(August 2, 2012) AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — The Chrysler brand has launched a new co-branded commercial for the Chrysler 200 Convertible as part of a multitiered partnership with “Total Recall,” the highly anticipated action thriller in theaters Aug. 3.

Futuristic Chrysler and Dodge branded hovercraft vehicles will appear in the film.

(August 2, 2012) TORRANCE, Calif. — Toyota has announced that it will conduct a voluntary safety recall involving 2006 to early 2011 model year RAV4 and 2010 model year Lexus HS 250h vehicles sold in the U.S. No other Toyota or Lexus vehicles are involved.

Approximately 760,000 Toyota RAV4s and 18,000 Lexus HS 250h are involved in the recall.

(August 1, 2012) General Motors and Ford Motor Co. reported declines in July U.S. sales tied to falling fleet deliveries while smaller rivals posted sharp gains.

GM's sales dropped 6 percent last month, with deliveries to retail customers off 3 percent. The company said total fleet deliveries declined 15 percent, including a 41 percent drop in sales to rental customers. Ford reported a 4 percent drop in sales last month, with retail volume up 2 percent and fleet down 16 percent.

(August 1, 2012) AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — Chrysler Group today reported U.S. sales of 126,089 units, a 13 percent increase compared with sales in July 2011 (112,026 units), and the group’s best July sales since 2007. The Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Ram Truck, and Fiat brands each posted sales increases in July compared with the same month a year ago.

(August 1, 2012) NEW DELHI, India — Ford India sold 8,323 domestic wholesales and export units in July, maintaining steady sales momentum despite persistently challenging economic conditions and monsoons hitting most of the country.
 
Ford India sold 6,236 wholesale units in the domestic market in July. The company sold 7,504 vehicles in the same month last year.
 

(August 1, 2012) CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — Just one year after celebrating its grand opening, Volkswagen Chattanooga has hired and trained a third shift team and implemented a new production schedule.

The three production teams will rotate through two shifts and work 40 hours over four shifts. The plant will operate six days a week, 20 hours a day. This will allow for an increase in plant production time as well as normalization in weekly work hours for all team members.

(August 1, 2012) FRANKFURT— Despite increased sales, BMW reported a fall in second-quarter profit compared with the same quarter last year as pricing pressure in Europe's weak market hit its margins. Group earnings before interest and taxes (Ebit) declined 19 percent from a record level last year to 2.27 billion euros ($2.79 billion) from 2.8 billion euros.

(July 31, 2012) DETROIT — The 2013 road-racing inspired Chevrolet Camaro 1LE, with Camaro engineer Aaron Link behind the wheel, lapped the famed Virginia International Raceway (VIR) “Grand Course” in 2:58.34 — a time previously accomplished by only the upper echelon of performance cars.

(July 31, 2012) Lexus has revealed its new 2013 LS model range, comprising the LS 460, LS 600h hybrid and, for the first time in its history, an F Sport version of its flagship model.

The new LS, now in its fifth generation, continues Lexus’s development of its model line-up, following on from the recent introduction of the new GS. It displays an even greater refinement and an evolution of the advanced technologies and superior quality that have been integral to each generation of the vehicle since the original model was launched in 1989.

(July 30, 2012) AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — Chrysler Group today reported its preliminary second-quarter financial results, including net income of $436 million, an $806 million improvement from the $370 million net loss in the same quarter last year, which had included a $551 million charge related to repayment of its government loans.