- NHTSA chief says GM made ‘incredibly poor decisions’ on recalls – Automotive News: The top U.S. auto safety regulator harshly criticized GM for not promptly reporting and recalling cars now linked to at least 19 deaths and said he has been meeting with top global automakers to develop a “new normal” for safety recalls.
- GM’s Opel Hunkers Down in Russia – WSJ: Adam Opel, the European unit of General Motors., is reorganizing its business in Russia in the latest sign that weakening sales there threaten GM’s turnaround in Europe.
- Tesla: high times – FT: Is the pioneering electric car company good value in the long term, but less so in the short term?
- JAPAN: Toyota stalls on Mexico plant plans – Just-auto: Toyota has paused plans for a new assembly plant in Mexico after company president Akio Toyoda called for a review of the North American market.
- Hyundai plans to build 2 more factories in China, not 1, reports say – Automotive News: Hyundai Motor Co. plans to build two factories in China instead of one, two people familiar with the matter told Reuters today.
- Bosch benefits as new ZF-TRW combo enters driverless car fray – Automotive News: Robert Bosch GmbH gained full control over key automotive technology, positioning the world’s biggest parts supplier as an unexpected beneficiary of ZF Friedrichshafen AG’s leap into the No. 2 position.
- GM’s Opel to cut Russia production as slowdown bites – Reuters: U.S. carmaker General Motors is cutting production and shedding around 500 jobs at its Opel division in Russia, hit by a plunge in local demand due to a slowing economy and Western sanctions.
- RUSSIA: General Motors’ Opel reorganises as market toughens – Just-auto: General Motors European Opel arm is shaking up operations in Russia to combat difficult market conditions which are “facing serious turbulence”.
- Pulsar Output Under Way, to Hit Spanish Showrooms in October – Wards: Initially Nissan was targeting 80,000 units per year, but that has been reduced to 64,500 for 2015, likely a result of the weakening in the European market’s recovery over the past few months.
- America’s Rudest Drivers – thedetroitbureau.com: Fuhgeddaboutit. New Jersey drivers barely made the Top 10, and California’s not even on the list. New Yorkers made the cut, but when it comes to America’s rudest drivers, they aren’t the benchmark. So, who tops the list?
- US: GM adjudicator OKs 19 ignition switch related death claims – Just-auto: General Motors has so far agreed a compensation payout to families of 19 people killed in its cars in crashes related to faulty ignition switches.
- Hyundai Motor to build two new plants in China instead of one: sources – Reuters: South Korean automaker Hyundai Motor Co plans to build two new factories in China instead of one, two people familiar with the matter told Reuters on Tuesday.
- JLR’s Smarts, New Models Help Tata Reinvent Itself – Wards: The mainstream automaker and its luxury division would benefit from significant exchanges of ideas regarding Tata’s market strategies and JLR technologies.
- Opel shakes up Russia operations – Automotive News: Opel will reorganize its Russian operations in response to difficult market conditions amid the crisis over Ukraine, the General Motors subsidiary said Tuesday.
- China-made Volvo XC60 will debut on the Guangzhou Auto Show – CarNewsChina.com: The China-made Volvo XC60 SUV will debut on the Guangzhou Auto Show in November and launch on the Chinese auto market just before the end of the year. The Volvo XC60 will be manufactured new Geely-built factory in Daqing in Heilongjiang Province. The Volvo XC60 is the third Volvo to be manufactured in China after […]
- Mitsubishi Motors to invest $600 million in Indonesian car factory – Reuters: Japan’s Mitsubishi Motors Corp will invest $600 million to set up its first multi-purpose vehicle factory in Indonesia, aiming to capitalise on strong demand for the segment in the country as well as to export to other markets in Asia.
- How Does Driverless Car Insurance Work? – Via Google News: Silicon Valley tech companies are hard at work on developing driverless cars, which will eventually, like our current cars, need to be insured.
- UAW deal with Lear would shed two-tier wages at Ind. plant – Automotive News: The agreement that ended a one-day strike at a Lear seat plant supplying Ford in Chicago would get rid of a wage structure that pays new-hires less than their veteran colleagues, a union official said.
- Death Count Raised to 19 in GM Ignition-Switch Defect – WSJ: General Motors faulty ignition-switch death toll now stands at 19, above the auto maker’s earlier estimate, and may go higher, its hired compensation expert, Kenneth Feinberg, said in his first public update.
- Volvo XC Classic hits the Chinese car market – CarNewsChina.com: The new Volvo XC Classic has been launched on the Chinese car market. Price starts at 548.900 yuan and ends at 638.900 yuan ($89.000 – 104.000). The Volvo XC Classic is a continuation of the first generation Volvo XC90. The Volvo XC Classic is manufactured in China in a new Geely-funded factory in Daqing in […]
- Volkswagen leads German charge in China’s compact-car market – Via Google News: Volkswagen’s lead in China’s compact-car market this year has helped a handful of German marques sell almost as many of the vehicles as the …
- General Motors’ Fuel Pump Recall Reveals Patchwork Approach to Auto Safety – NY Times: Under regional recalls, carmakers limit notification and repairs to specific states or regions based on factors, like extreme heat, that cause a part to fail.
- General Motors Defect Now Faulted in 19 Deaths – NY Times: The tally, announced on Monday by the lawyer Kenneth Feinberg, is higher than the 13 fatalities the automaker has linked to a defective ignition system.
- Mass. Supreme Judicial Court rules for Tesla Motors over auto dealers – Via Google News: The high-end electric car manufacturer Tesla Motors prevailed in a lawsuit filed by Massachusetts auto dealers in an attempt to stop the company from …
- Analyst: People Might Not Own Cars in the Future – Via Google News: Increased connectivity and the rise of ride-sharing won’t end the auto … “What we are seeing right now is a redefinition of the automobile,” Thilo …
- Cadillac’s new chief vows no retreat on pricing strategy – Automotive News: Cadillac has no plans to back off its sharply higher sticker prices or sweeten incentives to improve slumping U.S. sales, new brand chief Johan de Nysschen said.
- A Brief History of Air Bags and The Future of Driverless Cars – Via Google News: The big push in the 1960s automobile world was about the sexiness and features of the car, Hall recalls, and none of the emphasis was on safety like …
- Porsche’s Pop-Up Shop – NY Times: The German sports car maker sets up a temporary store in Manhattan’s meatpacking district.
- North American Light-Vehicle Production Down 1% in August – Wards:Several automakers posted record results for the month, while others saw double-digit declines.
- Deaths Attributable to GM Ignition Switch Problem Rises – thedetroitbureau.com: The number of people killed as a result of General Motors’ faulty ignition switch now officially stands at 19. Kenneth Feinberg, the attorney overseeing GM’s compensation fund, approved payments on 19 death claims, which is higher than the 13 GM previously claimed.
- GM to pay compensation for 19 fatalities – FT: Carmaker had previously acknowledged 13 deaths in the US and Canada linked to ignition switch fault, and has now received 125 claims for fatalities
- UAW strike at Lear plant in Indiana ends after 1 day – Automotive News: The UAW’s strike at a Lear Corp. seating plant that supplies Ford’s assembly plant in Chicago was ended after one day.