Entering production in September 2016, the DB11 V12 was Aston’s first brand-new model in years, built on a fresh platform and powered by a self-developed twin-turbo engine no one saw coming. Yet just 20 months and roughly 4200 cars later, the original DB11 is no longer available—it’s been replaced by the hotter DB11 AMR. Aston… Continue reading Why Aston Martin Replaced the DB11 V12 With the Hotter AMR After Twenty Months
Tag: Lotus
Geely considering dual-location stock market flotation of Volvo
Chinese car giant Geely is considering floating Volvo on the Hong Kong and Stockholm stock exchanges. According to Bloomberg, the burgeoning Swedish brand’s parent company has consulted three major banking firms – Goldman Sachs, Citigroup and Morgan Stanley – on the possible move. Sources disclosed that a company value of between £12 billion and £22 billion is… Continue reading Geely considering dual-location stock market flotation of Volvo
We Will Have To Thank Geely For The 2020 Lotus Esprit
Two new sports cars coming by the end of the decade. The days are happy at Lotus – the British sports car maker is now part of Chinese auto giant Geely’s family and is looking to the future with a lot of hope. Soon, we will see the first-ever crossover from the brand, based on… Continue reading We Will Have To Thank Geely For The 2020 Lotus Esprit
Lotus could switch to Volvo powertrains
Jean-Marc Gales expects Lotus to still be using Toyota engines in the immediate future, but the Lotus boss is keen to embrace the powertrain options available from other Geely-owned brands. Such co-operation is most likely to make use of resources developed by Volvo, whose technology is also being used by fellow Geely brands Polestar and… Continue reading Lotus could switch to Volvo powertrains
New Lotus Esprit supercar to hit roads in 2020
Lotus boss Jean-Marc Gales has revealed that two new sports cars are in the pipeline as investment begins to materialise from the company’s new owner, Chinese automotive giant Geely. The two cars will include a new star model, due in 2020, that will sit above the Evora — essentially placing it as a modern-day version of the… Continue reading New Lotus Esprit supercar to hit roads in 2020
Top Automotive Industry News for Week of April 23 – April 29, 2018
Here is the most important news associated with the automotive industry identified by the AEA for the week April 23, 2018 – April 29, 2018. We hope it helps you stay up to speed on the key developments in our industry: -Automotive Manufacturing News- 6 Reasons Ford CEO Jim Hackett Decided To Deep-Six Its Sedans… Continue reading Top Automotive Industry News for Week of April 23 – April 29, 2018
Lotus SUV will put brand in ‘more luxury’ market
The forthcoming Lotus SUV is set to position the Norfolk-based sports car brand as a more luxury car maker than previously – and could be the first in a series of crossover machines from the firm. The project was one of the first signed off by Chinese company Geely after it bought the British firm last year. As previously revealed by… Continue reading Lotus SUV will put brand in ‘more luxury’ market
Mercedes-Powered Volvos Possible Thanks To Geely Investment
Daimler might even take over a portion of Volvo. Now that Geely chairman Li Shufu is the largest single shareholder in Daimler, there’s a strong possibility that the two firms could cooperate on tech development. According to the German business publication Manager Magazin, the partnership could even extend to Daimler buying a small stake in Volvo,… Continue reading Mercedes-Powered Volvos Possible Thanks To Geely Investment
Daimler Investor Li Says Carmakers Must Talk or Face Oblivion
The guessing game on Li Shufu’s intentions after buying the biggest stake in Daimler is up: Automakers must cooperate, or risk being swallowed up. That’s the takeaway from an editorial written by the owner of China’s biggest non-state carmaker in Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung on Sunday. Li, who in February bought a 9.7 percent stake in… Continue reading Daimler Investor Li Says Carmakers Must Talk or Face Oblivion
Ford And Chevrolet to Discontinue Fiesta, Taurus, Sonic, Impala In The U.S.
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Ford And Chevrolet to Discontinue Fiesta, Taurus, Sonic, Impala In The U.S.
5 Apr 2018, 9:39 UTC · by Mircea Panait
/ Home / News / Industry
Despite the cool-sounding name, the Sonic is one of the most outdated subcompact cars in the segment. And in a similar fashion, the Impala is one of the least interesting options in the full-size sedan segment. Ford also finds itself between a rock and a hard place because U.S. sales of the Fiesta and Taurus are plummeting.
32 photosIn the case of the Sonic and Fiesta, the Wall Street Journal argues that Japanese rivals are more popular with “budget-minded or young customers.” But not even the like of Toyota, Honda, and Nissan can throttle back the demand for crossovers and SUVs, two vehicle segments that happen to be more lucrative than passenger cars.
The Fiesta, as you know from a previous story, has been canceled in the United States with the introduction of the latest generation. To this effect, the EcoSport crossover and Focus will have to suffice as indirect replacements. General Motors, on the other hand, could replace the antiquated Sonic with an all-electric vehicle.
Moving on to the Taurus, the end is nigh as Ford prepares to introduce the CD6 platform on the 2020 Explorer. Developed for front-, rear-, and all-wheel-drive applications, the vehicle architecture will also serve as the basis for the Lincoln Aviator. General Motors, meanwhile, plans to discontinue the Impala “in the next few years.” Not much is known about the successor, but the writing is on the wall.
Here’s Steve Majoros, marketing director for Chevrolet cars and crossovers: “Every car we have in our portfolio plays a role, every car's important and you know the only way we're going to stay the fastest-growing brand is to keep providing the vehicles that people want.” So to speak, make that more crossovers and fewer cars.
Even though we’re scratching the surface here, there’s no denying the Big Three in Detroit could use some consistency in product development and brand recognition. But bear in mind that Toyota, Honda, and Nissan aren’t giving up on sedans and other conventional body styles. With this point made, where will the American automakers find themselves when the crossover and SUV craze will bite the dust?
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