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Molly Brookshire

Ford plans to add thousands of jobs, 3 plants and 23 vehicles - 0 views

www.autonews.com/...-jobs-3-plants-and-23-vehicles

Ford production

shared by Molly Brookshire on 29 Apr 14 - No Cached
  • A confident Ford Motor Co. said today that it plans to add 5,000 U.S. jobs in 2014, open two plants in Asia Pacific and one in South America, and launch 23 vehicles globally.
  • Ford plans 16 launches in North America. They include the Ford Mustang, Ford Transit Connect, Ford Transit and Lincoln MKC.
Molly Brookshire

Bosch projects 3-5% sales growth, plans Internet technology push - 0 views

www.autonews.com/...plans-internet-technology-push

Bosch technology

shared by Molly Brookshire on 30 Apr 14 - No Cached
  • The company which makes ultrasound, radar and video sensors as well as spark plugs, wants to tap into a growing market for Internet-enabled devices and systems to allow autonomous driving.
  • The shift toward more sophisticated cars will result in a 25 percent increase in the production of ultrasound sensors this year to 50 million devices, and the number of radar and video sensors produced will also double, to more than 2 million units, Bosch said.
  • its automotive technology business sector had grown "impressively."
  • ...4 more annotations...
  • Sales of driver assistance systems could exceed 1 billion euros as early as 2016, as cars become more sophisticated and offer new business opportunities, Bosch said.
  • This year the company will add 9,000 university graduates from around the world to its workforce of 281,000 staff.
  • By 2020 Bosch plans to double its sales in Asia, North and South America
  • Bosch said last year its automotive business continued to grow, particularly gasoline and diesel direct-injection systems, as well as display instruments and infotainment systems.
Molly Brookshire

Mercedes to double downtown outlets as customers move to cities - 0 views

www.autonews.com/...ts-as-customers-move-to-cities

Mercedes marketing

shared by Molly Brookshire on 06 Jun 14 - No Cached
  • Mercedes-Benz plans to double its downtown sales outlets worldwide by 2020 to serve the boom in city living with retailing that offers more technological wizardry and tasty treats than car models in showrooms.
  • The world’s third-biggest maker of luxury cars opened its first Mercedes Me store today in Hamburg, a new format that features billiard-table-sized touch screens for configuring vehicles. The carmaker, targeting drivers who haven’t yet bought the brand’s cars, plans to increase the number of city-center retail sites from the current 20
  • Audi, the most profitable brand at Volkswagen AG, said in mid-2012 that it plans a 20-site network worldwide of Audi City stores equipped with giant LED wall screens for customers to design their cars. BMW’s I sub-brand of electric and hybrid autos has a website enabling direct online purchases.
Molly Brookshire

Renault, Nissan to combine manufacturing, r&d for $4 billion annual savings, report says - 0 views

www.autonews.com/...turing-rd-for-4-billion-annual

Nissan Renault production

shared by Molly Brookshire on 29 Apr 14 - No Cached
  • Under the planned structure, Nissan and Renault will be able to assemble cars, using shared parts, at the same factories, the Nikkei said.
  • Nissan and Renault will adopt the new structure first at their jointly held factory in India as early as 2015, expanding to more than 10 countries by 2020, the report said. The alliance, which together owns nearly 50 factories worldwide, plans to bring Russian affiliate AvtoVAZ into the fold, the paper added
Molly Brookshire

Toyota lays out future powertrain plans in catch-up bid - 0 views

www.autonews.com/...wertrain-plans-in-catch-up-bid

Toyota powertrain r&d

shared by Molly Brookshire on 29 Apr 14 - No Cached
  • Toyota Motor Corp. will launch a swath of powertrains in the next several years
  • Toyota is investing heavily in turbocharged engines, larger displacement Atkinson cycle engines, continuously variable and fixed-gear automatic transmissions, and new hybrid and fuel cell technologies
Molly Brookshire

Nissan team to tackle inventory problems - 0 views

www.autonews.com/...m-to-tackle-inventory-problems

Nissan sales production planning

shared by Molly Brookshire on 29 Apr 14 - No Cached
  • "the right car at the right place at the right time"
  • Nissan has assembled a team of sales managers, forecasters, planners, retailers, factory engineers and logistics managers in North America and Japan to execute its right-car mission.
  • After spending the past two years redesigning, reintroducing and repricing most of its vehicle lineup, the automaker is convinced that all of its products are competitive in their segments, and in some cases segment-leading.
  • ...2 more annotations...
  • But one problem continues to hold the franchise back -- a U.S. inventory chain with a few holes in it,
  • "Rather than trying to assess market needs from here at our headquarters or relying on our retailers to guess, we're designing a new approach to make sure we can deliver the right car at the right place at the right time." The process will give Nissan's sales regions more voice in production planning and make it easier for dealers to find cars in the factory order banks.
Molly Brookshire

Audi to revive A3 hatch in U.S., sans gasoline - 0 views

www.autonews.com/...-a3-hatch-in-u-s-sans-gasoline

Audi diesel plug in hybrid

shared by Molly Brookshire on 29 Apr 14 - No Cached
  • the German luxury brand has decided to bring back the five-door version of its A3 compact to the United States without offering customers an ordinary gasoline engine.
  • Audi already announced plans to sell a plug-in hybrid version of the hatchback called the A3 e-tron.
  • Exact pricing has not been announced, but the diesel A3 will compete with entry-level luxury cars such as the Lexus CT, a similarly sized hybrid-only hatchback that starts at $32,960 with shipping. Lexus sold 15,071 of them in 2013 in the United States.
  • ...2 more annotations...
  • 2012 in the United States
  • At that time, about 55 percent of buyers were choosing the TDI engine -- far more than the company had projected.
Molly Brookshire

VW Group targets 10 million sales this year on model expansion - 0 views

www.autonews.com/...s-this-year-on-model-expansion

VW Sales

shared by Molly Brookshire on 29 Apr 14 - No Cached
  • Volkswagen Group may sell more than 10 million vehicles in 2014, four years earlier than planned, as Europe's largest automaker accelerates model introductions in a strategy to overtake Toyota Motor Corp. as the global sales leader.
  • Volkswagen, which has budgeted 84.2 billion euros ($117 billion) in investments through 2018 to pursue a goal of taking the No. 1 spot from Toyota, said it will introduce more than 100 models this year and next, including vehicles for the mass-market VW nameplate and the Audi and Porsche premium marques
Molly Brookshire

Toyota's North America chief seeks fuel cell sedan supply boost - 0 views

www.autonews.com/...s-fuel-cell-sedan-supply-boost

Toyota Hydrogen 2015MY

shared by Molly Brookshire on 29 Apr 14 - No Cached
  • Toyota Motor Corp.’s North American chief, preparing to sell Camry-sized hydrogen sedans next year
  • wants more U.S. supply of the Japan-built cars.
  • Toyota, the world’s largest seller of hybrid-electric autos, is to sell the as-yet unnamed four-door model in California in 2015, as well as in Japan and Europe
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  • Battery models carry electricity in their lithium-ion battery packs while fuel cell vehicles make electricity on board in a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen, with only water vapor as a byproduct. While hydrogen vehicles have a range comparable to gasoline vehicles and need only a few minutes to refuel -- compared with hours for most battery autos -- there are few hydrogen pumps currently open to the public.
  • California has said it will provide as much as $200 million over the next decade to help open stations across the most populous U.S. state.
  • Fuel cell autos will need three to five years to build a market presence in California, and at least a decade to get to U.S. sales of half a million or more annually, Lentz said. Still, advances in the technology and an industrywide push, with Daimler AG, General Motors Co. and Nissan also planning to sell fuel cell models, may help the vehicles get a market foothold faster than hybrids, according to Lentz.
Molly Brookshire

For now, Toyota chooses shortfall over costly expansion - 0 views

www.autonews.com/...hortfall-over-costly-expansion

Toyota truck segment production TMMTX

shared by Molly Brookshire on 29 Apr 14 - No Cached
  • a key point of Toyota's midterm strategic plan through 2025 is to determine whether to expand the San Antonio plant. The plant already is one of Toyota's fastest-moving factories worldwide, with a capacity of about 200,000 units, without overtime or Saturdays.
  • to build another line in San Antonio could cost hundreds of millions of dollars. Plus, Toyota is still unsure if there's an additional 100,000 units of demand for its trucks -- the typical minimum volume for adding a new assembly line -- without resorting to costly incentives to push demand.
  • With truck demand returning, expansion is tempting
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  • demand for Toyota trucks is about 30,000 units over present volumes. He added: "None of us has the stomach to add another 100K."
Molly Brookshire

Subaru, Toyota discuss ending production of Camry in Indiana - 0 views

www.autonews.com/...production-of-camry-in-indiana

shared by Molly Brookshire on 29 Apr 14 - No Cached
  • Toyota owns 16.5 percent of the small Japanese automaker
  • But it poses a big headache for Toyota, which is also strapped for capacity in North America as the market quickly accelerates.
  • SIA has annual capacity for 100,000 Camrys, and it may be tough for Toyota to absorb that at another North American plant.
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  • Subaru will stop building the Camry in Indiana by 2017
  • Subaru said earlier this year that it would boost the plant's annual capacity to build Subaru vehicles to 300,000 by the end of 2016, up from 170,000 currently. On top of that, the company has capacity to build 100,000 Camrys a year
  • Subaru also said earlier this year it would add production of the Impreza to the factory, its only plant in North America
  • The additional capacity Subaru plans to add by 2016 would come from the Toyota line, meaning that Subaru vehicles would be made in mixed production with the Camry on the same line.
  • Subaru needs more capacity, as it aims for annual U.S. sales of 500,000 by 2016. That's up from an estimated 420,000 units expected this year.
Molly Brookshire

Honda bets big on small Vezel crossover, eyes turbo for U.S. - 0 views

www.autonews.com/...l-crossover-eyes-turbo-for-u-s

honda small-CUV 2014 Mexico

shared by Molly Brookshire on 29 Apr 14 - No Cached
  • The Vezel -- a small crossover based on Honda’s redesigned Fit subcompact -- goes on sale
  • in the United States in the second half of 2014
  • rivals as the Mazda CX-5, Nissan Juke and Subaru XV Crosstrek
  • ...5 more annotations...
  • Vezel is the car’s Japan-market name. The U.S. name will be announced later, Honda said today.
  • In the United States, Juke sales have climbed 4 percent this year and Mazda CX-5 demand has surged 95 percent. Sales of the new Subaru XV Crosstrek have totaled 48,216, while Buick Encore sales are 29,195.
  • Honda plans to source all U.S. Vezels from its new plant in Mexico
  • A spokesman said Honda wants to establish the gasoline version in the market before deciding on whether to add a hybrid option to the lineup
  • Honda is also banking on the vehicle to fuel a big surge in U.S. sales. Honda built the new plant in Mexico with capacity of 200,000 units just to make the crossover and the Fit hatchback. More than half of the plant’s capacity will be devoted to the crossover, says Ito.
Molly Brookshire

VW to Spend $7 Billion to Revive U.S. Growth With New SUV - Bloomberg - 0 views

www.bloomberg.com/...7-billion-investment-plan.html

VW Dec-2013 Passat

shared by Molly Brookshire on 29 Apr 14 - No Cached
  • Demand for its namesake brand fell 6.9 percent to 407,700 autos last year on declining demand for the U.S. version of the Passat
Molly Brookshire

VW's labor boss Osterloh says U.S. operations a 'disaster' - 0 views

www.autonews.com/...says-u-s-operations-a-disaster

VW sales

shared by Molly Brookshire on 29 Apr 14 - No Cached
  • VW last month ousted U.S. divisional chief Jonathan Browning, who oversaw the 2011 launch of the mid-sized Passat, sales of which declined 6 percent in the United States last year after a surge in 2011-2012
  • Michael Horn, who this month said that VW headquarters had paid little heed to the dynamics of the U.S. market
  • won't improve until 2016 and it needs more models there, including a pick-up truck
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  • At the Detroit auto show in January, VW announced plans to make a mid-sized SUV for North America as part of a $7 billion investment in the region. Osterloh lamented that a year after the CrossBlue SUV concept was unveiled, it's still unclear where the model will be built
Molly Brookshire

Nokia to invest $100 million on intelligent-car technology - 0 views

www.autonews.com/...-on-intelligent-car-technology

intelligent vehicles

shared by Molly Brookshire on 05 May 14 - No Cached
  • Nokia Oyj plans to spend $100 million backing companies that develop intelligent-car technologies, joining the likes of billionaire Elon Musk and Google Inc. in betting that future vehicles will be smarter and more connected.
  • Carmakers are introducing smarter dashboard navigation systems, adding features such as real-time traffic information and automated calls to emergency services in case of accident.
  • Toyota Motor Corp. said in October it will introduce systems in about two years that will enable cars to communicate with each other to avoid collisions.
Molly Brookshire

New GM system won't let car drive until front occupants buckle up - 0 views

www.autonews.com/...140529986

shared by Molly Brookshire on 22 May 14 - No Cached
  • the new belt assurance system will be offered as an optional feature in select 2015 models, including the GMC Sierra and the Chevrolet Cruze, Colorado and Silverado. GM does not plan to charge extra for this feature.
  • the company would like buyers who opt for the belt assurance system to provide feedback to help improve the technology before it becomes standard
  • GM’s new belt assurance system does not use an interlock ignition, Ecclestone said. The new system taps into the sensing and diagnostic module used to detect passenger weights and turn airbags on and off. To apply it to seat belts, the SDM detects front seat passengers, and communicates with the brakes and transmission to prevent the driver from shifting the vehicle into gear before both front passengers are buckled up.
Molly Brookshire

BBC - Autos - The month in tech: Google readies Android invasion - 0 views

www.bbc.com/...0140627-google-wants-your-dash

Google technology

shared by Molly Brookshire on 10 Jul 14 - No Cached
  • At its recent developer conference, Google launched its Android Auto system
  • Android Auto allows drivers to access navigation, music and communications through voice commands and steering wheel controls.
  • Google has partnered with roughly 30 automotive manufacturers to bring the system to market, relieving carmakers of development costs associated with creating their own infotainment system back-ends. Apple's CarPlay system, meanwhile, will be available in many carmakers' 2015 models, among them Hyundai, Volvo and Mercedes-Benz.
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  • The FCV will go on sale in Japan first, in April 2015, for the equivalent of about $70,000, with US and European launches planned for the summer.
  • the FCV would only go on sale in areas like California and Germany, where adequate hydrogen refueling stations and delivery infrastructure existed
  • cruising range of 700km (about 435 miles
  • compressed hydrogen’s higher energy density and its ease of storage and transport
  • The vehicle refuels in just three minutes and only emits water vapor.
  • Ford engineers saw room to improve the efficacy of knee-level airbags
Molly Brookshire

BBC - Autos - Can the MKC save Lincoln? - 0 views

www.bbc.com/...40708-can-the-mkc-save-lincoln

Lincoln MKC luxury SUV

shared by Molly Brookshire on 10 Jul 14 - No Cached
  • Lexus has some fine choices, as do BMW, Audi, Mercedes-Benz, Cadillac, Acura, Infiniti and Volvo. Lincoln... Not so much. Until now, that is. The suave new MKC brings fresh lines – and fresh thinking – to a crowded segment.
  • Lincoln gave the base MKC a 240-horsepower 2-litre EcoBoost engine. A 2.3-litre turbo four is optional, producing a healthy 285 horsepower and 305 pound-feet of torque. Notably absent (for now, at least), are six-cylinder gasoline, turbo-diesel and gasoline-electric hybrid options.
  • Occupants are never reminded what sort of engine lies under the hood. On the road, the MKC delivers exemplary ride comfort and splendid control over bumps and around curves. All good news
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  • American upstart may have some difficulty attracting notice among the clamour of a noisy, contentious market.
  • Lincoln itself is in crisis at the moment
  • It will demur from an arms race with would-be German rivals who benchmark their cars against one another with lap times. The modern Lincoln aims to deliver simple dynamic precision with a relaxed ambiance.
  • Lincoln’s current MKZ sedan was a half-step in this direction, but the MKC fulfills the mission more completely
  • And the company plans to replace its larger MKX crossover and MKS full-size sedan with new models that raise the luxury bar even further.
Molly Brookshire

Denso is not just Toyota's supplier anymore - 0 views

www.autonews.com/...echnology-for-other-automakers

Denso safety competitor

shared by Molly Brookshire on 04 Aug 14 - No Cached
  • banking on brisk demand for safety sensors with plans to offer a suite of new products for mass-market cars by 2016.
  • The new technologies will include autonomous emergency braking, lane-keep assist and full-speed adaptive cruise control systems
  • And in a bid to diversify its customer base, the Toyota-affiliated parts maker will offer the new products to any automaker, not just its tried-and-true Toyota Group stalwarts.
  • ...6 more annotations...
  • The upcoming rollout, which will deploy the technologies by March 31, 2016, is part of Denso's drive to boost sales of sensors, the crucial eyes and ears of tomorrow's safety systems.
  • Cars without these features will be hard-pressed to achieve the top five-star rating. And European adoption of more stringent rules is expected to force other markets, such as the United States and Japan, to raise the bar as well.
  • But it trails European rivals such as Robert Bosch GmBH and Continental AG in advanced safety sensors. Denso's bread-and-butter products are drivetrain components and air conditioners.
  • But deployment is rapidly moving downmarket because of stricter European Union safety rules taking effect in 2015. The Euro New Car Assessment Program, or Euro NCAP, rates vehicle safety and increasingly will test for crash avoidance technologies.
  • The components include systems using camera-based optical sensors, millimeter wave radar and laser radar.
  • That is because the regulations set a baseline for sensor performance that must be met by all carmakers. And the clear specifications make it easier to develop standardized sensors. Standardization, in turn, allows for higher volume and lower costs, meaning a wider array of customers can use the same part.
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