BEIJING (Xinhua) — Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Group Co., China’s biggest exporter of light trucks, said Saturday it has signed an agreement with Brazil’s SNS Co. to build a joint venture in the South America’s biggest country.

The project’s entire investment will reach 600 million U.S. dollars, Anhui Jianghuai said in a statement filed to the Shanghai Stock Exchange.

The automaker will take a 20 percent stake in the joint venture, while SNS will have a 80 percent stake, the statement said.

The joint venture is expected to produce 100,000 passenger cars every year under the brand name of “Anhui Jianghuai”. All major components that the joint venture needs must be bought from Anhui Jianghuai, the statement said.

The completion of the deal is still subject to approval by Chinese and Brazilian authorities, the statement said.

CHICAGO (Xinhua) — Toyota Motor Corp. said on Wednesday it is recalling about 550,000 vehicles worldwide, including 420,000 in the United States, for a potential steering problem.

In the United States, the automaker is recalling 283,200 Toyota brand cars, including the 2004 and 2005 Camry, Highlander, Sienna and Solara, the 2004 Avalon and the 2006 Highlander HV. Its recall of 137,000 Lexus vehicles includes the 2004 and 2005 ES330 and RX330 and 2006 RX400h.

There is a possibility that the outer ring of the crankshaft pulley may become misaligned with the inner ring, causing noise and/or illumination of the discharge warning light, Toyota’s U.S. unit said of the problem in a release.

If this condition is not corrected, the belt for the power steering pump may become detached from the pulley and the driver may notice a sudden increase in steering effort, according to the company.

Toyota has received a total of 79 reports about the defect dating back to 2007, said company spokesman Dion Corbett. There have been no reports of accidents or injuries related to the problem, he said.

The recall affects 447,000 vehicles in North America, as well as 38,000 in Japan and another 25,000 in Australia and New Zealand. In Europe some 14,000 vehicles are being recalled, in addition to 10,000 in the Middle East and 14,000 in Asia outside Japan.

In the United States, Toyota will send an owner notification, advising owners to make an appointment with an authorized dealer to have their cars inspected once replacement parts have been produced in sufficient quantities. If needed, parts will be replaced for no charge, the company’s American sales unit said.

In the meantime, if an abnormal noise is heard coming from the engine compartment, the owner is asked to make an appointment with any Toyota or Lexus dealer to have the vehicle inspected for this condition, the company said.

CHICAGO (Xinhua) — A tentative agreement between U.S. automaker Ford Motor Co. and the United Auto Workers (UAW) was approved by UAW members on Tuesday, the union announced on Wednesday.

The Ford agreement, which comes three weeks after General Motors’, would add 5,750 new UAW jobs, bringing the total to 12, 000. Chrysler Group LLC has just begun voting on its proposed deal, which is expected to conclude on Oct. 25.

As a result of these negotiations, a total of 20,000 direct manufacturing jobs will be added to the economy, including the creation of 6,400 jobs at GM, said UAW President Bob King.

The Ford agreement also includes 16 billion dollars of investment in new vehicles, including 6.2 billion to upgrade plants in Michigan Assembly, AutoAlliance International in Flat Rock, Romeo Engine and some transmission plants.

Besides, according to the agreement, Ford workers with a year of seniority will get a 6,000-dollar signing bonus and receive 7, 000 dollars of “inflation protection” and other lump-sum payments.

Mark Fields, Ford president of the Americas, said the agreement is a proof that the company could significantly create new jobs, invest in plants and people, and make a very positive impact on the U.S. economy.

Japan’s biggest automaker Toyota said Wednesday production at its three Thailand plants would be halted until at least Saturday due to the impact on suppliers of the country’s worst flooding in decades.

While floods have not directly impacted its Samrong, Gateway and Ban Pho plants, Toyota said: “Some suppliers are experiencing delays in supplying parts.”

Operations at the three plants have been halted since Monday and Toyota said the suspension would continue through Saturday’s morning shift, when the company would take a decision on whether to resume.

A Toyota spokeswoman told AFP that annual production capacity at the three plants totals 650,000 units. In 2010, the plants produced 630,000 units.

“We still cannot say how many units will be affected by the latest production halt, as it is yet to be clear how long the move will last,” she said.

Toyota shares were 0.34 percent lower in Tokyo trade on Tuesday.

Massive floods have left hundreds dead across Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, as authorities step up efforts to reach victims of the unusually heavy monsoon rains.

In Thailand the floods have damaged the homes or livelihoods of millions of people, particularly farmers, across about three quarters of the country’s provinces.

In its ancient capital Ayutthaya, about 80 kilometres (50 miles) upriver of Bangkok, historic temples have been swamped and a large industrial estate, home to several Japanese electronics and auto parts makers including car giant Honda, has been flooded. (AFP)

CHICAGO (Xinhua) — Workers in General Motors Co. on Wednesday approved the automaker’s four-year contract with the United Auto Workers (UAW) union, and the contract came into effect immediately.

The Detroit News on Wednesday reported that 65 percent of GM’s production workers and 63 percent of skilled trade workers voted in favor of the deal, ratifying a tentative agreement struck two weeks ago.

According to the new agreement, the workers’ entry level pay was raised by three dollars per hour and a 75,000-dollar buyout were offered for skilled trade workers. Workers also will get a 1, 000-dollar “inflation protection” lump sum for the next four years.

Besides, GM will save or create 6,400 new jobs as part of the agreement and bring back work to the U.S. previously destined for Mexico.

The former contract between UAW and GM expired on Sept. 14 and the two sides reached a tentative agreement on Sept. 16. UAW is now still bargaining with Ford and Chrysler on a new contract.

PARIS (Xinhua) – Car sales in France gained momentum in August after sharp drop in the previous months, French car sales federation (CCFA) said on Thursday.

August’s new car sales stood at 108,530 units, up from 105,166 vehicles sold in the same month a year earlier, the federation said in its monthly report.

Sales of French brands were down by 2.2 percent while foreign brands expanded by 10.5 percent on high demands for Nissan and Volkswagen cars.

France’s main automaker, PSA Peugeot Citroen group saw its sales down by three percent last month after offering 31,867 units while Renault, reported 1.4-percent fall due to sharp decline in sales of its low cast brand Dacia.

TIANJIN (Xinhua) – Ssangyong Motor Co., the smallest automaker of the Republic of Korea (ROK), has re-entered the Chinese market with its new sport utility vehicle (SUV) two years after it halted exports to the country, Chinese authorities said Thursday.

The first batch of 302 Ssangyong SUVs, including Kornando, Actyon and Rexton models, were shipped to the northern Chinese port city of Tianjin this week, a spokesman with the Tianjin Port Co., Ltd. said.

The company opened its China headquarters in Shanghai earlier this year and designated two Chinese auto dealers for its sales in the country, the spokesman said.

Ssangyong was affiliated with China’s Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp. (SAIC) between 2004 and 2009, and began exporting SUVs to China in 2006. Then it entered bankruptcy protection in February 2009 after SAIC decided to disassociate itself from the company, which led to the halt of its SUV exports to China.

Last year, Ssangyong agreed to sell its majority stake worth 460 million U.S. dollars to Indian carmaker Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd.

Online PR News – 09-August-2011 –SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – When it comes to automotive sales, the Toyota Camry has reigned supreme not just among Toyota’s lineup, but among all cars sold in the United States for 13 of the last 14 years. The model’s sales have been slower in 2011 due to availability issues resulting from the March earthquake in Japan, but an all-new 2012 Camry will be revealed to the world on August 23 and delivered to Toyota dealerships in the fall.

The unveiling of the refreshed Toyota Camry will take place simultaneously at four separate venues around the United States, a nod to the midsize sedan’s prevalence in the marketplace. Video simulcasts will come from the Automotive Hall of Fame in Dearborn, Michigan and the Toyota Camry assembly plant in Georgetown, Kentucky, as well as from locations in New York City and Los Angeles.

“If you’re looking for a success story, you need look no further than the Toyota Camry,” said Bob McKenna, general manager of Upstate New York Toyota dealer New Country Toyota of Saratoga Springs. “Toyota has sold 15 million Camrys since the vehicle first came out 28 years ago, and the new model will vault the Camry back to the top of the sales charts where it belongs.”

Toyota has remained tight-lipped about changes made during the design process, but exterior photos of the 2012 Camry reveal a thoroughly modern exterior with sharper edges that give the car more attitude than the outgoing model. Automotive publication Inside Line revealed that consumers can expect upgraded interior surfaces and design along with new smartphone-connected entertainment and navigation systems that have become a must-have in the midsize sedan market.

The 2012 Toyota Camry will have big shoes to fill after the 2011 model bows out. The 2011 Camry, available with three engines, is far and away the automaker’s best-selling product. In July alone, 27,016 Camrys left dealership lots compared with 17,577 Corollas, which are big sellers themselves.

Efficiency has drawn customers to the Camry for years, and Toyota has hinted that new models will see a boost in fuel economy. However, the 2012 Camry will maintain the standard four-cylinder 2.5-liter engine that helps return 33 mpg on the highway with a manual transmission and 32 mpg with the six-speed automatic on the 2011 Camry. The 2012 Camry will also inherit the current 3.5-liter V6 that gets this year’s model 268 horsepower while still managing 29 mpg on the highway. Buyers looking for even more economic motoring can opt for the 2012 Camry Hybrid, which is expected to improve upon the 31 mpg in the city and 35 mpg on the highway of its predecessor.

“Camry owners look at their cars as more than just transportation; they’re family members,” McKenna added. “Part of that association is the incredible reliability that keeps Camrys on the road for years and years. Camry drivers know that whether they’re commuting to work or have a long road trip planned, they can count on their Camry’s to get them there. It’s that trust that brings Camry owners back when it’s time for their next car, and we expect to see many of them at our dealership this fall to scope out the 2012 model.”

About New Country Toyota of Saratoga Springs:
Upstate New York Toyota owners can rely on New Country Toyota of Saratoga Springs to provide an outstanding level of customer service. Their Toyota service department is second to none, and their dedicated service technicians are committed to keeping their customer’s Toyotas in great shape for many years to come. Part of the New Country Motor Car Group family of dealerships, New Country Toyota of Saratoga Springs is located at 3002 Route 50 in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Find them online at www.toyotaofsaratogasprings.com, call them at 866-979-0592, or like them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/NewCountryToyotaSaratoga.

Ford Motor Company is intensifying its efforts to educate teen drivers about the dangers of distracted driving – such as texting while driving – through a new initiative under its nationwide Ford Driving Skills for Life (FDSFL) program.

On the eve of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Distracted Driving Summit, Ford Motor Company Fund will host a special FDSFL event in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, Sept. 29, demonstrating specialized training methods designed to help teens recognize and avoid driving distractions such as manually dialing a phone or texting. Ford recently became the first automaker to endorse a federal ban on manually sending text messages on hand-held devices while driving.

(Source) Press

After a landmark government bailout, General Motors has emerged from bankruptcy on a mission to win back American car buyers. In an effort to change their corporate culture and re-focus on customers and cars, the revamped automaker is asking consumers to “Tell Fritz.”

The new campaign allows people to go online and send their comments to company executives, express their views and give input on the direction of the new GM. In addition, executives, including CEO Fritz Henderson, recently invited consumers to meet them and drive all of the latest models at the company’s Michigan Proving Grounds.

And the new commitment to customers may be paying off. The company recently announced they would be building 60,000 more vehicles this year than originally planned, and have recalled over a thousand previously laid off workers to help build them.

Press

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