Between the Los Angeles Auto Show and the Guangzhou auto show in China, this month has seen dozens of vehicle debuts — but many came from companies the U.S. industry barely knows. Not yet, anyway. Unfamiliar brands are emerging for a shot at global automaking, hoping that consumers have a new willingness to look at
Month: November 2021
In an automotive retail landscape in the midst of a fast-paced era of consolidation, one group and one executive are operating at a different level: Lithia Motors Inc. and its CEO, Bryan DeBoer. The longtime head of what is now the nation’s second-largest dealership group has been the guiding force in the transformation of Lithia
It’s been a good year financially for retailers and automakers, despite the pandemic and microchip shortage. The same can’t be said for many parts suppliers, however. Average dealership profits have soared this year and have broken annual records. Automakers such as General Motors and Ford Motor Co. brought in billions of dollars in third-quarter profit,
HOUSTON — A hearing to determine whether former Reynolds and Reynolds Co. CEO Bob Brockman is competent to stand trial on tax evasion charges continued last week in a Houston courtroom. Lawyers for Brockman, 80, say he has dementia that is both progressive and incurable and has left him unable to assist in his defense
With the holiday season underway, it’s time for another late-year tradition: the unveiling of the Automotive News All-Stars. In 2021, the U.S. automotive landscape was reshaped by dealership consolidation. There was a flurry of buy-sell activity as many retailers cashed in on high dealership values. Leading the acquisition boom was Bryan DeBoer. Usually, our top
The Volkswagen Group has hired two prominent battery specialists from Apple and BMW as it looks to boost its expertise in next-generation cell technologies. Soonho Ahn, former head of global battery developments at Apple, started as chief technical officer at VW Group’s battery division this month, according to his LinkedIn profile. Joerg Hoffmann, the former
Tesla will forgo 1.14 billion euros ($1.3 billion) of state aid for the factory it’s building in Germany because it has decided to try to produce a new type of battery cell at scale in Texas first, a person familiar with the matter said. The electric-vehicle maker has been working on so-called 4680 battery cells
PARIS — Valeo, Continental, Velodyne, Luminar and a host of other companies are preparing for huge growth in demand for lidar sensors, which are seen as a building block for safe, accurate self-driving cars. The market is expected to surge starting around 2025, said Geoffrey Bouquot, chief technology officer of Valeo, which this month introduced
TOKYO – Nissan will invest 2 trillion yen ($17.65 billion) in the next five years to accelerate an electrified vehicle push with 23 new entries worldwide by the end of the decade, along with the breakthrough development of solid-state batteries. Nissan CEO Makoto Uchida outlined the targets on Monday while unveiling the Japanese automaker’s new
TOKYO — Nissan is teasing a full-electric pickup truck as part of its next-generation product plan, in a possible riposte to off-road offerings being pitched by everyone from Ford to Tesla. The Surf-Out concept is a funky, outdoorsy activity vehicle with what looks like an open cabin-back for easy access to the pickup bed. The
Infineon Technologies Chief Operating Officer Jochen Hanebeck will become CEO of the semiconductor maker on April 1, 2022, succeeding Reinhard Ploss, who has led the company since 2012. The succession plan was approved last week by Infineon’s supervisory board, who gave Hanebeck a five-year contract, until March 31, 2027. Infineon said in a news release
BERLIN — Stellantis has signed a preliminary deal with lithium developer Vulcan Energy Resources for the supply of climate-friendly lithium from Germany, the automaker said on Monday. Stellantis is the latest automaker to sign a deal with the German-Australian start-up to lock down supplies of the battery metal ahead of an expected surge in global
BERLIN — Audi’s joint venture to build electric vehicles in China with state-owned FAW Group is behind schedule due to a delay in approval by the relevant authorities, Audi said. Building work would be initiated as soon as possible, the automaker’s spokesperson said on Monday, without giving a start date for either the construction of
BERLIN — Audi plans to build its recently launched Q4 e-tron full-electric SUV at its plant in Brussels. Production could start there as early as next November, Automotive News Europe sister publication Automobilwoche reported. Audi is adding overflow Q4 e-tron production in Brussels due to high demand for the SUV, company sources said. The Q4
Chinese premium EV maker Nio has denied that it plans to establish a factory in Europe as the company moves to expand its vehicle sales in the region beyond Norway. Reports said Nio is planning a production base in Poland after a recruitment advert appeared on LinkedIn seeking an “EU plant operation manager.” The ad
The 996-generation 911 that Porsche turned into a swan was certainly no ugly duckling. The German luxury brand is celebrating 20 years in China by taking the car, with an inflatable head and wings, on a tour of art galleries and museums across the country. The idea to turn a 911 into a swan came
At Dodge, it’s time to make the donuts. The “Brotherhood of Muscle” brand said it’s seeking an enthusiast “who embodies the spirit of the founding Dodge brothers” to serve as an ambassador. The job comes with a Hellcat to drive, $150,000 salary, a wardrobe and business cards with the title “chief donut maker.” (To be
DETROIT — General Motors on Friday said customers who buy vehicles that are built without heated or ventilated seats because of parts shortages can have the features added later, potentially as soon as the middle of next year. GM provided the update a week after informing dealerships that it had to eliminate the features temporarily
Genesis quintupled U.S. sales in October compared with last year and has filled a trophy case with industry awards over the past five years. But now it needs a big push to raise brand awareness, Claudia Marquez, COO for North America, told Automotive News. “Growth year-over-year has been outstanding,” said Marquez, just six weeks into
After more than a century of being humble, SAE International is starting to brag a bit by launching a “Meet SAE” ad campaign. SAE hopes the campaign will help increase membership and participation in events and on technical committees. The target market for these ads includes people working on advanced mobility technologies such as electrification
Even Barbie is going electric. Mattel used a prime press conference slot at the Los Angeles Auto Show to unveil a sparkly two-seat convertible built on the chassis of a Fiat 500e. The company will be selling a toy version of the car at Walmart for $30. It will likely be more profitable than the
The Dodge brand’s path to its electric future is trying to appeal honestly and accurately with two distinct camps: consumers who are excited about the brand’s EV push and naysayers who fear the muscle-car brand is abandoning its identity. Tim Kuniskis, the brand’s CEO, is using digital marketing to appeal to both groups. Dodge’s two-year
Mazda has a new “pride point” in the U.S. with its Huntsville, Ala., plant, which will start producing the made- for-America CX-50 crossover in January, Mazda North America CEO Jeff Guyton told Automotive News. After ending U.S. manufacturing nearly a decade ago as part of Mazda’s breakup with Ford Motor Co., the Japanese automaker hopes
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ appearance at a Honda dealership in Brandon, Fla., to sign legislation prohibiting COVID-19 vaccine mandates was widely seen as a nod to a euphemistic insult of President Joe Biden. But the head of the dealership group that owns Brandon Honda says he made “zero connection” in advance of the Republican governor’s
DETROIT — Stellantis is dishing out rewards to drivers through a smartphone app that also serves as an exploratory tool into new revenue streams. The Stellantis Miles app is incentivizing travel of all kinds, whether driving, using ride-sharing services, biking or just taking a jog. The accrued miles can be redeemed at Stellantis dealerships for
5:05 AM ET U.S. Open champion Emma Raducanu has thanked Lewis Hamilton for his advice and support since her thrilling maiden Grand Slam win in September, describing the seven-times Formula One world champion as her role model. Speaking after her straight-sets win over Elena-Gabriela Ruse at an exhibition event in London on Sunday, Raducanu said
What kind of car is the 2022 Nissan Altima? What does it compare to? With the Altima, Nissan faces off against other mid-size four-door sedans like the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, and Hyundai Sonata. Is the 2022 Nissan Altima a good car? Review continues below The value is strong with this one, and it’s
Getty Images The Omicron variant could add pressure to a chronic shortage of microchips used in car manufacturing, the boss of car giant Nissan has warned. Makoto Uchida said it was too early to say when normal deliveries, and therefore finished cars, would resume. “I can’t give you a date. This new variant could add
Elon Musk stayed true to his word and told Tesla employees not to worry as much about delivering as many cars as possible during this end-of-quarter delivery wave and instead focus on cost. It’s a significant change to what has been Tesla’s strategy for years. Tesla has been known to have intense end-of-quarter, and this
The Rolls-Royce Starlight Headliner is one of the best gimmicks on the market. Not all that technically impressive, but I defy you to sit under the sparkling roof and not go “ooh” and/or “ahh.” It should therefore come as no surprise that there are more than a few kits on the market that allow you
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