China's smartphone champion has triumphed where Apple failed
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Scottish Sun
39 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
Legendary car brand pulls out of country forever as it shuts massive engine factory in move to rival Tesla
The carmaker is shifting its focus to electric vehicles KICKED TO KERB Legendary car brand pulls out of country forever as it shuts massive engine factory in move to rival Tesla A LEGENDARY car brand has called it quits in one of the world's biggest automotive markets, shutting down a major factory and ending local production for good. The firm has officially pulled out of China after decades of operations, closing its joint engine venture and handing over its factory to a domestic rival as it pivots towards electric vehicles. 2 Mitsubishi's relationship with China stretches back to 1973, when it began shipping mid-sized vehicles to the market Credit: YouTube / Mitsubishi Motors Europe SAME, which began producing engines in 1998, supplied not only Mitsubishi vehicles but also powertrains for a host of Chinese automakers. It will now operate under a new name: Shenyang Guoqing Power Technology Co., Ltd. Mitsubishi said it has: "terminated its engine business operation at Shenyang Aerospace Mitsubishi Motors Engine Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (hereinafter, SAME) in China and has terminated the joint venture partnership. "Established in August 1997, SAME began engine production in 1998 and has played a key role in China's expanding automotive market by supplying engines not only to Mitsubishi-branded vehicle manufacturers, but also to numerous Chinese automakers. " However, in response to the rapid transformation of China's automotive industry, Mitsubishi Motors has reassessed its strategy in the region and has decided to terminate its participation in the joint venture." Mitsubishi's relationship with China stretches back to 1973, when it began shipping mid-sized vehicles to the market. At one point in the early 2000s, its engines powered nearly 30 per cent of cars built in the country. But as China's car industry turned sharply toward new energy vehicles (NEVs), demand for traditional engines plummeted. In 2012, Mitsubishi joined forces with Guangzhou Automobile Group (GAC) and Mitsubishi Corporation to launch GAC Mitsubishi. The joint venture saw strong early success, especially with the Outlander SUV, which pushed sales to 144,000 units in 2018. But it didn't last - sales crashed to just 33,600 vehicles by 2022. Nissan 'on brink of collapse' after Renault deal falls through By the following year, Mitsubishi shut down local production and, in 2024, exited the market entirely. GAC has since taken over the plant and turned it into a production base for its EV brand, Aion. Industry analysts say Mitsubishi's retreat is just the latest in a broader trend. Foreign carmakers are losing ground in China as homegrown brands surge ahead in the electric vehicle market. GAC-FCA, a joint venture with Fiat Chrysler, also folded under similar pressures. Mitsubishi says the decision is part of a strategic shift as it focuses on electrification and more competitive global markets. But in China, the brand that once powered nearly a third of the country's cars is now just a memory. The collapse of its Chinese business is a blow for the brand, which had hoped to hold on in the world's biggest car market. But with EV start-ups popping up at lightning speed and government backing for green tech, Mitsubishi simply couldn't keep up. The factory closure also means job losses for hundreds of local workers, with some fearing they'll struggle to find work in an industry moving away from fossil fuels. One former worker said: 'We saw the writing on the wall last year. EVs are the future, and we weren't part of that plan anymore.' It's a bitter end for a brand once considered a key player in Chinese motoring. Now, it's packing up — leaving behind empty factories, lost jobs and a name that once meant something on Chinese roads. The Sun has approached Mitsubishi for comment. Iconic car brand 'on brink of collapse' as 'bosses warn company has just 12 months to survive' ONE of the world's largest car manufacturers reportedly could go under within 12 months if it doesn't receive support. The firm is looking to sure up its future by growing a partnership with its former rival after the reported collapse of a three-way alliance. Nissan was one-third of a strategic deal with Mitsubishi and Renault to share financial backing and expand all their markets in Europe, Japan and the US. The agreement dates back to 1999 but now could be on the brink of collapse. A report from the Financial Times cites two anonymous "senior officials" at the firm suggesting that Renault is looking to reduce its financial stake in the Japanese carmaker. The withdrawal of funding means, according to the same sources, that Nissan could require support from the Japanese or US governments within the next year just in order to stay afloat. One of the officials said: "We have 12 or 14 months to survive. "This is going to be tough. "And in the end, we need Japan and the US to be generating cash." Nissan has already cut 9,000 jobs across its global operation, while its CEO Makoto Uchida took a 50% pay cut in an economy drive. The business is working through an emergency recovery plan, which will see it cut output by 20% and slash around £2bn in costs. Its struggles have partly been blamed on the lack of a strong hybrid lineup, which has helped rivals like Toyota and Honda through the global collapse in EV sales. In a press conference earlier this month, Mr Uchida said: "This has been a lesson learned and we have not been able to keep up with the times. "We weren't able to foresee that hybrid electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids would be so popular."
Daily Record
2 hours ago
- Daily Record
Hackers threaten to leak 'top-secret' data after major cyberattack on French military
Hackers have released 30 gigabytes of data and threatened to leak more sensitive military information Cyber criminals claiming to have launched a devastating attack against French naval powerhouse Naval Group have released 30 gigabytes of classified material, whilst threatening to expose further critical military secrets. The French military shipbuilder Naval Group, renowned for crafting submarines and frigates, has dismissed the hacking allegations, confirming it had "immediately launched technical investigations" after sensitive material appeared online. The purported data breach allegedly contains classified intelligence regarding the NATO ally's nuclear submarine fleet. State-owned Naval Group manufactures France's Suffren-class submarines - nuclear-powered and nuclear-armed attack vessels designed for anti-surface and anti-submarine operations, ground strikes, and specialist missions. Boasting a heritage spanning 400 years back to Louis XIII's reign, Naval Group also constructed the French Navy's flagship and only operational aircraft carrier, the Charles de Gaulle, reports the Express. Writing on a dark web platform, the hackers claimed possession of "top-secret classified" intelligence on "submarines and frigates", issuing the firm a 72-hour ultimatum to acknowledge the breach, whilst alleging their cache includes source code for submarine weapons systems. Around 30GB of material was published by the digital criminals, though they insist they possess far more intelligence at their disposal - potentially one terabyte of documents. Naval Group maintained there had been "no intrusion into our IT environments", stating it was the victim of a "reputational attack". As the largest shipbuilder in France, the company, which is nearly two-thirds owned by the French government, boasts a workforce of over 15,000 and generates revenues exceeding €4.4bn. "Naval Group has noticed being the target of a reputational attack with the claim of a cyber-malice act. We immediately launched technical investigations," a spokesperson commented. "All teams and resources are currently mobilised to analyse and verify the authenticity, origin and ownership of the data as quickly as possible. "At this stage, no intrusion into our IT environments has been detected and there has been no impact on our activities." Data breaches have become a global issue, with both commercial entities and governmental bodies succumbing to cyber attacks. Just last week, Microsoft acknowledged that a July software update failed to completely rectify a couple of vulnerabilities, leaving SharePoint servers susceptible to hackers who could remotely execute code, an issue attributed to Chinese "threat actors". In another incident, the US National Nuclear Security Administration, which oversees America's nuclear weapons, was recently compromised but maintains that no sensitive information was accessed.
The Herald Scotland
4 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
Historic Scottish bus firm puts Falkirk factory on market
The site has been described as "an excellent housing opportunity" which could provide space for nearly two hundred homes. Alexander Dennis announced plans to consolidate operations and relocate to Scarborough in June, sparking concern from leading Scottish politicians. Alexander Dennis plans to move its Scottish operation to England. (Image: PA) The firm, which manufactures single decker and double decker buses, said the decision was made amidst rising competition from Chinese electric bus manufacturers. At the time, managing director Paul Davies said: 'We must take significant action to drive efficiency to allow our operating model to be competitive. "It is extremely regrettable that as part of this, we must place jobs at potential risk of redundancy and propose to cease manufacturing operations at some of our facilities." In July, The Herald exclusively revealed that the firm had received £90m in subsidies from the Scottish Government over the last five years, despite plans to reduce its workforce by a third. While operations at the Camelon factory are to cease with immediate effect, the firm's sister factory in Larbert is to remain open until current contracts are completed. A consultation of affected workers is ongoing. Earlier this week, the Scottish Government expressed optimism that the firm would remain in Falkirk. Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes said: 'We are hoping there is a package there which Alexander Dennis have indicated would satisfy their requirements to retain the jobs and retain the sites. "When I have discussed that with the unions and the company themselves, it is the one they feel most optimistic about. "We are very conscious that we're two weeks before the consultation ends, but our hope is that the consultation might be extended in order for us to work on potential solutions." Read more: How buying Chinese engulfed public funding row over Scots bus jobs going to England Swinney got year-long warning England-bound bus firm was 'reconsidering' Scotland FM in funding row as £90m public cash for Scots jobs given to firm going to England An Alexander Dennis spokesperson said: "This does not represent a foregone conclusion and a final decision has not yet been made. 'We have been honest with stakeholders about the need to address the condition of the Falkirk site for some time, which is why significant investment was made to expand our Larbert site for vehicle manufacturing during 2023 and 2024. 'Alexander Dennis continues to engage with governments in good faith and the company remains committed to exploring all possible outcomes at this time."
