NGMW Newsletter Spring 09 - The Northern Group of Motoring Writers

News from the Northern Group of Motoring Writers Autumn 2009
Despite claims that
the worldwide
recession is coming
to an end, turmoil
continues within the
motor industry.
ALAN DOMVILLE
takes a close look at
the latest situation
and reports …
GM’s
Dark clouds over Ellesmere Port -
will it remain the Home of the Astra?
future still in the air
MAGNA International, the company and more than 600 jobs at co-operation in the future.
world’s leading automotive Gaydon have been shed this year. A Volkswagen and Porsche are
consortium which included former continuing to work out the future
parts supplier, which is trying racing driver Dave Richards bought structure of their business while VW
to buy control of General the prestige car manufacturer from is also exploring a tie-up with
Motors Europe with a funding Ford two years ago.
Chinese manufacturer Build Your
of 1.5bn Euros approved by Several car companies including Dreams.
Nissan and Honda, whose UK plants
the German government and
Chrysler and Fiat have now
have reduced production this year, completed their deal to secure the
the backing of the Russian stayed away from this autumn’s future of a new Chrysler while
Sberbank, has admitted it will Frankfurt Show as a cost-cutting SsangYong Motors has restructured
be making 10,500 job cuts measure.
and settled on a new model
within the company.
But partnerships are seen as the way programme.
forward by several manufacturers Price Waterhouse Coopers are still
If the deal is approved by the
with Renault and Nissan showing the seeking a buyer for commercial
European competition authorities,
way. Partners for the past 10 years, vehicle manufacturer LDV which
GM will, however, retain a 35 per
they are working on even broader went into administration in June.
cent interest in the company.
The new Astra has just started to roll
off the production lines at Ellesmere
Port and the Merseyside workers are Did you know...?
hoping they will be selected to build
the Ampera electric car.
JON WALSH, Senior Press Officer at Kia,
Meanwhile, General Motors USA
1
pictured right, once worked for an
has agreed to sell the Saab marque to
undertaker, was paid £10 a ‘box’ and
Swedish sports car maker
produced three a day. He also had a stint as
Koenigsegg, subject to certain
a DJ at the famous Cavern in Liverpool
conditions.
learning to cajole loud and unreasonable drunks which,
The deal should be completed by the he jokes, prepared him for his current job!
end of the year and includes a £450m
commitment from the European
JULIAN LEYTON, recently retired Press
Investment Bank and provides for
2
the next generation 9-5 models to be
and PR Manager at Citroen, took to his
built in Trolhattan.
bicycle at four o’clock in the morning after
an all-night session during a car press
GM is also on the verge of selling
launch when he decided it was too late and the
Hummer, their premium off-road
brand, to secure 3,000 jobs.
day too nice to go to bed. He finished pedalling his way
around the route which had been set for journos to
Fears have been expressed for the
drive – to get an appetite to eat a hearty breakfast.
future of Aston Martin following the
inability of Dar Investments to raise
necessary capital.
Source: Archive interviews with headlineauto.co.uk
Dar own a 51 per cent share in the
More from the
motor industry
Tesla
signs up
with SMMT
NEW electric sports car
manufacturer, Tesla Motors has
signed up to full membership of
the Society of Motor
Manufacturers and Traders
(SMMT).
Tesla has provided 600
roadsters to customers in the
United States and made its first
UK deliveries during the late
summer when it also opened its
first flagship European store in
London’s Knightsbridge.
The company is committed to
providing ultra-low carbon
vehicles as a realistic alternative
for British customers.
Tesla’s sales and marketing
director is Don Cochrane who is
happy they have officially joined
around 500 automotive
companies including 27 car and
CV manufacturers in this
country.
Kia comes
out on top
KIA Motors has been named as
the UK’s top automotive
company by the Institute of
Transport Management to
recognise its innovative and
dynamic efforts, financially and
environmentally, to achieve a
healthier industry.
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