Volkswagen has decided not to offer the 2026 ID.Buzz microbus in the U.S., citing weak “market conditions” for the unexpected move. But it says it is “excited” about bringing back the all-electric van in 2027. Headlight.News has more.
Earnings and Financials
Vehicle Sales Expected to Tumble as Prices Race Out of Control
Carmakers are facing a decline in overall sales in 2026 as tariffs and high prices shrink the pool of consumers able to afford a new vehicle, leaving manufacturers chasing affluent customers with expensive vehicles. Headlight.News has more.
Automotive Inflation Rages as Carmakers Pass on More of Trump Tariff Costs
Expect to pay more for that new Porsche next month, the German automaker advising dealers it will start passing on more of the cost of the tariffs Pres. Donald Trump has put in place on imported autos. Porsche isn’t alone, however, a growing number of brands are raising already record-high prices to cover those new duties, even on domestically made products due to the cost of imported parts and components, reports Headlight.News.
Hundreds of Russian Porsches Suddenly Shut Down – Hackers May Be Responsible
Hundreds of Porsche owners across Russia report their vehicles have suddenly “bricked,” with one dealer group suggesting the problem may be due to a deliberate hack of their satellite-based security systems. Headlight.News has more.
EU May Delay, Even Drop, Ban on Gas, Diesel-Powered Vehicles
There’s growing pressure on the European Commission to drop, or at least push back, a mandate that would see sales of vehicles powered by internal combustion engines banned by 2035. Among those calling for such a move are the leaders of Germany, Italy and Poland. Headlight.News has more.
Is There a Kei Car in Your Future? Pres. Trump Thinks So – But Would Buyers Bite?
They’re some of the smallest cars in the world and make up 40% of the Japanese domestic market. But could “Kei cars” find a niche here in the United States? That’s something Pres. Don Trump suggested this week as he announced a rollback of federal fuel economy standards. More from Headlight.News.
Trump Moves to Gut Biden-Era Mileage Standards – But Challenges Likely
The Trump administration moved ahead with plans to gut fuel economy standards set by former Pres. Joe Biden – effectively eliminating any significant role for EVs. But the proposal is expected to face stiff challenges and may have little impact on the price of new vehicles, as Headlight.News reports.
Race Cars, Rockets and the New Acura RSX: Honda R&D Marks 50 Years in LA
Like its Japanese rivals, Honda Motor Co. struggled to understand how to grow in the U.S. market, a challenge that led it to set up a small research and development center in Los Angeles in 1975. A half-century later the automaker operates 21 separate R&D facilities across the U.S. where its designers and engineers are working on everything from race cars to rockets, along with some significant new vehicle programs. Headlight.News dropped into the main facility in the LA suburb of Torrance to check out what’s in the works.
Trump Administration Set to Roll Back Fuel Economy Standards
The Trump administration has invited executives from the three Detroit automakers to be on hand at the White House today as details on the rollback of current corporate average fuel economy standards are announced. It’s the latest move by the president to back off of automotive emissions and safety standards set during the prior Biden administration. More from Headlight.News.
November Vehicle Sales Hit by Rising Prices, Growing Consumer Pushback
Sales of new vehicles turned downright sluggish in November amidst consumer resistance to increased prices and worsening fears about the economy. The end of EV incentives worsened the slide – though demand for hybrids continued to grow, as Headlight.News reports.
Jaguar Land Rover Reportedly Fires Design Chief Gerry McGovern
Design chief Gerry McGovern reportedly has been fired by Jaguar Land Rover as part of a broader corporate shake-up at the troubled automaker, according to a report from India, where JLR’s parent company is headquartered. More from Headlight.News.
GM Permanently Laying Off Over 1,100 at Detroit EV Plant
General Motors will lay off 1,140 workers at Factory Zero, its Detroit battery-electric assembly plant due to weak demand for products like the GMC Hummer EV and Chevrolet Silverado EV. The automaker also is facing pressure from Canadian authorities to come up with an alternative plan for an Ontario plant where it is ending production of all-electric Bright Drop vans. More from Headlight.News.