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West Midlands jobs 'safeguarded' by Jaguar XJ model says Accelerate
About 2,000 manufacturing jobs in the West Midlands have been safeguarded by production of the new Jaguar XJ, a car industry advisory group has said.
BMW hopes new 5-series will revitalise the brand
Amidst the thousands of cars on display at the Geneva motor show there is one that stands out, if not for its looks than for its importance for the company that makes it.
For the first time since 2003, BMW has redesigned its 5-series executive model range.
Tesla gets ready as electric cars go mainstream
The single-model display at the Geneva motor show by electric motoring pioneer Tesla is swamped this year by a seemingly endless string of rival sportscar companies launching electric vehicles of their own.
Car market rises in February, ahead of key March market
New car market climbed 26.4% in February to 68,686 units.
Private buyers lead growth with business demand also strengthening.
Scrappage scheme accounted for 19.6% of the February new car market.
Government urged to defer new car VED rise and boost business confidence post-scrappage.
Government to encourage investment in manufacturing
Lord Mandelson addressed the annual trade and industry dinner hosted by the Lord Mayor of the City of London at Mansion House on 1 March, highlighting government’s role in securing the UK’s economic growth.
Describing the key factors to supporting the UK economy, the business secretary said, “Government needs to lend its energy to the stimulation of new innovation and enterprise from our world class research base and universities. We need to ensure that in a period of reduced funding our universities give increased priority to STEM subjects, and to commercialisation of research, and that our skills system provides advanced apprenticeships and technician training to serve the new industries of the future.
Geneva: Toyota expects huge drop in sales
Toyota is braced for a huge drop in official sales figures as the beleaguered Japanese motor group insisted that it would not cut prices to lure back passengers put off by the manufacturer's multiple car recalls.
Geneva motor show dominated by launch of "green" cars
More than 30 world premieres will be unveiled during the first press day of this year's Geneva motor show.
Small cars will dominate the show as even luxury brands like Audi, Lexus and Aston Martin try to meet growing demand for frugal, fuel efficient cars.
Jaguar Land Rover makes £55m in return to profit
Jaguar Land Rover turned in a profit of £55m in the last three months of 2009 after a loss of £60m in the previous quarter.
Electric car prices will be reduced by grants worth thousands
Drivers who switch to an electric car will receive a government grant of up to £5,000 but may struggle to find somewhere to charge the battery.
Toyota ponders temporary closure of British factory as sales collapse worldwide
Toyota is considering halting production at its factory at Burnaston, near Derby, because of collapsing sales amid the car company’s recall crisis.
Drivers opt for more powerful cars despite environmental concerns
The number of licensed vehicles with engine capacity of more than 2,000cc increased from 2.3 million in 1999 to 4.0 million in 2008, data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed.
Jaguar Land Rover names GM chief as new boss
Jaguar Land Rover, the Indian-owned British-based car manufacturer, has appointed a German as its new boss.
Three weeks after parting company with David Smith, the chief executive who had overseen the $2.3 billion sale of Jaguar Land Rover from Ford in 2008, Tata Motors. the Midlands carmaker's owners. today said it has hired Carl-Peter Forster to take charge.
Toyota’s UK employees face recall fallout (Financial Times)
The furore surrounding Toyota’s product recalls has added to the woes of the Japanese carmaker in the UK, where it employs about 10,000 people directly or through its dealer network.
Toyota’s Burnaston plant in Derbyshire was already considering cutting 750 jobs in response to falling demand for cars. It may have to slash the headcount further if concerns over potentially dangerous accelerator pedals translate into significantly lower sales. Orders from UK customers have already fallen 7 per cent, the company said.
Aston Martin plans stock market listing to fund luxury future
ASTON MARTIN is planning to go to the stock market within two years to fund the next generation of its luxury sports cars.
Ulrich Bez, chief executive, said the group would have to sell shares to the public to develop models such as the Lagonda, a luxury sports utility vehicle.
Peugeot Citroen joins Toyota and Honda in recall
Peugeot Citroen is recalling 97,000 Peugeot 107s and Citroën C1s across Europe, including 6,700 in the UK, which used the same potentially faulty accelerator pedals as the Toyota models at the centre of a worldwide recall.
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Union at Toyota aired fears on safety
Japanese carmaker hands over to US lawmakers a 2006 letter written by Japanese employees warning that aggressive cost cuts had undermined the quality of its vehicles
Bosch locks out staff amid India unrest
The German car parts supplier shuts out 700 workers at its plant outside Bangalore as tensions soar in a long-running pay dispute
VW eyes convertibles to help pay for Porsche
Europe's largest carmaker announces plans to launch a convertible bond issue alongside its multibillion-euro capital increase, in a move to woo investors wary of equity issues
BMW stays on course after cost cuts
German premium carmaker posts a better-than-expected pre-tax profit for 2009, but fell short of providing a profit outlook for this yea
Brazil orders recall of Fiat model
Italian group fined R$3m for continuing to sell the cars after it had been warned of the alleged defect by Brazil's national traffic department
GM's dealers
The US car company has agreed to take back 661 out of around 2,000 dealers it thought it had shed as part of it bankruptcy last year
GM considers renaming Daewoo in S Korea
The US carmaker is thinking about replacing the Daewoo brand with the Chevrolet name in South Korea as it looks to boost sales at its struggling GM Daewoo unit
Tanfield to sell electric vehicle operation
Shares in the Aim-quoted company rose 46% after Smith Electric Vehicles US Corp, its American joint venture, offered to buy its UK business for £37m in cash
Runaway Prius triggers fresh Toyota probe
Toyota has run into further headwinds after widely publicised reports that the driver of a Prius hybrid hatchback in California had trouble slowing his speeding vehicle on an interstate highway after the accelerator jammed
Car repairs drive Lookers into black
The motor dealership moves to a profit on the back of a good performance from its parts and servicing division as consumers opted to refurbish old cars rather than buying new
GMAC finance chief to depart
The troubled car and home lender said that Robert S. Hull would leave the company at the end of the month, creating uncertainty at GMAC as it tries to repay billions in taxpayer aid
Tata Motors hit by Daimler stake sale
Shares in Tata Motors fell almost 6% after Daimler said that it had sold its 5.34% stake in India's largest carmaker to the group's founders and other investors
Audi vows to get sales figure back on track
The premium carmaker promises a swift return to pre-crisis sales and higher profitability, after it reports a less dramatic profit drop in the past year than its main competitors
GM considers employees' plan to rescue plant
The US carmaker says it is studying a proposal from its Belgian employees to keep its Antwerp plant open to build vehicles on contract for other carmakers
VW joins rush into electric vehicles
The German carmaker, a long-time sceptic about hybrid and electric cars, has officially shifted gears
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