Industry

The Volkswagen Group has ruled out selling Ducati following strong opposition from the Italian motorcycle brand’s labor union, FIOM CIGL. Ducati CEO Claudio Domenicali made the announcement to staff on Friday, union representative Bruno Papignani confirmed to Bloomberg. Helping to sway the...

While Europe’s major automakers have been quick to jump on the electric car bandwagon, automakers in other regions have so far been more reserved. The tide is slowly changing, though, as evidenced by General Motors’ announcement on Monday it will launch 20 electric cars by 2023. And the...

Volkswagen doesn’t quite have the same reputation for dependability as some of its rivals, an issue only worsened by the diesel scandal. The automaker is keen to change perceptions, though. That’s why it announced on Friday a new 6-year/72,000-mile (whichever comes first) People First...

The VW Group for years has been mulling whether to launch a low-cost brand to challenge the Renault Nissan Mitsubishi Alliance’s successful Dacia brand as well as some popular emerging market brands such as India’s Tata and several offerings from China. The biggest hurdle remains...

Automakers often tout “mobility services” as a potential source of future growth. It’s easy to see car- and ride-sharing services fitting in with the portfolio of mobility services but there are many more possibilities. Mercedes-Benz, or more specifically Mercedes-Benz Vans, is...

Zhejiang Geely Holding Group in May agreed to purchase 51 percent of Lotus, giving the Chinese automaker a sports car brand to sit alongside its other brands which include the likes of Volvo, Lynk & Co. and Geely. Geely Holding on Friday closed the deal which sees the remaining 49 percent of...

Former Porsche R&D chief Wolfgang Hatz who stepped down in the wake of the diesel scandal afflicting the Volkswagen Group has been arrested in Germany as part of an investigation into the scandal by local prosecutors, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters on Thursday. German business...

Ford has partnered with ride-sharing company Lyft to help accelerate the rollout of a fully self-driving taxi service. It’s a goal a number of firms spanning the automotive, ride-share and tech industries are chasing, and this has led to several partnerships like the one between Ford and...

British household appliance firm Dyson’s claim to fame may be a bagless vacuum cleaner, but in the not too distant future we may also associate the company with cars. In an email sent to Dyson employees on Tuesday, founder and chief engineer James Dyson confirmed plans for an electric car to...

Volvo on Monday confirmed it will add XC90 production to its new plant being constructed just outside of Charleston, South Carolina. The first model to be produced at the plant which becomes operational in the fall of 2018 will be the next-generation S60. XC90 production will start in 2021. By...

Automakers go to great lengths to make their cars stand out, but surprisingly they do very little to make the actual ownership experience pleasant. Typically, it’s the exclusive responsibility of the dealership or third-party firms to look after the customer. Volvo is introducing a new model...

For the past few years, some of the most solid investments a person could make were in classic cars. From 2012 onward, the value of vintage models has skyrocketed to heights the market has never seen before. But, nothing lasts forever. The most recent report on the state of collectible items shows...

Two major movements occurred this week on the alternative-propulsion front. First, Croatian firm Rimac, responsible for the insane Concept_One supercar, announced Chinese battery manufacturer Camel Group has invested $36 million into its future operations. Second, Bosch announced it will join...

Mercedes-Benz will spend $1 billion in its Tuscaloosa, Alabama assembly plant to build batteries and electric SUVs, the German automaker confirmed Thursday as part of the 20th anniversary celebration for its U.S. plant. The electric SUV is scheduled for early next decade. The plans call for a new...

It seems there’s been another major change in Fiat Chrysler Automobile’s planning, one that, if true, will undoubtedly cause further delays in the redesign of several key models. According to Automotive News (subscription required), FCA has ditched plans to base the next-generation...

Tesla may have pushed back the reveal of its electric semi-trailer truck to October, but German auto giant Daimler is moving full-speed ahead with its own electric truck plans. This week Daimler, which owns the Mercedes-Benz and Smart car brands as well as the Freightliner and Western Star truck...

The automotive alliance that consists of French automaker Renault together with Nissan and Mitsubishi, plus their respective brands, has branded itself the Renault Nissan Mitsubishi Alliance. And on Friday, Carlos Ghosn, who serves as chairman and CEO, laid out the new strategy “Alliance...

Hyundai Motor Group is boosting its arsenal of top designers by adding Belgian Pierre Leclercq to its ranks. Leclercq will fill the new role of Head of Styling for Kia, where he will be in charge of shaping the long-term design strategy for the brand. He’s also been tasked with ensuring...

China could soon join the United Kingdom and France in pledging to ban the sale of cars powered solely by an internal combustion engine. Unlike the U.K. and France which have set 2040 as a deadline, China is still deciding on its own date. German Chancellor Angela Merkel also recently revealed that...

While some automakers have plenty of expertise in electric powertrains, others haven't entered the realm. Bosch is hoping automakers will see past developing their own electric powertrain technology and fancy a ready-to-use unit instead. The automotive supplier has revealed its off-the-shelf...