- UK: Jeep emerging from falling sales, dealer-deserting ‘nightmare’ – Just-auto: Fiat-Chrysler UK’s Jeep brand is emerging from a nightmare of falling sales and dealers fleeing the brand to post nine months of consecutive growth, said UK chief Steve Zanlunghi.
- UK: New Vauxhall chief to redefine brand – Just-auto: Redefining General Motors Europe’s UK brand Vauxhall as a brand is the number one task for new chairman Tim Tozer, who took over the post in February.
- UK: BMW targets fleet buyers with 4 Grand Coupe – Just-auto: BMW GB has completed its 4 series range with the local launch of the Gran Coupé, a model primarily targeted at the fleet market.
- UK: Government survey shows low interest in EVs – Just-auto: A UK Department of Transport study – Public Attitudes to Electric Vehicles – is pretty grim reading for EV makers with only 5% of respondents saying they were thinking about buying an electric car or van.
- Mulally says he’ll advise Fields, stays mum on other post-Ford plans – Automotive News: Outgoing Ford CEO Alan Mulally said he’ll continue to advise his successor, Mark Fields, and remain in touch with the company after he steps down next month.
- BMW tops Porsche’s 911, GM’s Corvette in Consumer Reports review – DetN: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG’s M235i high-performance car has secured the German automaker its highest-ever score from Consumer Reports, beating the costlier Porsche 911 and Chevrolet Corvette in road-test reviews.
- US: NHTSA asks BMW to check Takata airbags in high-humidity markets – Just-auto: At the request of the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, BMW is to inspect Takata airbags installed in 2000-2006 E46 3-series cars sold in Hawaii, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
- Nissan CEO Ghosn earns $10 millon, stays one of Japan’s top-paid execs – Automotive News: Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn earned more than $10 million last year, putting him on track to become the best-paid Japan executive for the fourth time in five years.
- UK: Renault gets Clio boost in Europe’s May sales numbers – Just-auto: Data released by JATO shows that Renault in Europe enjoyed a strong sales boost from its Clio model in May.
- Ferrari to use turbo V-8s, hybrid V-12s to cut CO2 20% by 2021 – Automotive News: Ferrari wants to reduce its fleet carbon dioxide emissions by 20 percent by 2021 while simultaneously boosting performance. To do this the supercar maker will use turbochargers on V-8 engines and hybrid systems on V-12s, a top executive said.
- Daimler set to approve Mercedes output in Mexico, report says – Automotive News: Daimler’s executive board will approve in two weeks production of a Mercedes compact sedan and the CLA at a Nissan plant in Mexico, a German press report said.
- New reality show ‘Motor City Masters’ pits car designers against one another – Via Google News: But now comes something many Michigan people are more passionate about — car design. “It is a work of art that takes you places,” said Harald …
- Fake gadgets, new European cars top consumer complaints in 2013 – Via Google News: Fake gadgets, new European cars top consumer complaints in 2013 … Among them are complaints that expensive European automobiles broke down …
- China helping bring back manufacturing jobs to U.S. – DetN: Burdened with Alabama’s highest unemployment rate, long abandoned by textile mills and furniture plants, Wilcox County desperately needs jobs.
- Now the Air Bags Are Faulty, Too – NY Times: The expanded recall covers a total of almost three million cars worldwide whose air bags could rupture and injure passengers.
- GM replaces North America manufacturing VP, creates new exec post – DetN: General Motors Co. on Monday named manufacturing and labor veteran Cathy Clegg as North America manufacturing vice president, replacing Gerald Johnson, who held the job for just a year.
- 2015 Hyundai Genesis 5.0 Quick Take – KBB:With the latest Genesis sedan, Hyundai has its best case yet for taking on luxury rivals like the BMW 5 Series, Mercedes-Benz E-Class and Cadillac CTS.
- Auto makers recalling nearly 3M vehicles due to airbag issue – Via Google News: A fourth Japanese automaker, Toyota, has expanded an already in progress recall on the airbags, adding 766,300 cars and trucks in the U.S. – some …
- Ford Mustang Feels Knee-d for Airbag Speed – thedetroitbureau.com: In all the hubbub surrounding introduction of the 2015 Ford Mustang, the maker of the pony car didn’t play up a safety innovation…until now: the knee airbag. While a knee airbag isn’t exactly revolutionary, Ford engineers have improved the design to make it safer while allowing for design flexibility.
- GM creates ‘excellence’ post, names new N.A. manufacturing head – Automotive News: GM is moving North American manufacturing chief Gerald Johnson to a newly created “operational excellence” post reporting directly to CEO Mary Barra. He will be replaced by former labor negotiator Cathy Clegg.
- G.M. Prepares to Count Cost of Suffering – NY Times: The automaker is nearly ready to begin compensating those left injured by the defective ignition switches that led to the recall of 2.6 million vehicles.
- Chinese consumers switch gears from cash to credit for car buys – Via Google News: In a country where owning a car has long been a symbol of luxury and success, around 85 percent of Chinese car buyers still buy cars with cash.
- Cruise May Change How We Drive In The Future – Via Google News: There is a lot of work being done right now in the automobile industry. … It guides the car down the road without needing input from the driver, being …
- Is Tesla Motors Inc. the Most Important Car Company in the World? – Via Google News: In 2011, when Tesla Motors (NASDAQ: TSLA ) was trading at around $26, Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas put a $70 price target on the …
- Is Your Car Concealing a Deadly Defect? – thedetroitbureau.com: The numbers have been adding up fast. Just since the beginning of this month, Japan’s five largest automakers have recalled nearly 6 million vehicles due to airbag problems. General Motors has staged more than three dozen recalls since the beginning of the year.
- Goodwood Festival of Speed reveal for new Ford Focus ST – Autocar: Revised version of the high-performance Ford Focus to make dynamic debut on the hillclimb, while all-new Mustang will also be on show.
- How to build a Tesla, according to Tesla – Washington Post: Ever since Tesla chief executive Elon Musk offered to give away the firm’s electric car patents for free, the rest of the auto industry has leapt on the technology. Among those lining up outside Musk’s door? Some of the biggest names in cars, such as BMW and Nissan. But just what is in Musk’s patent portfolio that has them so excited? A lot of what you need to know to actually build a Tesla, for starters
- One-off Ferrari F12 TRS barchetta unveiled in Italy – Autocar: Ferrari F12 Berlinetta loses its roof to become a modern take on 1950s Ferraris, such as the 250 Testa RossaA bespoke Ferrari based on the F12 Berlinetta starred at the Ferrari Cavalcade in Sicily at the weekend. The Ferrari F12 TRS was developed by Flavio Manzoni and the Ferrari Style Centre team at the request of a Maranello client, who has not been named.The car was conceived as an extreme, two-seater, open-top sports barchetta and is inspired by classic Ferrari designs of the 1950s, including the 250…
- Wonkblog: More than one in every 10 vehicles on the road has been recalled since January – Washington Post: It’s becoming the year of the recall: Automakers have recalled more than 28 million vehicles in the United States this year–more than one in 10 vehicles on the road — putting the industry on track to trample the 2004 record of 30.8 million. Read full article >>
- Airbag Problems Force Honda, Nissan, Mazda to Recall Nearly 3 Million Vehicles Worldwide – thedetroitbureau.com: Barely two weeks after a major airbag recall at Toyota, three other Japanese manufacturers have taken similar steps that will impact nearly 3 million vehicles worldwide. Combined with service actions last year, it’s now one of the five biggest recalls in auto history.
- FRANCE: Toyota completes 520 new Valenciennes hirings – Just-auto: Toyota says it has completed recruitment of 520 new staff for its Valenciennes plant in north east France in response to increased Yaris production.
- JAPAN: Subaru to increase engine production 20% – Just-auto: Subaru parent Fuji Heavy Industries plans to increase annual engine production by 20% to 960,000 units at its Gunma Oizumi plant over the next two years to keep pace with its global ambitions of selling 1.07m vehicles by 2020.
- Japanese carmakers expand recalls – FT: Honda and Mazda have increased the number of cars they are calling back over fears of faulty airbags made by Takata, which also makes seat belts
- US: Ford Explorer exhaust gas intrusion under scrutiny – Just-auto: Ford’s popular Explorer SUV is under scrutiny in the US for exhaust gas intrusion into the passenger compartment.
- JAPAN: Honda, Mazda and Nissan recalls add to Takata airbag woes – Just-auto: Recalls of some 3m vehicles have been announced by Honda, Mazda and Nissan to fix possibly defective airbag inflator propellant made in North America by Japan’s Takata Corporation.
- JAPAN: Government plans subsidies for fuel cell vehicles – Just-auto: The Japanese government has published plans for subsidies aimed at encouraging sales of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles in Japan.
- AA lists after private equity sale – FT: Britain’s biggest roadside recovery service is valued at nearly £1.4bn in listing supported by institutions such as Aviva and BlackRock
- Honda, Nissan, Mazda expand recalls over Takata airbag flaw – Automotive News: The recall storm embroiling Takata airbags widened today with Honda, Nissan and Mazda calling back nearly 3 million vehicles to fix possibly defective inflator propellant made in North America.