News – August 2011

31 Aug

• BMW is taking the four-cylinder engine back to the US, 12 years after deleting it. The price of fuel is driving this: in 1999, it was $1.14… in 2011, the price is expected to reach $4. (AN)
• The need to meet CAFE fuel economy targets is also influencing BMW - they stand at 30.1mpg (36.1mpg UK) this year, up from 27.5mpg (33mpg UK) last year. In 2016, they rise to 35.5mpg (42.6mpg UK) and, by 2025, will be 54.5mpg (65.4mpg UK). A failure to meet the CAFE fleet average target results in a $55 per mile fine, multiplied by the number of cars sold. By launching more fuel-efficient models, BMW will be saving itself cash. (AN)
• BMW paid NHSTA fuel economy fines of $5.1m in 2006; Mercedes paid $2.94m in 2009. (AN)

30 Aug

• Two-thirds of UK used car sales are classed as ‘younger’ – 0-5 years old. (BCA)
• The Chrysler 200 will now only be sold as a convertible (bearing Lancia Flavia branding). This reverses an announcement at the Geneva Motor Show that the Chrysler 200 would also be sold as the Lancia Flavia: the cost of engineering it in diesel form is considered prohibitive. (AN)
• SAIC profits were up 46% in H1 2011. Over 2 million cars were sold but it is not the home Roewe and MG brands that are leading the growth, but its partnerships with VW and Buick: SAIC-VW sales rose 23% and SAIC-GM sales were up 26%. H1 profit was $1.28bn: full year sales are expected to top 4 million. (CNC)
• Andrea Formica has resigned as European sales boss of Fiat, after less than a year in the job. The former Toyota man has apparently been criticised by dealers for margin-reducing initiatives such as Fiat MyLife special editions, which have failed to stem a drop in sales: they are down 13% so far this year, with market share declining from 8% to 7%. (AN)
• The SEAT name has appeared on the Chinese Government official environmental website, as the brand readies a market launch. As the models will be imported, they will be expensive, suggesting SEAT may start with brand-building hot hatch version such as the Leon Cupra. (CCT)
• Local production is the long-term goal for SEAT in China. This could be with VW China partner FAW, which builds VWs and Audis, rather than SAIC, which builds VWs andSkodas. (CCT)
• Porsche is planning a Ferrari-rivalling car in the €250-400k price bracket, as CEO Matthias Mueller is ‘irritated’ the 911 range tops out at €250k. He told Automotive News it would ideally be in the spirit of the Porsche 959. (AN)
• Porsche wants to build 200k cars annually by 2018, compared to last year’s total of 97k. It has already announced three extra model lines on top of today’s four-model range to achieve this: a small mid-engined roadster, the new Cajun small SUV and a smaller version of the Panamera. A modern 959 would take it up to 8 models. (AN)
• New car CO2 emissions have fallen 15% in the past decade, says Kia - but in the supermini sector, they have fallen 21%. The firm attributes this to a growth in three-cylinder engines: in 1999, they took 5% of the market, and today take 15%. (AW)

29 Aug

• Proton and Hawtai are reportedly continuing talks on a joint venture. The latest is that this will be an engine collabortion: Proton sharing petrol engines and Hawtai diesels. An overseas CKD facility is also mooted. (CCT)
• VW and FAW are to set up a plant in China supplying reconditioned engine parts. The €11m facility will process 15k engines per year, and produce parts 50% cheaper than new ones. This will annually save 20m Kwh and help VW’s green credentials in its single largest new car market. (CCT)
• Saab insiders have told Automotive News they are confident a deal will be struck this week to raise further short-term and medium-term ‘bridging loans’. This will carry Saab through to the expected October approval for the deal with Youngman and Pang Da. (AN)
• Another option for Saab is the Swedish equivalent of US Chapter 11. This would allow the business, if experts felt was viable (an analyst told AN the process was ‘tough’), to restructure whilst under protection from its creditors. Saab owes €100m to its suppliers and over 100 claims have been filed against it. (AN)
• Chevrolet sales are down 1.1% in Europe so far in 2011. It sold 90k cars for a 1.3% market share. (AN)

28 Aug

• Honda will now build two wind turbines at its Swindon plant instead of three, in response to public opinion. The trio of turbines had received approval from the council: construction of the duo will now commence.
• VW has upped its commitment to the production of green energy to €1bn: these will include two offshore wind farms. It wants to generate 10% of the energy for its 12 German production plants by hydro power in 2013 – and cut greenhouse gas emissions from production by 40% in a decade compared to 2010 levels. (various)
• Volvo is planning 50k sales in China this year, up from 30k in 2010: sales have risen 62% in Q2. Geely’s ownership of Volvo represents China’s largest foreign asset acquisition. In the next five years, $11bn will be invested in new product. (AN)
• Production at the VW Group Slovak plant is up 45% in the first six months of 2011, to 94,600. The facility builds the Audi Q7 and VW Touareg, and produces bodies for thePorsche Cayenne. In the second half of the year, production will be ‘positively influenced’ by the New Series Family. The VW up! will launch the NSF concept at the Frankfurt Motor Show. (AN)

27 Aug

• My favourite UK road database site is 10 years old this week! Happy birthday, CBRD. Road geeks, I promise you’ll love it…
• A German engineering association says there was a shortfall of 77k engineers in the country last month, as the workforce ages and fewer people sign up for technical courses. This is a ‘real issue’ that could harm the competitiveness of German automotive brands. (AtN)
• BMW needs 800 additional engineers in its Leipzig i3/i8 expansion: Porsche needs more than 1000 at its plant less than 15 miles away. (AtN)
• Chrysler started advertising the new Delta in the UK national press yesterday. It is the first time a ‘Lancia’ has been advertised here since 1993: back then, the brand had the highest ad spend per car sold of any auto maker… (Autocar)

26 Aug

• FAW-VW is 20 years old today. Production of the Mk2 Jetta started with Volkswagen’s original Chinese partner in 1991 and that car is still built today, along with various others that has taken annual volume to over half a million. Today, it has three plants, with a fourth under development. VW owns 20% of the business, Audi 10%, VW (China) Invest 10% and FAW 60%. (CCT)
• Confusingly, FAW-VW builds VWs and Audi for the Chinese market – but SAIC-VW also produces Chinese VWs… (CCT)
• Saab has missed the August payment date for its blue collar workers: this may results in unions filing bankruptcy proceedings. (DET)
• Reports are emerging that Saab may apply for court protection from its creditors. Under this process, it would commit to a corporate restructuring, in return for temporary protection.
• Saab CEO Victor Muller has raised more than €100m since the start of 2011 in loans and car sale agreements (AN)

25 Aug

• 90% of Europcar’s UK car hire fleet suffered some form of damage in 2010.
• The Lexus GS range was almost cancelled 18 months ago. It was only last-ditch efforts from EU and US Lexus bosses that saved it: this led to the 2012 Lexus GS project. Akio Toyoda admitted he ‘didn’t want this car’ prior to the appeals. (AN)
• This had led to a new company at Lexus that sees overseas leaders report direct to Toyoda-san, via a new Lexus Product and Marketing Planning Division. Previously, there were at least four layers between Toyoda-san and his foreign bosses. (AN)

24 Aug

• Ford and Toyota are to collaborate on hybrid systems for light trucks and, beforehand, rear-drive SUVs. The two will also work on next-gen telematics systems and other in-car internet services.
• Bentley is the UK’s 3rd-largest automotive R&D investor, and the 18th-largest overall. 4000 people are employed at Crewe. Exports top £500m. Sales are up 20% in 2011, growing 57% in China, 25% in Europe and 23% in the Americas.
• The Toyota Camry has been the US’ best selling car for 13 of the past 14 years. Over 150k have been sold so far this year. The 8th generation model has been revealed today.
• Saab has warned employees their August wages may be delayed as funds committed by investors  may not be paid in time. There is ‘no assurance funding will be obtained or funds collected’ said a statement.
• Analysts expect veteran investor Warren Buffett to increase his 10% stake in Chinese maker BYD, as the car and battery manufacturer’s shares continue to fall. Buffet’s September 2008 deal to buy 10% of BYD is currently 100% up on his initial stake, but the share price of BYD has plummetted from its peak. (CNC)
• Honda has sold 650k Civic in the UK (including 170k of the current-generation car), and 20m globally. It is built in 14 regions and sold in 160.
• Aston Martin has sold five times as many DBS as it ever did Vanquish. In its best years, 300 Vanquish were sold annually: the DBS has averaged 600. (Autocar)
• How things change: JLR is said to be exploring the viability of a FOURTH plant: China is favourite (it’s the company’s second-largest market behind the UK) but Britain remains an option too. (Autocar)
• The next Land Rover Defender is due in 2015 and must average 60-80k units a year to be viable. Last year, 18k Defender were sold. (Autocar)

23 Aug

• Geely first-half profits were up 17%, to $146m: the Chinese brand sold 213k cars, and says it is on track to hit 480k by year-end. More details are emerging of its plans to launch in the UK: an Emgrand model will be submitted for European Whole Vehicle Type Approval later this year, prior to sales potentially starting in 2013. A small diesel engine is apparently also under development by the brand. (CCT)
• Williams F1 would like to become the ‘competition and sporting side of Jaguar‘. (Autocar)
• 395k cars were imported into China in the first half of 2011: 376k were exported, a rise of 50%. Exports represented 4.1% of the new car market, up from 3.1% last year. (ANC)

22 Aug

• Opel boss Karl-Friedrich Stracke is targeting a 5% return on sales for Vauxhall/Opel by 2016. He also says the GM Europe divisions will break even in 2011 and boost sales by 100k in 2012 to 1.4 million cars. (Reu)
• The global car market has risen 5.5% between January-July 2012: VW Group sales have risen 14.4%, to 4.75m vehicles.
• Tata is no longer India’s biggest car company by market value: Mahindra has topped it with market capitalisation of $9.6bn compared to Tata’s $9.2bn. The last time Mahindra was ahead of Tata was October 2008. (AN)
• Tata has ben hit by a decline in overseas sales: they account for 73% of its revenue, whereas they make up 5% of Mahindra’s revenue. Tata overseas sales are down 44% so far this year. (AN)
• Saab has today revealed its board members will not receive any payment until the company’s future is secured.
• Fiat and Chrysler may relocate their HQ to a neutral location such as the Netherlands, once the full merger is complete. This would bring tax advantages and help avoid nationalistic discord. The full merger is expected to take 2-3 years. (ABG)

20 Aug

• Chevrolet will build its 100 millionth small-block V8 in 2011. Launched in 1955, the V8 is still offered in the Chevrolet Camaro and Corvette, and has also helped Chevrolet become the most successful NASCAR make. (4WN)
• Infiniti wants to quadruple its luxury car market share in China, from 2% to 8%, by 2016. Lexus currently boasts 8% of the market: Audi is on 34%. Strategies include prime-time TV advertising (where up to 500m people can be reached!) and localising production to avoid import duties of 25%. (4WN)
• Frankfurt will see the debut of the first-ever Maserati SUV. It will be built at Chrysler’s Jefferson North plant and based on the Grand Cherokee. (4WN)
• In 2012, there will be 9 new or facelifted Lexus models. Many more are in development too, said Toyoda-san at the Pebble Beach launch of the 2012 Lexus GS.

19 Aug

• Geely may be coming to the UK, in association with Manganese Bronze, manufacturers of the LTI taxi. A preliminary agreement has been signed to investigate LTI retailing theEmgrand brand, using its existing network to service them and supply spares too. The Geely UK deal, if established (the agreement expires on 1 August 2012 if not acted upon) will be the first example of a private Chinese car brand retailing in a Western country.
• Geely owns 19.9% of Manganese Bronze Holdings plc.
• 2012 Jaguar XF sales split: 35% fleet (up from 23%), 43% 2.2D, 29% 3.0 Diesel, 25% Diesel S, 2% XFR, 1% 5.0 V8. Overall sales in 2010: 12,687. Arrival of 2.2D expected to grow this significantly for 2012, the new model’s first full year.
• VW has no interest in buying Vauxhall/Opel from GM as the two use ‘fundamentally different production methods’. The head of VW AG works council, Bernd Osterloh, also expects VW to reach 10m sales by 2018. (ABG)
• The Japanese government is expected to unveil a proposal to increase average fleet fuel economy by 48% today. A 48mpg fleet average would be imposed by 2021 under the new proposals, up from today’s 38mpg. Classifications would also be rationalised: hybrid cars would be included in the economy average, but not EVs or plug-in hybrids. (ABG)

18 Aug

• Images of the new Porsche 991 911 have been leaked, prior to its public reveal at the Frankfurt Motor Show next month.
• The 2009 Cadillac Converj concept is expected to become a production reality. It will use a version of the Chevrolet Volt’s EREV system and will be called ELR. It will go on sale in late 2013. (DTech)
• Volvo revenue for the first half of 2011 is up 3.5%, to £3.15bn. Q2 earnings before interest and tax are £57m, compared to £16m last year: for the first half of 2011, they stand at £114m. Q2 retail sales were up 26.6%, to 124k, with China posting a 62.1% rise, North America a 43% rise and Europe a 15.5% rise.
• Volvo DRIVe sales (its low-CO2 range of cars) accounted for 19.2% of European volume.
• Kia says it will have the ‘newest’ new car range on sale in the UK by 2012. Its latest new car is the Rio, which will include a model capable of 88.3mpg and 85g/km CO2 – cleaner than any other internal combustion engine car on the market.
• The best-selling compact car in the US for July was the Chevrolet Cruze (with 24,000 sold): it was the best-selling car of all in June. (AN)
• GM was the top-selling brand in the US for the first six months of 2011: its US market share has risen above 20% and passenger cars make up 42% of its volume, compared to 39% last year. (AN)
• The Volkswagen Golf remains the best selling car in Europe, but sales have declined 6.1% so far this year. VW Passat sales have, however, risen 27%. The overall European new car market is down 1.7%, says JATO.
• The chairman of Saab Automobile, Hans Hugenholtz, is being criticised in Sweden for receiving a 633% pay rise while the production lines remained idle. Other board members have also received pay rises. (The Local)

17 Aug

• Porsche sales declined 4% in July 2011, the first monthly decline since May 2010. Porsche 911 sales were the key cause: they fell 35%, to 1666, although Boxster and Cayman sales were also down 23%. Cayenne sales grew 16% and Panamaera sales were up 2.5% to offset the sports car declines. Porsche still plans to grow sales 100% by 2018, to 200k a year. (4WN)
• Volkswagen brand sales grew in every worldwide region in the first seven months of 2011: 2.95 million cars were sold, a 12.5% rise. They were up 22% in North America, 8.1% in Europe (but 44% in central and eastern Europe) and 105% in Russia. (AN)
• Saab could have its assets frozen by the Swedish Debt Enforcement Agency. It owes two suppliers $620k and the collection process could start today against Saab Automobiles. The process does, however, take 1-3 months and it can be halted if Saab pays up. Another $792k is due in a week’s time, though. (Various) *UPDATE* 15:40 – Just-Auto confirms Saab HAS missed the first payment deadline, triggering action.
• Hawtai is investigating an alliance with Proton, after its deal with Saab fell through. Proton needs China and Hawtai is seeking growth outside China. Interestingly, Proton works with Youngman in China, which is now seeking a joint venture with Saab… a link, speculates China Car Times? (CCT)
• The Opel/Vauxhall Junior WILL make money, says president Nick Reilly. It will be pitched upmarket and cost more than the Vauxhall Agila. It will debut at the Paris Motor Show 2012 and go on sale in 2013. (4WN)
• Jaguar Land Rover made £248 in the first financial quarter of this year, up from last year’s £239m. Sales are up 4.9%, revenue stands at £2.7bn.
• Chinese homegrown brand market share is at its lowest point in recent years: a 43.3% share is 3% lower than a year ago. (CCT)

16 Aug

• The Hyundai Equus no longer comes with a free iPad carrying its owners manual. However, argues Wall St Journal, owners should still be able to afford one: 6% are American Express Black Card holders. (4WN)
• The average Black Card holder earns $1.3m a year and has $16.3m in assets. 22% of BMW owners own one, 21% Mercedes, 15% Porsche, 11% Lexus, 8% Ferrari and 7%Acura. (WSJ)
• Maserati will boost sales from 5675 last year to 50k a year by 2020. It will replace the Quattroporte with two Italian-built models, sharing components with the Chrysler 300C and Dodge Avenger: these will well 30-35k a year. There will also be a US-Built Maserati SUV built on the Jeep Grand Cherokee line. (AtN)
• The future baby Maserati was originally conceived as an Alfa Romeo but has been switched because Maserati can command higher prices. The Ferrari California was originally conceived as a Maserati, but switched for similar reasons. (AtN)
• A new automotive brand has been launched. Little is known about Eterniti other than its description that it is ‘a new luxury car brand from London’. More will be revealed at the Frankfurt Motor Show on 14 September.
• Group Lotus is to sponsor Premiership club Norwich City FC with a five-year, seven-figure investment. (Sky)

15 Aug

• Saab has issued 4m more shares under the €150m equity facility between Swan and GEM. The number and price of the shares depends on the outcome of the pricing period, which commences today. Is this to provide further short-term finance to pay wages for August?
• July 2011 was SEAT’s best-ever in the UK. It won a 2.07% market share and sales of 21k cars set an all-time record.
• Nissan in the US is keen to point out that, unlike Japanese rivals, it has plenty of stock in the US and can meet orders quickly. Indeed, its 54-day supply is actually higher than the 46-day figure this time last year. (AN)
• Saab has announced it will not exhibit at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September. Funds will instead be allocated to helping restart production.
• Fiat is unlikely to reach its goal of 50k 500 sales in the US this year, as the Fiat Stores have taken longer to open than expected. (4WN)
• Lincoln will unveil a concept version of the new MKZ at the Detroit Auto Show in January (created by former Cadillac designer Max Wolff). Its success will be analysed by Ford to see whether it should release more funds to revive the brand. (4WN)

14 Aug

• Hyundai has opened a £300k national training centre in High Wycome to help dealers ‘think and feel’ Hyundai. Regional venues were not doing this: it will help the brand fight its corner against bigger brands. (ARB)
• GM Europe president Nick Reilly has acknowledged Vauxhall. The UK is GM’s largest European market and boasts GM’s largest European share. GM Europe has also just posted a £62m Q2 European division profit. (GlG)
• GM has apparently approved production of the 2009 Cadillac Converj concept. It will appear in 2013, using a Volt-derived EREV powertrain insisders are dubbing ‘Voltec 1.5′ – half way between the current car and its 2015 replacement. (4WN)

13 Aug

• Bentley will return to ‘top line’ motorsport. Piech told new boss Wolfgang Durheimer it could if the firm makes money. It didn’t in 2010 but is expected to in 2011. (Car)
• Durheimer told Car one-third of his time is being spent on Bentley motorsport. He didn’t reveal which series but it will use 12-cylinder turbo petrol engines and possibly hybrid. (Car)
• Mexico is making a comeback as a production hub, helping European and Japanese take on the US car market. Honda is the latest maker to confirm investment with an $800m plant for subcompact cars. (AN)

12 Aug

• Ford has sold over 300k vehicles so far this in China, a 13% rise. In July, it sold 32k. (ANC)
• Tata missed analyst’s estimates for Q1 financial performance: sales were down in India and Jaguar sales were down too.
• The best-selling Hyundai in Europe is the i30.
• Rumours are growing that Ford is preparing to launch a 5-year new car warranty. It will be part of a bundled customer care package that will include finance, service and maintenance. It’s expected to be launched as part of this autumn’s Fiesta mid-term refresh. (ARB)
• The first electric MG will go on sale in 2012. The MG E1 will be a 3dr, four-seat hatch with a 75mph top speed and an 83 mile range, courtesy of lithium ion batteries. It’s a development of the former Roewe E1 concept. (CCT)

11 Aug

• Bizarre rumour, probably true – a long-wheelbase VW Polo (with an 80mm stretch) will launch at the 2012 Beijing Auto Show. (CNC)
• There will be a new Ford Focus RS, launching in 2012-14. Gunnar Hermann, Ford global director of C-sector cars, told Drive magazine it will boast more power than the 250hp ST, and use the 2.0-litre Ecoboost engine. The old Focus RS boasted up to 350hp and the 2.5-litre Volvo engine was a ‘great engine’ for tuning. The new RS will use the Revoknuckle front suspension again: the ST will not. (4WN)
• Honda may have to revise earnings forecasts as the yen has strengthened to low-70s against the dollar: Honda’s forecasts were based on 80 yen to the dollar. (4WN)
• Jaguar Land Rover generated 57% of Tata revenue in the last financial year. The year before, it was 53%. ‘The company revolves around JLR and not the other way round’, Intelligence Automotive Asia MD Ashvin Chotai told Automotive News. (AN)
• A Jaguar rival to the BMW 3 Series will be among 40 new vehicles or upgrades. “It would be foolish not to go there’ said global brand director Adrian Hallmark. (AN)
• Tata Nano sales have fallen 48% in the past two months. (AN)
• The forthcoming Dodge Caliber replacement will be a key car for the Chrysler-Fiat alliance: it will be the first time a Fiat platform and engine has been used for a US car. It will prove how well European standards adapt to US requirements. Fiat has widened and lengthened the Fiat compact platform, calling it CUSW- Compact US Wide. (AW)

10 Aug

• Youngman is still optimistic regarding the Saab deal: boss Huang Zhigiang says the 9-1, 9-6X and 9-7 will be developed by Saab’s 1000-plus development engineers in Sweden once the acquisition deal is sealed. Plans have already been submitted to China’s NDRC: still in the drafting stage is the business and feasibility plan. (CCT)
• Zhigiang says there are three steps in Saab’s future – resume production, break even and sell 80k cars in its second year after restarting production, and return to profits.
• Saab production is now scheduled to restart on 29 August, instead of the origina 9 August target. However, if it does not find an investor in the next two weeks, to secure future wages, it will be forced into liquidation, voiding the Youngman/Pang Da deal…
• Has Saab secured major investment from a mystery US source? It’s currently not saying. (JA)
• Chery has just sold its 3 millionth car. It has taken 16 months to move from 2m to 3m. (CNC)
• Simon Thomas has replaced Robin Woolcock as MD of VW Group UK. He joins from Nissan, where he was European sales and marketing head.
• GM has closed its UK Advanced Design Studio in Birmingham. Opened in 1999, it mainly focused on Cadillac design work, but did also create the 2003 Vauxhall Lightning. (CDN)
• Chinese new car sales in July numbered 922k, a 7.9% rise year-on-year.
• Ferrari is planning a model blitz, according to Automotive News: 458 Spider (Frankfurt 2011), 458 Scuderia (2013), 458 refresh (2014), 599 GTB (new car, codenamed F152 – Geneva 2012), California refresh (2012), Enzo successor (2012). (Car)

9 Aug

• Is Fiat to revive the original 600 Multipla? A stretched 5dr five-seat version of the 500 is being mooted for a Geneva 2012 launch. It would use a new platform and be built in Fiat’s new Serbia plant. (CNET)
• The Jaguar XF wagon is challenging Jaguar engineers as Ford didn’t originally include an estate in the XF plans. Jaguar is having to tool up Castle Bromwich for the new car in holidays and breaks. The plant builds 30k XF a year and 80% of all Jaguar sales in the UK are XF. (Car)
• BWI is furthering its plans to become a Tier 1 supplier by looking to buy a braking business from Bosch. Chinese suppliers are currently restricted to high-volume, low-profit Tier 2 and Tier 3 status, and thus carry out little R&D. (CCT)
• Black Horse has launched the UK’s first non-manufacturer fixed-cost monthly personal contract hire finance programme. Most cars sold in the US are leased, but UK buyers prefer car ownership so favour finance alternatives such as personal contract plans. Peugeot is one of the few makers to prominently offer contact hire, with its ‘Just Add Fuel’ plan. (ARN)

8 Aug

• Suzuki has denied reports the partnership between it and VW has been terminated. A report in Germany’s Der Platow Brief said the partnership (in which VW owns 19.9% of Suzuki and Suzuki owns 2.5% of VW) has ended due to fundamental differences in leadership. (Reu)
• The head of the VDA, the German auto industry association, predicts German-based car makers will produce 47% of all the cars sold in Europe this year, and 20% of all car sold worldwide. in 2010, German makers had an 11% market share in the US, 20% in Brazil, 20% in China, 5% in India and 16% in Russian. (ABG)
• Infiniti will produce the M in China from 2015. It will be built by Dongfeng Nissan, at a new plant in Hangzhou.
• Chevrolet has almost sold out of 2011 model year Volt: it is currently selling around 440 a month. It aims to sell 16k in 2011, 60k in 2012 (some of which will be theVauxhall/Opel Ampera) and, longer term, 100k a year. (4WN)
• GM may issue an IPO on Wednesday, which would give Chinese partner SAIC the opportunity to purchase a stake. GM and SAIC also announced plans to collaborate on small car engines and transmissions. The US government currently has a 61% stake in GM. (CCT)
• Hyundai Auto Group, including Kia, earned a 15% market share in the US in July. (JA)

7 Aug

• Renault will be producing in China by 2016, according to CEO Carlos Tavares. Its partner will probably be Dongfeng: it already partners with Nissan, an alliance Tavares described as one of the best in the industry. Nissan is China’s second best selling brand, selling 386k cars in the first half of 2011. (ANE)
• Nissan was to be the lead brand in the Renault-Nissan Alliance. But now, the French government wants Renault to seek growth in emerging markets such as Brazil and China. (ANE/FT)
• Who’s in favour of the US’ new fuel economy targets? GM, Chrysler. Who’s against? VW, Daimler. (ANE)
• Youngman and Pang Da are not allowed to make any further cash investments in Saab, due to Chinese government rules. Support cannot even be offered via the purchase of cars, as Pang Da has hit the import quota ceiling. (ANC)
• The joint venture plans between Saab, Youngman and Pang Da must now go before China’s NDRC (National Development and Reform Commission) for approval (all investments above $50m for non-Chinese companies are subject to this). Plans will be submitted within three weeks: after which, approval could take 2-3 months. This won’t be a problem, said Pang Da chairman Pang Qinghua – but problems will emerge if it takes longer than three months. (ANC)

6 Aug

• China’s Chery exported 17k cars in July, its highest monthly figure ever. In the first 7 months of 2011, it has exported 88k cars, an 89% rise. The firm is China’s largest home-brand firm, building 682k cars in 2010. In 2013, a Chery facility in Brazil will open, boasting a 150k a year capacity. (CAN)
• GM wants to buy back the 1% stake it sold in its joint venture with SAIC. At the moment, it owns 49%: the extra 1% is expected to cost $85m. The joint venture is currently the largest by volume in China. (ANE)
• Infiniti could build a Nissan GT-R-derived supercar. Giving it the Red Bull-branded model to underline its F1 involvement? (Car)
• Saab has sold shares to GEM Global Yield Fund, raising £5m to pay workers. GEM now has a 17% stake in Saab. The firm still requires £50m to restart car production, though. (AC)
• Saab does not now face a bankruptcy threat: a union process has been halted now the 1600 white collar workers have been paid. (AN)
• Fisker has revealed its future plans to What Car?: the Karma will launch in the UK this September, when a crossover style machine mooted for a 2012 launch will be shown at Frankfurt. A CC Karma will come in 2013, as will the key future car – the Karma ‘Nina’, a £50k model What Car? editor-in-chief Chas Hallett calls Karma’s BMW 3 Series. (WC?)
• Toyota will run its North American plants on overtime this autumn, to rebuild dealer inventories. (AN)
• Ford wants its customers to become brand evangelists. The aim is for consumers to promote the brand and explain its benefits – bosses say the model is Apple. (AN)
• Nissan wants it suppliers to set up closer to its production facilites. In North America, it wants 100% of parts to come from close by, so parts could (theoretically) be collected by staff driving over to the supplier plant. This localisation drive could lead to big supplier wins in the UK, now Nissan has committed the next Qashqai to Sunderland. (AN)

5 Aug

• GM is back as the world’s number 1 car maker, after 5 years. In the first half of 2011, it sold 4.5m cars, an 8.9% rise. VW Group sold 4.1m and Toyota sold 3.7m, a 23% fall. GM’s top car was the Chevrolet Cruze. (DET)
• The Cadillac ATS will start production in July 2012 and take on the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes C-Class. It will sit on a new RWD/AWD platform called ‘Alpha’, that will also underpin the next-gen Chevrolet Camaro. (LLN)
• Debuting on the Cadillac ATS will be GM’s new eAssist stop-start tech. According to GM North America president Mark Reuss, this will boost fuel efficiency by 25%. (4WN)
• Honda is to recall 1.5m vehicles in the US. (Sky)

4 Aug

• Suzuki operating profit was down 20% in the last quarter – but net profit was up 24%, thanks to a one-off boost from the sale of shares in a GM division to GM Asia. Suzuki’s motorcycle division returned to profit for the first time in 11 quarters. (Reu)

3 Aug

• Vauxhall has responded to Ford’s £13,995 Focus – by dropping the price of the Astra Expression to £12,995.
• Subaru is opening a joint venture plant with Chery in China. It will initially produce 50k cars but will expand to 150k, making it Subaru’s second-biggest production facility outside Japan. Cars produced will include the Forester and a sub-Forester SUV for China. (ANC)

2 Aug

• Ford has announced a new £13,995 base Ford Focus variant, in time for the September ’61′ new registration. The current entry-level Focus costs £16,995.
• Chinese brand JAC has announced it will join home rival Chery and build a manufacturing facility in Brazil: it will have a 100,000-a-year capacity. Hyundai is also building a car plant in Brazil, while Honda and Nissan have announced investments too. Why? Brazil is the world’s fourth largest car market and experienced double-digit growth in the first half of 2011 (although it has now fallen back due to rising interest rates – a key challenge for the Brazil economy is to keep them under control and sustain growth). (BBC)
• Toyota quarterly profits have fallen 99% to £8.7m, following the March earthquake and subsequent fallout. (BBC)
• BMW has doubled its half-year profit to €1.8bn, from €834m last year. Sales are up 18%, and are +52% in China. (BBC)
• Key car for BMW? The 5 Series: sales rose 80.3% compared to last year. It sold 170k 5 Series… and 192k 3 Series (down from 2010′s 199k total in the same period). The new 3 will be revealed in the next few months.
• Skoda half-year profits are up 81.5% to €412m, as sales grow 20% to 454k cars. Skoda is aiming for annual sales of 1.5m by 2018; is it on track to sell 1 million in 2011?

1 Aug

• Honda’s latest quarter profits are down 90%. This is positive, though: many expected it to post a loss. Shares rose as a result.
• Honda has subsequently raised its profit forecast for the current financial year by 18%, to $2.96bn. It also expects to sell 3.4 million cars, up from an earlier 3.3 million forecast. (BB)
• Porsche has announced a first-half operating profit of €1.07m. In the same period last year, it was €675m. Porsche is so cash-rich, it has financed all investments from cash flow – and also expects to finance future vehicle projects from cash flow too.
• The SEAT Ibiza has been spotted testing in China. It is expected to debut at the Guangzhou Auto Show in December. SEAT boss James Muir hopes to win ‘vibrant, independent young men’ with the Spanish-built supermini import. (CNC)
• VW and Suzuki are reviewing their partnership, following VW”s 19.9% stake in Suzuki back in late 2009. It’s apparently progressing too slowly and without sufficient intensity: Suzuki has also objected to VW’s desire for greater management influence.
• Mitsubishi is back in the black, posting a £34m profit for Q1 2011. Sales grew 37%, with a 39% rise in Europe to 64k cars (they were up 51% in North America, but half as many cars were sold). Mitsubishi was up 11% in Asia and RoW, to 138k, but down 11% in Japan, to 34k.
• The top 20 vehicle platforms will make up 38% of global sales in 2015, the executive VP of Magna International told Automotive News. in 2009, they accounted for 29% of sales. (AN)
• Big platforms include Renault-Nissan Global B (Renault Clio, Nissan Note: 3.8m in 2015, 2.6m 2010), VW PQ (VW Golf, Audi A3: 3.13m in 2010) and Toyota MC (Auris, Corolla, RAV4: 2.9m 2010).