Magna International - automotive industry company news

Q&A with Magna Seating

20 May 2013

Seat manufacturers must develop seats that are lighter, offer more space for occupants and incorporate environmentally friendly materials. Yet space creation inside the vehicle has become critical with the explosion of added content and features. Discerning tastes also mean consumers want more flexible living space within their cars. To find out how Magna Seating is meeting these demands, Matthew Beecham talked with three of the company’s top executives, namely Randy Koenigsknecht, VP Sales & Marketing, Jeff Lambert, VP Engineering and Global IT Services, Dino Nardicchio, Executive Director, Advanced Engineering and Consumer Interface Products.

PRODUCT EYE: Porsche Cayman

17 May 2013

When Porsche GB invites you to the Scottish Highlands to drive its new Cayman, you tend to reschedule whatever else was in the diary. Glenn Brooks was just-auto's man on EasyJet to Inverness.

CANADA: Magna unit receives supplier innovation award from BMW

15 May 2013

Magna International said its Cosma International operating unit was one of eight suppliers which received a BMW Supplier Innovation Award. It was recognised for a lightweight, high-voltage battery housing made of die-cast aluminum made in Germany by Magna BDW technologies.

CANADA: Magna International boosts Q1 sales and profits

10 May 2013

Magna International said on Friday sales of US$8.36bn for the first quarter ended 31 March, 2013, were up 9% year on year as vehicle production increased 1% in North America and fell 9% in Europe.

GOODWOOD FoS PREVIEW: Global debuts list [McLaren 12C GT Can-Am Edition added]

29 April 2013

McLaren Cars is the third brand to have announced a vehicle world premiere for the 2013 Goodwood Festival of Speed. The event will be held from 11-14 July inclusive.

GERMANY: Mini to assemble Countryman at BMW plant in India

17 April 2013

BMW is to start assembling its Mini Countryman at its plant in Chennai, India, later this year.

GERMANY: Merkel hails General Motors $4bn investment, quiet on Bochum

15 April 2013

German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, has welcomed General Motors' decision to plough EUR4bn (US$5.22bn) into its German operations, although is appearing to steer clear of its controversial intention to shutter the Bochum plant early.

CHINA: Magna opens new line at Zhangjiagang plant

22 March 2013

Magna has announced that its Magna Electronics operating unit has started a new automotive camera production line at its Zhangjiagang plant in China.

GERMANY: Anticipation grows at BMW as redesigned MINI nears

19 March 2013

Excitement is building within the BMW Group ahead of the launch of the redesigned third generation MINI at the end of the year but details remain sketchy.

GERMANY: Mini sees sales rise but also more competition

19 March 2013

Mini continues to break sales records around the world but competition is increasing says global sales chief, Graeme Grieve

AUSTRIA: Karl-Friedrich Stracke resurfaces as Magna Steyr president

13 March 2013

Magna International says former Opel CEO, Karl-Friedrich Stracke, will join its Magna Steyr division from 1 April.

Q&A with Magna Steyr: Review of roof systems

12 March 2013

Magna International's roof systems business falls under the auspices of Magna Steyr. Continuing just-auto's interviews with global manufacturers of roof systems, Matthew Beecham talked with Johann Ecker, president, Magna Steyr roof systems.

THE WEEK THAT WAS: Geneva, Toyota reshuffle, Fords from India

8 March 2013

The week's industry highlight undoubtedly was the Geneva show. I wasn't there so, without further ado, let me refer you to our cleverly packaged coverage here and especially the comprehensive reviews just published. Mine's a BMW 3GT, if you're asking.

GENEVA: Global vehicle debuts list [Final version with additional cars & updated descriptions]

6 March 2013

Details of concepts and new models which made their global debuts at the Geneva motor show on media preview days 5 and 6 March.

CANADA: Magna ups 2012 sales 7% to $31bn

4 March 2013

Magna has posted 2012 full-year sales of US$30.84bn, an increase of 7%, reflecting increases in North American, European, and rest of world production sales as well as higher tooling and engineering sales, partially offset by lower complete vehicle assembly sales.

COMMENT: Oleg Deripaska: Basic Element and GAZ Group

1 March 2013

GAZ Group - part of Russian Machines - the machinery and engineering holding of Basic Element - recently started Chevrolet Aveo production at its Nizhny Novgorod facility 250 miles east of Moscow and also produces vehicles for Volkswagen and Skoda.

February 2013 management briefing: Automotive interiors (2)

26 February 2013

This month's management briefing considers that latest developments in automotive interiors. In this second instalment, extracted from just-auto's QUBE seating intelligence service, we take a look at market trends in seating. Matthew Beecham also talks with engineers at JCI and Bridge of Weir Leather to find out what's changing with seat design and consumer tastes.

GENEVA PREVIEW: Qoros to show first production car

15 February 2013

Qoros, the new China-based luxury car brand involving Chery, is to show its first series production car at the Geneva Motor Show.

RUSSIA: GAZ Group parent calls for swift interest rate action

15 February 2013

GAZ Group's parent is calling for urgent action to be taken concerning Russian interest rates in order to target finance more directly.

DETROIT: MINI to spread more production outside UK

15 January 2013

More MINI production is to be shifted out of the UK but owner BMW said Oxford would always be the home of the famous small car.

GERMANY: BMW group books record sales in 2012

10 January 2013

BMW Group sales in 2012 totalled 1,845,186 units worldwide, up 10.6% year on year. All three brands - BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce posted records last year.

December 2012 management briefing: Review of 2012 (part 1)

19 December 2012

Like any year in the auto industry, 2012 saw its fair share of company ups and downs, industrial comings and goings, and a fair old sprinkling of corporate drama. It was also a year of economic uncertainty hovering over automotive markets. We covered it all on just-auto. Editor Dave Leggett sifts through the lot and picks out a few highlights from the year just gone, month by month. Part one covers the first half of the year, part two the second. This is part one.

HUNGARY: Magna Steyr to shut engineering base

6 December 2012

Magna Steyr is closing its vehicle engineering development centre in the Hungarian city of Gyor in the first half of next year, according to industry website Autopro.hu.

RUSSIA: Avtotor and Magna detail cooperation agreement

28 November 2012

Russian carmaker Avtotor Holding Ltd. and Magna International have announced full details of a cooperation agreement in Kaliningrad, Russia, to establish an automotive manufacturing cluster. Avtotor and Magna executives were joined by Russian government officials for the official signing of the agreement.

RUSSIA: Avtotor, Magna to ink deal on car 'cluster'

20 November 2012

Russian car maker Avtotor Holding will sign on Thursday a general agreement of cooperation with Canadian car giant Magna International Europe in order to create an automobile 'cluster' in the Kaliningrad Region, Avtotor Holding said in a statement.

GERMANY: GM tells Opel staff it won't 'cut and run'

16 November 2012

General Motors will not sell its loss-making European unit Opel or "simply close up shop and leave" it, chief executive Dan Akerson told more than 5,000 staff in Germany.

CANADA: Chrysler supplier's seat workers agree contract extension

12 November 2012

The Canadian Auto Workers union agreed to extend a labour contract deadline at a car seat factory in Canada, averting a possible strike from Sunday that could have shut down Chrysler's North American minivan plant.

CANADA: Magna founder leaves board; Q3 sales up 6%

8 November 2012

As it announced third quarter results, Magna International said founder and honorary chairman Frank Stronach would be leaving the board immediately.

SWITZERLAND: Geneva show debut for Chery's Qoros brand

7 November 2012

Qoros Auto Company, a new division of Chery Auto, has announced plans to launch its first model at the Geneva motor show next March. The car, a C-segment sedan, will be "aimed at discerning young buyers in China and Europe".