Mercedes-AMG GT Sedan Goes Electric
Mercedes-AMG says prototypes of its electric-powered GT have begun cold-weather durability testing in temperatures as low as -13° F in northern Sweden ahead of a planned start to North American sales for the 4-door sedan in late 2025. As well as being Mercedes-AMG’s first dedicated electric model, the upcoming Porsche Taycan and Tesla Model S Plaid rival is also the first to be based on the AMG.EA electric platform. The all-new structure shares elements with the MB.EA platform to be used by less performance-oriented Mercedes-Benz models in coming years. But in a departure from the more volume-focused MB.EA platform, the AMG.EA is designed accommodate new-generation electric motors from Yasa, a U.K.-based company purchased by Mercedes-AMG in 2021, reports Wards. Yasa’s patented disc-shaped axial-flux motors, to be produced at volume for the first time at Mercedes-Benz’s Berlin factory in Germany, are claimed to offer significantly higher power and torque density than the more conventional synchronous electric motors used in Mercedes-Benz’s and Mercedes-AMG’s existing electric models. Click here for the full story.
Audi Sticking to EV Strategy Despite Challenges, says CEO
Audi Chief Executive Gernot Doellner said on Tuesday that the Volkswagen subsidiary was sticking to its electric vehicle strategy despite facing challenges this year. Audi remains committed to bringing the last vehicle with a combustion engine onto the market in 2026, Doellner told journalists at an event in the German city of Ingolstadt, with the dates set even if the details of how it's done are flexible. The premium German carmaker wants to earn as much money from electric cars as from combustion engines by the end of the decade, reports Reuters. In 2024, however, it is likely to see lower sales, partly due to the introduction of new models as that usually means a drop in delivery figures ahead of the new launches. The all-electric Q6 etron, developed jointly with Porsche will arrive at dealerships in the second half after a delay of over two years, while the A6, which is also electric, and the A5 and Q5 combustion models are also due to be launched. Click here for the full story.
2024 Hyundai Santa Fe: 7 Cool Things
The redesigned 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe midsize crossover looks significantly different from the model it replaces. It has the design of a conventional two-box sport utility, a 2-inch longer wheelbase, more upright posture and a rugged XRT trim with 8.3 inches of ground clearance and increased towing capacity. It also now comes standard with third-row seating to meet the needs of growing families. "Volume has increased so much in North America for Hyundai, feedback from our customers is being used to inform all the future products, and this particular Santa Fe is very exemplary of that," Olabisi Boyle, senior vice president of product planning and mobility strategy for Hyundai Motor North America, told Automotive News. Boyle said shoppers wanted more traditional SUV styling, more interior space for passengers and cargo, including the third row, and enhanced off-road capability. Absent from the roster this generation is the plug-in hybrid powertrain, which is available overseas but not in the U.S. Hyundai said its PHEV offering is better suited to the Tucson lineup because that's where the volume is. The Kona subcompact crossover also has a plug-in variant. Click here for the full story.
New Vehicle Affordability Hits Highest Point in 2.5 Years — Prices, Rates Decline
New vehicle affordability improved marginally in February as prices and interest rates declined and income growth continued, reflecting the car market’s slow but steady shift toward consumer-friendly conditions. According to Cox Automotive, affordability improved on multiple fronts last month, repeating patterns observed in January. Monthly payments dropped 0.7 percent, from $749 to $744, while the number of weeks needed to buy a new vehicle dropped 0.8 percent month-over-month to 37.1 weeks. The typical payment observed in February was down 6.4 percent from the peak of $795 observed in late 2022, reports CBT News. Average transaction prices dropped 0.1 percent in February from January and were down 2.2 percent from early 2023. Electric vehicles saw greater than average price declines, dropping 13 percent year-over-year. New vehicle loan interest rates also declined in February. The average rate was 10.15 percent, down slightly from 10.28 percent the previous month. Although rates were lower in 2023, affordability was still higher this year due to the decline in prices and an increase in manufacturer incentives. Click here for the full story.
No Limits: Small Dealers Go National with Video Streaming Ad Pilot
For smaller dealerships such as Jack Daniels Volkswagen in Fair Lawn, N.J., national advertising is usually too expensive and time-consuming to pursue. But under general manager Donald Chittum, the dealership joined a pilot project about a month ago that uses software from automotive marketing platform Constellation to help local, smaller auto dealers place affordable national advertising through NBCUniversal streaming options. He's encouraged by the results so far. "We were very limited in what we can do before; this gives us greater expansion further outside of our [local] market," Chittum told Automotive News. "We never had the capability of going nationwide." The Constellation/NBCUniversal initiative, announced at the 2024 NADA Show in Las Vegas, lets smaller dealers place streaming advertisements in English and Spanish that meet Federal Trade Commission regulatory requirements and reach national streaming customers of various NBCUniversal media properties including Peacock. Volkswagen of America is the first participating partner, and it brought Jack Daniels into the pilot testing about a month ago, Chittum said. Ads are placed via NBCUniversal's Spot On advertising platform. Click here for the full story.
Federated Insurance's Claim of the Month – Preventing Vehicle Theft
A customer came to a dealership to test drive a vehicle, which they decided not to purchase after testing. Upon arriving at work the next day, dealership workers discovered that the vehicle had been stolen. It was determined that when the customer had done their test drive the previous day, they had provided fake identification information. In addition, they had swapped the original key for a fake key, and had returned later that night to steal the vehicle.
CLAIM AMOUNT: $74,000 for the value of the vehicle that was stolen.
Risk management advice:
Consider the following to help keep your dealership, employees, vehicles, and clients safe:
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Carefully review the customer's license and insurance to verify the information matches, looks like the customer, and is not expired.
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If possible, ask for multiple forms of identification such as driver's license, credit cards, etc.
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Make copies of the customer's drivers’ license and proof of insurance.
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Incorporate a key control program for vehicles in your care.
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Have a dealership employee accompany clients as they test drive the vehicle and maintain control of keys throughout the interaction.
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Require a copy of a customer’s valid driver’s license and proof of insurance before test driving.
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Install security cameras both inside and outside the dealership.
Around the Web
2025 Audi Q6 and SQ6 e-tron Advance the Brand's EV Game with an 800-Volt Platform [Car and Driver]
Video:The IIHS Explains Why it Doesn’t Crash Test Vehicles at Higher Speeds [Carscoops]
Bentley Delays First BEV, Shifts Focus to Plug-In Hybrids [Automotive News]
Ultra-Limited Range Rover Sport Park City Edition Revealed with $169,000 Price Tag [Carbuzz]
