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<title><![CDATA[RSS for Consumer Reports]]></title>
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<link><![CDATA[http://search.autonews.com/]]></link>
<atom:link xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" type="application/rss+xml" rel="self" href="http://search.autonews.com/urss?pageid=404128"/>
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<title><![CDATA[Tesla Motors may repay U.S. loan by Wednesday, Musk says]]></title>
<link><![CDATA[http://www.autonews.com/article/20130520/OEM05/130529986/tesla-motors-may-repay-u-s-loan-by-wednesday-musk-says]]></link>
<guid>http://www.autonews.com/article/20130520/OEM05/130529986/tesla-motors-may-repay-u-s-loan-by-wednesday-musk-says</guid>
<pubDate><![CDATA[Mon, 20 May 2013 22:41:16 EDT]]></pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[DETROIT (Reuters) -- Tesla Motors Inc. may repay its U.S. Department of Energy loan as early as Wednesday, CEO Elon Musk said in a message on Twitter on Monday. Musk, a billionaire who owns 27.5 percent of Tesla, added that the company would move another announcement about its charging station ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Price is next hurdle for Tesla growth]]></title>
<link><![CDATA[http://www.autonews.com/article/20130520/OEM05/305209969/price-is-next-hurdle-for-tesla-growth]]></link>
<guid>http://www.autonews.com/article/20130520/OEM05/305209969/price-is-next-hurdle-for-tesla-growth</guid>
<pubDate><![CDATA[Mon, 20 May 2013 00:01:00 EDT]]></pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Tesla has had one hell of a run lately. It reported its first quarterly profit. It's brainstorming self-guided cars with Google. The stock is sizzling. And Consumer Reports , which is not prone to gushing, said Tesla's Model S "performed better, or just as well overall," as any vehicle the magazine ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Behind the scenes, Straubel keeps Tesla running at pivotal time]]></title>
<link><![CDATA[http://www.autonews.com/article/20130518/OEM02/130519890/behind-the-scenes-straubel-keeps-tesla-running-at-pivotal-time]]></link>
<guid>http://www.autonews.com/article/20130518/OEM02/130519890/behind-the-scenes-straubel-keeps-tesla-running-at-pivotal-time</guid>
<pubDate><![CDATA[Sat, 18 May 2013 00:01:00 EDT]]></pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[LOS ANGELES (Bloomberg) -- Elon Musk was fresh off the sale of PayPal and starting another business, commercial rocket service Space Exploration Technologies Corp., when he met kindred spirit JB Straubel. Their shared belief that consumer electronics advances could be applied to more earthly modes ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Tesla expands share, debt offering to repay U.S. loan, hike cash]]></title>
<link><![CDATA[http://www.autonews.com/article/20130517/OEM05/305179931/tesla-expands-share-debt-offering-to-repay-u-s-loan-hike-cash]]></link>
<guid>http://www.autonews.com/article/20130517/OEM05/305179931/tesla-expands-share-debt-offering-to-repay-u-s-loan-hike-cash</guid>
<pubDate><![CDATA[Fri, 17 May 2013 10:34:21 EDT]]></pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[(Bloomberg) -- Tesla Motors Inc. increased the size of its equity and debt offerings by 30 percent to as much as $1.08 billion to repay its U.S. loan and build up cash reserves. The company said in an SEC filing that it plans to sell as many as 3.9 million shares for $92.24 apiece. Tesla CEO Elon ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Musk's magic touch on Wall St.]]></title>
<link><![CDATA[http://www.autonews.com/article/20130513/OEM02/305139944/musks-magic-touch-on-wall-st]]></link>
<guid>http://www.autonews.com/article/20130513/OEM02/305139944/musks-magic-touch-on-wall-st</guid>
<pubDate><![CDATA[Mon, 13 May 2013 00:01:00 EDT]]></pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[LOS ANGELES -- In the land of auto giants, Tesla Motors is a Lilliputian, a fledgling electric-car manufacturer with uncertain prospects. But by one measure Tesla stands among the big boys. The company's $8.8 billion stock market value at the end of last week exceeded Fiat's $7.8 billion and was ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Next hurdle for hot Tesla is pushing EVs mainstream]]></title>
<link><![CDATA[http://www.autonews.com/article/20130510/BLOG06/130519994/next-hurdle-for-hot-tesla-is-pushing-evs-mainstream]]></link>
<guid>http://www.autonews.com/article/20130510/BLOG06/130519994/next-hurdle-for-hot-tesla-is-pushing-evs-mainstream</guid>
<pubDate><![CDATA[Fri, 10 May 2013 11:47:05 EDT]]></pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Tesla has had one hell of a week. It reported its first quarterly profit. It's brainstorming self-guided cars with Google. The stock is sizzling. And Consumer Reports , which is not prone to gushing, said that Tesla's Model S "performed better, or just as well overall, as any other vehicle of any ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[In boon for Japan's automakers, yen tumbles over milestone]]></title>
<link><![CDATA[http://www.autonews.com/article/20130509/GLOBAL/130509868/in-boon-for-japans-automakers-yen-tumbles-over-milestone]]></link>
<guid>http://www.autonews.com/article/20130509/GLOBAL/130509868/in-boon-for-japans-automakers-yen-tumbles-over-milestone</guid>
<pubDate><![CDATA[Thu, 09 May 2013 22:21:12 EDT]]></pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[TOKYO (Bloomberg) -- Toyota Motor Corp.'s half-decade of fighting the yen is over, at least for now. The weakening yen breached 100 against the dollar in U.S. trading on Thursday, paving the way for Japan to emerge from an unprecedented and largely uninterrupted five-year stretch where the ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Profit and Praise for Tesla (5/9/13)]]></title>
<link><![CDATA[http://search.autonews.com/v/74678924/profit-and-praise-for-tesla-5-9-13.htm?]]></link>
<guid>http://search.autonews.com/v/74678924/profit-and-praise-for-tesla-5-9-13.htm?</guid>
<pubDate><![CDATA[Thu, 09 May 2013 08:40:46 EDT]]></pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Start-up EV maker ends string of losses, Model S wows Consumer Reports; new CEO for Mazda; Lexus pushes 'fun' factor.]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Tesla Model S wins high praise from Consumer Reports]]></title>
<link><![CDATA[http://www.autonews.com/article/20130509/OEM05/130509879/tesla-model-s-wins-high-praise-from-consumer-reports]]></link>
<guid>http://www.autonews.com/article/20130509/OEM05/130509879/tesla-model-s-wins-high-praise-from-consumer-reports</guid>
<pubDate><![CDATA[Thu, 09 May 2013 06:00:00 EDT]]></pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Tesla Motors Inc.'s all-electric Model S sports car received the highest score in Consumer Reports ' ratings -- a 99 out of 100 -- along with widespread plaudits from the magazine's automotive testing staff. The magazine said the $89,650 EV it tested "performed better, or just as well overall, as ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Virtues of '13 Civic: Low spiffs, high sales]]></title>
<link><![CDATA[http://www.autonews.com/article/20130429/RETAIL01/304299972/virtues-of-13-civic-low-spiffs-high-sales]]></link>
<guid>http://www.autonews.com/article/20130429/RETAIL01/304299972/virtues-of-13-civic-low-spiffs-high-sales</guid>
<pubDate><![CDATA[Mon, 29 Apr 2013 00:01:00 EDT]]></pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[L OS ANGELES -- Honda's redesigned 2012 Civic was much maligned, but it's hard to call it a flop. Though slammed for a cheap-looking interior, bland exterior styling and a carryover base engine, the Civic sold so well last year that many dealers weren't sure the decision to fast-track a major ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Big plans, bad karma: How Fisker fell apart]]></title>
<link><![CDATA[http://www.autonews.com/article/20130429/OEM05/304299965/big-plans-bad-karma-how-fisker-fell-apart]]></link>
<guid>http://www.autonews.com/article/20130429/OEM05/304299965/big-plans-bad-karma-how-fisker-fell-apart</guid>
<pubDate><![CDATA[Mon, 29 Apr 2013 00:01:00 EDT]]></pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[A t last week's politically charged congressional hearing on the troubles of Fisker Automotive, Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, said that the company had "no business acumen" and that "taxpayers have effectively subsidized luxury novelty vehicles for the likes of Justin Bieber, Leonardo DiCaprio and Al ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Proposals for automakers to help limit distracted driving seem fair]]></title>
<link><![CDATA[http://www.autonews.com/article/20130426/BLOG06/130429916/proposals-for-automakers-to-help-limit-distracted-driving-seem-fair]]></link>
<guid>http://www.autonews.com/article/20130426/BLOG06/130429916/proposals-for-automakers-to-help-limit-distracted-driving-seem-fair</guid>
<pubDate><![CDATA[Fri, 26 Apr 2013 10:39:54 EDT]]></pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Here's a big thank you to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The agency announced earlier this week some new guidelines to help address the hazards posed by complex in-car control systems and distracted driving. In short, NHTSA wants automakers to limit the distractions drivers ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Ford hybrid owners sue over fuel-efficiency rating claims]]></title>
<link><![CDATA[http://www.autonews.com/article/20130423/OEM05/130429959/ford-hybrid-owners-sue-over-fuel-efficiency-rating-claims]]></link>
<guid>http://www.autonews.com/article/20130423/OEM05/130429959/ford-hybrid-owners-sue-over-fuel-efficiency-rating-claims</guid>
<pubDate><![CDATA[Tue, 23 Apr 2013 22:44:59 EDT]]></pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[PHILADELPHIA (Bloomberg) -- Ford Motor Co. was sued by Pennsylvania car owners who said its hybrid models don't deliver on fuel-efficiency claims. Ford's 2013 Fusion Hybrid and C-Max Hybrid models provide significantly worse fuel economy than the advertised 47 miles per gallon, according to a ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Subaru uses Google to clear out '13 Foresters]]></title>
<link><![CDATA[http://www.autonews.com/article/20130415/RETAIL03/304089979/subaru-uses-google-to-clear-out-13-foresters]]></link>
<guid>http://www.autonews.com/article/20130415/RETAIL03/304089979/subaru-uses-google-to-clear-out-13-foresters</guid>
<pubDate><![CDATA[Mon, 15 Apr 2013 00:01:00 EDT]]></pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Subaru of America in the first quarter used Google and other digital marketing to reduce inventory of its 2013 Forester crossover and make way for the redesigned 2014 model. Subaru ignored traditional industry methods for clearing inventory, such as TV advertising and steep discounts. The carmaker ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Probe of U.S. electric-car loans pledged by Republican Issa]]></title>
<link><![CDATA[http://www.autonews.com/article/20130410/OEM05/130419990/probe-of-u-s-electric-car-loans-pledged-by-republican-issa]]></link>
<guid>http://www.autonews.com/article/20130410/OEM05/130419990/probe-of-u-s-electric-car-loans-pledged-by-republican-issa</guid>
<pubDate><![CDATA[Wed, 10 Apr 2013 12:11:58 EDT]]></pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[WASHINGTON (Bloomberg) -- A U.S. House panel chairman said he'll accelerate a probe into the Energy Department's loans for alternative-fuel vehicles after Fisker Automotive Inc. dismissed most of its workers and hired bankruptcy lawyers. U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., who leads the Government ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Ford wants to see if smartphones can boost fuel economy]]></title>
<link><![CDATA[http://www.autonews.com/article/20130408/RETAIL03/304089969/ford-wants-to-see-if-smartphones-can-boost-fuel-economy]]></link>
<guid>http://www.autonews.com/article/20130408/RETAIL03/304089969/ford-wants-to-see-if-smartphones-can-boost-fuel-economy</guid>
<pubDate><![CDATA[Mon, 08 Apr 2013 00:01:00 EDT]]></pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Editor's note: An earlier version of this story showed the incorrect Web address for the OpenXC platform. The correct address is www.openxcplatform.com . Ford Motor Co. wants consumers to see how their driving habits affect fuel economy and is offering big bucks to find an entertaining way to do that. Ford is offering software developers $50,000 in prize money for coming up with innovative smartphone apps that can take data from a vehicle's on-board computer and use it to coach consumers to drive more efficiently. In essence, Ford wants the automotive equivalent of the Nike FuelBand, which, when strapped on, tracks walking, running and other activities, as well as how many calories are burned. Results can then be tracked on a smartphone app. Ford will begin taking applications for the Personalized Fuel-Efficiency App Challenge on April 23. The contest will be open for about three months. The contest connects two of Ford's current themes -- fuel economy and smart technology -- in marketing vehicles to eco-aware, tech-savvy consumers. It also, not coincidentally, could take some of the heat off Ford and other automakers whose vehicles don't always deliver the miles per gallon promised by the window sticker. Too often, automakers say, lead-footed drivers don't realize that their driving habits can mean the difference between an EPA rating of 44 mpg and a real-world 35 mpg. But the proliferation of mobile devices such as smartphones means "we have the opportunity to give consumers better and more relevant data to understand what they can expect in on-the-road fuel economy performance," said Jim Farley, Ford executive vice president for global marketing, sales, service and Lincoln, during a speech at the New York auto show last month. "We need to help customers understand the concept of personal fuel economy -- based on their own individualized experiences -- and give them tools to see, learn and act upon all the information available to know what to expect, how to improve" their driving, Farley said. More readily available and comprehensible information could even "offer guidance in their shopping process," Farley suggested. Carmakers that figure out the best ways to help consumers measure their real-world fuel economy could enjoy a competitive advantage, Farley said. Real-world fuel economy has become an industry hot-button topic as carmakers make competing ad claims about the mpg ratings of their fleets. Farley noted that the fuel economy of hybrid vehicles seems particularly variable depending on consumers' driving habits. Ford has a growing number of hybrids and plug-in hybrids arriving in showrooms, including the 2013 C-Max Energi and Fusion Hybrid. Automakers often tout vehicles' EPA fuel economy ratings in ads and marketing materials, but that can backfire when real-world numbers don't match the lab results on which the EPA relies. In December, Consumer Reports said two Ford hybrid nameplates fell 17 percent to 21 percent short of the automaker's promise of combined city/highway 47 mpg in the tests. The Ford Fusion Hybrid achieved 39 mpg and the C-Max Hybrid averaged 37 mpg, the magazine said. To lure app developers interested in entering the contest, Ford is offering access to a portion of its computer database. Farley said the company will open its "OpenXC connectivity research platform as a sandbox" for developers to "create and test innovative ideas." In 2011, Ford and a software company named Bug Labs joined to create OpenXC as a standard way of creating aftermarket software and hardware for its vehicles. "Every new car is full of computers and electronics, and there is growing interest in connecting the output from those systems to third-party applications and the Web," says an explanatory note on www.openxcplatform.com . Using a small hardware device, the OpenXC platform can pull data from a vehicle's onboard diagnostic port, which is standard on every vehicle below the instrument panel to the left of the steering wheel. Onboard computers collect a vast array of performance data, including the engine's revolutions per minute, fuel consumption, accelerator and brake pedal usage and steering wheel angle. To use a hypothetical example, an app that pulled and crunched that data then could tell a driver: "Jack, you were driving very aggressively last week. If you had backed off just a little, you would have consumed two fewer gallons on your commute last week." Consumers could compare notes with their friends on how efficiently they had been driving. A Ford spokesman said the company has not decided what it will do with the proposals that developers enter in the contest. "It's about trying to spur innovation," he said. "We want to have a contest and a prize to show that we appreciate developers' time and effort in helping us come up with innovative solutions."]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[For Cadillac, early signs of another renaissance]]></title>
<link><![CDATA[http://www.autonews.com/article/20130406/RETAIL/130409917/for-cadillac-early-signs-of-another-renaissance]]></link>
<guid>http://www.autonews.com/article/20130406/RETAIL/130409917/for-cadillac-early-signs-of-another-renaissance</guid>
<pubDate><![CDATA[Sat, 06 Apr 2013 00:01:00 EDT]]></pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[DETROIT (Bloomberg) -- At his Houston Cadillac store last weekend, Carl Sewell had an unusual experience: He helped a mother secure a baby seat into a car she was considering. Young-shopper sightings were once a rarity for Sewell. "It's a pretty diverse group that's coming through the door now," ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[In the computer age, it's time to analog-off]]></title>
<link><![CDATA[http://www.autonews.com/article/20130405/BLOG06/130409913/in-the-computer-age-its-time-to-analog-off]]></link>
<guid>http://www.autonews.com/article/20130405/BLOG06/130409913/in-the-computer-age-its-time-to-analog-off</guid>
<pubDate><![CDATA[Fri, 05 Apr 2013 15:04:32 EDT]]></pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[My 2-year-old son recently started asking about the clock hanging on the wall of his bedroom. He always just liked the train on it, but now he has realized that the numbers around it somehow tell Mama and Dada what time it is (usually, "past your bedtime"). So I told him to look at whatever number ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Ford seeks best real-world mileage measurements]]></title>
<link><![CDATA[http://www.autonews.com/article/20130327/OEM06/130329886/ford-seeks-best-real-world-mileage-measurements]]></link>
<guid>http://www.autonews.com/article/20130327/OEM06/130329886/ford-seeks-best-real-world-mileage-measurements</guid>
<pubDate><![CDATA[Wed, 27 Mar 2013 11:31:00 EDT]]></pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Carmakers that figure out the best ways to help consumers measure their real-world fuel economy could enjoy a competitive advantage, Jim Farley, Ford Motor Co.'s global marketing chief, said today in a speech at the New York auto show. Seeing that opportunity, Ford will offer software developers ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Toyota's Carter: Industry's dubious claims hurt consumer trust]]></title>
<link><![CDATA[http://www.autonews.com/article/20130326/RETAIL01/130329909/toyotas-carter-industrys-dubious-claims-hurt-consumer-trust]]></link>
<guid>http://www.autonews.com/article/20130326/RETAIL01/130329909/toyotas-carter-industrys-dubious-claims-hurt-consumer-trust</guid>
<pubDate><![CDATA[Tue, 26 Mar 2013 16:15:10 EDT]]></pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[NEW YORK -- In the wake of bad publicity from inaccurate fuel-mileage ratings and other misleading marketing claims, the automotive industry has a trust problem with U.S. consumers a top Toyota official said today. Bob Carter, senior vice president of automotive operations for Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A., said in a speech ( click here for full text ) that dubious marketing tarnishes the industry's reputation. What with "conflicting stories about mpg claims, pickup tow ratings, safety statements and other issues, we really can't blame customers for not fully trusting any of the marketing we put out there," Carter told the audience at the 2013 Automotive Forum, an industry conference sponsored by J.D. Power and Associates and the National Automobile Dealers Association. Without citing specific examples, Carter said suspect claims make it harder for any company's message to resonate with consumers because "they're putting blinders on" once they sense that a message can't be trusted. In February, Hyundai Motor America agreed to settle consumer lawsuits stemming from overstated fuel economy ratings for some 600,000 Hyundai vehicles sold in the United States. After an EPA audit prompted by complaints from consumers and other automakers, Hyundai and affiliate Kia Motors America acknowledged that several models fell short of mpg estimates. Ford also has come under scrutiny for its mileage claims on the Fusion and C-Max hybrids. The EPA said it will review Consumer Reports ' findings that the cars fell far short of Ford's 47 mpg claim. Last month, Automotive News reported that Toyota was the only pickup manufacturer to adopt a standardized towing-capacity test that all pickup makers agreed to four years ago for 2013 models. The test procedures would lower towing capacity ratings the companies now claim in their marketing campaigns. "I get it. It's not easy for automakers. It's so competitive out there," Carter said. "But as an industry, we all need to think carefully about what we do now and how it affects our long-term reputation." Carter said Toyota was "the poster child for the need to be open, transparent and honest with our customers" following its unintended acceleration problems in 2009. He said Toyota is "a different company" in terms of transparency today. He acknowledged, though, that the fallout from the unintended acceleration crisis harmed Toyota's infallible image. "We are back, almost, to the levels of where we were in 2007 in terms of public opinion," Carter said. "We're back on the top of the industry. But other competitors, particularly Ford and Honda, are right there with us."]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[American Honda keeps RPA as creative agency for Honda; Mullen picked for Acura]]></title>
<link><![CDATA[http://www.autonews.com/article/20130318/RETAIL03/130319916/american-honda-keeps-rpa-as-creative-agency-for-honda-mullen-picked]]></link>
<guid>http://www.autonews.com/article/20130318/RETAIL03/130319916/american-honda-keeps-rpa-as-creative-agency-for-honda-mullen-picked</guid>
<pubDate><![CDATA[Mon, 18 Mar 2013 19:15:00 EDT]]></pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Editor's note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly identified the advertising agency that launched Acura. LOS ANGELES -- American Honda picked incumbent RPA to remain its advertising agency of record for the Honda brand after a three-month review while giving Acura's creative business to ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Nissan shake-up aims to shore up quality, EVs]]></title>
<link><![CDATA[http://www.autonews.com/article/20130318/OEM02/303189993/nissan-shake-up-aims-to-shore-up-quality-evs]]></link>
<guid>http://www.autonews.com/article/20130318/OEM02/303189993/nissan-shake-up-aims-to-shore-up-quality-evs</guid>
<pubDate><![CDATA[Mon, 18 Mar 2013 00:01:00 EDT]]></pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[TOKYO -- Nissan Motor Co. has shifted duties among top executives to tackle two nagging weak points: electric vehicles and quality. On the EV front, CEO Carlos Ghosn has consolidated the company's zero emissions business, including the struggling Nissan Leaf EV, under COO Toshiyuki Shiga, 59. The ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Henrik Fisker quits Fisker Automotive in dispute with management]]></title>
<link><![CDATA[http://www.autonews.com/article/20130313/OEM02/130319964/henrik-fisker-quits-fisker-automotive-in-dispute-with-management]]></link>
<guid>http://www.autonews.com/article/20130313/OEM02/130319964/henrik-fisker-quits-fisker-automotive-in-dispute-with-management</guid>
<pubDate><![CDATA[Wed, 13 Mar 2013 10:41:11 EDT]]></pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Henrik Fisker, the former BMW designer who co-founded Fisker Automotive, has resigned from the plug-in hybrid car maker, citing discord with company executives. Fisker, who has been executive chairman for the past 13 months, wrote in an e-mail that the main reasons for his departure were "several ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Henrik Fisker resigns as executive chairman of Fisker Automotive]]></title>
<link><![CDATA[http://europe.autonews.com/article/20130313/ANE/303139841/henrik-fisker-resigns-as-executive-chairman-of-fisker-automotive]]></link>
<guid>http://europe.autonews.com/article/20130313/ANE/303139841/henrik-fisker-resigns-as-executive-chairman-of-fisker-automotive</guid>
<pubDate><![CDATA[Wed, 13 Mar 2013 10:41:11 EDT]]></pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Henrik Fisker, founder and executive chairman of struggling U.S. plug-in hybrid vehicle maker Fisker Automotive, has resigned. In an e-mail to Automotive News Europe sister publication Automotive News , the former BMW and Aston Martin designer wrote that the main reasons for his resignation were ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[U.S. execs lead VW's quality quest in N.A.]]></title>
<link><![CDATA[http://www.autonews.com/article/20130311/OEM01/303119961/u-s-execs-lead-vws-quality-quest-in-n-a]]></link>
<guid>http://www.autonews.com/article/20130311/OEM01/303119961/u-s-execs-lead-vws-quality-quest-in-n-a</guid>
<pubDate><![CDATA[Mon, 11 Mar 2013 00:01:00 EDT]]></pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[GENEVA -- This winter, when Volkswagen Group of America discovered that diesel versions of the Volkswagen Jetta and Passat were having trouble in Canada's cold climate, executives in the United States didn't need permission from Germany to fix the problem. That is because in October, Volkswagen AG gave them the authority to take care of flaws in U.S.- and Mexico-made cars, which make up 70 percent of Volkswagen division's U.S. sales, said Marc Trahan, head of quality at Volkswagen Group of America. The move was part of a plan to respond more nimbly to both technical flaws and Americans' complaints -- and thus move VW-brand models up in the quality rankings. This authority is not endless; the U.S. executives have a limit "in the millions of euros" on the amount they may spend on a quality project without permission from headquarters, Trahan said. "We now have the independence to sort of be in charge of our own destiny," he said during an interview last week at the Geneva auto show. "It can be engineering," he added, when asked what he now has authority to change. "It can be a supplier. It can be a solution that we want to implement in the market to update all the cars that are currently in customer hands." Despite recent sales gains, quality remains a sore spot for VW. The brand ranked 28th of 32 brands in the 2013 J.D. Power and Associates U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study, which measures the number of reported problems with a model after three years of ownership. VW routinely also has ranked near the bottom of J.D. Power's closely watched Initial Quality Study and has several models that have failed to win a recommendation from the magazine Consumer Reports . Trahan, who took over as Audi's head of quality in 2002 and was given responsibility for both Audi and the VW brand in 2010, said the goal for VW remains to score above average in initial quality consistently and have all its models recommended by Consumer Reports . So far progress has been elusive; the VW brand slipped a bit in the latest dependability study compared with the 2012 study, showing an extra five problems on average per 100 vehicles while the industry average reflected six fewer problems. "I would always like to see that progress recognized more quickly, but we're absolutely convinced that we're doing the right things," Volks-wagen Group of America CEO Jonathan Browning told reporters last week. The decisions now made by Trahan and company used to be made by groups reporting to Frank Tuch, chief quality officer at Volkswagen AG. Trahan said he would routinely have to wait four to six weeks to ask German executives for approval. Volkswagen Group of America now holds its own quality meetings every few weeks, rotating between the technical center in Auburn Hills, Mich., and assembly plants in Chattanooga and Puebla, Mexico.]]></description>
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