Lucid plans to produce its new midsize SUV in Saudi Arabia to avoid high US tariffs, potentially lowering costs. Stellantis faces a default notice from Canada after shifting Jeep Compass production to the US, while the company pivots towards traditional hybrids under new leadership. Volkswagen is converting its Dresden plant into a tech center focused on AI and chips after union pushback. Nissan seeks reciprocal partnerships to strengthen its future, and Huawei-backed Avatar brand aims for European expansion. Toyota unveiled two high-performance sports cars, and Kia celebrated its 80th anniversary with a futuristic concept car featuring AR technology.
Topics:lucid production in saudi arabiaus tariffs and import costsstellantis canada default noticehybrid powertrain strategyvolkswagen dresden plant conversionnissan partnership planshuawei avatar brand europetoyota new sports carskia 80th anniversary conceptaugmented reality head-up display
- Lucid Avoids U.S. Tariffs in Saudi Arabia - Canada Sends Stellantis Default Notice - Stellantis Puts More Focus on Hybrids for U.S. - VW Converting Car Plant Into Tech Center - Nissan Wants More Partnerships - Changan Plans European Expansion - Toyota Reveals 3 New Sports Cars - Kia Concept Pays Homage to 1960's Motoring
"...his is kind of like Toyota's version of a C seven corvette. It's a front engine, rear drive vehicle that's b..."
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Speaker 1: This is out Aligned Daily, the show dedicated to enthusiasts of the global automotive industry. It's possible that Lucid will
be able to make its upcoming mid size suv at its new plant in Saudi Arabia for less than it could in the US. The vehicle should start running down
that new production line late next year or early in twenty twenty seven, and the plant's location allows Lucid to import critical components without getting hit with significant tariffs. The
company plans to source the vehicle's battery pack, its most expensive part, as well as some other equipment from China. Normally,
those components would be hit with a twenty five percent import tariff going into the US, but Saudi Arabia is part of a group of countries that only pays a ten percent rate to the US, so as long as current policy stays the same, Lucid should be able to save a good chunk of money. The company says the
new mid size suv will be priced around fifty five thousand bucks, and its success could be what makes or breaks Lucid. Canada isn't happy with Stillantis. Back in October,
the country's industry minister threatened to take legal action against the automaker for moving Jeep compass production out of its Brampton, Ontario plant and into Illinois. The Canadian government had previously
provided Stilantis with five hundred million Canadian dollars in aid to pay for capital costs at two plants in the country, including the Brampton factory, So now the Industry Minister is serving the automaker with a notice of default on its financial aid for relocating production. Currently, there are three thousand
workers on furlough at the Brampton plant because production was paused back in February to retool the facility to make the new jeep. In Speaking of Stilantis, we've seen its
powertrain strategy shifts significantly under new CEO Antonio Flosa. Hemi
V eight is back, the all electric ram pickup is dead, and it announced an all new two liter turbo four now.
Fellosis says it's going to focus on hybrids for the US market. While the company does pretty while selling plug
in hybrids already, it's going after more traditional hybrid setups or in other words, hybrids with no plug. He says
there's faster growth opportunity with traditional hybrids and Jeep will help lead the charge. The twenty twenty six Cherokee is
available with a one point six liter four cylinder engine that's paired with two electric motors. Volkswagen is planning to
keep its Dresden production site open, but instead of building cars, it's going to be converted into an AI and chip tech center. The site was one of three factories VW
planned to close in Germany because of falling sales and to help reduce costs, but after pushback from unions, VW agreed to keep the site open. However, the plan only
build six thousand vehicles a year, so now it's phasing out car production at the end of the month and will offer workers transfers or early retirement packages. But instead
of shattering the site completely, VW assigned a deal with the Dresden University of Technology to develop a startup and research center for AI, robotics and chips. And here's our
autoline insight. That plant was constructed at enormous cost to
build the VW Phaeton, which was a sales dud because it was too expensive as a VW The facility was meant to be a showcase for East Germany, so it's a shock to see it become a tech center.
Speaker 2: At CSP, we work with OEM engineers across the country on their journeys to lighter, safer, and more eco friendly vehicles.
Learn more at VCSP dot com.
Speaker 1: Nissan is open for business with other automakers. That's according
to the brand's head of product planning in North America.
He says the company is seeking out partnerships with other automakers to share technology or vehicle platforms, but the partnerships must be reciprocal instead of just a transaction. Nissan, which
posted its largest annual loss in a quarter century last year, says forming partnerships will help strengthen the company long term, as opposed to going at it alone. Honda and Mitsubishi
have expressed interest in jointly developing models with Nissan, and in October, Automotive News reported that it was in talks with Ford and Stilantis to supply an EV based on the Rogue. While Nissan would only say its quote in
conversations with multiple automakers, it did say a deal could be announced in the next year. Earlier this week, we
ran a report about how Chinese tech company Huawei is now developing its technology for international markets. While it doesn't
build cars, its user experience and infotainment systems are featured in many models, and the Avatar brand is a joint venture between Huawei, Changhan and Coatl Now. Changan says it
will bring Avatar vehicles to Europe over the next two years.
On top of the DePaul brand that it already offers in Europe. Changhan will also start selling its Nevo brand
in the region, which makes smaller cars in SUVs and is considering adding light commercial vehicles as well. Here's those
Toyota sports cars we said it would be revealing today.
Let's start with the GRGT. In my opinion, this is
kind of like Toyota's version of a C seven corvette.
It's a front engine, rear drive vehicle that's built on an all aluminum frame with a torque tube down the middle and a transaxle layout. However, unlike the VET, the
GRGT is powered by a dry some four liter twin turbov eight that's paired to an eight speed automatic transmission, an electric motor, and a limited slip diff Total output is expected to be over six hundred and forty horse power and around six hundred and twenty five pound feet of torque. The third vehicle with the luvered fenders that
we weren't sure what it was is actually a GT three version of this car that customers can purchase. Both
are expected to launch around twenty twenty seven. The other
sports car is an all new LFA concept that's fully electric.
It will share core technologies with the GRGT, but says it plans to explore the performance potential that's unique to evs. However,
there was no timetable given for when a model like this might launch. Kia is celebrating the brand's eightieth anniversary today.
As part of the festivities, the automaker revealed a sleek new concept car called the Vision Metatrezmo. Kias says it
pays homage to the speed and elegance of nineteen sixties long distance driving. One interesting feature is at ar head
up display, which integrates smart glasses into the vehicle. This
allows drivers to view virtual graphics that appear to be floating above the road. Kia says it will reveal more
about the concept in the near future. But circling back
to Kia's history, the company was actually founded in nineteen forty four, so we're not sure why it didn't celebrate the eightieth anniversary last year, but anyway, the company started out making bicycle parts and introduced its first bike in nineteen fifty two. Kia launched its first car in nineteen
seventy four, and it was acquired by the Hondai Group in nineteen ninety seven. But that's a wrap for today's report.
Thanks for watching and have a great weekend.
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