Automotive News

Chevy Equinox redesign spotted road testingChevy Equinox redesign spotted road testing

March 23, 2023| 11:56 pm

It remains a key vehicle for General Motors in a highly competitive segment. The Equinox posted US sales of 212,072 in 2022, ranking as Chevy’s second-best-selling vehicle behind the Silverado full-size pickup and GM’s third-top-selling model behind the Silverado and GMC Sierra pickup. The Equinox was third in its segment last year behind the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V, according to the Automotive News Research & Data Center. Sam Fiorani, vice president of global vehicle forecasting at AutoForecast Solutions, told Automotive News in an email that the gasoline-powered Equinox should go into production in April 2024. “With the intense competition… [...]

Ford recalls: 1.3M Fusions, Lincoln MKZs called back for brakesFord recalls: 1.3M Fusions, Lincoln MKZs called back for brakes

March 22, 2023| 10:57 pm

Ford is also recalling about 280,000 F-150 pickups globally from the 2021 model year, according to a separate recall report made public Thursday. The recall covers about 222,000 vehicles in the US, 50,000 in Canada and 2,000 in Mexico, Ford said. The windshield wiper arms on those vehicles may break, reducing visibility in certain conditions and increasing the risk of a crash. Potential indicators of the issue include erratic or slow wiper speed. Ford told NHTSA that as of Jan. 25, it was aware of 576 global reports of inoperative or detached windshield wiper arms related to this condition. Trico… [...]

Miss. tires EV manufacturers from bypassing franchised dealersMiss. tires EV manufacturers from bypassing franchised dealers

March 21, 2023| 10:07 pm

The law grandfathers in an existing Tesla location, according to the Mississippi Automobile Dealers Association. “It’s rewarding to know that Mississippi lawmakers recognized the importance of a strong dealership network that we have in our state,” said Marty Milstead, the association’s president. “There’s one set of rules for all the manufacturers in Mississippi,” he added. “EV companies don’t get to have their own set of rules.” Startup EV manufacturers such as Rivian and Lucid, which follow Tesla’s model of selling vehicles directly to consumers without a franchised dealership network, have advocated in recent years for exemptions to dealer franchise laws… [...]

Lithia Motors buys UK dealership group Jardine MotorsLithia Motors buys UK dealership group Jardine Motors

March 20, 2023| 9:19 pm

Jardine Motors has more than 40 new-vehicle franchise points in the UK, with a portfolio of luxury brands including Aston Martin, Porsche and BMW, DeBoer said. Part of the conglomerate Jardine Matheson Holdings, Jardine is Europe’s 23rd-largest dealership group by annual revenue, according to Automotive News Europe’s 2022 Guide to Europe’s Biggest Dealers. The deal will add $2 billion to Lithia’s annual revenue, DeBoer said. In 2022, the company’s revenue surged 24% to $28.23 billion. “And more importantly, it gives us a foundation to grow more in the United Kingdom, which is helping us drive towards our $50 billion target… [...]

How to Take Care of Your Newly Replaced WindshieldHow to Take Care of Your Newly Replaced Windshield

March 20, 2023| 2:12 pm

Knowing what you need to do to take care of a windshield that has recently been replaced is the first step in maintaining your investment. Be sure to keep your new windshield in good condition and make sure it will last as long as possible by using the tips and information found here after installation. These tips include: Don’t drive the vehicle right away Leave your window cracked open a little Keep the area both inside and outside of your vehicle clear Don’t take the retention tape off Avoid using power washers or going through a car wash Go easy… [...]

29 Ford dealers leave EV program after changes29 Ford dealers leave EV program after changes

March 19, 2023| 8:55 pm

A Ford spokesperson said the company was still pleased with the figures. “It is important that dealers have the option to do what they believe is best for their business and their customers for the 2024-2026 period,” the spokesperson said in a statement. “As we continue to scale our EV volumes, our second enrollment period will open up for 2027-2029.” Among the changes: Ford said dealers no longer had to operate public electric vehicle chargers around the clock, and those in the Certified tier would not be capped at selling 25 EVs per year. Some retailers remain concerned about the… [...]

These Automakers Can’t Quite Hold Onto Their First-Time BuyersThese Automakers Can’t Quite Hold Onto Their First-Time Buyers

March 19, 2023| 11:06 am

The back of a Ram truck is seen on a sales lot on May 23, 2017 in Miami, Florida. Some automakers are struggling to convince first-time buyers to return to the showroom, Elon Musk tested that he really believed he’d be able to take Tesla private in 2018 with some help and Audi took Nio to court and won. All that and more in The Morning Shift for January 24, 2023. 1st Gear: The ‘Nomad Retention Challenge’ There’s apparently a name for people who purchase a car from a brand, but don’t buy their next vehicle from that same brand.… [...]

Toyota’s hydrogen-powered Corolla race car catches fireToyota’s hydrogen-powered Corolla race car catches fire

March 18, 2023| 6:48 pm

But Toyota executives said the fire, which occurred during a private test run at Fuji International Speedway, was unrelated to the car’s adoption of hydrogen fuel instead of gasoline. The cause, the company said, was a pipe joint loosened by vehicle vibration. “What I want everyone to understand today is that hydrogen was not the cause of this problem,” Tomoya Takahashi, president of Toyota’s Gazoo Racing Company, said at a briefing. “Rather, it is as the insufficient consideration of our design work,” he said. “Whatever fuel we used could have leaked and caught fire.” Despite the setback, Toyoda himself ordered… [...]

EV startups are burning through cash. Can they attract more investment?EV startups are burning through cash. Can they attract more investment?

March 17, 2023| 6:02 pm

In September 2020, Hindenburg Research released its report on Nikola, saying it was “an intricate fraud.” The company acknowledged a truck appearing to cruise down a desert road under its own power in a video was not. The SEC launched an inquiry. Ultimately, Trevor Milton, Nikola’s founder, was convicted of fraud. Nikola settled with the SEC for $125 million. In 2021, J Capital Research published a report calling Faraday Future “nothing but a bucket to collect money from US investors and pour it into the black hole of debt created by its founder.” A company spokesperson [...]

Randy Marion Automotive buys 4 North Carolina dealershipsRandy Marion Automotive buys 4 North Carolina dealerships

March 16, 2023| 5:52 pm

Growing Randy Marion Automotive Group bought four North Carolina dealerships in two separate first-quarter transactions to expand its portfolio in the state. Randy Marion Automotive in Mooresville, NC, on March 6 bought Gerry Wood Dodge of Salisbury, which also sells Chrysler, Jeep and Ram vehicles; Gerry Wood Honda; and Gerry Wood Kia from Gerry Wood, according to Randy Marion Automotive COO DJ Heller. The dealerships, all in Salisbury, NC, were renamed Randy Marion Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram of Salisbury, Randy Marion Honda and Randy Marion Kia. Salisbury is northeast of Charlotte. Honda and Kia are both new brands for the group, Heller said.… [...]

Category: Automotive News