Interesting Car/Truck Manufacturer News

[Weather Man]

Ford EV sales triple in September, led by F-150 record sales​

Oct. 04, 2022 9:37 AM ETFord Motor Company (F)By: Niloofer Shaikh, SA News Editor5 Comments

gopixa/iStock Editorial via Getty Images

• Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) reported U.S. sales decline of 8.9% Y/Y to 142,644 units in September.
• Retail sales for the month dipped 11.7% Y/Y, for the sixth straight month, more than 50% of retail sales came from previously placed orders.
• Truck sales contracted 18.3% Y/Y to 68,299 units and retail truck sales plunged 21.6% Y/Y.
• SUV sales for the month rose 0.9% Y/Y to 70,887 units whereas retails SUV sales down 4.9% Y/Y.
• EVs sales jumped 197.3% Y/Y to 4,691 units with retail sales up 152.1% Y/Y.
• Electric vehicles tripled over last year, with F-150 Lightning sales totaling 8,760 since its launch this year in June.
• F-Series through September continued to be America’s best-selling truck, totaling 467,307 vehicle sales and extending its lead over its second-place competitor to over 92,000 trucks.
• Mustang Mach-E sales increased 47.3% Y/Y, while turning in just 10 days on dealer lots.
• Sales of hybrid vehicles totaled 74,046 vehicles in September.
• “Ford continued to see high-demand vehicles turning at record rates in September, while developing electric truck and van leadership and extending our overall truck leadership. Demand remains strong with new retail orders rapidly expanding. We are very pleased with the work from our dealers, employees and the area’s first responders, as they are working tirelessly to recover in Florida from Hurricane Ian." – Andrew Frick, vice president, Sales, Distribution & Trucks, Ford Blue

 

[Weather Man]

Jury in class action suit returns $102.6M verdict against General Motors over faulty engines​

GM +8.91%Oct. 05, 2022 4:11 AM ET

• In a uncommon class motion trial verdict, a California federal jury at the moment discovered that the nation’s largest car producer hid an engine defect that resulted in extreme oil consumption, resulting in engine injury, stalling, and untimely breakdown in tens of hundreds of General Motors’s (NYSE:GM) 5.3-liter SUVs and light-weight vehicles.
• The jury returned a $102.6M verdict towards GM in a category motion lawsuit led by nationwide plaintiffs’ trial agency, DiCello Levitt, on behalf of homeowners and lessees of GM vehicles and SUVs offered from 2011-2014 in California, North Carolina, and Idaho, which contained the corporate’s Technology IV Vortec 5300 LC9 engine.
• DiCello Levitt trial team wins huge verdict on behalf of owners and lessees of GM trucks and SUVs with 5.3-liter Vortec engines.
• The case was tried within the U.S. District Courtroom for the Northern District of California.

 

[Weather Man]

Ford raises price of F-150 Lightning Pro amid supply chain, inflation impacts - Reuters​

Oct. 05, 2022 4:16 PM ETFord Motor Company (F)By: Kevin P. Curran, SA News Editor1 Comment

Justin Sullivan

Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) is due to raise the price of its F-150 Lightning Pro electric truck by about 11%, according to Reuters.

The price of the 2023 model will be raised to $51,974 from a prior $46,974 due to production constraints, persistent inflationary impacts and surging material costs, as well as “other market factors,” per the report. The price hike is the second such increase since August.

Those that hold existing orders at previous price points are not expected to be impacted by the now-heftier price tag.

 

[Weather Man]

Moog and Komatsu collaborates to demonstrate fully electric wheel loader​

MOG.A +0.86%Oct. 07, 2022 7:03 AM ET

• Moog (NYSE:MOG.A) has collaborated with Komatsu to build a fully electric compact wheel loader machine.
• The companies will demonstrate the connected and automation-ready, zero-emission, battery-powered machine at bauma 2022 from October 24 - 30 in the Komatsu demo area (FM.713/1).
• The companies joint test will show they have extended the machine’s operating cycle and, with innovative assist functions, provided a fatigue-proof and comfortable environment for the operators to manage the machines and their day.
• “Our focus is accelerating electrification, automation, and connectivity by enabling the world’s safest, most sustainable, and most productive machines. Our cooperation with Komatsu shows that industry leaders in the construction industry are ready for zero-emission machines and we are thrilled to collaborate with them to enable their journey with our production-ready electric, connected and automation systems.” said Joe Alfieri, vice president and general manager for Moog’s construction business unit.

 

[CobraBob]

Dodge Challenger pulls ahead of Ford Mustang in American pony car sales race

The Dodge Challenger outsold the Ford Mustang in the third quarter to pull ahead in the 2022 pony car sales race, with the Chevrolet Camaro a distant third.

www.foxnews.com

"The Challenger is looking like a champion again. Dodge's pony car has pulled far out in front of its Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro rivals in the 2022 sales race. The Mustang had a slim 562 car lead through the first half of the year, but the Challenger stepped on the gas in the third quarter with 16,412 sales to the Mustang's 10,354.

That brings their nine-month tallies to 42,094 and 36,598. The Dodge Challenger was the best-selling American sports car through the first nine months of 2022.
The Chevrolet Camaro remains a distant third with 7,922 sales from July through September and 19,177 so far this year, which also trails the two-seat Corvette's 25,380.

The Challenger's sales spike comes as Dodge announced that it and the Charger sedan will be discontinued at the end of 2023, which will mark the end of V8-powered muscle cars for Dodge.

Dodge has announced that 2023 will be the last year of production for the current Challenger and is introducing several limited edition models to send it off with, including the "Black Ghost" muscle car. They will be succeeded by a production version of the electric Charger Daytona SRT concept that was revealed in August.

The Challenger dethroned the Mustang as the best-selling pony car last year. The Ford had held the title since 2015, when the then-new sixth-generation car was launched and outsold the Camaro for the first time since 2010.

Ford is set to replace the Mustang with the all-new seventh generation car that was revealed at the Detroit Auto Show in September and is scheduled to go on sale next summer with the choice of a V8 engine or turbocharged four-cylinder engine."

Gary Gastelu is Fox News Digital's automotive editor.

 

[Weather Man]

Dodge Challenger pulls ahead of Ford Mustang in American pony car sales race

The Dodge Challenger outsold the Ford Mustang in the third quarter to pull ahead in the 2022 pony car sales race, with the Chevrolet Camaro a distant third.

www.foxnews.com

"The Challenger is looking like a champion again. Dodge's pony car has pulled far out in front of its Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro rivals in the 2022 sales race. The Mustang had a slim 562 car lead through the first half of the year, but the Challenger stepped on the gas in the third quarter with 16,412 sales to the Mustang's 10,354.

That brings their nine-month tallies to 42,094 and 36,598. The Dodge Challenger was the best-selling American sports car through the first nine months of 2022.
The Chevrolet Camaro remains a distant third with 7,922 sales from July through September and 19,177 so far this year, which also trails the two-seat Corvette's 25,380.

The Challenger's sales spike comes as Dodge announced that it and the Charger sedan will be discontinued at the end of 2023, which will mark the end of V8-powered muscle cars for Dodge.

Dodge has announced that 2023 will be the last year of production for the current Challenger and is introducing several limited edition models to send it off with, including the "Black Ghost" muscle car. They will be succeeded by a production version of the electric Charger Daytona SRT concept that was revealed in August.

The Challenger dethroned the Mustang as the best-selling pony car last year. The Ford had held the title since 2015, when the then-new sixth-generation car was launched and outsold the Camaro for the first time since 2010.

Ford is set to replace the Mustang with the all-new seventh generation car that was revealed at the Detroit Auto Show in September and is scheduled to go on sale next summer with the choice of a V8 engine or turbocharged four-cylinder engine."

Gary Gastelu is Fox News Digital's automotive editor.

All during the last two years there were Dodge dealers dealing on Challenger and charger.

 

[Weather Man]

Italian unions demand wage increases from Stellantis, Ferrari​

STLA -0.80%Oct. 10, 2022 10:33 AM ET6 Comments

Stellantis (NYSE:STLA), Ferrari (RACE), Iveco (OTCPK:IVCGF) and CNH Industrial (CNHI) are among European automakers in the crosshairs of unions asking for increased wages in new contracts.

Citing rampant inflation on the European continent, the Italian Union of Metalworkers (UILM) demanded wage increases commensurate with the rising cost of living. The union stated that this equates to an 8.4% wage increase in 2023 when contracts are renegotiated.

“Protecting wages from inflation is today of absolute importance, for reasons of both social justice and overall economic stability,” Rocco Palombella, general secretary of UILM, and Gianluca Ficco, national secretary Uilm responsible for the automotive sector, said on Monday. “Otherwise, in fact, not only employees would face rapid impoverishment, but Italy would sink into a vicious circle that bears the name of austerity and which in the end inevitably leads to crisis and bankruptcy.”

The projected increases are slated to impact 70K workers at Stellantis specifically. Stellantis recently slated production pauses at a major factory in Italy amid shortages.

"We are aware of the difficulties of the industrial, economic and political context we are going through, of the delicate challenges posed in the automotive sector by the energy transition, but we cannot and do not want to accept that these difficulties are fully discharged onto the workers' shoulders,” the pair concluded.
Read more on UBS’ pessimistic view of automakers heading into 2023.

 

[Weather Man]

Muscle Cars and Trucks
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CAN YOU TUNE THE NEW FORD MUSTANG? CHIEF ENGINEER SAYS 'NO'​

Muscle Cars and Trucks - 2h ago

The new S650 Ford Mustang has plenty to get excited about with its chiseled good looks, high tech interior, and improved performance that any muscle car fan can excited about it. Of course, anyone planning on buying one may already be devising ways to get even more power out of the engine. But before your imagination runs rampant, we should warn you that aftermarket tuning will be significantly hampered

CAN YOU TUNE THE NEW FORD MUSTANG? CHIEF ENGINEER SAYS 'NO'© Muscle Cars and Trucks

S650 Ford Mustang Tuning: Details​

During a recent interview with MC&T, Ford Mustang Chief Engineer Ed Krenz revealed that the new S650 Ford Mustang will largely be locked down when it comes to modifying the engines.
“No.” was the answer from Krenz when asked if third party companies will be able to “tune” the new engines of the S650 Ford Mustang.
“There are new requirements within the software. Regulatory driven. That is going to restrict access to aftermarket tunes. This is cross OEM, which has to do with CAN message authentication,” explained Krenz. But that doesn’t mean engine performance upgrades for the S650 Mustang GT with its new 5.0L Coyote V8, or the new Mustang EcoBoost with its re-worked 2.3L turbo engine won’t be impossible.

“It is likely that we will continue to make available tunes for the ECUs,” said Krenz. “There will be tunes, both Ford and outside of Ford. But you’ll probably see a reduced variety of them, based on constraints that cyber security, CAN message authentication, and all of that put into the software.”

Going off of that answer, it sounds like the control units for S650 Ford Mustang are encrypted. However, Krenz wasn’t willing to use that specific term.
Until tunes for the S650 Ford Mustang are released, customers will still be able to enjoy a minimum of 480 horsepower in the GT and a minimum of 500 ponies in the Mustang Dark Horse, which is plenty of power for burnouts and the thrill of driving a fast car that also sounds incredible.

Across the aftermarket, some companies have managed to work around the increased cybersecurity measures from OEMs. This is especially the case with the C8 Corvette, as the mid-engined supercar’s notoriously encrypted engine control unit thwarts anybody without the ability to install an interceptor controller (Lingenfelter), a “piggyback” controller (Late Model Racecraft), or acquiring direct access from General Motors (Callaway).

That said, Ford Performance has been working with select third parties so as to satisfy customers that seek out more power from their products. The best examples include Roush Performance, as well as Whipple Superchargers. Both companies offer impressive supercharger upgrades for the 14th generation Ford F-150, which also has fortified cybersecurity measures. Meanwhile, Ford Performance officially offers tuning packages for EcoBoost-powered SUVs such as the Ford Bronco and Ford Explorer ST.

 

[Weather Man]

General Motors creates new energy business with residential and commercial services​

GM -3.96%Now!

General Motors (NYSE:GM) announced that it is forming a new business unit called GM Energy to offer stationary battery packs, solar panels, electric vehicle chargers and other energy-management products for both homes and businesses.
The company said GM Energy will include Ultium Home and Ultium Commercial to create a holistic ecosystem of energy management products and services.
GM Energy's connected product and service offerings are designed to offer cohesive energy management for home, commercial and EV customers, with solutions ranging from bi-directional charging, vehicle-to-home and vehicle-to-grid (V2G) applications, to stationary storage, solar products, software applications, cloud management tools, microgrid solutions, hydrogen fuel cells and more.
Notably, GM Energy's services will also enable the sale of energy from EV and stationary storage batteries back to utilities during peak, high energy consumption periods, unlocking even more potential value for customers and increasing resiliency for the electrical grid.
SunPower (SPWR) will be preferred installer for the home energy system and offer customers the opportunity to add solar to their home. The home energy system will be available alongside the retail launch of the 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV.
GM Energy is also working with several other companies such as Con Edison, Graniterock and New Hampshire Electric Cooperative to help deliver energy solutions to customers, while also helping to inform and advance future GM Energy offerings.

 

[kazman]

GM now stands for Government Monster...

 

[Weather Man]

The Drive
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Here's How Bentley Rebounded After Nearly 200 Cars Sank on the Felicity Ace​

Aaron Cole - Yesterday 11:03 AM

Even while the Felicity Ace burned toward the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean 900 miles west of Lisbon, Portugal, executives at Bentley were refiling orders for cars destined for the seafloor. That’s according to a report by Automotive News that chronicled the days, weeks, and months after the cargo hauler carrying nearly 200 Bentleys destined for the U.S. — an unusually large number of Bentleys on a single hauler — sank.

Here's How Bentley Rebounded After Nearly 200 Cars Sank on the Felicity Ace© AP


Here's How Bentley Rebounded After Nearly 200 Cars Sank on the Felicity Ace© Bentley
According to the report, usually Bentley sends about 40 to 70 vehicles on a cargo ship to the U.S., far less than the 189 aboard the vessel. A Bentley spokeswoman estimated that each car cost roughly $300,000, bringing the total sum headed to the ocean floor close to $56.7 million.
Now appearing at the bottom of the Atlantic. Bentley

Of course, the Felicity Ace sunk with just more than Bentleys on board — nearly 4,000 other Volkswagen Group vehicles were onboard, including VWs, Audis, and Porsches. Many were equipped with lithium-ion batteries that could exacerbate the reported fire on one of the ship’s decks, and while the fire’s origins aren’t clear, the batteries likely didn’t help.

The timing couldn’t have been worse. Strapped for parts due to an ongoing supply chain crunch and semi-conductor shortage, there were no immediate replacements for the Bentleys available. (Same goes for the Porsches and Lamborghinis, too.) What’s more, some of those sunk were Mulliner versions, which are bespoke and custom-built cars for customers who were waiting on their ultra-luxury cars.
The total cars that sank —189 — constituted nearly 5% of the brand’s total sales in the Americas, and Bentley regional sales teams stepped up to help. Softening demand in China led to some extra capacity, and a stop-sale on cars and parts to Russia due to the war in Ukraine helped too.
According to the report, Bentley delivered the last vehicle last month to a customer who ordered a car that sank on the Felicity Ace: a Bentayga First Edition. It’s worth a read.

 

[Weather Man]

Stellantis shows off electric Jeep Avenger at Paris Motor Show​

STLA -1.63%Oct. 17, 2022 7:36 AM ET

Stellantis (NYSE:STLA) is preparing for the release of its all-electric Jeep Avenger, which features 154 horsepower and a targeted range of around 249 miles. A dual-motor, all-wheel-drive variant of the electric SUV is also planned. The automaker will start to take reservations for the Avenger on Monday and the model is expected to arrive in showrooms next year.
Stellantis (STLA) execs think the Jeep Avenger will help the brand double sales in Europe next year to 300K.
Overall, Stellantis (STLA) plans to double the percentage of electric car models it produces in France with some new models of its Peugeot brand set to be produced in the Mulhouse plant.
Stellantis (STLA) is also making a big invevstment in green energy for its own use.
"We have decided the appropriate investments for Stellantis to be able, from a manufacturing standpoint, in 2025 to produce 50% of our energy needs within our own sites," CEO Carlos Tavares told CNBC.
Read a preview of the Paris Motor Show in Seeking Alpha's Stocks to Watch.

 

[Weather Man]

NJ looking to ban new automaker subscription fee's for installed hardware like heated seats or key fob functions. Would not affect radio subscriptions. Basically, if you paid for it, automakers can't take it back. Would affect Tesla's neat little trick of resetting the car if you trade it, which is complete bullshit since it lowers the trade in value of a car you bought and features you paid for.

 

[Weather Man]

Don't see Lincoln surviving.

MSN

www.msn.com

 

[Weather Man]

Toyota finally caves to reality.

Toyota is in a mad scramble to catch up in electric vehicles after once being an early Tesla investor​

TM +0.43%Oct. 24, 2022 12:56 PM ET5 Comments

There could be a major revamp of the electric vehicle strategy at Toyota Motor Corporation (NYSE:TM) after a sputtering start. While the Japanese automaker brought the all-electric bz4X crossover to the market this year, the launch has not created much buzz and was blemished by a recall.
Toyota (TM) is now considering a reboot and has even halted work on a few existing electric vehicles, according to an exclusive report from Reuters. Sources indicated that the proposals under review would be dramatic shifts in nature and could include a new EV architecture.
A working group within Toyota (TM) is expected to disclose sweeping electric vehicle plans by early next year, although the company has not officially confirmed any review or timetable.
"In order to achieve carbon neutrality, Toyota's own technology - as well as the work we are doing with a range of partners and suppliers - is essential," responded Toyota generally to the report.
Toyota's (TM) late pivot to a new electric vehicle strategy is considered a recognition by top management that Tesla (TSLA) has set a new benchmark for EV design and manufacturing costs. Toyota had an early stake in Tesla and collaborated with the company on the RAV4, but sold its TSLA shares in 2017 and the electric RAV4 did not survive past 2014.

 

[Weather Man]

Autoblog
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2024 GMC Sierra EV Denali Edition 1 reservations closed​

Jonathon Ramsey - 7h ago

Reservation slots for the 2024 GMC Sierra EV Denali Edition 1 are gone. As is the case with just about every vehicle that can be reserved, regardless of cost, there weren't enough slots to satisfy the initial rush. Carscoops noticed the situation first, getting confirmation from GMC that the only avenue remaining for now is to get on a waitlist. GMC's page for the Sierra EV affirms the same, declaring "Reservations are currently full" for the Denali Edition 1. Doing so meant putting down a $100 refundable deposit, a nominal sum that anyone could back out of, but we know by now that market conditions mean between reservation holders and the waitlist there are plenty who will conclude the transaction. Duncan Aldred, head of GMC and Buick, said so himself, telling Automotive News, "It's pretty amazing. A few years ago, when we were planning Hummer, the amount of vehicles sold over $100,000 in the entire industry was not that many. Now, that has radically changed in the last three years. There's been a rapid increase in vehicle prices and there's been an even quicker rise at the top end. We expect to sell out really quite quickly."

2024 GMC Sierra EV Denali Edition 1 reservations closed

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1 of 13 Photos in Gallery©GMC

2024 GMC Sierra EV Denali Edition 1​

The Sierra EV Denali Edition 1 comes loaded with quilted seats, real wood trim, Super Cruise, and two motors making a combined 754 horsepower and 785 pound-feet of torque, and starts at $108,695. We don't have a number to put to the phrase "sell out," though. As GM did with the Cadillac Lyriq and Chevrolet Silverado EV, reps wouldn't divulge production caps. Aldred did admit that the reservation number is below 10,000.

Two more Sierra EV trims are coming, but they're not due until 2025. That starts with the base Elevation trim bringing an MSRP around $50,000. Note, that MSRP is the prediction now. Three years is a long way away. When reservations open to the public for the standard Sierra EV Denali expected in 2024 and the following trims, GMC plans to keep a tight lid on the pot. Remember, with the Hummer EV, GMC took so many reservations that current production rates mean the automaker won't clear the list for years. Production rates will climb, certainly. However, GM builds the pickups and its Cruise Origin delivery vehicle at its Factory Zero, and there are already 110,000 Silverado EV reservations alone to get through. Aldred told AN that to prevent a repeat with the Sierra EV, "We'll invite our Denali owners to a private [showing] and to reserve one, and then open it up to public reservations up to a limited number."

 

[Weather Man]

The Biggest Bombshell in Tesla's Earnings Report

An earnings report full of red flags​

Last week, I highlighted that Tesla inventory challenges are one thing investors need to watch out for during this earnings season. Rising inventory and falling margins could indicate trouble, particularly for manufacturing companies. I noticed three red flags in Tesla's earnings report, all related to inventory.

• First Red Flag: Inventory at Tesla is rising quickly. It was $10.3 billion in the third quarter of 2022, up from $8.1 billion a quarter ago and $5.2 billion a year ago.
• Second Red Flag: Tesla's gross margin fell from 30.5% a year ago to 27.9% in the third quarter of 2022. Falling margins are a sign that companies don't have pricing power, and when combined with rising inventories, it's a potential problem for the entire auto industry.
• Third Red Flag: Tesla openly admitted it has been managing the balance sheet to quarterly results and will stop doing so, explicitly telling investors that inventory will rise sharply as a result.

 

[GTSpartan]

The Biggest Bombshell in Tesla's Earnings Report

An earnings report full of red flags​

Last week, I highlighted that Tesla inventory challenges are one thing investors need to watch out for during this earnings season. Rising inventory and falling margins could indicate trouble, particularly for manufacturing companies. I noticed three red flags in Tesla's earnings report, all related to inventory.

• First Red Flag: Inventory at Tesla is rising quickly. It was $10.3 billion in the third quarter of 2022, up from $8.1 billion a quarter ago and $5.2 billion a year ago.
• Second Red Flag: Tesla's gross margin fell from 30.5% a year ago to 27.9% in the third quarter of 2022. Falling margins are a sign that companies don't have pricing power, and when combined with rising inventories, it's a potential problem for the entire auto industry.
• Third Red Flag: Tesla openly admitted it has been managing the balance sheet to quarterly results and will stop doing so, explicitly telling investors that inventory will rise sharply as a result.

Nearly a 30% margin. Wow. Domestic legacy makers are lucky to be in the high single digits.

 

[Weather Man]

Nearly a 30% margin. Wow. Domestic legacy makers are lucky to be in the high single digits.

Games are being played. Every single OEM is coming to market with EV supported by a real dealer network. That flood of product has just started, we'll see how Tesla deals with real competition. The Japanese aren't even in the game yet really, they actually thought sanity in the American market would prevail.

 

[Relaxed Chaos]

Ford Quality is shite, but the shit car champ is still (and will always be) Hyundai/Kai.

Hyundai Motor (005380.KS) and affiliate Kia Corp (000270.KS) will book a combined 2.9 trillion won ($2 billion) provision in their third-quarter results as they continue to suffer the effects of engine recalls from years ago, they said on Tuesday.

The costs, of which Hyundai accounted for 1.36 trillion won and Kia for 1.54 trillion won, amount to more than half of Hyundai's estimated third-quarter net profit and 77% of Kia's profit, Refinitiv data shows.

"We sincerely apologise for repeated quality issues and additional costs related to the Theta II GDI engine recall," Cha Seong-ju, head of the quality division at Hyundai Motor Group, told analysts.

Hyundai Motor and Kia warn $2 bln engine provision to hit Q3 earnings

Hyundai Motor and affiliate Kia Corp will book a combined 2.9 trillion won ($2 billion) provision in their third-quarter results as they continue to suffer the effects of engine recalls from years ago, they said on Tuesday.

www.reuters.com