- No apologies from Cadillac CMO – Automotive News: Uwe Ellinghaus is unapologetic about pushing four-wheeled symbols of affluence.
- US: Ford Explorer exhaust gas intrusion under scrutiny – Just-auto: Ford’s popular Explorer SUV is under scrutiny in the US for exhaust gas intrusion into the passenger compartment.
- Nissan, Honda recall almost 3M vehicles over air bags – DetN: Honda Motor Co. and Nissan Motor Co. recalled almost 3 million vehicles to repair flaws in Takata Corp. air bags, adding to a call back by Toyota Motor Corp. earlier this month.
- Honda, Nissan and Mazda Join Recall Over Faulty Air Bags – NY Times: The expanded recall covers a total of almost three million cars worldwide whose air bags could rupture and injure passengers.
- Are Self-Driving Cars Safe? – Via Google News: The idea of trusting a car to drive itself can be eerie. Though most of us rely heavily on complex technology, we’re also very used to glitches in our …
- Honda, others recall another 2.9 million vehicles over air bag flaw – Reuters: Honda Motor Co and other Japanese automakers on Monday recalled more cars with potentially explosive air bags supplied by Takata Corp, bringing the total recall so far to around 10.5 million vehicles over the past five years.
- JAPAN: Honda, Mazda and Nissan recalls add to Takata airbag woes – Just-auto: Recalls of some 3m vehicles have been announced by Honda, Mazda and Nissan to fix possibly defective airbag inflator propellant made in North America by Japan’s Takata Corporation.
- JAPAN: Government plans subsidies for fuel cell vehicles – Just-auto: The Japanese government has published plans for subsidies aimed at encouraging sales of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles in Japan.
- CHINA: Great Wall reshuffles top management – Just-auto: Great Wall, one of China’s emerging independent automakers, has replaced three top executives as its sales continue to slump amid new product delays.
- BMW extends joint venture with Brilliance China to 2028 – Via Google News: Brilliance China Automotive Holdings also declined to comment. … its 3-series and 5-series cars in plants run by BMW Brilliance Automotive in China.
- AA lists after private equity sale – FT: Britain’s biggest roadside recovery service is valued at nearly £1.4bn in listing supported by institutions such as Aviva and BlackRock
- Honda, Nissan, Mazda expand recalls over Takata airbag flaw – Automotive News: The recall storm embroiling Takata airbags widened today with Honda, Nissan and Mazda calling back nearly 3 million vehicles to fix possibly defective inflator propellant made in North America.
- Honda, Mazda expand recalls over Takata airbag problem – Reuters: Honda Motor Co and Mazda Motor Corp said they are expanding last year’s massive recalls involving potentially explosive air bags supplied by Takata Corp, after a similar move by Toyota Motor Corp this month.
- Seat reveals new Leon ST-based crossover – Autocar: New Leon X-Perience will go on sale in the UK in September, and acts as a precursor to the Spanish firm’s new SUVSeat has added a new crossover model to its line-up in the form of a high-riding version of the Leon ST.Called the Leon X-Perience, the four-wheel-drive estate is planned to go on sale in the UK in September with first deliveries in January 2015. It is a precursor to the Spanish car maker’s first dedicated SUV, which is set to join its line-up in 2016 following an announcement earlier this…
- An ‘everyday GT’ enters the local Ferrari family – Via Google News: The California T – the “T” stands for turbo – is a grand tourer (GT) suitable for daily use. Without stripping out its sports-car DNA, the California T comes …
- Suppliers outfit Transit vans in massive Kansas City cave complex – Automotive News: Six upfitters are finishing Kansas City-built Ford Transit vans for commercial customers in a most unusual setting: a mammoth cavern system carved from limestone deposited 560 million years ago.
- Takata says moisture may be culprit in airbag recalls – Automotive News: For a global airbag producer, it’s hard to imagine worse news: A few defective airbag inflators from Takata Corp. malfunctioned during accidents, rupturing the airbags.
- Ex-Toyota exec preaches production gospel to aspiring supplier – Automotive News: Paula Lillard is now the bright hope for nth/works. She has come to help instill the Toyota Production System — or TPS — for a supplier that urgently wants it.
- Who’s in charge at Cadillac? – Automotive News: Last week, Cadillac’s U.S. sales chief, Bill Peffer, left abruptly after less than 10 months in the job, the third head of sales to leave in two years. Dealers desperate for some stability will have to wait for that promise.
- Reversal on stalling risk forces new look at ignition issues – Automotive News: Ten years ago, General Motors insisted that engine stall is not a safety defect. Now, in the face of evidence that faulty ignition switches contributed to at least 13 deaths, GM’s position has changed.
- GM bogs down in effort to fix supplier ties – Automotive News: Grace Lieblein has been doing a lot to repair General Motors’ strained relationship with its suppliers during her 18 months as global purchasing chief.
- Google is ready to challenge Apple’s CarPlay – Via Google News: Google plans to reveal its first in-car interface for Android smartphones this … The sources said Google’s interface, called Google Auto Link during …
- NJ Assembly OKs bill to allow direct EV sales – Via Google News: The approval on Monday, June 16, followed the March 11 vote of the eight-member state Motor Vehicle Commission to block Tesla Motors, which sells …
- Takata says willing to support certain air bag inflator replacements – Reuters: Takata Corp said it is willing to support car makers replacing certain air bag inflators made between 2000 and 2007 that were supplied to multiple car makers, including Honda Motor Co and Toyota Motor Corp, for vehicles sold in the United States.
- Restored classics showcased at Lakeside car show – Via Google News:
- Aston Martin V8 Vantage N430 first drive review – Autocar: All the goodness of the V8 Vantage S in a marginally cheaper package. The Aston Martin Vantage’s eventual replacement isn’t due until 2018, and Aston’s arguably too prominent VH architecture is being revised for the very thing. Before that there’ll be a new DB9, after which all Aston Martins will be visually and mechanically more differentiated, but in the meantime Aston has to make the best of what it has.
- Daimler To Build Plant at Mexican Nissan Facility – WSJ: Daimler will build a production plant for Mercedes at a facility operated by its alliance partner Nissan in Aguascalientes, Mexico.
- Regulator in driving seat over US vehicle safety – FT: NHTSA faces a challenge as vehicles’ complex onboard equipment takes over an increasing share of the responsibility for safety
- Vauxhall plans to increase Luton output – FT: Senior staff at the plant are told that higher-than-expected demand and new markets could even see the factory move to a three-shift operation
- Tesla on verge of winning fight in New Jersey over direct sales – DetN: Tesla Motors Inc. is on the verge of winning its fight to sell its electric cars directly to the public in New Jersey.
- 2015 Lexus RX: Luxury SUV doesn’t miss a beat – DetN: Buyers of luxury sport utility vehicles keep choosing one SUV — the Lexus RX — in greater numbers than any other. It’s easy to see why.
- Feds reviewing complaints of exhaust fumes in Ford Explorer cabins – DetN: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Friday it is reviewing complaints that exhaust fumes could build up in the cabins of newer Ford Explorer SUVs and cause dangerous levels of carbon monoxide.
- Maserati Centennial Exhibition opens in Modena – KBB: Set in the modernistic Enzo Ferrari Museum, “Maserati 100 – A Century of Pure Italian Luxury Sports Cars” opened this week in Modena to help celebrate the 100th anniversary of the historic Italian marque.
- Weekend Auto Calendar: Camaros of the World Unite, in Maryland – NY Times: The Camaro Nationals, featuring Chevrolet Camaros and Pontiac Firebirds, come to Maryland; the Classic at Pismo Beach to feature a beach town cruise.
- Nürburgring 24-Hour Race Draws Huge Entry – NY Times: More than 150 cars to compete at the legendary German track; more than 100,000 spectators anticipated.
- Volvo launches hotter Drive-E engines – Autocar: Updated Volvo V40 gets new four-cylinder Drive-E engine with as much as 242bhpVolvo has unveiled an updated V40 for 2015 and has taken the opportunity to introduce high-powered petrol and diesel versions of its all-new modular four-cylinder Drive-E engine family into its smallest model.
- The art of lap record breaking in a front-wheel drive car – Autocar: Renaultsport’s test drive Laurent Hurgot explains the secrets behind his Nürburgring lap record in the new Mégane Trophy-RAt just after seven on a May morning, Renaultsport’s test driver Laurent Hurgot set the Renault Mégane Trophy-R’s new Nürburgring lap record for front-drive production cars, at a shade under eight minutes.
- Design: Pickups Wearing Camo, but Not to Blend In – NY Times: Competition among pickup trucks has inspired automakers to seek every possible edge. Now they are using camouflage.
- Ford to include Sirius traffic, travel services in ’15 models with navigation systems – DetN: Ford Motor Co. customers who buy 2015 model-year vehicles with navigation systems will get free five-year subscriptions to SiriusXM Traffic and SiriusXM Travel Link. The services offer detailed traffic, accident, fuel and weather information.
- Behind the Wheel: 2014 Mercedes-Benz S550 Review – NY Times: The 2014 Mercedes-Benz S550 isn’t merely a new version of the company’s largest sedan, but a technological leap beyond its ancestors.
- Judge orders Treasury to produce Delphi documents in pension suit – DetN: Thousands of Delphi pension recipients won a legal battle in their nearly five-year battle over the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp.’s decision to assume the bankrupt auto supplier’s pensions.
- Americans Admit to Dangerous Behaviors While Driving – thedetroitbureau.com: Americans continue to redefine dangerous behavior while driving, but their resolve to stop these behaviors isn’t growing at the same rate. A recent Harris Poll shows Americans taking harsher views on what constitutes drinking and driving and other behaviors.
- There’s a refreshing new boldness about Peugeot and Citroen – Autocar: After years of competing against each other, PSA Peugeot Citroën is showing signs of employing a more joined-up strategy. Clarity. It’s something that’s been sadly lacking from PSA Peugeot Citroën in the past two decades. In fact, ever since I’ve been reporting on cars both companies have not just been producing some uncompetitive cars, but directly competing with each other in the process.