Dodge today released the first pictures of the 2011 Durango SUV.

The Durango will be built at Chrysler’s Jefferson North assembly plant on the same platform as the Jeep Grand Cherokee. It will arrive in dealer showrooms in the fourth quarter this year.

The Durango comes with seven seats while the Grand Cherokee comes with five. The Durango will have 22 seating configurations, according to a statement by the company. Like the Grand Cherokee, the Durango will be available with two engine options: a standard 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 and an optional 5.7-liter HEMI V-8. Continue reading Redesigned 2011 Dodge Durango has three rows of seats, new logo

WASHINGTON — Consumers shopping for new cars would be able to compare fuel economy and emissions levels with the U.S. fleet average by looking at labels on window stickers under a federal proposal made today.

The Obama administration is carrying out a 2007 law that requires labels to put new vehicles in fleetwide context for fuel economy, greenhouse gases and smog-forming pollutants.

The comparison must cover electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids and conventional gasoline and diesel vehicles.

One part of the administration proposal would give each vehicle a bold letter grade from A+ to D for its fuel economy and greenhouse gases in comparison with the rest of the U.S. fleet.

The auto industry opposes this approach while many environmental groups support it. Continue reading U.S. proposes new labels for fuel economy, emissions

VERONA, Italy (Bloomberg) — Volvo plans to challenge BMW AG, Audi and Mercedes-Benz with its new V60 station wagon in Europe.

Volvo forecasts annual sales of 50,000 of the V60, which goes on sale later this year, Tomas Ahlborg, the model’s project chief, said in an interview in Verona, Italy, where the carmaker is holding test drives. Continue reading Volvo to challenge BMW, Mercedes, Audi with V60 wagon