World Congress

A great week if you like cars
Jan. 29Last week was a very special time for the automobile industry in America, with something for everyone. It was one of those periods that make you understand why the industry is so terrific.

FITNESS CLASS
Jan. 21Jim Hackett, the former furniture company CEO who expected to be spending his 60s enjoying retirement, is instead teaching a course on survival to a century-old automaker.

Volvo leader: Dealers deserve some love
Jan. 22Volvo North America CEO Anders Gustafsson says the automaker needs to ensure strong residual value and premium brand perception in order to run a successful subscription sales model.
Mazda exec: Electric era won't kill our spark
Jan. 22Even in an electrified age, Mazda's determination to build fun-to-drive vehicles won't change, said Masahiro Moro, CEO of Mazda North American Operations.

VW: No more squandered opportunities
Jan. 22Hinrich Woebcken said VW's U.S. recovery from the depths of the diesel crisis has been possible in large part because the North American region is able to exercise some autonomy from corporate headquarters in Germany.

Can pop-up stores, gaming lure M-B buyers?
Jan. 22Mercedes-Benz is tapping gaming events and pop-up shops to find new customers as it prepares for business to move increasingly online and to new types of vehicles.

Dealerships will be vital, luxury execs say
Jan. 22Even with the move to electrified and autonomous cars, dealerships will survive and thrive, say Audi's Scott Keogh and Porsche's Klaus Zellmer.

Bangle: Stop playing it safe and innovate
Jan. 22Former BMW chief designer Chris Bangle critiqued U.S. politics, expounded on theories of civilization and skewered modern car design as trite and unoriginal.

Heard in Congress
Jan. 22Quotes from speaches and presentations at the 2018 Automotive News World Congress

Racer Tavares has need for speed at PSA
Jan. 22Scale only gets you so much, says PSA's chief: more purchasing power in dealing with suppliers and higher volume on which to amortize new product and technology investments. Beyond that, it could just as well be a liability.

Infiniti electrifying nearly its entire lineup
Jan. 22Infiniti hurries to catch up with other luxury brands by going almost all electric, starting in 2021.

Talent pool concerns suppliers
Jan. 22Research finds that no matter a supplier's size or product, the biggest threat to its competitiveness is the struggle to recruit skilled workers.