Trade News

Chrysler freshened the Pacifica minivan for the 2021 model year by giving the minivan a restyled grille, a new all-LED taillight that spans the width of the vehicle — similar to that of the Dodge Durango and Charger — and available all-wheel drive. The awd Pacifica is powered by a 3.6-liter V-6 engine with 287 hp and 262 pound-feet of torque. The Pacifica also was the launching pad for the automaker's fifth-generation Uconnect infotainment platform. Here's a roundup of snippets of Pacifica awd reviews from the automotive media.

"We drove the all-wheel-drive Pacifica on the rain-soaked roads of rural North Carolina, which was a perfect setting to put the new drive setup to the test. Chrysler engineers note that this all-wheel-drive system is a mechanical one, with a front-wheel-drive bias that delivers an appropriate amount of torque to each axle only as needed. So in perfect conditions — 65 degrees and sunny — power still travels almost exclusively to the front wheel…

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New NADA Chairman Paul Walser talks about his top priorities for 2021, which include improving the relationship between dealers and automakers, pushing for more diversity and eliminating ''complex'' incentive programs.

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Nikola Corp. on Tuesday disclosed details on its hydrogen fuel cell-powered product lineup that will include vehicles with a driving range of up to 900 miles.

The lineup for North America includes the Nikola Two FCEV Sleeper, a long-haul freight vehicle, and a fuel cell EV variant of Nikola's Tre Cabover.

The company's Tre battery EV can currently handle trips as far as 300 miles.

Construction of the the first Tre FCEV prototype is set to begin in the second quarter, with testing continuing into 2022, the Phoenix-based company said, adding that production is slated to start in the second half of 2023.

The Tre FCEV Cabover will have a range up to 500 miles, Nikola said, while the Sleeper's will be up to 900 miles.

In December, the company terminated a deal with Republic Services Inc. to develop electric garbage trucks for the recycling and waste disposal firm.

Nikola shares fell 8.2 percent to $19.20 in early trading on Tues…

Automotive captive lenders are offering assistance to borrowers whose lives were upended by the winter storm that struck Texas last week.

Toyota Financial Services and Lexus Financial Services will offer payment extensions and lease deferred-payment options to impacted customers. Consumers are urged to contact the lender to work out details, Toyota said in a release.

Meanwhile, Ford Credit will assist Ford and Lincoln customers "who may need to defer a payment or two until their situations improve, or who need to request other assistance," a company spokeswoman told Automotive News in an email.

Honda Financial Services in an emailed statement said, "We are prepared to review requests for assistance on a case-by-case basis."

Larry Vellequette and Jackie Charniga contributed to this report.

FRANKFURT -- Mercedes-Benz is positioning the redesigned C-Class as a smaller, sportier version of the recently launched S-Class flagship sedan.

The latest C-Class will "raise the bar as the most sophisticated offering in its segment," Mercedes said Tuesday, reflecting extensive customization, a more luxurious interior with greater space, as well as better handling and lower fuel consumption.

"The letters C and S sit at opposite ends of the alphabet. However, in our portfolio they are now moving closer together," Daimler CEO Ola Kallenius said in a statement on Tuesday. "I am certain our new C-Class will excite even more customers with a wide range of high-tech features derived from our flagship S-Class."

The C-Class, expected to go on sale in the U.S. in early 2022, borrows heavily from the S-Class top-of-the-line sedan, including the cockpit and the latest version of the MBUX infotainment system complete with over-the-air software updates.

The …

STOCKHOLM -- Sweden has indicted a 47-year-old man suspected of handing information to a Russian diplomat, the Swedish Prosecution Authority said.

The prosecutor said in a statement on Monday that the man, who was not identified, had worked as a consultant at several Swedish companies, including Volvo Cars and truckmaker Scania, where he had illegally obtained and sold information, placing the country's security at risk. Public service broadcaster SVT said the man was Swedish.

"While a consultant at his former workplaces, I allege that he obtained material with the purpose of providing information to a foreign power, in this case Russia," prosecutor Mats Ljungqvist said. "The man was apprehended while meeting a Russian diplomat where he had just received 27,800 Swedish crowns ($3,360) from the diplomat."

SVT reported that the man being charged had passed on information from Volvo and Scania, which is a subsidiary of Volkswagen Group.

Volvo told Automo…

BERLIN -- Continental has acquired a minority stake in German-U.S. startup Recogni, as it deepens its expertise in autonomous driving technology.

The startup is working on a new chip architecture for object recognition in real time based on artificial intelligence, Continental said on Tuesday in a statement.

The supplier said it expects the rollout of chip architecture production in 2026.

Financial details were not disclosed.

Lexus is launching a new performance variant of its upscale F Sport trims later this year with an IS sports sedan equipped with the same 472-hp 5.0-liter V-8 engine from the RC-F.

The 2022 Lexus IS 500 F Sport Performance replaces the current IS 350 F Sport luxury sedan's naturally aspirated 3.5-liter V-6 and adds another 161 hp and 115 pound-feet of torque, while gaining only 143 pounds of added curb weight.

Lexus says the IS 500 F Sport Performance is capable of accelerating from 0 to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds but can achieve up to 24 mpg highway. The variant will be exclusive to North America, Lexus said.

Equipped with a standard eight-speed transmission, the rear-wheel-drive IS 500 F Sport Performance will also come with quad exhaust ports to provide a "throaty" growl. Lexus said the IS 500 F Sport Performance model — and future F Sport Performance versions of other models in the Lexus lineup — will come with unique black badging…

Join Automotive News Publisher Jason Stein for a daily podcast series about the coronavirus crisis. He’ll speak with industry experts, insiders and Automotive News reporters about how the virus is impacting and reshaping the automotive industry.

Michelin North America Chairman Alexis Garcin discusses the French tire maker's sustainability efforts as it aims to reduce its carbon footprint and roll out new technologies in tires, including those for EVs.

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DETROIT — Ford Motor Co. said Monday that it's recalling nearly 88,000 2021 model year F-Series pickups with improperly bonded windshields that could come off in the event of a crash.

The notice covers F-150 pickups built at the Dearborn Truck Plant from Oct. 27, 2020, to Feb. 3, 2021, as well as Super Duty pickups built at the Kentucky Truck Plant from Oct. 13, 2020, to Jan. 23, 2021.

Together, the models make up the bulk of the best-selling pickup line in the country. The F-150 was redesigned for the 2021 model year.

Ford said there are 79,017 defective vehicles in the U.S., 6,986 in Canada and 1,347 in Mexico. It is not aware of any accidents or injuries related to the defect.

The automaker said it would begin contacting owners the week of April 6.

Ford on Monday also issued a recall for nearly 12,000 2020 model year Super Duty pickups with 6.7-liter engines that display incorrect payload information on the tire and loading information…