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Opel Monza Concept soars into Frankfurt [w/video]

Opel has a handful of debuts hitting the stage at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show, but the most significant is the sleek Monza Concept. Reviving the Monza name, Opel says this concept will inspire future models for the brand, but between the styling, technology and powertrain, it isn't clear which of these will make it to production. We're hoping for all of the above.
From a styling standpoint, the Monza Concept blends the look of a coupe and shooting brake. The front end of the car is defined by its LED headlights, the low grille and its long hood. In profile, Opel's signature hockey stick body crease is obvious, but this is also the cut line for the large gullwing doors, which when open make the Monza look like it is ready to take flight.
The doors also provide a wide opening through which to view the cabin's 2+2 seating configuration. The crown jewel of the interior - and perhaps the whole car - is the instrument panel. Spanning the entire dash is an LED projection display for the car's infotainment system.

Fiat, PSA poised to win EU approval for $38 billion Stellantis merger

BRUSSELS/MILAN — Fiat Chrysler and PSA are set to win EU approval for their $38 billion merger to create the world's No.4 carmaker, people close to the matter said, as they strive to meet the industry's dual challenges of funding cleaner vehicles and the global pandemic. The green light from the European Commission would formalize the creation of Stellantis, a carmaking group that could tap hefty profits from selling Ram pickup trucks and Jeep SUVs to U.S. drivers to fund the expensive development of zero-emission vehicles for sale in Europe and China. The all-share merger announced late last year would unite brands such as Fiat, Jeep, Dodge, Ram and Maserati with the likes of Peugeot, Opel and DS — while targeting annual cost cuts of 5 billion euros ($6 billion) without closing factories. The Commission and Italian-American group Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) declined to comment. France's PSA did not immediately respond to a request for comment. PSA and FCA shares reversed losses after the Reuters story was published. PSA stock was last up 2% at 16.83 euros, while FCA shares were 1.9% higher at 11.31 euros. To allay EU antitrust concerns, PSA has offered to strengthen Japanese rival Toyota Motor Corp, with which it has a van joint venture, by ramping up production and selling it vans at close to cost price, the people said. FCA and PSA will also allow their dealers in certain cities to repair rival brands. Following feedback from rivals and customers, the carmakers only had to tweak the wording of their concessions, with no changes to the substance, the people said. The companies did not have to use the COVID-19 pandemic to argue for the merger, they added. FCA and PSA have said they hope to complete the merger in the first quarter of 2021. The challenge of switching to electric cars has been complicated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Just last month, FCA and PSA restructured the terms of their deal to conserve cash and raised their targeted cost savings because of the economic fallout from the health crisis. The companies have said about 40% of the savings will come from product-related expenses, 40% from purchasing and 20% from other areas, such as marketing, IT and logistics.

Chip crisis hits Stellantis' Italy output more than COVID did, union says

MILAN — The impact from a global semiconductor shortage on Stellantis' Italian car production this year will be worse and longer-lasting than the damage to output caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Italy's FIM-CISL union said on Friday. A global microchip shortage is pushing automakers to slow down production, with Stellantis halting operations at several facilities across Europe and the United States. The carmaker forecast it would make 1.4 million fewer vehicles this year. "The semiconductor hurricane is causing production stoppages that are weighing more than the lockdown in 2020," FIM-CISL head Ferdinando Uliano said. "The forecasts are that such situation will carry on for the whole first half of 2022". FIM-CISL said Stellantis had produced 319,000 cars in Italy in the first nine month of this year, 11% more than in the same period of 2020, when operations where frozen for several weeks following the COVID-19 outbreak. But Uliano said 2021 full year production would hardly match the 461,000 units produced last year. "It's practically impossible, the chip situation is getting more serious and we'll have further heavy closures," he said, adding a similar situation was expected with van production at the Sevel plant in central Italy. Stellantis, formed earlier this year through the merger of Fiat Chrysler and France's PSA, will operate the Melfi plant, its largest Italian facility, for an equivalent of only six days in October. On the other hand, Turin's Mirafiori, where the electric 500 small car is produced, is among the few plants which have not suffered major stoppages. "Production of the BEV 500 must go on to meet targets on carbon emission reduction," Uliano said. The world's fourth largest carmaker has also decided to close one German plant until the end of the year. "The main risk is that Stellantis decides to delay planned investments and new model launches, as the chip crisis pushes sales down," Uliano said. The carmaker will present Maserati's Grecale SUV next month, followed by Alfa Romeo Tonale SUV, with sale due from June 2022. Italian unions will meet Stellantis on Monday at Italy's Industry Ministry to discuss production and jobs in the country. (Reporting by Giulio Piovaccari; Editing by Alexander Smith) Related Video: Green Plants/Manufacturing UAW/Unions Opel SUV