Volkswagen cuts global market sales forecast: report (23/01/10)

Volkswagen has lowered its sales estimate for the upcoming period to 2018 by 67 million vehicles, according to a new report by Automobilewoche.

In a letter seen by the news provider and quoted by Reuters, the company's former Head of Group Sales Detlef Wittig said: "This means a loss for the global market during this period that is equivalent to an entire calendar year.

"This effect would lead to sustainably lower group deliveries to customers versus the previous plan, and as a result to a lower financial result."

Honda's Global Output Rises to Meet China Demand (25/01/10)

Honda has revealed that its global auto production increased during December on the back of growing demand in China and recovering sales in the US.

The Japanese automaker confirmed that it built 286,826 vehicles over the course of the month, representing a year-on-year rise of 3.4 per cent.

Honda's Global Production Rises to Meet China Demand (23/02/10)

Honda also saw this trend replicated in January, with 290,752 vehicles being built, which was an increase of 28 per cent from the equivalent period 12 months earlier.

The firm revealed that demand from China - where it is set to build a second plant with partner Donfeng and take it into production in 2012 - again played a prominent role in the rise.

Toyota sees 2010 sales up 6 pct; to keep No.1 spot (26/01/10)

Toyota believes that it will witness a six per cent auto sales rise over the course of 2010, thus maintaining its position as the world's largest automaker.

The company predicted that group-wide sales will reach 8.27 million units, which is still some distance short of its record total of 9.37 million, achieved in 2007.

Scrapping boosted Jan car sales in Europe - ACEA (16/02/10)

Auto sales in European Union member states increased by 12.9 per cent to 1,058,868 units in January, according to new figures released by carmakers' association ACEA.

The data showed a large disparity between the western European countries, where scrappage schemes helped to boost sales, and their eastern European counterparts.

However, ACEA also confirmed that the total for new registrations represented a decline of 17.3 per cent from January 2008.

Europe's carmakers say economy far from stable (23/02/10)

Dieter Zetsche, President of ACEA and Chief Executive of Daimler, has suggested that European automakers could struggle to achieve significant sales improvements in 2010.

"If the economy looks better in 2010, it's only when compared with 2009," he said at ACEA's annual reception.

"And that's why it is so critically important not to endanger whatever little stabilisation has been achieved."

Ford Starts Production Of First Small Car In India (05/02/10)

Meanwhile, Ford has confirmed that it is now producing its first-ever small car in India in an attempt to make an impression on the burgeoning sector in the country.

The Detroit-based automaker is building the car, named the Figo, at a plant in Chennai which boasts an annual capacity of 200,000 units.

"This car is set to transform Ford from a niche player in India to [a] vehicle for the masses," said Raj Nair, Vice President of Operations at Ford Asia Pacific and Africa.

Mazda to Boost China Output Capacity to Meet Demand, CFO Says (23/02/10)

Mazda, in which Ford has an 11 per cent stake, has revealed that it hopes to increase production capacity in China as it looks to boost sales in the country by 22 per cent this year.

"We need to expand current capacity when we look into next year and the year after," Chief Financial Officer Kiyoshi Ozaki told Bloomberg.

Mexico Jan auto output leaps 102.4 pct vs year ago (08/02/10)

In Mexico, auto production increased by 102.4 per cent to 165,058 vehicles in January on a year-on-year basis.

The Mexican Automotive Industry Association also confirmed that the country's exports hit 114,193 during the month, representing a significant rise of 123.6 per cent.

Fiat shuts down six Italian car plants for two weeks (22/02/10)

Fiat has temporarily closed down six of its factories in Italy after reporting a "collapse in orders" following the conclusion of a number of scrappage schemes across Europe.

The two-week shutdown, which will run until the end of the first week in March, is affecting roughly half of the automaker's Italian plant workers (about 30,000 people), who have held protests against the move.

Car industry just out of 'intensive care' (26/02/10)

Automaker executives will convene at the Geneva Motor Show this week knowing that the industry has managed to survive its toughest period for decades, the Financial Times reports.

However, the sector will also be wary that it has yet to fully cure its "chronic problems", while the negative impact of scrappage schemes reaching their conclusions could be notable.

"If you look globally, the industry is very much out of intensive care but it still requires a lot of monitoring going forwards," Calum MacRae, Lead Auto Analyst at PricewaterhouseCoopers, told the news provider.

Mercedes-Benz F800 pairs hydrogen fuel cell and plug-in hybrid (20/02/10)

Mercedes will unveil a new concept vehicle which combines fuel cells with plug-in hybrid technology at the Geneva Motor Show.

The F800 Style is capable of attaining zero-emission status by travelling for 18 miles on electric power after being charged, before calling on hydrogen fuel for another 375 miles.

"We are dedicated to reconciling our responsibility for the environment with practical customer utility in a fascinating automobile," said Thomas Weber, the Daimler Board of Management member responsible for research and development.

Clearing the Air at American Ports (25/02/10)

Finally, short-haul trucking companies in the US should be responsible for buying new rigs in order to clear the air at the country's ports, it has been suggested.

The Teamsters union and environmental activists have formed a partnership to push the idea that the emphasis for change should be shifted away from the truck drivers.

"We think if you have the big trucking companies own the equipment and maintain it, the trucks will be cleaner," David Pettit, Director of the Natural Resource Defense Council's Southern California Clean Air Program, told the New York Times.

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