http://www.maxauto.co.za/CntView.aspx?CatID=26&CntID=995
Rieju has unveiled the replacement for their RS2 range of small capacity sports bikes at the EICMA 2009 International Motorcycle Show in Milan.
Rieju has developed this completely new “ground up design” working in collaboration with two of Europe’s leading motorcycle design and development companies, ArianeTech Ingeniería and Xenophya Design.
An evolution of the original RS concept, the new RS3 combines sport bike technology with comfort and versatility aimed squarely at the youth market, with styling that has taken obvious cues from Honda’s CBR600RR.
Established in 1934 the Rieju brand has a long European heritage and has evolved to become a major small capacity motorcycle producer with over 17% market share of all 50cc geared motorcycles sales in Europe and over 27% market share in Spain.
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GM CEO charms Opel workers
http://www.maxauto.co.za/CntView.aspx?CatID=26&CntID=996
General Motors chief executive Fritz Henderson was due in Germany on Monday to start talks aimed at soothing workers' tempers over the carmaker's plan to reorganise European arm Opel on its own.
GM plunged Opel into turmoil last week by reversing its plan to sell the business to a Russian-backed consortium led by Canada's Magna a deal that Henderson backed but that many in Detroit opposed given a nascent market recovery.
The U-turn torpedoed months of difficult negotiations and infuriated German political leaders and Opel staff.
Emotions are running high among the 25 000 workers in Germany who had feverishly hoped Magna would take control of Opel, which they believe GM had long neglected in favour of the Chevrolet brand.
GM has no "credibility or faith"
Opel's top labour leader, Klaus Franz, told Reuters that he wanted Detroit to grant the same degree of autonomy to the European carmaker it would have received under Magna as a precondition for talks on any staff and wage cuts.
"GM does not enjoy any credibility or faith in the eyes of the public or the government, so they now have to consider whether they now want to seek confrontation or cooperation by finding a common solution," Franz said on Sunday.
Henderson, who was due to speak to management and staff in the Ruesselsheim headquarters of Opel on Monday, was expected to bring along Nick Reilly, the Briton in charge of restructuring Opel until ex-GM Europe boss Carl-Peter Forster is replaced.
In Opel staff's eyes Reilly comes to the job with heavy baggage.
As head of GM's international operations based in Shanghai, he chairs rival GM unit Daewoo, which many in Germany believe has grown in Europe at Opel's expense by exporting cheap Korean-made Chevys.
He once served as chairman of Opel's British sister brand Vauxhall, where he announced in 2000 that GM would end car production at its Luton plant.
Candidates wanted
Opel staff want GM to rebuild trust by committing to long-term investments for new models and powertrains, developing a concrete plan to market Opels outside of Europe and Russia, and installing a European boss who understand what car buyers here want and can lobby successfully for it back in Detroit.
More visible than any other Opel or GM manager in the past six months, Franz enjoys the support of German workers and holds considerable sway with the rest of Opel's European workforce.
"Magna wanted to develop a mini car below the Agila, two further niche models, two new engines, a double-clutch transmission and an expansion of engineering R&D," labour leader Franz told a demonstration in Ruesselsheim last week.
"GM's plan foresaw no cabrio, a reduction in the product range, slashing the development budget, and transferring powertrain technology to the V8 specialists in the USA," he said, referring to the hulking engines that find little popularity in the European market dominated by small cars.
Speculation has also begun about who will replace GM Europe chief Carl-Peter Forster, who is leaving after criticising the board for reversing its decision to sell Opel. A source at GM said that candidates for the job include Magna's chief operating officer Herbert Demel.
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BMW SA price fixing charges stick
http://www.maxauto.co.za/CntView.aspx?CatID=26&CntID=997
The Competition Commission has applied to the Competition Tribunal to amend part of its complaint referral against BMW South Africa, the Tribunal said on Monday.
The Commission had withdrawn its allegations that BMW contravened Section 5(1) and 8(c) of the Competition Act, the Tribunal said in a statement.
However, the Commission's allegation - that BMW contravened Section 5(2) by maintaining minimum resale prices (price fixing) - remained, the tribunal said.
"The Commission has not given reasons for its application to amend the complaint. This is an unopposed application," the Tribunal said.
The Commission had received a complaint against BMW from complainant Fourier Holdings, a former franchised dealer of BMW.
"The Commission investigated the complaint and determined that prohibited practices had occurred and referred the matter to the Tribunal," the Tribunal said.
"Abused dominance"
In its complaint referral the Commission had alleged that BMW had contravened Section 5(1) of the Act by assigning exclusive territorial areas in which franchised dealers were not permitted to deal.
The Commission also alleged that BMW had contravened Section 8(c) of the Act in that the car manufacturer had abused its dominance by hindering the third to fourteenth respondents (franchised dealers) including the complainant Fourier Holdings from expanding into and competing in territorial areas assigned.
"On the other hand BMW permitted its retail outlet to deal in all territories, including those assigned to their franchised dealers."
The Commission further alleged that BMW had contravened Section 8 (c) by refusing to supply Fourier Holdings with the relevant range of products ie, BMW parts and motorcycles.
"As a result of the amendment the complaint will be reduced to an allegation that BMW, in contravention of Section 5(2) of the Act, maintained minimum resale prices (price-fixing)."
The Commission alleged that BMW maintained minimum resale prices in relation to the products (i.e. BMW parts and motorcycles) that it franchised, and that it would not allow franchised dealers to offer discounts to customers from the prices determined by it, that it also monitored compliance with the set prices, and threatened sanctions for those who did not comply with set prices.
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