Entries from January 2008 ↓

Tata Motors has signed a development contract with Chrysler’s electric vehicle unit Global Electric Motorcars (GEM) to develop and market an electric version of the Ace for sale in the US.According to sources in the industry, the battery operated neighbourhood electric vehicle (NEV) that can ferry passengers and cargo has passed required safety and reliability tests, and the prototype is ready for production.

The vehicle, that will mark the auto major’s entry into the US markets, will be exported as a completely built unit sans engine or gear box. The American counterpart, that already produces and sells a range of six NEVs, will fit it with the motor and controller, the sources said, adding that the branding details had not yet been worked out.

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JERUSALEM (Reuters) - The Renault-Nissan alliance on Monday signed a deal to begin mass producing electric cars as part of an Israeli-led project to develop alternative energy sources and slash oil dependency.

Renault-Nissan Chief Executive Carlos Ghosn said the cars, with a range of about 100 km in city driving and up to 160 km on the highway, will accelerate from zero to 100 kph in 13 seconds and have a top speed of 110 kph — similar to many gasoline-powered cars.

Ghosn said a key reason why the company chose Israel to launch the project is because 90 percent of Israelis drive less than 70 km a day and all major urban centers are within 150 km of each other. For Israel the cars would mean less dependency on oil imports, mostly coming from Russia.

The cars, to be made in Europe, will run on a battery developed by Nissan and Japan’s NEC and will be available in 2011. A prototype is already on the road in Israel and various models will be sold by Renault and Nissan.

“It will be the most environmentally friendly mass-produced car on the market,” Ghosn said at a Fuel Free Transportation ceremony at the office of Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, adding the main appeal of the cars is that they were as “normal as possible” while operating quietly.

He said the car would cost the same or less than comparable gasoline engine autos and would have a lifetime warranty.

Ghosn said Renault-Nissan will also market the cars in yet to be determined European countries and Asia and later to the United States.

“We expect this car to be successful,” Ghosn told reporters. “We want to make sure we mass market 10,000 to 20,000 cars a year in Israel … We are determined to make it a success.”

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While the halo at Auto Expo might justifiably be all pervading over the Tata Nano, industry leader Suzuki has finally done something which it wasn’t known to do. For the first time in the history of the firm, it has let two Indian designers conjure up the look and feel of what would be the company’s fifth World Strategic Model - the A-Star Concept.

Saurabh Singh and Rajesh Kumar Gogu are the two young lads credited with penning the stunning exterior of the A-Star Concept and also its sporty interior. They have, for the first time for a Suzuki, delivered a design where quite a few details from the Indian way of life have been incorporated in some form.

The A-Star Concept is a critical model in Suzuki’s model line-up. Since it is to be built in India for export and domestic markets, it was appropriate that there was a bit of Indian-ness to the design.

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Bangalore, Jan. 17 Toyota Motor Corporation is about to complete work on a low cost passenger car, which will be launched in markets like India initially even as the company’s President, Mr Katsuaki Watanabe, is expected to visit the country towards the end of January.

The low-priced car is also expected to be launched in developed markets as well after launches in India, Russia, Brazil and China. Sources in the company told Business Line that Mr Watanabe has been personally driving the low-cost model initiative and had asked the company’s engineers to develop a car based on low cost technology which should also adhere to the Toyota’s safety standards as well as being environment-friendly.

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DETROIT, Jan. 13, 2008 – Ford Motor Company is revealing the Verve, a concept vehicle that makes clear the vision for the new small cars Ford soon will introduce in North America.

The Verve is bold and sophisticated – to help it clearly stand out from other small cars on the road. Ford is building on decades of small car leadership in Europe as it develops new small cars for North America to appeal to increasingly savvy customers who value technology, design and fuel efficiency.

Both four- and three-door Verve body styles are being unveiled at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, as curtain-raisers to a new global family of small cars set to debut in Europe and Asia beginning later this year and in North America in 2010. The four-door is the basis for the production vehicle that will be sold in North America. The European three-door is being shown to test market reaction to the bodystyle – as a possible additional small car for the North American market.

The Verve concept has been developed with Ford’s new global product development strategy that better leverages the company’s global strengths. Globally, Ford is building on its European small-car expertise to stake a bigger claim in this critically important segment. Ford’s celebrated small car lineup in Europe includes such top-sellers as the Ford Focus, Fiesta and Ka.

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January 14, 2008 – Detroit, MI - Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc., unveiled the all-new 2009 Venza crossover sedan at a press conference here today at the 2008 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS). Venza will raise the crossover vehicle to new levels by combining a unique blend of sedan refinement and sport utility vehicle (SUV) functionality.

“The all-new Venza was developed as a vehicle that combines the styling, comfort and fun-to-drive performance elements of a five-passenger sedan with the surprising utility of an SUV,” said Bob Carter, Toyota Division group vice president and general manager. “This winning combination will be ideal for active ‘boomers’ and young couples with small families.”

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The Passat CC unifies sports car dynamics and sedan comfort First car in the world with Lane Assist lane keeping system Dynamic Drive Control electronic chassis system is standard starting at 170 PS High-class engines deliver 140 PS to 300 PS

Wolfsburg / Detroit, January 2008. Volkswagen is opening the year 2008 with the world premiere of the Passat CC. Its identifying characteristics: coupé design, yet with four doors; impressive comfort, yet pure dynamics; sporty interior, yet space without compromises. The interplay of these contrasts has resulted in a car whose concept and design set a new course beyond the mainstream. At the same time, the Passat CC is a progressive technological platform with high-class engines (103 kW / 140 PS to 220 kW / 300 PS) and innovative assistance and driving dynamics systems. These include world firsts in the “Lane Assist” lane keeping system and the “Dynamic Drive Control” electronic chassis control system. No less innovative: the “Park Assist” parking assistant and “ACC Automatic Distance Control” with stopping distance reducing “Front Assist”.

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Nissan is not even planning to hold a press conference at next week’s 2008 Detroit Auto Show. Instead, it is saving all of its firepower for the 2008 New York Auto Show, where it plans to unveil a completely redesigned 2009 Maxima, a Nissan spokesman confirmed on Thursday.

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