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<title><![CDATA[RSS for Performance]]></title>
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<link><![CDATA[http://search.autonews.com/]]></link>
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<title><![CDATA[A tech triumph for the S class?]]></title>
<link><![CDATA[http://www.autonews.com/article/20130520/OEM06/305209955/a-tech-triumph-for-the-s-class]]></link>
<guid>http://www.autonews.com/article/20130520/OEM06/305209955/a-tech-triumph-for-the-s-class</guid>
<pubDate><![CDATA[Mon, 20 May 2013 00:01:00 EDT]]></pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[HAMBURG, Germany -- With a technology-rich S-class redesign arriving this fall and several derivatives to be added by 2015, Mercedes-Benz aims to boost stalled sales of its flagship. Still, Mercedes executives do not expect the new S class unveiled here last week to approach the peak volume of the ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[GM seeks clean launch, regular updates for pickups]]></title>
<link><![CDATA[http://www.autonews.com/article/20130520/OEM02/305209985/gm-seeks-clean-launch-regular-updates-for-pickups]]></link>
<guid>http://www.autonews.com/article/20130520/OEM02/305209985/gm-seeks-clean-launch-regular-updates-for-pickups</guid>
<pubDate><![CDATA[Mon, 20 May 2013 00:01:00 EDT]]></pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Mark Reuss, president of General Motors North America, says GM is staying vigilant on the June launch of the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra full-sized pickups, its most important rollout since the company's 2009 bankruptcy. He says GM is closely monitoring suppliers to avoid bottlenecks that ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Acura seeks image boost by reviving NSX in Ohio]]></title>
<link><![CDATA[http://www.autonews.com/article/20130520/OEM01/305209977/acura-seeks-image-boost-by-reviving-nsx-in-ohio]]></link>
<guid>http://www.autonews.com/article/20130520/OEM01/305209977/acura-seeks-image-boost-by-reviving-nsx-in-ohio</guid>
<pubDate><![CDATA[Mon, 20 May 2013 00:01:00 EDT]]></pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[MARYSVILLE, Ohio -- Honda officials hope the revived Acura NSX, an advanced hybrid sports car scheduled to arrive in 2015, will strengthen Acura's luxury footing. "We have a very clear understanding of the high customer expectations luxury buyers around the world have for a supercar, and our ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[U.S. tweaks boost Leaf's mpg score]]></title>
<link><![CDATA[http://www.autonews.com/article/20130520/OEM05/305209964/u-s-tweaks-boost-leafs-mpg-score]]></link>
<guid>http://www.autonews.com/article/20130520/OEM05/305209964/u-s-tweaks-boost-leafs-mpg-score</guid>
<pubDate><![CDATA[Mon, 20 May 2013 00:01:00 EDT]]></pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[NASHVILLE -- U.S. production of Nissan's Leaf electric vehicle has resulted in improved EPA fuel economy numbers for the car. According to the EPA, the U.S.-built 2013 Leaf -- which has no fuel tank -- gets a miles per gallon equivalent (MPGe) of 115 in combined city and highway driving. Last year ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Sources: Chrysler plans high-hp Hellcat V-8]]></title>
<link><![CDATA[http://www.autonews.com/article/20130520/OEM04/305209965/sources-chrysler-plans-high-hp-hellcat-v-8]]></link>
<guid>http://www.autonews.com/article/20130520/OEM04/305209965/sources-chrysler-plans-high-hp-hellcat-v-8</guid>
<pubDate><![CDATA[Mon, 20 May 2013 00:01:00 EDT]]></pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[DETROIT -- Chrysler Group is developing a supercharged Hemi V-8 with power approaching the 640 hp of the SRT Viper's V-10. The 6.2-liter engine, code-named Hellcat, is expected to debut on the next-generation Dodge Challenger and perhaps other vehicles, according to sources within Chrysler. The ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Infiniti: Raise quality, sales will follow]]></title>
<link><![CDATA[http://www.autonews.com/article/20130520/OEM/305209952/infiniti-raise-quality-sales-will-follow]]></link>
<guid>http://www.autonews.com/article/20130520/OEM/305209952/infiniti-raise-quality-sales-will-follow</guid>
<pubDate><![CDATA[Mon, 20 May 2013 00:01:00 EDT]]></pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[KAMINOKAWA, Japan -- The boss says quality is key to Infiniti's future. After years with Infiniti at the back of the premium pack, Carlos Ghosn, CEO of Infiniti's parent, Nissan Motor Co., has ordered his team to nail quality once and for all as part of a push to catapult Infiniti into the top ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Goofy ads, variants help Mini rule its own little world]]></title>
<link><![CDATA[http://www.autonews.com/article/20130520/RETAIL03/305209963/goofy-ads-variants-help-mini-rule-its-own-little-world]]></link>
<guid>http://www.autonews.com/article/20130520/RETAIL03/305209963/goofy-ads-variants-help-mini-rule-its-own-little-world</guid>
<pubDate><![CDATA[Mon, 20 May 2013 00:01:00 EDT]]></pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[WOODCLIFF LAKE, N.J. -- In 2005, three years after the Mini Cooper's surprisingly strong debut in the United States, brand executives wondered how many more buyers there could be for a 12-foot car. "When I first arrived in 2005, there was a question if Mini sales would decline," said Jim McDowell, ...]]></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[GM designer knows crucial launches produce a love-hate response]]></title>
<link><![CDATA[http://www.autonews.com/article/20130520/OEM03/305209972/gm-designer-knows-crucial-launches-produce-a-love-hate-response]]></link>
<guid>http://www.autonews.com/article/20130520/OEM03/305209972/gm-designer-knows-crucial-launches-produce-a-love-hate-response</guid>
<pubDate><![CDATA[Mon, 20 May 2013 00:01:00 EDT]]></pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[SAN ANTONIO -- Chevrolet designer Tom Peters describes the blocky, chiseled front end of the 2014 Silverado pickup as a "fist in the wind." The metaphor also could describe the resolve Peters needs to weather his critics as the lead designer for two of the most closely scrutinized vehicles on the ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Chrysler exec: Our vehicle quality rivals Toyota's]]></title>
<link><![CDATA[http://www.autonews.com/article/20130520/OEM/305209957/chrysler-exec-our-vehicle-quality-rivals-toyotas]]></link>
<guid>http://www.autonews.com/article/20130520/OEM/305209957/chrysler-exec-our-vehicle-quality-rivals-toyotas</guid>
<pubDate><![CDATA[Mon, 20 May 2013 00:01:00 EDT]]></pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[DETROIT -- The quality gap between Chrysler Group's vehicles and those of Japanese automakers has become so small that it no longer should matter to consumers, Chrysler's quality chief says. "We still benchmark Toyota," says Doug Betts, Chrysler's senior vice president of quality. "Toyota's very ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Online video has changed how auto marketers connect with customers]]></title>
<link><![CDATA[http://www.autonews.com/article/20130520/RETAIL03/305209950/online-video-has-changed-how-auto-marketers-connect-with-customers]]></link>
<guid>http://www.autonews.com/article/20130520/RETAIL03/305209950/online-video-has-changed-how-auto-marketers-connect-with-customers</guid>
<pubDate><![CDATA[Mon, 20 May 2013 00:01:00 EDT]]></pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[LOS ANGELES -- Chrysler-Fiat marketing chief Olivier Francois hopes he has this summer's pop-music hit in his back pocket, the thumping soundtrack to a Fiat 500 commercial that has evolved into a full-length, party-themed video for a song with "Fiat" in its title. "If it works, we will have written ...]]></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[Jaguar launches plan to spruce up U.S. stores]]></title>
<link><![CDATA[http://europe.autonews.com/article/20130517/ANE/305179991/jaguar-launches-plan-to-spruce-up-u-s-stores]]></link>
<guid>http://europe.autonews.com/article/20130517/ANE/305179991/jaguar-launches-plan-to-spruce-up-u-s-stores</guid>
<pubDate><![CDATA[Fri, 17 May 2013 00:01:00 EDT]]></pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Jaguar is rolling out a plan to refurbish its U.S. dealerships in preparation for a wave of new products. Regional Jaguar teams are going "door-to-door" to discuss the new corporate identity standards, starting with about 50 older stores, said Andy Goss, CEO of Jaguar Land Rover North America. He ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Audi's Performance Push (5/16/13)]]></title>
<link><![CDATA[http://search.autonews.com/v/75011665/audi-s-performance-push-5-16-13.htm?]]></link>
<guid>http://search.autonews.com/v/75011665/audi-s-performance-push-5-16-13.htm?</guid>
<pubDate><![CDATA[Thu, 16 May 2013 15:45:04 EDT]]></pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[A plan to rev up sales of models such as the RS5; two special Dodge Darts; an elusive safety crown; sending cars airborne.]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Skoda's global April sales hit by switch to new Octavia]]></title>
<link><![CDATA[http://europe.autonews.com/article/20130516/ANE/130519917/skodas-global-april-sales-hit-by-switch-to-new-octavia]]></link>
<guid>http://europe.autonews.com/article/20130516/ANE/130519917/skodas-global-april-sales-hit-by-switch-to-new-octavia</guid>
<pubDate><![CDATA[Thu, 16 May 2013 10:10:18 EDT]]></pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[PRAGUE (Reuters) -- Skoda's global sales fell by 4.6 percent to 77,600 in April due to a switch to a new Octavia compact model and continued weak demand in some European markets, the carmaker said today. Skoda, the Czech Republic's largest exporter and a unit of Germany's Volkswagen Group, is seen ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Audi shifting to high-performance models to propel sales]]></title>
<link><![CDATA[http://europe.autonews.com/article/20130516/ANE/305169881/audi-shifting-to-high-performance-models-to-propel-sales]]></link>
<guid>http://europe.autonews.com/article/20130516/ANE/305169881/audi-shifting-to-high-performance-models-to-propel-sales</guid>
<pubDate><![CDATA[Thu, 16 May 2013 04:34:21 EDT]]></pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[(Bloomberg) -- Audi, the world's second-largest maker of luxury cars, said high-performance cars like the RS5, as well as the new version of the A3 compact, will help propel sales this year amid intensifying economic headwinds. "We aim to increase sales of high-performance cars by one third" in ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Audi shifting to high-performance models to propel sales]]></title>
<link><![CDATA[http://www.autonews.com/article/20130516/RETAIL01/305169883/audi-shifting-to-high-performance-models-to-propel-sales]]></link>
<guid>http://www.autonews.com/article/20130516/RETAIL01/305169883/audi-shifting-to-high-performance-models-to-propel-sales</guid>
<pubDate><![CDATA[Thu, 16 May 2013 04:34:21 EDT]]></pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[(Bloomberg) -- Audi AG, the world's second-largest maker of luxury cars, said high-performance cars like the RS5, as well as the new version of the A3 compact, will help propel sales this year amid intensifying economic headwinds. "We aim to increase sales of high-performance cars by one third" in ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Honda returns to F1 racing as engine supplier]]></title>
<link><![CDATA[http://www.autonews.com/article/20130516/OEM06/305169967/honda-returns-to-f1-racing-as-engine-supplier]]></link>
<guid>http://www.autonews.com/article/20130516/OEM06/305169967/honda-returns-to-f1-racing-as-engine-supplier</guid>
<pubDate><![CDATA[Thu, 16 May 2013 03:49:21 EDT]]></pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[TOKYO (Bloomberg) -- Honda Motor Co. will return to Formula One as an engine supplier to help develop vehicle technology after exiting the racing series in 2008. Honda will provide motors to its former F1 racing partner McLaren Automotive Ltd. starting in 2015, Takanobu Ito, president of the ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Renault expects 5% dip for European car market]]></title>
<link><![CDATA[http://europe.autonews.com/article/20130516/ANE/305169973/renault-expects-5-dip-for-european-car-market]]></link>
<guid>http://europe.autonews.com/article/20130516/ANE/305169973/renault-expects-5-dip-for-european-car-market</guid>
<pubDate><![CDATA[Thu, 16 May 2013 03:34:21 EDT]]></pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ISTANBUL, Turkey (Bloomberg) -- Renault expects the European car market to shrink 5 percent this year over last year, Chief Operating Officer Carlos Tavares said. The French carmaker, whose worldwide deliveries last year fell 6.3 percent to 2.55 million cars and light vehicles, expects the European ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Revamped Mercedes S class strives to set new luxury mark]]></title>
<link><![CDATA[http://www.autonews.com/article/20130515/OEM04/130519930/revamped-mercedes-s-class-strives-to-set-new-luxury-mark]]></link>
<guid>http://www.autonews.com/article/20130515/OEM04/130519930/revamped-mercedes-s-class-strives-to-set-new-luxury-mark</guid>
<pubDate><![CDATA[Wed, 15 May 2013 14:00:00 EDT]]></pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[HAMBURG, Germany -- Mercedes-Benz is heralding the redesigned 2014 S class as a flagship that will set new benchmarks for luxury sedans with its packaging of technology, safety gear and opulence. Mercedes-Benz executives vow the latest sedan will fortify the brand's credentials as it strives to recapture the world's luxury sales crown since falling to No. 3 behind BMW and Audi. "Rather than being about safety or aesthetics, power or efficiency, comfort or dynamism, our aspirations were 'the best or nothing' in every respect," said Dieter Zetsche, CEO of parent company Daimler AG. "No car stands for the Mercedes-Benz brand promise more than the S class." The 2014 S class goes on sale in the United States in September. It was introduced today by American singer Alicia Keys before more than 750 international journalists at the customer delivery center for the Airbus A380, Europe's largest passenger airplane. Only the S-class sedan variants with a short and long wheelbase have been unveiled. The United States will receive the long wheelbase. In coming years, the latest S class is expected to be marketed in several new body styles including a stretched wheelbase to replace the Maybach, which was axed because of slow sales, and a convertible. Mercedes said it sold 65,128 S-class sedans worldwide in 2012, down from 68,969 in 2011. The new S class is especially aimed at China , where the luxury market continues to grow, though at a slower pace, and where Mercedes has fallen further behind leader Audi and second-place BMW. Mercedes forfeited the global luxury sales title to BMW in 2005, and fell to third place behind Audi in 2011. Zetsche has vowed to recapture the title by the end of decade. Modern styling Bidding to enhance fuel economy, Mercedes has increased the amount of lightweight materials used in the construction of the new S-class . The entire outer skin, including the roof, is now made out of aluminum, while the internal structure uses a higher percentage of hot formed multigauge steel. It will also emit less CO2 than a Smart ForTwo , Mercedes says. S-class styling hasn't been radically changed but the shape is more modern. The car's width grows by an inch for a slight improvement in interior room . The wheelbase and length are unchanged from the current model. The sedan has a larger and more upright grille. The biggest visible change is the new integrated taillights. Mercedes-Benz says the S class will be the world's first car to use LED technology throughout the exterior and interior, meaning there are no light bulbs. Overall, it has nearly 500 light-emitting diodes inside and out, including 300 for the interior. By switching to LEDs, Mercedes says it has lowered the intensity of the brake lights at night or when the car is stopped at traffic lights "out of consideration for any road users behind." The S class also has a new generation of driver-assistance packages, with 30 features, that have been combined into what Mercedes-Benz calls Intelligent Drive. Eleven of the 30 features are new or significantly enhanced for 2014. They include systems to help prevent collisions, a pedestrian-recognition feature and lane-keeping, parking, distance-control and night-vision assistance. Some are optional and others are standard. Details about U.S. packages are undisclosed. Intelligent Drive In an interview last month, Mercedes-Benz USA CEO Steve Cannon said the Intelligent Drive features are "a milestone step along this road of accident-free driving." "If you look out into the future, autonomous driving is what everyone is talking about and we think there are steps along the way," Cannon said. "The S class will be another step." Standard technology features include: An upgraded mbrace2 communications and navigation system Interior LED light features with an optional seven colors Two 12.3-inch high-resolution screens and a new instrument cluster Optional equipment includes: A "magic body control" feature that uses stereo cameras to scan the road and adjust the suspension dampening automatically to individual or multiple wheels New seat massagers with a hot-stone feature A heated steering wheel, front and rear armrests and rear seats. The package also includes rear power and memory seats An air balance package that filters and adds fragrance to the air through the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system Initially, the United States will get the S550 with a 4.7-liter V-8 direct-injection twin-turbo engine that generates 455 hp and 516 pounds-feet of torque. The all-wheel-drive S550 4Matic and S63 high-performance AMG models go on sale in November. Hybrid and diesel models will be launched in 2014. Mercedes-Benz says it has sold more than 500,000 units of the current-generation S class since worldwide sales begin September 2005. In the United States, the average S-class buyer is 61 with an annual income of $371,000. About 76 percent of the buyers are male and 83 percent are married, Mercedes-Benz USA says. While the U.S. market for large, premium sedans has declined in recent years, it remains a symbolic battlefield for luxury brands. U.S. sales of the S class totaled 11,794 last year, down 4 percent from the prior year. BMW sold 11,098 7-series sedans in the United States last year, down 2 percent from 2011. And U.S. sales of the Lexus LS totaled 8,345 last year, down 13 percent from the previous year. Sales of the S class in the United States during the past decade hit a high of 30,886 units in 2006. Lexus LS volume peaked at 35,226 cars in 2007 and deliveries of the BMW 7 series hit a high of 20,473 units in 2003, according to the Automotive News Data Center. Pricing on the new S class will be announced closer to launch. The current S550 has a base price of $95,905, including shipping.]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[True Value of Tesla? (5/15/13)]]></title>
<link><![CDATA[http://search.autonews.com/v/74945928/true-value-of-tesla-5-15-13.htm?]]></link>
<guid>http://search.autonews.com/v/74945928/true-value-of-tesla-5-15-13.htm?</guid>
<pubDate><![CDATA[Wed, 15 May 2013 08:22:26 EDT]]></pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Snyder: Is EV start-up really worth more than Fiat and PSA?; driving losing popularity; 'Talking car' wildcard.]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[A Nissan in Chevy Clothing (5/14/13)]]></title>
<link><![CDATA[http://search.autonews.com/v/74923325/a-nissan-in-chevy-clothing-5-14-13.htm?]]></link>
<guid>http://search.autonews.com/v/74923325/a-nissan-in-chevy-clothing-5-14-13.htm?</guid>
<pubDate><![CDATA[Tue, 14 May 2013 15:10:17 EDT]]></pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[GM turns to rival to build cargo van, cites 'speed to market'; Ohio site chosen for Acura NSX; Cadillac sits out volume chase.]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Honda to convert Ohio seat plant for Acura NSX output]]></title>
<link><![CDATA[http://www.autonews.com/article/20130514/OEM04/130519952/honda-to-convert-ohio-seat-plant-for-acura-nsx-output]]></link>
<guid>http://www.autonews.com/article/20130514/OEM04/130519952/honda-to-convert-ohio-seat-plant-for-acura-nsx-output</guid>
<pubDate><![CDATA[Tue, 14 May 2013 11:00:00 EDT]]></pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[MARYSVILLE, Ohio -- Honda Motor Co. said today it will invest $70 million to convert a former seat plant here to assemble the next-generation Acura NSX. The plant will be staffed with about 100 specially trained production workers and equipped with robots to build the gasoline-electric hybrid ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Nissan plans potentially polarizing changes to top-selling Qashqai]]></title>
<link><![CDATA[http://europe.autonews.com/article/20130514/ANE/305149999/nissan-plans-potentially-polarizing-changes-to-top-selling-qashqai]]></link>
<guid>http://europe.autonews.com/article/20130514/ANE/305149999/nissan-plans-potentially-polarizing-changes-to-top-selling-qashqai</guid>
<pubDate><![CDATA[Tue, 14 May 2013 00:01:00 EDT]]></pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[SUNDERLAND, England andndash; Nissan promises an innovative new look for the second-generation Qashqai compact crossover andndash; the automaker's top-selling model in Europe andndash; when the replacement debuts early next year. "There's a risk associated with changing it. We acknowledge that, but ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Domestic brands score well in owner-perception survey]]></title>
<link><![CDATA[http://www.autonews.com/article/20130513/OEM/130519977/domestic-brands-score-well-in-owner-perception-survey]]></link>
<guid>http://www.autonews.com/article/20130513/OEM/130519977/domestic-brands-score-well-in-owner-perception-survey</guid>
<pubDate><![CDATA[Mon, 13 May 2013 08:00:00 EDT]]></pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Volkswagen Group and Ford Motor Co. fared well among automakers in an annual study released today measuring quality and how deeply consumers feel about a new car or light-truck purchase after several months of ownership. And for the first time in over a decade, domestic automakers, led by GM, ...]]></description>
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