2010 June | Japanese Cars

Tata Nano Superdrive concludes its journey

Tuesday, June 29th, 2010

India - The Tata Nano Superdrive caravan, which travelled a distance of 15,000 km, touching 36 cities across India, concluded its 26-day voyage in Mumbai. The cars were flagged in by Mr. Ratan N. Tata, Chairman, Tata Sons & Tata Motors, in the presence of Tata Motors’ senior management.

The Tata Nano Superdrive, comprising 9 Tata Nanos, each festooned with a theme, had started from Sanand on June 2 to celebrate the inauguration of the plant. The cars travelled across India on three different routes. Each route was christened after our tri-coloured national flag namely ‘Saffron Route’, ‘White Route’ and ‘Green Route’, keeping with the theme of the country-wide drive.

Driving across the Saffron route, covering north India, the cars visited Udaipur, Jaipur, Hisar, Amritsar, Chandigarh, Delhi, Meerut, Agra, Lucknow, Kanpur, Gwalior, Kota. On the White route, the cars travelled from central to east India, visiting Indore, Bhopal, Nagpur, Raipur, Ranchi, Patna, Kolkata, Bhubneshwar, Vishakhapatnam, Hyderabad, Aurangabad. The Green route saw cars cover west and south India, visiting cities like Surat, Mumbai, Pune, Goa, Mangalore, Kochi, Coimbatore, Chennai, Bangalore, Kolhapur, Solapur, Nashik and Ahmedabad.

The Superdrive branded Nanos were absolute traffic-stoppers as they visited prominent landmarks in every city. Citizens at these landmarks greeted the people’s car with immense excitement. Prospective customers were given an opportunity to drive them and enjoy the cars in the real world. At malls, shoppers were given an up-close experience with the car and its unique features. To celebrate the car’s first year, Tata Motors also organised a celebration ceremony for Nano owners in every city.

Source:http://www.tatamotors.com/our_world/press_releases.php?ID=574&action=Pull

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Tata Motors provides complete Transport Solution to Queen’s Baton Relay 2010 Delhi

Tuesday, June 29th, 2010

India - Tata Motors is happy to announce that it is providing complete transport solution to the Queen’s Baton Relay, as part of Commonwealth Games 2010. The Baton came from Pakistan at the Wagah Border.

On its 100-day national tour, the baton will visit the capital of each state and union territory, and many other cities along the way, covering more than 20,000 km. By the end of its journey, the baton will have traversed over 190,000 km in 340 days, making the Queen’s Baton Relay 2010 Delhi one of the longest relays in the history of the Commonwealth Games.

As part of transport solution, Tata Motors is supporting with 17 Sumo Grandes, one Land Rover Discovery 4, three Buses, three covered body trucks and one media vehicle. Tata Motors is also providing fuel, drivers and routine maintenance for these vehicles.

Land Rover: Land Rover is the gold standard in the world of 4×4s. Land Rover has best in class engines which is the heart of any automobile. The power, combined with the responsive chassis & suspension to take on any surface and Landmark Terrain response technology which is a unique to Land Rover, effortlessly propels the vehicle on any kind of terrain.

Grande Mark II: Grande Mark II is the most rugged and safe vehicle of its class. Designed like a mean machine, with all the comforts of a family car, the new Grande Mark II is a whole lot more than meets the eye. Designed to make heads turn, from its macho stance to its rugged good looks, each and every styling detail has helped to lend the Grande Mark II with a truly unforgettable look.

Source:http://www.tatamotors.com/our_world/press_releases.php?ID=572&action=Pull

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PC/LT Tire Plant in Thailand to Undergo Third-Term Expansion

Tuesday, June 29th, 2010

Tokyo – The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., announced that it would increase the annual production capacity of the passenger car and light truck (PC/LT) tire plant of Yokohama Tire Manufacturing (Thailand) Co., Ltd. by 1.4 million tires for the third-term expansion, expanding it to 4 million tires. Yokohama Rubber plans to start the increased production in April 2011, and it will make an investment of 9.7 billion yen.

Yokohama Tire Manufacturing (Thailand) is a tire manufacturer/distributor established in January 2004 in Rayong Province. Its site area of 420,000 square meters is the largest among the tire plants of the Yokohama Rubber group around the world. It has already been producing tires for trucks and buses since April 2005, and PC/LT tires since November 2006.

The PC/LT tire plant began operating with an annual production capacity of 1.4 million tires. The production capacity was going to be expanded to 2.6 million tires within the fiscal year ended March 31, 2010, through the second-term expansion formulated in March 2007, which was interrupted by Lehman Shock in the fall of 2008 and forced to postpone its completion until April 2011. As of March 2010, the plant’s annual production capacity stands at 1.9 million tires.

Source: http://www.yrc-pressroom.jp/english/html/201062815mg002.html

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International Engine of the Year Award 2010 for 2.5-liter TFSI in the Audi TT RS

Tuesday, June 29th, 2010

Germany - The 2.5-liter unit in the Audi TT RS features both turbocharging and FSI direct gasoline injection technology, two of Audi’s core technologies, and marked a return to five cylinder engines for the brand with the four rings. With a displacement of 2,480 cubic centimeters, this engine produces 250 kW (340 hp) between 5,400 and 6,500 rpm and peak torque of 450 Nm (332 lb-ft) from 1,600 to 5,300 rpm.

International Engine of the Year jury members felt that the 2.5-liter engine in the TT RS is: “Torque, power, a beautiful sound – this engine has it all. This is five-cylinder architecture at its best”.

This powerful five-cylinder engine is also surprisingly frugal, requiring an average of just 9.2 liters/100 km (25.57 US mpg) in the Coupé, while the Roadster needs only 9.5 l/100 km (24.76 US mpg).

The engine’s low weight of only 183 kilograms (403.45 lb) is also a top figure. It helps keep the total weight of the TT RS low and also offers significant advantages for the distribution of axle loads and thus for the car’s handling.

Developed by quattro GmbH, the Audi TT RS was launched in the summer of 2009. The Coupé can sprint from zero to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.6 seconds and from zero to 200 km/h (124 mph) in 15.9 seconds. It has an optional top speed of 280 km/h (174 mph).

This is the sixth category win in a row at the International Engine of the Year Awards for Audi TFSI technology. For the last five years, the Audi 2.0-liter TFSI engine has won the award in the 1.8 to 2.0-liter category. FSI direct gasoline injection and turbocharging are two of Audi’s core technologies.

Source: http://www.audi.com/com/brand/en/company/news/company.detail.2010~06~international_engine.html

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Audi researching technologies for active safety

Tuesday, June 29th, 2010

Germany - The engineers of AUDI AG and Audi Electronics Venture GmbH have looked into the future of active safety for three subprojects as part of the AKTIV research initiative. This field of research is focused on systems that intervene actively in the driving process and thus help to defuse critical situations and avoid accidents.

AKTIV is derived from the German for “Adaptive and Cooperative Technologies for Intelligent Traffic.” Over the course of a four-year research period, the project partners developed new driver assistance systems, information technologies and possible solutions for efficient traffic management with the aim of making future traffic safer and more fluid.

“Safety for Pedestrians and Cyclists”
The aim of the “Safety for Pedestrians and Cyclists” subproject is to enhance the safety of all traffic participants. The researchers identified typical accident scenarios, classified the associated injury severity and derived measures for a concept of action.

To simulate the “seeing vehicle,” the engineers built a test vehicle with a forward-looking, 3D-imaging sensor system. A processing unit for the 3D environmental data identifies the respective traffic situation and initiates a concept of action for braking and steering. This will enable potential accident situations involving pedestrians to be defused.

“Active Emergency Braking” and “Driving Safety and Attentiveness”
Audi is working on the next generation of active safety systems in the “Active Emergency Braking” subproject. Going beyond the scope of the systems currently available in production vehicles, these systems also consider additional objects in the vehicle’s surroundings such as other traffic participants and guardrails in addition to the immediate object of the collision. This results in an earlier intervention point for automatically initiated braking to avoid an accident.

The time of braking can also be advanced based on information about the driver. If the driver is distracted, he or she will not recognize the situation in time and react adequately. In these cases, it makes sense to initiate braking even sooner.

The engineers at AEV GmbH use a camera-based observation system to determine the driver’s level of attentiveness. A camera records the position of the head and the orientation of the driver’s head. These data are then used to deduce the attentiveness of the driver.

The new brake function presented at the event reflects Audi’s systematic philosophy of assisting the driver in critical situations, thus helping to avoid accidents or at least mitigate accident severity.

Source: http://www.audi.com/com/brand/en/company/news/company.detail.2010~06~audi_researching_technologies.html

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Hyundai’s latest offering - the all new Verna Transform

Monday, June 28th, 2010

New Delhi, India: Hyundai Motor India Ltd. (HMIL), the country’s largest exporter and the second largest car manufacturer, launched the all new Verna Transform, a ‘Dynamic by DNA’ luxury sedan. Loaded with dynamic features and a distinctive sporty styling, the all new Verna Transform aims to answer the customer’s need for dynamic styling by complementing the power-packed performance.

Commenting on the launch, H W Park, MD & CEO, HMIL, said, “The Verna Transform is all set to boost Hyundai’s already superior line-up of products in India by raising the benchmark in the sedan segment, even further. The car’s distinctive sporty styling and dynamic features complement the refined power and thrilling performance that the Verna brand stands for. We are confident that the new Verna will prove to be very popular with car enthusiasts and will transform ownership into a thrilling experience. ”

When the Verna was launched in September, 2006 it not only won many awards including the prestigious ‘Car of the Year 2007’ but it also introduced to the segment many class leading premium features such as clutch lock system, dual height adjustable driver’s seat and maximum power (110PS) for any diesel car in this segment besides offering the only diesel automatic transmission in the segment. The tradition continues in the new Verna Transform with the company bringing in several advanced features that make it truly distinctive and sporty with head-turning looks.

The exteriors of Verna Transform gets a fresh, new look with features like ‘Sharp eye’ headlamps that provide better illumination and also complement the new bumper design. The stylish new front grille with body coloured styled inserts gives Verna Transform a more aggressive look. The ‘cascade mesh’ air dam provides for a smooth yet dynamic look. New circular front fog lamps in stylish trapezoidal bezels make it much safer and easier to drive during the foggy winters. To complement the sporty looks, the Verna Transform has trendy LED Turn Indicators on Outside Rear View Mirrors that enhances visibility. A new set of rear combination lamps and dual tone chrome rear garnish along with two tone rear bumper with smartly placed reflector gives the all new Verna Transform an unmatched road presence and a distinctive sporty look. And as if all this was not enough, the exhaust tip with chrome finish adds to the overall sporty appeal.

The interiors of the Verna Transform have been changed to increase user convenience and driving comfort. With a view to enhance the interior appeal, a unique blue LED illumination has been introduced that gives the cockpit a refined and premium look and also makes it more soothing for the eyes. The luxurious interiors are complemented by a new instrument cluster with silver surround dials that is neatly arranged and is capable of giving vital vehicle information at a glance.

While the interior and exterior features have been given a completely fresh look the Verna Transform retains the powerful & popular powertrain of its predecessor. The petrol variants include – 1.6 VTVT & 1.6 SX VTVT – while the diesel variants include - 1.5 CRDi VGT, 1.5 SX CRDi VGT & 1.5 SX VGT (AT). In order to appeal to a larger target group, Hyundai will be offering the customer choice of factory fitted or after market audio system on the VTVT and VGT variants.

The 1.6 litre petrol variant develops an impressive power of 103.2PS@5500 rpm and torque of 14.9kgm@3000 rpm. The 1.5 litre diesel variant develops a whopping power output of 110 PS@4000 rpm and an impressive torque of 24kgm@1900 - 2750 rpm. The top end diesel variant will be available with both - a 5-speed manual and the unique to segment 4-speed automatic transmission.

Source: http://www.hyundai.com/IN/en/NewsEvents/HyundaiMotorIndia/109060.html

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Toyota Files Noncompliance Information Report on Certain 2010 Lexus HS 250h Vehicles

Monday, June 28th, 2010

TORRANCE, Calif.– Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc., filed a Noncompliance Information Report (NCIR) with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), informing the agency of the company’s intent to conduct a voluntary safety recall of potentially 17,000 2010 model year Lexus HS 250h vehicles to address a compliance issue with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 301.

As part of its annual compliance testing program, the NHTSA recently conducted a test of the 2010 model year HS 250h. The test involved striking the vehicle with a deformable barrier from the rear at approximately 50 mph. The vehicle is struck by a moving deformable barrier with a 70 percent overlap. As part of the test, the vehicle was then rotated on its longitudinal axis incrementally to each successive increment of 90 degrees. During the rotation, the vehicle exhibited fuel spillage that exceeded the requirement in the standard.

During vehicle development, Lexus tested the HS 250h using the same protocol and found the vehicles to comply fully with the FMVSS 301. Lexus is currently working to identify the reason for the different test results and the cause of this noncompliance.

“Even though our own testing of the Lexus HS 250h shows full compliance with federal fuel system integrity standards, we are working intensely to duplicate the noncompliance issue that the NHTSA identified and to determine the reason behind the different test results,” said Steve St. Angelo, Toyota chief quality officer for North America.

At the present time, Lexus has not identified a remedy to address this issue, but it is working hard to do so promptly and will notify owners as soon as one is developed. Until then, as required by federal law, dealers will not deliver any new vehicles in their inventory that are covered by this NCIR until remedied.

Source: http://pressroom.toyota.com/pr/tms/lexus/toyota-files-noncompliance-information-160963.aspx

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Production, Sales and Export Results in May, 2010

Monday, June 28th, 2010

Japan- Honda Motor Co., Ltd. announced a summary of automobile production, Japan domestic sales, and export results for the month of May 2010.

<Production>
Production in Japan for the month of May 2010 experienced a year-on-year increase for the fifth consecutive month (since January 2010).

Production in regions outside of Japan experienced a year-on-year increase for the seventh consecutive month (since November 2009).

Worldwide production experienced a year-on-year increase for the sixth consecutive month (since December 2009).

<Japan Domestic Market Sales>
Total domestic sales for the month of May 2010 experienced a year-on-year increase for the 11th consecutive month (since July 2009).

New vehicle registrations experienced a year-on-year increase for the 14th consecutive month (since April 2009).

Sales of mini-vehicles experienced a year-on-year increase for the second consecutive month (since April 2010).

<Vehicle registrations - excluding mini-vehicles>
Fit was the industry’s second best-selling car among new vehicle registrations for the month of May 2010, with sales of 11,880 units. Step WGN was the industry’s eighth best-selling car with sales of 5,818 units.

<Mini-vehicles - under 660cc>
Life was the industry’s eighth best-selling car among mini-vehicles for the month of May 2010, with sales of 4,402 units. Zest was the industry’s tenth best-selling car among mini-vehicles for the month of May 2010, with sales of 2,936 units.

<Exports from Japan>
Total exports from Japan in May 2010 experienced a year-on-year increase for the third consecutive month (since March 2010).

Source: http://world.honda.com/news/2010/c100628Automobile-Sales/index.html

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Ford Announces Us$450 Million Investment For New Flexible Passenger Vehicle Plant In Thailand

Monday, June 28th, 2010

Bangkok, thailand, – Ford Motor Company announced it is investing US$450 million (THB 15 billion) in a new state-of-the-art passenger vehicle manufacturing plant in Rayong, Thailand, scheduled for completion in 2012.

The facility will begin building the next-generation Ford Focus in 2012 for Thailand and other markets in the Asia-Pacific region. The highly flexible plant will be capable of building a diverse range of vehicles in the future.

With an initial capacity of 150,000 units per year, the new plant will be equipped with state-of-the-art automation and utilize Ford’s global manufacturing processes and systems. Up to 85 percent of the plant’s production will be for markets outside Thailand.

“This investment underscores our long term commitment to Thailand, and its role as a global production and export hub for Ford,” said Joe Hinrichs, president, Ford Asia Pacific and Africa. “The decision to build our new plant was supported by Thailand’s world-class automotive industry, and logistics and export infrastructure.”

The next-generation Focus will be built on the company’s new global C-car platform, which will eventually underpin up to two million Ford vehicles per year sold in markets around the world. The C-car segment is currently the world’s largest vehicle segment, and is projected to account for nearly 28 percent of global passenger car sales by 2013.

The new 750,000-square-meter assembly plant in Thailand will be fully integrated to support body assembly, paint, trim and final assembly. It also will follow Ford’s global model of sustainability initiatives and environmentally-responsible processes and systems.

“Sustainability for Ford goes beyond our commitment to leading fuel efficiency, and we’ve been successful in applying energy-efficient techniques at our manufacturing and office facilities around the world,” said Sue Cischke, Ford group vice president for Sustainability, Environment & Safety Engineering.

“This new Thai facility will strictly adhere to Ford’s global policy that our operations, products, and services accomplish their functions in a manner that responsibly protects health and the environment,” Cischke said.

The new plant’s paint shop will utilize Ford’s environmentally friendly 3-Wet technology paint process, which improves paint quality, depth and durability, while significantly reducing Volatile Organic Compounds, CO2 emissions and waste. The plant also will feature an on-site wastewater treatment facility, energy-efficient lighting and use of day-lighting, natural ventilation, and use of local and recycled materials.

Local Economic Benefits

Ford plans to purchase up to $800 million (THB 26 billion) worth of local components through Thailand’s supplier network to support production at the new facility.

“Thailand’s commitment to the continued growth of its world-class auto industry has given Ford the opportunity to further leverage the skilled local work force and market expertise, as well as the strategic footprint that we have already established in Thailand,” Hinrichs said.

The new facility has the potential to support up to 11,000 new jobs – including up to 2,200 direct jobs with Ford, and 8,800 indirect jobs through its supplier and dealer networks – when the facility reaches annual capacity of 150,000 units.

Source: http://www.ford.com/about-ford/news-announcements/press-releases/press-releases-detail/pr-ford-announces-us450-million-32842

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Ford Honored By American Business Awards For “Business Turnaround Of The Year”

Monday, June 28th, 2010

NEW YORK – Ford Motor Company won the “Business Turnaround of the Year for Companies with More Than 2,500 Employees” at the 2010 American Business Awards.

The award recognizes the Company’s efforts to turn the corner in 2009 in the face of a global economic and financial crisis, as well as unprecedented events in the U.S. automotive industry.

Ford posted the first full year of positive net income since 2005, and a $17.5 billion improvement over 2008. Ford also gained market share in the U.S. in 2009 for the first time in 14 years despite increasing competition for buyers.

The awards are judged by more than 200 executives from across the country who evaluate more than 2,700 entries. The winners are presented annually to the best entries in 40 different categories, including management, customer service, marketing, human resources, communications, information technology and sales.

The awards were established in 2002 to raise awareness of the positive contributions of companies and business people. The honor is also known as the “Stevie” award. Stevie is taken from the name Stephen, which is derived from the Greek word for “crowned.”

Stevie Awards are conferred in four programs: The American Business Awards, The International Business Awards, the Stevie Awards for Women in Business, and the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service. Honoring companies of all types and sizes and the people behind them, the Stevies recognize outstanding performances in the workplace worldwide.

Source: http://www.ford.com/about-ford/news-announcements/press-releases/press-releases-detail/pr-ford-honored-by-american-business-32831

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Archive for June, 2010

Tata Nano Superdrive concludes its journey

Tata Motors provides complete Transport Solution to Queen’s Baton Relay 2010 Delhi

PC/LT Tire Plant in Thailand to Undergo Third-Term Expansion

International Engine of the Year Award 2010 for 2.5-liter TFSI in the Audi TT RS

Audi researching technologies for active safety

Hyundai’s latest offering - the all new Verna Transform

Toyota Files Noncompliance Information Report on Certain 2010 Lexus HS 250h Vehicles

Production, Sales and Export Results in May, 2010

Ford Announces Us$450 Million Investment For New Flexible Passenger Vehicle Plant In Thailand

Ford Honored By American Business Awards For “Business Turnaround Of The Year”