Renault 5 Turbo 3E to Be Fitted with In-Wheel Motors
Renault Group and Protean Electric announced that the revived Renault 5 Turbo 3E will be equipped with Protean’s in‑wheel motor (IWM) system, making it the first European passenger car produced with this technology. The IWM delivers 555 hp directly to the rear wheels, propelling the car from 0‑62 mph in under 3.5 seconds. By removing conventional drivetrain components, the design frees up space and simplifies packaging. Detailed technical data will be revealed at the 2026 International Vienna Motor Symposium.
Nissan Plans $45m Egypt Expansion for African Exports – Report
Nissan Motor announced a $45 million investment to expand its Cairo‑area plant, adding a new line capable of producing at least 10,000 extra vehicles per year. The upgrade will lift total output by roughly one‑third and deepen the automaker’s export pipeline...
Mercedes-Benz Warns of Weak China Luxury Car Demand
Mercedes‑Benz warned that demand for premium vehicles in China will stay weak as the country grapples with a prolonged property slump, rising youth unemployment and higher fuel costs. First‑quarter sales in China fell 27% year‑on‑year, a sharper decline than the...
Hyundai Motor’s Net Profits Fall 24% in Q1
Hyundai Motor reported a 23.6% drop in first‑quarter net profit to KRW 2.585 trillion ($1.74 billion), driven by higher costs from new U.S. import tariffs, raw‑material price spikes and energy price pressure linked to the U.S‑Iran conflict. Operating income fell 31% while global...
Stellantis Weighs Sale or Sharing of European Plants – Report
Stellantis is evaluating the sale or shared use of several European manufacturing plants to address lingering overcapacity. The company has opened talks with potential buyers, including Chinese automaker Dongfeng Motor, which recently inspected sites in France, Spain, Italy and Germany....
Lincoln Future Models: 2026-2036
Ford’s Lincoln division is maintaining modest growth without a major new investment plan. U.S. sales reached 106,868 units in 2025, the strongest figure since the 2019 peak, while Chinese sales slipped 13% to 7,228 units in Q1. The company is...
GAC’s Aion Introduces the Aion V to the UK Market
Chinese EV maker Aion, a GAC subsidiary, will debut its Aion V SUV in the UK at the end of May, pricing the single‑trim model at £36,450 (about $45,600) on‑the‑road. The vehicle boasts a rapid 30‑80% charge in 13 minutes...
Volkswagen to Expand China-Made EV Exports to Emerging Markets
Volkswagen announced it will increase exports of electric vehicles built in China to emerging markets, leveraging lower production costs and locally developed technology. The plan follows a partnership with Xpeng and SAIC Motor to accelerate model development and comes as...
Motor Finance Redress Is History. Collections Is the Future
The FCA’s motor‑finance redress framework, unveiled on 30 March, has forced the industry to look past one‑off provision costs and focus on the long‑term health of loan books. The article argues that collections, not balance‑sheet charges, will determine which lenders remain...
Philippine Vehicle Sales Fall 10% in March
Vehicle sales in the Philippines dropped 10% in March 2026, falling to 36,104 units, marking the third straight monthly decline. The slowdown mirrors a broader economic deceleration, with Q4 2025 GDP growth slipping to 3.0% and consumer spending easing. Despite...
Zeekr Takes Aim at German Premium Brands with New Flagship SUV
Geely‑owned Zeekr launched the 8X, a high‑performance hybrid flagship SUV priced between $50,000 and $70,000. The three‑motor Black Edition accelerates from 0‑100 km/h in 2.96 seconds, making it the fastest‑accelerating hybrid SUV on record. Built on the SEA‑S platform with...
Aisin Contract Manufacturing Mazda 6-Speed Auto Transmission in US
Aisin announced it has started contract manufacturing of Mazda's new six‑speed automatic transmission at its Aisin Drivetrain, Inc. (ADI) plant in Crothersville, Indiana. The Indiana facility will produce the transmission for the North American market, leveraging Aisin's established drivetrain expertise....
LG Innotek Secures Automotive Wi-Fi 7 Supply Agreement
LG Innotek has landed a $68 million supply deal to provide its automotive Wi‑Fi 7 communication module to an unnamed European parts maker, with mass production slated for 2027. The compact module, roughly one‑sixth the size of a credit card, supports a...
Hyundai Unable to Offset Middle East Sales Losses Amid Conflict – Report
Hyundai Motor disclosed that conflict in the Middle East and limited factory capacity are preventing it from fully offsetting lost vehicle sales in the region. CEO Jose Munoz highlighted the Middle East as Hyundai's highest‑margin market, yet noted that sales...
Nissan Advances Solid-State EV Battery Towards 2028 Production
Nissan announced that its prototype all‑solid‑state battery pack has met key performance goals, featuring a 23‑layer cell stack and targeting mass production in fiscal 2028. The new pack promises roughly twice the energy density of conventional lithium‑ion cells, which could...
JAMA’s Seven Key Priorities for the Japanese Automotive Industry
Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA) released an updated seven‑point priority agenda aimed at bolstering Japan’s automotive sector amid supply‑chain strains, decarbonisation pressures, and rapid tech adoption. The plan calls for secure sourcing of critical components, a multi‑pathway route to carbon...
Malaysia Vehicle Sales Fall 13% in March
Malaysia’s new‑vehicle market contracted 13% in March 2026, with registrations falling to 63,489 units from 72,931 a year earlier. The decline marks a second straight month of weakness, largely tied to the earlier Eid holiday that shifted consumer buying cycles....
ASEAN Light Vehicle Market Forecast for 2026 Revised Down
ASEAN light‑vehicle sales jumped 13% YoY to 543,000 units in the first two months of 2026, surpassing pre‑pandemic levels. However, GlobalData trimmed its 2026 regional forecast by 2% to 3.16 million units, mainly due to downward revisions for Malaysia and the...
Horse Powertrain Installs AI Inspection System for Engine Quality Checks
Horse Powertrain, owned by Renault‑Geely‑Aramco, has installed Siemens Inspekto AI visual inspection at its Skövde engine plant, automating defect detection that was previously manual. The system uses a vision camera on a collaborative robot, integrates with Siemens TIA Portal and...
Thailand Approves US$468m Investment From Isuzu
The Thai Board of Investment has approved a THB 15 billion (~US$468 million) investment by Isuzu Motors (Thailand) to upgrade its manufacturing footprint. The plan focuses on expanding automation across chassis welding, body assembly and painting, while introducing Euro 6‑compliant pickup models and solar‑powered...
Vietnam Considers Extending Reduced BEV Tax Rates Until 2031
Vietnam's government is weighing an extension of its reduced special consumption tax on battery electric vehicles (BEVs) through the end of 2030, postponing a scheduled increase slated for 2027. The draft resolution keeps BEV rates at 1‑3% depending on vehicle...
Volkswagen Faces up to $600m US Write-Down as ID.4 Production Halts
Volkswagen will record a $600 million impairment in Q1 after halting production of the ID.4 at its Chattanooga plant, wiping out 60‑75% of the $800 million retooling cost. U.S. sales of the electric SUV plunged 96% following the removal of federal subsidies,...
Renault Korea to Produce BEVs From 2028
Renault Korea announced that its Busan plant will begin local production of battery electric vehicles in 2028, following the launch of its first software-defined vehicle in 2027 equipped with AI‑based OpenR Panorama Level 2++ autonomy. The subsidiary plans to introduce a...
Toyota, Isuzu Agree to Co-Develop Hydrogen Fuel Cell Light Truck
Toyota Motor Corp. and Isuzu Motors have signed an agreement to co‑develop and mass‑produce a hydrogen fuel‑cell light‑truck based on Isuzu’s N‑series electric platform. The vehicle will use Toyota’s third‑generation fuel‑cell system and is targeted for commercial delivery use, where...
Indonesian Vehicle Sales Fall 14% in March
Indonesian vehicle sales fell 14% in March 2026, slipping to 61,271 units versus 71,099 a year earlier, largely due to the extended Eid holidays. Despite the dip, the first‑quarter market grew 2% to 209,021 units, driven by a surge in...
Chinese-Made Global Vehicle Sales Declined Slightly in March
Chinese-made vehicle sales slipped to 2.899 million units in March 2026, a 0.5% year‑on‑year decline, as domestic demand fell 16% while exports surged 73% to 875,000 units. Overall vehicle production dropped 3% to 2.917 million units amid slower GDP growth, higher U.S....
Asahi Kasei Postpones Canada Battery Plant as Honda Defers EV Plans
Japanese materials supplier Asahi Kasei has pushed back the start‑up of its Ontario battery separator plant to 2029 or later after Honda Motor deferred its own EV manufacturing plans in the province. The facility, originally slated for mid‑2027, would produce...
Renault Plans up to 20% Cut in Global Engineering Jobs – Report
Renault announced it will slash up to 20% of its global engineering workforce, equivalent to roughly 2,200 jobs, over the next two years. The move is part of CEO François Provost’s cost‑control drive as the automaker faces mounting pressure from...
MinebeaMitsumi Targets Cambodia as US Export Base – Report
Japanese precision parts maker MinebeaMitsumi is positioning Cambodia as a hub for U.S. exports. The company opened a second 500,000 m² factory in Pursat in November, focusing on LiDAR sensor components for autonomous vehicles. The move expands its “Thailand‑plus‑one” strategy after...
Chery on Top: Meet the Chery Tiggo 4
Chinese automaker Chery International has introduced the Tiggo 4 CSH, a full‑hybrid B‑segment SUV, to the UK market as part of its four‑brand rollout that now includes Lepas, Omoda and Jaecoo. The Tiggo 4 CSH is priced at £19,995 (≈$25,000) for the...
Chery to Expand Its Vehicle Production Capacity in Europe
Chinese automaker Chery announced the launch of its Omoda and Jaecoo brands in France and confirmed plans to expand European production. The company already operates a joint‑venture plant in Barcelona that aims to output 200,000 vehicles a year by 2029....
Vietnam Vehicle Market Expands by 20% in March – VAMA
Vietnam’s new‑vehicle market surged 20% in March 2026, reaching 31,351 units versus 26,079 a year earlier. The first quarter expanded 30% to 76,790 units, reflecting the country’s 7.8% GDP growth and a rebound after a holiday‑driven dip in February. Light‑passenger...
Italy Limits Sinochem’s Pirelli Board Seats – Report
Italy has moved to limit the influence of China’s Sinochem Group on Pirelli’s board, capping the number of directors the Sinochem‑linked investment vehicle can propose to three and barring them from chair or CEO roles. At least two of the...
India Posts Record Wholesale Vehicle Market Volumes
India’s light‑vehicle market posted a record February wholesale volume of 485,000 units, up 12% year‑on‑year, though sales slipped 5% month‑on‑month to an annualized 5.6 million. Passenger‑vehicle shipments rose 11% YoY to 414,000, while light‑commercial‑vehicle output grew 18% YoY to 70,000. Strong...
Nissan Launches the All-New NX8 Model in China
Dongfeng Nissan unveiled the NX8, a mid‑size electrified SUV tailored for China, just before the Auto China 2026 show. The model is the third China‑specific vehicle after the N6 plug‑in hybrid and N7 BEV sedan, and it arrives with two 800 V...
South Korean Vehicle Import Sales Surge 35% in March
Imported light passenger vehicle sales in South Korea jumped 35% in March 2026 to 33,970 units, outpacing domestic sales which fell slightly. The surge is driven by strong demand for battery electric and hybrid models. BMW and Mercedes‑Benz led the...
Automotive Supplier Magna to Sell Lighting and Rooftop Businesses
Magna International is selling its lighting and rooftop‑systems businesses in three separate deals, splitting North American, South American and Chinese lighting to one investor and European lighting plus rooftop systems to another. The two units generated about $1.1 billion in 2025...
Chaevi to Supply EV Chargers to Canada
South Korean EV charger maker Chaevi Company Ltd signed a partnership with Canadian firm Foreseeson Technology to launch its charging network in Canada. The agreement calls for an initial delivery of 100 ultra‑fast 400‑kW stations in 2026, expanding to over...
Mitsubishi Begins XForce Sales in Malaysia
Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia has begun selling the XForce compact SUV, a model assembled locally by contract manufacturer Hicom at its Pekan plant in Pahang. Pre‑orders topped 2,000 units, exceeding the company’s initial target within two months. The launch follows a...
Japan’s Vehicle Sales Decline by 2% in March
Japan’s new‑vehicle registrations slipped 1.8% in March 2026 to 490,640 units, extending a broader 2.5% year‑to‑date decline. Weak consumer sentiment, modest GDP growth and recent interest‑rate hikes are pressuring demand, especially for passenger cars, which fell 5.4% year‑to‑date. By contrast,...
Domestic Policy Friction Caps Near-Term Growth in China
China’s light‑vehicle market contracted sharply in February 2026, with total sales slipping 33% year‑on‑year to 1.1 million units. A shift to percentage‑based trade‑in subsidies, delayed local matching funds and the longest‑ever Spring Festival holiday suppressed domestic replacement demand, while the seasonally‑adjusted...
Cupra Unveils the Raval – a Performance Urban EV
Cupra unveiled the Raval, a sub‑4‑meter performance urban EV built on Volkswagen’s MEB+ platform, with a launch planned for summer 2026. The model offers four trims, ranging from an 85 kW motor to a 166 kW VZ Extreme, and delivers up to 400 km...
Tata Motors Launches Intra EV Pickup in India
Tata Motors launched the Intra EV Pickup in India, priced from Rs1.19 million (≈$12,900). Built on the Intra platform with a dedicated electric architecture, the truck offers a 28.2 kWh battery, 211 km range, 1,750 kg payload, and a 72 kW motor. It targets cargo...
Easter Timing and Surging BEV Demand Lift March Results in Western Europe
Western Europe’s passenger‑vehicle market posted a strong March, with registrations rising 10% YoY to 1.42 million units despite a lower annual selling rate. The surge was driven by an extra Easter working day and a pronounced jump in battery‑electric vehicle (BEV)...
Honda’s Global Output Fell 5% in February
Honda Motor Company reported a 5% drop in global production in February 2026, delivering 270,008 vehicles versus 284,232 a year earlier. Output in Japan rebounded, climbing 9% to 67,550 units, while overseas production fell almost 9% to 202,458 units. Over...
Nissan’s Global Vehicle Sales Fall 7% in February
Nissan reported a 7.4 % drop in global vehicle sales for February 2026, delivering 245,601 units. Domestic Japanese sales rose slightly to 41,362, while overseas volumes fell nearly 9 %, with Europe plunging 25 %. The first two months of the year showed...
Taiwan Vehicle Sales Rise 5% in March
Taiwan's new‑vehicle registrations rose 5.5% in March 2026, reaching 39,318 units, a modest rebound after a weak 2025 and a February dip caused by Lunar New Year holidays. The annual market remains down 10% from 2024, with 2025 sales totaling...
Honda Motor Europe Announces Management Changes
Honda Motor Europe announced a senior leadership overhaul effective 1 April 2026, appointing Belgian Hans De Jaeger as Operating Executive, President and Director of the Regional Unit for Europe, Africa and the Middle East. De Jaeger succeeds retiring Katsuhisa Okuda, becoming the first non‑Japanese...
Indonesia Motor Insurance Market to Reach $1.3 Billion by 2030, Forecasts GlobalData
Indonesia’s motor insurance market is projected to grow at a 5% compound annual growth rate, expanding gross written premiums from roughly $1 billion in 2026 to $1.3 billion by 2030. Growth is fueled by digital distribution, AI‑enabled underwriting, and the emergence of...
Stellantis Explores Chinese EV Production in Canada with Leapmotor – Report
Stellantis is in early talks with Chinese EV maker Leapmotor to revive its underused Brampton, Ontario plant, which has left about 3,000 union workers idle after U.S. tariffs forced a Jeep SUV shift to the United States. The discussions follow...