtful touches like seats designed to accommodate officers’ equipment belts. All of this, GM says, adds up to an open-and-shut case for the Caprice Police Patrol Vehicle. You’d expect no less from a press release (posted after the jump), but clearly, the real victory in the race to replace the Crown Victoria has yet to be determined.

[Sources: General Motors, Jalopnik]

Continue reading Chevy Caprice outperforms Ford and Dodge police cars in official test… or does it?

Chevy Caprice outperforms Ford and Dodge police cars in official test… or does it?

    

Tags: 2011, blue oval, Car, cars, chevrolet, chevy, chrysler, Corvette, cruiser, design, dodge, duty, epa, ford, general motors, gm, Official, photo, Photos, ring, super, tC, test, Time, V8

Here’s the production 2012 Range Rover Evoque in all it’s glory, and the LRX-inspired CUV is lighter, meaner and greener than anything to come from the Range Rover arsenal.

Buyers can opt for three exterior design themes: Pure, a minimalistic take with 19-inch wheels and natural colors complemented by brushed metal trim adorning the insides; Prestige, a “bespoke exterior” treatment with exclusive 19-inch wheels paired “an indulgent interior;” or Dynamic, with 19- or 20-inch wheels a reworked bodykit, and a sportier cabin complete with perforated leather seats and a bit more bling.

Inside, the interior is influenced not only by the Range Rover Sport, but by Jaguar as well. Seriously bolstered seats straddle a center tunnel where a rotary gear transmission selector rises to hand. The four-setting Terrain Response System dial has been replaced with buttons attending an illuminated menu and controls are mainly managed through an eight-inch touchscreen. Aural enjoyment is provided by the 825-watt, 17-speaker Meridian sound system with additional inputs for other peripherals.

Underneath the Evoque’s hood is a 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine that, naturally, is not called EcoBoost. Referred to as the Si4, it’s been developed for North American audiences and produces 240 horsepower that runs through a six-speed automatic transmission. Electric power steering is standard, a regenerative electrical system captures energy when things get hauled down and everything is kept on an even keel thanks to a MagneRide adaptive dynamics suspension.

Sales of the LRX start in the fall of 2011, and all the info you could want can be found in the press release after the jump, while dessert is in the gallery of high-res photos below. We’ll be getting even closer to it in a week’s time at the Paris Motor Show.

[Source: Land Rover]

Continue reading Paris Preview: Land Rover reveals the Evoque

Paris Preview: Land Rover reveals the Evoque

    

Tags: 2.0, 2011, Audi, design, ford, green, horsepower, iCan, Jaguar, LG, Other, photo, Photos, preview, review, ring, sale, theme, Time, touchscreen

Daily U-Turn: What you missed on 9.21.10

    

Tags: 2011, 2011 ford, 2011 ford mustang, 2011 mustang, 911, Audi, banner, Car, Coupe, design, ford, ford mustang, gm, horsepower, Hyundai, mustang, nissan, Other, Porsche, Porsche 911, preview, review, spy shots, test, Video

Autocar reports that the suits at Renault are keeping the dream of a true successor to the Alpine alive and well. The pub quotes Laurens van den Acker, the new vice-president of corporate design for Renault, as saying that he believes there’s room for an affordable sports car in the company’s lineup. There have been several attempts to re-fire the Alpine furnace over the past few years, but each have been cancelled due to various reasons. The 2006 Nepta Concept, pictured above, was one such stillborn attempt.

But Autocar says that a new take on an Alpine is back on the table and that the newest project takes plenty of cues from the A110 Berlinette. The fiberglass-bodied coupe helped make the Alpine name famous with its various rally escapades in the early ’70s.

As promising as all of this sounds, van den Acker admits that it’s going to be an uphill battle to make a strong enough business case for a low-buck sports car to make anyone else at his company take notice. Still, hoping never hurts, no matter how many times we’ve been hurt in the past.

[Source: Autocar]

Rumormill: Alpine coming back… again… for real

    

Tags: a1, alpine, Cabriolet, Car, cars, concept, Coupe, design, ford, NY Times, preview, Renault, review, Time, UK

Wards Auto has crowned its king of the 2011 diesel pickup engine crowd. The editors pitted the mills in the 2011 Dodge Ram HD, Ford Super Duty and the GMC Sierra Denali HD against each other in one epic battle royale at the Robert Bosch LLC test track, and while each of the three oil-burners did a smart job of hauling payloads and the like, Wards clearly favored one above the rest. The publication said that the powerhouse 6.7-liter turbocharged V8 in the Super Duty was the clear winner, despite being the most expensive of the three engines.

The editors chose the Ford over its competitors because of its ridiculous 800 pound-feet of torque, quietness and effortless towing, even though the 6.6-liter turbocharged Duramax V8 in the GMC produced faster 0-60 times in tests. Interestingly enough, Pickuptrucks.com skipped the Powerstroke in the Super Duty in favor of the Duramax Sierra. Given the obsessively thorough testing by Mike Levine and the rest of the Pickuptrucks.com crew, we’re a little more inclined to agree with those results. Still, you know what they say about opinions and elbows.

[Source: Wards Auto]

Ford Power Stroke wins Ward’s diesel shootout

    

Tags: 2011, 2011 ford, 2011 ford super duty, dodge, dodge ram, duty, ford, ford super duty, FordSuperDuty, gm, GMC, Other, photo, Photos, Pickup, PickupTruck, super, super duty, SuperDuty, test, Time, truck, V8

For Episode #196 of the Autoblog Podcast, recently departed Autoblogger Jonny Lieberman joins us from his perch atop the ivory Motor Trend tower. In between recounting stories from the land of the Buff Books, Chris, Dan and Jonny talk over some of this week’s news, including the Lotus Elite, the final Ford Ranger in North America, the BMW 6 Series concept and a truckload of new Chrysler information about the 200C, the Challenger, transmissions, and more. We finish up with some of your feedback near the epic two-hour mark. Thanks for listening!

Autoblog Podcast #196 – With Jonny Lieberman from Motor Trend

In the Autoblog Garage:

Chrysler 300C SRT-8
BMW 335D
Ferrari 458 Italia

News:

• Lotus Elite
• Ranger finally dies
• BMW 6 Series
  
• 2011 Challenger details
  
• Chrysler 200 Tease

Hosts:
Dan Roth, Chris Shunk, Jonny Lieberman

Runtime: 1:49:30

---

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Review the show in iTunes and take our survey

Autoblog Podcast #196 – with Jonny Lieberman from Motor Trend

      

Tags: 2011, Apple, Audi, bmw, BMW 6 Series, challenger, chrysler, concept, Coupe, epa, ford, iTunes, Jeep, Lotus, mp3, Official, Pickup, preview, review, Time, truck

With the venerable Ford Crown Victoria on its way out, cabbies all across the country are being forced to come up with all kinds of solutions to their passenger-hauling needs. The Toyota Camry has a bit of favor with this crowd thanks to its roomy back seat, efficient drivetrain and inexpensive MSRP. Of course, all of that goes out of the window when you start talking about the NASCAR interpretation of the sedan. Red Bull recently decided to put one of its tri-oval terrors to work on the streets of Chicago as a cab, complete with none other than Scott Speed behind the wheel.

With a few additions like real headlights, brake lights, turning indicators and a license-plate bezel, the Number 82 Camry was handily transformed into a street legal machine. Speed spent the better part of a morning shuffling people around the streets of the Windy City in a blaze of tire smoke and V8 glory. It looks like plenty of fun, and we’re guessing there will never be another cab ride quite like it. Still, we think we’d rather end up in the Cash Cab. Hit the jump to check out the video.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Scott Speed’s Redbull NASCAR taxi earns its fare in Chicago

Video: Scott Speed’s Redbull NASCAR taxi earns its fare in Chicago

    

Tags: Car, ECID, error, ford, fun, Mac, NASCAR, Other, tC, toyota, V8, Video, YouTube

Hyundai is movin’ on up. According to The Detroit News, the Sonata officially displaced the Nissan Altima as the third best-selling mid-size sedan in America last month. In August, the Korean manufacturer sold 21,399 units, falling just behind the Honda Accord at 22,506 and the Toyota Camry at a little over 30,000. Those numbers are just based on retail sales, not the vehicles that are sold off to rental fleets. The Sonata has been besting rivals like the Ford Fusion and Chevrolet Malibu for a good while now, but this is the first time the car has managed to rattle the Japanese triumvirate that dominates the segment.

It seemed to be only a matter of time, though. The Sonata now wears some of the best looking sheet metal of any midsizer out there and its price tag comes in a good bit lower than both the Accord and the Camry. Throw in a snappy interior and very efficient drivetrain options, and suddenly you’ve got the attention of the car-buying public. The Detroit News says that since the 2011 Sonata debuted, the number of car buyers considering the vehicle has leapfrogged from 6.2 percent in January of 2007 to 19.5 percent recently. Thanks for the tip, Nicolai!

Photos by Steven J. Ewing / Copyright (C)2010 AOL

[Source: The Detroit News]

Report: Hyundai Sonata overtakes Nissan Altima for third in mid-size segment

    

Tags: 2011, Car, chevrolet, DSi, ford, gm, honda, Hyundai, Japan, nissan, Official, photo, Photos, review, ring, sale, Time, toyota

According to AutoWeek, Joel Piaskowski, formerly of General Motors, Hyundai and Mercedes-Benz, is now making his way to Ford to head the exterior design team for the automaker in the Americas.

Piaskowski is perhaps best known for penning the Hyundai Genesis coupe and sedan – two vehicles that helped change the Korean automaker’s image here in the United States. He then left Hyundai at the end of 2008 to become the head of design at Mercedes-Benz’s advanced design studio in Irvine, California. Following his departure in March of this year, Piaskowski officially joins Ford Motor Company on October 1.

With recent debuts like the Fiesta as well as the upcoming Focus, Ford is proving that it’s capable of creating great design. Adding Piaskowski to the mix of clever-eyed design team should only strengthen Ford’s future portfolio, and we’re eager to see what new designs come out of the Blue Oval under the journeyman’s leadership.

[Source: AutoWeek Image: General Motors]

Ex-Hyundai and Benz stylist Piaskowski joins Ford as head of exterior design

      

Tags: blue oval, Car, Coupe, design, epa, focus, ford, general motors, gm, Hyundai, mercedes, mercedes-benz, Official

Forty-six Years Of Refinement Make It The Muscle Car To Beat

Potentially ruinous. All that work on an impressive new 5.0-liter V8 engine, chassis tweaks and other piecemeal refinements for the 2011 Ford Mustang GT are almost all for naught because of a single glaring issue. What could erase all the gains the Mustang has made for 2011? The answer is nestled between the front seats, and it goes by the name 6R80.

Despite the promise that a smooth-shifting six-speed automatic transmission carries, not to mention the associated fuel economy, the auto ‘box blunts the Mustang’s edge severely. Can the new 5.0-liter V8 and wind in your hair make up for the dulling effect of the Mustang GT Convertible’s transmission? Follow the jump to find out.

Continue reading…

Photos copyright (C)2010 Dan Roth, John Neff / AOL

Continue reading Review: 2011 Ford Mustang GT Coupe and Convertible

Review: 2011 Ford Mustang GT Coupe and Convertible

    

Tags: 2011, 2011 ford, 2011 ford mustang, A4, Car, Coupe, EDGE, ford, ford mustang, mustang, Other, photo, Photos, R8, review, ring, test, tweak, V8

The 2011 Ford F-150 now has more exciting engine choices than at any other time in the storied truck’s history. But as much as we’re looking forward to rocking the new 411-horsepower 6.2-liter V8, the 360-hp 5.0-liter V8 or the 300-hp 3.7-liter V6, the top of-the-line EcoBoost V6 has us the most excited. The reason? Ford keeps taunting us with tales of terrific torque curves and class-leading fuel economy.

While The Blue Oval is still playing coy on fuel economy, we’ve finally got official word on the power tip. The twin-turbo 3.5-liter will churn out 365 ponies, a figure that’s great, but not terribly unexpected in a full-size pickup. The bigger story is the mill’s promised 420 pound-feet of torque at 2,500 rpm. That lofty figure is more than General Motors or Chrysler can deliver with their light duty pickups, but not quite enough to out-twist the 434 lb-ft. from Ford’s new 6.2-liter V8. But while the 6.2 has stronger numbers all around, the EcoBoost 3.5 can hold its twist longer, with 90 percent of peak power is available from 1,700 rpm all the way to 5,000 rpm.

The EcoBoost 3.5’s power figures translate into the ability to tow a best-in-class 11,300 pounds or haul a payload of 3,060 pounds. Impressive stuff, indeed, but we’ll only be blown away if the twin-turbo mill can also manage best in-class fuel economy. After all, EcoBoost variants will likely command a significant price increase over what appears to be a very capable new 5.0-liter V8. The EcoBoost 3.5 will become available early in 2011. Hit the jump to check out the official Ford press release.

[Source: Ford]

Continue reading 2011 Ford EcoBoost F-150 puts out 365 horsepower, 420 lb-ft of torque

2011 Ford EcoBoost F-150 puts out 365 horsepower, 420 lb-ft of torque

    

Tags: 2011, 2011 ford, 6.2-liter v8, blue oval, chrysler, duty, F1, ford, ford f-150, gm, horsepower, iCan, Official, Other, photo, Photos, Pickup, super, tC, Time, truck, V8

	Revealed: Canada’s cannabis-composite electric car concept, the Kestrel Well, the door, at least.		Ford delivers details on how Transit Connect Electric will come to Europe Tip of the Blue Oval’s plug-in vehicle spear.
	Driving Sustainability: Mitsubishi proposes way to slash price of an electric car pack by 75% This is a new one.	Other news: Brazilian billionaire plans $1B electric vehicle facility with 100,000 unit annual capacity Driving Sustainability: Framing the Mobility Timeline Driving Sustainability 2010: CHAdeMO quick chargers can “relieve drivers’ range anxiety.”

AutoblogGreen for 09.21.10

      

Tags: 2011, abg, autobloggreen, blue oval, Brazil, Canada, Car, concept, electric car, Europe, ford, green, mitsubishi, Other, plug-in, Time

We can’t find much fault with the 2011 Ford Fiesta, but if there’s one major gripe, it’s a lack of power (well, and paddle shifters for the dual-clutch gearbox). However, it looks like that lone complaint may be addressed with the introduction of the Fiesta ST, the smaller sibling to the recently revealed Focus ST.

Similar to the mule caught in Detroit earlier this year, the three-door Fiesta is back with a massive front-mount intercooler, revised body work, new wheels and a high-performance exhaust, along with some racy Recaros that probably won’t make the trek from prototype to production.

While it’s doubtful Ford would port over the Focus ST’s 247 horsepower 2.0-liter EcoBoost mill, the 180-hp turbo’d 1.6-liter or rumored EcoBoost 1.4 are definitely in the cards. With the Focus ST finally having a shot in the States, the globally-certified Fiesta ST might come along for the ride. And maybe a set of paddle shifters will be included in the package.

[Source: KGP Photography]

Spy Shots: 2012 Ford Fiesta ST ready to back up its big brother

    

Tags: 2.0, 2011, 2011 ford, Car, focus, ford, horsepower, Other, photo, Photos, preview, recaro, review, SIM, spy shots, tC

We’ve cherrypicked some questions for discussion out of the last weeks news, but hit up our interactive Q&A box below and query the podcast team with your own question. Even if you don’t have your own question, you can vote on which questions deserve our attention the most. Discussion topics for Autoblog Podcast #196, which we’ll record tonight, can be found below. Finally, subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes if you haven’t already to hear your question answered.

Discussion Topics for Autoblog Podcast Episode #196

• Lotus Elite
• Ranger finally dies
• BMW 6 Series
  
• 2011 Challenger details
• Jeep Pickup
• Chrysler 200 Tease

Subscribe to the Autoblog Podacast and hear your questions asked:
[iTunes] Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes
[RSS] Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator

Submit your questions for Autoblog Podcast #196

    

Tags: 2011, Apple, bmw, BMW 6 Series, challenger, chrysler, concept, Coupe, ford, iTunes, Jeep, Lotus, Official, Pickup, preview, review, test, update

After a rather long product winter, 2011 is shaping up to be a big year for Jeep. Obviously, the biggest news from Chrysler’s off-road brand has been the introduction of the 2011 Grand Cherokee, and after driving the new all-roader (twice), we’ve learned that the automaker is still fully capable of delivering competitive, well-rounded products. But beyond the Grand Cherokee, Chrysler has made tweaks to both its Jeep Wrangler and Patriot for the 2011 model year, and we spent some time this morning at the Pentastar’s Technical Center in Auburn Hills, Michigan, to see what all the fuss is about.

Looking at both the Wrangler and Patriot from the outside, you won’t immediately notice the new changes these vehicles receive for 2011. The Patriot receives a slight styling update – a cleaner front end with repositioned fog lamps is up front, body cladding has been added to the sides and a new rear bumper is found out back. The Wrangler has even less in the way of exterior visual updates, save the new body-colored hardtop available on the Sahara trim level.

What really impresses us, though, is the larger attention to detail in both of these vehicles. On the Wrangler, for example, little kitschy add-ons like an off-loading Jeep integrated into the windshield outline (pictured right) or the seven-slat grille design for the sun-blocker behind the rear-view mirror. Little things like this are only part of the story, though – the new interiors that both of these vehicles receive are seriously worthy of your consideration.

Wranglers get an updated dash with softer, rounder shapes, and although hard plastics are still used throughout, it fits with the SUV’s bad-to-the-bone attitude. Still, new improvements for 2011 include the addition of optional leather seating and Jeep’s new corporate steering wheel.

The Patriot, on the other hand, gets a full host of updates, with soft-touch materials used throughout the cabin. Chrysler says that specific touch points have been enhanced in the Patriot to rid the interior of cheap-feeling buttons and knobs, and the new seats (both leather and cloth) are really comfortable. It’s a huge, much-needed leap forward for the Patriot, and it makes it much more competitive against vehicles like the Kia Sportage, Honda CR-V and Ford Escape.

Similar updates will make their way onto the unloved Jeep Compass, which will launch closer to the end of the year. In the meantime, click through our galleries below to see live shots of the 2011 Wrangler and Patriot live from Chrysler’s design dome.

Photos Copyright (C)2010 Steven J. Ewing / AOL

In-Person: 2011 Jeep Wrangler and Patriot add refinement, panache

    

Tags: 2011, API, chrysler, CTS, design, ford, honda, Jeep, kia, Other, photo, Photos, POI, review, ring, SIM, test, Time, tweak, update

As Americans, there’s no denying we have a healthy obsession with the lives of celebrities. From movie stars like Will Smith down to reality television “stars” like The Situation, people are curious as to what’s going on in their world. What clothes do they wear, where do they get their groceries and what kind of car(s) do they buy? Sometimes a celebrity won’t have much say in the vehicle they drive because they sign a sizable endorsement deal to tell us which vehicle we should be driving. As sales numbers for thousands of celeb-endorsed products will tell you, their stamp of approval can make a difference in a bust or boom period for a product. Well, as long as that product isn’t a car.

According to WhatCar, celebrity endorsements only affect one percent of car buyers. They polled over 1,000 folks and just 11 said they could be encouraged by someone famous telling them what to buy. Obviously, a car buyer should purchase the vehicle that makes the most sense to them, not the one that Kate Walsh (above) likens to trying on a good dress. Exceptions can be made, however, for anyone who purchased a Chrysler Cordoba because of its soft Corinthian leather, of which the virtues were extolled beautifully by Ricardo “KHAN” Montalban.

What say you? Can Justin Timberlake convince you to buy an Audi or does Mike Rowe explaining how great the Ford F-150 is make you picture a Chevrolet Silverado in your driveway?

View Poll

[Source: WhatCar]

Study: Car buyers not impressed by celeb endorsements. How about you? [w/poll]

      

Tags: advertising, Audi, cadillac, Car, chevrolet, chrysler, CTS, ford, ford f-150, gm, iCan, sale, tC, Time, USA, Video

Not The Naughtiest of Volvos, But Definitely Up To Something

Volvo has been gearing up the promotion machine for its new S60, and it’s taking an unusual tack, referring to the Swedish automaker’s latest sedan as the sportiest and “Naughtiest Volvo Ever.” This, of course, may seem a bit like proclaiming that Greg was the rebel in the Brady Bunch. It might have been true, but the Swedish automaker’s lineup hasn’t exactly been fraught with the sort of characters that your parents warned you about, has it?

If this S60 is ‘naughty,’ it’s probably in the same way that going to prom with your mother is ‘naughty.’ It’s wrong, certainly… particularly for the couple sharing your limo. It might even be a bit dangerous – for your social life – but at the end of the day, the core wholesomeness of both mothers and Volvos can’t be denied, right?

Well, perhaps not. After all, although it was developed under the Ford umbrella, this new S60 comes to market with new ownership (China’s Zhejiang Geely Holding Group) and new leadership (former Volkswagen of America head Stefan Jacoby). And that is some rather sexy sheetmetal – particularly when it’s slathered in such an assertive paint color. But what’s going on beneath the skin? You’ll have to follow the jump to find out.

Continue reading…

Photos copyright (C)2010 Chris Paukert / AOL

Continue reading First Drive: 2011 Volvo S60

First Drive: 2011 Volvo S60

    

Tags: 2011, China, ford, Mac, Other, photo, Photos, review, ring, sex, Sexy, test, UK, volkswagen

Michigan law enforcement officials have gathered to run a rodeo with the Ford Police Interceptor, Dodge Charger Pursuit and Chevrolet Caprice police car. The last horse standing will be trying to slide into the spot left by the Ford Crown Victoria, which sold about 50,000 units per year before going out of production. Ford doesn’t have the inside line on replacing its standard bearer, though, because the Taurus-based Police Interceptor is front-wheel drive, and that makes some officers skeptical.

An officer’s remark that “It is a whole different driving system” symbolizes the wariness, with concerns not only about cost and complexity, but just being able to drive the thing in the way officers are accustomed. The competition is rear-wheel drive, and in the case of the Caprice – which ran the police fleet show until it went out of production – there’s more interior room. All the cars have their give-and-take, although the Ford is the only offering with all-wheel drive. Final results from the weekend’s testing will be announced in December.

Photos by Steven J. Ewing / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.

[Source: Detroit Free Press]

Report: Authorities skeptical of Ford’s new Police Interceptor at testing event

      

Tags: 2011, Car, cars, chevrolet, chevy, chrysler, dodge, duty, ford, Free, free press, gm, Official, photo, Photos, ring, test

Your eyes doth not deceive you: Fiat has a new CEO. But before we get ahead of ourselves, Sergio Marchionne isn’t going anywhere. The Italian-Canadian executive mastermind directing both the Fiat and Chrysler groups is not relinquishing his position. But a number of years ago, he did hand over control of the Fiat brand to a subordinate. That position has changed hands a couple of times since then, and has now been handed over to a new talent.

After years of experience in the industry, having worked for Ford and Toyota, Andrea Formica has been named CEO of the Fiat brand. And in typical Fiat style, he’ll also have to juggle another portfolio in the group, directing sales for Fiat, Alfa Romeo and Lancia, as well as Chrysler’s operations in Europe.

Vacating the position is Lorenzo Sistino, who moves over to head Fiat’s International Operations while also running Fiat Professional, the company’s commercial vehicles division. Full announcement in the press release after the jump.

[Source: Fiat]

Continue reading Fiat gets a new chief executive

Fiat gets a new chief executive

    

Tags: chrysler, Enzo, Europe, Fiat, ford, lfa, Other, sale, Time, toyota

Interbrand uses a number of criteria to rank the world’s top global, profitable, publicly-held brands – “global” meaning they operate on at least three continents, derive at least 30% of their income outside of their home market and no single market accounts for more than 50% of their income. Some of those stipulations are why you won’t find companies like Mars or The BBC or even Wal-Mart on the list.

But you will find Toyota, which remains the top automotive brand, even with its recent recall and safety woes. The cynic’s view might be to wonder how it can still remain so, with Interbrand’s 10 principles of strong brands including commitment, clarity and responsiveness. But the company had built so much room that it could fall some ways and still be on top, sliding from eight to 11, just ahead of Mercedes at number 12. Interbrand said that while Toyota’s problems were exacerbated by the way the company is set up, it hasn’t been hurt as much as some would have thought and it has proven its resilience over the decades.

Oddly, although Ford was cited for having been “extremely innovative with product designs” and having “excelled at marketing its vehicles,” lauded for its resilience, its closing of Mercury and its coming sustainability efforts, it falls one spot from 49 to 50. Don’t take it personally, Ford – you’re still climbing the charts as far as we’re concerned. Elsewhere on the list, Volkswagen gains two places to settle at 53, Audi gains two places to reach 63, Hyundai jumps four spots to 65, Porsche gains two spots to 73, and Ferrari loses three spots to end up at 91. You can find the full report here (PDF warning).

[Source: Interbrand]

Toyota drops in Best Global Brands Rankings, still top auto brand

      

Tags: Audi, Bing, design, EDGE, ford, Hyundai, mercedes, mercedes-benz, NOVA, PDF, Porsche, profit, toyota, volkswagen