Kiwi drivers Earl Bamber and Brendon Hartley won the 2017 24 Hours of Le Mans with Porsche but their days in the LMP1 team are limited, with the German manufacturer announcing its withdrawal from the class after November’s final round. The future of Porsche's two New Zealand factory drivers, Earl Bamber and Brendon Hartley, remains secure, despite the manufacturer's decision to withdraw from the LMP1 class of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) at the end of the 2017 season. An announcement was made this week confirming that from 2019 a Porsche works team would compete in Formula E, the…

Volvo Cars has announced that every Volvo it launches from 2019 will have an electric motor, marking a historic shift from cars with only internal combustion engines (ICE) and placing electrification at the core of its future business. The announcement represents a significant move to embrace electrification and highlights an emerging chapter in automotive history. “This is about the customer,” said Håkan Samuelsson, Volvo president and CEO. “People increasingly demand electrified cars and we want to respond to our customers’ current and future needs. You can now pick and choose whichever electrified Volvo you wish.” Volvo will introduce a portfolio…

KUALA LUMPUR (Nikkei Markets) -- Malaysia's Sime Darby, the world's largest palm oil producer by acreage, Tuesday announced the sale of its vehicle distribution business in Australia and New Zealand, yet another step as the conglomerate restructures its sprawling operations. The buyers, Inchcape Australia and Rick Armstrong Motor Group in New Zealand, will take over the business that distributes Peugeot, Citroen and DS vehicles in the two countries effective June 1. Apart from the brands under French car maker Groupe PSA, Sime Darby Motors also represents other names ranging from Nissan to Ferrari in the two markets. Sime Darby said…

Independent fuel supplier, Waitomo, is taking a big leap forward for New Zealand’s petroleum industry by installing Vapour Recovery technology at its new Fuel Stop on the Bombay Hills, due to open on 29th May. Vapour Recovery is still in its infancy in New Zealand – only a small handful of fuel sites currently feature this technology at the dispenser nozzle. Waitomo is a 100% Kiwi-owned and operated company and has invested in the best technology available to help look after the environment and reduce emissions when dispensing petrol. Managing Director Jimmy Ormsby says Waitomo is always looking for innovative…

Chinese companies started talking a decade ago about cracking the U.S. auto market with an array of low-cost passenger vehicles. That hasn’t happened, so instead they’re getting under the hoods of American cars by buying up parts makers at a record pace writes  Bruce Einhorn for Industry Week. Ningbo Joyson Electronic Corp. supplies windshield-washer and ventilation systems to some of the world’s biggest carmakers, including Ford Motor Co., General Motors Co. and Volkswagen AG. Last year, it spent more than $1 billion buying a Michigan maker of air bags and an Indiana manufacturer of assembly-line equipment. Now, it’s on track…

Honda and Hitachi are teaming up to lower the cost of electric vehicle manufacturing. The motorThe motor pictured is from Honda's NSX supercar.  As electric cars become more common, manufacturers are battling to find new ways to improve their hardware and lower costs. Over at Honda, the desire to improve its battery-powered cars has led to a new partnership with Hitachi, which has a long history of building motors for electric vehicles. Given the global push toward tighter emissions standards and the growing popularity of electric vehicles, both Honda and Hitachi are looking to lower the cost of mass producing…

The Taxpayers’ Union says that the focus on petrol margins earned by fuel companies, is a classic ‘bait and switch’ by politicians to avoid questions about the enormous taxes they impose at the pump. Responding to Energy and Resources Minister Judith Collin’s announcement of a market study into fuel prices/returns to be undertaken by the MBIE, Jordan Williams, Executive Director of the Taxpayers’ Union, says: “While an examination into petrol company fuel margins is welcome, it is a bit rich to blame high fuel prices on the fuel companies when the amount of tax on fuel is nearly 20-times the…

SkyNews reports that The McLaren group's sports car arm will repatriate production and development of its chassis in a move creating at least 200 jobs. McClaren has agreed a £50m deal to build a new production and research facility for its carbon fibre sports car chassis in the UK. McLaren Automotive, a sister firm of the wider group which includes the Formula One racing team, is bringing the work back to the country from overseas in a move creating 200 jobs. The roles would comprise mainly production staff, with 50 support workers. The factory is to be housed next to…

The next-generation 2018 Holden Commodore Sportwagon has been revealed today, thanks to an online reveal of the new model in its European form. At the same time, Holden has confirmed it will continue the Sportwagon name, rather than introduce the Sports Tourer badge worn by the Opel/Vauxhall Insignia version shown in today’s reveal. Before today’s virtual unveiling, the new Commodore wagon was unceremoniously revealed in December when an undisguised car was spotted during promotional filming. Identical to its liftback sedan companion up front, the wagon is set apart not only by the obvious body differences, but also courtesy of a…

Australian car manufacturing is coming to a close, putting an end to more than a century of automotive excellence from Down Under. General Motors Holden will close its plant on October 20, but won't be going gently into that good night. Instead, the team at Holden Special Vehicles has created the GTS-R W1. It's powered by an LS9 V8, and just 300 examples will be built, providing a fitting (smoky) farewell to the classic Australian V8. For those who aren't aware, Holden Special Vehicles is the Holden equivalent of AMG or BMW M. It takes family sedans and turns them…

Transport Minister Simon Bridges says the publication of guidance on public charging infrastructure for electric vehicles (EVs) is timely as New Zealand’s fleet reaches more than 2500, exceeding all targets. The guidance will support public charging infrastructure by providing clear recommendations for both investors and those enabling the development of charging station sites, such as local authorities. “This guidance is an important step towards developing a safe and consistent nationwide charging network that EV drivers can depend on,” Mr Bridges says. “It not only marks an important milestone in the Government’s EV programme, but will help reassure drivers that EVs…