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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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    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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    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
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    Vauxhall Offers Glimpse of New Light-Commercial Vans

    Aimed at the business-shuttle market, the Tourer Elite will be available with a 1.6L CDTi BiTurbo engine with 125 hp or 145 hp in two body lengths. The Combi Plus is more car-like than the standard Vivaro Combi and is meant for use as a peoplemover.

    By • Aug. 17, 2017
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    Industry Group: People Integral to Car Cybersecurity

    The Institute of the Motor Industry wants newly announced guidelines for makers of Internet-connected cars to focus equally on the people who work on the vehicles.

    By Alan Harman • Aug. 16, 2017
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    Car2Go Reports Big Gain for One-Way Car-Sharing Service

    North America’s one-way car-sharing service, Car2Go, saw a significant increase during the first six months of 2017.

    By Remi Murrey • Aug. 11, 2017
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    Double-Digit Gains Across Board for Canada Big Trucks in July

    For the second month in a row, heavy-duty truck sales outperformed last year’s volumes with double-digit gains.

    By Amy Alexander • Aug. 11, 2017
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    All U.S. Medium- and Heavy-Duty Truck Sales Up in July

    For the first time this year, U.S. heavy-duty trucks pull off year-over-year growth, coming in 13.1% ahead of last July.

    By Amy Alexander • Aug. 11, 2017
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    Flying Cars Coming, But There’s Work to Be Done

    Analysts are relatively bullish about the prospects for flying cars, envisioning their initial use by mobility services will help business travelers dodge congested city traffic, which eventually will expand to more personal use as fully autonomous models arrive.

    By Remi Murrey • Aug. 11, 2017
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    Lotus Reports Positive 2016-2017 Pretax Earnings

    The Norfolk, U.K.-based sports car maker says it improved quality, reduced costs and increased margins, resulting in the best sustainable performance by the business in many years.

    By Alan Harman • Aug. 10, 2017
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    Spanish Automakers’ Sales Goals Get Dealer Pushback

    Business- and rental-fleet sales growth – up 23.5% and 9%, respectively – was much more robust than sales to private buyers (up 2.4%) in first-half 2017. Dealer groups note market stagnation began to take hold in October, when no government-incentive plans were in place.

    By Jorge Palacios • Aug. 10, 2017