“Cadillac is back!” says John Manoogian, director of design exteriors for GM. I spoke with him at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit about the unveiling of the new Cadillac CTS. The redesign features a dramatic presence with [See the full post…]

“Sharing the Road: Big Safety/Small Vehicles” was the theme at this year’s Michelin Challenge Design, an annual event at the North American International Auto Show, in Detroit. A catalyst for design students, design firms, professional designers from top car companies, [See the full post…]

Boasting a V10, the Acura Advanced Sports Car concept car debuted at the North American International Auto Show, with quite an impact. A long, pronounced hood, slim LED headlights, wraparound rear tail lights and a wide, low-to-the-ground wheel stance all [See the full post…]

“If we are going to reduce our dependency on petroleum, there has to be a demand for flex fuel and electric vehicles,” says GM‘s Vice President of Environment & Energy, Beth Lowery. I spoke with her during the North American [See the full post…]

The University of Michigan’s Solar Car Team had one of the more inspiring booths at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit last month. The entirely student-run organization is dedicated to designing, financing, building and racing solar powered cars. [See the full post…]

Anne Ascensio is the executive director of advanced design at General Motors. She’s responsible for the advanced design studios in Warren, Mich., Los Angeles and Birmingham, England. She provides a unique outlook on developing concept vehicles and plotting new directions [See the full post…]

The Mazda Ryuga certainly had my attention at the North American International Auto Show. It’s the second of four concept cars that Mazda plans to unveil during the 2007 auto show season. The car’s rich color, sleek shape and salon-like [See the full post…]

Popular in Eurpope and Asia, the Smart Car is finally coming to America. Unfortunately, not until 2008. This cute, two-seater is affordably priced, starting at under $13k, so it benefits our wallets, and the planet, with the company’s exploration of [See the full post…]

The 1968-1969 Chevy Camaro is a classic, and for many, the ultimate expression of the ‘American Muscle Car.’ Taking its design cues from that legendary collectible, the new 2009 Camaro is one heck of a dream machine. Masculine and menacing, [See the full post…]

Imagine never having to fill up again with gasoline. That’s the promise of the new Chevy Volt, an electric car concept created by General Motors, which debuted at the North American International Auto Show. The flex fuel hybrid car is [See the full post…]

High-Volt-age is more like it. This concept car has everything — an attention to styling, a variable eco-friendly propulsion platform, StabiliTrak and room for four. I want one! Only a concept at this time, how long will it be before [See the full post…]

“Quiet vehicles with little to no emissions that look cool.” Those are the words of Honda‘s Chris Martin. I spoke with him at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit about the release of Honda’s latest hydrogen hybrid concept, [See the full post…]

It’s no secret that we rely on our batteries to power just about every consumer electronic device, or that we are increasingly relying on those devices for just about everything we do. Lithium-Ion batteries are considered the next generation battery [See the full post…]

This unique concept, showcased in a Saab 9-3 Convertible, combines fossil-free bioethanol fuel (E100) with electric-only propulsion, using the advanced, two-mode hybrid system that Saab’s parent company, General Motors Corp., is co-developing with DaimlerChrysler and BMW Group. The Saab BioPower [See the full post…]

It seems pretty apparent after several days at the North American International Auto Show, that GM is serious about building cars that consumers will want. The re-emphasis on design is evident in the new Chevy Malibu, unveiled at the show. [See the full post…]

While at the Detroit Auto Show (proper name North American International Auto Show, NAIAS) I had the opportunity to visit the OnStar Command Center . At first, I didn’t want to go. I was tired and had been speaking with [See the full post…]

One of my favorite concept cars at the North American International Auto Show was the Saab Aero X. Its gull wing doors, turbine wheels and aerodynamic design is an homage to Saab’s airplane heritage. I had the opportunity to speak [See the full post…]

While I wasn’t around for the 1953 FJ Holden, Australia’s legendary automobile that compares in status to the 1957 Chevy in the U.S., I can appreciate its design. Speaking with Richard Ferlazzo, chief designer of GM Holden Ltd, I got [See the full post…]

For those of us who attend auto shows with any regularity, there’s a familiarity to the love/hate relationship we have with concept vehicles. They steal our hearts, promise us a brighter future, show us that anything is possible. Of course, [See the full post…]

I had the opportunity to speak with Saturn‘s Jill Lajdziak at December’s Los Angeles Auto Show and she was expressive about the past year for Saturn and the renewal of the brand. During the North American International Auto Show in [See the full post…]

The Ford Interceptor is a good old fashioned display of ‘American Muscle.’ I met with Andreas Nilson, exterior design manager for the Interceptor, for a conversation and a preview of the sporty (and menacing) vehicle. It’s a concept car, and [See the full post…]

While at the Detroit Auto Show (proper name, the North American International Auto Show), I spoke with Freeman Thomas, Ford’s design director, at North American Strategic Design, about the new Airstream concept. Being a lover of the outdoors and car-camping, [See the full post…]

So how much does it cost to convert a Prius into a PHEV? I spoke with Greg Hanssen, partner in Monrovia, Calif.’s EnergyCS and president of its offshoot, EDrive Systems, to find out. Along with his company, he has done [See the full post…]

John Plaza is head of Seattle BioDiesel, a division of Imperium Renewables. The company is in the process of building Imperium Gray’s Harbor, a biodeisel refinery which will be able to produce 100 million gallons of biodiesel a year — [See the full post…]

As goes the consumer, so goes General Motors. That really was the message I got after speaking with GM’s Clay Okabayashi during the Alternative Car & Transportation Expo. The bottom line is that it’s the consumer driving the decision making [See the full post…]