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    September 2017 U.S. LV Sales Thread: Industry Hit 18.5 Million SAAR

    (FINAL) U.S. automakers reported 1.52 million light-vehicle sales in September

    By Erin Sunde • Oct. 3, 2017
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    Congress Wades Into Self-Driving Industry

    Provisions in the House bill known as the SELF DRIVE Act provide welcome clarification regarding federal vs. state regulation of automated vehicles but leave room for possible conflicting interpretations by states.

    By Christopher H. Grigorian, R. Nicholas Englund and Jack Haake • Oct. 2, 2017
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    Trendline

    Automotive Manufacturing

    Production strategies are changing rapidly as tariffs and shifts in consumer buying patterns affect the industry.

    By WardsAuto staff
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    World Vehicle Sales Up 4.1% in August

    Growth was seen in developing nations across the globe, as well as in large established markets in Europe.

    By Sarah Petit • Oct. 2, 2017
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    New Discovery SUV Tows Tractor, Seven Trailers in Oz

    Land Rover obtained special permission to pull seven trailers and a 13.2-ton tractor unit, which was retained to operate the trailers’ hydraulic brakes, along a 10-mile closed section of the Australian Outback’s Lasseter Highway.

    By Alan Harman • Sept. 29, 2017
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    Thailand Light-Vehicle Sales Rise Alongside Economy

    The August result left the year-to-date total up 10.2% at 543,120 units, with the car segment climbing 20.7% to 215,150 and the commercial-vehicle market growing 4.3% to 327,970.

    By Alan Harman • Sept. 28, 2017
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    When Scale Becomes a Disadvantage

    GM is bragging to analysts that it still can deliver a net profit of $4 billion to $6 billion even if U.S. sales drop 25%.

    By John McElroy • Sept. 25, 2017
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    Genesis Launches New Luxury Car With Korean Pride

    “The launch of the Genesis G70 is an important milestone for our brand,” says Manfred Fitzgerald, head of the Genesis division. “We deliberately chose Seoul.”

    By Sept. 25, 2017
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    Design Student Floats Contest-Winning Mobility Idea

    Yuchen Cai, 23, a graduate of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, created The Float as her vision of a car that will provide mobility while helping drivers be more open and social toward the outside world as autonomy becomes popular.

    By Sept. 22, 2017
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    Forecast: SAAR Expected to Surpass 17 Million in September

    The daily sales rate of 55,293 units represents a 3.3% decline from year-ago and a 1.2% gain from August.

    By Erin Sunde • Sept. 22, 2017
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    Voice Recognition Expert Nuance Opens Detroit Lab

    Burlington, MA-based Nuance says its Drive Lab will be an R&D hub tasked with developing technology that will provide drivers with safer, smarter and more satisfying user experiences.

    By James M. Amend • Sept. 20, 2017
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    WardsAuto Flashback – September 2017

    Output Exceeds Capacity; New-Look Stude; Chevy Output Record; Chrysler redesign' Steel Shortages Loom; Corvair Bows; Redesigned Imperial; WAR Likes '60 Ford; Ford President Ousted; C-P's 'Winged Warrier'; New safety Rules; Porsche-Audi Div Bows; Cadillac Aims for No. 1; Buick's '90 Changes; Ford Seeks Jag Stake; 'Roadmonster' Coming.

    Sept. 15, 2017
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    All U.S. Medium- and Heavy-Duty Truck Classes Post Gains in August

    For the second month in a row, U.S. Class 8 saw year-over-year growth with a 1.6% gain in August.

    By Amy Alexander • Sept. 13, 2017
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    Light Truck Fuel Economy on the Rise

    The Fuel Economy Index rating for cars sold in August was down 0.8% from prior-year, while light trucks showed a 2.1% gain.

    By Erin Sunde • Sept. 7, 2017
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    JLR Sayer Concept Future Mobility Solution

    The luxury vehicle maker claims the Sayer concept is the first voice-activated artificial-intelligence steering wheel capable of carrying out hundreds of tasks.

    By Sept. 7, 2017
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    Mini Reveals Radical John Cooper Works GP Concept

    Arguably the most radical-looking Mini concept to appear since BMW purchased the U.K. automaker in 1994, it serves to convey the sub-brand’s plans for an even more aggressive GP model than the first- and second-generation models launched in 2006 and 2013, respectively.

    By Greg Kable • Sept. 5, 2017
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    Eco Go? Eco No.

    Getting rid of Eco mode is easy for those who A) know it exists, B) know what it does, and C) know where to find the off button.

    By Sept. 5, 2017
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    August U.S. SAAR Dips to 4-Year Low 16.0 Million Units

    August’s results made it much more problematic that volume for 2017 will breach the 17 million-unit level for the third straight year.

    By Haig Stoddard • Sept. 1, 2017
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    Rewriting the Automotive M&A Playbook

    Unprecedented technological change is forcing automotive firms to reevaluate business models and seek new merger and acquisition opportunities.

    By Richard Horan and Will Yavinsky • Sept. 1, 2017
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    Aston Martin Strengthening Trade Ties With Japan

    “As the world’s second-largest luxury-car market, Japan is key to our future plans as we completely revitalize and expand our product portfolio under our Second Century plan,” Aston Martin President and CEO Andy Palmer says.

    By Sept. 1, 2017
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    UAW Cleans House Over Training-Funds Embezzlement

    UAW President Dennis Williams said in a letter to union members, “We have pushed for, and implemented, needed reforms at the (UAW-FCA National Training Center) in an effort to prevent future misconduct.”

    By Joseph Szczesny • Aug. 30, 2017
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    Potential Dealer Sales Pitch: ‘That Car Will Make You a Bundle’

    The idea of being able to convert a purchased vehicle into a cash-generating asset is an almost irresistible incentive to buy and upgrade.

    By John F. Possumato • Aug. 25, 2017
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    Forecast: U.S. Auto Market Continues Downward Trend in August

    The report puts the seasonally adjusted annual rate of sales for August at 16.5 million units, below the 17.1 million SAAR from same-month 2016 and 16.7 million in the prior month.

    By Erin Sunde • Aug. 24, 2017
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    Ferrari Reveals New Entry-Level Portofino Drop-Top

    The Portofino’s turbocharged 3.9L V-8 engine is a development of the 90-degree unit used by the California T, but tuned to deliver an extra 40 hp, with 592 hp produced at 7,500 rpm.

    By Greg Kable • Aug. 24, 2017
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    WardsAuto Flashback – August 2017

    More Secure Doors Needed; Financing Tightens; Where is 'Car of Tomorrow?'; GM Motorama Returns; Chrysler-Simca Link; Future Engine Outline; New Imperial Plant; 9.1 Million Sales in '69; NADA Hits Automakers; Chrysler Mod Roof; Lighting Concepts Studied; AMC Subcompact?; Super Car a Hybrid; Chrysler Boosts Eagle Ads; Study Outlines Dealer Operations

    Aug. 22, 2017
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    U.K. Plan Aims at Frictionless Trade With EU Post-Brexit

    A paper setting out proposals for a future customs relationship with the EU backs a system that aligns the U.K. approach to remove the need for a U.K.-EU customs border.

    By Alan Harman • Aug. 18, 2017