Business Intelligence Group's Automotive NewsWire

We reported recently (Search the Archives at autonewswire.net for May 7) that European automakers were petitioning the European Union to modify a free trade agreement negotiated last year that has allowed Korean auto manufacturers, namely Hyundai Motor, to flood the European market with Korea-made vehicles.  Hyundai will not be denied.

The Korean auto manufacturer announced yesterday that it will invest 475 million euros ($604 million) to double production at an assembly plant at Hyundai Assan Otomotive Sanayi, Turkey.  When completed the plant will have capacity to produce 200,000 units annually and add 750 new jobs at th…

The Detroit News reports this morning that General Motors is hiring 200 workers at its Hamtramck plant in preparation for production of the new Chevrolet Malibu scheduled to begin this summer.  The new Malibu will debut as a 2013 model.

Hamtramck was positioned to become the primary assembly plant for the extended-range plug-in Volt EV, but demand for the vehicle has fallen short of what G.M. originally expected, which allows additional space to build the new Chevy Malibu, a popular car that G.M. also builds at its Kansas City, Kan., plant. 

Again, according to The Detroit News, G.M. also has plans to build the new Chevy Impala and oh. look out.&nbs…

Nylon producer Invista, Witchita, Kan., has take the wraps off of a new adiponitrile technology for producing nylon 6,6 that is said to offer improved product yields, reduced energy consumption, lower CO2 emissions, enhanced process stability and reduced capital intensity compared to existing technology.  The technology eliminates the use of benzene from the process.

The company said it has spent $40 million in research and development costs over four years to develop the technology.

“We believe this new generation of ADN technology represents a significant improvement versus the proprietary technology we operate today, which is already the world’s most ad…

General Motors' Adam Opel unit in Europe announced today that it will build the next generation Astra sedan at Ellesmere Port, Britain and Gliwice, Poland, a circumstance the German labor unions feared. 

G.M. said it will invest 125 million pounds sterling at Ellesmere Port and will add 700 jobs at the plant in 2013 when production of the new Astra begins.  Capacity at Ellesmere Port is expected to be at least 160,000 vehicles per year.

G.M. announced earlier this week that the new Astra would only be built at two European assembly plants running three shifts as opposed to the current production for Astra that is run at thre…

A study contracted by auto manufacturers and fuel refiners contradicts the findings of the U.S. Energy Department that led to the approved use of E15 (85% gasoline/15% ethanol) in vehicles.  According to the study, the results of which were gained in high-mileage tests, E85 damaged two of eight vehicles involved in the tests.

American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers President Charles T. Drevna issued the following statement in response to a Coordinating Research Council report issued yesterday on the organization's extensive testing of higher ethanol blends in vehicles that the Environmental Protection Agency says can handle such blends:  

"…

PolyOne Corp., Cleveland, and Milan, Italy-based Xenia S.r.l., have agreed to a supply and cooperation agreement to develop and sell carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic compounds for high performance applications.

PolyOne will contribute its OnForce long fiber-reinforced compounds and Xenia will contribute its Xecarb carbon fiber-reinforced materials for lightweight metal replacement applications.  

“PolyOne has exten…