The Auto Channel
The Largest Independent Automotive Research Resource
The Largest Independent Automotive Research Resource
Official Website of the New Car Buyer

December 2010

Select Another Month

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Hyundai Sonata Named Finalist for 2011 North American Car of the Year

Hyundai Sonata Named Finalist for 2011 North American Car of the Year

The game-changing and all-new 2011 Hyundai Sonata has been named one of three finalists for North American Car of the Year, one of the most exclusive automotive awards in the world. (A jury of 49 independent automotive journalists evaluated all the new cars introduced this year and chose three that will compete for the ... Continue reading

GMC Sierra All Terrain HD Concept Takes Heavy-Duty Capability to New Ground

GMC Sierra All Terrain HD Concept Takes Heavy-Duty Capability to New Ground

The GMC Sierra All Terrain HD concept is an exploration of heavy-duty truck capability combined with greater off-road versatility. It is highlighted by a bold exterior design, enhanced all-terrain suspension and premium details expected of a GMC – all designed to enable greater access to off-road destina ... Continue reading

On With the Show! Auto Industry's Main Event on Deck: The 2011 North American International Auto Show

On With the Show! Auto Industry's Main Event on Deck: The 2011 North American International Auto Show

TROY, Mich., Dec. 16, 2010 TROY, Mich., Dec. 16, 2010 -- The North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) today released its initial press conference schedule for the 2011 world-premier event to be held at Detroit's Cobo Center Jan. 10-23. The 2011 NAIAS will feature press events by more than 15 manufacturers as more ... Continue reading

Hyundai Announces Pricing for All-New Sonata Hybrid - Delivers 40-mpg, the Best Highway Fuel Economy of Any Mid-Size Sedan - VIDEO ENHANCED

Hyundai Announces Pricing for All-New Sonata Hybrid - Delivers 40-mpg, the Best Highway Fuel Economy of Any Mid-Size Sedan - VIDEO ENHANCED

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., Dec. 16, 2010 FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., Dec. 16, 2010 -- Hyundai Motor America has announced pricing for its all-new Sonata Hybrid, featuring Hybrid Blue Drive technology and lithium-polymer batteries. In keeping with Hyundai's simplified approach to product packaging, the Sonata Hybrid comes in ... Continue reading

2011 Jaguar XJ Named Executive Sedan of the Year by Bloomberg News - 4 GREAT VIDEOS

2011 Jaguar XJ Named Executive Sedan of the Year by Bloomberg News - 4 GREAT VIDEOS

MAHWAH, N.J., Dec. 16, 2010 MAHWAH, N.J., Dec. 16, 2010 -- The all-new 2011 Jaguar XJ has been named the 2010 Executive Sedan of the Year by Bloomberg News' automotive columnist for its unique and sleek design. The award is one of seven annual automotive awards bestowed this year by Bloomberg News. "This is a great win ... Continue reading

RRDC/FIA Young Drivers Symposium Attracts Large and Appreciative Audience

RRDC/FIA Young Drivers Symposium Attracts Large and Appreciative Audience

HILLIARD, Dec. 16, 2010: A capacity crowd of 150 young drivers, family members, managers, coaches and assorted guests participated in the Road Racing Drivers Club/FIA Young Drivers Symposium on Dec. 11, at the Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Trade Show in Orlando, Fla. Hosted by RRDC President, Indianapolis 500 winne ... Continue reading

Tickets For Baltimore Grand Prix Go On Sale

Tickets For Baltimore Grand Prix Go On Sale

Indianapolis, Dec. 16, 2010: Organizers of the inaugural Baltimore Grand Prix have billed the Sept. 2-4, 2011, race weekend as a "Three Day Festival of Speed." Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Dec. 16. The event on the streets of downtown Baltimore will feature the IZOD IndyCar Series and the Mazda Road to Indy series Fir ... Continue reading

Haywood, Pruett, Rojas, Dempsey Enter Rolex 24 At Daytona

Haywood, Pruett, Rojas, Dempsey Enter Rolex 24 At Daytona

DAYTONA BEACH, Dec. 16, 2010: Five-time overall Rolex 24 At Daytona winner Hurley Haywood will be racing in North America's premier endurance race after all in 2011. Haywood will come out of retirement to race for the 39th time in the Rolex 24, following the team's entry of the No. 59 Brumos Porsche 911 GT3 Rolex Cup. ... Continue reading

Drag Racing Industry Turns Out In Full Force at 2010 PRI Trade Show

Drag Racing Industry Turns Out In Full Force at 2010 PRI Trade Show

ORLANDO, Dec. 16, 2010: As the 2010 PRI Trade Show had three full days brimming with business, no form of motorsport was better represented than the drag racing industry. In addition to numerous drag racing-related businesses, numerous personalities from the sport were on hand, including Don “Big Daddy” Garli ... Continue reading

Chip Ganassi Racing Teams Expands IZOD IndyCar Series Program for 2011

Chip Ganassi Racing Teams Expands IZOD IndyCar Series Program for 2011

INDIANAPOLIS, December 16, 2010: Chip Ganassi Racing Teams (CGR) today announced the formation of Service Central Chip Ganassi Racing featuring rising American Indy car star driver Graham Rahal. Ganassi’s IZOD IndyCar Series stable will expand with the addition of the new team, which will be sponsored by TBC Retai ... Continue reading

J.D. Power and Associates Reports: Strength in December New-Vehicle Retail Sales Expected to Lead to Robust Finish for 2010

J.D. Power and Associates Reports: Strength in December New-Vehicle Retail Sales Expected to Lead to Robust Finish for 2010

The December new-vehicle retail sales pace is significantly beating expectations, driving a strong close to a challenging year of recovery, according to J.D. Power and Associates, which gathers real-time transaction data from more than 8,900 retail franchisees throughout the United States. (Logo: Â http://photos.prnew ... Continue reading

Honda recalls 1.35 million Fit subcompacts

Honda recalls 1.35 million Fit subcompacts

TOKYO Dec 16, 2010; The AP reported that Honda Motor Co. says it is recalling 1.35 million Fit subcompact cars globally to fix defective wiring in the headlights. Of the affected vehicles, Honda said Thursday it would recall 143,000 cars in the United States. The company will also recall 734,000 cars in Japan. Honda sa ... Continue reading

Recall: 2011 Toyota Sienna

Recall: 2011 Toyota Sienna

Vehicle Make / Model: Model Year(s): TOYOTA / SIENNA 2011 Manufacturer: TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC. Mfr's Report Date: DEC 13, 2010 NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number: 10V620000 N/A NHTSA Action Number: N/A Component: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:PEDALS AND LINKAGES Potential Number of Units Affected: 94126 Summary: TOYOTA IS ... Continue reading

Recall: Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen, New Beetle; Rabbit

Recall: Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen, New Beetle; Rabbit

Vehicle Make / Model: Model Year(s): VOLKSWAGEN / JETTA 2006-2010 VOLKSWAGEN / JETTA SPORTWAGEN 2009 VOLKSWAGEN / NEW BEETLE 2006-2010 VOLKSWAGEN / NEW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE 2006-2010 VOLKSWAGEN / RABBIT 2006-2010 Manufacturer: VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA, INC Mfr's Report Date: DEC 14, 2010 NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number: 10V621000 ... Continue reading

Honda Launched Electric Vehicle Demonstration Program

Honda Launched Electric Vehicle Demonstration Program

Honda launched an Electric Vehicle Demonstration Program today with Torrance Mayor Frank Scotto and American Honda Motor Co., Inc. President and CEO, Tetsuo Iwamura, conducting the first public test drive of a Fit EV prototype and an Accord Sedan test vehicle outfitted with a new two-motor plug-in hybrid system. The ci ... Continue reading

Azure Dynamics' Ford Transit Connect Electric LEAD Customer Program Exceeds Expectations with Record Order

Azure Dynamics' Ford Transit Connect Electric LEAD Customer Program Exceeds Expectations with Record Order

LEAD Customer Program concludes after surpassing sales target to marquee customers in government, utilities, couriers and commercial fleets in the U.S. and Canada Ninth LEAD customer is a Washington D.C. based governmental organization Tenth LEAD customer places record order of 30 units LEAD program attracted nearly 15 ... Continue reading

U.S. Competitive Car Parts Alliance (USCCPA) Notes Variances in the Weight of Key Components of Ford Brakes

U.S. Competitive Car Parts Alliance (USCCPA) Notes Variances in the Weight of Key Components of Ford Brakes

U.S. Competitive Car Parts Alliance today announced that it had discovered variances in the weight of key Ford braking system components and is examining parts from other original equipment manufacturers (OEM). The umbrella organization, which has a following among automotive consumers, declared the testing of the brak ... Continue reading

Kelley Blue Book Names Honda Odyssey '2011 Best Redesigned Vehicle'

Kelley Blue Book Names Honda Odyssey '2011 Best Redesigned Vehicle'

Kelley Blue Book www.kbb.com, a provider of new car and used car information, today announces the 2011 Honda Odyssey has been named 2011 Best Redesigned Vehicle. The kbb.com editors praise the 2011 Honda Odyssey engineers and designers for successfully tackling the difficult task of improving and redesigning an already ... Continue reading

Winnebago Industries Reports Results for First Quarter Fiscal 2011

Winnebago Industries Reports Results for First Quarter Fiscal 2011

Winnebago Industries, Inc. , one of the leading United States (U.S.) motor home manufacturers, today reported continued improvement in financial results during the Company's first quarter of Fiscal year 2011. “Our higher sales order backlog last year at this time was indicative of the fact dealer inventory had bot ... Continue reading

Renault Set For January Sales Bonanza With 2011 New Car Range Price Reductions

Renault Set For January Sales Bonanza With 2011 New Car Range Price Reductions

Energy and train prices might be rising, but car buyers in the New Year can look forward to some January bargain-hunting now that the cost of buying many new Renaults is being cut in early 2011, in spite of the increased VAT rate. ... Continue reading

Renault Offers Timely Financial Peace Of Mind With New Fixed Price Service Plan

Renault Offers Timely Financial Peace Of Mind With New Fixed Price Service Plan

In these uncertain economic times, and set against a backdrop of recent train fare hike announcements and grim wintry weather, Renault customers in the New Year will benefit from welcome peace of mind, as well as some longer term money-saving, thanks to a new three-year/30,000-mile fixed price Renault Service Plan. ... Continue reading

New Toyota Glass Technology Cuts UV By 99%

New Toyota Glass Technology Cuts UV By 99%

Toyota has announced details of innovative glass technology that reduces ultraviolet (UV) penetration into the front of the car by approximately 99 per cent. ... Continue reading

Christmas Car Parks Strain The Festive Spirit

Christmas Car Parks Strain The Festive Spirit

Busy Christmas car parks are one of the major stresses of the festive season, especially for women, according to research by Autoquake.com, the UK's leading online used car retailer. ... Continue reading

Eastbourne Suzuki Wins Independent Business Of The Year At The Eastbourne Business Awards 2010

Eastbourne Suzuki Wins Independent Business Of The Year At The Eastbourne Business Awards 2010

In the 2010 Eastbourne Business Awards, Eastbourne Suzuki has been awarded the Independent Business of the Year award and highly commended in the Overall Business of the Year award. In the event organized by the Sussex Newspapers Group, Eastbourne Suzuki beat off competition from more than 150 businesses to win these p ... Continue reading

Unique Audi Lights Are 'One' In A Million This Christmas

Unique Audi Lights Are 'One' In A Million This Christmas

Striking illuminations may be the norm at this time of year, but as the spectacular light clusters marking out the latest Audi sports car ably demonstrate, distinctiveness is for life and not just for Christmas where Vorsprung durch Technik is concerned. ... Continue reading

Blind Spot Warning System For 2011 Infiniti EX

Blind Spot Warning System For 2011 Infiniti EX

Already one of the most safety conscious 4x4s available, Infiniti's sporting coupe crossover, the EX, takes a further step ahead of rivals with a new Blind Spot Warning (BSW) system for 2011. With both audible and visual signals to alert the driver to an adjacent vehicle in the blind spot area, this valuable real-world ... Continue reading

Ford Announces Prices Of All-New High-Tech Focus

Ford Announces Prices Of All-New High-Tech Focus

Ford's all-new Focus range, priced from £15,995, will introduce an impressive equipment list of high technology smart features to the medium car market when it goes on sale in March 2011. ... Continue reading

Return To BMW Design. Karim Habib To Take Over As Head Of Exterior Design BMW Automobiles.

Return To BMW Design. Karim Habib To Take Over As Head Of Exterior Design BMW Automobiles.

Karim Habib will take on the post of Head of Exterior Design BMW Automobiles, replacing Anders Warming. The 40-year-old designer already spent the first 10 years of his career working for the BMW Group, during which time he was responsible for the current BMW 7 Series range and the BMW Concept CS. Habib now returns to ... Continue reading

Ford Figo Wins 2011 Indian Car Of The Year

Ford Figo Wins 2011 Indian Car Of The Year

The phenomenal Ford Figo has won the coveted India Car of the Year (ICOTY) 2011. ... Continue reading

All-New Mazda BT-50 Raises The Standard On Safety

All-New Mazda BT-50 Raises The Standard On Safety

Mazda Australia today announced that Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) will be available on the All-New BT-50, a move which raises safety standards in the utility segment. ... Continue reading

Ford's Michigan Plant Enters New Era

Ford's Michigan Plant Enters New Era

Green thinking has helped transform Ford Motor Company's Michigan Assembly Plant. ... Continue reading

Shannons Gets Motoring Enthusiasts to Dig Deep for a Good Cause

Shannons Gets Motoring Enthusiasts to Dig Deep for a Good Cause

Racing legend and three-time Formula One World Champion Sir Jack Brabham took centre stage at the 2010 Shannons Annual Christmas Event and encouraged more than 500 motoring enthusiasts and collectors to dig deep for two of his favourite charities - Kidney Health Australia and the Dialysis Escape Line. ... Continue reading

Fisker Automotive and China Grand Automotive Group to Bring Premium Electric Vehicles to China

Fisker Automotive and China Grand Automotive Group to Bring Premium Electric Vehicles to China

LONDON & SHANGHAI--Fisker Automotive, the California manufacturer of premium electric vehicles with extended range, has partnered with the China Grand Automotive Group, the number one passenger car trader in China, to have its vehicles distributed, marketed and serviced in the region. “We are extremely proud to be ... Continue reading

Green Automotive CEO Discusses the Zotye All-Electric SUV Compared to a Traditional SUV

Green Automotive CEO Discusses the Zotye All-Electric SUV Compared to a Traditional SUV

DALLAS--Green Automotive Company Corporation (Pink Sheets:GACR) announces CEO Dan Elliott's recent radio interview for the Tampa and Little Rock markets will be aired Thursday, December 16. Elliott compares the new Zotye all-electric SUV with traditional gas-guzzling SUVs and explains how any driver can easily charge u ... Continue reading

Search The Auto Channel

The Auto Channel content library (since 1996) has grown to become the world’s most extensive and complete interactive archive of automotive centric news, articles, reviews and intense event coverage, presented to viewers as Text, Video and Images.

The Auto Channel Content by Topic

Vehicle manufacturers and alt fuels.