This week on the Headlight News podcast, we talk about the strong April sales numbers, as well as President Trump implementing his tariffs on the auto industry, plus a review of the 2025 Lincoln Navigator and more.
Executives
Trump Tariffs Expected to Cost GM $5 Billion as Automaker Revises 2025 Forecast
General Motors revised its full-year financial forecast and said the auto tariffs put in place by Pres. Donald Trump could cost it as much as $5 billion this year – despite the White House move this week to offer automakers some modest relief. As a result, it expects to see sales, revenues and net income fall sharply when compared to its original forecast for 2025. More from Headlight.News.
Tesla Calls “Absolutely False” Reports Board Looking to Replace Musk
Tesla denied reports the company’s board has begun searching for a replacement for CEO Elon Musk. The South African-born entrepreneur has come under increasing fire due to his ties to the Trump administration, leading to a sharp slump in Tesla sales and earnings and calls by some leading investors to find a new chief executive. Headlight.News has the latest.
Automakers Find Ways to Offset Tariffs, Keep Vehicle Prices Steady
President Donald Trump keeps fine tuning the 25% tariff on automobiles and components coming into the U.S. from Canada and Mexico as well as the much larger levies from China. As a result, automakers continue to find ways to offset the price increases without crushing their bottom lines. Find out more at Headlight.News.
GM Q1 Earnings Fall, Company Delays Comments Due to Trump’s Tariff Changes
General Motors saw its first quarter revenue rise 2.3%, but its adjusted earnings and net income declined. The company’s top leaders delayed a call with investors, analysts and the media about the quarter due to President Donald Trump’s decision to ease tariffs. Officials will talk Thursday morning about the results and the potential impact of the president’s move. Get details at Headlight.News.
Trump Administration Eases Rules for Autonomous Vehicle Development Standards
Under the guise of unleashing “American ingenuity,” the Trump administration eased some of the rules regarding the development and testing autonomous vehicles. Among the changes, automakers will not be required to report certain types of crashes involving their self-driving cars. Find out more at Headlight.News.
Nissan Revamping U.S. Lineup with Xterra Return Possible
Nissan is taking a new tack on its attempted turnaround, especially in the U.S. The automaker revealed changes to its product plan for America, including a potential return to a longtime favorite: the Xterra. Get details at Headlight.News.
Musk Says He’s Returning in a Month to Focus on Tesla
Tesla CEO Elon Musk attempted to use the EV maker’s earnings calls to quell concerns about his work with the Trump administration. He plans to leave his day-to-day role at the Department of Government Efficiency in a month to focus on Tesla. Get details about Musk’s plans and Tesla at Headlight.News.
Tesla’s Q1 Earnings Fall Short of Wall Street Expectations
EV maker Tesla’s first-quarter earnings didn’t meet Wall Street expectations. Analysts predicted the company’s earnings would be flat on a year-over-year basis, but the company’s revenues were down 9%, and its adjusted earnings slid 17%. Find out more at Headlight.News.
Tesla Share of California EV Market Drops Below 50%
Tesla sales have fallen all over the world, much of that due to backlash against CEO Elon Musk’s political ties to the Trump administration. Now, the automaker’s share of the bellwether California EV market has dipped below 50%, as competitors draw in EV buyers with a flood of new products.
Ford Warns Dealers Tariff Price Hikes are Coming
As buyers snap up unsold vehicles, Ford cautions dealers prices will be going up as the result of the new Trump auto tariffs. And other manufacturers say they likely will follow. More from Headlight.News.
Trump May Offer Exemptions on Import Auto Tariffs
President Donald Trump signaled he may again reverse himself on a key part of his tariff plan, this time telling reporters that he is “looking at” temporary exemptions from the 25% tariffs covering imported autos and auto parts. Experts warned that plan would add thousands of dollars to the cost of both U.S. and foreign-made vehicles and cost the industry nearly 2 million sales for all of 2025. Headlight.News has more.