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AutoGuide News Blog


The AutoGuide News Blog is your source for breaking stories from the auto industry. Delivering news immediately, the AutoGuide Blog is constantly updated with the latest information, photos and video from manufacturers, auto shows, the aftermarket and professional racing.
 |  Apr 22, 12:07 PM

Affordable and Practical


GEAR_lowrez2-mainHatchbacks have a ton of versatility and use, and they’re also quite affordable, not to mention fuel efficient.

When it comes to the most affordable hatchback, there’s quite a few options out there. Unlike the Honda GEAR concept pictured above (which could preview a new affordable subcompact for the Japanese brand) all the cars on this list are easily attainable, and are competitively priced. Our top ten is seperated by a slim $4,000 margin from cheapest to most expensive. Check out the whole list, and see which cheap hatchback is the right choice for you!

 |  Apr 21, 12:01 PM

smart-forjeremy

The crazy smart forjeremy, which may have drank one too many Red Bulls, is heading to production – wings included.

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 |  Apr 15, 4:31 PM

Mercedes-A-Class-front-side

Eyeing BMW’s success with MINI, Daimler might be hoping to cash in on small car appeal even more with a product line to take on it’s rival’s smaller series of products. 

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 |  Mar 18, 12:08 PM

mercedes-a-class

Mercedes’ engine tie-up with Nissan might yield a new car for the German brand if a report proves to be true.

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 |  Mar 14, 12:01 PM

Because Creativity is Overrated


What’s the most important step a manufacturer undertakes when creating a new car? Building a great chassis? Getting the interior ergonomics right? Providing the perfect drivetrain to complement the new product? Nope. All wrong. The really, really important factor for any new car is getting the name right.

All joking aside, a vehicle’s name is very important. Slap a clever name on a car and it can help boost sales. Conversely, choose a bad name for a vehicle, like Probe or Dictator, and it can hurt sales. Manufacturers spend a lot of time and money analyzing potential model names.

Well, that’s usually what happens, but sometimes, the creativity well runs dry. Every now and then a new vehicle receives a name that leaves us all wondering: “Really? That’s all they could think of?” Not to get confused with naming conventions that are just lazy, like Mazda’s numbered sequence or Mercedes-Benz’s lettered sequence. No, we are referring to model names that give the perception maybe the marketing team forgot to show up one day and the engineers were left in charge of naming the new ride. “We are pleased to announce the latest from Hyonbaru Motors, ‘The Car!” Don’t laugh, some the following models are even worse.

 |  Mar 11, 7:11 AM

Smart is rumored to be working on its first ever crossover model, which could launch by 2016.

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 |  Mar 01, 5:26 PM

Today is the 1st of March and that only means one thing… February is rapidly fading into the rear-view mirror. How well did automakers fare in the second month of the year?  Here’s a look at some of the big sales stories from the last 28 days.

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 |  Mar 01, 2:45 PM

Daimler’s smart brand has partnered with BoConcept, a Danish interior design company to produce special furniture and accessories. A jazzed up fortwo cabrio is also a result of their cooperation.

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 |  Feb 13, 8:01 AM

The 2013 Geneva Motor Show will be playing host to some of the world’s greatest vehicle debuts of the decade, including the successor to the Ferrari Enzo.

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 |  Feb 11, 1:31 PM

Spy photos of the next generation Smart ForTwo are showing the car undergoing cold weather testing. 

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 |  Jan 15, 2:25 PM

In an effort to jazz up its lame lineup, the folks at smart showed off a new special-edition model at the Detroit Auto Show today. The cityflame package is the latest in a long line of special models from Daimler’s economy-minded brand.

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 |  Jan 10, 2:45 PM

When the next generation Smart fortwo is unveiled, its proportions will be growing to help improve both safety, and passenger usability.

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 |  Jan 04, 12:49 PM

The number-crunchers have been earning their keep the last few weeks. With their mathematical weapon of choice in hand, be it a calculator, tally counter or even a trusty abacus, they’ve kept an exacting total of how many vehicles automakers sold over the past 12 months. How did things shake out? Which brand nearly doubled its sales for the year?

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 |  Dec 22, 9:00 AM

Christmas is all but here and with the end of the year at hand, many dealerships are in full swing with their holiday sale events.

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 |  Dec 12, 5:32 PM

Daimler announced today that it is investing 200 million euros into the plant that currently builds the Smart Fortwo to make room for Europe’s first series production electric vehicle.

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 |  Dec 06, 11:20 AM

After 13 consecutive months of increased sales, Smart is on track to double its 2011 U.S. sales. 

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 |  Nov 10, 5:02 PM

Recently, the new Smart Forfour mule was spied testing, and the automaker plans to release its new compact four-seater by 2014.

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 |  Oct 06, 12:04 PM

Gas sippers were popular this week – even with those hunting for all-wheel drive options.

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 |  Oct 04, 10:04 AM

There’s nothing worse in a salesman’s world than having a product almost nobody wants, which is why GM and Nissan are offering slashed lease rates on the Volt and Leaf.

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 |  Oct 04, 8:19 AM

Smart just announced pricing for its ForTwo Electric Drive, making it the cheapest electric car on the market today at $25,825

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 |  Oct 02, 10:01 AM

Preparing to expand its lineup once again, a test mule for the new Smart ForFour was spotted by our spy photographers today. 

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 |  Sep 28, 6:05 AM

Looking almost mean, Smart unveiled its latest concept at the Paris Motor Show today, but will it ever see production?

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 |  Sep 17, 9:32 AM

The Smart Fortwo hasn’t exactly been the resounding success Daimler had hoped it would be, but now the German automaker is hoping its electric vehicle variant will lift the brand’s sales. 

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 |  Sep 14, 7:12 AM

If Smart had half as many production cars as it does concepts, the mini-car brand might actually have a lineup of vehicles people talk about.

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