Short Torque

Wuest to take reigns of Audi China

Gaby-Luise Wuest will replace Thomas Owsianski as president of Audi China starting from July 1, according to a statement on Friday. Audi said the appointment is to better implement its future business strategy in China. Wuest will focus on partnerships, brand management, products and dealerships and also explore business opportunities in some core fields, including digitalization and connectivity. Owsianski will serve as chief of Volkswagen's operations in Argentina.

First pickup report released in Beijing

China's first report on the pickup truck industry was released on June 25 in Beijing, which reviews its history in the country and is set to pave the way for the industry's better development in the future. The pickup truck sales have been growing fast in China despite an overall slowdown. The report found that 448,000 trucks were sold in China last year, a growth of 9.1 percent year-on-year. Analysts believe that the segment will continue its growth as China loosens its limits on pickup trucks in urban areas. China saw its vehicle sales decline 2.8 percent last year, its first year-on-year decline in 28 years.

Ford cutting 12K jobs in Europe

US carmaker Ford said Thursday it plans to slash a total of 12,000 jobs across Europe as part of a previously announced restructuring. The overall figure includes 5,400 layoffs already announced in Germany and 1,700 in Wales. The move comes as the company closes or sells six plants in Britain, France, Russia and Slovakia this year and next. The job cuts will come "primarily through voluntary separation programs", said Ford, which employs around 51,000 people and operates 24 factories in Europe. Besides the factory closure in Wales, three sites in Russia, one in Slovakia and one in France will be shuttered. Thursday was the first time Ford has publicly stated the jobs impact of its plans. Group chief executive Jim Hackett announced last autumn a massive restructuring of the American firm, aiming to save $11 billion and turn Ford into a more "agile" group with faster decision-making processes.

VW launches e-vehicle car-sharing in Berlin

A car-sharing service for 1,500 electric golf vehicles in the German capital was launched by Volkswagen on Thursday. "With WeShare, we've tailored car sharing to meet the needs of users: easy to use with 100 percent electric operation on green power," said Christian Senger, Volkswagen board member for digital car and services. Initially, WeShare will cover an area of around 150 square km in Berlin's city center and beyond the city's train ring line. Later, the car sharing service will be extended in line with the expansion of the vehicle fleet, according to the carmaker.

Car production plunges in UK

British car production plunged 15.5 percent in May compared with the same period last year, marking the 12th month of consecutive decline, according to data published Thursday by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. According to the data, car manufacturing for both domestic and international markets fell by double-digits, a year-on-year decline of 25.9 percent and 12.6 percent respectively. SMMT said exports accounted for 80.9 percent of all cars made, "reemphasizing the importance of maintaining free and frictionless trade."

Motoring - Agencies

(China Daily 07/01/2019 page19)