Automotive Industry
News covering the Automotive Industry at large.
503 articles in this category
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In 2016, nine brands sold 20 diesel models in the U.S. But in light of the Volkswagen diesel emission scandal, a number from Volkswagen, Audi, and Porsche have been sidelined. But there are diesel models from GM, FCA, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar, and Land Rover still being offered. But the only 2017 models you can buy at the moment are from Jaguar and Land Rover. Where are the rest? In limbo thanks to a new battery of tests being doing by the EPA. Automotive News reports that since last Octo
Where are the 2017 diesel vehicles? Ask the EPA.
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It seemed that it would never happen, a domestic brand cracking into the top three of Consumer Reports' annual Auto Reliability Survey. But in the 2016 survey, Buick became the first domestic brand in three decades to be in the top three of reliable brands - behind Lexus and Toyota. “Buick’s achievement is commendable and sure to be a wake-up call to other manufacturers. One reason why the brand has been able to leapfrog others in the General Motors’ stable has been its limited vehicl
A domestic brand cracks the top three!
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Chinese automaker Geely has introduced a new global brand, Lynk & Co., and their first model, an SUV developed alongside with Volvo in Berlin tonight. Geely's hopes for this new brand is to "disrupt the automobile industry and redesign the process of buying, owning and using a car". The SUV called the 01 looks like a Porsche Cayenne up front and possibly Volvo along the side. Power will come from a hybrid system comprised of a 1.5L three-cylinder engine and electric motor. Other engines
Meet the newest brand coming out of China and arriving in the U.S. in 2018
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America. The land of opportunity. Various automakers around the world want to get in on this very lucrative marketplace. But as Automotive News notes, trying to break into the U.S. marketplace is close to mission impossible. Automakers who don't compete in the U.S. see numbers like "16-million-plus sales volume of new cars and trucks" and "average transaction price of $30,665, according to J.D. Power" and want a piece of this. But the U.S. is an unforgiving place. "People around the wo
America is a difficult place to break in for automakers. So why do a number still want to try?
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The current trend in powertrains is to downsize engine displacement to meet emission standards. Paired with a set of turbochargers, three-cylinder and even two-cylinder engines can produce enough power to move large vehicles. But this trend is coming to an end in Europe. Reuters reports that a number of European automakers are beginning to scrap their small displacement engines for larger displacement ones. With a number of real-world tests showing these engines produce higher CO2 and nitro
The small displacement engine in Europe is going away
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J.D. Power has announced the results of their inaugural Tech Experience Index (TXI) Study. The study focused on the experience of owners with a vehicle's technology features such as infotainment and safety during the first 90 days. The good news is the average satisfaction score was 730 out of a possible 1,000 points. But owners aren't impressed with their vehicle's navigation system. It earned the lowest average score of 687 in the study. More than half of the owners surveyed said they neve
Owners like the safety tech, Navigation not so much
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Members of Germany's government have passed a resolution that could mean the end of gas and diesel vehicles. German newspaper Der Spiegel reports that the Germany's legislative body, the Bundesrat (represents all sixteen states in the country) passed a resolution to ban the sale of gas and diesel engines in 2030. After that, only zero-emission vehicles will be allowed to be built. The resolution also calls on the European Union to follow in their footsteps. But the Bundesrat doesn't have a
Germany's legislative body has put a countdown clock on gas and diesel vehicles
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One group that has been fighting tooth and nail against Tesla and their direct sales model is the National Automobile Dealers Association. With Tesla filing a federal lawsuit against the state of Michigan over a law banning direct sales, NADA Chairman Jeff Carlson has made some comments as to why Tesla's direct sales model is bad. The Detroit Free Press reports that Carlson said the direct sales model is bad for consumers because it would lead to higher prices. Competition between dealers i
NADA's chairman says the direct sales model are bad because vehicles would get more expensive
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Henrik Fisker has resurrected his namesake company. Speaking with Bloomberg, Fisker said his new company Fisker Inc. will reveal a "premium, all-electric vehicle in the second half of 2017." Various about this new vehicle and the underlying electric technologies are currently under lock and key. But Bloomberg was able to glean some information about it. The battery technologies developed by Fisker Nanotech - their battery division - promises over 400 miles of range and feature industry-lead
Fisker is making a comeback. No, we're not in the Twilight Zone.
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Since the Volkswagen diesel emission scandal came to light, more scrutiny has been put on automakers and emissions standards. Recent real-world tests of European market diesel vehicles have revealed a number were 10 times over the legal limit for emissions. With stricter regulations coming into effect next year, automakers are reconsidering their investment in diesel. Case in point is Renault. Reuters has learned from sources at the company that it believes diesel engines will disappear fro
Renault sees a dim future for diesel in Europe
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The automotive industry in the U.S. has been enjoying one of the best years in terms of sales. But one segment is seeing a drop in their sales. That segment is the midsize sedan. Automotive News reports that the demand for midsize sedans is at a five-year low. The numbers tell this sad story. In the first quarter of 2016, sales of midsize sedans dropped 3.4 percent. The second quarter saw sales dropped 13 percent, while the third quarter saw a whopping 21 percent drop. For the month August,
I keep on falling
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Sales of new cars have been reaching all-time highs and part of the reason comes down leases. The Detroit News reports that nearly one in three vehicles built for the U.S. is leased. Data from Edmunds shows 2.2 million vehicles were leased in the first half of 2016. Not only is this up 13 percent from the same time year, it is double the volume from 2011. Steven Szakaly, chief economist for the National Automobile Dealers Association tells the Detroit News there is plenty of space for more lease
Leasing is becoming very popular for buyers because of low payments
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'Autonomous Emergency Braking' (AEB) and the various names this system goes under have the same goal; to bring the vehicle to a stop if the driver doesn't fails to engage the brakes. But a new study done by AAA reveals not all systems are equal and a very worrying trend concerning a consumer's belief in the system. There are two types of emergency braking systems, ones that are designed to bring the vehicle to stop to avoid a crash and ones that reduce speed to limit the severity of a
A new study reveals autonomous emergency braking systems aren't all equal
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The EPA, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and California Air Resources Board have released their draft Technical Assessment Report on the 'Midterm Evaluation of Light-duty Vehicle GHG Emissions Standards for Model Years 2022-2025'. Despite the long name, this report is important as the results will help determine if the 54.5 mpg corporate average fuel economy target for 2025 needs to be adjusted or not. Let's begin with the good news. The report says the industry is “ado
That 54.5 mpg fleetwide goal? Yeah, about that...
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Visit any auto show and you're bound to see a futuristic concept with out any sideview or rearview mirrors. Instead, you'll find cameras that do the same function. This technology will soon be appearing on production vehicles in Japan. Japan's transport ministry has approved the use of cameras and video screens to take the place of mirrors on production vehicles. This comes after a decision made in November by the United Nations World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations allowing a
The future is now in Japan (in terms of vehicles losing side and rearview mirrors)
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Yesterday, Hertz has announced that it reached partnership deals with both Uber and Lyft to provide vehicles to drivers. The deal will see Hertz proving drivers of the ride-sharing startups of vehicles that have been rotated out of their fleet. Drivers will get special rates on these vehicles. Hertz spokesman Bill Masterson says the rate for midsize vehicles will be $180 per week, including mileage and insurance. Why is Hertz making deals with Lyft and Uber? You only need to go back earlier
If you can't beat them, work with them!
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May was a horrible month for automakers as many reported sales drops. Part of this can be attributed sales of cars (especially sedans) imploding. According to Automotive News, the 15 largest automakers all posted lower car sales. Overall car sales dropped 16 percent. "We don't get a lot of ups on cars right now, as far as people even wanting a price on them," said Gary Uftring, president of Uftring Auto Group in Peoria, Ill. "Styling has changed, and what people want to be seen in is a c
May was a bad month for sedans
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Small SUVs and crossovers are making huge gains in terms of sales. A key part of this success comes down to a single group of buyers, single women. Data from research company MaritzCX reveals that sales of small SUVs to women rose 34 percent between 2010 and 2015. In the same time, sales of these vehicles to single men only rose 22 percent. Sales of small luxury SUVs saw a large increase of 177 percent to women. Out of the total amount of women buyers, 40 percent are single. “There’s a g
Wondering why Small SUVs and Crossovers are currently some of the big selling models in the U.S.?
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The long-rumored joint roadster/sports car project that BMW and Toyota are working on has found a home for production. German newspaper Kleine Zeitung reports Magna Steyr - a unit of Magna International based in Canada and specializes in building low-volume models - has been contracted by BMW to build a new model at the Graz, Austria plant starting in 2018. The plan is to have an annual production run of 60,000 vehicles. BMW has confirmed that it will be contracting Magna Steyr to build a ne
A possible production has been picked for the joint BMW and Toyota sports car
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Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is able to build vehicles in China thanks to a partnership with Chinese automaker Guangzhou Auto. Guangzhou wants FCA to return the favor by helping them enter the U.S. "Chrysler's development in China required our support. Now for GAC Motor's development in the U.S. we also hope for Chrysler's support and help," said GAC Motor General Manager Wu Song to Reuters at the Beijing auto show. Guangzhou Auto's subsidiary GAC Motor announced its intentions last year to
Fiat Chrysler partnered with Guangzhou Auto to build vehicles in China. Guangzhou Auto wants the favor returned.
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The most famous boulevard in Paris, the Champs-Élysées will not see any vehicles for one Sunday every month. The Agence France-Presse reports that the Paris city government will ban vehicles from the Champs-Élysées the first Sunday of every month. The ban will go into effect on May 8th, not the 1st. The reason it is a week later is May 1st is a national holiday and many workers who will be needed to run the scheme will have the day off. This is part of Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo's plan to impr
Once a month, there will be no vehicles on the Champs-Élysées
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A number of German automakers are recalling a number of diesel vehicles to tweak the engine management software to produce less nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions. Reuters reports that Audi, Mercedes-Benz, Opel, Porsche, and Volkswagen have agreed to recall 630,000 diesel vehicles to tweak engine management software. The software in question can turn off emission treatment systems to improve engine performance and increase the services interval. Is it legal? Yes, thanks to a legal loophole that
Most German automakers are recalling A number of diesel vehicles to rework engine computer software
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The good news is that consumers are visiting the gas station less. The bad news is that consumers are spending more at the pump. Wait, those two sentences contradict each other. Which one is true? According to the Energy Information Administration (EIA), both of these sentences are correct. Let us explain. As new fuel economy and emission regulations come into effect, automakers are trying to figure out ways to make that gallon of gas go farther. One method that a number of automakers are us
A new study reports that we spending less time but more money at the pump
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It has been hinted at and rumored for a few years. But today, PSA Peugeot Citroën announced they would be making a return to the U.S. During a presentation for analysts and investors at PSA's headquarters in Paris, CEO Carlos Tavares unveiled a ten-year plan that could result in the launch of Citroën, DS, and Peugeot vehicles to the U.S. The plan would be split up into three steps. Step one: Enter the U.S. as a mobility operator from 2017, possibly with Bollore,” said Tavares. Bollore is a
The Good News: PSA Peugeot Citroën is making a comeback to the U.S.
The Bad News: Don't expect it immediately
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It was only a few years ago that French automaker PSA Peugeot Citroën was on life support due to massive losses and poor sales. But thanks to an infusion of cash from Chinese automaker Dongfeng and the French government, the company was able to right the ship. The past couple of years has seen PSA Peugeot Citroën emerge as a healthy and profitable automaker. Now the company is looking at expanding into new markets, including the U.S. According to Automobilwoche, officials at PSA say the U.S.
PSA Peugeot Citroën Considers Return to U.S.
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A historic commitment was announced today by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, and twenty automakers to make automatic emergency braking (AEB) standard by 2022. “It’s an exciting time for vehicle safety. By proactively making emergency braking systems standard equipment on their vehicles, these 20 automakers will help prevent thousands of crashes and save lives. It’s a win for safety and a win for consumers," said U.S. Transportation
A Historic Safety Commitment Was Announced Today
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With the rise of services of car and ride-sharing services such as Uber and Lyft, a number of people have said this would begin the downfall of buying and owning a new vehicle in the U.S. But a new study commissioned by Kelly Blue Book says that isn't happening for the majority of the country. The study revealed many Americans consider vehicle ownership to be more convenient, reliable, safer than car- and ride-sharing services. It also revealed that 76 percent of respondents that use these s
Car and Ride-Services Bringing the End of Car Ownership? Not so fast!
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Back in 2011, the U.S. Transportation Department's Office of Inspector General (OIG) performed an audit into the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) after its handling of the Toyota unintended acceleration crisis. The OIG made ten recommendations on how NHTSA identifies and addresses safety defects such as developing a formal training program and documenting explanations as to why they have missed deadlines. Five years on, NHTSA hasn't put all of those recommendations into pra
A new audit into NHTSA shows they haven't implement many of the recommendations that were given to it back in 2011.
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California and Michigan are currently fighting a chunk of close to $4 billion in federal funding that President Barack Obama proposed last month to develop autonomous vehicles. Both are proposing World War II military sites as the place to test autonomous technologies. But Michigan has an interesting trump card; potholes. Anyone who has driven the roads in Michigan knows they are quite terrible (and that's being somewhat kind). Due to the harsh weather conditions and difficulty in keeping th
Michigan is using potholes as a plus when it comes to autonomous vehicle testing
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The current laws and regulations concerning how vehicles are sold are, to put it mildly, a complete mess thanks to states having different versions. Experts can't seem to agree whether the current rules are good or bad. One thing that they can agree on is buying a vehicle is an unpleasant experience due to the current regulations. The Federal Trade Commission held a workshop yesterday as a possible first step to unravel the mess. The big topic that was covered was in the workshop was direct
FTC Looks At the Dealership Regulations and Direct Sales
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The past few years have seen studies come out that reveal teenagers are less likely to have a driver's license. But a new study from the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI) says teens aren't the only group that are passing on a license. The study which looked at data from 1983 to 2014 reveals that every age group has seen a decrease in carrying a driver;s license. 24.5 percent of Americans aged 16 carried a license in 2014. This is down 6.6 percent from 2008 wh
It Isn't Only Teens
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Helped by a plethora of CUVs, the hottest selling segment, and the on fire 4-series, BMW managed to stave off Lexus, its German rivals, and Cadillac for the fourth year in a row. BMW(+1.4%) finished 2015 with 346,023 sales. Lexus (+10.7), not far behind with 344,601 sales came in at number two, just 1,422 fewer. The 4-series, which despite BMW being propelled in terms of growth mostly by CUVs, was the lone stalwart car nameplate to actually show gains. Although the 1/2-series were up 77%, it
BMW is King of the U.S. Luxury Segment for the 4th year in a row.
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As the Diesel Emits: Continental CEO Says Volkswagen's Diesel Mess Could End Diesel Cars In the U.S.
Continental AG's CEO says the diesel scandal that Volkswagen finds itself embroiled in could kill the marketplace for diesel vehicles in China, Japan, and United States. Elmar Degenhart tells German publication Boersen-Zeitung, "The diesel passenger car could sooner or later disappear from these markets." Degenhart also revealed that diesel had a market share of only 1 to 3 percent in these countries. This pales in comparison to Europe where diesels make up 53 percent of the market.The CEO of Continental AG says Volkswagen Diesel Scandal could kill the diesel market in a few countries
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The EPA released their annual report on the trends of emissions and fuel economy for light vehicles and the results are a bit mixed. The average fuel economy of new cars and trucks came to 24.3 mpg for 2014. This was the same fuel economy average for 2013, when the average increased by 0.6 mpg. 2014 was the first year since 2011 where fleet-wide fuel economy didn't increase. Why no increase? The EPA says growing demand for crossovers, SUVs, and trucks along with lower gas prices offset the f
Thank Low Gas Prices and Increased Consumer Demand for Light Trucks
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With more and more companies test autonomous technologies on public roads, there comes a question of safety of other motorists. A new proposal by the California Department of Motor Vehicles would put an outright ban “driverless” cars that travel with no humans onboard. Automotive News reports the proposal would require all autonomous vehicles to have a steering wheel and pedals when driving on California's public roads. Furthermore, a licensed driver with an “autonomous vehicle operator cert
California's DMV Proposes A Ban On 'Driverless' Vehicles, Not Autonomous Vehicles
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Automotive News recently reviewed a fair amount of data to answer a question; which automakers are selling more vehicles to rental car companies? Previously, the big three would do "fleet dumping" as a way to prop up sales for the month. But now, Ford and General Motors have actually cut back on selling to rental fleets and number of Asian automakers are picking up the slack. Automotive News compared sales to rental fleets in 2012 to this year's numbers, and GM has reduced its sales to fleet
Ever wonder why rental fleets are somewhat devoid of GM and Ford vehicles, while Hyundai and Kia vehicles are taking their place?
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By 2050, eight states in the U.S. and five countries will ban the sale gas powered vehicles and only allow zero-emission vehicles (ZEV) to be sold. Car and Driver reports that eight states (California, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Vermont) and five countries (Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Quebec, the United Kingdom) will only allow automakers to sell ZEVs by 2050. The announcement was made against the backdrop of the United Nations Conference
2050 Will See No More Gas Cars In Certain Countries and States
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The U.S. Congress is voting on a new highway bill that if passed, would bring some much needed money and changes for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Automotive News reports the new bill, called Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act would be the first long-term highway plan in a decade. If passed, the bill would provide roughly $300 billion for roads, bridges, and mass-transit projects. The bill would also increase NHTSA's budget for defect investigati
Larger Budget on defect investigations and a increased maximum fine are some of the changes in store.
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While much of the focus of the investigations into Volkswagen diesel emission scandal has been focused on the German automaker, attention is now turning to one of their key suppliers. Reuters has learned from sources that the U.S. Department of Justice has opened an investigation into what involvement did German auto supplier Bosch GmbH have in the scandal. Bosch built a number of key components that Volkswagen and its subsidiary brands would use on diesel engines. Now the sources are quick
The Department of Justice begins investigating Bosch into their possible involvement in VW's diesel mess
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If there is one thing that we can pull from this latest round of contract negotiations between the Detroit three and the UAW is that amount of car production that will be heading to Mexico. According to a report from Automotive News, Ford and Fiat Chrysler Automobile will have moved production of most of their mass-market vehicles from the U.S. to Mexico. General Motors will be the only Detroit automaker who is keeping some sort of production of their compact and midsize cars. Why the sh
Why Your Next Car From the Detroit Three Will Be Built In Mexico.
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If there is anything the Volkswagen diesel emission scandal has shown us, it has shown the various regulations used around the world are tricky to enforce and that automakers will take advantage of loopholes. General Motors' powertrain chief wants to change that by unifying emission standards around the world. Dan Nicholson, GM's powertrain chief tells Automotive News that he plans to use his upcoming presidency of the International Federation of Automotive Engineering Societies (Fisita) to
GM's Powertrain Chief Wants To Have A Global Standard for Emissions
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Yesterday, Consumer Reports announced the results of their annual reliability survey for 2015. Not surprisingly, the top ten was mostly made up of Japanese and Korean automakers, with Lexus and Toyota taking the top two spots. However, Audi led the Europeans by taking the third spot. For the domestics, Buick landed at number seven on the list. The survey reports that a number of automakers are still having troubles with the infotainment system, but also with transmissions. “We’ve see
Consumer Reports Announces 2015 Reliability Survey Results
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The National Electric Vehicles Sweden (NEVS), the folks who bought up the assets of Saab have licensed the Turkish government to use the aged Saab 9-3 as the basis of a new national vehicle. "We bought Saab 9-3’s intellectual property rights, but not its name," said Fikri Isik. Turkish Science, Industry and Technology Minister. "The brand [of the car to be developed] will be a Turkish brand, it will not be Saab. We will develop the technology in Turkey." Isik told the Turkish govern
Coming Soon to Turkey, a Saab 9-3 based vehicle
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The Environmental Protection Agency is becoming stricter as to how they test for emissions in light of the Volkswagen Diesel scandal. On Friday, the agency's Office of Transportation and Air Quality announced they would be conducting more spot checks of light-duty cars and trucks to make sure that automakers haven’t been cheating on tests. Automakers were notified of the changes via a letter. The EPA wouldn't go into detail about the changes. “They don’t need to know. They need to know that
The EPA Is Introducing New, Stricter Guidelines In Their Emission Tests
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The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Apple is going forward on building their own vehicle. According to sources, the company recently gave the approval for the project after spending a year investigating the feasibility of it. Codenamed 'Titan', the team behind the vehicle will grow from 600 to around 1,800 people. Not much is known about the vehicle except for that it will be electric and feature some sort of autonomous technologies. A fully autonomous vehicle isn't expected till later
The Apple Car Could Be Real
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Last October, we reported that PSA/Peugeot-Citroën was considering a return to the U.S. “We want to make DS a global premium brand, and you cannot be global without the U.S.,” said DS CEO Yves Bonnefont. Now a final decision as to whether or not the DS brand would come to the U.S. isn't expected till 2017 at the earliest. But Car and Driver reports that Citroën is leaning towards yes. Speaking with sources at the french automaker, Car and Driver reports that a move into the U.S. mark
The DS family from Citroën Is More Likely Coming to the U.S.
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A group of ten automakers have agreed to equip all of their new vehicles with an automatic emergency braking (AEB) system in the near future. Audi, BMW, Ford, General Motors, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Tesla, Toyota, Volkswagen, and Volvo announced today they will work together with the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on an agreement and timeline to make automatic braking standard on all of their models. AEB systems wor
Coming Soon: Automatic Braking Systems as Standard Equipment
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Automakers are leveraging new technologies such as automatic parking systems, concierge services, and mobile internet to bring people into showrooms. But a new study done by J.D. Power reveals that a number of owners aren't using it. J.D. Power published today the 2015 Driver Interactive Vehicle Experience Report, a new study which looks at 33 tech features in vehicles and ask owners if they have ever used them. According to the report, at least 20 percent of owners have never used 16 out of
With All Technology Being Added to Cars, You Would Think Owners Would Be Using It... Not So.
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With the average price of new cars on the rise, the price of used cars follows suit. A new study done by Edmunds finds the average price of a used car has hit a new record high in the second quarter. The average price of a used car has climbed to $18,800, up 7.6 percent when compared to the same time last year. "People are buying more trucks and SUVs, and they're getting them better equipped. More expensive new vehicles means more expensive used vehicles," said Jessica Caldwell, analyst at E
Used Car Prices Are Climbing
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A consortium of German automakers which include Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz have agreed to buy Nokia's HERE mapping business for around $3.1 billion dollars. The deal is currently pending approval of antitrust authorities. If the deal is given the go-ahead, the three automakers will own a stake by early 2016. HERE is one of the most advanced and largest digital mapping and location systems. It was originally started back in 1986 with Navteq before being acquired by Nokia in 2007. The servic
Three German Automakers Buy Up A Mapping Service
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Sergio Marchionne isn't taking no for answer from General Motors over merging with FCA. Reuters reports the automakers have brought investment banks for help to deal with this mess. Sources say FCA has brought in UBS, while GM has brought in Goldman Sachs and possibly Morgan Stanley. In the case of GM, the company has signed a letter of engagement with Goldman Sachs on advice with dealing with FCA. "It would be inconceivable for General Motors not to be talking to any number of advisers abou
FCA and GM Bring In Investment Banks Over Merger Standoff
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While General Motors has gotten most of the blame in the ignition switch fiasco, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) isn't getting away scot free. The New York Times reports that the Department of Transportation released two internal documents revealing a series of failings by NHTSA. One of those failings was the administration not paying sufficient attention to a Wisconsin state trooper’s report in 2007 which suggested that the ignition switch played a key role in a f
New Reports Show NHTSA Has Some Blame In the Ignition Switch Mess
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What is the big problem with new cars? According to a new survey, it happens to be the infotainment systems. A study done by automotive consultants SBD and polling firm Nielsen asked some 14,000 owners about features in their cars and asked which ones were the best and the worst. The ten that scored the lowest in the survey were all related in some form to the infotainment system. These included smart phone integration, built-in apps, customizable instrument panels, and voice recognition.
From the Not Surprising Department On Infotainment Systems
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There looks to be another automaker who wants to enter the North American market. Korean brand Ssangyong is planning a Wrangler-style high-design SUV sometime in the later half of this decade. The SUV would be based on the automaker's recently launched Tivoli crossover and have styling that is in line with the Korando, a model that started off as a licensed CJ-7 clone. Power will come from Tivoli as well, which includes 1.6L gas and diesel engines. So why try entering the North American
Haven't You Wanted A Ssangyong?
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Prices of new vehicles are climbing to record highs and causing buyers to look at leases for lower monthly payments. According to CNBC, a new report from Experian Automotive found that 31.46 percent of vehicles sold in the first quarter were leased. This is up from the 24.05 percent who chose to lease five years ago. The report also reveals that that the average monthly payment for a new vehicle loan was $488, up $14. But, the average lease payment was down $7 to $405. "The difference be
More Americans Are Choosing To Lease
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While Takata has agreed to declare its airbags in nearly 34 million vehicles defective yesterday, a new report from Bloomberg says the supplier changed the design to reduce the risk of abnormal deployment back in 2008. Sources tell Bloomberg that Takata changed the propellant mix to help reduce the effect of humidity - what many believe to be the cause of problem - around the same time that Honda announced that it would be replacing airbags in some of their models. This new information c
Some new information shines a light on the Takata mess
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After months of pressure from the U.S. Government and a number of recalls from automakers, Japanese supplier Takata agreed to declare that its airbag inflators in nearly 34 million vehicles are defective. The announcement was made today by U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx at a press conference. “Up until now Takata has refused to acknowledge that their airbags are defective, That changes today,” said Foxx. The problem with Takata's airbags deals with propellant exploding with t
Takata Comes Forward, Acknowledges Defect In Their Airbags
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The past couple years have seen Tesla and dealer groups fighting over Tesla's decision to sell vehicles direct to consumers. Certain states have passed laws which exclude Tesla from doing this, while in other states, Tesla has triumphed. Now the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) has issued a statement on where they stand. In a post, the FTC says it supports companies that decide to go with the direct-to-consumer sales model as it gives consumers a choice of which method to go with - direct or wi
Where Does The Federal Trade Commission Stand On Direct-To-Consumer Sales?
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Previously, the market for vans was stagnate. Old models paired with poor optimism in the business world made vans appealing as cold liver and onions. But Bloomberg reports that vans are making a comeback. Data from Edmunds shows that van sales by unit have more than double in the past five years, outpacing the pace set by the auto industry overall. More surprising is that in the first quarter, sales of vans climbed another third. If this growth trend continues, its expected that 475,000 vans w
Thanks to increased optimism in business, van sales are climbing
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With gas prices making a downward trend, sales of SUVs are making an upward climb. In fact, SUVs, pickups, and crossovers when added together make up half of total volume of sales in April. Now with the increase in SUV sales, prices also went up. Edmunds reports that average transaction prices on SUVs have climbed nine percent when compared to last year. Now when something goes up, something must come down. In this case, it happens to be small cars. Edmunds says that the average timeframe to s
SUV Sales Go Up, Small Cars Go Down
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While Americans are keeping their cars longer (Experian Automotive says the average ownership length is now 7.75 years), there are some models that owners can't wait to get rid off within a year of buying. iSeeCars.com recently compared new car sales against used-car purchases in 2014 to figure out which vehicles were traded-in the fastest. Their analysis showed that on average, around 2.7 percent of all new vehicles are traded in after only a year’s ownership. More surprising was the vehicles
Which Vehicles Get Traded-In the Most After A Year of Ownership?
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One group of automakers that are on the up and up are luxury automakers. Just take a look at April's sales, Porsche - Up 28.1% (5,217 Vehicles Sold This Month, 16,647 Vehicles Sold So Far This Year) Lincoln - Up 19.6% (8,134 Vehicles Sold This Month, 29,612 Vehicles Sold So Far This Year) Cadillac - Up 13.7% (15,801 Vehicles Sold This Month, 52,976 Vehicles Sold So Far This Year) Mercedes-Benz - Up 12.8% (29,188 Vehicles Sold This Month, 107,344 Vehicles Sold So Far This Year) Lexu
Entry-Level Models Boost Sales of Luxury Brands
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In light of the GM Ignition Switch and Takata airbag recalls, you would think owners would be aware whether or not their vehicle has a notice and take it in to be repaired. Unfortunately, you would be wrong. Bloomberg reports that only two-thirds of vehicles get repaired. Even more worrying is a third of vehicles under a recall notice aren't repaired within 18 months. “Recalls are only successful, and they only save lives, if they end up getting the cars fixed,” U.S. Transportation Secretary An
How Do You Get More Consumers to Fix Their Vehicles?
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One day, a Chinese automaker will finally deliver on their promise of selling vehicles in the U.S. But what will bring customers into the showrooms? Yesterday, we reported on Geely positioning itself maker of affordable, high-tech cars with a new plug-in crossover - due out in 2017 in China, followed by Europe and U.S. Automotive News reports that another Chinese automaker who has dreams of coming to the U.S. is going low prices. Guangzhou Automobile Group Motor Company (GAC) is planning to be
One Chinese Automaker goes with the price leader route for the U.S.
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Volvo's owner, Geely is planning to enter Europe and U.S. in the coming years. Reuters reports that Geely will building a new crossover based on the Compact Modular Architecture - a platform that Geely and Volvo have been working together. Along with new engine technology, this car will launch in China in 2017. The crossover will then head into several Europe markets a year later, followed by the U.S. in due time. "With the CMA car, Li wants to tell the world we're ready for the big time. We'r
A new crossover will kick off the push
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The past few years in the automotive industry has seen an explosion in technologies - whether its dealing improving the overall safety of a vehicle or figuring out a way to hook up your smartphone. Some of the tech makes the driving experience better, while others don't. So what do consumers think about the new technologies coming into vehicles? J.D. Power decided to find out. In their 2015 US Tech Choice Study, the company asked 5,300 consumers who either bought or leased a new vehicle within
J.D. Power's Recent Car Technology Shows What People Want and Don't Want In Their Cars
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The U.S. Postal Service are looking for new delivery trucks to replace the current fleet - some which are around 20 years old. The Detroit News reports that there are 15 companies that range from military, mass-transit, specialized transportation, and two automakers. Those two automakers are Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and Ford. Now building a vehicle for the U.S. Postal Service isn't as easy as you might think. Here the requirements the vehicle must meet: Last at least 20 years Carry a mini
Two automakers join the competition for the next mail truck
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California is one of most stringent states when it comes emissions in vehicles. Case in point is a law that says an estimated 15 percent of vehicles sold in the state must be a zero emission vehicle (ZEV). But this law has created a rift between regulators and automakers. Regulators want automakers to build ZEVs, but automakers worry that if customers aren't willing to buy them, they'll need to offer big incentives. Four automakers - Ford, General Motors, Honda, and Toyota have issued a complai
A Logjam is appearing between California and Automakers over Emission Rules
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Delphi Automotive is undertaking an ambitious cross-country road trip. The supplier announced that it will be taking an Audi SQ5 fitted with the latest self-driving tech on a trip from San Francisco to New York City. The trip will begin on March 22nd and end during the first week of the New York Auto Show. Delphi is planning to run the vehicle for 6 to 8 hours per day with two engineers in the vehicle to make sure all of the tech is working properly. "Delphi had great success testing its car i
What if a computer drove you across the United States?
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It's that time of year when Consumer Reports announces the results of their brand report cards and for the most part, the results aren't surprising. The top ten were mostly dominated by Japanese automakers with Lexus being on top, followed by Mazda and Toyota. But if you look a little further down the list, you'll find a domestic automaker making the ten. Buick took the number seven spot on their annual reliability survey with the publication giving it an overall score of 69 and recommending 83
A Domestic Automaker Cracks the Top Ten
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If you are considering buying a used car this year, then we have some good news for you. A new vehicle depreciation report from used car value service, Black Book and Fitch Ratings Inc., says that 2015 will see used car values depreciate 14.5 percent. This is an increase from 2014's deprecation rate of 12.1 percent. So why the increase in depreciation? It comes down to two key factors; an increased supply in used cars and a larger volume of off-lease vehicles. “2014 depreciation was defined b
Good News for those planning to buy a used car
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2014 will go down as the year as the recall, but also the year where many glaring issues of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration were made evident - mostly due to the GM ignition switch mess. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx told reporters on Tuesday couldn’t keep pace at current staffing levels with 75,000 complaints coming in every year. “It’s no longer reasonable frankly to expect an office with 8 screeners and 16 defects investigators to adequately analyze 75,000 complain
NHTSA Wants More Staff To Better Track and Catch Problems
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FCA CEO Sergio Marchionne is known to speak his mind and tell it like it is. During the Automotive News World Congress, Marchionne questioned the U.S. Government's mandate of 54.5 MPG by 2025. "There is not a single carmaker that cannot make the 54 number. The question is, at what a price?" said Marchionne. A possible reason for the CEO of FCA to bring this up is gas prices around the nation are hovering around $2.00. Also, sales of hybrids and electric vehicles have been declining, partly due
Sergio Marchionne Chimes In On The Upcoming Fuel Economy Standards
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This year will likely go down as the one with the most recalls for automobiles. From ignition switches that can easily turn to the accessory or off position, to peeling safety labels, automakers in the U.S. have recalled almost 60 million vehicles. With the high number of vehicles being recalled, people are calling for the recall system to be fixed. But no one can agree on how to fix it. "A recall's a recall, and that's a problem. There needs to be a sophistication of how serious is the recall?
The recall system in the U.S. needs to be fixed.... It's just that no one can agree on a solution.
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Have you gone out and shopped for new vehicle recently? Are you overwhelmed by the variety of vehicles on offer? For example, if you decide to get a Porsche 911, you have the choice of 22 models. No, that isn't a misprint. Meanwhile other automakers have an array of models that carve out new niches and and mix existing body styles. Consider this, Audi sells 50 different variants around the world, a five-fold increase from the 90's when the German luxury automaker only sold 10 different variants.
Overwhelmed By The Choice of Automobiles? You're not the only one.
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Hyundai and Kia have been hit with the largest penalty in the history of the federal Clean Air Act. The two automakers agreed to a total of $350 million in penalties for overstating the fuel economy ratings for a number of vehicles from the 2011 to 2013 model year. The total was reached through cooperation between the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Justice, and the California Air Resources Board. Here's how the $350 million breaks down: $100 Million Fine to the Federal Gov
A doozy to say in the least
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2014 will likely go down as the year of the recall in the automotive industry. General Motors is the champion with the most recalls so far with 70 recalls as of today, but other OEMs have been making their mark with their own recalls. CNNMoney crunched the numbers on the recalls so far in 2014 and figured out that there has been a total of 544 recalls, about two a day. Those 544 recalls have affected 52 million vehicles in the U.S., or about 1 in 5 vehicles. While that figure is disturbing to s
Or about 52 Million Vehicles In Total
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With Ford changing over to the next-generation F-150, General Motors and Chrysler see a rare opportunity to grab a bigger slice of the truck marketplace. "Without question you'll see GM and Ram will continue to play the incentive game to continue to bite into Ford's share," said Bill Rinna, LMC Automotive senior manager of North American forecasts to The Detroit News. Ford has idled its Dearborn Truck plant for several weeks to to retool for the 2015 F-150, a new model that will utilize alumin
While Ford Idles F-150, GM and Chrysler Take Advantage of It
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The Environmental Protection Agency released their annual report on industrywide fuel economy this week and says that 2013 model year vehicles achieved an average of 24.1 miles per gallon — up 0.5 mpg from the previous year and almost 5 mpg since 2004. "We are thrilled to see that manufacturers continue to innovate and are bringing technologies to improve fuel economy online even faster than anticipated," said EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy. Mazda was the top automaker in the report with a fl
The U.S. Fleet Average Fuel Economy Is Up
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Since the recession has ended, the average price of a used car was soared due limited supply. But The Detroit News says with more vehicles coming in due to leases coming to an end, prices are beginning to fall. According to CNW Research, the average transaction price of a used car in September was $10,963. Compared to the same time last year, the average has dropped 2.1 percent. "During the recession, it almost cost as much to get a used car as it did to get a new car, but now the market is go
Used Car Prices Are Beginning To Drop
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Consider this: Citroen pulled out of the U.S. in the eighties, while Peugeot would leave in 1991. But according to Automotive News, PSA/Peugeot-Citroen could be making a return with their DS brand. “We want to make DS a global premium brand, and you cannot be global without the U.S.,” said DS CEO Yves Bonnefont. The DS lineup was previously a division of the Citroen brand, providing premium models to compete with likes of MINI Cooper and Audi A3. However, PSA made the decision to make DS a sta
PSA Could Be Making A Return To The U.S.
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It was three months ago that General Motors published a scathing report on its handling on the ignition switch problem. Now its National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's turn. This morning, the House Energy and Commerce Committee released a 44 page report on NHTSA's handling of GM's ignition switch problem. The report was based on the review of millions of pages of records and interviews with key NHTSA officials and found that a series of critical mistakes and “ample information” already
The House Energy and Commerce Committee Releases A Very Damning Report On NHTSA
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Congratulations America. It seems we now buy more SUVs and crossovers than sedans according to a new study from IHS Automotive. Through May of 2014, IHS says that SUVs and CUVs account for 36.5 percent of new car registrations, compared to the 35.4 percent of registrations for sedans. This is a reversal from five years ago where sedans stood at 36.3 percent of registrations, compared to the 31.4 percent for SUVs and crossovers. “It’s not that sedans have become unpopular. It’s just that CUVs ha
Not Surprising, SUVs and Crossovers Pass Sedans In Sales
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After a number of automakers having to revise their fuel economy estimates, the Environmental Protection Agency is proposing that automakers run their vehicles in the real world to see if their estimates hold any water. "Some auto makers already do this, but we are establishing a regulatory requirement for all auto makers," said Chris Grundler, director of the EPA's Office of Transportation and Air Quality. The EPA's proposal would have automakers run their vehicles on a test track to measure
Real World Testing and the EPA Wants It
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If you happen to plan on seeing Transformers 4 at the theater, you should pay close attention to the scenes in China as some of those vehicles could be making their way to the U.S. Guangzhou Automobile Group Co Ltd. (GAC) which has some of their Trumpchi vehicles in the film is planning on sending them to the U.S. as early as next year. "Our sponsorship of Transformers 4 will help more overseas dealers and consumers know about our cars and over the long run it will greatly contribute to our br
Transformers 4 Appearance to Selling Vehicles In The U.S.? Ok...
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A new report from IHS Automotive says the average age of a vehicle on the road stands at 11.4 years, the same age as last year. This is change from the past few years where the age was climbing steadily. "In our history of tracking, we have seen a gradual increase in the average age of vehicles on the road. This year, we're seeing somewhat of a plateau in the market, and expect it to remain over the next few years, without a major change in either direction. We attribute this to a number of fa
The Average Age of a Vehicle in the U.S. Stands Still
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While many still think electric vehicles are a niche, a new study from IHS Automotive suggests that EVs are actually catching on more quickly than hybrids when they were first introduced. The study looked at the cumulative global sales of the first-generation Toyota Prius, Chevrolet Volt, and Nissan Leaf in the first four years. IHS Automotive found that the Toyota Prius moved 52,200 units from 2000 to 2004. However, the Volt and Leaf have sold more vehicles in their respective four-year timefr
Are Electric Vehicles Catching On Quicker Than Hybrids?
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A new study finds that General Motors is dead last when it comes to relationships with suppliers. Automotive consultant group Planning Perspectives Inc (PPI), released the results of their annual study which asks the biggest suppliers to rate the six automakers who sell more than 85 percent of vehicles in the U.S. Suppliers rated GM low in many key areas such as communication skills, protection of intellectual property, unwillingness to adjust prices due to unforeseen increases, and overall tru
General Motors Is The Worst To Deal With According To Suppliers
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Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx wants to increase the maximum fine for automakers who fail to recall vehicles in a timely fashion from the current $35 million fine to a much more painful $300 million fine. The increase is part of a new transportation reauthorization bill whose primary focus is to fund maintenance for highways, bridges, and other infrastructures. On a conference call with reporters, Foxx said the fines on automakers need to be “more than a rounding error” to act as a deter
The Transportation Secretary Wants A Large Increase In The Lateness Fine
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Two U.S. Senators are calling on the U.S. Department of Transportation to urge owners of General Motors vehicles involved in the ignition switch recall to stop driving them until they are fixed. Senators Edward Markey of Massachusetts and Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut sent a letter to Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx urging him to ask owners to stop driving their vehicles. "GM has indicated that it could take until October, 2014, before it can complete all the needed repairs. Every da
Two Senators Ask The DoT To Urge Drivers of GM Vehicles Involved In The Ignition Switch Recall To Stop Driving Them
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Last Thursday, Beijing Automotive (BAIC) made an interesting announcement. Reuters reports the company is looking into buying a "mid to high-end brand" in Europe or the United States. If you're wondering, they have a number of companies in mind, but don't give out any names. President Dong Haiyang told reporters at a briefing in Beijing that this would allow them to break into the global marketplace much quicker. The company already some ties in the automotive world mostly in Europe. First, th
BAIC Begins The Search For A Mid to High-Level Automaker To Buy
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The past ten years has seen a number of automakers either being folded up or taken into other automakers. But an analyst believes there is more consolidation for the automotive marketplace. Morgan Stanley auto analyst Adam Jonas said in a research note earlier this month says in the future there will only be five to six automakers in the world. This comes down to such factors as economics and technologies. “We believe the radically changing landscape of autos requires a commensurate change of
And there were only six automakers?
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In light of GM's massive 1.6 million vehicle recall and Toyota's massive $1.2 billion settlement over the unattended acceleration problem, two U.S. Senators introduced legislation to require automakers to provide more information concerning incidents that involve the loss of human life. Senators Ed Markey, D-Massachusetts., and Richard Blumenthal, D-Connecticut introduced the Early Warning Reporting System Improvement Act yesterday. The bill would require automobile and equipment manufacturers
A New Bill Is Requiring Automakers To Automatically Send Information About Safety Defects
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Apple has formally shown its CarPlay integration system before the start the Geneva Motor Show today. The system, formally known as 'iOS in the Car' allows owners of a iPhone 5s, 5c, or 5 to control certain aspects of the phone through the car's infotainment system. According to Apple, owners will be able to plug in their iPhones to their vehicles via the USB port and control a number of functions such as making and answering phone calls, text messaging, navigation via Apple Maps, and playing m
Apple Joins in The Infotainment System Wars With CarPlay
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For the first time in sixteen years, J.D. Power and Associates says data from its recent vehicle dependability study shows that the average number of problems per 100 cars has increased. This year's study charted 2011 models over three years of ownership and tracked the number of problems. Looking at first-owner cars from the 2011 model year, J.D. Power reports an average of 133 problems per 100 cars (or shorten to PP100). This is an increase of six percent when compared to 2010's 126 PP100 ave
J.D. Power Says Vehicle Dependability Is Going Down For The First Time Since 1998
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Back in 2008, the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) came up with a new standard for light-duty pickup tow ratings. Called J2807, the standard would simplify the testing methods for determining the max tow weight a light-duty pickup could handle. The standard was to be implemented in the 2013 model year, but it wasn't. Ford in 2012 surprised everyone by saying it would not adopt the new standard for the 2013 F-150 and would wait till the 2015 redesign. GM and Ram followed suit there after. Th
The Detroit Three Are Finally Implementing J2807 Standard
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Despite countless studies and reports that say Gen Y (AKA millienals) aren't interested in cars, a new study released this week says this key group are interested in cars. Deloitte LLP, a financial consulting firm published their Global Automotive Consumer Study which showed that Gen Y is very much interested in getting their own vehicle, despite not having the same love affair as their parents and grandparents. "Well over half (61 percent) of Gen Y consumers in the Deloitte report expect to b
Its Not That Gen Y isn't Interested In Cars, They Just Can't Afford Them Right Now
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BYD, the Chinese automaker who is backed by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Inc., announced plans to launch in the U.S. by the end of 2015. The automaker which had an aborted U.S. launch in 2010 and a restructure that lasted three years believes that they are more prepared now. “Back then, we had passion, but we had no brand, no history, no capital and no competitive advantage. BYD has become more fashionable and we have improved our design and safety. We don’t want to compete on price any
BYD Announces Plans For The U.S. We're Wondering If They Will.
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Google, Audi, GM, Honda, Hyundai, and NVIDIA announced at the Consumer Electronics Show today a new partnership called the Open Automotive Alliance (OAA). The overall goal of the alliance is to help speed up the development of technological innovation in the auto industry by openness, customization, and scale. The alliance will work on bringing the Android operating system from phones and tablets to vehicles, giving automakers a degree of technological development expertise that they haven't ha
Complained about infotainment systems in cars? A new alliance hopes to change that.
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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has submitted revised rule to the White House and missed two self imposed deadlines. We'll start with the revised rule. On December 25th, NHTSA submitted a revised rule which could cause automakers to make backup cameras standard on vehicles. The regulation would set new rear visibility standards for light vehicles sold in the United States. Details on the regulation were not given. This is aimed at reducing the number of kids being run over a
NHTSA Goes One For Three On Safety Regulation Deadlines.
