Automotive Equipment

Assembly OKs clean vehicle carpool-lane access to 2020; Senate next

2013-05-21 08:36:00

A bill to extend carpool-lane access for electric cars and other zero-emission vehicles passed the California Assembly by a wide margin Monday. The legislation, AB 266 written by Robert Blumenfield (D-Woodland Hills), also gives such vehicles access...

Aston Martin debuts concept hinting at future of company

2013-05-21 06:00:00

Though Aston Martin is spending this year looking back on its past 100 years, the British automaker recently took a quick glimpse into its future as well. The company debuted the CC100 Speedster Concept at Sunday’s famed 24 Hours of Nurburgring....

Surging car-loan delinquencies give repo man a busy first quarter

2013-05-20 10:42:00

Delinquent auto loans and vehicle repossessions rose in the U.S. by double-digit percentages in the first quarter of the year, Experian Automotive reported. The number of auto loans delinquent at least 60 days climbed 12.4% in the first quarter compared...

Stocks close higher on hopeful signs for the economy

2013-05-17 14:12:00

Encouraging news about the U.S. economy extended the stock market's rally Friday. A gauge of future economic activity rose more than analysts had expected, as did a measure of consumer confidence, adding to evidence that the economy is steadily...

Major Warner Center office park sold to tenant for $80 million

2013-05-16 06:40:00

A vast office park in Warner Center — the white-collar business hub of the San Fernando Valley — has sold for an estimated $80 million to investors who see it as central to an evolving and increasingly dense commercial and residential...

His big design ideas fit in a child's hand

2013-05-17 20:13:00

The gig: Felix Holst is vice president of design for the Mattel Wheels Division and the chief designer behind the Hot Wheels and Matchbox toy car brands. He supervises more than 50 designers who work on toy cars and related products. "We get to engage...

Transmission engineers are shifting to higher gears

2013-05-17 07:00:00

Automakers are spending billions of dollars to squeeze efficiency from a car part most people never think twice about — the transmission. Over the next five years, many new vehicles will have transmissions with up to 10 speeds, replacing the...

As Tesla taps capital markets for cash, share price could top $100

2013-05-17 10:25:00

Tesla Motors shares are trading at about $90 and could easily top $100, buoyed by its ability to tap capital markets for about $1 billion through its announced sale of stock and convertible notes. It is an impressive performance that will help the...

Fiat moving to the U.S.? Chief has hinted at why it might make sense

2013-05-16 09:45:00

Reports out of Europe suggest that Fiat SpA, the 114-year-old Turin, Italy-based automaker, has a headquarters move to the U.S. under consideration. If it happens, the move would likely occur after Fiat's planned merger with Chrysler Group. It would...

Better than used: Certified pre-owned cars more popular, report says

2013-05-16 07:00:00

Used car sales were down overall in the first quarter of 2013, but certified pre-owned cars are more popular than ever, Edmunds.com says. Sales of certified pre-owned cars or CPOs, as the auto industry refers to them, were up 6.2% in the first quarter,...

Don't cry for Kanye's crashed Lambo -- or your small SUV

2013-05-16 13:21:00

Don’t know why, but Thursday turned into car crash day. Perhaps it was because, in between reading about one White House scandal or another, I was distracted by this intriguing headline on The Times’ homepage: “Kim Kardashian's gate...

Video shows deer crashing through bus windshield in Pennsylvania

2013-05-16 13:42:00

A deer crashed through the windshield of a public bus in western Pennsylvania and floundered around in panic and confusion before finally exiting. The incident took place Tuesday about 6:30 p.m. on a Johnstown street and was recorded on a surveillance...

A deer in Pennsylvania crashes through the windshield of a moving bus.

2013-05-16 00:00:00

Mercedes-Benz introduced the all-new 2014 S-Class. Though its dimensions and powertrain remain largely unchanged, the car features a host of new technologies and a completely redesigned interior.

2013-05-15 12:02:47

The car: 1926 Pierce-Arrow Series 33 Runabout. Hagerty's take: Regarded as one of America's finest automobile manufacturers, Pierce-Arrow is commonly referred to as one of the "Three Ps," along with Packard and Peerless.

2013-05-13 10:32:46