Ford and its Indian advertising agency have apologized for ads showing women in bondage and admitted that they should never have been created at all.

One of the ads for the Ford Figo subcompact car show caricatures of three scantily clad women gagged, bound, and crammed into the back of the Figo while Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi looks back from the front seat, smiling and giving the "peace sign." The tag line at the bottom of the ad says, "Leave Your Worries Behind."

Another ad with the same tag line shows a caricature of Paris Hilton winking while the Kardashian sisters are gagged and bound in the back of the Figo.

Ford's advertising agency WPP admitted the ads should never have been created.

It may be an exaggeration to say the minivan is dead, but make no mistake it has been dispatched to the land of niche vehicles. Need proof? Back in 2000, Americans bought 1.37 million minivans and they made up 7.9 percent of all auto sales. Today, the minivan is just 3 percent of total auto sales in the U.S.—and just over 500,000 were sold last year.

Henrik Fisker, the founder and Executive Chairman of Fisker Automotive, told CNBC he is leaving the company due to differences with the company's current leadership.

"There are a lot of issues and differences I have with this company and the management team right now," Fisker said. "This is the best move for me right now."

After years of talk about the need for cars and trucks to do a better job of detecting and preventing accidents with bicyclists, Volvo has taken the first concrete step in that direction.

The company has unveiled new technology that will allow Volvo models to detect those riding bicycles and apply full braking before the car hits the cyclists. Volvo's Pedestrian and Cyclist Detection will be available in 2013 versions of the S60, XC90, XC70, and S80 models.

Here is one that will make you scratch your head. Despite a huge increase in the cost of gas since 1970, a new study by the University of Michigan showed that more people are driving alone. It's the latest reflection of how driving in America has changed over the last 43 years.

"We value the flexibility of driving alone more than the potential savings in the cost of gasoline," said Michael Syvak, Director of Sustainable Worldwide Transportation at the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute. According to Syvak, the average number of people in vehicles has dropped from 1.9 in 1970 to 1.38 in 2010. A number of factors contributed to that change, including the growth of women entering the work force—so there are more American homes with two cars and two drivers heading to two different job locations.

(Read More: Car Buyers Taking Out Bigger Loans, Set New Record)

In 1970 the average price for a gallon of gas was 36 cents. By 2010, the average price was $2.79 per gallon.

American car buyers, attracted by new models and cheap financing, are taking out bigger auto loans and stretching out the terms of those loans to a new record length.

Nearly four years after he started running Chrysler, Sergio Marchionne is ready to take the Detroit automaker to the next level. Specifically, the Chrysler and Fiat CEO wants his two companies to truly come together.

General Motors says this a move that will put "mobile" into automobile. Starting next year it plans to put 4G LTE technology into millions of its cars, trucks and SUVs around the world.

It is a move that GM had to make even as critics raise concerns that this will only increase the potential for distracted driving. Given the push around the U.S. and around the world to limit distracted driving, why is GM doing this? The answer is because it can and the public demands it.

Whether or not you think it's right, your car is becoming more connected.

(Read More: Cars You'll Never Drive)

Ford is pumping $200 million and adding 450 workers to its Cleveland Engine Plant as it moves to meet growing demand for more fuel efficient models.

Once the expansion is finished late next year, the Cleveland Engine Plant will start building 2.0 liter EcoBoost engines.

The Tesla Model S is a game-changing car.

After spending 8 hours driving the EV from Washington, D.C. to Boston, I am convinced that this car is proof a solely electric car can and ultimately will gain acceptance by American drivers, and not just for those looking for a second car just to run errands around the neighborhood.