Lexus topped the rankings in Consumer Reports's 2013 automotive brand report card. Detroit automakers didn't fare very well -- Cadillac's 14th place tie was the best for U.S. brand -- while Japanese automakers again dominated, taking eight of the top 10 spots.
Ford unveiled a surprise this week: It's relaunching the Lincoln brand, and committing more than $1 billion to the effort. The renewal of the luxury brand is about more than just prestige. It's about big profits, and a push by Ford into one very big foreign market.
German luxury carmaker BMW and Japan's Toyota agreed to extend their cooperation to a bigger strategic alliance on Friday in a challenge to global rivals as competition intensifies.
Purchase price is just the beginning of what it costs to own a car. Depreciation, insurance and maintenance costs can vary widely between competing models. But is there any way to estimate all of that in advance? A few experts have taken a stab at it.
The Patriots and Giants will interrupt the entertainment to run some football plays, but everyone knows the Super Bowl is all about the commercials, and at $3.5 million for 30 seconds, sponsors must think they'll get their money's worth. But will their shareholders feel the same way?
BMW's 3 Series is the undisputed global king of the entry-level luxury sedans, but GM is looking to stage a bit of a coup with its Cadillac ATS. The car has all the right moves, inside and out -- but there's one thing missing.
It was a good month for auto sales despite inclement weather across much of the country and surging oil prices. Cars sold near an annual pace of 13 million vehicles. That would make February the best on record since the "cash for clunkers" rebate program in 2009.
Major automakers are set to release February sales figures on Tuesday, and analysts expect the reports will show sales improved 20% compared to a year ago. Consumers continued to warm to the slowly improving economy -- so far, despite surging oil prices.
A slowly brightening economy combined with low financing rates and generally stable fuel prices have put consumers in a buying mood. New models, particularly from Ford and GM, are also helping to keep U.S. auto sales on a positive trajectory as 2011 starts.
BMW saw its sales jump 20% in November, driven by growth in Germany, China and the U.S. The German automaker sold more cars than the Mercedes-Benz or Audi brands. Its sales growth for the year so far also is outpacing that of its rivals.
Buoyed by consumers' increased confidence in the U.S. economy, most automakers reported higher sales of cars and trucks in the U.S. during October compared to a year ago -- making it the best October in three years for the auto industry.
Carmakers are expected to report a mixed picture for October sales: mostly better than a year ago, but down slightly from September. Still, the pace appears strong enough that the upper end of full-year forecasts is reachable.
Although Honda and Toyota remain the benchmark of reliability in the U.S. automobile industry, General Motors has made considerable strides in improving the quality of its cars and trucks, according to the magazine's 2010 Annual New Car Reliability Survey.
