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Major automakers post mixed US June sales figures

General Motors, Ford and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV posted declines in US new vehicle sales for June on Monday, while major Japanese automakers reported stronger figures. Once again, demand for pickup trucks and crossovers offset a decline in sedan sales. Automakers' shares rose as overall industry sales still came in above Wall Street expectations. The US auto industry is bracing for a downturn after hitting a record 17.55 million new vehicles sold in 2016. Analysts had predicted that overall, US vehicle sales would fall in June for the fourth consecutive month. As the market has shown signs of cooling, automakers have hiked discounts and loosened lending terms. Car shopping website Edmunds said on Monday the average length of a car loan reached an all-time high of 69.3 months in June. "It's financially risky, leaving borrowers exposed to being upside down on their vehicles for a large chunk of their loans," said Jessica Caldwell, Edmunds' executive director of industry analysis. GM said its sales fell about 5 percent versus June 2016, but that the industry would see stronger sales in the second half of 2017 versus the first half. "Under the current economic conditions, we anticipate US retail vehicle sales will remain strong for the foreseeable future." GM shares were up 2.4 percent in morning trading, while Ford rose 3.3 percent and FCA shares jumped 6 percent. "US total sales are moderating due to an industry-wide pullback in daily rental sales, but key US economic fundamentals clearly remain positive," said GM chief economist Mustafa Mohatarem. "Under the current economic conditions, we anticipate US retail vehicle sales will remain strong for the foreseeable future." Ford said its sales for June were hit by lower fleet sales to rental agencies, businesses, and government entities, which fell 13.9 percent, while sales to consumers were flat. But it sold a record 406,464 SUVs in the first half of the year, with Explorer sales increasing 23 percent in June. And sales of the F-150 had their strongest June since 2001. On a media call, Ford executives said an initial read of automakers' sales figures indicated a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of around 17 million new vehicles for the month, which would be better than 16.6 million units analysts had predicted. FCA said June sales decreased 7 percent versus the same month a year earlier.

Infiniti's fastback 2021 QX55 crossover shows its stylish rear end

First announced in August 2019, the Infiniti QX55 will finally make its global debut on Tuesday, November 17. Nissan's luxury division released a preview image that gives us the best look yet at the next addition to its range. The QX55 is closely related to the QX50 crossover under the sheetmetal, but it stands out from its more family-friendly sibling with a rakish, fastback-like roofline that will inevitably attract the coupe label. It will be to the QX50 what the BMW X4 is to the X3. Although we haven't seen its front fascia yet, Infiniti's preview image shows the rear end wears horizontal LED lights that stretch deep into the quarter panels, along with a roof-mounted spoiler. We were pleasantly surprised by the QX50's upmarket interior, so we're expecting a comparable degree of opulence in the QX55. It's too early to tell if Infiniti will simply copy the 50's cabin layout and paste it inside the 55, or if the latter will receive a look of its own. Similarly, technical specifications won't be published until the model's introduction. We expect that the VC Turbo four-cylinder engine, which was a finalist for the 2019 Autoblog Tech of the Year award, will appear on the roster. All-wheel drive will certainly be available, and Infiniti may offer an entry-level variant with front-wheel drive. Infiniti will present the 2021 QX55 online Tuesday during an event that will star singer Aloe Blacc. It will stream the concert-unveiling cross on its various social media platforms starting at 8:55 p.m. Eastern time, 5:55 p.m. Pacific time. Built in Mexico, the model will arrive in American showrooms in early 2021 with a base price pegged above $40,000. What's next? The QX55 will stand out as the first model released under Infiniti's Nissan-Plus strategy, which was presented as a way to cut costs and boost profits by increasing the number of components it shares with its parent company. However, leaning more heavily on Nissan will not dilute its image or its products, according to executives. Stylists are in the process of overhauling Infiniti's design language, and the brand's reboot will put a major emphasis on technology. Looking ahead, the QX will be followed by the next-generation QX60, which is tentatively due out in 2021 as a 2022 model, and by the company's first series-produced electric car. Related Video:

2019 Infiniti QX50 First Drive Review | A high-tech engine flies under the radar

Update: An Infiniti representative reached out after this review was published and noted that the "Park with Easy Steering" function of the Direct Adaptive Steering system was erroneously left engaged. Infiniti says this feature "reduces feel considerably at low speeds to aid in parking", and that the Easy Steering function will be disabled by default in customer cars unless the customer chooses to engage it. This seems to explain the issues our reviewer had with low-speed steering feel, although we've had other problematic experiences with Direct Adaptive Steering in a broader sense – not to mention the fact that the drive-by-wire system has been recalled several times to fix various issues, and also recalibrated in response to criticism. We hope to get another QX50 soon, and if so we'll compare the low-speed steering response with Easy Steering on and off. Even as manufacturers rush headlong into electrification and autonomous driving, revolutionary internal-combustion engine technologies are still being developed. Consider the Mazda Skyactiv-X Spark Controlled Combustion Ignition process, for example. But Infiniti's VC-Turbo four-cylinder engine, which makes its debut in the 2019 QX50, is truly a work of engineering fortitude. The engine realizes the long-held ambition among engine manufacturers to create a way to alter the compression ratio on the fly, a boon to both power and fuel efficiency. It's a brilliant bit of science that's, unfortunately, still in search of the right car. Don't get us wrong, the QX50 is perfectly competent — it's an exceedingly quiet and comfortable cruiser. However, it's no longer the driver-pleasing machine its predecessor was. That car, originally known as the EX35, was built atop Nissan's sporty FM platform, a front-midship, rear-wheel-drive layout putting the engine aft of the front axle line and giving the vehicle the athletic driving dynamics of a sport sedan. In fact, it was basically a G37 hatchback, and it was sold as the Skyline Crossover in Japan. A shortened FM chassis underpinned the 370Z, to put a finer point on it. For those more concerned with comfort than corners, the 2019 QX50 might actually be a more useful. It rides atop an all-new front-wheel-drive chassis, which means it's able to add more space for both passengers and cargo. It trades a heap of the old QX50's sportiness for comfort and packaging efficiency. If that sounds good to you, perhaps the new QX50 is the right crossover.