Cleveland, Ohio firm Alcoa Auto Wheels is providing advanced lightweight alloy wheels for Aston Martin’s exhilarating V12 Vanatge.
Alcoa has been at the forefront of developing, producing and supplying forged aluminium wheels and other aluminium components to the global automotive industry for more than 60 years.
The distinctive lightweight forged aluminium wheels are designed specifically for the [...] - Tags:
Aston Martin V12 Vantage
China’s BYD (Build Your Dreams) Automotive has reported a net profit increase to 3.79 billion yuan (AUD$608 million) for 2009, more than tripling its 2008 figure of 1.02 billion yuan (AUD$164 million).
Domestic sales have skyrocketed for BYD vehicles delivering 450,000 units last year alone. Of those, some 290,000 were BYD’s popular F3 (a Corolla-sized sedan).
BYD [...] - Tags:
BYD,
BYD e6,
BYD F3
Following on from our story late last week, reports today say Ford US will replace its aging Crown Victoria with a new front-wheel drive sedan that shares its platform with the current model Taurus.
The new purpose-built vehicle will be engineered to exceed the Crown Victoria’s safety, durability and performance record and will also be offered [...] - Tags:
Ford Crown Victoria,
Ford Taurus
Start-up electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer Aurica Motors, is floating a plan to keep the doors of California’s New United Motor Manufacturing Inc. (NUMMI) plant open.
NUMMI, a US-based joint venture between Toyota and General Motors, has struggled to find a viable suitor for its Californian plant since the Global Financial Crisis saw the number of vehicles [...] - Tags:
Volkswagen-owned Lamborghini posted a disappointing 2009 sales result with a year-on-year fall of 37.7 per cent.
The supercar manufacturer managed just 1515 global sales for 2009, down from 2430 vehicles the year prior.
Despite Lamborghini CEO, Mr Stephan Winkelmann, being optimistic the company would remain in the black for the full year, the Italian manufacturer finished 2009 [...] - Tags:
Updated: 3pm with statement from Mitsubishi Motors Australia Limited
Mitsubishi’s long time independent tuning firm Ralliart will cease operations at the end of March.
The group has been associated with both factory-endorsed and aftermarket Mitsubishi products since 1984, but took a severe economic hit during the GFC.
Ralliart says that it can no longer afford to support its [...] - Tags:
Following a recent online chat with members of the public, General Motors’ North America president, Mr Mark Reuss, and Director of Global Communications Technology, Mr Christopher Barger, revealed that GM is considering a two-door coupe version of its popular Cruze model.
Mr Reuss strongly suggested that a Cruze coupe may be in the pipeline, which would [...] - Tags:
Chevrolet Cruze,
Holden Cruze
A report published in Swedish business daily Dagens Industri, says the parent company of China’s Geely Automobile Holdings, Zhejiang Geely Holding Group (ZGH), has secured the cash it requires to finalise the purchase of Volvo Cars from Ford Motor Company.
The report, citing sources, said the 15 billion Swedish crowns (AUD$2.3 billion) was already “in the [...] - Tags:
Reports from India this morning say Germany’s Daimler is set to sell its long-time stake in Tata Motors.
Daimler, who own a 5.34 per cent stake in the Indian company, gave no comment on a its decision to sell the shares. Estimates put Daimler’s return on the sale at US$429 million (AUD$470 million).
The news comes as [...] - Tags:
Kia has opened its first US manufacturing plant over the weekend. The state-of-the-art Georgia plant is capable of producing 300,000 cars annually for both North American and global markets.
Attending the opening festivities was Mr Mong-Koo Chung, Chairman of Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group and Group President and CEO of Kia Motors America, Mr Byung-Mo Ahn.
“Kia is proud [...] - Tags:
It seems that Toyota’s recall issues now extend to other brands, including Ford. CTS Corp, which supplies the accelerator pedals involved in the latest Toyota recalls, also supplies Ford in China for its Transit Classic van.
Toyota says that it is recalling 75,000 cars in China for the same issue, while Ford’s CEO, Alan Mulally, told [...] - Tags:
Ford Transit,
pedal recall
For the first time, Euro NCAP has announced the top five safest cars for 2009 based on their maximum five star awards and their overall score – with one rather unlikely candidate making the cut.
At the top of the list is the new generation Volkswagen Golf VI which scored 313 from a possible 400 points [...] - Tags:
ENCAP,
Euro NCAP,
Safe cars,
safest cars
General Motors’ European sibling company Opel will close its assembly plant in Antwerp, Belgium, by the middle of the year.
Forced to downsize after GM lost US$88 billion (AUD$97.4 billion) between 2005 and 2008, Opel CEO, Nick Reilly, said attempts by GM to find an alternative to closing the Antwerp factory were unsuccessful.
“In order to keep [...] - Tags:
Antwerp
Kia’s European production facility has today seen its 500,000th vehicle roll off the assembly line.
The car, a white cee’d SW, marks an impressive feat for the Slovakian plant which itself has only been operational for less than two years.
The new year also saw the factory commence production of the Hyundai ix35, the third model in [...] - Tags:
Spyker Cars CEO, Mr Victor Muller, said yesterday that he group was still in talks with GM over a decision to purchase Saab.
Mr Muller gave no indication of when a deal might be clinched with Saab’s future hanging in the balance after GM nominated two ‘wind-down supervisors’ last week. The strange move came at the [...] - Tags:
Saab sale to spyker
Suzuki has announced today that it will end jointly development hybrid and fuel-cell technology projects with General Motors as part of an operational review following its new alliance with Volkswagen.
Suzuki and Volkswagen last month announced a comprehensive tie-up which, as of last week, saw VW become Suzuki’s largest single shareholder on 19.9 per cent. Cross-shareholding [...] - Tags:
Hybrid
Fiat CEO, Mr Sergio Marchionne, said the company’s Alfa Romeo brand is not for sale, but says he understands its shortcomings and is working to determine a strategic direction for the luxury sports car unit.
Fiat, which took a 20 per cent stake in Chrysler Group last year as part of the US car manufacturer’s bankruptcy [...] - Tags:
Alfa Romeo sale
The Holden Commodore is Australia’s favourite car for the 14th consecutive year.
The Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries show Australian’s purchased a total of 44,387 vehicles from the VE Commodore range in 2009. These figures show the Commodore has been Australia’s best selling car every year since 1996.
“It’s been a tough year so we’re rapt Commodore [...] - Tags:
holden commodore
A delegation from the Swedish government will meet with GM in the United States next week to discuss the future of Saab.
Representatives from Sweden’s finance and industry ministries will meet in Detroit with Saab parent GM and Ford, currently in the process of selling its Swedish car unit Volvo.
“As we understand it, GM has not [...] - Tags:
Toyota has today unveiled its new strategically important car for emerging markets at India’s Auto Expo.
Dubbed ‘Etios’, the sub-light compact hatch is aimed at markets that include India, Russia, Latin America and other emerging markets that are quickly replacing major Western markets as a key battleground for car manufacturers.
“India will play a pivotal role in [...] - Tags:
Toyota Etios
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