Car sales drastically decreased last year, with the only exception being luxury vehicles. Less than 120,000 cars were sold in Catalonia, a figure similar to that of 1993. In Spain as a whole, car sales fell by 17.7%.
The Franco-Japanese company has chosen the Catalan car component manufacturer Ficosa as their only automatic gearbox supplier for all the new cars targeting a middle-class market segment. The agreement is for the European, North-American, South-American and Asian markets. It will represent a sales volume of 45 million euros for Ficosa. The news reinforces Greater Barcelona as a base for the automotive industry.
Audi and Barça have agreed to the extension of the sponsorship agreement until 2014. Audi will be allowed to use FC Barcelona’s image and the German brand will be Barça’s official car. Audi has been one of Barça’s official sponsors since the 2006-07 season.
The Port of Barcelona registered a record in the number of containers destined to international exports. China has consolidated its position as the main destination of containers departing from Barcelona. In addition, the number of cruisers boomed by 17% in the first eight months of the year compared to the same period last year.
The car is inspired by the car ‘Up!’ that Volkswagen presented at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Car manufacturer SEAT is based in Greater Barcelona, which is the main automobile cluster in Spain.
This last weekend Catalonia’s F1 Grand Prix and the Barcelona’s International Automobile Fair were held. These two events emphasise the weight the motoring industry has in Catalonia. Actually, Barcelona Metropolitan Area is one of Europe’s largest motoring industry hubs.
The European presentation of the Audi Q3, which will be unveiled in Catalonia, is the focus of the first day’s attention at Bacelona’s Automobile Fair. Electric cars are set to be one of the main attractions of this year’s Fair. The ‘Saló de l’Automòbil’, in its 36th year, will run until May 22nd.
Car manufacturer SEAT, whose factory is in Barcelona, is present for the first time in Shanghai. Its cars will be seen in China’s roads as of 2012. Audi also officially introduced its new crossover model, the Audi Q3, which will be entirely produced in Barcelona. Auto Shanghai 2011 closes its doors on April 28 and is the main show of this kind in Asia.
The new employees hired will be people currently out of work. The Spanish car manufacturer, which is part of the Volkswagen group, has its factory in the Barcelona Metropolitan Area. SEAT will for the next five years invest 300 million euros annually.
Production will be transferred to the country of origin of the group, Italy. The Catalan motorbike brand Derbi was bought in 2001 by Piaggio. The decision affects more than 230 jobs.
At the end of January, the Japanese motorbike company announced its decision and this week it issued its mass layoff plan. Yamaha will concentrate all its European production in its French factory. The Catalan factory was making profit and trade unions have stressed that the decision is only based on the company’s strategy. Yamaha will keep its commercial offices in Catalonia.
The Catalan multinational car components company Ficosa increased its sales in the US and Mexico by 20%. Ficosa is also expanding its Viladecavalls plant in the South of Barcelona to turn it into an international technological centre. The Catalan company will have more than 28% of the North-American market share of car mirrors.
The Japanese company has finally chosen to manufacture the new van in a factory in the Catalan capital. The decision comes after workers agreed to a change in their labour conditions including a freeze on salaries until 2014.
The international trade fair on old vehicles is one of the most important in Europe. According to Fermín Sulé, the President of 'Auto Retro, the trade fair 'widely' exceeded the expected number of vehicle sales.
The Japanese company rejects the candidacy of its Catalonia factory for manufacturing the new car because it is not 'competitive'. The deputy CEO of Nissan in Spain blames the unions for not accepting new labour conditions which would have accommodated Nissan's interests.