Autonews - Current Issue

• newDoes Toyota's new battery factory mean a new U.S. assembly plant?
  Toyota Motor North America's announced plans to build a battery plant may require the Japanese automaker to build another assembly plant in the U.S.
  - 5 hours ago 22 Oct 21, 2:38pm -
• newLithia has more big deals to close in Q4
  Lithia Motors' third-quarter acquisitions are expected to generate annual revenue of $1.7 billion. The auto retailer has deals worth nearly the same amount to close in the fourth quarter.
  - 7 hours ago 22 Oct 21, 12:36pm -
• newContinental explores tire made partly from recycled, renewable materials
  Continental has developed a green tire concept as it pushes toward sustainability in its biggest business area.
  - 15 hours ago 22 Oct 21, 4:01am -
• A night to celebrate the Best Dealerships To Work For
  Automotive News honored the dealerships that made the 2021 list of the Best Dealerships To Work for at a gala Tuesday in Chicago.
  - 2 days ago 20 Oct 21, 7:53pm -
• EQE crossover styling glimpsed in Germany
  As part of its Ambition 2039 plan, Mercedes-Benz expects to offer EVs in all the segments in which it competes by the end of next year.
  - 5 days ago 18 Oct 21, 4:00am -
• Top it up with wine and cheese
  In an interview with the BBC last week, Prince Charles said the Aston Martin DB6 he received for his 21st birthday was modified in 2008 to use bioethanol.
  - 5 days ago 18 Oct 21, 4:00am -
• Dealer anniversaries
  Dealers featured this week include Bill Clark, owner of Clark Chevrolet-Cadillac in Pinehurst, N.C.; Peggy Wessel, co-owner of Autohaus BMW in St. Louis; Jerry Patton, owner of Roadshow BMW in Memphis, Tenn.; Steve Middlebrooks, dealer principal…
  - 5 days ago 18 Oct 21, 4:00am -

Autonews - Dealers

• newMinn. Ford dealer airs ad written by HBO's ‘Last Week Tonight'

  

  The commercial is airing in Minnesota this week and was uploaded to the show's YouTube channel as a "web exclusive" video. It had racked up nearly 3 million views as of Thursday morning.
  - 24 hours ago 21 Oct 21, 7:19pm -
• AutoNation to get 9 luxury stores in Priority 1 deal

  

  The pending acquisition of Priority 1 Automotive Group in Maryland would add $420 million in annual revenue.
  - 1 day ago 21 Oct 21, 6:55pm -
• A night to celebrate the Best Dealerships To Work For

  

  Automotive News honored the dealerships that made the 2021 list of the Best Dealerships To Work for at a gala Tuesday in Chicago.
  - 2 days ago 20 Oct 21, 7:53pm -
• Associated Bank begins indirect auto lending, seeks $1B portfolio by '22

  

  The bank has launched the service in 13 states, with plans to add dealerships in three others early next year.
  - 2 days ago 20 Oct 21, 4:17pm -
• Westlake to accept international credit info for auto loans

  

  Westlake Financial will consider credit information from more than a dozen countries when evaluating new U.S. immigrants for auto loans, according to its partner in this venture, Nova Credit.
  - 2 days ago 20 Oct 21, 4:06pm -
• Asbury adds Stellantis store in Indiana

  

  Asbury Automotive purchased a Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram store in Noblesville, Ind.
  - 2 days ago 20 Oct 21, 10:50am -
• 4-legged friends liven up showrooms

  

  Some of the stores on the 2021 Best Dealerships To Work For list have gone all-in on having dogs hang out.
  - 3 days ago 20 Oct 21, 1:22am -

• Embracing work flexibility, making employee health and wellness priorities

  

  Being flexible with employees was a common theme among dealers operating the 100 stores on the 2021 list of ' Best Dealerships To Work For.
  - 3 days ago 20 Oct 21, 1:22am -
• Leaders share how practices have shifted amid pandemic

  

  Many dealerships have shifted their approach to recruiting, hiring and training staff during the pandemic.
  - 3 days ago 20 Oct 21, 1:22am -
• Pandemic validates telecommuting options for some stores

  

  Some dealers find employees who work home alone are more efficient and communicate better.
  - 3 days ago 20 Oct 21, 1:22am -

Autonews - Europe News

• newContinental cuts margin forecast as chip crunch, supply chain bite

  

  The supplier lowered its outlook for its operating profit margin to between 5.2 percent and 5.6 percent, from a previous estimate of 6.5 percent to 7 percent.
  - 6 hours ago 22 Oct 21, 1:33pm -
• newAutoliv slashes full-year outlook as supply woes linger

  

  The supplier expects supply disruptions to continue to impact vehicle production in the fourth quarter after its operating profit fell to $99 million from $175 million the year before
  - 7 hours ago 22 Oct 21, 11:52am -
• newElectrified cars made up almost a fifth of Q3 sales in EU

  

  Full-electric sales jumped nearly 57 percent to more than 212,000, while deamnd for plug-in-hybrid models rose nearly 43 percent to more than 197,000.
  - 9 hours ago 22 Oct 21, 10:06am -
• newItaly's suppliers see their small size as a risk with Stellantis, survey shows

  

  Small suppliers think their size could put them under pressure to adapt to Stellantis' demands, particularly in areas of high investments, although many also see the merger of Fiat Chrysler and PSA as an opportunity, with wider access to markets.
  - 10 hours ago 22 Oct 21, 9:28am -
• newSsangYong likely to be sold to Edison Motors and become EV-focused automaker

  

  Edison Motors aims to turn around SsangYong in three to five years by focusing on transforming it into an electric vehicle-focused carmaker.
  - 10 hours ago 22 Oct 21, 8:59am -
• newNissan cuts planned output in October, November by 30%, report says

  

  The automaker is reducing output at it struggles with a shortage of semiconductors.
  - 11 hours ago 22 Oct 21, 8:33am -
• newRenault cuts 2021 production outlook further as chip shortage shuts plants

  

  November and December are expected to be better as Malaysia semiconductor plants reopen after COVID lockdowns. The automaker's total production losses for the year are now estimated at 500,000 units.
  - 12 hours ago 22 Oct 21, 7:05am -

• newStellantis, Samsung SDI to start EV battery output in U.S. in 2025

  

  CEO Carlos Tavares said Stellantis "will be well positioned to compete and ultimately win in the North American electric vehicle market."
  - 12 hours ago 22 Oct 21, 7:00am -
• newHydrogen's future as transport option reliant on collaboration

  

  Increasing the role of hydrogen in transport can only be done in collaboration with a wide group of partners to push demand to levels that attract much-needed investment, the panelists in Automotive News Europe's latest Congress Conversations agreed…
  - 15 hours ago 22 Oct 21, 4:00am -
• Renault exec says sharing data key to reducing supply chain disruptions

  

  Automakers need to share more data with suppliers, said Jean-Francois Salles, head of supply chain for the Renault-Nissan.
  - 1 day ago 21 Oct 21, 4:07pm -

Autonews - Marketing

• newMinn. Ford dealer airs ad written by HBO's ‘Last Week Tonight'

  

  The commercial is airing in Minnesota this week and was uploaded to the show's YouTube channel as a "web exclusive" video. It had racked up nearly 3 million views as of Thursday morning.
  - 24 hours ago 21 Oct 21, 7:19pm -
• Stellantis hires Black-owned agency to bolster multicultural marketing

  

  Detroit-based Ignition Media Group will consult the automaker on North American brands Ram, Jeep, Dodge, Chrysler, Alfa Romeo and Fiat. 
  - 8 days ago 14 Oct 21, 5:07pm -
• Penske, Hendrick tops in online reputation study

  

  Nissan and Infiniti outranked other auto brands, according to the study by Reputation, which helps companies manage online reviews and customer feedback.
  - 12 days ago 11 Oct 21, 7:00am -
• Jeep boss: I pity the Ford

  

  The rivals are battling it out over the supremacy of their off-road vehicles, with Jeep brand leader Jim Morrison taking a few pot shots recently at Ford.
  - 12 days ago 11 Oct 21, 4:00am -
• Ford works to construct Maverick base with DIY appeal

  

  Ford thinks its highly customizable small pickup can win over younger, budget-conscious buyers and foster loyalty among owners.
  - 12 days ago 10 Oct 21, 11:32am -
• Geneva show further postponed until 2023

  

  Organizers said the show will come back "stronger than ever in 2023" after the event planned for next February was postponed because of coronavirus-related issues.
  - 15 days ago 7 Oct 21, 2:28pm -
• GM hires first-ever digital chief

  

  Edward Kummer, a digital and marketing leader, who has had posts at Nordstrom, Oakley and Walt Disney Co., joins the automaker this month.
  - 17 days ago 5 Oct 21, 9:37pm -

• ‘New' Aston Martin DB5s drive like originals, thanks to ZF

  

  The 25 Goldfinger DB5 continuation cars being hand-built by craftsmen don't just look like the originals used in the 1965 movie, they drive exactly the same.
  - 19 days ago 4 Oct 21, 4:00am -
• EV marketing needs a reality check

  

  Electric vehicles still have disadvantages compared with their internal combustion counterparts, but they could be successfully pitched as ideal second vehicles in family fleets.
  - 19 days ago 4 Oct 21, 4:00am -
• Ford, GM aim to settle trademark fight over hands-free driving

  

  The tit-for-tat legal skirmish began in July when GM sued Ford for violating its trademarked driver-assist technology.
  - 19 days ago 3 Oct 21, 11:40am -

Detroit News - Auto Insider

• newChip shortage not idling any GM plants come Nov. 1

  

  The automaker first started shutting down plants because of the chip shortage in February.      
  - 1 hour ago 22 Oct 21, 6:06pm -
• newAmazon's self-driving cars are coming to downtown Seattle. Safety advocates are not pleased

  

  The early promise of the technology has been overshadowed by a string of crashes and near-misses, critics say.      
  - 3 hours ago 22 Oct 21, 4:20pm -
• newAmid air quality concerns, districts embrace electric buses

  

  There's a small but growing movement led by parents, students and lawmakers to purchase electric school buses to improve student health and cut CO2 eq..      
  - 3 hours ago 22 Oct 21, 3:43pm -
• newNissan ex-chair Ghosn set on restoring reputation

  

  The French, Brazilian-born Ghosn took refuge in Lebanon, his ancestral homeland, which has no extradition treaty with Japan.      
  - 8 hours ago 22 Oct 21, 11:07am -
• newStellantis announces second North American battery plant with Samsung

  

  Stellantis on Monday announced its first battery plant in North America with LG Energy Solution.      
  - 15 hours ago 22 Oct 21, 4:03am -
• newGMC debuts refreshed 2022 Sierra pickup with new luxury and off-road trims, Super Cruise

  

  "Sierra's momentum continues to accelerate, as the fastest growing model in the segment," said Duncan Aldred, global vice president of GMC and Buick.      
  - 19 hours ago 22 Oct 21, 12:00am -
• new2022 GMC Sierra

  

  2022 GMC Sierra Denali and AT4X      
  - 19 hours ago 22 Oct 21, 12:00am -

• newTesla is switching to this cheaper battery technology

  

  Most of the auto industry relies on nickel and cobalt in lithium-ion batteries to boost EV performance. Yet supplies of both are constrained.      
  - 22 hours ago 21 Oct 21, 9:17pm -
• newPush to pass federal semiconductor funding picks up steam

  

  The 58-member bipartisan Problems Solvers' Caucus joined Michigan lawmakers and industry advocates in urging approval of $52 billion in subsides.      
  - 23 hours ago 21 Oct 21, 7:56pm -
• AutoNation gobbles up used cars to turn profit amid chip crisis

  

  AutoNation Inc., the country's largest car-dealer chain, posted better-than-expected third-quarter profit by pivoting to used-vehicle sales.      
  - 1 day ago 21 Oct 21, 4:26pm -
• NTSB: Driver was behind wheel at time of Texas Tesla crash

  

  A Tesla Model S crashed and burned last April in Houston, killing two men, neither of whom was found in the driver's seat.      
  - 1 day ago 21 Oct 21, 2:57pm -
• Ford's Maverick hybrid pickup nearly sold out for 2022 model year

  

  The automaker said it expects that version of the truck, with a starting price below $20,000, to be fully subscribed by early November.      
  - 1 day ago 21 Oct 21, 2:50pm -
• Volvo adds 195,000 vehicles to recall for dangerous air bags

  

  It's the company's third U.S. recall for the issue with air bag inflators made by supplier ZF/TRW.      
  - 1 day ago 21 Oct 21, 2:02pm -
• Tesla's German factory faces more delays after red-tape hiccup

  

  Tesla Inc.'s unfinished German factory may see more delays because local authorities plan to repeat a public hearing.      
  - 1 day ago 21 Oct 21, 1:36pm -
• Payne: Last of the breed, best of the breed. Cadillac CT4-V and CT5-V Blackwings can absolutely fly

  

  Before Cadillac returns to its roots with posh, electric boulevard cruisers, the brand is making noise with the best performance cars it has produced.      
  - 1 day ago 21 Oct 21, 1:16pm -
• Review: BMW's new i4 electric sports sedan looks good, drives great

  

  BMW's entree into the luxury EV segment presents an enticing new option for forward-thinking BMW consumers previously forced to look elsewhere.      
  - 2 days ago 21 Oct 21, 3:44am -
• Tennessee legislature OKs $884M incentive package for Ford project

  

  In a statement, Ford thanked the state "for its partnership and support as we work together to create 6,000 west Tennessee jobs."      
  - 2 days ago 20 Oct 21, 10:25pm -
• Tesla revenue growth misses estimates but earnings top projections

  

  The results mark the ninth straight quarter of profit for the 18-year-old electric carmaker.      
  - 2 days ago 20 Oct 21, 9:00pm -
• Stellantis, business group start program to aid Black-owned suppliers

  

  Thirteen Black-owned businesses from around the country were selected for the pilot phase of the program.      
  - 2 days ago 20 Oct 21, 8:30pm -
• Lynk targets 1 million car sales as it pushes into Asia, Mideast

  

  Chinese-Swedish automaker Lynk & Co. is aiming to lift sales to 1 million vehicles over the next two years.      
  - 2 days ago 20 Oct 21, 2:39pm -
• Tennessee General Assembly poised to vote on $884M incentive package for Ford project

  

  Meanwhile, the anti-union push that political observers have predicted will hover over the Ford project already has begun to swirl.      
  - 3 days ago 19 Oct 21, 11:03pm -
• Former Calif. regulator tapped to run highway safety agency

  

  A former California pollution regulator is being nominated to run the nation's highway safety agency.      
  - 3 days ago 19 Oct 21, 10:31pm -
• Five states to watch as Toyota picks a site for its new battery plant

  

  The $1.29 billion factory to produce batteries for hybrid and electric vehicles would create 1,750 jobs and start operating in 2025.      
  - 3 days ago 19 Oct 21, 7:16pm -
• Semiconductor shortage delays Maserati Grecale premiere until spring

  

  The new SUV from Stellantis NV's luxury brand was set to make its debut on Nov. 16.      
  - 3 days ago 19 Oct 21, 2:35pm -
• Stellantis, LG announce joint venture to produce EV batteries in North America

  

  The plant to have an annual production capacity of 40 gigawatt hours with the goal of starting production by first quarter of 2024, Stellantis said.      
  - 4 days ago 18 Oct 21, 10:42pm -
• Ballots begin going out for historic UAW referendum on direct elections

  

  United Auto Workers members soon will begin voting on a historic referendum on direct elections of international officers.      
  - 4 days ago 18 Oct 21, 9:43pm -
• First China-built Mustang Mach-E rolls off assembly line

  

  The vehicle is assembled at Changan Ford's plant in Chongqing and will be available to customers in China by the end of the year, according to Ford.      
  - 4 days ago 18 Oct 21, 8:36pm -
• Amid auto show evolution, Ford hosts 'immersive' pop-up in Texas

  

  "Our goal is not to replace auto shows. This is a way for us to meet consumers where they are," said Raj Register of Ford.      
  - 4 days ago 18 Oct 21, 6:25pm -
• Toyota seat cushion helps prevent accelerator, brake mix-ups

  

  The cushion keeps the legs from opening too wide, which is said to be one of the causes of such errors.      
  - 4 days ago 18 Oct 21, 6:18pm -
• Henry Payne reviews the 2021 Rolls-Royce Cullinan

  

  Henry Payne reviews the 2021 Rolls- Royce Cullinan      
  - 8 days ago 14 Oct 21, 10:48pm -