New Name in the Auto Industry: Stellantis
FCA, PSA reach for the stars with corporate identity
Steve Plumb
Senior Editor, AutoBeat Daily , AutoBeat
Kia Telluride Named World Car of the Year
Mazda3, Porsche Taycan and Kia Soul also take home awards
PSA’s Tavares Named World Car Person of the Year
FCA merger, Opel turnaround lead list of accomplishments
Hengst Develops Reusable Oil Filter Module
Spin-on plastic unit promises to reduce combined steel and oil waste by 642,000 tons per year
Vietnam Carmaker Takes Aim at U.S.
Vietnam’s first local carmaker, 2-year-old VinFast, aims to do something no Chinese OEM has yet accomplished: launch sales in the U.S.
Buick to Drop Regal Sedan in U.S.
Buick will drop the Regal, the only conventional sedan in its U.S. lineup, at the end of the 2020 model year to focus exclusively on SUV/crossovers.
Merged FCA-PSA Would Maintain Current Brands
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and PSA Group plan to maintain all current brands under their proposed merger, PSA CEO Carlos Tavares tells French television station BMF Business.
A Scary Look at the Auto Industry
A witch, a clown, a masked vigilante, and a doctor go into a studio. . . .
Gary S. Vasilash
Transportation Editor, Gardner Business Media
PSA Readies Electric Vans
PSA Group will launch all-electric variants of its Citroen, Peugeot and Opel/Vauxhall compact vans next year in Europe.
Conti Launches Third-Gen e-Axle
Continental AG says its third-generation electric drive system is smaller, lighter, less expensive and more efficient than previous versions.
Opel Drops Work Shift at Russelsheim Plant
PSA Group’s Opel unit says it will eliminate the night shift for six months at its main assembly plant in Russelsheim, Germany.
Renault May Join Euro Battery Consortium
Renault SA Chairman Jean-Dominique Senard says his company will join a European consortium to make battery cells for electric cars if there’s a viable business case to do so.
Opel Plans EV Rally Car Series
PSA Group's Opel unit plans to launch a rally car race series next summer that feature the upcoming all-electric variant of the Corsa small hatchback.
CEO of EV Startup Canoo Steps Down
Stefan Krause, the co-founder and CEO of Los Angeles-based electric vehicle startup Canoo Inc., is stepping down from day-to-day operations for unspecified personal reasons.
What to Do In an R&D Overcapacity Situation
Opel is making a big change in staffing in Rüsselsheim
Gary S. Vasilash
Transportation Editor, Gardner Business Media
Forster to Chair Hella’s Shareholder Committee
Lighting and electronics supplier Hella GmbH & Co. plans to name industry veteran Carl-Peter Forster to chair its shareholder committee, effective Sept. 27.
Ford Phases Out Ka+ Minicar in Europe
Ford Motor Co. says it will stop making the Ka+ minicar because of the cost of meeting Europe’s tougher carbon dioxide emission limits in 2020.
PSA’s Profits Climb 11% in First Half
PSA Group posted big profit gains in the first half of 2019 in spite of a dip in revenue.
Schafer to Head Porsche Engineering Unit
Porsche AG’s has appointed Peter Schafer to become chairman of its Porsche Engineering Group subsidiary on Aug 1.
Revival Plan for Opel: EVs and PSA Platforms
PSA Group figures its Opel brand will be able to meet carbon dioxide emission targets in Europe by building new models on lighter platforms and injecting its lineup with electrified cars.
Car Sales in Germany Drop 5% on Fewer Selling Days
Registrations of new cars in Germany slid 5% to 325,200 units last month, according to the country’s KBA transport authority.
Cadillac’s Andrew Smith on Design
“A Cadillac wants to be a simple, memorable statement,” says Andrew Smith of the brand he leads design for. And another characteristic: “Americanness.”
Gary S. Vasilash
Transportation Editor, Gardner Business Media
PSA Says Brexit Will Determine Future for U.K. Plant
PSA Group says its decision about making the next-generation Opel/Vauxhall Astra in England will depend on favorable tariff terms when the U.K. exits the European Union.
Report: Excess Emissions Prompt Opel Recall in Europe
PSA Group’s Opel unit has been ordered to recall 210,000 cars in Europe that could emit far more oxides of nitrogen than allowed by EU rules, according to Bild am Sonntag.
Opel Says EVs Will Enable It to Meet CO2 Targets
PSA Group’s Opel unit says it will be able to meet European Union targets for carbon dioxide emissions, thanks to upcoming all-electric models.
Vietnam Launches Its First Domestic Car
Vietnam’s Vingroup conglomerate has begun production of the country’s first domestically produced auto brand, VinFast.
Opel Touts All-Electric Corsa
PSA Group’s Opel unit says the all-electric version of its next-generation Corsa small car, the Corsa-e, as an “important entry” in Europe’s EV market.
Neumann Joins Apex.AI Board
Longtime industry veteran Karl-Thomas Neumann has joined the board of directors of Apex.AI Inc., a San Francisco-based startup that specializes in open-source software for self-driving vehicles.