Geneva Motor Show 2021 cancelled and conference sold June 30, 2020 The organisers of the Geneva Motor Show have said that next year’s event will also be cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic. The show, which was due to run between 4 and 14 March 2021, will no longer go ahead until 2022, the Salon International de l’Automobile said in a statement. Instead, organisers will now [...]
Car production slump continues in May despite factories restarting June 26, 2020 The country’s car manufacturers produced a mere 5,314 vehicles in May as output stalled for the second consecutive month due to coronavirus. New data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) showed that although two-thirds of the country’s car plants restarted work last month, output was severely curtailed due to social distancing requirements [...]
Ford UK chairman calls for government zero emissions strategy June 23, 2020 The chairman of Ford in the UK has today called on the government to join with the automotive industry in developing a long-term strategy to hit its target of only selling zero emissions vehicles by 2035. Speaking at today’s virtual Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) summit, Graham Hoare said: “A successful future for [...]
One in six auto jobs at risk, car industry body warns June 23, 2020 One of every six jobs in the UK automotive sector remains at risk from the coronavirus pandemic, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) warned today, unless the government supplies a dedicated restart package to get the industry going again. Over 6,000 jobs were cut already in June, while a third of all sector [...]
European Union begins Fiat-PSA mega-merger probe June 17, 2020 European Union officials have launched a four-month probe into the $50bn mega-merger between Peugeot owner PSA and Fiat Chrysler (FCA) over competition fears. Antitrust regulators are concerned about the merged entity’s high market share in the lucrative small van sector. Upon completion of the merger, the new Fiat-PSA company will control a third of the [...]
Jaguar Land Rover falls to half a billion loss in final quarter June 15, 2020 Luxury carmaker Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) fell to a £501m loss in the fourth quarter, it was announced today, as the coronavirus hammered unit sales. Before the pandemic hit in the last period, JLR said that it had been on track to hit its financial targets after returning to profit in the second and third [...]
Fiat-PSA mega-merger faces months-long competition probe June 11, 2020 The $50bn mega-merger between car giants Fiat Chrysler and Peugeot owner PSA is facing a four-month competition probe from European antitrust officials after the companies failed to provide requested concessions. Over the weekend it emerged that the two firms had been warned by the European Union over their combined high market share in small vans. [...]
European Commission set to scrutinise Fiat-PSA mega-merger June 8, 2020 The European Commission may seek concessions in order to clear the proposed $50bn (£39.6bn) merger of Fiat Chrysler and Peugeot owner PSA over competition concerns. Reuters reported that the body’s antitrust regulators were worried by the potential size of the two firm’s market share in small vans. According to sources, the two firms must dispel [...]
UK car industry flatlines as just 197 cars built in April May 29, 2020 The UK car industry made just 197 cars in April as the shuttering of factories due to the coronavirus pandemic sent production flatlining. Total production dropped 99.7 per cent, with the lowest number of cars built in one month since the Second World War, according to new data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and [...]
McLaren to cut 1,200 jobs as coronavirus forces group restructuring May 26, 2020 Supercar giant McLaren today announced it would cut 1,200 jobs across all of its operations due to the combination of the coronavirus pandemic and the new F1 price cap. The redundancies, which were first reported by Sky, will account for about a quarter of the Surrey-based firm’s workforce of 4,000. Jobs will be cut across [...]