http://www.just-auto.comDaily automotive news and comment - from just-auto.com© 2010 All content copyright just-auto.com. Published by Aroq Ltd.Fri, 12 Mar 2010 01:58:14 GMTFri, 12 Mar 2010 01:58:14 GMTjust-auto.com - RSS feedjust-auto.comhttp://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss20http://www.just-auto.com/images/small_logo_auto.gifhttp://www.just-auto.com10021As expected, BMW posted a hefty 2009 decline in net earnings today, but there were signs of significant improvement to the trend in the fourth quarter and the company is being cautiously optimistic on the 2010 outlook.http://www.just-auto.com/article.aspx?id=103521Thu, 11 Mar 2010 12:23:00 GMTWith the world's economies in turmoil, China's star continues to rise. Indeed, China has remained the only one of the world's major economies that continued to show growth through the global recession of 2008-09. In this extract from a just-auto research report looking at the Chinese auto industry and its prospects, Mark Bursa considers the causes of continued - and seemingly inexorable - market growth.http://www.just-auto.com/article.aspx?id=103518Thu, 11 Mar 2010 11:13:00 GMTLaura Soave will lead the reintroduction of Fiat in North America, reporting to Chrysler Group CEO Sergio Marchionne.http://www.just-auto.com/article.aspx?id=103517Thu, 11 Mar 2010 11:07:00 GMTAt 259,328 vehicles, worldwide sales at Daimler Trucks plunged by 45% during the course of 2009. The division's revenues declined by 36% to EUR18,360m. But after that eye-popping downturn, the company sees some improvement to the market environment ahead as well as continued efficiency gains in its manufacturing operations.http://www.just-auto.com/article.aspx?id=103535Thu, 11 Mar 2010 17:21:00 GMTGeneral Motors will repay about US$8bn in debt to the United States and Canada before June and could go public in a way that would allow taxpayers to make a profit on the bailout, chief executive Ed Whitacre has said.http://www.just-auto.com/article.aspx?id=103534Thu, 11 Mar 2010 17:13:00 GMTPeugeot Brazil has developed this attractive new pickup truck - targeted at the popular 'pseudo offroader' recreational vehicle segment.http://www.just-auto.com/article.aspx?id=103516Thu, 11 Mar 2010 10:30:00 GMTNegotiations with management on a restructuring plan for the Opel factory in Spain have collapsed, unions have said.http://www.just-auto.com/article.aspx?id=103532Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:45:00 GMTDaihatsu - a company controlled by Toyota - has said it will recall almost 275,000 vehicles, mainly in Japan, due to defects including a missing or loose bolt in the suspension system.http://www.just-auto.com/article.aspx?id=103529Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:15:00 GMTA rise in raw material prices, coupled with costs associated with new emission regulations, could force Indian automakers to increase prices further, which may hit volumes according to a local media report.http://www.just-auto.com/article.aspx?id=103528Thu, 11 Mar 2010 15:44:00 GMTNissan plans to start producing the Nissan Murano SUV at its St Petersburg plant in early 2011, Fujio Hosaka, head of the firm's Russian manufacturing subsidiary, has said.http://www.just-auto.com/article.aspx?id=103525Thu, 11 Mar 2010 14:38:00 GMTAvtoVAZ, 25% owned by Renault, plans to triple production to around 1.2m cars a year by 2020, Reuters reported, citing unnamed sources close to the company.http://www.just-auto.com/article.aspx?id=103524Thu, 11 Mar 2010 13:09:00 GMTVolkswagen's Czech unit Skoda Auto plans additional shifts building three models in the second quarter, making up for some production lost in February due to low demand, the carmaker's union said on Thursday.http://www.just-auto.com/article.aspx?id=103523Thu, 11 Mar 2010 13:03:00 GMTMitsubishi Motors, already lagging other foreign automakers in China, is unlikely to accept an opportunity to increase its stake in one of its two main joint ventures in the country because it wants to preserve cash, a source told the Wall Street Journal.http://www.just-auto.com/article.aspx?id=103522Thu, 11 Mar 2010 12:42:00 GMTAfter three years and nine rounds of negotiation, Colombia has finally signed a free trade agreement (FTA) with Europe that includes the automotive segment.http://www.just-auto.com/article.aspx?id=103520Thu, 11 Mar 2010 12:07:00 GMTWhile Valeo could sell some assets it currently has no plans to close plants in Europe, according to the firm's chief executive, speaking to a French daily newspaper.http://www.just-auto.com/article.aspx?id=103519Thu, 11 Mar 2010 11:55:00 GMTNissan today announced management changes at design centres in America and Europe. Alfonso Albaisa, currently vice president, design, Nissan Design Europe, will return to Nissan Design America (NDA) as vice president.http://www.just-auto.com/article.aspx?id=103533Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:56:00 GMTSouth African vehicle tracking group MiX Telematics (MiX) has announced that diversified industrial holdings group Imperial has acquired a strategic stake of 25.4% in MiX.http://www.just-auto.com/article.aspx?id=103530Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:38:00 GMTBrazil's justice ministry has fined the local Fiat unit BRL3m (US$1.5m) for failing to recall thousands of Stilo cars built after 2004 despite an alleged rear-wheel hub problem.http://www.just-auto.com/article.aspx?id=103527Thu, 11 Mar 2010 14:58:00 GMTRussia's Sberbank has concluded an agreement to open a five year USD340m credit line for Russian car distributor Rolf.http://www.just-auto.com/article.aspx?id=103526Thu, 11 Mar 2010 14:58:00 GMTFord has announced that Peter Fleet has been named president, Ford ASEAN, effective April 1, 2010.http://www.just-auto.com/article.aspx?id=103531Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:44:00 GMT