The U.s. May Just Get Euro-spec Cars Out Of Proposed Eu Trade Deal

Porsche

Happy Monday! It's August 25, 2025, and this is The Morning Shift — your regular roundup of nan apical automotive headlines from astir nan world, successful 1 place. This is wherever you'll find nan astir important stories that are shaping nan measurement Americans thrust and get around.

In this morning's edition, we're looking astatine an investigation into a statement of matter successful nan projected U.S./EU waste and acquisition woody that could springiness america European-spec cars, arsenic good arsenic a Honda motor nonaccomplishment investigation. We'll besides look into Mercedes' pension divestment from Nissan, and a caller strategy for U.S. car parts makers to adhd tariffs connected much overseas parts. 

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You cognize really Europe gets cooler cars than us, pinch amended headlights and much power? Well, nether a model waste and acquisition woody betwixt nan United States and nan European Union, we whitethorn commencement to get those Euro-spec vehicles connected our shores. From Automotive News:

One condemnation successful nan United States-European Union's model for a waste and acquisition statement could usher successful immoderate of nan biggest changes nan car manufacture has seen this century.

"With respect to automobiles, nan United States and nan European Union intend to judge and supply communal nickname to each other's standards," according to a associated connection published Aug. 21.

The accusation of nan connection successful Article 8 of nan connection has divided manufacture experts.

Some judge that, if enacted, nan caller rules would let imported vehicles from each other's regions to beryllium sold connected some sides of nan Atlantic without gathering nan aforesaid information and emissions standards.

Others said automakers would still beryllium required to tailor vehicles to each market. But nan imaginable changes could push nan regions to judge nan other's safety, emissions and substance system trial results.

The changes are apt aspirational. The volition to admit each other's standards is not a commitment, said Jennifer Smith-Veluz, world waste and acquisition lawyer astatine Butzel.

This is conscionable a framework, not complete ineligible language, but possibly we tin yet clasp ourselves to EU standards for emissions. That would possibly beryllium nan funniest measurement to undo nan Trump administration's gutting of nan EPA, though it would beryllium conscionable arsenic easy for Europe to adopt lax American standards and plunge america each into ambiance alteration hellhole moreover faster. Let's dream that 1 doesn't happen. 

Honda

Honda's 3.5-liter V6 is successful seemingly each 3rd car you spot retired connected nan road, and now it's nan taxable to an investigation from nan National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The agency is looking into 1.4 cardinal TLXes, MDXes, Pilots, Odyssies, and Ridgelines, pinch an oculus towards a crankshaft responsibility that whitethorn origin connecting rod bearings to seize. From Reuters:

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is opening a probe into much than 1.4 cardinal Honda vehicles sold successful nan United States complete concerns that connecting rod base failures successful their engines could lead to complete motor failure.

In a missive dated August 20, nan regulator said it received 414 reports of nan rumor successful various Honda and Acura vehicles' 3.5-liter V6 engine.

The investigation covers 2018-2020 exemplary twelvemonth Acura TLX, 2016-2020 Acura MDX, 2016-2020 Honda Pilot, 2018-2020 Honda Odyssey, and 2017-2019 Honda Ridgeline vehicles.

Is it conscionable me, aliases are recalls getting weirder? When a first-year car comes retired and has immoderate electrical gremlins that's 1 thing, erstwhile a tech doesn't use due torque to a mates bolts that's another, but it feels for illustration we support getting recalls for problems that should beryllium agelong since solved. We cognize really to make crankshafts. 

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Nissan has had amended days. The company's been successful a spot of a unsmooth patch, and it's made investors concerned — including Mercedes-Benz's pension trust, which is trading disconnected $346 cardinal worthy of shares retired of fearfulness they'll autumn moreover further. From Reuters:

The pension spot of Mercedes-Benz will waste disconnected its astir $346 cardinal shareholding, a 3.8% stake, successful Nissan Motor, a spokesperson for nan German carmaker said connected Monday, adding to unit connected nan Japanese automaker's stock price.

Japan's third-largest automaker has been deed by U.S. tariffs, restructuring and little income volumes that person contributed to a 24% descent successful its stock value this year.

The waste indicates investor interest complete nan prospects for Nissan's turnaround scheme that includes shutting accumulation astatine immoderate plants successful Japan and overseas to slash costs and reconstruct profitability.

Car institution pensions investing successful different car companies feels for illustration a conflict of interest, but I conjecture it's amended than progressive labor of Mercedes making their money disconnected Nissan. Retirees only. 

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Do you make car parts successful nan bully ol' U.S. of A? Are you sick of those damn foreigners sending their car parts complete here, and competing pinch your homegrown product? Well, ne'er fear: The United States now has a snitch statement for you to get car parts added to nan tariff list. From Automotive News:

While immoderate companies successful nan car manufacture are struggling to grip nan costs burdens of tariffs enacted by President Donald Trump, others mightiness want to spot nan tariffs expanded to protect their marketplace niche.

Now, that group is astir to get nan chance, a improvement that highlights nan dynamics astatine play for different parts of nan automotive worth chain.

The national authorities established a process successful June for companies to petition to use nan tariffs to further car parts. The Federal Register announcement has yet to beryllium posted, delaying submission timelines. But parts manufacturers will beryllium capable to propose further equipment beryllium taxable to nan 25 percent Section 232 tariffs, designed to protect nationalist security.

This has large "reminding nan coach you had homework" energy, and conscionable cognize that if you do scope retired to this extremity statement I'll judge you arsenic such. 

I travel from a large "Wizard of Oz" family (my grandfather knew nan original Wicked Witch, Margaret Hamilton) and I accordingly emotion "Wicked" a wholly normal amount. I've had nan Broadway lottery page for it unfastened connected my machine for weeks now, and I desperately want to spot it connected shape again. 

It's truthful bully to not walk an August putting 1 container connected nan sidewalk, past returning pinch nan adjacent and nan first one's gone. I always extremity up moving successful August, and I'm gladsome I'm not doing that this year.