Opel - automotive industry company news 
THE WEEK THAT WAS: A little bit of niggle
17 May 2013
I wouldn't have thought that, with the current state of play in the European auto industry, there'd be too much niggle in the union ranks. But we've reported on a bit this week.
COMMENT: Bochum union factionism a voice from the past
17 May 2013
What are Opel's 3,000 odd workers at its Bochum plant in the heavily-industrialised region of North-Rhine Westphalia (NRW) thinking today?
GERMANY: IG Metall resigns itself to Bochum closure, moots EUR100,000 compensation
17 May 2013
Opel's main union at its Bochum factory in Germany appears resigned to the fact the site will close at the end of next year and is citing an unconfirmed compensation figure of EUR100,000 (US$129,000) for staff with 20 years service.
GERMANY: Renegade Bochum sees Opel move Zafira production to Russelsheim
15 May 2013
Opel has moved swiftly at its militant plant of Bochum in Germany, announcing the Zafira Tourer will be manufactured at Russelsheim from 2015.
US: GM to sell Nissan NV200 van as a Chevrolet
14 May 2013
Echoing a similar model-sharing deal with the Renault-Nissan alliance in Europe, General Motors is to rebadge Nissan's NV200 van to sell in the US and Canada as the Chevrolet City Express.
FRANKFURT PREVIEW: Global debuts list [Peugeot 308 & Volvo VEA engine family added]
13 May 2013
The media days for the Frankfurt motor show are 10 & 11 September. Each time a vehicle or concept world premiere is confirmed for this biennial event, our preview list is updated.
THE WEEK THAT WAS: The numbers are (still coming) in
10 May 2013
Quarterly/fiscal full year results continued to roll in this week with a healthy uptick at Suzuki in 2012/3, the latest Japanese automaker to finally shrug off the combined effects of the double whammy Japanese earthquake and Thai floods - and also benefit from the recent downward movement of the yen.
CHINA: GM’s April sales rise 15.3% to 261,870 units
8 May 2013
Vehicle sales by General Motors (GM) and its joint ventures in China increased 15.3% year on year last month to an April record of 261,870 units.Vehicle sales by General Motors (GM) and its joint ventures in China increased 15.3% year on year last month to an April record of 261,870 units.Vehicle sales by General Motors (GM) and its joint ventures in China increased 15.3% year on year last month to an April record of 261,870 units.
INTERVIEW: Duncan Aldred: acting VP sales, marketing & aftersales, Opel/Vauxhall
8 May 2013
Duncan Aldred was named as the acting vice president, sales, marketing and aftersales Opel/Vauxhall, in January, in addition to his existing role as chairman and managing director of Vauxhall Motors. Simon Warburton caught up with him at the SMMT's recent Test Day.
PRODUCT EYE: Vauxhall Mokka
3 May 2013
A suitably mud-coloured Vauxhall Mokka recently turned up for review at Glenn Brooks' home. He now sees why GM's little SUV is selling up a storm in Europe.
US: GM Q1 results dragged down by Europe
2 May 2013
General Motors (GM) has reported a 14% fall in net profits during the first three months of 2013, as its European operations were hit by the region's economic crisis.
COMMENT: Europe's capacity adjustment creaks along, but is it enough?
2 May 2013
As the middle of the year gets closer, the the European automotive marketplace isn't getting any easier. By last year, Western Europe's car market had lost 3m units since its 2007 peak (a heady 14.8m units). This year is likely to see the market decline by a further 5% or so to not much more than 11m units.
GERMANY: GM announces further investment in Europe
25 April 2013
General Motors is to spend EUR230m (US$300m) at its European Product Development Centre at the Opel headquarters in Ruesselsheim and at the proving ground in Dudenhofen.
INTERVIEW: Purchasing director General Motors Russia: Peter Layer
23 April 2013
Purchasing director General Motors Russia, Peter Layer, recently spoke at the Russian Automotive Forum in Moscow, organised by Adam Smith Conferences, as well as talking to Simon Warburton on the sidelines of the event.
SHANGHAI: GM plans four factories and Opel returns
23 April 2013
General Motors plans four new plants in the next three years in China to bring its production capacity there to 5m vehicles a year.
SHANGHAI: GM to launch 17 models in China this year
22 April 2013
General Motors will launch 17 new or updated models in China this year as it seeks to maintain dominance in the world's largest car market, the automaker's China president Bob Socia said.
THE WEEK THAT WAS: Renaissance at Opel
19 April 2013
Off over to Opel's tech centre at Dudenhofen (in the forest south east of Frankfurt) to see and try some of the new engines and gearboxes in the works.
GERMANY: Renegade Bochum stance sees Opel slam talks door shut
19 April 2013
Union hopes Opel could change its mind concerning more talks to save its Bochum plant in Germany from closure, appear to be fading as the automaker takes an increasingly hard line on rejection of its productivity plan.
PRODUCT EYE: Peugeot eyes new niche with 'luxury' 208 variant
18 April 2013
The UK launch of Peugeot's 208 'hot hatch' sports variant – the 208 GTi - was accompanied, understandably, by some looking back at the brand's widely respected history in that area of the market.
GERMANY: IG Metall union downbeat on Bochum future as internal rows surface
18 April 2013
Opel's main union at the doomed Bochum plant in Germany is pessimistic the site can be rescued following the automaker's decision to shutter the factory in response to worker rejection of a productivity deal.
GERMANY: Opel supervisory board signs off Bochum closure
17 April 2013
General Motors' Opel supervisory board has approved plans to close the car plant in Bochum, Germany, at the end of 2014 after workers rejected a deal that would have kept the factory going as a parts facility.
COMMENT: Revamp should restore confidence in Opel engines
17 April 2013
It's not that long ago some of General Motors Europe's engines had a pretty poor reputation for durability as plastic cam belt pulleys failed or water pumps seized at relatively low mileages, cam belts were thrown off and engines self destructed, while the automaker, in the absence of a cast-iron, official dealer network-only service history, was often pretty unsympathetic to owners.
GERMANY: Opel sees 10-speed automatics
17 April 2013
Automatic transmissions with nine and 10 speeds are likely in the future, according to Opel's Rolf Kruettgen, a transmission specialist with the General Motors Europe unit, as the automaker readies its first eight-speeder for introduction. And GME will eventually offer CVTs and dual-clutch automatics as well.
GERMANY: Grumbly owners prompt Opel manual transmission revamp
17 April 2013
Customer grumbles about poor shift quality and difficult cold start gear engagement were behind a revamp of Opel manual transmissions, according to manual gearbox specialist Rolf Kruettgen.
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.
GERMANY: Opel keen on Russia but but not China - reports
15 April 2013
General Motors' Opel brand will push growth in Russia as part of an export drive to offset slumping business in Europe but steer clear of China, according to German reports.
GERMANY: Opel begins extensive powertrain renewal
15 April 2013
General Motors' European unit Opel is launching three new engine families and 13 new engines between 2012 and 2016, renewing 80% of its engine range.
FRANCE: Nissan to move van production to Sandouville
12 April 2013
Nissan is planning move production of the next generation Primastar commercial van from Spain to Renault's Sandouville plant in France, a move that will help alliance partner Renault keep a pledge to raise domestic output in return for union concessions.
GERMANY: GM to invest EUR4bn in Opel through 2016
11 April 2013
General Motors is to provide Opel with EUR4bn of investment through 2016 in a sign of commitment to its European operations.
SOUTH KOREA: Europe slows Chevrolet output further
9 April 2013
General Motors plans to deepen cuts to output at one of its South Korean plants in April to cope with lacklustre sales in Europe, a company official said.
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