Top News
- UK: Western Europe’s car market up a healthy 10.7% in March – Just-auto: Western Europe’s car market stepped up a gear in March, posting year-on-year growth of 10.7% and hitting a SAAR over 13m units for the first time in over three years.
- BRAZIL: Renegade a milestone for Jeep – Just-auto: The launch of the Renegade, Jeep’s first compact SUV in Brazil, also marks the start of production at the first full manufacturing Jeep plant outside the US in Goiana, in the northeastern state of Pernambuco.
- Unions at VW’s Czech unit Skoda issue strike threat over pay demands – Reuters: Unions at Volkswagen’s Czech unit Skoda Auto, the country’s biggest manufacturing company, warned on Thursday they may take strike action to back their wage demands.
- This key indicator shows how bad it is in Russia – CNBC: Russia’s car market shrank by more than 40 percent in March as carmakers struggled with the weaker currency, low consumer confidence and…
- U.S. regulator warns of rust on brakes in cold-weather states – Reuters: U.S. safety regulators on Thursday warned millions of owners of older model vehicles in “Rust Belt” states to get their brake systems checked for corrosion, a warning that stems from a long-running investigation of complaints about General Motors Co trucks and SUVs.
- NHTSA closes probe into 2M GM trucks, SUVs – Detroitnews: Washington – The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on Thursday is closing a five-year-old investigation into more than 2 million older…
- GM Avoids Recall of 2 Million Trucks for Corroded Brake Lines – Bloomberg: General Motors Co. avoided a recall of about 2 million large pickups and sport utility vehicles over rusted brake lines after a four-year investigation by…
- Fisker pulls Thunderbolt following Aston Martin lawsuit – Autocar: Aston Martin issued legal proceedings against its former designer, Henrik Fisker, over his Thunderbolt concept, but the issue has now been amicably resolved
- Gordon Murray’s T25 city car gets a fresh start with Shell – Autocar: Autocar has enhanced this Project M technical drawing to show the outline of the new car Shell partners with Gordon Murray to produce new city car concept, which aims to inspire fresh ideas on simple, global cars
- Aston CEO calls crossover, Daimler deal keys to revival – Automotive News: Aston Martin will develop two new platforms, add a crossover, refresh its supercar lineup and leverage its technology alliance with Daimler as part of…
- State does not plan to keep extra Renault shares: Macron – Reuters: The French state has no intention of holding on to extra shares it is purchasing in car-maker Renault (RENA.PA) as part of an effort…
- Toyota to start Tokyo trial of car-cum-motorbike in green mobility push – Reuters: Tokyoites will get a chance to zip around town on Toyota Motor Corp’s three-wheeled electric car-cum-motorbike from Friday, in a trial aimed at crafting a global business model to reduce gridlock and pollution
- Former FAW-Volkswagen exec sentenced to life for corruption – Reuters: Shi Tao, former deputy general manager of FAW-Volkswagen Sales Co, was … A spokesman for the joint venture directed questions to Volkswagen.
- China Auto Sales Rise 12% in March on Surging SUV Sales – Bloomberg: Passenger-vehicle sales in China gained 12 percent last month, led by demand for sport utility vehicles and minivans in the world’s largest auto…
Other news, rumors and, gossip
- Carmakers Can Relax, A Bit, Apple Car Threat Looks Years Away – Forbes: The world’s car manufacturers can breathe easy, at least for a while; the … Apple is believed to be working on an electric car which might hit the road…
- Russia “to allow import of Fiat cars from Serbia” – B92: Russia is “ready to meet Belgrade’s request” and allow import of Fiat cars without customs duty, “within the tariff quotas,” writes a…
- BMW plans to double sales of i3 electric cars in 2015 – Ecomento: BMW sold 6,092 of its i3 electric cars in the US from May through December of 2014 (ecomento reader Manny Antunes bought two of them!).
- Nissan Lannia Teased Before Official Shanghai Debut – Video – Autoevolution: Nissan’s Chinese adventure with the Lannia started in 2014, when the concept was revealed at the Beijing Auto Show. Back then, Nissan was…
- Nissan wants to put self-driving cars on Japan’s roads by 2016 – Insidejapantours: Car manufacturing firm Nissan has announced that it is aiming to put self-driving cars on the roads of Japan by next year, with the hope that the…
- Tesla Motors Inc (TSLA) Exec Dreams Of Electric Buses – Learnbonds: Tesla Motors Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA) is what it is partly because of, Ryan Popple, who steered it to safety during its toughest years amidst the intrigues…
- Nissan Leaf Electric Car Being Considered For India – Indiancarsbikes: Nissan India is planning to become the first global OEM to launch a fully electric car in India, and the Indian government’s FAME (Faster Adoption and…
- Sunderland-built Nissan Qashqi helps UK hit record car sales – Sunderlandecho: “I’m also delighted to see that our British-built models continue to excite UK customers, and in particular the Nissan Leaf, which continues to dominate…
- Sale of component unit enables BYD to focus on new-energy cars – Wantchinatimes: Shenzhen-based electric car maker BYD’s recent sale of its component unit will allow the company to concentrate on its new-energy car business,…
- No Children allowed on the 2015 Shanghai Auto Show – Carnewschina: The ‘organizing committee’ of the 2015 Shanghai Auto Show has announced children will not be allowed to enter the show, no exceptions allowed. The committee cites “security reasons” for refusing children, without giving any further explanation.The announcement comes hot on the heels of a controversial decision to ban all the babes.
- Luxury carmakers target China with smaller models – Ejinsight: Producing the smaller luxury cars in China means Audi, BMW AG and Daimler can avoid import duties of 25 percent, allowing them to sell the cars…
- Former executive at Volkwagen joint venture in China jailed for life for taking bribes – Scmp: A former top executive at Volkswagen’s China joint venture with FAW Group Corp was sentenced to life in prison for accepting bribes, state media…
- China Sells 5.3 Million Passenger Vehicles in 1Q, Up 9% on Year – Nasdaq: SHANGHAI–China’s new-car sales growth eased slightly in the first quarter … A slowdown in the world’s largest market for cars has been expected.
- Nissan – to make automatic braking (AEB) standard on all their volume cars in Japan by autumn 2015 – Abpclub: Instant Access to UK Bodyshop News with your credit card Nissan will offer automatic braking as a standard feature in all volume cars in Japan by…
- Trade of the Day: TSLA Stock Still Looks Much Too Expensive – Investorplace: Tesla Motors Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA) – I last covered TSLA stock in the Trade of the Day on Jan. 6, when I recommended selling it short at $220 with a…
- Nissan Lannia sedan designed for China’s youth – Caradvice: The Nissan Lannia will become the Japanese company’s first vehicle designed specifically for the youth of China when it debuts at the Shanghai…
- Nissan Lannia Sedan Bound For Shanghai Auto Show Debut – Themotorreport: Nissan says that, as with the earlier Friend-Me and Lannia concepts, the final Lannia sedan’s design and features are inspired by a new generation of…
- Would You Go to A Car Show without Showgirls? – Cri: Tan Youyou, a car show model poses in front of visitors at the Wuhan … The 2015 Shanghai International Automobile Industry Exhibition is going to…
- Nissan AVM tech to go underwater for deep sea exploration – Nissan-global: – Nissan’s Around View Monitor (AVM) technology, a building block of its autonomous drive technology, will help remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) search for natural resources in the Earth’s oceans –
- Carmaker Renault is hostage to government – Afr: The things the French government will do to retain control over its national champions. This week it temporarily lifted its equity stake in Renault to 20…
- France expands Renault stake before law vote – Cityam: THE FRENCH government announced yesterday its intention to expand its holding in Renault, with the aim of ensuring long-term stakeholders get…