AD #2508 – Mercedes Unveils New CLA, Ghosn Denied Detention Appeal, China Sales Fall For 1st Time In 20 Years

On today’s show…it looks like Carlos Ghosn won’t be getting out of jail anytime soon…Toyota and Kenworth partner up to make fuel cell semi-trucks…and car sales in China drop for the first time in over 20 years. All that and more coming right up on Autoline Daily.

This is Autoline Daily the voice of the automotive industry.

GHOSN DENIED DETENTION APPEAL
Carlos Ghosn made his first public appearance since being arrested in November, but it didn’t go as he hoped. In a court hearing in Tokyo yesterday, the former Nissan chairman said he is innocent of overstating his income and making the company shoulder personal financial losses. His defense team filed a petition to end his detention but the court rejected the appeal. His custody ends on January 11th but prosecutors will likely file new charges to keep him in detention. Bloomberg reports that this means he could remain in jail until his trial begins, which might not start for another six months.

NISSAN REVEALS EXTENDED RANGE LEAF
That original arrest delayed the reveal of the new, longer range Nissan Leaf, but it finally got its moment in the spotlight. The Leaf e+ features a new version of the Leaf’s powertrain that not only increases its range, but also adds additional power as well. Nissan claims the e+ can travel about 40% further on a charge, which gives it an EPA-estimated range of 226-miles. That increase comes from a new 62-kWh battery pack. The current Leaf has a 40-kWh battery pack and 151-miles of range. The only changes in appearance are a revised front fascia with blue highlights and an “e+” logo on the underside of the charge port lid. The new Leaf e+ will go on sale in Japan at the end of the month, with the U.S. and Europe to follow through the middle of the year.

Still to come…Mercedes takes the wraps off the new CLA.

Be on the lookout for our coverage of CES. John is at the show interviewing automakers and suppliers about the new technology they’re showing off. Look for those reports today and tomorrow in the Autoline on the Road section of our website. And if you’re at CES look for us at the ZF booth, number 8500.

MERCEDES UNVEILS NEW CLA
Speaking of CES, we teased that Mercedes would unveil the new CLA there and now here it is. It’s longer and wider than the outgoing model and features all-new styling. The shape of the front grille has changed, almost like it’s been flipped upside down, the headlights seem a little more aggressive, the character lines down the side have been smoothed out, the taillights are sleeker and mounted higher and no longer impede into the trunk opening. The interior has been updated as well and is nearly identical to the new A-Class. The car you see here is powered by a 225-horsepower turbocharged 4-cylinder engine that’s mated to a 7-speed DCT. Front- or all-wheel drive will be available. But by the time the CLA goes on sale in the U.S. late in 2019, you can bet there will be more powertrain options.

TOYOTA PARTNERS WITH KENWORTH
Toyota has teamed up with truck company Kenworth to convert 10 Kenworth semi-trucks to run on Toyota fuel cell powertrains. The trucks will transport cargo across the Los Angeles basin and to nearby cities. The program will also fund two new hydrogen fueling stations in Southern California.

Coming up next, FCA is nearing a settlement with the Justice Department over exceeding diesel emissions.

CHINA CAR SALES FALL FOR 1ST TIME IN 20 YEARS
The Chinese car market has grown by leaps and bounds over the last couple decades but that came to a halt last year. According to the China Passenger Car Association, sales in the country hit 22.7 million units in 2018, a drop of 6% compared to the year before. It’s the first time in more than two decades that sales fell on an annual basis. Analysts expect the market to be down or flat again this year.

FCA NEARS SETTLEMENT WITH JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
FCA is nearing a settlement with the U.S. Justice Department over exceeding diesel emissions. The company was sued by the Department in 2017, accusing it of using software in diesel engines to illegally exceed emission levels. Around 104,000 diesel vehicles sold in the U.S. between 2014 and 2016 were equipped with the software. FCA denied any wrongdoing and said it didn’t intentionally break any rules. Reuters reports that the settlement could be announced as early as this week but it’s not known how much the fine will be. However, it could be pretty steep. FCA set aside about $815 million in October to help pay for the settlement.

And a programming note here. With the crew out in Las Vegas for CES, there won’t be a new Autoline After Hours this Thursday. But the show will be back next week, January 17th, with David Twohig, the Chief Vehicle Engineer at the EV startup Byton. So be sure to mark your calendars for that.

Also, Autoline Daily will be off next Monday and Tuesday because we’ll be down at the Detroit auto show. So be on the lookout for our coverage those days on our website, Autoline.tv

But that’s it for today, thanks for watching and please join us again tomorrow.