Hyundai i40, Kia Picanto Remind Us That Korea Threat Not Going Away GENEVA – Europe’s biggest car manufacturers will be showing off their latest gleaming new products at this month’s Geneva Car Show, but the future looks bleak as sales stagnate and the industry’s underlying health is threatened by a lack of profitability, induced in part […]
But Profitability Worsens, Casting Doubts Over Improved Forecast Peugeot-Citroen surprised investors with stronger than expected profits in 2010, but the company’s prediction that auto profits would increase again in 2011 was met with raised eyebrows. Investment bankers reckoned that European overcapacity, market fragmentation, pricing pressure from market leader VW, coupled with stagnant sales in Europe, […]
News Will Boost Toyota Image In U.S., Revive Sales Company Raises Profit Forecast, As Yen Strength Abates At last, some good news for Toyota, the world’s biggest car company in terms of sales, and much else besides. The U.S. safety authorities announced that the technology in Toyota and Lexus vehicles was not responsible for crashes […]
Leaked 5% Target Confirmed; Dacia Will Lead Third World Assault Lack Of Action To Integrate Nissan Irks Some Investors Deteriorating Auto Profits Push Big Responsibility Outside Europe “At Renault, Nissan dividends and Turkish profits are going to be needed to keep France solvent” Renault’s previous strategic plan turned into an embarrassing failure, so its latest […]
Focus Will Help, With C-Max, Grand C-Max, Kuga Spinoffs But Focus Under Attack From Germans Above, Koreans Below VW Golf To Lose Top Spot; Will It Need To Add Expensive Kit? JEREZ, Spain The Ford Focus was acclaimed Car of the Show when it was unveiled in Detroit a year ago, and now the time has […]
Merger With Nissan Would Go Down Well Rumour Mill Reckons Five Percent Margin Target Likely A full merger with Nissan and a convincing plan that puts stockholders first would convince investors that Nissan-Renault CEO Carlos Ghosn is finally on the right track. Ghosn is scheduled to present his new 3-year strategic plan on February 10. […]
Ageing Model Line-up Will Force Discounts In 2011 Things May Look Up Towards The End Of The Year, Thanks To Chrysler Fiat reported improved financial results for 2010, its last before splitting into separate and independent Industrial and Auto companies, and the car business faces an uphill struggle in Europe this year, according to investors. […]
That’s No Surprise When You Look At Latest Sales Forecasts 13 Million Expected For 2011; Onwards And Upwards To 15 Million? The buzz and expectation from the Detroit Car Show showed that the U.S. industry has its confidence back after both had emerged from a near-death experience. When General Motors and Chrysler were bankrupt and […]
Chrysler Profits Will Compensate For Big Europe Losses Brazil, Marchionne’s Ambitious Plans Raise Doubts As Fiat Auto starts its new life as an independent car manufacturer its short-term prospects look shaky, but the acquisition of Chrysler may be an unlikely but crucial factor compensating for its chronically loss-making European operations and creating a formidable global […]
UAW Talks Loom, But Union Ownership Likely To Spur Restraint U.S. Market Could Hit 14 Million In 2011, 15 Million By 2012 General Motors, rejuvenated after its bankruptcy and spurred on by a recovering U.S. market, looks set to become an investor’s favourite. About 18 months after emerging from bankruptcy and its relaunch on stock […]
