The world's largest automaker is looking to join Tata Motors and Renault's Dacia brand as purveyors of cheap new cars. Toyota has cultured a company model by building high-quality, reliable cars, and has gone upmarket with its Lexus brand to compete at the high end of the automotive spectrum. More recently, the automaker has attempted to target a younger crowd with its Scion subsidiary and now a fourth brand is being considered to cater to emerging markets wihtout sullying the Toyota's hard-fought image. The new car would be targeted at the Indian and Brazilian markets, and would likely be made at Toyota's plant in Bangalore. Toyota is rumored to be partnering up with Daihatsu, another subsidiary of Toyota, that specializes in Japanese Kei cars for the new inexpensive model. If it indeed does happen, expect the new vehicle to make its debut by 2015.
Source Via Autoblog
The Germans are embracing diesels wholeheartedly, and many of the Fiat Group's companies have a standing relationship with the oily fuel, but Ferrari CEO Amedeo Felisa has ruled out any move toward the technology, at least within the next five years, and probably beyond that.
"Diesel is not a direction in which we want to go," said Felisa last week, reports the Telegraph. "It is not in our five-year strategic plan and I don't think diesel is an answer to the problem."
The economy slowing and demand for new vehicles shrinking, Mercedes-Benz is offering buyout packages its nearly 4,000 workers at its Alabama plant for the first time since the factory opened 11 years ago.
Company officials did not specify how many employees Mercedes hopes will take the buyouts to balance the dip in demand, or what approach the company would take if too few employees opted for the buyouts.
Mercedes-Benz has announceed plans to halt production at plants in Germany for a month beginning Dec. 12. The Vance plant's converted to a four-day, 32-hour work week earlier this month.
The first set of official photos released by Nissan. From the photos we see that the car’s not just a facelift, because a lot of things have changed, the 370Z going for a more retro look than the 350Z. However, for more details we’ll have to wait until the official launch, in November at the Los Angeles Auto Show. However, rumors say that the 370Z name indicates a 330 hp 3.7 liter V6 under the hood and the fact that the car will be shorter and lighter means extra performance. After it’s LA debut, the Nissan 370Z is expected to go on sale at the beginning of 2009.
2010 Ford Fusion facelift, which, besides the obvious redesign, also got a new engine and a new six-speed transmission. This means the Fusion will be available with Ford’s all-new Duratec 2.5-liter I-4, producing 175 horsepower, an enhanced 3.0-liter V6 with 240 hp and a 3.5-liter V6 that delivers 263 hp for the Fusion Sport model. Ford claims that the Fusions equipped with the 2.5-liter engine will deliver at least 3 mpg better on the highway than the Honda Accord and 2 mpg better than the Toyota Camry. All engines are paired with six-speed transmissions which offers up to a 10 percent fuel economy improvement.
Ford also offers several fuel saving technologies, like EPS (Electric Power Steering), Adaptive Spark Ignition (senses what type of fuel is being injected into the motor and communicates the information to the powertrain control module, which adjusts the spark accordingly) and Aggressive Deceleration Fuel Shut-off (when the driver releases the accelerator pedal to slow down, the system temporarily turns off the fuel).
Geoff Hoon, Britain’s transport secretary, has announced that the government has decided to offer a £100 ($155, €125) million aid to the development of electric cars and other ultra-low emission cars. Ford Motor, Mercedes-Benz, Citroen and Land Rover are among the 10 companies that will compete to supply low-carbon vans to local councils and government bodies, such as the Royal Mail, and city councils including Glasgow, Leeds and Liverpool.
The British government told that this funding was necessary to give an initial boost to electric car sales, which aren’t the most affordable vehicles out there, due to the expensive batteries, plus the problem of recharging mean. Beside that, Mr. Hoon also announced that an extra £20 million will be allocated for research and development in technology to make electric cars more affordable.
And it looks like Europe is really starting to support electric cars, because, this month, French president Nicolas Sarkozy also announced a 400 million Euros funding for electric cars development.
Fiat’s CEO Sergio Marchionne has announced that Alfa Romeo’s return to the United States has been delayed again until 2011. Wonder if they’ll ever make it across the ocean. Of course, the reason for this delay, the global financial crisis, with the United States being hit very hard by it. According to Automotive News, Mr. Marchionne said that “it would be simply crazy investing for returning Alfa in such a depressed U.S. market.”
