Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Report: Focus chief engineer leaves Ford for... yacht builder?]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/07/12/report-focus-chief-engineer-leaves-ford-for-yacht-builder/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/07/12/report-focus-chief-engineer-leaves-ford-for-yacht-builder/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/07/12/report-focus-chief-engineer-leaves-ford-for-yacht-builder/#commentsFiled under: , ,

2012 Ford Focus - Click above for high-res image gallery

Jens Ludmann, the German engineer in Ford's European arm who led the development of the S-Max, Mondeo and 2012 Focus, is departing the automaker after a successful 10-year run. Where to? He's leaving the Blue Oval to join the deep blue sea, taking over as CEO of Bavaria Yachtbau, a German builder of sailing and motor yachts.

While his industry and title will change, the aim of his job won't: turn compelling ideas into profitable products. Having done that with three of Ford's best known vehicles in just ten years, Bavaria Yachtbau could have made a great score, and Ford has a massive gap to fill.


Gallery: Detroit 2010: Next-Gen Ford Focus


[Source: Automotive News - sub. req.]

Report: Focus chief engineer leaves Ford for... yacht builder? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 12 Jul 2010 09:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2012 focus2012 ford2012 ford focus2012Focus2012Ford2012FordFocusford focusford mondeoford s-maxFordFocusFordMondeoFordS-maxjens ludmannJensLudmannmondeopersonnels-maxMon, 12 Jul 2010 09:27:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19549716/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2010/07/12/report-focus-chief-engineer-leaves-ford-for-yacht-builder/19549716/article-detail.xml 19549716 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/07/fordludmannleave_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/07/fordludmannleave.jpg <![CDATA[Report: Fiat says Ferrari boss Montezemolo not quitting]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/07/10/report-fiat-says-ferrari-boss-montezemolo-not-quitting/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/07/10/report-fiat-says-ferrari-boss-montezemolo-not-quitting/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/07/10/report-fiat-says-ferrari-boss-montezemolo-not-quitting/#commentsFiled under: ,



Luca Cordero di Montezemolo stepped down from his position as chairman of Fiat a couple of months ago but remains chairman and president of Ferrari. There have been recent reports that Montezemolo also leave that role, with an Italian paper claiming that an Agnelli family scion would take over the position. Fiat has gone on record with Reuters to say those reports aren't true.

Montezemolo is 62, and outside of his Ferrari obligations runs a think tank and is considering a leap into politics. People would certainly understand his leaving, but it looks like Montezemolo will retain his position and continue making bi-weekly complaints about the FIA and its Formula 1 stewards for a while longer.

[Source: Reuters]

Report: Fiat says Ferrari boss Montezemolo not quitting originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 10 Jul 2010 14:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Luca Cordero di Montezemololuca di montezemoloLucaCorderoDiMontezemoloLucaDiMontezemolopersonnelSat, 10 Jul 2010 14:25:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19548387/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2010/07/10/report-fiat-says-ferrari-boss-montezemolo-not-quitting/19548387/article-detail.xml 19548387 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/07/ferrarildm_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/07/ferrarildm.jpg <![CDATA[Is GM's new CFO Liddell on track to become CEO?]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/27/is-gms-new-cfo-liddell-on-track-to-become-ceo/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/27/is-gms-new-cfo-liddell-on-track-to-become-ceo/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/27/is-gms-new-cfo-liddell-on-track-to-become-ceo/#commentsFiled under: ,

Chris Liddell, the Microsoft CFO who'll be leaving to to take the same position at GM next month, might not stop there. Observers have suggested that Liddell wants the chance to run his own company, and say they can't imagine a star at Microsoft would take a post at an "eroded pillar of an old economy" without the chance to move up to CEO.

The idea of (another) finance guy in the top spot at GM could give auto enthusiasts pause. Liddell does have experience as a chief executive, however, having held the position at two New Zealand firms: Carter Holt Harvey, and CS First Boston NZ. Still, the bulk of his experience is in finance, and his Microsoft tenure is regarded mostly for helping the company save cash and overseeing job cuts.

Those are two skills GM clearly needs right now, and we hope Liddell will do well in the CFO position. But if he's being groomed for the top position, we wonder how his skills will translate to developing vehicles. True, Ford's Alan Mulally was an outsider who hadn't ever developed a car, either, but he did have decades of experience in development, having assisted or overseen the progress of at least seven different Boeing planes.

No need to get ahead of ourselves, though -- Liddell has plenty of work to complete as CFO first, his $750,000-plus pay package won't deliver until 2012, and only then if he delivers. GM is still searching for a CEO to take the reins back from Ed Whitacre. That will give the 51-year-old Liddell time to study and learn the craft of running an auto company... and figure out how to bring back the Pontiac G8 GXP. Seriously, we don't care which brand does it...

[Source: CNBC]

Is GM's new CFO Liddell on track to become CEO? originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 27 Dec 2009 09:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chris liddellChrisLiddellgeneral motorsGeneralMotorsgmpersonnelSun, 27 Dec 2009 09:34:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19293946/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2009/12/27/is-gms-new-cfo-liddell-on-track-to-become-ceo/19293946/article-detail.xml 19293946 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/12/liddell_ceo_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/12/liddell_ceo.jpg <![CDATA[Pat Schiavone, Ford Flex and F150 designer, resigns]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/20/pat-schiavone-ford-flex-and-f150-designer-resigns/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/20/pat-schiavone-ford-flex-and-f150-designer-resigns/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/20/pat-schiavone-ford-flex-and-f150-designer-resigns/#commentsFiled under:

Pat Schiavone

Patrick Schiavone, Ford's design director for trucks and crossovers, is leaving The Blue Oval. In his 21 years with the company, Schiavone has penned and helped develop Fords both naughty and nice: the last two F-150s; the Flex; Expedition; Cougar; Focus; Lincoln Navigator and Blackwood; the Mighty F-350 TONKA and Ford F-150 Lightning Rod concept trucks; and the Contour show car.

His inkwell is likewise responsible for the 1994 Ford Mustang, the car that did the phoenix routine on the pony car line. It's an impressive resume, and is probably why he "received a great job opportunity outside the auto industry." His last day at the office will be sometime early next year.

[Source: Inside Line]

Pat Schiavone, Ford Flex and F150 designer, resigns originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 20 Dec 2009 14:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>designf-150fordmustangpat schiavonepatrick schiavonePatrickSchiavonePatSchiavonepersonnelretirementretiringSun, 20 Dec 2009 14:11:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19287965/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2009/12/20/pat-schiavone-ford-flex-and-f150-designer-resigns/19287965/article-detail.xml 19287965 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/12/schiav_dep_fd_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/12/schiav_dep_fd.jpg <![CDATA[REPORT: Trio of top Toyota execs to retire]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/19/report-trio-of-top-toyota-execs-to-retire/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/19/report-trio-of-top-toyota-execs-to-retire/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/19/report-trio-of-top-toyota-execs-to-retire/#commentsFiled under:

Toyota Veeps
Departing Toyota VPs Steve Sturm, Dave Danzer, Irv Miller

According to Automotive News, three of Toyota's group vice presidents will be leaving the company in less than sixty days. Steve Sturm, 28 years with the company, oversaw strategic research and planning for the Americas as well as corporate communications. Dave Danzer is a 24-year veteran and headed strategic and product planning. Environmental and public affairs were headed by Irv Miller, who's been a Toyota associate for 29 years.

Long-tenured group VPs don't generally just get up and leave, especially not in unison, so we assume their departures are not a surprise inside the company. Still, we imagine it's a blow, and there's probably more than one Toyota higher-up singing, "You picked a fine time to leave me, Lucille..."

[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.]

REPORT: Trio of top Toyota execs to retire originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 19 Dec 2009 09:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>personnelretirementtoyotaSat, 19 Dec 2009 09:08:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19286734/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2009/12/19/report-trio-of-top-toyota-execs-to-retire/19286734/article-detail.xml 19286734 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/12/toyota_execs_dep_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/12/toyota_execs_dep.jpg <![CDATA[GM says 17,398 workers took buyout]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/20/gm-says-17-398-workers-took-buyout/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/20/gm-says-17-398-workers-took-buyout/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/20/gm-says-17-398-workers-took-buyout/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

More than one-fourth of GM's 74,000 hourly employees are going to grab the loot and skedaddle. Earlier this year, UAW President Ron Gettlefinger estimated that 15,000 would put their hands out, but another couple thousand decided to hop on the General's money train. The workers are expected to finish their employment by July 1. GM's most recent deal with the UAW means it can replace those folks with lower wage workers and save itself a bundle on payroll. And that will make the job of saving itself that much easier.

[Source: Automotive News, sub req'd]

GM says 17,398 workers took buyout originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 20 Jun 2008 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>buyoutsgmlaborpersonneluawFri, 20 Jun 2008 08:01:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/1230913/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2008/06/20/gm-says-17-398-workers-took-buyout/1230913/article-detail.xml 1230913 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/06/gm_buyout_round_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/06/gm_buyout_round.jpg <![CDATA[No tanks necessary: Russian luxury personnel carrier]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/11/01/no-tanks-necessary-russian-luxury-personnel-carrier/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/11/01/no-tanks-necessary-russian-luxury-personnel-carrier/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/11/01/no-tanks-necessary-russian-luxury-personnel-carrier/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Is the armored Mercedes-Benz S600 Guard not enough? How about a luxury tank?

This amphibious Russian combat reconnaissance/patrol vehicle was purchased by a Russian oligarch and retrofitted with a host of luxury equipment including a full leather interior with wood trim, plus night-vision, hi-fi stereo system, sat-nav and television with DVD player.

Being an amphibious vehicle, it can go in the water too, and has a periscope mounted to the roof to help the driver see where he's going and sonar to see what lies beneath. Get stuck on land? It's got extra wheels hidden underneath that can be deployed as needed. The thing ways weighs a few tons, and is powered by a 5.5-liter V8 diesel.

And here you thought the Hummer and G-wagon were the ultimate in luxury paramilitary vehicles. Park it next to your Aston Martin and you've got your own little James Bond flick goin' on.

(Follow the jump for more images.)

[Source: English Russia via Luxist]

Continue reading No tanks necessary: Russian luxury personnel carrier

No tanks necessary: Russian luxury personnel carrier originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 01 Nov 2006 13:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amphibiousluxurypersonneltankWed, 01 Nov 2006 13:29:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/694308/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2006/11/01/no-tanks-necessary-russian-luxury-personnel-carrier/694308/article-detail.xml 694308 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2006/11/military-vehicle_12_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2006/11/military-vehicle_12.jpg -1 2