VW Group of America CEO Scott Keogh will concentrate on dealerships, marketing and sales, while Johan de Nysschen will oversee engineering, production and logistics.

The pricing plan for the ID4 crossover, which launches next year, ignores the company's egregious recent past. If Volkswagen wants to atone for its sins, its first battery-electric vehicle needs to be much cheaper.

Volkswagen's five-seat version of the Atlas crossover, the 2020 Atlas Cross Sport, will feature more aggressive exterior styling than its larger namesake when it appears in showrooms early next year.

VW's new two-row crossover, the 2020 Atlas Cross Sport, is aimed squarely at vehicles such as the Ford Edge and is part of the German brand's strategy to spread more crossovers across its formerly sedan- and hatchback-laden lineup.

As the car and light-truck mix in consumer preferences starts to stabilize, Toyota is once again looking to capitalize in segments where the Detroit 3 have pulled up stakes.

Volkswagen sales fell 12 percent, ending a 6-month winning streak, despite strong increases from the Tiguan and Atlas crossovers. Audi deliveries fell 17 percent, despite a rebound in A6 and Q3 volume.

Light-truck deliveries, a relative strength for Toyota all year, fell 17 percent last month, a slightly steeper rate than car sales. The broad decline in car and light-truck volume came amid a slight rise in incentives.

Volkswagen's hiring of the longtime luxury executive as its new North American COO is part of a reorganization on the continent and part of an ongoing effort to rebuild its image.

Millie Marshall, who's been with Toyota Motor North America for 28 years, became president of Toyota Motor Manufacturing West Virginia in January 2014 when she was the first woman appointed to lead a Toyota plant anywhere in the world.

Johan de Nysschen, 59, who was ousted as head of Cadillac in April 2018 after a tumultuous four-year stint and who previously served as head of the Infiniti brand and Audi of America, will assume the new role with the Volkswagen brand on Oct. 1.

VW's goal: Reduce the number of computers needed to manage the vehicle to three, each powerful enough to handle its portion of the automobile, using software largely developed in-house that can be easily updated over the air.

Volkswagen is upgrading its Car-Net infotainment system to let owners remotely start their vehicle via smartphone app or use it as a secure place for package delivery.

Toyota and its workforce in San Antonio have been experimenting with a variety of robotic aids for well over a year, ranging from simple spring-loaded seats to load-bearing exoskeletons.

For the second consecutive year, the Best Dealership To Work For in the U.S. is part of a huge Penske Automotive Group auto mall in Turnersville, N.J., about 20 miles southeast of Philadelphia.