Car News

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) has announced it's withdrawing its proposal to merge with Groupe Renault, in a press release issued this morning. "The Board of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V., meeting this evening under the Chairmanship of John Elkann, has resolved to withdraw with immediate effect its merger proposal made to Groupe Renault," the statement said.

Jaguar Land Rover will team up with BMW to develop 'next-generation Electric Drive Units', as both brands look for a more efficient way to electrify their ranges going forward. The agreement is designed to make research and development into the electric space more cost-effective, and to improve economies of scale by having both companies buy from the same suppliers.

Car dealers are reporting a sales recovery since last month's Federal Election, but Australian new car registrations continued to decline in May, the 14th consecutive month of sales slowdown. VFACTS data for May 2019 recorded 92,561 new vehicle registrations, down 8.1% from the 100,754 achieved in May 2018. That perfectly matches the state of the market in 2019: year-to-date sales are down 8.1% compared to the same point in 2018.

The facelifted Audi RS4 Avant has been spied during development testing, ahead of a likely debut before the end of the year. Last month the company revealed the updated A4 and S4 range, which received design revisions more in line with the company's latest models, along with the latest MMI infotainment interface. The flagship RS4, however, was absent from this announcement.

Jeep has revealed blacked-out special edition versions of its best-selling SUVs, adding limited-run Night Eagle trim to its Cherokee and Grand Cherokee ranges. Based on the Laredo, the Grand Cherokee Night Eagle rides on a set of 20-inch black alloy wheels, which match the blacked-out grille, body-coloured bumper trims, tinted glass and black Jeep badging.