- FRANCE: Norman joins PSA to head marketing push – Just-auto: Stephen Norman, a tough-talking Brit and fluent French speaker, who has previously worked for Renault and Fiat, has been appointed to a new role of senior vice president, group marketing coordination at PSA, effective from 12 May.
- UK: Audi dealers caught out on Euro NCAP test claims – Just-auto: A BBC Watchdog programme investigation into Audi UK has discovered widespread lying about the safety testing of their vehicles, the broadcaster said.
- GERMANY: Porsche SE books Q1 group profit of EUR728m – Just-auto: In the first three months of 2014, Porsche Automobil Holding SE (aka Porsche SE) reported group profit of EUR728m (prior year: EUR601m). This mainly resulted from the profit from the investment accounted for at equity in Volkswagen AG of EUR732m (prior year: EUR600m).
- UK: Suzuki to launch YAD small SUV in 2015 – Just-auto: A Suzuki spokesman has told just-auto that the production version of its YAD project small SUV will be launched in the UK “in early spring 2015”.
- Audi reveals A3 Clubsport Quattro concept – Autocar: Hardcore 518bhp A3 concept revealed ahead of Wörthersee show, with parts of it previewing the upcoming RS3 saloon.
- Another Big Recall at GM – thedetroitbureau.com: For the second time in barely a week, brake problems are forcing the recall of the recently updated Chevrolet Malibu. It’s the latest in an embarrassing – and growing – list of safety-related problems for GM.
- AutoCar says the Lamborghini Huracan SUCKS because China – CarNewsChina.com: AutoCar’s Stuart Sutcliffe drove the new Lamborghini Huracan supercar in Spain for a serious test on fast mountain roads. Sutcliffe didn’t like the Huracan at all. He got especially upset about the electronic safety net, saying it always continues to watch even when manually switched off.
- First Ferrari 458 Speciale arrives in China – CarNewsChina.com: The first Ferrari 458Speciale has arrived on Chinese soil, and where else than inShenzhen inGuangdong Province, the supercar heaven of China? The Ferrari 458Speciale was launched on the China car market in February for a hefty 4.48 million yuan or 740.000 USD.
- 2014 VW Beetle GSR: Power supplants flower – DetN: The Beetle is more masculine. And if anyone didn’t get the hint, here comes the muscular GSR for 2014.
- Car turn signals may go in a wink – DetN: Automakers promise that modern cars are evolving to help us.
- Limitations confine alternative-fuel autos to niche markets – DetN: Vehicles that run on fuels like electricity, natural gas, ethanol, biodiesel and propane have been growing in popularity, but their market share is still small compared to the standbys of gasoline and diesel.
- GM Board Starts Own Recall Probe – WSJ: General Motors’ board hired a law firm to review why it wasn’t initially informed of cars stalling due to a faulty ignition switch, after CEO Mary Barra began her own investigation into the company’s handling of the ignition-switch problem.
- Haval H8 delayed again, probably indefinitely – CarNewsChina.com: Great Wall Motors has announced another unspecified delay for the troubled Haval H8 SUV, with wild rumors going around on the Chinese interwebs that the delay is “indefinitely”. The Haval H8 was delayed for the first time in January after automotive journalists found serious shortcomings.
- Hyundai Motor union demands higher wages, shorter hours – Reuters: Hyundai Motor Co’s South Korean labor union has demanded higher pay and bonuses and more cuts to working hours, as the automaker heads into annual wage talks in June under the threat of industrial action.
- Spy Shots: Volkswagen Golf Sportvan testing in China – CarNewsChina.com: The first spy shot of the Volkswagen Golf Sportvan testing in China. The Golf Sportvan is the successor of the Golf Plus, basically a slightly stretched Golf with a higher roof. The Golf Sportvan will be imported to China. The standard Golf is manufactured locally by the FAW-Volkswagen joint venture.
- General Motors recalls 2014 Chevy Malibus for brake issues – DetN: General Motors Co. has recalled some 2014 Chevrolet Malibu cars for a braking issue, according to a recall notice sent to dealers this week.
- Senate confirms auto communities adviser to Commerce post – DetN: The White House’s point person whose job it was to help struggling auto communities has been confirmed by the U.S. Senate to a new job at the Commerce Department.
- GM shifting battery assembly for ’15 Spark EV to Brownstown Twp. plant – DetN: General Motors Co. said Wednesday it is moving production of battery assembly for the 2015 Chevrolet Spark EV to its Brownstown Battery Assembly Plant, and that the Brownstown Township facility now will assemble all electric vehicle batteries for the automaker.
- Rolls-Royce starts work on all-new Phantom – Autocar: Second-generation flagship Rolls-Royce to launch in three years with different styling and both V12 and plug-in hybrid models planned. Early work is under way on the all-new Rolls-Royce Phantom, Autocar can reveal. The new model is thought to be nearly three years from appearing in the showroom, but design chief Giles Taylor’s team has “already started sketching” to develop the first ideas ?for the new model.
- Huge classic car collection up for sale – FT: Owner James Hull hopes set including Churchill’s Austin and Mountbatten’s Mini Traveller will sell intact for more than £100m and stay in UK.
- Toyota Is Sole Automaker To Be Named One Of DiversityInc’s Top 50 Companies For Diversity – Wards: DiversityInc named Toyota one of its Top 50 Companies for Diversity® in 2014, marking Toyota’s eighth appearance on the list since 2006. Toyota is the only automaker in the Top 50, placing at no.
- GM board retains law firm to assess business practices – DetN: General Motors Co.’s board of directors has retained an outside law firm to provide it with an ‘independent assessment’ of some of the Detroit automaker’s business procedures.
- GM Moves Spark Battery Production In-House – thedetroitbureau.com: General Motors is bringing the production of its new battery pack for the 2015 Chevrolet Spark EV in-house to its Brownstown Township, Michigan, plant. The plant also builds the packs for the Chevy Volt, Opel Ampera and Cadillac ELR. The new pack is 86 pounds lighter than its predecessor.
- GM recalls 140,000 Chevy Malibus for brake flaw – Automotive News: GM is recalling 140,067 Chevrolet Malibus from the 2014 model year for a problem with the electronic brake control module that can increase the risk of crashes.
- GM brings Spark EV batteries in-house to Mich. plant – Automotive News: General Motors is moving production of the battery pack for its all-electric model of the Chevrolet Spark minicar in-house at the company’s battery assembly plant in suburban Detroit.
- Marchionne: Fiat Chrysler can be successful without meeting all targets – DetN: Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV CEO Sergio Marchionne says the automaker doesn’t need to meet all of the targets outlined in the company’s most recent five-year plan for it to be considered successful.
- Hyundai to appeal $248 million verdict over fatal Montana crash – Automotive News: Hyundai Motor America plans to appeal a $248 million verdict awarded to the families of two boys killed in 2011 in a crash involving a Hyundai car they claimed was defective.
- Bits Blog: A Trip in a Self-Driving Car Now Seems Routine – NY Times: A test ride of the latest version of Google’s self-driving car could be best characterized as underwhelming. And that is not a bad thing.
- Houston Lays Claim to “Road Rage” Capital of US – thedetroitbureau.com: Road ragers and their particular behaviors aren’t limited to one part of the United States, but the cities best-known for being vehicularly irate last year have made a concerted effort to clean up their act, according to a recent survey. Houston displaced New York City as the city with the least courteous drivers in 2014.