Auto News 5

In recent times, the Passat has only just managed to make the cut when it comes to the European top 50 best sellers list. Sales of this model have been collapsing all across the region but there are reasons for that.

Geely, GM, Ford, PSA and others are suffering big double-digit declines in a Chinese market which dipped by seven per cent at a wholesales level last month. Conversely, there are winners within the ranks of other major OEMS, such as VW, Honda, Nissan and Toyota, not to mention Mercedes which even made the top ten in August. But what of the state owned local giant, SAIC? Well, all divisions are reaping the rewards of substantial investments in ever more new models, especially Maxus.

In August, wholesale deliveries in the Chinese passenger vehicle fell for the fourteenth month. SAIC's Roewe division dipped by nine per cent yet remains the country's seventeenth most popular brand, its wholesales numbering 266,767 vehicles over the first eight months, well ahead of eighteenth placed Chery. A big range of models and more coming soon are a lot of the reason why Roewe is doing relatively well.

Continental and Michelin plan a tyre making joint venture, according to a list of mergers under review published by the German antitrust authority.

Veoneer has announced its support to Thatcham Research, the motor insurers' automotive research centre in the UK, when making the world's first attempt to launch guidelines that 'minimise bumps in the road on the journey towards fully automated driving'.

Hitachi Automotive Systems has announced that its stereo camera, which enables the detection of pedestrians at night, has been adopted by Suzuki for its Carry light duty pickup truck. The vehicle features updated specifications to enhance safety, with sales beginning this month. Hitachi says the Carry is the first light pickup truck with a stereo camera that can detect pedestrians at night.

News 12 Sep, 2019

A revamped version of Jaguar’s mid-size SUV has been caught on camera ahead of its planned launch in 2020

BMW's venture capital fund, i Ventures, has announced an investment in Trifacta, a data wrangling specialist.

Mahle says it is investigating the compatibility of its engine components and filters with the use of various e-fuels - alternative fuels from regenerative sources that offer substantial potential for reducing transport-related CO2 emissions.

Toyota is experimenting with a sun-powered Prius, using new ultra-thin solar panels developed for satellites, that it hopes will one day require no plugging in.

ZF Friedrichshafen said it was making good progress with the new planned strategic focus in the commercial brakes area and may divest its 20% holding in Haldex.

German lithium-ion battery supplier Akasol said it had received "a large follow-up order from one of the world's leading commercial vehicle manufacturers with a total volume in the high three digit million euro range".

General Motors is recalling about 3.4m full-size pickups and sport-utility vehicles sold in the US due to a problem with vacuum brake assisters which makes it hard to brake and has led to 113 crashes and 13 injuries, media reports said.

Commercial vehicle braking Knorr-Bremse booked EBITDA of EUR669m in the first six months of 2019, up 14.9% compared with EUR582m a year previously.

News 12 Sep, 2019

Porsche has released the entry-level version of its four-wheel drive 911 Carrera, priced from £88,101

Volkswagen brand global sales in August dipped 3.8% year on year to 493,800 vehicles.

News 12 Sep, 2019

Another busy year at Frankfurt has seen stars emerge, but as usual there’s far more on show than just the headline grabbers

Malaysian conglomerate Sime Darby Bhd has agreed to acquire three major car dealerships in Australia for a total of AU$112m (US$77m), according to local reports.