- 2018 Ford EcoSport subcompact SUV arrives late, struggles to compete – Freep: Ford is playing catch-up with the 2018 EcoSport subcompact SUV, but it’s a long way behind. The EcoSport just went on sale in the United States, but it’s a face-lifted version of an SUV Ford’s been selling in other parts of the world since 2012. Most…
- More ultra-exclusive Rolls-Royce models on the way – Autocar: The Sweptail was Rolls-Royce’s last bespoke, low-volume creation The one-off Sweptail was Rolls” last extra-low-volume model, although another is coming with a slightly larger production run, according to the brand”s design boss
- Mercedes, BMW fund EV push with high-performance sports cars – Automotive News: As automakers including Mercedes-Benz and BMW prepares for an age of zero emissions, it’s the flashy coupes and gas guzzlers in their lineups that that will help fund the way. At the Geneva auto show this week, BMW unveiled the high-performance M8 Gran…
- Malaysian conglomerate DRB-Hicom sells non-industrial land assets for $486 million – Reuters: Last year, DRB-Hicom sold a 49.9 percent equity stake in struggling carmaker Proton to China’s Geely [GEELY.UL], though it still holds the remaining 50.1 percent. Reporting by A. Ananthalakshmi; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu. Our Standards:The Thomson…
- Volkswagen boss: German city diesel ban is ‘scary and unnecessary’ – Autocar: Munich is one of several German cities that could ban diesels from its centre Herbert Diess says diesel is part of the solution, not the problem
- Ford, Seat, Audi and BMW gain sales in UK market down 3% – Automotive News: Ford, Seat, Audi and BMW were among the few automakers that saw sales growth in a UK market which fell 2.8 percent in February, the eleventh successive monthly decline. Registrations dropped to 80,805 as weak consumer confidence and uncertainty over…
- Nissan says alliance has no plans to change cross-shareholding ratio – Automotive News: Nissan Motor said the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance had no plans to change cross-shareholding ratios of its member companies, after Reuters reported that it was in talks with Renault over a closer tie-up. Any discussion about a share transaction…
- Daimler buys 3.93 percent stake in BAIC electric car subsidiary – Reuters: Daimler said it has bought a 3.93 percent stake in Beijing Electric Vehicle Co., a subsidiary of BAIC Group. Hubertus Troska, Daimler’s board member responsible for China said: The investment in BJEV marks yet another milestone in the strong…
- Renault shares fall back as Nissan say no plans to change ownership ties – Reuters: Renault shares were down 1.4 percent in early session trading, giving up some of the gains it made in the previous day, when the stock had ended 5.6 percent higher. Renault shares rallied on March 7, after Reuters reported that Renault and its alliance…
- Continental still gauging options for structural revamp – Reuters: Germany’s Continental said it is still working on a new corporate structure as the automotive supplier proposed a higher dividend, … The auto parts and tyre maker has been in talks with banks about a possible structural revamp that could include…
- Mazda: 2019 Skyactiv-X engine can boost economy by 30% – Autocar: Skyactiv-X could cut fuel costs and CO2 Autocar samples lean burn compression ignition engine that promises greatly improved efficiency
- (LEAD) KDB presses GM over Korean unit’s cost structure – Yonhap: The KDB is the second-biggest shareholder in GM Korea with a stake of 17 percent, with GM and SAIC Motor Corp controlling 77 percent and 6 percent, respectively. The state lender has been in talks with GM to find ways to turn the loss-making Korean…
- China’s Alibaba Group Expands Ties With France’s Renault For Sales, Car Software – Nikkei: Alibaba Group Holding said it is expanding ties with Renault to collaborate in areas from internet connectivity of the latter’s vehicles to improving the French carmaker’s retail operations. Under the partnership, Alibaba’s online market place Tmall…
- Mercedes and BMW Want in On the $100000 Coupe Market – Bloomberg: At the Geneva International Motor Show this week, BMW AG unveiled the high-performance M8 Gran Coupe concept, and Daimler AG’s Mercedes-Benz showcased the AMG GT four-door coupe, sporting a V-8 engine that emits more than twice the amount of carbon…
- HK, China stocks rise on trade data, hopes of tariff exemptions – Reuters: The top gainers among H-shares were Huaneng Power International Inc, rising as much as 6.11 percent, followed by CSPC Pharmaceutical Group Ltd, which gained up to 5.19 percent and Dongfeng Motor Group Co Ltd up by 4.95 percent. ** The three biggest…
- Rolls-Royce Motor Cars boss lambasts Aston Martin – FT: The chief executive of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has launched a powerful dismissal of Aston Martin’s plan to steal its customers with the electric Lagonda brand. Torsten Müller-Otvös said the sports car maker has “zero clue” about attracting rich…
- Great Wall seeks to double vehicle sales by 2025, plans electric car push – Reuters: The Baoding-based automaker also plans to invest 20 billion yuan ($3.2 billion) on electric vehicle research and development by 2020, Great Wall Motor President Wang Fengying told a session of the National People’s Congress in Beijing. Wang’s remarks…
- Toyota Supports 25 Para Athletes from 12 Countries at PyeongChang Paralympic Winter Games 2018 – Toyota: At the Paralympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018 that begin on March 9, Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) is supporting 25 Para athletes from 12 countries, including some that are Toyota employees, as “Team Toyota Athletes”. The Paralympic Winter Games…
- Porsche surprises Geneva with Cross Turismo EV – Autocar:
- Nissan says Renault-Nissan-M’bishi has no plans to change cross-shareholding ratio – Reuters: The Renault-Nissan alliance, underpinned by cross-shareholdings, has wrestled intermittently since its 1999 inception with plans for full mergers that have foundered on objections from France, Renault’s biggest shareholder. But with Ghosn, the…
- Nissan says Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi has no plans to change cross-shareholding ratio – Reuters: The Renault-Nissan alliance, underpinned by cross-shareholdings, has wrestled intermittently since its 1999 inception with plans for full mergers that have foundered on objections from France, Renault’s biggest shareholder. But with Ghosn, the…
- Renault gears to drive into Asian market at ‘maximum speed’ – Nikkei: The alliance between Renault, Nissan and Dongfeng Motor Group, which Bollore calls the “golden triangle,” is crucial for Renault’s success in China. According to him, possibilities are increasing thanks to a joint venture with Brilliance China…
- Nissan says Renault-Nissan-M’bishi Motors has no plans to change cross-shareholding ratio – Reuters: Any discussion about a share transaction involving Renault, Nissan or the French state is speculation, a Nissan official said, echoing earlier statements made by a Renault-Nissan spokesman. Reuters reported on Wednesday that the French and Japanese…
- Porsche Mission E Cross Turismo: How Porsche shifted with the market – Yahoo: Porsche unveiled the next iteration of its Mission E pure battery-powered electric-vehicle platform in Geneva this week. But instead of being a low-slung sport sedan like the original Mission E introduced in Frankfurt in fall 2015, this Cross Turismo…
- 2019 Mercedes-AMG A45 to offer 400bhp from 2.0-litre engine – Autocar: Mercedes reckons forthcoming second-generation A45 could beat the McLaren Senna for bhp per litre