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GM's Great Chinese Reset: Cutting the Red and Eyeing the Green

Business is easy. Make more than you spend. And since GM can't control how much they make, they will control how much they "spend" in China.

General Motors is trimming its Chinese workforce and planning a major strategic overhaul with SAIC, aiming to regain profitability in the world's largest car market. As sales continue to plummet, GM is shifting focus toward upscale models and electric vehicles.

• Q2 loss in China: $104 million

• SAIC-GM-Wuling sees better prospects with affordable EVs like the Hongguang Mini EV

Holman's Strategic Play: FM Capital Investment

Holman has acquired a minority stake in FM Capital, marking the first time an integrated automotive services company has taken a general partner interest in an automotive VC. The partnership aims to accelerate the identification and scaling of transformative automotive technologies.

• Focus: Early to mid-stage companies in automotive tech

• Holman's venture capital arm leverages strategic investments for growth

Want to hear more about this? Check out this time-stamped segment from The Automotive Troublemaker on YouTube to hear Paul and Kyle talk about the partnership.

Toyota's Hybrid Bet: Slow and Steady Wins the Race

Toyota is doubling down on hybrids, potentially moving to an all-hybrid lineup as EV demand slows. This strategy could position Toyota to avoid regulatory fines while extending the life of its gasoline-electric hybrids.

• RAV4 Hybrid-only by 2026

• U.S. hybrid sales surged 66% through June 2024

Waymo's Midnight Honk-Fest: A San Francisco Wake-Up Call

Residents of a San Francisco neighborhood are losing sleep because Waymo's self-driving taxis honk at each other while idling. An anti-collision feature's unintended consequence has led to noisy nights, prompting Waymo to update its software.

• Peak honking time: 4 a.m.

• Waymo promises quieter nights with updated software.

Weird right? Not as weird as an endless live stream showing these cars while playing chill music.

BMW's Pay-to-Play Suspension: A Bumpy Ride

Although already installed, BMW's M Adaptive Suspension is locked behind a paywall. Customers can unlock this feature via a subscription or a one-time payment, sparking debates on the growing trend of automakers charging for pre-installed features.

• One-time fee: $500

• Subscription option: $30/month in Europe