Europe

Porsche has taken down payments from 30,000 customers in Europe for its Taycan, the luxury car maker's first fully electric model, CEO Oliver Blume told Germany's Handelsblatt newspaper. Porsche, which is starting shipment of the Taycan to U.S. dealerships this month and to other markets shortly thereafter, is planning to deliver 20,000 Taycans in 2020.

U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said on Tuesday the Trump administration has not ruled out imposing tariffs on imported autos, after letting a review period end in November with no action. U.S. President Donald Trump did not announce any new tariffs after a six-month, self-imposed review period expired in mid-November following a Commerce Department "Section 232" investigation into whether imported autos pose a national security threat.

Major automakers think U.S. President Donald Trump will again this week push back a self-imposed deadline on whether to put up to 25% tariffs on national security grounds on imported cars and parts from the European Union and Japan amid an ongoing trade war with China, five auto officials told Reuters. The anticipated delay -- expected to be announced later this week -- comes as foreign automakers are eager to highlight U.S. investments to try to dissuade Trump from using tariffs that they argu