TORRANCE, Calif. — After news surfaced that Consumer Reports had slapped the automaker's 2010 GX 460 model with a "Don't Buy: Safety Risk" warning for allegedly having potential roll-over issues, Lexus has temporarily halted sales of the SUV in the U.S. and Canada and is offering loaner cars to concerned owners of the model until the […] [Read More]

NEW YORK — Dealers and automakers now can obtain a better sense of what customers are saying about brands and vehicles through social networking Web sites. J.D. Power and Associates launched a new tool on Wednesday — the J.D. Power Auto Intelligence Monitor — that executives believe is the first industry-specific social media listening platform. Company officials explained […] [Read More]

DETROIT — General Motors made a new appointment to its board of directors earlier this week. The automaker added Dr. Cynthia Telles, who has been on the faculty of the University of California, Los Angeles School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry since 1986 and is currently the director of the UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute Spanish-Speaking Psychosocial Clinic. […] [Read More]

OAK BROOK, Ill. — vAuto is offering a Stocking and Sourcing Strategies online seminar next week that is free for vAuto customers. It will be held from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. (CST) on Monday, and will delve into three specific areas: 1. Discussion of market trends, new processes and philosophies for sourcing vehicles. 2. How to […] [Read More]

IRVINE, Calif. — Values grew in all segments in March, and this trend is expected to continue into the second quarter, particularly on compact and subcompact models, Kelley Blue Book reported Tuesday. Interestingly, while March is generally a strong month for values, KBB discovered that this March's trends exceeded those traditionally seen in the past. Overall, […] [Read More]

DEARBORN, Mich. — Quality improvements, healthier demand for the automaker's new lineup and stronger durability have helped to push up the resale values of one- to five-year-old Ford vehicles 23 percent compared to year-ago figures, the automaker said Tuesday. Moreover, this year-over-year resale value gain for Ford vehicles in the auction market was 4 percentage points stronger […] [Read More]

DETROIT — When General Motors vice chairman Bob Lutz looked back at his near half-century career in a recent interview with AOL Autos, the design guru and longtime industry executive said the vehicle that he is most proud of is the Chevrolet Volt. Lutz — who is retiring from his post at GM on May 1 after […] [Read More]

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — They specialize in different modes of "transportation," so to speak, but the auto and aerospace sectors might be able to help each other when it comes to technology. At least that's the goal of Chrysler and NASA, which have teamed up for a three-year collaboration that, essentially, allows for technology and resource […] [Read More]

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — AutoTec has new ally in its battle against unlicensed and illegal vehicle sales, as the National Independent Automobile Dealers Association said recently that it is lending its support to help the company fight curbstoning. AutoTec founded Stop Curbstoning to educate used-vehicle shoppers about the dangers of curbstoning, unite dealers and urge municipalities to crack […] [Read More]

DALLAS — Liquid Motors has launched a new tool that allows dealers to monitor their social media presence across various sites and quickly respond to consumer feedback, whether good or bad. Basically, in using the SocialFuel Monitor product, dealers can punch in keywords or phrases for the program to track. Then the tool notifies the dealership whenever […] [Read More]