Auto News 5

Audi reported higher second-quarter operating profit, as gains from record vehicle sales outweighed the impact of spending on technology and foreign expansion.

South Africa's Labour Ministry says business owners also have the right to strike as the country reels under yet another manufacturing setback.

Porsche sold 87,800 cars in the first half of 2014, an increase of 8% over the same period last year. Revenue grew by 16% to EUR8.2bn (US$11bn) with operating profit growing by 8% to EUR1.4bn. The company said in a statement this is equivalent to a return on sales of 17%.

Major automakers, led by Chrysler's 20 percent gain, posted higher sales in July on strong retail and fleet demand. Sales rose 10 percent at Ford and 11 percent at Nissan.

U.S. auto sales, led by Chrysler's 20 percent advance and solid gains of 10 percent or more at Toyota, Nissan, and Ford, rose 9 percent in July to 1.435 million.

French car sales fell 4 percent in July as economic problems weighed on demand, the country's CCFA industry body said.

Sales by India's car market leader Maruti Suzuki in July rose 21.7% to 101,380 units.

The supervisory board of German supplier ZF Friedrichshafen has given its support to continuing negotiations to buy TRW Automotive Holdings Corp., two people familiar with the matter said.

ZF's supervisory board has given its support to continuing negotiations to buy safety components supplier, TRW Automotive Holdings, sources told Bloomberg.

ZF's supervisory board has given its support to continuing negotiations to buy TRW Automotive, sources said.

News 1 Aug, 2014

Citroen once again teams up with Benefit Cosmetics to create a special edition DS3, on sale now for £18,745

Maruti Suzuki boosted net profit 20.7% to INR7,623m in the first quarter of fiscal 2014/15.

The Shanghai-GM-Wuling joint venture has launched a new minivan for its Baojun brand. SGMW says the 730 introduces a new vehicle architecture.

Fiat is leaving home after 115 years.The controlling Agnelli family and other investors meet today to seal the end of Fiat as an Italian company after it merges with Chrysler.

Fiat is leaving home after 115 years.The controlling Agnelli family and other investors voted today to seal the end of Fiat as an Italian company and approved a merger with Chrysler.

Fiat shareholders approved the automaker's merger with Chrysler in a move that seals the end of Fiat as an Italian company.

Renault will build Fiat's replacement for its Scudo commercial van starting in 2016, taking over production of the model from PSA/Peugeot-Citroen. The Scudo successor will be based on the Renault Trafic.

Automotive News Europe's Guide to Powertrains shows the 83 locations where 19 automakers and suppliers produce the engines and transmissions that help drive the auto industry in Europe.

The latest issue of the Automotive News Europe monthly e-magazine goes live on Monday, Aug. 4. This month's edition looks at the potential risks and rewards facing Porsche.

From GMM

Mika Hakkinen has acknowledged rumours linking his protege Valtteri Bottas with McLaren.

The fellow Finn and double world champion has been a key to Bottas' formula one foray so far, culminating in the 24-year-old's debut at Williams last year after a season on the testing and Friday practice bench.

But it is in 2014 that Bottas, with a hat-trick of podiums in June and July and a regular top-three qualifier, has hit the kind of form that now has him linked with a bright F1 future.

"At the moment the two hot names in F1 are Bottas and Ricciardo," Hakkinen, who has been involved in Bottas' management, said in his latest interview with sponsor Hermes.

Mika Hakkinen and Valtteri Bottas. (Photo: WRi2)

When Hakkinen retired, he famously advised McLaren that if the British team wanted to continue to win, "get the Finn" -- referring to Kimi Raikkonen.

Now, the 45-year-old has similar advice.

Hakkinen admits that he has heard speculation linking McLaren, who are openly seeking the best possible drivers to spearhead the new works Honda foray, with Bottas.

"This is quite natural," he said.

"The first thing is that Valtteri is still a young driver who has been in formula one only for a short time. But Valtteri is interesting not only because of his speed. He can also motivate others in the team and is able to create an atmosphere that is necessary for success," he added.

"There is interest," Mikka Hakkinen confirmed, "and that's good. What happens in the future remains to be seen."

Also impressed by Bottas this year is Hakkinen's old long-time McLaren teammate David Coulthard.

"He (Bottas) has had three podiums and is outperforming a very able Felipe Massa," Coulthard, now a television commentator, told the Telegraph newspaper.

"Valtteri seems a bit like Mika: totally unemotional, which helps in the heat of F1. Mika does not work with many people, so that says something in itself," Coulthard added.

"He (Bottas) is clearly someone to watch for the future, but you only find out if people can deal with the pressure of a championship fight until it happens."