Denso has developed a new and higher-performing millimetre-wave radar that has a longer and wider detection range, which helps improve the responsiveness of an active safety technology.
China has established a goal of making China the world leader in plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) sales with a target of manufacturing 500,000 PEVs per year by 2015. According to a recent report from Pike Research, annual sales of PEVs will reach only 45,000 units by 2015, increasing to 152,000 vehicles in 2017. That figure represents less than 1% of the total light duty vehicle market in China.
Volkswagen Passenger Cars delivered 4.72m (4.24; +11.2%) vehicles to customers worldwide in the year to the end of October. The brand developed particularly well in the Central and Eastern Europe region, where 223,100 (173,100; +28.9%) units were delivered.
Renault aims to grow its market share in emerging markets with the launch of two low-cost vehicles, one of which would challenge the Tata Nano in India, a French news Web site reported.
Chrysler Group will sell less than half as many 2013 SRT Vipers all of next year as it sold Jeep Patriots in October. Executives with the automaker's new Street and Racing Technology brand are OK with that.
The battle for the top spot in luxury car sales over the next decade likely will be decided by who wins the largest share of the expanding market for smaller premium cars. Current No.
The battle for the top spot in luxury car sales over the next decade likely will be decided by who wins the largest share of the expanding market for smaller premium cars. Current No.
Toyota is rolling out two precrash safety systems that it says will help prevent high-speed collisions and pedal-misapplication accidents. The technology will debut soon in a high-end Toyota-brand sedan.
China's passenger-vehicle sales will expand by an average 8 percent a year to reach 22 million in 2020, driven by demand for SUVs and rising incomes in smaller cities, according to a report from McKinsey.
French supplier Valeo is poised to become North America's second-largest producer of climate-control systems, breaking a tie with Visteon, now that the company has formed a joint venture to acquire operations producing those systems from Ford.
Nissan Motor, hoping to boost disappointing sales for the Leaf electric car, said it has improved the driving range of its alternative-fuel vehicle by 14 percent and lowered its price tag.
China's passenger-vehicle sales will expand by an average 8 percent a year to reach 22 million in 2020, driven by demand for sport-utility vehicles and rising incomes in smaller cities, according to a report from McKinsey and Co.
The newly formed Qatar Red Bull Rally Team showed off its 2013 Dakar contender and driver line-up.
The Qatar Red Bull Rally Team has revealed its new buggy, which will compete at the 2013 Dakar Rally in South America this January. The buggy will be piloted by previous Dakar winners and former Volkswagen teammates Carlos Sainz, who won the rally 2010, and Nasser Al-Attiyah, who took victory in 2011.
The buggy that the duo will pilot takes its inspiration from US Baja-style desert-racers, but has combined that American durability with European engineering to create what the team believes is an innovative off-road vehicle.
Speaking of the project, Sainz, who won the World Rally Championship in 1990 and 1992, said: “There's nothing quite like preparing a completely new car for a Dakar Rally and my first impressions of this buggy is that it's a very impressive machine.
“The whole team has great hopes that we can achieve a good performance at the 2013 Dakar Rally,” he added. “It's still very early days to be saying how far up the leader board we can finish in this car but we are working everyday to make sure we get the set-up just right.”
Dr Vijay Mallya has confirmed that Sahara Force India Formula 1 team will invest several millions of dollars in new technology for next season of the World Championship.
“We've scored more points in 2012 than in any previous season and every year we've demonstrated that we've gone up the ladder. Given the tools that we have, which are mostly of the Jordan era, we have done exceptionally well,” said Mallya.
The co-owner of the team indicated that the team has the ambition of moving forward next season.
Vijay Mallya. (Photo: Sahara Force India F1 Team)
“We had a board meeting in India after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and the board has approved a £50 million ($80M) capital investment programme for the team. We are going to invest heavily in new technology and give more tools to our design team to try and move further up the grid,” he added.
The Indian billionnaire wants his team to beat Sauber for sixth place in the constructors' championship. With just one race to go this Sunday in Brazil, Sauber is sixth with 124 points, while Sahara Force India is seventh with 99.
“We hope that Nico (Hulkenberg) will be able to pull off what he did for Williams in 2010 [pole position]. That's what is needed if we want to catch Sauber! Otherwise I hope we can end the season with a strong result. Two cars in the points would be nice,” said Mallya.
NASCAR driver Danica Patrick disclosed via her Facebook page that she and her husband, Paul Hospenthal, had - amicably - decided to end their marriage of seven years.
Message from Danica Patrick to her fans: "I am sad to inform my fans that after 7 years, Paul and I have decided to amicably end our marriage. This isn't easy for either of us, but mutually it has come to this. He has been an important person and friend in my life and that's how we will remain moving forward."
The former IndyCar driver and GoDaddy.com spokesperson had met Hospenthal, a physical therapist, when she was recovering from a yoga injury.
Danica Patrick and Paul Hospenthal at Daytona, beginning of 2012. (Photo: NASCAR)
The Roscoe, Illinois native made NASCAR history as she finished 10th, in her first full year in stock car racing's Triple-A series. She's the highest placed woman to compete in NASCAR's top level National touring series.
On Monday, Ms. Patrick was voted the NASCAR Nationwide Series Most Popular driver. Next year she will become a full-time driver in the premier level Sprint Cup Division.
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