Showing posts with label CEO. Show all posts
Showing posts with label CEO. Show all posts
Monday, August 24, 2015
Volvo to consider producing small cars at it's Ghent, Belgium facility, as well as in China !
Volvo will build a new family of compact cars based on a common platform at its Belgian factory, CEO Hakan Samuelsson said. The cars will be developed with parent Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, Samuelsson said, and will also likely be built in China, although no decision has been reached on which of its plants will get the work.
"We have decided we will be using Ghent for Europe," Samuelsson said, referring to Volvo's factory in Ghent, Belgium. "In China, we have to look into this." Volvo currently builds the Volvo S60, V40 and XC60 models in Ghent.
Samuelsson said it was a "good guess" that the first Volvo vehicle to be built using the new platform, called the compact modular architecture (CMA), would be a new generation of the Volvo V40 hatchback, since it is the only compact that Volvo markets around the world now.
Samuelsson said Volvo's sales of smaller cars had always been too small to be profitable and the automaker needed a partner that could share the costs of developing and manufacturing a competitive vehicle.
China output
The executive said the automaker has three production options in China with Geely: two existing plants in the southwestern city of Chengdu and the northeast city of Daqing, or a new automobile assembly plant being built in Luqiao, a district of the eastern China city of Taizhou.
Two sources close to Geely said Volvo and its Chinese parent were likely to make cars based on the CMA platform together at the Luqiao plant.
Geely is expected to start producing an SUV based on CMA underpinnings at the Luqiao plant toward the end of 2016.
Volvo is also interested in using a common platform and powertrain technologies with Geely to come up with a small SUV, Samuelsson said.
"SUVs are growing in the world, so that is a good guess that something in that segment will be worth taking a look at," the CEO said.
Zhejiang Geely, which also owns black cab maker London Taxi Company, bought Volvo from Ford Motor Co. in 2010.
BREAKING NEWS - VW Chairman Ferdinand Piech resigns with immediate effect.
Volkswagen Group Supervisory Board Chairman Ferdinand Piech unexpectedly resigned on Saturday after losing a showdown he provoked with CEO Martin Winterkorn.
Piech, a dominant figure at VW for more than two decades and the grandson of the inventor of the VW Beetle, also resigned as a member of the supervisory board and any other mandates within the Volkswagen Group with immediate effect, VW said.
A panel of senior supervisory board members at Volkswagen said a loss of trust was to blame for the sudden departure of Piech.
"The members of the steering committee came to a consensus that in light of the past weeks the mutual trust necessary for successful cooperation was no longer there," the six-member panel said in a statement.
The leadership crisis at VW burst into the open this month when German weekly magazine Der Spiegel quoted Piech, the 78-year-old patriarch of the family that owns 51 percent of voting rights in VW, as saying he had "distanced" himself from Winterkorn.
The comment came at a time when VW is slashing costs and revamping operations to boost profitability. It has struggled in the U.S. and posted lower profits at its core autos division.
Tensions between Piech and Winterkorn appeared to have eased a week ago when senior supervisory board members backed the CEO, leaving Piech isolated in a five-to-one vote and forcing him to to agree to a joint statement supporting Winterkorn.
But sources said at the time he would have faced calls for his own resignation had he not backed the CEO.
Deputy Chairman Berthold Huber will temporarily assume leadership of the board until the election of a new chairman, Volkswagen said, adding that Piech's wife, Ursula, had also resigned from her posts at the group.
Huber said VW needed to end the uncertainty among employees caused by the leadership crisis.
Weil, the premier of Lower Saxony, which owns 20 percent of VW, said Piech's resignation was necessary to create clarity about the carmaker's leadership.
Said Weil: "I regret the resignation of Ferdinand Piech, but it was unavoidable in the end."
Piech's cousin, Porsche Automobil Chairman Wolfgang Porsche, who owns 50.7 percent of voting rights in VW Group, in a statement Saturday thanked Piech "for his decades of extraordinary and highly successful service to the Volkswagen Group."
Also in the statement Porsche said: “We deeply regret the developments of the last few days ... Our great loyalty to the Volkswagen Group and its 600,000 employees remains unchanged and we assume our responsibility as a principal shareholder."
SHANGHAI 2015 - Aston Martin showcases the Lagonda Taraf and DBX Concept for the first time in China.
- Asia show debuts for DBX Concept and Lagonda Taraf
- Comprehensive product renewal and expansion ahead
- Aston Martin underlines commitment to the Chinese market
Luxury British car brand Aston Martin Lagonda is confidently looking to the future at the 16th Shanghai International Automobile Industry Exhibition, with CEO Dr Andy Palmer leading the company into an exciting new era reaching far into the next decade.
For the first time in China the innovative DBX Concept and exclusive Lagonda Taraf were unveiled, spearheading Aston Martin’s display at the show.
The display of handcrafted luxury sports cars in Shanghai defines the way ahead for Aston Martin and its commitment to the market in China, with each model on display representing a distinctive and differentiated story for Chinese customers.
The DBX Concept signals a key change in vision as the brand embarks on a new chapter of change and growth.
“With its unique fusion of high luxury and advanced technology along with its day-to-day practicality, the DBX Concept is a piece of fresh, bold thinking about how the high luxury GT sector may evolve,” said Dr Andy Palmer, CEO of Aston Martin.
“It is our first all-electric, all-wheel drive car, showcasing the brand’s world-class engineering and design capabilities, and we believe this type of product will be particularly appealing to customers in China.”
Looking to the future: Aston Martin’s Second Century
Attending his first auto show in China as the new CEO of Aston Martin, Dr Andy Palmer outlined the new vision and direction for the brand.
The “Second Century” plan is a comprehensive strategy for the growth and development of the renowned British brand, and will ensure Aston Martin’s sustainability and success.
Significantly, Aston Martin will focus on delivering a new wave of products that are being developed under the largest investment plan in its 102 year history. By the end of the decade, every model in the current line-up will be replaced and up to three new models lines will be added.
“The Second Century plan not only delivers exciting and highly desirable new luxury sports cars in the traditional sense, but also embraces new powertrain technology.
I have challenged not only convention but also my team to investigate an electric version of the Rapide, a product which will undoubtedly be attractive for the China market.
Our relationships with leading Chinese companies such as Hanergy and now with Letv shows the potential to connect British craftsmanship with the very latest in Chinese technology,” added Dr Palmer.
The strategic plan also encompasses the brand’s intention to enter the luxury sedan market in China. Strictly limited to a global production run of just 200 super-saloons, the Lagonda Taraf follows in the wake of other bespoke special projects by Aston Martin such as the creation of the extreme Aston Martin Vulcan supercar, Vantage GT12, One-77, V12 Zagato and the CC100 Speedster Concept.
The luxurious new super saloon draws inspiration from the highly sought-after William Towns-designed Lagonda of 1976 and features many of the same cutting-edge engineering techniques seen in modern Aston Martin sports cars, such as the extensive use of carbon fibre body panels.
Bespoke Brilliance
This year, the brand will expand its popular and growing bespoke personalisation service – Q by Aston Martin – and fully integrate it into the company’s Special Products Division. The new business unit is able to deliver anything from unique interiors to creating the DB10 that will feature in the next James Bond film, Spectre.
And it is this team that has created the new Lagonda Taraf. Q by Aston Martin takes bespoke automotive tailoring to the ultimate level, and has enabled the brand to create ultra-personalised luxury sports cars for an increasing number of Chinese customers.
Guests on the show stand were able to take a closer look at the wide array of options available through the Q by Aston Martin service. The Q by Aston Martin Rapide S on display, with its unique specification of a White Essence exterior and Saddle Leather interior, served to highlight the limitless personalisation possibilities through the service.
Commitment to China
While the DBX Concept highlights the future of luxury GT sports cars for the brand, the new 8-speed models on display at the Aston Martin stand – the Vanquish and Rapide S – are now available to order in China along with the exclusive Lagonda Taraf.
The latest versions of the Vanquish and Rapide S feature the new state-of-the-art ZF Touchtronic III 8-speed automatic transmission, and offer not only considerably enhanced performance and much-improved fuel economy and emissions, but also an even more honed, precise and responsive driving experience.
Improvements have been achieved in every major area of the cars’ performance and fuel economy, and both models are now capable of top speeds in excess of 320 km/h (200 mph).
Representing the brand’s sports-focused Vantage range on the Shanghai show stand is a V8 Vantage Coupe finished in luxurious Mariana Blue with a motorsport derived graphics pack. The V8 Vantage Coupe is available to order in China from 1.98m RMB alongside its exhilarating stable mate, the V12 Vantage S Coupe from 2.88m RMB.
“The China auto show debuts of the DBX Concept and Lagonda Taraf at Auto Shanghai 2015 are a clear signal that China is an increasingly significant market for Aston Martin,” said Mr. Michael Peng, President of Aston Martin China. “In the second century, we will continue to place a high importance on China and its growing number of discerning luxury sports car enthusiasts.
We have stable and long-term relationships with our China dealer partners who represent the brand in 15 key cities on the Mainland, and we will work with these partners to continue to deliver first-class services to our valued Chinese customers.”
Rolls Royce Motor Cars shares "The Limelight" with Phantom customers.
British engineering ingenuity and artistic creativity have proven to be the inspiration behind the naming and creation of the latest Bespoke Phantom Collection to emerge from the Home of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood, England.
The Rolls-Royce Phantom Limelight Collection has been conceived for that select group of people who spend their lives in the public eye and on the world stage. Its name was inspired by the origin of a British invention which became synonymous with fame.
The limelight effect was originally discovered in the 1820s by Sir Goldsworthy Gurney, a prototypical British gentleman scientist and inventor of the Victorian era. It was harnessed to revolutionise illumination in the theatres of London’s Covent Garden, highlighting leading actors on the stage, thus leading to the phrase, ‘in the limelight’.
“In creating the Rolls-Royce Phantom Limelight Collection, our designers have delivered authentic luxury by thinking deeply about the lifestyles of the powerful people who operate in the public eye and move swiftly from engagement to engagement as part of their daily life,” explains Torsten Müller-Ötvös, Chief Executive Officer of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.
“The result is a beautiful, discreet motor car in which those for whom the world is waiting can prepare, relax and arrive in the finest luxury and style.”
In common with its sister Phantom Serenity, which was unveiled to the world at last month’s Geneva Salon, Limelight proves once again why Phantom is considered ‘the Best Car in the World’.
The Bespoke designers at the Home of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood have used their deep understanding of the habits and behaviours of those powerful people, who make and influence world-changing decisions every day, to create a collection of 25 super-luxury motor cars that cater directly to their busy lives like no other car maker can.
Limelight’s wholly new approach to luxury once again sets the benchmark by delighting the most demanding and exacting people in the world – Rolls-Royce customers. Once again Bespoke IS Rolls-Royce.
Prepare, Relax, Arrive
Thinking about the lifestyles of many of their clients, who spend considerable amounts of time travelling in the rear compartment of their Phantoms, the Bespoke design team at Rolls-Royce Motor Cars knew they could, in the words of Sir Henry Royce, “take the best that exists and make it better.”
Whilst mass-luxury car manufacturers simply offer a means of conspicuously getting from A to B in some luxury, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars seeks to understand and exceed the demands of super-luxury customers who are always on the move, preparing to arrive for their next big life moment.
With this in mind they have created the “Phantom Suite” comprising unique personalised rear door panniers to ensure cherished personal possessions fall easily to hand for preparing for the next engagement, and a new luxury seating configuration in which to relax in before arriving.
Phantom Limelight has thus been conceived as the ultimate travelling companion as its owner moves from major event to momentous occasion, helping them to Prepare, Relax and Arrive for their moment in the limelight in consummate Rolls-Royce luxury.
Authentic luxury on the move
Authentic luxury is only achieved through ultimately understanding the needs and desires of the most discerning patrons in the world – Rolls-Royce customers.
From their deep understanding of this specific group of super-luxury clients, the Bespoke design team behind Limelight understood that a number of very human emotions and needs mattered: easy access to one’s favourite, personal possessions in order to prepare for the coming engagement; the opportunity to relax in ultimate luxury once ready and an impactful arrival.
For these select people, Phantom Limelight is their very personal concept of authentic luxury.
Prepare
A unique personalised rear door pannier has been designed to ensure cherished personal possessions fall easily to hand. Ladies’ and Gentleman’s panniers are offered to the customer who can personalise their Phantom Limelight with door panniers that best suit their gender preferences.
The Ladies’ and the Gentleman’s panniers can also be personalised to suit what particular personal possessions are required for the occasion.
In the standard configuration, the Concealed Fragrance Holder for three individual fragrances is located in the top left pocket of the Ladies’ pannier whilst in the Gentlemen’s pannier the concealed section holds watches.
The concealed panel opens at an effortless push of the hand.
The top right pocket, which is open, contains the fragrance bottles in the Gentlemen’s pannier whilst in the Ladies’ are two watch or jewellery holders.
The fragrance bottles, which ensure the passenger always has the right fragrance available to them whatever the time of day, are handmade in the famous Bresle Valley in North West France – home to 75% of the world’s luxury bottles for perfumes and spirits.
The bottom left pocket houses a universal vanity pouch made of the finest materials, with space for credit cards, business cards, spectacle storage or makeup, whilst Ladies’ and Gentleman’s Accessory Z-Boxes, constructed from carbon fibre, milled in aluminium and hand covered in the finest leathers, complete the door pannier.
Once the passengers have prepared for their engagement by choosing their preferred accessories, they sit back and relax in the new Rolls-Royce seat until they reach their destination.
Relax
The optimum position for relaxing in luxury and safety in the rear compartment of a motor car whilst on the move has long been a subject of debate.
Whilst some mass-luxury car makers have gone so far in their wish to install an aircraft-style flat-bed seat in the rear that they have had to created safety devices to compensate for the resulting body posture, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars engineers and ergonomists have worked closely with the medical profession to establish the optimum seat position that relaxes the body most whilst in motion.
The result is the new rear seat to feature first in Phantom Limelight.
The Phantom Limelight seat back reclines the body by a recommended 27° helping to rest the head on the headrest cushion. Lower down the body, a new calf rest raises electrically by 68° to support the calf, whilst a foot rest emerges out of the floor to raise the feet up to 30°, all contributing to the perfect relaxed posture in motion.
Also contributing to the passenger’s relaxation is the choice of two compartment trims as well as several new Bespoke features.
The Light contrast scheme features Seashell with Navy Blue Contrast Leather and Seashell tone-on-tone stitching, whilst the Dark contrast scheme offers Navy Blue with Seashell Contrast Leather and Navy tone-on-tone stitching.
Complex embroidery inspired by a diamond shape, in homage to the legacy of great Rolls-Royce motor cars of the past, has been applied to the central seat flutes, door cards, rear console and for the first time to the Picnic Table backs.
Unique to this Collection and a first for Phantom, is a two-veneer finish that shows off the unique skills of the woodworkers at Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.
Piano Seashell specific to this collection is applied to the door cappings, blending the veneer with the leather schemes. Smoked Chestnut completes the colour scheme, the first time that this veneer has been used in Phantom.
A specially created Limelight Bespoke Clock draws influence from the rich Gala Blue paint exterior and the diamond motif design that runs throughout the collection.
Arrive
Prepared and relaxed, our passengers arrive for their next engagement clad in the rich but stealthy Gala Blue of Phantom Limelight.
Rolling to a halt on its unique nine-spoke alloy wheels, the beautiful motor car features a Seashell and Navy Blue hand-painted coachline with a diamond motif, creating a three dimensional illusion of a diamond bracelet draped over the surface of the car.
The Phantom Limelight Collection of 25 cars will be available to order immediately from Rolls-Royce Motor Car dealers around the world.
Aston Martin CEO Dr Andy Palmer is swapping his business suit for a race suit.
Aston Martin CEO Dr Andy Palmer is swapping his business suit for a race suit as he lines up alongside three fellow drivers to campaign a V8 Vantage GT4 in the forthcoming Dunlop Britcar 24hr Race, held at the world-famous Silverstone Circuit.
In what will be his first competitive outing at the wheel of one of the luxury sports car firm’s own track cars, Dr Palmer will be teaming up with Aston Martin Chief Creative Officer Marek Reichman; experienced British motoring journalist Andrew Frankel and aspiring 22-year-old racer Alice Powell to tackle the gruelling 24-hour endurance event later this month.
Dr Palmer said: “As the CEO of a sports car company with such an impressive racing heritage, I have of course been itching to get behind the wheel of one of our race cars.
“I’ve done some GT4 racing in the past but this will be my first attempt at a 24-hour event. I don’t underestimate the challenge, but the Vantage GT4 has a superb record in long distance racing and I know I’ve got a great team alongside me. I’ll obviously be careful, too, not to deliberately outshine my more qualified teammates!”
The team car, a V8 Vantage GT4 N430, will run in the livery of one of the brand’s technology partners, Castrol, with further support from long-term partner Immun’age. Both partners continue to offer vital backing to the brand’s race programme, allowing us to enter both the Dunlop Britcar 24hr Race and the famous ADAC Zurich Nürburgring 24 Hours later this year.
Alongside his fellow racers, Dr Palmer has been honing his track skills with Aston Martin Racing star driver Darren Turner at his Base Performance Simulators facility in Banbury, as well as taking opportunities to test the GT4 on track.
His teammates bring significant race experience to the event. Marek Reichman successfully campaigned a Vantage in the Aston Martin GT4 Challenge series in 2011 and is an experienced historic sports car racer, while well-known auto journalist Andrew Frankel has also been racing cars for more than 20 years. With an emphasis on vintage machines, he has raced at all the major historic meetings in Europe including the Monaco Historic Grand Prix, Le Mans Classic, Goodwood Revival and Spa Six Hours. He has raced modern cars throughout, too, and has so far competed in four Silverstone 24hrs races, finishing every one.
Meanwhile, Alice Powell started karting when she was eight years old and has been a motorsport fan all her life. At 22, she has already had some stand out career highlights which include becoming the first female to win the Formula Renault BARC UK Championship. She is the first and only female to score points in the GP3 Series and was crowned champion in the Formula Renault Asia Championship last year.
The 24hr race, to be staged at Silverstone on the weekend of April 23-26 as part of the 2015 Britcar Trophy Championship meeting, makes a welcome return to the UK motorsport calendar after a two-year absence.
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