- FRANCE: Renault gets Dacia lift in first half sales – Just-auto: Strong sales from Renault Group’s Dacia brand helped to lift the group’s overall worldwide sales by 4.7% to 1.365m units in the first half of 2014.
- GM says it can weather South Africa supplier strike for medium term – Automotive News: Workers at components factories supplying General Motors’ South African plant remained on strike today but the automaker said it had sufficient inventory for both domestic and export customers for the medium term.
- Hyundai sued in S. Korea after overstating fuel efficiency of Santa Fe – Automotive News: Hyundai was sued by consumers in its home market after the nation’s transport ministry said the company overstated the fuel efficiency of one of its models.
- SOUTH AFRICA: Industrial unrest continues in South Africa – Just-auto: General Motors and BMW have suspended production in their plants in South Africa, as on 1 July over 220,000 metalworkers of the country went on strike, reports Bloomberg.
- NETHERLANDS: Spyker pays debt to stop assets sale – Just-auto: The potential seizure of certain assets belonging to Spyker has been averted after the supercar maker paid a taxation bill which it had reportedly been disputing with the Dutch state.
- Jeep Forging Ahead With Global Expansion, CEO Says – Wards: Plans call for producing Jeeps in China with joint-venture partner Guangzhou Automobile Group beginning late next year.
- Peugeot’s China venture raises 2014 sales target – Reuters: French carmaker PSA Peugeot Citroen’s Chinese joint venture with Dongfeng Motor Group Co Ltd raised its 2014 sales target by about 50,000 vehicles on Monday after a strong first-half sales performance.
- GM hits a record for H1 China sales – Just-auto: General Motors says that its sales in China in the first six months of 2014 increased 10.5 percent to 1,731,282 units – a new record.
- CHINA: June passenger vehicle sales up 14% – Just-auto: The Passenger Car Association has reported a 14% rise in passenger vehicle sales for the Chinese market compared to June 2013.
- EVs Generating Little Interest Among U.K. Drivers – Wards: Fewer than 1% of U.K. drivers own an electric car or van.
- Hyundai faces fuel efficiency lawsuit – FT: About 1,500 customers have filed a complaint over the company’s mileage claims for the diesel-fuelled model of its Santa Fe sport utility vehicle.
- Renault Dacia brand offsets falling sales – FT: Romanian no-frills product rescues French parent company, with Europe remaining sluggish and after turbulence in emerging markets sends demand falling
- IRAN: IKCO production surges 178% in quarter – Just-auto: IKCO says its vehicle production rose by almost 180% between 21 March and 21 June 2014, the first quarter of the Iranian calendar year.
- VW to Add Two Plants in China – WSJ: Volkswagen said it would add two car-making facilities in China as part of its plan to raise production capacity in the world’s largest auto market.
- China: sales in June surge 14% – Via Google News: While still facing the prospect of registration limits in major cities, China’s thriving auto market manifested once more in June, as the foreign brands …
- Tesla: Cars That Fly and Swim, but No Hydrogen Fuel Cell – Via Google News: Purportedly there are plans in the works at Tesla for cars that can fly, cars that … The car is only available on lease for about $600/month and this fee …
- China Auto Sales Rise 14% as Foreign Brands Target Small Cities – Via Google News: Passenger-vehicle sales in China rose last month, as foreign automakers stepped up their push into smaller cities with cheaper models in a challenge …
- GM victims bear burden of proof – Automotive News: The victim compensation program that attorney Kenneth Feinberg outlined last week requires claimants to provide evidence that the defective switch played a role in the accident.
- A super SAAR and signs of a stellar second half – Automotive News: Halfway through 2014, automakers are on pace to post full-year sales totaling 16.22 million vehicles, the most since 2006.
- Subaru struggles to satisfy customers – Automotive News: Subaru, flush with record profits and poised for a sixth straight year of record U.S. sales, may be a little too hot for the liking of Yasuyuki Yoshinaga. Getting dealers to invest in new service facilities is his top priority.
- Chrysler seeks more diesels – Automotive News: Fiat Group executives are looking at ways to produce more light-duty diesel engines for Chrysler Group vehicles. So far, Chrysler’s diesel experiment, which it launched last year, is working.
- Tesla to open Five new stores in China – CarNewsChina.com: Tesla has only one store in China, in the capital Beijing. The company is very secretive about its expansion plans. Until now we only knew Tesla was planning new stores in Shanghai and in Hangzhou. Happily, Tesla’s Linkedin job pages reveal a bit more. Tesla is also looking for staff to operate new stores in: […]
- G.M. OnStar Data Has Potential as Safety Tool – NY Times: General Motors’ OnStar system provides streams of data about the performance of G.M. vehicles, but the automaker says little about how it uses this information to investigate problems.
- New details of Porsche’s secret V8-powered 911 revealed – Autocar: As work starts on Porsche’s new Ferrari-baiting supercar, officials reveal new details about its forgotten flagship – a V8-powered 911With the new Ferrari 458-baiting Porsche 988 in the works, it might not be entirely coincidental that the firm recently decided to push out one of its most obscure prototypes and release more details outlining its story.The 965 prototype was a 911 powered by a rear-mounted V8 engine.
- Porsche working on new Ferrari 458-beating supercar – Autocar: Development under way on new four-strong family of Porsche models, to include turbocharged Boxster and a new eight-cylinder supercar with as much as 600bhpPorsche is working on a new four-strong family of cars. The planned line-up includes a four-cylinder turbocharged version of the Boxster as well as a new eight-cylinder supercar which will look to challenge the Ferrari 458.
- VW receives Chinese approval for two more plants – sources – Reuters: German carmaker Volkswagen has received approval from China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) to add two more factories in the country, two people close to the matter said on Sunday.
- Daimler expects sales to surpass Audi, BMW in China this year – Reuters: German carmaker Daimler expects its Mercedes-Benz brand to overtake rivals Audi and BMW by number of cars sold in China this year as its new strategy for the world’s biggest car market starts to bear fruit, a board member told a newspaper.
- UK to build world’s fastest production electric vehicle – Autocar: Detroit Electric SP:01 electric sports car, which is capable of reaching 60mph in 3.7 seconds, to be built in Warwickshire. US company Detroit Electric says it will build its new SP:01 two-seat electric sports car in the UK.
- Opinion: Less Sexy, Better for Sex – NY Times: In inventing a self-driving car, Google has in one fell swoop struck a blow at masculinity, female empowerment and romance.
- Volkswagen Jetta GTI: a fine example of European engineering – DetN: This week’s test car is the Jetta GLI, a fine example of European engineering. It’s not the best in class by objective measure but it’s a pleasure to drive.
- Hydrogen-powered Toyota FCV to arrive next year – Autocar: Toyota’s new FCV promises quick refuelling and a 440-mile range from its hydrogen fuel cell stack.
- GERMANY: Mercedes’ H1 sales tally a record – Just-auto: Daimler’s Mercedes-Benz Cars sold 783,520 vehicles in the first half of 2014, up 12.8% year on year, and a company record tally for the period.
- China’s BAIC Motor Hires Banks for a $2 Billion I.P.O. – NY Times: The company, which is partly owned by Daimler, has selected HSBC, Citic Securities International, Deutsche Bank and UBS, according to a prospectus.
- BMW Jumps on Luxury Bandwagon Going to Mexico – thedetroitbureau.com: When it comes to North America, BMW is moving south, not to South Carolina, but south of the Rio Grande. The automaker is building a $1 billion plant in Mexico that would employ 1,500 workers and build 150,000 vehicles annually. The maker didn’t announce what vehicle will be built there.