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BMW i 2011- BMW i – A Whole New Concept BMW i might be about visionary concept cars but our guess is that the i3, i8 and a whole line-up of i-cars will be coming to a BMW showroom near you in the not too distant future. For those folks wondering what BMW i is all about, think of it an entirely new brand from the luxury German carmaker, but one that focuses on the ‘Green’ ap proach to everyday motoring. BMW’s i brand will display both the i3 and i8 concepts at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September and what you see, is very likely, what you will get – meaning the series production version of these cars will look similar to the concepts. Take BMW i3; this will be the company’s first mass-produced all-electric car that encompasses premium quality and sustainability in a city car package. Based on BMW’s LifeDrive architecture, the i3 concept is light (1250 kg), spacious, safe and dynamic. Using lightweight materials and intelligent design, the i3 will be able to travel extended di...

2012 Bentley Continental GT - The Beautiful Cars of Summer  The glacier white Bentley Continental GT parked in the driveway inspired me to reflect on how a car can be transformative. Why should any sensible investor spend money on a car north of $200,000 in this torrid economic climate? Transformation m The Beautiful Cars of Summer ust be part of the package. I watched pedestrians as they spied the car — they paused in mid-step, and squinted. If they were particularly bold they tiptoed closer for a sneak-peak. This is part one of the Bentley-owner experience — the looks you get from the common man. Then I eased myself into the driver’s seat. Part two is what happens when you drive a Bentley. You become boss. Driving any kind of Bentley is likely to boost the confidence of a reasonably competent driver. The sheer weight alone (5478 pounds) makes a Bentley easier to handle than a slimmer, leaner friskier sports car (3946 on the Ferrari FF). Yet, the power and speed are easil...

vintage car exhibit 2011 - 2012 - Concours d'Elegance local debut culminates with vintage car exhibit vintage car exhibit 2011 - 2012 More than a year of planning comes together today when the Concours d'Elegance of America, an exhibit of more than 300 classic, rare and antique cars, makes its Plymouth Township debut at the Inn at St. John's. The show, on the 27-hole golf course at the former seminary, has its roots in the exhibitions of luxury automobiles in early 20th Century Europe. Translated from the French, Concours d'Elegance means “competition of elegance.” The Concours d'Elegance is open to the public; general-admission tickets are $25 each and available at the gate. General-admission parking is at the ACH plant on Sheldon Road at M-14, and a shuttle service will take visitors between there at the St. John's grounds. The Concours is coming to St. John's after 32 years at Meadow Brook Hall in Rochester. Organizers say the new venue provides ...

Indian car industry 2011 - India is very critical for us Indian car industry 2011 - India is very critical for us The Indian car industry is heading for tough times with clear indications of growth slowing down. But US car major Ford announced a Rs 4,000 crore investment in its second assembly plant to come up in Gujarat last week. Joseph Hinrichs, president, Ford Asia Pacific and Africa, tells Hindustan Times what makes him so confident about the market here. Excerpts How important is India for Ford globally? India is very critical for us to achieve our stated target of selling 8 million cars every year by 2015. We expect the Indian market to grow and become the third largest car market in the world behind China and US and hence bigger than Europe, by the end of this decade. It is obvious then, that if we do not take this market seriously and don't grow here, it would be very difficult for us to achieve that target. There is a shift in global demand for cars from develope...

BMW’s Radical i3 and i8 cars - Official Video - Images - Wall Papers BMW has released the first official images and video of its radical i3 and i8 cars, due on sale in 2013 and 2014 respectively. The first cars to be built under the German carmaker’s new ‘BMW i’ sub brand, the pure electric i3 and plug-in hybrid i8 are being touted as a “revolution in car design”. One major talking point is the use of carbon-fibre in their construction – an extremely light yet strong material used in Formula One racing – which will help counter the typically heavy weight of the batteries. That weight reduction should aid handling and improve electric driving range. The two cars are still officially only in the concept stage, but we have already seen disguised prototypes being put through their paces in winter testing (i3 here and i8 here), so handling and performance preparations are already pretty far down the road. However, until now we haven’t had more than a sneak peak of the concept images. Th...

BMW electric car 2011 - BMW unveils electric car division German carmaker BMW has unveiled two new models to launch its electric motoring division BMWi. The i3 is an all-electric small city car, while the i8, a powerful sports car, combines an electric motor with a three-cylinder combustion engine. To reduce weight, the cars have been constructed with light-weight aluminium under structures and bodies made from strong and light carbon fibre. That means their batteries can be smaller without compromising on range. "We wanted to show the carbon fibre in the raw," Ian Robertson, group sales and marketing director, said in an interview. German jobs The i3 city car, which will hit the road in 2013, will have a range of 150km (95 miles) on one charge. Both the batteries and the motor lie below the floor of the car, which maximises space inside. The car seats four and has a 200-litre luggage space. The less spacious but more aerodynamic i8 sportscar is a prototype, th...

BMW eco brand 2011- BMW opens i to eco brand BMW’s much-trailed eco-friendly sub brand is a reality with the first pictures and details released of two new cars – an all-electric family hatchback and a supercar using hybrid power. Officially announced as concepts, both will go on sale in 2013 in what many observers believe will be formats little changed from today’s pictures. Both cars use a new form of construction that BMW has dubbed LifeDrive. The occupants sit in a cabin constructed from CFRP composite, offering the strength of steel for half the weight, while the mechanical parts and battery are contained within an aluminium structure. The light weight helps greatly with the range of the electric batteries, the i3 all-electric family hatch promising an everyday range of up to 100 miles before requiring a charge of six hours. Alongside the car’s electric motor of 168bhp, a range-extending petrol engine, which BMW is calling Rex, will be offered as an option. The four-seat...

U.S. car maker in Gujarat - Gujarat hits top gear: Ford to create 5,000 jobs in state Gandhinagar: US automobile major Ford will invest $1 billion (Rs.4,000 crore) to manufacture cars and engines at an integrated facility at Sanad in Gujarat, generating 5,000 jobs, the company announced on Thursday. Ford has entered signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Gujarat government to construct the facility, a company statement said. The construction of both the plants will begin later this year, with the first vehicle and engine scheduled to come off the line in 2014, it added. "We selected Gujarat because of its pro-business environment, infrastructure, access to ports in northwestern India and skilled workforce," said Joe Hinrichs, president and chief executive, Ford Asia Pacific and Africa regions. "The facilities (will be used for) stamping, body, paint and assembly operations for vehicle manufacturing, as well as machining and assembly operations for engi...

Ford India 2011- Ford to Invest $1 Billion in New India Car Plant U.S. car maker Ford will invest nearly $1 billion to establish a new automobile plant in India.  Ford is the latest in a series of foreign automakers that are seeking to take advantage of one of the world’s fastest growing passenger car markets. Ford’s proposed new plant in the western state of Gujarat is expected to produce about 240,000 vehicles every year and employ about 5,000 people. It is expected to be open by 2014. This will be the company’s second plant in India. It already has one in the southern city of Chennai, where capacity is also being expanded. Ford is not the only automaker to be expanding production facilities in India. Japanese carmaker Toyota announced this week that it will invest $220 million to boost its production.     The Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers estimates that automakers will invest more than $15 billion over the next two to three years in India...

Toyota  china 2011- Toyota will introduce a low-priced car in China The Japanese car manufacturer will launch a low-priced small car on the Chinese auto market in early 2013. Toyota is already preparing the local production of the small car by investing about 40 billion yen within two factories, the Tianjin with China FAW and Guangzhou with Guangzhou Automobile. The Asian automaker will try to keep the production cost low by using some of the Etios model’s parts in the new car, as well as the 1.5 liter engine, with the only specification that the Chinese low-priced sedan will be slightly larger than its “Indian brother”. According to the Japanese car manufacturer the company’s target is selling 200.000 units every year of new low-priced model in China. The new Toyota could make its official appearance on a local auto show sometimes next year and it is expected to hit the Chinese dealerships in early 2013. Other specifications like standard features, performance and the star...

 Etios for China? According to a Reuters report, Toyota are considering producing the Etios mini car for the Chinese market, the Etios of course being a developing market car. Now China already has the Vios which is also a developing market car, so could the Etios be placed under the Vios and be part of a seperate brand? Highly likely.     Toyota Motor Corp will launch a small car designed for the Chinese market as early as 2013, the Nikkei business daily reported.     The new car, powered by a 1.5-liter engine, will be slightly larger than the Etios and priced below 1 million yen ($12,853.6), the paper said.     Toyota intends to cut costs by using Etios parts. It plans to spend about 40 billion yen to prepare for local production of about 200,000 units a year, the paper said.     Toyota, which controlled about 5 percent of China’s automobile market in 2010, hopes to boost sales by launching the new model thro...

Automobile Industry Agreement  2011-  President Obama to Announce Agreement with Automobile Industry After what has likely been a crucible of debate between President Obama, environmentalists and automakers, an agreement has been reached between them for fuel economy standards to be implemented over time.  These standards take into account concerns for air quality and climate protection as well as fuel economy.  And the president is slated to announce the agreement to the nation tonight at 10 p.m. EDT. Stephen W. Wade, Chairman of the National Automobile Dealers Association, told St. George News that the agreed plan reflects a compromise of 54.5 miles per gallon as a standard for vehicles to deliver, to be implemented over time between 2017 and 2025. (The president’s proposal was 60 mpg.) Wade says the administration got 7 key players in the U.S. auto industry to agree. “Quite frankly,” said Wade, “that sounds good, doesn’t it?  60 mpg [of the president's or...

  Tata 2011- Tata opens truck plant in South Africa Tata Motors South Africa, the joint venture between India's Tata Motors and Tata Africa, has opened a R100-million assembly plant at Rosslyn outside Pretoria. Light, medium and heavy trucks will be assembled at the plant, at a rate of 3 650 vehicles a year. "The establishment of the plant is a major step towards bolstering the operations and presence of the Tata Group in South Africa," Tata Motors said in a statement on the opening on Friday. "Established with an investment of R110-million, the plant can assemble, from semi knocked down kits, light, medium and heavy commercial vehicles ranging from 4 tonnes to 50 tonnes, with an annualised capacity of 3 650 vehicles. The capacity can be further expanded as required," the statement read. Two models, the Tata LPT 813 and Tata LPT 1518, both already popular in South Africa, will be assembled to begin with. Investment-friendly policies Trade and Indust...

Tata Motors 2011- Tata Motors reduces net debt by 21% in FY11 to Rs 21,480 cr Tata Motors 2011 Tata Motors' consolidated net debt has come down by 20.70 per cent during 2010-11 to Rs 21,479.90 crore on account of fund generations from institutional buyers and conversion of foreign securities. According to the company's Annual Report for 2010-11, Tata Motors had a net debt of Rs 27,086.49 crore as on March 31, 2010. "The significant reduction in debt mainly relate improvement in operations, fund raising through Qualified Institutional Placement issue of Rs 3,249.80 crore and conversion of Foreign Currency Convertible Notes of Rs 1,490.25 crore," the company said. The homegrown auto major said its British subsidiary Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) had a net debt of 233 million pound (about Rs 1,680 crore). "During the year, JLR took steps to establish hedging lines in order to reduce risks to the business from foreign exchange fluctuations and establishing long-t...

Maruti Suzuki India Ltd has reported an 18.02 per cent increase in net profit for the first quarter ended June 30, 2011, to Rs 549.23 crore against Rs 465.36 crore during the same quarter last fiscal. According to a company statement, the total income from operations stood at Rs 8,529.30 crore against Rs 8,309.18 crore, an increase of 2.65 per cent. The company said higher commodity prices and foreign exchange volatility had put more pressure on margins in comparison to the corresponding period of the previous fiscal. “The market was sluggish, mainly due to a sharp increase in fuel prices and higher interest rates,” it said. Total sales were marginally down during the quarter at 2,81,526 units against 2,83,324 units in the same period last fiscal. Meanwhile, the company shares were being quoted at Rs 1,193 during the afternoon trade on the BSE, up 0.96 per cent from its previous close.

Diesel Cars2011 - The Next Big Thing in India! Diesel Cars2011 What can be seen as a shift in consumer preference appears to have some other macro-economic factor behind it. In the wake of rising petrol prices on the global front, auto makers are experiencing escalated demand in diesel cars. Despite having rated at increased price, diesel cars are being preferred nowadays on the basis that they have comparatively low running cost. While Ford India and Maruti Suzuki are planning to step up their production capacity over the next few months, General Motors India is pretty much saddled in its position as it will unveil diesel variant of its Chevrolet Beat on Monday with similar variants of Spark, Aveo UVA and Aveo sedan in the offing. The maker of family car is on its way to earth its new Swift in the 1.3-litre diesel variant. Looking at the sales figures, it’s believed that diesel cars are going to top the priority list for a long time. Market observers have noticed a significant ...

General Motors India 2011- GM drives in diesel Beat to take on Figo, Swift General Motors India on Monday drove in a diesel version of its Beat compact car to cash in on the boom in this segment after steep revisions in petrol prices and increasing price differentials between the two fuels. Priced at Rs 4.29 lakh (entery-level, ex-showroom Delhi), the car will take on models like Ford Figo and Suzuki Swift. General Motors India 2011 GM, which has been trying to gain a foothold in the big-volume small car market, feels that a diesel variant will help it gain numbers. The Beat is available with a 1200cc petrol engine, and for diesel GM has developed a 1000cc engine, its smallest diesel engine globally. "The new engine has been developed by GM's engineers in Europe and modified to suit Indian driving conditions at the company's technical centre in Bangalore," Karl Slym, president and MD of GM India, said. Slym said the company sells about 2,700-3,000 petrol Beats ...

Maruti Suzuk i Q1 net profit up 18 pct, beats forecasts Maruti Suzuki Q1 2011- Maruti Suzuk i Q1 net profit up 18 pct, beats forecasts Maruti Suzuki, India's top car maker, on Tuesday posted an 18 percent rise in quarterly net profit, beating forecasts, helped by higher other income. Maruti, 54.2 percent owned by Japan'sSuzuki Motor Corp, reported net profit of 5.49 billion rupees ($124 million) for its fiscal first quarter ended June 30, up from 4.65 billion a year earlier. Market had forecasted a net profit at 4.33 billion rupees for Maruti, which sells roughly half the cars on Indian roads but is facing intensifying competition from the likes of South Korea'sHyundai Motors, the second-largest car maker in India, as well as domestic rivals.

Maruti Suzuki India 2011- Higher other income boosts Maruti Suzuki Q1 net up 18% YoY Maruti Suzuki Q1 Maruti Suzuki India beat street expectations as first quarter net profit rose 18% year-on-year to Rs 549.2 crore as a higher other income offset pressures from sluggish sales and increased input costs. Net sales of India’s largest passenger car maker were up just 3.3% over the three-month period to Rs 8,319.9 crore. Analysts on average had expected Maruti Suzuki to report a net profit of Rs 438 crore on revenue of Rs 8,300 crore. Maruti Suzuki’s shares rose following the announcement in afternoon trade and were trading up about 0.5% at Rs 1,183 on NSE. During the April-June quarter, Maruti Suzuki’s other income surged 79% year-on-year to Rs 180.07 crore, which boosted overall profit. However, higher commodity prices and foreign exchange volatility put pressure on margins, the company said. Its raw material costs during the quarter rose 7% year-on-year to Rs 6,502.35 lak...

Toyota COMPANY 2011 -Toyota Pres: Made in Japan, Stay in Japan Toyota Motor Corp. President Akio Toyoda said Wednesday the company will reorganize manufacturing functions to increase efficiency at domestic auto assembly units. But the president’s announcement, peppered with lofty expressions about how committed it is to the Japanese market, was as much about what the country’s largest auto maker did not do: move operations overseas. As Japan Inc. continues to take hits from the rising yen onlookers speculated whether Toyota would move operations abroad. The yen’s relentless rise is a sharper sting for Toyota because nearly half of its global sales volume consists of cars made in Japan, more so than other domestic rivals. In announcing the production revamp Mr. Toyoda, speaking from the company’s headquarters in Nagoya, was effusive in emphasizing the company’s commitment to its home base. Mr. Toyoda reinforced the message by repeatedly calling on his favorite expression to describ...

Tata Motors Plans 2011 -Tata Motors to start work on S Africa plant next week Indian automotive giant Tata Motors will start construction of a vehicle assembly plant in South Africa next week, giving the country's economy a huge boost, according to a report in 'Business Day' daily here, citing "a well-placed government source". However, Tata officials are not giving out much information on the plans. "We're not giving out any details now, but it's been the planning for some time now to build an assembly plant in South Africa, " Tata's spokesman in Dubai, Debasis Roy, told the daily. Confirming the report, he said Tata would announce details of its plan for South Africa "shortly", though he refused to give any details on the size of the prospective investment. "We're very excited that it's got to the point that it's come to fruition. We're on the doorstep of a major milestone," he said. The daily sa...

Honda Reduce Price 2011  Prior to debating Honda Motors price reduction announcement it’s important to analyze what has fuelled this move. A year on year comparison of sales figures for Honda Motors from March-June 2011 reveals no growth but rather a significant loss but does justify the Honda City price reduction announced in May 2011. March 2010 saw Honda Siel Motors India sell 3,576 cars, down from 5,928 sold in March 2010, recording a decline rate of 40%. April 2011 saw Honda Siel Motors India sell 2,012 cars as compared to 3578 sold in April 2010 recording a decline rate 43%. In May 2011, Honda Siel Motors India sold 2,334 cars down from 4,067 units sold in May 2010, recording a decline rate 42.61%. In June 2011, Honda Siel Motors India sold 3,455 cars as compared to 4,595 units sold in June 2010, and recorded a decline rate of 25%. In February 2011, Honda Siel Motors India reported a decline rate of 22.83%. It is easy to determine that a decline rate hovering above 40% c...

China Knowledge reported that Shanghai General Motors Co Ltd a joint venture between General Motors and Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp or SAIC sold a total of 554,900 sedans in China in the H1 of this year ranking first in the top ten automaker list released by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers. Shanghai Volkswagen Automotive Co Ltd ranked second with sales of 501,500 sedans followed by FAW VW Automobile Co Ltd with 453,700 units, Dongfeng Nissan Ltd with 309,000 units, Beijing Hyundai Motor Co with 284,200 units, Chery Automobile Co Ltd with 226,500 units, BYD Co Ltd with 225,800 units, Geely Holding Group Co Ltd with 215,500 units, Changan Ford Automobile Corp Ltd with 212,800 units and Dongfeng Peugeot Citroen Automobile Co Ltd with 193,900 units. As per report, for the first half of 2011, the combined sales volume of the ten automakers amounted to 3.18 million units accounting for 64% of the total sedan sales in the country. According to a separate report f...

Pandora to be in more cars, hits 100 million users he Oakland, California-based Pandora also said it presently accounts for 3.6 percent of all radio listening in the United States, up from 2.3 percent at the end of last year. Pandora said it has 100 million registered users in the United States and 36 million monthly active users. Pandora, which was listed on Wall Street last month, made the announcements at its first analysts' day on Tuesday. Pandora, which creates personalized radio stations for users based upon their favorite artists or songs, was founded in 2000. Currently offered in selected BMW, Ford, Mercedes-Benz, Mini and Scion vehicles, Pandora said it was expanding its ties with Ford Motor Co. and would be available in 10 Ford vehicles and two Lincoln vehicles. Pandora will also soon be available in General Motors' Buick, Chevrolet and GMC, as well as in Hyundai and Toyota models, it said. "Our goal is to allow people to personalize their radio exper...

TAYOTA SERVICES 2011 Source: GNA Toyota Ghana opens service shop in Cape Coast Toyota Ghana Limited, an automobile Company, had linked up with the Cape Coast Technical Institute (CCTI) to open to serve as a training workshop for students and servicing point in the Central Region. Located at the premises of the Institute, the Cape Coast Centre is the fourth service shop after Accra, Kumasi and Tarkwa, and its establishment in the Central Region was as a result of the collaborative efforts of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and CCTI. Inaugurating the shop, the Principal of the Institute, Mr Ernest Lyall, noted that, digital electronics and ICT have invaded all facets of industry, with automotive technology being the worst affected. He said the centre was therefore timely, to help update the knowledge of both teachers and students on the modern trends in the automobile industry. Mr Lyall said to qualify for the facility to be opened in the School, the skills o...