Autoblog

U.S. filing trade complaint against China for auto tariffs

Zach Bowman — Thu, 05 Jul 2012 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: China, Government/Legal, Chrysler, GM, Earnings/Financials

Automotive News China reports the United States is set to file a complaint with the World Trade Organization against China for tariffs on American-built vehicles. The duties cover around 80-percent of the vehicles imported from the U.S. and are expected to cost U.S. automakers $3.3 billion. Interestingly enough, General Motors and Chrysler vehicles face higher tariffs than those of other automakers due to the government bailout those manufacturers received under presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama.

Models like the Jeep Wrangler and Grand Cherokee face tariffs of around 15 percent, while the Buick Enclave and Cadillac CTS face duties of nearly 22 percent. For comparison, the Acura TL, which is built in Marysville, Ohio, gets away with a 4.1 percent tariff. Even so, The Detroit News reports the duties are somewhat symbolic, since vehicles assembled in the U.S. are already expensive to purchase in China.

The White House, meanwhile, said it is filing the complaint because "China must play by the rules of the global trading system."

U.S. filing trade complaint against China for auto tariffs originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 05 Jul 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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McLaren MP4-12C takes America by storm

Noah Joseph — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 19:20:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Videos, MISC

Give us your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free. But most of all, give us your supercars.

There have been far too many that were never homologated for the American market, but thankfully the new McLaren MP4-12C isn't one of them. McLaren Automotive has set up an entire network of dealers across these United States - and even one in Canada! Which is all well and fine, but ain't worth jack if they don't have stock.

Fortunately that's exactly what has arrived at the Port of Baltimore and proliferated across the country. It's enough to have us looking at what our extraneous organs would be worth on the black market, and you can see it for yourself in the video after the jump. (Pay close attention and you just might notice one passing something rather unique on Rodeo Drive.)

Continue reading McLaren MP4-12C takes America by storm

McLaren MP4-12C takes America by storm originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 16 Feb 2012 19:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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China slaps duties on vehicles imported from the U.S.

Noah Joseph — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: China, Government/Legal

Local manufacturing has become the watchword (or words) when it comes to foreign automakers entering the Chinese market, and for a number of reasons. For one, the market is plenty large enough to make sense out of manufacturing locally instead of importing from overseas. For another, joint ventures with local automakers have been encouraged by the still tightly regulated economy. And now there's another reason: imported vehicles are about to face an extra measure of importation duties.

The taxes are being imposed specifically on cars with engine capacities of over 2.5 liters and made in the United States, which may principally boil down to the Detroit Three, but also affects foreign automakers that manufacture in the U.S. As a result, General Motors (for example) would face anti-dumping and countervailing duties between 8.9 and 12.9 percent, while BMW and Mercedes-Benz would be looking at around two percent.

The move by the Chinese Commerce Ministry is the latest in a series of trade disputes that seek to erect barriers to an otherwise opening economy, and one of the world's largest developing markets.

China slaps duties on vehicles imported from the U.S. originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 14 Dec 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gap widens between average price of U.S. car and foreign-built auto

Zach Bowman — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 10:28:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Chrysler, Ford, GM, Earnings/Financials

Automotive News reports that domestic automakers are gaining market share thanks in part to the weak dollar. Import vehicles are currently selling at the highest price premium in 12 years compared to their domestic counterparts.

Whereas imports sold for an average of $31,636 in August, domestic vehicles left the lot for an average of $23,922. That's a difference of over $7,000, and the largest gap since 1999. That fact has helped Chrysler, Ford and General Motors pick up some market share. In addition, the earthquake and tsunami activity in Japan earlier this year resulted in tight supply of some Japanese vehicles, further pushing buyers into the waiting arms of domestic automakers.

The report says that total domestic light-vehicle deliveries increased by 10 percent from this time last year. That pushed GM to gain a full point of market share and Ford to pull an extra tenth of a percentage point.

Gap widens between average price of U.S. car and foreign-built auto originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 20 Oct 2011 10:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nissan Skyline GT-Rs seized in California over possible illegal importation

Merritt Johnson — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 19:06:00 EST

Filed under: Performance, Etc., Government/Legal, Nissan

The importation of the Nissan Skyline GT-R to the United States has been a Hollywood-sized epic spanning ten years. For a while, the only game in town was to go through Motorex for a crash-tested, USDOT and EPA-approved Godzilla. Unfortunately, the company owner let his fondness of Japanese hostess clubs take precedence over delivering cars. Since Motorex shut its doors in 2005, enthusiasts have been scouring each and every loophole in US Customs laws to keep the supplies flowing. In 2006 ,a company called Kaizo began taking orders. Their model, vastly different from Motorex's expensive methods, involved the importation of specialty-constructed Nissan Skyline GT-R bodies from Japan to be mated with customer-supplied powertrains upon delivery to the United States, thus creating a kit car (to put it simply).

Following the tradition that is the GT-R saga, Kaizo's actions have recently been called into question by pretty much every acronymed authority -- DOT, EPA, ICE, CARB, DOJ and FBI. Charges against Kaizo have yet to be filed, but along with a raid on company headquarters, various customers have been delivered letters suggesting exportation and some have even lost their rides. To date, five R34s and one R32 GT-R have been seized by kevlar-clad armed officers. Exasperated customers have banded together in an attempt to find some salvation in this mess, and it isn't only hardcore enthusiasts left out in the cold by the scandal either. Recently, rather high-profile operation utilized Kaizo resources to create a valuable franchise, and if the drama keeps up at this rate, perhaps the Nissan Skyline GT-R story could be their next project.

[Source: GTR USA Blog]

Nissan Skyline GT-Rs seized in California over possible illegal importation originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 03 Oct 2009 19:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Voter Drive: Study says political ideologies correlate with what cars we buy

Chris Shunk — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 12:57:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Government/Legal

A new study by RL Polk & Co. shows that the kind of car you drive is tied to the state you live in, and whether that state is traditionally Republican or Democrat-leaning. The study shows that 36 of the 50 United States tie closely to political lines. Red states (Republican) typically buy domestic, while blue states (Democrat) typically skew import.

In states where Democrats won three of the past four elections, imports consist of as much as 60% of the market, while Republican strongholds favor domestics by up to 74%. The paradigm changes slightly in traditionally Democrat states that also produce a lot of cars and trucks. States like Wisconsin and Michigan still prefer domestic products. The three states that have been split over the past four elections also prefer domestic vehicles.

The exact reason for the phenomenon isn't clear, but a quick view of the political map shows that traditional Democrat strongholds are on the east and west coast, where imports are preferred. The center of the country traditionally favors Republicans, especially in the South. That's pickup truck country, and Ford, GM and Chrysler dominate the segment.

[Source: Washington Times | Image: Infovis.net]

Voter Drive: Study says political ideologies correlate with what cars we buy originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 01 Jul 2009 12:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: Tata confirms Nano U.S.-bound in around two years

Michael Harley — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 16:36:00 EST

Filed under: Budget, Plants/Manufacturing, Tata

Tato Nano Europa - Click above for a photo gallery

Americans may have the opportunity to welcome the Tata Nano to their shores in just over two years, according to a confirmation from David Good, a U.S. rep for the Indian automaker. Before it arrives, Tata assures that the ultra-cheap compact with a base price of just $2500 will be configured to meet all emission and crash standards. If successful, we could see see versions of the Indian microcars running on biofuel and diesel.

But who will distribute the teensy Tatas? Well, that's up in the air right now. A brand-new dealer network for the brand has been discussed. Another option would be selling the Nano through Jaguar and Land Rover dealerships -- the Indian automaker owns both, after all. That long shot was quickly dismissed by Stuart Schorr, a spokesman for Jaguar Land Rover, before the repercussions could sink in.

Gallery: Geneva 2009: Tata Nano Europa

[Source: Automotive News, subs. req'd]

REPORT: Tata confirms Nano U.S.-bound in around two years originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 06 Jun 2009 16:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chinese government bans importation of Hyundais from S. Korea

Damon Lavrinc — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 15:58:00 EST

Filed under: China, Government/Legal, Hyundai

According to a report by Reuters, the Chinese government has suspended the importation of Hyundai and Kia products from South Korea. The importation ban allegedly stems from complaints filed by dealers that the automaker violated anti-trust laws in China by throwing more support behind its own dealers and thus limiting the support offered to independent retailers.

A Hyundai spokesperson confirmed that the automaker has not received import permits since mid-September, but that the Chinese government and Hyundai are working to resolve the matter.

While any ban imposed on Hyundai would temporarily hurt the company in China, only about 50,000 units are imported from South Korea each year, with the majority of Hyundai and Kia's combined 520,000 annual sales in China coming from vehicles produced locally in a joint venture between the automaker and Chinese companies.

[Source: Reuters]

Chinese government bans importation of Hyundais from S. Korea originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 16 Oct 2008 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Coming to America: VW Polo may come stateside

Dan Roth — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 18:29:00 EST

Filed under: Budget, Europe, Volkswagen

Click image for a hi-res gallery of VW Polos

"Do you need the Polo?" That's going to be Volkswagen chief Martin Winterkorn's query to US dealers when he meets with them this week. The answer could determine whether or not we see a sub-Golf sized VeeDub here in the United States. Rising fuel prices have made small cars big again, and VW's taking a hard look at capitalizing on that. The inrush of Volkswagen's competitors to smaller models also makes the segment hard to ignore. BMW's got the hotly anticipated 1-series, Daimler's trend-tastic Smart has been foisted upon us, Saturn's slick Astra is nearly here, and Ford's threatening to give us the Fiesta in a couple of years, too. If we were a VW dealer, our answer to Winterkorn would be a resounding "YES!"

[Source: Auto News - sub req]

Gallery: Volkswagen Polo

Coming to America: VW Polo may come stateside originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 15 Jan 2008 18:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Coming to America: Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 GT

Noah Joseph — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 10:27:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Supercars, Mercedes-Benz

Click on the images to view our high-resolution gallery

Some will say for better, others will say for worse, but one way or another, the Mercedes SLR McLaren is the supercar that refuses to go quietly into the night. It was previewed by the Vision SLR concept way back in 1999, and since entering limited production in 2003, the Anglo-Saxon supercar has performed disappointingly both on the road and in the market. But rather than allowing it to slip away, Mercedes has repeatedly given it new transfusions with the Roadster, 722 and most recently the 722 GT derivatives. The SLR, in all its incarnations, is about due for retirement, so where has it gone? To Florida, of course!

RENNtech, the Sunshine State-based Mercedes tuner par excellence, has been given the exclusive contract to import and distribute the long-named and long-nosed Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren 722 GT in North America. RENNtech, which, as we reported earlier, tuned the SLR road car to actually produce 722 hp, will offer an allotment of 21 examples of the factory SLR 722 GT track-day special, each available at about $1.2 million.

To sweeten the deal, RENNtech is setting up a full track-day program for the SLR 722 GT owners, including set-up and maintenance by specialized technicians, opportunity to learn the track behind the wheel of its special SLR karts (pictured, right) and instruction from professional drivers (David Coulthard, although no longer affiliated with McLaren, is claimed to be on board).

To celebrate the arrival of the sharpest (and potentially last) version of the SLR to American shores, we've got a whole mess of new photos for you... just click on the gallery below. (Full press release after the jump.)

[Source: RENNtech]

Gallery: SLR 722 GT in America

Continue reading Coming to America: Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 GT

Coming to America: Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 GT originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 20 Dec 2007 10:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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eBay Find of the Day: 1988 Citro�n CX

Dan Roth — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 12:33:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Sedan, Auctions, PSA

We wonder if this thing tells you "Now go away, or I shall taunt you a second time!" whenever you shut it off. Hilarity aside, this long-wheelbase CX Prestige looks like it's made out of the same material that fashioned Darth Vader's mask. Maybe the hydro-pneumatic suspension even makes the same kinds of breathy noises. Probably not, as the seller claims the spheres are in good shape. Citroëns are pretty rare in the US, and the CX's are funk-tastic executive expresses.

This series-II car is a fine example of the last Citroën design before Peugeot purchased the brand. The long, tapered body dressed in black gives this thing an evil presence we think absolutely rocks. This is the car that replaced the space-capsule DS, and there's definitely a familial resemblance (though the CX looks more like Gumby's SAAB 900 than anything alse, if you ask us).

Underhood, there's a 2.5L four-cylinder that smokes Gauloises and is powered by croque monsieur. The price is up to $2650, which is actually pretty reasonable for a CX Prestige in good shape. 1988 was the second-to-last year for this smooth-riding teardrop that was first introduced in 1974, so any teething pains were long gone by then. Of course, the joys of maintaining a luxed-up European car with a very small support base are part of the thrill of ownership. We'd wear a Vader suit wherever we went. And limo-tint the windows. That'd make pulling up to the curb, any curb, the Best. Arrival. Evar.

more photos after the jump

Continue reading eBay Find of the Day: 1988 Citro�n CX

eBay Find of the Day: 1988 Citro�n CX originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 25 Jan 2007 12:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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