Jeremy Hicks is new Jaguar Land Rover UK MD

Jaguar Land Rover UK appoints Jeremy Hicks (pictured) as Managing Director Jaguar Land Rover have decided to tidy up their management structure at JLR UK, and have appointed a single Managing Director for Jaguar Land Rover UK, which brings JLR UK in to line with the practice in other JLR regions around the world. Historically, probably because Jaguar and Land Rover were originally separate entities in the UK, Jaguar UK and Land Rover UK have had their own Managing Directors – until this reshuffle they were Geoff Cousins at Jaguar and Colin Green at Land Rover – but with JLR growing strongly worldwide it was felt it was time to tidy things up. That means the arrival of former Audi UK boss Jeremy Hicks to the fold as the new MD of JLR UK.

A tribute to Jim Das

On May 15 GM Europe designer Jim Das passed away in a Wiesbaden hospital after a year-long battle with leukemia. Jim joined the Opel Design team in 1997 following the completion of his Masters degree at the Royal College of Art. In 1998-99 Jim had a stint in Italy at the Opel Advanced Studio and worked on a roadster study (currently on display at Opel Live in Ruesselsheim).

Chrysler gets improved performance and handling marks from Consumer Reports

Chrysler Group is making strides to improve handling and performance of its vehicles, but the gains vary from model to model, according to tests by Consumer Reports magazine. The magazine said Tuesday that its recent tests of eight 2011 Chrysler Group models found advances in performance, interior fit and finish and handling. But it said the level of refinement in some vehicles still lags behind rivals.