Aston Martin Premiers Electric Model With Standalone Potential

At the Geneva Motor Show, Aston Martin wowed showgoers by revealing the Lagonda Vision Concept, an all-electric car concept that looks to be the core behind the European automaker’s all-electric brand. Lagonda will be used to design Aston Martin’s electric vehicles in years to come, which may launch first in an all-electric SUV. Aston Martin CEO Andy Palmer told the press that Aston Martin has “probably got a gasoline engine and it’s probably got a V-configuration,” while describing Lagonda as “100 per cent electric.”   Aston Martin seems to think that, largely, the business, sale and naming of electric cars is a confusing matter. So, it’s going about things a bit differently by possibly just creating a standalone electric brand for itself. The company showed off the Lagonda Vision Concept at this year’s Geneva Motor Show as a design study for upcoming models. Yet, Auto Express has reason to believe that the Lagonda won’t just be a model, it’ll be Aston Martin’s standalone electric car brand. And that the first of the Lagonda brand will be an SUV called the Varekai. Click Here to Continue Reading

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Kia Motors Loses Lawsuit Over Unpaid Wages

The Seoul Central District Court in South Korea has ruled against Kia Motors in a lawsuit regarding unpaid overtime wages and the definition of what is part of a worker’s salary. The court sided with Kia’s labor union that bonuses are included in “ordinary wages,” which are used to calculate overtime pay and other benefits of the job. Kia is appealing to the Korean Supreme Court and is setting aside money in the event that they are forced to recompense workers the difference in wages.   SEOUL In a decision with implications for the South Korean economy as a whole, the Seoul Central District Court ruled in favor of Kia Motors employees demanding what they claimed were unpaid wages. The court basically upheld the labor union's argument that bonuses are included in so-called ordinary wages, which are used as the basis for calculating overtime pay and other allowances. The Aug. 31 ruling could lead to higher labor costs for other companies operating in South Korea, both domestic and foreign, if they, too, are forced to alter their wage structures. The court ordered Kia to pay 422.3 billion won ($376 million) in unpaid wages. The company's labor union welcomed the ruling in a statement the same day, saying it "will help to improve the workers' lives." Click Here to Continue Reading

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Cadillac XT4 Due to Make a Splash at New York Auto Show

Cadillac has been lingering on the sides of the luxury SUV battle for many years, while rival automakers lap up profits from the lucrative market. It has been years since the Escalade, which was the defining vehicle for the General Motors luxury flagship, but the market has since changed. But at the New York Auto Show, Cadillac will be debuting the XT4, a luxury crossover which will hopefully spring the maker back into the center of the marketplace.   The Cadillac Escalade, a full-size luxury sport utility vehicle, sparked a renaissance for Cadillac a decade ago. Today, rivals print money from a boom in SUV and truck sales, while General Motors' high-end brand is left mostly on the sidelinesCadillac dealer Will Churchill of Frank Kent Cadillac in Fort Worth, Texas, said the situation is tough to witness."We have four cars in the fastest-shrinking segment in the industry, and only two in the fastest growing," Churchill told CNBC. "It is amazing we are selling as well as we are.""It is highly frustrating when all your luxury competitors are doing big things," he said. "The SUVs we have are selling well, we just don't have enough of them."Churchill knows Cadillac SUVs will sell. He saw it happen with the Escalade, which went into production in the late 1990s. In fact, that vehicle was crucial to Cadillac's success at that time."Without the Escalade, I don't know where we would be as a brand," he said.But, finally, plans are taking shape. In late March, Cadillac will unveil a new, heavily hyped luxury crossover called the XT4, marking the start of an extensive and long-awaited reinvention of Cadillac's global vehicle portfolio. Click Here to Continue Reading

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Mercedes-Benz C-Class Shows Off New Styles

After wowing the world with its C-Class four-door, Mercedes-Benz showed off the fun, two-door sides of its premier luxury compact vehicle. The C-Class Coupe and Cabriolet will come stock with a 255 horsepower engine (up 14 HP from the last version), and the Mercedes-AMG version will have a 385 horsepower 3-liter V-6 engine, up 23 horsepower from the last iteration. Also new on this version is a fresh bumper design and “ultra wide” beam LED head- and taillights.   Mercedes-Benz has already shown the serious version of its C-Class compact car. For the New York Auto Show, it's ready to have a little two-door fun. It's the world premiere of the C-Class coupe and convertible, which have new looks and more powerful engines. The C-Class coupe and cabriolet — what Mercedes calls a drop top — will come with a turbocharged 2-liter 4-cylinder engine that produces 255 horsepower, up 14 horsepower from the previous version. In the Mercedes-AMG performance version, there will be a 3-liter V-6 engine with 385 horsepower, a 23-horsepower increase. The vehicle's appearance is defined in particular by its front and tail end and the design of the headlamps and taillamps. As for styling, there's a new bumper design and LED headlights and taillights. The LEDS have what Mercedes call an "ultra wide" beam. The model goes on sale later this year. Click Here to Continue Reading

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Small SUVs Big at NY Auto Show and US Markets

The name of the game in the US auto market is “compact SUVs and crossovers,” and many car makers are eager to score big in that game. Cadillac is gearing up to explode with its big XT4 reveal in a pre-show party, and while many of the big makers have already fired their warning shots in the market at the Geneva Motor Show, Acura, Lincoln, Lexus, and even Volkswagen have great challenges to the market champions.   Cadillac has long wanted to own New York as its spiritual home. It’s fitting, therefore, that next week’s New York International Auto Show will host the brand’s biggest effort to shine this year. Cadillac will unveil the XT4 Tuesday, March 27 at an exclusive pre-show party. The tiny crossover will share the same platform as the Chevrolet Malibu and will be among the first to utilize Cadillac’s forthcoming hybrid and electric technologies. The XT4 will undoubtedly make a splash. The glitzier brands that would normally steal Caddy’s thunder—Aston Martin, Bentley, Ferrari, McLaren and even Volvo’s new Polestar, among others—showed everything they’ve got weeks ago at the Geneva Motor Show. Click Here to Continue Reading

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A Couple Crazy Guys Make a Nearly Impossible Trip on Some Honda Groms

Two Scandinavian fellas have used their Honda Groms to do a 2000-mile journey that took them from the bottom of Sweden, through all of Denmark, to the top of some Norwegian mountains and back again. While it’s a crazy trip in and of itself, what makes it really crazy is that these little Honda motorcycles only have 9hp. Seriously. Watch the video of their adventure below.

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Where Food Prep and the Auto Industry Meet – Improving Smoked Foods

While smoked food is undeniably delicious, it seems doing that to your meats can lead to some harmful carcinogens to build up in those tasty, tasty cuts. Apparently, some researchers have discovered a way to not only minimize those harmful elements, but make the meat taste even better! Bet you didn’t think your food would be getting an upgrade any time soon from your favorite cars, we sure didn’t. Infusing foods with smoke can impart delicious nuanced flavors, but could also come with an unwelcome side of carcinogens. To reduce the carcinogen content of smoked foods, researchers took a lesson from the automobile industry, running the smoke through a zeolite filter to remove harmful compounds. It worked, and with a happy bonus: superior smoke flavor."The smoking process can cause carcinogens to form in foods. Not all smoked foods are dangerous, but we do know most can contain low levels of these substances, so we should try to remove them. If we could produce a smoke with fewer carcinogens, but that still has the same great taste, that would be ideal," says Jane K. Parker, Ph.D., leader of the study. "Zeolite filters, which are put in a tailpipe, have been used in the car industry to reduce environmental pollutants, but they haven't been applied to food yet. We want to change that." Click  Here to Read More

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Mercedes Benz Takes Workplace Design to a New Level

Despite some of the best vehicles on the road being new and used Mercedes Benz models, one of the best bits of engineering having to do with this German auto manufacturer these days has more to do with the literal work they’re doing than the cars themselves. There newest headquarters is really a thing of beauty.   If you were connected enough to secure an invite to the grand opening of the Mercedes-Benz USA headquarters in Sandy Springs, Georgia, in suburban Atlanta, you are probably sitting at your desk like this writer thinking of ways to update your current office and workspace. Small enhancements can make a big difference but good luck trying to match this experience.The 200,000 square foot glass building, which cost more than $93 million to build, will house 1,000 employees moving from their original headquarters in Montvale, New Jersey, and from its temporary headquarters in Dunwoody, Georgia.The building was designed from the inside out based on the needs of employees, according to Dietmar Exler, president and CEO at Mercedes-Benz USA. It embodies the cultural change of the company. “Every floor is designed to drive collaboration…” Click Here to Continue Reading

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Infiniti Proves to be Better than Other Manufacturers

If you have ever driven an Infiniti, you already know just how great a ride these vehicles can offer. That being said, it isn’t really that much of a suprise that Infiniti has been named the top brand in the 2018 J.D. Power Customer Service Index. Even among other premium (luxury) car companies, it scored 14 points higher than the average premium manufacturer. Likewise, Infiniti also received the highest marks in every category - maybe it’s time to consider getting a used Infiniti to take advantage of driving a car from such a great brand (without having to pay those new-car-off-the-lot prices).   INFINITI earned top honors, taking the No. 1 spot industry-wide in the J.D. Power 2018 Customer Service Index (CSI) Study. Overall, INFINITI achieved a CSI score of 876 on a 1,000-point scale, 48 points above the industry average and 14 points above the premium segment average.“We know that time is a valuable currency, which is why our retailers make it a priority to deliver an exceptional experience from the moment customers walk in the door and throughout the entire ownership cycle,” said Randy Parker, vice president, INFINITI Americas.   “We want to make the most of every second our owners spend in our store, from the greeting from our service advisors in a welcoming environment—complete with premium amenities—to the moment they drive away with the same level of comfort and optimal performance they enjoyed the first time they drove their INFINITI vehicle.” Click Here to Continue Reading

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Kia Stinger Takes Down Mustang in Drag Race

Many of us can remember the days where we used to practically scoff at the idea of newcomer (at the time) Kia making a vehicle that was truly worth buying. The thing is, practically every used Kia car has stood the test of time and they have become a company that’s pretty awesome to watch grow. Enter this year’s Kia Stinger. Not only is this thing a beauty to behold, but apparently it’s quicker than even the street-race-royalty Ford Mustang. Check out this video if you don’t believe me:   With its focused handling and twin-turbo V-6 engine, the Kia Stinger GT is one of the most interesting cars to hit the market this year. And a new quarter-mile test shows that the Korean sports saloon might actually be quicker than one of America's automotive icons: the Ford Mustang GT.First, the caveats. This is an independent test set up Down Under by Motoring Australia, and as such it's dependent on variables like weather, lane conditions, and driver skill. And the Mustang in question is equipped with a manual six-speed transmission, while the Stinger has an 8-speed automatic. Click Here to Continue Reading

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Ford Looking to Dethrone Toyota in Consumer Electric Cars

When Toyota originally released its Prius, the future of electric and hybrid vehicles was somewhat shaky but ended up becoming a huge share of the market thanks to fuel efficiency and that the technology became more affordable to more consumers. Now that hybrids and electric vehicles have been proven to sell (and sell well), Ford has announced it’s going to offer hybrid and electric versions of many of its top selling vehicles. They also think they’ll outsell Toyota in fuel efficient vehicles by 2021, but that seems like a tall order.   Ford expects to beat Toyota in hybrid vehicle sales by 2021, the company said Thursday.The No. 2 U.S. automaker unveiled a plan to overhaul most of its lineup of vehicles over the next two years at an event at its headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan.The strategy focuses on shifting attention to high-margin trucks, SUVs and performance vehicles, while also offering electrified versions of the bulk of its lineup, including its iconic full-size F-150 truck.In doing this, Ford aims to make hybrids mainstream by integrating them with the company's most profitable and best-selling vehicles, said Jim Farley, the company's president of global markets. Click Here to Continue Reading

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Supra Lovers Get Great News from Toyota

Although the Toyota Supra always had a fanbase behind it, Toyota stopped making this sporty model back in 2002. The end of the Supra was a pretty tough pill to swallow, especially for people who enjoy e Thankfully, those of us who loved this car and were bummed by the ending of the line have something to really sink our teeth in. Toyota (and BMW) has released a concept for an upcoming Toyota GR Supra that looks great and is expected to be available to consumers come 2019.    In good news for fans of Toyota Motor Corp.'s popular Supra, the automaker plans to reintroduce its iconic sports car after 17 years in a collaboration with BMW AG.The first vehicle to be developed with Toyota’s German partner is expected to be released in the first half of 2019 both in Japan and abroad.The move comes as Toyota is accelerating efforts again into developing sports cars.While more traditional car buyers currently want general-purpose vehicles, demand is also growing for sporty vehicles and other luxury models among automobile enthusiasts. Click Here to Continue Reading

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Volkswagen Preparing to Duke it Out with Tesla

Being one of if not the biggest auto manufacturers in the world, Volkswagen is making moves to dethrone Tesla as the default king of electric vehicles. Because of their posturing, their stocks rose while Tesla’s dropped. For most of us, though, this means that electric vehicles should be a lot more affordable soon, which will likely mean Tesla will have to start dropping its prices somehow.   German automobile giant Volkswagen has the scale and the scope to take on and beat pioneer electric car maker Tesla. And after watching Tesla pioneering the electric market, it is jumping on the electric car bandwagon with its own line of battery and hybrid cars – and according to the Wall Street Journal, has plans to create 16 plants in which to build them by the year 2025.Nine of those plants are expected be in operation by 2020. Investors have taken notice of this development, sending Volkswagen’s shares higher and Tesla’s lower at Tuesday’s Wall Street opening. The shares of the two companies have been trading in tandem in the last three months, with Volkswagen’s shares faring better in the last six months and Tesla’s faring better over the last two years—see table. Click Here to Continue  Reading

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Honda Looking to Break Speed Record… With a Lawnmower

While our attention is primarily on affordable used cars online, we couldn’t help but share Honda’s latest video of what they’re calling the “Meanmower”. The current speed record (with a lawn mower) is 134mph - but the meanmower is likely to shatter that considering its ridiculous setup.   Back in 2014, Honda secured the absurd record of World's Fastest Lawn Mower, with its 116.57-mph "Mean Mower." The following year, some Norwegians paired their own mower with a 405-horsepower V-8, snatching the record from Honda, and escalating it to 134 mph. After some time spent in the shop (and maybe the bar), Honda decided to recapture the record, and announced Monday that its Mean Mower has received a serious overhaul in the form of a new, modern bike engine. The original Mean Mower used the 996 V-twin from a Honda VTR 1000F Firestorm, which produced 110-hp, and 72 pound-feet of torque. Updated with an engine pulled from Honda's CBR1000RR Fireblade superbike, the Mean Mower Mark 2 uses the bike's 999-cubic-centimeter inline four with dual overhead cams and 16 valves, which squeezes out 189-hp at a tall 13,000 rpm, and 106 pound-feet of torque, according to Honda's spec sheet on the bike. Click Here to Continue Reading

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Market Tracking for the Future of the Auto Industry

Although understanding the market as a whole has been fairly easy for the car industry over the last century, it hasn’t really been able to track the actual customers who are buying cars. Still, KPIs are starting to be developed that will allow customer tracking on more than just a few new levels, which could lead to car companies developing and building cars that more closely match what we really want as buyers.   The automotive industry needs digital KPIs across its value chain, both upstream and downstream. These are also required across all departments from supply chain management, R&D, production, and sales & marketing, to vehicle life cycle management.To my mind, the killer KPI that OEMs have never tracked—and could never track in the past as they lacked access to vehicle drivers—is the Customer. This entity needs to be their No. 1 focus. Customer satisfaction, which was consistently identified as the most important management KPI in previous years (and has now been substituted by Net Promoter Score), will now organically transform into a more sophisticated metric. In this avatar, it will not be a single, monolithic KPI.  Instead, multiple customer-focused KPIs will offer more granular or nuanced insights into specific segments like customer spend or loyalty. Click Here to Continue Reading  

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Carmakers’ Stocks Stagnant After Stale February

Although there had been some growth in sales through the end of last year, February was fairly stagnant for the auto industry. Because of that, those companies’ stocks have been pretty flat since the end of last month. Maybe instead of buying new cars, people are starting to understand buying used cars online is a lot more cost effective.   Major automakers reported lower U.S. new vehicle sales for February on Thursday as consumerMajor automakers reported lower U.S. new vehicle sales for February on Thursday as consumer demand continued to cool despite strong crossovers and SUV sales, but surprisingly weak pickup truck sales dented the share prices of Detroit carmakers."Trucks are higher-margin products and from a mix standpoint, February was disappointing," said John Toohey, head of equities at USAA Asset Management Company in San Antonio, Texas, which has $166 billion in assets under management. "If this continues, that's a profitability headwind." Continue Reading

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