executiveaneMarchionne apologizes for 'wop engine' commentMay 21, 2013 17:44 CET  Fiat-Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne has issued a written apology to an Italian-American anti-bias organization for saying that an Alfa Romeo needed a "wop" engine.... Read More »
LUCA CIFERRI U.S. and Brazil bright spots for Fiat-Chrysler as Europe declines 12:01 am U.S. ET | May 21, 2013  Global April sales for Fiat-Chrysler show how much the Americas, especially the U.S. and Brazil, are supporting the automaker as deliveries in Europe fall.... Read More »
LUCA CIFERRI U.S. and Brazil bright spots for Fiat-Chrysler as Europe declines 12:01 am U.S. ET | May 21, 2013  Global April sales for Fiat-Chrysler show how much the Americas, especially the U.S. and Brazil, are supporting the automaker as deliveries in Europe fall.... Read More »
Ford to maintain Canadian factory footprint despite high labor costs 12:49 pm U.S. ET | May 21, 2013  Ford is confident it can preserve its manufacturing profile in Canada despite uncompetitive operating costs tied to the high Canadian dollar, the company's top executive in the country said today.... Read More »
Schaeffler confirms 2013 outlook, net debtMay 21, 2013 11:14 CET German supplier Schaeffler has confirmed its annual forecast for revenue growth of about four percent and an operating profit margin of approximately 13 percent, despite a drop in first-quarter revenue of 3.6 percent to 2.8 billion euros ($3.6 billion).... Read More »
TALK FROM THE TOP: LUDWIG WILLISCH, CEO, BMW OF NORTH AMERICA BMW counts on new models to keep luxury sales crown 12:01 am U.S. ET | May 20, 2013  Mercedes-Benz led the U.S. luxury-brand sales race through April of 2013, but BMW of North America CEO Ludwig Willisch expects BMW to repeat as No. 1 for the year. Willisch says help is on the way in the form of three models debuting this fall: the 3-series GT crossover, 4-series coupe and a redesigned X5 crossover.... Read More »
TALK FROM THE TOP: JIM LENTZ, CEO, NORTH AMERICA REGION, TOYOTA MOTOR CORP. Toyota streamlines decision-making for North America 12:01 am U.S. ET | May 20, 2013  Toyota President Akio Toyoda restructured the company's management this year to give more authority and autonomy to local regions. Nowhere was this more evident than in North America, where Jim Lentz, CEO of Toyota Motor Sales, was placed in charge of all Toyota sales and manufacturing for the region.... Read More »
Chrysler quality chief: Little difference now with Toyota 12:01 am U.S. ET | May 20, 2013 The quality gap between Chrysler Group's vehicles and those of Japanese automakers has become so small that it no longer should matter to consumers, Chrysler's quality chief says.... Read More »
Infiniti: Raise quality, sales will follow 12:01 am U.S. ET | May 20, 2013  Infiniti President Johan de Nysschen, poached last summer from Audi, aims to push into new segments, restore profitability to Nissan's luxury marque and fix lackluster quality rankings. Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn has ordered de Nysschen to make the brand a top-tier premium player and boost global sales to 500,000 by 2016 from just 170,000 last year.... Read More »
TALK FROM THE TOP: JOE HINRICHS, PRESIDENT OF THE AMERICAS, FORD MOTOR CO. Hinrichs: Quality is 'of the highest priority' at Ford 12:01 am U.S. ET | May 20, 2013  After three frenetic years overseeing Ford's ambitious Asia Pacific expansion plans, including the construction of nine plants, Joe Hinrichs returned to the Dearborn, Mich., world headquarters in December to take over as president of the company's most profitable region: the Americas. Hinrichs found Ford's North American operations in the midst of a major growth spurt.... Read More »
BMW counts on new models to keep U.S. luxury leadMay 20, 2013 06:01 CET  Mercedes-Benz led the U.S. premium-brand sales race through April of 2013, but BMW of North America CEO Ludwig Willisch expects BMW to repeat as No. 1 for the year. Willisch says help is on the way in the form of three models debuting later this year: the 3-series GT crossover, 4-series coupe and a redesigned X5 crossover.... Read More »
NEEDED: 'THICK SKIN' GM designer knows crucial launches produce a love-hate response 12:01 am U.S. ET | May 20, 2013  Chevrolet designer Tom Peters describes the blocky, chiseled front end of the 2014 Silverado pickup as a "fist in the wind." The metaphor also could describe the resolve Peters needs to weather his critics as the lead designer for two of the most closely scrutinized vehicles on the planet: the Silverado and Corvette.... Read More »
Tesla Motors may repay U.S. loan by Wednesday, Musk says 10:41 pm U.S. ET | May 20, 2013  Tesla Motors may repay its federal Department of Energy loan as early as Wednesday, CEO Elon Musk said in a message on Twitter on Monday.... Read More »
Experian names John Gray head of auto unit 2:57 pm U.S. ET | May 20, 2013  Experian has named John Gray president of its automotive business unit, effective immediately, with responsibility for the strategic direction, leadership and overall growth of the business.... Read More »
TALK FROM THE TOP: MARK REUSS, NORTH AMERICAN PRESIDENT, GENERAL MOTORS GM seeks clean launch, regular updates for pickups 12:01 am U.S. ET | May 20, 2013  Mark Reuss, president of General Motors North America, says GM is staying vigilant on the June launch of the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra full-sized pickups, its most important rollout since the company's 2009 bankruptcy. He says GM is closely monitoring suppliers to avoid bottlenecks that could delay the launch or hurt quality.... Read More »
Mini's culture is as quirky as its cars 12:01 am U.S. ET | May 20, 2013  Mini is owned by BMW, but there's a broad gulf between the prestigious luxury marque and the funky small-car brand.... Read More »
Continental names veteran exec Cramer as China headMay 20, 2013 11:38 CET  German supplier Continental has named veteran executive Ralf Cramer to head its operations in China, which it sees as the main driver of its growing business in Asia. The company says it gets around 18 percent of its sales from Asia and wants to increase this proportion to more than 30 percent.... Read More »
CFO says GM streamlining is 'on its way' 12:01 am U.S. ET | May 20, 2013  As a banking adviser to General Motors when he was at Morgan Stanley, Dan Ammann got an upfront view of GM's spiral into bankruptcy in 2009 and subsequent restructuring. Now, more than two years into his job as CFO, Ammann acknowledges that he had only a faint idea at the time of how complex GM is.... Read More »
Obituaries 12:01 am U.S. ET | May 20, 2013 Information about James Lawrence, former publisher at NADA Used Car Guide, and A.B. Shuman, a product spokesman for Mercedes-Benz of North America Inc.... Read More »
2 SCREENS BETTER THAN 1 Auto marketers want TV viewers to reach for another device 12:01 am U.S. ET | May 20, 2013  TV promotions still reach the biggest audiences, but auto marketers say the greatest untapped potential lies with consumers poised to use other devices to respond quickly to what they see on screen.... Read More »
GM's Cruze diesel ghostbuster 12:01 am U.S. ET | May 20, 2013  No one on Mike Siegrist's engineering team talks about the failed Oldsmobile diesel V-8 from the 1980s. But it's there, a 745-pound cast-iron ghost. Siegrist leads the 50-member engineering team that is equipping the first GM car in North America with a diesel since 1986.... Read More »
Infiniti to add new halo car, more crossovers 12:01 am U.S. ET | May 20, 2013 Nissan Motor Co.'s Infiniti marque plans to add a halo nameplate above its Q70 flagship sedan and expand its crossover offerings, President Johan de Nysschen said.... Read More »
Kogai takes reins of Mazda's comeback 12:01 am U.S. ET | May 20, 2013  Mazda Motor Corp.'s CEO designate, Masamichi Kogai, had a big hand in creating the more stable, profitable carmaker he inherits. But formidable challenges lie ahead.... Read More »
Cost is key to fate of talking cars 12:01 am U.S. ET | May 20, 2013  Cars that communicate with each other to avoid crashes or traffic jams will save lives, but the cost of the systems will determine consumers' acceptance, the U.S. transportation secretary said last week.... Read More »
Small BMW team rethought electric cars for huge cities 12:01 am U.S. ET | May 20, 2013  Nearly six years ago, BMW AG's Project i began to position the automaker for the future. In an interview with Automobilwoche, a German language sibling to Automotive News, Project i chief Ulrich Kranz explained how the idea of a carbon-body car for megacities emerged from his team.... Read More »
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