Archive for the ‘Industry’ Category

Bob Lutz is a controversial guy: a slick salesman/cheerleader who can get the public riled up about a new car, but also the kind of hothead who's been known to speak before considering the consequences -- like that time he called global warming "a total crock of" hooey. (We paraphrase.) However, at least one critic thinks Lutz might be an excellent choice for GM's new CEO. Granted, part of his rationale is that Lutz has "a full head of silver hair", but hey, it's an interesting proposition. [Forbes]

Strategic partnerships are key elements in most successful business plans, and that goes double during trying economic times like these. We've seen countless alliances in the auto industry in recent years, and the next couple to hook up may be Mitsubishi Motors and PSA Peugeot-Citroen; said a Mitsubishi spokesperson: "We have been talking about whether we can have deeper relationship [with Peugeot-Citroen], and a capital tie-up is one among many options." What such a commingling  might look like on paper and in practice remains uncertain, but given each company's focus on EV technology, it could easily generate some interesting developments...

Last week, when we reported on the Koenigsegg Group's failed attempt to purchase Saab from GM, we mentioned that a member of that group -- Beijing Automotive Industry Corporation (BAIC) -- might make its own bid for the troubled Swedish brand. That was an educated guess, based largely on the fact that BAIC also made independent plays for Opel and Volvo. However, our suspicions may have been confirmed during a recent interview with BAIC's general manager, Wang Dazong. Asked about the possibility of BAIC going for Saab on its own, he replied "I would just say, 'stay tuned a little bit'". So maybe the fourth time's the charm.

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