Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) today confirmed that its all-new MAZDA6 sports sedan will launch later this year, with an expected on-sale date in late summer, 2008. The highly anticipated 2009 MAZDA6 is the first of Mazda’s “Zoom-Zoom Evolution” second-generation vehicles, building on a heritage of sports sedans and sports cars that no other manufacturer can boast, and bringing a combination of sports sedan, sophistication, build quality and product insight not currently found in the market.

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TOKYO (Reuters) - Nissan Motor Co , Japan’s third-biggest automaker, is set to supply Chrysler LLC with fuel-efficient small cars, Japanese broadcaster NHK reported on Thursday.The two companies are in the final stages of negotiations on a deal for Nissan to supply Chrysler with a model with an engine displacement of around 1.8 liters, it said on its website.Nissan and Chrysler, which was acquired this year by Cerberus Capital Management LP , are in talks to supply cars, trucks and engines to each other, a source said last month.Nissan spokeswoman said negotiations with Chrysler are still ongoing and nothing has been decided.Both Nissan and Chrysler have similar original equipment manufacturing (OEM) deals with other carmakers aimed at saving development costs in an increasingly competitive industry.Over a year ago, Nissan and its French partner Renault SA broke off talks with General Motors Corp over a comprehensive three-way alliance.While Nissan-Renault Chief Executive Carlos Ghosn has said the alliance could still seek a U.S. partner in future, the discussions with Chrysler are on a smaller, product-by-product level, the source said.

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North American International Auto Show Preview: Subaru Releases First Photos of All-New 2009 Forester Crossover SUV

- All-New Design with Improved Comfort, Space and Utility

- All-New Platform With Sport-Sedan Dynamics

- Standard Vehicle Dynamics Control (VDC)

CHERRY HILL, N.J., Dec. 24 — Subaru of America, Inc. today released the first official photos of the all-new, third-generation 2009 Forester, a total re-design of the award-winning crossover utility vehicle (CUV) that will debut at the 2008 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit in January. The 2009 Forester, which arrives in Subaru dealerships this spring, builds upon its predecessor’s reputation as an icon of safety, dependability and versatility. The new-generation 2009 model projects a bolder, more SUV-like design and making a major leap in safety technology, comfort, refinement and driving dynamics.

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December 19, 2007 - Torrance, CA - Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc., will stage the world premiere of the all-new 2009 Toyota Venza crossover sedan at a press conference at the 2008 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

Venza will be a unique blend of sedan and sport utility vehicle, offering seating for five, easy ingress and egress, a car-like ride and functional utility. Venza was designed and engineered in the United States and will be assembled at Toyota’s manufacturing plant in Georgetown, Kentucky.

The press conference will be held on Monday, January 14 at 10:50 AM Eastern Time in the Riverview Ballroom at COBO Center and simulcast live to the Toyota display area at the show. A video clip of the press conference will be available for viewing following the event on the Toyota.com website.

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Nissan officials have denied that the company has made such a decision, but in an interview in the latest issue of Newsweek magazine, the OEM’s chief executive, Carlos Ghosn, states that production of the company’s full-sized pick-up truck may be axed.

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A FORUM For Family Gatherings.  The interior of the new Nissan FORUM Concept, which makes its public debut at the 2008 North American International Auto Show in Detroit in January, features a front driver’s zone and rear kids’ zone – brought together into one unified family space through innovative technology.  FORUM’s interior also features “Turntable Seating,” a unique 2nd row seat that can rotate 90 degrees to either side or 180 degrees to face the three-passenger 3rd row seat.  FORUM also includes individual audio/entertainment systems with wireless monitors and a console-mounted microwave oven.

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American Suzuki Motor Corporation today announced that its midsize pickup truck will be produced by Nissan North America, Inc. The truck will be based on Nissan?s Frontier midsize pickup and built at the company?s manufacturing facility in Smyrna, Tenn.

Production of the pickup truck will begin in the fall of 2008.

The vehicle will be marketed solely by Suzuki in North America.

In 2006, Suzuki and Nissan announced an agreement to expand the scope of their business collaboration. The pickup is part of that agreement, which also included the supply by Suzuki to Nissan of Alto minicars in Japan.

Suzuki Equator will show in Chicago Auto show 2008

Source : Suzuki press

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Nissan Motor Co. (TSE:7201) said Friday that it plans to start selling the all-new Murano sportS utility vehicle in the U.S. in January 2008, with the Japanese launch following within that year.

The SUV is to be manufactured at Nissan’s Kyushu factory in Kanda, Fukuoka Prefecture. Production is to kick off at 6,000 to 7,000 units a month, with the scale expected to be lifted to 10,000 units once domestic sales begin.

The new Murano will feature a 3.5-liter engine and a CVT (continuously variable transmission) system. A total of 500,000 Muranos have been sold in 130 countries since the model’s 2002 release.

At a ceremony to mark the launch of production, Nissan President Carlos Ghosn said car sales in the U.S. will likely come to 15-16 million units for 2008, compared with the 16 million projected for 2007. He also expressed his confidence in Nissan’s performance there next year, saying the firm is ready to compete in the tough market environment.

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