Europe car sales rise for first time in 19 monthsMay 17, 2013 08:34 CET European car sales rose for the first time in 19 months on strong demand in the UK and a rebound in Germany. Registrations in April increased 2 percent to 1.08 million vehicles from 1.06 million cars a year earlier, industry association ACEA said.... Read More »
Audi's tight U.S. supply, fast turn rate lift dealer profitabilityMay 10, 2013 06:01 CET  Audi of America President Scott Keogh is presiding over a brand with momentum, with U.S. sales up 16 percent through April and a batch of new vehicles launched or on tap. Keogh, 44, became president of Audi of America in June, a promotion from chief marketing officer.... Read More »
Dealer fears deepen as Italy car sales fall 11%May 2, 2013 18:31 CET  New car sales in Italy fell 11 percent in April deepening worries that the market will show a big full-year drop..... Read More »
BMW CEO says Europe needs at least 5 years to solve debt crisisMay 2, 2013 11:16 CET  BMW's boss expects European governments to need at least five more years to overcome the region's protracted debt crisis. "I don't think that's a pessimistic assumption," CEO Norbert Reithofer said on Thursday during a conference call to discuss first-quarter results.... Read More »
VW eyes China growth to ease pain in EuropeApril 30, 2013 06:01 CET  Volkswagen expects sales in China this year to outpace total sales volume in the market, which the carmaker believes will increase 6 percent to 8 percent. In Europe, the automaker remained resilient to a recession in its home region as high-end sales from its newly-intergrated Porsche unit help offset a drop in deliveries at the carmaker's core mass-market brand.... Read More »
VW brand bears brunt of Europe slump as Q1 profit halvesApril 29, 2013 11:49 CET  First-quarter profit at Volkswagen Group's core brand almost halved as automakers in Europe battle the region's protracted slump in demand with deeper discounts.... Read More »
Daimler lowers 2013 profit goal after first-quarter earnings drop 56%April 24, 2013 08:19 CET  Daimler cut its 2013 profit forecast after its quarterly earnings fell 56 percent, burdened by Europe's slump and weaker Mercedes-Benz sales in China.... Read More »
2013 SHANGHAI AUTO SHOW BMW, Daimler, JLR expect higher China sales to offset weak EuropeApril 20, 2013 08:36 CET European luxury brands count on continued growth in China to offset slumping demand in their home markets. Audi CEO Rupert Stadler said Europe faces long stagnation but an expanding Chinese market will boost premium automakers.... Read More »
Bosch sees sales gain of 4% in 2013 on growth outside EuropeApril 18, 2013 10:04 CET  German supplier Bosch forecasts its sales will increase as much as 4 percent this year as growth outside Europe makes up for a recession in the region.... Read More »
PRODUCTION Weak car output hits Czech economyApril 8, 2013 11:46 CET Czech industrial production edged up in February but thinning order books show the central European country may not yet be coming out of its longest recession in two decades. The main problem has been falling car production.... Read More »
SUPPLIERS Pirelli studying plan to offset weak Europe demand, source saysApril 8, 2013 06:01 CET  Pirelli plans to offset weakening demand in Europe for its premium tires by shipping tires produced in Europe to emerging markets, where demand is growing, said an industry source on Sunday.... Read More »
SALES Fiat turns to Germany as Italy sales seen as worst since 1966April 5, 2013 06:01 CET  Fiat, faced with Italy sales that could fall to their lowest level for 47 years, is seeking to boost sales in Germany by offering steeper discounts than any other automaker there. Plummeting deliveries, hit by political turmoil, are upending Italy's auto industry and will hit Fiat, which makes 56 percent of its sales in the country, especially hard. As a result, hundreds of Italian dealerships are closing and factories are running at half capacity.... Read More »
SALES Weak March dashes recovery hopes for European carmakersApril 3, 2013 08:37 CET European car sales shrank again in March, threatening more losses for carmakers in the region after a dismal 2012, according to figures and forecasts. With euro-zone unemployment at a record high, forecaster LMC Automotive sees this year's sales dropping 3.1 percent in western Europe to 11.4 million vehicles.... Read More »
EURO ZONE CRISIS Chill in car sales spreads to northern EuropeMarch 27, 2013 11:15 CET  Dealers in northern Europe are feeling the chill after a slump in new-car sales spread to countries such as Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden. The outlook is grim for some markets that had until now escaped the worst of the euro zone debt crisis.... Read More »
RETAIL SALES/NEW PRODUCT Skoda sees new models helping to offset Europe slumpMarch 20, 2013 14:34 CET  Skoda is confident that deliveries this year will rise as the introduction of new or updated models, including a new large SUV, the Octavia compact and the Rapid Spaceback compact hatchback, offsets a drop in European demand.... Read More »
Bosch auto boss sees slight growth in car parts sales in 2013March 11, 2013 15:46 CET  Robert Bosch expects revenue from the sale of car parts to grow slightly this year as it grabs a bigger share of components built in each car. "We're growing above all through higher turnover per car, less through higher production levels," said Bernd Bohr, responsible for Bosch's core car parts division.... Read More »
Continental forecasts first-quarter sales drop on falling auto demandMarch 8, 2013 06:01 CET  Continental forecasts first-quarter sales will decline as much as 3 percent as demand for autos in its home market plunges. Revenue in the quarter will drop 1 percent to 3 percent, the company says.... Read More »
Automaker chiefs urge end to European austerityMarch 6, 2013 09:49 CET  Automakers joined growing opposition to Europe's austerity measures. Renault CEO Carlos Ghosn urged government spending to revive the region's anemic sales, which he forecast won't recover for another three years.... Read More »
Volkswagen's start to year is worse than in 2012, Poetsch saysFeb. 25, 2013 09:49 CET  Volkswagen CFO Hans Dieter Poetsch predicted the first quarter would be worse than a year earlier, adding to a forecast last week that VW's 2013 operating profit probably wouldn't increase as Europe's auto market shrinks.... Read More »
Carmakers pin hopes on Europe's UK bright spotFeb. 19, 2013 14:18 CET  The UK was the only major European car market to grow sales last year, but to maintain the growth, automakers may have to keep offering such large incentives that they may erode any remaining profit.... Read More »
PSA, Renault realities force French gov't rethinkFeb. 9, 2013 06:15 CET  With France on the brink of recession and PSA and Renault seeking to shed thousands of jobs, the country's government may be forced to follow Germany's path that helped Volkswagen to restructure.... Read More »
Euro zone car markets likely to stabilize by mid-year, VDA saysFeb. 5, 2013 06:01 CET The German automakers association, the VDA, expects euro zone car markets to stabilize in the middle of the year.... Read More »
PSA unions bicker over job cuts at crisis-hit automakerFeb. 1, 2013 06:01 CET  PSA/Peugeot-Citroen labor leaders squared off against one another over a plan to eliminate 17 percent of the automaker's French work force, with three of the five main unions urging immediate action to stem losses.... Read More »
PSA unions bicker over job cuts at crisis-hit automakerJan. 31, 2013 17:49 CET  PSA/Peugeot-Citroen labor leaders squared off against one another over a plan to eliminate 17 percent of the automaker's French workforce, with three of the five main unions urging immediate action to stem losses.... Read More »
Goodyear will close French plant on Europe troublesJan. 31, 2013 11:49 CET Goodyear will close its main French plant and cut its work force in the country by 39 percent amid labor disputes and plunging auto demand in Europe.... Read More »
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