Idle plants, surly unions and a weak, ageing model line-up – the challenges facing Fiat-Chrysler’s Italian revival sound a lot like the British car industry’s low point in 1982.
CEO Sergio Marchionne will be hoping the similarities don’t end there as he orders up sporty new Alfa Romeos and sleek Maseratis in a bid to repeat in Italy what British brands like Mini and Jaguar have since achieved under foreign ownership.
Russia’s second-biggest steel producer, Severstal, said its North American unit plans to move into new high-strength steel products to counter the growing threat from aluminium in light-vehicle manufacturing.Aluminium use in cars has increased sharply, tripling in Europe and North America over the past two to three decades.
In a new report, “Wireless Charging Systems for Electric Vehicles”, Navigant Research forecasts that worldwide sales of wireless EV charging equipment for light-duty vehicles will grow by a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 108% from 2013 to 2022, reaching annual sales of slightly less than 302,000 units in 2022.
Ferdinand Porsche, the founder of the sports-car brand, created the first hybrid more than 100 years ago and designed the original Volkswagen Beetle. Those achievements haven’t counted for much in his hometown.That legacy will once again be tested as a new exhibition covering his career prepares to open in the Czech village of Vratislavice nad Nisou, once known as Maffersdorf, where Porsche was raised and residents have resisted municipal efforts to be associated with the auto pioneer.
Ford has completely redesigned the softtop on its new Mustang as the automaker prepares to take on Audi, Mercedes-Benz and BMW convertibles in global markets including Europe.The top on the 2015 Ford Mustang convertible will open in 7 to 10 seconds, roughly twice as fast as the 2014 Mustang. That way, drivers won’t have to wait as long to get sunshine and fresh air. When the top is up, a new layer of insulation between the cloth layers will make the interior quieter and the exterior more streamlined.
