Auto News 5

Seat manufacturers must develop seats that are lighter, offer more space for occupants and incorporate environmentally friendly materials. Yet space creation inside the vehicle has become critical with the explosion of added content and features. Discerning tastes also mean consumers want more flexible living space within their cars. To find out how Magna Seating is meeting these demands, Matthew Beecham talked with three of the company's top executives, namely Randy Koenigsknecht, VP Sales & Marketing, Jeff Lambert, VP Engineering and Global IT Services, Dino Nardicchio, Executive Director, Advanced Engineering and Consumer Interface Products.

BMW UK has announced the network of dealers that will sell and service its new i sub-brand using electric drive systems and offereing 'premium mobility services'.

It was a telephone call from then UK prime minister Tony Blair that prompted Martin Leach to form Magma, the multi-faceted automotive industry consultancy and service provider.

New vehicle sales in Thailand increased by 24.9% to 109,658 units in April, compared with 87,788 units a year earlier, according to data released by the Federation of Thai Industries.

Magna's Cosma unit has opened a plant in southwest China to supply body and chassis parts to automakers in the area including Ford and Volkswagen.

Magna's Cosma unit has opened a plant in southwest China to supply body and chassis parts to automakers in the area including Ford Motor Co. and Volkswagen.

Italian supplier Sogefi sold $115 million in bonds to U.S. investors in a private placement and is planning to sell another 25 million-euro ($32 million) note, a person familiar with the transaction said.

Mercedes-Benz led the U.S. premium-brand sales race through April of 2013, but BMW of North America CEO Ludwig Willisch expects BMW to repeat as No. 1 for the year.

When Chris Morrison started out as a car salesman 30 years ago in the placid southern Mississippi city of McComb, he spent every Tuesday at local employers handing out business cards and shaking hands.

Mark Reuss, president of General Motors North America, says GM is staying vigilant on the June launch of the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra full-sized pickups, its most important rollout since the company's 2009 bankruptcy.

Mercedes-Benz led the U.S. premium-brand sales race through April of 2013, but BMW of North America CEO Ludwig Willisch expects BMW to repeat as No. 1 for the year.

The future of the European automotive industry looks bright because of the strength of the young executives who are making huge strides forward. Automotive News Europe will honor 18 of these talented executives in Paris on June 12.

Mini is owned by BMW, but there's a broad gulf between the prestigious luxury marque and the funky small-car brand.

BMW, Mini's parent company, had forecast U.S. sales of 20,000 units of the original two-door in 2003, but 36,000 were sold. That was the beginning of Mini's surprising journey.

With a technology-rich S-class redesign arriving this fall and several derivatives to be added by 2015, Mercedes-Benz aims to boost stalled sales of its flagship.

TV promotions still reach the biggest audiences, but auto marketers say the greatest untapped potential lies with consumers poised to use other devices to respond quickly to what they see on screen.

Chevrolet designer Tom Peters describes the blocky, chiseled front end of the 2014 Silverado pickup as a "fist in the wind."

As a banking adviser to General Motors when he was at Morgan Stanley, Dan Ammann got an upfront view of GM's spiral into bankruptcy in 2009 and subsequent restructuring.

The redesigned Mercedes-Benz S class made its world debut last week in Hamburg, Germany, but Shanghai might have been more appropriate. Why? China accounted for 49 percent of all 2010-12 S-class sales.

Infiniti President Johan de Nysschen, poached last summer from Audi, aims to push into new segments, restore profitability to Nissan's luxury marque and fix lackluster quality rankings.