Inside the Industry

Chrysler recalls 9,300 Ram trucks for parking brake issue

(April 10, 2013) AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — Chrysler Group will recall approximately 9,300 Ram trucks — more than half of which are in dealer hands to inspect their parking brakes and, if necessary, reset them according to specification.

All's well with Bentley: Sales up nearly 26 percent in first quarter

(April 10, 2013) CREWE, England — Bentley Motors’ growth continued in the first quarter of this year with global deliveries increasing by 25.75% to 2,212 cars compared to the first three months of 2012  when 1,759 cars were delivered.

Growth was led by a strong U.S. market and increased sales in the Middle East, Asia Pacific and Europe, as the company opened a further eight new dealerships in the first three months of the year.

Five unique tours in five continents with a new BMW R 1200 GS.

(April 10, 2013) “One World. One R 1200 GS. The ride of your life.” was the name of the game as BMW Motorrad sent five lucky winners off on the adventure of a lifetime. One woman and four men made the cut from a starting field of some 12,000 applicants around the world and would get the chance to ride the touring enduro ahead of its official launch.

Ford announces new 2014 F-150 SVT Raptor Special Edition

(April 10, 2013) DEARBORN, Mich. — Ford’s F-150 SVT Raptor, the ultimate high-performance off-road pickup truck, has a new Special Edition package customers can order that adds more unique touches to the hot-selling pickup.
 

Nissan plant in Mexico leads in renewable energy

(April 9, 2013) AGUASCALIENTES, Mexico — Nissan's Aguascalientes plant in Mexico has become a leading user of renewable energy within Nissan. The manufacturing plant recently integrated wind power into its energy mix, meaning it now generates 50 percent of its total energy needs through renewable sources.

As a result, the Nissan March, Versa, Sentra and the soon-to-be-released Nissan Note are all produc
ed in Aguascalientes in a cleaner, more sustainable way.

Mini KAPOOOW! installation transports visitors into another dimension

(April 9, 2013) MILAN — The Mini Design Team led by lead designer Anders Warming presents the Mini Paceman as a dynamic sculpture during the Salone del Mobile 2013. In the two-part Mini KAPOOOW! installation the Mini Paceman — detached from the traditional design process — crosses the boundaries of space and undergoes a transformation of its materials and forms.

Audubon, Toyota announce extension of conservation alliance

(April 9, 2013) NEW YORK — Toyota today announced a $3.5 million grant to The National Audubon Society to extend Toyota TogetherGreen, a national initiative that invests in emerging conservation leaders and funds innovative community-based conservation projects throughout the United States. Now in its sixth year, Toyota TogetherGreen has engaged nearly 370,000 people in conservation action to date.

Audi posts strongest first quarter in its history

(April 9, 2013) Audi posted its strongest first quarter in its history with worldwide deliveries reaching around 369,500 units for January through March, improving on the prior-year quarter by 6.8 percent. In this period, the automotive manufacturer achieved growth in all of its three main sales regions Europe, Asia and North America.

Porsche worldwide sales up 21 percent in first quarter

(April 9, 2013) ATLANTA — The German sports cars from Zuffenhausen and Leipzig are coveted in 2013 — again. In the first three months, Porsche reports delivering 37,009 vehicles to customers the world over, an increase of 21.1 percent compared to the same period last year. In March, the sports car manufacturer achieved over 14,000 deliveries for the first time in its company history.

New data show Ford Focus world's best-selling car

(April 9, 2013) DEARBORN, Mich. — With final 2012 Polk global market registration data just reporting, Ford Focus is officially the world’s best-selling passenger car, with the Ford F-Series pickup coming in third and Ford Fiesta coming in as the best-selling subcompact.