Toyota plans California fuel cell plant to make power, hydrogen

Toyota said it will build a renewable fuel-cell power-generation plant, plus a hydrogen fueling station, to support its operations at the Port of Long Beach in California.

source http://www.autonews.com/article/20171130/OEM05/171139970/toyota-fuelcell-hydrogen-emissions

VW brand lifts midterm profit outlook on higher-margin cars, cost cuts

Volkswagen brand raised its midterm outlook for profitability on cost cuts and a planned rollout of higher-margin models, and expects deliveries to hit a new record this year.

source http://europe.autonews.com/article/20171130/ANE/171139988/vw-brand-lifts-midterm-profit-outlook-on-higher-margin-cars-cost-cuts

How Ford plans to market the gasoline-electric F-150

Ford, despite customer priorities for trucks, is plowing ahead with a gasoline-electric version of the crazy-popular F-150, the best-selling vehicle in the U.S. since the Reagan administration.

source http://www.autonews.com/article/20171130/OEM05/171139990/ford-electric-f150-pickup-marketing

Avis tests fully connected wireless car fleet in Kansas City

Avis launched its first fleet of cars that are fully connected to the internet, other vehicles, and to the car rental company via wireless technology in a bid to enhance fleet management.

source http://www.autonews.com/article/20171130/MOBILITY/171139991/connected-cars-avis-kansas-city

Ford looks beyond longtime ad agency WPP; hires new firm for some Lincoln work

Ford has moved outside of longtime ad agency WPP for help on a new campaign for the 2018 Lincoln Navigator, tapping New York firm Laundry Service.

source http://www.autonews.com/article/20171130/RETAIL03/171139992/ford-wpp-lincoln-advertising-agency-hackett

Volvo plans to charge $600 a month for XC40 subscription service

Volvo Cars will allow customers to subscribe to the 2019 XC40 compact crossover for a flat fee of $600 a month.

source http://www.autonews.com/article/20171129/RETAIL/171129697/volvo-xc40-subscription-service-pricing

VW CEO expects record vehicle sales this year; laments slow culture change after diesel scandal

Volkswagen Group is headed for record vehicle sales across its 12 brands this year as a strong trend in deliveries is set to continue in November and December, CEO Matthias Mueller said.

source http://europe.autonews.com/article/20171129/ANE/171129714/vw-ceo-expects-record-vehicle-sales-this-year-laments-slow-culture

Lada brand returns to Cuba

Russian automaker AvtoVAZ said it would resume exports of its Lada cars to Cuba, starting with a shipment of 344 Vesta sedans and Largus crossovers to be used as government taxis and tourism and rental vehicles.

source http://europe.autonews.com/article/20171129/ANE/171129724/lada-brand-returns-to-cuba

Speed hurts quality at Tesla, some workers say

After Tesla's Model S sedans and Model X crossovers roll off the company's assembly line, the electric vehicles usually make another stop -- for repairs, nine current and former employees have told Reuters.

source http://www.autonews.com/article/20171129/OEM05/171129725/speed-hurts-tesla-quality-workers-say

How an airport argument reinforced Lincoln's decision to kill the MK names

Lincoln marketing chief Robert Parker received validation for the Lincoln moniker change following an argument he observed at the airport.

source http://www.autonews.com/article/20171129/BLOG06/171129727/why-lincoln-killed-mk-moniker

Lincoln rebrands MKX as Nautilus as brand drops confusing MK name

Say hello to the Lincoln Nautilus and goodbye to the brand's "MK" naming scheme that some customers still haven't deciphered after more than a decade.

source http://www.autonews.com/article/20171128/OEM04/171129745/lincoln-renames-mkx-nautilus-2019

VW packs I.D. Crozz EV with smart motors

The VW I.D. Crozz, due in 2020, will be powered by a pair of electric motors, one on each axle, with a combined output of 302 hp. Each motor can operate together or separately as conditions demand.

source http://www.autonews.com/article/20171128/OEM04/171129741/vw-packs-i-d-crozz-ev-with-smart-motors

Porsche's championship year tops viral list

Porsche's celebration of its FIA World Endurance Championship topped our list of viral videos for the week.

source http://www.autonews.com/article/20171128/VIRALVIDEO/311289925/porsches-championship-year-tops-viral-list

Audi races to the mall

Audi's off to the races this holiday season.

source http://www.autonews.com/article/20171128/VIRALVIDEO/311289925/audi-races-to-the-mall

Mercedes plans more drone deliveries after 100 flights

Mercedes plans more drone deliveries after using Vito vans and mini aircraft to ship goods ordered online to customers in Zurich. Mercedes is testing drone deliveries to bypass congested roads amid a boom in e-commerce.

source http://europe.autonews.com/article/20171128/ANE/171129760/mercedes-plans-more-drone-deliveries-after-100-flights

AutoNews Now: Spiffs add cheer to Nov. U.S. sales

Strong Nov. expected for U.S. sales; Detroit show to get a luxury boost; Welburn: Robocars a 'very cool' challenge for designers; What auto execs told Pence; A heli-skiing All-Star.

source http://www.autonews.com/article/20171128/VIDEO/311289973/autonews-now-spiffs-add-cheer-to-nov-u-s-sales

Waymo-Uber trial delayed over new evidence

A federal judge overseeing the high-profile patent theft case between Waymo and Uber delayed the beginning of the trial after new information emerged from a former Uber employee.

source http://www.autonews.com/article/20171128/MOBILITY/171129744/ric-jacobs-uber-waymo-trial-delayed

Mercedes plans more drone deliveries after 100 'perfect' flights

Mercedes said it plans more drone deliveries after conducting tests using the aircraft to deliver everyday items such as coffee and cellphones in 100 drop-offs to strategically placed vans in Zurich, with a perfect safety record.

source http://europe.autonews.com/article/20171128/ANE/171129760/mercedes-plans-more-drone-deliveries-after-100-perfect-flights

Bugatti's sales chief quits to head luxury beds brand

Bugatti's sales and marketing chief, Stefan Brungs, is leaving to take up a new position as CEO of bedding specialists Bico in Switzerland. Brungs led prelaunch marketing campaign for the Chiron supercar.

source http://europe.autonews.com/article/20171128/ANE/171129765/bugattis-sales-chief-quits-to-head-luxury-beds-brand

Mulvaney has vilified the CFPB -- now he's promising to fix it

Mick Mulvaney, who once called the CFPB the 'worst kind' of government entity, vowed to keep the agency open while making changes that protect people without choking off capitalism.

source http://www.autonews.com/article/20171127/FINANCE_AND_INSURANCE/171129768/mulvaney-cfpb-vows-action-politics-trump

U.S. auto sales pace expected to normalize in November

New-vehicle sales in the U.S. are expected to normalize after two consecutive months of unseasonably strong results. November U.S. auto sales forecasts call for a 1 percent decrease to 3.5 percent increase compared to November 2016.

source http://www.autonews.com/article/20171127/RETAIL01/171129771/november-auto-sales-preview

Shared self-driving cars could slash demand for sedans, KPMG study says

Ride services using self-driving vehicles could slash by more than half demand for owner-driven sedans in the United States by 2030, according to a new KPMG study.

source http://www.autonews.com/article/20171127/MOBILITY/171129772/autonomous-sharing-study-kpmg

Why Congress should be concerned about floorplan interest

Congress is deep into the process of rewriting the tax code for a first time in a generation, and the stakes for our industry and the economy couldn't be higher.

source http://www.autonews.com/article/20171127/OEM02/171129778/why-congress-should-be-concerned-about-floorplan-interest

PSA seeks to capitalize on Russia rebound with van production

PSA will start production of Peugeot Expert and Citroen Jumpy vans at its plant in Kaluga, Russia, as the automaker seeks to increase sales in the Russian market, which is rebounding from a deep slump.

source http://europe.autonews.com/article/20171127/ANE/171129781/psa-seeks-to-capitalize-on-russia-rebound-with-van-production

PSA seeks to capitalize on Russia rebound with added van production

PSA will start production of Peugeot Expert and Citroen Jumpy vans at its plant in Kaluga, Russia, as the automaker seeks to increase sales in the Russian market, which is rebounding from a deep slump.

source http://europe.autonews.com/article/20171127/ANE/171129781/psa-seeks-to-capitalize-on-russia-rebound-with-added-van-production

BMW will increase spending on randd, finance chief tells paper

BMW will increase spending on research and development as it increases investments in EVs and self-driving cars, finance chief Nicolas Peter told German daily Handelsblatt.

source http://europe.autonews.com/article/20171127/ANE/171129785/bmw-will-increase-spending-on-rd-finance-chief-tells-paper

BMW to spend up to 7% of sales on randd in 2018, report says

BMW will further raise its spending on research and development next year, to 6.5 to 7 percent of sales, its finance chief Nicolas Peter told German daily Handelsblatt.

source http://europe.autonews.com/article/20171127/ANE/171129785/bmw-to-spend-up-to-7-of-sales-on-rd-in-2018-report-says

Volvo's new North America CEO hits the road in first month on the job

Anders Gustafsson, Volvo Cars' newly minted CEO of North America, spent little time in the office during his first month on the job.

source http://www.autonews.com/article/20171127/OEM02/171129786/volvo-gustafsson-dealers-retail-subscription

GM offering 'flex cash' incentives

GM is offering a new incentive program for its Chevrolet dealers that some argue resembles controversial stair-step incentive plans and gives unfair advantages to larger retailers.

source http://www.autonews.com/article/20171127/RETAIL/171129827/gm-flex-cash-incentives

Genesis split remains an open wound for Hyundai dealers

Hyundai Motor America and its dealers still are struggling to resolve differences over the spinoff of the Genesis retail network.

source http://www.autonews.com/article/20171127/RETAIL07/171129817/genesis-split-open-wound-hyundai-dealers

Mazda's Kogai on rebuilding for a U.S. revival

CEO Masamichi Kogai is busy building pint-sized Mazda Motor Corp. into an automaker able to compete on the global stage with the biggest rivals. But first, Mazda is trying to fix operations in the U.S.

source http://www.autonews.com/article/20171127/OEM08/171129882/mazda-kogai-rebuilding-us-revival

Hertz's bid to rely less on auctions starts to pay off

Hertz disposed of a growing share of its retired vehicles through channels other than auctions in the third quarter, and expects that growth to continue.

source http://www.autonews.com/article/20171127/RETAIL04/171129814/hertz-auctions-retired-vehicles-used-cars

Ex-Nissan dealer's big win reversed

Ex-Nissan dealer Mike Kahn won a $256 million jury verdict in his lengthy fraud case against Nissan Motor Acceptance Corp. But a judge dismissed the verdict.

source http://www.autonews.com/article/20171127/RETAIL07/171129839/nissan-dealer-verdict-judge

Waymo, AutoNation deal creates new position

The auto industry has its share of CEOs and CFOs and COOs. Soon, there will be a CWO #8212; at least in spirit. That's W as in Waymo.

source http://www.autonews.com/article/20171127/RETAIL07/171129845/waymo-autonation-deal-executive

Auctions offer peace of mind with purchases

Auctions such as Manheim and Ally's SmartAuction are expanding their assurances to buyers that if something goes wrong, they will be made right.

source http://www.autonews.com/article/20171127/RETAIL04/171129880/auctions-offer-peace-of-mind-with-purchases

Businesses see opportunities in servicing driverless fleets

As Waymo's competitors begin to finalize plans for self-driving taxi fleets, companies are rushing to meet back-end demands that may arise from these networks, hoping to establish a permanent place in the self-driving economy.

source http://www.autonews.com/article/20171127/MOBILITY/171129888/businesses-see-opportunities-servicing-driverless-fleets

CarGurus IPO reveals investors' enthusiasm

CarGurus and its rivals point to its successful IPO as evidence of the rising interest among investors in third-party shopping sites.

source http://www.autonews.com/article/20171127/RETAIL07/171129892/cargurus-ipo-investors

Forecasting the future of auto retailing

While there's no certainty in any future prediction, it is pretty clear that today's dealership model -- based primarily on selling one vehicle at a time to individuals and then servicing those cars and trucks -- won't emerge unscathed in a world of...

source http://www.autonews.com/article/20171126/INDUSTRY_REDESIGNED/171129853/forecasting-future-auto-retailing

Future dealers need product presenters, not salespeople

As automotive retailers tweak their business models, the number and type of employees needed change dramatically.

source http://www.autonews.com/article/20171126/INDUSTRY_REDESIGNED/171129856/product-presenters-not-salespeople

Two young dealers consider on their retailing future

For two young dealers whose careers are likely to include massive changes in auto retailing, the future of the business is top of mind. But so are daily operations.

source http://www.autonews.com/article/20171126/INDUSTRY_REDESIGNED/171129860/qa-dealers-future-of-auto-retailing

Jeremy Tucker named Automotive News All Star

Nissan has found a sweet spot with the Rogue, and Jeremy Tucker has helped push the crossover to the masses in a series of high-profile promotions.

source http://www.autonews.com/article/20171126/OEM02/171129913/jeremy-tucker-all-star-advertising-nissan

Christian Meunier named Automotive News All Star

Christian Meunier spent most of this year pursuing an aggressive agenda #8212; no less than rewiring Nissan Division's U.S. marketing structure.

source http://www.autonews.com/article/20171126/OEM02/171129911/christian-meunier-all-star-marketing-infiniti

Uber re-focuses on self-driving initiative

After a tumultuous 2017, it was unclear what direction Uber would go under its new CEO. Last week the ride-hailing giant showed it still is charging ahead with plans to deploy autonomous vehicles.

source http://www.autonews.com/article/20171126/OEM06/171129826/uber-volvo-autonomous-technology

Samsung expects fourfold boost in auto revenue on self-driving cars

Samsung Electronics believes the auto industry offers growth opportunities because of the shift toward electric, connected and autonomous vehicles.

source http://europe.autonews.com/article/20171125/ANE/171119886/samsung-expects-fourfold-boost-in-auto-revenue-on-self-driving-cars

Hyundai fuel cell crossover spied

Spy photographers recently captured the Hyundai FCEV, revealing the crossover's styling cues are largely carried over from a concept that debuted in August. The production FCEV will be formally introduced at CES in January.

source http://www.autonews.com/article/20171125/OEM04/171129815/hyundai-fuel-cell-crossover-spied

Mazda plans new SUV for U.S. growth

Mazda CEO Masamichi Kogai concedes his company is still in transition mode, four years after predicting U.S. sales would hit 400,000 a year. Now, he says the resurgence will start in earnest in 2019.

source http://www.autonews.com/article/20171125/OEM04/171129819/mazda-crossover-product

UK diesel tax is not what automakers expected

The UK government came under fire this week from automakers after announcing it was linking the taxation of diesel cars from next year to their ability to hit the new real driving emission standards (RDE), which is not what they were expecting.

source http://europe.autonews.com/article/20171124/ANE/171129802/uk-diesel-tax-is-not-what-automakers-expected

Auto sector surges in Q3

Europe's listed automakers gained 11.5 percent in shareholder value in the third quarter, the latest Automotive News Europe/PricewaterhouseCoopers Transaction Services Shareholder Value Indices shows, a figure matched by the supplier sectors.

source http://europe.autonews.com/article/20171124/ANE/171119861/auto-sector-surges-in-q3

Off-lease trucks race toward market

A fresh surge of vehicles coming off leases in 2018 will include more light trucks and fewer cars. Increasingly, they'll have low mileage and higher price tags.

source http://www.autonews.com/article/20171124/RETAIL04/171129879/off-lease-trucks-race-toward-market

Maserati's program changes 'unfair,' NY judge rules

A New York administrative judge ruled that proposed changes to Maserati's incentive program and franchise agreement were "unfair," confirming a previous decision.

source http://www.autonews.com/article/20171122/RETAIL/171129822/maserati-dealers-litigation-franchise-newyork