http://www.maxauto.co.za/CntView.aspx?CatID=26&CntID=1580
A Honda Motor Co parts plant in China has pressured school interns not to strike, after labour discontent closed all its vehicle factories in the world's biggest auto market, the South China Morning Post said on Sunday.
Managers at the number two Japanese automaker distributed the letters asking the interns, who make up more than half of the workforce at the parts factory in Foshan, to stay with the company, the newspaper said.
The company asked them to stay out of a strike that began on May 22, it said, citing interviews with the 19 to 20-year-old workers in Guangdong province.
In return for not striking, the letters due on Monday promised monthly pay increases of more than 400 yuan (about $60). However, the paper quoted a full-time worker saying workers were looking for a raise of 800 to 1 000 yuan a month.
The letter, distributed on Thursday, also warned striking interns would be punished by the mainland's labour law.
China, the fastest growing economy in the world, has been hit with a string of labour disputes at foreign firms, whose migrant workers have begun to demand better pay and working conditions.
Taiwan's Hon Hai Precision Industry said it would raise workers' salaries by 20% at its Foxconn unit in southern China after a 10th worker this year reportedly last week committed suicide.
A Honda spokesman on Friday said the company had no timetable for resuming production.
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Tata planning to build Jaguar & Land Rover - China
http://www.maxauto.co.za/CntView.aspx?CatID=26&CntID=1581
Indian car maker Tata Motors is planning to build Jaguar and Land Rover models in China.
Tata Motors, which acquired the Jaguar and Land Rover brands from Ford back in 2008, will move part of its manufacturing for those marques to China in order to cut production costs and keep the luxury models they produce competitive in the Chinese market.
CEO of Tata Motors Carl-Peter Forster said at a press conference in London that the company would begin by producing Land Rover models in China and that both brands would come to assemble as many as 40,000 vehicles a year in total there.
"China is one growth market," said Forster, "We need to grow everywhere else as well. We need to grow in China, in Europe, South Africa, South America. We have lots of growth markets."
China accounts for 8 percent of Jaguar and Land Rover sales and is one of the world's fastest growing economies.
Setting up production in China could take up to two years, Forster said. The models produced would likely only be sold locally in China or in other emerging economies in Southeast Asia. The Chinese automotive industry has still not matured enough to export cars to Western countries, although, that may one day change.
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Lotus Europa production to end
http://www.maxauto.co.za/CntView.aspx?CatID=26&CntID=1582
Lotus will be killing off the Europa.
According to Autoblog.com, Lotus dealers in Europe have already stopped selling the car, which likely means production will end on the Europa by the fall.
Now that Lotus has the Evora, launched last year, it can put an end to the Elise-based Europa which never managed much sales traction.
The Europa was introduced in 2006 and came with a 2.0 liter turbocharged four-cylinder with 149 kW and 270 Nm of torque. It's top trim-level, the SE, was introduced in 2008 and featured 164 kW with the same amount of torque.
Autoblog posts that the Europa was a temporary measure for Lotus, meant to fill a gap in the marketplace before the introduction of the Evora, while keeping the Elise production line busy. Whatever the case, the Europa never became a hot product and failed to catch on with consumers.
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Mercedes SL-Class R230 facelift widebody
German tuner Prior Design has a wide-body kit for the Mercedes-Benz SL R230 facelift.
Inspired by the Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG Black Series, Prior Design has come up with a kit to make a stealth, black monster out of the SL R230. The kit provides for an aggressive front fascia to the SL R230 - including a massive fender featuring a spoiler with integrated large air intakes.
But, of course, the central feature will be the body panels widening the wheel arches that give the car that ready-to-pounce crouched look. The widened body gets complimented by the rear finish which includes a rear bumper connecting the two rear arches and a rear diffuser available in full carbon.
PDI rims in 10x20 inch (265/30R20 tires) for the front and 12x20 inch (305/25R20 tires) for the rear wheels complete the shape-shifting tuning kit.
Prior Design also has available a lowering kit for the car, both mechanical and an electronic one that includes Airmatic.
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Jaguar F-Type is a go
http://www.maxauto.co.za/CntView.aspx?CatID=26&CntID=1584
The Jaguar F-Type first appeared as the XK180 Concept in 1998. Since then the company has been hit by bad financial health and had to cancel the project, although a couple of years ago rumours surfaced that it would go into production. With the appearance of new owner Tata, it seems the F-Type is truly and finally in business. It will be a driver-focused sports car featuring cutting-edge engines and technologies.
More news from Jaguar Land Rover is that a fourth Range Rover model, a BMW 3 Series competitor and a new Estate are on the cards. Furthermore, China and India are to receive new company factories just as plans continue for the closure of one UK plant.
"It is much better for a car company to have one large factory, than two small ones," Tata Motors Group CEO Carl-Peter Forster said. "This move isn't about taking volume out of the UK. It's about strengthening business in emerging markets."
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