After holding the title for just over six months, the President of Ford Australia has resigned and is moving to the United States to "fulfill a career dream." President Bill Osborne, who took the position only in February, insists his departure has nothing to do with the fact that the company just announced 350 jobs will be cut at Victorian plants. Mr. Osborne is mum on where he is heading, although a company spokesperson said it is outside the automotive industry. Ford has not announced a replacement, but the new boss will have his or her work cut out as the Australian market adjusts from its high-horsepower diet to more fuel efficient vehicles. Sounds familiar, doesn't it?
It looks like Porsche's aggressive advances at Volkswagen are less than welcome by Volkswagen's management. Its CEO, Martin Winterkorn, has warned Porsche to keep its mitts out of operations, saying that he will resign his position if there's interference. Winterkorn isn't alone in his agitation, as Der Spigel reports Audi managers are concerned that Porsche will go a-meddling in Ingolstadt once its stake increases above 50 percent. Though VW, Audi, and Porsche are all cousins of a sort, Audi's product line comes uncomfortably close to Porsches in some cases, which doesn't portend well for the continuation of the status quo. Stay tuned as "Alle Meine Kinder," brought to you by Dr. Ferdinand Porsche, continues.
June 3 is still a long way off with something like this dangling overhead. That's the date for which Max Mosley, the embattled president of the FIA, has called an exceptional general assembly of the organization's constituents to discuss his future with the governing body. In addition to four of the world's largest automobile manufacturers – all of which participate actively in Formula One – several of the 222 member organizations that make up the FIA (including AAA) have called for his resignation. However Mosley, who was videotaped performing a Nazi-themed S&M orgy with five prostitutes, plans to fight for his job. He claims that for every letter of reprimand, he received another seven letters of support.
Whichever way the vote goes, however, Mosley says he'll retire at the end of his current term, which expires in October 2009. The vote will be taken via secret ballot from each of the 222 member organizations representing 130 countries.
Suzuki's sales in the United States have been at historically high levels the last two years. Both 2006 and 2007 saw American Suzuki Motor Corporation move more than 100,000 units – a big feat for a little brand in the U.S during these tough economic times. Despite that seemingly good news, Rick Suzuki, president of ASMC, has called the performance dismal and is stepping down in an act of seppuku. The record performance is looked upon so unfavorably because it falls far short of goals laid out by Suzuki in 2003 as part of a five-year plan to eventually sell 200,000 automobiles. Financially, ASMC is taking losses, so Suzuki has put into place a buyout plan that is expected to aid in trimming 55 jobs out of its 674-strong U.S. workforce. Employees who do stay on can expect no bonus or raise this year.
Perhaps Suzuki was caught up in irrational exuberance back in 2003 and set some overly-ambitious targets. Its automotive product line has a certain appeal, and the unveiling of the Kizashi 3 at the New York Auto Show has us excited for what's soon to come from Suzuki. Here's hoping the brand doesn't go the way of Isuzu in the U.S.
