Archive for the ‘Sedans’ Category
EV Maker's general counsel departs.
by Michael Strong on Feb.20, 2019

Tesla is readying to offer leases on its new Model 3 to employees to help boost demand for the sedan.
Tesla Inc. is readying for the next step in the evolution of its Model 3: leasing.
According to Electrek, the Palo Alto, California-based EV maker is looking to boost demand for the new mainstream sedan by offering employees a leasing program for the vehicle. Initial reports suggested the program would be in place in as little as two weeks.

Electrifying News!
The leasing availability was outlined in an email to employees. However, the company denied it will be ready that quickly, although did confirm it was coming. (more…)
Tags: Model 3 employee leases, Tesla Model 3 demand, Tesla Model 3 leasing, Tesla emails employees about leasing, Tesla vehicle leasing, bingdb.info., auto news, michael strong, tesla news, thedetroitbureau
Posted in Automakers, Automobiles, Business, EVs, Electrified Vehicles, Executives, Financials, Leasing, Markets, Personalities, Sales, Sales, Sedans, Technology, Tesla, U.S./North America | 2 Comments »
Problem could lead to engine stalling.
by Michael Strong on Feb.14, 2019

The Honda Accord V6 is part of a recall of more than 437K vehicles for a fuel pump problem.
Honda is recalling 437,000 vehicles in the U.S. to fix a fuel-pump issue plaguing six-cylinder engines, causing stalling or limiting acceleration.
According to the automaker, a software update should resolve the problem; however, in some instances the fuel pump will need to be replaced. Sodium particulates can clog up or stick to the pump’s internal components.

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This could, in hot weather, cause the engine to stall or limit the acceleration of the vehicle. The vehicles affected in this action include: 2016-2018 Acura MDXs, 2015-2019 Acura TLX V6s and 2015-2017 Honda Accord V6s. (more…)
Tags: Acura TLX V6 recall, Honda Accord V6 recall, Honda Ridgeline recall, Honda recall for fuel pumps, Honda recalls 437K vehicles, bingdb.info., acura mdx recall, auto news, honda news, honda recalls, michael strong, thedetroitbureau
Posted in Acura, Automakers, Executives, Honda, Lawsuits/Legal, Markets, Personalities, Pickups, Recalls, Regulatory, SUVs, Safety, Sedans, U.S./North America | 1 Comment »
Automakers, regulators continue fix slowed by lack of replacement parts.
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Feb.12, 2019

Takata's faulty airbag inflators have been linked to 24 deaths and hundreds of injuries.
Nearly 2 million vehicles have been recalled this month to replace airbag inflators blamed for dozens of deaths around the world, but millions more are expected to be targeted in the U.S. alone by early next year.
The problem was caused by faulty airbags produced by Japanese auto supplier Takata Corp., the inflators potentially failing over time. When that happens, they can inflate too aggressively, sending shrapnel spewing into the passenger compartment. So far, at least 23 people are known to have died due to the defect – most of them in the U.S. – with hundreds more injured.

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The Takata airbag recall is not only the largest safety-related service action in U.S. history, but also the longest-running recall, with the first advisories going out to vehicle owners back in 2001. It took years for industry leaders, regulators and safety experts to agree on the extent of the problem, but it is now dragging out due to a shortage of replacement inflators. (more…)
Tags: Takata deadly airbags, Takata millions of airbag recalls, Takata news, Takata recall efforts, bingdb.info., auto news, paul a. eisenstein, takata airbag recall, thedetroitbureau
Posted in Asia Pacific, Automakers, Automobiles, Business, Executives, Markets, Minivans, Personalities, Pickups, Recalls, Safety, Sedans, U.S./North America | No Comments »
T. Rowe Price halves stake from 10.12% to 5.2%.
by Michael Strong on Feb.11, 2019

The mad rush to blow out Model 3s at the end of the year has left Tesla with very few Model 3s to deliver.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk recently said that the company would face some stiff headwinds in the early part of this year, and now some of those issues are now coming to light … as are the consequences.
The company’s last recent round of layoffs were unexpected, but were initially seen positively as analysts suggested the company would need to find ways to cut costs. However, according to Reuters, one of the teams that were cut significantly should have raised alarm bells sooner.

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Reuters reports that Tesla’s delivery team saw 150 of 230 employees lose their jobs. The Las Vegas-based group was largely responsible for delivering the company’s savior vehicle: the Model 3. (more…)
Tags: T. Rowe Price cuts Tesla stake in half, Tesla Model 3 news, Tesla Model 3 problems, Tesla Model 3 stock empty, Tesla T. Rowe Price, Tesla out of cheaper Model 3s, bingdb.info., auto news, michael strong, tesla news, thedetroitbureau
Posted in Asia Pacific, Automakers, Automobiles, Business, China, EVs, Electrified Vehicles, Europe, Executives, Investors, Markets, NAFTA, Personalities, Sales, Sedans, South America, Technology, Tesla, Trends, U.S./North America | 1 Comment »
What else could you want for $141,700?
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Feb.11, 2019

Alpina is going where the folks at BMW fear to tread by producing its own version of the M7 named the B7.
There’s long been a yawning gap in the BMW line-up. While virtually everything the automaker now offers is available with an “M” option, the Bavarians have resolutely refused to offer an M7 model. But that’s where Alpina, a German tuner with a long relationship with BMW comes in.
And it’s about to launch its own take on a performance version with the debut of the latest-generation Alpina B7. The sixth-generation sedan – and the third generation of Alpina B7s to make it to the U.S. – starts out from where the newly updated 2020 BMW 7 Series leaves off.

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If anything, the 2020 Alpina B7 adds even more luxurious details to the latest BMW 7, while also boosting performance significantly, the full-size sedan now able to hit 60 in a mere 3.5 seconds before racing to a top speed of 205 mph – 12 mph faster than the prior-generation B7. (more…)
Tags: Alpina B7 models, BMW 7 Series update, BMW M7 substitute, BMW sports 7 Series, bingdb.info., auto news, bmw alpina, new Alpina offering, paul a. eisenstein, thedetroitbureau
Posted in Asia Pacific, Automakers, Automobiles, BMW, Business, China, Europe, Executives, Luxury Vehicles, Markets, NAFTA, Personalities, Sales, Sedans, South America, U.S./North America | No Comments »
“The heart and soul of the GTI.”
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Feb.07, 2019

The 2019 VW GLI blends the sportiest features of the Jetta and GTI models.
There are some things that Europeans and Americans just never can agree on, starting with hatchbacks and sedans. True, utility vehicles have come to dominate the U.S. marketplace, but sedans still make up a strong share of sales. Hatchbacks just can’t seem to climb out of the niche category.
So, for those who’d like the power and road-holding dynamics of a Volkswagen GTI, the GLI offers a viable, four-door alternative. And the German maker “ups the performance ante,” it promises, with the launch of the sixth-generation sedan that made its debut at the Chicago Auto Show.

Performance News!
“Volkswagen has long been synonymous with small, sporty cars,” said Scott Keogh, CEO, Volkswagen Group of America. “The redesigned 2019 Jetta proved once more that its combination of design, technology and value continues to resonate with buyers. The 2019 GLI takes the Jetta foundation and adds performance features from the Golf GTI to give buyers a true sport sedan.”
(more…)
Tags: 2019 chicago auto show, 2019 volkswagen gli, german sports sedan, paul a. eisenstein, paul eisenstein, sporty sedan, thedetroitbureau, vw chicago auto show, vw gli, vw gti, vw jetta, vw news
Posted in Auto Shows, Automakers, Automobiles, Chicago, First Look, Markets, Product Reveals, Sedans, Sports Cars, Technology, U.S./North America, Volkswagen | 1 Comment »
Seventh-generation gets new platform, new performance model, more.
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Feb.07, 2019

The 2020 Subaru Legacy gets a bolder look with a more coupe-like roofline.
These days, SUVs and CUVs are all the rage, and Japanese automaker Subaru gets a large share of the credit for shifting public interest dating back to the introduction of its original Outback model.
But Subie isn’t through with passenger cars. Quite the contrary. We’ve seen updates to several models in recent times and now it’s giving a complete makeover to its flagship sedan.

Product News!
The 2020 Subaru Legacy starts off with an all-new platform that, the maker claims is far stiffer and boasts a lower center of gravity. There is a new foam-filled cross-member and the Subaru Global Platform adopts a new method for joining upper and lower bodies. Those technical details are intended to make the seventh-generation Legacy more agile, stable and quiet.
(more…)
Tags: 2019 chicago auto show, 2020 Subaru Legacy, subaru chicago auto show, subaru legacy, subaru legacy pics, subaru legacy review
Posted in Auto Shows, Automakers, Automobiles, Business, Chicago, First Look, Infotainment, Markets, SUVs, Safety, Safety, Sales, Sedans, Subaru, Technology, Technology, Trends, U.S./North America | 2 Comments »
Automaker searching for ways to meet $35K benchmark.
by Michael Strong on Feb.06, 2019

Tesla cut the price of the Model 3 – this time $1,100 – for the second time in recent weeks. The first cut was $2,000.
Tesla Inc. is lowering the price on its entry-level Model 3 sedan by $1,100. It’s the second time the company has cut the price on the vehicle as it attempts to keep it affordable as federal tax incentives for the vehicles continue to fall.
The Palo Alto, California-based automaker previously lopped $2,000 off the price of the company’s best-selling vehicle to help offset the drop in the federal tax credit from $7,500 to $3,750 after the beginning of the year.

All Charged Up!
Tesla’s tax credit began phasing out for Tesla in January. The price cuts make the starting price of the Model 3, according to Reuters, $42,900, which still higher than the $35,000 the company touted it would be when the sedan was first introduced. (more…)
Tags: Model 3 news, Musk cuts Model 3 price, Tesla Model 3 price cut, Tesla cuts Model 3 price, Tesla federal tax credit, Tesla price cuts, Tesla tax credit falls, bingdb.info., auto news, michael strong, tesla news, tesla prices, thedetroitbureau
Posted in Automakers, Automobiles, Business, EVs, Electrified Vehicles, Executives, Markets, Personalities, Sales, Sales, Sedans, Technology, Tesla, U.S./North America | Comments Off
Sales expected to fall later in year.
by Joseph Szczesny on Feb.06, 2019

Auto dealers are expressing concern about new vehicle inventory levels early in the year.
Car dealers and manufacturers keep a careful watch on inventories and a rising level of unsold vehicles in dealer hands is drawing attention and concern both for the health of the industry and of the overall economy.
The American International Automobile Dealers Association, or AIADA, is reporting that car dealers are beginning 2019 with a heavier inventory of unsold vehicles on their lots, a situation that some analysts say will put pressure on them to push for cuts in factory output as U.S. auto sales are expected to cool this year.

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Most forecasts call for vehicle sales to drop to between 16.8 million to 17 million units this year, which is a decline of between 200,000 to 400,000 units from 2018. (more…)
Tags: bingdb.info., auto news, automakers worry about backlog, dealers concerned about inventory levels, dealers worried about rising inventory, higher inventory levels worries dealers, joseph szczesny, new vehicle inventory up in January, thedetroitbureau
Posted in Automakers, Automobiles, Business, Crossovers/CUVs, Executives, Markets, Minivans, Monthly Results, Personalities, Pickups, SUVs, Sales, Sales, Sedans, Trends, U.S./North America | Comments Off
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Feb.05, 2019

A familiar name is making a comeback at the Geneva Motor Show. Hispano-Suiza is debuting a electric concept dubbed "The Carmen," next month.
An old luxury brand is looking to make a comeback with the launch of a very modern hypercar.
Barcelona-based Hispano Suiza plans to reveal a fully electric “hyperlux grand tourer” during the upcoming Geneva Motor Show. Dubbed the “Carmen,” the new model is named after the granddaughter of the founder of the once iconic brand. Curiously, the decision to adopt battery power actually brings Hispano Suiza back to its roots.

Product News!
The company – whose name means Spanish-Swiss – hasn’t put its name on a new car in nearly three-quarters of a century, but for a handful of concept vehicles meant to spur a revival. But it is now confident enough to begin taking orders for the new, all-electric tourer. (more…)
Tags: EV concept Hispano Suiza, Hispano Suiza Carmen concept, Hispano Suiza EV concept Geneva, Hispano Suiza Geneva Motor Show, Spanish-Swiss comeback, bingdb.info., auto news, new EV concept, old car company develops new EV, paul a. eisenstein, thedetroitbureau
Posted in Auto Shows, Automakers, Automobiles, Business, Concept Cars, EVs, Electrified Vehicles, Europe, Events, Geneva, Markets, Sales, Sedans, Technology | Comments Off