http://www.just-auto.comDaily automotive news and comment - from just-auto.com© 2009 All content copyright just-auto.com. Published by Aroq Ltd.Sat, 04 Jul 2009 23:25:34 GMTSat, 04 Jul 2009 23:25:34 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.com10021All eyes were on the numbers this week, and not just US sales numbers. Auto sales there were much as expected with a tail-off towards the end of June (nixing hitting the magic 10m annualised sales rate) as some potential buyers apparently slowed their decisions to await final details of the 'cash for clunkers' scheme.http://www.just-auto.com/article.aspx?id=100113Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:11:00 GMTChinese state-owned automaker Beijing Automotive (BAIC) has submitted an indicative, non-binding offer for Opel, sources familiar with the situation were quoted as saying on Friday.http://www.just-auto.com/article.aspx?id=100110Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:42:00 GMTThe head of Fiat's UK distribution company believes the brand is making good progress to transform its prospects and reposition itself ahead of what he thinks will be a concerted challenge, globally, for European brands from emerging companies in places like China.http://www.just-auto.com/article.aspx?id=100100Fri, 03 Jul 2009 08:00:00 GMTSix of Japan's major automakers will resume plant operations on weekends to manufacture hybrids and other fuel-efficient cars amid signs of an improvement in car demand thanks to recently introduced government tax breaks.http://www.just-auto.com/article.aspx?id=100117Fri, 03 Jul 2009 17:17:00 GMTBillionaire investor Wilbur Ross is among those considering a bid for the assets of bankrupt Delphi Corp, according to Reuters citing two people with knowledge of the matter.http://www.just-auto.com/article.aspx?id=100114Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:43:00 GMTPSA Peugeot Citroen's diesel-electric hybrid SUV looks set for a launch in the first quarter of 2011, according to a report today.http://www.just-auto.com/article.aspx?id=100112Fri, 03 Jul 2009 15:52:00 GMTBritain will help underwrite the planned takeover of the European arm of General Motors, possibly in the form of loans, government business secretary Peter Mandelson said during a van plant visit on Friday.http://www.just-auto.com/article.aspx?id=100111Fri, 03 Jul 2009 14:09:00 GMTKorean automakers have managed to increase their share of the US market amid a painful recession thanks to a winning combination of marketing, pricing and solid products, analysts have said.http://www.just-auto.com/article.aspx?id=100107Fri, 03 Jul 2009 12:56:00 GMTBMW will continue working short hours in its German plants in the second half of this year, a company spokesman has said.http://www.just-auto.com/article.aspx?id=100105Fri, 03 Jul 2009 11:38:00 GMTThere has been another lift in the sale of new vehicles in New Zealand with June's new car sales figures showing an 8% increase over May's registrations. However, year-so-far totals were still behind 2008.http://www.just-auto.com/article.aspx?id=100108Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:31:00 GMTBMW plans to celebrate a Mini milestone at its Oxford, UK plant on Monday when the 1.5 millionth car comes off the line at 10.45.http://www.just-auto.com/article.aspx?id=100106Fri, 03 Jul 2009 11:58:00 GMTFord was the top-selling automaker in Canada last month, for the first time in over 50 years, after selling 27,408 units, up 24.6% year on year and the first such increase in 2009.http://www.just-auto.com/article.aspx?id=100104Fri, 03 Jul 2009 11:19:00 GMTThe Renault-Nissan alliance and EDF have announced the launch of a large-scale electric vehicle test in the Paris region.http://www.just-auto.com/article.aspx?id=100103Fri, 03 Jul 2009 10:26:00 GMTVolkswagen Group China's executive vice president, sales and marketing, Weiming Soh, has been named to an additional VW Passenger Cars role running sales activities in Hong Kong, the ASEAN countries and Taiwan, effective 1 August.http://www.just-auto.com/article.aspx?id=100102Fri, 03 Jul 2009 10:18:00 GMTUK government business secretary Lord Peter Mandelson is today (3 July) visiting GM's van plant in Luton to meet unions and Vauxhall workers.http://www.just-auto.com/article.aspx?id=100101Fri, 03 Jul 2009 09:44:00 GMTThe Japanese government is considering if some sort of noise maker should be added to hybrid cars as the sometimes near-silent vehicles have been called dangerous by the vision-impaired and some users, prompting the review, an official said on Friday.http://www.just-auto.com/article.aspx?id=100116Fri, 03 Jul 2009 17:04:00 GMTVolkswagen on said Friday it had pulled out of Israeli joint venture Dead Sea Magnesium.http://www.just-auto.com/article.aspx?id=100115Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:57:00 GMTUK Ford dealers have taken over 12,000 orders for new cars under the government's scrappage scheme - rising by about 300 sales a day, the company said today.http://www.just-auto.com/article.aspx?id=100109Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:40:00 GMTVehicle seat specialist Lear is to become the latest US components company to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy as the "fastest and most effective way" to reduce debt in the face of slumping global auto production.http://www.just-auto.com/article.aspx?id=100084Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:50:00 GMTWhile most analysts and industry observers will focus on the lessening year on year plunges in US sales recorded last month (especially by a certain Detroit brand with a blue oval on the building), there was a small but significant change in an important pecking order - Chevrolet's Silverado truck line was nudged back to third highest selling US market vehicle (year to date) by Toyota's Camry sedan, itself kept out of the top slot by 29,390 units of that perennial top dog - Ford's F-series truck line.http://www.just-auto.com/article.aspx?id=100081Thu, 02 Jul 2009 11:54:00 GMT