GM and PSA Peugeot Citroen have a mutual problem: Losses in Europe. Now, the two want to share the burden. General Motors and PSA are discussing a broad manufacturing alliance, if today’s media reports from Europe are to be believed.
PSA and GM? (Read More…)
Travel on U.S. roads fell to its lowest level since 2003, while Americans hold on to their cars longer than ever, two Detroit newspapers report to the horror of their carbuilding readers. (Read More…)
Toyota plans to more than double its exports to South Korea to 20,700 vehicles this year, says The Nikkei [sub]. The cars come from places that used to be import nations for Toyota: The U.S. and Europe. After announcing plans to export U.S.-built cars to South Korea, Toyota now is looking to bringing made-in-Europe cars back to Asia. (Read More…)
If you are lusting for extra oomph, and if all you have to transport is that sadly childless trophy female of yours, then Ferrari has good news from you. The Italians will show a successor to the 599 GTB Fiorano two-seat coupe at the Geneva auto show next month. (Read More…)
Auto blogging sites large and small are going gaga over Rinspeed’s announcement of a backpack. The Swiss tuner promises a rear extension for compact electric cars such as the smart fortwo EV. The extensions are modular. One is a motorized appendage that had been fueling the fantasy of EV enthusiasts for a while: If you want to go beyond the meager range of your EV, simply tow a trailer with a conventional engine. Voila, a docked range extender. Hence the name Dock+Go. (Read More…)
Chinese authorities are so sensitive about self immolation that live events are sent with a time delay – if someone sets himself on fire, there is always time to cut to commercial. No such sensitivities if a Ferrari FF decides to end its life in flames. (Read More…)
What do you do if you want your very own yellow Lamborghini Diablo VT Roadster, but you can’t afford it? No problem, said a man in China, I just build my own. (Read More…)
Last year, Nevada was the first state to legalize driverless cars – in a way. The law stipulated that Nevada’s Department of Transportation “shall adopt regulations authorizing the operation of autonomous vehicles on highways within the State of Nevada.” Probably hoping that this would take a while. The Department worked overtime and finished the regulations in eight months. The Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles announces: (Read More…)
Opel Chief Karl-Friedrich Stracke told reporters that an agreement with unions about a fix of money-losing Opel is a while away. “I expect this not to happen in a month or so, rather than in a couple of months, that’s at least how I see the timetable,” Stracke told Reuters.
Analysts think that Stracke is an optimist, and that restructuring Opel won’t come cheap. The guesstimate is more than $1 billion, and the payback will take a while. (Read More…)
The early 90s were tough times. Stock markets had crashed, real estate bubbles had popped, budgets were slashed. The fabled Daytona 24 hours endurance race survived (barely) with Rolex as a sponsor.
In 1992, the field was down to 49 cars, one of them a newcomer from Japan, Number 23, fielded by Nissan’s Nismo (Nissan Motorsports International) factory team. (Read More…)
Volkswagen keeps dominating Europe’s Top Ten list (as compiled by Jato) in January. An 11.3 percent decrease of the Polo did not cost it its number two place, thanks to the number three Ford Fiesta dropping even more. (Read More…)
Growth at the world’s second largest automaker, the Volkswagen Group, took a breather in January. As indicated by its passenger vehicle division a few days ago, growth at the Volkswagen Group turned to a 1.3 percent trickle globally. This was caused by a calendar-induced decrease in China, combined with a soft European market. (Read More…)
Analysts had already expected a disappointing 4th quarter, but when GM announced the results of the October – December quarter today, the results were worse than feared. Net income attributable to common shareholders was $500 million, or 28 cents a share. Analysts had expected two cents more.
Strong results in North America were dragged down by losses in Europe. Said GM CFO Dan Amman: (Read More…)
PSA Peugeot Citroen will have to delay its plans to sell imported Citroen DS models in China, the Shanghai Securities News said today. According to the paper, Citroen’s existing dealers in China balk at the high cost of building new outlets, which Citroen wants to be located near other luxury brands, such as Infiniti or Jaguar and Land Rover.
Hours later, Reuters reached a PSA spokesperson that had been in hiding earlier in the day. (Read More…)
So they will build the Porsche SUVlet after all. After years of on-again, off-again, Porsche confirmed that the Cajun will be built. Except that it won’t be a Cajun. It will be a Macan.
A Macan? Says Porsche in an email: (Read More…)
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