DETROIT — General Motors recalled more than 243,000 CUVs on Tuesday for a possible second-row safety buckle issue. The automaker is checking Chevrolet Traverse, Buick Enclave, GMC Arcadia and Saturn Outlook vehicles from model years 2009 and 2010 to see if there is any damage to the second-row safety belts. GM noted that this damage "in […] [Read More]

DALLAS — Officials from efleetdirect touted the capability of their new staging and processing facility in Dallas, while also highlighting where their next expansion will likely be located. The new Texas facility is located at 2750 Electronic Lane in Dallas and is geared to house vehicles being put up for sale in various wholesale and retail channels. […] [Read More]

DETROIT — Apparently, 258 dealers closed this year from January through July 1, according to Urban Science. While still a significant number, it's nowhere close to the record 1,603 dealers who closed up shop last year. According to Urban Science, the higher than normal rate is due to bankruptcy closures and arbitrations, which the firm indicated […] [Read More]

DEARBORN, Mich. — After one year in service, the Ford Taurus is boasting a significant jump in resale value, the automaker announced Monday. In fact, the 2010 Taurus is now commanding an average 39-percent increase in resale value, or $7,100 more than the 2009 model, according to Rose Peng, manager of Global Lifecycle Analytics Department. "The […] [Read More]

CHICAGO — PickupTrucks.com recently held a competition to evaluate the performances nine heavy-duty trucks. The Heavy-Duty Shootout named winners in three different categories, and taking this year's awards were the 2011 Ford F-250 in the Three-Quarter-Ton Gas segment; the 2011 Silverado 2500HD in the Three-Quarter-Ton Diesel segment; and the 2011 GMC Sierra Denali 3500HD in the One-Ton […] [Read More]

CHICAGO — Automotive Internet Media announced it has been selected by the LemonFree.com auto search engine to be the exclusive distributor for the launch of the website's Dealer Certification Program. The first participants in the program will be dealerships chosen by LemonFree.com based on their reputation for employing best practices. The program is designed to help dealers who gain […] [Read More]

TORRANCE, Calif. — Generating customer testimonials through online channels has become a more integral part of automotive marketing lately, and Toyota Motor Sales, USA is looking to tap into that through a new mini-site. "Stories from the Road" allows owners to post stories about driving their Toyota product, and it appears to be a hit thus […] [Read More]

PALO ALTO, Calif. — High Gear Media revealed its new chief revenue officer Monday, announcing that it is bringing in David Armitage, who is a former executive with both Autobytel and Edmunds.com. In his new role, Armitage's responsibilities will cover all revenue initiatives. His duties will hone in on boosting brand advertising throughout the company's auto websites. […] [Read More]

DETROIT — With the aim of bringing more female professionals into the auto retail business, the General Motors Women's Retail Network is introducing a scholarship program targeting women studying in automotive retail programs at undergraduate, graduate and non-traditional education institutes. The network will be giving out scholarships of up to $5,000 starting next year and will begin taking […] [Read More]

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — America's Car-Mart recently expanded its network of dealerships for the second time in the past two months, raising its total to 99. The newest store to come on board is in Farmington, Mo. Back in June, Car-Mart rolled out a new rooftop in Clarksville, Tenn. President and chief executive officer William "Hank" Henderson […] [Read More]