Automotive and business brief

Snapshot

• Stellantis warns a shortage of a chip for the Fiat N3 GSE engine control unit could disrupt Italian output through November and December, hitting Pomigliano (Pandina), Mirafiori (500) and engine plants such as Termoli
• EU formally opens its hybrid-car safeguard investigation (all origins, imports up 49% to 1.42m units); provisional measures are planned from early December, and Chinese carmakers are already lobbying Beijing for slices of the 350,000-unit quota
• Audi cuts its 2026 guidance to €55–59bn revenue and a 3–5% operating margin after a 2.7% nine-month margin; China deliveries fall 24.5% and Audi says further measures for its German sites will be worked out with the works council

Top Developments

1. Stellantis warns a shortage of a chip for the Fiat N3 GSE engine control unit could disrupt Italian output through November and December, hitting Pomigliano (Pandina), Mirafiori (500) and engine plants such as Termoli

   Stellantis said on 2 Nov that the limited availability of an electronic component for the engine control unit of the N3 GSE engine is causing ‘significant’ production slowdowns for some Fiat models and already weighed on Fiat’s October volumes and market share, especially for the Pandina.…

   AI-generated summary · not individually reviewed · check the linked sources

   Sources: Reuters via Investing.com (2 Nov) · ANSA, Stellantis statement (2 Nov, IT) · Telenorba, Melfi stop 2–6 Nov (30 Oct, IT) · Il Sole 24 Ore, Mirafiori (IT)

2. EU formally opens its hybrid-car safeguard investigation (all origins, imports up 49% to 1.42m units); provisional measures are planned from early December, and Chinese carmakers are already lobbying Beijing for slices of the 350,000-unit quota

   The Commission opened an ex officio safeguard investigation on 30 Oct into imports of new hybrid and plug-in hybrid passenger cars (CN ex 8703 40 10, 50 00, 60 10 and 70 00); the WTO notification was published on 2 Nov. It says imports rose from 957,965 units in 2023 to 1,423,691 in July 2025–June 2026 (+49%), at prices well below EU producers’, threatening serious injury. The French customs notice lists the origin as erga omnes (all countries).…

   AI-generated summary · not individually reviewed · check the linked sources

   Sources: WTO notice (2 Nov) · French customs notice (2 Nov, FR, PDF) · Agence Europe · CnEVPost (2 Nov)

3. Audi cuts its 2026 guidance to €55–59bn revenue and a 3–5% operating margin after a 2.7% nine-month margin; China deliveries fall 24.5% and Audi says further measures for its German sites will be worked out with the works council

   Audi Group reported on 30 Oct nine-month revenue of €42.1bn (prior year €48.4bn), operating profit of €1.15bn (€1.56bn) and a 2.7% margin (3.2%), with €2.4bn net cash flow. The 2026 forecast is now €55–59bn revenue (previously €58–63bn), a 3–5% operating margin (5–7%) and €2.5–3.5bn net cash flow (€3–4bn), excluding any restructuring costs beyond those agreed in 2025.…

   AI-generated summary · not individually reviewed · check the linked sources

   Sources: Audi media release (30 Oct) · Just Auto (2 Nov)

4. Webasto in advanced talks with two strategic buyers for its loss-making HV battery-systems business (about €300m revenue, Hyundai-Kia as anchor customer); HV heaters also for sale and even the €600m parking-heater unit is not ruled out

   CEO Jörg Buchheim said at Webasto’s 125th-anniversary event that the company is in advanced talks with two strategic investors who both want to take over the whole global high-voltage battery business, with clarity targeted by year-end. The division had about €300m of 2025 revenue, grows about 25% a year, is loss-making and plans to break even in 2027; new capacity can need up to €100m of investment (Automobilwoche via electrive). Webasto builds packs in Schierling (Germany) and Dangjin (South Korea).…

   AI-generated summary · not individually reviewed · check the linked sources

   Sources: electrive (2 Nov) · FAZ (DE) · Handelsblatt (DE)

5. BYD narrows the shortlist for its next two European plants (Romania is off it), with a decision due in 6–12 months; Szeged series production starts before end-2026 with four models, and BYD runs supplier conferences in Germany and France this month

   In an interview with Profit.ro during a visit to Bucharest on 30 Oct (reported by Transtelex on 2 Nov), BYD Europe head Stella Li said the location of two further European car plants will be decided within six to twelve months, mainly on the size of the national car market and energy prices; BYD has narrowed the list of candidate countries and Romania is not on it.…

   AI-generated summary · not individually reviewed · check the linked sources

   Sources: Transtelex (2 Nov, HU) · HVG/MTI (2 Nov, HU)

6. Mercedes’ new EVs are sold out in Europe for 2026: custom electric GLC and CLA orders placed now deliver around April 2027, while Bremen, Rastatt and Kecskemét run three shifts

   Mercedes sales chief Mathias Geisen said the electric GLC, CLA, GLB and GLA are sold out in Europe for the rest of 2026 with order books reaching into 2027 (statement with Q3 sales in early October). According to JESMB, reported by ecomento on 26 Oct, delivery time for both CLA and GLC is now about six months, so custom orders placed at the end of October deliver around April 2027.…

   AI-generated summary · not individually reviewed · check the linked sources

   Sources: ecomento (26 Oct, DE) · electric-rides (DE)

7. October registrations: Italy +4.8% but battery EVs only 6.1% (PHEVs 12.7%, BYD +221%); Spain +1.8% with electrified cars at 31.5%; Norway +41% with Chinese brands at a record 22.5%

   Italy (UNRAE, 2 Nov): 131,921 cars (+4.8%), 1,400,991 year-to-date (+8.3%). Plug-in cars reached 18.8%, split between BEVs falling to 6.1% and PHEVs rising to 12.7%. UNRAE raised its 2026 forecast to 1.64m (+7.5%) but expects 2027 to fall 3.4% to 1.585m. Fiat still grew 6.1% to 12,310 despite the chip shortage; BYD sold 6,009 (+221%, seventh brand), MG 5,358 (+38%) and Omoda & Jaecoo 4,988 (+172%).…

   AI-generated summary · not individually reviewed · check the linked sources

   Sources: UNRAE (2 Nov, IT) · UNRAE brand table (IT) · ANFAC (2 Nov, ES) · OFV (NO) · electrive, Norway (2 Nov)

8. IG Metall warning strikes, day three: 41 Bavarian plants today including LEONI in Kitzingen, both ZF Passau plants, Bosch Ansbach and Schaeffler, plus at least 28 sites in Rhineland-Palatinate; the union says it will escalate through the week

   On Tuesday 3 Nov IG Metall Bavaria calls warning strikes at 41 plants across all seven Bavarian regions. They include a joint march and rally in Kitzingen for Baumüller, GEA, LEONI, Bosch Rexroth and Schaeffler; ZF’s Patriching and Werk 1 plants in Passau; all shifts at Bosch Ansbach and Faurecia Emissions Control Augsburg; Schaeffler Herzogenaurach; BorgWarner Ebermannstadt; and ZF Lifetec Aschau. On Monday the union also held a night-shift rally at Audi Ingolstadt.…

   AI-generated summary · not individually reviewed · check the linked sources

   Sources: Passauer Neue Presse, Bavarian list (3 Nov, DE) · tagesschau/SWR, Rhineland-Palatinate (3 Nov, DE)

9. Hyundai’s Genesis line at Ulsan Plant 5 stopped on 2 Nov after union delegates blocked a G80 hybrid test vehicle over staffing (‘man-hours’) for the G80 hybrid and G90 facelift; about 800 workers put on no-work, no-pay

   The stoppage began at about 09:00 local time on 2 Nov, when union representatives blocked a G80 hybrid test vehicle from entering the line. Hyundai applied a ‘no work, no pay’ rule to the roughly 800 workers on the line. The dispute is over the labour hours and staffing needed for the G80 hybrid and the facelifted G90; delegates fear new processes will cut staffing once mass production starts. Seoul Economic Daily and Chosunbiz report the line was still halted on 3 Nov. The G80 hybrid launch could be delayed.

   AI-generated summary · not individually reviewed · check the linked sources

   Sources: Korea Herald (2 Nov) · Seoul Economic Daily (3 Nov) · Chosunbiz (3 Nov)

10. Sumitomo Corporation and SCSK launch one-stop SDV engineering services for derivative vehicle models, with a new SCSK systems-engineering division from 1 Nov and a possible operating company in fiscal 2027

    Announced on 2 Nov, the service combines SCSK’s in-vehicle software and systems work with Sumitomo Corporation’s automotive business, investment and partner network. It covers vehicle planning, mechanical, systems and software development, from concept and requirements through design, implementation, integration and verification. It is aimed at OEMs developing derivative models on shared platforms for different regions, uses and powertrains (ICE, BEV, HEV, PHEV), using AI and digital tools to shorten development.…

    AI-generated summary · not individually reviewed · check the linked sources

    Sources: Sumitomo Corporation release (2 Nov) · Dempa Shimbun (JP)

11. Japan’s October new-vehicle sales fall 3.4% to 381,756, the first drop in seven months, as kei cars slump 10% on few new models; registered vehicles edge up 0.5%

    Industry data published on 2 Nov show total sales of 381,756 units (−3.4%). Registered vehicles (JADA) rose 0.5% to 249,180 while kei cars fell 10.0% to 132,576. Nikkei and Sankei say the decline, the first in seven months, came mainly from kei cars and a lack of new model launches.

    AI-generated summary · not individually reviewed · check the linked sources

    Sources: JADA brand data (2 Nov, JP, PDF) · Sankei (2 Nov, JP) · Nikkei (JP)

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