- US: Chrysler adds stop-start to Cherokee and 200 – Just-auto: Chrysler Group is adding fuel-saving engine stop-start (ESS) technology as standard on some versions of the 2015 Jeep Cherokee and Chrysler 200 mid-size sedan models.
- GERMANY: Ford Europe adding US Edge to SUV range – Just-auto: Ford Europe, which last marketed a US-made SUV – the Explorer – over here from 1997 to 2001, reckons the new Edge SUV will help it “target a fast growing SUV segment that has doubled in the past five years”.
- Playtime gets revved-up with new 2015 Ford F-150 Power Wheels pickup – DetN: Ford Motor Co. isn’t toying around with the launch of its new 2015 Ford F-150 Power Wheels pickup.
- Lincoln’s Biggest Challenge May Come From Within – Wards: Ford is attempting to revive the moribund Lincoln brand, pouring considerable resources into launching new products, including the MKZ midsize sedan and the MKC CUV. Final Inspection
- JAPAN: Toyota reveals 2015 fuel cell sedan – Just-auto: Toyota has revealed the exterior design and Japan pricing of its hydrogen fuel cell sedan, first unveiled as a concept at the Tokyo motor show last year.
- Toyota to sell fuel cell vehicle in U.S., Europe from 2015 – Automotive News: Toyota’s highly-anticipated hydrogen fuel cell vehicle will debut in the Japan market by next April priced around 7 million yen ($69,348) and go on sale in the United States and Europe by the summer of 2015.
- BMW to Decide on New North American Plant Soon – WSJ: The German luxury car maker will decide before Bavarian summer vacations whether to build a new plant in Mexico or the U.S., its chief executive said.
- British company Ariel reveals premium motorcycle – Autocar: Makers of the super-fast Atom sports car have produced a bike that will cost around £20,000 and features a skeletal frame reminiscent of the Atom.
- Ferrari plans entry-level model – Via Google News: With one of its main competitors, McLaren, already working on a so-called P13 model, an entry-level sports car, Ferrari wants a piece of the pie and …
- Keep computer firms out of your cars – Via Google News: Most car journeys are boring, repetitive events. Flopping into the seat and telling the car to take you to work or the supermarket, while you snooze, …
- Japan bets big on making fuel-cell cars a near-future reality – Reuters: Japan’s government and top carmakers, including Toyota Motor Corp, are joining forces to bet big that they can speed up the arrival of the fuel cell era: a still costly and complex technology that uses hydrogen as fuel and could virtually end the problem of automotive pollution.
- NISSAN GIVES GAMERS 2020 VISION – Nissan: Virtual supercar created to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the legendary Gran Turismo driving game becomes real at Goodwood Festival of Speed
- Mulally plans to stay in touch with Ford, advise successor – DetN: Ford Motor Co.’s outgoing Chief Executive Officer Alan Mulally said he’ll continue to advise his successor, Mark Fields, and remain in touch with the company after he steps down next month.
- Royal Oak company develops 3-D crash-simulation tool with Honda – DetN: Royal Oak — Honda’s North American research and development arm has partnered with a Royal Oak company to craft what the automaker believes is industry-first safety technology that will help it design and develop vehicles faster and more efficiently.
- Google Auto Link to be Unveiled at Google I/O – Via Google News: Google wants to be in the car but they want to control those implementations. They don’t want forks of Android, like Amazon’s Fire OS.
- Driverless cars gain traction in Congress – DetN: Congress was bullish on driverless cars Tuesday, as more than a dozen members got a ride Tuesday in an autonomous vehicle engineered by Carnegie Mellon University.
- Antitrust fines on track for record tally – FT: European and US regulators alone issued fines of $2.7bn for alleged price-fixing over the past six months with warnings that there are more to come
- Nissan Gran Turismo concept jumps from virtual to reality – Autocar: Virtual Nissan concept car becomes real-life model for Goodwood Festival of Speed, and could point towards the next GT-R.
- GM says Impala ignition recall linked to Chinese-made parts – DetN: General Motors said today a Chinese auto supplier built the parts at issue in its recall of 3.4 million cars for ignition switch problems linked to eight crashes and six injuries.
- Consumer groups seek CarMax probe over ‘deceptive’ ads – Automotive News: Car-safety groups and a U.S. senator asked the Federal Trade Commission today to investigate CarMax for claims that it inspects its used cars even though it does not fix recalled vehicles.
- The Tiny Three-Wheel Car That Could Be The Next Big Thing – Via Google News: A sleekly designed three-wheeled two-passenger vehicle from startup manufacturer Elio Motors in Troy, Mich. is planned for introduction sometime …
- Ford expands F-150 recall to inspect, repair electronic power assisted steering – Automotive News: Ford expanded a recall of 2014 F-150 pickups to 5,675 trucks to inspect and repair a possible glitch with the electronic power assisted steering gear.
- Chrysler the Latest Maker to Add Stop/Start Technology – thedetroitbureau.com: Chrysler will offer the new stop-start technology on two of its newest models for 2015, with more products likely to get the fuel-saving system over the next few years. Stop-start will become standard on the 2.4-liter version of the all-new 2015 Chrysler 200 and 3.2-liter V6 equipped Jeep Cherokee.
- Michigan’s Suburban Collection acquires 2 Cadillac dealerships in state – Automotive News: The Suburban Collection has acquired two Michigan dealerships — Don Massey Cadillac in Plymouth and Capitol Cadillac in Lansing — from Charlotte, N.C.-based Sonic Automotive Inc. for an undisclosed amount.
- Honda, 3DXCITE Make Virtual Crash Tests More Realistic – Via Google News: In other words, it looks like a real car. For instance, the video below shows an actual, real-life IIHS small-overlap test side-by-side with the DeltaGen …
- UK manufacturing fight against pounding – FT: Moaning from northern industrialists should be less loud and less irksome to soft southern service bosses if sterling spikes
- May LV Sales Reflect Post-Coup Thai Consumer Jitters – Wards: A Toyota executive says June traditionally is a top-selling month and the industry is hoping consumer outlook will relax as the country stabilizes following last month’s military takeover.
- Ford Leads Way in May as Malaysia Vehicle Sales Jump – Wards: The U.S. automaker reported its best-ever May performance in the country with sales surging 59% year-on-year to 1,116 units.
- Toyota, Ford, GM Top Vehicle Safety Warning List – thedetroitbureau.com: As lawmakers, federal agencies and automakers bandy about ways to better track potential product defects in cars and trucks, one watchdog group already assembled an early warning list of problems – and it’s dominated by Toyota, Ford and General Motors.
- Mitsubishi Electric rolls out FLEXConnect infotainment system – Automotive News: Mitsubishi Electric Automotive America wants to put in-home wireless networks on wheels with FLEXConnect, an information and entertainment audio-video bridging system
- Wheelies: The Better Bimmer Edition – NY Times: BMW’s M235i tops Porsche 911 and Chevrolet Corvette in a Consumer Reports review; Chrysler to offer fuel-saving stop-start in two 2015 models.
- Ford expands F-150 recall to 5,700 trucks for steering issue – DetN: Ford Motor Co. said Tuesday it is expanding a recall of 2014 F-150 trucks for an electronic power-assist steering gear issue to nearly 5,700 trucks after a supplier revised how many parts may be faulty. The automaker urged owners not to drive the trucks until they are repaired.
- Safety groups urge FTC to halt CarMax advertising over unrepaired recalled vehicles – DetN: A dozen auto safety and consumer groups asked the Federal Trade Commission to stop the nation’s largest used-car seller, CarMax Inc., from advertising its vehicles as rigorously inspected when it fails to complete recall repairs before selling the vehicles.
- Ford’s revamped 2015 Edge to roll out worldwide – Automotive News: The Ford Edge, first introduced in 2006 as an early entrant in the now-booming mid-sized crossover segment, is getting a major makeover and global push for 2015.
- Ford to replace 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine after just 4 model years – Automotive News: In an unusual move, Ford is phasing out its current 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine after just four model years.
- Ford Reveals All-New 2015 Edge Crossover – NY Times: The redesigned Edge has many standard safety features and an optional 2-liter turbocharged EcoBoost 4-cylinder engine.
- Exec: Lincoln overhaul off to a solid start – DetN: Ford Motor Co.’s Lincoln luxury brand is on track with its overhaul, according to Jim Farley, Ford’s executive vice president of global marketing, sales and service and Lincoln.
- Chrysler names Winter head of product planning for North America – Automotive News: Chrysler Group named its former minivan chief engineer to head the automaker’s product planning for North America.
- Ford Aims Redesigned Edge for European Market – WSJ: Ford Motor Co. executives on Tuesday unveiled a redesigned Edge sport utility, and confirmed they will launch it in Europe.
- ’15 Ford Edge to Launch in Growing Global Segment – Wards: Ford marketing chief Jim Farley says Edge buyer spends nearly 40% of their annual income on the purchase price, more than any other segment.
- Ford Expands Truck Recall After Supplier Reviews Records – NY Times: Ford had announced a recall of 372 F-150 pickups from the 2014 model year, but increased the number of recalled trucks to nearly 5,700.
- Despite Concerns, Ford Says Launch of All-Aluminum F-150 Pickup is on Track – thedetroitbureau.com: With the sales launch of Ford’s new, aluminum-bodied F-150 approaching fast, new concerns being raised about the ground-breaking project and its potential impact on the maker if the best-selling truck runs into unexpected glitches. However, Ford’s Joe Hinrichs brushed those concerns aside today.