– General Motors will settle with 124 families over deaths resulting from faulty ignition switches that were installed in the 2.6 million small cars recalled last year, including the Chevrolet Cobalt and HHR, Pontiac G5 and Sky, and Saturn Ion and Solstice. This marks a somber end to a yearlong review of fatality and injury claims stemming from defects the automaker hid for 13 years. – The settlement fund was set up in June 2014 weeks
– Operating the sort of test fleet we do, it is with fair regularity that we encounter the occasional cracked windshield, bent wheel rim, or chipped hood. If Michigan’s deteriorating infrastructure isn’t crumbling and subsequently being launched by other motorists at the fronts of our test cars, it’s blowing apart other folks’ tires, pieces of which are then launched at our test cars. (Our Cadillac CTS Vsport found this out the
-The trade calls it a “funeral coach” but everyone else just calls it a hearse, the last car you’ll ever ride in. Those who take that ride tend not to buy any more cars, though, so the nostalgic impulse that fuels much of the collector car scene rarely takes hold. Little wonder, then, that the Concours d’Elegance of America at Saint John’s in Plymouth, Michigan, could boast that it was
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Austrian holding company Signa, which owns the Karstadt chain of department stores, has made a 2.9-billion-euro ($3.2-billion) offer to buy rival Kaufhof chain from Metro, the business daily Handelsblatt reported Wednesday. Quoting “several” sources with knowledge about the deal, the newspaper said that Signa, the holding company of Austrian real estate magnate Rene Benko, has completed a review of Kaufhof’s accounts and submitted a written offer. Benko has already tried
Filed under: Buying, Financing, Refinancing ZillowThe weekly mortgage rate chart illustrates the average 30-year fixed interest rate in six-hour intervals. By Lauren Braun Mortgage rates for 30-year fixed loans fell this week, with the current rate borrowers were quoted on Zillow Mortgages at 3.77 percent, down 5 basis points from the same time last week. The 30-year fixed mortgage rate fell early in the week, then hovered around 3.71 percent
Filed under: Buying, Financing, Refinancing ZillowThe weekly mortgage rate chart illustrates the average 30-year fixed interest rate in six-hour intervals. By Lauren Braun Mortgage rates for 30-year fixed loans fell this week, with the current rate borrowers were quoted on Zillow Mortgages at 3.77 percent, down 5 basis points from the same time last week. The 30-year fixed mortgage rate fell early in the week, then hovered around 3.71 percent
Filed under: How To, Selling Feverpitched/Getty By Brendon DeSimone Most sellers have a specific goal when it comes to their transaction: a quick sale and top dollar. But sometimes fast action doesn’t align with achieving the highest and best value. There are multiple schools of thought on this subject and the perspective varies not only with where you are in the country, but also by price point, neighborhood and even
China’s new home prices fell for the eighth consecutive month in April from a year earlier but were flat from March, adding to hopes that a property downturn which is weighing heavily on the economy is beginning to bottom out. Average new home prices in China’s 70 major cities dropped 6.1 percent last month from a year ago, the same rate of decline as in March, according to Reuters calculations
Mercedes’ Evolution Tour 2014 Germany’s Mercedes-Benz is heading to 5 cities in the United States to reprise its summer and fall concert series, the Evolution Tour. Starting June 23, the automaker will host concert in various cities to share its latest generation of high-end vehicles. A concert series is an engaging tactic that can be enjoyed by all ages, but will be particularly attractive to younger consumers looking for unique
Gucci’s Chime For Change Italy’s Gucci and its charity Chime for Change are scouting engineers, designers, product managers and marketing experts of all levels for the second Chime Hack hackathon. The goal of Chime for Change’s Chime Hack, in partnership with TEDWomen and Twitter, is to create technology solutions that promote safety for girls and women. Gucci’s Chime for Change is dedicated to making the lives of women and young girls
Canali’s 200 Steps Italian menswear label Canali has released a new video in its “200 Steps” series, a collection of film shorts that showcases various successful men with cutting-edge style. In the 200 Steps series, Canali has its starring men share the secrets behind their creativity and what steps it took to become a master of their particular craft. In a teaser posted to the label’s social accounts, Canali shared
Jimmy Choo the dog British footwear and accessories label Jimmy Choo is sharing its favorite #ChooHounds from around the world with a user-generated content collage. Recently, the label worked with artist Rafael Mantesso and his bull terrier, also named Jimmy Choo, on a film to promote a capsule collection of handbags and small leather goods for women and their canine companions (see story). User-generated content allows a brand to incorporate
Dior Secret Garden campaign image featuring Rihanna Fashion brands have increasingly been picking famous faces over professional models for their advertising campaigns, favoring the well known over the generally unfamiliar. Most recently, Marc Jacobs unveiled singer Cher as the face of its fall/winter 2015 campaign and Dior selected pop star Rihanna for its Secret Garden effort. While these celebrities may bring more attention to the ads due to their notoriety,
