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Category: Automotive

Retail News Asia is committed to providing both local and global retailers with the latest Auto and Car news throughout the Asian market. This on a daily base.

  • Coronavirus Sees China’s Geely Automobile Facing One Of Toughest Years

    Coronavirus Sees China’s Geely Automobile Facing One Of Toughest Years

    China’s Geely Automobile Holdings Ltd said on Monday 2020 may be one of its toughest years yet, as pressure stemming from the coronavirus outbreak on production and sales persists.

    But it said it planned to go ahead with global expansion, despite lower sales and net profit for 2019, when the country’s auto market suffered a slump, even before the novel coronavirus led to lockdowns that have paralyzed economic activity and disrupted supply chains.

    Geely Automobile, based in the eastern province of Zhejiang, is China’s most globally high-profile automaker following investments by parent company Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co Ltd’s in European manufacturers Volvo Car and Daimler AG.

    China car sales fall 92% as coronavirus keeps buyers home

    Auto sales in China, the world’s largest market, have slumped as coronavirus fears prevent buyers at home.

    The profit announced on Monday of 8.19 billion yuan ($1.15 billion) was lower than the 9.14 billion yuan average estimate by 33 analysts on Refinitiv.

    Its shares closed at 11.28 HKD on Monday, down 4.08% from last Friday.

    “The recent outbreak of the novel coronavirus had caused serious disruption to our supply chain and thus our production levels, meaning additional pressure on our business volume and profitability in 2020,” Geely Automobile said in a filing to the Hong Kong exchange.

    Geely Automobile, which plans to roll out 6 new models under the Geely, Lynk&Co and Geometry marques this year, sold 1.36 million cars in 2019. It is maintaining a sales target of 1.41 million cars in 2020.

    The headwinds are likely to persist in the near future, making 2020 probably one of the most difficult years in the group’s 23-year history, Geely said.

    Revenue fell by 9% from the previous year to 97.40 billion yuan. Analysts had estimated 99.43 billion yuan.

    Geely Automobile’s president An Conghui told a conference call the company plans to start selling Lynk&Co in Europe at the end of this year and share more models with Malaysian automaker Proton, in which it has a stake.

    Geely Automobile and Volvo – which Geely’s parent bought from Ford Motor Co in 2010 – are planning to merge and list in Hong Kong and possibly Stockholm.

    The new company would have improved research capabilities, lower cost and brands in different segments, Geely’s chief executive Gui Shengyue said.

    That could help to position it as global automakers pursue alliances to respond better to the cost of meeting tougher emission rules, electrification and autonomous driving.

    The industry worldwide will also be seeking to revive sales as soon as there is a widespread easing of restrictions on movement to slow the spread of the coronavirus, which has killed more than 30,000 people globally.

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  • 2020 Volkswagen Golf To Come With Car2X Technology As Standard

    2020 Volkswagen Golf To Come With Car2X Technology As Standard

    We all loved the way the new Golf looks and there are many of you who have asked us on multiple occasions, about its arrival in India. Sadly, the Golf isn’t coming here, but while it’s turning a lot of heads across the world, there’s another reason why it’s become the talk of the town. The Volkswagen Golf is the first car that can help drivers to prevent accidents, and that’s thanks to its innovative Car2X technology, which allows it to wirelessly connect with other vehicles and the traffic infrastructure. Now the impressive part about this is that the technology will come standard on the Golf.

    The new Golf is the first car on the European market to come standard-equipped with Car2X technology, which is based on the Wi-Fi p wireless standard. This type of Wi-Fi is specifically tailored to local communication between vehicles and does not use the mobile phone network, which means it provides blanket coverage within the limits of the system. Within a radius of up to 800 metres, connected vehicles directly exchange positioning data and information with one another. This allows them to warn each other of danger or make contact with the traffic infrastructure within a matter of milliseconds.

    The German automotive association ADAC tested Volkswagen’s Car2X technology, during which it sent the new Golf into eight typical hazardous situations in which a driver, without being warned, would not be able to react at all, or would only be able to react much later. In all eight situations, the vehicle warned the driver reliably and in time, often even 10 or 11 seconds before the impending accident.

    In the initial development stage, which Volkswagen is introducing with the new Golf, Car2X technology is active at speeds over 80 kmph. In the future, it should also be able to improve safety in city traffic. It also offers major advantages if the car communicates with nearby traffic lights – in this way being better able to control traffic flow and protect the environment.

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  • Tesla Plans To Reopen New York Factory To Make Ventilators

    Tesla Plans To Reopen New York Factory To Make Ventilators

    Tesla CEO Elon Musk has said that Giga New York will reopen for ventilator production as soon as humanly possible. The company is also working with medical device company Medtronic to start the production of ventilators at its Fremont plant.Tesla CEO, Elon Musk has announced that the company plans to reopen its Giga New York factory “as soon as humanly possible” to make ventilators. The head of the California-based electric vehicle manufacturer was among the first carmakers in the US to offer to make ventilators for coronavirus patients, after the United States appealed for donations of respirator masks to combat the shortage. Reportedly, Tesla has started working with medical device company Medtronic Plc and is fast on track to start production of ventilators at its Fremont plant, in San Francisco Bay Area. And New York will be next.

    Other U.S. carmakers, like Ford and General Motors, have also come ahead to make ventilators and respirators needed to help combat the spread of the coronavirus. General Motors has partnered with medical equipment maker Ventec to build ventilators at a GM plant in Kokomo, Indiana. Ford, on the other hand, is partnering with GE Healthcare and will expand the production of GE’s ventilator design to support patients with respiratory failure or difficulty breathing caused by the pathogen. Ford also is evaluating a separate partnership with the British government to make additional ventilators. Furthermore, it will work with 3M as well to increase the manufacturing capacity of its air-purifying respirators.

    Right now, the situation around the world is getting serious every day. With more and more cases of coronavirus being reported each day, there is a major shortage of medical equipment around the world. And automakers from across the world are coming in to help in whatever way possible. Anand Mahindra, the Chairman of Mahindra Group, also announced plans to make ventilators and covert the company’s existing resorts into temporary case centers. We recently also reported how Renault workers in Spain have begun using 3D printers to manufacture medical visors for health workers from home.

    Others like Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and Kia have announced plans to make face masks at their Asian factories. Chinese electric vehicle manufacturers BYD, in fact, recently became the world’s biggest face mask maker, producing over five million face masks a day amidst the Coronavirus pandemic.

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  • You might soon unlock your BMW with your iPhone

    You might soon unlock your BMW with your iPhone

    Apple and premium German car manufacturer BMW are seemingly collaborating to bring the CarKey iPhone feature to eligible vehicles of the carmaker. Evidence for this was unraveled in the iOS 14 code, hinting that iPhone users might soon be able to unlock their BMW cars with their iPhones thanks to the CarKey feature. As a reminder, the existence of CarKey itself was revealed in the iOS 13.4 beta back in February.

    Given that BMW was among the very first automakers to adopt Apple’s CarPlay feature a few years back, it would make sense to assume that CarKey could be adopted on upcoming beemers as well.

    It seems that CarKeys could be stored inside the ubiquitous Wallet app and even be shared with other people through iMessage. “Yo, mom, shared me the keys for the car” would sound a whole lot cooler! Code strings suggest that you will not only be able to lock and unlock your vehicle with your device, but also start it remotely. This is already available through the BMW Connected app, but native iOS support would definitely be great. There would seemingly be two ways to unlock the car – either by holding your phone near the NFC-enabled door handle or just having your iPhone in your pocket.

    Apple could use NFC, UWB (ultra-wide band) chip, or a combination of the two. The UWB chip debuted with the iPhone 11-series but has been pretty underused when it comes to features, as it’s currently only used to aid AirDrop discovery.

    On the topic of anti-theft countermeasures, CarKey will enjoy the same level of biometric security that the sensitive data on your iPhone enjoys, but there would seemingly be an option to use CarKey without having to authenticate yourself with a Face ID scan or a PIN code for an even faster experience.

    BMW itself neither denied or acknowledged the rumored functionality. When asked, the company replied rather nonchalantly with “Please understand that at this point we cannot confirm your request nor give you further details. We would like to refer you to our press release, ” which suggests that we could be in for news on the matter very soon.

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  • BMW India Shuts Down Chennai Plant

    BMW India Shuts Down Chennai Plant

    BMW Group India has announced a number of measures to restrict employee movement during the novel coronavirus pandemic that’s swept the globe. The automaker has announced that it will be closing the Chennai-based manufacturing facility with immediate effect until March 31, 2020, while employees at The National Sales Company and BMW India Financial Services will work from home during this period. Meanwhile, essential services including security, facility management and healthcare will continue to operate. Furthermore, the German auto giant said that it will keep all its showrooms pan India closed during this period, while aftersales and breakdown services will remain functional albeit with limitations.

    A statement from the BMW Group read, “For the well-being of employees in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, work from home has been implemented across BMW Group offices in India with immediate effect. Business continuity is to be ensured across all functions while adhering to all government directives and necessary safety measures. Across the BMW, MINI and BMW Motorrad dealerships in India, staff will work from home to offer services to customers. Aftersales and breakdown services staff will operate as per the local government directives and will be functional with limitations. All showrooms are presently closed and will reopen as per local government advisory.”

    Almost all major automakers including Tata Motors, Mahindra, Maruti Suzuki, FCA India and more have announced plant closures amidst the outbreak. In the luxury space as well, Volvo India had already announced that it has asked its employees to work from home, while Audi India has also shut operations with the closure of the Skoda Auto-Volkswagen facilities across India, while Mercedes-Benz too has closed the Chakan facility, near Pune. The auto industry is estimated to bear a loss of ₹ 15,000 crore every day during this phase, which further adds to the sector’s woes since the past year.

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  • SoftBank Nears Deal To Invest In Didi’s Self-driving Unit

    SoftBank Nears Deal To Invest In Didi’s Self-driving Unit

    SoftBank Group Corp is close to finalizing a deal to lead a $300 million investment in the autonomous driving unit of Didi Chuxing, news website The Information reported on Monday, citing people with knowledge of the situation.

    Earlier on Monday, SoftBank said it plans to raise as much as $41 billion to buy back shares and reduce debt, in an unprecedented move to restore investor confidence as a financial market rout pummels its shares and its portfolio companies.

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  • Coronavirus Drags Car Dealers Into Digital Commerce

    Coronavirus Drags Car Dealers Into Digital Commerce

    Auto retailers have been slow to embrace e-commerce, but the coronavirus pandemic is changing that. Online traffic has risen even as in-person showroom traffic has disappeared. Auto dealers are embracing digital tools to close deals without a handshake and arranging for vehicles to be picked up or delivered without requiring customers to come to their stores.

    U.S. new vehicle sales will be hit hard by the pandemic. Demand dropped 13% in the first 19 days of March, according to research firm J.D. Power. In especially hard-hit markets like Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Chicago, where the virus has spread quickly, demand slumped as much as 22%.

    Moody’s Analytics said on Friday the new and used vehicle markets could slump by as much as 20% from 2019 levels and stay depressed into 2021.

    New and used vehicle markets could slump by as much as 20% from 2019 levels and stay depressed into 2021.

    Based on a survey of some 40 dealers, analysts at Evercore ISI on Monday estimated the March U.S. seasonally adjusted annual selling rate could be 11 million to 12 million vehicles, on par with levels seen during the 2008/2009 financial crisis.

    However, online traffic for the 1,000 U.S. and Canadian dealers served by Roadster, which provides a digital sales platform for everything from financing paperwork to vehicle delivery, was up about 6%.

    “Many dealerships are going to get caught with their pants down,” said Brian Benstock, a dealer in the New York City borough of Queens. “This will be a watershed moment for the dealership industry.”

    Dealers have been doing business online for years, but it has never been a major focus. Only 15% of all transactions are online, according to a November survey of 540 dealers commissioned by the National Automobile Dealers Association. However, they expect online car sales to double by 2025.

    Benstock, who began moving most of his sales online in 2015, said companies like Tesla Inc and retailer Carvana Co, which does all its business online, have begun to change consumer expectations.

    Tesla has always relied on internet orders for its vehicles. It is implementing “touchless deliveries” in many locations, allowing consumers to unlock cars using the Tesla App, sign any relevant paperwork and return it to a drop-off location.

    Carvana, which sells used vehicles, expanded the number of cars it sold to retail customers by 89% in 2019 from 2018.

    Despite a sharp decline in its shares, Carvana has a market capitalization twice that of AutoNation Inc, the largest bricks and mortar U.S. retail vehicle chain. AutoNation started boosting investment in its online selling capability well before the virus shock.

    David Smith, chief executive of dealership chain Sonic Automotive Inc, said most customers still want to visit a showroom to see the cars they are buying.

    “There’s only a small percentage of the market who want to buy their car entirely online and have it delivered,” he said.

    “It’s what people wanted going into this,” she said, citing a Cox January survey that found consumers cited vehicle pick-up and delivery as their top desire.

    Matthew Zappone, general manager of a Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram dealer outside of Albany, New York, is encouraging his sales staff to use FaceTime to show customers the vehicle features they want to see without visiting the store.

    “If you haven’t been doing it to this point, you’re under-prepared,” Zappone said.

  • Fiat Chrysler Automobile To Produce Face Masks In Asia

    Fiat Chrysler Automobile To Produce Face Masks In Asia

    Fiat Chrysler Chief Executive Mike Manley told employees that the carmaker would help with the production of masks during the coronavirus emergency, a union representative said on Monday.

    Mask production would add to an ongoing effort by Fiat Chrysler (FCA) and rival carmaker Ferrari to find ways to help Italy boost the production of healthcare equipment such as ventilators.

    Manley said one of the group’s plants in Asia would be converted to produce face masks for healthcare workers and would reach a target of one million masks per month in coming weeks, UILM union representative Gianluca Ficco said, quoting a letter sent by the CEO to employees.

    Fiat Chrysler was not immediately available for comments.

    The threat from the coronavirus crisis closed in on the global auto industry on Thursday, as Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV warned that a European plant could shut down within two to four weeks if Chinese parts suppliers cannot get back to work.

    FCA and Ferrari, both controlled by Exor, the investment firm of Italy’s Agnelli family, are in talks with Siare Engineering, Italy’s biggest ventilator manufacturer, to help it double production of the life-saving machines which are urgently needed in the coronavirus crisis, company officials said last week.

    FCA has temporarily halted most of its plants worldwide in response to the virus spread and a consequent plunge in global auto demand.

    Ferrari has also suspended operations at its two facilities, both located in Italy.

    “We need to use the current plants’ stoppage to equip ourselves with the necessary resources to face the emergency,” Ficco said, adding he hoped that other large companies might follow FCA’s example.

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  • Hyundai Motor India Suspends Operations At Its Chennai Plant

    Hyundai Motor India Suspends Operations At Its Chennai Plant

    The life-threatening Coronavirus pandemic has put the world on stand by and the story is no different in our country. Many automakers across the globe have already stopped production and even automakers in India are suspending operations as the number of Corona cases cross 350 in the country today. After Maruti Suzuki, Honda Cars India, Mahindra and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA), even Hyundai Motor India has announced shutting down its Chennai plant March 23 onwards till any further notice.

    The step comes after the lockdown announcement by the State government as a precautionary measure against the outbreak of COVID-19. In succession to the ‘Janta-Curfew’ implemented nationwide today, over 80 cities in the country including the national capital are going on a lockdown tomorrow 6:00 AM onwards. Even Tata Motors that had announced to excessively scale-down productions at its Pune plant March 23 onwards is likely to go on a complete shutdown. Tata Motors had earlier affirmed through a statement that the company will preferably stop operation March 24 onwards after observing the situation in the country.

    Hyundai has taken several initiatives for the welfare of its customers as well amidst the Coronavirus scare. The carmaker will be providing round the clock roadside assistance to its customers in case of any emergency. It will offer two months extended warranty to those customers who are not able to avail the standard or extended warranty and free services due to any health emergency or shutdown of dealerships and workshops during the lockdown. Hyundai has deployed 1000 doorstep bikes and cars to provide road assistance services to its customers.

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  • Volkswagen Tests Ventilator Output As Carmakers Join Coronavirus Fight

    Volkswagen Tests Ventilator Output As Carmakers Join Coronavirus Fight

    German carmaker Volkswagen said on Friday it was joining other manufacturers around the world to explore using 3D printing to make hospital ventilators to combat the coronavirus.

    Governments are enlisting automakers including Ford, General Motors, Ferrari and Nissan to ramp up production of ventilators and other equipment they are short of to treat the fast-spreading disease.

    In a statement, Volkswagen said it had assembled a task force, was testing materials, and checking supply chains, to see how it can use 3D printing to help manufacture hospital ventilators and other life-saving equipment.

    Carmakers consider making ventilators at plants

    Automakers are thinking about making ventilators at their plants to help in the battle against the coronavirus. It’s an idea that at least one expert says comes with some complications.

    “Medical equipment is a new field for us. But as soon as we understand the requirements, and receive a blueprint, we can get started,” Volkswagen said, adding that prototype components had been printed and its Skoda arm was included in the project.

    A spokesman said the Wolfsburg-based, multi-brand company, which has more than 125 industrial 3D printers, was in close contact with governments and other authorities to assess needs.

    Volkswagen’s sports car brand Porsche also said on Friday it wanted to help in relief efforts. “We are collecting ideas about what we could do in terms of humanitarian help,” Chief Executive Oliver Blume said on a call to discuss earnings.

    US’ Electric Carmaker Tesla too has offered to make ventilators at its plants

    Munich-based carmaker BMW said it too was ready to help. “The production of components using 3D printing technology is a possibility,” it said.

    Sweden’s carmaker Volvo urged all governments to take the crisis equally seriously and limit movements.

    “I think for the economy, we need to do something drastic, rather then trying half-hearted measures that drag on forever,” Chief Executive Hakan Samuelsson said. “We are seeing the effect of this coronavirus is increasing every day.”

    The auto industry’s chances of recovery depended on coordinated action, Samuelsson told Reuters.

    “There is a big difference between countries. Some have curfews, with restaurants and schools closed. In other countries, there are less drastic measures. I just think we need to synchronize that more.”

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  • Ducati Posts Turnover Of 716 Million Euros In 2019

    Ducati Posts Turnover Of 716 Million Euros In 2019

    Ducati has closed 2019 on a positive note, consolidating the growth of the past few years for the Italian motorcycle manufacturer. In 2019, Ducati sold 53,183 motorcycles, compared to 53,004 motorcycles that were delivered to customers around the world. The result demonstrated that Ducati’s sales remained above 50,000 units for the fifth consecutive year, and confirmed positive signs of the market, which, in the above 500 cc segment, recorded a global growth of 1.4 percent. Among Ducati’s bestselling models across the world are the Ducati Panigale and the Ducati Multistrada.

    Ducati’s turnover, at the end of 2019, reached 716 million Euros (over Rs, 57,000 crore), a growth of 2.4 percent from 699 million Euros (over ₹ 56,000 crore) in 2018. Ducati’s operating profit of 2019 stood at 52 million Euros (Around ₹ 419 crore), up from 49 million Euros in 2018 (over ₹ 395 crore). The Borgo Panigale manufacturer of high-end motorcycles reached an operating margin of 7.2 percent against 7 percent in 2018.

    Turnover per bike figure stood at 13,500 Euros per motorcycle, which according to Ducati, represents the highest value in the history of the company, and indicates the evolutionary trend of the range of products offered towards the highest and premium part of the market.

    The Ducati Panigale remained the best-selling superbike in the world for the second consecutive year, with a market share of 25 percent, while with the addition of the 950 S and the renewed 1260 Enduro, the Multistrada family recorded the highest value of motorcycles sold since entering the market in 2003. Ducati now has 1,655 employees, with a sales network of 720 dealers and service points in over 90 countries. With the recent outbreak of the COVID-19, or coronavirus pandemic, Ducati has shut production at Borgo Panigale, but the company has announced that support for all customers will continue.

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  • Tesla Suspends Production At U.S. Vehicle Factory Due To Coronavirus

    Tesla Suspends Production At U.S. Vehicle Factory Due To Coronavirus

    Tesla Inc said on Thursday it will suspend production at its San Francisco Bay Area vehicle factory on March 24, ending a standoff with California authorities concerned about the spread of the coronavirus.

    The company said its New York solar roof tile factory also will temporarily suspend production, while operations at its Nevada battery plant will continue.

    “Despite taking all known health precautions, continued operations in certain locations has caused challenges for our employees, their families and our suppliers,” the company said in a statement.

    Tesla’s shares were down 8% in after-hours trading following the announcement.

    The decision to suspend production at the Fremont, California, plant comes as Tesla ramps up production of its Model Y sport utility vehicle at the factory. Demand for the Model Y is expected to be higher than for all of Tesla’s other models combined, Chief Executive Elon Musk has said.

    The decision to suspend production comes as Tesla ramps up production of its Model Y sport utility vehicle at the factory

    Musk on Thursday tweeted that Tesla’s China operations were running “normally across hundreds of suppliers & all of Tesla Shanghai.” The $2 billion Shanghai factory, which started delivering Model 3 sedans in December, is key to Tesla’s growth strategy and the company plans to expand production capacity there.

    Elon Musk’s expected defense of a $2.2 billion deal in court was postponed on Friday from its expected Monday start, due to the coronavirus outbreak.

    A Shanghai-based Tesla representative told Reuters the Chinese factory’s production rate has exceeded pre-coronavirus levels and over 91% of workers have returned to work since March 6.

    Tesla plans to start building Model Y SUVs in Shanghai from 2021 and expand car parts manufacturing capacity, a government document seen by Reuters showed.

    Cui Dongshu, secretary-general at the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) told Reuters Tesla sold around 3,900 vehicles in February, up from 2,620 vehicles in January.

    Tesla’s decision to suspend production at its San Francisco area plant came after several days of discussions with local officials and after the company met on Thursday with the city of Fremont.

    California’s governor on Thursday issued a statewide “stay at home” order to residents, telling them to leave their homes only when necessary during the coronavirus pandemic.

    The highly contagious respiratory illness has infected more than 10,700 in the United States.

    The automaker also said it believed it had enough liquidity to successfully navigate the extended period of uncertainty, with some $6.3 billion in cash at the end of the third quarter, ahead of a recent $2.3 billion capital raise.

    Tesla’s Fremont facility, which is the company’s sole U.S. auto factory, employs more than 10,000 workers

    The city and officials from the surrounding Alameda County did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Thursday.

    Alameda County is one of six counties covered by an order from regional officials to “shelter in place,” which limits activity, travel and business functions to only the most essential, and advises people to stay home except for the most crucial reasons.

    The county sheriff’s office said on Tuesday afternoon Tesla was not considered an essential business and cannot continue to operate its factory normally.

    Tesla said on Thursday it would continue basic operations at the Fremont factory in compliance with the order to support vehicle and energy services and charging infrastructure.

    Tesla’s sole U.S. auto factory employs more than 10,000 workers, with annualized production of slightly more than 415,000 units by the end of December 2019.

    In an email to employees on Thursday, Tesla said operations at the Fremont plant will transition to “minimum basic operations” beginning on March 24.

    Employees at the California and New York factories will be provided with paid leave during suspended operations, the email said.

    Tesla’s Giga factory in Nevada, which employs around 7,000 people, produces battery packs for its electric vehicles and stationary storage systems.

    Its Buffalo, New York, plant produces the company’s solar roof tiles as well as some Supercharger and energy storage components. It has more than 1,500 workers in Buffalo, the company said last month.

    U.S. automakers Ford Motor Co, General Motors Co and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV, on Wednesday said they were shuttering their U.S. plants, as well as factories in Canada and Mexico, to stop the spread of coronavirus.

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  • Harley-Davidson Suspends US Production Over Coronavirus Crisis

    Harley-Davidson Suspends US Production Over Coronavirus Crisis

    “We recognize the unprecedented nature of this global crisis. In order to best support our employees and following the social distancing guidance issued by public health authorities, we are temporarily suspending the majority of production at our US manufacturing facilities,” said Jochen Zeitz, acting CEO and President, Harley-Davidson. “We will continue to monitor the situation and take necessary steps to prioritize employee health and safety.

    Non-critical employees at Harley-Davidson’s headquarters and Production Development Centre in Milwaukee have also been asked to work remotely till the end of March. The company is also working with dealers to assess individual impacts and is encouraging dealers to follow the public health guidelines in their communities for the safety of its consumers.

    Harley-Davidson has become the latest motorcycle manufacturer to shut down at least some production facilities. In Europe, KTM and Ducati have also extended shutdowns at the two motorcycle brands’ manufacturing facilities, over the coronavirus pandemic. For Harley-Davidson though, the decision to shut down production comes at an already difficult time. Harley-Davidson sales are down, more so, in the US domestic market, and in late February, Harley-Davidson announced the departure of the brand’s CEO, Matt Levatich, who spent more than two decades at Harley-Davidson.

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  • Rolls-Royce To Shut Production At Goodwood For 1 Month Over Coronavirus Pandemic

    Rolls-Royce To Shut Production At Goodwood For 1 Month Over Coronavirus Pandemic

    Britain’s Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has announced that the luxury automaker will suspend production at the Goodwood manufacturing facility in the UK for two weeks starting from March 23, 2020. Furthermore, the automaker will keep the facility closed for an additional two week period for the pre-planned Easter maintenance shutdown. The decision to close the plant arises due to the outbreak of the Coronavirus globally, which has affected the production and supply of components to automakers. Moreover, the virus is posing a major health risk, given its airborne nature. With the UK reporting over 2600 cases and about 71 deaths, the country has had to take strict measures to contain the virus.

    Torsten Muller-Otvos, Chief Executive Officer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, said, “This action has not been taken lightly, but the health and well-being of our exceptional workforce is first and foremost in our minds.  We are a tight-knit community at the Home of Rolls-Royce and I have no doubt that our resilience will shine through during this extraordinary time. As a deeply customer-focused company, we are aware that this decision to pause our production will possibly cause some discomfort or inconvenience to a few of our esteemed patrons, for which we apologize while seeking their understanding at this difficult time.”

    Rolls-Royce’s Goodwood plant employs about 2000 personnel with each of the cars hand-built

    Meanwhile, Rolls-Royce has said that day-to-day operations of the company will be assured by non-production employees who will remain at work at the company’s head office on the Goodwood Estate or who will work from home on a rotational basis. The company has engaged social distancing measures, it said in a statement.

    More recently, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson asked automakers including Rolls-Royce, Ford and Honda to build medical equipment to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic. The UK government also said it will take support from the defense industry to build healthcare equipment to meet the increasing number of cases. Apart from Rolls-Royce, Nissan, BMW and Toyota among others have also announced plant closures in the UK, leaving Jaguar Land Rover and Honda with operational facilities. The closure will affect about 17,000 employees and production across the auto sector.

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