PSA

The next step in the proposed US$50 billion ($73.5 billion) merger of Fiat Chrysler (FCA) and the PSA Group could be complete by the end of 2019. According to internal emails seen by Reuters and Automotive News, the PSA Group and FCA have formed multiple working groups to come up with a legally-binding memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the merger.

German brand Opel is surging ahead with its 'Charge!' electrification strategy, promising a total of eight electrified vehicles "in important volume segments" by 2021. "We will electrify our entire product portfolio by 2024. Further models will follow very soon after we made the start with the Corsa-e and the Grandland X Hybrid4 this year," said Michael Lohscheller, CEO for Opel and Vauxhall.

Peugeot Australia has issued a recall for the 2018 model-year 3008 SUV, due to a child-seat anchor point being incorrectly fitted to the front passenger seat. Just like the notice for the Citroen C3 earlier this week, Australian laws do not allow the front airbag to be switched off, which means a child seat can't be fitted in the front. According to Peugeot, a top-tether child seat anchor point has been fitted to the passenger seat when it shouldn't have been.

Peugeot Australia has confirmed the rollout of its new eight-speed automatic transmission co-developed with Japan’s Aisin, set to debut with the new 308 GT later this month. The ‘EAT8’ builds on the outgoing six-speeder starting with the obvious addition of two extra ratios, along with “improved shift quality” and a 7.0 per cent improvement in fuel economy according to Peugeot.

The PSA Group currently lacks a flagship sedan to rival the Germans. In markets like China, that's like playing gridiron without a quarterback. Now the French alliance has its DS premium arm, it appears it finally has a 5 Series and E-Class fighter on the way, at least according to these leaked images from a Chinese product presentation posted to a French online forum.