Hyundai. The Korean automaker is cutting furloughed federal workers some slack on their loan and lease payments as part of its Hyundai Assurance program during the U.S. government shutdown. Hyundai will allow federal workers who bought or leased through Hyundai Finance America to defer their payments as long as they are out of work. Workers furloughed due to the shutdown who want to buy a Hyundai in October will be offered a 90-day payment deferral.
GM. Things are not all that rosy for GM at the moment, as Chevrolet has been forced to add incentives to its 2014 Silverado to keep up with a barrage of ultra-aggressive financial deals from Chrysler (Ram Truck) and Ford (F-150). But that's not all. GM's market share is flat to slightly down for the year and that's with an array of very competitive products to offer. A reduction of summer incentives and fleet sales is one culprit, but that doesn't explain all of it. Suffice to say in the larger scheme of things, it's Not Good.
(Cadillac)
Cadillac will reveal the 2015 Escalade in New York on October 7. Ahead of that they have released a shot of the interior shown here in Kona/Ebony with elm cluster open-pore wood trim.
Editor-in-Chief's Note: Gary Vasilash of Automotive Design & Production sums up last week's episode of Autoline After Hours for us
here. - PMD
Editor-in-Chief's's Note: Our "Quick Take" this week has us in a 2013 VW Beetle Convertible with sound and navigation package. This car seems more genuine and aligned with the Beetle image, much more so than the Beetle Turbo Convertible we had a while ago. Maybe it's because the Beetle Convertible completely drops the sportiness pretensions and the Ricky Racer nonsense of the Turbo and instead lives up to what's promised, which is a decent alternative choice for open-air motoring that is not unpleasant to look at. When taken in that context the Beetle Convertible is perfectly acceptable. No, it's not for four people, but it's fine for two people with a few things to bring (although if you leave the convertible top cover in the space-challenged trunk, it becomes almost useless for carrying anything). Then again, if you buy this car worried about trunk room or carrying capacity then you're looking at the wrong vehicle altogether so make sure you're realistic about what you're looking for before you entertain owning one. The Beetle Convertible might work as an everyday car in the smile states - with the aforementioned reservations - but generally it's a fine choice as a second or third car for people with the means and who just have to have access to a convertible once in a while. Would I own one for my car? No, I'm not the least bit interested. But I can see how some people would sign-up for one. - PMD
2013 VW Beetle Convertible (with Sound & Navigation): $29, 290 ($28, 495 Base Price; Tornado Red exterior; Titan Black leatherette Interior; 2.5-liter 5-cylinder engine with with 170HP and 177 lbs-ft of torque; 6-speed automatic; front-wheel drive; 18" "disc" aluminum-alloy wheels; heated front seats; power heated side mirrors and front washer nozzles; RNS 315 navigation system; Fender Premium Audio System; SiriusXM Satellite Radio (limited time subscription included); Keyless access with push button start; Leather-wrapped steering wheel; Power convertible roof; Destination Charge, $795) 
Adherence to Brand Image: As I said above, the Beetle Convertible seems more genuine and aligned with the Beetle image. That the whole VW Beetle "thing" seems dated and fading into the automotive sunset at this point cannot be denied, but at least the Beetle Convertible is somewhat reminiscent of what once was and fulfills its role nicely for the most part, albeit with enough contemporary engineering and technology to make it a legitimate choice for some. - PMD
Tuesday, October 1, 2013 at 08:43AM 