Aiming to reverse a series of setbacks to sales and earnings, Stellantis Thursday unveiled a $70 billion turnaround plan that will see it launch more than 60 new vehicles by decade’s end. But while markets from Europe to Africa to Asia should benefit, the Fastlane 2030 program depends disproportionately on two U.S. brands: Jeep and Ram. Headlight.News has more.
Stellantis and Jaguar Land Rover signed a Memorandum of Understanding to explore “opportunities to collaborate on product development” – though the MOU is specifically focused on the U.S. market. The announcement comes a day before Stellantis is set to announce a broad new strategy that will focus its efforts on just four key brands, leaving some observers wondering how an alliance with JLR would fit in. Headlight.News has more.
On the Headlight News podcast this week, we look the rise of hybrid sales and the moves by Honda and Mazda to meet demand. We also cover the looming shortage of base oils due to the conflict with Iran. Finally we review the 2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz SRT. Check out the podcast, give us some feedback.
Honda reported its first loss in seven decades, largely due to major cuts in its EV program. But the automaker plans a major ramp-up of its hybrid line-up, its CEO revealed. Mazda is following a similar strategy, albeit on a smaller scale, as Headlight.News reports.
Call it a “whale” of a plan. Documents filed with Texas regulators show Toyota is ready to build a new, $2 billion assembly line alongside its existing truck factory in San Antonio. But the automaker is first seeking financial support from the state for what it has codenamed “Project Orca.” More from Headlight.News.
President Donald Trump’s summit meeting with Chinese President Ji Xinping is expected to cover a broad range of topics straining relations between the two countries, from the future of Taiwan to trade. Few would be surprised if Xi doesn’t press his American counterpart to open the door to Chinese autos. And that has the U.S. automakers — and some key lawmakers worried. Get details at Headlight.News.
While most automakers are cutting back on their EV plans, Toyota Motor Co. is ramping up. And it’s taken the covers off the latest addition, the Lexus TZ set to become the luxury brand’s third all-electric model. Headlight.News has more.
On the Headlight News podcast this week, we look at tough April new vehicle sales numbers. We also examine the latest threat of raising tariffs on EU vehicles, plus we reviewed the 2026 Mazda CX-5 and more. Check it out at Headlight.News.
Buyers looking for a new European vehicle could soon see prices go up by thousands of dollars, Pres. Donald Trump hiking tariffs to 25% after accusing the EU of “not complying with our fully agreed to Trade Deal.” More from Headlight.News.
Detroit’s Big Three automakers are in for windfall refunds from the federal government – a combined $2.3 billion coming back now that a key portion of the Trump tariff regime was ruled illegal by the U.S. Supreme Court. But buyers may not see a penny of that, reports Headlight.News.
After taking a financial hammering last year, both Ford and Stellantis appear to be getting the new year off on a positive note, delivering unexpectedly strong first-quarter earnings. Ford got a boost from a big tariff refund, Stellantis from a sharp upturn in sales of Ram and Jeep models. More from Headlight.News.
At a time when the typical buyer now spending around $50,000 to drive off the dealer lot, millions of American motorists are being forced out of the new vehicle market. Budget buyers could soon find their choices even more limited, however, depending upon negotiations to update the U.S. -Mexico-Canada Agreement. How that shakes out may lead a number of U.S. and foreign-owned automakers to drop their most affordable models.