Volkswagen & Suzuki – it’s handbags at dawn

Volkswagen Suzuki Partnership - things aren't exactly rosy Back in 2009 Volkswagen invested a rather large chunk of change (around €2 billion) in Suzuki in exchange for a 20% stake in the Japanese car maker, and there were big hopes for advantages for both parties. Volkswagen were looking for a quick-fix route to the burgeoning car market in India, where Suzuki were doing very well, with sales in India last year of 1.13 million cars – almost half its production – in comparison to VW’s paltry sales of just 53,000. In return, Suzuki were expecting to get a quick route to cutting-edge hybrid and electric tech for their range, and access to VW’s engines.

Chrysler Ypsilon revealed

Lancia Ypsilon - a change of badge will make it the Chrysler Ypsilon We only reported the other day that Lancia are coming back to the UK with a Chrysler-badged Ypsilon. And it’s probably a little disingenuous to say that the Chrysler Ypsilon has been revealed. It hasn’t. But the Lancia Ypsilon has, and all that will change when the Ypsilon comes to the UK this Summer is the badge to morph the Lancia Ypsilon in to the Chrysler Ypsilon.

Chrysler posts $370 million net loss on costs tied to repaid loans

Chrysler Group LLC, after recording its first post-bankruptcy profit three months ago, posted a net loss of $370 million in the second quarter due to costs tied to the repayment of government bailout loans. Chrysler incurred a charge of $551 million in paying back the U.S. Department of Treasury and the Canadian loans that kept the automaker afloat in 2009.