Renault Admits Wrongdoing in Spy Case, Issues Apologies to the Three Ousted Officials

Today's episode on the Renault EV espionage case is one of the most interesting yet, with CEO Carlos Ghosn and COO Patrick Pelata issuing their official apologies to the three executives accused of spying.

Renault’s admission of wrongdoing comes after a communication with the French prosecutors, who found no substance in the complaint filed by the automaker against its former employees. Authorities from Liechtenstein and Switzerland confirmed that Michel Balthazard, Bertrand Rochette and Matthieu Tenenbaum had no bank accounts in the respective countries, thus refuting Renault's claim.

“Carlos Ghosn, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, and Patrick Pélata, Chief Operating Officer, present their sincere apologies and regrets, personally and in the name of Renault, to Messrs Balthazard, Rochette and Tenenbaum, who were wrongly accused in this affair. They are committed that reparations be made to the three executives, and that their honor in the public eye be restored,” Renault said in a statement.

Ghosn and Pelata also expressed their intention to meet with the three employees “as soon as possible.”

The judiciary investigation will now concentrate on the fraud against Renault, with prosecutors issuing yesterday "organized fraud" charges against Dominique Gevrey, the security chief whose internal investigation led to the firing of the three execs.

CEO Carlos Ghosn called for an extraordinary board meeting today, at the end of which sanctions may be applied to the people involved in the case.

By Dan Mihalascu

Sources: Renault, Autonews

Study Shows What Brands Captured the Interest of Pontiac Owners in 2010

A new survey from RL Polk & Co. suggests that most Pontiac owners who bought a new car in 2010 chose a product from General Motors. More specifically, of the 57,641 Pontiac customers looking to replace their car, GM was able to recapture 53.3% of them, with 33.5% being a Chevrolet vehicle, 11.7% a GMC, 6.7% a Buick, and 1.5% a Cadillac model.

A significant percentage of buyers defected to the Ford brand, which ranked 3rd overall with 10.5%, while the Chrysler Corporation saw the Dodge brand ranked 9th, capturing 3.2%. Jeep and Chrysler together were able to capture the interest of 1.7% of Pontiac owners looking for a new vehicle in 2010.

Almost 31% opted for imported brands, with Toyota capturing 7.7% of Pontiac owners, and Honda 7.5%.

Source: Polk

Honda, Nissan and Toyota Donate $3.75 Million Each for Earthquake Relief in Japan

The massive earthquake followed by the even more devastating tsunami that struck the north-east coasts of Japan last week has brought together the country’s biggest automakers including Honda, Nissan and Toyota, which announced today that they will donate $3.75 million each for relief and recovery efforts in communities affected by the disaster.

In addition to the contribution in money, Nissan said it is also studying further relief efforts including complimentary provision of vehicles, such as trucks and forklifts, donation of medical supplies and daily commodities including blankets, antiseptics and masks, gift matching donation from Nissan employees, promotion, and support of blood donation activities.

Honda announced that it will donate a total of 1,000 power generators along with 5,000 gas canisters to the people left without electricity, while Toyota is considering the provision of goods and services as needed.

The three automakers have also announced the closure of some of their factories in Japan. From March 14 through March 20, Honda will suspend all production activities at its plants in Sayama, Saitama, Ogawa, Tochigi, Hamamatsu and Suzuka, plus all facilities in the Tochigi area, where damage was more serious. From March 15 through 20, Honda will also suspend production at the Kumamoto factory.

Nissan announced that operations at the Tochigi and Iwaki plants are suspended until March 18, while the Oppama, Kyushu, Shatai and Yokohama plants will be closed until March 16. As for Toyota, officials announced that the Hokkaido, Tohoku, Miyagi and Iwate plants are closed, with all employees having been evacuated to safe areas. The factories will remain closed at least until March 16.

Other automakers affected by the earthquake include Mazda, Mitsubishi, Subaru and Suzuki, which have either suspended or slowed down production because of supply shortages.

By Dan Mihalascu

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VIDEO: Giant Sinkhole Swallows Two Cars in Wisconsin

A 10-foot deep, 625-square-foot sinkhole gobbled up two parked cars, a VW Golf and a Toyota Camry, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin after a 42-inch water main ruptured in the area this past Saturday. Luckily, no one was hurt during the collapse. Watch the videos after the break.

Sources: Youtube, ITN

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Saab Releases UK Pricing and Specs for 2012MY 9-3 Range

We had our first look at the modestly refreshed 2012MY 9-3 range at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this month, but today, Saab GB announced prices and specifications ahead of the UK launch next month.

The new model year brings some subtle exterior updates such as the restyled front bumpers, ‘ice block’ headlamps, a new grille, a Saab word mark that replaces badging on the chrome trim at the rear end and the addition of a boot-mounted spoiler for the sedan variants.

Inside, the 2012MY 9-3s are distinguished by the titanium metallic-effect trim around the instrument panel, gearshift moulding, doors and glovebox. Furthermore, the SE models are fitted with leather seats, while Aero models feature new graphite-fibre around the instrument panel, gearshift moulding, doors and glovebox and leather sport seats with contrast stitching.

All MY12 9-3 models now come with automatic dimming mirrors inside and outside the vehicle, electric folding mirrors and automatic rain sensor wipers as standard. Other standard features across the range include alloy rims, heated front seats, park assist and Bluetooth phone integration system along with a host of safety systems including ESP, six airbags and Active Head Restraints .

In the UK, the 2012MY Saab 9-3 will be offered with a new 2.0-litre petrol turbo engine with direct injection, variable valve timing and twin-scroll turbocharging, available in two states of tune, with 163HP or 220HP. On the diesel front, there’s a 1.9-liter TTiD with 130HP or 160HP.

UK pricing for the updated 9-3 starts at £21,495 for the 163HP 2.0-liter Turbo petrol SE model with a 6-speed manual gearbox. For full details on pricing for the sedan, estate and convertible models, check out the respective lists below.

2012MY SAAB 9-3 PRICING

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Volkswagen Routan Subject to the Same Recall as Chrysler Minivans

Given that the Volkswagen Routan is built on the Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan platforms in a Chrysler plant, it comes to no surprise that the German model is being subject to the same recall as its American twins. In a filling to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Volkswagen said some vehicles may experience inadvertent ignition key displacement from the run to accessory position while driving causing the engine to shut off.

The affected cars are from the 2010 model year and were manufactured from October 2009 through June 2010. Volkswagen said the potential number of Routan minivans subject to this recall is 12,612 units.

The fix the problem, the company’s dealers will replace the win module free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during April 2011. Owners who have questions can call Volkswagen at at 1-800-822-8987.

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Fired Renault Executive Asks French President Nicolas Sarkozy to Intervene in Spy Case

Each day brings something new in Renault’s EV-related espionage affair. This time Bertrand Rochette, one of the three employees fired by the company, has appealed directly to French President Nicolas Sarkozy to intervene in the case. More specifically, Rochette's lawyers have called on Sarkozy and Justice Minister Michel Mercier to demand they be given access to the legal complaint Renault filed in January against unknown persons.

The lawyers based their request on the fact that their client doesn't know exactly what the complaint contains, although it involves him directly. Furthermore, the attorneys said Rochette's right to defend himself had been compromised since he can't appeal against Renault in court without knowing what he's accused of.

"We can envisage keeping an investigation secret to avoid any interference or hindrance, but public statements about the accusations should immediately be accompanied by transmitting full information to the person concerned about what he is accused of," legal advisers wrote in the document sent on Thursday.

Interesting times lie ahead in the investigation, with a key part of the case to be unwrapped in the coming days. Results of official probes into whether or not the three executives had bank accounts in Switzerland or Liechtenstein are expected soon and they could prove the innocence of the three ex-employees. If that happens, Renault's top management will have a lot of explaining to do.

By Dan Mihalascu

Source: Autonews

Kia Recalling 70,115 Optima Sedans Over Transmission Flaw

Kia has issued a recall on 70,115 Optima sedans manufactured from September 29, 2005, through June 13, 2007 because of a problem related to the transmission that can cause the cars to roll even while they are in park. The company said that in some cars, the transmission shift cable may have been installed incorrectly and can become detached from the shifter. If that occurs, the car would stay in the last used gear before detachment, even if the driver moves the shift lever to the park position.

“If the driver leaves the vehicle without engaging the parking brake, there is a possibility that the vehicle can roll injure a person in its path or cause a crash,” said Kia In documents filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration [NHTSA].

The South Korean automaker said that there have been no reported injuries related to this condition.

The safety recall for the 2006-2008MY Optima sedan is expected to begin this month.

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