AD #2562 – Daimler & Geely Announce Smart JV, Kia Previews Future Design in Seoul, Viewer Feedback on Rivian

This is Autoline Daily reporting on the global automotive industry.

DAIMLER & GEELY ANNOUNCE SMART JV
Just a day after it was reported that Geely was planning to buy a 50% stake in the smart brand from Daimler, the two companies officially announced the joint venture. The automakers will develop a new generation of electric smart models for global markets, that will be assembled at a purpose built electric car factory in China starting in 2022. The new models will be designed by Mercedes while Geely will handle the engineering. The smart brand will also expand into the b-segment as well. The board of directors of the new joint venture will be made up of six executives, three from Geely and three from Daimler. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed and the companies expect the deal to be finalized by the end of the year.

FORD TO EXIT RUSSIAN CAR MARKET
Last year, Ford announced its pretty much abandoning the passenger car market in the U.S. and now it’s doing the same in Russia. The automaker announced its closing two assembly plants and an engine factory and will focus on building Transit vans in the country instead. Passenger car production will end in June. Its partner, Ford Sollers, will take majority ownership in the joint venture as well. Ford has made similar moves in Europe and South America, as it tries to restructure and boost profitability around the world.

VW COULD TAKE STAKE IN FORD’S ARGO
And in other Ford news, we have some more details about its alliance with Volkswagen. The German automaker revealed that it’s in talks to take a stake in Argo, Ford’s self-driving unit. And the two companies have signed a deal to develop a pickup truck, that will be a successor to VW’s Amarok pickup. The automakers have been in talks since last year about jointly developing commercial vehicles and new technology.

FORD MAKES IT EASIER TO FIND USED VEHICLES
Millions of vehicles flood the used car market every year, which can make it difficult for a shopper to find exactly what they’re looking for. So, Ford is testing out a new pilot program in the Metro Detroit area that will make it easier to find used vehicles sitting on dealer lots. Find Your Ford is a website that lets shoppers search for used vehicles from multiple dealerships in one place. And to make sure the customer gets what they want, it also lets them filter results based on features they’re most interested in. Things like heated steering wheels or specific driver assistance technologies. Ford says it’s exploring the possibility to expand to more dealerships and other markets.

KIA PREVIEWS FUTURE DESIGN WITH NEW CONCEPTS
Kia is giving a glimpse into the future designs of its utility vehicles with two new concepts that just debuted at the Seoul auto show. The Masterpiece is a large SUV that’s meant to look rugged and ready for an off-road adventure. Kia says it has a luxurious, high-tech cabin as well, but unfortunately didn’t provide any pictures. The automaker also showed the Signature concept. It’s a compact CUV that’s a preview of a production vehicle that will debut later this year. The concept already look pretty production ready to us, so we don’t expect styling to change all that much.

We asked you to share your thoughts on Rivian and we’ll share those right after this.

VIEWER FEEDBACK: RIVIAN
Last week, we asked you to phone in and tell us what you think of the electric startup Rivian and whether or not it can survive long term or if it’s just a flash in the pan. We got a lot of great responses and here’s some of the feedback. First, the good…

Fidel, North Carolina
“It’s not just a flash in the pan. It’s here to stay. I think that the technology it has and the vision it has, is well done still.”

Leonard, Houston, TX
“I am all in for this company, I like what they’re putting out, I like their design.”

Farouk Karouche, Fresno, CA
“I think it’s great. I think the SUV and trucks are awesome and I think the electric route is the way to go and it’s gonna be here to stay.”

But some of you were skeptical, even though you like the product…

Franklin, Fort Washington, Maryland
“Two hiccups they might have, is actually getting these vehicles into production and turning a profit.”

David, Chicago
“I do believe that Rivian will be a little bit of a threat in the market. However, what I really think goings to happen is Rivian will probably be sold to some other larger automobile company.”

David Sproul
“And where are the dealer and service centers going to be located? Right now, they’re saying they’re going to ship direct but with no service centers. Might be a turn off for buyers. I love the concept, love the ability of an electric truck. Like all things, we’ll see.”

But a few of you just aren’t impressed with the company…

Arthur, Jamaica
“I think the Rivian design is ugly. It’s futuristic in a strange way, so it’s ugly, too futuristic.”

Kelly, Texas
“Rivian. Kelly, Texas. Flash in the pan. Thanks.”

Thanks so much for your responses, we’re sorry we couldn’t share everyone’s call. But thanks for taking the time to share your feedback

And a quick programming note. There will not be a new Autoline After Hours this afternoon. But John and Gary will be back next Thursday to dive into what’s going on in the global auto industry.

But that brings us to the end of today’s show, thanks for watching and we’ll see you again tomorrow.