Disasters

A floating car is born from the carnage of Japan's tsunami
Jan. 19A former employee of a Toyota subsidiary started to build a watertight EV that can float in floods, or even cruise at low speeds. His startup has notable backers and a functioning prototype.

2017 Photos of the year: Disasters
Jan. 1Here are some photos of various disasters that took place in 2017 and the impact they had on the auto industry and beyond.

Stories of the year
Jan. 1The staff of Automotive News ranked the top 10 stories from 2017, and EVs -- absent from the list a year ago -- shot to the No. 1 spot.

Storm-driven sales gains disappear
Dec. 24, 2017Used and new auto replacements tied to hurricanes Harvey and Irma almost disappeared in November after driving substantial gains in September and October.
Rising risk from uninsured, flooded cars
Dec. 25, 2017Warning to used-car buyers: Uninsured vehicles damaged by Hurricane Harvey flooding won't be retitled as junk or salvage, may be resold in private sales.

Store steps up for hurricane-hit neighbors
Dec. 25, 2017Toyota of Slidell in Louisiana was devastated by Hurricane Katrina 12 years ago. The store's managers and staff knew they had to find a way to work with dealerships impacted by Hurricane Harvey in Houston.

Wildfires rattle Calif. dealership community
Dec. 18, 2017As the California wildfires push westward, curtains of ash and smoke continue to stifle dealership communities as they grapple with damage, customer slowdown and personal property loss.

California wildfires smoke out sales, service work
Dec. 6, 2017Wildfires near Los Angeles have effectively shut down, though not destroyed, many dealerships in the area. It also forced a shutdown of one of the busiest freeways in the nation, the 405.

AutoNation Q3 net income falls after back-to-back hurricanes
Nov. 2, 2017AutoNation's net income and revenue fell in the third quarter due to the impact of Hurricanes Irma and Harvey, but the company continued to build its used-car and collision businesses.

Storm-driven demand begins to peter out
Oct. 30, 2017Used-vehicle buyers replacing rides lost in Hurricanes Harvey and Irma are boosting prices and trimming supplies, but the end of the storm surge is in sight.

Sonic's Q3 net rises 7% despite storms' impact
Oct. 24, 2017Sonic Automotive reported a third-quarter gain on strong gains from finance and insurance, despite storm-related costs.

Asbury's Q3 net, revenue each dip about 5% because of storms
Oct. 24, 2017Asbury's third-quarter net income and revenue each dipped about 5 percent, largely due to the impact of hurricanes in the Southern U.S.