News
RFJ Auto boosts F&I profit with Darwin Automotive software
Sept. 26RFJ Auto Partners uses Darwin and Darwin Online software in complete digital retooling.
Cox rolls out online tool to more stores
Sept. 26Car shoppers using Cox Automotive's Accelerate to conduct online car deals are more engaged and buy more F&I products, Cox says.
New Ford Credit CEO focuses on dealers, fintech
Sept. 26In his first year as Ford Credit CEO, David McClelland has focused on dealer relationships, fintech solutions and affordability.
Lighthizer: U.S. won't wait for Canada on new NAFTA deal
Sept. 25The United States is moving forward on its bilateral trade deal with Mexico that has implications for the auto industry even if Canada is left out because negotiators can't resolve their sharp differences over dairy and a dispute resolution system, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said.
AutoNews Now: Trade concerns: BMW lowers outlook; Ford fights for Canada
Sept. 25Trade concerns: BMW lowers outlook while Ford fights for Canada; Next-gen Chevy Tahoe spied; Musk reportedly raps UAW; Caddy's latest 'Beast'; The Buzz at VW; '19 Blazer pricing.
BMW wants more automakers to join self-driving tech collaboration
Sept. 25BMW is already planning the next generation of its autonomous driving system, the first of which is due to premier with the upcoming iNext.
Ford's self-driving car guru sees second customer, IPO possible
Sept. 25Ford's $1 billion investment in Argo AI, a self-driving startup, is the automaker's way of trying to catch up to Google affiliate Waymo and General Motors in the driverless car derby.
VW: Retro-styled electric delivery van is production-ready
Sept. 25VW says its retro-styled I.D. Buzz Cargo autonomous electric delivery van could be launched as early as 2021.
Riding in ZF's 'flying billboard'
Sept. 25ZF Friedrichshafen began making gears for the Zeppelin airships back in 1900. Now, the supplier uses these aircraft for sightseeing trips above Germany and as mammoth billboards.
Chevy's next Tahoe adds independent rear suspension
Sept. 25Spy photos of the next-generation Chevrolet Tahoe undergoing road tests in Milford, Mich., show the large SUV with an independent rear suspension, a notable engineering change from its traditional live axle design.
Cadillac's new 'Beast' presidential limo makes Trump administration debut
Sept. 25The latest version of the heavily armored U.S. presidential limousine known as "The Beast" is making its debut in New York City this week.
2019 Chevy Blazer priced from $29,995, on par with Ford, Nissan rivals
Sept. 25Chevrolet is pricing the resurrected 2019 Blazer at $29,995 with shipping -- about the same as its Ford Edge and Nissan Murano competitors -- as the brand diversifies its crossover lineup.
California weighs an additional $2,000 subsidy for EVs
Sept. 25California will hold a hearing this week on offering a $4,500 subsidy for each electric vehicle sold in the state, up from the current $2,500, even as customers from Tesla and GM face the loss of even bigger federal credits. State regulators will also look at heftier subsidies for fast-charging facilities for EVs and hydrogen stations for fuel cell vehicles.
Tesla worker testifies Musk summoned him to meeting, ripped UAW
Sept. 25A Tesla employee testified that he was summoned into a meeting last year in which Elon Musk told him that UAW representation would leave him voiceless, but that the automaker would let workers have it if their safety concerns weren't addressed.
First Shift: Ford's outlay for old train station: $90 million
Sept. 25Ford's outlay for old train station: $90 million; Deutsche ad agency loses VW account; Musk: Tesla starting to build car carriers; Paris auto show preview; Barra's power ranking.
NTSB calls for safety measures to combat surge in pedestrian deaths
Sept. 25The National Transportation Safety Board proposed a three-pronged approach to combat pedestrian fatalities, which have soared. The board called for NHTSA to establish guidelines for improvements to vehicle design, such as better headlight standards and pedestrian-detection systems.
Ford, UAW voice opposition to freezing fuel economy standards
Sept. 25Ford and the UAW were among the major automotive organizations to oppose a rollback of national fuel economy standards during a public hearing Tuesday with federal officials.
A call to return to stock car racing's roots, with EVs
Sept. 25EV racing would be far more interesting if all of the vehicles were stock, the race was a designated distance -- say, 200 or 225 miles -- and no recharges or vehicle changes were allowed. Each race would be a test of technology and strategy, and an opportunity for a factory-backed race team to prove both on a given Sunday.
Blisters and Easter eggs: What people think of Audi e-tron
Sept. 25The 2019 Audi e-tron, shown in San Francisco last week, is the automaker's first full-electric vehicle. Set to arrive in the second quarter of 2019, the e-tron has a 95-kilowatt-hour battery, standard all-wheel drive and is able to automatically adjust its ride height up to 3 inches, lowering itself at highway speeds to reduce drag. It will come in two standard trims as well as a special First Edition model limited to 999 vehicles. The e-tron starts at $75,795, including shipping. Here's some initial e-tron reaction from the automotive media.
Cadillac's newest presidential limo hits the streets
Sept. 25President Trump's new Cadillac presidential limo is sleeker than Obama's and more in line with the brand's current design language, which was inspired by the Escala concept car from 2016.
Citroen names new design chief
Sept. 25Citroen named Pierre Leclercq, a veteran of BMW, Ford and Kia, as head of design.
U.S. supplier IAC wins in Europe by focusing on premium automakers
Sept. 25U.S.-based International Automotive Components Group has seen a decline in its heartland, which has helped boost the prominence of its European unit. The division's boss, Jonas Nilsson, told Automotive News Europe how he plans to further grow the supplier's European business.
Musk says Tesla making its own car carriers
Sept. 25The company is upgrading its logistics system but running into an "extreme" shortage of car carrier trailers, CEO Elon Musk tweeted on Monday in response to a customer who ordered a Model 3 in June but has yet to receive the car.
Chery to open design center in Germany
Sept. 25Chinese automaker Chery will open a development and design center in Germany as it prepares to launch models in Europe to be sold under the Exeed brand.
BMW lowers full-year guidance blaming price wars, trade conflicts
Sept. 25BMW said it will not meet its full-year target of achieving a flat pretax profit as trade conflicts and pricing pressure hit sales.
Reagor Dykes bankruptcy sale approved for November
Sept. 24Groups handling the dealership group's assets are supposed to resolve automakers' objections by next month.
Tesla, Musk hearing footsteps
Sept. 24Audi, Mercedes and Jaguar are all launching production vehicles that will create some real competition for Tesla, and we are going to learn a few things as these new entries arrive.
How Aston Martin will make its EV growl
Sept. 24Aston Martin plans to convert the Rapide to a limited-edition electric vehicle so the company can learn how to deliver EVs to customers addicted to its trademark gasoline growl.
Aston Martin preps for SUV, electrification
Sept. 24Aston Martin has an influx of redesigns and fresh product on the horizon, ranging from a hypercar to the brand's first SUV.
Camilleri era begins at Ferrari
Sept. 24Ferrari will likely be one of the last major exotic automakers to jump into the crossover/SUV pool.
Rolls' SUV moment arrives
Sept. 24Rolls-Royce's lineup in 2018 saw the addition of a new face and the redesign of an icon.
Dealer anniversaries
Sept. 24Dealers featured this week include Nate Tansky and Judy Tansky, owners of Tansky Sawmill Toyota in Dublin, Ohio; Chris Baughman and George Peterson, owners of Sunset Honda in San Luis Obispo, Calif.,; and Bud Payne, dealer principal of Payne Weslaco Ford in Weslaco, Texas.
For new e-tron, Audi will take reservations, not inventory
Sept. 24With its reservation model, Audi aims to ensure that its e-tron electric vehicle is profitable for both dealers and the factory.
Porsche embraces wagons and crossovers
Sept. 24Porsche continues to venture beyond its two-door sports car portfolio.
Giving appliance design a whirl
Sept. 24Retired Ford Motor Co. chief designer J. Mays will join Whirlpool in October as a vice president and chief design officer.
40 ways to cope with a crisis
Sept. 24At the height of the Great Recession, every new-car dealership in America had its own set of problems and own set of solutions. But some tactics, we found, were fairly ubiquitous.
Sept. 24
Former Ford Motor Co. executive MaryAnn Wright led drive for new $5 million dollar animal shelter in Dearborn that bears her name.
Ford paid $90M for Detroit train station, city records show
Sept. 24The disclosure puts an end to months of speculation about how much the automaker ponied up for the vacant building off Michigan Avenue in Detroit's Corktown neighborhood. Ford finalized the depot purchase May 22.
Will China take world lead with electric cars?
Sept. 24California Governor Jerry Brown predicts China will take the world lead in electric car manufacturing, if U.S. President Donald Trump wins re-election.
Pollution automakers' burden alone?
Sept. 24It's unclear how much auto business will benefit from relaxing standards for tailpipe emissions. To some observers, the biggest winners are petroleum companies that will be able to sell more oil and gasoline.
Great Recession was innovation lab for auto retailing
Sept. 24No category of entrepreneur in American business was better equipped than auto retailers for the tangled mess of the Great Recession ten years ago, which proved to be an innovation lab.
Pollak: Tech-based strategy trumps price-it-and-pray
Sept. 24Days on the lot is as up to date a metric as a sundial, says Dale Pollak, who proposes evaluating a vehicle's investment quality instead.
Bentayga Hybrid charts new course for Bentley
Sept. 24Bentley plans to have electrified variants of each model by 2025, starting with the Bentayga Hybrid in 2019.
Lincoln rethinking ownership experiment
Sept. 24While Lincoln has no plans to discontinue its subscription pilot, officials say they'll have to alter the service — including getting dealerships more involved — if it's ever to grow beyond the test phase.
Lamborghini awaits Urus surge
Sept. 24Lamborghini's product portfolio saw a seismic shift in 2018 with the addition of the long-awaited SUV, the Urus.
New Maseratis will mostly have plugs
Sept. 24Maserati wants to grow its business in North America and believes electric vehicles are the way to make it happen.
French Twist
Sept. 24The Paris auto show marks the start of the fight back by German premium automakers against Tesla's dominance of the market for full-electric luxury vehicles. The EQC crossover will be the first of a new generation of battery-powered cars from Mercedes-Benz, while Audi's e-tron makes its auto show debut after a media unveiling last week in San Francisco.
Electrics, crossovers, SUVs captivate exotic realm
Sept. 24A common trend is engulfing ultraluxury and exotic automakers: electrification, crossovers and SUVs.
FASHION FORWARD
Sept. 24The surprise sneak peek at New York Fashion Week was another example of Kia showing up in unexpected places, such as the luxury sports sedan segment and the top tier of the industry's quality rankings.
Freshened Chevy Volt is changing its tune
Sept. 24The 2019 Chevy Volt includes a new version of an external sound feature designed to meet coming federal regulations for EVs and hybird vehicles that run quietly at low speeds.
