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Buy, Sell or Research a New or Used Car - New York Times - The New York Times
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Edition: U.S. / Global

Friday, November 6, 2015

Automobiles

The Ford Motor plant in Ohio. The U.A.W. said the new contract would provide job security.
David Richard/Associated Press

The Ford Motor plant in Ohio. The U.A.W. said the new contract would provide job security.

Voting continued on a contract at General Motors, but passage is expected there as well.

Toyota and Nissan to Drop Takata as Supplier of Airbag Inflaters

The announcements are another blow to company, whose airbags generate about 40 percent of its sales.

As capable as Mercedes-Benz AMG and BMW M cars, ATS-V is letter-perfect in its driving dynamics. Now, if Cadillac can get enthusiasts to understand that.

Walter Maria de Silva, VW Chief Designer, to Retire

VW portrayed the departure of Walter Maria de Silva as a personal decision unrelated to the company’s emissions scandal.

George Barris, California King of Customized Cars, Dies at 89

The man behind the Batmobile, immortalized in a Tom Wolfe essay, was a pioneer and master of car customization.

Toyota Invests $1 Billion in Artificial Intelligence in U.S.

The initiative, the Toyota Research Institute, will create one of the biggest labs in Silicon Valley and will be led by the roboticist Gill Pratt.

VW Reveals It Misstated Emissions of Gas Cars

The company said it had underreported the carbon dioxide emitted by 800,000 diesel- and some gasoline-powered cars, and would set aside $2.2 billion to cover the cost of the problem.

Honda Drops Takata as U.S. Issues Huge Fine Over Airbags

Besides Honda’s decision, United States traffic safety officials fined Takata an amount that could go as high as $200 million.

In Honda’s Rebuke of Takata, a Rare Move for Business Partners in Japan

Companies in Japan form longstanding relationships that extend down manufacturing supply chains, but such ties can have downsides.

Mercedes-Benz Recalls 126,000 Vehicles Over Problems With Airbags

The automaker said airbags in 126,000 model-year 2008-10 vehicles might either inflate at improper times or not deploy during a crash.

Elon Musk Says Never Mind the Hiccups, Tesla Is on Track

The electric car maker’s stock is down by a quarter and production and quality issues have made headlines, but the entrepreneurial chief conveys confidence.

U.S. Auto Industry Posts Best October Sales in Decade

Industry analysts projected that the seasonally adjusted sales rate would exceed 18 million vehicles for the second consecutive month.

Wheels

Car Repairs a Click Away, Without the Fuss and Bother

Technology is helping service departments move into the connected age, employing tools that increase efficiencies and help the consumer feel better about the process.

Wave of New-Car Recalls Raises Questions for Takata Airbags

Honda’s announcement of the recall of 515 CR-Vs from 2016 led Senator Bill Nelson of Florida to ask whether any Takata airbag inflaters were safe.

Ex-Federal Prosecutor Is Named to Monitor G.M.

Bart M. Schwartz, once chief of the criminal division of the United States attorney’s office in Manhattan, will review practices at the automaker.

Fiat Chrysler Recalls More Vehicles for Airbag Defect

The automaker recalled 316,000 Jeeps for airbags that could randomly deploy, and another 276,000 Dodge vans for anti-lock brakes that might fail.

Honda to Recall 300,000 Accords for Airbag Problem

The automaker said the side airbags could deploy without the vehicle being in a crash if the ignition were on and the door was slammed hard.

Fiat Chrysler to Challenge U.S. Rivals With an S.U.V.

A large sport utility vehicle would take aim at General Motors’ and Ford’s most profitable market.

Volkswagen, Hit by Emissions Scandal, Posts Its First Loss in Years

The automaker had a net loss of $1.84 billion in its third quarter, an indicator of how the fallout from its diesel deception could hurt its bottom line.

Ford Profit Soars in 3rd Quarter, Propelled by F-150 Truck Sales

The automaker said earnings almost doubled compared with a year ago, helped by a record quarter in North America.

G.M.’s Tentative Labor Deal Is Set for Approval by Union Leaders

The proposed pact may include the wage-progression formula used in the Fiat Chrysler contract to eventually bring newer workers up to wage parity.

G.M. Issues 4th Recall Over Engine Fires in Wide Swath of Models

The company is recalling 1.4 million vehicles over the problem, which has resulted in at least 1,345 fires and 19 injuries.

Even Before Diesel Scandal Bites, VW Loses Its Sales Crown

Toyota published figures on Monday that showed it selling more vehicles than Volkswagen in the first nine months of 2015, retaking its position as the world’s biggest automaker.

Volkswagen Inquiry’s Focus to Include Managers Who Turned a Blind Eye

A person briefed on the Volkswagen inquiry said it is going beyond those responsible for installing illegal software to include managers who may have learned of the deception and failed to take appropriate action.

Bridgestone to Buy Pep Boys for $835 Million

The acquisition of the car parts retailer will give Bridgestone about 800 more stores to add to its own network of 2,200 tire and car service centers.

After a Delay of Years, Mazda Recalls 4.9 Million Vehicles

The company revealed for the second time in three months that it had known about safety problems for years before alerting customers that there was a problem.

Directors Say Volkswagen Delayed Informing Them of Trickery

Senior Volkswagen board members say they learned of the company’s emissions scandal not from executives—but from news reports.

Takata Airbag Inquiry Widens

Federal auto safety regulators are now looking at the possibility that side airbags, not just those in front of the driver and front-seat passenger, may be defective.

Opel Rejects Claims That Zafira Diesel Engine Breaks Emissions Limits

The German unit of General Motors denied allegations from an environmental group that one of its motors exceeded European caps for nitrogen oxide in realistic driving tests.

Driven

Video Review: With the S600, Mercedes Revives the Maybach

Maybach disappeared a few years ago, but Mercedes has brought it back as an ultraluxury subbrand, with the S600 as an overachieving S-Class.

Driven

Video Review: Audi Q3, a Costly Crossover With Few Compromises

The refreshed crossover is easy to park, surgical through urban traffic and easier on fuel than large S.U.V.s, but it is a bit expensive.

Driven

Video Review: With the Rolls-Royce Ghost, a Pampered Ride for the Chauffeur, Too

The Ghost is stately, delivers its comfort in style and tames road imperfections like no other automobile.

Wheels
Ride-Sharing Apps Bring Back Car-Pooling

Long the province of suburban parents and shift workers headed to the same factory, car-pooling is getting an urban makeover.

Ex-Im Bank Dispute Threatens G.E. Factory That Obama Praised

G.E. plans to close an engine factory in Waukesha, Wis., that President Obama visited in 2014 and move hundreds of jobs to Canada because of the bank’s closure.

Lawyers Jostle for Lead Position in Volkswagen Diesel Suits

To streamline the hundreds of suits filed against Volkswagen, a panel of federal judges is expected to consolidate them in a single court.

Lawyers Say G.M. Might Have Broken Government Deal

Lawyers for plaintiffs in lawsuits against G.M. said it might have violated an agreement with the government based on statements it made in the suits.

Wheels
Borgward, a Storied German Carmaker, Tries Comeback in China

For a moment in the 1950s, the second-biggest German automaker, after VW, wasn’t BMW or Mercedes. It was Borgward, and it may start selling cars again.

Cars’ Voice-Activated Systems Distract Drivers, Study Finds

The research shows that the technology can be a powerful distraction, and a lingering one.

Essential Part of the Volkswagen Diesel Repair Is the Owner

For the most part, owners are not required to have repairs made to Volkswagen cars whose emissions systems were modified to cheat federal tests.

Wheels
Tesla Adds High-Speed Autonomous Driving to Its Bag of Tricks

After a $2,500 software download, Model S drivers can let the car take over on the Interstate, the first car sold to consumers with such capabilities.

The Upshot
When Gas Becomes Cheaper, Americans Buy More Expensive Gas

Researchers also show that consumers use their savings to buy more gasoline, a tendency behavioral economists call “mental accounting.”

Consumer Reports Stops Recommending the Tesla

Consumer Reports dropped its endorsement of the Tesla Model S after owners complained about squeaks, failing door handles and motors in need of replacement.

Volkswagen, in Future Cars, to Adopt New System for Controlling Diesel Emissions

The automaker will use a selective catalytic reduction control system on its future diesel engines in Europe and North America, where a scandal erupted last month.

Norway Is a Model for Encouraging Electric Car Sales

Skeptics, however, wonder whether the country’s program of government subsidies is cost-effective, or even an efficient way to reduce air pollutants.

VW Scandal Exposes Cozy Ties in Europe’s New Car Tests

TÜV Nord, the company at the forefront of finding a new testing regimen for European automakers, is also the company that signed off on Volkswagen’s emissions tests.

In California, Electric Cars Outpace Plugs, and Sparks Fly

California, where half of the country’s electric cars are registered, is pushing for more, but as it is, too-few charging stations lead to fierce competition for available spots.

Wheels
With VW No Longer an Option, Diesel Buyers Have Few Choices

Consumers looking for a new car are facing a conundrum: Do they remain loyal to Volkswagen or look to other brands for clean, high-mileage vehicles?

Highlights From the New York Auto Show

Press previews began this week at the 2015 New York International Auto Show at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. The show opens to the public on Friday.

New Car Reviews

2016 Cadillac ATS-V Coupe
2016 Cadillac ATS-V Coupe
2016 Mazda MX-5
2016 Mazda MX-5
2016 Mazda CX-5
2016 Mazda CX-5
2016 Mercedes-Maybach S600
2016 Mercedes-Maybach S600
2016 Audi Q3
2016 Audi Q3
2015 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
2015 Toyota Highlander Hybrid

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