Ford unveiled a midlife face-lift for its Focus compact hatchback, adding fresh styling, new technology and a more premium feel to the company’s No. 2 seller in Europe.Ford of Europe CEO Stephen Odell said the changes make the Focus one of the automaker’s most advanced vehicles to date.
As the European auto industry emerges from the depths of the downturn, companies are shifting their focus from basic survival to cautious growth. But which companies are best prepared to prosper? And how will they succeed?The 17th Automotive News Europe Congress will explore the answers on June 3-4 in Brussels. The theme of the congress is “Revived and Remodeled: The Path to Global Growth.” The exclusive lead sponsor is EY.
Volkswagen Group is bidding 6.7 billion euros ($9.2 billion) for the rest of truckmaker Scania to deepen cooperation with its other commercial-vehicles units after being blocked previously in those efforts by the Swedish company’s minority shareholders.VW, which already controls a majority of Scania’s capital and 89.2 percent of the voting rights, is offering 200 kronor ($30.6) per share, 36 percent higher than Friday’s closing price of 147.50 kronor for the company’s B stock.
Volkswagen Group reported an 18 percent gain in fourth-quarter profit as record sales at its luxury Audi and Porsche brands offset spending on developing new models and expanding production.Earnings before interest and taxes rose to 3.11 billion euros ($4.27 billion) from 2.64 billion euros a year earlier, according to Bloomberg calculations using the automaker’s full-year and nine-month results.
Earlier we brought you an onboard video of the McLaren P1 lapping the Yas Marina circuit in Abu Dhabi, giving a very good idea how it feels to sit on the passenger seat, when the hybrid supercar is driven by experienced McLaren driver, Tim Mullen.
