top automotive news

Ford job cuts in Europe: Where the ax will fallFord job cuts in Europe: Where the ax will fall

September 5, 2024| 9:20 am

A spokesperson at the automaker’s headquarters in Michigan said on Monday that discussions with the German works councils were continuing and that the company needs to be “more competitive” as it transitions to EVs. He would not comment on specific job plans. Workers were told to expect concrete numbers of job losses from the automaker in mid-February, according to Cologne’s daily paper, the Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger. Industrial action threats Ford’s plans triggered a union threat of Europewide disruption. “If negotiations between the works council and management in coming weeks do not ensure the future of workers, we will join the process.… [...]

Magna, Linamar, Martinrea on 2023 Automotive News Top 100 Global Suppliers ListMagna, Linamar, Martinrea on 2023 Automotive News Top 100 Global Suppliers List

July 7, 2023| 4:53 am

Just three Canada-based auto parts makers find themselves in 2023 Automotive News Top 100 Global Suppliers List. That’s two fewer than a year ago. The list, released Monday by sibling publication Automotive News in Detroit, tracks sales to automakers from the previous year. Magna International Inc., Linamar Corp. and Martinrea International Inc., landed on the list. Magna, based in Aurora, Ont., remained fourth on the list. It’s the only Canadian company in the top five. Magna had sales of $37.8 billion (all figures in USD) to automakers worldwide, up 4.4 per cent over the previous year. The company was also… [...]

Millions Of Kia Cars Could Have Dangerous AirbagsMillions Of Kia Cars Could Have Dangerous Airbags

June 26, 2023| 3:02 pm

View of the dashboard of a 2007 Kia Optima as it’s being driven. good morning! It’s Thursday, June 1, 2023 and this is The Morning Shift, your daily roundup of the top automotive headlines from around the world, in one place. Here are the important stories you need to know. 1st Gear: Kia And ARC Automotive On Wednesday, a newly released federal document placed the number of Kia vehicles equipped with airbags supplied by Knoxville-based ARC Automotive at almost 4 million, according to The Wall StreetJournal. This is believed to be merely a fraction of the total number of affected… [...]

Reasons DIY Auto Glass Solutions are a Bad IdeaReasons DIY Auto Glass Solutions are a Bad Idea

June 24, 2023| 7:22 pm

You may be tempted to try DIY auto glass solutions to resolve cracks in your windshield or other damage to your auto glass. However, these at-home kits can fail to produce the desired results and can even cause additional damage to your vehicle’s windshield in many cases. A Low Chance of Success According to the National Windshield Repair Division of the Auto Glass Safety Council, less than 10 percent of all auto glass damage can be repaired safely with DIY auto glass solutions. Even if your windshield falls to this 10 percent, the chance that you could repair it to… [...]

Buick Electra E4 goes on sale in ChinaBuick Electra E4 goes on sale in China

June 24, 2023| 2:20 am

Buick launched sales of its second Ultium platform-based electric vehicle, the Electra E4, this week in China, as General Motors continues to expand its lineup of EVs in a key market. The electric coupe, available in two- and all-wheel-drive versions, is priced from 189,900 yuan ($26,448) to 259,900 yuan, GM’s China unit said. It is 4,818 mm long, 1,912 mm wide and 1,581 mm tall, with a 2,954 mm wheelbase. The two-wheel variant, installed with a 65 kWh battery pack, can drive up to 530 kilometers on one charge. A permanent magnet synchronous motor in the front generates a [...]

2024 Polestar 2 to start at $51,3002024 Polestar 2 to start at $51,300

June 19, 2023| 12:06 am

Polestar’s electric fastback, the Polestar 2, delivers more power, range and content for the new model year — along with a higher sticker price. The 2024 models arrive in August. The updated Polestar 2, like its XC40 and C40 siblings from major shareholder Volvo, receives a new-generation permanent magnet electric motor and new silicon carbide inverters to help boost efficiency and performance. It also gets larger, improved lithium ion batteries. For 2024, the single-motor Polestar 2 starts at $51,300, including shipping — a 3 percent premium over the current model. The single-motor variant shifts from front- to rear-wheel [...]

Auto industry, partners, researchers join the EV charging consortiumAuto industry, partners, researchers join the EV charging consortium

May 27, 2023| 8:11 pm

The National Charging Experience Consortium has more industry involvement than other government-led consortia, Smart said. The industry has struggled with charging consistency and reliability for a number of reasons, including a lack of data sharing as automakers and charging companies are reluctant to share data with competitors. The national labs will keep members’ data confidential and provide an independent review of data from all participants, Smart said. Industry participation is critical to scaling and validating EV charging infrastructure, Smart said. “Our goal is to produce solutions that the industry buys into and can immediately implement to overcome barriers to charge… [...]

45% of used-vehicle loan terms ‘frighteningly’ long at 84 months, up from 25% in 202145% of used-vehicle loan terms ‘frighteningly’ long at 84 months, up from 25% in 2021

May 13, 2023| 5:05 pm

With high vehicle values and high interest rates compromising affordability, buyers — particularly entry-level ones — have been forced to extend borrowing time frames, Ross said. “Consumers are looking to stay in a consistent monthly payment range to what they used to previously, so the only thing they have is to elongate that loan term,” he said. Ross, Karwel and Abraham saw little relief in sight for buyers as both new- and used-vehicle inventories remained tight. UPSIDE: MORE F&I SALES For dealers, however, the longer loan timelines are creating opportunities. Finance and insurance products, once pitched when selling new-vehicle sales,… [...]

F&I talks over video a good option for car buyersF&I talks over video a good option for car buyers

May 5, 2023| 4:10 pm

Jonathan Jordan, director of retail strategy for F&I product provider JM&A Group, said his company launched its so-called virtual F&I offering in 2018. He told Automotive News in late January the company had logged more than 23,000 transactions where the F&I manager and customer had never actually met — with about 20,000 occurring in the past two years. The video chat feature at first focused on the notion “customers don’t want to come to the dealership,” Jordan said. But this hypothesis was found to be incorrect, he said. “What I like to say is ‘it’s not that they don’t want… [...]

Why Arizona Heat Makes Windshield Cracks ExpandWhy Arizona Heat Makes Windshield Cracks Expand

April 25, 2023| 5:20 pm

Many of us have been there. You get a small chip or crack in your windshield and leave it alone, figuring it won’t get any bigger. Unfortunately, this isn’t often the case. In many situations, this crack or chip will gradually grow larger, causing you to need a full windshield replacement in the future, rather than requiring a small repair now. This can leave you wondering exactly why the heat of the Arizona summer causes this result. Read on to learn the answer. Why the Spread? It may seem unusual for a cracked windshield to spread. [...]

Tag: top automotive news