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It has been some time since we last reported on PSA Group's plan to re-enter the U.S. When we last checked in, Peugeot was chosen as the brand to be entering the U.S. by 2023 and rumors were swirling about a possible merger between PSA Group and FCA. A lot has changed since then as the two automakers begin to finalize plans for a merger, and the COVID-19 pandemic has no end in sight in the U.S. What does that mean for Peugeot's return to the U.S.? "My role is to grow the PSA business in North America, growing our mobility capability and preparing for the launch of Peugeot." said Larry Dominique, CEO of PSA North America to Automotive News. "From our standpoint, we're planning as if [the merger] doesn't exist. We're marching forward as if PSA was going to be there by themselves." Dominique is right now focused on the present with the top priority being building out a dealer network for both U.S. and Canada before the launch. He explained that the company is planning a two-prong approach, having franchised dealers and online retailing. "The future success for OEMs is the reduction of distribution costs while ensuring both retail and OEM margin sustainability. This has to be done through strong pricing power, not volume turnover," he said. Part of this is due to COVID-19 pandemic which has many automakers rethinking how they sell vehicles, something Dominique admits is a big challenge. "All my competitors are going to be focusing on digital, which means we have to step up our game and deliver an even stronger customer experience when we launch Peugeot in North America. We need to get out of an environment where the retailers are dependent upon just F&I and service to pay their bills." Another challenge facing Dominique, what models to sell in the U.S. The market has changed a lot since PSA Group announced its intentions to re-enter the U.S. Consumers now are focused on trucks and crossovers. "I don't have a full-sized truck,. But the C and D segments are what's relevant to us. The C and D segments are high volume and important to North America. That's where we're going to focus initially," To us, this hints at the 3008 and 5008 crossovers being some of the first models to be available. Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required) View full article
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Despite COVID-19, PSA Group Still Planning A Return By 2023
William Maley posted an article in Peugeot
It has been some time since we last reported on PSA Group's plan to re-enter the U.S. When we last checked in, Peugeot was chosen as the brand to be entering the U.S. by 2023 and rumors were swirling about a possible merger between PSA Group and FCA. A lot has changed since then as the two automakers begin to finalize plans for a merger, and the COVID-19 pandemic has no end in sight in the U.S. What does that mean for Peugeot's return to the U.S.? "My role is to grow the PSA business in North America, growing our mobility capability and preparing for the launch of Peugeot." said Larry Dominique, CEO of PSA North America to Automotive News. "From our standpoint, we're planning as if [the merger] doesn't exist. We're marching forward as if PSA was going to be there by themselves." Dominique is right now focused on the present with the top priority being building out a dealer network for both U.S. and Canada before the launch. He explained that the company is planning a two-prong approach, having franchised dealers and online retailing. "The future success for OEMs is the reduction of distribution costs while ensuring both retail and OEM margin sustainability. This has to be done through strong pricing power, not volume turnover," he said. Part of this is due to COVID-19 pandemic which has many automakers rethinking how they sell vehicles, something Dominique admits is a big challenge. "All my competitors are going to be focusing on digital, which means we have to step up our game and deliver an even stronger customer experience when we launch Peugeot in North America. We need to get out of an environment where the retailers are dependent upon just F&I and service to pay their bills." Another challenge facing Dominique, what models to sell in the U.S. The market has changed a lot since PSA Group announced its intentions to re-enter the U.S. Consumers now are focused on trucks and crossovers. "I don't have a full-sized truck,. But the C and D segments are what's relevant to us. The C and D segments are high volume and important to North America. That's where we're going to focus initially," To us, this hints at the 3008 and 5008 crossovers being some of the first models to be available. Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required) -
BMW will become the next automaker to drop their diesel offerings in the U.S. Speaking to Green Car Reports, BMW spokesman Alexander Schmuck revealed diesels would be dropped for the 2019 model year for the automaker to focus on plug-in hybrids. "We're putting all our eggs in the PHEV basket," said Schmuck. BMW brought back diesel power in 2008 with the 335d and X5 3.0d that used a turbodiesel inline-six. This would be followed up by a turbodiesel four-cylinder for the 3-Series and X3, along with the inline-six for the 5-Series. But the Volkswagen diesel emission scandal in late 2015, along with stringent emissions testing and standards have caused sales of diesel vehicles to drop. BMW's PHEV lineup is currently comprised of the 330e, 530e, 740e, and X5 xDrive40e. The automaker announced last week the 2021 X5 xDrive45e which boasts a range of 50 miles on electric power only. Source: Green Car Reports View full article
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BMW will become the next automaker to drop their diesel offerings in the U.S. Speaking to Green Car Reports, BMW spokesman Alexander Schmuck revealed diesels would be dropped for the 2019 model year for the automaker to focus on plug-in hybrids. "We're putting all our eggs in the PHEV basket," said Schmuck. BMW brought back diesel power in 2008 with the 335d and X5 3.0d that used a turbodiesel inline-six. This would be followed up by a turbodiesel four-cylinder for the 3-Series and X3, along with the inline-six for the 5-Series. But the Volkswagen diesel emission scandal in late 2015, along with stringent emissions testing and standards have caused sales of diesel vehicles to drop. BMW's PHEV lineup is currently comprised of the 330e, 530e, 740e, and X5 xDrive40e. The automaker announced last week the 2021 X5 xDrive45e which boasts a range of 50 miles on electric power only. Source: Green Car Reports -
PSA Group's decade-long plan of possibly returning to the U.S. continues forward and they are facing their next roadblock, setting up a dealer network. Trying to convince dealers to sell brands that haven't been sold since the early nineties. But the French automaker believes they have a solution, using a tech-centric approach that will be affordable. "We see the high cost of doing this business; we see the challenges that exist in profitability for dealers and OEMs. We believe with the new tools, the new technology, the new customer expectations, there are leaner, more agile ways to do this," said PSA North America chief Larry Dominique to Automotive News. "We need to find a way to reduce our fixed costs. We want people to make a profit selling a new car." A possible strategy could look similar to Hyundai's Shopper Assurance where a customer can do a number of tasks at home such as scheduling a test drive, apply for financing, and complete paperwork. There are things that will benefit from a physical presence such as service and vehicle delivery. Dominique said that he will not be asking those who decide to sell whatever brand PSA Group has in mind to go crazy with building a facility. The bit about making a profit with selling a new vehicle is important here. Data from the National Automobile Dealers Association reveals that new vehicle losses for dealers rose $22 per car in 2015 to $421 in 2017. Used cars got hit worse with dealers losing $2 per car in 2017, from making $132 only three years ago. Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required) View full article
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PSA Group's decade-long plan of possibly returning to the U.S. continues forward and they are facing their next roadblock, setting up a dealer network. Trying to convince dealers to sell brands that haven't been sold since the early nineties. But the French automaker believes they have a solution, using a tech-centric approach that will be affordable. "We see the high cost of doing this business; we see the challenges that exist in profitability for dealers and OEMs. We believe with the new tools, the new technology, the new customer expectations, there are leaner, more agile ways to do this," said PSA North America chief Larry Dominique to Automotive News. "We need to find a way to reduce our fixed costs. We want people to make a profit selling a new car." A possible strategy could look similar to Hyundai's Shopper Assurance where a customer can do a number of tasks at home such as scheduling a test drive, apply for financing, and complete paperwork. There are things that will benefit from a physical presence such as service and vehicle delivery. Dominique said that he will not be asking those who decide to sell whatever brand PSA Group has in mind to go crazy with building a facility. The bit about making a profit with selling a new vehicle is important here. Data from the National Automobile Dealers Association reveals that new vehicle losses for dealers rose $22 per car in 2015 to $421 in 2017. Used cars got hit worse with dealers losing $2 per car in 2017, from making $132 only three years ago. Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required) -
We have heard countless promises and teases from various Chinese automakers about entering the U.S. market. But one automaker appears to be making a serious effort to make it a reality. Last week at the Detroit Auto Show, Guangzhou Automotive Group (GAC) announced that it plans on launching the GS8 SUV in later 2019, and will attend this year's National Automobile Dealers Association convention in March. "We will attend the NADA convention in preparation for entering the North American market in the fourth quarter of 2019," said GAC President Yu Jun. “We will explore all sorts of channels, including partnering” with other dealership groups, he said. “We will also try to build our own dealership network in the future. All of these options are on the table.” GAC has been doing a lot of work behind the scenes preparing to launch in the U.S. They have already opened a technical center in Silicon Valley and is planning on opening a second one in Detroit. The company has also been studying the marketplace and conducting research to measure demand. "They've been doing preparation on the ground, talking to consumers. They've been running clinics to find out what consumers care about. This is the real deal," said Michael Dunne, president of Dunne Automotive Ltd. and an adviser to GAC. But there a number of issues that GAC needs to address. For one, GAC was planning to introduce the Trumpchi brand for the U.S. But given current affairs, the name could be problematic and executives have hinted that a name change could happen. There is also the impression that Chinese-built product doesn't have the same quality as others. GAC could use J.D. Power’s Initial Quality study where it has been the top-scoring Chinese automaker for the past five years. "It looks like they have a good quality product. There is still a stigma of 'made-in-China,' but it's largely a perception issue," said David Sargent, vice president of J.D. Power's global automotive unit. "If you talk to the automakers, they'll say the quality they are getting in China is as good as anywhere else — and sometimes better." But the biggest roadblock that GAC could face is the U.S. Government. Both President Donald Trump and the top U.S. Senate Democrat, Chuck Schumer of New York cited GAC's plans and used this as a launching pad to criticize China's automotive trade rules. China levies a 25 percent tariff on U.S.-built vehicles. The U.S. only slaps a 2.5-percent on Chinese-built vehicles. Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required), 2, Reuters View full article
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GAC Plans 2019 Launch for U.S., But Roadblocks Are Appearing
William Maley posted an article in Automotive Industry
We have heard countless promises and teases from various Chinese automakers about entering the U.S. market. But one automaker appears to be making a serious effort to make it a reality. Last week at the Detroit Auto Show, Guangzhou Automotive Group (GAC) announced that it plans on launching the GS8 SUV in later 2019, and will attend this year's National Automobile Dealers Association convention in March. "We will attend the NADA convention in preparation for entering the North American market in the fourth quarter of 2019," said GAC President Yu Jun. “We will explore all sorts of channels, including partnering” with other dealership groups, he said. “We will also try to build our own dealership network in the future. All of these options are on the table.” GAC has been doing a lot of work behind the scenes preparing to launch in the U.S. They have already opened a technical center in Silicon Valley and is planning on opening a second one in Detroit. The company has also been studying the marketplace and conducting research to measure demand. "They've been doing preparation on the ground, talking to consumers. They've been running clinics to find out what consumers care about. This is the real deal," said Michael Dunne, president of Dunne Automotive Ltd. and an adviser to GAC. But there a number of issues that GAC needs to address. For one, GAC was planning to introduce the Trumpchi brand for the U.S. But given current affairs, the name could be problematic and executives have hinted that a name change could happen. There is also the impression that Chinese-built product doesn't have the same quality as others. GAC could use J.D. Power’s Initial Quality study where it has been the top-scoring Chinese automaker for the past five years. "It looks like they have a good quality product. There is still a stigma of 'made-in-China,' but it's largely a perception issue," said David Sargent, vice president of J.D. Power's global automotive unit. "If you talk to the automakers, they'll say the quality they are getting in China is as good as anywhere else — and sometimes better." But the biggest roadblock that GAC could face is the U.S. Government. Both President Donald Trump and the top U.S. Senate Democrat, Chuck Schumer of New York cited GAC's plans and used this as a launching pad to criticize China's automotive trade rules. China levies a 25 percent tariff on U.S.-built vehicles. The U.S. only slaps a 2.5-percent on Chinese-built vehicles. Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required), 2, Reuters -
NAFTA The latest rounds of the renegotiation talks have started, and they have an emphasis on U.S. demanding new content rules. Just to summarize, the U.S. wants more domestic content, which means NAFTA region countries, and 50% mandatory U.S. content, just to name a few of the changes. This hopefully isn't too political of an issue, it's more to do with how you feel about the rules should be for automakers and their suppliers doing business in America, Canada and Mexico. I think the U.S. demands - on paper, atleast are fair. U.S. is the largest market for autos in NAFTA region. I want to hear more of just how you feel about this issue. Feel free to source links where more of your opinions can be expanded and read more about.
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While the primary focus at PSA Group for the past few months has been purchase of Opel and Vauxhall from General Motors, there has been another project that has been going in the shadows, the return of the French automaker to the U.S. Speaking at the CAR Management Briefing Seminars this week in Traverse City, MI, the CEO of the recently established PSA North America Larry Dominique gave a status update. Back in April, PSA made their first foray into North America with the launch of car-sharing service TravelCar in Los Angeles and San Francisco. The next step is the launch of the Free2Move application into North America. Already launched in Europe, the application allows users to book and pay for a variety of transportation services such as public transit or ride hailing. For Europe, the application has eight different services on offer. Dominique said the app allows PSA Group to "interact with consumers more often than engaging solely in car sales." “We’re going to be starting to engage with millions of Americans. By the time we’re ready to sell cars, selling cars will just be the exclamation point at the end of the sentence,” Dominique told Automotive News on the sidelines. Also in the works is figuring out a dealership with the various services such as financing, servicing, and parts. Building out a dealer network will cost a fair chunk of cash and trying to something different with selling their vehicles is a no go for the time being. “We are looking for progressive, innovative and digital-minded partners,” said Dominique in an effort to reduce costs. “I’m not prepared to talk about how we are going to come to market (in North America) but it will be practical, traditional and use technology.” Dominique is aware of how big of a challenge that he is taking on and they only get one chance to get it right. “We’ve got to be able to do things in a new, innovative way. I don’t have the infrastructure and the legacy in place. We have a chance to do this right once.” Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required), Wards Auto View full article
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PSA's North America CEO Gives An Update On Where They Stand
William Maley posted an article in Automotive Industry
While the primary focus at PSA Group for the past few months has been purchase of Opel and Vauxhall from General Motors, there has been another project that has been going in the shadows, the return of the French automaker to the U.S. Speaking at the CAR Management Briefing Seminars this week in Traverse City, MI, the CEO of the recently established PSA North America Larry Dominique gave a status update. Back in April, PSA made their first foray into North America with the launch of car-sharing service TravelCar in Los Angeles and San Francisco. The next step is the launch of the Free2Move application into North America. Already launched in Europe, the application allows users to book and pay for a variety of transportation services such as public transit or ride hailing. For Europe, the application has eight different services on offer. Dominique said the app allows PSA Group to "interact with consumers more often than engaging solely in car sales." “We’re going to be starting to engage with millions of Americans. By the time we’re ready to sell cars, selling cars will just be the exclamation point at the end of the sentence,” Dominique told Automotive News on the sidelines. Also in the works is figuring out a dealership with the various services such as financing, servicing, and parts. Building out a dealer network will cost a fair chunk of cash and trying to something different with selling their vehicles is a no go for the time being. “We are looking for progressive, innovative and digital-minded partners,” said Dominique in an effort to reduce costs. “I’m not prepared to talk about how we are going to come to market (in North America) but it will be practical, traditional and use technology.” Dominique is aware of how big of a challenge that he is taking on and they only get one chance to get it right. “We’ve got to be able to do things in a new, innovative way. I don’t have the infrastructure and the legacy in place. We have a chance to do this right once.” Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required), Wards Auto -
Ford Finally Confirms That Small Car Production Is Heading To Mexico
William Maley posted an article in Ford
Ford has finally confirmed that it will be moving small car production in the U.S. to Mexico in the next two to three years. This information isn't new as we knew about it a year ago thanks to a new contract with the UAW. We learned that in 2018, the Ranger would be taking up residence at the Michigan Assembly plant, home currently home to the Focus and C-Max. Why is Ford moving small car production to Mexico? It comes down to costs. With low gas prices, consumers are buying up crossovers and trucks at a rapid rate. This means small cars are sitting on dealer lots, costing automakers money. “Every global manufacturer has to determine how it can best create revenue and limit expenses. Small vehicles are the most price-sensitive, so any cost-savings that can be gained offer competitive advantages. Thus moving production to a lower-labor-cost country makes particular economic sense for small cars,” said Jack R. Nerad, executive editorial director and executive market analyst for Kelley Blue Book. It doesn't hurt that labor costs in Mexico are significantly less than those in the U.S. The Detroit News reports that workers earn the equivalent of $8 to $10 an hour, compared to the $29 an hour top-tier workers in the U.S earn. “I don’t think it’s all doom and gloom. It’s a reflection of the shrinking market share for compact cars,” said Dave Sullivan, manager of product analysis for research firm AutoPacific. But you have to wonder if Ford could have handled this better. Especially when Presidental candidate Donald Trump ripped into Ford for this decision, vowing to put a 35 percent tariff on Ford vehicles if elected. Source: The Detroit News -
Ford has finally confirmed that it will be moving small car production in the U.S. to Mexico in the next two to three years. This information isn't new as we knew about it a year ago thanks to a new contract with the UAW. We learned that in 2018, the Ranger would be taking up residence at the Michigan Assembly plant, home currently home to the Focus and C-Max. Why is Ford moving small car production to Mexico? It comes down to costs. With low gas prices, consumers are buying up crossovers and trucks at a rapid rate. This means small cars are sitting on dealer lots, costing automakers money. “Every global manufacturer has to determine how it can best create revenue and limit expenses. Small vehicles are the most price-sensitive, so any cost-savings that can be gained offer competitive advantages. Thus moving production to a lower-labor-cost country makes particular economic sense for small cars,” said Jack R. Nerad, executive editorial director and executive market analyst for Kelley Blue Book. It doesn't hurt that labor costs in Mexico are significantly less than those in the U.S. The Detroit News reports that workers earn the equivalent of $8 to $10 an hour, compared to the $29 an hour top-tier workers in the U.S earn. “I don’t think it’s all doom and gloom. It’s a reflection of the shrinking market share for compact cars,” said Dave Sullivan, manager of product analysis for research firm AutoPacific. But you have to wonder if Ford could have handled this better. Especially when Presidental candidate Donald Trump ripped into Ford for this decision, vowing to put a 35 percent tariff on Ford vehicles if elected. Source: The Detroit News View full article
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BMW offered the last-generation 7-Series with a diesel option in the U.S. and there was talk of offering it again with this current model. But these plans have been taken off the table. German magazine Focus reported last Friday that plans for 7-Series diesel in the U.S. were shelved. This information came from engineers at Bosch. This week, BMW Blog got the official word from BMW. “Currently there are no plans to bring the 7 Series diesel to the US market,” said Hector Arellano-Belloc, BMW NA spokesperson. No official reason was given, but BMW Blog speculates the decision likely comes from the Volkswagen diesel emission scandal. At the present moment, BMW offers four diesel models; 328d, 535d, X3 xDrive28d, X5 xDrive35d. There are questions as to whether BMW will continue to offer a diesel option with the next-generation versions of the models listed. Source: Focus, BMW Blog View full article
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BMW offered the last-generation 7-Series with a diesel option in the U.S. and there was talk of offering it again with this current model. But these plans have been taken off the table. German magazine Focus reported last Friday that plans for 7-Series diesel in the U.S. were shelved. This information came from engineers at Bosch. This week, BMW Blog got the official word from BMW. “Currently there are no plans to bring the 7 Series diesel to the US market,” said Hector Arellano-Belloc, BMW NA spokesperson. No official reason was given, but BMW Blog speculates the decision likely comes from the Volkswagen diesel emission scandal. At the present moment, BMW offers four diesel models; 328d, 535d, X3 xDrive28d, X5 xDrive35d. There are questions as to whether BMW will continue to offer a diesel option with the next-generation versions of the models listed. Source: Focus, BMW Blog -
If there is one thing that we can pull from this latest round of contract negotiations between the Detroit three and the UAW is that amount of car production that will be heading to Mexico. According to a report from Automotive News, Ford and Fiat Chrysler Automobile will have moved production of most of their mass-market vehicles from the U.S. to Mexico. General Motors will be the only Detroit automaker who is keeping some sort of production of their compact and midsize cars. Why the shift to Mexico? It comes down to what vehicles make money for the three automakers. Currently, pickups and SUVs carry a much higher profit margin than cars. "You can afford to pay a little more when you're making trucks, but the structural change in the industry has been so huge that I was kind of surprised by that -- trucks here and cars in Mexico," said Dave Cole, chairman emeritus of the Center for Automotive Research. But some point out this change in production could put the Detroit three in a situation they found themselves back in the early 2000's with sales of SUVs dropping due to the increase in gas prices. Models that will be moving to Mexico include the Chrysler 200, Dodge Dart, and Ford Fusion. Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required) View full article
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Detroit Three's Car Production Will Move to Mexico
William Maley posted an article in Automotive Industry
If there is one thing that we can pull from this latest round of contract negotiations between the Detroit three and the UAW is that amount of car production that will be heading to Mexico. According to a report from Automotive News, Ford and Fiat Chrysler Automobile will have moved production of most of their mass-market vehicles from the U.S. to Mexico. General Motors will be the only Detroit automaker who is keeping some sort of production of their compact and midsize cars. Why the shift to Mexico? It comes down to what vehicles make money for the three automakers. Currently, pickups and SUVs carry a much higher profit margin than cars. "You can afford to pay a little more when you're making trucks, but the structural change in the industry has been so huge that I was kind of surprised by that -- trucks here and cars in Mexico," said Dave Cole, chairman emeritus of the Center for Automotive Research. But some point out this change in production could put the Detroit three in a situation they found themselves back in the early 2000's with sales of SUVs dropping due to the increase in gas prices. Models that will be moving to Mexico include the Chrysler 200, Dodge Dart, and Ford Fusion. Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required) -
Ever since Ford ended production of the Ranger in the U.S. in 2011, many have been clamoring for the blue oval to bring the Ranger sold elsewhere to the U.S. But Ford has said no since the current Ranger since the new model is close in size to the F-150, and would be very close in terms of pricing. But the blue oval could be changing that. The Detroit News has learned from sources that Ford wants to resurrect the Ranger pickup and build it at the Michigan Assembly Plant. Sources explained that Ford and the UAW are currently in contract talks, with one of the items being bringing the Ranger to the U.S. for the production. Now this will need to be agreed by the UAW and then Ford’s board of directors. Now bringing the Ranger over to the U.S. would allow Ford to take advantage of a marketplace that seems interested in mid-size trucks again - thank the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Colorado. “There’s a real hunger for midsize trucks right now. Once upon a time, there were a lot of midsize trucks in this market. The ones that are available are cashing in on the demand,” said Karl Brauer, senior analyst for Kelley Blue Book. Bringing the Ranger to the U.S. would also solve the problem of what would be built at the Michigan Assembly plant. As we reported last month, Ford will be moving Focus and C-Max production from Michigan Assembly to a new plant, most likely Mexico. Source: The Detroit News -
Ever since Ford ended production of the Ranger in the U.S. in 2011, many have been clamoring for the blue oval to bring the Ranger sold elsewhere to the U.S. But Ford has said no since the current Ranger since the new model is close in size to the F-150, and would be very close in terms of pricing. But the blue oval could be changing that. The Detroit News has learned from sources that Ford wants to resurrect the Ranger pickup and build it at the Michigan Assembly Plant. Sources explained that Ford and the UAW are currently in contract talks, with one of the items being bringing the Ranger to the U.S. for the production. Now this will need to be agreed by the UAW and then Ford’s board of directors. Now bringing the Ranger over to the U.S. would allow Ford to take advantage of a marketplace that seems interested in mid-size trucks again - thank the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Colorado. “There’s a real hunger for midsize trucks right now. Once upon a time, there were a lot of midsize trucks in this market. The ones that are available are cashing in on the demand,” said Karl Brauer, senior analyst for Kelley Blue Book. Bringing the Ranger to the U.S. would also solve the problem of what would be built at the Michigan Assembly plant. As we reported last month, Ford will be moving Focus and C-Max production from Michigan Assembly to a new plant, most likely Mexico. Source: The Detroit News View full article
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With the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon heading into showrooms in a few months, we've haven't heard anything from Nissan or Toyota about what they have in store for their next-generation midsize trucks. But that has changed for one automaker. The Truth About Cars has heard some information about what's in store for the next-generation Frontier. A supplier source has told them that Nissan will be using the new Navara truck as the base for the next-generation truck. Previously, Nissan was going to use bones of the first-generation Frontier (D22 platform) for their next-generation truck. The reason for this is that the company saw a possible chance for the affordable, fuel-efficient compact truck to make a return. However, Nissan's engineers weren't able to bring the truck to modern safety standards and the costs to make it modern were too much. Using the Navara as a base will give Nissan a truck that can meet modern safety standards and be able to come with a range of different engines, including a diesel of some sort. The downside of using the Navara platform is that it's too expensive for what Nissan is looking for, so a number of features and content will be removed for the U.S. market. Nissan Mexico will be in charge of working on this new truck and will go on sale in 2018. Source: The Truth About Cars, 2 William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at william.maley@cheersandgears.com or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster. -
With the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon heading into showrooms in a few months, we've haven't heard anything from Nissan or Toyota about what they have in store for their next-generation midsize trucks. But that has changed for one automaker. The Truth About Cars has heard some information about what's in store for the next-generation Frontier. A supplier source has told them that Nissan will be using the new Navara truck as the base for the next-generation truck. Previously, Nissan was going to use bones of the first-generation Frontier (D22 platform) for their next-generation truck. The reason for this is that the company saw a possible chance for the affordable, fuel-efficient compact truck to make a return. However, Nissan's engineers weren't able to bring the truck to modern safety standards and the costs to make it modern were too much. Using the Navara as a base will give Nissan a truck that can meet modern safety standards and be able to come with a range of different engines, including a diesel of some sort. The downside of using the Navara platform is that it's too expensive for what Nissan is looking for, so a number of features and content will be removed for the U.S. market. Nissan Mexico will be in charge of working on this new truck and will go on sale in 2018. Source: The Truth About Cars, 2 William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at william.maley@cheersandgears.com or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster. View full article
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If you happen to plan on seeing Transformers 4 at the theater, you should pay close attention to the scenes in China as some of those vehicles could be making their way to the U.S. Guangzhou Automobile Group Co Ltd. (GAC) which has some of their Trumpchi vehicles in the film is planning on sending them to the U.S. as early as next year. "Our sponsorship of Transformers 4 will help more overseas dealers and consumers know about our cars and over the long run it will greatly contribute to our branding. We want to start exporting to the U.S. as quickly as possible and I am confident that they will find our Trumpchi cars competitive," said Wu Song, chief of the Trumpchi brand. The first model destined for the U.S. is the Trumpchi GS5 SUV. In China, the model is offered with a 2.0L four-cylinder with 145 horsepower and 138 pound-feet of torque or a 1.8L turbocharged four with 174 horsepower and 175 pound-feet. Either engine can be paired with a five-speed manual or automatic, and either front- or all-wheel drive. Source: Automotive News China (Subscription Required) William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at william.maley@cheersandgears.com or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster. -
If you happen to plan on seeing Transformers 4 at the theater, you should pay close attention to the scenes in China as some of those vehicles could be making their way to the U.S. Guangzhou Automobile Group Co Ltd. (GAC) which has some of their Trumpchi vehicles in the film is planning on sending them to the U.S. as early as next year. "Our sponsorship of Transformers 4 will help more overseas dealers and consumers know about our cars and over the long run it will greatly contribute to our branding. We want to start exporting to the U.S. as quickly as possible and I am confident that they will find our Trumpchi cars competitive," said Wu Song, chief of the Trumpchi brand. The first model destined for the U.S. is the Trumpchi GS5 SUV. In China, the model is offered with a 2.0L four-cylinder with 145 horsepower and 138 pound-feet of torque or a 1.8L turbocharged four with 174 horsepower and 175 pound-feet. Either engine can be paired with a five-speed manual or automatic, and either front- or all-wheel drive. Source: Automotive News China (Subscription Required) William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at william.maley@cheersandgears.com or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster. View full article
