South America
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ArticleNafta aftermath
A new trade deal era will reconfigure Mexico’s automotive industry relations with the US, Nick Gibbs reports Mexico’s reign as the champion of export-led automotive manufacturing among emerging economies is looking distinctly shaky. Last year, production there fell for the first time since the global financial crisis in 2008, ...
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Ford's future
The UK press was rather excited recently when one of the Sunday papers claimed that the Ford Mondeo would be axed. Given that this model is not, and has never been, made in the UK, such concern was perhaps surprising. This was part of a wide-ranging story that Ford was ...
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Pacific standard
Responding to the boom in SUV and crossover markets, the OEMs of Japan and Korea continue to invest in manufacturing operations across their long-established North American networks. Ian Henry reports Cross-border Corolla After a period of not investing in North America, Toyota is once again expanding in the region. It ...
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The man who saved Fiat and Chrysler
Sergio Marchionne was a remarkable man. He dominated the auto industry’s headlines and news agenda and his passing robs the industry of one of its few star names In an age when be-suited corporate types still bestride many auto sector boardrooms, Marchionne’s casual dress sense (sweater and no tie were ...
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Nissan boosts Navara production
Argentina - The pick-up is now being built at the Renault plant in Santa Isabel, Cordoba. Nissan has cited rising global demand for the model as justification for the move. "With more than 15 million Nissan pickup owners across 180 countries, trucks are a growing segment across the world and ...
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A slow return to growth
Vehicle-makers in South America are seeing signs of recovery, boosted by growing exports, reports Nick Gibbs
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Mercedes-Benz do Brazil gets new line
Brazil - A building has been constructed at the company s plant in Sao Bernardo do Campo to house a new production line for light- and heavy-duty trucks. The project lasted for three years and cost a total of €125m (US$153.83m). According to the OEM, the line is 15% ...
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Lightweighting with laser-welded blanks
The latest generation of steels brings new opportunities for OEMs Laser-welded blanks (LWB) give automotive engineers the chance to design lightweight parts that ensure the right steel is in the right place for safety and performance. Combining LWBs with new hot-stamping grades, such as Usibor 2000 and Ductibor 1000, or ...
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VW pours €22.8bn into production network
Germany – The OEM said the funds will be used to implement its Transform 2025+ strategy, focusing on “the further development of modular production, the continuation of the model offensive and further orientation towards e-mobility”. The investment, equivalent to $27 billion, will be spread over five years to 2022. “The ...
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VW invests €560m at Pacheco for new SUV
Argentina – The OEM said the plant would undergo “modernisation measures” costing the equivalent of $660m to optimise the production process, enhancing quality and sustainability while enabling it to make the new SUV by 2020. The introduction of the model, based on Volkswagen’s Modular Transverse Matrix (MQB) platform, will create ...
