Dad sued after toddler draws on dealer’s new Audis with a rock

A security guard stands under an umbrella at an Audi car seller in Shanghai on August 6, 2014.Johannes Eisele / Getty Images A couple in China is being sued by a car dealership after their daughter scratched the paint of more than 10 new vehicles sitting in the showroom.According to 7news Australia, the couple was accompanying their friend who was visiting the dealership, and brought along their three-year-old daughter. It wasnt until after they left that they found out their daughter had taken a stone and drawn into the paint of 10 new cars, including an Audi Q8.The father, referred to in reports only as Mr. Zhao, is being sued for 200,000 Chinese Yuan (CDN$37,500), according to the Lingui Peoples Court.The dealership says the vehicles can no longer be sold as new cars as a result of the damage, and that it may reevaluate the assessment if the vehicles values are found to have depreciated after their respray. If the dealership tried to still sell them as new cars, they could be sued for false advertising, and would have to compensate triple the purchase price if found guilty so it would rather not take that chance. The vehicles, although new, will have to be sold as used. According to the court, Mr. Zhao rejected the 200,000 RMB demand, but ended up reaching a settlement with the dealership of about 70,000 RMB (around CDN$13,000).The silver lining is that somebody out there is going to get a great deal on an Audi with fresh
Origin: Dad sued after toddler draws on dealer’s new Audis with a rock

GM cancels slot at CES, where it might’ve shown a Cadillac EV

Cadillac furthered its recent product blitz January 2019 with the reveal of the brand’s first EV. This will be the first model derived from GM’s future EV platform.Handout / Cadillac The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas is an annual show once renowned for debuting new technology from the worlds of TVs and cell phones, but now its becoming a popular destination for automakers to reveal their self-driving and electric vehicle ventures.Unless youre GM, of course, and you decide to skip the event completely because your prototype vehicles arent finished.Yes, the vehicle the automaker had planned to unveil was simply not going to be ready for CES in time, GM confirmed to Motor Trend, likely due to the 40-day UAW strike that hit the company this past fall.However, Motor Trend notes it also received an invitation from Cruise, GMs self-driving brand, to a standalone event near the end of January, in San Francisco. The magazine theorizes that event could show off the self-driving Cruise AV robotaxi, a vehicle GM had first planned to build an entire fleet of by now. The vehicle that was supposed to debut at CES was, thus, more than likely a different vehicle, possibly a production version of the unnamed electric crossover Cadillac showed off at the Detroit auto show in January 2019.Cadillac will now likely save any new model reveals until after the release of the 2021 Escalade, scheduled to drop in February. The brand also plans to release a new or redesigned vehicle every six months through
Origin: GM cancels slot at CES, where it might’ve shown a Cadillac EV

The last truck rolled out of Oshawa, Ontario’s 66-year-old GM plant today

This 2009 file photo shows a Chevrolet Camaro on General Motors flex line at its Oshawa, Ontario plant.Chevrolet GMs long-running Oshawa, Ontario assembly plant officially ceased vehicle production today, December 18.General Motors of Canada has been building cars in Oshawa since the company’s inception in 1918, though the car assembly plant closed this month was opened in late 1953, when demand for Canadian-built Chevrolets was strong enough to warrant building a second facility.The plants closure was announced November 2018 and was due to the recent restructuring of the company, which will halt vehicle production there.Two of the final products that rolled off its line the Cadillac XTS and Chevrolet Impala were discontinued this year, and GM announced the plant would not be updated for the next generation of vehicles.The closing of the plant leaves 2,300 workers unemployed. Just because the plant is finished making cars, however, doesnt mean its going to be completely abandoned by the automaker.Around 300 workers will remain employed at the plant, as parts-stampers for GM and other suppliers. GM made a commitment to produce quarter panels, trunks, doors and hoods at the plant for the next 10 years. GM has also injected $170 million into the plant to convert it into a test site for autonomous- and connected-vehicle technology. Ground has already been broken on the 55-acre site for a paved testing circuit.Some Oshawa workers are eligible for retirement incentives of up to $150,000 if theyve been working there for more than 30 years, or are of retirement age. They will also receive a $10,000 vehicle voucher. Workers who are less than 50 years old but have 10 years or more experience and will turn 50 within three years will be offered an up-to-$150,000 buyout package, or can opt to be placed on a layoff
Origin: The last truck rolled out of Oshawa, Ontario’s 66-year-old GM plant today

UK car production down 16.5% in November

UK car production fell 16.5% year-on-year in November, for which the Society of Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has blamed weakened overseas demand and widespread factory closures.  A total of 107,753 cars were built in the UK last month, compared with 129,030 in November 2018. The SMMT attributes the deficit to “soft consumer and business confidence, weak demand in overseas markets and model production changes”.  The decline rounds off a turbulent year for the UK’s automotive sector; new car output has fallen consistently since January, except in September, when marginal growth was recorded. The number of new cars built in 2019 so far is 14.5% less than at the same point in 2018.  November’s figures show the lasting effects of a number of pre-emptive factory shutdowns that took place at the end of October, when the UK had been scheduled to leave the European Union (EU). That was in addition to a number of previous shutdowns that took place in April for the same reason.  Domestic demand for new cars fell by 26.6% in November, with export rates falling 14.2%. The SMMT notes that more than 80% of new cars built in the UK are shipped abroad, including 54.7% bound for the EU.  Commenting on the latest figures, SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes repeated his desire to see the Government reach a mutually beneficial trade deal with the EU. He said: “UK car production is export-led, so we look forward to working with the new Government to deliver an ambitious trade deal with the EU.  “To ensure our competitiveness at a time of dramatic technological change, that deal needs to be tariff-free and avoid barriers to trade – which, for automotive, means that our standards must be aligned. This can be achieved if Government and industry work in partnership to re-establish the UK as a great place to invest and ensure that automotive keeps delivering for
Origin: UK car production down 16.5% in November

First Drive: 2020 Nissan Titan

2020 Nissan Titan Platinum ReserveJil McIntosh PARK CITY, Utah Despite its name, the Nissan Titan has never actually been a titan in a segment dominated by the Detroit automakers. But with its 2020 makeover, its a contender.The good news is an engine re-tuned for more power (but read on for more on that), a new transmission, updated styling inside and out, and overall, its a truly decent driver. It also comes with a segment-exclusive five-year or 160,000-kilometre bumper-to-bumper warranty.The bad news? If you want anything other than a V8-powered Crew Cab 44 truck with a 5-foot-5 bed, look elsewhere. Nissan Canada has targeted our strongest buyer preference of four doors and four-wheel drive, and wont offer the King Cab or two-wheel-drive models as the U.S. will. The larger Titan XD, slotted between light- and heavy-duty and with a six-foot-five bed, also gets the new transmission and styling updates, but loses its optional 5.0-litre Cummins turbodiesel engine. As before, the Titans powered by a 5.6-litre V8 that, on the 2019 version, makes 390 horsepower and 394 lb.-ft. of torque. Nissans now advertising that the 2020 model makes 400 horses and 413 lb.-ft. of torque, the best in the segment for a V8 engine. Ah, but theres a catch the engines been retuned, but you only get those bigger numbers on premium-grade fuel. Pour in 87 octane, and you still get the old numbers, and thanks to the price difference at the pumps, Im guessing thats what most owners will experience.The new transmission has nine speeds instead of seven, and an improved final drive ratio provides more towing grunt. The extra gears should improve fuel economy; final figures arent out, but the 2019 model gets 13.4 L/100 kilometres. Maximum towing capacity is 9,350 pounds (4,241 kilograms), while payload tops out at 1,630 pounds (739 kilograms) for the Titan. On SV trims and up, a towing package that includes an integrated brake controller, extendable mirrors, and trailer hitch is standard. You can also check your trailers lights by yourself using the key fob.There will be four levels at launch early next year: S, SV (with available Convenience or Premium packages), off-road-ready PRO-4X, and Platinum Reserve. Prices are still secret, but for 2019, they range from $47,198 to $69,998. The basic truck is unchanged, and styling changes are mostly trim. The grille looks smoother, painted or chromed surfaces differentiate the levels, theres a wide band across the tailgate it hasnt quite grown on me and new lighting. The front lamps are twice as bright as before, but the redesigned taillamps include surprisingly tiny brake lights. The tailgate is damped, and theres an available bed step that flips out from the corner. Cargo management options include bed channels with cleats, spray-in bedliner, and storage boxes.The interior styling bears a basic resemblance to the outgoing model, but with more luxo-look materials, an available dual-panel sunroof, and a larger centre stack with a standard eight-inch or optional nine-inch infotainment screen. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, and the Titan gets its first Nissan Connect Services, including WiFi, over-the-air software updates, and traffic services.Nissan prides itself on zero-gravity seats, and so it should: These are extremely comfortable, and heated and cooled front seats, heated rear seats, and a heated steering wheel are available. The rear seat backs fold down, while the cushions fold up. In lieu of a flat floor, theres a fold-out floor panel thats more robust than the flimsy ones Ive seen on some other trucks. Every Titan gets Nissans Safety Shield 360 suite, which adds blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, front and rear emergency braking, lane departure warning, and automatic high-beam headlamps. But the big question is how it drives, and the answer is extremely well. The nine-speed shifts smoothly and never hunted for a gear, even when the route included very low speed limits up very steep hills. The Titan much bigger than it needs to be, just like every truck out there, but it doesnt feel like a behemoth on the road. The suspension is tight, it handles well and doesnt wallow around corners, and I particularly like that the hydraulic steering has just the right amount of weight and with good feedback to tell you whats happening under your wheels. Its also very quiet, thanks to laminated glass in the windshield and front windows. Should you want some noise, a premium Fender audio system is standard on the PRO-4X and Platinum Reserve.I took the PRO-4X on an off-road course and it did exactly what its supposed to do, traipsing effortlessly over rocks and ruts (alas, its been dry in Utah and there wasnt any mud for fun), thanks to Bilstein shocks, a locking rear differential, and hill descent control. I also towed a 6,000-pound horse trailer, and as with all trucks today, the Titan seldom seemed to notice it was there. So
Origin: First Drive: 2020 Nissan Titan

Tesla Model 3 dominates UK EV sales figures

Tesla Model 3 dominates UK EV sales figures The Model 3 is the best selling car in the UK in 2019 to date Tesla’s Model 3 has taken the UK electric car market by storm, with more than 5,300 units registered in Q3 2019. The pure-electric saloon outsold the following four best-sellers combined for the three months covering July to September according to recently updated Department for Transport (DfT) figures. It has also shot into first place in the year’s sales charts, despite having only been on sale for a fraction of that time. Now that deliveries of the Model 3 have fully come on stream in the UK, Tesla’s most accessible model is only likely to continue that trend for the foreseeable future. Although the cheapest model in Tesla’s range, buyers opted for the most-expensive specification – the Model 3 Performance – most out of the three available trim levels. The Performance version has taken 42% of Model 3 registrations to the end of September 2019, while the entry-level Model 3 Standard Range + has accounted for a third of sales, leaving the Long Range model with 25% of the mix. Having only had 173 Model 3 units registered in Q2 2019 – deliveries only really started towards the quarter – Tesla has shifted huge numbers of the premium electric saloon since. With 5,311 units registered according to DfT data, it made the second best-selling electric vehicle in Q3 2019 VW’s e-Golf. Volkswagen shifted almost 1,200 units, putting the electric Golf just ahead of the ever popular Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. The Mitsubishi sits in third place for Q3 2019, with 1,177 registered during that time. Rounding out Q3’s best-sellers are the BMW i3 – now predominantly pure-EV registrations since i3 REX models have been phased out. With 1,135 registrations, it sits ahead of the Nissan Leaf’s 1,118 registrations, and Jaguar’s I-Pace with 1,057. The Mini Countryman Cooper S E, BMW 330e, and BMW 530e come in ahead of the Range Rover Sport P400e, LEVC TX range-extended taxi, and Renault Zoe. It’s worth remembering with the BMW models and the Zoe that these are end of run versions, with updated models released since the end of Q3 2019. These are likely to start appearing in the next set of figures for the BMW PHEVs, and in Q1 2020’s results for the Renault. It’s encouraging to see that pure-electric models have taken many of the top places in Q3. The Model 3, e-Golf, Leaf and I-Pace show plenty of blue on the left of the above table. The BMW i3’s figures are largely pure-electric too, with only 53 of the i3’s quarterly figures made up of i3 REX models. A similar picture is painted for 2019 to date, with all of Tesla’s Model 3 figures accounted for since the start of the year. It leads the table for the first nine months of 2019, and it seems exceptionally unlikely that it will be replaced when the next set of statistics for 2019 as a whole are released in March next year. The other models remain, though in a different order. The Outlander PHEV is in second place for the year with more than 4,600 registrations, BMW’s i3 with over 3,000 units, the Jaguar I-Pace with almost 2,900 registrations, and the Mini Countryman Cooper S E just 11 units behind the I-Pace with 2,863 registrations. It’s still a little early for the Model 3 to have an impact on the UK’s total plug-in sales charts, where the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV retains its significant lead. In fact it’s stretching the gap between it and the Nissan Leaf in second place – but only just. Mitsubishi has seen 43,616 Outlander PHEVs registered to the end of Q3 2019, compared to the 26,766 Nissan Leaf models registered, increasing the lead by almost 60 units compared to Q2’s figures. The BMW i3 retains third place, ahead of the BMW 330e and BMW 530e, with around 15,000, 14,000 and 11,000 registrations respectively. The Mercedes Benz C 350e comes in ahead of the Renault Zoe, Tesla’s Model S, the VW Golf GTE, and Mini’s Countryman Cooper S E for the top cumulative registrations. The Model 3 misses out on the top 10 total UK electric vehicle sales then, but only just. Having had registrations for just over three months of the figures available – which go back to the start of 2012 – it sits in 11th place overall, and has already overtaken UK sales of the Tesla Model X, which has been on sale since Q4 2019. Newer pure-electric entrants include the MG ZS EV and Mercedes Benz EQC, which only became available towards the end of Q3 2019. As such, we expect Q4’s registrations to significantly improve on the 66 MG models and 47 EQCs registered so far. Relative growth naturally saw a big increase for the Model 3, up more than 3000% compared to the Q2 2019. PHEVs such as BMW’s 745e saw a 120% increase between the two sets of statistics, and sales of the Mercedes Benz E 300 de increased by 87%. The pure-electric Audi e-tron showed growth of 78%. All of these are new models for the quarter – with only a handful of sales accounted for in Q2 – picking up
Origin: Tesla Model 3 dominates UK EV sales figures

Fiat Chrysler and Peugeot confirm merger into one US$46-billion automaker

French and Italian-U.S. auto giants Renault and Fiat Chrysler are set to announce talks on an alliance, with a view to a potential merger, informed sources said this week.Marco Bertorello / AFP/Getty Images PSA Group and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles have agreed to combine to create the worlds fourth-biggest carmaker, as the manufacturers prepare to shoulder the costly investments in new technologies transforming the industry.In the biggest auto tie-up since Daimlers ill-fated purchase of Chrysler in 1998, the French and Italo-American carmakers will each own half of the enlarged business.The new company, with global sales of 8.7 million vehicles, will be run by PSA Chief Executive Officer Carlos Tavares, with Fiat Chairman John Elkann holding the same role.The transaction would forge a regional powerhouse to rival Germanys Volkswagen and, with a market value of about US$47 billion, surpassing Ford. It will take as long as 15 months to complete, pending approvals by shareholders of both companies and by regulators, the carmakers estimated.Like executives across the industry, Tavares and Elkann are responding to growing pressure to pool resources for product development, manufacturing and purchasing in the face of trade wars and an expensive shift toward electric and self-driving technology.(Indeed, industry sources said that in the future, the new company plans to move “more than two-thirds” of production to “just two platforms, with 3 million cars per year on a compact/midsize platform and 2.6 million on a small platform,” reports Automotive News. “The smaller platform will be PSA’s CMP architecture and larger cars will be on the group’s EMP2 (while) Ram pickups and larger Jeep models will continue to use FCA underpinnings.” —Ed.)The challenges of our industry are really, really significant, Tavares, 61, told reporters on a call Wednesday. The green deal, autonomous vehicles, connectivity and all those topics need significant resources, strengths, skills and expertise.In an era when size is becoming ever more important, the deal will turn the two mid-sized carmakers into a global heavyweight, with a stable of popular brands and annual vehicle sales surpassing General Motors. The combination will give Peugeot-maker PSA a long-sought presence in North America and should help Fiat gain ground in developing low-emission technology, where its lagged rivals. Yet the new company will still be heavily reliant on Europes sluggish and saturated auto market, and poorly positioned in China, the worlds largest country for car sales.The companies are aiming to extract 3.7 billion euros in annual synergies from the deal, without closing any plants, unchanged from the target they announced when they disclosed their merger discussions. Chinas Dongfeng Motor Corp., which owns 12 per cent of PSA, will see its stake in the combined company decline to 4.5 per cent as a result of the deal and the sale of a portion of its holding to the French carmaker.Dongfengs stake in PSA has attracted attention because of the possibility it could interfere with U.S. regulatory approval. U.S. economic adviser Larry Kudlow said last month the Trump administration would review the proposed merger because the deal would give the Chinese carmaker a stake in the combined
Origin: Fiat Chrysler and Peugeot confirm merger into one US$46-billion automaker

Volkswagen to launch 34 new models in 2020

Volkswagen will launch 34 new models globally in 2020, including the first two models in its electric ID range, alongside six other electrified vehicles. The company will launch the ID 3 in the summer, and Volkswagen says it will “soon be followed” by what the firm refers to as the ID Next. That is the mid-size SUV that was revealed in concept form as the ID Crozz, and is likely to use the ID 4 moniker when it reaches production. It is set to be offered in Europe, China and North America. The six other electric and hybrid models will include the new Golf GTE, which is due to go on sale shortly after regular versions of the family hatch hit showrooms in the spring. Volkswagen has yet to specify every model it will launch this year, but it says that the 34 machines will include 12 SUVs, which has been a key reason for the firm’s success in recent years. The firm is midway through a major restructuring project as it ramps up its ID electric car programme, which has also included 2.6 billion euros of cost-savings to date. While final figures are not set yet, Volkswagen says it is on track to post a record operating profit this year, despite its overall sales slipping slightly. While the global car market has shrunk, Volkswagen has increased its market share, largely thanks to the higher operating profit it can command from SUVs. Ralf Brandstatter, Volkswagen’s chief operating officer, said that 2019 would be “a very successful year” for the firm.  He added: “In a shrinking overall market the Volkswagen brand has won market shares worldwide and significantly improved its operating result. Ongoing restructuring of core business, including the positive effects of the pact for the future, and the success of the worldwide SUV offensive have been key to this achievement. Brandstatter also played down any concerns over meeting the forthcoming tough EU fleet CO2 targets coming into force next year, following reports that rival Mercedes-Benz might have to restrict offerings from performance arm AMG.  Asked if VW would face problems in 2020, Brandstatter said: “We don’t anticipate problems, we prepare solutions,” adding that selling emission-free electric vehicles would be a key part of that. He said Volkswagen it has committed to investing £16.1 billion in future technology by the end of 2024, including £9.3 billion in electric
Origin: Volkswagen to launch 34 new models in 2020

Racer builds 1950s Ford truck that drives backwards

Former IndyCar driver Davey Hamilton tries his hardest to go the right direction on the race track, but back home in Indiana, hed prefer facing the wrong way in a 1952 Ford pickup.The story comes courtesy of %7B%22provider_name%22:%22YouTube%22,%22provider_url%22:%22https:%5C/%5C/www.youtube.com%5C/%22,%22object_url%22:%22https:%5C/%5C/youtu.be%5C/>%22,%22type%22:%22oembed%22,%22channels%22:%5B%22desktop%22,%22tablet%22,%22phone%22%5D%7D target=_blank rel=noopener>Barcroft Cars’ Ridiculous Rides, which profiled Hamilton and his ridiculous custom truck built to be driven down the road bed-first.Construction started by essentially turning the body around on the frame. The engine now resides in the bed, while the gas tank sits under the hood. Power comes from a Chevy 350 (sacrilege!) connected to a Turbo 350 transmission.The interior has undergone a complete transformation, besides the seats just being turned around. A section of the rear cab had to be cut out for Hamilton to put his feet somewhere, never mind the pedals. The steering wheel now comes up at an angle more akin to a bus, and the entire dashboard is a custom-fabricated piece. The backwards truck is without a doubt a confusing creation, even befuddling Hamilton himself like when he enters the truck, for example, since the drivers side door is now on the passenger side.Hamilton says people get a kick out of it, and that its fun when it makes somebodys day. And at the end of it, thats what hot-rodding is all about, isnt it? Having fun, and not taking life too seriously too many people have that
Origin: Racer builds 1950s Ford truck that drives backwards