- GM ordered to produce ex-CEO Wagoner’s 2009 performance review – Automotive News: A U.S. judge told GM to give customers details of former CEO Rick Wagoner’s 2009 performance evaluation about recalls of unsafe cars and ignition switch issues, according to an order signed Tuesday.
- INDIA: Datsun horror inspires national crash testing – Just-auto: A minimum national standard for vehicle occupant protection is being proposed for India. This follows the recent negative publicity for Nissan after footage of a Datsun Go being crashed went viral.
- Chevy Volt Named Best Electric/Hybrid Buy For 2015 – Via Google News: Of course, if you actually look at the benefits of electric cars, I think you have to put electric cars above everything else, which makes the Chevy Volt the best automobile buy of 2015? based on KBB’s ranking system and conclusions.
- Mini to reduce lineup to 5 ‘Superhero’ cars – Automotive News: BMW has decided that Mini has gotten too big and will shrink the compact brand’s lineup to five models from eight. The move reverses course after Mini rolled out a series of quirky derivatives like the coupe and roadster two-seaters in recent years.
- UK: Bentley BY716 SUV to be called ‘Bentayga’ – report – Just-auto: De Telegraaf is claiming it has information which reveals the name of the big SUV that Bentley is due to begin selling in 2016.
- Indian Road-Safety Proposals Get Automaker Pushback – Wards: Automakers object most strongly to a rule that would require the recall of a vehicle if 100 customers complain of any defect that could harm a driver, passenger or pedestrian.
- GERMANY: Ford starts production of Mondeo Hybrid – Just-auto: Ford has started production of the new Ford Mondeo Hybrid – the first hybrid electric car built and sold by Ford in Europe.
- FRANCE/JAPAN: Renault-Nissan sell 200,000 EVs in four years – Just-auto: The Renault-Nissan Alliance has sold 200,000 electric vehicles since launching the Leaf some four years ago and is claiming a 58% share of the global EV market.
- VW Drives for Gains in China’s South – WSJ: Volkswagen is taking market share from other foreign auto makers in China’s relatively wealthy southern region.
- LEXUS TO ROLL OUT BRAND NEW ACTIVE SAFETY PACKAGE FROM 2015 – Toyota: In line with the ultimate aim of eliminating traffic fatalities and injuries, Lexus will next year launch the “Lexus Safety System +” package, a newly-developed set of active safety technologies designed to help prevent or mitigate collisions across a wide range of vehicle speeds.
- Chrysler pressed by NHTSA to move faster on Takata airbag recall – Automotive News: U.S. regulators told Fiat Chrysler Automobiles to speed up its recall of airbags with faulty inflators linked to at least five deaths. NHTSA said in a letter Tuesday to the company that it should begin its recall of cars with Takata airbags Dec.
- China’s Lifan to build car plant in Russia – Via Google News: Chinese motorcycle and automobile manufacturer Lifan would build a car plant in one of the special economic zones in …
- Mazda Issues Recall for Tire Pressure Problem – thedetroitbureau.com: Three automakers revealed news about recalls, but only one of the three – Mazda – actually needed to recall any vehicles. The Japanese automaker is recalling nearly 100,000 Mazda6 sedans due to a faulty tire pressure monitoring system. Ford and Chevy were not forced into any sort of action.
- The Ins and Out of Auto Salvage: A Beginner’s Guide – Via Google News: As one of the largest industries in the world, automobile manufacturing … down on the waste generated before, after, and while cars are on the road.
- Regulators Worry Hackers Have Learned to Hijack Cars – Via Google News: The Tesla Model S is one of the many cars, electric or not, proven to be susceptible … The U.S. military and the automobile industry believe they can.
- Discounts, falling gas prices driving Nov. sales higher – Automotive News: The U.S. auto industry may post its highest November sales volume since 2001, and one forecaster says light-vehicle transaction prices are on pace to reach the highest level ever for a second consecutive month.
- Businesses Already Using, Testing Autonomous Vehicles – Via Google News: While private passenger autonomous vehicles are still being tested by … This will, in turn, likely reduce automobile-insurance costs,? the Rand report …
- Are Self-Driving Cars a Threat to Shipping? – Via Google News: Over those same years the global automobile fleet more than doubled to nearly 450 million vehicles. Today, an estimated one billion cars are roaming …
- BMW and Lexus Heat Up the Compact-Crossover Market – WSJ: The growth in the compact-crossover sector is explosive. These cars offer the raised seating position and higher sightlines consumers love with the stability and versatility of a car-based wagon. Now, BMW and Lexus are entering the market in a big way.
- Land Rover blasts Evoque look-alike from China – Automotive News: Land Rover plans to complain to Chinese officials about a close copy of its Evoque SUV that broke cover at the Guangzhou Motor Show in China late last week.
- Canada helped bail out GM, Chrysler with incomplete information, auditor finds – Automotive News: Canada had limited information about the restructuring plans of GM and Chrysler Group when the government approved a $12.1 billion bailout for the automakers in 2009, federal auditors said.
- Ulrich Hackenberg Predicts Button-Free Audi Interiors – Via Google News: Over the next few years, we’ll see Audi cars with touchscreens replacing all buttons, electric turbochargers under the hood, and some forms of …
- Flying car on sale before 2018 – Via Google News: Twenty-five minutes ago, this was a street-legal automobile. Now, it’s … The promise of a mass-produced flying car has taunted aviation enthusiasts for …
- Scion nixes convertible, turbocharged FR-S – Automotive News: Toyota says there will be no convertible version of the Scion FR-S sports car and — in a blow to power-seeking enthusiasts everywhere — no turbocharged engine.
- NHTSA closes probes into 600,000 Ford, GM vehicles – Automotive News: Safety regulators have closed investigations into about 500,000 Ford Motor and about 100,000 General Motors vehicles without calling for recalls, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said today.
- Hyundai – Kia Sales to Hit Record 8 Million – thedetroitbureau.com: Hyundai Motor Co. and its sibling Kia Motors Corp. are collectively heading for an all-time sales record of 8 million this year. At the same time, the makers could see their earnings dip.
- 100,000 Mazda6 sedans recalled for tire-monitoring systems – Automotive News: Mazda is recalling about 100,000 of its Mazda6 sedans from the 2014 and 2015 model years because the tire monitoring system may not alert drivers to low tire pressure, U.S. regulators said today.
- Nissan introduces all new Generation Taxi: NV200 Taxi in Japan in June 2015 – Nissan:
- RENAULT-NISSAN ALLIANCE SELLS ITS 200,000TH ELECTRIC VEHICLE – Nissan:
- US: Honda failed to report 1,700 accidents in 11 years – Just-auto: Honda has admitted that it failed to report 1,729 accidents involving death and injury in its vehicles to US safety regulators since 2003 blaming errors in data entry and an “overly narrow interpretation” of its legal reporting requirements.
- US: More downs than ups, says GM’s Ammann – Just-auto: Demand in most parts of the world will continue to be soft while the US will continue its slow growth, according to General Motors’ president Dan Ammann.
- Lexus Trying to Tie a Red Bow on 300,000 in 2014 Sales – thedetroitbureau.com: Just weeks after suggesting Lexus would sell more than 300,000 vehicles this year, it was revealed how it will make that number: it’s launching its annual, year-end sales event. December is now one of the most important months on the industry’s marketing calendar. For details, go to TheDetroitBureau.com.
- Honda Admits Under-reporting Crash Deaths, Injuries – thedetroitbureau.com: The recall scandal continuing to rock the auto industry has now caught up to Honda which admits it failed to file more than 1,700 accident reports – including numerous deaths and injuries – with NHTSA.
- Cadillac chief keeps brand’s prices high – FT: New boss says strategy may cost carmaker market share
- GERMANY: Mercedes adds Shooting Brake to CLA family – Just-auto: Mercedes-Benz has added the CLA Shooting Brake to the CLA compact car range.
- Japanese regulators to oversee Takata recalls, investigate Honda’s recall errors in U.S. – Automotive News: Japan’s transport ministry will form groups to oversee airbag recalls tied to Takata Corp. and probe Honda Motor Co. for underreporting faults in the U.S., adding to regulatory scrutiny of the two companies.
- GERMANY: Ford breaks ground for new engineering centre in Cologne – Just-auto: Ford is building a new climatic wind tunnel test centre at its engineering centre in Merkenich, Cologne.
- GERMANY: Carmakers looking to use more carbon fibre, says SGL boss – Just-auto: More carmakers are looking to use parts reinforced with carbon fibre to help them make lighter and more fuel efficient vehicles, according to the CEO of SGL Group Juergen Koehler.