Today’s automotive news roundup covers General Motors’ decision to sell its stake in a $3.5 billion battery plant, a heavily modified Chrysler Pacifica headed to Roadkill Nights, declining car sales in China, a new creative chief at McLaren, an upgraded McLaren P1 battery and a $10 million lawsuit involving Tesla.
GM Sells Stake in Samsung Battery Plant
General Motors has decided to sell its 49.99% stake in a joint battery plant in Indiana to partner Samsung, making Samsung the facility’s sole owner.
The $3.5 billion project was announced three years ago and remains under development. Despite being a joint project, GM will no longer hold a stake in the facility following the sale.
Stellantis Brings a Modified Pacifica to Roadkill Nights
Stellantis is bringing the VANkulture Pacifica to Roadkill Nights, giving the minivan an extensive visual and chassis-focused makeover.
The Pacifica features a VIS Racing bodykit, 20-inch Vossen wheels, fat track tires, big Rotora brakes and coilovers. It is finished in matte-metallic red to fit within the SRT family.
Despite the extensive modifications, the Pacifica receives no powertrain improvements. The only addition in that area is a Magnaflow exhaust.
China Car Sales Decline for 10th Straight Month
Car sales in China continued to decline in July, marking the 10th consecutive month of falling sales. Sales were approximately 21% lower than they were a year earlier.
At the same time, Chinese automakers continued to increase exports to other markets. Exports surged 88%, extending a trend that has continued through 2026 so far.
David Woodhouse Joins McLaren
Designer David Woodhouse has joined McLaren as its Chief Creative Officer. Woodhouse previously served at Lincoln and Nissan.
New McLaren P1 Battery Offers More Capacity
Owners of the McLaren P1 now have another battery option from V Engineering in England. The company has introduced a replacement battery pack specifically for McLaren’s hybrid halo hypercar of a decade ago.
The new battery is about 50 pounds lighter than the original unit while offering more than double its energy capacity. The development highlights how much EV technology has advanced.
Tesla Faces $10 Million Model Y Lawsuit
A Virginia woman is suing Tesla for $10 million after crashing a Model Y she was test driving into a nail salon.
The lawsuit alleges that the vehicle was set to “Insane Mode,” which allows it to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in as little as 3.3 seconds.
Those developments make up the latest automotive news bulletin for Tuesday, August 11, 2026, covering major developments across automakers, vehicle technology, sales and the performance-car industry.
