Audi to Renault Automakers Begin to Restart European Factories

The Volkswagen group's Audi unit is one of the automakers that are gradually reopening their factories in Europe, even as coronavirus blockades are spreading across much of the region. One hundred workers at the Audi site in Gyoer, Hungary, one of the world's largest engine factories, have restarted production on an assembly line in a single shift system, the company said Tuesday. A second line should follow at the end of this week. Manufacturers face a devastating economic blow after European governments imposed restrictions on public life to combat the pandemic, which claimed the lives of around 120,000 people worldwide. The crisis could mean the loss of 3 million vehicle sales this year in Europe, or 60 billion Euros ($ 66 billion) less in revenue, according to Michael Dean, the analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence.