Latest News & Features – Page 71

  • Frederic Vincent Renault CIO
    Article

    Interview: Renault CIO Frederic Vincent

    2018-10-29T11:48:00Z

    France – Renault CIO Frederic Vincent runs both the IT department and the carmaker’s digital transformation unit. “You cannot do digital transformation if you don’t have operational levers,” he says. Frederic Vincent, Renault CIO In an interview with AMS’s sister title automotiveIT International, Vincent talked about the ...

  • Gestamp Hot Stamping
    Article

    Gestamp opens two new facilities

    2018-10-29T10:52:17Z

    Spain - The company has opened a new plant in Matsusaka - it's first in Japan. Costing around €40m (US$46m), the facility will be used to make body-in-white components using hot stamping, and will initially supply Honda."Gestamp’s strategy is always to accompany our customers and we are proud to be ...

  • Alpine A110 Dieppe
    Article

    Alpine scales new heights

    2018-10-26T16:19:36Z

    One of the most interesting plant revivals in the last 12 months has been Renault’s overhaul of its factory in Dieppe, which now builds the A110 sports car. Nick Gibbs reportsThis is the home of Alpine, the revived sporting brand that Renault may or may not expand to become a ...

  • Hyundai Kia wearable technology
    Article

    Hyundai/Kia test wearables

    2018-10-25T16:57:25Z

    South Korea - The companies have recently demonstrated the use of the Hyundai chairless exoskeleton (H-CEX), and now plans on testing the Hyundai vest exoskeleton (H-VEX) technology. These could then be used at plants across North America before the end of 2018."The field of robotics has the potential to usher ...

  • Johann Wolf Rolls-Royce
    Article

    Rolls-Royce appoints production head

    2018-10-25T16:27:51Z

    UK - Johann Wolf has been named director of manufacturing at the company. He has 40 years of experience working in the BMW Group and holding various different manufacturing roles, in the latest of which he was responsible for integrating new products into the company's Dingolfing plant."I am delighted to ...

  • Porsche Mission E Cross Turismo
    Article

    Porsche to make Mission E concept

    2018-10-25T15:38:20Z

    Germany - The Mission E Cross Turismo was previously a concept study, but has now been cleared for series production at the OEM's Zuffenhausen plant. It was first shown at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show.It includes a 800-volt (800v) system, and is now made alongside the 911 and 718. Porsche ...

  • Article

    Faurecia takes on four plants

    2018-10-25T10:06:05Z

    China - The supplier will operate four new plants under a new name: Faurecia Emissions Control Technologies. This company has been formed as the result of a joint venture agreement between Faurecia and Liuzhou Wuling Automotive Industry - a

  • Renault Brilliance
    Article

    Renault/Brilliance to make electric LCVs

    2018-10-24T15:01:52Z

    China - The two companies have teamed up and signed a strategic agreement with Chinese officials from Liaoning province, which is situated in the northeastern part of the country. Here, the companies will produce three new light commercial vehicles (LCVs) from their plant in Shenyang."Ten months after our initial launch ...

  • Ford GT
    Article

    Ford extends GT production

    2018-10-24T14:15:19Z

    UK - The OEM has said it will re-open the application window for its GT in certain markets in order to make and sell around 1,350 additional units of the supercar. This, says Ford, is the result of high demand."The response to our Ford GT has been unprecedented, with demand ...

  • Ford Ranger Michigan Assembly Plant
    Article

    Ford starts Ranger production

    2018-10-24T10:52:55Z

    US - The midsize pick-up is now being built at the OEM's Michigan Assembly Plant, which was previously used to make the Focus. By moving away from compact car production to larger vehicles, the company believes it is becoming more aligned with current consumer preferences."Ford truck fans demanded a midsize ...

  • Dyson Singapore
    Article

    Dyson to build EV plant

    2018-10-23T14:21:00Z

    Singapore - The company has announced plans to make its first electric car at a new plant in Singapore. According to a memo that was sent to staff by chief executive Jim Rowan, the location has been chosen due to its proximity to “high-growth markets” and availability of skilled workers. ...

  • Audi artificial intelligence in press shop
    Article

    Audi uses AI in press shop

    2018-10-22T17:25:04Z

    Germany - The company has worked with the production technology division of the equipment and metal forming technology competence center to develop software that automatically recognises and marks cracks in sheet metal parts in a matter of seconds. It is currently being tested at Audi's factory in Ingolstadt, but could ...

  • Williams platform
    Article

    Grid reference

    2018-10-22T14:28:10Z

    Mike Farish visits Williams Advanced Engineering to see how the company delivers a distinctive F1 take on an innovative electric vehicle platformOne of the implications of the growth of the market for electric vehicles is the opportunity it provides for newcomers possibly to become major players in the automotive industry ...

  • SEAT Tarraco
    Article

    Wolfsburg plant makes SEAT Tarraco

    2018-10-22T11:52:25Z

    Germany - Volkswagen's Wolfsburg plant has started making the SUV, which is based on the MQB platform. This marks the first time in 20 years that the facility will make a model without the VW badge, the last of which was the SEAT Arosa in 1998."The car was completely designed ...

  • 2018 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross 1.5-litre Direct Injection Engine
    Article

    GAC Mitsubishi makes engines

    2018-10-22T11:13:45Z

    China - The company has started making its 4B4 and 4J1 engines at a new plant in Changsha, Hunan. These were previously imported from Japan before being dropped into the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross SUV and the Outlander SUV.The engine plant has an annual production capacity of 200,000 units, and according ...

  • Magna seating Chomutov
    Article

    Magna opens seat facility

    2018-10-22T09:47:14Z

    Czech Republic - The supplier recently started making seats at its new plant in Chomutov, which is located in north west of the country. It is being used to provide seating in various configurations for a number of BMW models."This is a big win for our employees as well as ...

  • Skoda Fabia
    Article

    Skoda hits 1m milestone in 2018

    2018-10-19T16:11:45Z

    Czech Republic - The company recently produced its millionth vehicle in 2018 alone, two weeks earlier than it hit the same milestone in 2017. It also marks the fifth consecutive year that Skoda has made over a million vehicles."The current financial year shows that a modern model range allows Skoda ...

  • John Savona Ford
    Article

    Ford names VP of manufacturing

    2018-10-19T15:47:23Z

    US - John Savona has been appointed vice president of North American manufacturing. He is now responsible for the company's entire production footprint across the country, which consists of over 30 plants."John has nearly 30 years of experience in Ford manufacturing, having held leadership positions in many of our manufacturing ...

  • Mazda Hajime Seikaku
    Article

    Mazda appoints new R&D VP

    2018-10-19T15:01:56Z

    Japan - Hajime Seikaku has been named the new vice president of Mazda's European Research & Development Centre, which is located in Oberursel, Germany. He was previously working at Mazda's vehicle development division in Japan."Mr. Seikaku brings a wealth of vehicle development expertise and knows the requirements and preferences of ...

  • MAN Lion City E
    Article

    MAN prepares for electric buses

    2018-10-19T14:33:24Z

    Poland - The commercial vehicle maker is readying its plant in Starachowice, which is located in the south east, for the mass production of its Lion's City E buses in 2020. Work is expected to be fully completed in 2021, and will cost around €27.4m (US$31.41m).MAN has not revealed details ...