Pentagon Approaches Automakers, Manufacturers to Boost Weapons Production
The Trump administration wants automakers and other American manufacturers to play a larger role in weapons production, reminiscent of a practice used during World War II. Senior defense officials have held talks about producing weapons and other military supplies with the top executives of several companies, including Mary Barra, chief executive officer of General Motors, and Jim Farley, CEO of Ford Motor, reports The Wall Street Journal.The Pentagon is interested in enlisting the companies to use their personnel and factory capacity to increase production of munitions and other equipment as the wars in Ukraine and Iran deplete stocks. The talks were preliminary and wide-ranging, the people said. Defense officials said American manufacturers might be needed to backstop traditional defense companies and asked whether the companies could rapidly shift to defense work. GE Aerospace and the vehicle and machinery maker Oshkosh were among the companies involved in the talks with defense officials. The Defense Department “is committed to rapidly expanding the defense industrial base by leveraging all available commercial solutions and technologies to ensure our warfighters maintain a decisive advantage,” a Pentagon official said. Click here for the full story.
Hyundai COO Claudia Marquez to Cover U.S. Sales After Top Exec Michael Orange Leaves
Claudia Marquez, Hyundai Motor America’s COO, has assumed responsibility for sales while the company searches for a replacement for Michael Orange, vice president of sales, who abruptly left the automaker April 14. Orange, a part of Hyundai’s U.S. management team since 2008, spent just over 16 months as vice president of national sales, a period that saw the company post record U.S. sales, reports Automotive News. Hyundai, in a statement, said Orange “decided to leave Hyundai Motor America to pursue an opportunity outside the company.” Orange, joined Hyundai in 2008 as Atlanta district sales manager. He earned promotions over 18 years at Hyundai before becoming vice president of sales in December 2024. He was responsible for sales across Hyundai’s 7 U.S. regions. “Michael has a proven track record of building strong relationships with our dealers and leading high-functioning teams to achieve our sales and business objectives,” Randy Parker, CEO of Hyundai Motor America, said when Orange was promoted. Orange leaves Hyundai at a critical time. U.S. sales remain strong — Hyundai posted another U.S. sales record in 2025 — and first-quarter volume rose 0.9 percent in a market that slipped 6.2 percent overall. Click here for the full story.
Auto Retail Holds Firm as Kerrigan Flags Geopolitical Pressure, Policy Resets And M&A Surge
Automotive retail continues to show underlying strength despite geopolitical uncertainty, rising energy prices, and evolving federal policy, according to Kerrigan Advisors Managing Director Ryan Kerrigan. During today’s episode of CBT News’ Inside Automotive, Kerrigan alludes that the industry remains fundamentally stable, supported by steady consumer demand even as dealers navigate short-term volatility tied to oil markets and regulatory developments. While headlines often signal turbulence, he believes dealership performance has remained consistent, with March delivering solid retail activity across many markets. With fuel prices averaging above $4 per gallon nationally, Kerrigan said rising costs have already begun to re-influence consumer interest in EVs. He described the oil price spikes as recurring market events that tend to accelerate interest in alternative fuel options, though he cautioned that the long-term impact depends on how sustained those pressures prove to be. He also alluded to broader macroeconomic conditions, suggesting that Q1 sales trends were affected in part by severe winter weather across the U.S. Despite those disruptions, Kerrigan emphasized that the American consumer remains the primary driver of automotive demand and overall industry stability. Click here for the full interview.
How Automakers and Suppliers Could Receive $20 Billion In Tariff Refunds
Automakers and suppliers can begin to seek refunds this month on an estimated $20 billion in tariff payments the U.S. Supreme Court deemed unconstitutional. The Trump administration will accept tariff refund applications starting April 20. Still, most of the duties the industry pays remain in place, according to PwC.The tariff refunds, while limited in scope, could be significant for many auto companies, whose profits have dwindled or disappeared because of skyrocketing trade costs.Here, Automotive News breaks down how the refund process will work and what automakers and suppliers should know. The refunds apply only to tariffs that were ruled illegal in February’s Supreme Court decision. The court’s 6-3 majority said President Donald Trump overstepped his authority in using the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977 to implement new duties.Those include the “reciprocal” tariffs, or nation-level duties, Trump imposed on trading partners ranging from 10 percent to 50 percent. Import taxes Trump said he placed on Canadian, Mexican and Chinese goods in response to fentanyl trafficking also are included. Click here for the full story.
Most Reliable Car Brands of 2025-2026, Ranked
If you’re in the market for a new vehicle, reliability is often a key factor deciding factor. Consumer Reports (CR) is a leading authority when it comes to vehicle reliability, analyzing owner survey data on hundreds of thousands of vehicles and evaluating them on 20 potential trouble areas—from minor issues like squeaky brakes to major red flag problems like engine or transmission failure—to create a predicted reliability score on a scale of 0 to 100. To qualify, data from at least two models per brand were required, and Alfa Romeo, Dodge, Fiat, Infiniti, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lucid, Maserati, Mini, Mitsubishi, Polestar, and Porsche unfortunately did not make the cut, reports Autoblog. And the least reliable brand? That undesirable title belongs to Rivian, with a 24/100 score for 2025. Click here to view the top five brands ranked by reliability according to CR’s newest data.
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