The board of General Motors will start convening on the fate of the embattled German unit Opel, an issue that has been unsettled to this day. Though many critics speculated that GM would retain Opel despite that various bidders for the company, nothing clear has been seen on what the actual route Opel will really take.

The board meeting is slated for two days as the board meeting aims to tackle this German unit which employs over 25,000 people in Germany alone. Among the bidders who showed interest in acquiring Opel included Magna International Inc. and Russian state-backed bank Sberbank. A third bidder in RHJ International of Brussels is also in the mix although it has shared that it will not be keeping as many employees if it does acquire Opel.

(Source) Metro News

Tags: bidders, board meeting, brussels, General Motors, german unit, Germany, GM, magna international, magna international inc, metro news, Opel, rhj international, russian state

Continue reading...

It seesm that the German government is getting a bit green happy, so happy in fact that Chancellor Angela Merkel has recently said that the government wants to have over 1 million cars on the country’s streets by the year 2020. While this doesn’t remedy the fact that practical electric cars aren’t available for general consumers, Germany hopes to instate and series of incentives for those who do purchase electric vehicles.

The German government hopes to have the above mentioned programs go into effect by 2012. Let’s hope this really gets the ball moving because as gas prices continue to rise so does the need for a cheap electric car.

Read (Associated Press)

Tags: all electric, Germany, government

Continue reading...

If you didn’t know, the United States isn’t the only country supporting a Cash for Clunkers-esque program. And, while it’s generally been a success here in the States, Germany has been having a bit of problems with their native program.

It seems that after the clunkers have been traded in and sent to the junkyard for dismantling, criminals have snuck into said junkyards and stolen the cars to be destroyed. Fingers can’t be pointed at the legislation regarding Germany’s program as our sources say that it only required dealers to drop the traded in car off at the junkyard. Here in the States, legislation actually requires the clunkers to be done away with.

So in the end, Germany’s program may be counter productive because while they have efforts to remove these gas guzzling vehicles from the road, they are instead putting them in a junkyard for thiefs to steal the vehicles and then put them back on the road.

Read (NY Times)

Tags: Cash for Clunkers, Germany, thief

Continue reading...

In a move to do away with the old and in with the new, Britain is on the threshold of devising a plan to entice local car owners to trade in their old cars for new ones. The scheme would probably involve payments of £2,000 vouchers to scrap vehicles that are more than nine years old and offer discounts on new more environment friendly cars.

The plan is designed to boost demand for new cars and help UK’s motor industry which is suffering during the recession. Austria, Portugal, Germany, Italy, Spain and France are among countries that have started such a plan.

Many British ministers are pessimistic about the proposed car scrap scheme as they believe that the plan would mainly benefit countries like Germany and France that produce many of the cars that are sold in the UK. UK car producers say that the plan could generate demand for up to 250,000 new cars.

(Source) Press TV

Tags: brainstorming, car owners, car producers, car scrap, Germany, Italy, new britain, new cars, old cars, recession, scrap plan, spain, uk car, vouchers

Continue reading...

Hella KGaA Hueck & Co has announced that they have produced the 100-millionth electronic pedal processor sensor that is a common part among leading automotive companies today. Hella’s first-generation of electronic pedal modules were made in 1996 in Recklinghausen.

Today, more than 500 Hella employees are involved in the production of electronic pedal modules worldwide. In addition to the Recklinghausen plant, the company now serves its customers from locations in China, India, Mexico, Romania, the U.S. and Korea.

Hella supplies nearly every automotive and several commercial vehicle manufacturers worldwide, with the Asia-Pacific region being a key growth market. The latest generation of pedal modules features more electronic capabilities, while being 50 percent lighter and more compact than the first units produced in 1996.

Hella’s pedal sensors record the position of the pedal and generate the vehicle-specific pedal characteristic, meaning how the pedal “feels” when operated, Menge said. “Our pedal sensors are designed so that the pedal, the pedal-force generation and signal generation are combined in one modular unit.”

Hella is one of the top 50 automotive parts suppliers in the world and one of the 100 largest industrial companies in Germany. Nearly 25,000 people work in 70 manufacturing facilities and production subsidiaries throughout the world, including more than 3,500 research-and-development engineers and technicians. Customers include all of the world’s leading vehicle and systems manufacturers, as well as the automotive parts aftermarket.

(Source) Press

Tags: asia pacific region, automotive parts, china, development engineers, electronic capabilities, force generation, Germany, hella kgaa hueck, India, Korea, manufacturing facilities, Mexico, processor sensor, research and development, romania, sensors, signal generation

Continue reading...

Despite the hard times and economic downturn, Volkswagen has made it clear that they will be continuing their expansion plans in China. This means that they would go through with the introduction of new models in China despite the not-so good state of the economy.

The Germany-based carmaker plans to increase its production capacity in its largest foreign market this year by about 5 per cent to 50,000 cars, said Winfried Vahland, head of Volkwagen’s operations in China. Vahland described the carmaker as remaining optimistic on this year’s business outlook in China although not as positive as it has been in the past.

Total car sales in China for the first two months of the year grew in the low two-digit range. Volkswagen predicted slight growth in the overall car market in China in 2009.

(Source) VisitBulgaria

Tags: carmaker, Cars, china, economic downturn, economy, expansion plans, Germany, models, volkswagen, volkwagen

Continue reading...

In a familiar effort being practiced today, the Automobile Association in Britain has vouched for a car trade-in scheme that would allow buyers to trade in their old cars as their partial payment for newer ones. We have seen similar schemes through the months and hopefully, it can help brighten the light of a faltering car industry in the U.K.

The program has been backed by motor manufacturers who fear a drop in their industry. The number of new cars registered in the UK in January declined 30.9% year-on-year. The ’scrappage’ scheme, as it is called, has been adopted in several European countries.

In Germany, drivers get 2,500 euros for trading in a car more than nine years old, while in France motorists can receive up to 1,000 euros.

(Source) Bombay News

Tags: aa, automobile association, car industry, car trade, Germany, motor manufacturers, motorists, new cars, old cars, scrappage scheme

Continue reading...

The German government is reportedly ready to bailout General Motor Euprope’s Opel with a whopping five billion euros to shore up the company and as a last resort take a temporary stake of no more than 20 percent.

The rescue plan was required by German authorities before any public aid could be granted to Opel, which has been hit by a global auto slump and massive financial problems at its troubled US parent General Motors.

GM employs around 55,000 workers in Europe, including almost 26,000 at Opel.

Opel would repay any state aid by 2014-2015, he said.

(Source) Asia One Motoring

Tags: bailout, Europe, five billion, General Motors, german government, Germany, global auto, GM, Opel

Continue reading...

It looks like the various car owners in India are in for a treat as Xenos has announced that they will be opening 50 Xeno Auto Boutiques in India by 2014. Xenos Technologies is a leading high-end marketing and distribution automotive accessory firm.

The stores earmarked would be offering a range of products like
• Security systems
• Reverse parking sensors
• Audio systems
• DVD players
• LCD screens
• Automotive window films

Other products including interior cleaning and exterior polishing products, car perfumes, seat covers also would be available.

Xenos has tied-up with Nokia (Finland), Delphi (Germany), Directed Electronics (USA) and Solar Guard (USA), among others, for marketing, sales and technical support for their product-lines in India.

(Source) Wheels Unplugged

Tags: boutiques, delphi, Germany, nokia finland, parking sensors, polishing products, screens, security systems, solar guard, window films, xeno, xenos

Continue reading...

In a move that aims to properly get rid of dilapidated or old cars, the German government has reportedly offered to pay $3,250 for people who junk their old cars. The said rebate would be a big help to direct them towards new environmental friendly vehicles, a move that is connected with the $67 billion government plan of Germany.

It’s getting car shoppers’ attention. Abdul Kamand of Frankfurt said the deal looked good as he admired new Volkswagens this week at a Frankfurt dealership.

“I’ve got a Golf with more than 10 years on its back; the car’s old,” Kamand said. “Through this I can make a profit. They’re giving me more than I’d be able to get for the car if I tried to sell it.”

(Source) Sentinel Source

Tags: car shoppers, frankfurt, german government, Germany, government plan, kamand, new volkswagens

Continue reading...

Dodge has a new incentive program for Germany. It will offer discounts for certain car models to pregnant moms. That’s right, if you are a German woman and you want to buy a new Dodge car or minivan, all you have to do is present your pregnancy proof for the discount.

If you are a man and want to get the same discount you should either get you or your wife pregnant. In 20 years from now that will turn into an interesting table conversation with your kids and their girl/boyfriends.

Getting back to Germany Dodge, that’s quite an interesting marketing idea considering that Germany’s birth rate is kind of getting lower and lower. Head on over to a Dodge dealership to ask for more details.

via Obscene Desserts

Tags: Discount, Dodge, Germany

Continue reading...