Plants, jobs, sales figures, regulation and the executives behind them. The business of building cars.
Page 7 of 14
Geely is counting on Volvo to help it gain ground in China’s luxury market, aiming to close the gap with established premium brands as domestic rivals gain strength.
Toyota is reintroducing skilled manual work in key manufacturing roles, aiming to strengthen quality and expertise by giving humans tasks once handled by robots.
General Motors’ decision to shut Opel’s Bochum factory in 2014 will cost over €500 million, affecting more than 3,000 jobs and marking a rare German car plant closure.
Ford confirms the next-generation Fiesta will continue production at its Cologne plant in Germany, dismissing speculation of a shift to Romania’s Craiova facility.
BMW is expanding production at its Spartanburg and Chinese joint-venture plants as it aims to surpass two million vehicle sales worldwide in 2014.
BMW’s finance boss Friedrich Eichiner has warned that escalating tensions in Crimea could jeopardise the company’s Russian business, which saw record growth in 2013.
With Honda and Mazda opening new plants and major investment from Volkswagen to Chrysler, Mexico’s car output is set to approach 4.5 million units by 2020.
Honda has created a dedicated Acura Business Planning Office, led by Erik Berkman, to address falling US sales and sharpen the luxury marque’s identity.
Paice LLC has filed a lawsuit against Ford in Baltimore, alleging that several Ford and Lincoln hybrid models infringe on its hybrid technology patents.
Toyota management described its union’s 2014 pay and bonus request as unexpectedly large, as negotiations continued amid strong company profits and a recovering Japanese economy.
BMW and SGL Carbon are preparing to expand joint carbon fibre production to 6,000 tonnes annually, backed by over €100 million investment, to meet rising demand for lightweight materials.
US new car sales slowed sharply in January 2014, prompting analysts to warn that automakers could resort to aggressive rebates if demand does not recover quickly.
General Motors will expand its Tychy plant to produce a new 1.6-litre diesel, targeting 200,000 engines a year as part of Opel’s European recovery plan.
BMW is in advanced talks with Mexican officials about a potential $1.5 billion plant that could build 1 and 3 Series models for export as early as 2016.
Volkswagen has agreed to allow workers at its Chattanooga, Tennessee factory to vote on United Auto Workers representation, marking a potential first for a foreign-owned US car plant.
Toyota’s labour union will seek a monthly base wage increase and higher annual bonuses in the 2014 spring negotiations, citing strong company profits and economic confidence.
Renault and Nissan have increased their joint savings goal to €4.3bn by 2016, aiming to deepen cooperation in development and production to improve operational performance.
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles begins life as a merged entity with a new structure, shifting its primary listing to New York and facing profitability pressures in key markets.
Rising demand for high-performance braking systems and a surging share price have pushed Brembo’s chairman Alberto Bombassei’s net worth past the billion-dollar mark.
Union efforts intensify at Toyota’s Ontario factories and Nissan’s Mississippi plant as organisers seek a foothold in North American transplant operations.
With Fiat’s takeover of Chrysler nearly finalised in early 2014, the combined group’s choice of headquarters location remained unresolved, raising questions about future identity and strategy.
China’s Wanxiang Group has submitted a $24.7 million offer to acquire the bankrupt Fisker Automotive, with a court decision and potential auction expected by late January 2014.
Italian design house Bertone has furloughed most staff and is seeking a buyer, with a Turkish firm reportedly offering $2.7 million for the struggling coachbuilder.
Hedge fund Hayman Capital has acquired a stake in General Motors, betting on a sharp rise in the automaker’s shares as the US government prepares to sell its remaining holding.