- Regulator Fines GM Over Missed Deadline – WSJ: The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration slapped General Motors with a $28,000 fine for failing to respond completely to questions about its handling of a troubled ignition-switch recall.
- GM Investing $449 Mil to Prepare for New Battery Cars, Updated Volt – thedetroitbureau.com: Despite sluggish sales for its Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid, General Motors appears to be making an even bigger bet on the future of electric vehicles as it prepares to invest $449 million in a key battery-car assembly plant and the factory that produces the lithium-ion packs that will be used there.
- Re-engineered Ram Power Wagon gets new frame, bigger tires – Automotive News: The re-engineered 2014 Ram Power Wagon will use a new frame, bigger tires and a five-link coil suspension to improve on-road performance and off-road ability.
- GERMANY: VW Q1 sales grow 3.9% as Americas slump – Just-auto: The Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand increased sales 3.9% to 1.48m vehicles in the first three months of this year after delivering 557,800 (+4.8%) in March.
- GERMANY: Daimler posts record annual sales, revenue and net profit – Just-auto: Daimler has posted record annual results for 2013 with sales, revenues and net profit all reaching new highs.
- Toyota to recall nearly 6.5 million vehicles for steering, other faults – Reuters: Toyota Motor Corp, in its second-largest recall announcement, said on Wednesday that it would call back 6.39 million vehicles globally after uncovering five different faults involving parts ranging from steering to seats.
- Toyota to Recall 6.4 Million Vehicles – NY Times: The automaker said on Wednesday that the recall is for problems with airbags that may not deploy or seats that could move in a crash.
- Ally Financial IPO means freedom to make more auto loans, more risk – Automotive News: The Treasury Department has had Ally Financial in a regulatory headlock since its 2008 bailout. As the government sells shares in an initial public offering, Ally will soon breathe again — and take on more risk.
- CHINA: Beijing Auto eyes big IPO – Just-auto: Beijing Automotive Group is planning an IPO in the second half of the year that could raise as much as 20 billion yuan (over USD3bn).
- Toyota recalls about 6.4 million vehicles globally – DetN: Toyota Motor Corp. is recalling 6.39 million vehicles globally for a variety of problems spanning nearly 30 models in Japan, the U.S., Europe and other places.
- GERMANY: BMW hits new monthly sales record – Just-auto: BMW Group recorded its best ever monthly sales in March – and a new high for the first quarter – keeping it well ahead of its target to achieve annual sales of 2m vehicles two years ahead of schedule.
- Daimler predicts profit growth on expanded model offerings – DetN: Daimler AG Chief Executive Officer Dieter Zetsche said his expansion of Mercedes-Benz model offerings will enable the world’s third-largest maker of luxury cars to beat competitors’ sales growth and increase operating profit ‘significantly’ in 2014.
- Cadillac Escalade Favors Elegance Over Excess, Product Chief Says – Wards: “We wanted to keep the basic DNA, keep the excitement and the drama, but move forward by taking it further upscale,” David Schiavone tells WardsAuto.
- Daimler chairman says is working on issue of succession – Reuters: Daimler supervisory board Chairman Manfred Bischoff said the company was working on the issue of succession at the maker of luxury cars and trucks, but added that the issue was not a matter of urgency.
- GM auto workers vote to allow strike in Kentucky – DetN: Workers at the General Motors plant in Kentucky that assembles Corvettes voted Tuesday to authorize a strike over lingering safety concerns, but a local union leader said he hopes the differences can be resolved without a walkout.
- Bentley Mulsanne concept is firm’s first hybrid – Autocar: New Bentley Hybrid Concept for Beijing motor show previews new drivetrain destined for 2017 SUV.
- Ford phases out Microsoft SYNC badges – DetN: Ford Motor Co. is quietly separating itself from Microsoft Corp. by dropping the tech giant’s name from promotional badging in future cars.
- Mercedes Concept Coupe SUV previews new MLC – Autocar: New SUV concept for the Beijing show previews Mercedes’ answer to the BMW X6Mercedes-Benz has previewed its upcoming MLC SUV with a new Concept Coupé SUV for the Beijing motor show.
- BMW, Daimler Upbeat on Luxury Car Outlook – WSJ: German luxury auto makers were upbeat about the outlook for sales this year as BMW turned in record sales for the month of March.
- Audi, FAW to Make Plug-In Hybrid in China – WSJ: German luxury car maker Audi AG said Wednesday it will start production of a China-made plug-in hybrid sedan with Chinese partner FAW Group Corporation.
- GM Korea Reverses Wage Contingency, Adds $577 Million to Bottom Line – Wards: The automaker appears confident it won’t owe workers back pay, despite a pending Korean Supreme Court ruling.
- Is fitting black boxes in cars a boon or a threat? – Autocar: Soon more of us will be encouraged to have telematics devices fitted to our cars to lower insurance costs; but will it be at the cost of our driving freedom?
- Honda Fit raises the ante, and cargo space, in subcompact segment – Automotive News: In the subcompact segment, small can no longer mean cheap.
- Subaru rules out more powerful WRX STI for UK – Autocar: The new Subaru WRX STI goes on sale in the UK this summer, but the 305bhp saloon won’t get a domestically-tuned version.
- Ford to show freshened Focus at New York show – Automotive News: Ford will show the freshened Focus sedan and the Focus Electric during the New York auto show press days next week.
- Ford calls 2015 Focus sedan ‘significant update’ – DetN: Ford Motor Co. has unveiled its 2015 Focus sedan, which debuts later this year with a fresh face, an upgraded suspension, an optional 1-liter EcoBoost engine and a standard rearview camera.
- GM adds luxury HD model to Silverado’s lineup – DetN: General Motors Co. will offer a top-of-the-line 2015 Chevrolet Silverado High Country HD model later this year.
- Gas Prices for Summer Projected to Hold Steady, Reflecting Sufficient Supply – NY Times: The Energy Department forecast that a gallon of regular gasoline would cost $3.57 on average nationally, down a penny from last summer.
- BMW weighing new North American plant – Reuters: German carmaker BMW is planning a second North American factory to cater to the rising demand for its vehicles.
- China’s Embrace of Foreign Cars – NY Times: Multinational corporations are clawing market share from Chinese brands in their home market. In response, China’s automakers are pushing to preserve protectionist policies.
- Land Rover reveals ‘see-through’ bonnet for Discovery Vision – Autocar: High-tech augmented-reality system to feature on new Land Rover concept car, which previews the firm’s new Discovery family.
- UK: And now, the see-through Land Rover – Just-auto: Pioneering technology is being developed to give Land Rover drivers a digital vision of the terrain ahead by making the front of the car ‘virtually’ invisible.
- Senator wants GM CEO to back rental car repair bill – DetN: U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer asked the head of General Motors Co. on Tuesday to endorse legislation to keep unrepaired rental cars off the road. The bill has been endorsed by major rental car firms, but has been stalled since 2012.
- Wheelies: The Car Tipping Edition – NY Times: Hooligans tip Smart cars around San Francisco; some Toyota factories replace robots with people.
- For Car Thieves, the Older and Heavier the Ride, the Better – NY Times: Automobile thefts, virtually eliminated in New York since the 1990s, have seen a recent rise, driven by a legislative quirk and the lure of scrapyard payouts for heavy vehicles.
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