- RPT-Ford says Aug China auto sales rise 9 pct y/y – Reuters: Ford Motor Co and its Chinese joint ventures sold 77,506 vehicles in China in August, up 9 percent from a year earlier, outpacing industry growth of 6.7 percent for the same month in the world’s biggest auto market.
- Planning for the real future: Self-driving cars – Via Google News: Google is working on the prototype for a self-driving car. Its vision is that the vehicles will go on the market by 2020, leading to a new transportation…
- Can sporty RC be the new face of Lexus? – Automotive News: Lexus is counting on its new 2015 RC 350 sports coupe to take on BMW, Audi and Mercedes-Benz in a segment dominated by the German luxury brands. And that may be the easy part of the car’s mission.
- Tesla Confirms Nevada for Factory – WSJ: Nevada officials estimated that a proposed Tesla Motors’ advanced battery factory near Reno would have a $100 million economic impact over 20 years, lifting a state largely know for its tourism industry.
- Why does the new Lexus RC F weigh so much? – Autocar: At 1840kg, the new Lexus RC F is a full quarter tonne heavier than a BMW M3I’m sitting at a table, talking to the chief engineer for the new Lexus RC F – a gently spoken Japanese gentleman called Yukihiko Yaguchi – having just manhandled his new car around a private race track just outside New York. And, to be honest, I’ve not had that great a time in the car. In fact, I’ve been curiously disappointed by how cumbersome it had felt when trying to stop and change direction for, and remain composed…
- Fiat may sell up to $1.04B in stock with U.S. listing – DetN: Fiat SpA may sell as much as $1.04 billion in shares to reduce debt and gain local investors after the carmaker formed from merging with Chrysler Group LLC lists stock in the U.S., according to Bloomberg News calculations.
- Focus drives Ford auto sales increase in China – Via Google News: The China Association of Automobile Manufacturers said the Focus was the best-selling car in China through the first seven months of 2014.
- Nevada chosen for high-tech Tesla car battery factory – Via Google News: The governor of the US state of Nevada has said that the Tesla electric car maker has chosen his state ahead of rivals for a $5bn battery factory.
- Sales of China-made Geely cars fall over Ukraine, Mideast conflicts, says exec – Via Google News: China Geely car manufacturers say its global sales fell as the market has become jittery amid conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.
- Nevada a Winner in Tesla’s Battery Contest – NY Times: The company hopes the construction of a factory in Nevada will catalyze the entry of the electric car into the American market and provide as many as 6,500 manufacturing jobs.
- Tesla picks Nevada for giant battery plant – Automotive News: Tesla Motors selected Nevada as the site for a massive battery factory that will be key to the success of its next generation of electric cars.
- Tesla Confirms $5 Bil Gigafactory Going to Nevada – thedetroitbureau.com: Confirming widespread speculation, Nevada officials and Tesla have confirmed the battery-carmaker’s $5 billion Gigafactory will go to Reno, a city until now better known for its gambling halls and resorts. But the project will cost the state about $1.3 billion in incentives.
- 2015 Chevy Colorado/GMC Canyon: Best-in-class V6 mpg – KBB: Based on just-released EPA fuel economy numbers, the 2015 Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon midsize pickups boast benchmark stats for the category when equipped with the available V6 engine and automatic transmissions.
- Mazda unveils new Miata as top-selling two-seater turns 25 – DetN: Mazda Motor Corp. unveiled a new version of its iconic MX-5 Miata sports car for the first time in nine years, counting on the model to help sustain rising sales.
- Fuel economy of new vehicles bought hits all-time high – Automotive News: The fuel economy of light vehicles purchased in the U.S. during August hit an all-time high, a University of Michigan report said Thursday.