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 Niisan Ultra low-cost car project with Bajaj  on track and form new ties with  Ashok Leyland  to create a premium compact car

Nissan Motor Company is in talks with Ashok Leyland Limited to create a premium compact car that will be priced within $5000. Bajaj Auto Limited is certain that their ULC project will not take a backseat because of this because there’s too is a JV with Renault & Nissan and aims at similar price considerations but Bajaj announces the JVs will be non conflicting.

A day after Nissan, Japan’s third-largest car maker, stated that Chennai-based truck maker Ashok Leyland Ltd (ALL) could partner it in developing affordable compact cars in India, its original partner, Bajaj Auto, said on Wednesday that this would not derail its own ultra low-cost (ULC) car project.
Bajaj is developing a compact hatchback from scratch, which is slated to hit the market in 2012. The development work for this vehicle – such as engineering, design, sourcing and manufacturing – is being solely done by Bajaj Auto. Branding and marketing would be by Renault and Nissan.

When queried about Nissan’s plans on engaging a third company for building a car, which may sell in the same space as Bajaj Auto’s proposed car, Managing Director Rajiv Bajaj said: “(Nissan’s plans with Ashok Leyland) are irrelevant as we are creating a completely different category.”

The Pune-based bike maker has also ruled out holding any talks with the Japanese giant on the matter, according to Bajaj. A statement from the company explained: “The ULC project between Bajaj, Renault & Nissan on the one hand and the ‘price centric $4,500-5,000 car’ ((Rs 2.07-2.30 lakh, for which Nissan is reported to be looking at partners in India) on the other are non-overlapping and, hence, non-conflicting”.

Nissan keen on compact cars

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MITSUBISHI MOTORS TO SUPPLY 100,000 ELECTRIC CARS TO PEUGEOT

Mitsubishi Motors Corp. said today it reached a final agreement with PSA Peugeot Citroen on electric car development and supply.

The Paris-based carmaker will sell electric vehicles under the Peugeot and Citroen brands, Mitsubishi said in a release on its Web site. Production will begin in October and European sales will start by the end of the year. The agreement covers 100,000 vehicles over the next five to six years to market them in Europe. The French automaker will begin selling the vehicles by the end of this year under the Peugeot and Citroen brands, the Japanese carmaker said.

The i-MiEV EV, which is based on Mitsubishi’s i city car, is powered by 88 lithium ion cells connected in a series. Its permanent magnet synchronous motor makes 47 kW or 64 PS and 180 Nm of torque from zero to 2000 rpm. Cruising range is 160 km in the Japanese 10-15 mode. A full charge from a 200V outlet will take about seven hours.

This news comes in the wake of failed discussions for capital alliance between both companies in the style of Renault and Nissan. PSA chief Philippe Varin confirmed that at the Geneva show but also said that both parties will continue talking about expanding business ties – and this is one example of a good tie up. PSA also markets the Mitsubishi Outlander SUV under Peugeot and Citroen brands.

Admin

2011-2012  Mazda MX-5 Rendering, the car will be lighter and get new SKY G engine

According to Inside Line, the 2011 MX-5 Miata will shrink in size a bit with an expected curb weight of just 2,200 pounds. That low weight should pay big dynamic dividends and boost efficiency, but the big news on that front will be an all-new engine.

Powering the next-gen Miata will reportedly be either a 1.3-liter or 1.5-liter version of the four-cylinder SKY-G engine (G as in gasoline) that Mazda showed off earlier this year at the Tokyo Motor Show. With an expected 150 horsepower, the current model’s power-to-weight ratio would remain intact, and Mazda predicts the downsized  1.3-liter will return up to 50 miles per gallon in the little sportscar. but According to Inside Line, they are not certain if that new engine  but they assume that the power  of bigger engine unit will push out 150hp. Many experts have been trying to understand how the Miata could offer these amazing fuel results, but Mazda are keeping tight lipped.

the New Mazda MX-5  will hit market in June 2011 in Japan

admin(rendering from bestcar magazine)

Toyota problems may delay launch of new models in europe
Geneva is the first major public automotive event since Toyota was forced to recall 8.5m vehicles around the world, including 1.7m in Europe and 180,000 in the UK.

the forthcoming Auris, Auris HSD and Rav4 models, all due for launch in Europe in the first half of this year, will undergo stringent quality testing ahead as part of Toyota’s strict new quality control guidelines, introduced in the wake of its well publicised sticking accelerator pedal faults.

Speaking in an interview with The Sunday Telegraph, Tadashi Arashima, the chief executive of Toyota Motor Europe, said: “We are discussing that, if necessary, we will postpone the launch timing. For us there is the hybrid in late May, which is really key. We want to make sure that this car is properly launched without any major issues.”

As part of its new quality control systems, Toyota has appointed a chief quality officer for each region where it sells its cars. These officers will report directly to Toyota boss Akio Toyoda and the first meeting is planned for 30 March.

Other plans include the fitting of an aeroplane-style black box recorder to record any malfunctions and a brake override system, which will cut engine power when the accelerator and brake pedals are applied at the same time.
Toyota was forced to recall 8.5m cars earlier this year, including 180,000 in the UK, because of braking problems with the Prius hybrid and concerns about sticky accelerator pedals on a collection of other models, including all Auris cars made between October 2006 and December 2009.

Mr Arashima also cautioned in the interview that the company is “carefully assessing” the production volumes it will require in the UK this year. Burnaston is to shut down for an extra week over Easter and, amid a fragile economy, there are fears of further halts in production.

The Toyota Europe boss said it was his “desire” to avoid further shutdowns.

“Our feeling at this moment is that the fundamental economic strength [in Europe] is not there. Also some countries, like Spain, are going to increase VAT from July 1 this year and many countries are in financial trouble and they have to do something. I think this year’s market will be definitely lower than last year.”
source Telegraph

Daimler Said to Be Selling $428 Million Tata Stake

German carmaker plans to exit Tata Motors by selling its entire 5.34 per cent stake in the Indian truck and car manufacturer. The sale is expected to fetch Daimler $429 million (about Rs 1,948 crore), people close to the development said.

 Stuttgart, Germany-based Daimler is conserving cash as auto markets remain depressed by the global financial crisis and after consumer incentives by European governments expired. The Tata Motors shares have become expendable as Daimler expands its Fuso truck unit outside Japan and the Indian manufacturer takes on Daimler’s Mercedes-Benz cars division.

“The stake hasn’t taken Daimler anywhere in the last 40 years or so, and having cash these days is a luxury,” said Arndt Ellinghorst, an analyst with Credit Suisse in London who has an “outperform” rating on Daimler shares. The German carmaker may be looking to “streamline” its portfolio as it focuses on new truck ventures in Russia and the search for a partner for small cars, he said.

2011-2012 Honda Civic (2 HC codename) Rendering and speculation
There are reports emerging concerning the next generation Civic (nine generation) that is set to be introduced in september  2011 as a 2012 model year car. Knowing the traditional way of doing things by Honda, the different markets in Japan, Europe, and America, will be getting their own variant of the famous Civic.

rumore to reduce width from arond 1750 mm to 1695 mm as the car that width below 1700 mm will get a special reduce tax benefit in japan. the Next generation Honda Civic (2 HC codename) will not get the big revolution in term of styling as the current model (Eighth generationor codename FD) is big revolution from Seventh generation

2012 Honda Civic hybrid  to get a 1.5-liter gasoline-powered engine  From Honda CR-Z

As you would expect, there will be a hybrid version of the 2012 Civic, and it’s again slated to get a 1.5-liter gasoline-powered engine mated to Honda’s Integrated Motor Assist technology. This powerplant will reportedly be shared with the upcoming CR-Z hybrid hatchback where it will be available with either an automatic CVT transmission or six-speed manual.

Low Interest Rate Used Car Loan . Getting Approved for Auto Loan Regardless of Credit History

Regardless of your credit history, you can get approved for a low
interest auto loan. By shopping online for a used car loan, you can find
financing based on your qualifications. Comparing lenders will help you
find the best rates. But you can also select terms that give you the most
favorable loan financing.

Get Pre-approved For A Car Loan

To get the best deal on a used car loan, get your financing before you
buy a car. Pre-approved loans give you the most options. You decide how
much you want to borrow and what rates you will accept. It also gives
you an edge when buying a car.

Looking for financing first also gives you time to check out lenders.
Instead of asking where you can get a car loan, you can be asking who’s
got the best financing deal for you. Online broker sites help you make
side by side comparisons of multiple offers. So even if you have a poor
credit history, you still have several financing options.

Explore Your Options

Auto loans come in all shapes and sizes. Those differences in terms
means changes in the rates you will be charged. For example, the shorter
your loan term, the lower your rate. A large down payment will also
reduce your rates. So will buying a used car from a dealership.

While you are looking to get pre-approved, you can also negotiate with
the lender about fees and rates. For instance, making automatic
payments will reduce your rates with some lenders. You may also want to
eliminate any early payment fees in case you choose to sell the car or
refinance the loan.

Consider A Co-Signer For Better Rates

A co-signer with a better credit score will help you get lower rates on
your auto loan. Lenders base their credit decision on the co-signer’s
score, even though you pay for the loan. This is one way to reestablish
your credit history while paying near market loan rates.

No matter the car loan terms you choose, don’t rush into any contract.
Read the details of loan estimates and compare it to others. With
hundreds of lenders competing for your business, make sure you are getting
the best deal.

By Carrie Reeder

2012 The New Toyota “ist” (Scion xD) rendering

will hit market in december 2011 in japan and arrive in USA as Scion xD in 2012

Nano EV in Europe by 2012, confirms Tata

 The Tata Nano is to launch in Europe in 2011, followed by an electric version in 2012, Tata confirmed March 2 at the Geneva Auto Show.

The “Nano Europa” is to be 20 centimeters longer than its Indian counterpart and will include some additional features for the European market such as improved suspension and ABS braking. The price has not been confirmed by Tata.

Tata is displaying a Nano EV at Geneva and says that it will offer a range of up to 160 km and a 0-60 km/h acceleration of under 10 seconds. It will join the firm’s larger Indica Vista, which has a range of up to 200 km, as the centerpieces of its electric portfolio.

Based on the European version of the Nano, which is bigger and better-equipped than the home-market car, the EV replaces the rear-mounted gasoline engine with a 240-volt/400-amp TM4 electric motor and uses a 12-kWh Tata lithium-ion battery pack, sourced from Norway.
The four-passenger Nano EV has a range of up to 100 miles between charges and accelerates at a rather leisurely pace — zero to 37 mph in “under 10 seconds,” according to the manufacturer.

We spoke with Clive Hickman, the chief executive of Tata’s European technical center and head of engineering for Tata Motors, about the car. He said that while the EV is fully engineered, it won’t go on sale until the European Nano gets the green light—and that’s some way off, apparently

Mr. Ravi Kant, Vice Chairman of Tata Motors, said, “Electrification will be an integral part of our initiative to launch environment-friendly vehicles. The Indica Vista EV will be introduced in select European countries, beginning this year. We will progressively introduce electric vehicles in all relevant markets.”

The Tata Nano is priced from Rs 100,000 (approx €1,500) in India, making it the least expensive production car in the world. In December 2009, it was awarded the 2010 Indian Car of the Year award by Indian automotive journalists.

When it arrives on the market in 2012, the Nano EV could well be Europe’s least expensive EV, priced from well under $10,000

Admin

USA  car sales data in feburary 2010

U.S. February auto sales in units rose 43% from a year earlier, above a 33% expected rise, according to Thomson Reuters estimates.

The sales increase was well above January’s 24% rise.

Ford outsold General Motors for the first time in 12 years.

Ford branded autos led the rise, up 46%, with Mercury and Volvo showing 24% and 38% increases, and Lincoln branded vehicles up 19%.

Ford left its Q1 production forecast unchanged at 570,000 vehicles, and said it plans to build 595,000 units in Q2.

Ford said it estimated it gained 3 points of market share in the quarter, for 17%, which would be in line with a plan outlined on January 28 to improve on 2009 market share of 15.3%.

GM focuses on sales

GM, meanwhile, is putting an increased emphasis on sales, evidenced Tuesday by a management shuffle in the automaker’s U.S. sales operations. GM North America President Mark Reuss split the sales and marketing function and will play a more prominent role in sales himself.

“We know (GM CEO Ed) Whitacre is impatient to grow sales and he’s just seen a competitor outsell GM for the month,” Bragman said. “That’s significant.”

Caldwell forecasts that GM, whose sales increased 12.2 percent in February, will end the year at the top of the industry again but the spread will narrow from a 20 percent margin in 2009.

Sales of GM’s four core brands — Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac — rose 32 percent last month while sales of castoff brands Saturn, Hummer, Pontiac and Saab dropped 86.1 percent.

GM declined to provide figures on how much it was helped by the problems at Toyota, whose sales fell 8.7 percent in February.

“We got what we thought would be our fair share,” said Mike DiGiovanni, GM’s executive director of global market and industry analysis.

 
Here’s a quick look at America’s Big Six. I’ll be back with a full report on March sales in early April …

Ford: 142,285, up 43.1 percent.

    * F-Series sold 32,895, up 39.3 percent. GM wasn’t even close, with 27,118 for Chevy Silverado/GMC Sierra combined. Chrysler sold 10,267 Ram pickups (-29 percent), Toyota sold 5,468 Tundras (-4.5 percent) and Nissan sold 1,721 Titans (+14.1 percent).
    * After F-Series, Fusion was the next-bestseller, then Escape, up 50.2 percent, to 15,156.
    * Then Focus, up 38.4 percent, to 13,708. Taurus was up 93.3 percent (again, compared with an outgoing model), to 6,359 and outsold Mustang.
    * Subtract Volvo’s 4,641 sold (+38.3 percent) and FoMoCo moved 137,644, up 43.3 percent.
GM: 141,951, up 11.5 percent.

    * Chevrolet, GMC, Buick and Cadillac accounted for 138,849 of that, up 32.2 percent.
    * Chevy Camaro leads its segment, at 6,482 units, versus 5,115 Ford Mustangs (-71.1 percent) and 2,145 Dodge Challengers (-35 percent). Hyundai does not break out coupe sales from Genesis, which sold 1,762 last month.
    * Chevy Silverado was 19,822, up 0.2 percent. Sierra was 6,296, off 1.6 percent.
    * At Cadillac, car sales fell, with CTS down 17.5 percent to 2,690, while sport/utility sales were up. SRX rose 541.7 percent (yes, that’s right) to 3,542, making it the most popular Cadillac model, and Escalade was 1,418, up 14.5 percent. Escalade ESV was up 32.7 percent, to 552 and the EXT was off 38.6 percent, to 102.
Toyota/Lexus/Scion: 100,027, off 8.7 percent.

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