Category Archives: auto news

GM Posts 21% US Q3 Sales Increase

General Motors (NYSE: GM) today posted strong Q3 sales results in the US with 674,336 vehicles sold and a market share gain of ~1%. There was a 16% retail sales increase year-over-year. The strong results were centered around its thriving truck and SUV lines, which fully participated in the ongoing Biden Administration economic recovery. Continue reading

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NHTSA Expands Ford Engine Failure Probe to 700,000 Vehicles

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Office of Defects Investigation released today documents that shows it has expanded a preliminary Ford engine failure inquiry to an engineering analysis that covers more than 700,000 vehicles and questions Ford’s previous attempts to fix the safety defect. Explorer, Bronco, Edge Lincoln Nautilus, Aviator SUVs, as well as The F-150 pickup truck from 2021-2022 model years are susceptible to sudden loss of engine power. Continue reading

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Toyota Motor Enters Six Teams in Rebelle Rally

“The Rebelle Rally provides the perfect platform for Toyota team members to demonstrate their passion for learning and problem solving, develop their driving skills, navigate treacherous terrains, and work together as a cohesive unit,” said Kristen Tabar, group vice president, Advanced Mobility Research and Development at TMNA. Continue reading

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One-Third of UK Motorists Name Their Car

One in three UK motorists have given a nickname to their car based on its registration plate, color, or the make and model; and 34% of nickname-givers say cars without a light-hearted epithet are “missing something.” This come from a Volkswagen survey released today on National Name Your Car Day in the UK. Among amusing car nicknames British motorists have adopted are The Beast, The Flying Banana – and Flo – because its plate started with FL0. The poll of 1500 motorists found 32% believe a car can have “a real personality.” Continue reading

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UAW Strike Expands as Ford and GM Execs Squawk

“To be clear, negotiations have not broken down. We are still talking with all three companies. I am still very hopeful that we can reach a deal that reflects the incredible sacrifices and contributions our members have made over the last decade. But I also know that what we win at the bargaining table depends on the power we build on the job. It’s time to use that power. That is why I’m calling on an additional 7000 members across Ford and GM to go on strike starting at noon Eastern today,” said Shawn Fain. Continue reading

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Honda, Acura – New Deals with Evgo, Electrify America

American Honda Motor today announced that it has reached agreements with EVgo and Electrify America, plus roaming network partners, giving Honda and Acura EV customers access to more of the largest charging networks in North America. These latest agreements are in addition to the recent announcement that Honda will adopt the NACS charging standard with Honda and Acura EVs gaining access to the Tesla Supercharger network. Combined with the  joint venture that Honda established with six other major automakers to create a high-powered charging network, US Honda and Acura EV customers will be able to use the majority of public American DC fast chargers starting in 2024 and can expect ~100,000 DC charge points available to them by 2030. Continue reading

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Census Bureau Releases Data on US Fleet after 18 Year Gap

The US Census Bureau today released data on the nation’s inventory and use of selected vehicles. The Vehicle Inventory and Use Survey (VIUS) is a collaboration with the Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation Statistics and Federal Highway Administration, the Department of Energy; and the Census. For automakers it contains a wealth of data about miles driven, fuel economy and actual use patterns, which are key to product development, marketing, corporate forecasting, among other things. Continue reading

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EPA and Justice Sue eBay for Selling Toxic Substances

The Clean Air Act prohibits selling, offering for sale, or causing the sale or offer of aftermarket parts that defeat motor vehicle emission controls (aka “aftermarket defeat devices”). Today’s complaint alleges that eBay sold, offered for sale, or caused the sale of more than 343,000 such parts. Aftermarket defeat devices can cause motor vehicles to emit hundreds to thousands of times more pollution than a motor vehicle with properly functioning emission controls, including nitrogen oxides (“NOx”), carbon monoxide (“CO”), non-methane hydrocarbons (“NMHCs”), and particulate matter (“PM”). Continue reading

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Bentley Motors Unveils the Belonging Bentayga

Bentley Motors today revealed the ‘Belonging Bentayga.’ This is  a hand painted Alpine Green Bentayga Hybrid with different skylines and well-known buildings from all across the world, such as New York, London, Paris, Rome, Milan, Venice, Tokyo and Hong Kong. Each side of the car depicts a different continent. The art piece that displays 29 different landmarks is drawn from memory by Stephen Wiltshire* MBE, a British architectural artist and autistic savant, who is known for his ability to draw a landscape after seeing it just once. Continue reading

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Fraud – SEC Charges Hydrogen Truck Company Hyzon Motors

“Transparency in the form of full, fair, and accurate disclosure is fundamental to the federal securities laws,” said Jason Burt, Regional Director of the SEC’s Denver Regional Office. “The defendants allegedly violated this principle by misleading investors about virtually every aspect of Hyzon’s business. The terms of today’s settlement, if approved by the court, will hold Hyzon and responsible individuals accountable for their misconduct.” Continue reading

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President Biden on UAW Picket Line Backs Wage Bids

The crowd was extremely vocal in its support, even though the UAW estimates that one-third of its members voted for a wealthy east-coast elite candidate who became one-term President Trump after, among other things, he put in place anti-labor policies and destroyed the economy breaking his campaign promises. While the UAW hasn’t endorsed Biden thus far, the 2024 Presidential candidate the union emphatically said it won’t endorse is the 91-count indicted, twice-impeached ex-president. Continue reading

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Brand Loyalty Down Again for New Vehicles

“As vehicle availability increased and more choices hit the market for consumers, loyalty among brands as a whole saw a decline this year,” said Tyson Jominy, vice president of data & analytics at J.D. Power. “Additionally, owners were tied down to their vehicles for longer than normal due to ongoing supply chain disruptions, and as a result were more likely to experience problems with their vehicles.” Continue reading

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Unifor Selects GM as Next Negotiation Target

“We’ve got an incredibly strong pattern agreement at Ford that will serve us well over the coming years. Our job now is to negotiate that pattern in the form of a renewal collective agreement with General Motors and Stellantis,” said Payne. “General Motors will be our next target company. Starting tomorrow Unifor will be at the table with GM.” Continue reading

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Power Loss Recall – Genesis G80, GV80, GV70 SUVs

“The low-pressure fuel pump assemblies in the recalled vehicles may contain impellers that do not meet current material characteristic specifications, potentially leading to deformation. Deformation of the impeller could cause the impeller to interfere with the fuel pump housing, resulting in a mechanical resistance that could lead to a shutdown of the fuel pump,” Hyundai said. Hyundam Industrial Co. in Korea is the maker of the defective fuel pump module. Continue reading

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Canadian Unifor Workers Ratify Ford Contract

 “This contract will change lives in a profound way. It fundamentally transforms pension plans, provides protections during the EV transition and includes the highest wage increases in the history of Canadian auto bargaining,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. Continue reading

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