the Paris Auto Show opened with President Macron defending European carmaking as Stellantis unveiled a sub-€15,000 electric Citroën 2CV, while China’s BYD said it may build a plant in France and the EU capped Chinese hybrid imports at 350,000 a year even as China’s car exports surged 64%. GM is racing toward “eyes-off” autonomous Super Cruise by 2028, Avolon ordered 250 Boeing and Airbus jets, France and Germany insisted their MGCS battle tank program is alive despite the FCAS fighter jet collapse, Saudi Arabia probed an air-defense failure after Houthi missile strikes on Riyadh airport, and two Indian sailors went missing after drone strikes on tankers near the Strait of Hormuz.
Top Stories — October 12, 2026
- Stellantis (cars/electric): Unveiled an electric Citroën 2CV, priced under €15,000, as the star of its largest-ever Paris Auto Show stand with eight brands, nine concept cars and 60 new models; CEO Antonio Filosa championed “made in Europe.”
- BYD (electric cars): Said France is on the shortlist for a second and third European factory, pledging to “invest massively” in Europe after opening its Hungary plant.
- China automakers / EU trade (hybrid & electric cars): China exported ~919,000 passenger cars in September, up 64% year-on-year, while the EU set a 350,000-a-year cap on Chinese hybrid vehicle imports starting as early as December.
- Volkswagen: Was fined €1.2 million by German regulator BaFin over delayed disclosure of better-than-expected 2023 earnings forecasts; the group is already cutting ~100,000 jobs by 2030.
- General Motors (autonomous/electric): Is using immersive driving simulators at its Warren, Michigan tech center to develop “eyes-off” Super Cruise, targeted for launch on the Cadillac Escalade IQ electric SUV in 2028.
- Boeing & Airbus (airplanes): Leasing firm Avolon ordered 140 Boeing 737 MAX and 110 Airbus A320neo/A330neo jets, with options on 100 more Airbus aircraft, citing strong airline demand for fuel-efficient models.
- Saudia / Riyadh airport (airlines/missiles): Saudi Arabia opened an investigation into its air-defense failure after Houthi drones and maneuvering cruise/ballistic missiles struck King Khalid International Airport, killing a Saudia captain and two other Saudis and damaging three aircraft.
- Pakistan Air Force (training aircraft): A PAC MFI-17 Mushshak military trainer crashed in Balochistan on Monday, killing both pilots; a technical fault was blamed.
- France–Germany defense (tank/defense programs): Defence ministers Catherine Vautrin and Boris Pistorius insisted the MGCS next-generation battle tank program remains active, after France’s armed forces chief said Germany had decided to leave the project amid the FCAS fighter jet collapse.
- Russia–Ukraine (missiles/drones): Ukraine said its air defenses downed 89 of 121 Russian drones overnight as Zelenskyy accused Moscow of striking energy facilities despite Trump’s claimed “energy ceasefire”; Russia said it intercepted 151 Ukrainian drones and struck a bulk carrier near Odesa.
- Strait of Hormuz shipping (tankers): Two Indian sailors are missing after a drone struck tanker MT Petro Dolphin, and a second tanker, MT Valthera, was hit by an unknown projectile, as attacks on commercial shipping continued during the U.S.–Iran conflict.
- South Korea (container ship): Completed a trial Arctic voyage via the Northern Sea Route, cutting one-way Europe sailing time by 10 days versus the Suez route amid Middle East shipping disruption.
- Lebanon (truck/explosives): PM Nawaf Salam vowed a thorough investigation after security forces seized a truck carrying 780 kg of explosives, including TNT and C4, suspected of links to Hezbollah.
- SpaceX (space/telecom): Moved closer to launching a U.S. mobile network after buying low-band spectrum licenses from Grain Management in a deal reportedly worth ~$8 billion, rattling AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile shares.
- Turkey (truck/coach crash): Eleven people died and 27 were injured when a coach collided with a tow-truck and overturned on the Bursa–Izmir motorway; both drivers were detained.
- Thailand/Saab (fighter jet): Queen Suthida flew a Gripen fighter jet solo for the first time, becoming Thailand’s first female Gripen pilot, watched by King Maha Vajiralongkorn.
