Auto News 5

Searching the offices of Volkswagen Group's law firm was not illegal, a German regional court. VW said it would lodge an appeal with Germany's Federal Constitutional Court.

Commercial vehicle exhaust systems are facing multiple challenges. Ever tighter engine emission requirements demand ever more efficient DPF and catalyst performance and this, in turn, requires ever more effective heat management. These systems have necessarily increased in size putting more pressure on overall packaging, with hot exhaust system components encroaching on systems that could potentially be damaged by heat. There is also a desire to keep heat in the exhaust to maintain turbocharger efficiency and response. Continuing just-auto/QUBE's series of interviews, we spoke to heat management specialist Zircotec's Group Sales Director, Graeme Barette, about some novel approaches that could address both issues.

Vehicle makers are on alert following a 'ransomware' cyber attack that has hit many organisations' computer networks across the world and has also impacted car companies.

Romania' Cash for Bangers program, known locally as Rabla Clasic, as well as the Rabla Plus version for electric and hybrid cars, will start on 18 May for both individuals and companies, the environment minister Gratiela Gavrilescu said.

PSA's upscale DS brand got a boost after its latest model, the DS 7 Crossback, was chosen as the official vehicle for ceremonial duties during the inauguration of new French President Emmanuel Macron.

Germany's auto industry praised its government as the first worldwide to broadly legalize self-driving cars, while cautioning that this was just an initial, but crucial, step in rolling out the technology on roads across the country.

Rheinmetall Automotive's KS Kolbenschmidt division has signed a licence agreement with supplier, ZYNP to produce and market commercial vehicle steel pistons for the Chinese market.

Sales of imported vehicles in South Korea rose by 12.4% to 20,051 units in April, from 17,845 units a year earlier, according to data released by the Korea Automobile Importers and Distributors Association (KAIDA).

Grammer Group has posted first quarter net profit after tax up 89.2% to EUR14m (US$15.4m), with revenue rising 7.5% to EUR458.0m (US$500m) and an increase of 52% in EBIT to EUR22.5m (2016: EUR14.8m).

Japan's new vehicle market continued to expand strongly in April, by 9.2% year on year to 354,750 units from 324,747 sales a year earlier, according to registration data released by the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association.

Russia's Association of European Businesses (AEB) is cautiously welcoming figures showing new passenger cars and LCV sales rose 6.9% last month, but which were still slightly less than the increase in March.

Ride services company Lyft and Waymo, an automotive business owned by Google parent Alphabet, have launched a self-driving vehicle partnership, bringing together two rivals to dominant ride-sharing service Uber.

Loyal Honda Odyssey customers upgrading to the 2018 model will discover something missing from the center stack: the gearshift knob.

General Motors has partnered with Detroit Cristo Rey High School since 2011, bringing students into its engineering world. The Detroit program is part of a national network that gives employers a source of future talent.

Auto parts suppliers in Tennessee mingled and table hopped from customer to customer here last week in a bid to "speed date" their way to new business contracts.

Malcolm Bricklin is pulling the trigger again with a scheme to build a three-wheel EV and turn high-end car dealers into high-end art dealers. At 78, the serial entrepreneur is showing no signs of slowing down.

Mitsubishi's operating profit plunges 94 percent in the latest fiscal year, broadsided by falling sales, foreign exchange losses and the costs of a fuel economy scandal.

Mazda's North American chief says he wants the automaker's U.S. market share to be a "good" 2 percent that commands higher transaction prices.

General Motors ranks just behind Toyota and Honda in the opinion of suppliers. This according to a study that evaluates the purchasing policies of North America's six biggest automakers. Nissan dropped to last place.

With one exception, inventories of unsold vehicles have been essentially flat across the U.S. auto industry in the past year. That exception: General Motors.