Golf Buggy One: Armour-plated cart follows Trump around course in Scotland
Relf, a former traffic police officer who runs a company providing protective vehicles to wealthy individuals, heads of state and religious leaders, said it could be difficult to spot so-called 'auto-armour', but black banding across a windscreen was usually a giveaway.
'When we armour a vehicle, we take every kind of technical element out, the roof, the seats, the floor, the carpet, and then we put the armouring in, and we replace it all afterwards, so you might never know.
'But the thing that gives it away is the front windscreen.'
As with other armoured vehicles, Trump's reinforced golf buggy's windscreen features a black band around it.
One of UK policing's foremost experts in armoured vehicles, who asked to remain anonymous due to the confidential nature of his work agreed with this assessment.
'From those photos, that is 100 per cent armoured,' he said. 'The windscreen is a giveaway, as are the side panels, doors, and the large panel at the rear above the load tray.'
He identified its model as a Polaris Ranger XP and revealed Mr Trump's security golf cart would have been specially modified to offer its passengers as much protection as possible, while remaining light enough to not damage the course.
The front of the buggy and its wheels and tyres are not significantly adapted from the off-the-shelf model, because it's a 'defensive, not offensive' armoured vehicle, he said.
'Sometimes you just have an armoured cell for the passengers,' he explained. 'It's not a tank. It's defensive, not offensive.'
And it's likely to be tailored to specific threats, with the tinting of the glass giving away how secure it is.
'As far as armouring goes, the world is your oyster. If your threat is someone with a baseball bat, you might fit plexiglass. But if it's a 7.62mm Dragunov sniper rifle with a full metal jacket bullet, then you need thicker transparent armour,' he said, referring to the layers of laminate which, combined with layers of glass, are used to make bullet-proof windows.
'The thicker the transparent armouring, the more tinted the window looks,' he added.
A US Secret Service spokesman said: 'The US Secret Service employs a variety of tools and resources to safeguard our protectees. In order to maintain operational security, the Secret Service does not discuss the specific means and methods used to conduct our protective operations.'
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Polaris vehicles are widely used in the UK by rural police teams, mountain rescue and farmers. But the company also supplies military vehicles to US law enforcement and offers in-house armouring.
Trump's security team is likely making sure the US president has somewhere to go for protection in case of a third assassination attempt.
On September 15, 2024, guards spotted a man, suspected to be 58-year-old Ryan Wesley Routh, aiming a rifle from shrubbery at a member of Trump's security team at West Palm Beach, Florida.
The gunman was chased away before firing a shot, but the episode underscored how exposed Trump is while pursuing his favourite sport.
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Just two months previously, Trump had survived an assassination attempt when shots were fired from an AR-15-style rifle as he spoke at an open-air campaign rally near Butler in Pennsylvania on July 13. One of the bullets clipped his ear and 20-year-old Thomas Crooks, the gunman, was shot and killed by the US Secret Service.
'This stuff is all about threat assessment. What is the threat? Is it a known threat? An unknown threat? Where do we set that level of what we've got to do?' the unnamed security expert added.
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News.com.au
5 days ago
- News.com.au
Europe's carmakers still nervous despite EU-US trade deal
Europe's auto industry is relieved that the EU-US trade deal reduces short-term uncertainty but many, particularly in the struggling German sector, remain deeply worried about the long-term impact. After months of tariff turbulence that threatened to escalate into a trade war, US President Donald Trump and EU chief Ursula von der Leyen struck the agreement Sunday that will see EU exports taxed at 15 percent. This across-the-board rate also applies to exports from Europe's critical auto sector to America, and is far below a previous rate of 27.5 percent for cars and vehicle parts that came into force in April. European auto industry group ACEA welcomed the "de-escalation" as the United States is a major destination for the continent's vehicle shipments, accounting for 22 percent of the EU export market in 2024. It is an "important step towards easing the intense uncertainty surrounding transatlantic trade relations in recent months," the group said. French automotive supplier Forvia echoed the message, saying the accord "helps reduce volatility and uncertainty... for all economic players". There was still a great deal of concern -- the tariffs remain far higher than a 2.5 percent rate that European manufacturers exporting to the United States faced before Trump returned as president. The 15-percent levy "will continue to have a negative impact not just for industry in the EU but also in the US," said ACEA director general Sigrid de Vries. - German industry woes - The German auto sector stands to be hit particularly hard, with the United States the top market for German vehicle exports last year, receiving about 13 percent of the total. The 15-percent tariff "will cost German automotive companies billions annually and burdens them", said Hildegard Mueller, president of Germany's main auto industry group, the VDA. This comes at a time when top German carmakers Volkswagen, BMW and Mercedes-Benz were already struggling with falling sales in China, weak demand in Europe and a slower than expected transition to electric vehicles. The impacts of the higher rates introduced earlier this year are already being felt. Volkswagen, Europe's biggest automaker, reported a 1.3 billion euro hit for the first half of the year due to the tariffs. Stellantis, whose brands include Jeep, Citroen and Fiat, has seen North American vehicles sales plummet, and Swedish automaker Volvo's earnings were hit by tariffs. Some industry leaders have proposed solutions. BMW's chief Oliver Zipse suggested in June that Europe should drop its import tariffs on cars imported from the United States. Volkswagen boss Oliver Blume has said the group could forge its own agreement with Washington that took into account the investments the group plans in the United States, the world's biggest economy. But for now there is little relief on the horizon, and carmakers will have to adapt. In the long term, higher tariffs in the United States than in Europe could create "big losers" in Germany's automotive industry, said Ferdinand Dudenhoeffer, director of the Center Automotive Research institute. If BMW and Mercedes boost production in the United States to skirt tariffs, they could start shipping a growing number of vehicles to Europe that are subject to lower import levies, Dudenhoeffer said. Struggling auto plants in Europe "will reduce their production", he warned, which could lead to up to 70,000 jobs being cut in Germany and shifted to America.
The Advertiser
5 days ago
- The Advertiser
Europe reacts with relief and concern to US trade deal
European governments and companies are reacting with both relief and concern to the framework trade deal struck with US President Donald Trump, acknowledging what is seen as an unbalanced deal but one that avoids a deeper trade war. The agreement, announced on Sunday between two economies that account for almost a third of global trade, will see the US impose a 15 per cent import tariff on most EU goods - half the threatened rate but much more than what Europeans hoped for. Many of the specifics of the deal were not immediately known, however. "As we await full details of the new EU–US trade agreement, one thing is clear: this is a moment of relief but not of celebration," Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever wrote on X. "Tariffs will increase in several areas and some key questions remain unresolved." 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German Chancellor Friedrich Merz welcomed the deal, saying it averted a trade conflict that would have hit Germany's export-driven economy and its large auto sector hard. French government ministers said on Monday that the deal had some merits - such as exemptions they hoped to see for some key French business sectors such as spirits - but was nevertheless not balanced. Industry minister Marc Ferracci stressed more talks - potentially lasting weeks or months - would be needed before the deal could be formally concluded. "This is not the end of the story," he told RTL radio. European companies were left wondering whether to cheer or lament the accord. "Those who expect a hurricane are grateful for a storm," said Wolfgang Grosse Entrup, head of the German Chemical Industry Association VCI. "Further escalation has been avoided. Nevertheless, the price is high for both sides. European exports are losing competitiveness. US customers are paying the tariffs," he said. 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European governments and companies are reacting with both relief and concern to the framework trade deal struck with US President Donald Trump, acknowledging what is seen as an unbalanced deal but one that avoids a deeper trade war. The agreement, announced on Sunday between two economies that account for almost a third of global trade, will see the US impose a 15 per cent import tariff on most EU goods - half the threatened rate but much more than what Europeans hoped for. Many of the specifics of the deal were not immediately known, however. "As we await full details of the new EU–US trade agreement, one thing is clear: this is a moment of relief but not of celebration," Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever wrote on X. "Tariffs will increase in several areas and some key questions remain unresolved." Trump said the deal, including an investment pledge topping the $US550 billion ($A843 billion) deal signed with Japan last week, would expand ties between the trans-Atlantic powers after years of what he called unfair treatment of US exporters. It will bring clarity for European makers of cars, planes and chemicals. But the EU had initially hoped for a zero-for-zero tariff deal. And the 15 per cent baseline tariff, while an improvement on the threatened rate of 30 per cent, compares with an average US import tariff rate of about 2.5 per cent in 2024 before Trump's return to the White House. European Commission chief Von der Leyen, describing Trump as a tough negotiator, told reporters on Sunday that it was "the best we could get". European stocks opened up on Monday, with the STOXX 600 at a four-month high and all other major bourses also in the green, with tech and healthcare stocks leading the way. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz welcomed the deal, saying it averted a trade conflict that would have hit Germany's export-driven economy and its large auto sector hard. French government ministers said on Monday that the deal had some merits - such as exemptions they hoped to see for some key French business sectors such as spirits - but was nevertheless not balanced. Industry minister Marc Ferracci stressed more talks - potentially lasting weeks or months - would be needed before the deal could be formally concluded. "This is not the end of the story," he told RTL radio. European companies were left wondering whether to cheer or lament the accord. "Those who expect a hurricane are grateful for a storm," said Wolfgang Grosse Entrup, head of the German Chemical Industry Association VCI. "Further escalation has been avoided. Nevertheless, the price is high for both sides. European exports are losing competitiveness. US customers are paying the tariffs," he said. Among the many questions that remain to be answered, however, is how the EU's promise to invest hundreds of billions of dollars in the US and steeply increase energy purchases can be turned into reality. It was not immediately clear if specific pledges of increased investments were made or whether the details still must be hammered out. And while the EU pledged to make $US750 billion in strategic purchases over the next three years, including oil, liquefied natural gas and nuclear fuel, the US will struggle to produce enough to meet that demand. While US LNG production capacity is due to almost double during the next four years it will still not be enough to ramp up supplies to Europe, and oil production is expected to be lower than previously forecast in 2025. European governments and companies are reacting with both relief and concern to the framework trade deal struck with US President Donald Trump, acknowledging what is seen as an unbalanced deal but one that avoids a deeper trade war. The agreement, announced on Sunday between two economies that account for almost a third of global trade, will see the US impose a 15 per cent import tariff on most EU goods - half the threatened rate but much more than what Europeans hoped for. Many of the specifics of the deal were not immediately known, however. "As we await full details of the new EU–US trade agreement, one thing is clear: this is a moment of relief but not of celebration," Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever wrote on X. "Tariffs will increase in several areas and some key questions remain unresolved." Trump said the deal, including an investment pledge topping the $US550 billion ($A843 billion) deal signed with Japan last week, would expand ties between the trans-Atlantic powers after years of what he called unfair treatment of US exporters. It will bring clarity for European makers of cars, planes and chemicals. But the EU had initially hoped for a zero-for-zero tariff deal. And the 15 per cent baseline tariff, while an improvement on the threatened rate of 30 per cent, compares with an average US import tariff rate of about 2.5 per cent in 2024 before Trump's return to the White House. European Commission chief Von der Leyen, describing Trump as a tough negotiator, told reporters on Sunday that it was "the best we could get". European stocks opened up on Monday, with the STOXX 600 at a four-month high and all other major bourses also in the green, with tech and healthcare stocks leading the way. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz welcomed the deal, saying it averted a trade conflict that would have hit Germany's export-driven economy and its large auto sector hard. French government ministers said on Monday that the deal had some merits - such as exemptions they hoped to see for some key French business sectors such as spirits - but was nevertheless not balanced. Industry minister Marc Ferracci stressed more talks - potentially lasting weeks or months - would be needed before the deal could be formally concluded. "This is not the end of the story," he told RTL radio. European companies were left wondering whether to cheer or lament the accord. "Those who expect a hurricane are grateful for a storm," said Wolfgang Grosse Entrup, head of the German Chemical Industry Association VCI. "Further escalation has been avoided. Nevertheless, the price is high for both sides. European exports are losing competitiveness. US customers are paying the tariffs," he said. Among the many questions that remain to be answered, however, is how the EU's promise to invest hundreds of billions of dollars in the US and steeply increase energy purchases can be turned into reality. It was not immediately clear if specific pledges of increased investments were made or whether the details still must be hammered out. And while the EU pledged to make $US750 billion in strategic purchases over the next three years, including oil, liquefied natural gas and nuclear fuel, the US will struggle to produce enough to meet that demand. While US LNG production capacity is due to almost double during the next four years it will still not be enough to ramp up supplies to Europe, and oil production is expected to be lower than previously forecast in 2025. European governments and companies are reacting with both relief and concern to the framework trade deal struck with US President Donald Trump, acknowledging what is seen as an unbalanced deal but one that avoids a deeper trade war. The agreement, announced on Sunday between two economies that account for almost a third of global trade, will see the US impose a 15 per cent import tariff on most EU goods - half the threatened rate but much more than what Europeans hoped for. Many of the specifics of the deal were not immediately known, however. "As we await full details of the new EU–US trade agreement, one thing is clear: this is a moment of relief but not of celebration," Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever wrote on X. "Tariffs will increase in several areas and some key questions remain unresolved." Trump said the deal, including an investment pledge topping the $US550 billion ($A843 billion) deal signed with Japan last week, would expand ties between the trans-Atlantic powers after years of what he called unfair treatment of US exporters. It will bring clarity for European makers of cars, planes and chemicals. But the EU had initially hoped for a zero-for-zero tariff deal. And the 15 per cent baseline tariff, while an improvement on the threatened rate of 30 per cent, compares with an average US import tariff rate of about 2.5 per cent in 2024 before Trump's return to the White House. European Commission chief Von der Leyen, describing Trump as a tough negotiator, told reporters on Sunday that it was "the best we could get". European stocks opened up on Monday, with the STOXX 600 at a four-month high and all other major bourses also in the green, with tech and healthcare stocks leading the way. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz welcomed the deal, saying it averted a trade conflict that would have hit Germany's export-driven economy and its large auto sector hard. French government ministers said on Monday that the deal had some merits - such as exemptions they hoped to see for some key French business sectors such as spirits - but was nevertheless not balanced. Industry minister Marc Ferracci stressed more talks - potentially lasting weeks or months - would be needed before the deal could be formally concluded. "This is not the end of the story," he told RTL radio. European companies were left wondering whether to cheer or lament the accord. "Those who expect a hurricane are grateful for a storm," said Wolfgang Grosse Entrup, head of the German Chemical Industry Association VCI. "Further escalation has been avoided. Nevertheless, the price is high for both sides. European exports are losing competitiveness. US customers are paying the tariffs," he said. Among the many questions that remain to be answered, however, is how the EU's promise to invest hundreds of billions of dollars in the US and steeply increase energy purchases can be turned into reality. It was not immediately clear if specific pledges of increased investments were made or whether the details still must be hammered out. And while the EU pledged to make $US750 billion in strategic purchases over the next three years, including oil, liquefied natural gas and nuclear fuel, the US will struggle to produce enough to meet that demand. While US LNG production capacity is due to almost double during the next four years it will still not be enough to ramp up supplies to Europe, and oil production is expected to be lower than previously forecast in 2025.
The Advertiser
5 days ago
- The Advertiser
Petrol power is enjoying a resurgence at General Motors
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However, GM Authority reports the American giant is now putting new combustion-powered vehicles into development. It's also reportedly evaluating new variants of existing combustion-powered vehicles – something that could see it introduce, for example, performance-focused pickups to take on Ford's Raptor models. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. ABOVE: Chevrolet Silverado ZR2 It's unclear what new combustion-powered models GM may develop, though it currently doesn't have a unibody (car-based) ute to rival the Ford Maverick and no longer has a pony car to rival the Ford Mustang (following the axing of the Chevrolet Camaro). It also doesn't have a body-on-frame off-roader smaller than its Chevrolet Tahoe/GMC Yukon to take on the Toyota 4Runner and LandCruiser 250 Series (sold as the Prado here), apart from the ageing Chevrolet Trailblazer in Latin America. The change in strategy comes as fuel prices remain low in the US, while emissions regulations have been softened under the Trump administration. Of course, GM still has a bevy of electric vehicles (EVs) and is crowing about its Chevrolet brand being the second biggest seller of EVs in the US market. But GM had been more aggressive than many brands in phasing out combustion-powered vehicles in favour of EVs. ABOVE: American Cadillac XT5 and (new) Chinese XT5 For example, the Chevrolet Blazer and Cadillac XT4, XT5 and XT6 crossover SUVs were all being phased out in favour of electric replacements – the Blazer EV, Optiq, Lyriq and Vistiq, respectively. Likewise, the Cadillac CT4 and CT5 sedans were expected to be replaced by one or two electric sedans, while the Chevrolet Malibu sedan has been axed outright. While none of these combustion-powered vehicles top the sales charts in their respective segments, many have been strong sellers at one point or another in their run. However, in June, GM announced it would add production of the combustion-powered Blazer to its Spring Hill, Tennessee plant in 2027 – a somewhat odd move, given the now six-year-old vehicle was set to be phased out. ABOVE: Chevrolet Blazer and Blazer EV Now, GM Authority reports it'll be a next-generation Blazer being manufactured in Spring Hill. Whether this means the new second-generation XT5 sold in China – previously slated to be a Chinese-market exclusive vehicle – will be offered in the US remains to be seen. It's not just the new XT5 that's exclusive to China. GM has developed a handful of new-generation combustion-powered vehicles for China that it hasn't offered in its home market. That includes the Cadillac GT4 and second-generation CT6. However, GM has struggled in China of late as resurgent domestic brands offering increasingly sophisticated products have eaten away both at its market share and that of many other foreign brands. It's now losing money there, despite the Chinese market once being a cash cow. ABOVE: Cadillac Lyriq With GM having reduced its global footprint through the sale of Opel/Vauxhall and a large-scale (if not complete) withdrawal from right-hand drive production that spelled the end of Holden, among other strategic moves, its home market has now become even more important. And despite EV sales continuing to grow in the US, the world's second-largest new-car market, there's still healthy demand for combustion-powered vehicles. GM has been pulling back somewhat from its previous bold EV goals. For example, it confirmed this year its Orion Assembly Plant in Michigan that was earmarked for EV production will now produce combustion-powered vehicles, while it will also introduce plug-in hybrids – technology it was previously planning to skip over. However, it's investing in new battery developments and plans to introduce a new, more affordable EV as a successor to its defunct Chevrolet Bolt, indicating it remains committed to EVs. It now offers multiple EVs across its Cadillac, Chevrolet and GMC brands, with electric Buicks also offered in China. Content originally sourced from: General Motors was increasingly going down the path of having V8-powered full-size pickups and SUVs, but using electric power for almost everything else. Its Buick and Cadillac brands, for example, had goals of going electric-only by 2030, while myriad combustion-powered models were being phased out. However, GM Authority reports the American giant is now putting new combustion-powered vehicles into development. It's also reportedly evaluating new variants of existing combustion-powered vehicles – something that could see it introduce, for example, performance-focused pickups to take on Ford's Raptor models. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. ABOVE: Chevrolet Silverado ZR2 It's unclear what new combustion-powered models GM may develop, though it currently doesn't have a unibody (car-based) ute to rival the Ford Maverick and no longer has a pony car to rival the Ford Mustang (following the axing of the Chevrolet Camaro). It also doesn't have a body-on-frame off-roader smaller than its Chevrolet Tahoe/GMC Yukon to take on the Toyota 4Runner and LandCruiser 250 Series (sold as the Prado here), apart from the ageing Chevrolet Trailblazer in Latin America. The change in strategy comes as fuel prices remain low in the US, while emissions regulations have been softened under the Trump administration. Of course, GM still has a bevy of electric vehicles (EVs) and is crowing about its Chevrolet brand being the second biggest seller of EVs in the US market. But GM had been more aggressive than many brands in phasing out combustion-powered vehicles in favour of EVs. ABOVE: American Cadillac XT5 and (new) Chinese XT5 For example, the Chevrolet Blazer and Cadillac XT4, XT5 and XT6 crossover SUVs were all being phased out in favour of electric replacements – the Blazer EV, Optiq, Lyriq and Vistiq, respectively. Likewise, the Cadillac CT4 and CT5 sedans were expected to be replaced by one or two electric sedans, while the Chevrolet Malibu sedan has been axed outright. While none of these combustion-powered vehicles top the sales charts in their respective segments, many have been strong sellers at one point or another in their run. However, in June, GM announced it would add production of the combustion-powered Blazer to its Spring Hill, Tennessee plant in 2027 – a somewhat odd move, given the now six-year-old vehicle was set to be phased out. ABOVE: Chevrolet Blazer and Blazer EV Now, GM Authority reports it'll be a next-generation Blazer being manufactured in Spring Hill. Whether this means the new second-generation XT5 sold in China – previously slated to be a Chinese-market exclusive vehicle – will be offered in the US remains to be seen. It's not just the new XT5 that's exclusive to China. GM has developed a handful of new-generation combustion-powered vehicles for China that it hasn't offered in its home market. That includes the Cadillac GT4 and second-generation CT6. However, GM has struggled in China of late as resurgent domestic brands offering increasingly sophisticated products have eaten away both at its market share and that of many other foreign brands. It's now losing money there, despite the Chinese market once being a cash cow. ABOVE: Cadillac Lyriq With GM having reduced its global footprint through the sale of Opel/Vauxhall and a large-scale (if not complete) withdrawal from right-hand drive production that spelled the end of Holden, among other strategic moves, its home market has now become even more important. And despite EV sales continuing to grow in the US, the world's second-largest new-car market, there's still healthy demand for combustion-powered vehicles. GM has been pulling back somewhat from its previous bold EV goals. For example, it confirmed this year its Orion Assembly Plant in Michigan that was earmarked for EV production will now produce combustion-powered vehicles, while it will also introduce plug-in hybrids – technology it was previously planning to skip over. However, it's investing in new battery developments and plans to introduce a new, more affordable EV as a successor to its defunct Chevrolet Bolt, indicating it remains committed to EVs. It now offers multiple EVs across its Cadillac, Chevrolet and GMC brands, with electric Buicks also offered in China. Content originally sourced from: General Motors was increasingly going down the path of having V8-powered full-size pickups and SUVs, but using electric power for almost everything else. Its Buick and Cadillac brands, for example, had goals of going electric-only by 2030, while myriad combustion-powered models were being phased out. However, GM Authority reports the American giant is now putting new combustion-powered vehicles into development. It's also reportedly evaluating new variants of existing combustion-powered vehicles – something that could see it introduce, for example, performance-focused pickups to take on Ford's Raptor models. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. ABOVE: Chevrolet Silverado ZR2 It's unclear what new combustion-powered models GM may develop, though it currently doesn't have a unibody (car-based) ute to rival the Ford Maverick and no longer has a pony car to rival the Ford Mustang (following the axing of the Chevrolet Camaro). It also doesn't have a body-on-frame off-roader smaller than its Chevrolet Tahoe/GMC Yukon to take on the Toyota 4Runner and LandCruiser 250 Series (sold as the Prado here), apart from the ageing Chevrolet Trailblazer in Latin America. The change in strategy comes as fuel prices remain low in the US, while emissions regulations have been softened under the Trump administration. Of course, GM still has a bevy of electric vehicles (EVs) and is crowing about its Chevrolet brand being the second biggest seller of EVs in the US market. But GM had been more aggressive than many brands in phasing out combustion-powered vehicles in favour of EVs. ABOVE: American Cadillac XT5 and (new) Chinese XT5 For example, the Chevrolet Blazer and Cadillac XT4, XT5 and XT6 crossover SUVs were all being phased out in favour of electric replacements – the Blazer EV, Optiq, Lyriq and Vistiq, respectively. Likewise, the Cadillac CT4 and CT5 sedans were expected to be replaced by one or two electric sedans, while the Chevrolet Malibu sedan has been axed outright. While none of these combustion-powered vehicles top the sales charts in their respective segments, many have been strong sellers at one point or another in their run. However, in June, GM announced it would add production of the combustion-powered Blazer to its Spring Hill, Tennessee plant in 2027 – a somewhat odd move, given the now six-year-old vehicle was set to be phased out. ABOVE: Chevrolet Blazer and Blazer EV Now, GM Authority reports it'll be a next-generation Blazer being manufactured in Spring Hill. Whether this means the new second-generation XT5 sold in China – previously slated to be a Chinese-market exclusive vehicle – will be offered in the US remains to be seen. It's not just the new XT5 that's exclusive to China. GM has developed a handful of new-generation combustion-powered vehicles for China that it hasn't offered in its home market. That includes the Cadillac GT4 and second-generation CT6. However, GM has struggled in China of late as resurgent domestic brands offering increasingly sophisticated products have eaten away both at its market share and that of many other foreign brands. It's now losing money there, despite the Chinese market once being a cash cow. ABOVE: Cadillac Lyriq With GM having reduced its global footprint through the sale of Opel/Vauxhall and a large-scale (if not complete) withdrawal from right-hand drive production that spelled the end of Holden, among other strategic moves, its home market has now become even more important. And despite EV sales continuing to grow in the US, the world's second-largest new-car market, there's still healthy demand for combustion-powered vehicles. GM has been pulling back somewhat from its previous bold EV goals. For example, it confirmed this year its Orion Assembly Plant in Michigan that was earmarked for EV production will now produce combustion-powered vehicles, while it will also introduce plug-in hybrids – technology it was previously planning to skip over. However, it's investing in new battery developments and plans to introduce a new, more affordable EV as a successor to its defunct Chevrolet Bolt, indicating it remains committed to EVs. It now offers multiple EVs across its Cadillac, Chevrolet and GMC brands, with electric Buicks also offered in China. Content originally sourced from:
