Just in time for the holiday season, Hot Wheels announced a lineup of Ken Block toys now available at retailers nationwide such as Toys “R” Us, Wal-Mart, Target, Kmart and Pep Boys. Three individual products make up the Ken Block Hot Wheels line, a 1:64-scale die-cast 2011 Ken Block Ford Fiesta Hot Wheels car, a Hot Wheels RC Nitro Speeders Ken Block Fiesta, and a 1:16-scale Hot Wheels Ken Block RC Stunt Car.

The 1:64-scale die-cast Fiesta is available sporting the black or white liveries, depending on your preference and comes in at a mere $1.00. The RC Nitro Speeders Fiesta is a small, self-containing RC car and controller and has the ability to go 0-60 mph in scale speed in just 1-second. The Speeders is for sale at $26.00. Lastly, the RC Stunt Car is a fully functional remote controlled car with two different drift modes, allowing the user to pull both wide and tight drifts. It features a scale speed of 0-80 mph in less than 2-seconds for just $45.00.

This is just the beginning of the collaboration, as Block elaborated that he’s already working with Hot Wheels for some 2012 items, including some of his current projects that are still secret.

GALLERY: Ken Block Hot Wheels

The British would rather buy a used car from Barack Obama than David Cameron, according to a poll that measures the public’s trust in political leaders.

The YouGov poll, conducted on behalf of Craigslist, asked over 2,000 Britons who they would trust if they were buying a used car from a global leader, and Obama ranked first, with twice as many respondents preferring to buy from him than anyone else. Barack Obama captured 28 percent of the vote, followed by Angela Merkel at 14 percent. Not fairing so well is Silvio Berlusconi – 35 percent of the respondents said he was the world leader they would be least likely to buy a used car from. Other politicians on the list include Vladimir Putin and Nicholas Sarkozy.

“If Obama fails to win reelection next year, he could always launch a used car business in the UK”, says Jim Buckmaster, CEO of craigslist. “But he should clearly avoid partnering with Silvio Berlusconi, or even David Cameron.”

If you play the EA Moble game Road Trippin’, you can expect to stop by Sears Auto Centers in your virtual travels.

Sears Auto Centers and BF Goodrich Tires have joined forces with EA Mobile, so players of the popular moble game can stop to tune up their cars, receive power boosts and earn extra points. And players can also earn discounts for their real cars from Sears and BF Goodrich as well.

“Mobile gaming is a great venue to introduce Sears Auto Center’s products and services to a new generation of customers,” said Lori Williams, Chief Marketing Officer for Sears Auto Centers. “With the number of mobile game players growing every day, Road Trippin’ enables Sears Auto to leverage this new marketing channel to engage with potential customers in a relevant way.”

You can download the game for free at the Apple iTunes store.

Having successfully worked with the United Auto Works union in developing a new contract in the US, Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne is now turing his attention north of the border, as the automaker gets ready to begin negotiations with UAW’s Canadian counterpart, the CAW.

During a recent speech at the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants in Toronto, Marchionne declared in reference to the current CAW situation, “you cannot have all things, you cannot have a strong currency, you cannot have an uncompetitive wage rate and then expect Chrysler or all the other carmakers in this country to keep on making cars in this country and be disadvantaged.”

Officially going on the record before negotiations actually begin has become a Marchionne hallmark, as he took a similar stance  in the US and also in Italy with Fiat.

Both the UAW and CAW have repeatedly pushed for a two-tier wage system, something the Chrysler CEO is against, believing it results in entitlement over productivity. “If we’re all in the same boat, then if I’m doing well I will pay you much more than you would have got as a tier one,” he said. “But if we’re in the sewers, don’t expect your role preserved when everyone else is drowning.”

Marchionne has floated the idea of possible incentives or profit sharing, yet he’s also firm on his stance that Canadian production costs for Chrysler vehicles need to be brought in line with those of the US. At present, Canada produces some of the most profitable vehicles in the company portfolio, namely the full-size, rear-drive LX cars in Brampton, Ontario and the Chrysler minivans in Windsor, however for the company to continue investing in Canada, he’s adamant that concessions need to be made.

However, some, including the president of Local 444 in Windsor, Rick Laporte, see Marchionne’s remarks as a threat and are unhappy at his very public commentary on the subject.  I’m a little pissed off,” Laporte told the Windsor Star. “I’m just surprised that he goes to the press and says those kinds of things. I can go out and say a lot of nasty things too, but I choose not to because I prefer to be professional and have those kinds of conversations one-on-one with him.”

[Source: Left Lane News]

The original Audi TT was beautiful, a styling icon and a design study of the 21st century. Audi plans to do it again, with rumors surfacing of the unveiling of the third generation TT at the approaching Tokyo Motor Show.

Few details have been disclosed but we expect the TT to be taken slightly up-market in order to make room for a new entry level R4 mid-engine sports car. The TT will retain its front engine all-wheel-drive layout and will likely take new design influences from the Quattro Concept from last year.

If the next Audi TT does make an appearance at the Tokyo Motor Show, it will share the stage with the debut of the five-door Audi A1 Sportback.

[Source: AutoExpress]

See AutoGuide’s complete 2011 Tokyo Motor Show Preview here

Honda announced today that they would use excess capacity at their Alabama plant following a $300 million investment in the facility. The investment will allow for a total of 340,000 units anually.

Rising exchange rates are forcing Honda to devote more resources to North American production while reducing exports. Honda will shift their Acura MDX luxury SUV to the plant from their Canadian factory in Ontario, and use their Ontario plant to produce the 2012 Honda CR-V crossover.

[Source: Reuters]

Sergio Marchionne, head of Fiat, told reports that he expects combined sales of Fiat and Chrysler vehicles to hit 6 million units by 2014. Marchionne’s remarks come even in the face of declining auto sales in Europe, as well as an overall shaky economic climate.

Marchionne said that he was reviewing Fiat’s 2012 European targets, but that overall strength in the U.S. market and strong growth in Brazil had helped contribute to a successful year. He also stated that Fiat and Chrysler would not merge in 2012.

Speaking at a conference in London, Marchionne also expressed his vision for the future of the car industry, with consolidation as a key theme. ”We’re bound to see the elimination of marginal players going forward, I believe we’ll end up with just five to six players whose success will be based on sharing architecture, at a global level,” he said.

[Source: Automotive News]

Tata Sons has named Cyrus Mistry as its next CEO, as current CEO Ratan Tata prepares to retire. The unmarried, childless Tata named Mistry as CEO of the holding company responsible for Tata’s numerous divisions, among them their automotive sector which owns Jaguar and Land Rover, along with the namesake Tata Motors brand.

“The appointment of Cyrus P. Mistry as deputy chairman of Tata Sons is a good and far-sighted choice. He has been on the board of Tata Sons since August 2006 and I have been impressed with the quality and caliber of his participation, his astute observations and his humility,” said Tata, in a statement.

Mistry’s father is Tata’s largest individual shareholder, with an 18 percent stake in the Indian conglomerate. He is currently head of another Indian corporation, the Shapoorji Pallonji group, and will assume full responsibilities in December, 2012 when Tata steps down.

[Source: Automotive News]

Even as General Motors readies their new Chevrolet Colorado mid-size pickup, Ford and Chrysler are hedging their bets that consumers won’t return to the floundering small truck market, and continue to opt for full-size pickups instead.

General Motors has claimed that the new Colorado will do most of what a full-size truck can do with substantially reduced running costs. GM’s strategy appears to hinge on rising gas prices and a general trend towards more fuel-efficient vehicles. On the opposite end, Ford is killing off its Ranger pickup entirely, and will offer a replacement in world markets, but not North America. Thailand will be a big market for the Ranger (it’s the world’s largest mid-size pickup nation) and much of the Colorado’s development work was done there.

Studies have shown that the current mid-size truck entries are actually costlier to own once depreciation is factored in. Fuel economy advances in the full-size segment, along with the macho image of a full-size truck have helped contribute to the demise of the mid-size pickup.

Chrysler, which recently killed off their Dakota mid-size pickup, is still exploring whether to bring a new smaller truck to market, with spokesman Dave Elshoff telling Automotive News “We believe there is still a substantial market for small pickups,.. “We’re studying the demographics and business case for a small Ram pickup
.
[Source: Automotive News]

Canadians should get ready to kiss the Chrysler Town and Country goodbye, as Chrysler seeks to trim its minivan lineup down to a single nameplate – but the opposite will be occurring in the United States, with the Dodge Caravan getting the axe, as the Caravan will now become the exclusive minivan sold by Chrysler LLC in the Great White North.

The Caravan is wildly popular in Canada, accounting for 70 percent of the Canadian minivan market alone, and is the third best selling nameplate in the country. Unlike the United States, the Caravan is sold at a number of price points, from a sub-$20,000 base model to premium versions that breach Dodge’s usual $30,000 price ceiling. Caravans are popular as commercial vehicles, family haulers and even as police cars in a number of locales.

On the other hand, the Town and Country outsells the Caravan by a 2:1 ratio in the United States, which has a far smaller minivan segment. Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne said that two minivan replacements would bow in 2013 – a large three row crossover, as well as a traditional minivan with sliding doors.

When the changeover occurs, the Town and Country will be the only nameplate left standing in America. But things seem to be moving in the opposite direction for the Great White North.

[Source: Detroit News]