- CHINA: Toyota JV trims 2014 target – Just-auto: The FAW-Toyota joint venture in China reportedly has trimmed its annual sales target by 6% to 620,000 units after demand this year was less than anticipated.
- SWEDEN: Saab ‘reviver’ NEVS to axe 200 workers – Just-auto: Nevs, which has been attempting to revive Saab car models, said it would lay off up to 200 employees due to lack of work, because “the decision to re-start production will be further delayed”.
- General Motors Looks to New Offerings to Spur China Sales – WSJ: General Motors is counting on the Chevrolet Cruze and other new offerings down the road to address a growing weakness in China: slowing sales growth for its bread-and-butter compact-size cars.
- Mercedes Pumps Up Performance with AMG C63 – thedetroitbureau.com: Mercedes-Benz wants to pump you up – at least if you’re looking to buy one of its new C-class models. With the addition of the AMG C63 line next year, you’ll be able to order a package that tips the scales at more than 500 horsepower.
- Cadillac’s China sales expected to grow 40% this year – Automotive News: GM expects Cadillac sales in China to increase 40 percent this year, as it prepares to reorganize its luxury brand as a separate unit based in New York.
- Cadillac’s New York Move to Lead to ‘New Way of Thinking’ – Wards: GM product chief Mark Reuss says having employees live among people who set trends in the U.S. should help determine how to best market Cadillac.
- US: GM makes Cadillac separate business unit run from New York – Just-auto: As part of continued expansion of Cadillac, General Motors will reestablish its flagship brand as a separate business unit with a new global headquarters in New York set to open in 2015.
- Lincoln MKC will hit the China car market on October 23, but only in three cities – CarNewsChina.com: The Lincoln MKC SUV will be launched on the Chinese car market on October 23, marking the start of a large Lincoln sales offensive in China. Price for the Lincoln MKC will start around 350.000 yuan and end around 450.000 yuan (57.000 – 73.000 USD). The MKC will be imported into China but it might […]
- GM expects to sell over three million cars in China this year: Tsien – Reuters: General Motors Co expects to sell over three million vehicles in China for the second straight year in 2014, with its premium brand forecast to grow 40 percent, the U.S. carmaker’s China President Matthew Tsien said on Wednesday.
- S class leads Mercedes’ plug-in offensive – Automotive News: Mercedes will roll out at least 10 new plug-in hybrid models by 2017 — starting with its flagship S-class sedan — as the premium car manufacturer looks to fulfill strict carbon emission requirements in Europe.
- Audi, Chevy, Lincoln plan bigger marketing outlays to support ’15 launches – Automotive News: Several major auto brands will boost their marketing budgets next year to support busy model launch schedules, a group of executives said at the Automotive News Marketing Seminar in New York on Tuesday.
- Cadillac Tries to Make a Fresh Start in New York – NY Times: General Motors is seeking to help the brand shed its stodgy image and recapture a mystique that melted away nearly two decades ago.
- Hyundai Motor Workers Walk Off Job – WSJ: More than three-quarters of the workforce of Hyundai Motor walked off the job to highlight stalled contract talks and the company’s $10 billion land purchase that is becoming a flash point for corporate-governance concerns in South Korea.
- Cadillac Chief De Nysschen Says There Is Room For Halo Car Beyond Omega Flagship – Via Google News: His most interesting answer came when he was asked if he sees room for Cadillac to produce an even higher-end vehicle to slot in above the …
- General Motors appoints its first cybersecurity chief – Reuters: General Motors Co on Tuesday named an engineer to serve as its first cybersecurity chief as the No. 1 U.S. automaker and its rivals come under increasing pressure to better secure their vehicles against hackers.
- GM creates product cybersecurity post – Automotive News: General Motors hired its first product cybersecurity chief in a move designed to address the growing challenge of providing safe, secure and reliable technology in vehicles.
- Audi unveils new TT Roadster – Autocar: Open-top Audi TT goes on sale in October with prices starting from around £32,000, following its debut at the Paris motor show next month.
- Lotus halts U.S. sales for 2015 model year – Automotive News: Boutique British sports car maker Lotus may be due for a pit stop in the U.S. The only Lotus model sold in the U.S., the Evora, is being dropped for the 2015 model year because it no longer meets U.S. federal crash standards.
- Infiniti Q80 Inspiration signals a fastback future – Automotive News: Infiniti released an image of a large four-door fastback concept that signals the styling for a stream of new products planned over the next four years.
- VW Builds Up Edge over Rival in China – thedetroitbureau.com: Volkswagen AG’s various operations in China have combined to build up a significant lead over rival General Motors even as both companies chalked up double-digit sales increases during the first eight months of 2014. VW’s sales are up 16.5% compared with GM’s 11.1% through August.
- Detroit automakers vs. Hollywood filmmakers for top digital design talent – Automotive News: When it comes to hiring hot young car designers, Detroit’s automakers face tough competition from an unlikely but glamorous source: Hollywood.
- Yazaki will pay $100 million to settle U.S. price-fixing claims – Automotive News: Wire harness market leader Yazaki, which paid the largest federal criminal fine so far in a three-year prosecution of automotive supplier price-fixing, also will shell out the largest civil settlement — $100 million — in related settlements.
- US: GM’s lawyer has now agreed 21 ‘ignition switch’ death crash payouts – Just-auto: General Motors has now agreed a compensation payout to families of 21 people killed in its cars in crashes related to faulty ignition switches.
- How Mazda survived the atomic bomb, by a split hair – Automotive News: Mazda, the most famous company from Hiroshima, may have survived the city’s infamous atomic bombing on Aug. 6, 1945, quite literally by only a split hair.