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Automotive news The latest from the industry
NEWS
Bentley wins award for the Continental GT
Readers of Europe’s most popular 4x4 magazine, Auto Bild Allrad, have named the Bentley Continental GT ‘All-wheel Sports Car of the Year’ in the import category. Over 105,000 readers cast their votes in Auto Bild Allrad’s annual online poll, choosing from 151 cars in 10 categories.
Dr Wolfgang Schreiber, CEO of Bentley Motors, said: “For over a decade, the Bentley Continental GT has defined ultimate luxury and high performance grand touring. The unique W12 engine of the first GT has been so successful that Bentley is now the world’s largest producer of 12-cylinder engines. We are honoured to receive this prestigious award and thank the readers of Auto Bild Allrad.” Visit: www.bentleymotors.com
New head of Honda’s Dealer Development
Honda (UK) has appointed Phil Webb as its new head of Dealer Development, effective from 1 April. Phil fills the seat recently vacated by Nick Campolucci who has moved to head up Honda’s Motorcycle Division. In his new role Phil Webb will be responsible for the development of Hondaís dealer network, franchising, standards, profitability and retail experience of the company’s three product ranges – Cars, Motorcycles and Power Equipment.
Phil moves into his new role from the position of head of Power Equipment where he has been in charge of the sales operation for four areas: Lawn & Garden, Energy, Marine and All Terrain Vehicles, for the past 3 years. Visit: www.honda-eu.com
Fifth Aston Martin confirmed for 24 Hours of Le Mans
Aston Martin will run a fifth Vantage GTE at the 90th edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, as the first reserve #98 car is granted an entry. The car will now run in the GTE Pro class instead of the GTE Am class (as previously listed) thanks to reclassification from the ACO.
John Gaw, team principal, Aston Martin Racing, said, “In this significant year for both Le Mans and Aston Martin, we would particularly like to thank the ACO for reclassifying the car from the Am to the Pro class. The 24 Hours of Le Mans GTE line-up is extremely competitive and the extra Pro class entry has further supported our ambitions in the category.” Visit: www.astonmartin.com/racing
Audi involved in standard for sustainable aluminium
AUDI AG is joining the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative to help develop a global standard for sustainable aluminum. As a pioneer of unitary aluminum car bodies, the company is taking the opportunity to influence the entire value chain of one of its most important materials – one of the objectives of Audi’s corporate responsibility strategy.
The Aluminium Stewardship Initiative was founded in the autumn of 2012 and aims to develop a sustainability standard for aluminum by the end of 2014, with the support of the environmental organisation IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature). It sets environmental and social criteria that apply to all stages of extracting the raw material as well as producing and processing aluminum.
“Active responsibility is firmly anchored throughout our company. Also in our supply chains, we place priority on the integration of environmental protection and social responsibility,” explained Dr Bernd Martens, Audi’s board of management member for Procurement. Visit: www.audi.com
Management changes at Daimler AG
Daimler AG is making several changes to its management. On 1 June 2013, Philipp Schiemer, currently head of Marketing at Mercedes-Benz Cars, will take over the management of Mercedes-Benz do Brasil (MB Bras). MB Bras is a group company with headquarters in São Paulo.
At the same time, Wolfgang Hänle, who has been head of Production at Daimler Buses for more than ten years, will take over a newly created position, in which he will serve as head of Production for the two Brazilian facilities in São Bernardo do Campo and Juiz de Fora. Visit: www.daimler.com
NEWS
New developments in the Automotive industry
RR Wraith makes debut
At the Geneva Motor Show Rolls-Royce Motor Cars presented the world debut of Wraith, the most powerful and dynamic Rolls-Royce in history.
“Today we launch the ultimate gentlemen’s gran turismo, a car that embodies the spirit of Charles Stewart Rolls,” commented Torsten Müller-Ötvös, CEO Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. “The most powerful Rolls-Royce in history, Wraith promises the sense of adventure and speed that drove our founding forefather. But of course, Wraith’s starting point is luxury, refinement and quality, traits that remain as important to RollsRoyce customers today as they were more than a century ago.” Visit: www.rolls-roycemotorcars.com
Volvo launches car-enveloping airbag
Volvo Car Group (Volvo Cars) has unveiled another world safety premiere with the External Vehicle Protection (EnVeloP) system. The announcement comes one year after Volvo Cars launched a world first with the Pedestrian Airbag Technology on the all-new Volvo V40.
The External Vehicle Protection system consists of a small container built in the roof of the car, which contains a folded-in, vacuum pulled balloon of similar material to existing airbags. In case of an unavoidable collision, whether it is with another car, a roadside object or even when coming into contact with surface water, the balloon unfolds within the blink of an eye around the car. By completely enveloping the car, the External Vehicle Protection system ensures that damage and personal injury as a result of the collision is minimised. Visit: www.volvocars.com
New commercial director at Lamborghini
Thomas Felbermair will join Automobili Lamborghini as commercial director, effective 1st May 2013.
Thomas Felbermair holds a degree in engineering and has a broad experience in the automotive sector. He has held various positions in sales organisations with a focus on motorsport activities, and until now has been in charge as head of Sales at Audi AG for the German market. Visit: www.lamborghini.com
Toyota joins London Hydrogen Partnership
Toyota has joined the London Hydrogen Partnership (LHP), bringing hydrogen and fuel cell-powered vehicles a step closer to reality in the capital.
Over the last few years the LHP has initiated over £50 million worth of hydrogen projects; including bringing new hydrogen buses, taxis, scooters, refuelling stations, commercial vehicles and fuel cell Combined Heat and Power units to London.
Graham Smith, managing director, Toyota Motor Europe, London Office, added: “We are pleased to participate within the London Hydrogen Partnership and add our support to its ambitions to develop and enable clean, sustainable hydrogen fuel cell transport for the capital. Toyota believes this technology offers great potential for sustainable transport and will be among the first manufacturers to bring hydrogen-powered vehicles to the European market in 2015 where hydrogen supply infrastructure is in place.” Visit: www.toyota.com
PSA Peugeot-Citroën sets up a leaner management team
IN 2012, PSA Peugeot Citroën laid the foundations for the rebound in its manufacturing and retail operations. The recovery will be driven by the expression of two strong, clearly differentiated brands, the return to profit and the success of the alliance with General Motors. To ensure the efficient implementation of the group’s strategy, a leaner management team has been set up around Philippe Varin, chairman of the managing board.
The executive vice-president, Finance will ensure that consolidated earnings are optimised by making final decisions on the necessary trade-offs between the Peugeot and Citroën brands and the Industrial Operations and Supply Chain Department. He will also ensure the return to profit in the Latin America region.
The executive vice-president, Asia will ensure profitable growth in Russia and oversee the development of manufacturing operations outside the European and Latin American markets. Visit: www.psa-peugeot-citroen.com
INDUSTRYNEWS
Porsche expands workforce in Leipzig
Porsche is recruiting more than 1000 workers for the production of its new Macan model range at its Leipzig plant. Alongside the 1000 production workers, the location in Saxony is hiring a total of 400 engineers for the planning of the new sections, of which 220 are already on board.
Porsche AG is investing around €500 million in the conversion of the location into a fully-fledged plant with its own paint shop and body assembly hall. It’s the biggest construction project in the history of the sports car maker.
“The buildings are ready and are water-proof, and the machines are being installed. In the summer, we will commission the new paint shop, so the first customer vehicle will roll off the assembly line at the end of the year,” said Siegfried Bülow, chairman of the executive board of Porsche Leipzig GmbH. Visit: www.porsche.com
Jaguar Land Rover plans for investment in manufacturing & product development
Jaguar Land Rover, the UK’s largest premium automotive manufacturer, showcased its latest plans for further investment in technology and innovation at the Geneva International Motor Show.
Jaguar Land Rover will reinforce its commitment to manufacturing in the UK by increasing the investment in its new Engine Manufacturing Centre to more than £500 million. The Engine Manufacturing Centre is essential to support the company’s long-term strategic growth plans and will be the home for a new generation of technologically advanced, lightweight 4-cylinder low emission diesel and petrol engines. The state-ofthe-art facility is the first in the company’s history to be entirely designed and specified by Jaguar Land Rover. At almost 100,000m2, the plant will include an engine testing centre alongside the manufacturing and assembly halls.
Jaguar Land Rover will also invest £2.75 billion in product development which will support the launch of eight new innovative products to help achieve its business growth strategy. These include the Jaguar F-TYPE and the introduction of the world’s first nine-speed gearbox in its Land Rover product line-up. Visit: www.jaguarlandrover.com
Renault-Nissan establishes common entry point for imports into northern England
The Renault-Nissan Alliance has established the Port of Tyne in north-east England as its common regional entry point for vehicles imported from Renault and Nissan plants overseas.
Since 1995, Nissan has used the Port of Tyne as its main entry port into the UK for vehicles manufactured overseas. Nissan employs more than 6000 workers and last year produced 510,000 vehicles at its plant in Sunderland, home of the Nissan Qashqai, Juke and Note vehicles.
Nissan’s partner Renault formerly relied on the Port of Teesport as its regional entry point for Renault vehicles and had also planned to receive Dacia vehicles there. As part of an Alliance tender activity in 2012 the benefits of consolidating the ports were confirmed and the recommendation to make Port of Tyne sole port in the region for the import of Alliance vehicles was ratified. Visit: www.renault.com
Opel’s Cascada starts production at Gliwice
AT the end of February the very first Cascada, Opel’s elegant mid-size class convertible, left the assembly line at the Opel plant in Gliwice, Poland.
Since its groundbreaking in 1996, the Gliwice plant has been a pillar of GM manufacturing. The Cascada is already the sixth Opel model the team in Poland is building – at highest quality and in state-of-the-art production facilities. “We are especially proud that we were chosen to build the first convertible developed by Opel. It is a complex undertaking that our highly motivated team mastered with brilliance. So today is a very special day for us,” said plant manager Andrzej Korpak. Visit: www.opel.com
