News
Why BMW envisions its iNext as an SUV
May 23BMW looks likely to follow Audi's e-tron and Mercedes-Benz EQC with its own battery-powered full-size SUV, the heart of the premium EV market.
Aston Martin DBS Superleggera: A lighter, more powerful Vanquish successor
May 22The Aston Martin Vanquish, the marque's muscular super-GT, is riding off into the sunset, but fear not: Its replacement will be here shortly.
First Shift: China slashes auto tariffs to 15 percent
May 22China slashes auto tariffs to 15 percent; Tesla to fix Model 3 braking issue; NADA: 'Great day' for consumers; Vote on NHTSA boss delayed; Subaru's Doll: No plans to abandon cars.
Fiat Chrysler launches U.S. media agency review
May 22Fiat Chrysler Automobiles said it is beginning a media agency review in the United States. The incumbent is Interpublic's UM.
Germany's Grammer buying Toledo Molding & Die in $271 million deal
May 22German auto supplier Grammer AG is more than doubling its presence in North America with the $271 million acquisition of Toledo Molding & Die Inc.
Taiwan's Yageo to buy U.S. electronic components firm for $740 million
May 22Taiwan's Yageo said it would buy Pulse Electronics for $740 million, marking its biggest deal ever as it looks to expand in the United States and Europe.
Fear of autonomous cars rises after high-profile fatalities, AAA survey finds
May 22Consumer trust in self-driving cars has plummeted following high-profile roadway fatalities, with almost three-quarters of Americans now saying they are too afraid to ride in an autonomous vehicle.
Martinrea opens tech center in Michigan, moves jobs from Toronto
May 22Canadian auto supplier Martinrea launched its $26 million technical center in suburban Detroit last week. CEO Pat D'Eramo says one challenge is finding enough engineering talent for the facility.
Uber pulls up in Japan with taxi-hailing service
May 22Uber plans to launch its first taxi-hailing pilot service in Japan that will connect passengers to other taxi providers, as it seeks to expand in the country where the firm has been blocked from setting up its own fleet of drivers.
Russia, Japan, Turkey warn of tariff retaliation against U.S.
May 22Japan, Russia and Turkey have warned the United States about potential retaliation for its tariffs on steel and aluminum, the World Trade Organization said on Tuesday, bringing the total U.S. tariff bill to around $3.5 billion annually.
BP invests in tech to charge cars as quickly as filling fuel tank
May 22BP agreed to invest $20 million in a developer of ultrafast charging for batteries, a technology the oil company believes is key for accelerating the adoption of EVs.
Tesla hires Snapchat exec to head engineering
May 22Stuart Bowers has a passion for robotics and will be working on Tesla's semi-autonomous driving program, Autopilot.
AutoNews Now: Crashes raising angst about AVs, AAA finds
May 22Crashes raising angst about AVs, AAA finds; Lexus exec Bracken to retire; BP backs battery venture; BMW unit gives chargers designer touch; Jeep fire risk; McLaren's new showrooms.
EU hunts for ways to avoid U.S. steel, aluminum tariffs
May 22The European Union scrambled to come up with a strategy to avoid American tariffs on foreign steel and aluminum, signaling a readiness to accept American import quotas and to slash some EU duties in return for a permanent waiver.
Musk admits Tesla Model 3 braking issue, promises fix
May 22Tesla CEO Elon Musk admitted there was a braking issue with the Model 3 sedan, pointed out by Consumer Reports, and said it can be fixed with a firmware update.
Three steps to evolve auto retail marketing
May 22Auto brands need to get organized and aligned internally to allow for a complete view of the customer. This is especially important today.
Performance, not size, will determine 2.7-liter I-4's success in Chevy Silverado, GMC Sierra
May 22If consumers embrace General Motors' four-cylinder engine in the next-generation Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups, GM will have Ford to thank.
China cuts import duty to 15% in boost for BMW, Tesla, Mercedes, Porsche
May 22China will cut the import duty on passenger cars to 15 percent from the current 25 percent, in a boost to foreign automakers, just as the immediate threat of a trade war with the United States recedes.
BMW, Toyota, Ford at odds with S. Africa over production boost plan
May 22BMW, Toyota and Ford are at odds with South Africa over its plans for them to more than double output and double their work forces in return for tax breaks.
Bracken retiring from Lexus, to be succeeded by deputy David Christ
May 22David Christ, who switched from the Toyota Division to Lexus at the start of this year, will succeed his boss, Jeff Bracken, who is retiring as head of Lexus' United States operations after 40 years with Toyota.
Doll sees another record year ahead for Subaru
May 21Subaru continues on its record-setting sales roll of the past several years, as Tom Doll steps up to the role of CEO.
Downsized engines a test for GM pickups
May 21Ford's success with its V-6 EcoBoost engines has proved that V-8 engines aren't necessarily the default choice for pickup buyers. The question now is: How low can you go?
Turbo is key for Subaru's big new crossover Ascent
May 21The 2019 Subaru Ascent, the newest nameplate in the automaker's lineup, relies on a newly developed engine and transmission.
That's one accessorized Nissan Armada ... or Patrol
May 21Nissan decked out its Armada for fun -- and then called it a Patrol.
Teslas may be safe, but what about the rest of us?
May 21Elon Musk's responses to recent crashes involving Tesla's Autopilot software suggest a lack of regard for people who share the road with the cars his company sells.
Threat of cobalt supply crunch could hinder EV growth
May 21A burgeoning risk of a supply crunch in cobalt -- a key battery metal that has more than tripled in price in two years -- poses one of the biggest threats to forecasts for rising electric vehicle adoption.
Hyundai succumbs to pressure, scraps $8.8 billion revamp
May 21Hyundai Motor Group has shelved a restructuring plan that would have given the son of its aging chairman more control of the conglomerate.
McLaren's Mike Flewitt is still in love with Lotus
May 21How the head of McLaren fell for a Lotus when he was a young man.
Losing sedans is not a good move
May 21As a Ford shareholder who counts three four-doors in his household fleet, I regard Dearborn's decision to discontinue nonluxury sedans as its dumbest since the Edsel, or at least since last year's firing of Mark Fields.
At least 18 Jeep vehicles damaged in fire in Toledo
May 21A fire broke out in a parking lot near the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles' Toledo Assembly Complex this morning, damaging a number of Jeep vehicles.
At $78,000, Tesla moves mass-market Model 3 beyond masses
May 21Tesla CEO Elon Musk unveiled specifications for a faster and more powerful version of the Model 3 in tweets over the weekend. It will cost $78,000, more than double the $35,000 base-model starting price.
How not to run purchasing
May 21Automaker-supplier relations have dipped, according to the latest North American Automotive OEM-Supplier Working Relations Index. But why?
AutoNews Now: Fire damages newly built Jeeps
May 21Fire damages newly built Jeeps; Trump signs bill overturning lending guidance; CR not recommending Tesla Model 3; Nissan's short-term pain; Solid future for Fisker?; Audi Q8 tease.
Worries about profitability as incentives climb
May 21Toyota's Jim Lentz sees interest-rate increases, plateuing sales and a flood of off-lease vehicles as potential drags on profitability.
Mahle sharpens hot-rod focus
May 21The German powertrain supplier Mahle is putting more emphasis on selling its parts in the United States aftermarket with a rebranding strategy and a new name: Mahle Performance.
Dominique takes a clean-sheet approach for PSA
May 21In its return to North America, PSA is rethinking how it will retail vehicles, which brands it will sell and how it will tackle mobility, says the company's CEO for the region, Larry Dominique.
From dealership to racetrack
May 21With his recent switch to driving a Mercedes-AMG race car, Keating has high hopes for AMG sales at his Mercedes store opening in Texas later this year.
Automakers to White House: Climate change is real
May 21Automakers urged the White House to cooperate with California officials in a coming rewrite of light-vehicle fuel efficiency standards, saying "climate change is real."
Small cars? Ford just isn't interested
May 21The commentaries by Michael Martinez and Richard Truett made several good points about why Ford is discontinuing its car lines. They forgot one thing: Ford doesn't want to be bothered.
Suppliers' $1 billion cost to make amends
May 21As the largest price-fixing case in U.S. history winds down, one thing is clear: Auto suppliers that conspired with competitors to rig their bids are paying a hefty price.
'Old-time' car guy Larry Dominique preps PSA's new era of retailing
May 21Former Nissan and TrueCar executive Larry Dominique is devising PSA's decade-long return to the U.S. with a focus on mobile apps, car sharing and a possible retail network in which dealers could “actually make a profit” on new-vehicle sales.
READY TO PEAK
May 21Volkswagen's I.D. R is primed to topple records at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb.
AMG boss pushes motorsports expansion
May 21Under Tobias Moers, AMG has expanded its racing program. For the head of Mercedes;Benz' performance division, the investment is a proof point that AMG is serious about developing sports cars.
Toyota plans to roll into China's EV market in GAC vehicle
May 21Toyota is taking an unprecedented route to meet China's stringent green car quotas: Its showrooms will sell an EV without the Japanese company's triple-oval logo and instead will feature the label of GAC Motor, Toyota's China partner.
Suppliers team to cut camera costs
May 21As safety agencies mandate more camera applications, the two giants bid for lower-cost solutions.
Tesla shareholders urged to remove Musk from chairman's role
May 21The largest proxy advisory firm is recommending that investors reject two of Tesla's board members, while also supporting a proposal to split the role of chairman and CEO.
Obituaries
May 21Former highway safety official Tony Kane died Tuesday, May 15. Gary Perina, 73, founder of supplier Lucerne International, died May 15.
Take the money and run
May 21National Auto Auction Association member auctions sold 10 million vehicles in 2017, up 2.5% from 2016, the association's annual survey found.
Nissan CEO denies Renault merger talks
May 21Nissan CEO Hiroto Saikawa dismisses reports that his Japanese carmaker is hammering out full integration with longtime alliance partner Renault, saying "There is no fact to the effect that we are negotiating any merger."
