by Paul A. Eisenstein | Jun 1, 2020
Sometimes we need to go back and check our notes, as was the case when we learned Lexus was getting ready to reveal the next-generation IS sedan June 9. Yep, it turns out, it’s been a full seven years since the last version rolled into showrooms so, if anything, it’s...
by Michael Strong | Jun 1, 2020
Automakers around the globe are finalizing the count on how many vehicles they sold in May and South Korean automakers Hyundai Motor Co. and Kia Motors said its initial results showed their global sales fell by double-digit percentages. Hyundai report its sales fell...
by Michael Strong | May 29, 2020
Volkswagen AG is betting big – more than $2 billion – that the Chinese electric vehicle market – the largest in the world – will rebound, leading to growth for its burgeoning line-up of electric vehicles and ultimately to more profits. The German automaker announced...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | May 28, 2020
The Memorial Day weekend is always a big one for the U.S. auto industry and was expected to be particularly strong this year, the industry anticipating a surge in demand thanks to hefty incentives and the end of pandemic lockdowns in much of the country. The problem...
by Michael Strong | May 28, 2020
When the next Spider-Man movie comes out in 2021 don’t be surprised if Peter Parker uses Smart Park to nestle his Sonata into a spot a la John Krasinski in the automaker’s Super Bowl commercial before meeting Mary Jane Parker somewhere. Sony Pictures Entertainment and...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | May 28, 2020
While more and more automakers have been writing off their sedan lines, Acura sees the new 2021 TLX as critical to its future, even if it won’t match the sales numbers of SUV models like the RDX and MDX. In what has become the norm during the pandemic era, the...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | May 28, 2020
Nissan reported a $6.2 billion loss for the fiscal year that ended on March 31, its first full-year deficit in 11 years and a signal to analysts that the automaker will face substantial headwinds as it launches its second turnaround plan since it was embroiled in...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | May 27, 2020
After months of decline, shares of the three automakers forming the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance surged sharply on global exchanges Wednesday. Shareholders signaled their satisfaction with plans to save the long-running partnership that had been teetering on...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | May 27, 2020
Among the potential losers from the coronavirus pandemic, mass transportation systems have seen a plunge in ridership, as have ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft. And recent studies by Capgemini, IBM and others suggest they may continue to lose customers even...
by Joseph Szczesny | May 27, 2020
New vehicle sales are expected to drop by almost a third in May, dragged down by the collapse of fleet sales highlighted by the recent bankruptcy by Hertz. ALG Inc., a subsidiary of TrueCar Inc., expects new vehicle sales will reach 1.008 million units in May 2020,...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | May 26, 2020
(This story has been updated with additional technical details and photos.) In the current automotive market – even before the coronavirus struck – it was becoming ever easier to ignore sedans, coupes and convertibles and focus on SUVs and CUVs. That might be true on...
by Michael Strong | May 26, 2020
BMW is a study in extremes these days. Just a week after it debuts a big, high-powered SUV, it rolls out a sedan. Not just any sedan, though. The Bavarian automaker’s taken the covers off its seventh-gen BMW 5 Series line-up, including a new mild-hybrid upgrade for...
