Ford Bets Fathom’s $28,350 Base Price Can Re-Energize the EV Market
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Hybrids Charge Up July U.S. Auto Sales
What automotive downturn? We’ve been hearing a lot of doom-and-gloom forecasts in recent months but you’d be hard-pressed to take them seriously based on July sales. While a few manufacturers have yet to weigh in, demand surged for the month, with more than a few brands setting records. The driving force? Hybrids. More from Headlight.News.
Killer Quake Could Mean Shortages of Some Japanese Models, Including New Lexus ES
The death toll continues to mount as recue crews search rubble following a major earthquake hit Japan this week. The temblor also has hammered Japanese industry, several automakers suspending production as they deal with damage at their plants. More from Headlight.News.
JD Power Finds New Vehicles More “APEAL-ing” Than Ever
If you’ve purchased a new vehicle lately chances are you’re extremely satisfied with what you drove home, reflecting improvements in design, features and quality. Porsche topped the charts in the latest JD Power APEAL study – but there were some surprises. For one thing, electric vehicles outperformed all other powertrain technologies, reports Headlight.News.
Another Big Ford Recall Targets 565,000 Bronco SUVs for Fire Risk
More than 565,000 Ford Broncos face recall due to the risk of a fire, the automaker and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced. The problem is due to potential wiring harness damage. The move brings to more than 50 the number of Ford recalls so far this year, reports Headlight.News.
Nissan Leaf Adds High-Performance Nismo Package – and, Yes, It’s Coming to North America
Nissan is giving its original battery-electric vehicle a new personality. The Leaf Nismo went on sale in Japan this week and offers a notable upgrade in performance and handling, in line with more conventional Nismo packages. Headlight.News has more.
Honda Teases 3rd-Generation Ridgeline Pickup
Honda is offering up a first teaser image of what will become its third-generation Ridgeline pickup. Expect the truck to arrive “within two years,’ the automaker said – which means a roughly one-year gap after the current Ridgeline ends production later this year. Headlight.News has more.
If at First You Don’t Succeed; Maybach May Once Again Target Rolls-Royce
Mercedes is getting ready to make major upgrades to its Maybach line, with bigger, more exotic packages than today’s offerings meant to directly challenge super-premium brands like Bentley and Rolls-Royce, according to a new report. The question is whether Maybach can succeed this time after a first failed attempt. More from Headlight.News.
Honda Exiting U.S. EV Market – But May Add New Plant to Double Down on Hybrids
Honda will end production of the Prologue, its only remaining battery-electric vehicle offered in the U.S., at the end of the 2026 model year. The move caps a frantic retreat by a company that, not long ago, wanted to become a dominant player in the American EV market. Now it’s shifting focus to a complete line-up of hybrids – and may build a new U.S. plant to produce them. More from Headlight.News.
Buick, Chevrolet Set to Bring Back Sedans – and Others May Follow
Sedans. Remember them? They once overwhelmingly dominated the American automotive market. Today, they’re little more than afterthoughts for most buyers – and have been dropped from the line-up by a number of brands. But several manufacturers appear ready to bring sedans back. Look for new entries from both Buick and Chevrolet – and possibly Ford — reports Headlight.News.
Here’s How “Creative Subtraction” Added Up With the New Rivian R2
While Rivian showed it could deliver an impressive EV with its first-generation R1 series, it now has to take things into the mainstream. Headlight.News had a chance this week to check out the new R2 and discovered how “creative subtraction” added up to not just a solid, affordable product but one that can put the struggling EV start-up into the black.
With Bankruptcy Looming Over Lucid Could This Mark the End of the EV Start-Up Era
Lucid denies it is preparing to file bankruptcy but the company is clearly in trouble. And that raises new concerns about a handful of other battery-electric brands, like Rivian and Slate still hoping to find their own niches. Only a few years ago a flood of EV start-ups seemed ready to kick the established automakers to the curb. What went wrong? Just about everything.