Mercedes-Benz to Offer Compact G-Class EV in 2027
A battery-powered G-Class SUV will begin shipping to American market in the first half of 2027, according to Mercedes-Benz, which teased the new model during the introduction of the CLA-Class at the IAA Mobility auto show in Munich. “There will be a smaller version of one of our most iconic shapes. Yes, there will be a little G,” said Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Källenius. “Be assured, the little G will be electric, it will be capable, it will be instantly recognizable, and it will be a lot of fun to drive both on and off the road.” According to The Detroit Bureau, the compact electric SUV should sport the same boxy profile as the original, with production slated to begin in Hungary at the end of 2026. Given that the larger G-Class will most likely wear EQG badging, which would follow Mercedes-Benz EV naming nomenclature, it’s unclear what badging the new vehicle will be named. And given it won’t hit U.S. dealers until 2027, even less is known about the vehicle itself. What Källenius did say is that the compact G-Class would ride on the company’s Mercedes Modular Architecture, or MMA. Click here for the full story.
Toyota Dealers Head to Vegas
Expect the 1,200-plus dealer attendees that gather this week at the Toyota National Dealer Meeting in Las Vegas to be among the happiest visitors there. David Christ, group vice president/general manager for Toyota, says there is plenty to celebrate at the annual dealer meeting, scheduled for Sept. 12-14. Recent Toyota wins include August 2023 sales, marking its best retail month in almost two years, new product launches – specifically two body-on-frame vehicles, Tacoma and Land Cruiser – and a growing array of vehicles with multiple powertrain options. “We really feel we’re hitting our stride,” Christ tells Wards. “The dealer meetings are always an opportunity to build confidence in the brand. And we think we’re going to do that in several ways. Expect Toyota leaders to talk about the latest sales successes that have kept the automaker the No.1 vehicle manufacturer in the world. In the first quarter of 2023 (April-June in Japan), Toyota’s worldwide sales increased approximately 313,000 units compared to the same period during the previous fiscal year. Net revenues increased 24.2 percent. Christ hints that Toyota leaders at the meeting will announce new products and refined training initiatives for dealership salespeople and staff. Click here for the full story.
New-Vehicle Inventories Top 2 million for First Time Since April 2021
After a long, slow climb back, new-vehicle inventory levels in the United States topped 2 million last month for the first time since April 2021 as the industry continues to move away from production disruptions, according to estimates by Cox Automotive and the Automotive News Research & Data Center. Cox Automotive estimated inventories at 2.06 million vehicles in its latest report, up more than 837,000 vehicles from a year ago, or 68 percent. Inventories reached their lowest levels in September 2021, when they dropped under 830,000, Cox said, and spent much of the next year hovering between that low and 1.1 million, before beginning to steadily gain ground in August 2022. Despite the recent gains, automakers and dealers still have about 1.4 million fewer vehicles on their lots today than they did at the same point in 2019, and about 400,000 fewer than they did at this point in 2020, according to Cox estimates. Asian brands continue to have the industry's lowest days' supply, according to Cox and the Automotive News Research & Data Center, while Detroit 3 brands dominate the list of those with the highest days of supply. Click here for the full story.
VinFast Planning 3 New Crossovers for the U.S.
Electric vehicle newcomer VinFast Auto plans to import three additional crossovers to join its midsize VF 8 that went on sale this year. Most of the automaker's lineup is scheduled to be assembled at a $2 billion North Carolina factory, starting in 2025. VinFast is off to a slow start for VF 8 sales, with just a few hundred vehicles delivered through July, reports Automotive News. But the EV maker is rapidly introducing new models in Vietnam that will make their way to U.S. shores. Next to go on sale is the stylish VF 9, a three-row crossover. The company plans to import its smaller VF 6 and VF 7 crossovers next year. VinFast is drawing attention with its design choices of modern interiors and adventurous exteriors. Pininfarina collaborated on the VF 8 and VF 9, the automaker said, while Torino Design worked on the VF 6 and VF 7. Originally, VinFast planned to sell its EVs separate from their batteries, which would be leased for a monthly fee that varied with mileage. But this year, the company said that plan was on hold. Click here for the full story.
2024 Mazda CX-90 PHEV: A Slow Walk to the EV Revolution
At a time when global carmakers are turning themselves inside out to meet the challenge of electrification, some aren’t. Mazda, for example. One after another, European car companies have pledged to go all-electric, some as soon as 2030. Mazda has declined to make any such commitment, saying that by 2030 it expects battery-electric vehicles to account for only 25-40 percent of global sales For Mazda, electrification means hybridized, gas-fired powertrains, like the one in our test car, the 2024 Mazda CX-90 plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV). According to The Wall Street Journal, the Japanese company is thus poised to serve the needs of late and reluctant EV adopters, a rump confederacy standing athwart the course of transportation history, preferring constancy over change, delay over disruption. In the interim, Mazda is following the money—up market. To that end, the CX-90 is mounted on Mazda’s new, large-vehicle platform, accommodating a longitudinally oriented inline-six engine, eight-speed transmission, and rear-biased drivetrain—a layout typical of premium and luxury brands such as Mercedes-Benz and BMW. The CX-90 replaces the retiring Mazda CX-9, whose four-cylinder engine is mounted transversely, likewise typical of mass-market cars with front-wheel drive. Click here for the full story.
Around the Web
BMW Is Giving Up on Heated Seat Subscriptions Because People Hated Them [The Drive]
2024 Toyota Tacoma: Every Trim Level Available In the New Lineup [Motortrend]
Arizona Drivers Have the Worst Road Rage; Delaware the Most Courteous in New Study [Carscoops]
Driven: 2023 Hyundai Elantra N Is Entry-Level Performance Perfection [Carbuzz]
