- France’s Saft targets new generation battery production from 2020 – Reuters: France’s Saft, a unit of energy company Total, expects its four-way European battery alliance to begin mass production of new generation lithium-ion batteries from early 2020.
- Mercedes-AMG GT R sighted with Lexus-esque exhaust – Yahoo: It looks like one of the novelties Mercedes has in tow is a different exhaust system with stacked dual tips on each corner of the rear bumper in the same vein as Lexus is doing with its hot F-badged cars. It seems the prototype had the R’s regular …
- Shoppers, Enjoy Those Discounts While They Last – Bloomberg: How will we know that inflation is finally bubbling up? This year a truck driver shortage raised freight rates, and consumer goods companies began passing on those higher costs to consumers. Last Friday’s jobs report, with wage growth now at its …
- Fiat Chrysler Is Seeking Over $7 Billion for Marelli From KKR – Bloomberg: Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV is seeking more than 6 billion euros ($7 billion) for its car-part unit Magneti Marelli SpA in exclusive sale talks with a supplier owned by KKR & Co., a private equity firm that’s eyeing a lower price, according to people …
- Classic car firm JD Classics enters administration – Autocar: After legal battles between former management and previous business associates, JD Classics has fallen into administration JD Classics, one of the country”s most prolific classic car firms, has gone into administration. Administrators Richard Beard,…
- The First Flying-Car Review – WSJ: Right now that looks like solid-state chemistry, predicted to have three to four times the energy density of lithium batteries. Futuristic aero visions like Aston Martin’s (see “The Aeromobile Fleet Takes Shape”) are designed around batteries they …
- Nissan exits Europe’s compact car segment – Automotive News: Nissan has stopped building the Pulsar hatchback for Europe and will end production of the Almera sedan in Russia later this year.
- Why Honda’s Formula 1 engine is ‘a lot stronger’ than people think – Yahoo: Unlike Mercedes, Ferrari and Renault, Honda did not introduce an upgrade at Spa or Monza but Gasly still outqualified both Williams drivers twice, plus a Force India, a Haas and both Saubers in Italy. Honda also had the edge on the Renault works team …
- Mahindra faces US trade commission probe after Fiat alleges patent violation – Nikkei: MUMBAI (NewsRise) — Mahindra & Mahindra’s efforts to gain a toehold in the U.S. market is facing a fresh hurdle as Fiat Chrysler Automobiles alleged a patent infringement by the Indian automaker, triggering an investigation by the trade commission.
- ‘No deal’ Brexit could cost £60m a day, Jaguar boss warns – Yahoo: The chief executive of Jaguar Land Rover has warned that supply bottlenecks resulting from a “no deal” Brexit could bring to a halt production at the company’s UK car plants. Ralf Speth said that, with JLR producing 3,000 cars daily and relying heavily …
- VW brand must become significantly more efficient, Diess says – Automotive News: The VW brand needs higher profits to be able to finance its future, VW Group CEO Herbert Diess told the automaker’s staff magazine.
- Citroen C5 Aircross Hybrid Concept set for Paris debut – Autocar: Electrified SUV concept will join the production C5 Aircross on the Citroen stand Citroën will showcase the C5 Aircross in both European specification and as a hybrid concept at the Paris motor show next month. The Citroën C5 Aircross Hybrid Concept…
- How Self-Driving Cars Can Get Past the Learning Permit Stage, Without Any Risk – Bloomberg: Peter Ludwig, a co-founder, showed off his startup’s product, something he believes dozens of automakers and tech startups trying to perfect autonomous driving will need. An image of a self-driving car appeared on his screen, taking a left turn at an …
- EU’s Juncker eyes free trade pact with Africa – Reuters: The European Union should offer a free trade agreement to the whole of the African continent and a new investment alliance, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said in a keynote speech on Wednesday.
- Aston Martin Rapide E: New details released of electric super-saloon – Autocar: Aston confirms that the Rapide E will be capable of 155mph thanks to two rear-mounted electric motors producing over 602bhp Aston Martin has revealed more technical details for its upcoming fully-electric luxury saloon, the Rapide E, ahead of…
- VW struggles to escape diesel scandal fallout – Automotive News: Three years after admitting to cheating diesel-emissions tests, Volkswagen is still struggling to escape the scandal as it faces another wave of claims from investors and customers. Current and former executives remain under investigation.
- Mazda to release diesel hybrid based on CX-5 in 2020 – Nikkei: Toyota Motor has decided to stop selling diesel-powered vehicles in Europe. Nissan Motor is also expected to suspend development of a diesel engine. Mazda believes it can buck this trend, foreseeing continued demand for diesel cars thanks to their good …
- Japan’s Pioneer gets $540 mln lifeline from Baring as debt deadline looms – Reuters: Pioneer struggling after failed bet on car GPS systems … After selling its consumer electronics business in 2014, Pioneer focused mostly on car …
- Power Drain: China’s Tesla Rival NIO Raises $1 Billion in Underwhelming IPO – WSJ: Chinese electric-vehicle maker NIO Inc. priced its U.S. initial public offering near the bottom of its indicative price range, placing a $6.42 billion valuation on the Shanghai-based company that has billed itself as an emerging rival to Tesla. The …
- 2019 DS 3 Crossback to be revealed tomorrow – Autocar: DS plots to tackle mainstream brands with its first EV; patent images have shown its styling early DS has confirmed that its new DS 3 Crossback small SUV will be revealed tomorrow ahead of its first appearance at the Paris motor show. Accompanying the…
- Ultra rare cars & other treasures of the Volvo museum – Autocar: It’s true that the company often put a much greater emphasis on safety than on design but it has also shown a tremendous amount of creativity since its inception in 1927. Walking through the official Volvo museum in Gothenburg, Sweden, reveals how …
- The golden age of General Motors design – Autocar: GM turned car design into a discipline, an art form and at times even a mass entertainment show. The company was one of the earliest to recognize the selling power of attractive design; it wasn’t always good design, but it was often potently desirable.
- Go-Jek launches services in Hanoi amid $500 mln overseas expansion drive – Reuters: Indonesian ride-hailing firm Go-Jek on Wednesday launched its services in Vietnam’s capital of Hanoi under the brand Go-Viet, as part of its $500-million international expansion.
- German consumer body to file class action suit against VW on Nov. 1 – Reuters: BERLIN, Sept 12 (Reuters) – The German consumer protection organization vzbv on Wednesday said it would file a class action lawsuit against Volkswagen on Nov. 1. The suit will concern vehicles with diesel engines of type EA 189, vzbv said, adding that …
- Peugeot maker PSA targeting rise in second-hand car sales – Reuters: In July, PSA reported it had turned its recently acquired Opel-Vauxhall business sharply back into the black while achieving record first-half profitability at its French car brands, sending its shares to 10-year highs at the time. Reporting by Gilles …
- Ford uses Detroit station revamp to reinvent its future – FT: Ford is widely seen as lagging behind its cross-town rival, General Motors, in the race to master technologies for electric, self-driving and shared vehicles. Shares have languished and profits have been hit by rising commodity costs, tariffs and …
- 2019 Mercedes GLE: How does it compare to the Audi Q7, BMW X5? – Yahoo: 2019 Mercedes-Benz GLE2019 BMW X5 2018 Audi Q7 Engine 3.0-Liter Inline-Six 3.0-Liter Inline-Six 3.0-Liter V6 Horsepower (bhp) 362 335 333 …
- Facelifted Renault Kadjar gets revised engine line-up – Autocar: Tweaked diesels and a new 1.3-litre petrol engine for Europe”s eighth-bestselling SUV Renault has revealed the facelifted version of its Nissan Qashqai-rivalling Kadjar, ahead of an official debut at the Paris motor show next month. Among the tweaks…
- Shame, Tesla-Alike NIO Could Have Used the Extra Cash – Bloomberg: The Chinese electric-car company, a self-proclaimed rival to Tesla, priced its initial public offering in New York on Wednesday and came in at the bottom of its range of $6.25 to $8.25 per share. The 160 million American depositary shares sold raised …
- Brexit Bulletin: Jaguar’s Dire Warning – Bloomberg: Jaguar Land Rover Chief Executive Officer Ralf Speth told an audience that included May that a bad divorce deal could put tens of thousands of jobs at risk and cost the company more than 1.2 billion pounds ($1.6 billion) a year. This as the clock ticks …
- Tencent-backed Nio prices shares at bottom of range – FT: Tencent-backed Nio has priced its shares at the bottom of the range, raising just $1bn or almost half the targeted $1.8bn, according to bankers. The lossmaking electric-vehicle maker priced shares at the lowest part of its $6.25 to $8.25 target price …
- China’s Tesla Rival Prices $1 Billion IPO Near Bottom – Bloomberg: NIO is testing investor appetite for electric-car makers vying to become a homegrown answer to Tesla in China, the world’s largest market for such vehicles. The company faces competition from dozens of local rivals as well as BMW AG, Daimler AG and a …
- Mercedes-Benz highlights the EQC – Automotive News: In the latest new video to top our viral video charts, Mercedes-Benz shows off the all-electric EQC.
- Why Uber faces roadblocks on the way to transport utopia – FT: In Dara Khosrowshahi’s vision of the future, I will use Uber to pay for the commuter train journey from my Berkeley home to the FT’s bureau in San …
- NXP Semiconductor CEO on autonomous driving longevity, fa… – Yahoo: … on autonomous driving longevity, fa… CNBC Videos September 11, 2018. Jim Cramer sits down with NXP Semiconductor President and CEO Richard Clemmer to hear what his chipmaker has in store for the era of the connected (and, soon, self-driving) car.
- Tesla Bull Turns Tail: “No Longer Investable” – Bloomberg: Tesla’s biggest bull, Nomura’s Romit Shah, has turned tail saying the stock is “no longer investable.” He’s downgraded the company to neutral from a buy and lowered his price target to $300 from $400. Shares have slid 25% since Elon Musk’s “funding …
- Pioneer to Get $538 Million Bailout From Baring Private Equity – Bloomberg: Pioneer became a household name in the 1980s with its home and car stereo systems but has struggled for years after failed expansions into new …
- Uber Accused of Saving $500 Million a Year by Cheating Drivers – Bloomberg: Uber Technologies Inc. may be saving more than $500 million a year by misclassifying its California drivers as independent contractors, according to a …
- S. Korea’s auto exports rise 2.1 pct in August – Yonhap: South Korea’s auto exports increased in August from a year earlier on strong demand by new SUVs released by major …
- Woman in Las Vegas jumped from a moving car in order to escape man allegedly posing as Uber … – Yahoo: Elizabeth Suarez was left with a broken ankle, a fractured wrist, and staples in her head after she escaped from a vehicle being driven by a man who …
- Hyundai to set up SPC for hydrogen station business – Yonhap: SEOUL, Sept. 12 (Yonhap) — Hyundai Motor Co. said Wednesday it aims to set up a special purpose company this year to push forward its hydrogen fueling station business. South Korea’s biggest carmaker by sales plans to invite corporate investors to …
- Chinese electric car-maker NIO raises $1 billion in IPO – Axios: NIO, a Chinese electric car company whose backers include Baidu and Tencent, raised at least $1 billion in an IPO that priced at $6.25 per share, …
- In Tesla’s shadow, China’s NIO prices IPO at low end of target – Reuters: Chinese electric vehicle start-up NIO Inc priced at the bottom of its targeted price range in its U.S. initial public offering on Tuesday, a person familiar with the matter said, dragged down by investor concerns about the prospects of chief competitor…
- Nissan Design Chief Suggests a New Z-Car Is Coming – Yahoo: For a nameplate with so much historic importance to Nissan, the 370Z sports car has experienced neglect of late. It has been 10 years since the current-generation Z-car was introduced, and the model has seen for the most part minor updates during that …
- US-Canada trade deal ‘imminently possible,’ Freeland says – Yahoo: Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland announced a breakthrough Tuesday in tense talks … “But it would also be devastating to the American auto industry. … “Forget what you read about NAFTA negotiations and Twitter wars.
- Lexus Digital Outer Mirror Debuts on the New ES This October – Toyota: Changing lanes is about to become a lot easier and safer because in light of Lexus’s announcement today that, starting with the new ES, it will offer the world’ first Digital Outer Mirrors on its vehicles.