What's Japanese for Schadenfreude?

Posted 10:05 am U.S. ET, March 3

Paul McVeigh is Managing Editor of Automotive News Europe.

The Germans have a word for taking pleasure in others' misfortune – Schadenfreude. But at the Geneva auto show German auto executives were careful to avoid any mention of it when talking about rival Toyota.
When asked if Toyota's safety recall issues would lead to Mercedes-Benz and BMW trying to grab sales from luxury rival Lexus in the United States, both carmakers showed no enthu ...
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Pop star Timberlake makes Geneva debut for Audi

Posted 3:05 am U.S. ET, March 3

James Franey is a special correspondent for Automotive News Europe

Going green and small cars are the big buzzwords of this year's Geneva auto show ... so much so that now even platinum-selling pop stars are getting in on the act and downsizing to more fuel-efficient models.
Audi pulled off a marketing coup when it signed up U.S. singer Justin Timberlake as its brand ambassador for the new A1 subcompact.
“It's a cool car. It fits in perfectly with the ...
     Continue reading "Pop star Timberlake makes Geneva debut for Audi" » Mar 3 3:05 am U.S. ET Post Comment  |  Permalink

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Chinese try again in Europe

Posted 12:01 am U.S. ET, March 3

Douglas A. Bolduc is News Editor of Automotive News Europe.

When BYD's auto export boss Henry Li told the Geneva auto show Tuesday that the fast-growing Chinese automaker will launch two cars – a full-electric and plug-in hybrid – in Europe next year thoughts of Landwind and Brilliance started to appear in my head.
Those two Chinese brands stumbled in Europe because their models performed poorly in crash tests. Brilliance also was hurt by th ...
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'Two jobs' Zetsche says Bernhard isn't his new deputy

Posted 7:10 am U.S. ET, March 3

Paul McVeigh is Managing Editor of Automotive News Europe.

Wolfgang Bernhard is not the crown prince at Daimler, according to Dieter Zetsche. Since Bernhard was promoted to Daimler's management board last month, there has been a lot of speculation that Bernhard will soon become Zetsche's right-hand man – just like he was when Zetsche was head of Chrysler.
Bernhard, 49, also will eventually succeed Zetsche as head of the automaker, according to m ...
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Introducing the Toyota Tiguan, ah, I mean RAV4

Posted 4:49 am U.S. ET, March 2

Douglas A. Bolduc is News Editor of Automotive News Europe.

Back before problem pedals and balky brakes brought Toyota's president to tears, we in Europe started to see signs that the giant automaker was losing its edge.
Toyota basically owned the SUV segment in Europe during the last decade because no one could offer a serious challenge to the RAV4.
That all changed when the Volkswagen Tiguan arrived in 2007.
Toyota's leadership in the segment e ...
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Volvo CEO mum on his future with Geely

Posted 11:39 am U.S. ET, March 2

Diana Kuylko covers various import brands headquartered in the New York area for Automotive News.

Stephen Odell, CEO of Volvo Car Corp. says it's going to be a tough year again, but "it just may be more fun" than 2009.
That means a market that will react in "fits and starts," says Odell.
Whether his career will follow the same path, Odell, isn't saying. It's unclear whether he's part of the package in the pending sale of Volvo to China's Geely.
He only says that part of the deal in ...
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Ford soars, Toyota slips: Who'd've thunk it?

Posted 12:01 am U.S. ET, March 2

Jesse Snyder is a senior writer for Automotive News

February's U.S. sales results are full of surprises. Who'd've thunk …
… That recall-plagued Toyota only lost 9 percent?
… That Chrysler lined up with the winners?
… That hot-hot Hyundai had the fifth-best percentage gain of the Big Seven?
… That a Detroit 3 company would win in a runaway?
Of course, sales race results make more sense when you kno ...
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Porsche's green surprise

Posted 9:03 am U.S. ET, March 2

Diana Kuylko covers various import brands headquartered in the New York area for Automotive News.

GENEVA -- The Volkswagen Group welcomed Porsche as the newest member of its growing collection of brands by rolling out a surprise plug-in electric hybrid concept sports car.
At the VW Group event on the evening prior to the Geneva motor show, Porsche showed the two-seat 918 Spyder concept powered by a 500-hp V-8 and three electric motors that provide an additional 218-hp. Each of VW's nine br ...
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Welcome to the family, Porsche

Posted 12:01 am U.S. ET, March 2

Jason Stein is editor of Automotive News.

No one was quite sure if Porsche was going to show up Monday night at the Volkswagen Group event. Its logo wasn't included with the other nine VW brands on display.
But, one hour into the two-hour presentation, a roaring grey Porsche 918 hybrid concept made its appearance with Porsche AG CEO Michael Macht behind the wheel.
Porsche joined the ranks of Seat, Skoda, Bentley and Bugatti.
And ...
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At Ford, it's 'amazing where we've ended up'

Posted 4:05 pm U.S. ET, March 1

Jason Stein is editor of Automotive News

What a difference a year makes, at least on the night before opening day at the Geneva auto show.
At Ford's unveiling Monday night, the first reveal event of the show, that positive mood was everywhere.
"You feel the difference a year later," Ford designer Martin Smith told me. "There is just a sense of more confidence with everyone."
Ford's candy apple red five-door Focus wagon drew pl ...
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VW parties with its many new friends

Posted 3:57 pm U.S. ET, March 1

Jason Stein is editor of Automotive News

Justin Timberlake. Mr. Suzuki. Italian models. And Dr. Piech.
Volkswagen Group rolled out an all-star cast at their evening event held in a warehouse in Geneva Monday night.
JT came out in the Audi A1 new city car, saying that he's 'buyer No.1' on the waiting list, a fact verified by Audi boss Rupert Stadler who joined him on stage for the intro.
Timberlake followed an appearance by Su ...
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BLOG: Not even a little curious, Nissan dealers?

Posted 12:01 am U.S. ET, Feb. 27

Lindsay Chappell is the U.S. mid-South bureau chief of Automotive News

I keep thinking about this, and it just seems strange.
Two weeks ago in Orlando, a pretty sizeable audience of Nissan dealers went into a convention auditorium with the factory's top U.S. brass for the annual franchise make meeting.
Despite the fact that Nissan is about to embark on what might the gutsiest and most unusual product plan in the industry -- the launching of a line of mass-marke ...
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BLOG: Slang watch: Toyota, look out

Posted 11:51 am U.S. ET, Feb. 25

Lindsay Chappell is the U.S. mid-South bureau chief of Automotive News

Toyota's managers are keeping an ear to the ground right now, listening for any indicator that the company's troubles might be more serious than a few public whippings and class-action lawsuits.
Here's one: They have become slang.
In The New York Times of Sunday, Feb. 21 -- read by 1,450,000 people, give or take -- there's a completely unrelated Page 1 story on a new book about the dr ...
     Continue reading "BLOG: Slang watch: Toyota, look out" » Feb 25 11:51 am U.S. ET Post Comment  |  Permalink

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Ford's crossover tease

Posted 2:58 pm U.S. ET, Feb. 15

Jamie LaReau covers Ford for Automotive News.

During the company's annual make meeting here on Sunday, Ford flashed an on-screen graphic of the upcoming Ford Kuga small crossover. It wound up teasing Lincoln Mercury dealers.
One of them, Bob Tasca Jr., says he'd like to get a version of it for Lincoln Mercury. Tasca, chairman of the Ford Lincoln Mercury dealer council, says company leaders wouldn't confirm at the meeting if Lincoln or Merc ...
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Defensive? Understandable. A big story? Yes!

Posted 3:07 pm U.S. ET, Feb. 15

Amy Wilson covers retail issues for Automotive News.

The Toyota make meeting was the hot ticket this morning. More than a dozen press people, camera crews included, waited outside the meeting room to ask dealers and factory reps the latest about the recall. Convention security waited outside, too. Just in case, I guess.
No ruckus broke out. Instead, Toyota dealers leaving the meeting described a generally upbeat affair. A few were defensive, bla ...
     Continue reading "Defensive? Understandable. A big story? Yes!" » Feb 15 3:07 pm U.S. ET Post Comment  |  Permalink

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