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The 2013 Ford Focus earned a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Focus is one of six vehicles in the small car segment to achieve IIHS’s highest rating.

Top Safety Pick+ is a new category in the IIHS ratings. Vehicles must earn a “good” rating for occupant protection in four evaluations: moderate overlap frontal crash, side impact, rollover, and seats/head restraints. The tests are scored “good,” “acceptable,” “marginal” or “poor.” In addition, vehicles must achieve “good” or “acceptable” in a fifth test – small overlap frontal crash. Focus was rated “good” in each of the first four tests and “acceptable” in the small overlap frontal crash.

August 8, 2013 , Auburn Hills, Mich. -
Keeping the GPA up in school is challenging enough and the last concern students want to think about is the MPG efficiency of their ride. To make it easier, the editors of KBB.com have developed a list of the “10 Best Back-to-School Cars” and the all-new Fiat 500L delivers high marks in fuel economy, style, versatility and affordability.

“With a loft-like interior, Italian style and innovative technology, our all-new Fiat 500L will strongly appeal to the back-to-school crowd,” said Jason Stoicevich, Head of FIAT Brand for North America, Chrysler Group LLC. “Expanding on the charm of the iconic 500, the Fiat 500L adds two more doors and 42 percent more interior space with comfortable accommodations for five passengers, plus numerous personalization options all for under $20,000.”

August 8, 2013 , Auburn Hills, Mich. - The 2013 Dodge Dart adds to its list of awards with a Top Safety Pick+ from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

“We are very pleased that the Dart has earned a Top Safety Pick+ designation,” said Tim Kuniskis, President and CEO Dodge Brand – Chrysler Group LLC. “In addition to its solid structure – the Dart’s 68-percent high-strength-steel content ratio is one of the highest in the industry – the Dart boasts more than 60 safety and security features. They include 10 standard air bags, which is unsurpassed in the compact car segment.”

ACME, MI- The Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon will soon drive their way back into the U.S. automotive industry.

General Motors Co. Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Dan Ammann released the first sneak preview of the new mid-size pickups during a presentation Thursday at the 2013 Center for Automotive Research Management Briefing Seminars at the Grand Traverse Resort and Spa.
 

Chrysler is investing $52 million at two Michigan plants to build more four-cylinder engines in anticipation of increased demand.

The money is going into factories in Trenton and Dundee, Mich., south of Detroit. Almost 300 new jobs will be created at the Trenton North factory.

DUNDEE, Mich. — Chrysler Group LLC is putting $40.5 million into its Dundee Engine Plant to add a machining line that will make major components for one of the company’s four-cylinder engines.

The new line, announced on Wednesday, is part of a larger effort from Chrysler to boost production capacity for the four-cylinder engines that power the Dodge Dart and soon-to-launch Jeep Cherokee.

Chrysler said Wednesday that it will invest $52 million at its engine plants in Trenton and Dundee and hire 298 workers so it can make more Tigershark engines as it gets ready to launch its Jeep Cherokee SUV.

The Auburn Hills-based automaker said it will invest $11.5 million at its Trenton North plant to add an assembly line for the four-cylinder Tigershark engine.

Acme — A Ford Motor Co. manufacturing executive said Wednesday the automaker still can find ways to increase capacity if needed and is looking at how to keep up with demand for the popular Escape crossover.

Jim Tetreault, vice president of Ford North America manufacturing, told reporters at the Center for Automotive Research Management Briefing Seminars that he expects Ford will increase capacity of some products this year. The company already added 600,000 units of capacity in the U.S. in the past year or so.

Automakers, enjoying the best U.S. sales since 2007, this week disclosed plans to spend $434 million to boost their capacity to make vehicles and engines in North America.

Ford Motor Co. (F) said it’s looking to squeeze more vehicles out of every factory on the continent. Honda Motor Co. (7267) said yesterday it will invest $215 million in Ohio, including about $180 million at an engine plant, the Tokyo-based automaker said in a statement. Chrysler Group LLC yesterday said it will add capacity and almost 300 jobs at a Michigan engine plant.