2 Audi S6 Copy Front Grille Badge, Emblem. on 2040-parts.com

Dodge Dart unveiled at 2012 Detroit show

If you want confirmation that Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne is shaking up his American patient look no further than the new Dodge Dart. It's a new compact car for Dodge - based on the underpinnings of an Alfa Romeo Giulietta. It's an important launch for Dodge and this sector accounts for 15% of all US car sales.

IIHS names safest cars for 2013

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has named the safest cars for 2013, including 13 midsize sedans that qualify for a new “top safety pick+” designation. The designation is given to vehicles that earn “good” ratings for occupant protection in at least four of five tests, with no less than “acceptable” in the fifth test. A new test -- the small overlap test -- was added to assess how the vehicles perform during a front-corner collision with another vehicle or object, such as a utility pole.

Qvale, nearing 90, sees life after crash for U.S. industry

The troubles roiling Detroit's automakers are familiar to Kjell Qvale, the legendary importer and dealer in San Francisco. Qvale, who turns 90 on July 17, has seen this movie before. For instance, many of the British automakers that Kjell Qvale (shel kah-VAH'-lee) depended on for sports and luxury cars collapsed in the 1970s.