Industry

It’s only a matter of time until China’s ambitious carmakers penetrate the U.S. market and, despite there being no immediate export plans, next year’s Detroit Auto Show will have the strongest showing of Chinese carmakers yet. There will be five Chinese labels displaying vehicles...

Toyota’s overseas production will exceed output from its Japanese facilities at the end of the year for the first time in the company’s history. Global output for Toyota will top 8.6m units this year, with more than 4.3m cars planned for production in factories outside of Japan. Strong...

Less than two years ago, the gap between the labor costs for a car made by GM versus one made by Toyota stood at a staggering $4,000. Most of the extra costs GM suffered included payments for health care, unitary wages and inefficient plants. However, with the signing of last week’s contract...

Saab is one brand whose roots are strongly fixed in its country of origin, Sweden, but, as the effects of globalization take hold, product planners will soon have us driving Saabs born from Mexico. The upcoming 9-4X crossover will manufactured at GM’s assembly plant in Ramos, Mexico...

Unlikely bedmates BMW and the PSA Peugeot Citroen Group are breaking up - or at least asking each other for some space. The two companies had joined forces in recent years to produce a range of 1.4L to 1.6L motors, powering BMW's second-generation MINI and cars from Peugeot and Citroen. The venture...

Europe's CO2 regulations are strict, and becoming more so, and car makers are taking action to meet the tough standards. For Toyota, that means cutting back on RAV-4 sales, and eliminating the Land Cruiser from Europe altogether. The Japanese maker seeks to reduce its fleet average CO2 emission to...

General Motors and the United Auto Workers union have reached a tentative agreement, bringing the two-day strike of 73,000 workers to an end. Under the new deal, UAW members will receive part of a comprehensive health care trust fund and guaranteed jobs in North America. UAW President Ron...

Leading its strategy is a shift in production of the X3 to America, where crossovers are likely to become king, and a shift in focus of the Z4 to Europe, where small, sporty cars have long seen great success, according to BMW boss Norbert Reithofer in an interview with Auto Motor und Sport. With...

After a negotiation deadline passed this morning, UAW workers went on the first nationwide strike to occur during contract negotiations since 1976 - and the first strike against GM since 1970. Negotiations have been ongoing since September 14th, but the union and GM have been unable to reach an...

Chrysler has already signed up with Chery Auto to source a new small car from China to sell in South America and eventually the States, and now Ford is considering doing the same. Unlike Chrysler, Ford has its own production site in China and has just established a new research and engineering...

The quality of Mercedes-Benz has undoubtedly dropped over the years, a fact the carmaker has admitted to, and only recently has it been brought back to a level one would expect from a car wearing the Three Pointed Star. With Chrysler now cut loose, the emphasis on improving quality levels is of top...

It’s not unusual today for rival carmakers to work together in developing new technologies that will eventually be shared by both companies. One of the most significant partnerships in recent history was the co-development of hybrid technology by the then DaimlerChrysler, BMW and General...

This year Daimler dumped Chrysler and Toyota edged its way into the number two spot in total U.S. sales. Now American domestic luxury car manufacturers have suffered another blow. Import makers are moving into a position of dominance in the luxury sector - which is one of the fastest growing, most...

Truck manufacturer Volvo AB has rejected claims it was considering purchasing the Volvo car division from Ford, to whom it sold it to almost a decade ago. Volvo AB is currently the second largest truck manufacturer and has in the past acquired the Mack and Renault truck companies, but, according to...

The alliance between Renault and Nissan has been very beneficial to both companies and it’s no secret the CEO of the French-Japanese duo, Carlos Ghosn, is looking for a tie-up with a third partner. We can report that French rival PSA/Peugeot-Citroen is unlikely to be that partner, despite a...

Last month, India's Tata Motors announced it is looking to move into the high-end global auto industry with a bid to purchase Jaguar and Land Rover. Ford Motor Company, the current owner of the luxury marques, has put the companies up for auction to help ease its financial troubles. Now, industry...

European leaders have recently come out in support of proposed EU CO2 standards that aim to cut average CO2 emissions for new vehicles from the present limit of 160g/km by 25% to 120g/km. Porsche does not believe its cars would be able to meet such a standard, and has threatened to take legal...

America’s three major carmakers are seeing sales decline in a market that’s growing, and the future’s shaping up to be even worse. Earlier this year, the Detroit 3’s combined market share dipped below the 50% mark for the first time ever, and Toyota managed to topple GM to...

One of the potential bidders for Jaguar and Land Rover has pulled out of the race, citing uncertainty over the supply of components from Ford post sale as well as fears the brands won’t meet impending stricter emission planned for Europe in 2012. India’s Mahindra & Mahindra, which...

Ford wants to have no part of Jaguar or Land Rover following its eventual sale of the Premier Auto Group labels. The announcement was made by Ford’s Euro boss Lewis Booth who also revealed the Blue Oval hopes to have the deal completed by early next year at the latest and expects all...