Who's Where: Mamoru Aoki and Koji Nagano promoted to Nissan executive design directors

Mamoru Aoki and Koji Nagano have been promoted to Nissan executive design directors, reporting to head of design Shiro Nakamura. Mamoru Aoki is now responsible for the design and development of all Nissan brand passenger and electric vehicles as well as design strategy and is based at the carmaker's Design Center in Atsugi, Japan. Koji Nagano – previously design director at Infiniti – now manages the design development of the new Datsun brand and Nissan brand light commercial vehicles.

Proton Satria Neo

Malaysian car manufacturer Proton have launched the new Satria Neo three-door hatchback, which replaces the Satria model introduced 12 years ago. Having formerly sold re-badged and out-moded Mitsubishi-derived models, Proton have since established a relationship with Lotus Engineering that began with the Proton GTi. Though cars such as the Elise demonstrate the depth of Lotus' abilities, partnerships with other companies reflect their breadth.

Vauxhall – Ellesmere Port jobs safe

Vauxhall's Ellesmere Port Plant will have no job losses It looks like the bulk of the savings that GM need to make in Vauxhall/Opel are going to fall outside the UK, with the news that there will be no job cuts at the Astra-making Ellesmere Port plant and around 340 job losses at Luton. Which is about as good as the news was ever likely to be for Vauxhall workers in the UK. Whatever the outcome of the GM/Magna deal it always seemed likely that Ellesmere Port would be relatively unscathed.