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.
Odds are you’ve never heard of Ineos Automotive – at least not until recently. It’s a start-up brand backed, of all things, by one of the world’s largest chemical companies. The British carmaker last year brought its first model, the rugged Grenadier SUV, to the U.S. market and is in the midst of launching its second product line, the Quartermaster pickup. Headlight.News caught up with Ineos CEO Lynn Calder during a recent driving event in Aspen and asked her about Ineos’ product plans, growth opportunities – and the impact of the new Trump auto import tariffs.
If you’re in the market for a new vehicle before the anticipated price increases due to tariffs hit window stickers, there are some good values to be had. According to Cars.com, Nissan and Ford are leading the pack when it comes to good deals. Check out the details at Headlight.News.
Look in the dictionary under “retro” and you’ll find a picture of the Ineos Grenadier. Okay, not really, but it should be. Ineos designers made no attempt to make Grenadier pretty. It’s got a classic look that underscores the SUV’s go-anywhere, any time capabilities. To get a feel for what it could do, Headlight.News headed out to Aspen, Colorado and a perfect timed snowstorm.
If you get caught speeding in Virginia you could find it difficult to break the speed limit again. The state is set to become the first to allow its judges to order speeders to install a device limiting how fast they can drive in the future. The new rules go beyond the speed warning devices European lawmakers have enacted, reports Headlight.News.
In this week’s podcast we cover Trump and his tariffs on automakers as well as his warning to automakers about raising prices to cover the costs, as well as a vehicle review and more.
In an unexpected move, Jim Rowan is stepping down at CEO of Swedish-based, Chinese-automaker Volvo Cars. He will be replaced by Hakan Samuelsson, who previous served in that role from 2012 to 2022. The move comes at a time when Volvo is aggressively moving to EVs but also faces a variety of tariff issues in the U.S. and Europe. More from Headlight.News.
With thousands gathered in protest at dealers around the world over the weekend, Tesla wrapped up what is expected to be a weak first quarter, the automaker watching sales dwindle as opposition grows to CEO Elon Musk’s role in the Trump administration – as well as his increasingly vocal shift to the political far right. Headlight.News has the latest.
Plans change in the auto industry as evidenced by the move by Stellantis to reopen its plant in Belvidere, Illinois. Closed a few years ago, the UAW pressured the company to reopen the facility as part of its most recent contract negotiations. The company agreed, and it’s set to reopen in 2027, but it will not produce what was originally expected. Get details at Headlight.News.
Thousands of people are expected to gather at more than 500 showrooms, service centers and other locations on Saturday March 29 as part of “Tesla Takedown,” a loosely organized movement aimed at protesting CEO Elon Musk’s political shift to the extreme right, as well as his role heading the Trump administration’s controversial Department of Government Efficiency. The question is whether there will be any of the sort of violence that has occurred at other protests in recent weeks. Headlight.News has more.
The automotive tariffs going into effect next months could add thousands, even tens of thousands, of dollars to the cost of new vehicles. But Pres. Donald Trump raised the threat that he might punish manufacturers who pass tariff costs on to consumers. More from Headlight.News.
There are more choices than ever when it comes to electric vehicles. However, one of the early arrivers, the Kia EV6, continues to evolve and improve. After three years, the newest model is surely the best one yet. Check out our review at Headlight.News.