Showing posts with label Reports. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Reports. Show all posts

2011 Detroit Auto Show Debuts: A to Z Guide


The 2011 Detroit Auto Show, also known by its North American International Auto Show [NAIAS] moniker, is arguably one of the world's most important motor shows. Held at the Cobo Center in Detroit, this year’s event will open its gates to the public on January 15, but as usual, we’ll be covering the action from the press days starting Monday, January 10. The show's organizers are anticipating some 30 to 40 world premieres, with manufacturers gearing up for what is expected to be a much better year in terms of sales.

Our A to Z guide is currently in a preliminary state, but it features many highly anticipated models such as the Ford Focus EV, Chrysler 300, BMW 1-Series M Coupe and the face-lifted Mercedes C-Class. There’s no shortage of eye-candy concepts either, such as the GMC Sierra All-Terrain HD and Kia KV7.

We’ll be constantly updating the list available below, as the new models and concept cars hit the showroom floor.

By Csaba Daradics


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The Plot Thickens: China a Suspect in the Renault Spy Case


As previously reported, Renault recently suspended three senior managers on suspicion of industrial espionage, related to the manufacturer’s upcoming electric cars. Naturally, the situation begs an obvious question: whom were they spying for?

On Friday, French legislator Bernard Carayon dropped the bombshell, by saying that “proven, diverse and reliable” sources suspect Chinese involvement in the matter.

“There are in effect several sources that are typically thought to be serious who consider that a Chinese buyer is in fact behind this operation”, said Carayon, a member of President Nicolas Sarkozy's conservative party, on France-Info radio.

The Sarkozy administration declined to comment on Mr. Carayon’s statement and, according to an inside source, the country’s counter-terrorism agency, DCRI, has not yet been involved in the matter.

Meanwhile, Renault didn’t release too many details about the affair, simply stating that it plans to take legal action against the three former company officials, whose identities will be preserved in accordance to the labor laws.

However, the automaker has pointed out in a statement that the managers were people with “extremely strategic” positions in the company, which could be one way of describing a very complicated situation.

By Csaba Daradics

Source: Associated Press via Detroit News


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Honda Dealer Memo Says 4-Cylinder CrossTour and 2012 CR-V on their Way Along with New Civic


The Honda fan-boys over at the Temple of VTEC claim to have intercepted an internal memo with details on the firm's upcoming models, which was sent out today to dealers. The email reportedly states that Honda will be releasing a lower-priced based version of the Accord CrossTour equipped with a 4-cylinder engine, with sales to start in "mid-summer". We'll remind you that that CrossTour is currently offered exclusively with a 275HP 3.5-liter V6 and available four-wheel drive.

The website notes the memo also mentions the 2012 Civic, which will arrive in "late April" (this has already been officially confirmed by Honda that will show a pre-production study at the Detroit Show next week), as well as the 2012 CR-V and the Pilot SUV, without, however, getting into any more details.

Source: Temple of VTEC


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List with the Top 10 Most Congested Western European Cities


After compiling a list with the 10 most congested cities and freeways in North America, Navteq, a provider of maps, traffic and location data, is back with a similar survey, this time regarding Western Europe. The list is based on a mix of criteria, including the greatest rush hour delay, and is comprised of cities with more than one million inhabitants.

And the winners or shall we say the...losers are:

Top 10 Most Congested Western European Cities

1. London

2. Paris

3. Dublin

4. Berlin

5. Stockholm

6. Hamburg

7. Manchester

8. Lyon

9. Vienna

10. Marseilles


According to Navteq, aside from traffic incidents, time of day and weather, traffic is also influenced by constant factors, such as topographical circumstances, structure of public transportation and the way population and working places are dispersed throughout a given urban area.

“These circumstances and many others intersect with time to produce traffic”, says Andreas Erwig, Director, Navteq Traffic Europe. “Because the fascinating complexity of traffic is that it's not only about movement from here to there, but from now to then”.

By Csaba Daradics

Source: Navteq




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VW wants to Expand its SUV Line-up, Plans to Triple U.S. Sales by 2018


Volkswagen hasn’t given up on its plans to become the world’s biggest automaker and for that it needs to sell more cars in the U.S. The Germans want to triple their American sales in the next seven years and one solution is to expand their SUV line-up in order to catch up to GM and Toyota.

“We will be looking to really grow, particularly in the compact SUV segment”, VW's U.S. chief Jonathan Browning told Bloomberg news. “Over time, I think there's also scope for growth in terms of a larger SUV within the portfolio”.

Volkswagen sold 20,946 Tiguans and 4,713 Touaregs in the U.S. last year, which is insignificant compared to the total of 3.3 million SUVs delivered in the country.

“VW is simply not a player in the American SUV segment”, said Stefan Bratzel, director of the Center of Automotive Management at the University of Applied Sciences in Bergisch-Gladbach, Germany. “Their models aren't being recognized as sufficiently competitive”.

The automaker is exploring other means to increase its sales as well, one of them being the all-new New Mid-Size Sedan (NMS), which is set to debut at this year’s North American International Auto Show.

The yet to be named model will be assembled at the company’s new factory in Chattanooga, Tennessee, with deliveries programmed to start in the third quarter of 2011.

By Csaba Daradics

Source: Bloomberg


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Hyundai's European Plant Hits New Production Milestone with 300,000th Vehicle


The 300,000th Hyundai rolled off the firm's manufacturing facility in Nošovice, Czech Republic, marking a new production milestone for the company in Europe. The vehicle was a white i30 CW, which is the station wagon version of the European market i30 compact hatch.

Hyundai opened the European facility at the end of 2008. It produces the i30, i30cw, and newly launched ix20 and exports to 50 countries across Europe, North Africa and the Middle East.



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One-off 2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302 Laguna Seca to be Auctioned Off for Charity


At the 40th Annual Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction in Scottsdale, Arizona, a one-of-a-kind 2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302 Laguna Seca will go under the hammer to help raise money for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF).

Finished in a unique "Grabber Blue" paintjob, this Boss 302 Laguna Seca was specifically built by Ford for the auction and features a series of extra modifications over the stock model, which should increase its value at the auction.

The company's designers added distinctive black accents to various body parts (mirrors, roof and spoiler) and Citic Dicastal 10-spoke wheels, also painted black. Inside, Recaro buckets with embroidered Grabber Blue “Boss 302” inscriptions and other chromatic touches set this car apart.

The Laguna Seca package comes with upgraded suspension, chassis and aerodynamic kit, turning the 2012 Mustang Boss 302 into a ready-to-race muscle car. According to Ford, the Laguna Seca can easily reach 1.03 lateral Gs, while also featuring shorter stopping distances and faster acceleration times compared to the regular Boss 302.

Racing legend Parnelli Jones, who won the 1970 Trans-Am season opener in a Boss 302, will provide commentary from the auction stage with Ford’s Mustang team.

“I am very excited to see that Ford is carrying on the tradition of the Boss Mustang,” said Jones. “Ford had the right ingredients to bring back this legendary car and it’s a great addition to the Mustang lineup”.

During the last four years, Ford has raised nearly US $2.5 million for charity through similar events.

By Csaba Daradics



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VW Group's Skoda Division Sets New Record in 2010 with 762,600 Sales


The once ailing Skoda brand is turning out to be a solid investment for the Volkswagen Group as the Czech automaker is breaking one sales record after the other. In the year that just passed on, Skoda Auto recorded is best-ever sales results delivering 762,000 vehicles, which represents an increase of 11.5% over 2009 when it sold 684,200 units. Furthermore, the company broke the threshold of three quarters of a million vehicles sold in a single year for the first time in its history.

Commenting on the results, Prof. Dr. h.c. Winfried Vahland, Chairman of the Board of Skoda Auto said:

“In 2010, Škoda achieved an outstanding performance. In almost all markets, we have had significant growth and increased our market share. Once again, our sales have risen at a double-digit pace. In the most significant developing markets, our growth rates are above 40%. Within the framework of the Škoda growth strategy, we will shift up a gear in the coming years. By 2018, we want to at least double our worldwide sales. In order to do so, we will clearly expand the Škoda model range and strengthen the activities in international markets."



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