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.
Tariffs
Auto Prices Going Up, Even Before Tariff Hit
Millions of American motorists have been rushing to buy before the Trump auto tariffs take hold. But automakers and auto dealers were already driving up transaction prices even before the sanctions went into effect on May 3, despite White House claims prices won’t rise. If anything, costs are going to continue going up, reports Headlight.News.
Trump Tariffs Likely to Drive Budget Buyers Out of New Car Market – And Kill Off Half of All Entry Models
If you’re a luxury buyer, Trump’s auto tariffs are likely to have little more impact than raising your monthly payment. Buyers on a tight budget are likely to be driven out of the new vehicle market, industry analysts warn, while half of the entry-level models now available in U.S. showrooms are likely to vanish. Tariffs, it turns out, will impact all motorists, even those not looking for a new vehicle, by raising costs for service and repairs – and even insurance. Headlight.News reports.
April Sales Surge as Buyers Rush to Beat Tariffs – But Trouble Looms Ahead
Buyers worried about future price increase under Trump tariff plans kept dealers busy during April. But momentum is expected to sputter out when sanctions go into effect on May 3, potentially raising vehicle prices by thousands of dollars. Headlight.News has more.
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.
Stellantis Suffers Another Revenue Slide – Joins Automakers Suspending Forecasts Due to Trump Tariffs
Stellantis reported Wednesday a 14% slide in revenues for the first quarter. The Euro-American automaker had previously forecast a turnaround later in the year but said during a webcast it was suspending future guidance in the face of Pres. Trump’s new auto tariffs. It joins GM and Mercedes in warning that sales and earnings could be at risk. More from Headlight.News.
Trump Says Tariffs Will Bring More Auto Jobs – While Offering Automakers Tariff Relief
Protestors and proponents alike turned out during a visit by President Donald Trump to suburban Detroit. The president promised tariffs will lead to more good-paying jobs in the United States and an economic boom in the future. But he also announced steps providing tariff relief as automakers prepare for the possibility of a sharp slump in sales and earnings — as well as job cuts — in the months ahead.
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 Expected to Cut Back Auto Tariffs
Pres. Donald Trump is expected to deliver good news for the auto industry during a visit to Detroit Tuesday. U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick signaled there will be cuts made to the tariffs that were expected to result in as much as a 2 million unit reduction in new vehicle sales this year. Headlight.News has more.
Headlight News Podcast for the Week of April 28, 2025
On this week’s podcast, Headlight News covers the debut of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’ new EV company, Slate, and its first product and electric pickup. We also review the 2025 Cadillac Optiq and look at the other stories coming in the week ahead.