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Crunch watch Mar 09: the auto industry in crisis

By Ben Pulman and Tim Pollard Motor Industry 31 March 2009 13:48 Tuesday 31 March 2009• Porsche said that its earnings before tax rose to €7.3 billion in the six months to the end of January – including a €6.8bn windfall from its VW share options (Financial Times)• Fritz Henderson, GM's president and chief operating officer, will step up to replace Rick Wagoner, who was ousted on Sunday as CEO of General Motors (Financial Times)• President Obama is essentially CEO-in-chief of GM – despite not owning a single cent of stock, says Detroit News commentator (Detroit News)• German chancellor Angela Merkel gives assurances that any would-be investors in GM's European arm will be given state support. Opel is asking for €3.3 billion in aid – and up to 25,000 jobs in Germany depend on it, with up to 300,000 jobs across Europe including Saab and Vauxhall (BBC News)Monday 30 March 2009• General Motors' chief executive Rick Wagoner has been ordered to resign by US president Barack Obama with immediate effect. It's part of Obama's administration's critique of GM and Chrysler's turnaround plans – he's understood to be unhappy with the plans submitted (BBC News)• New GM non-executive chairman Kent Kresa has admitted that at the company's next general meeting it will have 'a majority of new directors' (General Motors)• Chrysler will receive US government aid for the next 30 days, but the Obama administration has said that if the company cannot secure a tie-up with the Fiat Group within that time period it will not receive any more money from the taxpayers and could go into liquidation.

Kia four-door sports sedan concept

Kia isn't giving much away about its Frankfurt-bound concept car, indeed it hasn't even released its name yet, referring to it as the 'four-door sports sedan concept.' The press release talks of it as 'signalling a distinctive new design direction' for the Korean brand, yet the now-familiar 'tiger-nose' grille and Optima-esque A-pillar/cant rail/C-pillar highlight are very much in evidence. "No matter from which perspective you look at it - this concept car is roaring with energy and ready for take-off," says Peter Schreyer, Kia Motors Chief Design Officer."I believe the car is a strong statement from Kia: we are ready to fast forward to an all new chapter." We'll bring you full details (and hopefully a name) from IAA next month. Photo gallery: Kia four-door sports sedan concept  

Economic downturn might hit plans for Porsche small roadster

Porsche's decision on whether to build an entry-level roadster will depend on the global economy, CEO Matthias Mueller said. Mueller said that if the automaker decides to go ahead with the car, sales would begin at the earliest in the third quarter of 2014, but probably later. A decision on production will depend on how the global economic situation pans out, particularly in relation to the auto industry, Mueller said.