AD #2541 – Polestar 2 To Take on Tesla Model 3, GM Sued By UAW, FCA Expands Jeep and Ram Production

This is Autoline Daily reporting on the global automotive industry.

FCA EXPANDS JEEP AND RAM PRODUCTION
It’s no secret that the heart and soul of FCA is now the Jeep and Ram brands. And the company just announced it’s going to invest $4.5 billion to upgrade five existing plants in Michigan and build a new factory in the city of Detroit, to boost production of its trucks and SUVs. The expanded production will include two new Jeep models as well as plug-in hybrid versions of current models. FCA says the plants will also have the flexibility to build battery electric models in the future. The investment is expected to create 6,500 new jobs.

GM SUED BY UAW
And while FCA is making plans to expand production, General Motors is being sued by the UAW over its decision to idle three of its plants. The lawsuit, filed yesterday in Ohio, accuses the automaker of violating the terms of its 2015 contract which is set to expire later this year. The Detroit News reports that the union wants to keep the plants up and running at least until the deal runs out in September. But as of now, the plants are scheduled to stop production over the next few months. Even if the UAW wins this suit, the long-term fate of the plants will be determined during contract negotiations later this year.

Don’t forget to join us for Autoline After Hours this week. Our special guest is Bob Krempke, who’s a historian of the Ford Motor Company. If you have any questions, send them our way to viewermail@autoline.tv or message us on social media. That’s this Thursday at 3PM eastern time.

VW CREATES JETTA BRAND IN CHINA
The Volkswagen Jetta is one the most popular cars in China, that’s why the company is creating a new entry level brand in the country called Jetta. The lineup will include one sedan and two SUVs, which VW will produce with its joint venture partner FAW. Entry-level vehicles account for about one-third of the Chinese market and VW hopes to grab a slice of that with the new brand. Jetta will launch in the third quarter of this year.

NISSAN TEASES IMQ CONCEPT
At the Detroit auto show Nissan showed off the IMs concept, what it called an elevated sports sedan and soon in Geneva it will reveal the IMQ. It’s a crossover concept that could hint at future design.

HONDA REVEALS E PROTOTYPE
And speaking of concepts, check it out! Here it is, the Honda e Prototype. It’s a cute little electric car, but I wish styling had stayed truer to the original concept. There’s no brow above the headlights, the wheel arches were shrunk down, a rear door has been added and the roof area is more rounded off. But while the styling is a bit of a letdown, the interior was a surprise. It’s minimalistic, but futuristic at the same time. And check out that huge screen that stretches across the dashboard. Honda says the rear-wheel drive EV will have over 200 km or about 125 miles of range.

POLESTAR 2 TO TAKE ON TESLA MODEL 3
Volvo’s premium brand, Polestar, just revealed its first all-electric sedan to take on the Tesla Model 3. The Polestar 2 features a 78-kWh battery pack and is powered by two electric motors, which helps it move from 0 to 100 km/h in less than 5 seconds. Its range is expected to be about 275 miles based on the EPA test cycle. The Polestar 2 will be built in China for global markets starting in early 2020. And it will initially launch in the U.S., Canada, China and select European markets. Like all Polestar vehicles, you can only order it online and the launch version will carry a starting price of $63,000 without incentives.

JAGUAR UNVEILS NEW XE
Jaguar revealed the new version of the XE. The styling has been updated with new LED head and taillights but that’s about the biggest change to its styling. On the inside, it now features the same infotainment system and driver display that’s in the I-Pace. It also uses artificial intelligence to learn preferences of individual drivers to automatically adjust the seats, mirrors, audio and climate control settings. The car is powered by a range of gasoline and diesel engines and is available in all or rear-wheel drive. The new XE is available to order now in the UK and carries are starting price of nearly 34,000 pounds or about $45,000.

NEW MERCEDES GLE GETS AMG TREATMENT
AMG got its hands on the new Mercedes GLE. At the heart of the SUV is a twin-turbocharged 3.0L V6 engine that produces nearly 430-horsepower. It gets mated to all-wheel drive and a 9-speed transmission. 0 to 60 can be done in 5.2-seconds. The GLE 53 will also feature a 48-volt mild hybrid system, which allows for a boost function, energy recovery and stop/start functionality. As you would expect, there’s a number of unique touches, like red interior accents, but the easiest way to spot the AMG version is the vertical slats in the grille. The GLE 53 will go on sale in the U.S. late next year.

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