http://www.autosinsight.com Automotives Insight RSS Feed from Business Monitor International en Copyright 2010, Business Monitor International Ltd Thu, 04 Mar 2010 06:30 GMT Thu, 04 Mar 2010 06:30 GMT AFP RSS Generator AvtoKrAZ Holding Company, the largest truck maker in Ukraine, has kick-started renewed optimism for 2010 by increasing production to 109 units during January, up 76% month-on-month (m-o-m), according to Ukrainian Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Association (Ukrautoprom) estimates. However, given that AvtoKrAZ relies on exports for as much as 60% of its total output, there is little sign that domestic demand for trucks in Ukraine is heading for a strong recovery. http://www.autosinsight.com/file/86730/AvtoKrAZ-Increases-Focus-Overseas.html Wed, 03 Mar 2010 00:00 GMT India's Tata Motors will start production of its ultra-low-cost Nano model in Mexico in partnership with local manufacturer Grupo Autofin from 2012, representatives from the Mexican company have revealed. BMI believes that the move is very strategic as it will give Tata access to Latin American markets while also enabling easy entry into the North American market. http://www.autosinsight.com/file/86729/Tata-Opts-For-Local-Production-Of-Nano.html Wed, 03 Mar 2010 00:00 GMT A potentially dangerous power steering flaw forced US-based General Motors Company (GM) to voluntarily recall 1.3mn vehicles across North America on March 1 after a year-long federal investigation into a number of models, according to Agence France Presse. GM's vice chairman, Bob Lutz, has suggesting that the cost of the recall may be around http://www.autosinsight.com/file/86728/GM-Recalls-1-3mn-Cars-Due-To-Steering-Hazard.html Wed, 03 Mar 2010 00:00 GMT Consumers sent Indian car sales soaring in February as they anticipated an increase in excise tax that was confirmed in the federal budget at the end of the month. Record sales figures were achieved by some of India's carmakers during February due to fears of the price increase combined with a sustained period of cheap debt, Agence France Presse http://www.autosinsight.com/file/86727/Car-Sales-Surge-In-Pre-Budget-Buying.html Wed, 03 Mar 2010 00:00 GMT Germany's Daimler and China's BYD Auto have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly develop and produce an electric vehicle (EV) specifically for the Chinese market. The partners will jointly establish a new brand for the resulting model and will set up a technology centre dedicated to local design, development and testing. A joint statement from the companies said that 'China has the potential to be among the world's largest markets for zero-emission http://www.autosinsight.com/file/86675/Daimler-And-BYD-Join-Forces-For-EV-Project.html Tue, 02 Mar 2010 00:00 GMT Renault, the fifth largest carmaker in Russia in terms of sales, has stepped up its production capacity by inaugurating the second phase of its Avtoframos plant in Moscow. http://www.autosinsight.com/file/86672/Renault-Prepares-For-Imminent-Recovery.html Tue, 02 Mar 2010 00:00 GMT Volkswagen (VW)'s chairman, Ferdinand Piech, has once again raised the possibility of the much speculated three-way truck alliance between VW, Germany's MAN and Swedish truck maker Scania. Speaking to reporters at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show, Piech revealed that efforts towards the cooperation have sped up after the management reshuffle at MAN in November last year. http://www.autosinsight.com/file/86673/Truck-Alliance-Plans-Progressing-Says-VW-Chairman.html Tue, 02 Mar 2010 00:00 GMT German commercial vehicle manufacturer MAN has expanded its presence in the Middle East with the appointment of Integrated Automotive as its exclusive distributor in Jordan. MAN will have a dedicated showroom and service centre facility in the country, due to open later in the year, which will feature a computerised dealer management system, warehouse for spare parts and servicing workshop. In addition, MAN will open a branch of its 'Top Used' certified used vehicle division at the Al Zarqa duty free http://www.autosinsight.com/file/86674/MAN-Expands-And-Wins-Contract.html Tue, 02 Mar 2010 00:00 GMT US carmaker General Motors Company (GM) has announced it will launch its Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid model in Japan as soon as possible, which could be within the next two years. Sumito Ishii, managing director of GM Asia Pacific Japan, has previously said that Japan would not form part of the Volt's initial global rollout, but he now believes that 'one of the things the Japanese market wants is electric vehicles,' and the US giant is studying a 2011 or 2012 http://www.autosinsight.com/file/86629/GM-Takes-On-Local-Hybrid-Competition.html Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:00 GMT South Africa's Optimal Energy will unveil the production version of its Joule electric car at the Geneva Motor Show (March 4-14), as it becomes the first domestically developed and produced electric vehicle (EV) in the country. A concept version of the Joule was unveiled at the 2008 Paris Motor Show, but the design going on display in Geneva is the model that will be on the road in South Africa this http://www.autosinsight.com/file/86626/Joule-Set-To-Become-First-Homegrown-EV.html Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:00 GMT The Swedish government has established Fouriertransform - a venture capital firm - with the view to filling the finance gap created by the reluctance of private equity firms to invest in the autos industry, which at present faces an uncertain http://www.autosinsight.com/file/86627/Government-Forms-State-Owned-Venture-Capital-Firm-To-Aid-Industry.html Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:00 GMT Swedish safety component supplier Autoliv Group is looking to take full ownership of its Estonian subsidiary Aktsiaselts Norma, in which it holds a 51% share. Although Norma is a leading supplier of car safety equipment to big markets such as Russia, its relatively small size has constrained development of new technologies and expansion into global markets, making it difficult for the firm to compete. Norma's sales reached EUR50mn in 2009. http://www.autosinsight.com/file/86628/Autoliv-Continues-Acquisition-Strategy.html Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:00 GMT Proposed amendments to the Philippines' Motor Vehicle Development Program (MVDP) have received a mixed response from industry players, with some believing the changes do not go far enough to attract new investors. The main proposal will require vehicle assemblers to invest in local parts production in order to qualify for tax incentives. Other initiatives will step up restrictions on imports of second-hand vehicles and create a new industry http://www.autosinsight.com/file/86625/Mixed-Reactions-To-New-Autos-Policy-Draft.html Fri, 26 Feb 2010 00:00 GMT After being one of only three brands to achieve positive sales growth in the US in 2009, South Korean carmaker Kia Motor is looking to almost double growth and raise its market share. Kia Motors America (KMA) sold 300,063 units in 2009, up 9.8% year-on-year (y-o-y) and even higher than the 8.3% growth recorded by its larger affiliate Hyundai Motor America. This gave Kia a 2.9% market share, which the carmaker hopes to push over the 3% threshold in http://www.autosinsight.com/file/86623/Kia-Looks-To-Raise-Market-Share.html Fri, 26 Feb 2010 00:00 GMT Romania's tyre industry remains fairly underdeveloped and has the potential to reach annual sales of 8mn units - up from its current size of 3mn tyres a year - believes Goodyear Dunlop Romania. In addition to Goodyear, Romania already houses big names such as Germany's Continental and Italy's Pirelli, which have all been attracted by the country's expanding car manufacturing industry and potential for increased vehicle ownership. http://www.autosinsight.com/file/86624/Annual-Tyre-Sales-Could-Reach-8mn-Claims-Goodyear.html Fri, 26 Feb 2010 00:00 GMT