Posts by Chris Haak
Honda’s Struggling Acura Brand To Go More Upscale
By Chris Haak02.21.2008In spite of being the original Japanese luxury brand, getting its start in the US way back in 1986 (years before Lexus or Infiniti launched), Acura has been...
Microsoft to Announce Another Major Automaker Partner by End of 2008
By Chris Haak02.21.2008Ford's popular SYNC system, which allows simple voice-activated integration of cell phone, iPod, and other electronic devices with its cars, was developed...
Volkswagen, A Glutton for Punishment, To Attempt Phaeton Again
Are they "Attempting Phaeton" or "Tempting Fate?"By Chris Haak02.19.2008The Volkswagen Phaeton luxury car hit the US market in November 2003 as the Volkswagen brand's flagship and...
2008 Toyota Prius Review
By Chris Haak02.18.2008The Toyota Prius has been on a real sales tear for the past year. US sales of the hybrid five-door leapt from 106,971 in 2006 to 181,221 in 2007 (a 69.4%...
Ford Previews 2009 Ford Fiesta To Be Shown at Geneva
By Chris Haak02.15.2008Just over two weeks before its official unveiling at the Geneva Auto Show, Ford has released images of the production Ford Fiesta for Europe. Ford's...
Does Mercury Have a Future?
At last week's National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) convention, Lincoln-Mercury dealers were looking for news about the fate of the Mercury brand. Ford has previously...
Auto Loan Delinquencies on the Rise
By Chris Haak02.14.2008Fitch Ratings, a credit rating company, reported today that the number of auto loans at least 60 days delinquent has hit a 10-month high in January, jumping...
WTO Finds China Tariffs on Auto Part Imports Unfair
By Chris Haak02.14.2008The World Trade Organization has issued a preliminary ruling that China is breaking its rules by giving imported auto parts less favorable treatment than...
London Will Triple Congestion Charge on Some Cars
London Mayor Ken Livingstone, architect of London's "congestion pricing" scheme that assesses fees on vehicles entering central London since 2003, has taken his idea a step...
Chrysler To Eliminate Model Overlap, Combine Dealerships
In December, we reported that Chrysler was undertaking some urgent vehicle improvement steps aimed at getting their vehicles onto shoppers' lists and coming in better than last in...