Top News:
- VW Scandal Will Kill Diesel Sales in U.S., China, Supplier Predicts – Detroit Bureau: The emission-test cheating scandal that has engulfed Volkswagen’s could kill the markets for diesel cars in North America, Japan and China, claims Continental’s chief executive.
- Fiat Plots Ambitious Plan After Ferrari Spinoff – Bloomberg: Ferrari shares have begun trading in Milan, completing a spinoff of the luxury automaker from Fiat Chrysler. Bloomberg’s Tommaso Ebhardt reports on…
- Hyundai-Kia ordered to sell 6.6% stake in Hyundai Steel – Just-auto: Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors last month were ordered to sell a combined 6.6% stake in affiliated steelmaker Hyundai Steel, worth around US$376m, to comply with local chaebol (family conglomerate) ownership regulations.
- Ford and Google Deal to Go Beyond Autonomous Vehicles – Detroit Bureau: Barring a last-minute snag, Ford CEO Fields will announce an alliance with Google on Tuesday at the Consumer Electronics Show. But the deal is a lot broader than has been reported, extending well beyond autonomous vehicles, TheDetroitBureau.com has learned.
- Faraday Future loses battery designer before EV’s debut at CES – Automotive News: Faraday Future Inc., the electric-car startup backed by Chinese Internet billionaire Jia Yueting, lost its chief battery architect ahead of introducing its concept vehicle at this week’s International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
- Takata may get relief from Japanese automakers, paper reports – Automotive News: Takata shares surged the most in more than a year after the Sankei newspaper reported that Japanese automakers may provide support to the airbag maker to safeguard access to its technology.
- Honda China car sales beat target as Japanese brands play catch-up – Reuters: Honda said it will release detailed sales figures for 2015 on Friday. … Honda’s 2015 overall sales volume in China is still set to trail behind rivals…
- BRIEF-Fiat Chrysler approached on mergers but options unattractive-CEO – Reuters: Jan 4 Fiat Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne says on Monday: * was approached by several parties on a potential merger but options were not…
- Tesla supplied just 208 Model X cars in 2015 – Guardian: Photograph: Stephen Lam/REUTERS … The Model X, Tesla’s first new car in three years, was launched to much fanfare in 2015, but the company’s…
- Honda says its China vehicle sales exceeded one million in 2015 – Reuters: BEIJING Honda Motor Co (7267.T) sold more than 1 million vehicles in China last year, beating its previously announced 2015 target of 950,000 units,…
- VW Microbus to go electric at CES tech show – new preview image – Autocar: This latest preview image hints at the concept’s name Classic Camper van will return with all-electric derivative to showcase VW’s vision for autonomous tech, safety and connectivity
- Hyundai Motor, Kia Motors both miss 2015 auto sales targets – Reuters: Hyundai’s affiliate Kia Motors Corp (000270.KS) said its 2015 sales were also nearly unchanged at 3.05 million vehicles, leaving it missing its target of…
- Takata Recall: Honda Says No Fresh Lending For Japanese Airbag Maker – Ibtimes: Takata recall Honda reportedly said it was not considering lending fresh funds to Japanese airbag maker Takata. Pictured: Visitors walk behind a logo…
- Automakers woo tech enthusiasts to revive electric car sales – Reuters: VW watchers expect it will be a variant of a microbus – linking the German automaker’s plans to launch 20 battery-powered or plug-in hybrid vehicles…
- Automakers’ December Surge Seen Wrapping Record U.S. Sales Year – Bloomberg: “People who can afford to buy new cars are buying heavily equipped cars,” Jack Nerad of KBB said in an interview on Bloomberg Television. They’re…
- Finally, some fresh products – Automotive News: 2016 pipeline: The CH-R subcompact crossover concept that Scion unveiled in November at the Los Angeles Auto Show will bow in production form…
- Turbos, high-end luxury in the mix – Automotive News: 2016 pipeline: Lexus has added turbocharged engines to nearly its entire car lineup: Base models of the IS, GS and RC offer turbochargers for 2016.
- Lexus is flexing its CPO muscles – Automotive News: Lexus, one of the pioneers in aggressively promoting certified used-vehicle sales, is raising its game. The brand rebadged its Lexus Certified program…
- Renault Samsung sales up 8.1 pct. in Dec. – Yonhap: Renault Samsung Motors Co., the local unit of French auto firm Renault S.A., said Monday that its December sales grew…
- The Book of Genesis: How Hyundai plans to do luxury – Automotive News: Much at Genesis, Hyundai Motor Co.’s new luxury brand, remains a work in progress, even though the first nameplate went on sale in South…
- Heating up in ’16 – Automotive News: Sales trend: Infiniti’s 2015 sales performance was remarkable in light of the franchise’s lack of new models. Dealers began 2015 fretting about how…
- Flying fashionably under the radar – Automotive News: 2016 pipeline: The second-generation CX-9 large crossover goes on sale this spring. Mazda will give the Mazda6 midsize sedan and CX-5 compact…
- CES preview: Auto players offer a glimpse of the future – Automotive News: Automotive giants such as General Motors and Volkswagen will do their best at the CES technology expo there this week, staking chips on an…
- Ford to offer Apple CarPlay, Android Auto on ’17 models – Detroitnews: When connected, a car’s dashboard screen mimics an iPhone or Android … General Motors Co. last May said it would offer both Apple CarPlay and…