Archives for July 2014

• FBI investigating former Ford engineer for possible espionage – Automotive News: An engineer recently fired by Ford is being investigated for possible espionage after the FBI found listening devices installed in the company’s headquarters, The Detroit News reported today.
• EPA Says Industry Ahead of CAFE Curve – Wards: “What we are finding is manufacturers are not only bringing technology in faster than we thought they would, they are also bringing different technology to fruition than what we anticipated,” says the EPA’s Michael Olechiw.
• Jaguar Land Rover Cuts Prices on Chinese Models – WSJ: Jaguar Land Rover said it would cut prices on Range Rover and Jaguar F-Type Cabriolet models in China by an average of $32,000, in response to scrutiny by Chinese state media and the government.
• GM recalls far from calamity for some dealers who find new customers, business – Reuters: The news about deadly crashes linked to a faulty ignition switch, followed by wave upon wave of recalls, did not bode well for General Motors dealers earlier this year. It conjured visions of worried, frustrated drivers pouring onto lots like Raymond Chevrolet, outside of Chicago.
• New variant of the Dongfeng EQ2050 for the Chinese army – CarNewsChina.com: A very new and very interesting variant of the famous Dongfeng EQ2050 Brave Soldier for the Chinese army. The base EQ2050 is basically a reverse-engineered AM General Humvee, but this thing is something totally different. It appears to be an armored transport vehicle with a large pickup truck bed. The nose is completely new and […]
• Honda sees India among its top five markets by 2017 – Via Google News: Buoyed by the success of its latest launches in India, Japanese car maker Honda Motor Co sees the country becoming its fourth largest market by …
• New General Motors Recall Covers 800,000 More Vehicles – NY Times: The auto company announced six more recalls on Wednesday for various flaws, and its worldwide recall total for 2014 is 29 million.
• General Motors may put Brazil workers on paid leave: union – Reuters: Motors Co wants to put nearly a fifth of its workers at a factory in Brazil on paid leave, an auto workers union said on Thursday, amid falling output in Latin America’s largest economy.
• More extreme Continental GT3-R possible, says Bentley design chief – Autocar: Luc Doncerwolke believes there’s an appetite for more motorsport-inspired versions of the Continental GT3-R that could tempt younger buyers.
• Mercedes C-class cabriolet in development for 2015 launch – Autocar: Latest C-class lune-up expands with new soft-top cabriolet, which will use carried-over engines from the saloonMercedes-Benz is speeding up development of the upcoming C-class cabriolet ahead of a planned launch mid-way through next year.
• Aston Martin revives Lagonda brand with new super saloon – Autocar: New luxury V12 Aston Martin saloon heralds the return of the Lagonda nameplate; limited production run destined for the Middle East.
• GM Now Under Investigation by Attorneys General in 45 States – thedetroitbureau.com: Already facing investigations by both houses of Congress and a criminal probe by the Justice Department, GM revealed it is now facing additional investigations by the attorneys general in 45 states linked to its delay in ordering a recall of 2.6 million vehicles equipped with defective ignition switches.
• Wheelies: The New-Look Yaris Edition – NY Times: Toyota announces details and pricing for its all-new 2015 Yaris; G.M. may invest $800 million into facilities in Michigan.
• Hacking the Connected Car: Researchers to Show Off a Cybersecurity Device – Via Google News: But because it connects with car owners and the Tesla infrastructure using a variety of TCP/IP mechanisms, one researcher is highlighting potential …

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• GM’s quarterly profit plunges on recall costs – Automotive News: General Motors today posted an 85 percent drop in second-quarter net income, hurt by recall-related expenses including a special charge of $400 million for the cost of a program to compensate victims of GM’s faulty ignition switch.
• GM Korea could make next-gen Cruze if union calls off strike – Automotive News: GM’s South Korean subsidiary told its employee union that the automaker could consider making the next-generation Chevrolet Cruze in South Korea if the union calls off a wage-related strike.
• US: Ford Europe finally makes a pre-tax buck – Just-auto: Ford has boosted second quarter pre-tax operating profit US$44m to $2.6bn and net income $78m to $1.3bn as wholesale volume and company revenue slipped 1%. And it’s finally back in pre-tax profit in Europe for the first quarter in three years.
• Ford overcomes sales dip to boost profits – FT: Record results in North America and a return to profit in Europe are outweighing economic problems in key Latin American markets for the US company
• Ford profit beats expectations, sets record for North America – Reuters: Ford Motor Co’s operating earnings for the second quarter beat Wall Street expectations as better-than-expected profit in North America and Europe countered weaker results in Asia Pacific and South America.
• UPDATE 1-Ford profit beats expectations, sets record for N. America – Reuters: Ford Motor Co’s operating earnings for the second quarter beat Wall Street expectations as better-than-expected profit in North America and Europe countered weaker results in Asia Pacific and South America.
• GM’s profit falls on recall costs, victims’ compensation fund – Reuters: General Motors Co reported a lower second-quarter profit on Thursday due to numerous recalls and the expected cost of at least $400 million for its victims’ compensation fund for those killed or injured by a defective ignition switch linked to at least 13 deaths.
• US: New boss for Lincoln as Fields acts swiftly – Just-auto: Ford’s struggling Lincoln brand, which has seen sales fall by 65% over the last 25 years, will have a new boss from 1 September in a move new Ford CEO Mark Fields described as “making clear we are serious about Lincoln as a world-class luxury brand”.

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• Fiat CEO says tie-up with Volkswagen was never on agenda – Reuters: Fiat Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne on Wednesday quashed speculation of a possible tie-up with Germany’s Volkswagen, saying the idea had never been on the agenda.
• Nissan pledges to keep it quirky after cutting Cube – Automotive News: Nissan pledges to add an ‘iconic’ design to keep its lineup quirky after cutting two of the brand’s most polarizing nameplates, the Cube and Murano CrossCabriolet.
• Marchionne says Fiat Chrysler tie-up with VW was never on agenda – Automotive News: Fiat Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne quashed all speculation of a possible tie-up with Volkswagen Group today, saying the idea had never been on the agenda.
• Daimler’s plan helps improve profit at Mercedes – DetN: Daimler AG’s plan to restore its Mercedes-Benz brand to the top of the luxury-car market gained traction in the second quarter as surging deliveries of the flagship S-Class sedan propelled a jump in profitability.
• Vauxhall boss confirms low-cost Dacia rivals in development – Autocar:As part of its European revival plans Vauxhall will look to rival the Dacia Sandero and Duster models with its own entry-level hatchback and small SUV. Vauxhall boss Karl-Thomas Neumann has confirmed the company is planning a new line of entry-level vehicles to rival the likes of Dacia. Speaking to the Financial Times, Neumann said the budget sector was “very interesting,” and confirmed the brand was “definitely looking at the segment.”
• Daimler second-quarter profit boosted by new models – Reuters: Germany’s Daimler reported a 12 percent gain in underlying second-quarter operating profit, propelled by Mercedes as its new C-Class and E-Class models helped the luxury auto maker lift margins.
• Tesla rival? Japan’s coolest electric sports car is ready to roll – Via Google News: The startup’s first car is released in association with noted Japanese racing car manufactuer TommyKaira, which was founded in 1968. The electric …
• UK: Ford Fiesta now UK’s top all-time nameplate – Just-auto: Ford’s Fiesta is now the UK’s best-selling vehicle nameplate of all time after total sales topped 4,115,000 this month, 37 years after launch.

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• SWEDEN: Volvo claims two safety firsts for XC90 – Just-auto: Volvo is claiming two world first safety technologies for its new XC90 large SUV due out next month: a run-off road protection package and auto brake at intersection capability.
• SWEDEN: Volvo perks up park assist – Just-auto: New technology set to arrive with Volvo’s redesigned XC90 large SUV include ‘IntelliSafe’ features such as an extended park assist which now also offers automatic reversing into a parking bay as well as entering and exiting a parallel parking spot. The car can also display a Nissan-like digitally created bird’s eye view of the 360° area around the car on the large centre screen.
• UK: Rule change hits ‘free charger’ offers for EVs – Just-auto: Electric vehicle marketers are facing a new challenge now that the UK government’s Office of Low Emission Vehicles is reducing – from 1 September – home recharge point subsidies of 75% of the cost to a maximum of GBP900 from GBP1,000.
• GERMANY: Opel Group formed within Adam Opel – Just-auto: General Motors’ European unit Adam Opel AG has established Opel Group to assume full responsibility for General Motors’ business in Europe plus Russia (where Chevrolet continues) and Cadillac.
• Buick Regal, Volvo S60 join Consumer Reports’ list of top upscale, sports sedans – Automotive News: The Buick Regal, refreshed with a revamped powertrain for 2014, now ranks among the top upscale sports sedans tested by Consumer Reports, just behind the BMW 328i but high enough to easily top the magazine’s road test scores for the Cadillac ATS and…
• GERMANY: Opel budget line will replace Chevys – reports – Just-auto: Opel plans to build a range of entry-level cars to recapture the type of budget customer who in the past bought its Chevrolet brand, media reports said.
• Mercedes seeks to close gap in China with more dealers, new models – DetN: Daimler AG’s Mercedes-Benz expects to outpace the growth in industry sales of premium autos in China this year, after merging two competing sales networks and adding new models including its new C-class sedan.
• US: UAW says Tennessee Local 42 will aim for “German-style works council” – Just-auto: UAW officials say they expect Volkswagen to recognise its new Local 42 grouping at the German automaker’s Chattanooga, Tennessee, plant imminently, following its recent formation.
• INDIA: Nissan ends Maruti Suzuki OEM deals – Just-auto: No more Suzuki-built Nissan Pixos.
• Furtive e-GT electric supercar – exclusive pictures – Autocar: The boss of Exagon Motors, the company behind the £360,000 Furtive e-GT, reports significant interest in the carbonfibre battery-powered vehicle.
• US electric sales continue to expand – Via Google News: With a total new car market projected to reach close to 17 million units this year, we can easily see that the overall figure for the sales of electric …
• Ford Launches New Expedition in Small, But Stabilized Segment – Wards: The ’15 Expedition will be available for the first time in a Platinum trim level, which will slot above the previous top-of-the-line King Ranch edition.
• Indian Cars To Become Safer; Mandatory Crash Tests – Via Google News: In India, the motor vehicle population is growing at a faster rate than the economic and population growth. The surge in motorization coupled with …
• Chip manufacturers rise thanks to automobile use – Via Google News: Automakers already use both Qualcomm and Nvidia chips to keep their cars connected to the Internet and they will soon use them to allow the car to …
• Opel/Vauxhall to woo budget clients with low-end cars, report says – Automotive News: Opel plans to build a range of entry-level cars to recapture the type of budget customer who in the past bought Chevrolet cars, a report said.
• BMW Pushing to Maintain Sales Momentum in Korea – Wards: BMW Korea remains the country’s leading importer, with sales for the first six months up 19.3% to 21,972 vehicles.

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• Subaru Facing Lawsuit Over Oil Use Problem – thedetroitbureau.com: Subaru of America is facing a lawsuit – that may become a class action – because of the amount of oil their vehicles use. In the opinion of some owners, the vehicles use a lot of oil…and quickly. The result in some instances has been some pricey repairs in the thousands of dollars. For more details, go to TheDetroitBureau.com.
• US: More GM switch part number trouble – Just-auto: General Motors made changes to redesigned ignition switch parts on four models in 2003 and 2004 but did not ensure that older, potentially faulty parts were taken out of circulation, the automaker said in a filing with US safety regulators made public on Friday.
• US: Ignition switch leads to Cadillac ‘stop sale’ orders – Just-auto: Ignition switch problems are continuing to plague General Motors. Over the weekend, it was reported the automaker had earlier this month ordered Cadillac dealers to stop selling some versions of the CTS model range because it does not have a fix yet for cars recalled in late June over an issue where engines can be shut off if the driver’s knee bumps the ignition key.
• BMW defends plan to build bigger SUV – FT: Chief executive says there is no contradiction between the company’s carbon emission goals and its decision to build a bigger SUV
• INDIA: Maruti Suzuki extends diesel engine deal with Fiat – Just-auto: Maruti Suzuki India (MSIL) and Fiat India have extended their diesel powertrain sourcing deal for an additional three years, reported local media.
• BMW airbag glitch prompts 1.6 million 3 Series recall – Via Google News: Once a car manufacturer discovers a safety problem, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration requires the company to inform the NHTSA …
• GERMANY: Porsche expands Weissach R&D centre – Just-auto: Porsche has officially opened three new buildings at its Weissach development centre, marking the conclusion of the largest investment project in the centre’s history.

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• The potential merits of Volkswagen buying Fiat, Chrysler and Alfa – Autocar: Fiat has denied rumours that it’s been in discussions with VW about the sale of Fiat, Chrysler and Alfa, but such a plan could benefit all involved. Interesting news has been emerging, from Germany’s Manager Magazin, that the VW Group has been talking to Fiat about buying Fiat, Chrysler and Alfa. Firstly let’s be clear that Fiat has flatly denied it and company boss Sergio Marchionne has mentioned to us many times that ‘he talks to other car companies all of the time’.
• Electric cars: BMW versus Tesla – FT: As BMW, Porsche and others move further into electric car production, can Tesla afford to share the road with these upscale automakers?
• LG Chem to supply batteries for 200-mile electric cars in 2016-CFO – Reuters: South Korea’s LG Chem Ltd plans to supply batteries for electric vehicles that can travel more than 200 miles (321 kilometers) per charge in 2016, its chief financial officer said on Friday.
• Truck Maker Volvo’s Order Intake Falls – WSJ: Swedish truck maker Volvo said European demand is recovering more slowly than expected and order intake dropped 6% during the second quarter, overshadowing positive trends in Japan and North America.
• Embattled legal chief tests GM’s culture of loyalty – DetN: Score two for the Senate in the deadly ignition-switch recall case of prosecutors-turned-senators vs. GM’s chief lawyer.
• Senator: ‘How in the world’ did top GM lawyer keep job? – DetN: General Motors top lawyer came under harsh criticism as the head of a Senate panel investigating GM’s ignition switch recall questioned why he wasn’t fired.
• At Hearing on G.M. Recall, Mary Barra Gives Little Ground – NY Times: As senator after senator offered more criticism of General Motors, Ms. Barra, G.M.’s chief executive, signaled that there were limits to what the company would do.

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• Fiat Shares Jump on VW Merger Talks Report – WSJ: Italian auto maker’s shares rise 4% in Milan after a report that its controlling shareholders are in talks with the family owners of Volkswagen.
• Volkswagen interested in buying Fiat: German magazine – Reuters: Volkswagen has held talks with owners of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles about purchasing the Italian carmaker, German monthly magazine Manager Magazin reported on its website on Thursday, citing unnamed company sources.
• Mazda2 output begins in Japan – Automotive News: Mazda began manufacturing the next-generation Mazda2 subcompact in Japan today and unveiled the first pictures of the production model.
• CHINA: Dongfeng Nissan launches Venucia R30 – Just-auto: Dongfeng Nissan Passenger Vehicle Company (DFL-PV) has launched R30, the fourth production model from its local Venucia (Qi Chen) brand.
• Adding Teen to Your Insurance Means Average 79% Increase in Premiums – thedetroitbureau.com: Teens have the worst driving records, on average, and that means a huge increase in premiums when they’re added to the family insurance policy. A new study looks at who gets hits worst, and where. But TheDetroitBureau.com also looks at ways to cut that teen premium penalty.
• RPT-Top GM lawyer, Delphi CEO to face U.S. Senate on deadly ignition flaw – Reuters: Two more major figures in General Motors Co’s safety debacle will appear on Thursday for the first time before U.S. lawmakers investigating why it took the automaker more than 10 years to recall millions of vehicles with a deadly ignition switch flaw.
• Report: Talks held over VW’s potential takeover interest in Fiat – DetN: A German magazine has reported discussions have taken place on a potential takeover of Fiat SpA by Volkswagen AG.
• Fiat draws takeover interest from VW, report says – Automotive News: VW has approached rival Fiat about a possible merger, Germany’s Manager Magazin reported today, citing unnamed company sources.
• GERMANY: Next gen Smart fortwo and forfour shown – Just-auto: Daimler has revealed its next generation 2015 Smart brand models – the fortwo and forfour – developed under a new engineering architecture shared with Renault.

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