Retro style, street-rod flair made PT Cruiser a star

The recipe was simple. Use an existing small-car platform, mix in some nifty retro styling inside and out, build it in a low-cost country, and command a higher price. When it made its debut at the 1999 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, the Chrysler PT Cruiser with its street-rod flair was an immediate sensation.

Rolls Phantom Series II at 2012 Geneva motor show

Senior industrialists – and Sir Alan Sugar’s chauffeur – will be cheered by the news that Rolls-Royce has updated its premium luxury vehicle, with the launch at the 2012 Geneva motor show of the Phantom Series II. Nine years after launch, the heavyweight – in so many ways – limousine gets cosmetic enhancements, some fresh new tech and significant tweaks to drivetrain and ‘user experience’, say RR. The new Rolls-Royce Phantom doesn’t look that different, does it?

Is Chrysler still American? Yes, it is

Last week, we mentioned that the Secret Service was soliciting bids for a new presidential limousine. Among the criteria for a replacement for "The Beast" was the following: "This solicitation is restricted to Major Domestic U.S Automobile Manufacturers, who have their primary headquarters located in the United States of America." Well, with that came the suggestion that Chrysler -- now entirely underneath the banner of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles -- reports to somewhere far, far away from its nominal H.Q. in Auburn Hills, Mich.