Top News:
- Merkel says Germany on track with electric car incentives review – Reuters: The German government is on target with a review of the case for incentives to boost demand for electric cars and plans to meet automotive market representatives later this month, Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Thursday.
- The Apple Car, as Imagined by Motor Trend – WSJ: Some people thought the renderings-released on Motor Trend’s Twitter feed-were leaked images of the still-in-development Apple Car.
- Renault names new CFO as Thormann retires due to ill health – Reuters: Aged 48, Delbos is a veteran of now defunct French industrial group Pechiney, later bought by Alcan, and she joined Renault in 2012 as group …
- Ford sees boost in Europe from new five-door Ka – Automotive News: LONDON – Ford of Europe expects a switch to five doors for its new Ka will win buyers seeking a bigger, more functional model than its current Fiat…
- Toyota’s plans big real-world connectivity testing in Mich. – Just-auto: Toyota says it is in partnership with the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI) to establish a large connected car testing environment on public roads in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
- 2017 BMW X5 to share 7 Series underpinnings – Autocar: Next-generation large SUV will use the same Cluster Architecture as BMW’s most luxurious model
- Why Is Ford Motors Increasing Its Investment In Mexico? – Forbes: Ford Motors’ recently announced that it is investing $1.6 billion in a new plant in Mexico to produce more small cars. While construction of the new…
- Daimler Wants to Streamline How You Get From Point A to B – Fortune: Daimler might be best known as the company behind Mercedes-Benz vehicles. But it’s been diligently scaling up another business focused on serving…
- History of the Chinese copycat car: picture gallery – Autocar: It’s clear to see where the Lifan 320 got its look from…
- Fiat Chrysler Chairman Renews Push for Merger With `Big Guys’ – Bloomberg: Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV Chairman John Elkann renewed a push to merge the company with one of the auto industry’s “big guys,” saying savings…
- NLRB Denies VW Appeal of Union Vote – Detroit Bureau: The National Labor Relations Board rejected VW’s bid to set aside a vote by workers approving UAW representation in Tennessee.
- Electric car registrations hit record high in UK – Autocar: The first three months of 2016 were the best-ever period for electric car sales, while March recorded the single highest monthly sales figures
- How do they make Aston Martin badges? – Autocar: Aston Martin’s road and race cars each features a badge that’s made by hand in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter, and we’ve had a go at making one
- Mazda rolls out water based paint to overseas plants – Just-auto: Mazda Motor Corporation has announced the introduction of its unique Aqua-tech Paint System at Changan Mazda Automobile (CMA), the company’s joint venture vehicle production facility in Jiangsu, China.
- Delphi still number one China supplier in new normal – Just-auto: Delphi says it remains the number one automotive supplier for China as the country adapts to its ‘new normal’ rate of GDP increase after years or runaway economic expansion.
- Takata seeks restructuring sponsor – Just-auto: Takata is hoping to secure a sponsor by August and to pursue extensive restructuring under new management as it faces increasing liabilities associated with its airbag inflators crisis.
- German opposition seeks parliamentary inquiry on car emissions-sources – Reuters: German opposition parties will formally request that a parliamentary committee is set up to investigate a car emissions scandal triggered by Volkswagen last year, opposition sources told Reuters on Thursday.
- Indonesia car sales fall 5.5 pct y/y in March – Reuters: JAKARTA, April 14 Automobile sales in Indonesia declined 5.5 percent in March from a year earlier, according to industry association data released …
- Japanese sales drop by 8.6% in March – Just-auto: New vehicle sales in Japan fell by 8.6% to 635,901 units in March, from 695,412 units a year earlier, according to registration data released by the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA).
- Ford Mulls New Russia Investment as First-Quarter Sales Jump 93% – Bloomberg: Ford Motor Co., which spent more than $1.5 billion in the past five years to build cars and engine factories in Russia, is studying new investments in…