Boucherville, QC – August 23, 2018 – Spectra Premium announced today the acquisition of a controlling stake in Swedish company TechROi Fuel Systems AB, a leader in the design and engineering of stainless steel fuel tanks as well as related components for vehicle manufacturers (Original Equipment Manufacturers - OEMs).

“We are very pleased with this transaction, which is another key milestone in our commitment to the globalization of our OEM operations and follows on our expansion into Asia through our operations in China. With this acquisition, Spectra Premium will be positioned to truly service any OEM customer globally through North American, European and Chinese operations, and will gain significant access to the European OEM market,” stated Jacques Mombleau, President and Chief Executive Officer of Spectra Premium. “Tommy Christensen and TechROi AB are well known in Europe’s automotive industry, and we look forward to having them as our partner.”

Spectra Premium is a North American leader in the design, engineering, development and manufacturing of automotive fuel systems for OEMs, notably for plug-in hybrid vehicles. TechROi Fuel Systems’ engineering center, fuel testing lab and administrative offices are based in Trollhättan, Sweden, and its plant located in Bengtsfors, Sweden, manufactures stainless steel fuel tanks for hybrid vehicles.  

“I wish to thank FourierTransform (a subsidiary of SamInvest, owned by the Swedish government) and the outgoing shareholders for their support of the TechROi Fuel Systems team over the years. We look forward to working with our new partner Spectra Premium, which with their deep expertise in the engineering and manufacturing of fuel systems will allow TechROi Fuel Systems to reach its full potential,” added Tommy Christensen, the founder of TechROi Fuel Systems and shareholder of TechROi AB.

The acquisition of TechROi Fuel Systems and the exchange of its expertise in related fuel components will be complementary to Spectra Premium’s expertise in steel and stainless steel fuel tanks. Additionally, TechROi Fuel System’s state-of-the-art testing laboratory will provide Spectra Premium and its customers in-house access to a full range of testing capabilities.

Mr. Christensen will remain a partner with a minority stake in TechROi Fuel Systems.

Shanghai (Gasgoo)- Volkswagen AG and Ford Motor announced on June 19 that the two automakers have signed a memorandum of understanding to explore several joint projects, including developing and building a range of commercial vehicles to better meet customers’ ever-changing demands worldwide.

All of the potential cooperation projects are targeted to enhance the competitiveness of the two companies. Both Volkswagen and Ford confirmed that the strategic alliance will not involve the equity arrangements, including cross ownership stakes.

"Ford is committed to improving our fitness as a business and leveraging adaptive business models – which include working with partners to improve our effectiveness and efficiency," Jim Farley, Ford's president of Global Markets, said in the statement. "This potential alliance with the Volkswagen AG is another example of how we can become more fit as a business, while creating a winning global product portfolio and extending our capabilities."

Thomas Sedran, VW Group's head of strategy, said that the two companies' strong and complementary positions in different commercial vehicle segments will help them to better meet the evolving needs of customers and the ever-changing market. He also added that the strategic alliance is also a very crucial part of Volkswagen AG's 2025 strategy. The potential industrial cooperation with Ford is seen as an opportunity to improve competitiveness of both companies globally.

Shanghai (Gasgoo)- NIO, a Chinese electric car start-up, announced that its seven-seater SUV model ES8 will be launched on December 16th, which is set as NIO Day. On that day, the company will release the model’s price, performance and the battery swap system, etc.

The official definition for NIO Day is that it’s a party for NIO and its friends, not a kind of traditional enterprise conference. The annual event will be held at Beijing’s Wukesong Stadium this year.

As the company’s first mass-market model, ES8 was officially revealed at the Shanghai Auto Show. Its whole length is over 5 meters with a wheelbase of over 3  meters. ES8 is said to be powered by two electric motors and boast adaptive air suspension. Its swappable battery model may be its most outstanding feature and will bring users brilliant experience. Both its body and chassis are made of aluminium to reduce its weight.

At the beginning, ES8 was said to be slated for 2018. At the International Forum (TEDA) on Chinese Automotive Industry Development, William Li, founder and chairman of NIO, said ES8 would be launched in December. As to the manufacturing, NIO has established cooperation with JAC, which will produce vehicles for the start-up.

Though established only three years ago, NIO has set up a total of 19 offices around the world, including Shanghai, San Jose, Munich and London. Qin Lihong, one of the company’s co-founders, once revealed that it aims to be a global company and have ambitions to enter into America market. 

NOVI, Mich., August 3, 2017 -- Cooper-Standard Holdings Inc. (NYSE: CPS) today reported results for the second quarter and first half of 2017.

Second Quarter 2017 Highlights

•Sales increased 3.4 percent to a record $909.1 million 

•Net income increased to $40.5 million or $2.14 per diluted share

•Adjusted EBITDA increased 4.8 percent to a record $113.8 million

•Adjusted net income totaled $49.0 million or $2.60 per diluted share

•Second major production order for FortrexTM awarded

During the second quarter of 2017, the Company generated strong net income of $40.5 million, or $2.14 per diluted share, and adjusted EBITDA of $113.8 million on sales of $909.1 million. These results compare to net income of $40.2 million, or $2.16 per diluted share, and adjusted EBITDA of $108.6 million on sales of $879.3 million in the second quarter of 2016.  The Company’s adjusted EBITDA as a percent of sales for the second quarter of 2017 increased 20 basis points to 12.5 percent compared to 12.3 percent in the second quarter of 2016.

“We continue to drive value through culture, innovation and results,” stated Jeffrey Edwards, chairman and CEO of Cooper Standard. “We are attracting and developing diverse talent, supported by our unique culture, launching breakthrough innovations, delivering results by growing in key markets, as well as improving operational efficiency globally.”

The Company's second quarter net income, excluding restructuring and other special items (“adjusted net income”), totaled $49.0 million, or $2.60 per diluted share, compared to $52.2 million, or $2.81 per diluted share in the second quarter of 2016. The change in adjusted net income was driven primarily by discrete tax adjustments for excess tax benefits on share-based compensation recorded in the second quarter of 2016.

For the first six months of 2017, the Company reported net income of $82.2 million, or $4.34 per diluted share, and adjusted EBITDA of $224.8 million on sales of $1.81 billion. By comparison, the Company reported net income of $71.5 million, or $3.83 per diluted share, and adjusted EBITDA of $212.1 million on sales of $1.74 billion in the first six months of 2016. The Company’s adjusted EBITDA margin for the first six months of 2017 increased 20 basis points to 12.4 percent compared to 12.2 percent in the first six months of 2016.

Adjusted net income for the first six months of 2017 was $104.9 million or $5.54 per diluted share.  This compares to adjusted net income of $100.3 million or $5.37 per diluted share in the first six months of 2016.

Adjusted EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA margin, adjusted net income and adjusted earnings per share are non-GAAP measures.  Definitions of these measures and reconciliations to the most directly comparable financial measures, calculated and presented in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“U.S. GAAP”), are provided in the attached supplemental schedules.

Notable Developments

During the second quarter, Cooper Standard launched 54 new customer programs and was awarded $96.4 million in annual net new business.  Among the new business awards, the Company received its second significant production contract for FortrexTM premium static sealing system products. FortrexTM is a new, proprietary material science technology that provides significant weight reduction and performance improvements versus traditional EPDM and TPV-based sealing systems.

In addition to the core automotive applications for FortrexTM, the Company is continuing to pursue a complementary adjacent market strategy for its innovative material science and technologies.  During the second quarter, the Company entered into its first agreement to license FortrexTM technology outside of the automotive industry, which is aligned with the Company's adjacent markets strategy.  Successful execution of the adjacent markets strategy is expected, in the long term, to increase return on invested capital by expanding sales opportunities, accelerating the value stream of FortrexTM and other innovative material science technologies, and further diversifying the revenue and profit base of the Company.

In June, the Company celebrated the opening of a new, state-of-the-art technical testing and prototype center in China.  The new facility enhances the Company's ability to provide leading technical support to its customers in the region by increasing in-house design and product validation capabilities, and reducing the time required for new product design and development.

Consolidated Results

Second quarter 2017 sales increased by $29.8 million or 3.4 percent compared to the second quarter of 2016.  The year-over-year variance was largely attributable to net favorable volume and mix, and the impact of acquisitions and divestitures, partially offset by price reductions and the impact of foreign currency exchange rates.  Excluding the impact of foreign currency exchange rates, acquisitions and divestitures, sales in the second quarter were $893.2 million, an increase of 1.6 percent over the second quarter 2016. 

Second quarter adjusted EBITDA increased by $5.2 million or 4.8 percent compared to the second quarter of 2016. The year-over-year variance was primarily attributable to operating efficiencies, the impact of acquisitions and divestitures, and supply chain optimization initiatives, partially offset by unfavorable vehicle production mix, price reductions and higher net compensation-related costs.

Segment Results

North America

The Company's North America segment reported sales of $481.6 million in the second quarter, an increase of 4.5 percent when compared to $460.7 million in sales reported in the second quarter 2016.  The year-over-year change was largely attributable to favorable volume and mix and the acquisition of AMI Industries' fuel and brake business.  Excluding the impact of acquisitions and foreign currency exchange rates, North America segment sales were $466.7 million, which represents organic growth of $6.0 million or 1.3 percent compared to the second quarter of 2016.

North America segment profit was $64.5 million, or 13.4 percent of sales, in the second quarter.  This compared to segment profit of $60.6 million or 13.2 percent of sales in the second quarter 2016.  The year-over-year increase was driven primarily by gains in operating efficiencies and the acquisition of AMI Industries, partially offset by price reductions, unfavorable vehicle production mix and higher net compensation-related costs.

Europe

The Company's Europe segment reported sales of $260.4 million in the second quarter, compared to $282.3 million in the second quarter 2016.  The year-over-year change was primarily attributable to unfavorable volume and mix, foreign exchange and price reductions.

The Europe segment reported a loss of $3.1 million in the second quarter compared to segment profit of $0.7 million in the second quarter of 2016.  The year-over-year change was primarily attributable to unfavorable volume and mix, price reductions and the impact of wage and general inflation, partially offset by restructuring savings and improvements in operating efficiency.

Asia Pacific

The Company's Asia Pacific segment reported sales of $140.8 million in the second quarter, an increase of 21.2 percent when compared to sales of $116.2 million in the second quarter 2016.  The year-over-year variance was largely attributable to improved volume and mix, and the consolidation of the Company's sealing joint venture in Guangzhou, China.  These items were partially offset by unfavorable foreign exchange and customer price reductions. Excluding the impact of acquisitions and foreign currency exchange rates, Asia Pacific segment sales were $130.2 million, which represents organic growth of $14.0 million or 12.0 percent compared to the second quarter of 2016.

Asia Pacific segment profit was $4.5 million in the second quarter, compared to $0.5 million in the second quarter 2016.  The year-over-year improvement was driven primarily by increased operating efficiencies, favorable volume and mix, and the consolidation of the Guangzhou joint venture, partially offset by customer price reductions and investments to support growth.

South America

The Company's South America segment reported sales of $26.2 million in the second quarter, an increase of 30.7 percent when compared to sales of $20.1 million in the second quarter of 2016.  The increase was largely attributable to improved volume and mix and favorable foreign exchange.

The South America segment reported a loss of $3.8 million in the second quarter, compared to a segment loss of $5.6 million in the second quarter of 2016.  The improvement was due largely to increased operating efficiencies and improved volume and mix.

Liquidity and Cash Flow

At June 30, 2017, Cooper Standard had cash and cash equivalents totaling $400.2 million.  Net cash provided by operating activities in the second quarter 2017 was $60.6 million and free cash flow for the quarter (defined as net cash provided by operating activities minus capital expenditures) was $20.7 million.

During the quarter, the Company repurchased 92,409 shares of its outstanding common stock at a cost of $9.3 million.

In addition to cash and cash equivalents, the Company had $179.9 million available under its amended senior asset-based revolving credit facility (“ABL”) for total liquidity of $580.1 million at June 30, 2017.

Total debt at June 30, 2017 was $752.8 million. Net debt (defined as total debt minus cash and cash equivalents) was $352.6 million.  Cooper Standard’s net leverage ratio at June 30, 2017 was 0.8 times trailing 12 months adjusted EBITDA.

During the quarter, Cooper Standard entered into a second amendment to its Term Loan Facility to reduce the interest rate.  The lower rate will reduce cash interest expense by approximately $1.5 million annually through the remaining term of the loan.

Shares in Renault fell more than 4 percent to their lowest level in around a month on Friday after a source at the Paris prosecutor's office said it had launched a judicial probe into possible cheating on exhaust emissions at the French carmaker.

Volkswagen's admission that some of its diesel vehicles were fitted with software designed to hide the true level of emissions they produced has highlighted that most cars emit far greater amounts of health-threatening nitrogen oxide (NOx) in everyday driving conditions than in laboratory tests.

"A number of anomalies were noted on Renault vehicles. The controls performed far exceeded the permissible standards. This is also the case for other carmakers to a different extent. So there could be other investigations," Royal said.

"It is a matter of justice and I do not interfere," Royal said in an interview with French weekly Le Journal du Dimanche.

Renault said it respected all laws concerning exhaust emissions, adding that its vehicles did not have software enabling them to cheat on emissions standards.

Besides Volkswagen, Renault is the only carmaker so far to be referred for possible criminal investigation in France over suspected breaches of emissions rules. "I have no reason to think that Renault cheated like Volkswagen," Royal said.

French regulators began randomly testing vehicles to check differences between lab results and real-world emissions after VW's emissions-cheating scandal erupted. French officials said in April that some cars it tested from Renault and other automakers had higher CO2 and NOx emissions on the road than in laboratory tests but no "cheat" devices were found. Officials said the vehicles were made by Renault, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, PSA Group, Nissan, Opel and Ford.

James Atkinson, whose name adorns many of today’s high-efficiency engines, originated his cycle on an opposed-piston engine in 1882, but the idea really gained traction in the ’30s and ’40s, when Hugo Junkers built opposed-piston engines for World War II airplanes. The configuration has been in use ever since in big-engine applications like submarines, freighters, and trains, but it was in 2004 that Achates Power was launched with the goal of bringing the technology to mainstream light vehicles, configured to mount in a mostly vertical position that fits the same envelope as a conventional I-4 or V-6, with the lower crankshaft in the same position as current cranks for easy drop-in vehicle integration. The initial focus has been on light-truck fitments, as they present a bigger challenge and greater potential for total fuel savings.

Motor Trend first discovered the technology at the 2014 SAE show, where we noted that it was heading for production in a stationary power-generation application. About a year later our August Technologue noted that tests and simulations were suggesting that a supercharged, turbocharged 4.9-liter two-stroke diesel Achates OP-3 tuned to produce 275 hp and 811 lb-ft was promising 20 percent better efficiency than Ford’s 6.7-liter PowerStroke turbodiesel V-8. The pace of development picked up in 2015 thanks to a $9 million Department of Energy ARPA-E grant to develop the concept for light duty (another $14.4 million came in to develop military applications of the engine for the Army). Since then Achates has run its OP engines on gasoline and natural gas as well as diesel and JP8, all featuring compression ignition.

During industry days at the 2017 North American International Auto Show, CEO David Johnson announced that by 2018 Achates would produce a drivable prototype truck powered by a 2.7-liter 270-hp, 479-lb-ft supercharged turbodiesel OP-3 engine capable of complying with Tier 3, LEV III, Euro 6 emissions while exceeding 2025 CAFE standards(its projected EPA label values will be 25/32/28 mpg city/highway/combined, yielding a 37-mpg unadjusted CAFE figure when 33 is the requirement for trucks with a footprint of 65-70 square-feet). Johnson further claimed that it would be 30 percent more efficient than the best diesel engines of comparable output, and 50 percent thriftier than the best similar gas engines. But the bigger bombshell was his announcement that of the nine automakers who have signed on as development partners, at least one of them has begun tooling up to build an opposed-piston engine in volume.

Lattner worked at Apple for 11 years before coming to Tesla. Leading the development tools department, he was responsible for creating Swift, a programming language for building apps on Apple platforms. He was also integral to the development of the LLVM Compiler Infrastructure that’s used in commercial projects and academic research.

“We are very excited that Chris is joining Tesla to lead our Autopilot engineering team and accelerate the future of autonomous driving,” Tesla said in a blog post this week. The automaker also thanked Jinnah Hosein, SpaceX vice president of Software, who served as the interim chief of Autopilot Software before Lattner’s appointment.

Lattner begins his new role just as Tesla is taking a huge step forward in advancing its Autopilot technology. The automaker is getting ready to roll out Autopilot Hardware 2, which supports fully autonomous driving. When the automaker announced the new hardware back in October 2016, it said it would bring out the new features slowly over time.

Speaking to reporters, Marchionne said FCA will build something like the concept after 2018. He said the Windsor Assembly plant in Ontario, Canada, which builds the Pacifica minivan on which the Portal concept is based, would be a “natural place” to build the futuristic people-mover. FCA’s head honcho would not provide specific timing for a production model, however.

Further cementing FCA’s intentions, the company’s North American passenger car chief, Tim Kuniskis, told The Detroit News: “We haven’t been shy to say that we see the Portal as what we view as the future of family transportation. People ask me, is it a minivan? Is it a crossover? Is it a UV (utility vehicle)? We just say it’s the fifth generation of cars.”

Though he wouldn’t comment on production of the Portal specifically, Kuniskis did say FCA is “gauging interest of future product development.”

As we previously reported, the Portal concept previews an electric vehicle with dual articulated doors, a wide openings to the cabin, and three rows of seats. It also uses an electric drivetrain with a 100-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack that FCA says grants 250 miles of range. Marchionne said he believes affordable long-range electric vehicleswill be available by 2021-2022.

The automaker has pleaded guilty to three felony counts for violating U.S. laws. As part of the settlement, VW will pay penalties for importing and selling cars into the U.S. by false statement, participating in a conspiracy to defraud the U.S. and violate the Clean Air Act, and obstruction of justice for destroying documents related to the scandal.

Criminal penalties comprise $2.8 billion of the total fines, while the rest of the money will go toward civil fees.

To help prevent future violations, the U.S. government has ordered that an independent monitor oversee VW’s compliance with standards over a three-year period. U.S. regulators stressed that the investigation is not over, as it will continue to look into VW’s diesel cheating and those involved in the scandal.

“Volkswagen’s attempts to dodge emissions standards and import falsely certified vehicles into the country represent an egregious violation of our nation’s environmental, consumer protection and financial laws,” said Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch in a statement today.

The six VW employees charged with wrongdoing in the diesel scandal include members of the engine development team and other areas. These include Heinz-Jakob Neusser, former VW brand head of Development and a VW brand board member; Jens Hadler, former VW head of engine development; Richard Dorenkamp, former head of VW’s engine development after-treatment department in Wolfsburg, Germany; Bernd Gottweis, former VW supervisor in charge of Quality Management and Product Safety;Oliver Schmidt, general manager responsible for the Environment and Engineering Office in Auburn Hills, Michigan; and Jurgen Peter, part of VW’s Quality Management and Product Safety Group and former VW liason to regulatory agencies.

“Volkswagen deeply regrets the behavior that gave rise to the diesel crisis,” VW Group CEO Matthias Muller said in a statement today. “Since all of this came to light, we have worked tirelessly to make things right for our affected customers and have already achieved some progress on this path.”

Since the diesel scandal broke in September 2015, VW has stopped selling all of its diesel vehicles in the U.S. and has shifted its focus toward electrified vehicles.

Look for a new front fascia, side rocker panels, rear bumper, and a black rear spoiler. Alloy wheels are now standard instead of steel wheels.

Toyota’s Safety Sense C package is another new standard feature on all model grades. This system includes automatic emergency braking, lane departure alert, and automatic high beams that switch between high and low beams when appropriate.

The 2017 Toyota Prius C is available in the following trims: One, Two, Three, and Four. Standard features on the One model include an Entune audio system with a 6.1-inch touchscreen as well as Bluetooth hands-free capability, AM/FM CD player, auxiliary audio jack, USB 2.0 port with iPod connectivity, and a four-speaker sound system. Still, you have to upgrade to get many other basic features such as cruise control and a backup camera.

The Two model adds cruise control as well as soft-touch materials and other cabin upgrades. Three brings new technology features including smart key and the Entune Premium Audio system with integrated navigation, while the Four model tops the range with a power sliding moonroof, integrated backup camera, SofTex-trimmed seats, and a heated steering wheel and heated front seats.

The Prius C continues on with one powertrain option. A 1.5-liter gas engine combines with an electric motor and nickel-metal hydride battery to produce a total output of 99 hp. Fuel economy is rated at 48/43 mpg city/highway. Pricing has not yet been announced for the updated 2017 Toyota Prius c.

VW said with the addition of the fine, the automaker's diesel costs are now set to exceed the nearly 18.2 billion euros ($19.2 billion) it has set aside to handle the problem. VW also said it will face oversight by an independent monitor over the next three years.

The automaker's supervisory board is set to meet on Wednesday to approve a civil and criminal settlement with the U.S. Justice Department.

The settlement includes a guilty plea by the automaker regarding certain U.S. criminal law provisions and a statement of facts on the basis of which the fines have to be made, VW said.

VW said the impact of the accord on its 2016 financial results cannot yet be defined.

The deal comes as the automaker seeks to move past its emissions cheating scandal.

Analysts welcomed that a settlement looked set to be reached before President-elect Donald Trump takes office on Jan. 20, saying it would mark a milestone in VW's efforts to overcome its biggest-ever corporate scandal.

"There is apprehension in the market that Trump may become an unpredictable president and turn against non-U.S. companies," said Bankhaus Metzler analyst Juergen Pieper. "The deal is not cheap but it gives clarity to investors and relief to VW."

VW admitted in September 2015 to installing secret software in hundreds of thousands of U.S. diesel cars to cheat exhaust emissions tests and make them appear cleaner than they were on the road. It said as many as 11 million vehicles could have similar software installed worldwide.

On Monday, VW executive Oliver Schmidt was charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States over the emissions cheating and VW was charged with concealing the cheating from regulators. It's still not clear where criminal investigations into the responsibility of individual managers will end after Schmidt was charged. U.S. prosecutors plan to charge high-level VW executives based in Germany over the scandal, Bloomberg reported, citing a person familiar with the matter.

In Germany, state prosecutors are investigating whether former CEO Martin Winterkorn misled investors by withholding information about the scale of its problems with U.S. regulators. Prosecutors are also investigating the roles of chairman Hans Dieter Poetsch, previously finance chief, and VW brand head Herbert Diess.

VW has repeatedly said no current or former board members were involved in the cheating.

The company has agreed to spend up to $17.5 billion in the United States to resolve claims by U.S. regulators, owners and dealers and offered to buy back nearly 500,000 polluting vehicles.

Pieper said that with 31 billion euros ($33 billion) of net liquidity at the end of September, VW was able to cope with the cost of the diesel scandal, which he expects to reach 30 billion euros.

VW would face major financial difficulties if the European Commission, governments and consumer groups were to succeed in pushing VW to grant redress to owners of affected diesel cars similar to that agreed in the U.S., Pieper said.

VW Group said on Tuesday it had record sales in 2016 of 10.3 million vehicles, including a 12 percent jump in December. That figure should put VW ahead of Japanese rival Toyota Motor Co as the world's largest car producer by volume for the year.

The F-Type R-Dynamic is added to the range for 2018. It features the same supercharged 3.0-liter V-6 engine found in base and S models, still producing either 335 or 375 hp. Both offer a manual transmission option, and the more powerful version can be had with all-wheel drive. R-Dynamic models, available in coupe or convertible form, get special gloss black treatment for the front bumper bezels, front splitter, hood vents, side sills, and rear diffuser.

Another new model is the F-Type 400 Sport, although this one is just available for one model year only. Slotting below the F-Type R and SVR, the new coupe and convertible models deliver 394 hp from their supercharged 3.0-liter V-6 engine and offer rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive. The 400 Sport boasts an upgraded chassis with a performance braking system and Configurable Dynamics. Look for plenty of special badging on the exterior and interior, as well as yellow contrast stitching throughout the cabin.

On other models in the range, updates to the exterior may be a little harder to notice. But look closely and you’ll see new full-LED headlights and new side vents. Inside, the F-Type receives lighter, slimline seats that have more supportive back rest bolsters and can slide back 50mm more than before for increased legroom. The seats come in Sport and Performance versions, and a Siena Tan leather color scheme is newly available.

Those who want to record their driving performance on the track are in luck thanks to the F-Type’s new GoPro integration technology. By using a GoPro camera and the ReRun app, drivers can sync up their video from the track with key performance data including speed, throttle position, gear selection, braking force, and g force. The video can then be downloaded on a smartphone and shared on social media.

All new F-Types come with Jaguar’s new Touch Pro infotainment system, which uses an 8-inch touchscreen with pinch and pan capability for maps. The system also includes the Share ETA feature, which lets users send their current location and estimated time of arrival to select contacts via email or text.

The 2018 F-Type goes on sale globally during the first quarter of 2017.

At the Detroit auto show, Marchionne said that the Grand Cherokee, which currently rides on an old Mercedes-Benz M-Class platform, will be built on the Giulia’s Giorgio platform in order to amortize development costs for the rear-drive midsize sedan.

“The most natural application of a further evolution of the Alfa Romeo platform is the Grand Cherokee,” Marchionne told Autocar.

Marchionne also said that a feasibility study looking into the viability of a Giorgio-based Grand Cherokee SUV is under way now.

“We’re finishing off the study now, but I’m going on the basis of the latest information, which is that it will be the basis upon which the Grand Cherokee will be developed, unless something happens in the next 60 days that suggests it isn’t doable,” the FCA chief said. “That would really complete the story of architectural development for us because I think it would certainly nail in a big piece of the Jeep story.”

As we previously reported, the Giorgio platform is also expected to underpin the next-gen Charger, Challenger, and new Barracuda models. For the Charger, the switch to the more modern architecture could save nearly 500 pounds compared to the current model, which uses a chassis derived from the third-generation Mercedes E-Class.

The announcement comes as FCA reiterates its commitment to producing vehicles in the U.S., likely to preempt a targeted tweet from President-elect Donald Trump. The automaker reminded the world of its more than $1 billion investment in its Belvidere, Ill., and Toledo, Ohio, plants, which will produce Jeeps. That announcement was originally made in July 2016. FCA did, however, confirm that it will build the new Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer SUVs in the U.S., along with a pickup truck based on the upcoming Jeep Wrangler.

Like its name suggests, the Black Edition Type R features a black paint job along with prominent red accents on the front fascia and wheels. It also gets unique red rear wing end plates on the spoiler. The car’s red-and-black theme is particularly striking inside the cabin.

U.K. customers looking for the Black Edition should act soon because Honda expects to sell out of the models quickly. Priced at £32,300, or roughly $39,300 at today’s rates, the Black Edition costs the same as the top-trim Civic Type R GT sold in the U.K.

The outgoing Civic Type R boasts a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 306 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. The next-gen model coming to our shores is also likely to get a 2.0-liter turbo engine. In September, Honda debuted a prototypethat looks quite promising.

A final version is set to be unveiled later this year. When it goes into production, the Type R will once again be built at Honda’s manufacturing plant in Swindon, U.K., where the 10th-generation Civic hatchback is built.

The I.D. Buzz concept -- to be unveiled by VW on Monday at the Detroit auto show -- features a floor-mounted 111-kWh battery pack and up to 369 hp with an effective range of up to 270 miles under U.S. standards and 600 km under European standards, the automaker said.

The Buzz is built from VW’s Modular Electric Drive Kit, or MEB, which also underpins the compact I.D. hatchback concept the automaker showed at the 2016 Paris auto show.

Like the earlier concept, the I.D. Buzz concept features the automaker’s I.D. Pilot autonomous driving system with a squared steering wheel that fully retracts into the instrument panel when the autonomous driving system is engaged.

VW said it envisions the concept in two different optional powertrain configurations. In some regions, a rear-drive single motor would produce 268 hp and be paired with a smaller 83 kWh battery pack. Elsewhere, the Buzz would employ an all-wheel-drive, two-motor configuration that distributes power from the larger battery pack between the two axles electrically.

VW says that in its all-wheel-drive configuration, the battery-powered I.D. Buzz can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 5.0 seconds. The automaker said its battery pack can be recharged to 80 percent of capacity in as little as 30 minutes using high-energy recharging systems.

Inside the cabin, especially in autonomous mode, the I.D. Buzz concept looks more like a lounge than a traditional people-hauler, especially with its railed customizable seating system.

In full autonomous mode, front seats can swivel rearward, with the seatbacks of the center-row seats able to be folded to form tables, and the third-row seating capable of being made into a bed, the automaker said.

“From now on, we will be networking the vehicle much more intensively to make it more interactive,” Tomasz Bachorski, head of interior design of the Volkswagen brand, said in a written statement. “The interior will become a sort of family room, a mobile place where you feel at home.”

Eschews tradition

The I.D. Buzz also eschews a traditional automotive cockpit in favor of a touch-sensitive steering mechanism, an augmented reality heads-up-display, and a large, detachable center-mounted tablet information screen. The configuration allowed designers to increase the space between the first-row seating and the instrument panel by almost 6 inches.

In terms of exterior design, the I.D. Buzz leaves little doubt about its Microbus ancestry, with styling cues taken directly from its historic lineage and augmented with modern touches such as fully integrated LED lighting, animated in a way to react to its driver’s presence. The wheels are mounted at the corners of the concept, giving it a wide stance on its long 129.9-inch wheelbase.

“The overall concept of the I.D. Buzz points the way to the future,” Frank Welsch, who heads development for VW’s board of management, said in a written statement. “This concept vehicle is the world’s first electric multi-purpose vehicle to be equipped with a fully autonomous driving mode. It carries the feeling of freedom of the Microbus over to a completely new era of mobility.”

The automaker could launch the electric Microbus as early as 2022, if management signs off on the project, VW brand design boss Klaus Bischoff said.

"We're hoping that showing this [at the show] will increase the chances of realization," he toldAutomotive News Europe on Sunday, the eve of the auto show.

Still reeling from the legal aftershocks from its decade-long diesel emissions fraud, VW aims to sell 1 million battery-electric vehicles worldwide by 2025. In addition, VW brand CEO Herbert Diess told reporters last November that the automaker was reversing its strategy and would no longer offer diesels in the U.S. in the future.

“We are making electric mobility the new trademark of Volkswagen,” Diess said in a statement.

Bischoff said the MEB's flexibility, with its chocolate bar-style flat battery housed in the floor, finally allowed designers the freedom to recreate the proportions of the original Microbus with its flat nose.

Now, Ford and Toyota confirmed thatMazda Motor Corp., Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd., PSA Group and Suzuki Motor Corp. will be joining their SmartDeviceLink Consortium. Ford and Toyota said in a joint statement on Wednesday that for the non-profit group, their goal is to develop more options on how smartphones can connect to in -vehicle technologies like voice recognition on cars, dashboard displays, and programming.

Furthermore, SmartDeviceLink Consortium plan is to use Ford's Applink software, which is now being used by more than 5 million vehicles, as the basis for their new source platform. The new technology platform could allow smartphone app manufacturers to better combine its app functions into in-vehicle tech that will include steering wheel controls, infotainment screens and as well as voice-activated features.

Global Director of Ford Connected Vehicle and Services said, "Encouraging innovation is at the center of Ford's decision to create SmartDeviceLink, and this consortium is a major step toward that goal." "Consumers will win with new, innovative app experiences from increased collaboration and developer engagement."

Google and Apple both had an increasing influence in the auto world with their own technology such as CarPlay and Android Auto products. Toyota will not offer it to any of their vehicles but Ford Motor Co. will allow drivers to use their new platform in 2017.

Meanwhile, suppliers Elektrobit Automotive GmbH, Xeno Inc., and Luxoft Holding Inc. also attended the consortium, according to the report. Car manufacturers, the auto industry and other technology companies such as cloud computing specialists are slowing developing a lot of partnership for them to create autonomous cars and vehicles that are capable of communicating over the Internet.

Way back in 2011, Toyota already agreed to partner with Ford on car telematic system. Toyota also did receive a lot of attention during the CES global consumer tech conference this week. In fact, Toyota just introduced their futuristic car concept that is programmed to use artificial intelligence to serve its owner.

The 2017 Volkswagen Golf is equipped with a high-resolution central screen that can be as large as 9.2 inches and can be controlled by touch, voice, and gesture control. The gesture control option allows the owner to scroll through menus, select songs or playlist from the media player and change radio stations by only waving the hand in front of the sensor. 

The Golf will also feature a Volkswagen's Active Info Display digital dials which replaces the conventional rev counter and speedometer. The car's interior includes seat pattern and a wide range selection of new trim colors.  It has an overall length of 167.5 inches long and on a 103.8-inch wheelbase.

The cargo compartment space has 16.5 cubic feet which behind the rear seats or 22.8 cubic feet from the cargo floor to the roof. When the seats are folded down, the cargo compartment will have larger storage space of 52.7 cubic feet.

All the existing Golf models are already packed with safety equipment that includes an autonomous emergency braking system that can slow and stop the car if the driver is running into another car. However, the new Golf extends its feature such as trailer assist, traffic jam assist and a pedestrian monitoring function for the automatic breaking.

Furthermore, the trailer assist will enable the driver to select the parking area they want. In addition, it is attached to the wing mirror control that acts as a joystick and then the car can control the steering to put it into place.

The seventh-generation Volkswagen Golf has increased the power output by 170 horsepower and 1.8-liter turbocharged four cylinder gas engines.  The customer can either choose from a standard five-speed manual transmission or six-speed automatic transmission.

Since it was first introduced at the 2016 Detroit auto show, the Chrysler Pacifica minivan has proven itself a capable and adaptable platform for FCA to experiment with advanced electrification and autonomous driving.

On Dec. 19, FCA said it had completed production of 100 Pacificas specially outfitted with self-driving technology for Waymo, formerly known as the Google car project, to be added to that company's test fleet. Bloomberg, citing anonymous sources, reported that Waymo plans to start a ride-sharing service with the Pacifica in late 2017.

Meanwhile, in November, the hybridized version of the Pacifica earned an 84 mpg-equivalent rating from the U.S. EPA -- better than the automaker's initial estimates of 80 mpg-e. That's a highway fuel economy as efficient as 8.4 L/100 km.

And in early January, FCA will show a full-electric Pacifica concept vehicle at CES in Las Vegas, the huge trade event formerly known as the Consumer Electronics Show.

All of the announcements have helped FCA to leap back into the automotive pack in terms of an electrification strategy after lagging far behind. FCA has consistently been at the bottom of annual corporate average fuel economy ratings for several years.

Previously, CEO Sergio Marchionne was dismissive of electrification, in part because of its high costs. For example, in 2014, he urged consumers not to buy FCA's only fully electric vehicle, the Fiat 500e, "because every time I sell one it costs me $14,000." 

But his tone seems to have softened with the development of the hybridized Pacifica, which the company will not lose money on, Marchionne said in January. 

The hybrid Pacifica, built in Windsor, Ontario, uses a 16-kWh battery pack made by supplier LG Chem that is stored below the second-row seats. It also uses a modified 3.6-litre V-6 engine and a dual-motor variable electric transmission, developed in-house, and known as the eFlite. 

The battery and the minivan's innovative drivetrain give it an all-electric range of 53 km (33 miles) and a full range of 910 km (566 miles). 

Speaking with analysts in late October, Marchionne said that FCA had dedicated the internal resources necessary to bring electric powertrains to market. However, like other manufacturers, FCA will continue to rely heavily on suppliers to meet fuel economy goals. 

"The bad thing and a great thing about electrification is that most of it will rely on components being provided by suppliers to the industry and not by us," Marchionne said. FCA can handle developing a lot of the technology associated with an electrical powertrain, Marchionne said. But the rest will have to come from others. 

"The single largest drawback to electrification to us as OEMs is that we're no longer in control of the components side; all batteries will be made by others," Marchionne said. 

"It's really a question of capacity and access to that capacity."

European sales of premium midsize models jumped by 8 percent to 652,000 through November while sales of mainstream midsize cars rose by just 1 percent to 582,000, according to JATO Dynamics market researchers.

The trend is likely to continue in December, giving premium brand the greater share of European midsize new-car sales.

“Aspirational” buyers seeking upscale models are helping premium midsize sales to grow faster than their mainstream counterparts, said JATO Dynamics global analyst Felipe Munoz.

Sales of mass-market midsize cars such as the Volkswagen Passat or Ford Mondeo are also being hit by the increasing popularity of SUV/crossovers, Munoz said.

German premium brands have also been expanded their midsize lineups beyond traditional sedans and station wagons with cars such as the BMW 3 series GT fastback and the Audi A5 range. For BMW, renaming its 3-series coupe as the the BMW 4 series coupe has been a success.

Premium automakers are also now selling cheaper entry-level models and new luxury midsize cars such as the Jaguar XE and Alfa Romeo Giulia also have boosted sales.

Phoenix will be the first infotainment system to allow third-party developers to create apps without endangering cyber security and updates over the air. This will prevent infotainments from getting stale, as is the case with platforms that are just dependent on the system's menu. Phoenix showcases Visteon's commitment to transform cockpit electronics to e-cockpit to meet the demands of a future where autonomous vehicles will emerge as leaders on the roads, according toTelematic Wire.

With its Phoenix platform, Visteon will be able to compete with giant infotainment makers Panasonic, Pioneer and Harman despite the company's small size. Aside from "Phoenix," the company will also present its augmented-reality HUDs which show clear images of the terrain on the larger portion of the windshield.

Accidents will be avoided since possible obstacles on the road appear on the windshield while they are still far from the vehicle. This will be useful in the safety of people taking rides on driverless vehicles in the near future, according to Automotive News.

"Phoenix" is one technology that will have a great impact on the future of mobility. With driverless cars occupying the roads in the near future, technology that can provide information in order to have safe driving experiences will be in great demand. Visteon is taking a favorable stance in this market, preparing to grab all opportunities that will make it a leader in the field of cockpit electronics, according to Auto Economic Times.

Just like the legendary bird Phoenix, Visteon will rise from its slow growth in the past year through its innovative cockpit electronics.