Why it won't be easy for global automakers to part with Chinese partners

Posted 12:01 am U.S. ET, April 23
Yang Jian is managing editor of Automotive News China.
YANG JIAN :  The Chinese government has announced that it will phase out restrictions on foreign ownership of joint ventures with domestic automakers by 2020. The move bodes well for foreign automakers' future in China as it will allow them to part from joint venture partners and gain full control of local operations. But a complete separation will be hard for nearly all global brands that manufacture in Chin ...
     Continue reading "Why it won't be easy for global automakers to part with Chinese partners" »

Post Comment  |  Permalink

---

Schaeffler looks beyond ball-bearings with future urban mobility ideas

Posted 4:52 am U.S. ET, April 19
The Schaeffler Mover concept is an electric chassis that can take different bodies such as a robotaxi, shown, or a small cargo van. (Schaeffler)
PETER SIGAL:  Schaeffler is looking toward the future with new products and projects that might be considered unconventional for a company whose roots lie in ball bearing production. The German supplier's four focus areas in its 2020 strategic plan are urban mobility; environmentally friendly drivetrains; interurban transportation (trains and airplanes); and the energy chain (sustainable and conventional). Sc ...
     Continue reading "Schaeffler looks beyond ball-bearings with future urban mobility ideas" »

Post Comment  |  Permalink

---

Key takeaways from VW's wild week

Posted 7:13 am U.S. ET, April 13
Christiaan Hetzner is Automotive News Europe's Germany correspondent.
CHRISTIAAN HETZNER :  If Volkswagen wanted to explain why it just reorganized itself into brand groups that supposedly will better drive forward the company's transformation process, then they did a poor job of it. But there were some key takeaways from Friday’s press conference that answered other open questions including why Matthias Mueller was dismissed from his post as CEO. Chairman Hans Dieter Poetsch went ...
     Continue reading "Key takeaways from VW's wild week" »

Post Comment  |  Permalink

---

Pininfarina preps H500 concept as Tesla fighter

Posted 12:01 am U.S. ET, April 13
The H500 features a fastback profile and a generous rear passenger compartment. The most unique aspect of this fairly conservative shape: fins on the front fenders that flow into the windowsills.
JAY RAMEY :  Pininfarina is giving the world an early peek at a sedan concept set for reveal this month at the Beijing auto show, one of two concepts that the design house will showcase there. The Mahindra-owned consultancy has joined with Hybrid Kinetic Group of Hong Kong with the goal of developing "clean energy vehicles," and if the H500 sedan concept looks like a hopeful Tesla competit ...
     Continue reading "Pininfarina preps H500 concept as Tesla fighter " »

Post Comment  |  Permalink

---

Jaguar said to be planning Porsche Cayenne rival

Posted 12:01 am U.S. ET, April 12
The J-Pace will slot above the F-Pace, shown, in Jaguar's lineup.
WESLEY WREN:  It looks like Jaguar’s got another street-minded crossover in the works, one with the Porsche Cayenne in its sights. According to Autocar, the bigger Jaguar crossover will be called J-Pace and will borrow parts and pieces from Land Rover's component bins. As for the sheet metal, designer Ian Callum will pen a new shell for Jaguar's fourth crossover in half a de ...
     Continue reading "Jaguar said to be planning Porsche Cayenne rival " »

Post Comment  |  Permalink

---

Bangle's quest to ban banality

Posted 12:01 am U.S. ET, April 5
Chris Bangle stands in front of the REDS minicar. The tall, boxy model was created by the former BMW executive's Italy-based design consultancy. (Chris Bangle Associates)
DOUGLAS A. BOLDUC :  Former BMW chief designer Chris Bangle has strong feelings about the future of car design. He believes companies should be doing more to stand out from their rivals. This includes doing away with something he was once in charge of at his former employer: establishing a common design language for the entire brand. "I would say that was my main job, to maintain that phenomenon for my years at BMW. ...
     Continue reading "Bangle's quest to ban banality" »

Post Comment  |  Permalink

---

New ZF CEO is bullish about plug-in hybrid sector

Posted 12:01 am U.S. ET, March 22
Scheider wants to leverage ZF's deep and diverse product portfolio.
DOUGLAS A. BOLDUC :  New ZF Friedrichhafen CEO Wolf-Henning Scheider's biggest question after fewer than 40 workdays at the supplier is: "How do we push this forward?" He wants to leverage ZF's deep and diverse product portfolio. "No one else has what we have," Scheider said. ZF produces everything from driveline and chassis technology to active and passive safety solutions. Scheider, 55, became CEO on Feb. 1  ...
     Continue reading "New ZF CEO is bullish about plug-in hybrid sector" »

Post Comment  |  Permalink

---

BMW, Mercedes win with diesels in Korea

Posted 12:01 am U.S. ET, March 16
BMW opened a driving center in South Korea in 2014.
CHRISTIAAN HETZNER :  It's only been a couple of weeks since the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang concluded, but for two of Germany's major premium brands the hunt for gold in South Korea continues. BMW's and Mercedes-Benz's sales are booming and, unlike Europe, diesels have been a major driver of the success. Models such as the BMW 520d or Mercedes-Benz E 220d routinely rank as the best-selling imports. Typically ...
     Continue reading "BMW, Mercedes win with diesels in Korea" »

Post Comment  |  Permalink

---

Why Israel is winning with autonomous cars

Posted 12:01 am U.S. ET, March 14

Douglas A. Bolduc is managing editor at Automotive News Europe.

Israel is establishing itself as a major automotive player because of a willingness to continually challenge ideas, a top executive said. "No one is offended when the newest engineer challenges the CEO on why we are doing something," said Hagai Zyss, CEO of chipset specialist Autotalks, a Tier 2 supplier working with giants such as Denso and Robert Bosch. Autotalks offers so-called vehicle-to-ev ...
     Continue reading "Why Israel is winning with autonomous cars" »

Post Comment  |  Permalink

---

Alpine, Fiat, Volvo find subtle ways to show national pride

Posted 12:01 am U.S. ET, March 9
France's colors can be found inside the doors of the Alpine A110.
DOUGLAS A. BOLDUC :  The pride that Europe's automakers have for their homelands was on display this week at the Geneva auto show, but it appeared in very inconspicuous places. Renault's Alpine sports car brand has a French flag in both door panels of the recently revived A110. ...
     Continue reading "Alpine, Fiat, Volvo find subtle ways to show national pride" »

Post Comment  |  Permalink

---

Jeep overshadows Fiat brand with bigger Geneva spotlight

Posted 12:01 am U.S. ET, March 7
Jeep Boss Mile Manley introduces the Wrangler Sahara Edition at the Geneva show. (Bloomberg)
ANDREA MALAN :  Fiat Chrysler Automobiles' display at this year's Geneva auto show highlights how diminished the once-dominant Fiat brand is these days. Jeep got the prime position on FCA's stand, ousting Fiat from its traditional spot. Jeep was given the big corner stand while Fiat moved to a much smaller center stand, close to Abarth and Alfa Romeo. Being center stage at an auto show means no big back billboa ...
     Continue reading "Jeep overshadows Fiat brand with bigger Geneva spotlight" »

Post Comment  |  Permalink

---

Trump's tariff threat could impact PSA's U.S. return

Posted 4:55 am U.S. ET, March 7

Peter Sigal is a France-based correspondent with Automotive News Europe.

U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat to impose tariffs on European cars exported to the U.S. has worried PSA Group, which doesn’t (yet) sell vehicles in North America. PSA CEO Carlos Tavares said that if Trump imposes tariffs were imposed it might negatively affect his 10-year plan to re-enter the U.S. market. "If the overall framework of tariffs change, it may have an impact on our ...
     Continue reading "Trump's tariff threat could impact PSA's U.S. return" »

Post Comment  |  Permalink

---

Volvo ends long European Car of the Year losing streak

Posted 12:01 am U.S. ET, March 6
The XC40 was a resounding winner of the 2018 European Car of the Year. The compact SUV earned 325 points compared with 242 points for its closest competitor, the Seat Ibiza.
DOUGLAS A. BOLDUC :  Volvo CEO Hakan Samuelsson had a good feeling that the automaker would end its European Car of the Year losing streak two years ago. In 2016, the XC90 finished just 18 points shy of taking home the 2016 European Car of the Year. Samuelsson told me back then that he didn't expect the XC90 to win because the judges deciding on the prestigious annual award have long shown a preference for picking ve ...
     Continue reading "Volvo ends long European Car of the Year losing streak" »

Post Comment  |  Permalink

---

VW still bullish on U.S. shows; Ratan Tata shows up in Geneva

Posted 7:57 am U.S. ET, March 6
Woebcken: "We had a very positive media feedback in Detroit." (GLENN TRIEST)
RICHARD JOHNSON :  Editor’s note: An earlier version of this blog misspelled Hinrich Woebcken’s given name. Volkswagen remains bullish on U.S. auto shows, including the one in Detroit. Mercedes-Benz may be pulling out of the Motor City, but‎ VW of America chief Hinrich Woebcken says he was pleased with the way things turned out at the North American International Auto Show in January. "We ha ...
     Continue reading "VW still bullish on U.S. shows; Ratan Tata shows up in Geneva" »

Post Comment  |  Permalink

---

Opel's void stirs ghosts of Genevas past

Posted 6:04 am U.S. ET, March 6
Opel's old space at the show now is occupied by Aston Martin, Dacia and W Motors' Ioniq brand. (Richard Johnson)
RICHARD JOHNSON :  GENEVA -- Back in Detroit, they can't stop talking about Mercedes-Benz's decision to skip the auto show next January, vacating its pride-of-place and always spectacular stand at a key entrance to the Cobo Hall show floor. But even stranger for me was walking into the Palexpo this morning and not seeing Opel at its accustomed spot at the top of the escalator to the second level, just above the mai ...
     Continue reading "Opel's void stirs ghosts of Geneva's past" »

Post Comment  |  Permalink

---

Aston Martin takes over Opel stand in its biggest Geneva presence to date

Posted 8:07 am U.S. ET, March 5
Aston Martin's Vantage coupe will have its show debut in Geneva.
NICK GIBBS :  When Opel said in January that it would skip the Geneva auto show this year, regular showgoers wondered: Which brand would claim the former General Motors subsidiary's prominent spot in Hall 2 at the Palexpo convention center? The surprising answer was Aston Martin. Geneva has always been an important show for ultraluxury brands such as Aston Martin, but this year the UK sports car maker has a st ...
     Continue reading "Aston Martin takes over Opel stand in its biggest Geneva presence to date" »

Post Comment  |  Permalink

---

Audi seeks social media buzz with e-tron Geneva tour

Posted 10:04 am U.S. ET, March 5
Audi showed an e-tron prototype at its Geneva auto show press conference. (Reuters)
CHRISTIAAN HETZNER :  Audi is seeking to cause a stir by driving 250 of its camouflaged e-tron full-electric SUVs through Geneva while the city hosts the annual auto show here. Audi is asking residents to take snapshots of the pre-production car and post them on social media to generate some buzz ahead of the car's launch later this year. The move is unconventional because companies normally try to hide their new mod ...
     Continue reading "Audi seeks social media buzz with e-tron Geneva tour" »

Post Comment  |  Permalink

---

Ghosn, Zetsche, Marchionne - who will go down as the most successful?

Posted 12:01 am U.S. ET, March 2
Richard Johnson is print editor of Automotive News.
RICHARD JOHNSON :  Born within 21 months of one another, Carlos Ghosn, Dieter Zetsche and Sergio Marchionne are all running up against retirement age now. Ghosn, the youngest, turns 64 next week but has signed on for another four years as Renault's CEO. Marchionne and Zetsche have contracts that expire next year when each will be 66. It's been a remarkable run for the Great Triumvirate — three of the longest ...
     Continue reading "Ghosn, Zetsche, Marchionne - who will go down as the most successful?" »

Post Comment  |  Permalink

---

Geely's 'hostile' move on Daimler is a watershed

Posted 8:30 am U.S. ET, Feb. 28
Christiaan Hetzner is Automotive News Europe's Germany correspondent.
CHRISTIAAN HETZNER :  Geely Chairman Li Shufu sounded almost fawning in his admiration for Daimler, the German industrial icon in which he had just spent 7.3 billion euros to acquire a tenth of the shares. Phrases such as "outstanding company," "first-class management" and an "honor to support this unique team" were used to flatter, as well as a pledge to abide by Daimler's charter and governance structure and respect ...
     Continue reading "Geely's 'hostile' move on Daimler is a watershed " »

Post Comment  |  Permalink

---

Germany's diesel disaster

Posted 11:20 am U.S. ET, Feb. 27
Christiaan Hetzner is Automotive News Europe's Germany correspondent.
CHRISTIAAN HETZNER :  Diesel owners across Germany are facing a disaster. Roughly a year after Stuttgart triggered a nationwide panic by warning it might have to start driving bans to meet clean air legislation, the country's highest administrative court ruled in favor of "reasonable" restrictions for diesels. The ruling is expect to cause the resale value of diesel models to plummet. Repeated assurances from the coun ...
     Continue reading "Germany's diesel disaster " »

Post Comment  |  Permalink

---

Renault shows it's ready for autonomous future

Posted 12:01 am U.S. ET, Feb. 21
Unlike most self-driving test cars, the Renault Symbioz was designed from the ground up to integrate autonomous technology and an electric drivetrain.
PETER SIGAL:  Anyone connected to the automotive business will tell you that in the not-so-distant future cars will be autonomous, connected and electric. The open questions include: What shape will that future take? When will it get here? Renault recently offered a look at where the company thinks we’ll be in 2023 when it invited journalists to test its Symbioz concept on a public highway in France. In ...
     Continue reading "Renault shows it's ready for autonomous future" »

Post Comment  |  Permalink

---

Why rival designers are talking up the Jaguar I-Pace

Posted 12:01 am U.S. ET, Feb. 19
A production ready I-Pace will debut at the Geneva auto show in March. The concept model is shown.
RICHARD JOHNSON :  You get that certain feeling about a new vehicle sometimes, just by the way people talk about it — a sense that it could occupy an important place in auto history. Of course, that doesn't mean it'll break sales records. Think of the Chrysler Airstream, the Citroen DS21, the second-generation Nissan Pathfinder, the Honda Prelude and General Motors' EV1. But they were all ahead of their time. ...
     Continue reading "Why rival designers are talking up the Jaguar I-Pace" »

Post Comment  |  Permalink

---

Renault follows Audi into the potentially lucrative e-sports world

Posted 12:01 am U.S. ET, Feb. 14
From left, Sandro Holzwarth (FreaKii), Philip Paschmeyer (Paschy90), and Victor Locquet (Fairy Peak!). (Renault)
PETER SIGAL:  PARIS -- Renault Sport's newest drivers, who will train at the team's Formula 1 facility in Enstone, England, go by the nicknames Paschy90, FairyPeak! and Freakii. If that seems a bit unusual, it may help to explain that the drivers are part of Renault Sport's new sponsorship in e-sports, otherwise known as professional video gaming. Renault is following other major corporate sponsors, including ...
     Continue reading "Renault follows Audi into the potentially lucrative e-sports world" »

Post Comment  |  Permalink

---

VW has fixed its China operations and is now set to keep its lead

Posted 5:39 am U.S. ET, Feb. 9
Yang Jian is managing editor of Automotive News China.
YANG JIAN :  The year began well for a slew of automakers operating in China. General Motors, Toyota, Honda, Geely and Great Wall have posted strong sales in January. But the company best positioned for robust growth in the Chinese light-vehicle market is Volkswagen Group, the largest player in the market. VW started assembling vehicles in China in the mid-1980s, long before its global peers. For many years, ...
     Continue reading "VW has fixed its China operations and is now set to keep its lead" »

Post Comment  |  Permalink

---

Polestar CEO's challenge: embracing change

Posted 12:01 am U.S. ET, Feb. 8
Embracing change isn't easy for Ingenlath, which is why he looks to a top Volvo executive for inspiration.
DOUGLAS A. BOLDUC :  There is something that you probably don't know about Polestar CEO Thomas Ingenlath -- the man who has shaken up Volvo's styling as head of design is slow to embrace change. "That certainly does not come naturally to me," Ingenlath told me during a roundtable interview this week. "I know it is funny to hear from somebody who has worked in design, but I think in our own personal and professional l ...
     Continue reading "Polestar CEO's challenge: embracing change" »

Post Comment  |  Permalink

---