- GERMANY: European May sales ‘lacklustre’ – Just-auto: In contrast to the buoyant US, or the tiny New Zealand market, new car registrations across Europe were generally lacklustre in May after a rebound in the first few months of the year, although sales in Germany and Spain were higher due to incentives and subsidies, a news agency analysis showed on Wednesday (4 June).
- GM officials expect internal probe to exonerate Barra, report says – Automotive News: General Motors officials increasingly believe CEO Mary Barra will be cleared of wrongdoing in the recall crisis after a three-month internal investigation, the New York Times reported.
- Opel plans return to profit focusing on small cars, GM technologies – Automotive News: Opel aims to return to profit and increase its market share in Europe by focusing on smaller cars using more components from General Motors, CEO Karl-Thomas Neumann says.
- Ford reveals lightweight Mondeo concept – Autocar: More than 300kg of weight saved in new Mondeo concept, with the technology likely to be used in future production carsFord has revealed a new lightweight concept version of the Mondeo, which is over 300kg lighter than the standard car.
- Opel plans to restore profits through closer ties to General Motors – Reuters: Loss-making car maker Opel aims to return to profit and increase its market share in Europe by focusing on smaller cars using more components from parent company General Motors , Chief Executive Karl-Thomas Neumann said.
- New Toyota Corolla will hit the Chinese auto market in September – CarNewsChina.com: The new Toyota Corolla will hit the Chinese auto market in September, giving Toyota another entry in the lucrative compact sedan segment. Price will start around 110.000 yuan and end around 160.000 yuan.
- This is the Venucia e30 EV for the China car market – CarNewsChina.com: This is the new Venucia e30 EV, ready for its launch on the China car market in September. Venucia is a sub-brand of the Dongfeng-Nissan joint venture, and the Venucia e30 is based on the Nissan Leaf. This makes Nissan the first automaker to launch a fully modern EV under a sub-brand in China.
- Exclusive: GM apologizes for sending recall notices to victims’ families – Reuters: General Motors on Tuesday apologized to families of accident victims who have been notified to bring in cars for replacement of defective ignition switches.
- 13 Deaths, Untold Heartache, From G.M. Defect – NY Times: Guilt, doubt and blame have plagued the people touched by a General Motors ignition switch defect that has killed 13 people
- G.M. Officials Say They Expect Mary Barra Will Be Cleared of Wrongdoing – NY Times: Officials at General Motors said an internal report on faulty ignition switches tied to 13 deaths would exonerate the company’s chief executive.
- Federal regs for auto dealers costing US economy more than $10B, study says – Via Google News: While an applicant with a sketchy credit history can get a car loan, Department of Homeland Security regulations stipulate a car-buying terrorist must …
- Car Buyers Crowded Showrooms in May, Unfazed by Surge in Recalls – NY Times: Analysts said pent-up demand, good weather and low interest rates spurred sales. General Motors, Chrysler, Nissan and Toyota all reported double-digit increases.
- BMW tops Mercedes in May as cheaper luxury models woo buyers – Automotive News: BMW topped Mercedes in May sales as cheaper models and fashionable crossover vehicles helped luxury brands gain traction in the United States with new buyers enjoying rising disposable income.
- Large cars, after brief comeback, lose traction – Automotive News: The large car’s comeback appears over. After a solid rise in 2013, U.S. sales of nonluxury big sedans dropped 5 percent through May, while car sales were flat and total light-vehicle sales jumped 5 percent.
- UAW to Raise Dues 25% – WSJ: Delegates at a United Auto Workers’ convention Tuesday approved a membership dues increase—the union’s first since 1967—giving leaders a new source of revenue to rebuild its depleted strike fund.
- UAW delegates approve 25% dues hike in contentious vote – Automotive News: UAW delegates — following a contentious debate — today approved a 25 percent dues rate increase for members that will raise about $50 million annually by taking an extra half-hour of pay a month from rank-and-file workers.
- GM Ignition-Switch Compensation Plan Weeks Away – WSJ: Compensation expert Kenneth Feinberg said Tuesday he hopes within the next few weeks to provide General Motors Co. with a set of options for offering financial restitution to victims of car crashes connected to the auto maker’s ignition-switch recall.
- Death Toll Could be 74 Due to GM Ignition Defect – thedetroitbureau.com: According to new research, the faulty ignition switch that caused General Motors to recall 2.6 million small cars since January may be responsible for as many as 74 deaths, not the 13 reported by the automaker and federal agencies. What the new findings reveal is that it may difficult to find a hard number.
- May U.S. Sales Surge to 7-Year High SAAR – Wards: The prospect of a sharp rebound in second-quarter GDP helped underwrite May’s solid results, and indicates June should post a still-healthy 16 million-plus SAAR, even if some of its thunder was stolen in the prior month.
- Ford edges Chrysler as Canada posts all-time monthly sales record – Automotive News: Ford edged out Chrysler for the top spot in May sales in Canada by 256 units as the country set an all-time monthly light-vehicle sales record.
- May Vehicle Sales Spring Industry Forward – Via Google News: For a fifth straight month in 2014, vehicle sales were well ahead of the historical 5 year sales for the month of May with sales up almost 20% over the …
- Toyota Has Best Month in Six Years – Wards: Camry and Corolla see near-term record sales, while Lexus continues ascent and Scion slumps.