#ProductPlanning

While Toyota Motor Corp is known for casting a wide net and acting cautiously, it recently made some fairly lofty statements about its strategy regarding all-electric vehicles. Despite the brand offering the humble bZ4X as its singular EV on the North American market, Toyota is suggesting subsequent models driving ranges that model would envy. 

When rumors first emerged that Renault’s Alpine brand might be coming to North America, driving enthusiasts seemed excited by the prospect of the mid-engine A110 being available. However, subsequent talk from the automaker has confirmed that the French performance marquee might take a while to get here and had opted to focus entirely on all-electric vehicles.

Porsche will reportedly be raising prices between 4 and 8 percent on the European and U.S. markets during the second half of 2023 to cope with higher operating costs noted in its first-quarter earnings announcement. Even so, higher-end brands appear to be doing fairly well at present, and Porsche itself noted that operating profits rose to €1.84 billion ($2.03 billion USD) while revenue increased to €10.1 billion in Q1 — which is about 25 percent higher than they were last year.

If you thought Audi’s naming scheme for electric vehicles was a little confusing, buckle up because things are about to get more complicated. The brand is preparing to rename its entire lineup to further differentiate between EVs and combustion models. While rumors about the company dumping e-tron badging for something different have circulated for weeks, CEO Markus Duesmann recently confirmed some of the details in Germany. In the future, all combustion-reliant Audi products will be issued odd numbers while electric models are to be given even ones.

Alfa Romeo will reportedly be electrifying with Giulia sport sedan with the top-trim Quadrifoglio boasting 1,000 horsepower according to CEO Jean-Philippe Imparato.

Bentley has confirmed plans to stop production of the iconic W12 engine at its factory in Crewe, England, next year. Volkswagen Group, which owns Bentley, has been adamant about its transition toward electrified models and the industry trend has been to do the same with high-end luxury vehicles. The assumption here is that novel technologies will bring in high rollers and that battery tech will maximize profitability by reducing labor costs and making it easier for the big brands to comply with governmental regulations.

With the current-generation Mazda MX-5 nearing the end of its lifecycle, there are a lot of questions about what exactly its successor will be like. The ND Miata has effectively built on the foundation of its predecessors without changing the recipe. But increasingly strict regulatory environments and changes in consumer tastes have left questions about whether or not the MX-5 will become electrified. There have also been rumors that Mazda may simply abandon the vehicle, as there don’t appear to be any firm development plans for it just yet.

Mazda’s European CEO, Martijn ten Brink, has attempted to assuage any concerns by stating that the MX-5 will probably be around “forever.” Though he did admit that the manufacturer hadn’t committed itself to the technical makeup of the next-gen Miata.

If you’re into tackling off-road challenges on a budget or have an unhealthy amount of nostalgia for the Suzuki Samurai that was taken from us in the 1990s, you were probably disheartened to learn that the Jimny (which is what the Samurai is called globally) wouldn’t be coming to North America. Suzuki had already exited our market and the logic at the time was that a super-small ORV probably wouldn’t see a lot of takers in the land where full-sized pickups reign supreme. While Europe was given access to the Jimny, sweeping emission laws have spelled trouble for the K15B engine it uses there. However, Suzuki now seems to have figured out how to get around that problem and indirectly announced on Thursday that the model would eventually become an EV. 

Toyota executives are rumored to be considering the possibility of launching a smaller pickup to slot beneath the global phenomenon that is the Hilux, as well as the North American Tacoma.

Ford is reportedly preparing to lay off a minimum of 1,000 German employees as it prepares to manufacture two battery-electric models developed under Volkswagen’s MEB platform. The partnership is old news, as is Ford wanting to pivot toward all-electric vehicles. However, everyone seems surprised that the decision would be accompanied by job cuts – despite countless reports having predicted that the global push toward EVs would mean far-fewer automotive jobs in the years to come.

Renault is vying to get the Alpine brand into the United States by 2028. Though it curiously doesn’t seem interested in selling the A110 enthusiasts have been gushing about ever since the rear mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive sports car was revived in 2017. Instead, the French automaker wants to go with electrified crossovers.

Stellantis hasn't officially confirmed that the current-generation Jeep Cherokee will soon be discontinued, but it sure looks that way, and 2023 is looking like its final model year. But the successor cannot be far away, considering just how few options are left within the Cherokee lineup. For 2023, trims have been limited to Altitude Lux and Trailhawk – with engine options being limited to the 180-hp 2.4-liter inline-four and 270-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four.

Last week, BMW Group CEO Oliver Zipse reportedly claimed that political agendas would not influence its electrification plans. Though the entire discussion was prompted by exactly that, forcing the automaker to address supply chain logistics that likely prohibited it from qualifying for the United States' rejiggered EV subsidy scheme. 

VinFast, the Vietnamese automotive startup that showcased five electric vehicles at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES), has said it’ll be expanding the lineup planned for North America. With midsize offerings already slated for export, the company used the Los Angeles Auto Show to show off the subcompact VF6 and compact VF7 – adding that it’ll also be shipping those units our way for the 2024 model year.

BMW Chief Executive Oliver Zipse has said that despite the automaker’s status as a luxury carmaker it would not be abandoning lower-priced segments while it swaps over to electric vehicles. Though the general trajectory for the Bavarian marquee – and the automotive industry in general – over the last several years has been to chase higher margins by focusing on pricier, often larger, vehicles and clever packaging.