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Aston Martin CEO Andy Palmer to leave in favor of AMG chief Tobias Moers

Aston Martin Chief Executive Andy Palmer is leaving the business as part of a management shake-up and will be replaced by Tobias Moers, CEO of Mercedes-AMG, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Sunday. The luxury carmaker said in an emailed statement that it is reviewing its management team but declined to comment on Palmer's fate. Palmer and Germany's Daimler, which owns a 5% stake in Aston Martin and supplies the carmaker with Mercedes-AMG engines, also declined to comment. The Financial Times newspaper had reported earlier that the Aston Martin chief was going to leave as part of a shake-up of its leadership, with an official announcement expected on Tuesday. Palmer had not been informed of the upcoming announcement, the newspaper reported. Aston Martin, famed for being fictional secret agent James Bond's car of choice, has seen its share price plummet since floating in October 2018. The 107-year old British luxury carmaker earlier this month posted a deep first-quarter loss after sales dropped by almost a third due to the impact of the novel coronavirus outbreak. The company has been banking on its sport utility vehicle to drive sales in a new segment, and said production was on track. In January, dire conditions forced the company to bring in Canadian billionaire Lawrence Stroll who bought a roughly 20% stake for nearly 200 million pounds ($263 million), as the ailing carmaker sought to raise funds. The coronavirus pandemic and shutdowns caused by it have hit demand and forced factories around the world to suspend production, negatively impacting many industries, including car manufacturers. "We were obviously fairly significantly hit by COVID-19, starting with China in January but more clearly in what we saw as it came across towards Europe and the United States," Palmer told Reuters earlier in May. Related Video:

Mercedes-AMG celebrates F1 dominance with special A45

Mercedes-AMG is celebrating its second straight Formula One World Championship with a special edition hot hatch based on the A45 AMG. The Mercedes-AMG Petronas 2015 World Champion Edition is available in three shades of gray or silver offset by teal and black accents inspired by the Silver Arrows livery. The aero kit is also upgraded with a new front splitter and rear roof spoiler. Inside, it comes standard with sports seats in leather and microfiber, and both Mercedes' Night and Dynamic Plus packages are standard. There's also special trim and and badging, and it all runs on unique 19-inch wheels. The 2.0-liter turbo four carries over with 381 horsepower, as introduced in the recently upgraded A45. That's more muscle than even the Focus RS, but unlike the Ford, this Mercedes isn't offered stateside. Here we have to suffice with the GLA45 crossover and CLA45 sedan, which pack the same engine, but different body styles. The 65,402.40-euro ($69,216.34) asking price may seem like a lot for an A-Class, but it's considerably more accessible than the special-edition SL63 roadsters with which the German team celebrated last year. This is the second year running that Mercedes took both the drivers' and constructors' championships in F1, with Lewis Hamilton re-crowned champion and Nico Rosberg coming in second. Out of 18 rounds already held, Mercedes won 15, with one race still to go. If it wins this weekend in Abu Dhabi, it will match its run from last year, when it took 16 out of 19 grand prix victories. Exclusive A-Class marks victory in the constructors' and drivers' world championship: Mercedes-AMG celebrates Formula 1 world championship title with special edition of the Mercedes-AMG A 45 4MATIC Affalterbach, Nov 26, 2015 Affalterbach. It doesn't get any better: with victory in the constructors' world championship as well as the drivers' championship plus runner-up titles clocked up by Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg, the MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team has achieved the ultimate in motorsport's champion's league in 2015. To mark the end of the season Mercedes-AMG is celebrating this outstanding team achievement with an exclusive special model: the MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS 2015 World Champion Edition of the A 45 4MATIC blends the expressive Formula 1 look of the victorious Silver Arrows with particularly extensive and unique equipment.

Mercedes-Benz releases US-spec 2014 Sprinter details

Last week, Mercedes-Benz released the details for the updated 2013 Sprinter intended for global markets, but this week it has announced what changes are being made to the US-spec version of the van for the 2014 model year, including the Freightliner model. As expected, most of the changes made to the European model will be present on the 2014 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter when it goes on sale in the US, which is expected to be this fall.
The biggest difference between the Sprinter announced last week and the one headed to our shores is what is found under the hood. While European Sprinters will come with diesel engines and offer the availability of a supercharged four-cylinder gasoline or CNG engine, US Sprinters will still offer the 3.0-liter V6 BlueTEC diesel. This year's Sprinter now comes standard with a new base engine, the 2.1-liter four-cylinder BlueTEC diesel. This smaller engine will produce 161 horsepower and 265 pound-feet of torque, and will be paired to a seven-speed automatic transmission; the optional 3.0 V6 puts out 188 hp and 325 lb-ft of torque, and will be mated to a six-speed auto.
Fuel economy for the new Sprinter has not been announced, but Mercedes-Benz has made numerous changes with the goal of improving efficiency. To this end you'll find a new, low-friction rear axle and the optimization for the generator, fuel pump and power steering pump.