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Carmakers

June 13, 2018

Toyota has made a billion-dollar investment into the ride-sharing service Grab, in line with chief executive Akio Toyoda’s belief that car-makers need to expand into other areas to survive.

Toyota has made a billion-dollar investment into the ride-sharing service Grab, in line with chief executive Akio Toyoda’s belief that car-makers need to expand into other areas to survive.

It is the biggest investment by a car-maker into ride sharing so far, as the companies invest in various technology firms as a way of coping with the rise of autonomous vehicles and the sharing economy.

Ford family retains control, despite vote

May 10, 2013

The Ford family has retained control over the eponymous automaker, despite a growing number of shareholders voting in favour of ending dual-class shares.

At the company’s 58th annual meeting, 33.4% of shareholders, the highest tally ever, backed the proposal to end the class of shares that allows the family to control Ford Motor. Last year 29.5% voted against the company’s dual-share structure.

Yuckonomics

March 21, 2013

On the face of it, Aston Martin cars and Pot Noodle don’t have a lot in common. The motor driven by James Bond in his suaver moments can rarely have been mentioned in the same sentence as the famously nasty noodle snack slurped by students and builders.

Agnelli worship

January 25, 2013

There was God, then Jesus, and then Gianni Agnelli – so people used to say. Possibly the greatest, certainly the most stylish post-World War II industrialist Europe has ever seen.

The world's oldest Ford: Keeping it in the family

December 13, 2012

When the oldest known model of a Ford car went up for auction, one man was on a mission to make sure he got his hands on it.

When the oldest known model of a Ford car went up for auction in October, one man was on a mission to make sure he got his hands on it.

And no, it wasn’t some celebrity with a penchant for Fords. It was Bill Ford, the great-grandson of Henry Ford, the founder of the eponymous carmaker.

Bill revealed he was the buyer of the 1903 Model A as part of an employee event to kick off the 150th anniversary celebration of Henry’s birth.

Signed and sealed – VW to buy rest of Porsche

July 5, 2012

After months of analysis and speculation, shares of family-controlled carmaker Porsche will be integrated into the Volkswagen Group, in a move that will boost VW’s results by almost €10 billion.

In a statement issued on 4 July, Germany company VW said it will pay the Porsche holding company €4.46 billion and one ordinary share of VW in return for the 50.1% stake in Porsche it doesn’t already own.

Following the integration – to be completed by 1 August – VW will own 100% of Porsche.

Holding company looks to energy, ahead of proposed Porsche sale

June 26, 2012

The families behind Porsche SE are considering branching away from the car industry, as plans to combine automakers Porsche and Volkswagen gain momentum.

At Porsche SE’s annual general meeting on 25 June, the Porsche and Piech families, which control 90% the holding company’s common shares, voted unanimously to change the business’s charter.

The move means the holding company can invest in new business fields, such as energy, real estate and materials for the auto industry.

Carmaking family business Ford to ‘stick to plan’

April 25, 2012

Ford Motors, the only American carmaking giant that didn’t take bailout money during the financial crisis, is to stick to its turnaround plan, following an upgrade by a top credit rating agency.

“We have a plan – the One Ford Plan – and we are sticking to it,” a spokesman for the family-controlled automaker told CampdenFB.

Piech family tightens control at Volkswagen

March 13, 2012

Germany’s Volkswagen needs to ensure there is enough external influence to steer the family business through tough times, following a move by the Piech family to rein in control of the carmaker.

That’s according to Albrecht Enders, professor of strategy and innovation at Swiss-based business school IMD, who was commenting after Volkswagen proposed Ursula Piech, wife of chairman Ferdinand Piech, join the automaker's board.

Bentley launches new luxury SUV and it won’t come cheap

March 8, 2012

If you have more than €150,000 to splash out on a sport utility vehicle, then you may want to take a look at Bentley’s brand new EXP 9 F.

Presented at the latest Geneva Motor Show, the SUV features a 12-cylinder engine, an 8-speed automatic transmission, as well as a 3D screen that provides information about the journey route. And to add to it, there is also a central touchscreen to regulate cabin temperature.