TOKYO – Toyota is will shut down a line at its Takaoka assembly plant in Toyota City for three days this week after a second worker at the factory tested positive for the coronavirus. The second worker, a male in his 20s, was tested March 21 and was diagnosed with Covid-19 on March 22, Toyota
Month: March 2020
The U.S. is galloping toward a recession spurred by the coronavirus outbreak. But this time, dealers say automaker and captive lender partners have responded to the financial crisis much quicker than they did to the last one. Dealer impact from the pandemic, according to auto finance experts, appears to be a combination of the upending
If you’re in the market for a mid-engined sports car that offers impressive amounts of performance without ripping your face off, the Porsche 718 Cayman T and Alpine A110S are two excellent options. Found behind the cabin of the 718 Cayman T is a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine delivering an impressive 296 hp and 280
PARIS — Renault may seek French government guarantees to bolster its finances in the face of the coronavirus crisis, but a renationalization of the automaker is not being considered, Chairman Jean-Dominique Senard told Le Parisien newspaper. “We may seek state guarantees like other companies,” Senard was quoted as saying by the French daily. Invoking the
TOKYO — For Japan’s biggest automaker, the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics has been a five-year, about $1 billion bet on showcasing the company and its technology to the world. But speculation is mounting here that the games will be postponed, or even canceled, because of the COVID-19 pandemic. If so, Toyota Motor Corp. might be
Social distancing measures implemented to slow the spread of coronavirus have forced most museums to close down indefinitely. But the Petersen Automotive Museum is trying to keep things going with a series of videos and livestreams. If you’re in need of something to distract—and also educate—your kids, the museum has put together a video history
For most drivers, differentiating between the brake and accelerator pedals isn’t particularly difficult. The brake is on the left and the throttle is on the right. Despite this, crashes triggered by drivers getting the two confused are all too common and this dashcam video shows such a crash recently happening in the U.S. This clip,
Following the announcement by the UK Government to reduce the Plug-in Car Grant (PiCG) to £3,000, MG has decided to top it back to £3,500 for the remainder of March 2020. This means that customers can still purchase a brand-new MG ZS EV from just £22,495 when coupled with the PiCG and MG Customer Saving. With
For some of BMW’s U.S. dealers, the brand’s luxurious 8 Series coupe has turned from halo sports car to financial headache. Retailers complain the car has received inadequate marketing support, while an abundance of configurations have left some dealership lots with unsold inventory of the high-value model, putting pressure on floorplan expenses. The 8 Series
Listen to a recap of the top stories of the day from Electrek. Quick Charge is available now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, TuneIn and our RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players. https://electrek.co/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2020/03/Quick-Charge-3.21.20.mp3 New episodes of Quick Charge are recorded Monday through Thursday and again on Saturday. Subscribe to our podcast in Apple Podcast or your favorite podcast
MEXICO CITY — Volkswagen will temporarily close its factories in Mexico’s Puebla and Guanajuato states amid growing worries over the spread of the coronavirus. Nearly all light vehicle production in North America is being idled for at least several days amid the crisis and its associated impact on vehicle sales. The shutdowns also will be
Alfa Romeo’s attractive and athletic 2020 Giulia is an homage to 110 years of beautiful design and fantastic performance. MotorTrend’s own Scott Evans does a complete walkaround of this sporty sedan. Learn more about this gorgeous Italian four-door right here 👉 http://bit.ly/2Qm7I8K #MotorTrend #AlfaRomeo #Giulia
The auto retail industry is fighting a tug of war between protecting customers and employees from the deadly coronavirus and doing its part to keep the economy afloat. Industry trade groups have been working to convince policymakers that dealerships are vital to the American economy and customers’ safety and should therefore remain open. Americans need
The Cadillac Allante is a very interesting chapter in the history of GM’s luxury brand. Envisioned as a halo car for Cadillac and a rival for the Mercedes-Benz SL and Jaguar XJ-S, the two-seat roadster turned out to be a very expensive whim for GM. With a sticker price of $54,000 , the Allante cost nearly
MOSCOW — Russia’s largest carmaker, AvtoVAZ, plans to keep building cars despite the first two cases of the coronavirus among its workers. “The situation is under control. Everything is working, is on schedule,” a company spokesman said on Saturday. AvtoVAZ produces Lada cars. Renault holds a controlling 68 percent stake in the automaker. AvtoVAZ’s factory
Toyota will debut a new national advertising campaign with a gentle, optimistic message aimed at reassuring its customers as the coronavirus pandemic rages across the U.S. The 30-second commercial, which will begin airing in different media markets beginning Saturday, is titled “We are here for you,” and was produced by Saatchi & Saatchi, Toyota Motor
Audi may be planning a new variant of the R8 inspired by the Nürburgring. The German automaker recently trademarked “R8 Green Hell” with the European Union Intellectual Property Office, referencing the ‘Ring’s famous nickname. The trademark, first spotted by Automobile, isn’t ironclad proof of a new model. Automakers often apply to trademark names without having
The Chrysler PT Cruiser is far from a pretty face, yet the automaker managed to sell nearly 1.35 million units by the time production wrapped up in July 2010. If you ask me, that’s 1.35 million too many, but I could be wrong. Designed by a man named Bryan Nesbitt who was also responsible for
Here is a new rendering of the Volkswagen ID.1 car by Auto Notícias, which tried to imagine an all-electric entry-level ID. model, which would replace the Volkswagen e-up!. It really reminds us of the style of the Volkswagen ID.3 and by the way, is similar also to the Fiat Panda. This ID.1 is really quite a
Honda’s timing to bring the hybrid version of its popular CR-V compact crossover to America was looking pretty good right up until a few weeks ago. After receiving mostly positive reviews following its introduction in Europe last year, the Japanese brand’s first electrified crossover was ready to do battle with the redesigned Ford Escape Hybrid
Posted on March 20, 2020 Former Top Gear host Richard Hammond embarked on a long-distance family road trip in a Tesla Model X and the experience that he documented via a vlog couldn’t be more entertaining, to say the least. With moments in the video that induce an instant facepalm, the video, for the most
Jaguar Land Rover is to suspend all production at its plants across the UK, in response to the spread of coronavirus. The firm said manufacturing would stop next week. It plans to resume on 20 April, but said this could change. Its decision is part of the company’s plan to “safeguard its business continuity”. The
General Motors and the UAW have reached an agreement that will allow the automaker to continue delivering service and repair parts, despite parts facility shutdowns during the coronavirus pandemic. “While today will be our last day of normal operations for GM Customer Care and Aftersales, GM and the UAW have reached an agreement that will
After a big Michigan furniture retailer abruptly went bankrupt, a Detroit-area dealership group offered to help some of the thousands losing their jobs go from selling tables and chairs to Tahoes and Cherokees. LaFontaine Automotive Group last week held a hiring day specifically for employees of Art Van Furniture Co., which began liquidation sales at
Nearly 91 percent of franchised new-car dealerships in China have reopened despite the lingering coronavirus outbreak, but showroom traffic remains at just 53 percent of normal levels, a major trade group said. The latest survey by the China Automobile Dealers Association, which covers 8,393 franchised dealerships across China, shows showroom traffic varies widely among brands.
Porsche announced its financial results for 2019 during a presentation held Thursday in Stuttgart, Germany, where the automaker also announced some of its future plans. Namely, Porsche said it will launch two new electric cars within the next 24 months. The first will be a new body style for the Taycan electric sedan, which we
The 2020 Volkswagen Arteon is a spacious, stylish choice, though its price is high. For those turned off by the idea of a crossover SUV, the 2020 Volkswagen Arteon stands at the ready. The stylish, sporty hatchback boasts a spacious cargo hold, upmarket features, and impressive handling. All of that comes at a price, though:
The owner of a 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray in Miami, Florida has just had their car equipped with a set of aftermarket Vossen wheels from the HF-5 series. And this particular example is also available to rent through Turo. While everyone is a fan of the new ‘Vette’s extraordinary sub-$60,000 starting price, not everyone has
Bragging rights are common in the world of long distance motorcycle rides, such as the “Iron Butt” for anyone who completes a 1,000 mile (1,600 km) ride in 24 hours. But one man might have just earned himself the equivalent “Iron Ankles” after taking a standing electric scooter on a 24-hour cross-country style trip in
TOKYO – Toyota Motor Corp. has sent home a small group of workers and disinfected work sites at its Takaoka assembly plant in Toyota City after a worker there tested positive for the coronavirus. The automaker said it opted to continue production at the plant because it has taken appropriate countermeasures to ensure the health