News

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating a potential problem with an airbag indicator light installed in 749,312 vehicles made by General Motors Co. that may prevent the bags from deploying in accidents. The agency, according to documents posted on its website, has begun a preliminary evaluation after receiving 15 consumer complaints on

Did you know that Bentley has already claimed the Production SUV and Production Car records at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb? If not, consider the knowledge dropped. Now that you’re up to speed, here’s the Bentley Continental GT3 Pikes Peak, a modified Continental GT3 racer that burns biofuel and looks like a grand tourer

The court-approved monitor overseeing Prime Automotive Group majority owner GPB Capital Holdings Inc. for the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is recommending that he remain in place for six months. Joseph Gardemal, managing director at consulting firm Alvarez & Marsal Holdings, said that after meeting with the U.S. regulator and GPB management, he suggests “continuation

Honda Odyssey Full Overview Dear Honda Manufacturing of Alabama employees, Just a quick note to let you know that your 2021 Honda Odyssey EX-L (VIN ending in 7577) has arrived safe and sound, thanks to your colleagues at America Honda Motor Company and the folks at Scott Robinson Honda in Torrance, California. Thanks for painting

Intel Corp.’s Mobileye has teamed with four-year-old Silicon Valley startup Udelv in an effort to put automated electric delivery vehicles into service in the U.S. by 2023, the companies said on Monday. Mobileye is supplying a fully automated driving system for Udelv’s new Transporter, a boxy electric shuttle without seats or cockpit that is designed

See all 7 photos The new tech is available exclusively in Japan for the moment, but a form of this new system will arrive on U.S.-market, all-wheel-drive Lexus LS sedans this fall under the “Lexus Teammate” label. Here, Teammate-equipped LSs will feature an advanced form of lane keep assist, along with hands-off acceleration, braking, and

DETROIT — Ford. Lincoln. Bronco. Even before the new Bronco goes on sale, some dealers are planning to turn the SUV and its offshoots into essentially a third brand for Ford Motor Co. by adding dedicated showrooms. It’s an idea originated by dealers, not a top-down edict from the factory. At their request, Ford created

Genesis is making headlines recently. From the unfortunate crash that Tiger Woods suffered in a GV80 to the new GV70 compact crossover and X coupe concept, the Korean luxury brand seemingly can’t avoid the spotlight. And there’s more coming, too. Rumor has it that an electric GV70 is right around the corner (likely dubbed eGV70). There’s also

In the battle for talent, a small automaker has pulled out the big guns. Starting this month, Volvo Cars is providing six months of paid parental leave to its employees, including factory workers, globally. The benefit sets a benchmark for the auto industry in the U.S. and gives the Swedish automaker a competitive edge in

On March 6, Elon Musk tweeted about adding a “Download Beta” on-screen button to Tesla cars’ touchscreens “in 10 days.” While the button is stuck in limbo on the flow of EMT (Elon’s Master Time), the Tesla CEO also disclosed that the next big software release for the automaker’s vehicles will be in April, so

Two South Korean electric-vehicle battery makers reached a last-minute settlement in a bitter U.S. trade dispute, said people familiar with the deal, sparing President Joe Biden from choosing between undermining intellectual property rights or dealing a politically toxic blow to his climate agenda. SK Innovation Co. agreed to settle with its Seoul-based rival LG Energy

We’ve been told that our cars must change, that they pollute and maim … and this can no longer be; Congress and DOT have decreed it. Some believe that this is only a phase we’re going through, that it, like all things, must pass. In our hearts, though, we know that it’s true and it

Jason Trevisan took over the top role at vehicle-listings company CarGurus shortly after the year began. The former finance chief, who succeeds company founder Langley Steinert as CEO, will steer CarGurus through the continuing pandemic while also expanding beyond its core listings business with new retail and wholesale tools — most recently, with the acquisition

Ford CEO Jim Farley was a champion of the idea of creating sub-brands around iconic Blue Oval nameplates, starting with Mustang and Bronco. With those models’ early success seeing their names spread beyond their core original Mustang and Bronco models, Farley thinks there is room to expand the concept to more nameplates. “We have so

WASHINGTON — General Motors will cancel some truck production shifts this weekend at two U.S. auto plants because of the ongoing semiconductor shortage, the company said on Friday. The largest U.S. automaker is canceling scheduled overtime production for Saturday at its Fort Wayne Assembly plant in Indiana and canceling a Friday night shift as well as

We love the classic Chevrolet 454 SS, but even the staunchest fans will admit that the other muscle trucks of the day—Ford’s F-150 Lightning, the smaller but wilder GMC Syclone—had it beat on actual muscle. Sure, putting the biggest engine in the lightest body style is a time-honored formula, but the torquey 454 truck motor

Uber Technologies Inc. and Lyft Inc. are spending millions of dollars to provide drivers with access to COVID-19 vaccines and offering tens of millions of free or discounted rides to vaccination sites for people in communities that lack access to transportation and healthcare services. The effort is both public-spirited, and self-interested. Ride-hailing demand is ramping

Porsche 718 Cayman Full Overview Perked up yet, Porsche purists? It’s another game of PDK versus manual, with the former now offered in the 2021 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 and Boxster Spyder for the first time. Pick one, pick both—you’re a winner either way. But how much of a winner are you? Let’s run down

The Center for Automotive Research plans to go forward with the annual Management Briefing Seminars as a hybrid event in early August, forgoing the virtual format it used last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Ann Arbor, Mich.-based nonprofit research group has seminars scheduled Wednesday, Aug. 4, and Thursday, Aug. 5, 2021. As always,

Hate it or love it, the controversial Tesla Cybertruck will begin production later this year, and Tesla is currently taking reservations that require a $100 down payment. (That is, Tesla’s says the Cybertruck is coming—but maybe don’t hold it to 2021—what with the company’s history of missing big new model introduction timelines.) Either way, the Cybertruck

DETROIT — General Motors will restart production next week at its midsize-pickup plant in Wentzville, Mo., after a two-week hiatus because of the global microchip shortage, but the automaker plans to pause or limit production at six other North America plants this month. “We continue to work closely with our supply base to find solutions

Honda Civic Type R Full Overview When we first drove the 2021 Honda Civic Type R Limited Edition, we reported that the seemingly small list of upgrades made a huge difference in how the car drove. Are the differences really big enough to quantify? We took the short-run special to the racetrack to find out,

In a tightening horse race, Mercedes-Benz returned to the front in luxury segment sales for the first quarter, powered by strong demand for its luxury crossovers. But its lead has narrowed from a year earlier. In the first quarter of 2020, Mercedes was in first place with a comfortable 11,400-vehicle distance from the segment’s third-place

Toyota Highlander Full Overview The Toyota Highlander is known for being a reliable, good-looking three-row SUV, but among the list of adjectives used to describe it, sporty is not on our list. New for 2021 is the Highlander XSE, which swaps its elegant lines for a more dynamic appearance. With a unique grille, fascia, lower

Self-driving truck startup TuSimple Holdings Inc. said on Wednesday it was targeting a valuation of more than $8 billion in its U.S. initial public offering. TuSimple is the third company to announce plans to raise more than a billion dollars through share sales on Wednesday, as companies continue to tap into the red-hot U.S. IPO

Nissan Kicks Full Overview Consumer hunger for crossovers of all shapes and sizes has led automakers to respond to the demand by filling every niche imaginable with vehicles aimed to serve specific purposes. The Nissan Kicks is one such vehicle that does battle in the subcompact crossover segment, which contains nearly 20 vehicles. We spent

Shares of lidar sensor startup Innoviz rose on Tuesday, its first day trading as a public company. The Tel Aviv, Israel-based firm is developing the sensors, which help self-driving vehicles gain a 3D view of the road. The company has a partnership with BMW to sell the automaker its first generation of sensors, which cost around $1,000. Innoviz

Jeep Wrangler Full Overview If we told you there’s a new vehicle on the block with an output of 470 horsepower and 470 lb-ft of torque from a 392-cubic-inch V-8, a zero-to-60-mph time of 4.5 seconds, a quarter-mile time of 13 seconds, and that it’s an all-wheel-drive convertible, would you guess we’re talking about a

Dealership owner Bernie Moreno is entering the race for one of Ohio’s seats in the U.S. Senate, the Cleveland-area businessman said Tuesday. Moreno, 54, is vying for the GOP nomination to succeed Sen. Rob Portman, a Republican who announced in January that he will not seek reelection. Portman’s term expires in 2022. “For me, it’s

You know Ken Block, Hoonigan, the Gymkhana series—and Block’s long relationship with Ford. As of this year, that relationship has come to an end. It’s not clear what brand relationship is next for Block, or whether there is one, but it does mean that there are apparently a few Fords that won’t be part of