Plants/Manufacturing


REPORT: GM to depart with form and run certain plants around-the-clock

Two weeks from now, General Motors will start running its Fairfax assembly plant continuously on a permanent basis. The unprecedented around-the-clock operation, following on the heels of the temporary third shifts a few months ago, is intended to boost the plant's production from its current 4,500 vehicles per week to 6,300 units over the same period. Operating around-the-clock is no simple feat. Experts point out that automotive assembly lines require a lot of scheduled maintenance, cleaning, and restocking – tasks that are usually ... Read more →

REPORT: Last GM big block engine rolls off the line Jeremy Korzeniewski

The Big Block. Rat Motor. Call it what you will, we can now officially add a final epitaph to the long-running engine's gravestone: R.I.P. The final L18 big block rolled down the assembly line at ...

REPORT: Fiat makes 500 engine plant in Michigan official Jonathon Ramsey

Fiat currently owns 20 percent of Chrysler and can raise its stake to 35 percent once it satisfies three criteria: builds a plant in the U.S. to assemble fuel efficient engines; builds a 40 mpg ...

REPORT: Swedish government to meet with GM officials - could Saab still be saved? Frank Filipponio

Less than a day after General Motors officially announced Saab's euthanization, it looks like the storied Swedish brand might still have the faintest whisper of a pulse. Motor Trend is reporting ...

Chrysler announces $179 million investment in Dundee plant to build Fiat Multiair engines Jeremy Korzeniewski

In a none-too-shocking announcement, Chrysler announced plans to invest $179 million to convert its engine plant in Dundee, MI, from building the so-called World Engine to Fiat's 1.4-liter Fully ...

REPORT: Ford and Mazda clarify future relationship, still strong 6 days ago on Autoblog

While Ford sold most of its controlling stake in Mazda last November, the two automakers will remain close partners as the companies work together to develop new automotive systems and technologies -- refuting previous reports that the two companies may be drifting apart. The announcement comes ...

REPORT: BMW, Mini to let Mercedes-Benz inspect, prep its vehicles at port 8 days ago on Autoblog

The Mercedes-Benz Baltimore vehicle process center has secured a five-year contract to inspect, process, and repair pre-delivery BMW and Mini vehicles arriving in the United States. It's a deal that makes economic sense for both companies, say that automakers. BMW models currently arrive in ...

Porsche cranks out 10,000th Panamera after just three months on sale 9 days ago on Autoblog

The Porsche Panamera has only been on sale in other parts of the world for three months now, but the automaker has already cranked out the 10,000th production example. The Panamera is built on the same production line as the Cayenne SUV at Porsche's Liepzig plant in northeastern Germany. So ...

REPORT: Despite selling off old bits to BAIC, Saab brand still in search of buyer 9 days ago on Autoblog

Here's a little bit more on the salvation/debacle of Saab. First of all, it should be pointed out that after our last report about Holland's Spyker trying to buy Saab, the freaks lovely people over at Saabs United pointed out some gaping holes in our reporting an inconsistency or two with the ...

Mercedes confirms next gen C-class to be built in USA and Germany 11 days ago on Autoblog

The diminishing value of the U.S. dollar, most notably against the Euro and Yen, is causing plenty of grief for foreign automakers. While the US market has been in the tank for the past two years, it still remains a major market for companies like Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz. All three brands ...

REPORT: Toyota running all North American plants on overtime to meet demand 11 days ago on Autoblog

For over a decade, Toyota had been frantically building up its North American infrastructure to build more and more cars and trucks. The plan was going smoothly until the new car market collapsed, leaving barren plants in its wake. But it appears as though Toyota is getting back on its feet. ...

REPORT: Spyker takes the lead in the Saab bidding sweepstakes 12 days ago on Autoblog

General Motors appears on track to either close or sell the ailing Saab brand by 2010. If they do, in fact, sell Saab, they are reportedly stipulating the following: the buyer must be well versed in small scale car production and they should be interested in keeping production in Saab's ...

REPORT: GM, Ford to dramatically increase Q1 production versus year ago numbers 14 days ago on Autoblog

The first quarter of 2009 could best be described as the worst of times in the auto industry. With the full weight of the global financial collapse weighing down on the industry, sales dropped like a stone and production screeched to a halt. General Motors and Ford produced only 371,000 and ...

REPORT: Chevrolet Malibu to join Volt in Detroit-Hamtramck plant 14 days ago on Autoblog

It's long been presumed that the Chevrolet Volt (and its Opel/Vauxhall Ampera twin) would not be the only car rolling out of General Motors' Detroit-Hamtramck assembly plant after late 2010. After all, Volt volumes are unlikely to be sufficient in the first several years to justify an entire ...

REPORT: BAIC only interested in parts of Saab, "White Knight" looking increasingly unlikely 15 days ago on Autoblog

It seemed pretty obvious when we first heard that China's BAIC wanted Saab's tooling that it didn't want anything to do with purchasing the Swedish automaker's full monty. If BAIC wanted to be in the Saab business, clearly, it would have made overtures for more than just the retired tooling from ...

REPORT: Toyota to add 850 more jobs in San Antonio to build more pickups 15 days ago on Autoblog

NUMMI's loss will be San Antonio's gain. Toyota is adding a second shift at its truck plant and looking to hire 850 workers for the production increase, and since Toyota's suppliers are located on-site, they're also adding a second shift and hiring. The relocated Tacoma production from NUMMI ...

GM buys remaining stake in CAMI plant from Suzuki 16 days ago on Autoblog

It's safe to say that 2009 has been the most difficult year in the 101-year history of General Motors. But while most of the news coming out of GM has been tough to swallow, the Detroit, MI-based automaker has had one very good piece of news: its new products are faring well in the marketplace. ...

Hyundai builds one millionth vehicle in Alabama 16 days ago on Autoblog

Hyundai first started building cars at its Montgomery, Alabama assembly plant in May 2005, and last week amidst considerable fanfare, the plant's one millionth car rolled off the line. The milestone vehicle was a 2010 Sonata sedan, one of the last of its type before the plant switches over to ...

GM investing $336 million in Detroit plant to build Chevrolet Volt 16 days ago on Autoblog

Production of the 2011 Chevrolet Volt marks an important transition for General Motors. It's the first plug-in electric drive vehicle that the automaker is building for sale to anyone that wants one. No more of the limited lease-only deals that were done with the EV1 a decade ago. To demonstrate ...

Chrysler reportedly set to extend holiday shutdown at five plants 16 days ago on Autoblog

During last year's holiday season Chrysler's rank and file were faced with extended holiday shutdowns. The reason was simple: Millions of Americans decided to stop buying vehicles due to the economic downturn. While the market is still down, auto sales have stabilized and the Pentastar isn't ...

REPORT: Ford and Mazda may develop vehicles separately going forward 18 days ago on Autoblog

For the last umpteen years (since about 1979, to be exact), Ford has owned a significant share of Japanese automaker Mazda, growing in 1997 to a 33.4-percent controlling stake. As such, the two automakers have historically shared a significant amount of resources and product architectures ...

Confirmed: Mercedes to shift some production of next-gen C-Class to Alabama 20 days ago on Autoblog

Fluctuations and disparities in currency exchange rates have grown to become a significant factor in determining where foreign automakers in particular assemble their vehicles. Mercedes-Benz is among those carmakers most cognizant of these effects, and it has been assembling select models in the ...

REPORT: GM could sell some Saab assets to Chinese; brand has through year's end to find buyer 21 days ago on Autoblog

General Motors' Saab brand has been given a one month stay of execution as the Detroit, MI-based automaker has announced that it will hold off on a decision regarding the brand's fate until the end of the year. GM's apparent non-decision comes just one week after it announced that Swedish ...

REPORT: Initial Chevy Volt launch will be in select U.S. markets only 21 days ago on Autoblog

Undoubtedly, the 2011 Volt is one of the most hotly anticipated new model launches in Chevrolet's long and storied history, and it will likely be seen as a halo model of sorts for General Motors as a whole. As we experienced first hand when we slid behind the wheel of a preproduction Volt the ...

Porsche cancels Boxster/Cayman production contract, Magna wants cash 25 days ago on Autoblog

Shortly after the Boxster debuted in 1996, Porsche contracted with Valmet Automotive of Finland as a second production source for the sports car, and a few years later, employed the facili along with the Cayman coupe. In 2008 Porsche decided that it would shift that production contract from ...

REPORT: China's Changan delays plan to enter North American auto market 28 days ago on Autoblog

Changan is coming to America, just not yet. Aiming to establish a base in Mexico with which to move into the U.S. market, the Chinese automaker signed a deal last year to build a plant south of the border. The familiar story of planetary financial catastrophe has encouraged Changan to tap the ...

BREAKING: Koenigsegg backs out of Saab purchase, brand future up in the air 29 days ago on Autoblog

After riding in on a white horse, Koenigsegg Group AB has pulled out of negotiations to buy Saab from General Motors, leaving the Swedish automaker's future very much in doubt. In a brief statement issued by GM (available after the jump), president and CEO Fritz Henderson says that the company ...

REPORT: Volkswagen confirms Karmann purchase, plans to build new car at factory in 2011 1 month ago on Autoblog

Volkswagen AG has announced it will be establishing a new manufacturing unit in Osnabrueck, located in VW's home state of Lower Saxony, Germany. Interestingly enough, VW will be purchasing the land, equipment, and machinery formerly owned by Karmann -- the coachbuilder and convertible roof ...

Dutch Exodus: Spyker relocating vehicle assembly to the UK 1 month ago on Autoblog

In these tough times automakers are doing everything they can to cut costs. For Spyker, that means moving its vehicle assembly from its home country of the Netherlands to Coventry, England. How does that save money, you ask? "With approximately half of our vehicles' parts and components sourced ...

Final Buell motorcycle assembled in Wisconsin 1 month ago on Autoblog

As far as motorcycle manufacturers go, Buell lived a relatively short life. Founded by a former Harley-Davidson engineer in 1993, the sportbike company was acquired by HDMC in 2003. But hard times falling on businesses large and small forced Harley to announce Buell's closure. And now the last ...

Hyundai reportedly shopping locations for third North American plant - in Mexico [UPDATE] 1 month ago on Autoblog

Hyundai is on a mission to expand its American market share. And so far, the going's been good for the Korean automaker, which has been taking the fight to its Japanese rivals with increasing ferocity. Now reports indicate that Hyundai-Kia is looking into building a third assembly plant in ...

REPORT: 65,000 seek jobs to build VW's New Midsize Sedan in Tennessee 1 month ago on Autoblog

You probably already know just how bad the employment situation is here in the States, and if you don't, nationwide unemployment is right around 10% – and that doesn't include those who took lower-paying part-time jobs in place of a lost full-time job. That's bad news for us, but at least ...

Autoblog builds an LS9 for someone's Corvette ZR1 1 month ago on Autoblog

When you think of brands like Aston Martin, Ferrari and AMG, the idea of their engines being built by the hands of skilled craftsmen is no great surprise. However, most people would be very surprised to learn that General Motors has its own special facility dedicated to building its highest ...

REPORT: Saab dealers 'running out of cars' 1 month ago on Autoblog

With new vehicle production at a trickle, and its dealer network slashed by a third, retailers of the Saab brand are finding inventory shrinking to drought levels. Some of the remaining dealers may even run out of new vehicles before replacements arrive. Point the blame towards the pending ...

REPORT: BMW X3 U.S. launch delayed by up to 6 months for custom order effort 1 month ago on Autoblog

According to BMW of North America's president, Jim O'Donnell, the Roundel crew will delay the launch of the 2011 BMW X3 by six months to establish a new customer ordering program and iron out which engines will be available in the States. The move will apparently make the customization of the ...

Hummer grinds gears: production of 2010 H3 and H3T resumes 1 month ago on Autoblog

Although the Hummer sale isn't officially official – which is to say, the Chinese authorities haven't told Tengzhong "Proceed!" – it is official enough that GM has restarted production of the 2010 H3 and H3T at its Shreveport, LA plant. General Motors didn't want to be stuck with ...

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Autoblog Podcast #158: 'Twas a couple nights before Christmas...

Chris, Editor Paukert, and Dan send the Podcast off for the Christmas holiday in proper fashion

 
 

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