Top News:
- VW does not need chairman until new structure is set: labor chief – Reuters: Volkswagen has no need to install a permanent chairman until a new corporate structure has been set, the company’s powerful labor chief told Reuters, adding it should keep expanding with new products like a full-sized pickup truck.
- SWITZERLAND: Hyundai Motor hails Blatter resignation as “positive first step” – Just-auto: Hyundai Motor is welcoming last night’s (2 June) dramatic decision by FIFA president, Sepp Blatter to resign his presidency of the body responsible for global football as the drama surrounding the Switzerland-based association continues to unfold.
- How to Make Workers Do Their Worst – WSJ:
- Maruti Suzuki’s Celerio Car Gets a Diesel Engine – WSJ:
- Nissan names Toyota Europe veteran as global sales chief – Automotive News: Schillaci will oversee the Nissan, Infiniti and Datsun brands, and focus on brand building, sales improvement and customer service, CEO Carlos…
- Toyota to explore Ford’s SDL in-car smartphone app interface – Reuters: Toyota Motor Corp said it reached an agreement with Ford Motor to explore collaboration for the implementation of Ford’s SmartDeviceLink (SDL) technology in future Toyota and Lexus vehicles.
- Volvo Car Group sales drop 1.3 percent in May – Reuters: UL, sold 39,919 cars in the month, with sales down 4.0 percent in Sweden and up 8.6 percent in the rest of Western Europe. Sales in China dropped…
- Toyota-Ford Defend Control of Dashboard From Apple-Google – Bloomberg: Toyota Motor Corp. and Ford Motor Co. may join forces to maintain control of their vehicle dashboards as Apple Inc. and Google Inc. introduce…
- Ford says Toyota studying its SDL in-car smartphone app interface – Reuters: Ford Motor Co said Toyota Motor Corp is studying the open-source version of Ford AppLink, called SmartDeviceLink (SDL), to integrate smartphone apps into its vehicles in future.
- Former GM CEO Wagoner to answer recall questions – Detroit News: Carmaker’s former top lawyer and author of internal investigation into ignition switches also to be deposed
- US Lawmakers Question Takata on Air Bags – Bloomberg: They want to know the root cause of the problem that have led to at least 34M cars being recalled. Bloomberg Intelligence’s Steve Man discusses the…
- PRESS DIGEST-China – June 3 – Reuters: China has launched a “parallel imports” pilot scheme in the Tianjin free-trade zone, allowing selected auto dealers to sell cars without authorisation…
- SRT Tomahawk Vision Gran Turismo concept unveiled – Detroit News: The vehicle is a single-seat hybrid powertrain concept that features V-10 engine and aggressive design
- Shelby GT350 Mustang engine will get 526 horsepower – Detroit News: 5.2-liter V8 will be Ford’s most powerful naturally aspirated engine ever made
- Amid biggest recall in history, Takata still uses chemical some say is flawed – Washington Post: Though Takata still doesn’t know why its defective air bags killed six drivers, the car-parts giant is continuing to use a chemical that experts have blamed for the deadly defect, the company said Tuesday during a congressional hearing into the biggest auto recall in history.
Other news, rumors, and gossip:
- German beer boss fired for drunk driving – CNN: The boss of Anheuser-Busch InBev’s German beer business was fired after a drunk driving accident.
- Toyota Trademarked the ‘S-FR’ Name, We Hope It’s For Supra’s Successor – Autoevolution: We had plenty of time to pick up our dropped jaws from when Toyota presented the FT-1 Concept, and we don’t think it’s necessary to twist the knife…
- Toyota explores integration of Ford’s SmartDeviceLink in its cars – Autocarpro: Toyota has reached an agreement with Ford to explore collaboration with Livio, a Ford subsidiary, for the implementation of SmartDeviceLink (SDL)…
- Bring on batteries, but remember they pollute too – Businessspectator: The ecological damage of cars, electric or otherwise, is partly due to the fact that the car industry generates more than 3 million tonnes of scrap and…
- Hyundai Motor Dips To A Crisis Level, While Honda Surges Ahead – Barrons: Adding fuel to the fire, Honda Motor (HMC) this morning booked a 32% surge in China sales in May. Its US car sales rose 1.3%. Shares of Honda rose…
- Tesla, Wal-Mart learn Texas free-market bravado has limits – Dallasnews: Neither did one backed by Tesla Motors to allow automakers to sell directly to consumers, or a measure pushed by Uber Technologies to legalize ride…
- Serra Nissan employee arrested, charged with wire fraud and conspiracy – Abc3340: Another Serra Nissan employee is under investigation by the federal government. Kimberly Branch is Serra Nissan’s controller and she was arrested…
- Nissan still upbeat on eco-cars – Bangkokpost: Japanese car maker Nissan Motor (Thailand) remains committed to its new investment in the second phase of the government-promoted eco-car…
- Chinese Car Maker’s Stock Could Drive 50% Higher – Barrons: Recent momentum at Peugeot, the French car maker, bodes well for … It sells Peugeot’s DS line of affordable luxury cars that compete with Lexus,…
- Elon Musk’s Companies Have Received Nearly $5 Billion In Government Help – Carscoops: A new report shows Elon Musk’s companies, including Tesla Motors, have taken a sizable chunk of help from governments over the years.
- Scepticism over Fiat chief’s call for megamergers – Irishtimes: It was called Confessions of a Capital Junkie. An industry insider said it was more like Car Industry 101. Sergio Marchionne, chief executive of Fiat…
- Takata Replacement Airbags May Not Work Long-Term, Company Rapidly Switching to New Propellant – Car and Driver: Takata, after 11 years of chasing uncontrolled explosions in its airbag inflators, said it would “rapidly” phase out ammonium nitrate as a propellant after its association with more than 100 injuries, six deaths, and extremely high failure rates that have led to the auto industry’s largest-ever recall. In a Tuesday hearing with the U.S. House []