Autos

Locked Up: Mercedes-Benz to Charge for Access to EQS’ Rear-Wheel Steering

If you want the more-advanced version of the rear-wheel steering system on the Mercedes-Benz EQS, and you live in Germany, prepare to pony up to unlock the software. It will cost you about $575 a year to get an over-the-air update that will unlock the 10-degree rear-wheel-steering system. Unless you sign up for a three-year […] The post Locked Up: Mercedes-Benz to Charge for Access to EQS’ Rear-Wheel Steering appeared first on The Truth About Cars.
Tags: Germany, MB, Software, Industry, Autos, Subscriptions, Mercedes Benz, Mercedes, Brave New World, Benz, News Blog, Future Vehicles, Otas, Car subscriptions, Mercedes Benz EQS, Mb Eqs

Chip Shortage Leads to ‘Dead’ Cars On Factory Lots, GM Halts Truck Production

Have you heard the one about the dead cars? No, not the ones we find in junkyards, but the ones that haven’t had life yet, thanks to the chip shortage. These so-called “dead” cars are vehicles that have rolled off the assembly line, otherwise ready for sale, sitting in fields or on lots near the […] The post appeared first on The Truth About Cars.
Tags: Production, Industry, Gm, Autos, Chips, New Cars, News Blog, Dead Cars, Chip Shortage

Penske & Cox Premiere AI Based Auto Sales Platform With Confusing Name

Years ago, waiting for a haircut, dental appointment, or psychological evaluation meant thumbing through a paperback filled with local listings of automobiles you had convinced yourself you might be in the market for. While primarily an exercise for wasting one’s time, there was always a chance you’d run to a payphone or whip our your Nextel to […] The post Penske & Cox Premiere AI Based Auto Sales Platform With Confusing Name appeared first on The Truth About Cars.
Tags: Ecommerce, Artificial Intelligence, Industry, Editorials, Automation, Used Cars, Autos, Online Sales, Ai, Sales And Marketing, Auto Sales, Car Sales, Industry News, Cox, Penske, Cox Automotive

CarMax On Used-Car Buying Spree As Market Madness Continues

With used-car prices soaring, retailer CarMax has been busy swooping up used vehicles to flip for sale. That could be a solid strategy since the chip shortage has left new-car dealers bereft of vehicles on the lot. CarMax said it has bought 236 percent more cars this year than last, leaving it with 40,000 vehicles […] The post CarMax On Used-Car Buying Spree As Market Madness Continues appeared first on The Truth About Cars.
Tags: Sales, Industry, Auctions, Used Cars, Autos, Market, New Cars, CarMax, News Blog, Used Car Prices, Used Car Market, New Car Market, Auctions Used Cars, New Car Prices

Volvo Buying Itself Out of Chinese Joint Venture

Volvo Cars is plotting to buy out parent company Zhejiang Geely Holding and free itself of its Chinese joint venture. The Swedish (currently Swedish-Chinese) manufacturer has been hinting at the prospect of going public with an IPO, which most analysts believe would be bolstered by creating some distance from Geely. While the Chinese Communist Party has […] The post Volvo Buying Itself Out of Chinese Joint Venture appeared first on The Truth About Cars.
Tags: China, Ipo, Industry, Autos, Chinese communist party, Volvo, Stock Exchange, Industry News, Joint Ventures, Geely, Volvo Cars, News Blog, Zhejiang Geely Holding, Going Public, Chinese joint venture

Right-to-Repair Movement Gets Federal Attention

While the right-to-repair movement is fighting a national battle, the brunt of the action has been taking place on America’s coasts. Consumer activists are taking on multinational corporations that don’t want you to modify your mobile devices, affix aftermarket components to your vehicle, or have complete access to the data that’s amassed by the staggering […] The post Right-to-Repair Movement Gets Federal Attention appeared first on The Truth About Cars.
Tags: Laws, Diy, Privacy, Big Data, Government, America, Maintenance, Regulations, Data, Industry, Regulation, Autos, Industry News, AAI, News Blog, Vehicle Repair

A Brief History Of Chrysler/FCA/Stellantis Promises That Weren’t Kept

Stellantis, formerly known as Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, spent some time last week promoting “EV Day” and talking about its EV plans. We covered the event and the company’s plans. We’ve also noted in the past that many OEMs are talking a big game on EVs but it’s anyone’s guess if they’ll meet the timelines and […] The post A Brief History Of Chrysler/FCA/Stellantis Promises That Weren’t Kept appeared first on The Truth About Cars.
Tags: Industry, Fca, Autos, Chrysler, Concepts, EVs, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, News Blog, Product Planning, Chrysler FCA, Stellantis, Concepts That Never Were, Past Cars

Judge Approves Class Action Suit Against Ford Mustang

Ford has been getting into trouble over “track-ready” Mustangs after a few customers formally accused the company of erroneous marketing in 2017. A class-action lawsuit was even filed in March of that year, stating that the Ford Mustang Shelby GT350 suffered from overheating problems that precluded it from being fully functional on a racetrack — specifically […] The post Judge Approves Class Action Suit Against Ford Mustang appeared first on The Truth About Cars.
Tags: Marketing, Industry, Ford Mustang, Ford, Lawsuits, Autos, Law And Order, Mustang, Class Action, Ford Motor Co, Shelby, Ford Mustang Shelby, News Blog, Performance Cars, Track Cars, Gt350

Tesla’s German Factory Needs Help From Shanghai

Despite achieving a miraculous global expansion in a period where established industrial conglomerates and regulatory hurdles make it nearly impossible for new automakers to persist, Tesla’s German facility is running behind schedule. Production at the Gruenheide plant (aka Giga Berlin or Gigafactory 4) was originally planned to commence this month, with deliveries kicking off shortly thereafter. […] The post Tesla’s German Factory Needs Help From Shanghai appeared first on The Truth About Cars.
Tags: Elon Musk, Germany, Tesla, Production, Industry, Regulation, Electric Vehicles, Shanghai, Autos, Supply, EVs, Tesla Motors, Gigafactory, Model Y, News Blog, Factory News

Report: GM Not Bothered By Corvette Markups

Chevrolet’s C8 Corvette has been in demand. So much so that some dealers are commanding markups up to $100K over MSRP. Considering the last Corvette we tested was at $79K, which we felt was a bargain for the performance, that means you could pay an exorbitant amount for a C8. The response from General Motors […] The post Report: GM Not Bothered By Corvette Markups appeared first on The Truth About Cars.
Tags: Sales, General Motors, Industry, Gm, Autos, Chevrolet, New Cars, Corvette, Dealerships, Chevrolet Corvette, News Blog, C8, Chevrolet Corvette C8, Corvette C8, Markups

You Would Be Crazy to Buy a Used Car Right Now

I touched on it in the newsier post about used-car prices down below, but in normal times, scribes like us sometimes advise our family and friends who are car shopping to buy used, because a lightly used car can be in like-new condition and cost significantly less. And someone else has taken the initial huge […] The post You Would Be Crazy to Buy a Used Car Right Now appeared first on The Truth About Cars.
Tags: Sales, Industry, Used Cars, Autos, New Cars, News Blog, Pandemic, Chip Shortage

Tight New-Car Supply Leads to Crazy Used-Car Prices

According to car-shopping site iSeeCars, there are currently 16 models that will cost you more used than new. 16! That is, how shall we say, unusual. And, obviously, not good news for the used-car shopper. It’s all part of a broader trend — in June, according to iSeeCars, the average lightly used car cost 3.1 […] The post appeared first on The Truth About Cars.
Tags: Sales, Industry, Used Cars, Autos, New Cars, Kia Telluride, News Blog, Iseecars

Dodge Promises First-ever Muscle EV, Dusts off Retro Logo

Stellantis made many announcements yesterday at its “EV Day 2021” event, first and foremost a big commitment to EVs going forward. The second most important thing involved the super cringe slogans for each brand. But there was also a Dodge-specific announcement, which promised the first-ever EV muscle car, and the resurrection of a long-dead logo. […] The post Dodge Promises First-ever Muscle EV, Dusts off Retro Logo appeared first on The Truth About Cars.
Tags: Industry, Electric Vehicles, Ram, Autos, Dodge, EVs, Jeep, Electrification, News Blog, Future Vehicles, Product Planning, Muscle Car, Retro Logo, 2020s, Stellantis, EV day

Porsche Asks For Suppliers to Go Green

Porsche is asking its 1,300 suppliers to only use renewable energy as they manufacture Porsche parts, starting this month. The German automaker is doing so in order to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. This change applies to any supplier awarded a contract for providing production material for new-vehicle projects. Suppliers who can’t or won’t comply will […] The post Porsche Asks For Suppliers to Go Green appeared first on The Truth About Cars.
Tags: Green, Industry, Porsche, Autos, Manufacturing, Suppliers, Emissions, Carbon Dioxide, News Blog

Stellantis Makes Big EV Promises. Can It Keep Them?

  It’s EV Day at Stellantis. And boy, is there a lot to chew over. Stellantis lays out plans to invest more than €30 billion through 2025 on electrification. Those plans include a target of over 70 percent of European sales being low-emissions vehicles in Europe, along with over 40 percent in the U.S. The company […] The post Stellantis Makes Big EV Promises. Can It Keep Them? appeared first on The Truth About Cars.
Tags: Europe, Industry, Electric Vehicles, Ram, Autos, Dodge, EVs, Jeep, Electrification, News Blog, Future Vehicles, Product Planning, Stellantis, EV day

The Post-Pandemic Sales Outlook Looks Good Despite Current Struggles

The pandemic isn’t over. But a good chunk of the United States is returning to normal, and at some point, the pandemic will peter out in the rest of the world. How long that takes is anyone’s guess. And beyond the pay grade of anyone who contributes words to this hallowed site. But we can […] The post The Post-Pandemic Sales Outlook Looks Good Despite Current Struggles appeared first on The Truth About Cars.
Tags: Sales, Industry, United States, Autos, New Cars, Car Sales, News Blog, Pandemic, Coronavirus, COVID

Where Your Author Investigates Some Online Car Buying Services

Given the constant hassles of Volkswagen Golf ownership lately, and how every media outlet is shouting “Highest Used Car Pricing Ever” as loudly as possible, I’ve been pondering selling the Golf to a dealer. No Facebook idiots, no trade-in for something else, just a sale. Here in The Current Year, there are many companies that […] The post Where Your Author Investigates Some Online Car Buying Services appeared first on The Truth About Cars.
Tags: Sales, Industry, Editorials, Used Cars, Car Buying, Autos, AutoNation, Volkswagen Golf, CarMax, Vroom, News Blog, Car Dealerships, Carvana, Car Buying Online, Give Me The Vin, Online Dealerships

Biden’s EV Strategy is More Stick Than Carrot

There are competing philosophies when it comes to shifting the market to electric vehicles. There’s the free-market philosophy, which says the market will get there on its own. There’s the incentive philosophy, which suggests incentivizing consumers will accelerate the transition away from the internal combustion engine. Consider that one to be the carrot approach. Finally, […] The post Biden’s EV Strategy is More Stick Than Carrot appeared first on The Truth About Cars.
Tags: Regulations, Joe Biden, Industry, Autos, Biden, Donald Trump, News Blog, Future Vehicles, Product Planning, Fuel Economy Standards, Emission Regulations

Are Speed Limiters Coming to American Cars?

Carscoops is reminding us that a law passed in 2019 is mandating that new cars introduced after 2022 must be fitted with speed limiters. Here’s the good news, at least for us Yanks and Canucks — the law was passed by the European Union and applies to, well, Europe. That said, Carscoops is sounding the alarm. Could speed […] The post Are Speed Limiters Coming to American Cars? appeared first on The Truth About Cars.
Tags: Europe, Laws, Regulations, European Union, Industry, Autos, Canucks, Yanks, News Blog, Carscoops, Automotive Laws, Speed Limiters

How Long Are Vehicle Prices Going To Remain Insane?

With just about every resource trading at unappealing premiums, now may not be the time to make any major purchases unless you’re a financial masochist or so wealthy that the normal rules of living no longer apply. But it remains a seller’s market for just about everyone, including the plebian masses. Giant, unaccountable financial institutions will […] The post How Long Are Vehicle Prices Going To Remain Insane? appeared first on The Truth About Cars.
Tags: Industry, Used Cars, Autos, Sales And Marketing, Auto Sales, New Cars, Car Sales, Reports, Dealerships, News Blog, Used Car Prices, Dealer News, Studies & Reports, Car Prices, Vehicle Prices, Automotive Dealer

Tesla Sued Over Supercharging Fees, Broken Promises

Tesla is being sued in California by an owner that’s claiming the automaker broke its promise of a lifetime of free charging after it started imposing fees upon people who allowed their cars to sit at stations for too long. For those of you that don’t recall, Tesla began rolling out its Supercharger network in […] The post Tesla Sued Over Supercharging Fees, Broken Promises appeared first on The Truth About Cars.
Tags: Lawsuit, Technology, California, Tesla, Industry, Electric Vehicles, Autos, Fines, Fees, Law And Order, Charging, News Blog, Tesla Supercharger, Charging Network, Hot Legal Action, Congestion Fee

Stellantis Plots More Factory Downtime, Ford Loses Tech Chief

Stellantis plans to extend the typical summer downtime at a couple assembly plants while relaunching production at Windsor Assembly next month. The Canadian van factory will be see two shifts returning on July 5th, while its Belvidere Assembly Plant in Illinois and Toluca Assembly Plant in Mexico will be idled due to the ongoing semiconductor shortage. […] The post Stellantis Plots More Factory Downtime, Ford Loses Tech Chief appeared first on The Truth About Cars.
Tags: Mexico, Production, Industry, Ford, Autos, Automotive Industry, Illinois, Jeep, Jeep Cherokee, Industry News, Ford Motor Co, News Blog, Jeep Compass, Windsor Assembly, Hiring And Firing, Belvidere Assembly Plant

Audi Transitioning Solely to EVs Doesn’t Include Chinese Market

Volkswagen Group has been prattling on about electrification for years and ultimately decided that Audi would be the tip of its progressive spear. The brand has cachet as both a luxury and performance division, while simultaneously possessing VW’s magical ability to produce vehicles that don’t become an eyesore after you’ve had them in the garage for […] The post Audi Transitioning Solely to EVs Doesn’t Include Chinese Market appeared first on The Truth About Cars.
Tags: China, Industry, Regulation, Vw, Electric Vehicles, Autos, Automotive Industry, Audi, EVs, Industry News, Volkswagen Group, Brand Strategy, News Blog, e-Tron, Product Planning, Battery Electric Vehicles

Emerald-Colored Glasses: Just How Green Are EVs?

As the resident sourpuss, I make it my business to complain about every industrial hypocrisy that crosses my path and the automotive sector has kept me so busy that there’s hardly any time left to address my own failings. Though I do have to confess that I sometimes feel guilty about how frequently I’m compelled […] The post Emerald-Colored Glasses: Just How Green Are EVs? appeared first on The Truth About Cars.
Tags: Media, Government, Environment, Marketing, Green, Industry, Electric Vehicles, Editorials, Autos, Environmentalism, Automotive Industry, EVs, Electric Cars, News Blog, Industry Trends, BEVs

Subaru Getting Super Screwed By Semiconductor Shortage

The global semiconductor shortage has been particularly hard on Western automakers, though it’s not been peaches and cream for Asian brands. Following news that Nissan had run into issues resulting in additional downtime this summer, we’ve learned that Subaru is currently operating with a scant, nine-day supply of product and will be required to conduct […] The post Subaru Getting Super Screwed By Semiconductor Shortage appeared first on The Truth About Cars.
Tags: Supply Chain, Production, Industry, Autos, Shortage, Supply, Nissan, Suppliers, Semiconductor, Subaru, Industry News, News Blog, Factory News, Chip Shortage, Semiconductor Shortage, Parts Shortage

GM Increases Investment Into Electrification, Stellantis Promises Four New EVs

There is plenty of electrification news this week, despite the brunt of consumers remaining seemingly disinterested in the automotive segment that’s entirely dependent upon batteries. General Motors recently announced that it would be increasing its EV investments through 2025 to $35 billion, noting that some amount of the funding will also be going toward autonomous vehicle […] The post GM Increases Investment Into Electrification, Stellantis Promises Four New EVs appeared first on The Truth Ab...
Tags: Electric Vehicle, General Motors, Investment, Industry, Electric Vehicles, Mary Barra, Gm, Autos, Automotive Industry, EVs, Industry News, Carlos Tavares, News Blog, Product Planning, Union News, Ultium

Chip Shortage Encourages Nissan to Idle U.S. Facilities Again

Rumor has it that the semiconductor shortage is going to be leaving Nissan facilities operating in North America to contend with a difficult summer. This issue appears to have been largely unavoidable but it’s hardly the position a manufacturer hoping to launch a comeback tour wanted to find itself occupying. But, before we make this […] The post Chip Shortage Encourages Nissan to Idle U.S. Facilities Again appeared first on The Truth About Cars.
Tags: Supply Chain, Industry, Autos, Shortage, Supply, North America, Nissan, Suppliers, Semiconductor, Industry News, News Blog, Factory News, Chip Shortage, Semiconductor Shortage, Parts Shortage

The Great Used Car Buyup of 2021

With automakers having a difficult time keeping production schedules thanks to COVID restrictions nuking demand and upending supply chains, 2021 arrived with plenty of problems. Desperate to replenish fleets they had sold off while everyone was locked indoors, rental agencies went on a used car buying spree. But it wasn’t just rental fleets that needed […] The post The Great Used Car Buyup of 2021 appeared first on The Truth About Cars.
Tags: Sales, Supply Chain, Industry, Used Cars, Inflation, Autos, Supply, Sales And Marketing, Auto Sales, Industry News, Shortages, Demand, News Blog, Dealer News, Supply And Demand, Car Prices

Return of the Apple Car: Almost There or Vaporware?

After years of restarting and then killing its electric vehicle program, Apple has again signaled that it’s once again serious about developing something for your driveway. Ulrich Kranz, former Canoo CEO and brains behind the BMW i-cars, has reportedly been picked up by the company for its automotive team. Apple has yet to verify the hire […] The post Return of the Apple Car: Almost There or Vaporware? appeared first on The Truth About Cars.
Tags: Apple, Development, History, Industry, Electric Vehicles, Autos, Autonomous Vehicles, Bmw, EVs, Apple Inc, Industry News, Vaporware, Apple Car, News Blog, Rumor Mill, Development Hell

Senate Approves Bill Injecting Cash Into Semiconductor Industry

Apologies for all the semiconductor news. But it’s the topic of the day, with the United States Senate recently approving $52 billion in emergency spending to help bolster domestic chip production and another $190 billion for R&D programs. Passing the vote (68-32) under the premise that boosting localized chip production would help prevent domestic automakers from […] The post Senate Approves Bill Injecting Cash Into Semiconductor Industry appeared first on The Truth About Cars.
Tags: Congress, Government, Senate, China, Supply Chain, Industry, United States, Autos, Automotive Industry, Suppliers, Industry News, United States Senate, News Blog, Trade War, Semiconductor Chips, Semiconductor Shortage