News archive

May 2010

Ford leads Europe in March with 192,500 units sold

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(April 17, 2010) Ford was No.1 in Europe in March with sales of 192,500 vehicles, a 16.1 per cent increase – or 26,700 vehicles – compared to March 2009, and the company's 10th consecutive month-on-month volume increase. Fiesta sales at 68,800 were the highest for any Ford model on record in a single month in Europe.

Market share was at a12 -year high of 10.4 per cent and the company's best share in its main 19 European markets since August 1998.

Subaru Outback wins Wards top interior award

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(April 18, 2010) The 2010 Subaru Outback has received the 2010 Ward's Auto Interior of the Year Award for popular-priced car under $29,999. The 2010 Ward's Auto Interior of the Year Awards list features winners in pricing and vehicle type categories, as well as special award winners for design, versatility and brand expression.

Toyota to recall 870,000 Sienna minivans sold in the United States, Canada

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(April 17, 2010) Toyota said Friday it would recall 870,000 Sienna minivans sold in the United States and Canada since the 1998 model year because of a risk that the spare tire could drop onto the road.

The recalls cover minivans sold in 20 cold-weather U.S. states and Canada due to potential corrosion from long-term exposure to road salt that could in the worst case, cause the spare tire to separate from the vehicle, Toyota said.

Sirius XM satellite radio grew by 171,000 subscribers in first quarter

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(April 16, 2010) Sirius XM added more than 171,000 net subscribers to its pay-radio service in the first quarter, benefiting from better car sales and users signing up after free trials, and its stock rose 12.4 percent.

Sirius, home to personalities like Howard Stern and Oprah Winfrey, said today that total subscriber additions increased by 29 percent, while deactivations fell by 11 percent from a year earlier, according to Reuters news service.

The satellite radio provider said it had ended the quarter with 18.9 million subscribers, up 344,765 from the same time last year.

Resale value of new Ford vehicles rises 23 percent in a year

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(April 15, 2010) DEARBORN, Mich. — The resale value of newer Ford Motor Company vehicles rose 23 percent in the past year alone, the result of stronger demand for Ford's new vehicle lineup and improved quality and durability ratings.

At the same time, warranty repair rates on Ford vehicles have declined by an average of more than 40 percent globally in the past three years.

Lexus GX 460 labeled a 'safety risk' by Consumers Reports magazine

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(April 13, 2010) Toyota's new Lexus GX 460 SUV has been labeled a “safety risk” by Consumers Reports magazine, complicating efforts by the world's largest automaker to repair its image after record recalls, according to Bloomberg News.

The 2010 GX 460 received the designation because of handling in emergency driving tests, Consumer Reports said in a statement. The magazine, published by Yonkers, New York-based Consumers Union, said it hadn't deemed any vehicle a potential safety risk since 2001.

Lexus suspends sales of the GX

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(April 15, 2010) Toyota suspended sales of the 2010 Lexus GX 460 on Tuesday after influential magazine Consumer Reports urged car shoppers not to buy the SUV.

Toyota said its engineers were "vigorously testing" the luxury model to identify the risk cited by Consumer Reports, which said the vehicle was prone to slide when driven in sweeping turns and gave it a "not acceptable" rating.

Toyota to conduct safety tests on all its SUVs

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(April 15, 2010) Toyota said it would conduct further safety tests on all its SUVs after suspending sales of the Lexus GX 460 model following a report of a risk of rollover accidents, according to Reuters news service.

Toyota had taken the unusual step of stopping sales of the SUV model in the United States earlier this week after Consumer Reports magazine warned against buying it, calling it a "safety risk" because of a potential handling problem in certain turns.

Honda unveils all-new electric scooter in Japan

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(April 14, 2010) Honda Motor Co. has unveiled an all-electric scooter that will mark its first attempt at mass-marketing zero-emission motorbikes, with an eye to eventually taking on rivals in the massive Chinese market, according to Reuters news service.

Honda recalls Acura ZDX for passenger-side airbag problem

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(April 13, 2010) American Honda Motor Co., Inc., today announced a recall of approximately 1,850 Acura ZDX vehicles to inspect the inside of the dashboard surface material. On affected vehicles, the passenger side airbag of the 2010 ZDX will not deploy properly.