For Volkswagen, the search for a suitable replacement for the once-iconic Microbus has been a case of try and try again … and then keep trying over and over again. What’s now known as the ID.Buzz made its debut in two-row form in Europe last year. Since the last version of the van was pulled from production 20 years ago, the German automaker has come up with one concept after another. But they all seemed to miss the mark. Until it rolled out an all-electric prototype in 2016 that finally captured the right formula, the mix of distinctive design and functionality that made the original Microbus ..read more

The buzz is back. The Volkswagen ID.Buzz, that is. It’s the closest the German automaker has come to reviving the long gone, but fondly remembered VW Microbus. The buzz is back, the Volkswagen ID.Buzz, that is. VW’s all-electric line-up is growing once again. Don’t call it a “minivan” for fear of the automaker’s wrath. People mover seems to be a more acceptable description. But whatever you choose, the ID.Buzz is set to become the most important product launch of the coming year for Volkswagen, according to Pablo Di Si, VW’s U.S. chief executive. “I think we’re going to be overwhelmed next yea ..read more

With Honda leading the way, carmakers reported hefty sales increase during May as consumers shrugged off higher interest rates and the threat of a default by the U.S. government as the snatched new vehicles from replenished dealer stocks. “It’s exciting to see what can happen when the best product line-up in the history of the Honda and Acura brands is matched by stronger supply,” said Mamadou Diallo, senior vice president of Auto Sales at American Honda Motor Co. Inc. Honda SVP Mamadou Diallo called the company’s line-up the best in company history, enjoying a 53% sales jump in May. Honda, Ac ..read more

New vehicle buyers are often warned to not buy the first year of a new model or a redesign to give the automaker the chance to work out any bugs or issues arising from the changes. With as often as vehicles get minor updates, this adage may not carry the amount of truth as it once did, but it’s something to keep in mind. The 2023 Lexus NX 350h is top entry in a very competitive segment. Overview I can’t speak to the 2022 Lexus NX 350h — when it got its latest makeover — but I can say the 2023 model is an impressive machine. It’s the second smallest SUV in the luxury brand’s line-up and the pre ..read more

Struggling EV startup Lucid Group got a $3 billion bailout, enough to keep it running until 2025 when it plans to have new, higher-volume models available. Lucid Motors secured a $3 billion influx of cash from its biggest investor, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund. About two-thirds of the new funding comes from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, or PIF, which now has about $9 billion invested in the California-based automaker. The additional funds will be raised through a new public offering of 173.5 million shares of common stock. The watering down of existing shares in Lucid — trade ..read more

Xuefeng Chen, Global CEO of Faraday Future For those who doubt Faraday Future Intelligent Electric Inc.’s future, the “Intelligent Electric” company revealed the Faraday Future 91 2.0 Futurist Alliance Wednesday wearing a $309,000 price tag, not including destination charge. Limited to 300 units worldwide, it can be reserved with a $5,000 deposit. It can be ordered with a mobile system subscription named “FF aiHypercar+” that provides software, internet and customized AI algorithm services. It can be pre-ordered for $100 with your vehicle, and will cost $14,900 annually. “This milestone event ..read more

If there is a strike in the auto industry this fall, it will be the fault of Detroit’s automakers, General Motors, Ford and Stellantis — the UAW claims — for failing to meet the unions demands for an equitable contract, which repays members and retirees for their sacrifices over the years. UAW’s leadership told its members some about its strategy while using a slew of charts to drive home the points. “The choice of whether we go out on strike is up to the Big Three,” said Margaret Mock, the UAW new Secretary-Treasurer during a Town Hall meeting via zoom arranged by union’s new leadership team ..read more

Thought of as being behind the EV curve in recent years, Toyota’s looking to make up for lost time by producing an all-new battery-electric sport-utility at its massive Georgetown, Kentucky plant starting in 2025.  Toyota’s Susan Elkington celebrates new EV investment in the U.S. Toyota also plans to invest an additional $2.1 billion in its North Carolina battery production facility, which is also expected to be up and running by 2025. The new influx of cash pushes the total investment in the plant and other facilities in Liberty, North Carolina, which was announced last year, to $5.9 bil ..read more

Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares told reporters in France the company will need to build one or even two new factories for electric vehicle batteries in the United States to reach its output targets. Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares said the company needs at least one more EV battery plant in the U.S. to meet demand. The comments, reported by Reuters, are the latest in a series of words spoken and actions taken by the automaker to secure a stable supply of batteries for its upcoming EVs. Just last week, Stellantis used its venture capital fund to invest in a California company called Lyten  ..read more

Compact utility vehicles are the most popular and most competitive segment sold around the world by carmakers.  The 2023 VW Tiguan jumps into an extremely competitive segment as more and more automakers are leaving it. But the popularity and competition in the segment seems to have unnerved some executives. Fearing thinning margins and endless competition, those execs are thinking about ditching the segment in the hopes of finding fatter margins in some other segment, which is not quite so popular. Overview Volkswagen, however, is staying put, and the 2023 Tiguan SEL R-Line comes into VW ..read more