the steel and aluminium tariffs cost detroit automakers general motors co and ford motor co 1 billion each and fiat chrysler automobiles nv said they could add up to 350 million in costs in 2019 by nick carey and david shepardson new york major automakers are bullish on the outlook for the us economy and auto sales but one big question remains will president donald trump throw a grenade into the sector by imposing sweeping tariffs of up to 25 percent on car and auto parts imports the industry is in waitandsee mode but the tariffs would be a bad idea bob carter head of us sales at toyota motor corp told reuters on wednesday advt if the tariff happened on the auto industry quite frankly thats pulling the pin out of the grenade he said at a conference on tuesday held in conjunction with the new york international auto show i dont believe the us economy can run out of the room fast enough if that happens carter said in an interview he was optimistic the trump administration would decide against tariffs yet uncomfortable given the presidents decision last year to impose tariffs on steel and aluminium imports trump ran for office in 2016 on a protectionist platform aimed at shoring up us manufacturing jobs he has said in the past he was considering tariffs on autos and auto parts of up to 25 percent in february the us commerce department sent recommendations to trump which auto industry officials expect to include at least some tariffs on fully assembled vehicles or on critical technologies and components related to electric automated connected and shared vehicles auto tariff war would hurt more than uschina fight imf chief economisteu to begin trade talks with us soon as tariff threats escalateitaly deputy pm calls for euus deal to cut automotive tariffs such tariffs would have a deeper impact on car prices and consumers than earlier metals tariffs that were imposed the steel and aluminium tariffs cost detroit automakers general motors co and ford motor co 1 billion each and fiat chrysler automobiles nv said they could add up to 350 million in costs in 2019 advt heavy lobbying trump is supposed to make a decision by midmay but some officials think the administration will find a way to delay final action using the threat as leverage to try to win concessions on autos in trade talks with japan and the european union joe eberhardt chief executive of jaguar land rover north america said a 25 percent tariff on all imported vehicles would cost the company billions if the tariffs were on parts it would also hit us automakers hard he noted we just hope that reason will prevail he said toyota and other automakers have been lobbying heavily to block any new tariffs on imported vehicles arguing the industrys global supply chain is so intertwined that tariffs would raise prices hurt sales and thus damage the economy impact on prices at