Eric Mayne

Eric

Mayne

Editor-News Operations

WardsAuto

Email: emayne@wardsauto.com

Eric covers Chrysler and labor issues and writes about a wide variety of other topics as well.

The in-line 3-cyl. engine adds up, delivering the requisite fuel-economy numbers without subtracting from performance.

Among the large CUV’s key upgrades are a new center stack and a breakthrough airbag system that deploys between the front-row seats.

“This type of an announcement not only creates local jobs, but it puts Canada in a very competitive position,” Gary Goodyear says.

Geely’s recently named senior vice president-design hopes to instill in the auto maker’s design staff a commitment to reflect China’s culture in their work.

“It is a Dodge, no doubt,” global brand chief Olivier Francois says. But it also has been “accepted by the Fiat customer as a Fiat.”

Class 6 truck deliveries climbed 172.6% in February, the steepest upward trend, in percentage terms, of any big-truck segment.

“I’m not much into focus groups,” Olivier Francois says, adding he relies on “gut” instinct and input from Chrysler colleagues and outside ad agencies.

Class 8’s 15,418 deliveries in the month trumped like-2011’s 9,712. February’s performance also marked the segment’s 26th consecutive year-over-year gain.

“In a moment of crisis, you have to think deeper about what you stand for,” brand chief Olivier Francois tells WardsAuto.

The Detroit Three met the challenge of the U.S. 18-month downturn that ended in mid-2009 by lowering their respective break-even points through downsizing. “We have 27 markets, so it’s a little bit more complex,” Karl-Freidrich Stracke says.

“We’re never going to back off on investment in new vehicles,” despite economic calamity that has Europe reeling, says the auto maker’s CEO.

The A-Class, one of five planned models based on Mercedes’ New Generation Compact Car platform, bridges the gap between connectivity and motoring safety, Daimler’s CEO says.

“Japan has remarkably overcome the earthquake,” says Renault and Nissan’s CEO. “If there is one drag on the Japanese economy today, it is not the earthquake. It is the yen.”

Expect the deal “to favor suppliers who have a more comprehensive global footprint and can handle global platforms,” says Automotive Parts Manufacturers Assn. President Steve Rodgers.

Dodge, Fiat and the core-brand contributed mightily to the auto maker’s car sales gain in February. Fiat had its best month since returning to the U.S. market.

Auto companies sold 6.56 million vehicles worldwide in April, a 3.4% increase over same-month year-ago, raising total deliveries for the first four months of 2012 to 27.2 million units.

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Eric Mayne

Articles by Eric Mayne

Navigation-system maker TomTom is offering downloads of celebrity voices (including some of these) to guide you on your route. Who would you like to have tell you where to go?

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