- FBI investigating former Ford engineer for possible espionage – Automotive News: An engineer recently fired by Ford is being investigated for possible espionage after the FBI found listening devices installed in the company’s headquarters, The Detroit News reported today.
- EPA Says Industry Ahead of CAFE Curve – Wards: “What we are finding is manufacturers are not only bringing technology in faster than we thought they would, they are also bringing different technology to fruition than what we anticipated,” says the EPA’s Michael Olechiw.
- Jaguar Land Rover Cuts Prices on Chinese Models – WSJ: Jaguar Land Rover said it would cut prices on Range Rover and Jaguar F-Type Cabriolet models in China by an average of $32,000, in response to scrutiny by Chinese state media and the government.
- GM recalls far from calamity for some dealers who find new customers, business – Reuters: The news about deadly crashes linked to a faulty ignition switch, followed by wave upon wave of recalls, did not bode well for General Motors dealers earlier this year. It conjured visions of worried, frustrated drivers pouring onto lots like Raymond Chevrolet, outside of Chicago.
- New variant of the Dongfeng EQ2050 for the Chinese army – CarNewsChina.com: A very new and very interesting variant of the famous Dongfeng EQ2050 Brave Soldier for the Chinese army. The base EQ2050 is basically a reverse-engineered AM General Humvee, but this thing is something totally different. It appears to be an armored transport vehicle with a large pickup truck bed. The nose is completely new and […]
- Honda sees India among its top five markets by 2017 – Via Google News: Buoyed by the success of its latest launches in India, Japanese car maker Honda Motor Co sees the country becoming its fourth largest market by …
- New General Motors Recall Covers 800,000 More Vehicles – NY Times: The auto company announced six more recalls on Wednesday for various flaws, and its worldwide recall total for 2014 is 29 million.
- General Motors may put Brazil workers on paid leave: union – Reuters: Motors Co wants to put nearly a fifth of its workers at a factory in Brazil on paid leave, an auto workers union said on Thursday, amid falling output in Latin America’s largest economy.
- More extreme Continental GT3-R possible, says Bentley design chief – Autocar: Luc Doncerwolke believes there’s an appetite for more motorsport-inspired versions of the Continental GT3-R that could tempt younger buyers.
- Mercedes C-class cabriolet in development for 2015 launch – Autocar: Latest C-class lune-up expands with new soft-top cabriolet, which will use carried-over engines from the saloonMercedes-Benz is speeding up development of the upcoming C-class cabriolet ahead of a planned launch mid-way through next year.
- Aston Martin revives Lagonda brand with new super saloon – Autocar: New luxury V12 Aston Martin saloon heralds the return of the Lagonda nameplate; limited production run destined for the Middle East.
- GM Now Under Investigation by Attorneys General in 45 States – thedetroitbureau.com: Already facing investigations by both houses of Congress and a criminal probe by the Justice Department, GM revealed it is now facing additional investigations by the attorneys general in 45 states linked to its delay in ordering a recall of 2.6 million vehicles equipped with defective ignition switches.
- Wheelies: The New-Look Yaris Edition – NY Times: Toyota announces details and pricing for its all-new 2015 Yaris; G.M. may invest $800 million into facilities in Michigan.
- Hacking the Connected Car: Researchers to Show Off a Cybersecurity Device – Via Google News: But because it connects with car owners and the Tesla infrastructure using a variety of TCP/IP mechanisms, one researcher is highlighting potential …
- Porsche Spices Up Cayenne for 2015 – thedetroitbureau.com: Sport-utilities have been zipping off dealer lots this year and Porsche looks to take advantage of that by finally unveiling an update to its popular Cayenne SUV that’s already sold half-a-million copies since its introduction in 2002. In fact, there are four options available in the line-up for 2015.
- Tata Motors setting up assembly plant in Venezuala to build Indica and Manza – Via Google News: The Tata car assembly facility in Venezuala will be able to assemble 20,000 cars each year. The assembly facility will use CKD kits that are imported …
- Automakers urge NHTSA to delay ‘quiet car’ rules – Via Google News: Automakers want the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to delay the introduction rules requiring quiet cars to add new …
- This Solar Car Just Set A New World Land Speed Record – Via Google News: The Sunswift eVe solar-powered car broke a 26-year-old land speed record for electric vehicles on Wednesday at the Australian Automotive Research …
- Fiat checks out Peugeot as partner – FT: Any potential deal would bring together two struggling, middle-ranking carmakers with ambitions of becoming a strong, global player
- GM is ‘paying for past sins,’ analyst says – Automotive News: A sampling of what analysts and others are saying about GM’s second-quarter financial results released today:
- General Motors: past tense – FT: Despite headlines about recalls, automaker’s stock may be oversold compared with Ford even after a rally
- GM Expects Profit-Busting Recalls to Slow; $400M Set Aside for Victims – Wards: The earnings swoon also reflected difficulties in international markets, specifically South America, where economic headwinds are affecting sales, and in Europe, where GM continues to book losses as it restructures its business.
- New Stop-Start Engines Boosting Mileage up to 7%, Reports AAA – thedetroitbureau.com: Automakers are racing to meet strict new mileage standards, and one of the big breakthroughs is the new Stop-Start technology delivering fuel economy improvements of 5% to 7%, according to a new study by AAA.
- Ford Reports Earnings of $1.3 Billion – NY Times: Net income was up 6 percent from a year earlier, and the automaker had a profitable quarter in Europe for the first time in three years.
- GM Earnings Crushed by Recall Costs – thedetroitbureau.com: The fallout from the ignition switch recall and other safety-related problems cut deeply into General Motors’ profitability for the second quarter, the maker reported. But there were some good signs, nonetheless, including the booming margins on GM’s new full-size SUVs.
- UK: Unipart Automotive in administration as 1,224 jobs under threat – Just-auto: UK labour body, Unite, says it is asking for a rapid meeting with authorities handling Unipart Automotive, following the component supplier’s placing into administration today (24 July).