Volkswagen has reached an agreement to settle claims relating to its 3.0L V-6 TDI engines, committing to buy back a quarter of those vehicles. The automaker will also set aside $225 million for emissions reduction, and pay $25 million to support the use of zero emission vehicles (ZEVs) in California.
The industry sold 1.38 million new units in November, a 3.7% increase from a year ago, according to Autodata Corp. November's seasonally adjusted annual rate was 17.87 million, which was slightly lower than last November’s SAAR of 18.25 million.
Volkswagen will begin buying back its 2.0L diesel models following approval Tuesday of a $14.7 billion settlement by a federal judge. The automaker expects to complete the process by the middle of November, a spokeswoman said.
Volkswagen will begin offering its new models for lower prices and provide dealers with a broader product range in a move that could lower residual values if incentives remain high, according to an industry expert.
The Federal Trade Commission said this week it has received reports that some dealers and private parties are attempting to take advantage of Volkswagen’s diesel emissions scandal.
Regulators in Maryland, Massachusetts and New York charge that the emissions scandal and alleged cover-up was orchestrated and approved 'at the highest levels of the company, up to and including former CEO Martin Winterkorn.'
Kia ended the 27-year reign of premium brands by ranking highest among all nameplates in J.D. Power’s annual study. Overall, new-vehicle quality improved 6%, which was double last year’s 3% improvement.
After asking 10,000 U.S. consumers about their dealership experience, the Temkin Group found that the two manufacturers with the highest customer experience ratings were Toyota and Mercedes-Benz, according to Edmunds.com.
Toyota announced a partnership with ride-hailing giant Uber, while Volkswagen forged a pack with lesser-known but reportedly fast-growing Gett. While both OEMs sought out relationships with ride-hailing services, their approach to the partnerships will differ slightly.
General Motors should gain market share by replacing 88% of its light-duty lineup by 2020, while Volkswagen and Korean automakers are relying too heavily on cars with consumer demand shifting toward SUVs and trucks, a Bank of America Merrill Lynch analyst has said.
