Euisun Chung's futuristic vision for a mobility world beyond cars puts Hyundai Motor Group at the forefront of change in a tumultuous global auto industry. Source: autonews.com … [Read more...]
Chinese firms in Mexico trouble suppliers
Canada's supplier trade association is raising concerns over the possibility that Mexico will provide an easy work-around for Chinese companies seeking to export into Canada and the United States. Source: autonews.com … [Read more...]
Battery startups see fundraising windfall in a niche beyond China's reach
Despite automakers' delayed production plans and slowing EV growth, battery startups raised at least $5.2 billion from institutional investors this year, including $4.9 billion in August and September. Source: autonews.com … [Read more...]
In 2026, EVs will have an industry standard diagnostic system
Electric vehicles on the road do not have an industry standard onboard diagnostic system. Most have some diagnostic capabilities, but they all work differently. That will change in 2026 when a standard diagnostic system for EVs debuts. Source: autonews.com … [Read more...]
Service and parts a highlight for public dealers in Q3
The major publicly traded auto groups credited vehicle complexity, a recovering technician workforce and technological innovations for a strong service and parts showing. Source: autonews.com … [Read more...]
Toyota learns to disguise EVs on the inside
Toyota showed journalists visiting the Japan Mobility Show a series of technologies to demonstrate the range of ways that EV performance can be tuned. Source: autonews.com … [Read more...]
Cruise faces a safety reckoning that will determine its self-driving future
General Motors-backed Cruise faces a "watershed moment" after its driverless permits were suspended by California regulators, who say the company’s robotaxis are "not safe" for public roads and allege Cruise misrepresented circumstances surrounding an injury-related crash. Source: autonews.com … [Read more...]
Lithia clears hurdle in quest for Pendragon
The nation's largest seller of new vehicles saw its acquisition proposal receive resounding approval from shareholders of Pendragon, a large United Kingdom auto retailer. Source: autonews.com … [Read more...]
GM, Ford Q3 earnings an early look at strike toll
The strike is expected to cause limited harm to the automakers' third-quarter results being reported this week, but its repercussions will linger into 2024 even if a deal is reached in the coming weeks. Source: autonews.com … [Read more...]
Dealers fear Cash for Clunkers scenario as EV credit transfer nears
WASHINGTON — As car dealers anxiously await details on how tax credits will be applied to eligible electric vehicles at the point of sale as soon as Jan. 1, some are worried about a Cash for Clunkers scenario that could leave them footing the bill for several months.Starting in 2024, eligible EV buyers will be able to transfer federal tax credits to dealers and use those funds as a down payment. … [Read more...]
Nissan's next-gen Murano undergoes sleek makeover, early spy photos show
The midsize Murano crossover will receive an aerodynamic makeover in early 2025.The Nissan crossover has been spotted undergoing early road tests in Metro Detroit.The 2025 Murano features a new grid-like grille design, while the rear gets sportier with a sloping back window. The interior receives a technology and furnishing upgrade — adopting the Nissan Ariya EV's dual-screen layout.Nissan … [Read more...]
Tesla Model 3 freshen offers more luxury, more quirks
The highly anticipated freshen of the 6-year-old Tesla Model 3 brings some badly needed luxury touches to the compact sedan, along with some quirky ergonomic choices and some missed opportunities to appeal to more traditional car buyers.On the one hand, the pioneering Tesla now offers ventilated seats and a rear infotainment screen on its entry-level vehicle. On the other, it removed the … [Read more...]
3 trade groups say pact reaffirms right-to-repair commitment. Critics call it a farce.
WASHINGTON — Automakers and a segment of independent repairers say a new pact signed in July reaffirms their commitment to right to repair, potentially shelving the need for federal legislation. But some right-to-repair advocates and aftermarket industry groups aren't convinced.The agreement — backed by the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, the Automotive Service Association and the Society of … [Read more...]
GM working to increase production of EVs
By mid-2024, General Motors plans to have several new electric vehicle nameplates in production, from the Chevrolet Equinox that was designed with affordability in mind to the Cadillac Escalade IQ costing four times as much.That's also when the automaker expects to have built 400,000 EVs, on the way to reaching capacity for 1 million a year starting in 2025.GM will get some help reaching that goal … [Read more...]
Take the Automotive News Dealership Salary Survey
Dealership employees, do you ever wonder how your salary compares with that of your peers?The Automotive News Dealership Salary Survey seeks those answers — and your help.Automotive News is joining Automotive News Canada, which polled Canadian auto retail employees on their compensation in 2022, to field a salary survey of franchised dealership employees. We want to hear from people in positions … [Read more...]
Exclusive: Dealership buy-sell database and analysis
Automotive News has turned its rigorously documented dealership buy-sell reporting into a package of stories and data sets that can't be found anywhere else. And our online, interactive buy-sell database has been redesigned to give subscribers clearer, more detailed information. We examine the 2022 U.S. dealership buy-sell market and how it compared with 2021, arguably the biggest year for … [Read more...]
Sonic group scales back EchoPark footprint
Less could be more for Sonic Automotive Inc. and its EchoPark brand of used-vehicle stores.In June, Sonic revealed it was suspending operations at eight EchoPark used-only locations and at an unspecified number of delivery/buy centers. On its second-quarter earnings call last month, the retailer indicated the figure included 14 EchoPark delivery/buy centers and three Northwest Motorsport used-only … [Read more...]
2023 buy-sell market is steadily abuzz
Empire Automotive Group, which has nearly tripled its dealership count in four years, bought three stores in 2022, and last month the Huntington Station, N.Y., group entered its first new state, buying a New Jersey dealership.Empire Automotive CEO Michael Brown thinks sliding dealership earnings will create more purchasing possibilities, especially as dealers lacking succession plans or facing … [Read more...]
Q2 new-car gross profits drop for 6 public auto dealers
Five of the six major publicly traded franchised dealership groups reported double-digit percentage declines on new-vehicle gross profits during the second quarter, as inventories grew and rising interest rates cut into shoppers' buying power. That came as all of the publics except Asbury Automotive Group Inc. posted new-vehicle sales gains in the quarter.The six publics — Penske Automotive Group … [Read more...]
Hydrogen hubs form backbone of ‘once in a generation' clean energy effort
Hydrogen can play a starring role in a clean energy future — but only if it finds a critical mass of initial support. The federal government is about to drop $8 billion to ensure that happens.A U.S. Department of Energy initiative designed to spur hydrogen adoption is less than two months away from reaching a milestone. In September, department officials intend to select winners for the Regional … [Read more...]