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May 4, 2012

AUTOS & TRUCK MAKERS NEWS * USA

* DC - GM rakes in big profits, avoids U.S. income tax 

(Photo by Charles V. Tines / The Detroit News - GM workers keep the line moving at the assembly plant in Orion Township. While the automaker has increased its 2012 production outlook in the United States to 14 million to 14.5 million, it will shut down truck and SUV factories for a combined 29 weeks this year)
Washington,DC,USA -The Detroit News, by David Shepardson -May 4, 2012: -- General Motors Co., which reported $1 billion in profits for the first three months of the year, has legally avoided paying U.S. federal income taxes since exiting bankruptcy. And GM likely will pay no income taxes for many more years... A series of Treasury Department rulings since 2008 let GM use $18 billion in losses — from the "old GM" that was left behind in bankruptcy — to offset any profits... But GM isn't alone among automakers that have paid little, if any, federal income taxes in recent years... Ford Motor Co. has paid relatively low worldwide income taxes in recent years after it lost $30 billion between 2006 and 2008. It, too, has been able to use past losses to offset its profits. Last year, Ford paid $268 million in worldwide income taxes — up from $73 million — on income of $7.8 billion, excluding $12.4 billion in deferred tax assets... Chrysler Group LLC, majority-owned by Fiat SpA, doesn't pay any federal income taxes. As a limited liability partnership, it isn't a taxable entity for U.S. federal income purposes. Chrysler's owners are responsible for any U.S. income taxes, though Chrysler does pay state and foreign taxes. Worldwide, Fiat SpA Group paid $700 million in taxes, including $92 million for Chrysler operations, according to its 2011 annual report... 

Briefly News 

* Michigan - Three more Chrysler plants to stay open 
 Auburn Hill,MICH,USA -The Detroit News, by Bryce G. Hoffman -May 3, 2012: -- Chrysler Group LLC is canceling the traditional summer shutdown at three more of its factories to keep up with demand for its hot-selling cars and crossovers... The Toledo Supplier Park in Ohio, the Belvidere Assembly Plant in Illinois and Chrysler's plant in Toluca, Mexico, will join Detroit's Jefferson North plant in working through the summer... In addition, she said Chrysler's factories in Sterling Heights and Saltillo, Mexico, will only close for one week this year... Chrysler was the only one of the Detroit Three to post a sales increase in April. Its numbers were up 20.4 percent year-over-year...

* NY - AutoNation reports 12% new-vehicle sales jump 
- AutoNation Inc. said Wednesday that its new vehicle sales rose 12 percent in April on strong demand for both domestic and imported vehicles. The automotive retailer said it sold a total of 20,534 cars and trucks in April. Sales of imported vehicles increased 16 percent to 10,358, while demand for domestic vehicles rose 9 percent to 6,306. Sales of premium and luxury vehicles rose 10 percent to 3,870, AutoNation said.

* Michigan - Supplier Meritor credits jump in profit to cost cuts 
- Auto parts supplier Meritor Inc. said Wednesday that its fiscal second-quarter profit rose 18 percent, as lower costs more than offset a drop in sales. For the quarter ended March 31, the company reported net income to $20 million, up from $17 million in the same quarter last year. The company attributed the better-than-expected profit to cost savings stemming from the recent restructuring of the company's European operations. 

* Michigan - Ford names CEO to head Brazilian unit 
- Ford Motor Co. named Steven Armstrong chief executive officer of its Brazilian unit, replacing Marcos de Oliveira who is retiring, according to an emailed statement Wednesday. Armstrong takes office on June 1, according to Ford...

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Apr 25, 2012

TRUCKS & AUTOMAKERS NEWS * USA & WORLDWIDE

* Michigan/USA - Fitch upgrades Ford to investment grade for first time since 2005 

(Detroit News file: The Dearborn automaker had previously had its debt at junk status since 2005) Detroit,MICH,USA -The Detroit News -April 24, 2012: -- The Fitch Ratings agency on Tuesday restored its credits ratings for Ford Motor Co. and the Ford Motor Credit unit to investment grade... Both were given a rating of BBB- from Fitch, up from a BB+ rating. The Dearborn automaker had previously had its debt at junk status since 2005... When Ford gets two of the three major ratings agencies back to investment grade, it gets the blue oval back. The company mortgaged most of its assets, including its trademark, to borrow $23.5 billion and avoid bankruptcy...


* New York/USA - New vehicles come fully loaded with technology 

(Photo from Cadillac: Cadillac's CUE system includes infotainment, navigation and communication tools such as natural voice recognition and greater customization to provide a more intuitive connected driving experience) 
New York,NY,USA -The Detroit News, by Larry Printz -April 22, 2012: -- You're going for a surprise when you walk into a new car showroom. Even if it's been only five years since your new set of wheels, you'd be amazed at the technology missing in your car... Today's cars can tell you the exact tire pressure on each wheel or report your average fuel economy. But that's small potatoes given that on average, new cars and trucks have 23 CPUs on board. Knowing that, you may not be surprised that your next car will be able to read your text messages, adjust the suspension on a windy day, or recharge itself wirelessly... These are some of the options you'll find on new cars and trucks: 
* Hands-free text messaging ... 
* Rear-seat iPad docking ... 
* Wireless induction charger ... 
* Ambient night lighting ... 
* Automatic start-stop ... 
* Capacitive switching ... 
* Cross-traffic detection ... 
* Crosswind stabilization ... 
* Customized instrument cluster ... 
* Front center side airbags ... 
* Panoramic sunroofs ... 
* Push-button transmission ... 

  * China - Beijing Auto Show 

 * Ford debuts mini-SUV in Beijing
Beijing,China -The Detroit News (USA) -April 24, 2012: -- Ford unveiled a three-cylinder mini-SUV and Chrysler showed a dragon-themed Jeep on Monday as automakers rolled out models designed for Chinese buyers at the Beijing auto show... Automakers are looking to China to drive revenue amid weakness in the United States and Europe. But explosive sales growth that hit 35 percent in 2010 fell to just 2 percent in the first quarter of this year...

* Lamborghini reveals first SUV in nearly two decades
Beijing,China -The Detroit News (USA) -April 24, 2012: -- Lamborghini SpA unveiled its first sport-utility vehicle in almost two decades as the Italian supercar maker looks to expand its lineup to tap rising demand from emerging markets... The Volkswagen AG unit unveiled the concept SUV, called the Urus, in Beijing before this week's auto show in the Chinese capital... 

 * Hyundai to produce revamped SUV, expand dealers in China 
Beijing,China -The Detroit News (USA) -April 24, 2012: -- Hyundai Motor Co ., South Korea's largest automaker, will produce a revamped Santa Fe sport-utility vehicle in China and expand the number of dealerships as part of plans to expand in the country... The Seoul-based carmaker, which also unveiled a China-only version of its Elantra sedan Monday, it currently has 720 showrooms... 

* Bentley aims to sell 3,000 SUVs a year starting in 2015 
Beijing,China -The Detroit News (USA) -April 24, 2012: -- Volkswagen AG's super-luxury Bentley unit, which introduced a concept sport-utility vehicle in March, aims to sell 3,000 annually when production starts in 2015... Bentley showcased the silver-blue concept model in Beijing this week, after a global introduction at the Geneva International Motor Show in March. Bentley sold 37 percent more cars in 2011 as demand for the automaker's models doubled in China, helping make the brand profitable for the first time since 2008...

* GM unveils EN-V concept 
Beijing,China -The Detroit News (USA) -April 24, 2012: -- General Motors Co . showed off a Chevrolet EN-V 2.0 concept rendering during the Beijing auto show Monday, and expects to pilot prototype models throughout the country. The automaker revealed the two-seat EN-V (electric networked-vehicle) concept at the World Expo 2010 Shanghai...

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Mar 28, 2012

AUTOMAKERS NEWS * WORLDWIDE - ELECTRIC VEHICLES

* France - Sales of over-ambitious electric cars stall, but weird Twizy might succeed

Lyon,France -The Detroit News, by Neil Winton -March 27, 2012: -- The two-seat semi-enclosed Renault Twizy has a range of up to 60 miles, a 50 mph top speed and a price of around $11,000. It might have a silly name and look ridiculous, but the Renault Twizy could be the first electric vehicle to sell on its merits and without taxpayer inducements...


* Japan - Electric cars may lose green sheen in post-meltdown Japan
Tokyo,Japan -Associated Press/The Detroit News, by Yuri Kageyama -March 28, 2012: -- Electric car owners who prided themselves on being green now find themselves in a bind as Japan's government maneuvers to restart dozens of nuclear power plants idled after last year's meltdowns... For decades, nuclear generation has been a crucial source of power here, but the tsunami-triggered meltdowns at the Fukushima Dai-ichi plant have spurred a national debate over how to supply Japan's electricity in the future...  Long touted as a clean, zero-emission alternative to vehicles powered by dirty fossil fuels, electric cars are now at risk of being tainted by their association with nuclear...

* Canada - EV firm tied to Ford files for bankruptcy
Oak Park,BC,USA -The Detroit News (USA), by David Shepardson -March 28, 2012: -- A Canadian company that electrifies Ford Motor Co.'s Transit Connect is reorganizing under court protection and filed for bankruptcy in the United States... British Columbia-based Azure Dynamics, which has offices in Oak Park, has been installing the battery electric powertrain in Ford's Transit Connect since 2010... The company laid off about 120 people worldwide at four sites Monday, including about 50 people in Oak Park, said Mike Elwood, a spokesman for Azure Dynamics. The company also had layoffs at its offices near Boston, the United Kingdom and in Canada...

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Mar 26, 2012

AUTOMAKERS NEWS * WORLDWIDE

* China - Dongfeng Honda recalls CR-V cars

Beijing,China -Xinhua/China Daily -24 March 2012:  --  Dongfeng Honda has announced it will recall 2,000 CR-V multi-purpose passenger vehicles in China starting Saturday, China's consumer quality watchdog said Friday... The recall is due to poor welding on the vehicles' triangle arms, which may cause potential safety risks, a statement on the website of the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine said... The vehicles involved were produced between August 28 and October 12, 2006... The company said it will offer free checks and repairs for the recalled cars.


* India - Maruti Suzuki says car making ops at Gurgaon plant will continue

Gurgaon,Gujarat,India -REUTERS/Money Control -Mar 26, 2012: -- Maruti Suzuki India Ltd., says will not shut down car production at Gurgaon plant... Will reduce no. of cars produced at Gurgaon plant to make space for expanding engine manufacturing capacity. Maruti Suzuki says once the capacity in Manesar is fully utilized, the company plans to set up a new facility in Gujarat...


* China - Hong Kong to tighten vehicle emission standards

Hong Kong,China -Bayanihan (Phillippines) -March 24, 2012: -- The 2012 Air Pollution Control (Vehicle Design Standards) amendment regulation was released here Friday... The regulation aims to tighten emission standards for newly registered vehicles to European levels, according to the Hong Kong government website... The city's Environmental Protection Department said the regulation requires newly registered vehicles to comply with Euro V standards from June 1... Newly registered diesel vehicles of less than 3.5 tons must comply with the standards from Dec. 31... Compared with Euro IV vehicles, Euro V heavy diesel vehicles emit 40 percent less nitrogen oxide, while light diesel vehicles emit 80 percent less respirable suspended particulates and 30 percent less nitrogen oxide... Euro V petrol or LPG vehicles emit 30 percent less nitrogen oxide...


* China - Ricardo and China’s Wuxi Fuel Injection Equipment Research Institute to collaborate on next-generation engine technologies


Wuxi,Jiangsu,China -Green Car Congress (USA) -26 March 2012: -- Ricardo and Wuxi Fuel Injection Equipment Research Institute (WFIERI) will collaborate across a range of engine technologies and market development opportunities in China under a new cooperation agreement... Ricardo and WFIERI share a common commitment to the development of next-generation technologies and products to improve vehicle fuel efficiency and reduce emissions...

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Mar 21, 2012

AUTOMAKERS NEWS * WORLDWIDE

* USA - Automakers to Test Market Appeal of Three-Cylinder Engines

(Photo from Ford / February 10, 2012: A 2012 Ford Focus with the three-cylinder EcoBoost engine. Based on technology used in much bigger vehicles, the engine will pack 100 to 125 horsepower)
Chicago,ILL,USA -The Chicago Tribune - March 16, 2012: -- Automakers will test the marketability of cars with three-cylinder engines in the U.S. Ford plans to offer a three-cylinder Focus or Fiesta by mid-2013 to be followed by a compact car from Mitsubishi. Automakers are packing more power, measured by horsepower and torque, into these new engines...


* Germany and Italy: contrasting markets
Brussels,Belgium -Fleet Europe, by Tim Harrup -12 March 2012: -- Figures from official bodies in Germany (ZDK) and Italy (Anfia) point to differing fortunes in terms of car registrations in January and February. While Germany remained stable at around 434,000 registrations over the two months, Italy only saw 260,000 new cars registered, some 18% down... In terms of brands, Germany still sees Volkswagen out on top – despite a slight decrease, and Mercedes-Benz making progress, especially due to its new B-Class. In Italy, Fiat now only commands a market share of under 20%, whereas it had traditionally stood at around 25% or more...


* Italy - Fiat CEO sees changes for Europe
Milan,Italy -Bloomberg News/The Detrit News, by Tommaso Ebhardt -March 21, 2012: -- Fiat SpA and Chrysler Group LLC Chief Executive Officer, Sergio Marchionne, said a "painful" restructuring is needed for European carmakers, including plant closures and job cuts, to end losses in the region... Marchionne, who aims to merge Fiat with Chrysler to boost revenue to more than 100 billion euros ($131.8 billion) in 2014, is counting on the American carmaker to propel growth in Europe, where the group lost about 500 million euros in the volume-car business last year and had a "weak" first quarter. Fiat owns 58.5 percent of Chrysler...


COMMENT *  China - Audi, BMW, Mercedes Sell For 25% Off  ... Is This The End?
Shanghai,SH,China -The Car Connection (USA), by Richard Read -Mar 21, 2012: -- According to Bloomberg, Chinese shoppers are finding unprecedented discounts on premium vehicles, and the savings are expected to get bigger in the near future... Luxury rides like the Audi A8L, BMW 7-Series, and Mercedes-Benz S300, now sell for 75% to 80% of their sticker prices at dealerships across China. And as if that weren't enough to lure high-end customers, dealers are adding other incentives, too, like free iPhones, discounts on Chanel handbags, and complimentary car insurance. Volvo has even doled out trips to Hong Kong for anyone willing to purchase a C30...


* China - Jaguar Land Rover to Make Cars with Chery in

(Photo: Jaguar Land Rover group lineup)
Wuhu,Anhui,China -The Journal of Commerce Online (USA), by Peter T. Leach -Mar 21, 2012:  --  China is now the third-largest market for the Tata Motors unit...  Jaguar Land Rover, a unit of India’s Tata Motors, is forming a joint venture with Chery Automobile of China to manufacture the U.K.-based automaker's luxury vehicles in China... The joint venture company will set up a research and development facility and a plant to manufacture engines, and it will look after vehicle sales as well...  China is now JLR's third largest market and is still growing. Its annual sales in 2011 increased by 60 percent to 42,000 units...  In 2005, sales in China accounted for 1 percent of combined Jaguar and Land Rover sales...


RECALL * China urges recall of Renault Megane, Scenic models

Beijing,China -Xinhua/CNTV -21 March 2012: -- China's consumer quality watchdog on Tuesday urged the manufacturer of imported Renault automobiles to recall two defective models and take immediate action to remove potential safety hazards... The Renault Megane 2.0 and Scenic 2.0-model vehicles were specified in a notice posted on the website of the General Administration of Quality, Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ)... The Megane-model vehicles may carry a safety risk due to improperly functioning airbags, while the Scenic-model vehicles may have defective dashboards, the notice said... The administration called on the manufacturer to contact domestic dealers to discuss recalling and repairing the vehicles...


* Australia - GM to invest $1 billion in Australia operations
Canberra,ACT,Australia -Reuters, by Maggie Lu YueYang/Edmund Klamann -16 Mar 2012:  --   U.S. car maker General Motors on Thursday committed to invest A$1 billion (US$1.04 billion) in its Australian operations over the next decade after securing Australian government support to help it keep its car plant open until at least 2022... Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, said the national and two state governments would inject A$275 million into GM Holden in the latest hand out to the country's struggling auto makers to protect manufacturing jobs...

* UK - Nissan Invests in UK plant
Sunderland,EN,UK -Zacks, by Souvik Guha -Mar 8, 2012: -- Japan’s second largest automaker Nissan Motors Co. announced that it will invest £125 million ($198 million) at its plant in Sunderland, northeast England in order to manufacture the new Invitation compact car. The move will create 2,000 jobs at Nissan and its suppliers in Britain. It will raise the workforce at the Sunderland plant by 600 people to 6,000 workers...

* Japan - Honda Plans New Plant in Indonesia
Minato,Tokyo,Japan -Zacks, by Equity Research team -Mar 16, 2012: -- Honda Motor Co. plans to open a new car manufacturing plant in Jakarta, Indonesia by investing 3.1 trillion rupiah ($337 million). The plant, which will be located in Karawang Industrial Park, will produce small cars like Brio compact. The plant will have an annual production capacity of 120,000 vehicles, lifting the company’s total production capacity in the country to 180,000 vehicles per year. The plant will start operating with a workforce of 2,000 people...

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Mar 19, 2012

AUTOMAKERS' NEWS

* Brazil minister to travel to Mexico for auto talks

(Photo: The Economist - A dispute over trade in cars exposes contrasting attitudes to globalisation in Latin America’s biggest economies)
- Mexico and Brazil are reported to have settled a month-long disagreement concerning automotive sector trade, with Mexico agreeing to cut future car exports in return for extending a decade-old trade agreement ... Brazil sent a letter to the Mexican government Thursday proposing Mexico limit Mexican car exports to Brazil to $1.4 billion annually...

* Slovenia - Renault cutting 330 jobs in subsidiary
- French automaker Renault's Slovenian unit Revoz said Thursday it would cut 330 jobs by the end of April owing to a drop in European demand for the small city cars produced at the Novo Mesto plant... Read more

* Indonesia - Honda to build new US$337m plant in Jakarta
- P.T. Honda Prospect Motor (HPM), the Japanese OEM's 51%-owned vehicle manufacturing and sales joint venture in Indonesia, has announced plans to build a new US$337m plant with annual production capacity of 120,000 units. HPM is planning to produce small-sized vehicles such as the Brio developed for Asian markets... Read more

* India - Tata Motors global vehicle sales up 24% in Februray
- Tata Motors Ltd's global vehicle sales saw an increase in 24 per cent in February from a year earlier, the Indian company said on Friday, as continued strong sales of its luxury Jaguar Land Rover vehicles offset slower growth in India... Read more

* Europe new car sales down 9.7% in February
- New car sales across Europe fell by 9.7 percent in February on a 12-month basis, the fifth consecutive monthly slide, the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association said on Thursday. The total number of new cars registered in 26 of the 27 European Union states, minus Malta where no data was available, was 888,878 in the month... Read more

* USA - Chrysler Prepping Smaller, 3.2-liter Pentastar V-6 for New Models
- Chrysler’s 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 has been a big hit for the automaker, powering several of its most popular offerings. It’s so popular in fact that Chrysler is now reportedly developing a smaller, 3.2-liter version of the engine which is expected to debut in the all-new Jeep Liberty to start, mated to the brand’s coming nine-speed automatic transmission... Read more

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Sep 13, 2011

TRUCKMAKERS NEWS WORLDWIDE * Sweden - A Volvo FH16 750 hp pushed

Sweden -Truck & Business, by Claude Yvens -9 Sept 2011: -- The race for 'truck series the most powerful' always excites all manufacturers. To celebrate 25 years of its 16-liter engine, Volvo Trucks has announced a new version of its FH16 750 hp, 50 more than the current top of the range. This engine already provides torque 2900 Nm at 900 rev / min, and maximum torque of 3550 Nm is reached from 1050 to 1400 rev / min, passed through a I-Shift reprogrammed. Volvo guarantees consumption similar to 700 hp and évidememnt intended this model to heavy-duty applications...


* UK - Iveco Eurocargo hybrid truck makes UK debut

London,EN,UK -Transport Engineer -9 Sept 2011: ...  The 12-tonner joins the range of low-carbon Iveco commercial vehicles available in the UK, encompassing electric-traction, hybrid, natural gas and ultra-clean EEV (enhanced environmentally friendly vehicle) diesel-powered technologies... The Eurocargo 120E18/P, is also available at 7.5 tonnes, uses a diesel-electric parallel hybrid driveline, making it possible to carry out multi-drop distribution in towns and cities without sacrificing high-speed performance on motorways... The new hybrid truck is powered by a 16-valve, four-cylinder Tector EEV diesel engine, with maximum rated power of 180bhp, working in combination with a 6bhp electric motor-generator... The engine and motor are driven through a six-speed automated gearbox, while a lithium ion battery pack having 1.9kW/h capacity provides electrical energy storage...


* Thailand - GM opens new diesel engine plant

(Photo: GM Southeast Asia president Martin Apfel with some of the new diesel engines)
Rayong,Thailand -Just Auto, by Dave Leggett -9 September 2011: -- General Motors has opened a new diesel engine plant in Rayong, Thailand... The US$200m facility, is GM’s first diesel engine plant in the region and is also the first in the world to produce GM's all-new family of Duramax four-cylinder diesel engines... GM says the highly flexible plant has the capability to manufacture approximately 120,000 engines per year for use in vehicles built in Thailand and other global markets. GM expects to source US$94m worth of Thai-built components for the production of engines at its Rayong facility by 2012...

* France - First production Kangoo Z.E. rolling off the line


Maubeuge,France -Autoblog Green, by Sebastian Blanco -Sep 12, 2011: -- Today, Renault rolled the first production Kangoo Z.E. off the production line at it's plant in Maubeuge, France...   The production Kangoo Z.E. will hit showrooms in Europe next month, but the company has been taking orders since earlier this year. The van has a certain appeal, most notably in the price: it starts at 20,000 euros ($27,245 U.S. at today's exchange rate) but then you need to figure more to lease the battery. The Kangoo Z.E. uses a 44 kW electric motor and a 22 kWh lithium-ion battery to offer an official range of 106 miles and comes in two flavors, the standard two-seater and a Maxi five seater. There is also a 5,000-euro tax incentive available for some purchasers...


* Brazil - China’s Foton Motors to build truck factory in


Sao Paulo,SP,Brazil -Macau Hub (China) -September 12, 2011: -- Chinese automotive company Foton Motors, one of the world’s largest truck manufacturers, plans to invest US$500 million in building a factory in Brazil...  The company’s officials at the beginning of last wee visited the state of Goiás, where they looked at potential locations for the factory, and that the state of Pernambuco was another potential location for the Chinese factory...  The factory is expected to start operating in 2014, and will initially focus its production on so-called light goods trucks of 3, 6 and 9 tons...  Founded in August, 1996 and based in Beijing, the Beiqi Foton Motor Co. manufactures light and heavy goods vehicles, agricultural tractors and a variety of machinery. In 2010 is set up a partnership with Daimler AG to manufacture Auman branded trucks in China...


* Italy - Fiat to sell Doblo van in USA & Canada under Ram brand

(Photo/Luca Bruno/AP, File: A Fiat logo is seen on a car retailer's window in Milan, Italy)
Rome,Italy -The Associated Press -Sep. 9, 2011: -- Fiat SpA, which controls Chrysler, plans o sell its Doblo van in the USA and Canada starting in 2013...  The Turin-based automaker said Friday the Fiat Doblo vehicles would be sold under the Ram brand...   Fiat said it had signed a letter of understanding with its Turkish joint-venture partner Tofas for the export of 190,000 units under a seven-year-deal...  The Doblo is made at the Tofas plant in Bursa, Turkey. A Fiat statement said Tofas would invest more than $160 million (C115 million) to make the necessary adjustments for the North American market...  Fiat has completed its purchase of USA and Canadian government shares of Chrysler to become the majority stockholder...


* Germany - Volkswagen reveals updated commercial vehicle line-up

(Photo: Volkswagen reveals updated commercial vehicle line up)
Wolfsburg,Germany -Transport Engineer (UK), by Brian Tinham -14 Sept 2011: -- Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles has unveiled new models in each of its three commercial vehicle ranges – Multivan, Amarok and Caddy – at IAA in Frankfurt, Germany...  The Caddy Edition 30 Frankfurt model is powered by the 2-litre TDI engine that delivers 170ps, making the most powerful Caddy ever...  Amarok is now available with an automatic transmission, after Volkswagen dropped an 8-speed gearbox into the pickup. More frugal than the manual version, the automatic Amarok – fitted with a BlueMotion-equipped 2-litre TDi engine – consumes 7.6L/100km...  Finally, the Multivan BlueMotion is the most fuel-efficient Multivan ever. Powered by a 114ps 2-litre TDI, the van consumes 0.9 litres less diesel per 100km than the current 102ps standard model...  The average fuel consumption of just 6.4L/100km equates to CO2 emissions of 169 grams per km (24 grams less), made possible by high-torque, common rail four-cylinder engines, combined with a Stop/Start system, battery regeneration, tyres with particularly low rolling resistance and special aerodynamic measures...


* India - Ashok Leyland launches LCV 'Dost' at Rs 3.79 lakh

Chennai,India -Indian Express -Sep 12, 2011: -- Hinduja Group flagship company Ashok Leyland, which has partnered with Japanese auto major Nissan to foray into the light commercial vehicle segment, on Monday announced the price of its first product 'Dost'... The new Dost, a 1.25 tonner light commercial vehicle, is priced at Rs 3.79 lakh for the base variant and Rs 4.39 lakh ex-showroom Chennai for the top variant... India is a growing competitive market for the light commercial vehicles and on Monday's launch of Dost is a testimony of Ashok Leyland's expertise in the field...


* Russia - Daimler-Kamaz join forces to roll-out new truck for

(Photo: Kamaz 5460 tractor)
Naberezhnye,Chelny,Russia -Indian Cars Bikes -19 Sept 2011: -- The joint venture between German truck makers at Daimler and Russia’s Kamaz has produced their first product aimed primarily for the Russian market. The car branded as Kamaz was showcased at the Comtrans commercial vehicle show in Moscow. The heavy duty truck has been developed jointly by Daimler and Kamaz. Both companies also plan to collaborate to produce truck cabs...  The new Daimler-Kamaz truck will go on sale in Russia in 2014. By the end of next year, Daimler will begin delivering cabs to Kamaz but overtime the Russian truck manufacturer will begin building truck cabs at the Chelny unit...

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