Headlines for Tuesday, December 11, 2012

AutoNews Now: Big appetite for apps

Carmakers tapping into upgradeable entertainment; fleet operators sue over Nissan NYC taxi; Porsche, Benz 'Best of the Best.' Read More »

Honda plans to tout subcompact car-based SUV concept

Honda plans to unveil a subcompact car-based SUV -- smaller than the CR-V crossover -- at the Detroit auto show in January. Given that Honda plans to build a Fit-based crossover from its Mexico plant in 2014, this concept likely will preview what that vehicle will resemble. Read More »

First Shift: Obama on 'right to work'

A battle in UAW's backyard; fix for Escape, Fusion; Chrysler workers seen in TV exposé reinstated; Maserati's Porsche fighter. Read More »

Coda lays off 50 employees amid sluggish sales of EV

Coda Automotive, the struggling producer of Chinese-made electric vehicles, has laid off about 50 employees. Read More »

Michigan governor signs 'right-to-work' bills

Republican Gov. Rick Snyder, without ceremony, signed two so-called right-to-work measures that would ban mandatory union dues in Michigan workplaces, making the Midwest state and union stronghold the 24th state to enact such legislation, and the second this year after Indiana. Read More »

Court OKs sale of U.S. government-backed A123 to Chinese firm

China's largest auto parts maker received court approval on Tuesday for its controversial purchase of A123 Systems Inc., a bankrupt maker of electric car batteries, but the judge said he was troubled that a U.S. rival might be working to kill the deal. Read More »

Fisker won't restart production until A123 sale clears

The short-term future of Fisker Automotive could hinge on the outcome of Chinese auto parts maker Wanxiang's controversial quest to acquire bankrupt U.S. battery maker A123 Systems. Read More »

JCI might still pursue A123 if Wanxiang bid is rejected

A Johnson Controls executive said his company would still be interested in the automotive assets of bankrupt A123 Systems should a winning auction bid by China's Wanxiang Group be nullified by the United States. Read More »

Daimler, Obama trumpet plan to build complete powertrains in 1 plant

Starting in 2015, Daimler AG says it will have the first North American plant to produce a fully integrated powertrain -- transmissions, axles and engines with turbochargers -- for commercial vehicles under one roof. Read More »

Boxster S, Mercedes-Benz GL win Autoweek honors

The Porsche Boxster S and the Mercedes-Benz GL have been chosen as Autoweek's Best of the Best Car and Truck of the year for 2013. Read More »

Tesla wins license to sell cars near Boston

Tesla Motors will soon be taking purchase reservations at a suburban Boston store after municipal officials approved a dealer license for the company. Read More »

Suppliers cut prices in 2012 by survey's smallest margin ever

As North America's vehicle production increases, suppliers are resisting automakers' demands for price cuts. A newly released survey of 130 suppliers by IRN Inc. found that automakers requested price cuts averaging 3.0 percent this year on existing contracts. Read More »

VW brand sales rise 11.5% in November

VW said global sales of its core brand rose 11.5 percent in November to 504,800 vehicles as the automaker increased deliveries in most major markets except western Europe. Read More »

Jaguar Land Rover considers $1.2 billion factory in Saudi Arabia

Jaguar Land Rover signed a letter of intent with Saudi Arabia's government to study the feasibility of setting up a factory to build its models locally. Read More »

Volvo agrees to technology transfer to Chinese parent Geely

Geely has signed a deal with Volvo to tap into technologies that the Swedish carmaker is planning to phase out over the next couple of years. Read More »

Suppliers just say no to this automaker most often

If a recent survey by IRN is any indication, suppliers are learning to just say no when their customers demand price cuts. And you might be surprised which automaker gets rejected by suppliers most often. Read More »

Suppliers to the 2013 SRT Viper

Engineers added 40 hp to boost the Viper's V-10 to 640 hp. Torque is up 7 percent to 600 pounds-feet. Chrysler plans a production run of about 2,000 cars a year. These supplier data are compiled by SupplierBusiness. Read More »

Opel plant closure deals setback to labor talks

Opel's decision to close its car plant in Bochum, Germany, has dealt a setback to restructuring talks with its German labor force, trade union IG Metall said. Read More »

Autoliv to build airbag component plant in U.S.

Swedish supplier Autoliv will spend $13 million to build a plant in Promontory, Utah, to produce gas propellant for airbags. The company also is spending $5 million to build production lines in its plant in Tremonton, Utah, which produces airbag initiators. Read More »

JTEKT expands hub bearing plant in South Carolina

JTEKT Corp. says it will spend $130 million to expand its Koyo ball bearing factory in Richland County, S.C. Read More »

Kobe expands aluminum forge in Kentucky

Kobe Aluminum Automotive Products is expanding its aluminum forge in Bowling Green, the governor's office announced. Read More »

Tenneco to supply diesel aftertreatment systems to Scania

Tenneco Inc. says it will supply diesel aftertreatment systems to Scania Group for use in heavy-duty trucks that must comply with Euro 6 regulations that will take effect next year. Tenneco will produce the systems at its factory in Edenkoben, Germany. Read More »

Autoliv to build airbag component plant in Utah

Autoliv Inc. will spend $13 million build a plant in Promontory, Utah, to produce gas propellant for airbags. The company also is spending $5 million to build production lines in its plant in Tremonton, Utah, which produces airbag initiators. Read More »

Tire repair kits gain ground, but consumers still like spares

Automakers would dearly love to shed the weight, cost and bulk of full-sized or mini spare tires, and it's starting to look like they've found a preferred alternative: tire repair kits. According to Edmunds. Read More »

Suppliers to the 2013 Tesla S

The Tesla S is built at the former New United Motor Manufacturing Inc. final-assembly plant in Fremont, Calif., which was a joint venture between General Motors and Toyota Motor Corp. Tesla began production of the sedan there in late June. Read More »

Supplier personnel

Personnel changes for Nexteer Automotive, BASF and Schaeffler Group. Read More »

Superchargers expand -- slowly -- beyond high-performance niche

The supercharger -- traditionally consigned to a niche of high-performance cars -- is getting a second look as a fuel saver. Eaton Corp. Read More »

Production will flatten in first quarter -- but don't panic

North American production is expected to decline 1.4 percent from 2012 levels to 3.9 million light vehicles in the first three months of 2013, but that's not a sign the economic recovery is endangered. Read More »