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Ex-Volvo boss Stefan Jacoby to head GM's international operations

He was too talented not to surface somewhere, we just didn't know where and when. Nine months ago, Stefan Jacoby stepped down from his post as Volvo CEO, a move that caught many off guard. At the time, the separation was called "amicable," but word is that the strong-willed executive clashed with owners Geely and the automaker's board.
Jacoby will have a new set of challenges on his hands, as he has just been named Executive Vice President Consolidated International Operations for General Motors. That means the Hannover-born Jacoby will head up the company's operations in Asia, Africa, Europe and the Middle East, where he will be responsible for over 100 countries and territories. Jacoby succeeds Tim Lee, who has been named chairman of GM China. Lee will also retain his post as Executive Vice President Global Manufacturing.
Jacoby's dealings with Geely should help him in his Asian market duties, but he also counts time as the head of Volkswagen of China on his resume, so he's very well-versed in the market's peculiarities.

Uber hopes facilities in Detroit will help shape its autonomous future

Hot off the heels of unleashing its fleet of self-driving vehicles in Pittsburgh, PA, Uber announced plans to open a new facility in the Detroit, MI area, reports Automotive News. The new facility was announced at an event hosted by Society of Automotive Engineers in Detroit, MI. Uber's vice president of global vehicle programs Sherif Marakby revealed the news, reports Automotive News. The facility is meant to help the ride-sharing company collaborate with suppliers and automakers in the area. There's no word on where Uber will build the new facility or how big it will be, as those factors have yet to be determined. Just like Pittsburgh, PA, Detroit, MI could become another testing ground for the ride-sharing company. The latest move to open a facility in the Detroit area comes after Uber offered users in Pittsburgh the chance to ride in one of its autonomous vehicle as it looks to gain vital real-world testing. Uber is utilizing a fleet of modified Ford Fusions. Earlier this year in April, the automaker announced a partnership with Google, Lyft, Uber, and Volvo to develop autonomous cars. A new facility in Detroit would strengthen the partnership and help Uber, as well as Ford put autonomous vehicles on the road faster. Related Video: News Source: Automotive News - sub. req.Image Credit: AOL Green Ford Volvo Transportation Alternatives Technology Emerging Technologies Autonomous Vehicles Detroit Uber taxi Lyft ridesharing facility

2013 Volvo C30 R-Design Polestar Limited Edition [w/video]

Last Hurrah Comes and Goes In A Hurry
It isn't very often that we drive a new car that's already out of production, but that's exactly what has happened with this 2013 Volvo C30. After just five years on the North American market, the last C30 quietly rolled off the assembly line back in December. But before that happened, Volvo decided to send its compact hatchback out on a high note with a little added performance and exclusivity courtesy of this R-Design Polestar Limited Edition model.
The term "hot hatch" is admittedly tossed around a lot these days, but the combination of an R-Design styling package coupled with a good number of extra ponies under the hood should be more than enough to put the C30 in the mix with the likes of the Volkswagen GTI and its not-too-distant cousin, the Mazdaspeed3. The chief problem with the Polestar Limited Edition, though, is that it's priced against sportier all-wheel-drive compacts like the Golf R and Subaru WRX STI, so we decided to spend a week with the Polestar to see if its exclusivity and performance are enough to make up for its higher price tag.