in Automotive News Europe, by Staff and wire reports, 17-03-2020 (updating)
Daimler
Daimler said it is halting most Mercedes-Benz production in Europe for two weeks because supply chains cannot be maintained.
The automaker’S manufacturing sites in Cologne and Saarlouis in Germany, together with the Craiova facility in Romania, will temporarily halt production from Thursday, March 19.
Nissan
Volkswagen Group
Production will be halted at Pamplona in Spain, Setubal in Portugal and Bratislava in Slovakia before the end of the week. Most of the automaker’s other German and European plants are preparing to suspend production, probably for two weeks, VW said on Tuesday.
Audi said it will stop production at its factories in Ingostadt and Neckarsulm, Germany; Brussels, Belgium; and Gyor, Hungary by Monday.
VW’s Spanish unit, Seat, halted all output on Tuesday.
Skoda will suspend production at its domestic plants for two weeks starting on Wednesday.
Lamborghini is halting production at its plant in Italy until March 25.
Toyota
Toyota said it will stop production at its plant in Valenciennes, France, from Wednesday for an undetermined period. The factory builds the Yaris hatchback.
The automaker is shutting operations for two weeks at its plant in Ovar, Portugal, where it builds the Land Cruiser in low volumes for export outside of Europe.
PSA Group
PSA Group is closing its European factories until March 27 due to the disruption in parts deliveries from major suppliers and the sudden decline in markets.
The move affect plants building Peugeot, Citroen and DS vehicles, as well as Opel’s factories in Germany and Poland, and Vauxhall plants in the UK.
Renault
Renault said it would shut down its industrial sites in France starting Monday evening until further notice.
In addition, Renault said it would stop production at its factory in Novo Mesto, Slovenia, on Tuesday, until further notice. The factory makes the Clio small hatchback, Renault brand’s best-seller, the Twingo minicar and the Smart ForFour, which was developed with the Twingo, for Daimler. It also makes electric versions of the ForFour and is starting production of the Twingo Z.E. electric version.
The factory employs 2,900 people, Renault said.
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles
The automaker is suspending production for its Fiat and Maserati units until March 27 at the Italian plants of Melfi, Pomigliano, Cassino, Mirafiori, Grugliasco and Modena.
FCA’s factories in Kragujevac, Serbia, and Tychy, Poland, will also close.
FCA has resumed limited production at its Atessa facility in Italy, the automaker’s only open assembly plant, a spokesman said on Tuesday. The joint venture between FCA and PSA builds light commercial vehicles. The plant had been closed since last week as the company performed deep sanitization and some reconfiguration of production lines to allow more space between workers.
Ferrari
Ferrari has closed its two plants until March 27.
BMW
BMW said its European plants are operating as normal.
Volvo
Volvo said its Swedish and Belgian plants are not affected by the coronavirus at this point.
Hyundai
Hyundai said its Czech plant is so far working as usual on three shifts, building the the new i30 and the Kona electric.
Honda
Honda said its UK factory is still in production and the supply of parts remains solid.
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