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

July 2010

Select Another Month

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Ford Pioneers Patent-Pending Use of Eco-Friendly Soy Oil in Rubber Automotive Parts

Ford Pioneers Patent-Pending Use of Eco-Friendly Soy Oil in Rubber Automotive Parts

DEARBORN, Mich., July 7 -- -- Ford's researchers find that using renewable soy oil as a 25 percent replacement for petroleum oil more than doubles rubber's stretchability and reduces its environmental impact -- Ford's biomaterial researchers are applying for a patent for soy oil-based rubber that can be used in automot ... Continue reading

American Axle & Manufacturing to Exhibit Aftermarket Product Offerings for Latin America at 2010 PAACE Automechanika

American Axle & Manufacturing to Exhibit Aftermarket Product Offerings for Latin America at 2010 PAACE Automechanika

DETROIT, July 7 -- American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings, Inc. (AAM), which is traded as AXL on the NYSE, announced today that it will participate in the 2010 PAACE Automechanika, to be held from July 14 to 16, 2010 at the Centro Banamex in Mexico City. AAM associates will be at Booth #4036 to present the company's li ... Continue reading

MathWorks Presents Modeling Award To Ohio State University at EcoCAR Challenge

MathWorks Presents Modeling Award To Ohio State University at EcoCAR Challenge

NATICK, Mass.--MathWorks today announced Ohio State University has won the MathWorks Crossover to Model-Based Design Award 2010. Ohio State was chosen out of 16 student teams from the U.S. and Canada for their excellence in using Model-Based Design tools, including MATLAB and Simulink, to build an advanced technology v ... Continue reading

Winn-Dixie to Provide Louisiana Area Shoppers Significant Fuel Savings at Area Shell Stations Through fuelperks! ® Rewards Program

Winn-Dixie to Provide Louisiana Area Shoppers Significant Fuel Savings at Area Shell Stations Through fuelperks! ® Rewards Program

HAMMOND, La.--Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc., announced that beginning today, customers who shop at any of its 54 New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Lafayette-area stores using the new Customer Reward Card (CRC) will earn significant fuel savings at participating Shell stations through the fuelperks! ® Rewards program. This laun ... Continue reading

J.D. Power and Associates to Release 2010 APEAL Study Results on Thursday, July 15

J.D. Power and Associates to Release 2010 APEAL Study Results on Thursday, July 15

J.D. Power and Associates will release the results of the 2010 Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study at 1 p.m. EDT on Thursday, July 15. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20050527/LAF028LOGO-a) (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050527/LAF028LOGO-a) Unlike IQS, which measures short ... Continue reading

ZAP Acquires Majority Stake in China's Jonway Auto

ZAP Acquires Majority Stake in China's Jonway Auto

New Company Combines EV Expertise with Mass Auto Manufacturing in China SANTA ROSA, Calif. and ZHEJIANG, China, July 8 -- Agreement is US$29 Million in Cash for 51 Percent Commercial Agreement for 31.5 M Shares Valued at US$31.5M Debt-Free Jonway Boosts ZAP's Shareholder Value ISO 9000 Certified Modern Factory ZAP Jonw ... Continue reading

J.J. Powell Partners With Prime Lube to Become PA Distributor of BlueSky Diesel Exhaust Fluid

J.J. Powell Partners With Prime Lube to Become PA Distributor of BlueSky Diesel Exhaust Fluid

BlueSky DEF Now Available Across 15 Counties in Central and Western Pennsylvania CARTERET, N.J., July 8 -- Prime Lube, Inc., one of the largest distributors of lubricants and anti-freeze in the Mid-Atlantic, announced today that long-time partner and petroleum marketer J.J. Powell, Inc. has signed on to become the dist ... Continue reading

President Obama Speaks at Smith Electric Vehicles Headquarters

President Obama Speaks at Smith Electric Vehicles Headquarters

CEO Bryan Hansel Responds to the President's Remarks on the Economy KANSAS CITY, Mo., July 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- President Obama today addressed workers at the Smith Electric Vehicles plant to discuss the state of the economy and jobs. Smith Electric Vehicles is the nation's top manufacturer of battery-electric ... Continue reading

Pennsylvania DEP Accepting Applications for Nitrogen Tire Inflation Grants

Pennsylvania DEP Accepting Applications for Nitrogen Tire Inflation Grants

HARRISBURG, Pa., July 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Automotive service providers can now apply for financial assistance to purchase and install systems that will help their customers get better gas mileage and increase the life of their tires by inflating them with nitrogen. Under the Pennsylvania's Nitrogen Tire Inflat ... Continue reading

Personalize Your Ford Fiesta: Accessories, Body Kits and Graphics Pave the Way

Personalize Your Ford Fiesta: Accessories, Body Kits and Graphics Pave the Way

DEARBORN, Mich., July 8 -- -- All-new 2011 Ford Fiesta comes with design cues that make it stand out, but owners can also add their own personal touch with available Ford Custom Accessories and graphics -- Accessory options include exterior or interior design items such as illuminated gear indicator shift knob and rear ... Continue reading

Toyota to Expand Product Quality Field Offices Across United States and Canada

Toyota to Expand Product Quality Field Offices Across United States and Canada

San Francisco Field Office Launches This Month; Seven North American Offices Planned Significantly Enhances Field Data Collection and Technical Capabilities TORRANCE, Calif., July 8 -- Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. (TMS), today announced that it is expanding its Product Quality Field Office program to four additiona ... Continue reading

Tesla Hires Apple, Gap Veteran to Revolutionize Car Buying Experience

Tesla Hires Apple, Gap Veteran to Revolutionize Car Buying Experience

PALO ALTO, Calif.--Tesla Motors (TSLA) today announced that it has hired former Apple and Gap executive George Blankenship as Vice President of Design and Store Development. Blankenship will build Tesla’s retail strategy and network. “George has a record of building customer-focused stores that revo ... Continue reading

AkzoNobel is a Single-Source for Many Decorative Finishing Solutions for Automotive Interiors

AkzoNobel is a Single-Source for Many Decorative Finishing Solutions for Automotive Interiors

LANCASTER, S.C., July 8 -- AkzoNobel's Specialty Plastics Coatings and Soliant have teamed up to provide the automotive industry with the most comprehensive selection of decorative finishing products for automotive interiors. Following AkzoNobel's acquisition of Soliant in 2008, the two companies have combined their re ... Continue reading

Volvo: Invitation to Press and Teleconference in Gothenburg

Volvo: Invitation to Press and Teleconference in Gothenburg

STOCKHOLM--The press conference will begin at 10:00 a.m. CET and will be held at Volvo Group Headquarters, Auditorium, Amazonvägen, Torslanda, Gothenburg. The report is scheduled to be released at 7:30 a.m. on July 22. Participants at the press conference will include CEO Leif Johansson. For those who wish to partic ... Continue reading

EasyCare Utilizes Social Media Tools in Response to Shift in Consumers Automobile Research and Shopping Methods

EasyCare Utilizes Social Media Tools in Response to Shift in Consumers Automobile Research and Shopping Methods

ATLANTA--Drastic changes in the automobile industry are not just happening in Detroit or Washington D.C. Automobile dealerships across the country are trying to stay ahead or, at the very least, keep up with the changes that consumers have made and continue to make in the way they shop for cars. The internet has revolu ... Continue reading

AutoLab Show Saturday July 10 - Comments on the Dealth of Nicholas Hayek Founder Swatch

AutoLab Show Saturday July 10 - Comments on the Dealth of Nicholas Hayek Founder Swatch

Hi AutoLab, For this Saturday I wish to report on the death of Nicolas Hayek saviour of the Swiss Watch industry and inventor of the Smart Car. Whilst many obituaries and comments mention his watch empire work, and just touch on his invention of the Smart Car, it is important to realise that often the best innovations ... Continue reading

Pioneers of GM's EV1 to Join AMP's Advisory Board

Pioneers of GM's EV1 to Join AMP's Advisory Board

Seasoned Auto Industry Executives Bring Decades of Major OEM Experience BLUE ASH, Ohio, July 8 -- AMP Holding Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: AMPD), a company engaged in the all-electric, emission-free conversion of GM vehicles, announced today the appointments of Dr. William Wylam and Mr. Dennis Davis to its advisory board. ... Continue reading

Chrysler Group LLC Introduces Risk-free Purchase of New Chrysler, Jeep®, Dodge and Ram Truck Vehicles

Chrysler Group LLC Introduces Risk-free Purchase of New Chrysler, Jeep®, Dodge and Ram Truck Vehicles

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., July 8 -- -- Pledge program builds on success of Minivan Pledge with additional benefits for consumers -- Program offers consumers the security of knowing they made the right vehicle choice -- July marks the start of Chrysler Group's National Tent Event with more than 2,000 Chrysler, Jeep®, Dodge ... Continue reading

Audi Announces Winner of 'The Tony Stark Innovation Challenge'

Audi Announces Winner of 'The Tony Stark Innovation Challenge'

- MIT Graduate Student Natan Linder wins $15,000 in funding for his invention LuminAR - LuminAR functions as a digital bulb with built-in Internet technology that can project web content onto any surface - Social media program brings real-world application to the innovative spirit of Iron Man 2 HERNDON, Va., July 8 -- ... Continue reading

Coulomb Technologies Announces $3.4 Million from CA Energy Commission to Install Electric Vehicles Infrastructure

Coulomb Technologies Announces $3.4 Million from CA Energy Commission to Install Electric Vehicles Infrastructure

CAMPBELL, Calif.--Coulomb Technologies today announced it was awarded $3,417,000 from the California Energy Commission through matching funds; this will bring a $12 million project into California, including $5 million of federal funding. The grant will provide funds for the installation of ChargePoint® Networke ... Continue reading

As States Mull Bans, Ford Improves SYNC to Give Drivers Safer Alternatives to Hand-Held Texting

As States Mull Bans, Ford Improves SYNC to Give Drivers Safer Alternatives to Hand-Held Texting

DEARBORN, Mich., July 8 -- -- Ford adds "Do Not Disturb" button to block incoming calls and texts on new MyFord Touch-equipped vehicles and proactive feature content "lock-outs" to encourage use of voice control -- In addition, Ford integrates new Bluetooth Message Access Profile (MAP) into SYNC for all MyFord Touch-eq ... Continue reading

Tracy's Fitness Regimen Prepares Star For Canadian Road Courses

Tracy's Fitness Regimen Prepares Star For Canadian Road Courses

TORONTO, July 7, 2010: Paul Tracy, at age 41, knew he would have to be prepared for the 2010 IZOD IndyCar Series. He would be racing against drivers nearly half his age. So, one of North American open-wheel racing’s winningest drivers was ready to bust his butt to get ready to drive the No. 15 Make A Wish/Honda Ca ... Continue reading

2011 Hyundai Veracruz to Offer Amerigon Heated and Ventilated Seat System as Option

2011 Hyundai Veracruz to Offer Amerigon Heated and Ventilated Seat System as Option

NORTHVILLE, Mich., July 8 -- Amerigon Incorporated , a leader in developing and marketing products based on advanced thermoelectric (TE) technologies, announced today that its proprietary heated and ventilated seat system will be offered as an option on the front seats of the all-new 2011 Hyundai Veracruz, a crossover ... Continue reading

Enova to Develop Revolutionary Electric Drive System in Collaboration with Remy Inc.

Enova to Develop Revolutionary Electric Drive System in Collaboration with Remy Inc.

TORRANCE, Calif.--Enova Systems, Inc. (NYSE AMEX:ENA) (AIM:ENV) (AIM:ENVS), a leading innovator of proprietary hybrid and electric drive systems propelling the alternative energy industry, announced it will collaborate with Remy Inc. (Remy) to develop a new electric drive system based on the Omni controller and Remy HV ... Continue reading

Tony Stewart Racing Tandem Seeks Victories In More Ways than One

Tony Stewart Racing Tandem Seeks Victories In More Ways than One

INDIANAPOLIS, July 7, 2010: Winning is never easy. No matter if it’s a single game, one race, season championship or mini-series triumph, obstacles come from all angles. The key is being ready to deal with each obstacle along the way so that performance doesn’t lapse. World of Outlaws (WoO) Sprint Car Series ... Continue reading

Tony Stewart Racing, Jones Look to Continue Brand's Winning Tradition in Bid for Fourth Indiana Sprint Week Title

Tony Stewart Racing, Jones Look to Continue Brand's Winning Tradition in Bid for Fourth Indiana Sprint Week Title

INDIANAPOLIS, July 7, 2010: Tony Stewart Racing’s (TSR) Levi Jones will once again put the STP brand at center stage later this week as he’s set to debut a new paint scheme during the USAC Indiana Sprint Week (ISW) series. The No. 20 STP/Armor All/Bass Pro Shops/Maxim entry will carry the STP brand’s fam ... Continue reading

JEGS Introduces More Technology

JEGS Introduces More Technology

DELAWARE, July 7, 2010: The masterminds at JEGS have introduced a catalog application for Android phone systems, making ordering high performance parts easier than ever before. Hot rod enthusiasts can now browse through thousands of high performance parts in the palm of their hand from any phone running the android ope ... Continue reading

Rossi Rides At Indy - First Time On A Bike Since Injury

Rossi Rides At Indy - First Time On A Bike Since Injury

INDIANAPOLIS, Wednesday, July 7, 2010 – It’s looking more and more like MotoGP superstar Valentino Rossi will race at the Red Bull Indianapolis GP on Aug. 27-29 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. 2008 Red Bull Indianapolis GP winner Rossi tested a Yamaha World Superbike Team machine July 7 at Misano, Italy, ... Continue reading

Harvick Claims Second Victory of the Season Taking the Checkered Flag at Daytona

Harvick Claims Second Victory of the Season Taking the Checkered Flag at Daytona

HOUSTON, July 7, 2010: Kevin Harvick and the Shell-Pennzoil team visited victory lane for the second time this season in a points-series race, following up the dramatic finish at the Talladega 500 in April with yet another restrictor plate win at this weekend's Daytona Coke Zero 400. The Shell-Pennzoil team devised the ... Continue reading

New Range Rover Evoque Dominates the Web

New Range Rover Evoque Dominates the Web

The new Range Rover Evoque has made a big impression online since the car was officially unveiled at Kensington Palace last Thursday. ... Continue reading

Honda Begins Sales of All-New Compact Multi-Wagon Freed Spike

Honda Begins Sales of All-New Compact Multi-Wagon Freed Spike

Tokyo, July 8, 2010 - (JCN Newswire) - Honda Motor Co., Ltd. announced it will begin sales of the all-new Freed Spike compact multi-wagon in Japan on July 9, 2010. The Freed Spike features a compact body size for nimble maneuvering, a spacious and high-utility cabin and a cargo area ideal for an extensive range of uses ... Continue reading

Unprecedented Demand Drives Record Production at Rolls-Royce

Unprecedented Demand Drives Record Production at Rolls-Royce

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars announced today that continuing strong customer demand for all models has resulted in record production at the company's manufacturing plant in Goodwood, West Sussex, England. ... Continue reading

Kbb.com Names Top 10 Summer Sizzlers, All-New Early Arrivals From The Automotive Class of 2011

Kbb.com Names Top 10 Summer Sizzlers, All-New Early Arrivals From The Automotive Class of 2011

IRVINE, Calif., July 8 -- The Top 10 Summer Sizzlers recently were named by the expert editors from Kelley Blue Book http://www.kbb.com/, the leading provider of new car and used car information. The feature profiles the 10 new vehicles that are most likely to excite consumers as the new 2011 model year begins. This su ... Continue reading

Latest Generation Audi Models Take the Fear Out of Filling Up

Latest Generation Audi Models Take the Fear Out of Filling Up

Drivers of 2011 Model Year Audi A4, A5 and Q5 TDI models will no longer have to face the inconvenient and potentially expensive consequences of accidentally filling with petrol thanks to a new preventative system built into the fuel filler neck. ... Continue reading

New Euro5 Bioethanol and Diesel Powerplants for Dacia Duster in France

New Euro5 Bioethanol and Diesel Powerplants for Dacia Duster in France

4x2 versions of Duster, Dacia's off-road vehicle which was launched in France in April 2010 and which is already proving very successful, are now available with two new Euro5 powerplants: the 1.6 16V 105 E85 engine, and the dCi 90 DPF1 diesel engine. ... Continue reading

BMW Group Retail Grows 13.1% in First Half Year

BMW Group Retail Grows 13.1% in First Half Year

The BMW Group has ended the first half-year with substantial growth in sales. A total of 696,026 (prev. yr. 615,454) BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce brand automobiles were delivered to customers worldwide in the first six months of the year – an increase of 13.1%. In June, sales volumes rose 12.2% to 143,157 (prev. yr. ... Continue reading

The BMW M5 Ends its Production Lifespan with a New Record High.

The BMW M5 Ends its Production Lifespan with a New Record High.

After being on sale on the global automotive market for five successful years, the BMW M5 has ended its production lifespan with a new record high. The BMW M GmbH produced a total of 20,548 of the charismatic high-performance sports car featuring a V 10-cylinder power unit. The BMW M5 Saloon is accountable for 19,523 o ... Continue reading

Volkswagen Extends Group Board of Management

Volkswagen Extends Group Board of Management

The Volkswagen Group is extending the Group Board of Management in the context of its "Strategy 2018" growth program and setting up a new "Group Trucks" Board of Management division to this end. Prof. Dr. Jochem Heizmann (58), currently member of the Board of Management with responsibility for "Group Production", will ... Continue reading

20 Years Brose Production in Hallstadt

20 Years Brose Production in Hallstadt

German automotive supplier Brose has celebrated the 20th anniversary of its Hallstadt production plant together with numerous guests from politics and industry. ... Continue reading

New BlueTEC Model and Active Assistance Systems for the S-Class: Enhanced Efficiency, Safety and Luxury

New BlueTEC Model and Active Assistance Systems for the S-Class: Enhanced Efficiency, Safety and Luxury

The new S 350 BlueTEC which is now available from Mercedes-Benz is the most efficient and safest S-Class ever. And thanks to AdBlue emission control it also offers one of the cleanest diesel models in the world. With combined fuel consumption of just 6.8 litres of diesel per 100 kilometres (NEDC) - corresponding to CO2 ... Continue reading

Renault Z.E. Roadshow: Fluence Z.E. and Kangoo Express Z.E. Available for Road Tests

Renault Z.E. Roadshow: Fluence Z.E. and Kangoo Express Z.E. Available for Road Tests

With one year to go before the launch of its first two electric vehicles, Renault is to embark on a Europe-wide tour with Kangoo Express Z.E. and Fluence Z.E. The roadshow will give some 2,000 people - media, national and local authorities and opinion leaders - a chance to get behind the wheel of Renault's two prototyp ... Continue reading

Mercedes-Benz: Best Sales Result for the Month of June in Company History

Mercedes-Benz: Best Sales Result for the Month of June in Company History

Last month, Mercedes-Benz recorded the best month of June in the history of the company: With 113,300 units delivered (2009: 100,300), sales increased 13 percent worldwide, surpassing expectations. In the first half of the year, sales of Mercedes-Benz passenger cars were up 15 percent compared to the result in the same ... Continue reading

Audi Begins Assembly of the Q5 in India

Audi Begins Assembly of the Q5 in India

Audi has started assembly of the Q5 model in Aurangabad, in the Indian state of Maharashtra. In the future, up to 1,500 units of the Q5 will run off the assembly line there each year for the Indian market. The sporty SUV is the third Audi model after the A4 and A6 to be produced in India, increasing the production volu ... Continue reading

All Systems Go at World's Largest Cellulosic Ethanol Plant

All Systems Go at World's Largest Cellulosic Ethanol Plant

Inbicon Biomass Refinery now producing The New Ethanol and other biofuel at Kalundborg, Denmark KALUNDBORG, Denmark - July 08, 2010: Inbicon is declaring Energy Independence Day for Planet Earth as the first Inbicon Biomass Refinery swings into operation. It turns wheat straw into 1.4 million gallons a year of cellulos ... Continue reading

The TL Gearbox Number 300,000, Manufactured for a Dacia Duster

The TL Gearbox Number 300,000, Manufactured for a Dacia Duster

Renault Mécanique Roumanie (RMR) manufactured on Thursday, July 1, 2010 the TL gearbox number 300,000 - which is to equip a Dacia Duster 4x4, produced by the Dacia Assembly Plant. At almost three years after the series manufacturing started at RMR, nine varieties of the TL4 range of gearboxes are produced for the Rena ... 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.