Volkswagen Is Reportedly Removing Its Design ChiefULI_SONNTAG/VW Volkswagen will replace its current design chief Jozef Kaban, Automotive News Europe’s affiliate Automobilwoche reports. The designer’s work reportedly hasn’t impressed new VW CEO Thomas Schaefer, and as a result, he’ll reportedly be replaced by Bentley design boss Andreas Mindt. Kaban has been the head of Volkswagen design…
Category: Automotive News
Toyota predicts $50,000-plus average new-car price this year
Top executives at Toyota’s North American operations anticipate new-vehicle average transaction prices will break the $50,000 barrier and continue to rise, that demand will outstrip supply again this year even as the supply chain recovers and that there now may be as many as 6 million potential new-vehicle buyers sidelined by inventory and pricing. Speaking…
Ford recalls: 1.3M Fusions, Lincoln MKZs called back for brakes
Ford is also recalling about 280,000 F-150 pickups globally from the 2021 model year, according to a separate recall report made public Thursday. The recall covers about 222,000 vehicles in the US, 50,000 in Canada and 2,000 in Mexico, Ford said. The windshield wiper arms on those vehicles may break, reducing visibility in certain conditions…
Cox Automotive wields ax as it reviews Canadian operations
Cox Automotive is laying off 80 staff in Canada and closing its Manheim Edmonton auction operation as it re-evaluates its Canadian footprint following the sale of much of its software business in the country late last year. Matt Trapp, Cox’s regional vice-president for the eastern United States and Canada, said the company has spent the…
ABB Robotics to invest $20M, add 72 jobs in suburban Detroit
Zurich-based robotics giant ABB is planning to invest $20 million and create 72 jobs at its Auburn Hills, Michigan, plant in response to the growth of automation in the automotive industry and others. The company will increase robot production at its 538,000-square-foot building, adding new equipment to its manufacturing space and renovating its offices and…
Guide to Windshield Replacement in Arizona
Many drivers think they will be perfectly safe driving around with a crack or chip in their windshield, this often isn’t the case. Any obstruction in the windshield can result in unsafe driving conditions and could ultimately cause an accident. Because chips and cracks are prone to spreading over time, especially when exposed to the…
Lithia Motors buys UK dealership group Jardine Motors
Jardine Motors has more than 40 new-vehicle franchise points in the UK, with a portfolio of luxury brands including Aston Martin, Porsche and BMW, DeBoer said. Part of the conglomerate Jardine Matheson Holdings, Jardine is Europe’s 23rd-largest dealership group by annual revenue, according to Automotive News Europe’s 2022 Guide to Europe’s Biggest Dealers. The deal…
29 Ford dealers leave EV program after changes
A Ford spokesperson said the company was still pleased with the figures. “It is important that dealers have the option to do what they believe is best for their business and their customers for the 2024-2026 period,” the spokesperson said in a statement. “As we continue to scale our EV volumes, our second enrollment period…