AUTO NEWS

Eligible Stellantis employees could see the largest profit sharing payments in 35 years, totaling more than $14,000.

Moves by carmaker Stellantis to consolidate its position in fast-growing China seem to be off to a rocky start after one of its joint venture partners said it hadn’t been consulted before an announcement of plans to grab a controlling stake.

The winners of the North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year (NACTOY) Awards were announced Tuesday morning in Detroit.

The winners of the North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year (NACTOY) Awards are set to be announced Tuesday morning.

The winners of the North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year (NACTOY) Awards are set to be announced Tuesday morning.

Factorial Energy signs a joint development agreement with high-voltage traction solid-battery technology.

Consumer Reports released their new rankings for car reliability, ranking 28 brands based on how reliable their vehicles are over time.

In an effort to advance auto semiconductor chip manufacturing to address a global shortage hitting the auto industry, Ford has announced a new partnership with GlobalFoundries.

Volvo is recalling another 195,000 vehicles in the U.S. because the front driver’s air bags could explode and send shrapnel into the cabin.

Ford Motor Company plans to invest $11.4 billion and create nearly 11,000 new jobs at three new plants in Tennessee and Kentucky to produce the automaker’s next generation of electric F-Series trucks and the batteries to power future electric Ford and Lincoln vehicles.

Ford Motor Company plans to invest $11.4 billion and create nearly 11,000 new jobs at three new plants in Tennessee and Kentucky to produce the automaker’s next generation of electric F-Series trucks and the batteries to power future electric Ford and Lincoln vehicles.

The North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year (NACTOY) Awards organization announced its list of semifinalists Tuesday at the inaugural Motor Bella event at M1 Concourse in Pontiac.

General Motors is recalling all Chevrolet Bolt electric vehicles sold worldwide to fix a battery problem that could cause fires.

General Motors is recalling some older Chevrolet Bolts for a second time to fix persistent battery problems that can set the electric cars ablaze.

General Motors is recalling more than 331,000 diesel pickup trucks in the U.S. for a second time because the engine block heater cords can short circuit and cause fires.

General Motors will raise spending on electric and autonomous vehicles and add two U.S. battery factories as it gambles that consumers will eagerly switch from gasoline to the new technology.

Shares of General Motors Co. closed at a record high Thursday after the company said its efforts to manage the global computer chip shortage have worked better than expected, so it’s financial results will improve.

Ford Motor Co. is boosting its spending on electric vehicle production by $30 billion as it aims to have 40% of its fleet all-electric by 2030.

A new electric version of Ford’s immensely popular F-150 pickup truck might just be the catalyst that hastens America’s transition from gasoline to battery powered vehicles.

President Joe Biden is scheduled to visit the Ford Rouge Electric Vehicle Center on Tuesday, May 18 in Dearborn.

Ford Motor Company announced new plant closures. The Big Three all believe the next three months will be the most expensive part of the shortage.

Michigan’s worst-in-the-nation Covid-19 outbreak is starting to affect automotive production, with a major Ram pickup truck plant slowing its output due to a large number of absent workers.

The coronavirus pandemic helped cause the automotive semiconductor shortage. The scarcity is lasting as long as the pandemic has and is almost as expensive.

GM CEO Mary Barra made it clear it’s a new day for a new way of driving.

One of the nation’s largest auto dealer chains based in Metro Detroit is about to get a new owner.

The U.S. government’s highway safety agency is investigating complaints that the air bags may not inflate in a crash on thousands of General Motors vehicles.

Tesla delivered nearly 185,000 electric vehicles in the first quarter despite a shortage of computer chips that has hit the global auto industry.

LOUISVILLE, KY-OCTOBER 27: The all-new 2018 Ford Expedition SUV comes off the assembly line at the Ford Kentucky Truck Plant October 27, 2017 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Bill Pugliano/Getty Images)DETROIT – The Volkswagen Passat is the fastest selling used car in the Detroit area, according to data from iSeeCars. But the fastest selling new vehicle in the region is the Ford Expedition. According to ISeeCars, the average new car in Detroit took 46.5 days to sell in February 2021, while the average used car took 49.1 days to sell. To determine the fastest-selling cars in Detroit, iSeeCars said it analyzed 1.2 million new and used car sales in February 2021.

This image provided by General Motors shows the GM Logo. (General Motors via AP)DETROIT – General Motors plans to move around groups of salaried workers in Michigan to “increase collaboration” among its teams, the automaker announced Thursday. GM stressed its global headquarters will remain at the RenCen and it’s an “important element” of the automaker’s future. We are seeking to maintain the benefits of remote work, while also ensuring our teams get the benefit of in-person collaboration,” reads a statement from GM on Thursday. It has been more than a year now since GM asked thousands of employees to work from home, if possible, when the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic swept the globe.

DETROIT – General Motors is extending shutdowns at plants in Kansas, Canada and Mexico due to a semiconductor shortage. “GM has not taken downtime or reduced shifts at any of its truck plants due to the shortage. GM had to shut down its Fairfax, Kansas plant that builds the Cadillac XT4 and the Chevy Malibu. AdWhat caused the semiconductor shortage? Industry officials said semiconductor companies diverted production to consumer electronics during the worst of the COVID-19 slowdown in auto sales last spring.

Magna International is breaking ground on a $70 million manufacturing facility in St. Clair, Mich. where it plans to build complex battery enclosures for the all-new 2022 GMC Hummer EV. This investment is expected to create 304 jobs in St. Clair over the next five years. AdIn St. Clair, Magna said it plans to construct a 345,000-square-foot facility with the ability to support an expansion of up to 1,000,000 square feet. AdMeanwhile, it was announced earlier this year that the Hummer EV would be built under the GMC brand name at GM’s “Factory Zero” facility at the Detroit-Hamtramck assembly plant. That was announced right after GM said it would invest more than $2 billion in Detroit to manufacture electric vehicles.

The year 2020 was hard, but GM left the year with impressive earnings, beating Wall Street expectations. GM made nearly $4 billion in the last quarter of 2020 and $10 billion for the entire year. Ad“It’s been absolutely remarkable how the auto industry has rebounded and how well GM has done through this,” Krebs said. READ: GM 2020 profit drops, but it makes $6.43B despite pandemicThough things looked bleak in Spring 2020, in looking at the numbers, Krebs said GM couldn’t have timed its product roll outs any better. “Everybody’s buying SUV’s and trucks and guess what, GM introduced a whole family of full size SUV’s,” Krebs said.

DETROIT – GM’s strong-fourth quarter profit could mean good news for the automaker’s employees. 2020 was a hard year, but GM left the year with impressive earnings, beating Wall Street expectations. READ: GM 2020 profit drops, but it makes $6.43B despite pandemicThe automaker made $9.7 billion for the year -- $3.7 in the fourth quarter. AdIn 2018, UAW members received $10,750. The coronavirus pandemic shut down GM production for a few months, which is why Autotrader analyst and Cox Automotive automotive relations director Michelle Krebs is so impresses with what the company has accomplished.

DETROIT – General Motors’ profit fell 4.5% in 2020, but a strong second half more than offset the effects of pandemic-related factory closures and a costly air bag recall. The Detroit automaker said Wednesday it made $6.43 billion as demand for its vehicles surged late in a year dominated by coronavirus upheaval. The United Auto Workers union called this profit a “testament” to its membership in a statement released Wednesday morning:“Despite a year of a pandemic and loss of production in 2020, General Motors reported a solid profit for North America. This is a testament to our UAW-GM Membership, who produce some of the finest and most sought-after vehicles in the world, right here in the U.S.A.”Read more here. AdLast year: GM churns out profit in 2019 despite strike, slumping sales

(AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Ford Motor Co. said Thursday that it will cut shifts at two of its U.S. manufacturing plants next week, due to the worldwide chip shortage that has also impacted other automakers. Starting Monday, Ford will cut two shifts at its Dearborn, Michigan, facility, going down to one shift per day. AdFord isn't alone in cutting back production due to the shortage of chips needed to produce cars. General Motors will have downtime at three of its factories — one in the U.S, one in Canada and one in Mexico — due to the chip shortage, starting Feb. 8. Other automakers like Nissan, Fiat Chrysler and Toyota have also been impacted by the chip shortage.

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. – The merger between PSA Peugeot and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) that will lead to the creation of Stellantis was officially complete Saturday. The Stellantis sign is now up outside the now former FCA headquarters in Auburn Hills. Stellantis was launched Monday on the Milan and Paris stock exchanges, giving life to the fourth-largest auto company in the world. Read more: Carmaker Stellantis shares jump in Milan, Paris on first day

The Peugeot and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles merger is at the center of the contention. Walter Chrysler founded his famed auto company in 1924. His name has stuck around through the Daimler merger and the Fiat takeover, but this new world without Chrysler bothers his great grandson, Frank Rhodes. Rhodes is also upset about the possibility the Chrysler brand itself is in jeopardy. “It’s down to two vehicles now and one is a very old Sedan and Sedans aren’t selling, so the future of the Chrysler brand may be questionable,” said Krebs.

(AP Photo/Jens Meyer, FILE)DETROIT – Volkswagen is recalling over 105,000 Beetles with faulty Takata front driver’s air bags that can explode and hurl shrapnel. Dealers will replace the front driver's air bags at no cost to owners starting on Feb. 12. But it's recalling them at the behest of the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which is concerned that the air bags could explode over time. Exploding Takata inflators caused the largest series of auto recalls in U.S. history, with at least 63 million inflators recalled. About 100 million inflators have been recalled worldwide.

(AP Photo/Charles Krupa)DETROIT – General Motors is recalling nearly 840,000 vehicles in the U.S. for suspension problems or because the front seat belts can fail. The seat belt recall covers 624,000 2019 through 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 pickup trucks. Also included are the 2021 Chevrolet Suburban and Tahoe and GMC Yukon XL, and the 2020 and 2021 Silverado 2500 and 3500 and GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500. GM says in government documents that the seat belt brackets may not have been secured to the seat frame. GM will notify owners starting Feb. 1 and dealers will inspect the seat belt brackets and assemble them correctly.

FILE - In this Jan. 14, 2019 file photo, Fiat Chrysler's new CEO, Mike Manley, is interviewed at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Manley will run operations in the Americas when his company merges with Frances PSA Peugeot early next year. FCA Chairman John Elkann announced Manleys new post on Friday, Dec. 18, 2020 in a letter to employees. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)DETROIT – Fiat Chrysler CEO Mike Manley will run operations in the Americas when his company merges with France’s PSA Peugeot early next year. PSA CEO Carlos Tavares will run the overall company, to be named Stellantis.

DETROIT – General Motors announced Monday it has signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding with Nikola Corporation for a global supply agreement to provide its Hydrotec fuel cell system for Nikola’s Class 7/8 semi-trucks. ”This supply agreement recognizes our leading fuel cell technology expertise and development,” said Doug Parks, GM executive vice president of Global Product Development, Purchasing and Supply Chain. GM and Nikola will discuss the appropriate scope of services that GM would provide for the integration of the fuel cell system into Nikola’s vehicles. GM and Nikola will also discuss the potential of a supply agreement for GM’s versatile Ultium battery system for Nikola’s Class 7/8 trucks. GM’s Hydrotec fuel cell system will be engineered at its Michigan technical facilities in Pontiac and Warren and manufactured at its Brownstown Charter Township battery assembly plant.

Ashton and his UAW co-conspirators demanded kickbacks on the $3.9 million contract for the Center for Human Resources to buy 58,000 watches for all UAW members employed by GM. However, the watches were never distributed to UAW members. Read more: UAW president steps down as GM sues rival over union briberyAshton is one of 15 defendants convicted in connection with the ongoing criminal investigation into illegal payoffs to UAW officials by FCA executives and corruption within the UAW itself. In addition, the following UAW officials have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing: former UAW President Gary Jones, former senior UAW official Jeffrey “Paycheck” Pietrzyk, former UAW Region 5 Director and UAW Board member Vance Pearson, former UAW Midwest CAP President Edward “Nick” Robinson, and former UAW President Dennis Williams. Ashton’s greed caused irreparable damage to the trust UAW members have in their leaders who are supposed to represent their best interests,” stated Schneider.

DETROIT – Ford plans to add 350 jobs at two factories to meet expected demand for electric vehicles that haven't gone on sale yet. The company says these are early investments in the first phase of its plan to build more electric vehicles. In addition to the Kansas City and Michigan plants, Ford will build electric vehicles and components in Oakville, Ontario, and Cuautitlan, Mexico, the company said. “This is just the first chapter with more new electric vehicles and more investment to come,” Galhotra said. Last year, automakers sold just over 236,000 fully electric vehicles, up 36% from 2018.

(Copyright 2020 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved.) Unifor announced Thursday morning its Master Bargaining Committee reached a tentative agreement for 17,000 members working at General Motors in St. Catharines, Oshawa and Woodstock, Ontario. Unifor’s National President Jerry Dias and bargaining committee representatives will hold a virtual news conference at 10 a.m. to provide more information about the tentative agreement. To watch the news conference click here. Unifor is Canada’s largest union in the private sector, representing 315,000 workers in every major area of the economy.

DETROIT – Toyota is adding 1.5 million U.S. vehicles to recalls from early this year to fix fuel pumps that can fail and cause engines to stall. The company says the latest recall brings the total to 5.8 million Toyota and Lexus brand vehicles that need to be repaired worldwide. The recall affects more than 40 vehicles in the U.S. dating to the 2013 model year, covering much of the Toyota and Lexus model lineup. Toyota said in a statement Wednesday that the fuel pumps can suddenly stop operating, and that can cause the vehicles to stall. Toyota began recalling the vehicles in January with about 700,000, and added 1.2 million in March.

Ford Motor Company and GM have recently announced major plans and shown what they intend to do with electric vehicle manufacturing. But that doesn’t mean the internal combustion engine is going the way of the buggy whip. GM is ready to give the Hummer a new life as an electric SUV, Cadillac will build its luxury Lyriq SUV as an electric SUV and Ford is ready with the Mustang Mach-E and an electric F-150. Guidehouse Insights auto analyst Sam Abuelsamid said the Big Three are expected to have 100 new electric vehicle offerings in the next five years and 300 worldwide. This will change manufacturing considering it takes far fewer parts to make an electric vehicle.

BEIJING – China’s vehicle sales including trucks and buses accelerated in September as the industry’s biggest global market recovered from the coronavirus pandemic, an industry group reported Tuesday. Sales rose 17.4% over a year earlier to 2.6 million vehicles, up from August’s 11.6% growth, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers. It said SUV sales set a new monthly record and purchases of other passenger vehicles also rose but gave no details. In the first nine months of the year, sales declined 6.9% from a year earlier to 17.1 million, CAAM said. That hurts global automakers that are looking to China to propel sales growth.

DEARBORN, Mich. – Ford says it will add 300 jobs at a new factory that’s being built to assemble batteries and manufacture an electric version of the F-150 pickup truck. The new plant -- called the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center -- is being built at the Ford Rouge complex in Dearborn, Michigan, where Ford is starting to produce a new version of the F-150 that’s due in showrooms this November. This short video shows an animation of the center construction:“We are proud today to announce for our Ford UAW members and our nation that Ford is building this new plant to assemble the truck of the future -- a battery electric Ford F-150," reads a statement from United Auto Workers (UAW) Ford Vice President Gerald Kariem. Ford says the new electric truck will go on sale in mid-2022. Here’s some bonus video from Ford showing the all-electric F-150 prototype testing:

DETROIT – For the second time this month, Hyundai is telling some SUV owners to park outdoors because an electrical short in a computer could cause vehicles to catch fire. The Korean automaker is recalling about 180,000 Tucson SUVs in the U.S. from 2019 through 2021 to fix the problem. Hyundai says on Friday that it knows of a dozen engine fires caused by the problem but no injuries. In April of 2019, NHTSA opened two new investigations into fires involving Hyundai and Kia vehicles after getting complaints of more than 3,100 fires and 103 injuries. NHTSA had previously said it would incorporate the noncrash fires into a 2017 investigation that examined recalls of Hyundai and Kia vehicles for engine failures.

WASHINGTON (AP) Korean automakers Hyundai and Kia are recalling over 600,000 vehicles in the U.S. and Canada to fix a brake fluid leak that could cause engine fires. In company documents posted Thursday by U.S. safety regulators, Hyundai said it had 15 reports of engine fires caused by the fluid leaks, while Kia said it had eight. The company said it monitors safety concerns, including non-collision fires and acts swiftly to recall any vehicles with safety related defects.In April of 2019, NHTSA opened two new investigations into fires involving Hyundai and Kia vehicles after getting complaints of more than 3,100 fires and 103 injuries. The investigations, one for Hyundai and the other for Kia, cover non-crash fires in almost 3 million vehicles from the affiliated automakers. NHTSA had previously said it would incorporate the noncrash fires into a 2017 investigation that examined recalls of Hyundai and Kia vehicles for engine failures.