Category Archives: results

Toyota France to Export Yaris to North America in 2013

Toyota Motor Manufacturing France announced today that as of May 2013, it will start building the Yaris compact car for export to the United States of America, Canada and Puerto Rico. The annual export volume is about 25,000 units. The surprising move is both a hedge against the strong Japanese Yen that makes exports form the land of the rising sun unprofitable, as well a defensive capacity move against the ongoing collapse of the Western European economy that has seen car sales plummet for five straight years with no end to the decline in sight. Continue reading

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Diesel to Comprise More than 12% of Global Sales by 2018

A new report claims that rising fuel prices and stronger fuel economy regulations will increase demand for diesel vehicles in markets around the world. Sales of diesel vehicles will increase from 9.1 million in 2012 to 12.1 million annually by 2018, with diesels representing 12.4% of all light vehicle sales by the end of that period. Continue reading

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Volaris Fined by DOT for Failing to Disclose Baggage Fees

The U.S. Department of Transportation today assessed a fine of $130,000 against the Mexican airline Volaris for failing to inform consumers that they may have to pay baggage fees when buying a ticket on the carrier. This is the first penalty assessed for a violation of the provisions of the Department’s new aviation consumer rule that took effect this past January. Continue reading

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June U.S. Auto Sales to Increase by 15% to 11.9 m SAAR

June new-vehicle retail sales in the U.S. are projected to come in at 994,800 units, which represent a seasonally adjusted annualized rate or SAAR of 11.9 million units. Volume is expected to increase 15%, compared with June 2011, after adjusting for one additional selling day this month. While still far below the level of sales pre-Great Recession, total light-vehicle sales are forecasted at 14.5 million units with retail sales at 11.6 million units. Continue reading

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U.S. Wins WTO Dispute with China Over Steel Duties

The United States has prevailed in a World Trade Organization or WTO dispute over China’s imposition of anti-dumping and countervailing duties on flat-rolled electrical steel from the United States. The duties affected a substantial amount of United States trade in U.S. steel products. After talks with the Chinese failed to resolve the matter, the WTO established the panel in March 2011. Continue reading

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Honda World’s First Company to Reveal Third-party Validated Estimates of Global CO2 Emissions during Product Use

Honda Motor Company said in Japan today that it is the world’s first mobility company to disclose estimated global CO2 emissions during customer use of its motorcycles, automobiles and power products. The move will likely force other automakers who claim to be green into similar disclosures. A next step could be window or product stickers that list the effects of their use on the environment. Continue reading

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Detroit Public Library Opens WW II Production Collection

An extensive collection of documents recording the American automobile industry’s role in WW II is now open to historians and researchers, the Detroit Public Library said yesterday at a press conference in downtown Detroit. Continue reading

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Japanese Vehicle Production Declines for First Time in 2 Years

Motor vehicle production in 2011 in Japan decreased for the first time in two years, totaling 8.40 million units because of the earthquake and resulting tsunami. This was a decrease of 12.8% from the 2010, according to JAMA. Continue reading

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China Auto Sales Up 16% in May but Down from April

The China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) said that automobile sales were 1,607,200 units in May, a decrease -1% compared with April, but an increase 16% compared with the same period of last year. Continue reading

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Audi Hybrids One-Two at Le Mans. Toyotas Crash, Break

In a 24 race marred by accidents, two Audi diesel hybrid P1 cars took first and second at the 24 hours of Le Mans, with a another Audi in third. A Toyota-powered Lola took fourth, boldly inserting itself ahead of the fifth place car – another Audi diesel, but not good enough to prevent an all Audi podium. All four Audi R18 cars could have won what became the brand’s eleventh Le Mans victory in front of a claimed 240,000 spectators. Continue reading

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EU Car Sales Down 8.7% in May. Eight Straight Months of Drops

New passenger car sales in the EU declined 8.7% in May to 1,106,845. It was the eighth consecutive month of sales declines, according to ACEA, the automakers association. Five months into the year, new registrations amounted to 5,442,326 units or 7.7% less than in the same period last year as the EU is headed for its fifth straight year of car sales declines with unemployment at depression levels. Continue reading

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Ford Motor Farm Wins Land Stewardship Award

Ford Motor Company’s Cherry Hill Farm, the last freestanding working farm the automaker owns, has received an award for effective land stewardship by reducing pollution. Continue reading

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New 2013 Ford Escape Enters Production in Louisville Plant

The upgraded plant is in theory capable of making up to six different vehicles at the same time, thus it is Ford’s most flexible U.S. plant. Louisville is also one of 11 Ford facilities in the U.S. that is participating in the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Loan Program – in Ford’s case almost $6 billion total – initiated by Congress under the Obama administration, which also put $80 billion into other auto bailouts, including the forced and politically contentious bankruptcies of Chrysler and GM. Continue reading

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New Smart ForTwo EV now in Production in France

Daimler AG started production today of the new Smart ForTwo electric vehicle built at the Smart Hambach, France plant. An investment of €200 million was required to integrate the tiny EV into the production processes of the plant, which also builds gasoline versions. Continue reading

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NHTSA Study Claims Better Design Reduced Crashes, Deaths

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration today announced that better-designed, safer vehicles have contributed to an overall decline in crashes, deaths and injuries on U.S. roadways. In a new NHTSA report issued today, the agency’s analysis of police-reported crash data estimates that design improvements between the 2000 model year and 2008 cars helped save 2,000 lives and prevented one million occupant injuries in the 2008 calendar year alone. Continue reading

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