http://www.autonews.com News and commentary from the leader in North American automotive news en-us Thu, 13 Dec 2018 06:00:00 EST http://www.autonews.com/assets/png/AN-LOGO-breaking-news.png http://www.autonews.com/section/news 40 Automotive News is the leading source of news about the global automotive industry http://www.autonews.com/article/20181212/OEM01/181219867/china-trump-trade-politics Wed, 12 Dec 2018 09:54:02 EST China is considering plans to delay some targets in its strategy to dominate high-end technologies and to put more focus on shaping industry standards, people familiar with the matter told Bloomberg. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181212/RETAIL/181219856/cars-com-investor-reaction-job-cuts Wed, 12 Dec 2018 16:00:00 EST Cars.com, one of the auto industry's largest online shopping sites, is restructuring its sales operations and eliminating more than 100 positions amid pressure from an activist investment group. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181212/OEM01/181219857/fiat-chrysler-windsor-minivan-production Wed, 12 Dec 2018 14:58:12 EST Fiat Chrysler Automobiles plans to idle its assembly plant in Windsor, Ont., for two weeks in the new year, according to the union representing workers there. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181212/OEM02/181219878/ghosn-scandal-expands-european-subsidiaries Wed, 12 Dec 2018 06:15:25 EST Nissan is poised to widen its probe into Carlos Ghosn to investigate possible misconduct at its alliance joint venture entity with Renault and a host of subsidiaries, people familiar with the matter said, in a move that could trigger more criminal... http://www.autonews.com/article/20181212/OEM02/181219859/ghosn-access-brazil-apartment-court Wed, 12 Dec 2018 13:19:47 EST A Brazilian court decided that ousted Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn or his daughter should have the right to access a contested Rio apartment to retrieve personal belongings, Reuters reported. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181212/OEM01/181219860/bmw-logistics-transportation-south-carolina Wed, 12 Dec 2018 12:51:01 EST A $25 million U.S. transportation grant supporting the expansion of an inland port for containers will directly benefit logistics operations at BMW in South Carolina and other manufacturers in the region. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181212/OEM04/181219865/cadillac-xt6-detroit-auto-show Wed, 12 Dec 2018 11:11:08 EST The large three-row vehicle will slot between the XT5 midsize crossover and the Cadillac Escalade large SUV -- white space the brand has needed to fill for some time. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181212/OEM04/181219880/vw-to-keep-passat-on-old-platform-update-styling-tech-for-2020 Wed, 12 Dec 2018 05:00:00 EST The 2020 Volkswagen Passat will receive new exterior styling, more standard safety equipment and an updated instrument panel but it won't land on a new platform or feature a new powertrain as the automaker, citing the shrinking midsize car market,... http://www.autonews.com/article/20181212/FINANCE_AND_INSURANCE/181219868/financing-concerns-weigh-on-auto-dealers-in-q4-cox-survey-finds Wed, 12 Dec 2018 09:53:29 EST Alongside affordability challenges, high interest rates and difficulty obtaining credit for customers have clouded dealers' typically rosy outlooks, according to Cox Automotive's Dealer Sentiment Index survey. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181212/OEM02/181219869/audis-schot-appointed-ceo-on-permanent-basis Wed, 12 Dec 2018 08:54:25 EST Audi marketing expert Bram Schot will become the luxury brand's CEO on Jan. 1, making permanent a role he has held on an interim basis since June. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181212/OEM01/181219870/renault-tells-nissan-not-to-contact-its-board-members-report-says Wed, 12 Dec 2018 08:04:57 EST Renault has told alliance partner Nissan not to contact its directors ahead of a Renault board meeting on Thursday, a source told Reuters. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181212/OEM05/181219873/vw-expects-new-ev-platform-to-give-it-an-edge-over-rivals Wed, 12 Dec 2018 06:59:52 EST Volkswagen says the MEB platform that will underpin its I.D. electric-vehicle family will be even more scalable than the MQB architecture used for 80 percent of the group's combustion engine cars. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181212/OEM02/181219874/ghosn-scandal-french-politics Wed, 12 Dec 2018 06:54:17 EST As Renault's largest shareholder, the French government might be expected to stand up for Carlos Ghosn as he fights charges in Japan that he underreported tens of millions of dollars. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181212/OEM02/181219877/nissan-renault-scandal-japan-criminal Wed, 12 Dec 2018 06:35:36 EST Nissan took the first comprehensive steps to share details with Renault about allegations against Carlos Ghosn in a move that may help ease a climate of suspicion that has clouded their partnership. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181212/OEM02/181219879/hyundai-promotes-former-bmw-exec-to-rd-chief-in-management-shake-up Wed, 12 Dec 2018 06:09:51 EST Hyundai Motor appointed Albert Biermann, a former BMW executive, as its first foreign head of research and development, raising expectations of a smooth transition of power at the family-run business empire. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181211/OEM01/181219901/china-tariff-trump Tue, 11 Dec 2018 07:48:20 EST China has agreed to cut tariffs on U.S.-built cars and auto parts to 15 percent from the current 40 percent, a Trump administration official said. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181211/OEM/181219881/gm-pressed-by-2-senators-to-build-all-evs-for-u-s-stateside Tue, 11 Dec 2018 17:56:03 EST Two U.S. senators from Ohio on Tuesday asked General Motors CEO Mary Barra to commit to building all future electric vehicles for U.S. buyers at home and to provide more details of plans to cut back on car output in North America. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181211/OEM04/181219897/mclaren-720s-convertible Tue, 11 Dec 2018 10:00:00 EST McLaren Automotive has added another flavor to its 720S lineup by adding a convertible. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181211/OEM02/181219884/ex-ford-argentina-execs-convicted-in-torture-case Tue, 11 Dec 2018 16:50:58 EST An Argentine court convicted two former executives of a local Ford plant of involvement in the torture of workers during the country's dictatorship in the 1970s, victims' lawyers said, adding they may sue Ford in U.S. federal court. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181211/OEM01/181219906/nissan-ghosn-earnings-restatement Tue, 11 Dec 2018 06:48:14 EST Nissan will file corrected earnings for past years in which Carlos Ghosn, the company's ousted chairman, allegedly under-reported his compensation by tens of millions of dollars. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181211/OEM02/181219904/ghosns-appeal-to-end-detention-rejected-by-tokyo-court Tue, 11 Dec 2018 07:04:34 EST A Tokyo court rejected ousted Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn's appeal to end his detention following his arrest last month on allegations of financial misconduct. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181211/RETAIL/181219888/vroom-collects-146-million-in-latest-funding-eyes-expansion-with-new Tue, 11 Dec 2018 15:24:29 EST Upstart online used-car retailer Vroom said it raised $146 million in its latest round of funding, including a previously reported $50 million from AutoNation Inc. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181211/RETAIL03/181219891/audi-santa-claus-ad-video Tue, 11 Dec 2018 13:22:26 EST Santa Claus takes on a modern look in a new Audi ad that shows him shedding pounds when he endures a bit of a mid-life crisis after realizing that he can't fit into an RS 5 at his current weight. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181211/OEM02/181219889/musk-60-minutes-twitter Tue, 11 Dec 2018 14:23:04 EST Tesla CEO Elon Musk criticized '60 Minutes' for editing out parts of his responses to questions about losing the role of chairman last month. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181211/MOBILITY/181219890/hertz-rental-technology-boost Tue, 11 Dec 2018 13:46:43 EST Hertz and Clear announced the debut of Hertz Fast Lane Powered by Clear, a service that uses biometrics to speed members through the rental car process. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181211/OEM02/181219892/nissan-is-said-to-spell-out-allegations-on-ghosn-to-renault Tue, 11 Dec 2018 12:52:50 EST Nissan is taking the first comprehensive steps to share details with Renault about allegations against Carlos Ghosn, according to a person familiar with the matter. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181211/OEM04/181219908/ford-ranger-pickup-rated-at-23-mpg-combined-best-among-gasoline Tue, 11 Dec 2018 00:01:00 EST The Ford Ranger is returning next month as the most fuel-efficient gasoline-powered pickup on the U.S. market. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181211/BLOG06/312129999/jeep-wrangler-awarded-1-star-in-euro-ncap-crash-tests Tue, 11 Dec 2018 00:01:00 EST The redesigned Jeep Wrangler failed one of several crash tests performed by Euro NCAP, the European version of crashworthiness studies performed by NHTSA and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181211/OEM02/181219907/hyundai-rd-management-design Tue, 11 Dec 2018 06:39:57 EST Hyundai Motor Group's two vice chairmen in charge of randd have offered to resign, three people familiar with the matter told Reuters. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181211/OEM05/181219898/hyundai-fuel-cell-investment Tue, 11 Dec 2018 08:37:46 EST Hyundai and its suppliers plan to spend $6.7 billion through 2030 to raise production of fuel cells by more than 200-fold as the automaker targets to become a key player in the new-energy vehicle technology. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181211/GLOBAL03/181219899/china-auto-sales Tue, 11 Dec 2018 08:29:04 EST China's automobile sales fell about 14 percent in November from a year earlier. It was the steepest decline since January 2012, when the timing of the Lunar New Year holiday hurt auto sales. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181211/RETAIL/181219900/cars-com-starboard Tue, 11 Dec 2018 08:14:33 EST Starboard Value is calling on Cars.com to improve its performance or consider selling itself or making management changes, about nine months after the activist hedge fund reached a settlement agreement with the online auto-dealing platform. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181211/MOBILITY/181219902/bmw-names-new-head-of-autonomous-driving-development Tue, 11 Dec 2018 07:26:05 EST Alejandro Vukotich will replace Elmar Frickenstein, who has been in charge of the department since it was created in May 2016 and who will retire after a three-month handover phase in March. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181211/OEM05/181219903/daimler-to-buy-23-billion-of-battery-cells-in-ev-push Tue, 11 Dec 2018 07:10:25 EST "We set another important milestone for the electrification of our future electric vehicles," Wilko Stark, who oversees procurement and supplier quality on the board of Mercedes-Benz Cars, said. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181210/FINANCE_AND_INSURANCE/181219995/dealerships-ethics-fi Mon, 10 Dec 2018 00:01:00 EST Ethical practices in automotive finance have evolved significantly in recent decades, with a boom in automotive retail regulations. Automotive News explores this evolution in this special section. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181210/RETAIL01/181219958/affordability-worries-put-dealers-in-a-gloomy-mood Mon, 10 Dec 2018 00:01:00 EST Affordability challenges have auto dealers worrying more about business as they look toward 2019. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181210/OEM01/181219932/ford-germany-job-cuts Mon, 10 Dec 2018 11:19:40 EST Ford said it started negotiations with German worker representatives about potential job cuts at its Saarlouis plant following a decision to discontinue production of its Ford C-Max model. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181210/OEM01/181219913/united-states-japan-auto-tariffs Mon, 10 Dec 2018 15:00:32 EST The UAW is urging the White House to go beyond gains in the tentative United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement in any free-trade agreement negotiated with Japan. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181210/OEM02/181219909/ford-appoints-worthington-as-vp-of-global-product-development Mon, 10 Dec 2018 16:26:56 EST The Ford executive is now responsible for leading the automaker's global vehicle programs under product development, with Graham Pearson leading product development for Asia Pacific and China. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181210/OEM02/181219936/ghosn-brazil-apartment-litigation Mon, 10 Dec 2018 08:30:03 EST A Rio de Janeiro apartment containing cash, art works and personal belongings of Carlos Ghosn has become the latest battleground between the indicted former Nissan chairman and the automaker. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181210/OEM/181219931/ford-detroit-train-station-renovation Mon, 10 Dec 2018 11:37:49 EST Ford has taken a giant leap into an enormous project to remake where employees think, design and create the vehicles of the future in a Detroit campus that is four years away from becoming reality. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181210/OEM02/181219968/collateral-damage-in-tokyo Mon, 10 Dec 2018 00:01:00 EST Carlos Ghosn's arrest in Tokyo is already having consequences, from product marketing to international diplomatic relations. More complications could be ahead. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181210/OEM02/181219948/how-ghosns-legal-process-could-play-out Mon, 10 Dec 2018 06:51:09 EST Carlos Ghosn and Nissan were indicted in Japan on Monday for understating Ghosn's income, as Tokyo prosecutors pushed ahead with the criminal investigation that has shaken the global auto industry. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181210/OEM10/181219935/bosch-rejected-stock-listing-to-raise-money-for-industry-shift-to Mon, 10 Dec 2018 08:57:57 EST Robert Bosch, the world's largest automotive supplier, discussed the merits of a potential stock market floatation with investment bankers as part of a broader funding review, but has chosen to remain unlisted, people close to the matter said. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181210/OEM02/181219949/ghosn-kelly-nissan-indicted-for-under-reporting-compensation Mon, 10 Dec 2018 02:25:15 EST Nissan promised to improve corporate compliance after Tokyo prosecutors indicted former Chairman Carlos Ghosn, close aide Greg Kelly and the automaker itself for allegedly understating Ghosn's compensation. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181210/OEM10/181219940/continental-will-turn-to-software-takeovers-after-powertrain-ipo Mon, 10 Dec 2018 07:58:32 EST German supplier Continental is considering acquiring software makers after the flotation of its powertrain unit expected in the second half of 2019, CFO Wolfgang Schaefer told Boersen-Zeitung. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181210/OEM02/181219943/renault-board-heads-into-decisive-week-over-top-leadership Mon, 10 Dec 2018 07:34:27 EST Renault, the automaker in which the French state is the most powerful shareholder, is headed into a decisive week over its leadership. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181210/OEM05/181219946/tesla-readies-model-3-for-europe-launch Mon, 10 Dec 2018 07:25:36 EST Tesla will start the European rollout of its Model 3 in February, putting pressure on German premium brands that have seen the Model S outsell flagship sedans such as the Mercedes-Benz S class. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181210/MOBILITY/181219947/uber-ipo-lyft Mon, 10 Dec 2018 07:20:45 EST Like Lyft, Uber last week submitted its IPO filing to the Securities and Exchange Commission, a person familiar with the matter told Bloomberg. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181210/OEM02/181219953/gm-cfo-dhivya-suryadevara-strategy Mon, 10 Dec 2018 00:01:00 EST Dhivya Suryadevara has quickly risen through the ranks of GM since starting as a senior financial analyst in 2005. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181210/OEM01/181219977/georgia-battery-ev-plant-sk-innovation Mon, 10 Dec 2018 00:01:00 EST SK Innovation will spend $1.67 billion to build an EV battery plant in Commerce, Ga. Some think that is just the beginning. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181210/MOBILITY/181219970/as-calif-av-population-doubles-so-do-crashes Mon, 10 Dec 2018 00:01:00 EST With three weeks left in 2018, California already has had a record year for the number of manufacturers permitted to test autonomous vehicles, the number of those vehicles permitted on the road and the number of crashes involving those vehicles. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181210/RETAIL01/181219969/kia-2020-soul-redesign Mon, 10 Dec 2018 00:01:00 EST While other boxy designs have come and gone #8212; Scion xB, Nissan Cube, Honda Element #8212; Kia's Soul has built longevity through loyalty. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181210/OEM01/181219956/gm-cutbacks-usmca-nafta-trump-dingell Mon, 10 Dec 2018 00:01:00 EST General Motors' decision to idle four U.S. assembly and parts plants could provide ammunition for critics of President Donald Trump's new North American trade agreement. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181210/OEM01/181219973/mazda-toyota-greenfield-alabama Mon, 10 Dec 2018 00:01:00 EST Toyota and Mazda will spend $1.6 billion to build an assembly plant in Huntsville. Things have changed since their last greenfield ventures. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181210/OEM01/181219954/ford-vw-manufacturing-partnership Mon, 10 Dec 2018 00:01:00 EST As Ford has tried to downplay its ongoing talks with Volkswagen Group, VW CEO Herbert Diess, who last week said VW is eyeing access to Ford's U.S. manufacturing footprint, keeps upping the ante. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181210/RETAIL01/181219962/november-numbers-reflect-surprisingly-good-sales-year Mon, 10 Dec 2018 00:01:00 EST Heading into 2018, U.S. auto sales appeared headed for a second-straight annual decline. But it hasn't played out as expected: Sales have remained steady even as incentives were disciplined and prices rose further. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181210/RETAIL/181219996/mk-smith-crazy-ivan-used Mon, 10 Dec 2018 00:01:00 EST What does a 2014 Jeep Compass Sport have in common with a Soviet submarine? http://www.autonews.com/article/20181210/RETAIL07/181219965/florida-dealership-settles-robocall-suit-for-4-8-million Mon, 10 Dec 2018 00:01:00 EST A Florida store's $4.8 million settlement of a robocalling lawsuit is the latest wake-up call for dealers to remain vigilant about unwanted advertising messages to current and prospective customers. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181210/RETAIL/181219967/volvo-dealers-in-california-revolt-against-subscriptions Mon, 10 Dec 2018 00:01:00 EST As Volvo prepares a new and improved version of its Care by Volvo subscroption service, California hears the grumbling of dealer protests. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181210/OEM03/181219971/vw-beetle-final-edition Mon, 10 Dec 2018 00:01:00 EST The latest Final Edition of the iconic Volkswagen Beetle will have special colors, badging and wheels as the bug drives into the sunset next year, just as it did 15 years ago. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181210/OEM03/181219974/land-rover-defender-slovakia Mon, 10 Dec 2018 00:01:00 EST It seems likely that the much-discussed new Land Rover Defender will be built outside of England. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181210/OEM10/181219984/brembo-brake-supplier-size Mon, 10 Dec 2018 00:01:00 EST Brembo navigates the curves of supplying high-end brakes while managing the transition to brake-by-wire. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181209/OEM03/181219966/acura-rdx-ikeda-sedans Sun, 9 Dec 2018 00:01:00 EST The redesigned RDX has gotten off to a torrid start, but brand chief Jon Ikeda says Acura isn't planning more crossovers. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181209/OEM02/181209795/musk-recounts-life-or-death-moment-for-tesla-in-60-minutes-interview Sun, 9 Dec 2018 22:33:37 EST In an interview with CBS's Lesley Stahl, the Tesla CEO said he doesn't respect the SEC, declared his interest in buying a shuttered GM factory and credited a parking lot assembly line with saving the company. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181209/OEM02/181209796/ghosn-arrest-charges-japan-nissan-scandal Sun, 9 Dec 2018 19:59:56 EST Ousted Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn faces a landmark day in his Japanese judicial ordeal on Monday when prosecutors must decide to either indict or free the jailed auto executive. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181209/OEM01/181219975/suppliers-industrial-development-detroit Sun, 9 Dec 2018 00:01:00 EST With industrial space in Detroit in short supply, a regional group is eyeing two Detroit airports as a site for future industrial development. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181209/OEM02/181209798/vw-scandal-poetsch-denied-allegations Sun, 9 Dec 2018 07:56:46 EST VW denied allegations that Chairman Hans Dieter Poetsch knew about the automaker's emissions test cheating almost three months before U.S. authorities made it public. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181209/OEM/181209799/ghosn-planned-to-remove-saikawa-as-nissan-ceo-before-arrest-in-japan Sun, 9 Dec 2018 06:56:29 EST Carlos Ghosn was planning to remove Nissan CEO Hiroto Saikawa before Ghosn was arrested in Japan last month for alleged financial misconduct, people familiar with the matter said. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181209/OEM01/181219952/fca-leadership-future-direction Sun, 9 Dec 2018 00:01:00 EST Fiat Chrysler Automobiles CEO Mike Manley clearly learned many lessons from his predecessor -- and even some the late Sergio Marchionne never intended to teach. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181208/OEM01/181219997/mazda-sedan-mazda3-kodo Sat, 8 Dec 2018 00:01:00 EST Mazda doesn't see the slowing sedan market as an excuse to become complacent about its cars. In fact, it sees this as the perfect time to raise the bar with an artistic approach to design that enhances some of their emotional allure. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181208/RETAIL01/181219998/genesis-sales-decline-brian-smith Sat, 8 Dec 2018 00:01:00 EST Genesis' steep sales dropoff is largely a byproduct of the brand's accelerated separation from Hyundai. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181208/FINANCE_AND_INSURANCE/181219982/ethics-dealerships-compliance-finance-insurance Sat, 8 Dec 2018 00:01:00 EST The relationship between compliance and ethics is especially acute in the FandI department. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181207/RETAIL07/181209816/trump-cfpb-senate-confirmation Fri, 7 Dec 2018 07:45:48 EST President Donald Trump will finally have his own nominee running the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection, a controversial agency that Republicans say has stifled economic growth. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181207/OEM03/181209808/some-2019-gm-pickups-will-have-lower-mpg-than-outgoing-models Fri, 7 Dec 2018 14:31:26 EST The fuel economy on some redesigned Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra models will be worse than the outgoing pickups they're replacing. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181207/OEM02/181209817/tesla-lawyer-scandal-executive-musk Fri, 7 Dec 2018 06:27:28 EST Tesla General Counsel Todd Maron is leaving the company, adding to a long list of senior management departures this year. Tesla said it hired Washington lawyer Dane Butswinkas as his successor. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181207/RETAIL03/181209804/dada-talks-future-of-detroit-international-auto-show Fri, 7 Dec 2018 16:35:22 EST The Detroit auto show, seeking to reinvent itself following decades as a January venue, has committed to seven years with its new June date. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181207/RETAIL/181209803/truecar-buys-dealerscience Fri, 7 Dec 2018 17:49:56 EST Vehicle-shopping site TrueCar has acquired DealerScience, a provider of digital-retailing software, for $27 million, the companies said Friday. DealerScience's founder will also join TrueCar's executive team effective immediately. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181207/RETAIL01/181209805/chevy-employee-discount-launched Fri, 7 Dec 2018 16:11:11 EST Chevrolet has launched a national employee pricing sales campaign on all 2018 and some 2019 models through the end of the year. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181207/OEM10/181209811/tower-international-sells-european-business Fri, 7 Dec 2018 13:22:17 EST Metal components supplier Tower said it agreed to sell off its European division to a privately owned French automotive supplier in a deal valued at about $291 million. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181207/BLOG06/181209809/nissan-begins-taking-orders-for-1-1-million-gt-r Fri, 7 Dec 2018 14:07:42 EST Nissan said it will build 50 versions of the GT-R50 by Italdesign, which was unveiled earlier this year at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in the U.K. The car starts at $1.1 million. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181207/GLOBAL02/181209820/nissan-ghosn-indictment-charges-scandal Fri, 7 Dec 2018 02:24:33 EST Tokyo prosecutors are expected to charge Nissan as a corporate entity, alongside ousted chairman Carlos Ghosn for allegedly violating financial laws, a report said. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181207/OEM02/181209813/ghosn-detention-expected-end-monday Fri, 7 Dec 2018 11:21:17 EST Monday marks the end of Carlos Ghosn's 22-day detention, having been held without charge since his arrest on suspicion of under-reporting compensation following a whistleblower tip. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181207/OEM02/181209814/ford-begins-europe-restructuring-efforts Fri, 7 Dec 2018 09:59:42 EST Ford has taken the first step in restructuring its money-losing European business that is expected to involve axing models, cutting jobs, and possibly factory closures. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181207/OEM05/181209815/tesla-musk-debt-plans Fri, 7 Dec 2018 08:29:07 EST Tesla notified holders of bonds due in March that if they elect to convert the debt, they'll be paid with a 50-50 mix of cash and stock, according to a copy of a document seen by Bloomberg. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181207/OEM02/181209818/renault-ghosn-investigation Fri, 7 Dec 2018 06:08:50 EST Renault is aiming to reach in about a week the first conclusions of an internal probe into whether the pay packages of Carlos Ghosn and other top managers of the automaker were properly disclosed. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181207/OEM02/181209819/nissan-inspection-scandal-ghosn Fri, 7 Dec 2018 05:55:06 EST Nissan discovered more final inspection problems and said it will recall 150,000 vehicles in Japan as an executive blamed ousted boss Carlos Ghosn for partially fanning the lapses. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181206/FINANCE_AND_INSURANCE/181209827/federal-trade-commission-auto-dealer-california Thu, 6 Dec 2018 15:05:34 EST The Federal Trade Commission said it will mail 43,456 checks totaling more than $3.5 million to customers who fell prey to Sage Auto Group's deceptive practices from 2014 to 2016. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181206/FINANCE_AND_INSURANCE/181209830/subprime-auto-lending-hits-11-year-low Thu, 6 Dec 2018 13:47:29 EST Despite an increase in subprime loan volume in the third quarter, subprime market share hit its lowest level in more than a decade, according to Experian. http://www.autonews.com/article/20181206/BLOG06/181209823/fca-manley-executive-decisions-outsiders-vellequette Thu, 6 Dec 2018 16:00:01 EST Sergio Marchionne's frenetic, nonstop pace extracted much too heavy a toll on the man himself.