Automakers begin to mull the Trump effect

As UK Prime Minister, Teresa May, become the first foreign leader to meet new US President Donald Trump, focus will be on trade. And trade with Trump will be the one notion that senior executives in the global automotive industry this weekend will be the mulling the implication of Trump’s inauguration.

Production of Micra returns to Europe

Production of the latest Nissan Micra has begun at Flins in France and, according to Nissan, final checks have ensured the vehicles are finished to the “highest quality”.

Hydrogen fuel cells: yes or no?

Whose voice should we listen to: the lone voice in the wilderness or vehicle makers preparing to peddle their wares in years to come?

Calsonic Kansei to open new UK R&D centre

Calsonic Kansei, a supplier of heat exchange, air conditioning, exhaust, interior and electronic automotive components, has created a new R&D centre at Millbrook’s Bedfordshire-based Technology Park in the UK.

Boost for Dagenham-made CGI engines

Output of 3-litre V6 diesel engines at Ford’s Dagenham Engine Plant, UK topped 100,000 in 2015

Will new Ampera really be a ‘game-changer’?

It will be interesting to see if the GM/Opel Ampera-e is as “game-changing” as the company claims it will be when it is launched next year.

Master achieves record output in 2015

According to Renault sources, the company's Sandouville plant in France built 93,000 New Trafic and vehicles for Renault and its partner GM in 2015.

Peterbilt to offer CGI truck diesel

According to US sources, Paccar’s Peterbilt brand will soon offer the MX-11 diesel engine, which debuted in Europe in 2013.

CGI engines top 18% growth

According to SinterCast there has been a growth of engines using compacted graphite iron (CGI) cylinder blocks that, compared to the first quarter of 2014, provides an average compounded annual growth rate of 18 per cent since 2007.

Nifco buys dyno to test plastic parts

Nifco UK, in Eaglescliffe, near Stockton, has installed a £750,000 dynamometer to allow it to conduct detailed tests on its plastic components.

Nissan makes most UK vehicles

Nissan’s Sunderland plant made the most cars in the UK last year.

GM boosts diesel use for pick-ups

Is The General’s dream of seriously stepping up to the pick-up truck diesel engine table to rival Chrysler and Ford be about to be realised?

Chevrolet introduced at the Los Angeles auto show this week the Colorado ZR2 concept – a vision of how The General's division could take the all-new midsize truck’s off-road capability to the next level. 

Is JLR paving the way for a US plant?

Is JaguarLandRover (JLR) mulling an ambitious plan to build a 200,000 cars-a-year assembly plant in the US? According to the London, UK-based Sunday Times it is.

The news comes as the company officially opens a new 130,000 vehicles-a-year plant in China and later this month is set to open its much-heralded i54 engine manufacturing facility in Wolverhampton, UK.

Nissan readies UK plant for Infiniti Q30

Work is on target to introduce a new vehicle at the UK, Sunderland plant of Nissan where production of the Infiniti Q30 will begin next year.

Nissan is extending the plant by 25,000 square metres to accommodate a new body shop and a new assembly line.

Production of new Smarts gets under way

Production is now under way of the next generation Smart fortwo and the Smart forfour in readiness for the vehicles going on sale in November.

The two new vehicles are built on a new four-wheel-drive architecture that has involved teams from Daimler and Renault which have been working together for the last four years.

The Smart fortwo is being built at Smart's plant in Hambach whereas the forfour and the Renault Twingo are being assembled at the French company's plant in Novo Mesto in Slovenia.

Meanwhile, production of the jointly developed 2-litre, four-cylinder turbocharged gasoline engine has begun at a joint Daimler-Nissan plant, namely the Infiniti Decherd Plant in Decherd, Tennessee.

Interestingly, this new engine will appear, according to sources, in Infinity Q50 vehicles as well as the Mercedes C-Class, which may open a few eyes!

Jaguar's XE diesel: its most efficient yet

Jaguar claims the USP of its new Ingenium diesel engine makes the rear-wheel drive XE the most fuel-efficient Jaguar yet, with CO₂ emissions from just 99g/km.

The Ingenium range is produced at the new £500 million, 100,000 square metres UK Engine Manufacturing Centre in the West Midlands.

Renault to make parts for Nissan Micra

In late 2016, Renault’s Le Mans plant will begin making chassis components for the next-generation Nissan Micra.

This programme will increase the plant’s workload by about eight per cent and draw an investment budget totalling €7 million.

Ricardo to aid Tenneco with DPF support

Ricardo has been selected by Tenneco (Suzhou) Emission Systems Co. Ltd.  to provide diesel particulate filter (DPF) control software and development support.

Ricardo is a leading developer of next-generation fuel-efficient and clean technologies, and is no stranger to working within the Chinese market and has a well-equipped engineering facility and team in Shanghai.

Nissan launches Pathfinder in Russia

Nissan has launched the Pathfinder range in Russia; it includes the first Russian manufactured petrol-electric hybrid. Next year, Nissan will add Qashqai to its Russian production line-up.

Pathfinder debuts alongside the new Russian-built Sentra sedan, reaffirming Nissan's commitment to bringing to market built in Russia, with Russian consumers in mind.

Renault to supply light CV to Fiat from 2016

Renault and Fiat have signed an agreement whereby Renault will supply Fiat with a light commercial vehicle based on a Renault platform.

The styling of the Fiat vehicle will be developed by Fiat and will feature unique and distinctive elements on the model, branded Fiat Professional.