- VW shakes up German production as it bids to become EV leader – Automotive News: Volkswagen Group is reorganizing production at its German factories to further the automaker’s goal of transforming itself into a leading force in electric cars. VW will spend more than 34 billion euros ($40 billion) on EVs, autonomous driving and new…
- UK plans regulatory boost for driverless cars – Automotive News: Oxford University spin-out Oxbotica began trials of a Renault-based autonomous vehicle on UK public roads last year. Send us a Letter. Have an opinion about this story? Click here to submit a Letter to the Editor, and we may publish it in print. LONDON…
- 2018 Aston Martin Vantage GTE to be shown tomorrow evening – Autocar: First official footage of AMG-powered British racer released; it will compete in next year”s 24 Hour race
- A French Uber Rival Wants to Become a Car Insurance Broker – Bloomberg: For insurers, Blablacar’s move is part of a broader debate on whether people will keep buying their own cars or shift instead to alternatives like ride-sharing, car-pooling and ” robotaxis”. To adapt, Axa SA has forged links with companies from Uber…
- Tesla Roadster: Elon Musk confirms faster version is due – Autocar: Company CEO says new sports car ‘is base model’; it can hit 60mph in 1.9sec
- Electric vans from Mercedes-Benz Vans – Daimler: Mercedes-Benz Vans plans to offer all its commercial van model lines with electric drive. This will start with the mid-size eVito, which is now available to order, with deliveries commencing in the second half of 2018.
- Mercedes Steps Up Electric-Van Push to Counter Deutsche Post – Bloomberg: Daimler balked at producing a similar vehicle because of the standards associated with Mercedes vehicles. The move by Europe’s largest postal …
- Owners of Chrysler’s Newest Minivan Say Engines Suddenly Shut Off – New York Times: The number of complaints represents a small fraction of Pacifica owners – Fiat Chrysler Automobiles has sold more than 156,000 Pacificas since the …
- Some early insight into Geely’s Li – Automotive News: He knew where China was headed long before it got there, and he was certainly one of the first to understand the potential of Zhejiang Geely and its …
- Lamborghini on the fast track to heaven? – Automotive News: The Italian maker of exotics last week gave Pope Francis a Huracan, complete with a crisp white paint job with yellow stripes and trim in honor of Vatican City’s flag. Lamborghini executives, including CEO Stefano Domenicali, presented the $200,000…
- Tesla: A distraction from desperation? – Automotive News: HAWTHORNE, Calif. – Tesla’s latest trick was pure magic: a brilliant spectacle made possible by a little misdirection. Behold the revived Tesla Roadster, an all-wheel-drive supercar that evokes the company’s roots. Marvel at the numbers: A $200,000 …
- NISSAN’S CARLOS GHOSN: Determined to bring three companies closer – Automotive News: Carlos Ghosn ran Nissan Motor Co. for nearly two decades before stepping down as CEO this year to focus on his other roles – CEO of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance and CEO of Renault. He also remains chairman of Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors, of…
- Infiniti plays with power – Automotive News: And Nissan says the VC-Turbo, which requires premium fuel, delivers the efficiency of a diesel without the cost and complexity. The 2019 QX50’s city-highway combined fuel economy is expected to be 27 percent greater than on the outgoing V-6-powered…
- Mercedes to open Atlanta HQ in March – Automotive News: Mercedes-Benz USA says it plans to start moving employees into its new $93 million headquarters here in the spring. By next fall, about 1,000 employees of the brand’s U.S. distribution arm should be back under one roof for the first time since July…
- Canada, Mexico to question US auto content demands at NAFTA talks – Reuters: Canada and Mexico will not make counterproposals to U.S. demands for tougher NAFTA automotive content rules but …
- GM maps route to profitable EVs – Automotive News: General Motors pulled back the curtain on plans for a new fleet of all-electric vehicles that executives believe will push its global EV sales to 1 million annually by 2026 – and generate a profit. They start with four new EVs by 2020, followed by a…
- Porsche CEO Oliver Blume on the brand’s electrified future – Autocar: The Mission E is on course for launch in 2020 We interview Blume to discuss the future of the Stuttgart firm as it readies the Mission E for launch
- How to design an electric car, according to Porsche design boss – Autocar: Porsche’s Michael Mauer talks about the challenges of designing an electric car over a conventional one
- Electric Porsche Mission E readies for 2020 launch – Autocar: Autocar image of the Mission E The first tests of Porsche’s first pure electric car are complete; the four-door sports car will be Porsche’s fifth model line
- Mercedes pickup aims to mimic SUVs’ success – Automotive News: Daimler says its new Mercedes-Benz X class could become part of a trend – pickups moving upmarket. “SUVs are elegant …
- Time short for Chevy’s Bolt to take charge – Detroitnews: “Tesla did well in popularizing the modern electric car, but in terms of being a mass manufacturer of affordable products, … 2017 Chevy Bolt EV.
- Japanese employees need to be encouraged to report misconduct – Nikkei: Kobe Steel, Subaru and Nissan are just three Japanese industrial names recently embroiled in a series of scandals. Kobe has been accused of …
- America Is Now an Outlier on Driving Deaths – New York Times: A generation ago, driving in the United States was relatively safe. …. We don’t need to wait for the arrival of futuristic self-driving machines to do better.
- Not-so-young Honda makes new friends to drive innovation – Nikkei: In an age where rapid technological change is the norm, going it alone can be difficult. Honda Motor, known for its independent streak, …
- As Silicon Valley Gets ‘Crazy,’ Midwest Beckons Tech Investors – New York Times: But some investors, led by people like Mr. Kvamme and his firm, Drive …. problems from managing self-driving car traffic to reducing infant mortality.
- From Las Vegas to Washington DC, lobbyists swarm US Congress on tax bill – Reuters: Recreational vehicle retailers from … Association wants Congress to preserve a $7,500 electric vehicle tax credit.
- The 2018 Buick Enclave Avenir nails everything customers want from a luxury SUV – CNBC: Sure, Buick has risen to fourth place in the massively important Chinese auto market, but right here at home it’s outselling Acura, Infiniti, Lincoln and …
- Tesla’s New Roadster Will Have the Option to Go Even Faster – Fortune: Tesla stole a bit of its own thunder this week when, during the unveiling of the new Tesla Semi electric big-rig, CEO Elon Musk also announced an updated version of the Tesla Roadster. Then, early Sunday morning, Musk one-upped himself again.
