William Maley

Earlier this month, Audi CEO Rupert Stadler was taken into custody by German prosecutors over concerns about evidence tampering. He is expected to be in jail for another week as investigators will conduct interviews about the diesel emission scandal. Whether or not he is released on bail remains to be seen, but sources tell Automotive News Europe that Stadler will likely not return as Audi's CEO. "The expectation is that Stadler cannot return to his post. You have to be careful, because it's not so easy due to German labor laws, but he needs to concentrate on his legal defense right now and clearing his name," said a source close to Volkswagen Group's supervisory board. The board has been protecting Stadler for some time, but a change in think on the board now see him as 'damaged goods'. According to sources, the last thing Audi needs is a CEO that is implicated in the diesel emission scandal returning to said position. It is hoped that when Stadler is released, he will step down as CEO. It would avoid the embarrassment of the company having to fire him. Who could take Stadler's place? Some believe it could be Bram Schot, Audi's sales chief who was named interim CEO. Sources reveal that Schot isn't acting like a caretaker CEO. A key example was the decision to cancel the media launch of the e-tron in Brussels in August, to the U.S. on a yet to be revealed date. "If Bram Schot does his job well, he has a chance to be the permanent successor. He has all the abilities he needs to act and Schot isn't postponing anything, he's making decisions -- de facto he's the CEO," said a source. Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required) View full article

It is now official, the Detroit Auto Show will not be held in January beginning in 2020. Organizers of the show made the announcement yesterday afternoon and released a teaser video showing what the show may look like in its new date, complete with outdoor test tracks and vehicle displays. The Detroit Auto Dealers Association (DADA) will be holding a press conference on July 24th announcing the new date. As we have reported previously, DADA was considering moving the show to October not only for better weather (a complaint for a number of journalists who cover the show), but to also give it some breathing room from another show, the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) that takes place around the same time. There is also another month possibly up for consideration, June. This is being pushed by General Motors that sees the show being reworked as "massive festival of automotive" that would be aimed at consumers - not the media. The hope is that it will draw more people to Detroit to the various venues. It should be noted that June is when the Detroit Grand Prix on Belle Isle is held, and is sponsored by Chevrolet. Organizers are also considering a name change. A source tells The Detroit News there are twelve names under consideration, but will likely not be announced on the 24th. Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required), The Detroit News View full article