Automotive News Daily Drive

Larry Vellequette and Michael Martinez break down Toyota’s $3.6 billion San Antonio expansion and what it signals for U.S. manufacturing strategy. Plus, the auto market has held up better than expected through the first half, but headwinds are building.

Cox Automotive Executive Analyst Erin Keating pushes back on the conventional wisdom that new cars are unaffordable and makes the case for why fixed operations may be the most underutilized profit engine at dealerships right now. Volkswagen Group is planning to slash its 150-model lineup by up to half. Plus, a look at why the Infiniti QX65 might be the brand’s most important model in 2026.

Kjell Bergh, CEO of Borton Volvo in Minnesota , argues the Trump administration’s decision to bar Polestar from U.S. sales starting in 2027 raises questions the industry hasn’t fully reckoned with. U.S. inventories hold steady . Plus, Automotive News Canada’s Greg Layson talks about what the U.S. declining to renew the USMCA long term actually means for the industry.

A few months into his auto retail journey, NASCAR champion Joey Logano discusses the complexity of the business, the customization angle he’s leaning into, and what he says a dealership should feel like. Ram rescues Stellantis’ U.S. sales streak. Plus, Washington state dealers sue Scout Motors over its direct-to-consumer model.

Toyota’s board approved a $3.6 billion expansion of its San Antonio truck plant, nearly doubling its size and moving most Tacoma production back to the U.S. by 2030. A Chinese EV brand makes its first move in North America through Stellantis. Plus, Teradar CEO Matthew Carey talks about how his company’s new sensor type could change what’s possible for autonomy in bad weather.

Tesla just filled a gap in its lineup with a longer, three-row Model Y . The number of car buyers signing up for 84-month loans is now at a record share. Plus, Sonatus CMO John Heinlein explains where the transition to software-defined vehicles really stands and how automakers can use vehicle data to get ahead of recalls before they happen.

Michael Martinez and Larry P. Vellequette join Jake Neher for a special holiday “Weekend Drive.” Honda’s CR-V just knocked the F-150 off the top of the sales charts for the first half of 2026, and new-vehicle prices just hit a record high . Then Mike and Larry go head to head with their picks for the biggest auto industry story of the first half of 2026.

Honda’s CR-V dethrones the F-150 as America’s best-selling vehicle through the first half of 2026. Nissan’s CEO pushes back on Renault alliance fracture talk . Plus, SBD Automotive’s Alex Oyler joins Daily Drive to explain why the DRAM chip shortage is hitting the auto industry especially hard and why Tier 1 suppliers may be bearing the most pain.

BMW of North America CEO Sebastian Mackensen joins Daily Drive from Spartanburg, S.C., to talk about the redesigned X5 and why he’s aiming for a fourth consecutive U.S. retail sales record. New-vehicle prices hit a record high. Plus, General Motors rolls out a first-of-its-kind automation scorecard for its suppliers.

JD Power’s Tyson Jominy makes the case that the auto industry is more profitable today selling fewer vehicles than it was at its peak and why the biggest threat is the temptation to forget that lesson. USMCA review talks officially get underway Wednesday. Plus, Jeep maps out a China-assisted comeback in Europe.

Texas is quietly closing in on California as the country’s largest auto market. America’s publicly traded dealer groups are going all-in on artificial intelligence , and smaller rivals are starting to feel the pressure. Plus, Qualcomm’s Nakul Duggal explains why he believes the company is on track to become the auto industry’s top silicon supplier.

Kearney partner Kushal Fernandes breaks down which industries are best — and worst — positioned to survive the DRAM memory chip shortage , why the auto industry lands in a surprising middle ground and what structural advantages electric vehicle makers have over traditional automakers when it comes to securing supply.

Automotive News journalists Larry Vellequette and Michael Martinez discuss the past week’s biggest stories, including the state of the auto market at the halfway point of 2026, analyst John Murphy’s warning about a product pipeline slowdown , Polestar dealers reacting to the U.S. ban and how Ford pulled off one of the biggest initial quality turnarounds in recent memory.

Cox Automotive Chief Economist Jeremy Robb joins Daily Drive to break down the state of the auto market at the halfway point of 2026. A new report says the industry’s redesign rate has fallen to roughly half its normal pace, and the window to grab market share is now. Plus, Automotive News’ Urvaksh Karkaria talks about what Polestar dealers are saying now that the brand is blocked from the U.S. ma...

The Trump administration forces Polestar out of the U.S. market , starting with the 2027 model year. Ford pulls off a stunning quality comeback , at least for one metric. Plus, Automotive News Asia Editor Hans Greimel breaks down the discontent at Nissan’s annual shareholder meeting — from a no-confidence vote against the CEO to a motion to reinstate Carlos Ghosn.

Honda plans to revive the Element as a hybrid crossover, targeting nearly 100,000 sales in its first full year. An industry group says California could see vehicle sales halt as soon as next week. Plus, Kearney partner Kushal Fernandes explains why the DRAM chip shortage hitting automakers isn’t a typical boom-and-bust cycle — and why relief is still years away.

Alliance for Automotive Innovation CEO John Bozzella makes his case for the United States-Mexico-Canada agreement as a competitiveness platform — not just a trade deal — in the face of China’s growing automotive dominance. Nissan’s CEO survives a bruising shareholder meeting . Plus, a DRAM chip shortage is squeezing automakers.

Unifor and Ford kick off contract talks in Toronto today, the first of three negotiations with the Detroit 3 automakers this summer. Toyota’s RAV4 finds a new home in Kentucky. Plus, TomTom’s Senior Vice President Manuela Locarno Ajayi explains how artificial intelligence is delivering real-time, lane-level mapping and why it matters for the future of autonomous driving. 

UAW President Shawn Fain heads into a fall election facing five challengers and a federal monitor’s scrutiny. Toyota’s all-hybrid RAV4 is flying off lots faster than dealers can stock them. And Mike Stanton, CEO of the National Automobile Dealers Association, calls Carvana “part of the family.” Michael Martinez and Larry Vellequette break it all down on this edition of Weekend Drive.

Reporter Paige Hodder previews Automotive News’ upcoming list of the top 100 U.S. dealership groups ranked by F&I revenue. Attorneys Brooke Conkle and Chris Capurso of Troutman Pepper Locke break down the Federal Trade Commission’s warning letters to 97 dealerships and what comes next. Plus, General Motors’ Oshawa plant is set to lose the light-duty Silverado. 

NADA CEO Mike Stanton joins Automotive News from the sidelines of the Center for Automotive Research Management Briefing Seminars in Ypsilanti, Mich., to discuss the durability of the franchise system — whether it’s Chinese brands, direct-sales models such as Scout, or Carvana’s new-car push. Ram sets its sights on dethroning Jeep by 2030 . Plus, Volkswagen’s CEO faces a shareholder revolt .

Mitsubishi previews a wave of new models for U.S. dealers. Chevrolet pulls the wraps off a redesigned Silverado 1500 . Plus, AlixPartners Global Automotive Market Lead Mark Wakefield joins Automotive News from the Center for Automotive Research’s Management Briefing Seminars to discuss how China is redefining the artificial intelligence-powered vehicle and what a renegotiated USMCA could mean for...

Camouflaged prototypes of Ford’s $30,000 electric pickup are turning heads in California: Automotive News’ Michael Martinez breaks down what the footage tells us about Ford’s EV ambitions. A peace deal with Iran may be in the works, but don’t expect relief at the service counter anytime soon. Plus, RC Lacy Ford-Subaru Business Manager Nicole Lacy talks finance and insurance trends from the dealers...

U.S. electric vehicle registrations are showing signs of stabilization , but the recovery is uneven. The Dauch strike is officially over . Plus, Factorial Energy CEO Siyu Huang explains how geopolitical tensions are complicating the path to market.

Porsche rolled out three custom 911s themed after Woody, Buzz Lightyear and Jessie for the red carpet premiere of Toy Story 5. Automotive News Staff Reporter Jack Walsworth joins Executive Producer Jake Neher to break down how the Porsche-Pixar relationship started, what went into building the cars and what it means for Porsche’s brand and bespoke business.