Top News:
- Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 and GLC 63 Coupe to produce over 500bhp – Autocar: Super-SUV model will come in two bodystyles and use the brand’s twin-turbocharged V8 engine, shared with the C 63
- Westminster council to charge diesel drivers 50% more to park – Autocar: Westminster is one of London’s most proactive councils for promoting green transport Greater London borough becomes first authority to penalise diesel drivers, with a PS2.40 increase in hourly parking prices
- Donald Trump may ditch ‘onerous’ US fuel economy laws – Autocar: Car industry chiefs met with President Trump last week The new US president is indicating a shake-up in emissions and fuel economy regulations
- Chinese battery maker CATL buys stake in Finnish car supplier – Reuters: HELSINKI Chinese battery maker Contemporary Amperex Technology Limited (CATL) has bought a 22 percent stake in Finnish auto supplier Valmet Automotive to expand in the European electric car market. The Chinese company, which bought its stake for …
- Under U.S. pressure on trade, Japan scrambles ahead of White House visit – Reuters: Japan is scrambling to respond to intensifying trade pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump, with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe planning to meet the head of Toyota Motor Corp this week and business lobby Keidanren planning a Trump task force.
- Toyota falls behind VW in global sales – Nikkei: Nissan Motor and Honda Motor also expanded overseas production. Their U.S. production increased 4.7% to 1 million cars and 1.6% to 1.29 million,…
- Japan govt spokesman: No truth to reports Abe to meet Toyota chief – Reuters: … reports that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe would meet Toyota Motor Corp (7203.
- Toyota relinquishes top global sales spot to VW in 2016 – Reuters: Toyota Motor Corp’s four-year run as the world’s top-selling automaker has ended as the Japanese company said on Monday its global sales for 2016 fell short of Volkswagen AG’s .
- Fewer accidents could spell trouble for auto insurers – Nikkei: The coming era of self-driving cars is likely to create new challenges for nonlife insurers, which depend heavily on automobile insurance…
- Ford plucks new brand chief from Apple – Automotive News: Ford Motor Co. has hired a former Apple and Nike marketing executive to be vice president and chief brand officer, a new position created…
- JLR exec offers details on I-Pace batteries – Automotive News: Wolfgang Ziebart, Jaguar Land Rover’s technical design director, says the battery-powered Jaguar I-Pace crossover due in 2018 will…
- Dutch contract manufacturer to build some X1s for BMW – Automotive News: The VDL Nedcar plant also produces some Mini vehicles, BMW said in a statement … The Regensburg factory builds eight BMW models on one line.
- Nissan stunt dresses men as their wives. Yes, in Japan – Automotive News: Another piece of evidence crossed our desks this week: Nissan’s “Mommying Drive,” a campaign aimed at teaching Japanese husbands how much…
- Toyota lines reflect designers’ growing clout – Automotive News: To raise the sex appeal of his cars, Toyota President Akio Toyoda has given more power to his designers. The newest results of that appeared at the Detroit auto show in the 2018 Camry.
- Porsche to maintain profits, add jobs – Automotive News: A: Drawing conclusions based on our annual spending isn’t sensible, since our budget is event-specific and heavily targeted toward new model line launches, like the 1 billion euro [$1.07 billion] overall capex investment in the Mission E [electric car].
- 216 mph makes GT Ford’s fastest-ever production car – Automotive News: The Ford GT supercar’s engine generates 647 hp and 550 pounds-feet of torque. The car’s power-to-weight ratio is 4.72 pounds per horsepower,…
- Ford updates technology on older vehicles – Automotive News: Ford Motor Co. will add new technology to older model-year vehicles through a new plug-in device called Ford SmartLink.
- Product, prices power Ford profit – Automotive News: Ford Motor Co.’s push to keep production in line with demand and increase transaction prices helped it sustain near-record operating profits in 2016, executives said last week.
- BP to study impact of 3D printing on growth of oil industry – FT: As well as the rise of electric vehicles, Mr Dale said that more efficient forms of vehicle use, such as car sharing and pooling and autonomous vehicles,…
- Chevy touts Bolt as special, but not weird – Automotive News: In a market that’s still blase about electric vehicles, Chevy sees the Bolt’s ability to fit seamlessly with the rest of its lineup as key to its hopes for significant sales volumes.
- VW designers explore new shapes for EVs – Automotive News: Volkswagen is developing a fresh design language for a new generation of purpose-built electric vehicles.
- Lexus says safety functions set LS apart – Automotive News: On the new-generation Lexus LS sedan, a bolder design was important, but so were safety advances. The LS offers what Lexus calls three world-first technologies to help avoid collisions.
- The design inspiration for Lynk & CO’s first model – Automotive News: In a QandA, Peter Horbury says he has worked on countless projects during his 40-plus years as a car designer and calls his most recent undertaking — bringing Geely’s Lynk and CO to life — ‘incredibly challenging’ and ‘truly unique.
- Mazda reassigns U.S. chief in leadership shuffle – Automotive News: Mazda has reassigned U.S. chief Robert Davis to a new role as part of a leadership shuffle at the automaker’s North American division, following the brand’s 6.7 percent decline in U.S. sales last year.
- Abe to meet with Toyota chief ahead of summit with Trump – Nikkei: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is arranging to meet with Toyota Motor President Akio Toyoda to discuss how Japan should respond to…
- European Ford Mustang to get update after 2-star crash score – Automotive News: Ford says the Mustang would have scored higher in Euro NCAP tests if it had been tested before a new protocol that includes automatic braking.
- Where Waymo fits in – Automotive News: Waymo’s decision to build its own self-driving car technology platform has its competitors watching to see whether the company can carve out a position somewhere between automaker and auto supplier.
- Will this be the year used-car prices fall? – Automotive News: If economists and remarketing experts are correct, 2017 will finally be the year the industry sees significant downward pressure on used-vehicle pricing.
- 2018 Crosstrek due in Geneva – Automotive News: Subaru released a dimly lit teaser photo of the redesigned 2018 Crosstrek set to debut in March at the Geneva auto show.
- CPO sales poised for another record in ’17 – Automotive News: Certified pre-owned vehicle sales are poised to set a seventh consecutive record in 2017, fueled by a glut of off-lease vehicles returning to the market.
- Suppliers: Big money from EVs still years away – Automotive News: Suppliers are prepared for a new era of revenues from electrification — but they say it is still years from being substantial.
- VW Takes Global Sales Crown From Toyota Amid Diesel Crisis – Bloomberg: Volkswagen sold a record 10.3 million vehicles in 2016, outpacing its rival with a 3.8 percent gain from a year earlier. Toyota’s global sales, including…
- Trump administration needs to get up to speed on the auto industry – Chicago Tribune: President Donald Trump meets with CEO of General Motors Mary Barra, left, CEO of … “New assembly plants cost General Motors Co., Ford Motor Co. or Fiat … GM wouldn’t have invested millions of dollars for that few vehicles at its…
- Japan PM Abe to meet with Toyota CEO this week : sources – Reuters: T) this week, two sources familiar with the matter told , as Tokyo … the Japanese auto industry contribute, the business daily reported, …
- Lithium Boom Creating Huge Opportunities For Investors – Yahoo: As Tesla fires up itsUS$5-billion battery gigafactory to mass produce lithium-ion batteries in a historical turning point, lithium prices are set to explode,…
- As Ford and GM Stay Mum on Immigrants, A Detroit Refugee Is Torn – Bloomberg: Representatives for General Motors Co., Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV, Toyota Motor Corp., Nissan Motor Co., Hyundai Motor Co. and Honda Motor…
- Tesla’s Elon Musk, McCain come out against, Trump defends Muslim countries travel, refugee ban – Yahoo: Tesla Motors (TSLA) CEO Elon Musk and U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., have joined the chorus of business and technology elites speaking out…
- Shell to install chargers for electric cars on European forecourts – FT: In the meantime the gradually increasing number of electric cars on the road would create commercial opportunities for Shell as drivers looked for…