President Trump’s tariff battle is putting both General Motors and Ford Motor Co. luxury plans under a cloud. Both the U.S. and China have heated up tariffs, even while the president paused other portions of his trade plan.
Joseph Szczesny
Frantic Automakers Search for Trump Tariff Strategies
Tariffs continue to dominate the auto industry, manufacturers around the world struggling to figure out formulas that will minimize the impact on consumers – and U.S. sales – while avoiding budget-busting new costs that could send their balance sheets deep into the red. Here are some of the latest developments.
Mexican Auto Plants Keep Humming Despite Trump Tariffs
In a surprise twist, Trump’s tariff war has so far left Mexican auto plants humming despite promises to blue-collar workers in the U.S. For now, at least, the USMCA trade agreement remains in force along the Southern border. But the tariffs have already had a negative impact on autoworkers Stellantis announcing layoffs at several of its plants.
Stellantis Turnaround Sputters
The promised turnaround at Stellantis all but sputtered out during the first quarter as sales in the U.S. dropped by double digits. With the search for a new CEO still ongoing, the Euro-American automaker struggles to find its direction, reports Headlight.News.
U.S. Car Sales Soar in March as Buyers Raced to Beat Trump Tariffs
Sales of new vehicles in the U.S. climbed sharply during March as buyers rushed to get in their orders before the tariffs clamp down on the automotive trade. The threat of a recession is also expected to weigh on an industry sensitive to economic trends going into April.
Tesla Founder Straubel High on the List as Disgruntled Investors Demand Automaker Replace Musk
A growing number of investors, including some of Tesla’s traditional bulls, are pressing the automaker to replace CEO Elon Musk despite the rebound in the company’s stock this week. That has led to growing speculation over who might come in to replace him, with founder and former tech chief J.R. Straubel in the spotlight. Headlight.News has more.
Missing $1.4 Billion Brings Tesla’s Accounting of Assets and Spending Under New Scrutiny
The accounting of Tesla’s capital spending and assets, particularly what appears to be a missing $1.4 billion, are prompting new questions about spending by the company and its uber-wealthy CEO Elon Musk.
March U.S. Auto Sales Sputter Along
Sales of new vehicles held steady in February as Kia, Hyundai, Genesis, Subaru, Mazda and Honda all reported modest sales increases. But two of the largest automakers to report for the month, Toyota and Ford, delivered disappointing results. And Tesla’s numbers continued to show the impact of growing resistance to CEO Elon Musk and his role in the Trump administration. Headlight.News has more.
Korean Brands Get Sales Boost in January
Korean automakers enjoy strong month in January, but Toyota sales stall as price increases loom and interest rate cuts are postponed. Get details at Headlight.News.
Has Elon Musk Jumped the Shark?
Elon Musk has staked out a big claim in the auto industry, outer space and, now, in Donald Trump’s new administration. But even some of his allies are beginning to wonder if it is all too much for the world’s richest man.
Ram Pickup Toppled by Toyota’s RAV4, Parent Stellantis Was the Big Loser of 2024
If you’re wondering just how bad things got for Stellantis last year, consider the fact that its Ram pickup fell off the podium, losing its traditional third-place position in the U.S. sales race – behind the Ford F-Series and Chevrolet Silverado – to Toyota’s RAV4 SUV. Overall, the Euro-American automaker was one of only two manufacturers to report a decline in sales in 2024 and faces serious challenges to turn things around in 2025.
Boosted by Givebacks — and Uncertainty About the New Year — Automakers Deliver Solid December Sales
The U.S. auto industry ended 2024 on a high note, manufacturers revealed Friday as they delivered uniformly solid sales numbers for December. That translated into the strongest full-year demand since the COVID pandemic struck in early 2020. Get the details at Headlight.News.