PSA-GM: The final solution?

It is quite clear that executives of General Motors Europe and PSA Group have been working behind the scenes for quite some time in secret to cobble together a deal to off-load General Motors’ Europe (GME) vehicle-making operations.

Opel to publish WLTP results for 2016 Astra

From April 2016, Opel will publish fuel consumption figures according to WLTP (Worldwide Harmonized Light Duty Vehicles Test Procedure) as part of its next step to meet future emissions guidelines, both on CO2 and NOx.

Turnaround at Vauxhall

Vauxhall claims that its Vivaro UK van plant in Luton, Bedfordshire is working “almost full capacity”.

Next Astra has 1.4-litre aluminium engine

Leaked photographs have forced Vauxhall to reveal prematurely details of its next Astra, powered by an aluminium I4 gasoline engine; its predecessor has a cast iron cylinder block.

PSA/GM light vans set for Vigo in 2018

Next-generation small light (Transit van look-alike) commercial vehicles from PSA Peugeot Citroën and General Motors will be built in Vigo, Spain

550 UK jobs boost at Vauxhall

Vauxhall will take on 550 new employees at its manufacturing sites in Ellesmere Port and Luton, the first significant new-hire programme for a decade.

Around 300 new jobs will be secured at the Ellesmere Port plant in Cheshire.  The plant currently operates on two shifts but as sales volumes build more employees are required to cope with increased output at the facility. The new jobs will be phased in over the first quarter of 2015.

Europe: Chevy out but Caddy stays

General Motors does not seem to know what to do in Europe: it is kicking out the Chevrolet brand, but giving Cadillac some extra shine. Why not dump Cadillac too? And why go to the expense of developing a new diesel for the brand?

The decision to withdraw Chevrolet from Europe was made to "clear the runway for Opel and Vauxhall," claims Dan Ammann, president of General Motors and chairman of Opel's supervisory board.

Nissan UK tops plants, brands

In the UK, Nissan Motor Manufacturing UK at Washington on Tyneside produced the most vehicles in 2012 with an output of 510,572 units. It also made the most of any one single brand – 310,837 of its Qashqai model. In June, the plant will begin building the second-generation Leaf electric car.

The figures produced in the SMMT Motor Industry Facts 2013 of the ‘top five’ UK producers and brands, showed that Jaguar Land Rover held second position with 305,467 vehicles built, though in model ranking its Evoque brand came fourth with 112,331 units built. A new nine-speed automatic gearbox from ZF will be fitted first to Evoque models before spreading through the range.

The third highest output was recorded by BMW’s Mini plant at Oxford with 207,530 units built. The Mini brand came second behind Quasqai.