News archive

April 2016

Ford invests $1.6 billion in U.S. plants; 650 jobs created or retained

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(April 27, 2016) DEARBORN, Mich. — Ford is investing $1.6 billion to upgrade two of its manufacturing facilities in Michigan and Ohio, and creating or retaining 650 hourly jobs in the United States. The $1.4 billion investment in Livonia Transmission Plant and $200 million investment in Ohio Assembly Plant are part of the $9 billion commitment the company made in the 2015 UAW-Ford collective bargaining agreement to continue investing in its U.S. plants.

Plant Oxford celebrates 15 years of Mini production

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(April 26, 2016) COWLEY, England — Plant Oxford today celebrates 15 years since the first new Minis rolled off the production line on April 26,  2001. The BMW Group, which is marking its centenary year in 2016, acquired the plant in 1994 and relaunched the brand in 2001 with the debut of the new Mini Hatch.

Since then more than 2.5 million Minis have been produced in Oxford, with the three million milestone expected to be hit later this year. Eighty per cent of the cars made here are exported to more than 110 countries around the world.

Honda announces two additional variants to Clarity Fuel Cell car

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(April 26, 2016) DETROIT — Honda has announced that the upcoming new Clarity Fuel Cell will be joined by two additional variants, the Clarity Electric and Clarity Plug-in Hybrid, launching in the U.S. in 2017. The addition of two new Clarity vehicles, based on the same platform underpinning the new Clarity Fuel Cell, makes Clarity the first vehicle in the industry to offer fuel cell, electric and plug-in hybrid technology on one model platform, offering Honda customers an expanded array of electrified vehicle choices to suit their individual tastes and driving needs.

Kelley predicts April new-car sales to fall 3 percent over 2016

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(April 26, 2017) IRVINE, Calif. — New-vehicle sales are expected to decrease 3 percent year-over-year to a total of 1.45 million units in April, resulting in an estimated 17.1 million seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR), according to Kelley Blue Book kbb.com.

"After a weaker-than-expected March, it's becoming more likely that 2017 will be the first down year for the industry since 2009," said Tim Fleming, analyst for Kelley Blue Book.

Lexus debuts refreshed IS in China — New styling, same engines

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(April 26, 2016) BEIJING  — A new styling direction, improved performance and innovative technology defined the completely new Lexus IS that was introduced in 2013. Since then, sales of the luxury brand’s entry-level sedan have surpassed expectations, outselling the previous-generation model, which was very popular in its own right.

At the Beijing Auto Show this week, Lexus has taken the covers off the new IS, armed with a fresh new look and a number of important changes.

Porsche reveals new 718 Cayman; on sale in U.S. in November

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(April 26, 2016) ATLANTA —  Porsche has announced the new 718 Cayman models. Following the debut of the new 718 Boxster, the new 718 Cayman complements the roadster in the mid-engine model line-up. The third-generation of the mid-engine sports coupe has a more striking and athletic appearance, and for the first time, the coupe is priced below the roadster.

Prius owners set new record for most vehicles in hybrid parade

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(April 25, 2016 ) Toyota broke a Guinness World Records title Saturday, setting a new record for the most vehicles in a hybrid parade. The official tally for the parade lap on the Alameda Air Field: 332 Prius owners in attendance.
 
California has a long and devoted history with Prius as the golden state accounts for 40 percent of the nation's Prius vehicles. Northern California is particularly well-known for its Prius population density.
 

Mazda builds one millionth MX-5 Miata

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(April 25, 2016) HIROSHIMA, Japan — Mazda Motor Corporation announced Sunday that production of the Mazda MX-5 Miata (Mazda Roadster in Japan) reached one million units on April 22. The milestone figure was achieved over 27 years, with mass-production of the MX-5 starting at Ujina Plant No. 1 in Hiroshima in April 1989.

Volkswagen unveils T-Prime Concept hybrid SUV at auto show in China

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(April 25, 2016) BEIJING, China — Volkswagen debuted the T-Prime Concept GTE in a world premiere at Auto China 2016 in Beijing today. The concept car previews the future Volkswagen SUV — a full-size sport utility vehicle with a plug-in hybrid powertrain and all-wheel drive.

The concept features Volkswagen’s new Curved Interaction Area, a completely new digital display and control concept. The innovative curved infotainment display merges with the interactive displays and controls, resulting in a new human-machine interface (HMI) that is intuitive, precise, and fun-to-use.

Mercedes creates long-wheelbase executive E Class sedan for China

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(April 25, 2016) A long-wheelbase version of the new Mercedes-Benz E-Class sedan to be built in China for China brings with it the numerous technical innovations of the most intelligent executive sedan, and also offers an even more spacious rear compartment with a first-class character. The executive edition of the E Class will be shown at the Beijing Auto Show this week.