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☆ Automakers are facing an uphill battle as inventory piles up and workers threaten to go on strike
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-17 | by ( Alexa St. John | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

After a few years of smooth-sailing, Detroit automakers are coming up against several challenges. A possible UAW strike, supply chain hurdles, and inventory building up threaten carmakers' peace. The peace that Detroit automakers have had over the past several months is getting interrupted — and car buyers and investors should brace themselves. Between dealer tensions, a potential United Auto Workers strike, and parts makers struggling, automakers face a rough time ahead. Second, Detroit 3 union workers are gearing up for a strikeA strike could threaten those companies' success in the latter half of the year.

Persons: carmakers, COVID, Ford, Martin French, Kelley, Peter Maithel Organizations: UAW, Morning, Detroit, Dealers, United Auto Workers, Cox Automotive, Chrysler, Dodge, GM, GMC, Buick, EV, Ford, Deutsche Bank Locations: Detroit

☆ Drivers Frustrated With Their Cars Door Handles, Screens, Other Tech
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-07 | by ( Alexa St. John | Tim Levin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The auto research firm JD Power assessed dozens of vehicle brands for its latest quality study. The overall quality of new vehicles is deteriorating and nagging problems are on the rise, according to a new study from JD Power. "The basic touch point of door handles is now a percolating problem area as manufacturers attempt to redesign them," JD Power said. JD Power assigned a score to each auto brand based on problems per 100 vehicles, and calculated an industry average of 192 problems per 100 vehicles (PP100), up from 180 in 2022. In terms of vehicles themselves, the Nissan Maxima had the highest initial quality overall, with 106 problems per 100 vehicles, according to the survey.

Persons: Tesla, Dodge, Frank Hanley, Power, JD Power, Ram, Alfa Romeo, Polestar Organizations: JD Power, Fiat Chrysler, French PSA Group, Buick, Chevrolet, Volvo, Chrysler, Volkswagen, Nissan, JD, Dodge, Romeo, GMC, Porsche, Kia, Lexus, Maserati, Hyundai, Honda, BMW, Mitsubishi, Toyota, Ford, Benz, Rover, Mazda, Acura, Lincoln

☆ GM recalls more vehicles with Takata air bag inflators that could explode
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( Ramishah Maruf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

New York CNN —General Motors said Tuesday is recalling almost 900 vehicles worldwide because the Takata-made air bag inflator may explode, potentially striking drivers and passengers with sharp metal fragments. Millions of vehicles with air bags from Takata, the now-bankrupt Japanese manufacturer, are already under recall. NHTSA said that prolonged exposure to high heat and humidity cause those air bags to explode when deployed. Takata air bags caused at least 26 deaths in the United States and left more than 400 occupants with injuries that included blinding and maiming. In 2020, the American carmaker spent $1.2 billion replacing Takata air bags in 7 million vehicles.

Persons: Motors, It’s Organizations: New, New York CNN —, Chevrolet, Buick, Chevrolet TRAX, National, Traffic Safety Administration, Dealers, NHTSA, GM Locations: New York, United States, Canada, Brazil

☆ Women's sports are surging in popularity and driving record World Cup viewership. Here are the top 10 advertisers cashing in.
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-28 | by ( Margaret Fleming | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The Women's World Cup is a big focus for brands to reach a growing audience. The US Women's National Team's latest Women's World Cup match against the Netherlands drew record viewership on July 26, with around 6.4 million viewers. Most of those eyeballs came from the NCAA women's basketball tournament, for which the company had 141 million household views. The Women's World Cup, which kicked off July 20 in Australia and New Zealand, offers another significant opportunity for companies to reach the growing audience of women's sports fans. July 28, 2023: This story has been updated to reflect viewership for the latest USWNT match in the Women's World Cup.

Persons: it's, Jeff Kearney, Buick, Molly Peck, Peck, Marisstella Marinkovic, Ally Organizations: Buick, Nissan, US, Fox Sports, WNBA, NWSL, Gatorade, Lexus, DIRECTV, Armour, Nielsen Sports, NCAA, ESPN, Ally, Google, Nike, Subway, Volkswagen Locations: Netherlands, Australia, New Zealand, Wells Fargo

☆ Global automakers scramble to reset China strategies as sales slow
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Global automakers, who for years have dominated the market along with their Chinese state-run partners, have been slow to pivot to the fast-growing market for EVs with competitive offerings. "This major collaboration between Volkswagen and Xpeng is a milestone for our electrification strategy 'in China for China'," said Ralf Brandstatter, a VW board member on his social media account. Their deeper pockets give established foreign automakers who are determined to fight for share in China, the ability to play a long game. Kia (000270.KS) is to enter China's EV market with its first EV, the EV6 crossover, via imports in August. "The German brands benefit from significant global scale," said He Lei, CEO of Chinese EV trading platform xChuxing.

Persons: Aly, Yale Zhang, Ralf Brandstatter, We've, Mary Barra, Tu Le, Yang Honghai, Kia, Mercedes Benz, Volkswagen's Audi, Lei, It's, Bill Russo, Automobility, Zhang Yan, Brenda Goh, Kevin Krolicki Organizations: Audi, Volkswagen, Auto, REUTERS, General Motors, Toyota, China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, Global, BMW, Mitsubishi, Automotive Foresight, GM, Reuters Graphics Volkswagen, BYD, China's Xpeng, HK, SAIC, VW, Buick, Chevrolet, Cadillac, CHINA EV INC, Tesla, China EV Inc, Volkswagen's, EV, Mitsubishi Motors, Nissan, Ford, Renault, Thomson Locations: Auto Shanghai, Shanghai, China, SHANGHAI, CHINA, Kia China, KS

☆ The 10 biggest brands advertising in women's sports as viewership reaches new heights and the World Cup takes center stage
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-26 | by ( Margaret Fleming | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The Women's World Cup is a big focus for brands to reach a growing audience. The first match of US Women's National Team in the Women's World Cup averaged an audience of 5.3 million viewers on July 21, according to the Associated Press. The AP reported that viewership increased 99% from the team's first match of the 2019 World Cup, per Fox and Nielsen. Most of those eyeballs came from the NCAA women's basketball tournament, for which the company had 141 million household views. The Women's World Cup, which kicked off July 20 in Australia and New Zealand, offers another significant opportunity for companies to reach the growing audience of women's sports fans.

Persons: it's, Jeff Kearney, Buick, Molly Peck, Peck, Marisstella Marinkovic, Ally Organizations: Buick, Nissan, Women's National Team, Associated Press, AP, Fox, Nielsen, WNBA, NWSL, Gatorade, Lexus, DIRECTV, Armour, Nielsen Sports, NCAA, ESPN, Ally, Google, Nike, Subway, Volkswagen Locations: Australia, New Zealand, Wells Fargo

PinnedInflation data released on Wednesday showed a pronounced cooling and offered some of the most hopeful news since the Federal Reserve began trying to tame rapid price increases 16 months ago. Officials have signaled in recent weeks that they are likely to raise interest rates at their July 25-26 meeting. For one thing, the cost of housing as measured by the Consumer Price Index — which relies on rent prices — is coming down sharply. The Fed officially targets 2 percent inflation on average over time, though it defines that goal using a separate inflation measure, the Personal Consumption Expenditures index. Interest rates increases work partly by slowing the job market and cooling wage increases, so the Fed’s fight against inflation and the strength of the labor market are closely tied.

Persons: ”, Laura Rosner, Warburton, it’s, . Rosner, Airfares, “, Beth Weaver, Loretta Mester, ” Julia Pollak Organizations: Federal Reserve, Federal, Consumer, Buick GMC, Fed, Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, ZipRecruiter Locations: Erie, Pa

PinnedInflation data released on Wednesday showed a pronounced cooling and offered some of the most hopeful news since the Federal Reserve began trying to tame rapid price increases 16 months ago. But Federal Reserve officials are still trying to assess whether the cool down is likely to be quick and complete. Officials have signaled in recent weeks that they are likely to raise interest rates at their July 25-26 meeting. For one thing, the cost of housing as measured by the Consumer Price Index — which relies on rent prices — is coming down sharply. Interest rates increases work partly by slowing the job market and cooling wage increases, so the Fed’s fight against inflation and the strength of the labor market are closely tied.

☆ GM positions new Chevy Trax, Buick Envista crossovers to fill an affordability gap
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-11 | by ( Michael Wayland | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

In this article GM Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNT2024 Buick Envista GMDETROIT – General Motors is positioning two new crossovers from Chevrolet and Buick as its answer to affordability issues left by discontinued, cheaper sedans. GM's new 2024 Buick Envista and redesigned 2024 Chevrolet Trax crossovers start at $22,400 and $20,400, respectively. 2024 Chevrolet Trax (left) and 2024 Buick Envista Michael Wayland / CNBCExecutives from Buick and Chevrolet say they expect the vehicles to be among their bestsellers as production ramps up and the crossovers are imported from factories in South Korea. 2024 Buick Envista GMThe new Trax and Envista are sibling vehicles as they share the same platform and have similar interiors and silhouettes. 2024 Chevrolet Trax (right) and 2024 Buick Envista Michael Wayland / CNBC

Persons: Cox, Michelle Krebs, Envista Michael Wayland, Sam Russell, Russell, Chevrolet hasn't, Steve Majoros, Paul Waatti Organizations: DETROIT –, Motors, Chevrolet, Buick, Cox Automotive, GM, Toyota Motor, Hyundai, Trax, CNBC, Silverado, Chevy, Trailblazer Locations: South Korea

☆ Technology is giving cars more nagging problems than ever
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-23 | by ( Alexa St. John | Tim Levin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Auto research firm JD Power assessed dozens of vehicle brands for its latest quality study. The overall quality of new vehicles is deteriorating and nagging problems are on the rise, according to a new study from JD Power. "The basic touch point of door handles is now a percolating problem area as manufacturers attempt to redesign them," JD Power said. JD Power assigned a score to each auto brand based on problems per 100 vehicles, and calculated an industry average of 192 problems per 100 vehicles (PP100), up from 180 in 2022. In terms of vehicles themselves, the Nissan Maxima had the highest initial quality overall, with 106 problems per 100 vehicles, according to teh survey.

Persons: Tesla, Dodge, Frank Hanley, Power, JD Power, Ram, Alfa Romeo, Polestar Organizations: Auto, JD Power, Fiat Chrysler, French PSA Group, Buick, Chevrolet, Volvo, Chrysler, Volkswagen, Nissan, JD, Dodge, Romeo, GMC, Porsche, Kia, Lexus, Maserati, Hyundai, Honda, BMW, Mitsubishi, Toyota, Ford, Benz, Rover, Mazda, Acura, Lincoln

☆ Opinion: ‘No Hard Feelings’ with Jennifer Lawrence is a sex worker romcom that won’t admit it
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-23 | by ( Opinion Noah Berlatsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Friday’s debut of “No Hard Feelings,” a sex work romcom that doesn’t want to admit to its own subgenre, is very much of our era. Noah Berlatsky Noah BerlatskyThe Jennifer Lawrence vehicle from Sony Pictures revolves around a sex worker who, like the film, doesn’t want to admit what she’s doing. In sex worker romcoms, you’re supposed to be scandalized at the sordidness — but in a fun way. Anti-sex and anti-porn advocates have put a lot of effort into (falsely) conflating sex work and sex trafficking. Every film, sex worker romcom or otherwise, doesn’t have to be enthusiastically political, or, for that matter, sexual.

Persons: Noah Berlatsky, we’re, Noah Berlatsky Noah Berlatsky, Jennifer Lawrence, Maddie, Lawrence, Uber, Laird, Matthew Broderick, Allison, Laura Benanti, Percy, Andrew Barth Feldman, ” Percy, romcoms, Billy Wilder’s “ Irma La Douce, Ron Howard’s, Vivian Ward, Julia Roberts, Edward Lewis, Richard Gere, Stock, Pixie “, Richard Gere’s Edward isn’t, Rebecca De Mornay’s Lana isn’t, revel, ”, you’re, Rebecca de Mornay, Lana, she’s, Irma La Douce, Barbara Stanwyck, Leo Grande ”, Nancy, Emma Thompson, Leo Grande, Daryl McCormack Organizations: CNN, Sony Pictures, Pictorial Press, Library, Twitter Locations: Chicago, Montauk , New York

☆ New technologies hurt car quality as EV brands fare poorly, J.D. Power says
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-22 | by ( John Rosevear | In Jrosevear | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Power's Initial Quality Study released Thursday. "The automotive industry is facing a wide range of quality problems, a phenomenon not seen in the 37-year history of the [Initial Quality Study]," said Frank Hanley, senior director of auto benchmarking at J.D. The 2023 Initial Quality Study found industry-wide problems per 100 vehicles rose by 12 to 192, on average. The top mass-market brands for initial quality were Dodge, Ram and Buick. The company conducts separate surveys to rank brands by long-term dependability, the appeal of their new vehicles' features and car buyers' purchasing experiences across brands.

Persons: Frank Hanley, Tesla, — Dodge, Ram, Alfa Romeo —, Polestar, General Motors, Korea's, Alfa, aren't, Power, It's Organizations: Volvo, Tesla, U.S, General, Chevrolet, GMC, Buick, Cadillac, Ford, Lincoln, Korea's Hyundai, Kia, longtime paragon, Toyota, Porsche Locations: .

☆ The best car brands of 2023
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-14 | by ( Alexa St. John | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Consumer Reports released a list of top car brands Thursday. Consumer Reports released its list of the top car brands for 2023 on Thursday. Taking the bottom five spots are Mitsubishi, Alfa Romeo, Jaguar, Jeep, and Land Rover, with Land Rover at the very bottom. Consumer Reports ranked brands first by determining a road-test score using braking, handling, comfort, convenience, and fuel economy evaluations. The other domestic brands fell in the bottom-third of the rankings.

Persons: Alfa Romeo, Dodge, Genesis, Tesla Organizations: BMW, Land Rover, Consumer, Subaru, Lexus, Honda, Rover, Consumer Reports, Ford, GM, Fiat Chrysler, French PSA Group, Lincoln, Chrysler, Pacifica, Toyota, Kia, Mazda, Audi, Acura, Buick, Hyundai, Porsche, Dodge, Tesla, Infiniti, Volkswagen, Volvo, Nissan, Chevrolet, Cadillac, Benz, GMC, Mitsubishi, Alfa, Jeep

☆ US wants a recall of 67 million airbag inflators, but the manufacturer disagrees
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-12 | by ( Ramishah Maruf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

New York CNN —The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is calling for an immediate recall of 67 million airbag inflators due to a dangerous defect, the agency said in a letter to ARC Automotive, a major manufacturer of the component. The 67 million airbag inflators that NHTSA wants recalled were all produced in the 18-year period prior to January 2018, when ARC installed equipment to help inspect inflators, according to the company. The airbag inflators are used by at least 12 vehicle manufacturers, but NHTSA did not specify which ones. “Airbag inflators that project metal fragments into vehicle occupants, rather than properly inflating the attached airbag, create an unreasonable risk of death and injury,” the agency said in the letter. “None of the 918 inflators ruptured in the tests,” Gold wrote in response to NHTSA’s request for a recall.

☆ GM recalling nearly 1 million U.S. vehicles for air bag defect
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-12 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON, May 12 (Reuters) - General Motors (GM.N) said on Friday it will recall nearly 1 million sport utility vehicles in the United States because the driver's air-bag inflator may explode during deployment. The recall covers 994,763 Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse, and GMC Acadia vehicles from the 2014 through 2017 model years with modules produced by ARC Automotive Inc. An April 25 inspection confirmed that the front driver airbag inflator ruptured in the vehicle. GM said it was aware of two prior ruptures of ARC-manufactured airbag inflators in 2015 Chevrolet Traverse vehicles, and GM conducted two earlier small recalls of about 3,000 ARC inflators. All three rupture events in Chevrolet Traverse vehicles involved the same inflator variant.

☆ Opinion | Read This Before Shopping for Your Bud Light Replacement Beer
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-29 | by ( Matthew Walther | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

In the words of a television spot from 1979: “It’s not city beer. Rather than acknowledge Bud Light’s place in a faceless globalized chain of ownership, advertisements for the beer attempt to underscore its supposedly distinctive American and working-class character. Some years ago a series of advertisements featured the Bud Knight, a character who figured in faux-medieval settings alongside a royal personage known as the Dilly Dilly King. In one spot, the king enters a tavern and orders “Bud Lights for everyone,” eliciting cries of approval from the assembled crowd. The implication is that Bud Light is for ordinary decent people who just want to have a good time with their friends, not smug effete connoisseurs.

Bank of America says General Motors remains a leader in the auto industry, despite many investors remaining pessimistic on the stock. Meanwhile, Bank of America has a buy rating on the auto giant. General Motors recently unveiled the last new gas-powered Buick car , as the brand prepares to move to an all-electric domestic lineup by 2030. The company is bullish that lower-carbon electric vehicles are the future for the auto industry. GM 1Y mountain General Motors stock —CNBC's Michael Bloom contributed to this report.

☆ General Motors raises 2023 guidance as first-quarter earnings beat expectations
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-25 | by ( Michael Wayland | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

The new range is between $8.4 billion and $9.9 billion, down from $8.7 billion to $10.1 billion. DETROIT — General Motors on Tuesday raised key guidance for 2023 after reporting first-quarter results that topped Wall Street's top- and bottom-line forecasts. Its net income during the first quarter, however, was down by roughly 18% to $2.3 billion compared to a year earlier. CFO Paul Jacobson said the company felt confident in raising its adjusted earnings guidance after first-quarter results came in above the company's internal expectations, including continued demand for high-end models. GM's first-quarter results included adjusted earnings of $3.8 billion, down 6% from a year earlier.

☆ Get America's cheapest electric car while you still can
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-25 | by ( Tim Levin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Launched in 2016, the Bolt EV is the cheapest electric car in America. General Motors is axing the electric hatchback (and its SUV relative, the Bolt EUV) from its lineup this year, it announced Tuesday. The Chevrolet Bolt EV electric hatchback. The Bolt EV, which launched in 2016, is America's cheapest EV at $26,500 (or $19,000 after a $7,500 federal tax credit). The 2022 Chevrolet Bolt EUV.

☆ China doesn’t want US cars like Ford and General Motors. That’s a big problem for their futures.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( Diamond Naga Siu | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

America has a problem: China — the world's largest car market — doesn't want its vehicles. In 2022, data shows Ford and General Motors' car sales in China each dropped more than 20% from the year before. My colleagues Alexa St. John and Nora Naughton break down how the future of US automakers hinges on China. Although Google founder Larry Page's flying car company Kittyhawk majorly flopped, it left us with some interesting vehicles. Hop aboard to see all the funky flying car models here.

☆ I'm a car dealer. Here are the things customers get dead wrong about our business.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-23 | by ( Alexa St. John | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

I grew up in a family dealership and did everything from marketing to customer service to a little bit of sales. From a customer service perspective, it became very difficult during COVID and it's still difficult now with parts. Whitney Yates-WoodsMy most challenging thing right now would be that customer service pieceThose parts taking a long time to get in is still really very prevalent. I think sometimes people think that that 1950's car salesperson persona still existsIt's evolving from the stereotypical car sales guy. I especially want women coming in by themselves to not feel like they're going to get taken advantage of.

☆ Lincoln’s new SUV will be imported from China
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-18 | by ( Peter Valdes-Dapena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

General Motors’ Buick Envision SUV is produced in China and Volvo’s S90 full-sized sedan is also imported from China. The current generation Nautilus is already produced in China for that market, where the Lincoln brand is popular. The new Lincoln Nautilus will have a large cabin-wide display screen. LincolnThe timing of Ford’s decision to build the Nautilus in China comes at a delicate moment, amid heightened tensions between the US and China. LincolnIn the design and marketing of its vehicles, Lincoln has in recent years emphasized quiet and relaxation rather than performance.

☆ GM reveals Buick Envista as brand's last new gas-powered vehicle
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-17 | by ( Michael Wayland | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

DETROIT – General Motors on Monday revealed the last new gas-powered Buick vehicle ahead of the brand's transition to an all-electric domestic lineup by 2030. The final new traditional nameplate for the brand will be the 2024 Buick Envista, a small crossover that has the look of a sedan but the ride height and storage of a comparable SUV. It features a smooth, long exterior with styling inspired by the brand's well-received Wildcat concept car last year. The Envista will replace the Buick Encore as the brand's entry-level model, starting at $24,495 for a base model and $29,695 for a top-end Avenir model. GM discontinued production of the Encore last year in exchange for a larger "Encore GX" vehicle that starts between about $26,000 and $35,000.

☆ Ford unveils new Lincoln Nautilus to be imported from China
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-17 | by ( Michael Wayland | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Ford Motor will import its next-generation Lincoln Nautilus from China to the U.S., the company said Monday night. This marks the first time Lincoln will import a vehicle to the U.S. from China. Importing a vehicle from China to the U.S. is not unprecedented but can draw public and political criticism or backlash, especially when tensions between the two countries are high. Most notably, General Motors has been criticized for importing its Buick Envision crossover from China to the U.S. since 2016. Importing a vehicle from overseas to the U.S. can make good business sense, however, for a company such as Ford.

☆ How little engines are taking over American cars in a big way
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-15 | by ( Peter Valdes-Dapena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

If Americans have experience with three-cylinder engines, it would probably have been in Europe where the engines are fairly common in tiny “city cars” used for basic, around-town transportation. Now, for the 2023 model year, there are ten different models available in the United States with three-cylinder engines, according to Edmunds.com. All of these are at least offered with three-cylinder engines, if not available only with that engine. Vehicles that would have once have been powered by eight-cylinder engines now have turbocharged six-cylinder engines, instead. GM currently offers two different three-cylinder engines and, Hommes said, plans to continue selling them even as GM moves toward selling nothing but electric passenger vehicles by 2035.

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