- BRAZIL: Fleet may top 106m vehicles in 20 years – Just-auto: A study by auto industry lobby group Anfavea on the evolution of the Brazilian market for the next 20 years, presented at a recent Harvard Business School (HBS) seminar in São Paulo, attracted considerable interest from companies eyeing the local market.
- US: Federal-Mogul develops battery shield – Just-auto: Federal-Mogul Powertrain says it has developed a new product, Protexx-Shield 3007, which protects batteries from high engine compartment temperatures that would otherwise shorten battery life.
- Nissan CEO says suspending some Russia car orders in ‘bloodbath’ for automakers – Reuters: Japan’s Nissan Motor Co and French partner Renault SA have stopped taking orders for some cars in Russia and could raise prices on others if the ruble’s plunge continues, alliance Chief Executive Carlos Ghosn said on Friday.
- Porsche 718 ‘baby Boxster’ project cancelled – Autocar: Porsche’s R&D boss Wolfgang Hatz confirms development has stopped of a £35,000 entry-level roadster The Porsche 718 ‘baby Boxster’ project will not happen, according to the firm’s head of research and development Wolfgang Hatz.. . Expected to cost around £35,000 and to be powered by a new family of four-cylinder engines, the baby Boxster has long been tipped as a way to increase Porsche’s sales volumes. The Porsche 718 name was rumoured as an acknowledgement to the firm’s racing history.. .
- SWEDEN: Volvo to show connected car-cyclist technology at CES – Just-auto: In what the partners say is “a ground-breaking collaboration”, Volvo Cars, protective gravity sports gear manufacturer POC and Ericsson will present an innovative safety technology connecting drivers and cyclists for the first time ever at the International CES in Las Vegas (6-9 January 2015).
- Video: Porsche Cayenne S Diesel driven – Autocar: Steve Sutcliffe drives the new £61,474, 380bhp Cayenne S Diesel Has Porsche’s performance SUV finally come of age? Steve Sutcliffe asks whether the £61,474, 380bhp Cayenne S Diesel should have rivals like Land Rover worried.Read the full first drive review here.
- CHINA: Geely earnings hit by Russia crisis – Just-auto: China’s Geely Automobile Holdings saw its Hong Kong listed shares drop by over 20% this week after it told regulators that net earnings for the year are expected to decline by 50% due to the economic crisis in Russia.
- UPDATE 1-Nissan-Renault has suspended orders on some models in Russia – Reuters: Japan’s Nissan Motor Co and French partner Renault SA have stopped taking orders for some cars in Russia and could raise prices on others if the rouble’s plunge continues, alliance Chief Executive Carlos Ghosn said on Friday.
- “Always better lives” – Toyota European Sustainability Report 2014 – Toyota: Toyota Motor Europe (TME) has released its eighth annual European Sustainability Report. Available in a downloadable and easy to navigate format, the digital report is now integrated into toyota-europe.com, the website of TME.
- One Tesla Analyst Lowers Volume Estimates While Another Sees Opportunity – Yahoo:
- Google Working On New ‘Android M’ For Cars; Will be Independent Of Smartphones – Via Google News: After taking a prime spot in powering smartphones and smartwatches, Google is now taking the next logical step to enter the automobile arena.
- Nissan gaining Russia market share, less hurt than peers by rouble fall -CEO – Reuters: Japanese automaker Nissan Motor Co is faring better than peers in Russia as domestic production via an alliance with the country’s biggest auto firm shields it against the rouble’s plunge, Chief Executive Carlos Ghosn said on Friday.
- Watch: How Jaguar Smart Windscreen Will Eliminate Driver Blind Spots – Forbes: Augmented reality tech being developed by one car manufacturer could enable its drivers to literally see through notorious blind spots.
- CNET Names BMW i8 ‘Car of the Year’ – Via Google News: CNET, a technology-centered website, has announced BMW’s i8 super-hybrid as its 2014 Car of the Year. The judging team picked the i8 based…
- Honda grabs Pole Position in the list of Most Searched Brands in 2014 – Via Google News: There has been lot of Google searches about cars and automobile brands and according to Google Zeitgeist 2014 Honda is most searched brand,…
- BYD rises 15% after quashing Buffett share sale reports – FT: Chinese electric carmaker denies Buffett plans to cut his stake
- Editorial: Road relief – Via Google News: … and the dreaded D.C. commute now a little easier, it’s a good moment for the automobile. Long term, more cars and more lanes won’t be the answer.
- One Tesla Analyst Lowers Volume Estimates While Another Sees Opportunity – Forbes: One Tesla analyst believes the recent sell-off has created an opportunity while another also says to buy the shares but cut his production estimates again.
- Ford expands airbag recall nationally – UPI: Ford on Thursday announced an expanded recall of faulty airbags to all 50 states after a request by federal regulators.
- Russia crisis hurts these brands the most – CNN: Read full story for latest details.
- Austin braces for Tesla lobbying blitz – Via Google News: AUSTIN – Locked in a brawl with auto dealers, Tesla Motors CEO Elon … said Bill Wolters, president of the Texas Automobile Dealers Association.
- Not Just Public Lands: Defense Bill Also Incentivizes Fracked Gas Vehicles – Via Google News: It means, as with electric vehicles, natural gas automobile manufacturers will now also receive financial credits under the new Corporate Average Fuel…
- BYD climbs 10% after mystery sell-off – FT: Buffett-backed Chinese electric carmaker unaware of any reason for panic selling
- BYD’s Record Plunge Not Enough for Macquarie Seeing No Tesla – Yahoo:
- Toledo Rallies to Remain Jeep’s Home – WSJ: Without being asked, Toledo, Ohio, is putting together incentives to help it remain the home of the Jeep Wrangler, a vehicle with deep economic and emotional ties to the area, in a sign of how cities aggressively offer aid to corporations.
- Government selling last stake in Ally Financial – Yahoo: [AP] – The government is selling the last of its shares in Ally Financial Inc., the former financing arm of General Motors that was bailed out during the financial crisis. Detroit-based Ally said Thursday that …
- Ford Recall of Takata Airbags to Extend Nationwide – NY Times: Ford said it was expanding the recall nationwide — and globally — adding another 447,000 vehicles to the list.
- Android M will reportedly bring Android Auto-like functionality directly to our cars – Via Google News: Android Auto was formally announced earlier this year as Google’s big push into our automobiles. The platform doesn’t actually bring Android to our…
- Ally’s six-year bailout to end as U.S. sells $1.25 billion stake – Automotive News: Ally Financial said the Treasury will sell its remaining $1.25 billion stake in the auto lender, resolving one the largest bailouts from the financial crisis six years ago.
- Deadly Takata Airbag Recall Highlights Asean’s Achilles’ Heel – Via Google News: While US senators and members of congress have demanded that automobile ?owners should have a right to expect that the cars that they drive are…
- Uber agrees to temporarily suspend service in Portland – CNN: Portland’s mayor says the city will create new rules, eventually allowing Uber to operate there.
- Hyundai to use new Display Audio system with CarPlay – Via Google News: Hyundai to use new Display Audio system with CarPlay in 2016 cars Automobile manufacturer Hyundai has confirmed it will use an updated version