3 Detroit Finalists Up for Car, Truck of Year

With help from Volvo, firm leads with 16 vehicles

(AP) - The insurance industry named dozens of new cars and trucks, led by Ford and its Volvo subsidiary, to its annual list of the safest vehicles today. Ford and Volvo saw 16 of their 2009 vehicles make the list; Honda followed with 13. Some 72 vehicles received the top safety pick designation, more than double the number that received it in 2008, helped by the increased use of anti-rollover technology. More»

Dodge Ram pickup tops Forbes' list

(NEWSER) - Don’t be fooled by a dealer discount when buying a new car—it might just be a sign that the car is priced too high to begin with. Forbes names the vehicles it finds the most overpriced:

1. Dodge Ram 1500
2. Mercury Grand Marquis
3. Ford F-150
4. Dodge Durango
5. GMC Envoy

Gizmos proliferate amid concerns on distracted driving

(NEWSER) - Imagine cruising down the highway at 65mph while checking tweets, buying movie tickets online, or booking reservations at a restaurant. This scenario is the not-too-distant future of driving, reports the Wall Street Journal , as auto manufacturers seek to design an innovative "connected car" full of Internet-accessible gadgetry. The push for a tech-infused car comes as a national push for rules banning phones in cars seems to be fizzling out and automakers look to entice the youth demographic. More»

Partnership prompted by airport-terminal chat

(NEWSER) - A trans-Pacific partnership between Ford and Toyota is set to bring us a new generation of hybrid vehicles. The two companies will join together in creating a gas-electric hybrid system suited to light trucks and SUVs, the Wall Street Journal reports. The two firms already have hybrid systems that power front-wheel drive cars; now, they’ll aim to make rear-wheel drive vehicles more efficient within the next decade. More»

Ford highest-ranked carmaker overall, Toyota falls

(NEWSER) - American automakers scored higher marks on quality than their foreign rivals for the first time since the JD Power survey began in 1986, the Detroit Free Press reports. A dozen Ford models ranked in the top three in their segments, making it the highest-ranked automaker overall. Ford's namesake brand ranked fifth, and General Motors had 10 brands in the top vehicle rankings. More»