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China remains on track to eclipse Germany as Audi's largest market following another set of monthly sales figures that displayed booming growth for luxury cars in the world's most populous nation. Audi sales jumped almost 68 percent to 22,358 units in August in China, the premium brand of Volkswagen said on Friday.

Safety questions on Michael Bay's set are being

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal, Technology Now that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Environmental Protection Agency have established fleet fuel economy standards of 35.5 miles per gallon by 2016, the government agencies are hard at work on the next phase of increases that will stretch out to 2020 and beyond. The 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act mandated 40 mpg by 2020 as a minimum, but the standards could actually be set higher. That's exactly what the Consumer Federation of America (CFA) and Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) want. A report from CFA declares that the technology exists to raise fuel economy standards to 60 mpg by 2025 and estimates that doing so would add about $2,600 to the cost of new cars and $3,200 to light trucks. CFA's analysis indicates that, at the equivalent of $3.50 per gallon in 2025, the payback period for the extra costs would only be five years. While the technology definitely exists to produce 60-mpg vehicles, the real problem is consumer behavior, and most American consumers probably won't buy the kinds of small cars required to meet those standards at current fuel prices - particularly with that much cost tacked on to their MSRPs. Hitting 60 mpg while maintaining the size and capability Americans currently buy would doubtlessly cost substantially more. In order to get people to buy such vehicles, critics suggest there will need to be significantly higher prices at the pump. The idea of a revenue-neutral petroleum tax (whereby other taxes would be cut to compensate) that establishes a floor price of at least $4 per gallon could be a good place to start on the way to 40 mpg. Getting people into 60-mpg vehicles would probably require an even higher floor - perhaps $5/gal or more. [Sources: Green Car Advisor, Consumer Federation of America]Continue reading Consumer Federation of America calls for 60 mpg CAFE standard by 2025Consumer Federation of America calls for 60 mpg CAFE standard by 2025 originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 15:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Marketing/Advertising, Chevrolet, GM, CelebritiesGeneral Motors has officially announced that television and movie star Tim Allen will be the new "voice of Chevrolet," starting with a series of ads that will begin airing on September 7. These ads will be for the all-new 2011 Chevrolet Cruze, and while Allen is a big-name with a very recognizable voice, GM's vice president of marketing, Joel Ewanick, reminds us that "the car will be the star." Allen is best known for his starring role on the long-running 1990s sitcom Home Improvement, as well as his roles in The Santa Clause movies and as the voice behind Buzz Lightyear in the Toy Story trilogy. In addition, Allen is also a well-known automobile enthusiast and has an extensive car collection. He is a native of Detroit, Michigan, and has a strong love for classic American muscle cars. Look Listen for Tim Allen in four 30-second GM spots, scheduled to hit your television screen in the coming weeks. GM says that the Cruze's marketing campaign will ramp up as the cars begin to arrive at dealerships in greater volume. For the full details, hit the jump to read GM's press release. [Source: General Motors | Image: Michael Schwartz/WireImage.com]Continue reading Chevrolet signs Tim Allen as brand's new voiceChevrolet signs Tim Allen as brand's new voice originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 14:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments

DUBAI (Reuters) - A cargo plane crashed on a busy highway in Dubai on Friday, setting some cars on fire, Al Arabiya television reported.

Filed under: Concept Cars, Budget, Europe, Paris Motor Show, Hatchback, Chevrolet Chevrolet Cruze Hatchback - Click above for high-res image gallery General Motors will be expanding Chevrolet of Europe's lineup by adding a five-door Cruze, and while we won't get our first look at this new hatchback for a few weeks, GM has decided to preview it early with a few pictures on the web. Sure to be one of the major draws at the Paris Motor Show in just a few weeks, the liftback ought to compete nicely with the 2012 Ford Focus five-door, but don't expect GM to offer the more functional Cruze in the United States. "Americans don't like hatchbacks," remember? Much like the Aveo RS and Buick Regal GS from this year's Detroit Auto Show, GM calls the Cruze hatchback a "show car," but in this case, that means that it's somewhere between the stages of concept and prototype. Don't expect the body to change, but we can easily see the front LED light bar and larger wheels being scrapped for the sake of cost-cutting. Chevrolet says it will begin selling the Cruze hatchback across Europe in mid-2011 and pricing will be announced closer to the model's on-sale date. Follow the jump for the full details in GM's press release. Thanks to everyone for the tips! Gallery: Chevrolet Cruze Hatchback [Source: General Motors]Continue reading Paris Preview: GM unveils Chevrolet Cruze hatchback for EuropeParis Preview: GM unveils Chevrolet Cruze hatchback for Europe originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 11:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments

Former General Motors chairman and CEO Frederick 'Fritz' Henderson has joined oil refiner Sunoco as a senior vice president to help prepare for the previously announced separation of SunCoke Energy. Henderson will become chairman and chief executive officer of SunCoke upon completion of the separation.