Nissan profits have collapsed by 70% in three months. It made $278M to the end of September with retail sales down 7.5% globally, European registrations slid 23% but sales showed a steadying picture in America. JLR is looking for partners to share new technology and other costs, say media reports. BMW and Zhejiang Geely are mentioned but others may be approached to assist market improvements in … [Read more...]
Massive merger of European brands on the cards
Talks have started to merge Peugeot-Citroen-Vauxhall and Fiat-Chrysler-Jeep operations around the world. The new business would be the fourth biggest in the automotive sector and have implications for all their current manufacturing plants building 8.7 Million vehicles annually and turning in a €170 Billion revenue and €11 Billion profit. The deal will help shave billions of dollars from … [Read more...]
Newslines 15 October
Over 50 BMW models, two from Rolls-Royce and a Toyota Supra are among 257,473 new cars recalled by US safety experts. All have been fitted since 2018 with a reversing camera which may not show any image due to a fault in the system settings, although the camera is working. As part of Vauxhall’s ongoing commitment to reduce CO2 emissions, the manufacturer has revealed information on the … [Read more...]
Tradelines 25 September
Volkswagen and Porsche are recalling about 227,000 models built in 2015 and 2016 after German safety authority found a problem with pretensioning software in airbags. There are concerns the faulty software may cause airbags to go-off without an accident being sensed, said German media. Germany is allocating $60Billion to boost electric car take up. Volkswagen CEO Herbert Diess welcomed a … [Read more...]
EV planning is improving, say dealers
There’s increasing retailer satisfaction levels with manufacturers’ approach to the electric vehicle sector, said Sue Robinson, Director of the National Franchised Dealers Association. Commenting on the results of the latest Electric Vehicle Dealer Attitude Survey, Ms Robinson went on to say the main objective of the survey is to understand retailers’ views on the approach to the electric … [Read more...]
Newslines 31 May
Nissan is giving its blessing to the $35 billion (£27.7 billion) merger of Renault with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, according to the Nikkei newspaper. The plan raises difficult questions about how Nissan would fit into a radically changed alliance with Renault, its current partner Mitsubishi, and the FCA group and comes after FCA and PSA failed to progress talks on collaboration earlier this … [Read more...]
Newslines 5 March
Volvo will limit the top speed of its models to 112mph (180kph) from 2020. It’s also considering electronically reducing speed around schools and hospitals without the driver intervening. Three consecutive months of price reductions on the UK’s forecourts came to a crashing halt in February as both petrol and diesel went up. Data from RAC Fuel Watch shows the UK average price of a litre … [Read more...]
Car production & investment sharply down – SMMT
British car production fell by 9 percent last year - the most since the recession ten years ago. Analysis by the SMMT suggests investment slumped by nearly half due to fears about Brexit, said the SMMT. Volumes have also been hit by a crackdown on diesel, tougher emissions rules disrupting new vehicle supply and a slowdown in China, the world’s no. 1 autos market. Last year saw the fall … [Read more...]
Diesel sales collapsing across Europe
Disaffection towards diesel engine cars is spreading all over Europe, said the International Energy Agency. The market share of diesel cars in the European Union fell to 36.5 percent in the first half of 2018 from 42.5 percent in the first half of 2017, reported the IEA. Sales declined by 16 percent to 3.12 million units, with Britain sinking to 30 percent. In Germany, home to some of the … [Read more...]
Slovakian aid to JLR given green light by EC
JLR has been cleared of receiving illegal EU money for its new assembly plant in Nitra, Slovakia. The European Commission said yesterday it concluded that Slovakia’s £110.6 million of investment aid to Jaguar Land Rover was in line with EU State aid rules. The Commission said public support for the British carmaker to build in the Nitra region was necessary to ensure the plant was in Europe … [Read more...]