Auto News 5

No NHTSA employees have been fired or disciplined even though it seems that GM's ignition switch recall complaint data was handled improperly, The Detroit News said.

Fiat Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne quashed all speculation of a possible tie-up with Volkswagen, saying the idea had never been on the agenda.

South African component representatives are stressing the vital nature of the country's so-called 'peace clause' that appears to be the sticking point in the country's delicate search to find a solution to the four-week old metalworking strike.

Italian brakes manufacturer Brembo will build a new foundry in Michigan to expand its manufacturing capability in the United States, betting on the continued strength of the country's automotive sector.

News 23 Jul, 2014

Latest Driver Awareness Research Vehicle from Toyota has debuted in Colorado, targeting improved safety when using in-car tech

New BMW Group UK managing director Graeme Grieve is a former sales director of the British unit and starts on 1 October 2014.

Daimler booked a EUR2.2bn net profit in the second quarter of 2012 after boosting unit sales 4% to 628,900 and revenue 6% to EUR31.5bn. EBIT rose 12% to EUR2.5bn.

New vehicle sales in Malaysia increased by 9.2% to 58,561 in June, from 53,631 units in the same month of last year, according to data released by the Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA).

Ford's Fiesta is now the UK's best-selling vehicle nameplate of all time after total sales topped 4,115,000 this month, 37 years after launch.

News 23 Jul, 2014

Hot Wheels has produced a full-size car based on Darth Vader from Star Wars

News 23 Jul, 2014

Ford confirms Fiesta nameplate is now the UK’s best-selling car of all time, exceeding 4,115,000 sales since 1976

Daimler said second-quarter profit rose 12 percent as Mercedes S-class sales doubled and the company scaled back spending.

Volkswagen faces a battle with workers over cost cuts at its biggest car division, a central plank of its drive to meet profit margin targets.

Head-up displays with "augmented reality," the technology that employs much of the windshield as a display area for data and images, is poised to significantly change how drivers see the road.

Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn was addressing thousands of workers at the automaker's biggest plant today as he attempts to win their support for cost cuts at the VW brand.

Bentley has named Marlies Rogait as its new head of human resources. Rogait, 57, has spent 20 years working in human resources, quality assurance and purchase for parent Volkswagen Group.

Bentley named VW Group executive Marlies Rogait as its new head of human resources.

From Australian V8 Supercar series

Tim Cindric, president of Penske Racing, has conceded a presence on the V8 Supercars grid in 2015 is now “difficult but not impossible”.

Penske's investment in truck distribution in Australia and New Zealand is the catalyst for its examination of involvement in V8 Supercars.

Cindric reaffirmed the operation's desire to race V8 Supercars and also confirmed an alliance with Dick Johnson Racing remains its preferred option.

The entry of the American team, which races in both NASCAR and Verizon IndyCar and is owned by motor racing legend Roger Penske, has been widely anticipated for 2015 since Cindric visited the 2013 Sydney 500 and news broke of negotiations with DJR.

“Is it (2015) realistic or not? We have had a lot shorter timelines on other programs,” Cindric told v8supercars.com.au.

“It's difficult but not impossible.”

Start of the Melbourne race. (Photo: V8 Supercars)

Cindric said there was no “defined deadline” for a decision on 2015 Penske presence on the V8 Supercars grid.

Roger Penske and Tim Cindric visited DJR in June, met almost the entire team.

Cindric made it clear the recent departure of DJR sporting director Campbell Little, who he has formed a strong friendship with, was not relevant to any potential Penske-DJR deal.

General Motors has announced that its 2015 Chevrolet and GMC SUVs and pickup trucks will come standard with an 8-speed automatic transmission. More specifically, we're talking about the Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra, and GMC Yukon Denali/Yukon XL Denali models equipped with the 6.2L EcoTec3 V8 engine.

No word on the Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban, however.

The GM-developed Hydra-Matic 8L90 8-speed transmission is approximately the same size and weight as the Hydra-Matic 6L80 6-speed unit. Its 7.0 overall gear ratio spread is wider than GM's 6-speed automatic transmissions, providing a numerically higher first gear ratio to help drivers start off more confidently with a heavy load or when trailering. The 8L90 also enables numerically lower rear axle ratios, which reduce engine rpm on the highway.

This comes more than a year after GM and Ford entered a partnership to develop an all-new generation of advanced, 9- and 10-speed automatic transmissions for cars, crossovers, SUVs, and trucks. The new 8-speed could be a stepping stone between these and the current 6-speed box.

The 6.2L EcoTec3 V8 delivers 420 horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque, allowing a maximum trailer rating of 5,443 kilos (12,000 lbs). As with other EcoTec3 engines, it seamlessly switches to 4-cylinder operation under lighter loads to improve fuel economy.

Source: General Motors

Photo: Chevrolet

Chrysler is recalling 792,300 SUVs in North America, including about 29,000 in Canada, after discovering that some 2006-2007 Jeep Commanders and 2005-2006 Jeep Grand Cherokees may suffer from a faulty ignition switch.

It's the same part that doomed General Motors and forced the recall of millions of vehicles since the start of 2014.

The ignition switch may inadvertently be turned off by the driver's knee, which could stall the engine and kill steering assist. Also, the airbags and other safety systems may become disabled and not deploy in the event of a crash.

According to Chrysler, a single accident has been reported so far, but no one has been injured. The company has received a ''relatively limited number'' of complaints, and insists all affected owners will be notified by mid-September.

It's the second large-scale recall announced by Chrysler in just a few months. They also recalled 870,000 SUVs in North America (42,380 in Canada) due to a corrosion problem that could compromise the effectiveness of the braking system.

Source : ici.radio-canada.ca