AD #2620 – Harley Davidson Seeks Salvation in China, JLR & BMW Team Up On EVs, New Kia Seltos Details

This is Autoline Daily reporting on the global automotive industry.

HARLEY DAVIDSON SEEKS SALVATION IN CHINA
Harley Davidson rode the Baby Boomer wave for a couple of decades. But that Boom is over and the iconic motorcycle maker is floundering. So now it sees its future in markets overseas. And not just for sales. Bloomberg reports that Harley is teaming up with ZhejiangQianjiang Motorcycle Company in China to develop new models that will be sold in Asia under the Harley brand. While this could infuriate Harley fans, who often get Harley Davidson tattoos, this protects the company from import tariffs in China and other markets.

UAW FACES MORE CORRUPTION CHARGES
UAW negotiators are gearing up for labor contract talks with GM, Ford and FCA this summer. But the Detroit News says those negotiations could be overshadowed by further revelations of union corruption. It says Federal prosecutors could be close to revealing additional union officials who will be charged as part of its on-going investigation into FCA and it’s dealings with the union.

ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER AV STARTUP
We keep getting surprised about how many startups are jumping into the autonomous car race. And now we have a new one to add to the list. Have you ever heard of Gatik? Neither did we. Gatik is a Silicon Valley startup using Ford Transit Connects and is working with WalMart to autonomously move packages from warehouse to warehouse. Since the AVs will drive on fixed routes, they’re much easier to develop than for autonomous taxis. Analysts say the business case for delivering packages with AVs could become a trillion dollar business globally. We normally don’t report on every AV startup, but when it’s teamed up with one of the largest retailers in the world, they’re worth paying attention to.

From the company that revealed the secrets of the Tesla Model 3, Munro & Associates will host an Electric Vehicle Conference on Friday, June 21st at its headquarters in Auburn Hills, Michigan. Munro will provide a deep dive into the Motors, Batteries, and Electronics of the Tesla Model 3, BMW i3, Chevy Bolt and Jaguar I-PACE. Purchase tickets on Eventbrite or at leandesign.com. Hurry, only 100 spots are available.

BMW 8 SERIES GRAN COUPE
BMW is rounding out its 8 Series lineup with the introduction of the 8 Series Gran Coupe, which will replace the discontinued 6 Series Gran Coupe. The new four door is 9.0 inches longer, 1.2 inches wider, 2.2 inches taller than the 2-door Coupe and Convertible. Pretty much everything from the A-pillar back, is brand new on this vehicle. A glass roof that extends from the windshield to the rear window is unique or customers can order an optional carbon fiber roof. There’s also a lot more space inside the car and a larger center console extends in the rear seating area. Power comes from either a turbocharged inline-6 that makes 335-horsepower or a 523-horsepower twin-turbo V8. Both are mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission and have the option for all-wheel drive. Starting prices for the 8 Series Gran Coupe range from about $86,000 up to nearly $110,000.

ADDITIONAL DETAILS ON KIA SELTOS
We also have more details on the Kia Seltos. The new compact CUV features a large, blocky version of the automaker’s tiger nose grille. And while the shape of the vehicle is pretty traditional, some of the details are more radical, especially the busy design of the front and rear lighting. Depending on the market, customers can choose from two gasoline and one diesel engine as well as DCT, CVT and 6-speed automatic transmission. The Seltos will be made in both India and Korea and sales start soon.

JLR & BMW TEAM UP FOR EVs
Jaguar Land Rover is struggling from a profit standpoint. One reason is that it invested heavily in an all new diesel engine, just as diesel sales collapsed. Now it has to invest heavily in electric vehicles and to cut costs, it’s partnering with BMW. Both automakers are already selling EVs, but they need much more manufacturing scale to cut costs. They’re going to jointly develop a new electric drive unit, or EDU, and each company will manufacture its own EDU and tune it for its own driving characteristics.

HYUNDAI BULKS UP CUV LINEUP
Three years ago Hyundai was losing market share in the American market because it missed the shift to crossovers and SUVs. It only had 3 CUVs in its lineup. But before this year is over it will have 7. And maybe the most important of them is the all-new Palisade, a 3-row full size CUV. It gets Hyundai into a segment where it really hasn’t competed before. Even though Hyundai had shoe-horned a 3rd row into the Santa Fe and called it the Santa Fe XL, it wasn’t competitive. But the Palisade sure is. It goes right up against competitors such as the Ford Explorer, Honda PIlot and Toyota Highlander. Hyundai really needs this vehicle. It’s profits have been slumping for the last three years, and the Palisade is entering one of the most profitable segments in the industry.

Later today on Autoline After Hours, we’ll take you on a deep dive into the Palisade. Gary Vasilash and I were just at the media launch for the vehicle and we interviewed the head of styling, the head of product planning and the COO of Hyundai Motor America to get the full story of what the Palisade is all about. We also have a couple of colleagues coming on the show to give us their impressions: Nik Miles known for his broadcast work with Fox Sports amongst other outlets, and Roman Mica from the Fast Lane Car. So join us at 3pm eastern time at our website or YouTube channel to learn how and why Hyundai developed the Palisade.

And that wraps up today’s report. Thanks for joining us.