- Tesla says China unit head Wu resigns – Reuters: U.S. electric car maker Tesla Motors Inc said on Friday its China president, Veronica Wu, has resigned, without giving a reason for her departure.
- Tesla’s China president resigns after less than 9 months in post – Automotive News: Tesla Motors said its top manager in China is leaving the company after less than nine months in the position.
- BELGIUM: Ford union vows to block “even a screwdriver” leaving Genk – Just-auto: Socialist union ABVV, says it will do everything its power to stop “even a screwdriver” leaving Ford’s Genk factory in Belgium, as news emerges of talks between the automaker and Punch Metals imploding.
- Ford Adds Former FCC Chairman Kennard to Board – Yahoo:
- Infiniti Teases Q60 Coupe Concept – thedetroitbureau.com: Despite a few classic show car details, like the microscopic sideview mirrors, we’re likely to be seeing the new Infiniti Q60 Concept again in the not too distant future as the planned replacement for the Japanese maker’s current two-door line.
- Car sales surge as Russians look to shield savings from crisis – Via Google News: After dropping by at least 10 percent in October 2014, car sales in Russia were back at … Experts attribute the sudden desire to buy cars to the falling ruble. … of the AEB’s Automobile Manufacturers Committee Joerg Schreiber said.
- Falling Oil Prices Push Venezuela Deeper Into China’s Orbit – Yahoo:
- Chrysler to add 179,000 vehicles to air bag recall – Freep: The automaker are acting after demands from U.S. safety regulator who say the air bags could explode with too much force.
- RUSSIA: Consumers flock to durable goods as rouble falls – Just-auto: Parts of the Russian market are disposing of their income through the purchase of goods in order to preserve financial value as the rouble comes under increasing pressure.
- Ford dumps Microsoft for Blackberry – CNN: Ford upgrades Sync system that spanned customer complaints, replacing Microsoft operating system with one from Blackberry.
- Rules rather than consumers drive fuel-efficiency gains – Yahoo: [at Financial Times] – When the annual North American International Auto Show starts next month in Detroit, the effect of falling fuel prices will dominate conversation. But executives presenting new models will still be touting …
- Cheap fuel powers big car sales in US – FT: Demand for SUVs and pick-up trucks surges but fuel economy worries take the back seat
- NYC & Chicago mull Uber-like taxi apps – CNN: Uber and Lyft could be getting some fresh competition from Chi-town, the Big Apple.
- Aston Martin raising £150m for new models – FT: UK-based carmaker plans sport utility vehicle in bid to redefine the luxury 4×4 market
- THAILAND: Volvo starts shipping UD brand trucks to South Africa – Just-auto: Volvo has started shipping UD brand trucks to South Africa from Thailand.
- SWITZERLAND: Nissan’s Europe sales reach 60,155 units in November – Just-auto: Nissan has announced European sales for November of 60,155 units, for a market share of 4.1%.
- SOUTH KOREA: Chrysler to launch Jeep Renegade in H2/2015 – Just-auto: Chrysler will launch its new Jeep Renegade in South Korea in the second half of 2015.
- Renault working on basic small hatchback concept – Autocar: Renault has created a secret concept that points to the future of its small car range, but it is unlikely ever to make it out of Renault’s innovation centre in Paris. Renault is working on a basic supermini in the same vein as the likes of the Citroën C4 Cactus.The concept car is called the ‘Value Up’ and adopts a similar cost-saving approach to the new SUV-like Cactus, aiming to be lightweight, efficient and cheaper to produce.It is built on a new platform, which is set to underpin Renault’s future small cars. At 3.8m long, the concept would sit between the Twingo and the Clio in the range.
- BELGIUM: Union vents fury on Ford as Punch Genk talks collapse – Just-auto: A major Ford Belgian union has reacted with fury to the automaker’s decision to end talks with Punch Metals, branding the move “despicable” as the manufacturer’s Genk site moves into its last week of production before closure.
- HONG KONG: Nissan unveils dual fuel NV200 Taxi – Just-auto: Nissan has launched its NV200 taxi in Hong Kong with dual fuel capability.
- Thai Government Offers Encouragement to Automakers – Wards: Industry Minister Chakramon Phasukvanich says upcoming excise-tax changes will lower retail prices of eco-cars and hybrids. The new tax will be based on carbon-dioxide emissions, E-85 compatibility and fuel efficiency instead of engine size.
- MEXICO: General Motors to spend another $3.6bn by 2018 – Just-auto: General Motors said it would spend an additional US$3.6bn in Mexico by 2018, primarily to modernise and expand its manufacturing factories in Toluca, Ramos Arizpe, Silao and San Luis Potosi.
- Scion and MINI: The best of times, the worst of times – Yahoo:
- ASEAN cars reign in Vietnam market even before tax cut – Via Google News: Automobiles imported from ASEAN countries do not need to wait until 2018, … The reality is that cars shipped from Thailand or Malaysia are widely…
- Mazda to recall 52,000 cars in Japan over Takata air bags – Reuters: Mazda Motor Corp said on Friday it would recall 52,000 cars in Japan to investigate potential defects in Takata Corp air bags.
- Toyota Motor Europe announces executive appointments at European headquarters and affiliates for January 1, 2015 – Toyota: Toyota Motor Europe (TME) today announced several executive level appointments at its European headquarters and wholly-owned distributors Toyota Motor Russia, Toyota Motor España, Toyota Motor Italia and Toyota Central Europe.
- Baidu Said to Buy Stake in Uber, Boosting App in China – Yahoo:
- Tesla’s China President Resigns After Less Than 9 Months – Yahoo:
- Infiniti Teases Q60 Concept Ahead of Detroit Debut – Via Google News: Infiniti gives us few other details on the car other than that the Q60 will ?build upon the design language seen on recent Infiniti concept cars.
- New Infiniti Q60 concept to be revealed in Detroit – Autocar: Nissan’s luxury arm teases its Detroit-bound concept car, which appears to preview the next-generation Q60. Infiniti has released the first preview picture of its new Q60 concept car, which will make its world debut at the Detroit motor show in January.It is likely that the two-door coupé hints at a next-generation version of the Q60.
- GM victim: I was robbed of a part of my life – Yahoo:
- Toyota Drives Air-Bag Review – WSJ: Toyota is seizing the leadership in the auto industry’s investigation of potentially defective Takata air bags, spurred by bitter memories of a previous recall crisis.
- GM Plans $5 Billion Mexico Expansion – WSJ: General Motors Co., one of the leading auto makers in Mexico, said Thursday that it is investing $5 billion between 2013 and 2018 to double capacity at its four plants in the in the country.
- NYS Department of Financial Services subpoenas auto lenders – Reuters: New York state’s financial services regulator has subpoenaed financing divisions of automakers including Ford, Honda, Nissan and Volkswagen, along with banks Santander and TD Bank, as part of a probe of possible consumer abuses in subprime auto lending, a person familiar with the matter said on Thursday.
- Automakers say selection of firm to test Takata inflators will come soon – Automotive News: Automakers investigating the scope and cause of sudden ruptures in Takata airbags concluded their first meeting Thursday in metro Detroit without selecting an outside engineering firm to conduct the group’s testing.
- GM offers fix on small-car ignitions to prevent stuck keys – Automotive News: General Motors is offering to repair customers’ Chevrolet Cobalts and other older small cars to prevent keys from getting stuck in the ignition, but the company said it isn’t issuing a recall because the problem doesn’t pose a safety risk.
- Recharge Wrap-up: First EV to attempt Dakar Rally, Mazda makes bioplastic parts – Via Google News: Zap and Jonway Auto brought their Urbee EV and their new Falcon A-380 SUV to the Peru Motor Show in Lima. Jonway sells its SUV and minivan in…
- Fired Delta worker fights to get his job back – CNN: Read full story for latest details.
- Ford Forms New Global Performance Unit – thedetroitbureau.com: Ford Motor will introduce a high-performance RS version of its next-generation Focus line next year. Meanwhile, the maker is combining all its global racing and performance units into the worldwide Ford Performance Organization.
- Automakers make progress on joint Takata airbag probe – Freep: 10 automakers are discussing a joint investigation into Takata airbags today
- Fields predicts ‘breakthrough year’ for Ford in 2015 – Automotive News: Ford CEO Mark Fields said 2015 will be ‘a breakthrough year’ for Ford after a large number of vehicle launches trimmed profit margins in 2014.
- Convert traditional vehicles to EVs? Ford, GM and others are brainstorming – Automotive News: Tony Earley, CEO of utility Pacific Gas and Electric in California and a member of Ford Motor Co.’