GM edition:
- GM expands ignition switch recall as cautionary measure – Just-auto: Though modified ignition switches were fitted at the factory, General Motors is now recalling some 2008-2011 models because it has no way of knowing if any car has since been repaired using one of the older types of switch.
- GM hearing will test automaker’s deep Washington ties – Washington Post: General Motors chief executive Mary Barra got the royal treatment when she visited Washington in January: a mention in the State of the Union address, a seat in the first lady’s box and a warm welcome from lawmakers in both parties.
- Delphi told panel GM approved ignition switches below specifications – Reuters: General Motors Co approved ignition switches for cars that have been linked to 13 deaths, even though the parts did not appear to meet the company’s specifications, officials of Delphi Automotive told U.S. congressional investigators.
- Congress to eye GM ignition switch approval process – Just-auto: General Motors approved ignition switches for cars that have been linked to 13 deaths, even though the parts did not appear to meet the company’s specifications, Delphi Automotive officials have told US congressional investigators.
- GM recalls newly launched trucks and SUVs for pipe check – Just-auto: General Motors will recall the recently launched 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 pickups, and 2015 Chevrolet Suburban and Tahoe and GMC Yukon and Yukon XL SUVs equipped with a six-speed automatic transmission to check an oil cooler line.
- GM recalls Chevrolet Cruze turbo for half shaft check – Just-auto: General Motors said a recall – announced at the weekend – of the 1.4-litre turbocharged version of the Chevrolet Cruze allows dealers to resume selling models that were placed on stop sale on Thursday evening as soon as a half shaft inspection is complete and any necessary repairs are made.
- GM Pulls Opel Out of China; Will Play Larger Role in U.S. – thedetroitbureau.com:Barely a month after GM pulled Chevrolet out of Europe as part of a continuing global brand realignment, the maker is pulling Opel out of China. The brand never took off in China and will instead focus on its home market of Europe while lending support to GM’s brands in China and the U.S.
In other news edition:
- Detroit Electric Abandoning Detroit Production Base for Sports Car – thedetroitbureau.com: Call it Not-So-Detroit Electric, apparently. Already a year late in plans to produce a $135,000 limited-edition sports car, the start-up firm says it will turn to Holland to produce its little SP:01 model starting later this year, and eventually return to the Detroit area to produce its next-gen vehicle.
- Vote to unionize Toyota Canada plant could be soon -union source – Reuters: Canada’s largest private-sector union could file for certification with the labour board to hold an organization vote at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada Inc assembly plants “anytime soon,” a union source said on Monday.
- Chrysler to remain a U.S. legal entity – Automotive News: Chrysler Group LLC will remain a United States legal entity also after the completion of the Fiat Chrysler merger later this year, Fiat and Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne said today.
- US: Ford CEO 2013 pay package worth $23m – Just-auto: Ford president and CEO Alan Mulally received over $23m in ‘compensation’ in 2013, according to a statutory filing with the US Securities Exchange Commission (SEC).
- Aston Martin holding talks with Daimler on luxury SUV, report says – Automotive News: Aston Martin Lagonda and Daimler AG are holding talks to extend their cooperation to SUVs as the British maker of cars featured in James Bond movies seeks to broaden its lineup, people familiar with the matter told Bloomberg.
- Mitsubishi to end Lancer Evolution production, another potential setback for U.S. dealers – Automotive News: Mitsubishi will pull the plug on the Lancer Evolution, the brand’s all-wheel-drive performance sedan, at the end of the nameplate’s current generation.
- Mitsubishi buys defunct Ford plant in Philippines to fuel Asia growth – Automotive News: Mitsubishi Motors Corp. has bought a defunct assembly plant from Ford Motor Co. in the Philippines as part of its push to expand sales in booming Southeast Asia.
- GERMANY: VW to develop eco-friendly vehicles in China – Just-auto: Volkswagen Group will in future be cooperating more closely with its Chinese joint venture partners SAIC Motor and First Automotive Works (FAW) Group in the field of forward-looking technologies, according to new agreements signed recently in Berlin, Germany.
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