editor's picks
Features
VW's China partners start to cooperate
Volkswagen has finally gotten its two partners in China to cooperate on something -- sort of. »
Mercedes plans more parts sharingMercedes-Benz models will share more components as parent Daimler looks for ways to boost efficiency and lower costs. “It makes sense to get commonality as high as possible,” said Thomas Weber, Daimler's board member for research and development. [SUB] May 12 06:01 CET |
How dealers changed since 2002
Paul Williams wanted to believe block exemption would work. As the head of Bristol Street Motors, one of the largest dealer groups in central England, Williams believed that the new auto retailing rules would allow the kind of cross-border opportunities that would lead to higher sales and more revenue. He was wrong. [SUB] May 12 06:01 CET
Bosch races to meet surging demand for gasoline direct injection enginesRobert Bosch automotive CEO Bernd Bohr is not fully satisfied with his division's 2007 results. Pre-tax profit jumped 54 percent to €1.7 billion and the division's return on sales increased to 5.8 percent from 4 percent. But Bohr wants a profit margin of between 7 percent and 8 percent. [SUB] May 12 06:01 CET |
Valeo CEO: Russian industry needs usValeo CEO Thierry Morin has been overhauling the French supplier since he took over in 2001. He is in the middle of selling operations with combined sales of €2 billion. Since 2003, he has opened 25 new factories, closed 47, increased product quality and started a push to buy more from low-cost countries. [SUB] May 12 06:01 CET |
Seat boss: New Ibiza matches Toyota qualityHelped by production technology from Volkswagen group sister brand Audi, Seat says it has greatly improved the new Ibiza. “The Ibiza's quality now matches that of Toyota,” said Seat President Erich Schmidt. The Ibiza is the first small model to use VW group's PQ25 architecture, which later will underpin the VW Polo. [SUB] May 12 06:01 CET |
Suppliers demand better terms
CLEPA, the European suppliers association, wants a fundamental change in the way its members do business with automakers. “Contract terms have become a very major problem for suppliers,” CLEPA CEO Lars Holmqvist told Automotive News Europe. “Contract negotiations are very unbalanced and extremely difficult. [SUB] April 28 07:38 CET
Fiat leads race for Serb plant
Fiat is the front-runner to take over Serbia's Zavodi Crvena Zastava car manufacturing plant, sources familiar with the bidding process say. Fiat confirmed that it is in talks with the Serbian government about the plant, but didn't provide details. “It's a business we're interested in,” Fiat group CEO Sergio Marchionne said last Thursday. “Our people are there today scouting the plant.” [SUB] April 28 07:35 CET
Bright ideas for new-car interiorsSince Volkswagen popularized cool-blue illumination by using it in instrument gauges in the fourth-generation Golf in 1997, interior lighting has become more important as a brand identifier. Today's new lighting solutions promise to revolutionize cars' interior ambience at night. [SUB] April 28 06:01 CET |
2008 Guide to China's Auto MarketIn the West, higher fuel prices are prompting drivers to log fewer miles and embrace smaller, energy-efficient vehicles. Not so in China, where wealth generated by the booming national economy has more than offset rising fuel prices. 12:01 am U.S. ET | April 14 |
Fiat plans hybrid cars, vansFiat group is developing gasoline and diesel hybrid-drive systems for small cars and vans that could be production-ready by 2011. The hybrid powertrains will be able to propel a vehicle for short distances using only electric power. This will help reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions during stop-start city driving. [SUB] April 14 06:01 CET |
East poised for big gains in engine productionAs car production moves east, engine building is going with it. By 2014, 8.9 million engines will be produced in eastern Europe including Russia and Turkey, up from a forecast 7.1 million this year, according to consultants CSM Worldwide. [SUB] April 14 06:01 CET |
China show highlights clean carsEuropean, US and Chinese automakers will show off fuel-saving powertrains and cars designed for China at the Beijing auto show April 20-28. Mercedes-Benz and Audi also will give world debuts to their new medium-sized premium SUVs. Audi will unveil its Q5 SUV in Beijing because it sees China as a key growth market. [SUB] April 14 06:01 CET |
Bentley goal: Slash CO2 more than two-thirdsBentley surprised the automotive world at last month's Geneva auto show when CEO Franz-Josef Paefgen announced that by 2012, the entire Bentley model range will be capable of delivering carbon dioxide emissions of less than 120 grams per kilometer. Under Bentley's plan, the major part of its CO2 savings would be made by switching to renewable fuels. [SUB] April 14 06:01 CET |
Tata changes low-cost developmentThe Tata Nano is not even on sale yet, but the $2,500 (1,700 euros) Indian car is already changing the rules on how to develop low-cost vehicles. Ahead of the unveiling, scoffers had predicted a car with no doors or a glorified pedicab. The substantial actual vehicle has global automakers changing their approach to developing low-cost vehicles, suppliers and consultants say. [SUB] April 14 06:01 CET |
Honda's Fukui cautious on lithium ionFrom Detroit to Tokyo, automakers are banking on lithium ion batteries to power the next generation of hybrid and electric vehicles, starting as early as next year. But Honda President Takeo Fukui says the technology is still too unreliable to warrant mass production. [SUB] April 14 06:01 CET |
2008 Market Data: North America Production |
Now the hard work beginsThere will not be much time for Tata Chairman Ratan Tata to enjoy his company's purchase of Jaguar and Land Rover. Once the $2.3 billion (about €1.5 billion) deal is finalized, likely in June, Tata will inherit all of the challenges that former owner Ford Motor faced. [SUB] March 31 06:01 CET |
Neumann leads Conti powertrain division
Continental Chief Technical Officer Karl-Thomas Neumann has taken over the company's loss-making powertrain division from Dieter Rogge, 60, who has retired. Neumann aims to turn around the division, which last year lost €73.5 million. [SUB] March 31 06:01 CET
EU aims for year-end CO2 decision
European countries want negotiations on a tough new CO2 emissions regime for Europe's new-car fleet to be completed by year-end. Heads of state from the 27 European Union countries agreed during a mid-March summit to finalize the new emissions regime during France's six-month European Union presidency, which begins July 1. [SUB] March 31 06:01 CET
Faurecia move could set trend for N. Africa
North Africa could become increasingly important as a low-cost production base for European suppliers. Faurecia CEO Yann Delabriere said on March 18 his company plans to invest €10 million in a second plant in the region to supply European carmakers. France's supplier association expects other partsmakers could follow. [SUB] March 31 06:01 CET
India's Storm set for UK launch
Indian automaker San's two-seat Storm convertible car could go on sale across Europe after its UK launch at the British auto show in London in July. San's UK distributor, Dream Machines, says it will appoint 10 UK dealers this year, growing to 50 by 2013. [SUB] March 31 06:01 CET
Toyota plans a green dealer networkToyota Europe wants its 3,000 dealerships to become greener. Starting next year, Toyota will ask all its dealers to conduct an environmental opportunities audit of their premises, and follow with a plan to improve environmental performance. The audit is expected to be completed by 2012. [SUB] March 31 06:01 CET |
De Meo's fix for Alfa: Go fasterAfter three months on the job, Alfa Romeo CEO Luca De Meo is clear on how to reposition the Fiat group's sporty brand: Go back to its heritage. “Alfa means great cars with very essential design -- smaller than competitors but more powerful. Cars that you drive like hell,” De Meo told Automotive News Europe earlier this month at the Geneva motor show. [SUB] March 31 06:01 CET |
CO2 rules put extra pressure on purchasingThe race to reduce CO2 emissions is putting pressure on purchasing departments at suppliers and automakers. “On CO2, I think the biggest challenge is really making it affordable,” said Bo Andersson, General Motors vice president for global purchasing. [SUB] March 31 06:01 CET |
Purchasing execs to suppliers: Costs must fallAutomaker purchasing bosses are concerned about the health of their suppliers, but they refuse to take blame for the financial problems many partsmakers have faced. That is one of the opinions five top executives shared with Automotive News Europe. The five executives -- Ford of Europe's Birgit Behrendt, Renault's Odile Desforges, Fiat group's Gianni Coda, Mercedes-Benz's Frank W. [SUB] March 17 06:01 CET |
Shift starts to smaller carsCO2 taxes are convincing car buyers across Europe to shift from mid-size and larger vehicles to smaller models with lower emission levels. Industry experts predict the shift will accelerate over the coming years, as most EU member states enact emission-oriented tax regimes to fight climate change. [SUB] March 17 06:01 CET |
Faurecia plans 2 new plants in Russia by 2010
Faurecia plans to open two new plants in Russia by 2010. The factories will help meet growing demand from auto manufacturers ramping up production in the Moscow and St. Petersburg areas. “Russia is one of our most important target markets,” Faurecia's executive vice president for group strategy, Bruno Montmerle, told Automotive News Europe. [SUB] March 17 06:01 CET
Fast Fiat races toward dealer target
Fiat is ahead of schedule with efforts to improve its European dealer network. “We planned to have 4,600 dealer contracts this year, said Pietro Gorlier, Fiat Group Automobile's head of network development. “But we almost got there last year, when the count reached 4,580.” [SUB] March 17 06:01 CET
VW CEO looks to US, Russia to growMartin Winterkorn is focused on Volkswagen group's ambitious growth targets. In an interview during the Geneva auto show earlier this month, the VW group CEO explained how he plans to catch up with Toyota, restore VW's position in the US and gain a sizeable piece of the booming Russian market. [SUB] March 17 06:01 CET |
Fleets first for Toyota plug-in hybridToyota will offer its first lithium ion-powered cars to business users in Europe. “We will deliver plug-in hybrid vehicles powered by lithium ion batteries to fleet customers in Europe by 2010,” Toyota Motor President Katsuaki Watanabe said at the Geneva auto show. [SUB] March 17 06:01 CET |
Momentum builds for low-CO2 carsFord's low-CO2 Fiesta will help boost availability of fuel-efficient technologies in mass-market cars. At the Geneva auto show, Ford will disclose details of a version of its new Fiesta small car that will have CO2 emissions of less than 100 grams per kilometer. Volkswagen group already offers two small-segment cars with CO2 below 100g/km: the Polo BlueMotion and Seat Ibiza Ecomotive. [SUB] March 3 06:01 CET |
OEMs say help is on the wayDistressed suppliers in Europe and North America may finally be getting some help from their largest customers. Automakers have had to take swift steps to prevent their assembly lines from stalling. [SUB] March 3 06:01 CET |
Geneva: Green and getting greenerThe Geneva show halls will be awash with cars of every color this year. But only one shade really matters: Green. Pressured by EU legislators to cut CO2 emissions and by consumers worried about climate change, automakers need to show they mean business when they talk about reducing the automobile's effect on the environment. [SUB] March 3 06:01 CET |
Mercedes steps up fuel-saving driveMercedes-Benz will offer cars with its new BlueEfficiency fuel-saving technologies throughout its range. At this week's Geneva auto show, Mercedes will debut three C-class sedans that will be sold under the BlueEfficiency label. Mercedes plans to introduce 20 BlueEfficiency cars within 12 months, Thomas Weber, Daimler's head of r & d, said in an interview. [SUB] March 3 06:01 CET |
Volvo counts on crossovers to help return to profitabilitySwedish automaker Volvo set a sales record of 458,300 units last year but failed to make a profit because of the weak dollar. In 2002, the exchange rate was 87 US cents to the euro. Late last month it was more than $1.50. This is a problem because the automaker builds all its cars in Europe but sells about 30 percent of them in the US. [SUB] March 3 06:01 CET |
AvtoVAZ aims to make Togliatti No. 1AvtoVAZ intends to use its alliance with Renault and Nissan to turn its massive Togliatti complex into the world's largest car assembly plant. “We plan to expand capacity to 1 million or 1.5 million units,” AvtoVAZ CEO Boris Aleshin told Automotive News Europe here last month. [SUB] March 3 06:01 CET |
High demand seen for new JaguarJaguar has taken 10,000 customer deposits globally for the upcoming XF sedan, including more than 3,000 in the UK and about 3,000 in the US. That's a promising start. Jaguar executives say they released the figures to show the effect of the XF even without advertising or cars available to test drive. [SUB] March 3 06:01 CET |
2008 Market Data: North America Sales |
For Asians, Russia is No. 1Russia's booming demand for foreign cars has made the country the biggest European market for most Asian automakers. In 2007, Russia became the No.1 European market for six Asian brands including Toyota, Nissan and Kia. [SUB] Feb. 18 06:01 CET |
Car of the Year gets power boostFiat will give 35 percent more power to Europe's reigning Car of the Year. The Abarth version of the 500 minicar will have a 135hp turbocharged 1.4-liter gasoline engine when it goes on sale in July. [SUB] Feb. 18 06:01 CET |
Second Life used for a first lookAutomakers are seeking a Second Life in virtual digital worlds to get closer to tomorrow's car buyers. Italian automaker Lancia is the latest to establish a presence in Second Life, a virtual universe where users are represented by digital people that can fly around in a pixelated world. [SUB] Feb. 18 06:01 CET |
Pelata: Renault-Nissan will raise C-platform outputNine years ago, Renault acquired a controlling stake in Japan's Nissan with an eye toward the potentially huge savings, and profits, that could be generated by joint manufacturing and purchasing. The bet has paid off for both. [SUB] Feb. 18 06:01 CET |
Europe's luxury brands discover IndiaThe Indian luxury car market has been slow to develop, but suddenly European and US premium brands are scrambling to meet demand here. [SUB] Feb. 18 06:01 CET |
BYD will show F3R in GenevaChina's BYD Auto will show a hatchback variant of its F3 sedan at next month's Geneva auto show. The lower-medium F3R could be sold in Europe. BYD aims to begin sales in the region within 12 months, a source said. [SUB] Feb. 18 06:01 CET |
Dealers fear new car-sales rules will favor automakers
Dealers fear automakers will soon have more power over their businesses. In May, the European Commission will reveal its updated plans for regulating new-car sales and repairs in the EU's 25 countries. The new rules are set to take effect after the current block exemption ends in 2010. [SUB] Feb. 18 06:01 CET
Helping suppliers costs Daimler €82m
Daimler could help troubled suppliers again this year, Chief Financial Officer Bodo Uebber said. Financial support to partsmakers cost Daimler €82 million last year, according to its 2007 annual results. [SUB] Feb. 18 06:01 CET
Suppliers to the Jaguar XFDelphi supplies the new Jaguar XF's adaptive cruise control, which uses scene interpretation techniques developed from military research programs. The US partsmaker says the system's narrow-beam radar provides improved target recognition compared with fixed-sensor systems from rivals. [SUB] Feb. 4 06:01 CET |
Fiat: €1.5b more in cheap partsFiat group wants to buy €1.5 billion more from low-cost countries by 2010, said Gianni Coda, the head of Fiat's newly created group purchasing division. Coda, who started his new job January 1, said the Italian conglomerate wants to raise the value of goods bought in low-cost countries for its European production to 11 percent of its annual goods purchasing budget from 8 percent last year. [SUB] Feb. 4 06:01 CET |
Want to be a UK Ford dealer? Now is your chanceFord wants to strengthen its UK dealer network to capitalize on a coming product offensive and to reach more private customers. It is advertising in trade publications and holding special events to recruit new entrepreneurs and to encourage non-Ford dealers to add the US brand to their portfolios. [SUB] Feb. 4 06:01 CET |
Sales surge for Europeans in BrazilThere's far more to Brazil than carnivals, beaches and soccer players. The world's fifth largest country has a booming automotive industry with European manufacturers leading the way. [SUB] Feb. 4 06:01 CET |
Porsche CEO Wiedeking on VW: 'We care about our investment'Wendelin Wiedeking says he will push ahead in transforming Europe's biggest carmaker into a leaner, meaner rival to Toyota. Wiedeking said Porsche's acquisition of a 31 percent stake in Volkswagen group has been a good investment. [SUB] Feb. 4 06:01 CET |
The loud debate over quiet tiresThe European Commission wants car tires to be quieter to protect citizens from stress-related illness caused by unhealthy noise levels. Automakers and tire makers oppose the Commission's proposals. They say quieter tires might be less capable of stopping quickly, which would unnecessarily endanger lives. [SUB] Feb. 4 06:01 CET |
Ford funds keep flowing to Jag, Land RoverJaguar and Land Rover are up for sale, but Ford Motor continues to fund product development programs for its two British luxury brands. [SUB] Feb. 4 06:01 CET |
Jaguar-Land Rover ready for new ownerJaguar and Land Rover are in good shape ahead of their expected sale by parent Ford Motor, said Geoff Polites, CEO of the two automakers. In an interview at the auto show here, Polites declined to comment on Ford's discussions with Tata Motors about the sale, which is expected to be announced during the first quarter. But he indicated the management team looks forward to working with a new owner. [SUB] Jan. 21 06:01 CET |
Renault expects Russia sales boost from SUVRenault thinks its Koleos medium SUV will reach Russia at just the right time. Renault spokeswoman Raphaelle Gomez said the automaker expects strong sales in Russia for the Koleos because foreign brands are popular in Russia and because demand for SUVs is “growing significantly.” [SUB] Jan. 21 06:01 CET |
FSO leads Poland's turnaroundIn that sense, FSO is a metaphor for the entire Polish auto industry: What was once withered is reviving and on the cusp of rapid growth. [SUB] Jan. 21 06:01 CET |
Audi expands dealer-training effortAudi will expand a program to improve customer service in its dealers throughout Europe in the next 12 months. There are currently 180 Audi dealerships in Germany taking part in the program, which began in November 2006. By the end of 2009, 400 dealers in Germany will have taken part. Another 475 Audi dealers will participate throughout Europe and Russia by 2010. [SUB] Jan. 21 06:01 CET |
Ford of Europe exec praises partsmakersNew products and better relations with suppliers are helping Ford of Europe's continued recovery, says Birgit Behrendt, head of the automaker's European purchasing. Behrendt, who is the 2007 Automotive News Europe Woman of the Year, said in an interview that the success of the S-Max, Galaxy and Mondeo is underpinning Ford of Europe's growth. [SUB] Jan. 21 06:01 CET |
A tale of two crossoversBMW is confident its X6 crossover will be a success -- especially in North America. Meanwhile rival Mercedes-Benz is reconsidering the look of its R-class crossover after two years of slow sales mostly in North America. [SUB] Jan. 21 06:01 CET |
Mann + Hummel nears E2 billion sales markMann + Hummel CEO Dieter Seipler has an ambitious goal: boost sales to €2 billion this year from about €1.75 billion in 2007. He says the filter specialists made a big leap toward the target last year, and he expects a sales increase of 10 percent or more in 2008. [SUB] Jan. 21 06:01 CET |
Chevrolet to the rescue
General Motors Europe could build Chevrolet cars in Germany and Sweden to meet booming European demand for the brand. GM's underused factories in Rüsselsheim, Germany, and Trollhättan, Sweden, could begin production of Chevrolet cars within two years, high-level GM sources told Automotive News Europe. [SUB] Jan. 21 06:01 CET
Lancia could build Musa successor
Fiat group could launch a new Lancia Musa in 2011. The entry-premium car, which is derived from the Fiat Idea small minivan, was introduced in 2004 as a stopgap to give Fiat's flagging near-premium brand a new product. [SUB] Jan. 21 06:01 CET
Commission wants to keep CO2 plans
The European Commission plans to stick to its plan to limit average CO2 emissions from new cars to 120 grams per kilometer by 2012. [SUB] Jan. 21 06:01 CET
Guide to Industry Executives
Need to know who's who in the executive suites at automakers in Europe? The answers are here in Automotive News Europe's annual Guide to Industry Executives. [SUB] Jan. 7 06:01 CET
SAIC will revive Longbridge assembly plantUnder its new, cash-rich Chinese owners, England's historic Longbridge assembly plant is likely to start building mass-market cars again. Volume production at the plant stopped in 2005 when former owner MG Rover collapsed. [SUB] Jan. 7 06:01 CET |
Renault faces a critical year
Renault predicts it will boost global sales more than 10 percent this year. But even such a quarter-million unit gain may not be enough to help CEO Carlos Ghosn hit his ambitious 2009 growth target. [SUB] Jan. 7 06:01 CET
'In Europe': One auto industry, many countries
The European auto industry is often seen as one. But Europe's auto industry consists of companies with strong national identities. With today's issue, Automotive News Europe starts a year-long series that takes an in-depth look at each individual country. [SUB] Jan. 7 06:01 CET
Tata moves closer to deal with Ford
Ford Motor confirmed last week that negotiations with Tata Motors on the sale of Jaguar and Land Rover have moved to "a more detailed level." The sale would provide Ford an estimated $2 billion (about €1.36 billion) and would allow it to focus on its core volume brand. [SUB] Jan. 7 06:01 CET
Suppliers say Chery export model delayed
Chery Automobile is delaying the first model it plans to export to Europe to make it more appealing to European buyers, said two suppliers to Chery. The problems mainly relate to the interior design, they said. "The design was for the domestic [Chinese] market," said one supplier. [SUB] Jan. 7 06:01 CET
Pick a badge, any badgeLast year's launch of nearly a dozen similar-sounding new ecolabels from Europe's automakers risks confusing consumers. But early movers have benefited from being first to market with their eco sub-brands. [SUB] Jan. 7 06:01 CET |
It's not easy being greenEvery automotive executive in Europe will face increased pressure to reduce CO2 emissions in 2008. Those who fail likely will face costly penalties, which will make profits even tougher to achieve. We outline the other challenges facing 10 of Europe's top auto bosses. [SUB] Jan. 7 06:01 CET |
Green cars share spotlight with gas guzzlers at US show
Next week's Detroit auto show will feature fuel-sipping hybrids, zero-emissions fuel cells and performance cars. Five Chinese companies also will unveil models that they hope to launch in the US. Green concepts that will make their debuts in the US include two fuel cell-powered models: a Cadillac crossover and the Chrysler ecoVoyager. [SUB] Jan. 7 06:01 CET
SPOTLIGHT ON TECHNOLOGY
Advances near goal of better engines
European automakers and suppliers are close to launching a series of new powertrain technologies. Although they are more evolutionary than revolutionary, the solutions are a step forward in the race to reduce emissions without robbing performance. [SUB] Jan. 7 06:01 CET
VW speeds search for N. American plantPressed by the negative effect of the weak dollar on its profits and US competitiveness, Volkswagen is accelerating the pace of its search for a second assembly plant in North America. [SUB] Dec. 10, 2007 06:01 CET |
Audi takes aim at Renault, PeugeotAudi is targeting volume brands with the launch of the its entry-premium convertible. The A3 cabriolet will challenge similar-sized cars from manufacturers such as Renault, Peugeot and Opel/Vauxhall, says Audi's sales and marketing chief Ralph Weyler. [SUB] Dec. 10, 2007 06:01 CET |
PSA: Suppliers can do morePSA/Peugeot-Citroen will select about 15 key strategic suppliers by the middle of 2008 as it strives to lower costs and improve development processes. In a telephone interview with Automotive News Europe, Jean Christophe Quemard, who takes over as head of purchasing at PSA January 1, said: “What I would like to do is set up a longer term strategic relationship with about 15 key suppliers.” [SUB] Dec. 10, 2007 06:01 CET |
Europeans boost plant efficiencyAcross Europe, most automakers are substantially boosting their manufacturing efficiency. The end result is likely to be higher earnings for the year. [SUB] Dec. 10, 2007 06:01 CET |
Seat will show the new Ibiza in Geneva
Seat will show a new version of its top-selling Ibiza lower-medium car at the Geneva auto show next March, dealers say. The Ibiza is the backbone of Seat. With sales of 117,963 in the first nine months of 2007, it accounts for about 40 percent of the Spanish brand's overall volume, according to market researcher JATO Dynamics. [SUB] Dec. 10, 2007 06:01 CET
USA, get out of the way
Europe is challenging the US for the title of world's largest auto market. The US once led Europe by a wide margin. But with sliding US demand and soaring sales in central and eastern Europe, the 2007 race is close. Whether it matters is subject to debate. [SUB] Dec. 10, 2007 06:01 CET
GM will build high-volume Opel models in Russia
General Motors Europe will build high-volume Opels in Russia to help meet booming demand for Western cars in the country, GM Europe President Carl-Peter Forster said. Led by Opel and Chevrolet, Forster said GM expects to sell 1 million cars in Russia and former Soviet Union republics such as Ukraine by early next decade. [SUB] Dec. 10, 2007 06:01 CET
Russian suppliers get Western educationGeneral Motors and Ford Motor are taking a hands-on approach to address a shortage of qualified suppliers in Russia. Only 5 percent of the country's 300 Tier 1 partsmakers meet Western quality standards, according to the Russian industry ministry. To fix this problem, GM and Ford arrange on-site training at Russian suppliers to help them make better components. [SUB] Nov. 26, 2007 06:01 CET |
VW's 10-million-unit planVolkswagen group is planning a major change in the way it will engineer cars in the future. The move is part of a plan to cut development costs, double its global sales and eventually catch Toyota. The German carmaker is developing four new architectures that it will make available to all VW group brands. [SUB] Nov. 26, 2007 06:01 CET |
VW: A look under the coversWhen the trial of two former Volkswagen officials continues here today, it is sure to expose more details of the inner workings of Europe's largest carmaker during the 1990s. What makes the revelations interesting and relevant to the VW group of the 21st century is one man: Ferdinand Piëch. [SUB] Nov. 26, 2007 06:01 CET |
Streiff puts his own team in place
As he prepares to end his first year as head of PSA/Peugeot-Citroen, Christian Streiff can start preparing for 2008 with a top management team mostly of his own making. [SUB] Nov. 26, 2007 06:01 CET
Made in Europe: Chery's TiggoThe first Chinese cars assembled in Europe have rolled off a production line in Italy. DR Motor started production of a vehicle derived from Chery Automobile's Tiggo 3 medium SUV in a new €11.8 million factory in Macchia d'Isernia, near Naples. The plant has a 12,000-unit annual capacity. [SUB] Nov. 26, 2007 06:01 CET |
New look planned for VW New Beetle
Volkswagen will give its New Beetle a fresh look when it replaces the current model. VW's development chief Ulrich Hackenberg said the iconic car would get a new design, but he did not disclose details. [SUB] Nov. 26, 2007 06:01 CET
Land Rover chief positive about sale
Land Rover Managing Director Phil Popham sees a bright future for the SUV maker regardless of its next owner. “There's an expectation that if we are bought, we are going to be bought by someone who's willing and able to invest in the business,” he told Automotive News Europe. [SUB] Nov. 26, 2007 06:01 CET
GM's platform for growthThe replacement for General Motors' Delta vehicle architecture will cover a wide range of global models including low-cost cars in South America and medium-sized cars for Opel in Europe. Up to five different body styles are planned for the compact, front-drive architecture, which will debut in Europe and the US as early as 2009. [SUB] Nov. 26, 2007 06:01 CET |
West slows, center grows, East budsAssembly plant capacity is shifting further east to follow booming sales in central and eastern Europe. Automakers are maintaining or reducing car production capacity in western Europe's stagnating markets but are expanding plants further east to feed a car-buying boom in central and eastern Europe. [SUB] Nov. 12, 2007 06:01 CET |
