All OEMs articles
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ArticleThe billion euro plant
FCA has invested heavily in its plant at Melfi to create a state-of-the-art production facilityThe workforce at Fiat’s Melfi factory gave a huge cheer when, back in 2012, FCA head Sergio Marchionne announced that the ailing plant was to receive a €1 billion (£700 million) investment to make two new ...
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ArticleDaimler-Renault-Nissan – The alliance in action
normal">We conclude our review of Daimler’s partnership with Renault and Nissan with a look at platform and production sharing projectsThe preceding articles set out the background to and rationale behind the alliance between Daimler and Renault-Nissan. In this article, we look at each of the joint projects in turn, ...
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ArticleFirst Civic Type R off the line at Honda Swindon
UK – The first production models of the Civic Type R have rolled off the line at the Japanese carmaker’s UK plant. Addressing those gathered for the event, Soichiro Takizawa, managing director at HUM, took the opportunity to thank staff for their continued commitment and hard work.The new Honda Civic ...
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Article
Watch Cadillac joining a CT6 body
GM has announced a new combination of joining technologies for the Cadillac CT6. The methods are in use at Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly plant, Michigan.
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ArticleHams Hall ramps up for BMWi engine production
UK – A new facility has been developed within the Birmingham plant for production of the three-cylinder BMW TwinPower Turbo technology petrol engines, the first of a new generation to be built there. Powered by engines produced exclusively at Hams Hall, the first of BMW’s plug-in hybrid sports cars will ...
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Interview: Karim Mikkiche, Renault-Nissan Alliance
The managing director of RNTBCI talks economical engineering with AMS‘Frugal engineering’. It’s a phrase you hear a lot at the joint Renault-Nissan technical centre in India, the only one within the Alliance to serve both brands, and now also the newly resurrected Datsun. But ‘Frugal engineering’ is not a polite ...
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Article
GM sells Peugeot Citroen equity
US – The 7% stake, representing over 24 million shares, was sold through private placement to institutional investors and generated gross proceeds of €0.25 billion. General Motors announced that there would be no public offering of the securities in the US; the offer and sale of the shares will not ...
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ArticleReality meets potential
GM production set-upModulesGoing globalRapid responseImplementing efficienciesEngine and chassis productionBrazilian manufacturing chiefs from GM, PSA and Daimler reveal the key factors supporting record production figures - and whether those numbers are sustainableThe retail prices of new cars in Brazil have, like a lot of other products, been on the increase. But ...
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ArticleVariations on a colour theme
Limitless possibilitiesPSA’s Pierre Budar explains how production of the new Citroën DS3 hatchback has been organised to allow for the car’s twotone paint finish.The DS3 is the first model in Citroën’s new line which will ultimately feature three distinctively styled cars; DS3, DS4 and DS5. Key to their appeal is ...
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ArticleAlliance develops common process
Michel Gornet, Executive Vice-President, Manufacturing and Logistics, talks about the Renault-Nissan Alliance´s new plant in Chennai, India and reviews the company’s global manufacturing activities.AMS: Why did you decide to build a factory in India? What are the advantages?MG: India represents an important market for Nissan. India will be Nissan’s global ...
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ArticleNew survival strategies at GM and Mitsubishi
Future solutionsNedCar futureCross-brand co-operationIt is an observation of gross understatement to say that Nick Reilly, President of GM Europe and CEO of Opel/Vauxhall, has his work cut out for him. Having taken the lead role in the reorganization of Opel on an interim basis after the resignation of Carl-Peter Forster, ...
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ArticleRaising the roof at Jaguar
Expert partnersToo smooth for a vision systemThe new Jaguar XJ features among its generous list of standard equipment the first full-glass roof on a Jaguar. This toughened Webasto glass roof is a defining feature of the new model, adding an ‘architectural lightness’ to the car’s exterior. A special opening mechanism ...
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ArticleLeipzig gets the X-factor
New press shop for LeipzigAdjusting production processesSetting up the supply chainModel developmentProduction of the X1 crossover has started at BMW’s plant in Leipzig, Germany and that of the 3-Series saloon has halted. Although taking design cues from the X5 SUV, the smaller X1 features an all-new chassis that - in ...
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ArticleUltimate flexibility
People PowerLogistics and weatherWorld-class flexibilityPart deliveryWorking with labourTechnologies put in place at Kia Motors Slovakia seem to back up the claim that it is the company’s – and perhaps the world’s – most efficient automotive production plant.In Kyu Bae, President and CEO of Kia Motors Slovakia, says that the company’s ...
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ArticlePushing boundaries at Ford India
Part deliverySignal interferenceIncreased automationA better body shopPioneering paint shop technologyAll in one placePreparing for exportsWhile car sales in China have tended to grab the recent headlines, sales in India – and particularly small car sales - continue to increase at a break-neck pace, with market leader Maruti Suzuki posting record ...
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ArticleRapide production
Oven readyFine tuning the productPaint and final assemblyFirst four-door since LagondaWith Aston Martin’s Gaydon, UK facility nearing capacity, the carmaker has elected to work with Austria’s Magna Steyr for production of its Rapide fourdoor sports car. "A year ago, this building was an empty shell. From January until now, we ...
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ArticleAll that Jazz
In September 2008, Honda finalised plans to start production of the second generation Jazz at its Swindon, UK facility. One year later, the car went into series production. To discover how Honda of the UK Manufacturing (HUM) has managed to implement production of the Jazz city car in just 12 ...
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ArticleElectrification – market stagnation?
Challenges and opportunities for component suppliersTransfer the quality of present-day machine tools to new fields of applicationGROB Hall 16, Stand G36ISCAR Hall 9, Stands A21, B45 and D09MAG Powertrain, MAG Europe Hall 16, Stand G34The future, it would appear, belongs to the “electrifiers”. Audi, for example, is investing in the ...
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ArticleThe dragon defies the downturn
GM China - common practices and global systemsUpper segment boomLabour laws – improving but still restrictiveProduction equipment – German versus localGreat Wall - a domestic tigerHigh strength from hand-welding and finishingLabour and skill setsHyundai - dealing with demandNew technologies increase speedQuality by numbersIn April 2009, the general consensus was that ...
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ArticleBeauty on a budget at Farbio
Engineering for productionCunning carbon fibre solutionsSupply strategiesPaintshop and final assemblyTesting times aheadThere have been many attempts to bring exclusive, low-volume supercars to market, but the truth is that few of these projects have ever seen paying customers taking delivery of finished vehicles. Building a single, functioning prototype before funds run ...