2009 Chrysler Sebring Touring Sedan 4-door 2.4l on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Which car companies are creating new jobs in America?

Since January, automakers have announced investments totaling $9.5 billion in U.S. plants, creating or retaining more than 12,000 jobs. Some of those companies have yet to announce just how many jobs will be created given their investments, with the location of many of those jobs still to be determined. Specifically, the 4,000-job Toyota-Mazda joint venture plant still hasn't announced its location, with numerous states jockeying for it. Hyundai has plans to invest $1 billion but has not announced a jobs number yet. And likewise Ford is investing $1.2 billion in Michigan without specifying a number of jobs. Volvo this week announced plans to add a second line to its factory under construction in South Carolina, spending another $500 million and adding 2,500 jobs to the 2,000 it was already trying to fill. Then Thursday, Daimler announced a $1 billion expansion to its facility in Tuscaloosa, Ala., to produce EV batteries and electric SUVs, a move that will add 600 jobs to its hiring this year. Above, we've created a handy pie chart showing you which companies have announced new jobs and how many there will be. Reporting by Paul Lienert in Detroit News Source: Reuters Plants/Manufacturing BMW Chrysler Ford GM Honda Hyundai Mazda Mercedes-Benz Toyota Volvo jobs

Question of the Day: Ever consider driving a minivan?

Since I'm supposed to know something about cars, it happens all the time: friends and relatives ask me advice about what kind of vehicle they should get. Very often, the only type of vehicle that can check every item on their wish list (e.g., hauls lots of people and stuff, gets good fuel economy, has great crash-test ratings, can take four Great Danes camping, and so on) is a modern minivan... and, of course, nobody wants to hear this. I'm not a minivan person, they will wail, and so they end up with a cramped, fuel-swilling SUV or a not-so-space-efficient minivan-in-disguise CUV. So, is it worth becoming one of those minivan people in order to get the incredible usefulness of these masterpieces of vehicle engineering, or do you hold your head high and drive something that doesn't quite meet your needs? Related Video: Auto News Design/Style Chrysler Honda Toyota Minivan/Van question of the day questions

Chrysler Airflow Vision concept pairs today's platform with yesterday's name

Fiat-Chrysler has a number of notable announcements at this year's CES, including a formal announcement of its plug-in hybrid plans and branding, as well as the North American debut of the Fiat Centoventi concept. But it's also bringing something new and forward-looking to the show in the form of the slippery-looking Chrysler Airflow Vision concept. If that name sounds familiar to you, it's because the Airflow name was used on some streamlined and highly distinctive-looking Chrysler products of the 1930s. One thing both the old and new Airflows share is a slippery shape. The new Airflow is nothing but soft organic curves, looking like the automotive equivalent of Disney/Marvel robotic hero Baymax. It even has spats that cover the wheels, which are translucent to show off the big, copper-accented wheels underneath. While not unattractive, the modern Airflow does look a bit generic compared to the bold original, since so many modern EVs have a rounded rounded shape that's undoubtedly aerodynamic, but also unexciting. Maybe Chrysler should give it big hood strakes to evoke the stretched grille of the '30s Airflow. Peel away the pearly white exterior and you have a blend of future and contemporary technology. The interior shows off pedestal mounted seats swathed in suede and leather. The dashboard is minimalist and curvy like the exterior, and it features many screens as is the modern custom. In the center are dual displays for infotainment and climate controls like in an Audi. A small instrument screen sits ahead of the steering wheel, and the passenger gets a screen directly ahead of their seat. Chrysler says a unique feature will be the ability to swipe different menus and functions over to other occupants' screens so they can fiddle with things. Chrysler hasn't explicitly said what powers the Airflow Vision, but it makes mention of using the floor of the Pacifica Hybrid. It could share that van's powertrain, a hybrid V6 arrangement that might even preview the reported electrified all-wheel-drive version. We'll hopefully get more details on the powertrain after the reveal.