News
Nissan to bring Sentra EV, Leaf to China in electrification blitz
April 24Nissan is accelerating its global electrification blitz by adding a pure EV version of the Sylphy small car in China as it chases global sales of 1 million electrified vehicles by 2022.
Mercedes-Maybach bets on a hybrid SUV-sedan
April 24Mercedes is betting on a hybrid SUV-sedan to attract wealthy Chinese buyers to its Maybach ultraluxury brand.
Melrose gets green light from UK for GKN takeover
April 24UK Business Minister Greg Clark said there were no national security grounds to intervene in turnaround specialist Melrose's takeover of British auto supplier GKN.
Ford's 2019 Focus ST will pack 2.3-liter EcoBoost motor
April 24The next generation Ford Focus ST, which is expected to debut at the 2019 Geneva motor show, will use a 2.3-liter EcoBoost engine, a British media report says, up from the current 2.00-liter turbo.
Once an industry joke, electric buses start to dent oil demand
April 24Suddenly, buses with battery-powered motors are a serious matter with the potential to revolutionize city transport -- and add to the forces reshaping the energy industry.
A farewell toast to the Jeep 'JK' Wrangler
April 24The two-door Jeep Wrangler JK and four-door Wrangler Unlimited JKU represent the bookend of a game-changing, if initially flawed, vehicle that was far successful beyond anyone's wildest dreams and unmatched by rivals.
First Shift: Amazon launches in-car deliveries with GM, Volvo
April 24Amazon, GM, Volvo launch in-car deliveries; Historic shift in dealer ad spending; In Beijing: Ultraluxury from Mercedes, a new platform for Infiniti; Something to buzz about at Toyota.
Ferrari pushes possible EV launch beyond 2022
April 24Ferrari Chairman Sergio Marchionne says the supercar brand will not launch a full-electric car until after its next business plan ends in 2022.
PSA first-quarter revenue jumps 42% on Opel-Vauxhall acquisition
April 24PSA revenue rose 42 percent to 18 billion euros ($22 billion) in the first quarter, lifted by its acquisition of Opel-Vauxhall last year.
GM, Volvo team with Amazon to deliver packages to customers' cars
April 24General Motors and Volvo have partnered with Amazon to offer customers in-vehicle delivery of packages in the United States.
Lexus ES redesign goes sportier with F Sport edition
April 24Lexus is so confident in the performance chops of its redesigned ES sedan that it is giving the remake of one of its frumpiest nameplates an F Sport version for the first time.
Mercedes seeks to keep China luxury lead with stretched A class
April 24Mercedes aims to widen the brand's appeal to Chinese buyers with a long-wheelbase version of its latest A class.
Asbury's Q1 net jumps 18 percent
April 24Asbury Automotive's first-quarter profits jumped 18 percent, driven by F&I and parts and service gains, on a revenue increase approaching 4 percent.
Calif. pension plan urged to divest automakers that skirt emissions rules
April 24A group of congressional Democrats representing California urged the state's pension system to divest stock from any automaker that follows the Trump administration's plan to relax light-vehicle emissions standards.
AutoNews Now: Mercedes A class stretches out in China
April 24From Beijing: Benz stretches out, VW, partners boost tech spending, Uber rival Didi seeks a fleet; Fire risk in some Audis; Ford, VW safety probes; Mini, Fiat designer takes a flier.
Flying taxi start-up hires designer behind modern Mini, Fiat 500
April 24Lilium, a startup with ambitions to put electric "flying taxis" in the air next decade, has hired Frank Stephenson, the designer behind several iconic cars such as the Mini, Fiat 500 and McLaren P1.
Audi recalling 1.16 million vehicles worldwide over coolant pump issue
April 24Audi said it was recalling more than a million vehicles worldwide because of concerns that an electric coolant pump could overheat or short-circuit from moisture within the pump and pose a fire risk.
Toyota Avalon gets price bump after redesign
April 23The fifth-generation Toyota Avalon that goes on sale next month as a 2019 model shares almost nothing with the previous generation, including the pricing.
DEAL US IN
April 23Some dealers are offering subscription programs to ensure they remain relevant as automakers also experiment with the business model.
Trump may tie Mexican immigration control to NAFTA
April 23President Trump threatened to make Mexican immigration control a condition of a new NAFTA agreement, saying the southern neighbor must stop illegal immigrants from getting into the United States.
Don't bet on widespread breakups of JVs in China
April 23A complete separation will be hard for some global brands that manufacture in China, and it may not be desirable for major global automakers such as General Motors.
GM Korea, union reach tentative wage deal to avert bankruptcy
April 23GM's South Korean unit said that it has reached a tentative wage deal with its labor union, meeting a key condition laid down by the automaker to prevent it filing for bankruptcy.
Mercedes previewing Maybach SUV
April 23Mercedes will preview a potential SUV rival to the Bentley Bentayga and upcoming Rolls-Royce Cullinan with the Vision Mercedes-Maybach Ultimate Luxury concept at the Beijing auto show this week.
Create auto career paths for women, managers say
April 23Automotive manufacturers are staffing up for a new wave of innovators to drive technological change, and many realize that they need a more diverse pool of talent -- especially women -- to get the job done.
Maybe GM is just margin-minded
April 23GM could also stand for Gross Margin, which businesses should always try to improve.
Activist investor turns up heat on Hyundai
April 23Activist hedge fund Elliott Management dismissed Hyundai Motor Group's restructuring plan as insufficient on Monday and called on the South Korean conglomerate to adopt a holding company strategy and appoint more independent board members.
USS Midway: From an aircraft carrier to a used-car carrier
April 23It was all hands on deck for an auction of used Lexus and Toyota vehicles on the retired aircraft carrier USS Midway.
This is not the MG you know
April 23The MG of the present is a bit ... unrecognizable, but the company is forging ahead into new segments and new powertrains.
Flexdrive: Independent dealers get tools to build subscription revenue
April 23Momentum Motorcars in Atlanta serves as a role model to franchise dealers on how to do subscription selling.
Camaro blows out candles on Mustang birthday cake
April 23Ford wants to celebrate the Mustang's 54th birthday. That gave Chevy its own marketing idea.
Relaxed CAFE standards could make a difficult business even tougher
April 23Just as CAFE can often be at odds with the realities of the consumer automotive market, an overly simplistic view that all regulation is bad can be at odds with the reality of a complex global business.
GM's electric push: Velite 6, Enspire in Beijing
April 23The first vehicle announced under General Motors' ambitious effort to introduce at least 20 electric or fuel cell vehicles by 2023 will be the Buick Velite 6 for China.
Drive Germain: 'This is a time-saving service'
April 23Germain Automotive Group is in the subscription car business to attract new customers, drive revenue and prepare for a changing future.
VW's internal handling of emissions scandal 'unsatisfactory,' U.S. monitor finds
April 23VW's independent monitor, former Deputy Attorney General Larry Thompson, has criticized the automaker's internal response to its emissions scandal, a German newspaper report said.
FlexWheels: Ready-made dealer platform
April 23Warren Henry Auto Group started a subscription program that's inspiring the group to develop an operational platform to help other dealers run subscription models.
Infiniti plots more local production in China
April 23Infiniti wants to triple its sales in China in five years by ramping up local production of five new nameplates.
Drive Flow: Group has three keys to profiting from subscriptions
April 23Dealer Don Flow had tried to come up with a way to let customers swap vehicles frequently; the advent of vehicle subscription services now makes it possible -- and profitable for him.
Next-gen Lexus ES features new contours, tweaked grille
April 23The next-generation Lexus ES sedan, which will debut at the Beijing auto show, will feature a more stylized body with a more prominent version of the brand's polarizing spindle grille.
Dealers can drive autonomous future
April 23The autonomous future is indisputably coming to the automotive industry, but it is up to dealers to decide how that impacts the future of the dealership.
Calif. bill would add some muscle to franchise laws
April 23A wide-ranging California bill that aims to strengthen the state's existing new-car dealer franchise laws is scheduled to have its first committee hearing today.
Store experience valued in Portland
April 23There are so many hardworking people with “great habits” making a career in dealerships that I just had to respond.
Getting used-to-new balance right is key
April 23The closely watched ratio of used- to new-vehicle retail sales is a measure of dealership success. But in fact, it's a metric where very few dealerships excel.
How big a slice of the used-car pie will independents take?
April 23Independent retailers are abundant, resilient and growing, but they don't necessarily pose a threat to franchised dealerships' used-vehicle operations.
Florida dealership cafes taste like success
April 23At two Florida dealerships, food service is treated as a department unto itself, serving both customers and staff with a wide-ranging menu.
SHARP FOCUS
April 23Reagor Dykes Auto Group, a budding powerhouse on Automotive News' list of the top 100 dealership groups in used retail sales, sells well beyond its west Texas base.
Review of mpg rules is necessary
April 23I find there is some truth to Gina McCarthy's comment about the current administration wanting to roll back a fair number of the previous administration’s policies.
U.S. court blocks Trump effort to delay boost in 'gas guzzler' fines
April 23Automakers will face steeper penalties if they fall short of annual federal fuel economy targets after an appeals court blocked a Trump administration move to delay a scheduled increase in the fines.
Toyota goes out on a limb with V2V technology
April 23Toyota is hoping to break an awkward silence in the discussion over getting vehicles to talk to one another.
Nissan targets 9,000 store renovations
April 23Nissan envisions renovating 9,000 of its 10,000 worldwide dealerships over the next five years.
When in China, do as Didi does
April 23Didi is the force to reckon with in Chinese ride hailing. During my current visit for this week's Beijing auto show, I came prepared. With the Didi's English-version app downloaded and ready to go on my iPhone, I set out in the city.
