Overseas

U.S. Gas Prices to Remain High; Chinese Oil Imports Rise 11%

By Robert Farago
July 28, 2008 - 58 views

Those who claim that the current price of oil is a supply - demand deal have some new ammo. Industrialinfo.com reports that The People's Republic of China imported 90.53 million tons of crude oil in the first half of 2008, up 11 percent over the same period last year. And you know all those dollars we send over to China to build the cheap stuff we buy at Wal-Mart? A big chunk of that went to "Angora, Saudi Arabia and Iran" [sic]. "The value of imported oil rose to $64.98 billion, representing a dramatic 85.8% increase in costs." Although China exports some oil (2.37m barrels worth $1.42b), experts reckon the percentage of imported oil will continue to rise. The only possible brake on Chinese oil consumption: the lowering of government subsidies. The New York Times pegs that number at $40b per annum. So far, nothing much happening on that front. All of which means the current status is likely to remain quo. 

Industrialinfo.com »

Posted in Big Oil | China | News Blog | Overseas | 15 comments

Toyota to GM: We Will Bury You in Priora!

By Robert Farago
July 25, 2008 - 33 views

Just kidding. Toyota wouldn't say that, what with Motown's implosion about to force the transplants to paint themselves as nativists. But even if they aren't saying it, they're doing it. The Nikkan Kogyo [via Automotive News, sub] reports that the Japanese automaker is shifting non-Prius production out of its Tsutsumi plant to build as many gas - electric vehicles as they can (presumably without working their employees to death). No question: ToMoCo's going Hell for leather. Last year, they sold 281,300 Priora. With these changes, they'll be cranking-out at least 480k units. By the time a single example of GM's Hail Mary-shaped plug-in electric - gas hybrid hits the streets, Toyota will be building their fuel-sipper stateside. ToMoCo will have amped-up (so to speak) worldwide Priora production to 1m unit p.a. Whilst shunning the grammatical consensus on Prius pluratization established by TTAC's Best and Brightest, AN reports that Toyota built "320 Priuses in China last year." What's that all about? 

Automotive News [sub] »

Posted in Dealer News | Marketing | News Blog | Overseas | Sales | 50 comments

Wild Ass Rumor of the Day: Volvo Shipping C30s Back To Sweden?

By Edward Niedermeyer
July 23, 2008 - 62 views

According to Autospies' spies, Volvo NA is shipping C30s "back to Sweden." Yes, well, the C1-based hatch is assembled in Ghent, Belgium. In any case, the C30 seems to be selling poorly; Volvo's dropped C30 prices in Australia and Old Blighty. This might have something to do with a $22k base price for what is, in essence, a tarted-up Focus. Though the C30 offers more cargo space than, say, a MINI Cooper, the C30's practicality is hurt by its awkward hatch shape. And then there's the Swede's EPA 20/28 mpg via a turbo I-5. The poisoned cherry on top: the Volvo brand is in the weeds, facing a date with Ford's corporate strimmer. Add it all up and the C30 boomerang story seems plausible. Throw a little anecdotal evidence into the mix (how many C30s have you seen on the road lately?) and well… if Volvo can't sell its smallest, most efficient car, what does that say about its odds of survival?

Autospies »

Posted in News Blog | Overseas | Wild Ass Rumor of the Day | 53 comments

BMW Cozies-Up to Daimler

By Edward Niedermeyer
July 16, 2008 - 11 views

While its competitors were bought out (Volkswagen - Audi) or formed abortive alliances (Daimler - Benz), BMW has long been fiercely, proudly, publicly independent. So much for that, then. These days, The Boys from Bavaria are embracing global alliances, developing EVs with Magna, MINI engines with PSA, and sharing small car platforms with Fiat. Und now BMW is partnering with longtime nemesis Mercedes-Benz. Auto Motor und Sport (AM&S) reports that BMW and Daimler plans to share components across each other's car lines. BMW development boss Klaus Draeger says ja, it's a logical extension of BMW and Daimler's hydrogen fuel-cell technology development thingie (available never). At the mo, we're talking air conditioning units and brakes. Soon, it'll be hybrid technology and robot tanks [just kidding, I think]. With so much technology to share, so much brand image to protect and Daimler's history of stiffing Chrysler, this is promises to be a genuine disaster.

Auto Motor und Sport »

Posted in Europe | Industry | News Blog | Overseas | 11 comments

Land Rover Donates 60 Vehicles to Red Cross

By Justin Berkowitz
July 9, 2008 - 33 views

The expression "doing well by doing good" is totally hot in business/academia. This Third Way thinking attempts to reconcile the [allegedly] conflicting notions of "making enough money to buy a Ferrari and a house in the Hamptons" and "getting enough props for being socially responsible to keep the trophy wife happy." As your average Land Rover belches-out enough CO2 to offend every environmental group on planet earth, Land Rover's got to hold a pity party to make their PC bones. And so they have, by donating 60 vehicles (48 Defenders, eight Discoveries and four Freelanders) to the British Red Cross (BRC) and other national Red Cross societies in "troubled" countries (Sierra Leone, Mongolia, Liberia, Lesotho, South Africa). Accepting the gift, Sir Nicholas Young, the CEO of the BRC, remarked that the people they help are often "in the places that are hardest to reach." True dat. And we applaud both the positive impact of this largesse and its PR efficacy. Every time the BBC shows all hell breaking loose somewhere, the guys handing out medical supplies and food are in a butch Defender 110. Our only question: why didn't Land Rover ship some free vehicles to the Red Cross (or other worthy group) in Tata's Indian pridelands? 

Red Cross (UK) »

Posted in Customer Relations | News Blog | Overseas | Politics | UK | 14 comments

Toyota Taking On Top China Sales Spot

By Edward Niedermeyer
July 8, 2008 - 15 views

With mature markets under-performing spectacularly, Toyota continues to invest in supplying China's endless thirst for cars. Shanghai Daily reports that ToMoCo is about to drop some $529m on increased production capacity in the Middle Kingdom. With volume leaders GM and VW in its sights, Toyota hopes to snag ten percent market share (1m vehicles). Sales are already headed for 700k this year. Toyota is scrambling to meet demand with a production capacity of only 640k units annually. And so its joint-venture plants are getting more money for more cars; Guangzhou Auto Group will double production to 400k units, while Sichuan FAW Toyota will hit 30k and Changchun FAW Toyota will build up to 10k Priora and Land Cruisers. Of course tooling-up takes time; ToMoCo won't be finished until 2010. By which time steel and fuel prices may have taken some of the zest from the Chinese market. Still, in its pursuit/maintenance of world domination, Toyota can't afford not to build more cars in China. 

Shanghai Daily »

Posted in China | News Blog | Overseas | Sales | 9 comments

Trouble For Tata: Materials Cost Pricing Nano Above $2,500

By Jonny Lieberman
July 8, 2008 - 27 views

Anyone remember the 1932 film If I Had A Million? Didn't think so. Long story short, a dying rich man picks eight people at random from the phone book and gives each of them $1,000,000. The best sequence (of course) belongs to W.C. Fields. Fed-up with "road hogs" and "Sunday drivers," he buys a phalanx of jalopies and begins to run the offending cars off the road. Then, when both the hog and Fields's jalopy have been totaled in a ditch, he climbs into the next junker (he's paying a a bunch of kids to follow behind him in "fresh "cars) and looks for a new target. I mention this classic scene because the Tata Nano's $2,500 price has given me ideas. I mean, for not that much money I could remove a lot of first gen Dodge Caravans from the road [Ed: Jonny's convinced that all traffic everywhere would improve if still existing K-Car Dodge Caravans were outlawed]. However, like most of my fantasies, this one ain't going to happen. Looks like the rising cost of steel is turning into the rising price of Tata Nanos. For their part, Tata ain't saying nuthin' 'bout nuthin'. But Automotive News [sub] is reporting that the Indian automaker is trying to cut deals with its suppliers to keep raw material costs down. Luckily for Tata, they happen to own Tata Steel Ltd., the largest steel producer in India. However, as John Adams said, facts are stubborn things– steel prices are up. As for my twisted plans, I should be able to get all the Hummer H2s I need for less than $2,500 real soon. 

Automotive News [sub] »

Posted in India | Industry | News Blog | Overseas | 8 comments

Citroen Unveils C3 Picasso Mini-Minivan

By Justin Berkowitz
July 8, 2008 - 60 views

Citroen has unveiled its new C3 Picasso, which is Citroen-code for mini-minivan version of their regular B-segment car, the Citroen C3. What is a mini-minivan version? The not-all-that-secret secret is that before Scion gave us the xB and other high-roofed five-passenger vehicles, the Europeans were all over that business. They call 'em MPVs (Multi-Passenger Vehicles, en anglais) on that side of the pond. The term can describe anything from an eight-passenger Chrysler Grand Voyager to a top hat-friendly version of a B-segment car (Fit, Yaris, MINI). The C3 Picasso fits into that last category, where it will compete with the likes of the Opel Meriva, Renault Modus, and Honda Jazz. Citroen is saying it'll install 90 and 110hp diesels, as well as gas engines good for 95 and 120hp. All will tote around what is pretty much guaranteed to be an extremely flexible interior of folding, flopping seats. Let's just hope that sinking European sales don't make this the Picasso's blue period.

Pixamo Gallery

Citroen (France) »

Posted in New Cars | News Blog | Overseas | 9 comments

Lutz on Beat: “We always thought we’d do it at some point, but now it obviously enjoys a much higher priority”

By Robert Farago
July 5, 2008 - 4 views

Give all the hype surrounding Chevrolet's forthcoming plug-in electric - gas Volt, I guess we've got to call the Chevrolet Beat GM's mini-Hail Mary. Or is that MINI Hail Mary? Actually, let's stick with the small "m." Lest we forget, the Beat is/would be no less a Daewoo than the South Korean-built Aveo. Regardless, GM's Car Czar Maximum Bob himself is floating the micro-car-shaped trial balloon to The Wall Street Journal, as above. Freelancing Detroit News scribe Sharon Terlep's lead makes it clear that obfuscation is the order of the day. "General Motors said it is giving a higher priority to deciding whether it will bring the next-generation Chevrolet Beat mini car — a vehicle it sells overseas — to the U.S. market in the 2012 timeframe." [Note: higher. Not highest.] Meanwhile, Ford is making a similar move. I mean, mulling. "Ford Motor Co. said Thursday it has no plans on the table to bring its micro-sized Ka mini car to the U.S., but it is monitoring the success that Smart is having. 'We have small cars on the shelf all around the world,' Ford spokesman Jay Ward said. 'If at some point we decide to bring [the Ka] over here, we would be in a position to do so.'" Sensible caution or institutional paralysis? We report, you deride.

The Wall Street Journal »

Posted in New Cars | News Blog | Overseas | People | 15 comments

BMW 7-Series Engines Revealed

By Justin Berkowitz
July 4, 2008 - 27 views

While the 4th is an American day of celebration, it's a day of national shame, disgust, and disappointment for our British friends across the Atlantic (Jeremy Clarkson, in particular, is said to be spending the day sobbing and eating some kind of pie with meat, rather than apples). To help combat their dreadful feelings, BMW of UK has put out a press release on the just revealed new uberlux 7-Series sedan. Not surprisingly, it will holster the new twin-turbo V8 engine (badged 750i in The Land of Hope and Glory). The 740i name returns, denoting the sublime 3.0-liter twin turbo six from the 335i, making 326hp– as much power as the last gen 745i V8. The force-fed six will rocket the 740i to 60 in six seconds. Naturally, the "Biggest Losers of 1777" will get a straight-six diesel 7, stumping-up 245 hp and returning some 32 mpg. BMW UK estimates the six-pot oil burner will account for 85 percent of 7-Series UK sales. With a 0 - 60mph time of 7.2 seconds, why not? So, is BMW ready to bring a six cylinder 7-Series to America? Uh, no. But ours (like theirs) will come with enough gizmos to make an S-Class nervous: optional four-wheel steering (!), side view cameras, variable damping suspension, night vision, and something called "post warranty heart attack." On sale in the UK in November; anticipate a similar date for us Yankees. 

BMW (UK) »

Posted in Future Vehicles | New Cars | News Blog | Overseas | UK | 5 comments