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Defying Trump, major automakers finalize California emissions deal

WASHINGTON — The California Air Resources Board (CARB) and major automakers on Monday confirmed they had finalized binding agreements to cut vehicle emissions in the state, defying the Trump administration's push for weaker curbs on tailpipe pollution. The agreements with carmakers Ford Motor Co, Volkswagen AG, Honda Motor Co and BMW AG were first announced in July 2019 as voluntary measures prompting anger from U.S. President Donald Trump. A month later, the Justice Department opened an antitrust probe into the agreements. The government ended the investigation without action. The Trump administration in March finalized a rollback of U.S. vehicle emissions standards to require 1.5% annual increases in efficiency through 2026. That is far weaker than the 5% annual increases in the discarded rules adopted under President Barack Obama. The 50-page California agreements, which extend through 2026, are less onerous than the standards finalized by the Obama administration but tougher than the Trump administration standards. The automakers have also agreed to electric vehicle commitments. Volvo Cars, owned by China's Geely Holdings, said in March it planned to join the automakers agreeing to the California requirements. It has also finalized its agreement. The settlement agreements say California and automakers agreed to resolve "potential legal disputes concerning the authority of CARB" and other states that have adopted California's standards. In May, a group of 23 U.S. states led by California and some major cities, challenged the Trump vehicle emissions rule. Other major automakers like General Motors Co, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV and Toyota Motor Corp did not join the California agreement. Those companies also sided with the Trump administration in a separate lawsuit over whether the federal government can strip California of the right to set zero emission vehicle requirements. Ford said the "final agreement will reduce emissions in our vehicles at a more stringent rate, support and incentivize the production of electrified products, and create regulatory certainty." BMW said "by setting these long-term, predictable, and achievable standards, we have the regulatory certainty that is necessary for long-term planning that will not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions but ultimately benefit consumers as well." 

Jaguar XF S Sportbrake vs. Volvo V90 R-Design: A sporty wagon comparison

We had both a XF Sportbrake S and a V90 T6 AWD R-Design come through the office recently, and since they're really close competitors – both fairly large wagons, both luxury vehicles, both have sporting pretenses, and both feature all-wheel-drive. And in the case of our test cars, they're equipped very similarly, but at divergent price points. Is the Jaguar worth the premium? Let's take a closer look. The Jaguar is only available in the top-level S trim, which brings many features, as well as all-wheel-drive and a 380-horsepower supercharged 3.0-liter V6. The final price listed for our Jaguar was a heady $84,815, up from a base price of $71,445. That's thanks to a bunch of options: the $360 black trim package, the $565 metallic paint, the $1,020 20-inch wheels, the $3,495 driver assistance package, $3,265 technology package, $1,805 comfort and convenience package, and $2,860 premium interior package. View 22 Photos The Volvo is available in a variety of configurations. In fact, you can have a V90 R-Design for as little as $50,945, but you'll be making do with the front-wheel-drive T5 model that has just a 250-horsepower turbocharged four-cyinder. To match the Jaguar's feature set and to nearly match its performance, you need to go with the T6 with all-wheel-drive. In addition to powering all four wheels, it also adds the 316-horsepower twin-charged four-cylinder. The engine and drivetrain add about $6,000 to the T5's price tag. The rest of our V90's price increase was made up by a lot of options, including a Convenience Package for $1,900 that came with heated washer nozzles, a surround view camera, grocery bag holder, HomeLink, a compass, and automatic parallel parking. Other options included the upholstered instrument panel and sun shade for $1,150, metallic paint for $595, heads-up display for $900, built-in child seat for $500, carbon fiber trim for $800, Bowers and Wilkens sound system for $3,200, heated steering wheel for $300, rear air suspension for $1,200, 20-inch wheels with summer tires for $300, and the destination charge. All told, it cost $68,290, which is close to the base price of the Jaguar, but a whole lot less than the Jag's as-tested price, making the Volvo a great value. Interior and Technology But value isn't the only reason to buy a car, especially a luxury car. You want it to feel luxurious.

U.S. denies GM tariff relief request for China-made Buick SUV

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration has denied a General Motors Co request for an exemption to a 25 percent U.S. tariff on its Chinese-made Buick Envision sport utility vehicle. The denial of the nearly year-old petition came in a May 29 letter from the U.S. Trade Representative's office saying the request concerns "a product strategically important or related to 'Made in China 2025' or other Chinese industrial programs." The midsize SUV, priced starting at about $35,000, has become a target for critics of Chinese-made goods, including leaders of the United Auto Workers union and members in key political swing states such as Michigan and Ohio. GM said on Tuesday it was aware of the denial and has been paying the tariff since July. GM has not raised the sticker price to account for the tariff. Buick Envision sales fell in the United States by nearly 27% to 30,000 last year and fell another 21% in the first three months of 2019. Only a small number of vehicles are built in China and sold in the United States. Last month, the U.S. Trade Representative's Office also denied a request by Chinese-owned Volvo Cars for tariff exemptions for mid-size SUVs assembled in China after the automaker sought an exemption for the XC60, its top selling U.S. vehicle. GM, the largest U.S. automaker, argued in its request that Envision sales in China and the United States would generate funds "to invest in our U.S. manufacturing facilities and to develop the next generation of automotive technology in the United States." GM said last year the "vast majority" of Envisions, about 200,000 a year, are sold in China. Because of the lower U.S. sales volume, "assembly in our home market is not an option" for the Envision, which competes with such mid-size crossover vehicles as the Jeep Grand Cherokee and the Cadillac XT5. Ahead of the July 2018 start for higher import tariffs, GM shipped in a six-month supply of Envisions at the much lower 2.5 percent tariff rate, Reuters reported in August 2018.