French automaker PSA Group stated on Thursday global sales dropped 10% last year to 3.49 million units, compared with a record 3.88 million in 2018, as it had a hard time from decreasing volumes in China, the Middle East, and Africa. In its European home market, Paris-based PSA’s sales refused by 2.5% in 2019 to […]
European
Renault-Nissan alliance operating board to meet before the end of January
Renault chairman Jean-Dominique Senard stated on Thursday the operating board of the Renault-Nissan alliance is set to meet by the end of January to discuss joint industrial initiatives. Senard refused to go into more details of what these joint projects might be. He said cost savings could be major in the future but did not […]
Polish watchdog UOKiK fines Volkswagen over emissions scandal
Poland’s consumer watchdog UOKiK stated on Wednesday that it was fining Volkswagen over 120 million zlotys ($31.6 million) for misleading consumers about the emissions of its vehicles. The fine, the biggest ever given by the regulator for breach of consumer rights, is the newest chapter in the emissions cheating scandal that has cost the German […]
PSA names two former Renault, Nissan officials to head DS and Citroen
French automaker PSA on Wednesday hired two executives it recruited just now from the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance to head up its DS and Citroen brands and added them to its global executive committee. PSA stated Beatrice Foucher, presently deputy DS chief executive and an ex-Renault manager would take the place of Yves Bonnefont as DS CEO. […]
Renault, Nissan confirms alliance not headed for break-up
Shares in Renault made recovery of some lost ground on Tuesday following the confirmation made by French automaker and its Japanese partner Nissan Motor, that they reject the media reports regarding their alliance being in danger of dissolution. Increasing concerns about the state of the 20-year old French-Japanese alliance, forged by former chairman Carlos Ghosn, […]
France expects Renault to name new CEO in a few days, says Le Maire
French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire stated on Tuesday he expected French automaker, Renault, to name its new CEO in a few days. Le Maire also stated on French CNews TV that media reports that some Nissan executives aimed to break up the alliance with Renault were “malicious”. Nissan stated on Tuesday it was “in […]
Peugeot family wants to quickly increase PSA-Fiat Chrysler stake
The Peugeot family, which is set to own a 6.2% stake in the new automaker resulting from PSA and Fiat Chrysler’s merger, aims to boost its holding as soon as possible, a representative stated in an interview. PSA and Fiat Chrysler agreed to a binding agreement earlier month on a $50 billion tie-up that will […]
Mercedes-Benz to build smart brand cars with Geely
Mercedes-Benz is set to build smart-branded electric cars with Zhejiang Geely Holding Group in Xian, China from a base with a yearly capacity of around 150,000 vehicles, a senior official from its German parent Daimler AG stated on Saturday. Daimler’s Executive Vice President in China Leng Yan informed Reuters on the sidelines of China’s EV100 […]
Geely in talks to grab a stake in Aston Martin
China’s Geely Automobile Holding is discussing with Aston Martin management and investors regarding a stake in the luxury carmaker that it wants to take, according to a source knowledgeable about the discussions and a report by the Financial Times, resulting in an increase in the British company’s share price. The Chinese group is carrying out […]
Seat brand chief steps down as Renault continues to search for CEO
Volkswagen on Tuesday stated that Luca de Meo has stepped down from his present role as head of its Spanish Seat brand just as competitor Renault intensifies efforts to discover a new CEO. “Luca de Meo, Chief Executive of Seat S.A. has had his duties as chief executive of Seat revoked at his own request […]
Jaguar Land Rover’s sales dropped, but there are signs of recovery
Automaker Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) posted a 6% decline in full-year sales on Friday after a difficult year in which its performance was hit by the declining Chinese auto market and declining demand for diesel vehicles in Europe. Retail sales stood at 557,706 vehicles in the last year, hit by a 13.5% downturn in China, […]
BMW sold 2.52 million BMW, Mini and Rolls-Royce vehicles in 2019
BMW stated it sold 2.52 million BMW, Mini and Rolls-Royce vehicles in the last year, making it the best-selling premium car group, ahead of competitor Daimler. Daimler stated on Thursday it had sold 2.34 million Mercedes-Benz passenger cars in the last year for a ninth consecutive year of record sales. BMW stated its major BMW […]
French lawyer of Ghosn says Japan failed to arrange a fair trial
Former Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn’s lawyer on Friday informed the Japanese government that the officials had failed to arrange for a fair trial that respected universal rights. Francois Zimeray, French lawyer for Ghosn, stated that it had been for prosecutors of Japan to prove the Ghosn’s guilt, not for Ghosn to prove his innocence. “It […]
Geely, Mercedes-Benz launch $780 million JV for electric cars
Zhejiang Geely Holding Group and Mercedes-Benz on Wednesday stated they would each spend 2.7 billion yuan ($388.77 million) in a China-based venture to construct “premium and intelligent electrified” vehicles under the smart brand. The 50:50 venture has gained regulatory approval and will be based in the Chinese coastal city in Ningbo, the Chinese and German […]
Renault-Nissan should have merged with Fiat Chrysler, says Carlos Ghosn
Carlos Ghosn, the former chairman of the Renault-Nissan alliance, on Wednesday, discussed the failure of the automakers to merge with Fiat Chrysler, which has since combined with Peugeot. Speaking publicly for the first since fleeing from Japan at the end of the last year, Ghosn informed reporters in Beirut, Lebanon’s capital, that he had been […]
