Car News

Akira Marumoto, CEO of Mazda, has outlined the automaker's near-term electrification plans, with regulations in Europe and China forcing the Japanese company to add electric and plug-in hybrid models to its range. In an interview with Automotive News Europe Marumoto (below) revealed the company will launch its first electric car in 2020, and it will be based on a Mazda architecture.

According to his lawsuit, Reid Bigland, head of US sales for Fiat Chrysler (FCA) and chief of the Ram brand, says he has been cooperating with a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) investigation into the company's sales reporting practices, including allegations it had wrongfully inflated numbers.

The automotive news wheel is always turning. If you’re not constantly checking CarAdvice – which you should be doing, by the way – it can be easy for some headlines to slip through the cracks. To make sure you haven’t missed anything important, we’ve gathered what we reckon are the hottest news stories from this week, right here. Check them out, and let us know what caught your eye.

Ford Motor Company has committed to building its Fusion sedan for at least another 18 months, confirming with outlets in the US that the nameplate will stay in production until at least 2021. As reported by industry journal Automotive News, the Blue Oval has detailed the 2020 model-year Fusion line-up, which includes the SE, SEL and Titanium trim levels – though the 243kW twin-turbo Sport variant has been dropped.

Mercedes-AMG has commenced production of the world’s highest-output turbocharged four-cylinder engine, produced on a brand-new factory line at AMG’s headquarters in Affalterbach. The new hand-made ‘M139’ 2.0-litre turbo replaces the ‘M133’ engine that was built at a different site, and while it shares the same displacement, it’s almost entirely new. It’ll power Mercedes-AMG’s fleet of compact pocket rockets, starting with the new-generation A45 AMG hot hatch.