General Motors “exploited” its dealers in the closure of the Holden brand in Australia, a Senate inquiry has been told. The Australia Automotive Dealer Association told the inquiry on Monday that in the months leading up to the closure announcement in February, GM had recklessly allowed dealers to continue with costly upgrades to their facilities.… Continue reading General Motors ‘exploited’ Holden dealers in Australia, inquiry told
Author: The Guardian Online News
Northern Ireland to be left out of new UK car emission restrictions
Automotive industry Quirk in regulations means vehicles sold there will count as EU sales for strict CO2 limit The emission restrictions from 1 January will result in ‘Great Britain-only’ regulations for carmakers. Photograph: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images Northern Ireland is to be left out of the UK’s green car emission restrictions from 1 January, resulting in… Continue reading Northern Ireland to be left out of new UK car emission restrictions
Covid-19 slashes UK car output to level last seen in 1954
Automotive industry Automotive industry has also lost at least 11,000 across the UK since the pandemic The production line at Nissan’s factory in Sunderland. The number of cars built in the UK over the past six months has slumped to its lowest since wartime rationing ended. Photograph: Owen Humphreys/PA The UK car industry produced the… Continue reading Covid-19 slashes UK car output to level last seen in 1954
UK car dealership Pendragon to cut 1,800 jobs
Job losses Owner of dealers such as Evans Halshaw to shed head office and showroom staff as Covid-19 deepens industry crisis Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Pendragon started to review its operations well before the coronavirus struck but the pandemic has seriously affected the industry. Photograph: Jacob King/PA The UK car… Continue reading UK car dealership Pendragon to cut 1,800 jobs
Coronavirus closures send GM to $800m second-quarter loss
General Motors US car giant had to close plants between March and May Company says sales picking up and signs are encouraging The Flint plant in Michigan, which produces Chevrolet and GMC Sierra trucks. The company made $2.38bn in the same quarter a year ago. Photograph: Jeff Kowalsky/AFP via Getty Images General Motors lost $806m… Continue reading Coronavirus closures send GM to $800m second-quarter loss
Aston Martin’s losses soar to £227m in first half of 2020
Aston Martin Luxury car brand’s sales down 41% after coronavirus pandemic shuts dealerships The new Aston Martin DBX on display at the Bangkok international motor show. Heavy spending on a factory for the DBX followed by the Covid-19 crisis has pushed the firm close to bankruptcy. Photograph: Jorge Silva/Reuters Aston Martin Lagonda’s losses surged to… Continue reading Aston Martin’s losses soar to £227m in first half of 2020
Ousted Renault boss appointed new head of Jaguar Land Rover
Automotive industry Frenchman Thierry Bolloré to help steer UK’s biggest carmaker through industry’s worst crisis for decades JLR boss Sir Ralf Speth will step down as CEO in September. Photograph: Yves Herman/Reuters The former boss of French car giant Renault has been appointed as chief executive of Jaguar Land Rover, the UK’s biggest carmaker. Thierry… Continue reading Ousted Renault boss appointed new head of Jaguar Land Rover
UK busmaker Alexander Dennis to cut 650 jobs
Automotive industry Boss warns of crisis as pandemic leaves company with no orders since March A bus being built at the Alexander Dennis factory in Scarborough, one of the main manufacturing sites along with Falkirk and Guildford. Photograph: Bloomberg/Getty Images The busmaker Alexander Dennis is cutting 650 jobs in the latest blow to the UK… Continue reading UK busmaker Alexander Dennis to cut 650 jobs
‘E-highways’ could slash UK road freight emissions, says study
Travel and transport System of overhead cables and adapted lorries could pay for itself within 15 years Siemens and Scania have already tested their eHighway systems in Germany, Sweden and the US. Photograph: Siemens The UK could eliminate the majority of the carbon dioxide emissions from road freight by installing overhead charging cables for electric… Continue reading ‘E-highways’ could slash UK road freight emissions, says study
UK gives Ford £500m in loan guarantees to support exports
Ford Move comes before Bridgend plant is shut by US carmaker but ‘safeguards jobs’ elsewhere Engines made at Ford’s plant in Dagenham are shipped to its factory in Turkey, where they are put in Transit vans, many of which are then sold back to UK customers. Photograph: Ford/PA The UK government has given Ford £500m… Continue reading UK gives Ford £500m in loan guarantees to support exports