americas
Sen. Corker's enthusiastic jaunt through GM's Saturn plant in 2007
AUTOMOTIVE NEWS
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DETROIT AUTO SHOW
Detroit auto show to have test track for green vehicles
AUTOMOTIVE NEWS Journalists and consumers attending the Detroit auto show next week will be able to experience some of the latest green vehicles in a new ride and drive event sponsored by the Michigan Economic Development Corp. Auto show organizers have set aside a 70,000-square-foot test track inside Michigan Hall, Cobo Center's lower level, for the MEDC EcoXperience. » Read Article [REG] |
A123's proposed battery plant hinges on loan from feds
AUTOMOTIVE NEWS A123Systems, the battery supplier for the upcoming Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid vehicle, will make lithium ion batteries for automotive use at a Michigan plant if it receives federal loans, the supplier said today. The company has applied for $1.84 billion in Energy Department loans for multiple U.S. plants, with the first plant being in southeast Michigan. » Read Article [REG] |
Other Markets
| Toyota halts output in Japan for 11 days >> |
Western Europe
| UK December car sales plunge 21.2% >> |
Eastern Europe & Russia
| Report: Toyota to freeze Thailand, Russia factory plans >> |
China
| Source: China's Dongfeng 2008 sales up 11% >> |
Suzuki says mid-sized sedan will come to U.S. as planned
Suzuki, refuting media reports from Japan on Monday, today said it still plans to release a mid-sized sedan based on the Kizashi 3 concept in the United States this year. The Nikkei business daily reported that production plans for the car had been shelved. » Read Article [REG] 3:08 pm U.S. ET | Jan. 6, 2009
GM to get another $5.4 billion from Treasury
General Motors will receive a second $5.4 billion installment of its government loan on Jan. 16, the U.S. Treasury said late Monday. In a transaction report for its bailout fund, the Treasury said it has approved the release of a total of $9.4 billion for GM, including $4 billion disbursed on Dec. 31 and $5.4 billion to be funded on Jan 16. » Read Article [REG] 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 6, 2009
Daimler denies interest in acquiring Volvo
Daimler has no interest in acquiring Ford Motor unit Volvo, a Daimler spokesman said on Saturday following a magazine report that the German carmaker had examined its Swedish rival. "We were never interested in Volvo," the spokesman said. German weekly magazine Der Spiegel reported on Saturday that Daimler had carefully looked at a possible deal in recent weeks but had rejected the idea. » Read Article [REG] Jan. 5, 2009 11:00 CET
Amid crisis, the show must go on
New-car launches usually take center stage at the Detroit auto show, but this year much of the attention will be focused on the signals carmakers give about their prospects for 2009. In the weeks leading up to the annual event, the so-called Detroit 3 -- General Motors, Ford Motor and Chrysler -- were involved in a battle for their survival. » Read Article [SUB] Jan. 5, 2009 06:01 CET
GM's stake in revived GMAC will shrink
The government bailout of GMAC Financial Services gives General Motors a lender that's back in business with dealers and consumers. But GMAC is even less of a captive finance company for GM than ever before. Nonetheless, the bailout has provided fresh capital to GMAC, and the lender expanded credit to GM car shoppers last week. » Read Article
[SUB] 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 5, 2009
Suppliers fear long slowdown
Suppliers expect at least two to three years of pain in western Europe, as the economic downturn cuts output by as much as 20 percent. According to a survey conducted by researchers SupplierBusiness and Roland Berger Strategy Consultants, suppliers' main worry for 2009 is declining production volumes in North America. Concern over European production is a close second. » Read Article [SUB] Jan. 5, 2009 06:01 CET
Rental fleets slash new-vehicle orders
The credit freeze that is helping to kill new-vehicle retail sales also is forcing car rental companies to slash their fleet orders. In 2008, rental companies bought 1.5 million new cars and trucks, down from 1.9 million in 2007, according to an estimate by the trade publication Auto Rental News. Sales are expected to fall even more in 2009 as rental companies shrink their vehicle fleets. » Read Article [SUB] 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 5, 2009
Detroit show: Glitz on a shoestring
Welcome to the first Detroit auto show in the bailout era. Automakers will roll out new cars, and top executives will take questions from the press -- as they do every year at the North American International Auto Show. But in the process, we'll get our first glimpse of how the industry will tackle a challenging year. » Read Article
[SUB] 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 5, 2009
Faces of the bailout
George W. Bush threw GM and Chrysler a $17.4 billion lifeline in December, but not before an electrifying few weeks in which the two companies appeared to face oblivion. » Read Article [SUB] 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 5, 2009
Americans neglected their Swedish brands
Ford Motor and General Motors failed with their Swedish brands because they never got the full attention of their US owners. Saab has rarely achieved a profit for GM. In 2007, the brand lost 2.2 billion kronor (€360 million), according to Swedish financial daily Dagens Industri. Volvo, which Ford bought in 1999, was profitable at first, but its last year in the black was 2005, when it earned $377 million. » Read Article
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Jan. 5, 2009 06:01 CET
Cars and trucks
It was a year of newcomers and nostalgia as carmakers from India and China gained notice while GM and Ford celebrated their heritages. » Read Article [SUB] 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 5, 2009
Technology
In a year of turmoil and turbulence, engineering know-how was still king. » Read Article [SUB] 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 5, 2009
People
Here are some of the people who made news in the auto industry in 2008. » Read Article [SUB] 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 5, 2009
The buzz: Technology
These are tough times, but the show must go on. The 2009 Detroit auto show kicks off at Cobo Center with press days Jan. 11-13. The pre-show news has centered on automakers that opted out of the show to conserve marketing money -- namely Ferrari, Land Rover, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Porsche, Rolls-Royce and Suzuki. But show organizers say more than 20 vehicles will make their global debuts. » Read Article
[SUB] 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 5, 2009
Saab and Volvo on the brink
Saab and Volvo have been poorly served by their American owners. Saab and Volvo have given more to their owners than they've gotten in return. Volvo's well-engineered platform architectures have been put to good use by Ford. Both companies have been a source of fresh talent Richard Johnson is managing editor of Automotive News. » Read Article
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Jan. 5, 2009 06:01 CET
