Auto News 5

The impact of the Japanese earthquake on China started unfolding about two weeks after the destruction, as the supply chain disruption began causing semi-shutdowns of some automotive and electronics manufacturers and the nuclear crisis also threatened to derail the country's ambitious nuclear power development plan, IHS Global Insight senior China economist Xianfang Ren said in a research note.

Cooper Standard Automotive has acquired USi from Ikuyo of Japan, effective immediately. USi, based in Rockford, Tennessee, provides an exclusive hard coating process for use in automotive and industrial applications, including bright trim assemblies on vehicles produced by a number of global automakers, including Ford, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Nissan Motor and Toyota. Terms of the sale were not disclosed.

Johnson Controls, a global leader in automotive seating, overhead systems, door and instrument panels, and interior electronics, introduced a new design for second row seats in pickup trucks. When stowed, the Slim Stow Seat takes up 33 percent less space, maximizes seating comfort and is lighter weight compared to traditional rear truck seats. It also improves visibility for the driver.

Also in this episode: Longtime automotive journalist David E. Davis Jr. dies, associate publisher Dutch Mandel answers your questions in Fast Five, and a rundown of the winners from the weekend's races.

David E. Davis Jr., inarguably one of the deans of automotive journalism, died on Sunday at age 80. Davis had been suffering from bladder cancer and underwent surgery a few days earlier. Even so, his passing was unexpected.

Renesas Electronics, the world's biggest maker of automotive microcontrollers and a key bottleneck in Japan's parts shortage, says one of two auto-related factories damaged by this month's earthquake won't be operational until July.

David E. Davis Jr., inarguably one of the deans of automotive journalism, died on Sunday, March 27, at age 80. Davis had been suffering from bladder cancer and underwent surgery a few days earlier. Even so, his passing was unexpected.

Every day, our new supercharged blog, V12, brings you the hottest videos on the web. Here are our top 5 picks for the week, including Ken Block mutilating his Ford Fiesta, a race between a minivan and a jet truck, the ultimate automotive wedgy, Jenson Button testing his McLaren and some Russians attempting to load a Lada onto a carrier.

David E. Davis Jr., inarguably one of the deans of automotive journalism, died Sunday, March 27, at age 80. Davis had been suffering from bladder cancer and had undergone surgery a few days earlier.

Money-losing Volkswagen AG subsidiary Seat expects to see a strong rise in its new-car sales this year, brand boss James Muir told Automotive News Europe.

Fiat is on track to begin production of the Panda successor in Italy in November and start sales of Europe's best-selling minicar in early 2012, a Fiat top executive told Automotive News Europe.

We are pleased to announce the official launch of v12.auto123.com, our insanely-cool new platform, offering your daily dose of automotive entertainment: races, crashes, tuning, world records, ads, drift, amazing stunts, etc.

Most Japanese automakers have extended their vehicle production stoppages into a third week after the devastating earthquake and subsequent tsunami that hit north-eastern Japan on 11 March. The delay in resumption of component supplies is also affecting the global supply chain, hitting non-Japanese automakers' production schedules, IHS Global Insight automotive analyst Paul Newton wrote in a research note on Thursday (24 March).

The global automotive industry needs to brace for worsening supply-chain disruption according to IHS Automotive.

In this month's three-part management briefing, Mark Bursa takes a close look at the development and changing structure of China's automotive industry. Part 3 examines the rise of the 'independent' OEMs, their growing pains and export strategies.

Rieter Holding says its decision to split its automotive component and textile machinery business will allow it to target both sectors' cycles independently.

UK automotive and airplane supplier GKN said CEO Kevin Smith will retire at the end of 2011 and will be replaced by Nigel Stein, currently head of its automotive division.

Seat and First Automotive Works (FAW) could strike a manufacturing partnership in China, according to consultancy IHS Global Insight.

Scotland's Bridge of Weir Leather has been pushing back the automotive design boundaries for years. Its products are used not just in cars but a number of other products including seats in the House of Commons. Matthew Beecham talked with Jamie Davidson, sales director of Bridge of Weir Leather about leather trends in vehicle interiors.

China Automotive Systems (CAAS) has estimated its electric power steering set sales will reach about 150,000 units in 2011.