Author: Detroit Free Press Online

GM keeps US sales crown, surges with 19% gain in 2nd quarter

General Motors reported a 19% sales gain Wednesday for the second quarter and it dominated the U.S. auto industry in sales for the first half with 1.3 million vehicles sold, an 18% year-over-year gain. Through half of 2023, GM sold 581,114 pickups and large SUVs, which comprised about 45% of GM’s total 1,295,186 new vehicles… Continue reading GM keeps US sales crown, surges with 19% gain in 2nd quarter

Stellantis says Jeep, Chrysler models will use automaker’s first EV platform

Stellantis unveiled its first battery-electric vehicle platform Wednesday, one that company leaders said would power future Chrysler and Jeep vehicles. The STLA Medium platform, one of four that the automaker has committed to producing for EVs, would manage more than 435 miles of range using a 400-volt electric vehicle architecture, the company said in its… Continue reading Stellantis says Jeep, Chrysler models will use automaker’s first EV platform

UAW presidential candidate sues Labor Department over election complaint

A Mack Trucks worker who was a presidential candidate in the initial round of the UAW’s first direct election of top leaders is suing the U.S. Department of Labor over its handling of a complaint he filed seeking to have the election re-run. Will Lehman, one of five presidential candidates, has been a vocal critic… Continue reading UAW presidential candidate sues Labor Department over election complaint

Stellantis sales up 6% in 2nd quarter with help from new models

Stellantis’ U.S. sales in the second quarter were up 6% compared with the same period a year ago, the company reported Monday. The company touted the sales climate and the work of its dealers, but it also benefited from two new vehicles. In addition, a key Detroit plant was offline in the second quarter last… Continue reading Stellantis sales up 6% in 2nd quarter with help from new models

Record number of car buyers paying $1,000+ per month amid low vehicle inventory

Just when you thought the cost to get into a new car couldn’t go any higher, it has — and it will likely continue to rise, car-buying experts at Edmunds said Monday. The number of car buyers paying $1,000 or more a month to finance a new vehicle is creeping higher, closing in on nearly… Continue reading Record number of car buyers paying $1,000+ per month amid low vehicle inventory

Free Press Flashback: Lee Iacocca and Henry Ford II were a match made in hell

Legendary news anchor Walter Cronkite told his millions of viewers on the CBS Evening News that “it all sounds like something from one of those enormous novels about the automobile business.” The drama in Dearborn on July 14, 1978, made headlines in news outlets across the country: Ford Motor Co. Chairman Henry Ford II had… Continue reading Free Press Flashback: Lee Iacocca and Henry Ford II were a match made in hell

10 iconic Detroit vehicles just snagged more than $3.1M at auction

While electric vehicles may dominate headlines, iconic cars with internal combustion engines haven’t lost appeal. Not even a little bit. Some people keep them in the garage as an investment. Others like the feel of being behind the wheel. Ten cars built by Ford sold for $3,143,800 at a Barrett-Jackson auction a week ago in… Continue reading 10 iconic Detroit vehicles just snagged more than $3.1M at auction

Classic Ford pickup gets modern power and features in F-100 resto-mod

There’s a new player with a familiar face among the classic vehicles updated to deliver modern performance and comfort: the 1967-72 Ford F-100. The F-100’s durability and classic profile made it the forerunner to Ford’s 46-year run of pickup-sales leadership. Now Velocity Modern Classics is building resto-mods — vintage vehicles restored and updated to modern… Continue reading Classic Ford pickup gets modern power and features in F-100 resto-mod

Stellantis execs sold millions in stock in recent months; automaker cites tax obligations

Top leaders of Jeep- and Chrysler-parent Stellantis either sold or signaled their intent to sell stock in the company valued at more than $22.5 million in the last few months. The automaker indicated the sales were tied to tax obligations. The information comes from a series of filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission,… Continue reading Stellantis execs sold millions in stock in recent months; automaker cites tax obligations