Wednesday morning car news roundup, January 7, 2015

Today is Wednesday

  • 2015 BMW 3-series facelift – latest pictures – Autocar: BMW’s updated 3-series will face a tough challenge from Jaguar’s new XE and the Mercedes C-class when it comes to market this summer The facelifted BMW 3-series has again been spotted during the final stages of testing ahead of its planned launch this summer.Though competition for the updated 3-series is hotting up thanks to the imminent launch of the Jaguar XE, BMW remains confident the 3-series can hold its own next to its rivals.In particular, Jaguar is targeting company car drivers with its lowest emission Jaguar XE, which is powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel engine and emits 99g
  • UK car market hits new heights in 2014 – Autocar: Booming sales in the UK’s new car market resulted more than 2.4 million vehicles being registered in 2014, up by over nine per cent on the previous year Sales of cars in the UK reached a post-recession peak of 2.47 million cars in 2014, the fourth best year on record, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).The figure, up 9.3 per cent on 2013, was the best since several boom years a decade ago, and takes the car market close to the outright record scored in 1972 when manufacturers such as BL, Ford and Vauxhall were still making most of the cars Britons bought.SMMT ch
  • Press Releases – Carlos Ghosn re-elected President of ACEA for 2015 – ACEA: Brussels, 5 December 2014 – The Board of Directors of the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) has re-elected Carlos Ghosn, Chairman…
  • If the driver doesn’t brake, the car will – Via Google News: Swedish automobile manufacturer Volvo has been working on technology to connect cycling helmets with cars on the cloud. It’s being unveiled this…
  • Nissan Misses Target for China Sales – Via Google News: Sales of total automobiles including passenger and commercial vehicles rose 6% in the first 11 months of 2014, down from 14% in the same period a…
  • Detroit Electric Says This is It: Production SP:01 – thedetroitbureau.com: Finally. Belatedly. Maybe? Over a year after it was originally set to go into production, start-up Detroit Electric insists it will actually begin selling the battery sports car in the next few months, offering up images of what it insists will be the final production design. More from TheDetroitBureau.com.
  • Uber faces Beijing crackdown – FT: Push against ‘illegal’ taxis makes Chinese city the latest trouble spot for car-hailing app
  • Nissan says 2014 China sales up 0.5 pct – Reuters: SHANGHAI, Jan 7 (Reuters) – Nissan Motor Co Ltd and its Chinese joint venture partner sold 1.22 million vehicles in. China in 2014, up 0.5 percent from the previous year, the. Japanese carmaker said on Wednesday.
  • Cadillac Global Sales Grow 5 Percent Year Over Year – GM: DETROIT – Cadillac’s global expansion continued in 2014 with the brand recording a 5 percent sales increase over the prior year. Cadillac sold 263,697 vehicles worldwide in the 2014 calendar year.
  • ALL-NEW NISSAN X-TRAIL WINS CAR OF THE YEAR 2014 IN CHINA – Nissan: -Award Based on Vigorous Testing by China Mainstream Media Automobile Alliance –
  • Buick to rub shoulders with Infiniti, Acura at auto show – Freep: No longer tucked away in the General Motors corner of the Cobo Center floor with Chevrolet and GMC.
  • VW Aims to Raise U.S. Sales With New SUVs – WSJ: Next week Volkswagen is expected to present its road map for developing a new line of sport-utility vehicles that will be launched in the U.S. and other major markets over the next three years.
  • Rosekind says NHTSA must improve defect analysis system – Automotive News: Improving the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s vehicle defect analysis and recall system is the top priority of the agency’s new administrator, who also vowed to petition Congress for additional resources and authority to bolster the…
  • Cars aren’t just connecting to the internet; they’re connecting to everything – Via Google News: As in previous years, we’re seeing a lot of car connectivity news at the … We’re starting to see the automobile take its place among the internet of…
  • Aston Martin previews new hardcore Vantage GT3 – Autocar: More extreme version of the V12 Vantage S to be seen at Geneva motor show could offer as much as 600bhp Aston Martin says it will launch a “truly hardcore” car at the Geneva motor show in March.The car, which is described by sources as “the most extreme Vantage to date”, has been inspired by the 600bhp V12 Vantage GT3 that has raced with considerable success in a number of global GT series and events, including the Nürburgring 24 Hours.The production car, which is intended for both road and track use and is previewed here by this official illustration, will get wider tracks, more aggressive st
  • Land Rover Defender could stay in production ‘overseas’ – Autocar: Land Rover is ‘exploring’ plans to build the Defender outside the European Union, ahead of a planned ending of production in the UK at the end of 2015 Land Rover’s iconic Defender could live on overseas after production in the UK ends later this year. However, any future production of the rugged off-roader would not officially find its way back to EU markets.According to a company statement, Land Rover is “investigating the possibility of maintaining production of the current Defender at an overseas production facility, after the close of UK manufacturing. Any continuation would see low-volume

 

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