Automotive News Europe - April 2020 - 3

AUTOMOTIVE NEWS EUROPE

ISSUE HIGHLIGHTS

Valuable lessons
T

hrough government aid and incentives, the European automotive industry was able to bounce back from the
Great Recession. Now it faces an equally
fearsome foe - the coronavirus outbreak.
The pandemic has temporarily shuttered
factories and showrooms, putting the
global economy at high risk. Executives,
analysts and consultants who witnessed
the 2008 crisis told us in our cover story
that automakers and governments have
learned lessons that will help them navigate the unknown impact of this immense
new challenge (Pages 6-9).
Ford has intensified its efforts to turn
around its money-losing European division including the closing or sell-off of
six plants and the elimination of more
than 12,000 jobs. The cost-cutting push
appears to be working: Ford of Europe
posted a small profit in the final quarter
of 2019. Leading the reorganization is
Stuart Rowley, who spoke to us about
the challenges ahead (Pages 10-11).
Beatrice Foucher, a veteran Renault-Nissan alliance executive, was named CEO
of DS Automobiles in January. She is taking over PSA Group's premium brand at
a pivotal time. Foucher shared her vision
for DS (Page 12).
In their search for lower-cost production,
European automakers are looking south
across the Mediterranean to North Africa,
a vast region in which relatively stable
countries sit alongside those grappling
with political instability. Renault Group has
long been the production leader in North
Africa. In recent years, however, PSA
Group and Volkswagen Group have started production in the region. We take an indepth look at this market (Pages 14-15).

Volkswagen is on the hunt for a savior
- actually 6,000 to be precise. Their job
will be to ensure Europe's largest automaker sells enough ID3 full-electric cars
by year-end to help parent VW Group
avoid EU fines that could rise into the
billions. "I call them my e-Heroes," Silke
Bagschik, the head of sales and marketing for VW's ID family of electric vehicles, told us. Find out why she will need
the persuasive powers of these 6,000
true believers in electric vehicles more
than ever (Page 16).
The Tesla Model 3's arrival in Europe last
year helped boost sales in the midsize
premium segment by more than a fifth
as the full-electric car shook up a segment dominated by BMW, MercedesBenz and Audi. Analysts say the Model
3's success proves that a new technology with a reasonable price can help the
segment win back customers who have
traded in their sedans and wagons for
SUVs. Tesla wasn't the only brand making waves in the segment with electrified
models. With plug-in hybrids included,
BMW topped the segment, surpassing
rival Mercedes-Benz's C-Class. The segment as a whole, however, is at high risk
of decline because of the coronavirus
outbreak in Europe (Pages 18-19).
In our Final Word column we provide
an outlook on the potential damage the
coronavirus crisis may cause. The numbers are scary. One positive is that automakers and suppliers have more cash
in their coffers than they did prior to the
global financial crisis in 2008. They have
also become a lot better at cash management, which is good because cash is
king during uncertain times (Page 37).

Audi has found multiple ways to boost the sustainability credentials of
its new fourth-generation A3 Sportback, without sacrificing on the characteristics that have consistently made it one of Europe's top-selling
compact premium cars. A key innovation Audi is premiering in the car is
the use of recycled materials for the interior. Learn more about the new
A3 Sportback on Page 20.

Speed is
king
T

he coronavirus pandemic has increased the importance of providing readers with information as quickly as possible. With dramatic changes
happening at unprecedented speeds,
we have decided to move away from
our monthly print /digital magazine to
focus our efforts on offering readers a
portfolio of targeted digital products.
We will continue to produce trendsetting stories on the topics that are
crucial to all areas of the automotive
industry. There will be captivating interviews of the industry's most powerful and influential executives as well
as poignant analysis and data that no
other news organization can match.
As the saying goes, when one door
closes, another one opens. That is
exactly how everyone at Automotive
News Europe feels about these exciting changes that will make us more
flexible, more timely and more relevant to our loyal audience.
We hope you will join us on this exciting new journey.

Luca Ciferri,
Associate Publisher and Editor

APRIL 2020

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Automotive News Europe - April 2020

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