Getting a charge out of Nissan's Leaf

This thought came to me as I was piloting the Nissan Leaf electric vehicle prototype around Dodger Stadium last Friday: When gasoline-...

GM plans to pay back its government loans early

Borrowing a page from the playbooks of Bank of America and Goldman Sachs, General Motors Co. is moving to repay its federal loans early.

Nissan is turning over a new zero-emission Leaf

On the vast expanse of asphalt outside Dodger Stadium, Nissan Motor Co.'s new electric car made its U.S. debut Friday, zipping quietly...

2011 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Gullwing: The mind-blowing 1950s version was cooler, but . . .

It goes about a zillion miles an hour, looks tougher than jailhouse steak and has explosive bolts in the doors, but before getting to the...

World's cheapest car is starting to enrich India's Tata Motors

The tiny Nano cars made by India's Tata Motors are starting to hit the road in that country after a land dispute forced the relocation of...

Runaway Toyota cases ignored

More than 1,000 Toyota and Lexus owners have reported since 2001 that their vehicles suddenly accelerated on their own, in many cases...

Toyota is sued over concerns of sudden acceleration

Two Los Angeles County residents have sued Toyota Motor Corp., alleging that the majority of Toyota and Lexus vehicles made since 2001...

Regulators slam Toyota over 'no defect' claim

Federal safety regulators have sharply rebuked Toyota Motor Corp. for issuing "inaccurate and misleading" statements asserting that no...

U.S. car sales are out of rut

After two years of sputtering, U.S. auto sales are finally gaining some traction.

Ford reports nearly $1-billion profit in third quarter

Continuing its comeback effort, Ford Motor Co. reported a third-quarter profit of almost $1 billion as it cut costs and improved market...

GPS system puts Droid phone on the map

When it comes to GPS car navigation, the new Droid phone from Verizon Wireless could change everything.

Electric vehicles are charging up the automotive industry

Next time you're filling up the cavernous fuel tank of the gas-gulping family jalopy, imagine getting 230 miles per gallon.

Ford moves up in Consumer Reports reliability rankings

Asian automakers once again dominate the upper ranks of Consumer Reports' annual vehicle-reliability survey, although Ford Motor Co. is...

Safety probe of certain Lexus ES models is closed

Federal safety regulators have closed an inquiry into sudden-acceleration incidents involving certain Lexus ES models after concluding...

New details in crash that prompted Toyota recall

Federal highway safety inspectors have released new details of a fatal car crash that triggered Toyota Motor Corp.'s largest recall,...

Motorcycle makers cutting staff and product lines as sales plunge

A year ago, it looked as if fuel-sipping motorcycles might be the option for motorists facing increasing gas prices. This year, little seems...

Tokyo Motor Show no longer Asia's premier auto showcase

The 41st Tokyo Motor Show 2009 is opening this weekend, but what used to be Asia's premier showcase of new automobile technology is...

Toyota's runaway-car worries may not stop at floor mats

The 2009 Lexus ES 350 shot through suburban San Diego like a runaway missile, weaving at 120 miles an hour through rush hour freeway traffic...

Nuts over prices and car trouble

You know what's expensive? Walnuts.