- Volkswagen Dieselgate fix – UK boss responds to complaints – Autocar: Nearly 17,000 owners of Volkswagens have complained to the brand about the effects of the software fix upon their cars
- BMW electric car ad banned over misleading ‘clean car’ claims – Guardian: The car company BMW has been censured by the UK’s advertising watchdog for claiming an electric car equipped with a small petrol engine was “clean” and “zero emissions”, in a ruling that could have a knock-on effect on other electric car advertising….
- BMW 8 Series sheds more disguise to reveal production headlights – Autocar: An 8 Series development car reveals production details… BMW’s new flagship coupe has been spied testing in both coupe and convertible forms; it’s due to go on sale in 2018
- Exclusive: Ford set for China tie-up with Alibaba to test online, direct auto sales-source – Reuters: Ford Motor Co is expected to sign as early as Thursday a deal with Alibaba Group Holding Ltd which may allow the U.S. automaker to test selling cars to consumers in China through Alibaba’s online retail arm Tmall, as well as via a new auto vending…
- London’s electric cabs start picking up fares – Automotive News: But most importantly, it’s bringing clean air to London,” he said. The TX5 taxi’s plug-in electric drivetrain is being provided by Volvo, which is also owned by Geely. The taxi drives in full-electric mode all the time, but uses a 1.5-liter…
- Nissan Plans to Introduce Fully Autonomous Driving Cars in 2022 – Bloomberg: The carmaker plans to add autonomous-driving functions step-by-step, first allowing more cars to handle single-lane driving by themselves, and subsequently navigate urban roads, including intersections, by 2020, said Yutaka Sanada, a Nissan senior vice…
- Mercedes-Benz passes mark of two million vehicles sold already in November – Daimler: Mercedes-Benz delivered 195,698 vehicles to its customers in November (+7.2%), thus achieving the 57th record month in succession. In the first eleven months of the year, 2,095,810 units were sold.
- How to Survive Your First Commercial Space Flight – Bloomberg: These extreme-tourism-style flights by Blue Origin, Virgin Galactic and SpaceX are seen as a precursor to an era when blasting to and from space will be considered as routine as flying from New York to Chicago. The preparation needed to make these…
- The best cars for reliability and low-cost repairs – CBS News: If you’re in that group, you’re in luck: A just-released report by auto repair site CarMD ranks automotive brands and individual vehicles by reliability and low cost to repair. In this year’s report, Acura vehicles need the fewest repairs, with Honda…
- London hails electric cabs for a fare to a “different world” – Reuters: You can see very clearly this is a London black cab, Chris Gubbey, chief executive of the London Electric Vehicle Company, a unit of Chinese-owned Geely, told Reuters. However, everything is new. It (has an) all-aluminium body and electric engine with…
- Cramer: If you think tech stocks are way too expensive, you’re wrong – CNBC: It’s no secret that Cramer thinks the automaker’s value is entirely in the eye of the beholder considering its lack of earnings, shoddy projections and star power of its CEO, Elon Musk. But for those who view Tesla as a tech stock and not an auto…
- Jaguar I-Pace development on course for March 2018 launch – Autocar: All-electric SUV will be with customers in the summer; we ride shotgun to see how it feels
- Marchionne suggests Fiat Chrysler could partner with Hyundai on hydrogen fuel cells – Freep: Fiat Chrysler Automobiles could potentially partner with Hyundai on hydrogen fuel cell technology. FCA CEO Sergio Marchionne raised the prospect …
- Lexus LF-1 concept teased for Detroit Show – Autocar: Lexus has offered a sneak peak of the LF-1 Limitless crossover concept ahead … The blue-hued Lexus badge indicates the presence of an electrified …
- Lithium Giant Eyes New Project to Tackle Electric-Car Boom – Bloomberg: One of the world’s largest lithium producers is looking to expand into a new country as prices surge to record highs amid a nascent electric-vehicle …
- Safety Group Not Happy About GM App That Let’s You Order Food While Driving – Bloomberg: National Safety Council President Deborah Hersman says the app will contribute to distracted driving, already a factor in a quarter of all vehicle …
- Polestar’s fourth car could be a convertible – Autocar:
- UK group adds bitcoin to cross-border payment service – FT: But if their debit card runs out of fiat currency the app will automatically convert enough cryptocurrency to cover a purchase or cash withdrawal.
- Lyft Gets $1.5 Billion Funding Boost, Thanks to Google – Fortune: Despite this growth, Lyft and its new investor see room to capture more market share and pursue its autonomous driving ambitions. Lyft launched an open platform designed to give automakers and tech companies working on self-driving cars access to its…
- BMW guns for 50% increase in EV sales next year – Detroitnews: BMW and other carmakers are spending record amounts on electric cars to kickstart sluggish consumer…
- FCA plans hydrogen-engine partnership with Hyundai – Detroitnews: Marchionne said there is no likelihood of a merger with Hyundaihttp://rssfeeds.detroitnews.com/~/i/505649790/0/detroit/autosinsiderhttp://karkontent.com/
- Low-tech solutions to high-tech car theft – FT: According to the company, car thieves began by targeting certain brands specifically, such as Ford and BMW. But this is no longer the case. Today, almost any manufacturer providing a keyless entry system is at risk. Insurance companies, thankfully,…
- More SUVs coming from Maserati? – Detroitnews: Maserati exec doesn”t rule out the possibility of something smaller than the…
- Volkswagen start-up produces world’s first ride-sharing car – Autocar: Berlin-based mobility brand Moia will launch its EV in Hamburg next year
- Toyota’s Hollis Expects Solid Sales in 2018 – Detroit Bureau: In 2018, Toyota and Lexus will benefit from a full year of sales of the Camry, Toyota C-HR and Lexus LC. Lexus will also be able to sell the new LS and there are other new Lexus vehicles in the product development pipeline, beginning with a…
- Ford to launch electric vehicles in China – FT: Volkswagen said last month it would invest €10bn to develop new-energy vehicles in China by 2025. In August, Renault and Nissan joined longtime partner Dongfeng Motor to form a new electric vehicle joint venture. Electric vehicle sales in China have…
- The Latest Bull Case for Electric Cars: the Cheapest Batteries Ever – Bloomberg: … their decline reflects a rise in battery manufacturing and “the economies of scale that come with it,” the report shows. Developers of stationary storage systems — like the kind that back up rooftop solar panels — can expect to pay 51 percent…
- 252bhp Vauxhall Insignia GSi priced from £33,375 in the UK – Autocar: The car is powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol that outputs 295lb ft and is mated to a new eight-speed automatic gearbox with paddle shifters. Current range-topper is quicker around the Nürburgring than the previous and more…
- BMW rejects allegations of excessive emissions in road tests – Reuters: BMW has denied that engine management software shut off a system filtering nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions in some of its diesel cars after a German environmental group alleged that a 3-Series estate car in a series of road tests emitted amounts of NOx…
- A Crossover With No Limits: New Lexus Concept to Debut in Detroit – Toyota: Lexus will reveal a striking new concept that reflects the next genre in luxury crossover vehicles. Created by the CALTY design studio in Southern California, the Lexus LF-1 Limitless is a flagship crossover that redefines the boundaries of luxury.
- Ford ups electric push in China – Detroitnews: At least 30 percent of the new vehicles Ford will roll out in China by 2025 will be…
- Nissan to stick with electric cars, tax credits or not – CBS News: The head of Nissan Motor’s (NSANY) operations in North America said Monday that the company is undaunted by congressional efforts to do away with a federal tax credit for plug-in electric vehicles. Boasting a 40 percent increase in battery range to 150…
- Provident Plunges as FCA Starts Probe Into Car Finance Arm – Bloomberg: Moneybarn provides car and van financing to customers who have struggled to access money elsewhere because of a poor credit score or the lack of a borrowing history, according to its website. The division contributed about 9 percent of Provident’s…
- Western European car sales rise 5.4 percent despite UK woes – Reuters: Western European car registrations rose 5.4 percent in November, with France and Germany doing the heavy lifting as UK sales sagged, according to industry data compiled by LMC automotive. Registrations rose to 1.144 million cars from 1.085 million a…
- VW Beetle could be reborn as electric car – Automotive News: Volkswagen bosses are considering the future of the brand’s iconic Beetle. Small, impractical two-doors coupes are losing favor with buyers, so the …
- New WLTP real-world emissions test adds 15% to Volkswagen Up GTI’s official CO2 output – Autocar: More stringent testing regime, which replaces the NEDC this year, also decreases the hot city car’s official fuel economy from 49mpg to 42mpg
- Diesel registrations down 31% in November as UK market shrinks – Autocar: Overall market drops by 11% last month, with industry experts pointing to confusion over recent Government tax changes
- German sales rise 9% but diesel sales hit hard – Automotive News: FRANKFURT –New-car sales in Germany rose 9.4 percent to 302,636 in November with Peugeot and Dacia showing strong growth, data from the KBA motor transport authority showed. Peugeot brand’s registrations jumped 72 percent, while Dacia sales increased…
- Daimler Strengthens Setup of its Truck Business in China – Daimler: Daimler is strengthening the focus of its truck organization for the Chinese market by implementing a dedicated responsibility within the divisonal board of Daimler Trucks.
- Super-luxury Range Rover two-door coupe under consideration – Autocar: The 2004 Range Stormer concept was a two-door concept prelude to the Range Rover Sport Exclusive SVO-built two-door Range Rover could be on the way, hints Land Rover design chief Gerry McGovern
- Mercedes Sees a New Bumper Year in China After Edging Out Audi – Bloomberg: The company earlier this year agreed with partner BAIC Motor Corp. to start making the EQ crossover in China in 2020. Separately, Daimler is in talks with potential partners to extend its car-sharing ambitions in China, after starting a pilot project…
- Chinese EV start-up WM Motor says to get funding from group led by Baidu Capital – Reuters: Freeman Shen, who left Chinese automaker Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co Ltd [GEELY.UL] to establish WM Motor, said the investors also include …
- FCA investigates Provident Financial’s car finance firm Moneybarn – Guardian: Nearly 20% has been wiped off the value of Provident Financial after the the City watchdog revealed it has launched an investigation into Moneybarn, a company controlled by the subprime lender that provides car loans to people with poor credit history….
- Group led by Baidu Capital to invest in EV start-up WM Motor: MW exec – Reuters: WM Motor, one of China’s electric car startups, will receive a sizable investment from a group of investors led by Baidu Capital, …
- Nissan to Test Robot Taxis, Aims to Begin Service in Early 2020s – Bloomberg: The trial is the first concrete step in Nissan and DeNA’s joint robot taxi project, which was announced in January. The cars will be more advanced than Nissan’s current semi-autonomous system known as ProPilot, which enables single lane automated…
- BMW may expand EV range with iX-badged SUVs – Automotive News: BMW may expand its electric range by adding smaller and high-end cars and SUVs as it seeks to benefit from the industry shift toward battery-powered cars. The automaker has secured naming rights for the badges i1 to i9 and iX1 to iX9, CEO Harald…
- Ford ramps up electric vehicle push in China amid slowing sales – Reuters: Ford’s sales in China have been weak in recent months, and the company is scrambling to come up with electric and hybrid vehicles to comply with strict Chinese quotas over production and sales for so-called new energy vehicles, or NEVs. The U.S….
- Toyota’s November China vehicle sales dip 1.3 pct y/y – Reuters: Toyota Motor Corp’s sales in China fell 1.3 percent in November from a year earlier to 109,600 vehicles, following a 13.5 percent gain in October, the company said on Tuesday. The Japanese automaker’s sales during the first 11 months of the year…
- Ford to launch 50 new vehicles in China by 2025 – Reuters: Ford Motor Co (F.N) will launch 50 new vehicles in China by 2025, including 15 electrified vehicles, Peter Fleet, head of Ford Asia Pacific … Ford’s sales in China have been weak in recent months, and the company is scrambling to come up with…