The Opel works council has approved a plan to transfer 2,000 of the 6,640 employees at the automaker's engineering center in Ruesselsheim, Germany, to the private French engineering firm Segula.

Renault has called on experienced executives to lead its operations in Europe and China as the automaker copes with the aftermath of the fall of former leader Carlos Ghosn.

Citroen expects design and lower-cost models to help it break into the tough Indian market. Citroen's move into India is part of a strategy by PSA to reduce its dependence on sales in Europe, with Peugeot returning to North America and Opel making a push into Russia.

European Union regulations will soon require automakers to ensure their electric cars can be heard by pedestrians. Performance brands are seeking to reproduce the roar of their internal combustion engines while luxury automakers need softer, refined notes.

Opel will return to Russia after quitting in 2015. CEO Michael Lohscheller sees the country as a "large, strategically important and attractive market."

Renault has overhauled its executive committee as it maps out a future without longtime leader Carlos Ghosn. The change will sideline Mouna Sepehri, a senior executive close to Ghosn, while adding seven new members.

PSA said its Peugeot brand will return to the North American market with compact and midsize vehicles, and a "creative and disruptive" business model.

PSA has packed the DS3 Crossback with technological features and given it distinctive styling to compete with models such as the Audi Q2 and Mini Countryman. The DS3 Crossback will be the first vehicle in its segment to have a full-electric version, the automaker says.

Renault's new CEO, Thierry Bollore, doesn't see a role for Carlos Ghosn at the automaker even if the fallen executive is cleared in Japan of financial misconduct.

French new-car sales halted a five-month slump in February as registrations increased 2.1 percent, led by strong gains at Volvo, Opel, Citroen and DS.

Fresh thinking is needed to help automakers grapple with megatrends such as electrification, a shift from individual car ownership to mobility services, and the advent of autonomous driving. Daimler, Renault-Nissan and Fiat Chrysler are among companies with new leaders who must overcome the challenges.

India is tipped to overtake Japan as the world’s No. 3 market by 2021, boosted by a huge population and low levels of car ownership. But making long-term inroads has frustrated one company after another from VW to Ford to GM.

Peugeot will add a full-electric version of its new-generation 208 hatchback. The small car will also become more upscale with technology and materials more commonly found on the brand's higher-end models.

The Peugeot Sport Engineered is a derivative of the 508 that adds a high-performance plug-in hybrid powertrain with low emissions.

PSA will add production of an Opel small SUV in Poissy, France. The model is expected to be the next-generation Mokka X.