Author: yoann besnard

FAW wants to buy Bertone
A few weeks after Mahindra & Mahindra, the Chinese carmaker FAW has entered the bid over Bertone acquisition.
Carmakers from emerging markets are launched in a race to acquire as soon as possible the expertise needed to sell their vehicles worldwide. Fortunately for them, Italian coachbuilders are in the doldrums and make perfect preys for the ambitious players. Bertone sales is a new example of the competition between them.
Like the Indian carmaker, FAw is very interested in Bertone’s production facility located at Grugliasco in Italy which has a capacity of 100,000 cars per year. FAW owns joint venture in China with Volkswagen and Toyota and builds under licence Daihatsu and Mazda models.
April 2, 2008
Toyota to invest £50 million into a new research facility
Toyota will invest £50 million during the next four year into a new research facility called Research Institute of North America (TRI-NA) located near the Toyota Technical Center in Michigan.
The Japanese carmaker has announced that the new Research Institute of North America will focus on four areas: advanced technologies, urban environment, energy, and partnerships with government and academia. The new facility initially will employ 35 researchers and administration staff, and plans to add 10 researchers in 2008 and an additional 20 by 2010. The new technology center is a big move for the carmaker as most of its research was done mostly in Japan and sometimes in Australia and Germany.
The new Research Institute of North America will join the long list of Toyota’s facilities in the US which owns eleven factories, one technical center, one design center (pictured) and builds two new production sites
GM and Ford might see the new facility as provocative at a time when the two carmakers struggle to cut costs and can’t afford to invest into new technologies.
April 2, 2008
Outlander to feature twin-clutch SST
The Mitsubishi Outlander will be equipped with the in-house twin clutch SST which appeared on the Lancer Evolution X.
The Outlander will be the first SUV to feature a twin clutch transmission when Mitsubishi unveils it at the next Paris Motor Show. The SST will be available with the 2.2 DiD diesel engine and will go on sale in the first quarter of next year.
The SST transmission had been featured on the Concept-cX seen at Frankfurt last year. PSA Peugeot Citroen crossovers, derived from the Outlander, might also feature the twin clutch transmission although it is likely that Mitsubishi will reserve the transmission to its SUV.
April 2, 2008
Spyshot: Aston Martin Rapide
The future Aston Rapide has been surprised during testing on the Nurburgring in Germany.
The spotted prototype was featuring a full glass roof for the first time which stretched from a few inches of the windscreen to back window like that of the Rapide concept car unveiled at the Detroit Motor Show in 2006.
The Rapide will be the first Aston Martin to be built outside of the UK. After hesitating between Pininfarina, Valmet and Magna Steyr, company executives chose Magna Steyr. Manufacturing to a third-party company will enable Aston Martin to be flexible enough regarding the future demand for the Rapide.
The future executive saloon will share its inner structure with the DB9 and V8 Vantage models and will be powered by the in-house 6.0-litre V12 petrol engine delivering 480bhp. It is also rumoured that the Rapide might feature a smaller hybrid V6 and V8 engine outsourced from Mercedes. The engine will be hooked up to a six-speed gearbox, with both manual and automatic versions.
Aston Martin plans to build 2,000 Rapide annualy.
April 2, 2008
Daihatsu to introduce 3D holographic screen by 2012
Daihatsu teamed up with Provision Interactive Technologies to integrate 3D holographic screen technology called HLXX in its vehicles by 2012.
The HLXX technology is a traditional 2D flat screen dashboard that displays instrument gauges for all the normal and usual driving information. When a warning or alerts needs to be displayed, a 3D holographic screen instantly overlays three-dimensional image easing immediate driver awareness and recognition.
The technology was unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show last year.
April 2, 2008
Tata to invest £750 million to boost production
Tata will invest £755 million to boost its production capacity in the next five years.
The Indian carmaker plans to invest £755 million into its Pune plant, add new products and build vehicle testing facilities, announced Tata Managing Director Ravi Kant at a press conference. Kant said that the investment will help to increase capacity in its Pune plant by about 40% to over 600,000 units a year.
The company has also announced that it will raise a debt of £2 billion for its local and overseas expansion plans. Tata Motors is India’s largest vehicle maker, with revenues of £3.6 billion in 2006-07.
April 1, 2008
Giant BMW billboard in Russia
BMW has installed a massive billboard featuring real size vehicles to promote its M range.
Located in Moscow, the billboard is large enough to host real M models from the Z4M to the M5 thanks to its gigantic size of 6,000 square meters.
Source: Englishrussia

April 1, 2008
Hyundai Genesis not coming to Europe
Hyundai spokesman has announced that the carmaker doesn’t plan to import the Genesis on our shores due to Lexus’ poor sales results.
The new Hyundai flagship won’t cross the Atlantic Ocean to hit the European showrooms revealed Hyundai spokesman Oles Gadacz. The company executives took the decision after looking at Lexus’s track record in Europe. Despite selling its models in Europe for the last fifteen years, the luxury Toyota brand struggled to sell 40,636 cars last year.
The stricter CO2 emission regulation due to apply in Europe in 2012 is also the other reason given by Hyundai not to sell the Genesis on the European market. With its 4.6-litre V8 engine, it is certain that the Genesis would penalize the company’s fleet average.
April 1, 2008
Holden Captiva 60th anniversary
Holden has launched a special edition of the Captiva to celebrate its 60th anniversary.
Simply called 60th anniversary, the special Captiva comes with 18in sports alloy wheels, silver premium painted skid plate and fog lamp inserts, silver premium painted roof rails and door handles, and new tail lights. On the inside, there are 7in screen with navigation and DVD player. The equipment list also adds leather front gear lever and rear view camera.
April 1, 2008
Renault to sell two other SUVs.
In an interview with Autocar, Renault head of design, Patrick Le Quement reveals that the carmaker has two other SUVs in development.
After hesitating for ten years before launching its first SUV, Renault plans to boost its lineup by launching two more SUVs on the market in the near future. Renault will offer a larger model which will be company’s attempt to take on BMW X3 and Mercedes GLK and a smaller model intended to compete with models like Toyota Urban Cruiser, Land Rover LRX, and Audi Q3.
The Koleos’ big brother will be based on the Nissan Murano and be manufactured in the same factory located in South Korea. The SUVs are expected to arrive on the market within 24 months.
April 1, 2008