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The automotive industry has long been central to a strong North American middle class. That positioning is about to face a major test as the Detroit 3 begin negotiations with the UAW in the U.S. and Unifor in Canada.

Negotiations will be led by a variety of personalities — some with little or no bargaining experience and others who will strive to fix decades of inequity in one shot.

These negotiations will show the true colors of union leaders.

Both the UAW and Unifor have new leadership, with the UAW electing Shawn Fain as president in March and Unifor electing Lana Payne as president in August 2022.

Fain was elected as a member of the UAW Members United reform group and has promised a more militant approach to negotiations, definitively declaring that he will end two-tier wages, reintroduce cost of living adjustments, win significant increases for current retirees and eliminate alternative work schedules.

Two-tier wages were first bargai…

The E-Class may be losing some of its sales stature in the Mercedes-Benz lineup as America's wealthy households migrate to light trucks, but it remains a formidable showcase for the German brand. With the redesigned 2024 Mercedes-Benz E-Class, the automaker is sticking to the car's famed trademarks: quiet comfort, elegant functionality, top-notch engineering and advanced technology.

The E 350 variant is equipped with a new 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine that produces 255 hp. The E 450 4Matic tops the latest two-car E-Class sedan lineup that hits showrooms in the first half of 2024. The M256 mild-hybrid powertrain is carried over, but the 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six engine sees output rise 13 hp to 375 hp. The 48-volt integrated starter generator — slotted between the engine and the nine-speed automatic transmission — now generates an extra 22 hp when needed.

The wheelbase has been increased by 0.87 inch. Available rear-wheel steering (pa…

Uber Technologies Inc. reported its first operating profit, fueled by demand for rides and delivery and marking a significant milestone as the company seeks to move beyond its cash-burning past.

The results showed that trips in the U.S. and Canada have recovered to pre-pandemic levels, while delivery demand hit an all-time high despite increased costs for food. Uber posted a second-quarter operating profit according to generally accepted accounting principles of $326 million and free-cash-flow of $1.14 billion. The shares were down fell 5.6 percent when the market closed Tuesday.

"Both of these milestones were achieved through a combination of disciplined execution, record audience, and strong engagement," Chief Executive Officer Dara Khosrowshahi said in prepared remarks. He added that the company was "well-positioned to sustain strong, incremental profit generation."

Uber's business has remained largely unscathed from elevated inflation rates as custo…

TOKYO — Toyota Motor Corp. nearly doubled its operating profit in the latest quarter, as the world's biggest automaker ramped up supply on free-flowing semiconductor shipments and shifted sales into high gear in major markets, led by Japan.

In the latest three-month period, from April-June, Toyota's operating profit soared to 1.12 trillion yen ($7.75 billion), from 578.6 billion yen ($4.00 billion) a year earlier.

But Toyota also warned in Tuesday earnings announcement that lagging performance in the important North American market is undermining investment in electric vehicle production.

Operating margin in North America, the company's top market, languished at 3 percent in the quarter, below that in other regions, such as 14 percent in Japan and 6.3 percent in Europe.  

"We are not satisfied with an operating profit margin of 3 percent in North America, and we need to raise this more," a Toyota official said. "As we will be making battery…

Nissan's sporty Z coupe is getting primed again for track duty.

The Z Nismo returns to the U.S. after three years this fall with added horsepower and torque, performance-tuned suspension and brakes, aerodynamic bodywork and a stiffened suspension.

Like Mercedes-Benz' AMG or BMW's M, the Nismo has the double objective of enhancing Nissan's sporty side while adding profit to various models for both the manufacturer and the dealers, said Sam Fiorani, vice president at AutoForecast Solutions.

"It takes a desirable product and makes it aspirational," Fiorani said.

In the U.S., Nissan has offered the Nismo performance package on the Sentra compact sedan, the 370Z and GT-R sports cars and the Juke compact crossover.

Takao Katagiri, global CEO of Nismo, has said that Nissan is "having lots of discussions" about introducing additional Nismo offerings geared toward American tastes.

"When we look at the U.S. market and what our competitors ar…

Mazda is dropping two vehicles from its U.S. lineup after the 2023 model year, the MX-30 — its first electric vehicle — and the CX-9 large crossover. For now, Mazda is focusing on gasoline-electric hybrid vehicles instead of EVs.

Three hybrid crossovers, the CX-50 and CX-90 that are already on sale, and the CX-70 that is expected to arrive next spring, replace the outgoing vehicles.

The MX-30, sold only in California, is a compact crossover that was limited by a 100-mile range between charges.

Mazda sold just 66 MX-30 crossovers through June, down from 316 sold in the first half of 2022. It was available for just two model years, while the CX-9 has been a mainstay in the lineup since 2007.

Mazda also has no plans to market the MX-30 e-Skyactiv R-EV in the U.S., a spokesperson said. The MX-30 R-EV, sold in Europe and Japan, features a 17.8-kilowatt-hour battery, and, with a rotary range extender, provides 53 miles of all-…

California state regulators will review the data protection policies of car manufacturers as part of the state's efforts on consumer privacy. The audit will focus on connected vehicles that tie in with drivers' mobile phones to power popular infotainment features — like Apple Inc.'s CarPlay or Alphabet Inc.'s Android Auto.

"Modern vehicles are effectively connected computers on wheels," Ashkan Soltani, executive director of the California Privacy Protection Agency, said in a statement Monday. "They're able to collect a wealth of information via built-in apps, sensors, and cameras, which can monitor people both inside and near the vehicle."

Soltani said the agency's enforcement division is reaching out to car manufacturers to gauge how they use and collect consumer data and are complying with California's privacy laws. The agency declined to comment further on which carmakers it had contacted as part of the review.

The California Privacy Protection Agen…

U.S. regulators want 58 mpg CAFE standards in less than a decade. Suppliers get rare leverage in contract negotiations. Plus, a conversation with the head of GM’s hydrogen business, Charlie Freese.

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Toyota will strengthen development of EV technology in China, the automaker said on Monday, as it looks to catch up with increasingly tough domestic competition in the world's largest auto market.

The move is the latest from the world's top-selling carmaker to show a sharper pivot to EVs. It recently detailed an ambitious new EV strategy that includes an overhaul of its supply chain and the development of long-range batteries.

China was once regarded by foreign automakers as an opportunity for almost boundless growth. Now they worry about diminishing market share thanks to the fast rise of local competitors and cut-throat prices.

Toyota is to accelerate powertrain development with suppliers Denso and Aisin as well as local design and development of "smart cockpits" that meet the needs of the Chinese market, it said in a statement.

It said it would strengthen development of its full suite of electrified cars, not just battery-powered on…

MILAN -- Lamborghini could sell 10,000 cars this year for the first time, its CEO said, as the luxury sports carmaker reported a rise in profit and revenues for the first half.

The Italian brand, a subsidiary of Germany's Volkswagen Group, sold 5,341 cars between January and June, up 4.9 percent on the same period last year. The United States was its largest single market, with 1,625 deliveries.

Chairman and CEO Stephan Winkelmann said it was not easy to make forecasts due to market uncertainties, including with raw materials, but added that selling 10,000 cars this year was a "feasible goal."

"It is not something we are obliged to achieve, but it's important to show what the health of the company is and how big (clients') willingness to buy our cars is," Winkelmann said.

Supported by the success of its Urus SUV, costing about 200,000 euros ($219,900) before tax, Lamborghini has in recent years expanded its output, relying on solid demand from we…