GM Looks To Still Be in The Sedan Market, With New Models Underway

While the auto market is a rather hostile place for sedans right now, that isn’t stopping GM from throwing money at a sedan plant in Lansing, MI. $175 million is going into the Grand River plant, where the automaker builds Cadillac CTS and ATS and Chevy Camaros. The real interesting thing is that Cadillac’s president confirmed that the two models will halt production and be replaced with two new GMC brands products, of which neither have been announced yet. If there’s one way to get people to get excited about sedans again, GMC has definitely found it.   1st Gear: Ford May Have Given Up On Sedans, But GM Hasn’t In fact, GM is investing $175 million into a plant in Lansing, Michigan, all to make more of them, according to The Detroit Free Press. More than that, these will likely be Cadillacs, a brand which has had a turbulent recent past, with its CEO Johan de Nysschen ousted in April and its sedans not selling well in the U.S., though they’ve been doing better lately and reasonably well in China. The money will be invested at GM’s Grand River plant, where it builds the CTS and ATS, as well as Chevy Camaros. Here’s the Freep: The money will pay for new tooling and equipment for a project that will halt production of two Cadillac sedans and replace them with two yet-to-be-named products. [...] GM’s new cars to be built at the Lansing plant are expected to debut sometime before 2021. Click Here to Keep Reading

GM headquarters image by James Marvin Phelps from USA - GM World Headquarters, CC BY 2.0, Link

The following post GM Looks To Still Be in The Sedan Market, With New Models Underway was originally published on www.autonews.cardaddy.com

source https://autonews.cardaddy.com/gm-looks-to-still-be-in-the-sedan-market-with-new-models-underway/

Chrysler’s Future Possibly in Self-Driving, Ridesharing Vehicles

Fiat Chrysler really has not been doing much exciting work with the Chrysler brand in the past few years, and the shrinking lineup is proof the brand is on the way down. Despite this, one car in the lineup has received a new life in a completely different space. The Chrysler Pacifica is the ur-example of a minivan, and for whatever reason, it is very popular with autonomous driving companies. Combine this with the sheer amount of space the van provides, and the Pacifica also makes an attractive option for ridesharing companies looking to appeal to people on the move. It is worth noting that Chrysler did show off the Portal concept car at CES 2017, and it looked like a very high-tech minivan with automated driving...   Despite top billing in the name of parent Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, the Chrysler brand’s future is uncertain. Chrysler only sells two cars in the United States, and plans for future models are hazy. But FCA may have a plan for Chrysler, and it may involve shifting the historic brand to focus on shared vehicles, reports Autocar. Chrysler didn’t warrant a mention in FCA’s new five-year plan, which primarily focused on Jeep, Ram, and the automaker’s Italian brands. But Waymo recently announced that it would buy up to 62,000 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivans (it already has 600) for conversion into self-driving cars. This could be the future direction of the Chrysler brand. “The minivan business space will be filled by Chrysler, filling the mobility solution in the U.S. market,” FCA CEO Sergio Marchionne told Autocar. The magazine also reported that Chrysler is slated to get one new model, either a second minivan or an SUV. Click Here to Keep Reading

Chrysler’s Future Possibly in Self-Driving, Ridesharing Vehicles See more on: CarDaddy

source https://autonews.cardaddy.com/chryslers-future-possibly-in-self-driving-ridesharing-vehicles/

Volvo’s U.S. Assembly Plant a Lucky Shield Against Trade Policies

They could not have gotten any luckier if they had tried. Volvo’s first U.S. assembly plant broke ground for the first time in 2015, and while it was a long time coming, now the South Carolina plant serves as a barrier for any cars produced there against the Trump administration’s trade tariffs. Unfortunately, the S60, the only car currently made in the plant, accounts for less than a tenth of Volvo’s U.S. sales, so most of the automaker’s lineup is still subject to the trade regulations. By 2021, the plant will be able to produce the XC90 SUV, which is part of a more active market, so assuming trade relations are still this way in three years, Volvo may yet be able to maximize their already lucky break.   When Volvo Car Group broke ground on its first U.S. assembly plant in 2015, it was a proud step in the Swedish automaker’s rebound and global expansion, not a chess move in anticipation of a possible trade war. Now that the plant is about to begin production, it’s poised to serve as a small hedge against tariffs at a time when economic barriers are being erected almost daily. The carmaker on Wednesday will reveal its new S60 mid-size sedan, a redesigned model that will replace one currently produced in China and imported into the U.S. Making the car in South Carolina enables the company to sidestep the tariffs President Donald Trump applied this month to Chinese autos. But with the model accounting for less than 9 percent of Volvo’s U.S. sales this year through May, most of the lineup will still be exposed to any import taxes that target countries in Asia or Europe. Click Here to Continue Reading

Volvo’s U.S. Assembly Plant a Lucky Shield Against Trade Policies Read more on: CarDaddy's Blog

source https://autonews.cardaddy.com/volvos-u-s-assembly-plant-a-lucky-shield-against-trade-policies/

Volvo Plastic Parts Will Be 25% Recycled Plastic by 2025, Company Says

First it says its car fleet will all be partly electric by 2019, now Volvo is taking another step toward sustainability by making its cars with recycled plastic in assembly line-installed parts. The automaker said that a full one-quarter of the plastic used in its production parts in 2025 will be from recycled goods, such as bottles, fishing nets or packaging. Volvo, which is owned by a Chinese company, currently has a roughly 5% recycled plastics usage in its production models, and will be implementing the recycled materials in such places like the floor carpeting and the sound absorbing layers in the bonnet of the car.   At least 25 percent of the plastics used in new Volvo car models from 2025 will be from recycled materials, the Chinese-owned company said on Monday in an anti-pollution plan praised by the United Nations. Recycled plastics - such as from fishing nets or old bottles in car dashboards or carpets, would not affect safety or quality, Stuart Templar, director for sustainability at Volvo Cars, told Reuters. “We think this makes business sense,” he said. Many big companies are designing products that can be recycled after use to limit pollution. Volvo’s plan goes a step further by building ever more recycled materials into its production lines.“Volvo Cars is committed to minimizing its global environmental footprint,” Håkan Samuelsson, president and CEO of Volvo Cars, which is owned by China’s Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co Ltd, said in a statement. Click Here to Continue Reading

The following article Volvo Plastic Parts Will Be 25% Recycled Plastic by 2025, Company Says Find more on: autonews.cardaddy.com

source https://autonews.cardaddy.com/volvo-plastic-parts-will-be-25-recycled-plastic-by-2025-company-says/

Chrysler and Dodge Looking Shaky As The Future Looms

Fiat Chrysler is a big, famous carmaker, but let’s look at things realistically: Jeep and Maserati are much more exciting to consumers than Chrysler and Dodge are. The two latter brands only sell well in North America, Dodge’s lineup is focused more on powerful engines than fuel economy, Chrysler has only two current year models out, and the Chrysler name was somewhat tarnished when its parent company barely avoided bankruptcy proceedings. So what this means is that it would be financially unsound of Fiat Chrysler to put more money into Dodge and Chrysler, which will likely have a ripple effect of making it even less popular, until the two brands simply fade from relevancy altogether. Keep your eyes out for these two...   If you’re a huge fan of Dodge or Chrysler cars, we’ve got bad news: Things don’t look good for these key American brands. The fact is that Fiat Chrysler has as a lot of brands, some of which generate way more customer excitement than others. For instance, there is Jeep, one of the most valuable automotive brands in the world. Then there’s Ram, the pickup truck that was brand split off from Dodge in 2009. It sells trucks that haul in loads of profits. Then, on the Italian side, there are Alfa Romeo and Maserati, which sell exciting, snarling Italian luxury and performance cars. Chrysler and Dodge play support roles, and only have a significant presence in North America. Simply put, Fiat Chrysler has better places to invest its money. Click Here to Continue Reading

Chrysler and Dodge Looking Shaky As The Future Looms was originally published to CarDaddy's Blog

source https://autonews.cardaddy.com/chrysler-and-dodge-looking-shaky-as-the-future-looms/

Mercedes Benz ‘Collection’ Cheapest Luxury Car Subscription Yet

Mercedes-Benz, the latest luxury car maker to launch a subscription service, has released details on its offerings, and amazingly it’s the least expensive among its competitors. Mercedes’ “Collection” has the “Signature” plan for $1,095/mo. and “Reserve” for $1,595/mo. which puts it almost $400 under the nearest other luxury subscription. Signature offers 4 cars, while Reserve offers 5 of higher quality. Volvo does offer a cheaper alternative, but only offers one vehicle and is generally not considered a luxury car.   Mercedes-Benz is the latest luxury automaker to launch a subscription-based service to get customers who want to have access to a fleet of fancy cars but don’t necessarily want to own one. The German car company’s service is called Collection, and shockingly, it’s the cheapest one we’ve seen so far.   Mercedes is offering two plans: Signature for $1,095 a month and Reserve $1,595 a month. A one-time $495 joining fee is also required. Each plan includes insurance, roadside assistance, service, and maintenance as well as a “personal concierge” who will flip you from one vehicle to another. That makes Mercedes’ plan notably cheaper than comparable subscription services by BMW ($2,000–$3,700 / month), Porsche ($2,000–$3,000 / month), and Cadillac ($1,500 / month).   The only one cheaper than Mercedes is Care by Volvo, a $600-a-month service that includes insurance, maintenance, and roadside assistance. But unlike other subscriptions, Volvo only offers one vehicle: the XC40 SUV. Click Here to Continue Reading

The following blog post Mercedes Benz ‘Collection’ Cheapest Luxury Car Subscription Yet is courtesy of CarDaddy News

source https://autonews.cardaddy.com/mercedes-benz-collection-cheapest-luxury-car-subscription-yet/

VW Shop Owner Dies When Beetle Slips Off Hydraulic Lift

Adolf Mair, 78, of Lower Alsace Township, Pennsylvania, was found dead in his mechanic shop after a Volkswagen Beetle he was working on slipped off of its hydraulic lift. He was found by an employee after failing to show up at another shop he was expected at and failing to answer his phone. He survived for a while after the impact, but later died of internal injuries at nearby Reading Hospital in the trauma unit. Mair owned Mair’s Continental Motors in Lower Alsace for over 40 years and was well-respected by the community.   The longtime owner of an automotive business in specializing in Volkswagens in Stony Creek Mills died Tuesday afternoon after a VW Beetle slipped off the hydraulic lift while he was working in a garage, authorities said.   Adolf Mair, 78, of Oley Township was pronounced dead at Reading Hospital at 4:06 p.m., according to the Berks County coroner's office.   Mair owned Mair's Continental Motors, 1455 Friedensburg Road, Lower Alsace Township, for more than four decades.   He was found by one of his employees lying next to the car in a garage he used at Wilson and Carsonia avenues, not far from his main business. Click Here to Continue Reading

VW Shop Owner Dies When Beetle Slips Off Hydraulic Lift See more on: CarDaddy

source https://autonews.cardaddy.com/vw-shop-owner-dies-when-beetle-slips-off-hydraulic-lift/