More Stories
EuroNCAP promises tougher testStarting next year it will be tougher for automakers to earn a top score in EuroNCAP's influenential crash test. EuroNCAP, which is short for European New Car Assessment Program, will introduce a new rating system that will push automakers to improve their scores in areas where they are weak, particularly pedestrian safety. [REG] Aug. 27 11:53 CET |
PSA to produce 3 more cars in ChinaPSA will attack Chinese market leader Volkswagen by producing Peugeot's 407 and 408 cars and the Citroen C5 in China, supplier sources say. PSA now only markets in China one domestically made mid-sized car, the C-Triomphe. [REG] Aug. 27 10:51 CET | UPDATED: 08/27/08 14:49 CET |
Ford to move plant's SUV tooling to prepare for small cars
DETROIT -- The heavy lifting in Ford Motor's move to boost North American small-car production is gaining speed. Ford executives said today that starting in November, production equipment used to build the Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator SUVs will be moved from the Michigan Truck plant in Wayne, Michigan, to the Kentucky Truck plant in Louisville, Kentucky. [REG] Aug. 27 06:01 CET
MG cancels plans to bring TF to North AmericaMG's plans to return to North America with a revamped version of the TF roadster are dead. Again. “The U.S.A. isn't on the short-term radar as an anticipated market for us, but with the right product, it would be good to return there,” Gary Hagen, marketing director of NAC MG, told a reporter for the British Web site Austin Rover Online. [REG] Aug. 27 06:01 CET |
Willis quits Kia for VWPaul Willis is quitting as chief operating officer of Kia Motors Europe to become head of Volkswagen in Ireland. Willis, 48, leaves Kia just nine months after joining the Korean carmaker. He will succeed Bob O'Callaghan as managing director of Volkswagen Group Ireland on October 1. [REG] Aug. 27 06:01 CET |
GM to set up engine plant in India
General Motors will sign an agreement with the western state of Maharashtra for an engine and transmission plant on Thursday, as it steps up the pace in one of the world's fastest-growing auto markets. The unit will be located in Talegaon, where GM's second vehicle plant is scheduled to start operations next week. [REG] Aug. 27 14:00 CET
GM to cut production in Spain due to slowdown
General Motors will trim production at its Figueralas plant in Zaragoza in eastern Spain due to the slowdown in its main markets, a spokeswoman said on Wednesday. "There will be a two-day technical stoppage in September as well as a four-day break in October to reduce output in line with demand." [REG] Aug. 27 14:00 CET
Lookers says tougher UK car market to hit profits
British car dealer Lookers warned that the tougher economic climate and tighter credit conditions for consumers would hit profits for the full year to end-December 2008. The company said on Wednesday it was now guiding the market to expect profits towards the lower end of expectations. [REG] Aug. 27 11:00 CET
Schaeffler secures 8.06% of Conti shares hours before offer ends
Continental shareholders representing 8.06 percent of the company's stock by Tuesday night had agreed to tender their holdings in the automotive supplier to Schaeffler Group, the family-owned maker of ball bearings said. [REG] Aug. 27 15:25 CET
Carmakers lag EU's CO2 visionThe emissions reduction performance of Europe's auto industry is improving, but it is still not good enough to meet the EU's proposed climate change targets for 2012. EU lawmakers are drafting legislation that will force automakers to cut average CO2 emissions from Europe's new-car fleet to 130 grams per kilometer by 2012. [REG] Aug. 26 09:00 CET | UPDATED: 08/26/08 14:06 CET |
Vendors to back Tata in case of Nano pull-outVendors for Tata Motors' Nano car would back Tata in the eventuality of a pull-out from Singur in West Bengal, but said they were not aware of a deadline for a relocation of the plant. "Tatas have communicated to all vendors that work at Singur should continue as planned," said D.S. Malik, managing director of Amtek Auto Ltd which currently supplies engine and suspension components for the Nano from its plant at Gurgaon. [REG] Aug. 26 14:45 CET |
Ford's Romania plant posts lower profitFord Motor Co's Romanian plant saw profits drop by more than 26 percent in the first half of 2008 on weaker sales, news reports said Tuesday. Net income at the Craiova plant, which is being upgraded to start vehicle production next year, fell to 1.08 million lei (304,000 euros), the Mediafax news agency said. Sales fell by 4 percent, the report said. [REG] Aug. 26 13:45 CET |
VW to raise Mexico plant's capacityVolkswagen will increase production capacity at its assembly complex in Puebla, Mexico, to 550,000 vehicles a year from 450,000 as the plant prepares to build a new compact sedan for world markets, the company's CEO in Mexico says. In an interview here last week, Otto Lindner told Automotive News that production of the compact will start in 2010. [REG] Aug. 26 06:01 CET |
Land Rover moves workers to JaguarLand Rover says its future is safe despite almost 300 of its workers being transferred to production at sister brand Jaguar. Land Rover will transfer the workers from its factory in Solihull, Birmingham, central England, to a Jaguar plant 20 kilometers away at Castle Bromwich to help produce the XF sports sedan. [REG] Aug. 26 12:17 CET |
BMW will boost U.S. prices 2.1% on 2009 models
BMW of North America said today that it will raise U.S. vehicle prices 2.1 percent across its lineup of BMW-branded vehicles for the 2009 model year. In a statement, BMW cited rising raw material costs for the price increases. The company said its 2009 vehicles will arrive at dealerships in October. The price increase on U.S. vehicles is BMW's second since June. [REG] Aug. 26 06:01 CET
BMW: possible to maintain Russia growthBMW, the world's largest premium carmaker, can still maintain the 40 percent annual growth rate in Russia this year but volume increases will decelerate starting 2009. "Under [favorable] circumstances we can still achieve the growth rate in recent years of 40 percent this year but we will not grow so rapidly in 2009," said Christian Kremer, president BMW Group Russia, adding sales could certainly rise 20 percent next year. [REG] Aug. 26 12:45 CET |
Fiat aims to more than double Russia sales in 2008MILAN (Reuters) -- Fiat aims to sell 40,000 units in Russia in 2008, up from 15,000 last year, a spokesman for the Italian car maker said on Tuesday. In the first seven months of the year, Fiat had sold 17,000 units, he said by phone from the auto show in Moscow, where the carmaker had made a presentation. [REG] Aug. 26 15:00 CET |
Volkswagen may expand Russia plantVolkswagen is considering expanding production at its Kaluga plant in Russia to keep up with demand in Europe's fastest-growing car market, where it aims to become the leading manufacturer. "In one to two years, full production capacity [of 150,000 cars annually] will be needed, and then we need to think about a further expansion of the factory," said Detlef Wittig, head of group sales and marketing at Europe's largest carmaker. [REG] Aug. 26 13:15 CET |
Moscow car show goes upmarket as Russians get richCarmakers descend on Moscow this week to show off their models for the Russian public, whose soaring incomes are fast making Russia the largest car market in Europe. The Moscow International Auto Salon will see eight debuts, including new models from BMW, Audi, Lexus and Renault, with the trend moving away from budget cars toward the more expensive machines that Russians can now afford. [REG] Aug. 26 11:30 CET |
Swiss to vote on SUV ban
Swiss campaigners launched a bid on Monday to ban gas-guzzling SUVs and luxury sports cars, winning enough support for a referendum. The Young Green party said on Monday in a statement, it had turned in 120,000 verified signatures gathered in support of a referendum, to be held within 18 months. [REG] Aug. 26 10:00 CET
GM receives Gulf Arab interest in Hummer buy
General Motors has received interest from two separate investors from the Gulf Arab region to buy its Hummer brand, the company's Middle East chief told Reuters on Tuesday. "For sure, there has been interest from various parties within the Gulf," General Motors Middle East Managing Director Terry Johnsson said. [REG] Aug. 26 11:00 CET
Hyundai to launch Czech production earlyHyundai aims to start volume production in its new Czech plant three months earlier than planned. The Korean carmaker likely will begin production of the i30 lower-medium hatchback by the end of the year, Allan Rushforth, Hyundai Europe's head of sales and marketing, told Automotive News Europe's sister publication Automobilwoche. [REG] Aug. 25 13:55 CET |
Daimler denies planning second Smart car plantGerman carmaker Daimler does not intend to build another factory for its Smart brand minicars, the company said on Monday, denying a German magazine report. "We have no plans for a second Smart plant," said a spokesman for the Mercedes-Benz division. [REG] Aug. 25 09:00 CET | UPDATED: 08/25/08 14:44 CET |
GM considers 2nd Russian plantGeneral Motors is considering building a second factory in Russia to meet booming demand for new cars. The U.S. carmaker could open a new factory in addition to a plant it will open in St. Petersburg in November. [REG] Aug. 25 10:51 CET |
