Richard Johnson Automotive News Print Editor Richard Johnson is Print Editor for Automotive News. [email protected] 313-446-0371 See All Staff Page Recent Stories 70 years later, appreciating the genius of Ferry Porsche We all know Ferdinand Porsche. But history has forgotten that it was his boy, Ferry, who created the magic of Porsche, beginning with the Porsche 356. Lessons learned from DaimlerChrysler Conventional wisdom is that the combining of Daimler-Benz with Chrysler failed because of a clash of cultures, but that's an oversimplification. Mercedes pilots subscription program in Germany Mercedes is testing a subscription service at the two largest dealership groups in its German retail network. European auto bosses wince at Trump's tariff moves President Donald Trump's steel and aluminum tariffs drew eye-rolls and outrage at the Geneva auto show -- plus retorts that the move could derail planned U.S. investments. VW still bullish on U.S. shows; Ratan Tata shows up in Geneva Volkswagen remains bullish on U.S. auto shows, including the one in Detroit. Opel's void stirs ghosts of Genevas past In Detroit, they can't stop talking about Mercedes-Benz's decision to skip the auto show next January. But stranger for me was walking into the Palexpo and not seeing Opel at its accustomed spot. Ghosn, Zetsche, Marchionne - who will go down as the most successful? Retirement age draws near for the heads of Daimler, FCA and Renault-Nissan. It has been a remarkable run for all three. But ... Why rival designers are talking up the Jaguar I-Pace It's intriguing when, without prompting, designers talk up a rival vehicle. And that's happening with the Jaguar I-Pace electric crossover. Ex-BMW design wunderkind Bangle resurfaces and riffs on 'banality' Chris Bangle, the Ohio boy who was all of 36 when he took over as head of BMW design in 1992, is once again fully engrossed in cars after a self-imposed exile from the automotive styling studio. What's really juicing the latest 'armada' of EVs? What exactly did happen around mid-2016 that got automakers around the world recharged and back on the EV bandwagon? Ford looks for upside in Europe Ford gets buffeted by the same headwinds as GM, yet it earned $1.2 billion in Europe last year. A timely restructuring helped, but there's more to it than that. Why Ford stands by its 'One Ford' philosophy Ford of Europe product development chief Joe Bakaj isn't commenting on GM's retreat from Europe, but he's adamant that Ford sees no reason to step away from its "One Ford" philosophy. Once upon a time, Opel was GM's little engine that could Europe has been a drain on General Motors for a long time, but Opel did have its glory days and at least once helped keep GM afloat. Automotive News Print Editor RIck Johnson was there when it happened. Why Jaguar Land Rover CEO Ralf Speth changed his view on EVs Jaguar Land Rover CEO Ralf Speth gave the impression last year that the automaker would be one of the last premium brands to add an EV. Last month, Jaguar previewed the I-Pace electric SUV. Speth explained to Automotive News Europe why he changed his mind on battery-powered cars. Von Keunheim took BMW from small time to big leagues When Eberhard von Kuenheim, a little-known machine tool executive, was named head of BMW in 1969, the choice bewildered the German auto industry and infuriated many of the company's top brass. But over the next 23 years, von Kuenheim would turn the tiny Bavarian carmaker into an industry titan. Load More
Richard Johnson Automotive News Print Editor Richard Johnson is Print Editor for Automotive News. [email protected] 313-446-0371 See All Staff Page