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Apr 27, 2017

GM LIMITED * USA: By ignition-swith defect

* DC - GM loses legal bid to limit fallout from ignition switch cases

--- The nation's top court on Monday rejected a request from General Motors Co. to limit the fallout from its ignition-switch defect... The U.S. Supreme Court denied the Detroit auto maker's request to review a lower-court ruling that gave some victims' families the power to sue over defective ignition switches, exposing the company to billions of dollars in potential new claims... The decision could expose GM to hundreds of additional wrongful death and personal injury cases... The potential legal claims could total more than $10 billion, according to a bankruptcy judge's estimate, though the ultimate financial fallout could be far less if plaintiffs don't prevail in court or reach settlements. 
Detroit, MICH, USA - Dow Jones Newswires, by Katy Stech and Mike Spector - April 24, 2017

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posted by Unknown @ 6:57 AM  0 comments

Sep 24, 2015

AUTOMAKER'S NEWS * USA: The Project Titan

* California - Apple can't keep its car a secret for much longer 


--  Project Titan is claimed to be an electric, semi-autonomous car... Apple likes secrecy. Apple loves keeping new products hidden and it's rather good at it. The Apple car will be different. Even a company with $200bn (£130bn) in the bank can't shield the development of a car from prying eyes for much longer, especially if recent reports of a 2019 shipping date are to be believed. That gives Apple just four years to have its first car production-ready. Four years to plan, design, build and crash test a car from scratch, and four years to come up with a unique selling point and get a production line in motion...  This is a tough ask, even for Apple. Just look at the time scale of some recent high-profile car launches. Deliveries of the BMW i8 hybrid sports car began five years after its oldest relative, the Efficient Dynamics concept, was shown off. The i8 name appeared on a concept three years before the final car went on sale. Another example - Ford announced the new Mustang in October 2013, yet deliveries in the UK won't start until the autumn of 2015. Two years for one of the world's biggest car companies to deliver an update on a vehicle it has been producing for half a century...   It will take a monumental effort if Apple is to deliver a production car four years from now...
  (Photo: Apple CarPlay)   -- Cupertino, CAL, USA - IBTimes UK, by Alistair Charlton - September 22, 2015

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posted by Unknown @ 2:54 AM  0 comments

Jun 17, 2013

Automaker gains market share in Europe * USA

* Michigan - Ford applies lessons of U.S. crisis in Europe upswing

(Photo: Craiova B-Max production line) 
 -The Detroit News, by Karl Henkel -June 17, 2013: -- The slump in European auto sales that has prompted plant closings and layoffs may finally be turning the corner for Ford Motor Co.... Vehicle sales industrywide are running at 20-year lows in Europe, due to a sovereign debt crisis, plunging consumer confidence and automobile production overcapacity... But in May, Ford’s vehicle share in the 19 traditional European markets grew 0.3 percentage points to 8.3 percent, the second consecutive month of increases and the highest May share since 2009, according to Ford’s estimates... Vehicle sales industrywide are running at 20-year lows in Europe, due to a sovereign debt crisis, plunging consumer confidence and automobile production overcapacity... But in May, Ford’s vehicle share in the 19 traditional European markets grew 0.3 percentage points to 8.3 percent, the second consecutive month of increases and the highest May share since 2009, according to Ford’s estimates...

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posted by Unknown @ 11:39 AM  0 comments

Jun 5, 2013

Chrysler rejects NHTSA's request * USA

* DC -  Chrysler rejects NHTSA's request to recall 2.7M Jeep Grand Cherokee, Liberty models 

(NHTSA photo - According to NHTSA, 1993-2004 Grand Cherokees and 2002-2007 Libertys have gas tanks that can be punctured and catch fire in rear-end collisions. This fatal crash resulted when a 1999 Grand Cherokee was struck from behind by a pickup)
Washington,DC,USA -The Detroit News, by David Shepardson -June 5, 2013: -- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, after a lengthy probe into rear-end collisions in which at least 51 people died, asked Chrysler Group LLC to recall 2.7 million Jeeps it believes are at risk of a fuel tank fire... But Chrysler refused Tuesday, standing by the safety of its SUVs... According to NHTSA's tentative assessment, plastic gas tanks behind the axles of 1993-2004 Grand Cherokees and 2002-07 Libertys can be punctured and catch fire when the SUVs are hit from behind... Chrysler, which moved the gas tank location in later Jeep models, says the former design is safe and the automaker "does not intend to recall the vehicles" ... It is rare for an automaker to refuse a recall request. NHTSA can call public hearings into the issue and order a recall, but it needs a court order to enforce it... NHTSA said at least 32 fatal rear-impact fire crashes involving Grand Cherokees have resulted in 44 deaths, and at least five fatal rear-impact crashes involving the Liberty have resulted in seven fatalities. Comparing rates of incidents with similar vehicles, NHTSA said the "Grand Cherokee and Liberty are poor performers" ... It has been more than two years since an automaker challenged NHTSA's request for a recall...


* DC - U.S. probes 400K GM cars for possible air bag defects

(Photo from GM - 2012 Chevrolet Cruze RS)
Washington,DC,USA -The Detroit News, by David Shepardson -June 4, 2013: -- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on Tuesday said it is opening an investigation to determine if General Motors Co. should recall 400,000 additional vehicles for defective air bags. The U.S. auto safety agency has opened an investigation to determine whether GM went far enough in issuing two small recalls for air bag problems in October 2012 and January 2013. Those recalls addressed a defect in electrical connectors for the driver’s front air bag in certain 2012 Chevrolet Cruze, Sonic and Camaro models as well as Buick Verano vehicles that could prevent the air bag from deploying in a crash. The Detroit automaker recalled about 7,000 cars in total, but now NHTSA is investigating whether 400,000 2012 Chevrolet Camaros, Cruzes and Sonics, and Buick Veranos should be included...

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posted by Unknown @ 5:39 AM  0 comments

May 23, 2013

* USA - Summer vacation will be cut short for Detroit's Big Three workers this year

* Michigan - Rising car sales shrink summer plant shutdowns for Detroit's Big Three

(Photo, by Jeff Kowalsky/Bloomberg: New 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokees move down the assembly line at the Chrysler LLC Jefferson North Assembly Plant in Detroit, Michigan)
Detroit,MICH,USA -The Detroit News, by Karl Henkel -22 May 2013: -- Summer vacation will be cut short for more auto factory workers this year, as carmakers try to keep up with heightened demand... Detroit automakers plan to reduce their annual two-week July shutdowns at dozens of North American plants that produce popular models such as Ford Motor Co.’s F-Series pickup trucks and Chrysler Group LLC’s Jeeps... Ford, General Motors Co. and Chrysler — which have collectively grown their market share this year for the first time in two decades — have their North American plants running at or above capacity, meaning nearly all operate two shifts, with many running three. And this year, they are trying to squeeze every bit of production from their plants... Auto sales are up 6.9 percent through April, according to Autodata Corp., and U.S. sales may hit 15.5 million this year. That would be the highest annual total since 2007, according to industry news and data company WardsAuto; in 2007, automakers sold nearly 16.5 million cars and trucks but had more production facilities scattered across the continent... Automakers customarily idle their plants for two weeks during the summer, but in recent years have been reducing that off-time — allowing them to produce tens of thousands more vehicles... Last year, four Chrysler assembly plants worked through the summer; two others took one week off. Chrysler has 26 North American assembly, powertrain, transmission and stamping facilities... Ford will halve the vacation time at 20 of its 31 North American factories, including six of its assembly plants. Last year, the automaker limited summer shutdowns at 13 facilities...

* Michigan - GM, Ford to gain market share in U.S. at foreign rivals' expense

Detroit,MICH,USA -The Detroit News, by Bryce G. Hoffman -22 May 2013: -- An influential annual report by Bank of America Merrill Lynch says General Motors Co. and Ford Motor Co. will gain market share in the United States over the next four years at the expense of foreign automakers such as Japan’s Nissan Motor Co... Chrysler Group LLC, which posted the biggest sales gains of any domestic manufacturer in recent years, will see its share growth flatten out, according to the annual “Car Wars” report, which also has Toyota Motor Corp. continuing to gain share...


* DC - Automakers, dealers object to rental recall bill

Washington,DC,USA -The Detroit News David Shepardson  -May 22, 2013: -- Automakers came under harsh criticism for opposing a bill that would require rental car companies to park all recalled vehicles until they are repaired... At a Senate Commerce subcomittee hearing Tuesday, the president and chief executive officer of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, Mitch Bainwol, came under tough questioning from key Democratic senators. Automakers are worried that a proposed law could force them to fix rental cars before fixing individual owners’ cars — and that they could face lawsuits from rental firms companies for lost revenue while recalled cars are out of commission... The alliance, which is the trade group representing Detroit’s Big Three automakers, Toyota Motor Corp., Volkswagen AG and seven others — along the National Automobile Dealers Association, which represents 16,000 new car dealers — told the committee that oversees auto safety that they oppose a bill endorsed by rental car companies that would end the practice of allowing the rental of unrepaired recalled vehicles...


* Michigan - GM to invest $44.5M on Lansing logistics center, creating 200 jobs



 (Photo: GM Plant in Lansing, Michigan)
Lansing,MICH,USA -The Detroit News, by Melissa Burden -May 21, 2013: -- General Motors Co. officially announced Tuesday that it will spend $44.5 million to build a logistics center at its Lansing Grand River Assembly Plant, following its recent tax break approval from Lansing... The company said the new 400,000-square-foot building, which will go next to the plant, will create 200 new jobs. The center will sequence and assemble parts to help with manufacturing flexibility at Lansing Grand River, GM said. It also will save money for GM, improve quality and boost efficiency by using available land and cutting transportation costs, the Detroit automaker said...

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posted by Unknown @ 8:57 AM  0 comments

May 6, 2013

* Russia - GM, Ford invest in new plants to take advantage of growth

Moscow,Russia -The Detroit News (USA), by Karl Henkel -May 6, 2013: -- Russia is a giant diamond in the rough for automakers struggling to climb out of the financial muck in most of Europe... Russia is largely an untold story, taking a back seat to the turbulent European auto market, with sales at 20-year lows... But the Russian auto market, close to other growth markets like Belarus, Kazakhstan, the Ukraine and Uzbekistan, is primed for growth and has an appetite for expensive SUVs... The passenger car market in Russia could grow by another 1 million vehicles annually and top 3.5 million sales, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers. And during the next 10 years, because of an aging vehicle fleet and helped by a declining light vehicle import tariff, the number of new cars sales in Russia will be equal to all of the cars on the road today... But the true impact of Russia may be further down the road because of nearby countries like Kazakhstan... Auto sales in Kazakhstan are up 50 percent this year and long-term could reach 400,000 annually... That's roughly the same number of sales that Belarus, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan had collectively in 2012, according to a report compiled by Ernst and Young... U.S.-based automakers Ford Motor Co. and General Motors Co. are heavily investing in Russia...


* Michigan / USA - Detroit automakers fight to stem huge losses in Europe

(Photo by Akos Stiller / Bloomberg: An employee works on a camshaft at GM’s new Opel assembly plant in Szentgotthard, Hungary. GM expects to become profitable in Europe by mid-decade)
Rüsselsheim,Germany -The Detroit News, by Karl Henkel -6 May 2013: -- Detroit automakers stand to lose more than $4 billion in Europe this year as they struggle to push through the sort of changes that saved the U.S. industry four years ago... Plant closures and layoffs — tools that helped turn around the U.S. market, where Detroit automakers shed 230,000 jobs between 2001 and 2010 and eliminated brands in the midst of a precipitous sales decline — are taking longer to execute there. And restructuring is more expensive than in North America because of powerful European unions, political resistance and restrictive labor laws... Sales in Europe are running at 20-year lows. But Ford, General Motors Co. and Chrysler Group LLC, owned by Fiat SpA, remain profitable in North America, making it difficult to sell sweeping cutbacks in Europe because the parent companies are now financially stable. And as automakers seek leaner operations in Western Europe — they've already shed about 300,000 jobs in the past decade — they don't want to be caught short if growing demand in Eastern Europe, particularly in Russia, outpaces production. GM has lost $15 billion in Europe the past dozen years and stands to lose more than $1 billion there this year. Ford will lose nearly $4 billion, combined, in 2012 and 2013. Fiat, which could lose more than $1 billion in Europe this year, is barely profitable because of Chrysler's success. Ford and GM expect to become profitable in Europe by mid-decade...

* Mexico - Audi first of German luxury carmakers to open full-scale plant in 

San Jose Chiapa,MEX -The Detroit News (USA), by John McCormick -May 4, 2013: -- Outside this small, dusty town in the heart of the country, Audi is making history as the first German luxury brand to set up a complete car plant in Mexico... Audi rivals BMW and Mercedes-Benz established manufacturing operations years ago on the North American continent but decided on the U.S., in South Carolina and Alabama respectively. Despite their best efforts, both BMW and Mercedes experienced initial quality problems with their U.S.-made vehicles... Audi is determined not to suffer quality issues in Mexico and has begun an elaborate training program, three years before the $1.3 billion plant starts production in 2016...

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posted by Unknown @ 10:58 AM  0 comments

May 1, 2013

* USA - WORLD RECORD: Car engine testing to 1700 hp / about 275 mph (442.5 km/h)

* Washington - SSC completes engine testing on Tuatara supercar, teases 1,700 hp

(Image: The Tuatara at the 2011 Concours d'Elegance Pebble Beach)
West Richlands,Benton,WASH,USA -Gizmag, by C.C. Weiss -April 29, 2013: -- Speak of the devil !!! ... The Tuatara's engine completed its final testing and validation earlier this month. SSC pushed the V8 to the limit in dyno testing in an effort to identify any weaknesses. It then rubbered the proverbial "approved" stamp onto the 1,350 horsepower and 1,280 lb-ft (1735 Nm) ratings. The horsepower is just a confirmation of what SSC announced when it first introduced the Tuatara, but the torque takes quite a spike from the 1,042 lb-ft (1413 Nm) still listed on the specs section of its website. And for those owners that "don't want or need to be buffered by regulations," the engine packs the untapped potential for a primal stampede of more than 1,700 horses... Despite all that raw power flirting with the driver's toes, and despite the Tuatara's world record potential, SSC says that the car is gentle and civilized enough to be a daily driver – assuming anyone wants to drive his or her half-million-dollar supercar every day... While SSC materials talk a lot about 275 mph (442.5 km/h), its website lists the projected top speed at 276 mph (444 km/h). Either one will be enough to top the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport but will also fall short of the rumored "Super-Veyron's" 288 mph (463.5 km/h) potential. Other Tuatara numbers of interest include a 2.5-second 0-60 mph (96.5 km/h), 9.75-second quarter-mile (at 144 mph/232 km/h), 0-100-0 mph time (0-161-0 km/h) of 11.25 seconds, and 2,750-pound (1,247-kg) dry weight... SSC plans to deliver the first Tuatara by December of this year or January 2014...

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posted by Unknown @ 1:00 PM  0 comments

Aug 8, 2012

AUTOMAKERS NEWS * USA

* Michigan -  Ford's 2013 C-MAX hybrids post top mpg, electric-only speed

(Photo from Ford: The Dearborn automaker said the electric-only top speed of the Energi plug-in hybrid is more than 20 mph higher than competitor Toyota Prius) Dearborn,MICH,USA -The Detroit News, by Melissa Burden and Karl Henkel -August 8, 2012: -- Ford Motor Co. said Tuesday its new 2013 C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid can achieve a top electric-only speed of 85 miles per hour — the most of any plug-in hybrid. Ford also announced separately that its 2013 C-MAX Hybrid will get an Environmental Protection Agency-certified 47 combined miles per gallon... The automaker said the electric-only top speed of the Energi plug-in hybrid is more than 20 mph higher than the Toyota Prius Plug-In. The C-MAX Energi, which will begin arriving at Ford showrooms in 19 markets this fall, also will offer drivers an electric-vehicle mode button to give drivers electric power on demand...


* Michigan - Analysts: Car sales to keep rising 

Ann Arbor,MICH,USA -Acme/The Detroit News, by Melissa Burden -August 8, 2012: -- Economists see a continued upswing for U.S. car and truck sales over the next several years, with some forecasts flirting with 17 million in annual sales — a figure not seen in more than a decade... Some estimates aren't as rosy and robust... The Center for Automotive Research, for example, predicts vehicle sales over the next decade in the U.S. to reach 15.8 million in 2016 and stay in the range of 15.5 million sales in 2021 and 2022. CAR is forecasting U.S. sales of 14.6 million in 2013, 14.9 million in 2014 and 15.5 million by 2015...


* DC - Governors to promote auto issues 

Washington,DC,USA -The Detroit News, by David Shepardson -August 8, 2012: -- A bipartisan group of four governors, including Michigan Gov., Rick Snyder, is forming an auto caucus to support policies aimed at boosting the U.S. auto industry... The auto industry has been a bright spot in the economy in recent years; the automotive sector accounted for about half of U.S. economic growth in the first three months of the year and had fewer seasonal layoffs than usual in July... The auto sector employs 789,500 people — an increase of about 68,000 over the last year. But the industry has lost more than 200,000 jobs over the last decade, as many auto nameplates — including Hummer, Mercury, Saab, Saturn and Pontiac — folded and automakers and parts suppliers closed dozens of factories... The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers — the trade group representing Detroit's Big Three automakers, Toyota Motor Corp., Volkswagen AG and seven other automakers — praised formation of the group...


* Michigan - Lawsuit threatens new GM, firm says. Trial begins after creditors seek to rip up hedge fund deal 

Detroit,MICH,USA -Bloomberg News/ The Detroit News, by Tiffany Kary -August 8, 2012: -- The new General Motors Co. could be undone by a lawsuit that pits general creditors against hedge funds including Appaloosa Management LP, Elliott Management Corp. and Fortress Investment Group LLC over $3 billion, the car company said in a lawsuit that went to trial Tuesday... A trust for creditors of the old, bankrupt part of the automaker now known as Motors Liquidation Co. sued the hedge funds in bankruptcy court in March, alleging that while GM was preparing its bankruptcy filing on June 1, 2009, the funds, which held notes in a Canadian unit of GM, "saw an eleventh-hour opportunity for profit and pounced" ... Since the agreement wasn't completed until after General Motors actually filed for bankruptcy protection, it requires bankruptcy court approval, which was never obtained, the trust said...

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posted by Unknown @ 11:25 AM  0 comments

Aug 6, 2012

AUTOMAKERS NEWS * USA

* Michigan - Spyker sues GM over failed Saab takeover

(Photo by LEX VAN LIESHOUT/AFP/GettyImages: Spyker CEO, Victor Muller outside the company's headquarters in Zeewolde. Dutch car maker Spyker said on August 6 that it has filed a three-billion-dollar claim in a US court against General Motors, whose actions it said lead directly to Swedish Saab's bankruptcy last year)
Detroit,MICH,USA -The Detroit News, by David Shepardson -August 6, 2012: -- Dutch carmaker Spyker Cars NV is suing General Motors Co. for $3 billion for blocking its sale of Saab Automotive AB to a Chinese buyer... The suit contends that GM — which sold its struggling Swedish car unit Saab for $74 million in February 2010 to Spyker — forced Saab into bankruptcy in December 2011... In 2011, Saab repeatedly sought to sell itself to Chinese investors as a last-ditch move to raise funds to survive... But the deal was blocked by its former parent GM, which provided key technology to Saab. GM refused to go along with the move, citing intellectual property concerns... Spyker and Saab Automobile have entered into an agreement in which Spyker will bear the costs of suing GM in exchange for a very substantial share of Saab Automobile's award if it is successful...


* New Jersey - Mercedes luxury sales lead on BMW in U.S. narrows 

(Photo from BMW: BMW 1 Series) 
Woodcliff Lake,NJ,USA -Bloomberg News/The Detroit News, by Tim Higgins and Hasan Dudar -August 5, 2012: -- BMW, posting its first year-over-year sales decline in more than two years, managed to outsell Daimler AG's Mercedes-Benz in the U.S. last month, narrowing the distance between the two competitors to 104 deliveries for the year... BMW's U.S. sales fell 0.5 percent last month from a year earlier to 21,297, the Munich-based automaker said Friday in a statement. Mercedes sold 19,311 cars and SUVs last month, a 1.6 percent gain, while Toyota Motor Corp.'s, Lexus sales rose 25 percent to 18,235...


* Michigan - Ford eyes greater plant flexibility, fewer vehicle platforms
Dearborn,MICH,USA -The Detroit News, by Melissa Burden -August 6, 2012: -- Ford Motor Co. — using its One Ford manufacturing operating system — is boosting plant flexibility, reducing vehicle platforms and plans to increase its global capacity usage by 27 percent in the next five years... John Fleming, executive vice president of global manufacturing for the Dearborn automaker, said he wants Ford plants to achieve 100 percent plus capacity utilization globally in five years. The 27 percent boost is over the company's 2011 rate — which Ford would not disclose other than to say it was less than 100 percent and is based on two shifts... 


* Michigan - Chrysler using 3-D modeling to reduce engineering costs 
Auburn Hill,MICH,USA -Acme/The Detroit News, by Melissa Burden -August 5, 2012: -- Chrysler Group LLC has begun using 3-D modeling in powertrain plants in North America to help it cut costs, improve efficiencies, reduce worker injuries and waste and problem solve... The automaker is using the modeling, created by Auburn Hills-based Strategic Manufacturing Solutions, to help with the launch of eight- and nine- speed transmissions it will build at its Kokomo, Ind. plant... The realistic modeling of the plant floor is helping reduce typical engineering costs for the $1.3 billion launch of the two transmissions from 4 percent of total costs to 3 percent, said Brian Harlow, vice president and head of powertrain operations in North America and global powertrain manufacturing engineering for Chrysler...

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posted by Unknown @ 3:48 PM  0 comments

Aug 4, 2012

AUTOMAKERS NEWS * USA

* Michigan / USA - 2013 Pathfinder sheds heavy pickup truck underpinnings
 
(Photo by Nissan: Among the last of the truck-based SUVs with its body mounted on a rugged steel frame, the completely redesigned Pathfinder is being built on the same lightweight unibody platform as the Nissan crossover vehicles Murano and Infinity JX 35)
Farmington Hills,MICH,USA -The Detroit News, by Doug Guthrie -August 4, 2012: -- Another sport utility vehicle has crossed over with Nissan's unveiling Friday of the 2013 Pathfinder. Among the last of the truck-based SUVs with its body mounted on a rugged steel frame, the completely redesigned Pathfinder is being built on the same lightweight unibody platform as the Nissan crossover vehicles Murano and Infinity JX 35...  The new Pathfinder closely resembles the aerodynamically sleek concept introduced in January at Detroit's North American International Auto Show... Without a frame, the new Pathfinder cut 500 pounds from the 2012 model and improved its fuel consumption by 30 percent...


* Virginia / USA - Cheaper, redesigned VW Jetta deserves a 2nd look

(Photo from Volkswagen: 2012 Volkswagen Jetta)
Herndon,VA,USA -The Detroit News, by Larry Printz -August 4, 2012: -- Since its introduction in 1980, the Jetta has quickly become a top-seller for Volkswagen in the United States... The VW faithful were satisfied by the car's performance. The company was not... It was clear that consumers wouldn't pay a premium for VW's premium compact... So Volkswagen decided to meet the competition by producing a cheaper Jetta. When it made its debut for 2011, the Jetta's price started at $16,495, a substantial $1,740 less than the 2010 model...


* Michigan - Ford Van Dyke plant adds jobs, hybrid transmissions
(Photo by Todd McInturf / The Detroit News: Ford announces the production launch of the only front-wheel-drive-hybrid transmission to be made in North America at the Van Dyke Transmission Plant in Sterling Heights, Thursday, Aug. 02, 2012) 
Dearborn,MICH,USA -The Detroit News, by Karl Henkel -August 3, 2012: -- Ford Motor Co.'s Van Dyke Transmission plant has officially added hybrid transmission capacity, adding 225 jobs... About 130 of those jobs are already filled and the rest will be filled as the plant ramps up production on transmissions for the Ford C-MAX Hybrid, C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid, Fusion Hybrid, Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid and Lincoln MKZ Hybrid... The plant employs about 1,350 workers...  The Dearborn automaker says it is the only front-wheel drive hybrid transmission to be made in North America...


* Michigan - Caparo to close 2 Novi plants 

(Photo: Caparo's plant in Novi,Michigan)
Novi,MICH,USA -The Detroit News, by Karl Henkel -August 4, 2012: -- A Metro Detroit auto supplier says it will permanently close both of its Novi plants this month... Caparo Vehicle Components Inc. says it was in the process of selling the company to an unnamed buyer, which recently backed out of a sale agreement because of a "lack of commitment" by customers... Caparo produces metal stampings, welded assemblies and other components for original equipment manufacturers and major auto suppliers. The division of London-based Caparo PLC has two manufacturing locations in Novi and another in San Luis Potosi, Mexico...


* New Jersey - Avis is said to pass on new merger talks with Dollar Thrifty 

Parsippany,NJ,USA -Bloomberg News/The Detroit News, by Jeffrey McCracken and Mark Clothier -August 3, 2012: -- Avis Budget Group Inc. has decided against renewing its bid for Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group Inc. after meeting with the company in the past month, according to a person with knowledge of the meeting... Dollar Thrifty, which is the target of a stalled takeover attempt by Hertz Global Holdings Inc., contacted Avis to solicit a new offer. Avis ended a previous formal pursuit of Dollar Thrifty in September 2011...


* DC - Legislation would end renting of recalled cars 

Washington,DC,USA -The Detroit News, by David Shepardson -August 3, 2012: -- Democrats in the House and Senate introduced legislation this week to force rental car companies to stop renting unrepaired recalled vehicles... U.S. Sens. Barbara Boxer, and Dianne Feinstein, both D-Calif., introduced legislation that would prevent rental car firms from renting or selling cars or trucks that are under recall... Three of the nation's four major rental car companies refused to agree to a blanket pledge not to rent or sell unrepaired recalled vehicles... Boxer said in June that Hertz Global Holdings Inc., with 8,500 locations in 150 countries, had agreed to the pledge... She urged the other three major companies to follow suit...

- AUTO SALES - 

* USA - New car, truck sales rise 9%
The Detroit News, by Bryce G. Hoffman, Melissa Burden and Karl Henkel -August 2, 2012: -- Sales of new cars and trucks were up 8.9 percent in July, offering further proof that the industry's recovery is continuing...


* Michigan - Sales of electric Focus dip sharply

(Photo from Ford: Focus EV) 
 Dearborn,MICH,USA -The Detroit News, by David Shepardson -August 3, 2012: -- Ford Motor Co. sold 38 electric Ford Focus cars in July — the latest sign of slow EV sales in the United States... The Dearborn automaker said sales of Focus EVs fell by more than half from the 89 sold in June... In seven months, Ford has sold 135 Focus EVs — including none in February, March or April... Ford built 121 Focus EVs in July and now has assembled 884 this year, up from 763 through the end of June...

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posted by Unknown @ 4:52 AM  0 comments

Aug 1, 2012

AUTOMAKERS NEWS * USA

* Michigan - Chrysler's turnaround on track with solid profits: Automaker earns $436M in 2Q

(Photo by Seth Perlman / Associated Press: From April through June, Chrysler sold more than 436,000 Jeep, Dodge, Ram and Chrysler cars and trucks in the U.S.) 
Auburn Hill,MICH,USA -The Detroit News, by Bryce G. Hoffman -July 31, 2012: -- Chrysler Group LLC reported another quarter of solid earnings Monday, posting a profit of $436 million and on track to reach $1.5 billion this year. But its second-quarter numbers are likely to be eclipsed by the less-than-stellar results its parent company, Fiat SpA, is expected to release today. Fiat depends heavily on financially troubled Europe, where sales are slumping, but Chrysler is a minor player there, selling 87 percent of its cars and trucks in the U.S. and Canada. Fiat-Chrysler Chairman and CEO. Sergio Marchionne. urged Chrysler employees not to forget the company's recent near-death experience as they celebrate its latest success. Chrysler's second-quarter profit was down slightly from the $473 million it made in the first three months of 2012, but it was a whopping 218 percent better than the same period last year, when Chrysler repaid its bailout debts to the U.S. and Canadian governments and posted a $370 million loss. But even excluding that one-time charge, Chrysler's net income increased $255 million, or 141 percent... 

 
* Tennessee - Volkswagen adds third shift to Tenn. plant

(Photo: The Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga ,Tennessee)
Chattanooga,TENN,USA -The Detroit News -July 31, 2012: -- Volkswagen AG has hired and trained a third-shift team for its Chattanooga, Tenn., plant, bringing the total number of workers to 3,300... The three production teams will rotate through two shifts and work 40 hours, VW said... The plant will operate six days a week, 20 hours a day. This will allow for an increase in plant production time as well as even out weekly work hours for all team members. The addition of the third-shift team has boosted the number of employees well above the 2,000 announced when Volkswagen chose Chattanooga as the site for its only American assembly plant in 2008... In 2013 the plant will have increased capacity to produce 180,000 vehicles per year, over 30,000 over its original capacity...


  * DC - Federal investigation launched for faulty intelligent brake-assist system

(Photo from Nissan: The JX35 brake system has been reported to engage unexpectedly)
Washington,DC,USA -The Detroit News, by David Shepardson -August 1, 2012: -- Federal safety investigators have opened an investigation into whether automatic braking systems on the Nissan's 2013 Infiniti JX35 may activate the brakes when there is no emergency... The new safety technology is billed as way to prevent distracted or inattentive drivers from crashes, and is being added to luxury vehicles... The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in a notice posted on its website this week that it is opening a preliminary investigation into 8,000 Infiniti crossovers after receiving two complaints of false application of emergency braking... The consumers allege that the intelligent brake-assist system inappropriately activated emergency braking autonomically, bringing the vehicles to immediate and complete stops. Both drivers said the incidents occurred on the same bridge, and suggested the sensor may have halted the vehicles because of the amount of metal in the bridge...


* DC - TRW German unit pleads guilty to price fixing 

Washington,DC,USA -The Detroit News, by David Shepardson -July 30, 2012: -- The German subsidiary of Livonia-based TRW Automotive Holdings Corp. agreed today to plead guilty to price-fixing of seat belts, air bags and steering wheels, and pay a $5.1 million fine. It's the latest company to be snared in the Justice Department's auto parts investigation... TRW Deutschland Holding GmbH, a Koblenz, Germany-based subsidiary, has agreed to plead guilty for its involvement in a conspiracy to fix prices of components sold to two German automobile manufacturers and installed in cars sold in the United States, the Justice Department said. The company has agreed to cooperate; the plea deal must still be approved by a federal judge... This is the second case filed relating to safety systems sold to auto manufacturers as part of the department's ongoing antitrust auto parts investigation...

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posted by Unknown @ 4:23 AM  0 comments

Jul 29, 2012

AUTOMAKERS NEWS * USA

* Michigan - Cadillac's small car rolls off Lansing assembly line

(John F. Martin for Cadillac: The first new Cadillac ATS comes off the line at the GM plant in Lansing)
Lansing,MI,USA -The Detroit News -July 26, 2012: -- The first 2013 Cadillac ATS compact luxury sport sedans rolled off the line Thursday morning at General Motors Co.'s Lansing Grand River assembly plant... The plant underwent a $190 million upgrade for ATS production, adding a second shift and 600 jobs... GM has targeted the BMW 3 Series with its new, small Caddy. It arrives at dealerships in August, and starts at about $34,000... 


- AUTOS RECALLS - 

* DC - Throttle problem behind recall of 485,000 Ford small SUVs

(Photo from Ford: 2004 Ford Escape) 
Washington,DC,USA -The Detroit News, by David Shepardson -July 27, 2012: ... Ford Motor Co. it is recalling nearly 485,000 Escapes to repair sticky gas pedals that can lead to unintended acceleration incidents. The recall covers 423,000 2001-04 Escape SUVs with 3-liter V-6 engines and cruise control, plus 60,000 outside the U.S. Ford said that because of a lack of clearance between the cruise control cable and engine cover, a driver may be unable to disengage the throttle when the cruise control is on. This is the third recall in two weeks for the Escape. Last week, Ford recalled 11,500 new 2013 models with 1.6-liter engines because the fuel lines could leak, and warned owners to immediately stop driving the new Escapes after three reports of fires in June. The company also recalled 10,000 2013 Escapes to fix carpet padding that could interfere with brakes...


* Michigan - Mazda will recall 217,500 Tributes

(Photo from Mazda: Mazda’s recall covers more model years than Ford’s: 2001-2006 and 2008 Mazda Tributes equipped with the 3.0-liter V6 engine and cruise control. The Mazda Tribute was not produced in the 2007 model year) 
Washington,DC,USA -The Detroit News, by David Shepardson -July 28, 2012: -- Mazda Motor Co., following Ford Motor Co.'s lead, said Friday it will recall 217,500 Tribute SUVs to fix sticky gas pedals that can lead to unintended acceleration...  The Tribute and Ford's Escape are nearly identical and built on the same platform at Ford's Kansas City Assembly plant... Mazda's recall covers more model years than Ford's: 2001-2006 and 2008 Mazda Tributes equipped with the 3.0-liter V6 engine and cruise control...


* DC - Hyundai recalling 220,000 vehicles over airbag issues

(Photo by Joe Raedle /Getty Images: Hyundai Motor Co. is recalling nearly 200,000 Santa Fe SUVs and Sonata sedans because of problems with their air bags) 
Washington,DC,USA -The Detroit News, by David Shepardson -July 28, 2012: -- Hyundai Motor Co. said Saturday it is issuing two new recalls totaling 220,000 vehicles covering airbag issues... The Korean automaker said it is recalling 199,118 2007-09 Santa Fe SUVs to ensure that airbags deploy in a crash when a small individual is sitting in the passenger seat. Sensors in vehicles do not deploy the airbag when a small person is sitting in certain positions in order to prevent injuries...  Since 2009, Hyundai has received less than 2 complaints per month, the automaker said... Separately, Hyundai is recalling 22,512 2012-13 Sonatas to prevent side curtain air bags from improperly deploying and will replace the airbag modules...

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