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The Volkswagen Group has created a U.S. purchasing group based in Chattanooga, Tenn., to meet a demanding local-content target for its U.S.-built sedans. 12:01 am U.S. ET | June 15

To reduce the cost of building vehicles in Alabama, Honda Motor Co. is taking over some of its suppliers' jobs there. Bringing the parts work inside its Lincoln, Ala. 12:01 am U.S. ET | June 15

General Motors thinks it has created a method to build small vehicles profitably in North America and calls it interbuildability. Competitors know the concept as standardization. 12:01 am U.S. ET | June 15

Exports, flexibility help BMW's U.S. plant avoid layoffs

Strong vehicle exports and manufacturing flexibility have allowed BMW's U.S. plant to weather the economic downturn without layoffs of permanent workers, the factory's chief says. 12:01 am U.S. ET | June 15

Auto supply chains are wary during bankruptcies

Transplant automakers remain vulnerable to supply chain interruptions caused by the General Motors and Chrysler LLC bankruptcies, and are keeping in close communications with their suppliers. 12:01 am U.S. ET | June 12

Toyota considers alternative use for Mississippi plant

Toyota's stalled Prius factory project in Tupelo, Miss., might not be a Prius factory when work on the plant finally resumes. The company is entertaining new ideas about other products it could build there, said Steve St. 10:21 am U.S. ET | June 10

Exports, flexibility help BMW's U.S. plant avoid layoffs

Strong vehicle exports and manufacturing flexibility have allowed BMW's U.S. plant to weather the economic downturn without layoffs or derailing a $750 million expansion, the factory's chief says. 3:18 pm U.S. ET | June 10

Ford factory budgets must improve standardization, Hinrichs says

Ford Motor Co. is so intent on standardizing factories and assembly plants worldwide that no money can be spent on plants unless the expenditure improves standardization, Ford manufacturing chief Joe Hinrichs said Tuesday evening. 4:21 pm U.S. ET | June 10

Mercedes uses downtime to train suppliers

Mercedes-Benz U.S. International Inc. is using vehicle production downtime at its Alabama assembly plant to train suppliers in the Mercedes production system, outgoing CEO Bill Taylor told the Automotive News Manufacturing Conference here yesterday. 9:38 am U.S. ET | June 10

GM says it's ready to tackle small cars

Desperate to eliminate red ink, General Motors thinks it has created a factory method to build small vehicles profitably in North America. GM calls the method “interbuildability.” 11:31 am U.S. ET | June 10

U.S. purchasing group to help VW hit 85% local content

To hit a demanding local-content target for its U.S.-built sedans, Volkswagen Group will create a new U.S. purchasing group based in Chattanooga, Tenn. 11:18 am U.S. ET | June 10

Honda moves more parts in-house in Alabama

To reduce the cost of building vehicles in Alabama, Honda Motor Co. is taking over some of its suppliers' jobs there. Bringing the parts work inside its Lincoln, Ala. 4:04 pm U.S. ET | June 9

Slump shows who's flexible, who's not

When fuel prices went through the roof a year ago, most automakers were caught dangerously out of position. They weren't building anything like the mix of fuel-efficient vehicles that customers suddenly craved. 12:01 am U.S. ET | June 1

Chrysler's Fiat makeover won't come cheap

Fiat's grand plan to convert Chrysler plants for production of Fiat-derived cars won't be easy, quick or cheap. Manufacturing experts put the cost of redoing a Chrysler LLC plant for Fiat models at $200 million to $500 million. 12:01 am U.S. ET | June 1