Auto News 5

News 8 Nov, 2013

The Auto Express round-up of the five biggest news stories this week

What is it?

Tata Motors' second-quarter income gained 71 percent as sales at its Jaguar Land Rover unit expanded. Retail sales at the luxury unit rose at the fastest pace in four quarters boosted by demand for Jaguar models, including the F-Type convertible.

Tata Motors' second-quarter income gained 71 percent as sales at its Jaguar Land Rover unit expanded. Retail sales at the luxury unit rose at the fastest pace in four quarters boosted by demand for Jaguar models, including the F-Type convertible.

Tata Motors' second-quarter income gained 71 percent as sales at its Jaguar Land Rover unit expanded. Retail sales at the luxury unit rose at the fastest pace in four quarters boosted by demand for Jaguar models, including the F-Type convertible.

Audi's vehicle sales increased by nearly 7 percent in October on demand for the A3 and Q3 models, along with strong growth in China and the United States.

For the first time in more than two years, the Honda Fit [Jazz] outsold Toyota's Prius and Aqua models in Japan last month to become the nation's best-selling model.

GAZ Group says it is not yet ready to reveal its successor as CEO to Bo Andersson following his surprise decision to move to rival Russian automaker, AvtoVAZ.

The youngest generation of US car buyers is easing up on new car purchases in 2013, virtually erasing any momentum it gained in 2012, according to a new analysis by Edmunds.com.

Proton is targeting annual sales of 500,000 vehicles globally by 2018, according to local market research company AmResearch following a meeting with the Malaysian carmaker.

New vehicle sales in Indonesia increased by 3.5% to 110,507 units in October, from 106,754 units a year earlier, according to data released by automotive industry association Gaikindo.

When you think of Pininfarina-built cabrios and coupes from the 1970s, the

As the SEMA Show winds down, we bring you a quick gallery of the

Twelve cylinders. Twin-turbochargers. 621 hp and 738 lb-ft: Yeah, Mercedes-Benz's new S65 AMG sounds like a monster, and we mean that as a compliment.

We weren't particular surprised by Chevrolet's unveiling of a

French tyre manufacturer Michelin and Indonesia's Chandra Asri Petrochemical have agreed in principle to jointly invest US$435m in a new synthetic rubber plant in Indonesia to supply the local tyre industry and increase export potential.

Fiat will shortly join Daimler in offering car-share services in Milan as automakers seek new ways to attract young drivers who can't afford to buy cars in crisis-hit southern Europe.

Rolls-Royce buyers in China are a generation younger than their counterparts in Europe and the United States. The average age of a customer in China is 40 to 45 years old while it 60 to 65 elsewhere in the world.

Volvo CEO Hakan Samuelsson says the company's car production footprint in Europe is safe despite the region's chronic overcapacity. He also believes the region's sales slump could be coming to an end.

The new Mercedes-Benz S 65 AMG will be launched simultaneously at the Tokyo and Los Angeles auto shows later this month. The car is scheduled to go on sale next spring. Pricing has yet to be determined.

Equipped with a twin-turbocharged AMG V12 engine rated at 630 horsepower, the Mercedes-Benz S 65 AMG uses an AMG Speedshift Plus 7G-TRONIC transmission to sprint from 0-100 km/h in 4.3 seconds. Top speed is electronically limited at 249 km/h.

Moreover, the Mercedes-Benz S 65 AMG comes standard with the AMG sports suspension based on MAGIC BODY CONTROL, which recognizes road surface undulations in advance, and a lithium-ion battery that replaces both the starter battery and the backup battery -- resulting in a weight saving of over 20 kilograms.

Inside, the Mercedes-Benz S 65 AMG boasts exclusive, diamond-patterned nappa leather, sports seats with AMG logos, a high-resolution TFT colour display, a Burmeister audio system, and a panoramic sunroof.

Mercedes S65 AMG. (Photo: Mercedes-Benz)