News By Topic: Editorials and Commentary

FIAT Challenges Fans to Unscramble a Phrase to Win a Trip for Two to Italy

Aug 7, 2012

"Your FIAT Boarding Pass" contest kicks off on the new Fiat Blog site - www.fiatbackstage.com Enter contest for a chance to win a vacation for two in Amalfi and Sorrrento, the same location where the FIAT brand's commercial, 'Immigrants,' was filmed Contest runs through Tuesday, Sept. 4 Unscramble a phrase and one luck ... Continue reading

Dateline Amsterdam: Saab Owner Spyker Sues General Motors With A Big Help From A "Friend"

Aug 6, 2012

By Henny Hemmes Senior European Editor The Auto Channel AMSTERDAM, August 6, 2012; Hot news here in The Netherlands: Spyker the owner of Saab Automobile, that went bankrupt in December 2011, will sue General Motors for 3 billion dollars. Spyker announced today that it will do so on behalf of Saab, claiming that GM deli ... Continue reading

Nissan's New London Taxi

Aug 6, 2012

By Henny Hemmes Senior European Editor The Auto Channel AMSTERDAM, August 6, 2012. When you visit London, you cannot overlook the London Taxi, or even have a ride in the black cab that was based on the 1948 Austin FX3, built by Carbodies of Coventry, and from 1958 was replaced by the FX4. In the early eighties, Carbodi ... Continue reading

2012 Hyundai Veloster Ecoshift DCT Review By Steve Purdy

Aug 5, 2012

2012 HYUNDAI VELOSTER ECOSHIFT DCT By Steve Purdy TheAutoChannel.com Michigan Bureau The Hyundai Veloster could hardly have come to my driveway at a better time. A busy week took me into the city (Detroit and environs about an hour away) three times and 4 hours north to Michigan’s Gold Coast to cover the start of ... Continue reading

Nutson's Nuggets: Last Week's (July 30-August 5, 2012) Automotive News In Case You Were Dozing

Aug 5, 2012

* As another month came to a close auto industry sales slowed a bit. Overall sales were 1.15 million units, 8.9% above the same period a year ago. Honda and Toyota were very strong, up 45% and 26% respectively, while GM and Ford slowed due to a decline in rental car fleet sales. Hyundai and Kia showed modest increases ... Continue reading

Eighth Concours d'Elegance of Southwest Michigan This Weekend

Aug 2, 2012

By Steve Purdy Michigan Bureau The cliff-side park overlooking Lake Michigan in downtown St. Joe, Michigan will be the scene this Saturday (August 4th) of an invitational classic and collector car show - the eighth annual Concours d'Elegance of Southwest Michigan (formerly knows as the Krasl Art Center Concours d'Elega ... Continue reading

2012 Nissan Murano SL FWD Review By Carey Russ

Aug 2, 2012

DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WITH CAREY RUSS 2012 Nissan Murano SL FWD If the Nissan Murano looked more than a little different from the then-typical SUV of the day when it debuted nearly a decade ago, it's decidedly more mainstream now -- and not merely because Nissan has used styling cues on its smaller Rogue and Juke cross ... Continue reading

Ride Along with Fireball Tim and the 2013 Porsche 911 +VIDEO

Aug 1, 2012

HOLLYWOOD, CA - August 1, 2012: Fireball Tim goes all MATRIX over the new 2013 Porsche 911 in this wild episode of this successful and fun RIDE ALONG series. ... Continue reading

HEELS ON WHEELS: 2012 CHEVROLET VOLT REVIEW

Jul 29, 2012

HEELS ON WHEELS By Katrina Ramser San Francisco Bureau The Auto Channel INTRO TO THE VOLT VEHICLE The four-passenger Chevrolet Volt sedan is a sportier and faster version of a hybrid with propulsion coming mainly from an electric motor. Still, it does use gas, with fuel efficiency numbers largely controlled by the driv ... Continue reading

Acura RDX AWD Tech Review By John Heilig

Jul 29, 2012

THE AUTO PAGE By JOHN HEILIG SPECIFICATIONS Model: 2013 Acura RDX AWD Tech Engine: 3.5-liter SOHC V6 Horsepower/Torque: 273 hp @ 6,200 rpm/251 lb.-ft. @ 5,000 rpm Transmission: 6-speed automatic with Sequential Sport Shift Wheelbase: 105.7 in. Length/Width/Height: 183.5 x 73.7 x 86.1 in. Tires: P235/60R18 Cargo volume: ... Continue reading

Mini Paceman In The Open Air

Jul 29, 2012

By Henny Hemmes Senior European Editor The Auto Channel THE HAGUE, The Netherlands, July 29,2012. Even though the Mini Paceman will be unveiled at the Paris Auto Show on September 28, some media were taken to south Europe for the first test drives. With prototypes that were partly disguised. But the pictures show much ... Continue reading

2013 Mazda CX-5 Sport FWD Road Test Review By John Heilig

Jul 27, 2012

THE AUTO PAGE By JOHN HEILIG SPECIFICATIONS : 2013 Mazda CX-5 Model: 2013 Mazda CX-5 Sport FWD Engine: 2.0-liter I4 Horsepower/Torque: 155 hp @ 6,000 rpm/150 lb.-ft. @ 4,000 rpm Transmission: 6-speed manual Wheelbase: 106.3 in. Length/Width/Height: 179.3 x 72.4 x 65.7 in. Tires: P225/65R17 (temporary spare) Cargo volum ... Continue reading

First DRIVE: 2012 BMW M6 Convertible and 2013 BMW M6 Coupe - Mpressive

Jul 26, 2012

First Drive: 2012 BMW M6 Convertible and 2013 BMW M6 Coupe - Mpressive By Henny Hemmes Senior European Editor The Auto Channel ESTEPONA, Spain, June 22, 2012; Unlike the American media, the European journalists had to wait until this week to drive the new BMW M6 Convertible. That is exceptional, but due to the fact tha ... Continue reading

2012 Subaru Outback Ride and Review By Larry Nutson

Jul 26, 2012

2012 Subaru Outback- And a peek at the 2013 by Larry Nutson Senior Editor, Chicago Bureau The Auto Channel (IMG_3908) Let me say this up front. I like the Subaru Outback, for the most part. This is most probably because I am past the SUV phase of my life…and I had a bunch of them…but I really like station wag ... Continue reading

2012 Suzuki Grand Vitara Ultimate Adventure Edition Review By Dan Poler

Jul 26, 2012

By Dan Poler Colorado Bureau The Auto Channel Introduction / History Let’s face it – the CUV segment in the US is a crowded one. With excellent offerings from American, European, and Asian manufacturers, a vehicle must really stand out and be something special in order to be successful in this part of the mar ... Continue reading