- China orders national safety overhaul after deadly blast at GM supplier – Automotive News: China ordered a nationwide overhaul of safety practices at factories handling explosive materials following a fatal blast at an auto parts factory near Shanghai, the official Xinhua News Agency reported.
- UK: Rolls-Royce confirms new convertible for 2016 – Just-auto: BMW Group’s Rolls-Royce has confirmed it will launch a new convertible by mid-2016.
- Toyota Grows on U.S., European Strength – WSJ: In results that underscore a global car-industry trend, Toyota Motor said its earnings were bolstered by growth in regions like the U.S. and Europe, while sales in once-hot emerging markets remained weak.
- Ford looks to build factories in fast-growing African markets – Automotive News: Ford plans to expand its manufacturing plants in Africa, where the automaker is introducing models such as the Mustang and forecasts industrywide sales will grow 40 percent by 2020.
- DealBook: Focusing on G.M. Unit, U.S. Starts Civil Inquiry of Subprime Car Lending – NY Times: Federal prosecutors have begun a civil investigation of the subprime auto lending practices of General Motors and other companies, focusing on the packaging and selling of questionable loans to investors.
- Toyota reliance on U.S. deepens as emerging markets falter – Reuters: Toyota Motor Corp’s reliance on the U.S. market to drive record profits is deepening this year, its latest outlook showed, with strong sales of refurbished SUVs and Camry sedans expected to offset weakness in Thailand and other emerging markets.
- Thai coup knocks GM off course in Asean – FT: Carmaker admits it is ‘struggling’ as political situation, stiff Japanese competition and weak local currency hit sales and profitability of imports
- JAPAN: Toyota Q1 profit beats analysts’ estimates – Just-auto: Toyota Motor boosted both operating and net profit in its first fiscal quarter as unit sales (+0.4%) and revenue (2.2%) only inched up compared with a year ago. Nonetheless, operating profit beat analysts’ estimates.
- Mercedes’ office in China raided by antitrust regulators – Automotive News: Daimler’s Mercedes-Benz unit said it is cooperating with China’s anti-monopoly authorities over an investigation into unspecified matters, after local Chinese media said the automaker’s Shanghai office had been raided.
- Mercedes Assisting Raid Probe – WSJ: Daimler AG said Tuesday it is assisting Chinese authorities in an investigation despite efforts to appease regulators with price cuts on spare parts two days earlier.
- Toyota first quarter profit rise beats estimates, U.S. sales outlook raised – Reuters: Toyota Motor Corp posted a forecast-beating 4.4 percent rise in April-June operating profit and raised its North America vehicle sales target for the year to next March, boosted by strong sales of SUVs and pickup trucks in the United States, its biggest market.
- Gannett Readies To Take Sole Ownership Of Cars.com – Via Google News: Gannett is one of five news publishers that back Classified Ventures, the company that currently owns Cars.com. The auto-sales website has been …
- Toyota profit surges on U.S. SUV demand – Automotive News:Toyota said net income in the April-to-June period rose to a record 587.8 billion yen ($5.7 billion) as surging SUV sales in the United States eclipsed shrinking demand in Japan. The company raised its North America vehicle sales target for the year.
- BMW second-quarter profit jumps 26% boosted by record car sales – Automotive News:BMW said its second-quarter operating profit rose 26 percent, as new models, a rebounding Europe and strong China sales boosted earnings.
- Daimler says assisting Chinese authorities in investigation – Reuters: Daimler AG’s luxury brand Mercedes-Benz said it is cooperating with China’s anti-monopoly authorities over an investigation into unspecified matters, after local Chinese media reported the German automaker’s Shanghai office had been raided.
- BMW profit jumps on SUV and China demand – FT: Operating profit increases 26% in second quarter while its return on sales at its automotive unit rose to 11.7% from 9.6% a year ago
- Daimler will raise its Aston Martin stake to 5% as it deepens ties with UK sports car maker – Automotive News: Daimler will raise its stake in Aston Martin to 5% and supply the U.K. sports-car producer with electric and electronic parts to deepen an alliance that started last year.
- BMW slides past the viral competition – Automotive News: BMW drifted past the competition last week, topping our viral video ranking and beating the No. 2 video by more than 3.6 million views.
- GM’s Subprime Loans Under Scrutiny – WSJ: General Motors must turn over documents related to its subprime auto-loan operations to the U.S. Justice Department, a sign that federal regulators are turning up the heat on the subprime auto lending business.
- Bentley SUV starts testing on UK roads – Autocar: Latest test mule for Bentley’s first-ever SUV spotted with production bodywork in the UK, ahead of sales starting in 2016.
- Ford Investigating Fire That Destroyed Prototype F-150 While Testing – thedetroitbureau.com: The last thing Ford can afford is to see the upcoming launch of its radical new, aluminum-bodied F-Series pickup go up in flames. But a version of the bigger 2016 Ford Super Duty did catch fire during Death Valley testing.
- GM Testing Google Glass; Ready to Meet Higher Volumes – Wards: The automaker has two pairs of the high-tech glasses at its Orion Twp., MI, plant, saying they can be useful for a variety of hands-free assembly tasks.
- China Faults Oversight in Factory Blast – WSJ: China partly blamed inadequate supervision by local authorities for a blast that killed at least 75 people at a company that supplies parts for cars made by General Motors and others.
- GM Production not Hampered by China Plant Explosion – thedetroitbureau.com: An explosion at a factory in China that supplies products to General Motors killed 75 people on Saturday. The company acts as a supplier to Dicastal: a GM supplier. GM officials told TheDetroitBureau.com today that it does not expect it to have an impact on the automaker’s production.
- Nearly 70% of Americans Drive While Drowsy – thedetroitbureau.com: Nearly seven in ten Americans have driven while drowsy, while millions have engaged in other risky behavior when they likely shouldn’t get behind the wheel, according to a new survey. TheDetroitBureau.com has the story.
- German Car Sales Bounce Back in July – NY Times: Car sales in Germany bounced back in July, posting the second-highest monthly gain this year and suggesting a further pick-up in second-half demand in Europe’s biggest auto market.