Top News:
- New Film Reveals the Reality of the Auto Bailout – Detroit Bureau: It had once seemed impossible, but in 2009 it became clear that GM – and Chrysler – were heading for bankruptcy. They were saved only with the help of $62.5 bil in federal aid. What went wrong? Who was to blame? Who were the villains and heroes? That’s the stuff of a surprisingly compelling new documentary, Live Another Day, opening this week
- Apple ‘rethinking’ auto plans – report – Just-auto: The report said that Apple has closed down parts of its self-driving car project and it cited three anonymous sources who were briefed on the move but…
- Autonomous car hackers can take advantage of ‘hundreds of thousands of security risks’ – Autocar: Autonomous vehicles will use hundreds of millions of lines of code
- Jaguar Land Rover shifting XE from Solihull to Castle Bromwich – Just-auto: Tata Motors’ luxury vehicle unit Jaguar Land Rover is transferring production of its XE saloon from its Solihull plant to Castle Bromwich, citing “huge customer demand” for that model and the F-Pace.
- Audi deepens partnerships with Chinese tech giants – Just-auto: Audi says it is to strengthen the digital footprint of the brand in China via partnerships with local Internet firms.
- VW CFO’s task: Fund innovation while taking a $20 billion hit – Automotive News: As CFO, it falls to Frank Witter to figure out how to fund the innovation needed to succeed in a rapidly changing auto market — electric vehicles, driverless technology and ride-sharing services — while digesting an unprecedented 18 billion euro…
- VW Brazil and Prevent Group end relations – Just-auto: Production at the three Volkswagen Brazil manufacturing plants (Sao Bernardo do Campo and Taubate in Sao Paulo state; Sao Jose dos Pinhais in Parana), together with the Sao Carlos engine plant (also in Sao Paulo), has been halted completely for over 30 days due to long-lasting commercial litigation with Wolfsburg-based Prevent Group.
- Facelifted Alfa Romeo Mito launched – Autocar: Alfa Romeo has updated its Mito supermini, with new specs, tweaked design and more technology
- Promoted: SEAT Ateca on tour – a family SUV with added style – Autocar: The Barcelona firm’s new SUV made a strong first impression with families in Cardiff and Edinburgh
- 2017 Volvo V90 Cross Country shown under wraps in new teaser – Autocar: The Volvo V90 Cross Country will be revealed later this month before arriving on British roads at the start of 2017
- Google’s Self-Driving Car Project Is Losing Out to Rivals – Bloomberg: For more on autonomous cars: Bloomberg’s QuickTake … “Uber logs as many miles in 24 minutes as Google’s autonomous cars have logged in their…
- 2016 Audi TT RS guns for Porsche Cayman S with PS51,800 starting price – Autocar: Coupé and roadster versions of Audi’s new turbocharged TT RS use a 2.5-litre five-cylinder petrol engine that produces 395bhp, making them more potent than Porsche’s 718 Cayman and Boxster
- Used-Car Startups Lure Buyers Online Away From Dealer Lots – Bloomberg: People have demonstrated they’re willing to purchase vehicles online, with technology “taking fat out of the distribution channel, providing savings for…
- EC holds pan-Europe meeting to discuss VW fall-out – Just-auto: European Commission (EC) Consumer Commissioner, Vera Jourova, hasheld a meeting in Brussels with 31 organisations across Europe to start working on solutions to protect consumers better in the context of the Volkswagen emissions case.