eastern europe & Russia
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| Toyota plans expansion at China plant >> |
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CEO: Hungary's Raba sees 2008 revenue of $371M
Hungarian vehicle parts maker Raba expects revenue to rise to 60 billion forints ($370.7 million) in 2008 from 58 billion in 2007, Chairman and CEO Istvan Pinter told a news conference. Raba's core profit, or earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA), is seen rising to 5 billion forints from 3.7 billion, Pinter said today. [REG] May 15 14:00 CET
Skoda to set new sales record in 2008Skoda is on track to sell 700,000 units this year, a new sales record for the automaker. [REG] May 14 16:01 CET |
Nissan eyes emerging markets as '09 outlook dims
Nissan Motor Co. is embarking on a new five-year business plan that focuses on electric vehicles, cost cutting and emerging markets such as China, Russia and Brazil. Key to the push will be an ultra-cheap, entry level car for India. Costing $2,500 wholesale, it will go head-to-head with the highly anticipated Nano, being developed by Tata Motors. [REG] 8:54 am U.S. ET | May 13
Fiat builds a second TychySlightly more than half a century ago Fiat signed an historic licensing agreement that permitted Zavodi Crvena Zastava -- or Red Flag Plant in English -- to begin automobile production in Serbia. Today, the Italian automaker is getting ready to return to Serbia, but with radically different ambitions. [SUB] May 12 06:01 CET |
Faurecia to expand Czech operationsFrench supplier Faurecia is expanding its operations in the Czech Republic to keep up with booming demand from European automakers in central Europe. Faurecia has announced plans to open a new exhaust system plant in early-2009 in the eastern Czech city of Karvina. [REG] May 7 14:40 CET |
Audi sales in April boosted by China, RussiaDouble-digit growth in demand from wealthy customers in China and Russia helped boost sales of Volkswagen's luxury brand Audi by 2.9 percent to 86,700 vehicles in April, the company said today. "The April figure is just a taste of the considerable sales growth that we expect will come in the second half," Audi CEO Rupert Stadler said in a statement. [REG] May 6 11:45 CET |
AvtoVAZ car sales grow 30% in AprilRussia's largest car maker, AvtoVAZ, in which Renault is acquiring a 25 percent stake, saw sales grow 30 percent year-on-year in April 2008 to 67,000 cars, the company said in a statement today. [REG] May 5 10:30 CET |
Dacia limits Logan pickup salesDacia will limit sales of its new Logan pickup to three key markets so it can build more units of the Logan MCV station wagon. [REG] May 5 12:17 CET |
Suppliers join carmakers' charge into RussiaAutomotive suppliers are joining carmakers in a rush to set up factories in Russia. European suppliers are leading the charge, but North American suppliers are looking to Russia for growth, too. [SUB] 12:01 am U.S. ET | May 5 |
EU clears 143m euros in Ford Romania aidBRUSSELS (Reuters) -- Ford Motor may use 143 million euros ($222.4 million) in Romanian state aid to help fund a plant to make vehicles and another to make engines, the European Commission said today. The aid was planned for investment in Craiova, an area in south-west Romania with high unemployment and a low standard of living, said the Commission, which allows state aid only under special circumstances. [REG] April 30 11:50 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
Three experts will expand Ford RomaniaFord Motor has chosen three top executives to lead the expansion of its new plant in Craiova, Romania. The executives from Spain, Ireland and the US will help boost the plant's car production to 300,000 units by 2012 from 18,860 last year. The plant's engine production is set to rise to 300,000 from 224,906 last year. [SUB] April 28 06:40 CET |
Hungary fights sales slumpThe Hungarian auto market is stuck in a slump -- despite dealers so eager to sell they are offering 10-year financing. In 2004, as 10 central European countries joined the EU, Hungary looked well positioned for growth. That year, 208,426 cars were sold in Hungary, making it No. 2 in the new EU behind much-larger Poland. But three years later, new-car sales fell to 171,621, down 5.7 percent from 2006. [SUB] April 28 06:01 CET |
Suzuki is a growth force inside maturing marketHungary's days of fast, easy automotive production growth are almost over. The early projects are maturing and the pace of new foreign investment is slowing. “It's steady now,” said Pal Negyesi, head of ceauto.co.hu, a Budapest-based central and eastern European automotive research company. “Hungary is not cheap anymore, and we are not as attractive as before.” [SUB] April 28 06:01 CET |



