Auto News 5

AvtoVAZ has said that its first half sales rose 22.7% year-on-year to 220,800 vehicles. Full story...

Peugeot UK's managing director has told just-auto that he expects the UK car market to decline to around 1.9m units this year. Full story...

Taganrog Automobile Plant (TagAZ) is to start production of BYD vehicles next month according to Russian press reports. Full story...

GAZ plans to sell 50,000 light commercial vehicles (LCVs) and 10,000 medium commercial vehicles (MCVs) in Russia in 2010, the company said in a report. Full story...

Less than a year after taking over as brand chief of sports car maker Porsche AG, Michael Macht has been reassigned because he failed to fill the big shoes of predecessor Wendelin Wiedeking. Full story...

Peugeot in the UK has launched its 'Mu' mobility rental scheme as a pilot led by two dealerships in London and Bristol. The scheme has already debuted in continental Europe and is designed to offer a flexible 'mobility solution' to urban dwellers, as well as promote the Peugeot brand and its products to potential customers. Full story...

Spyker has poured cold water on suggestions it is to launch a road version of its GT2 model for the Chinese market Full story...

MOSCOW (Bloomberg) -- BYD Co., the Chinese automaker partly owned by billionaire Warren Buffett, started assembling cars in Russia, BYD's local partner TagAZ said. Full story...

Mercedes-Benz had its best June ever last month with passenger car sales up 13% year on year to 113,300 units. First half sales were up 15% to 556,700 vehicles. Full story...

Mitsubishi has not ruled out the construction of a third factory in Thailand, although it is keeping its cards close to its chest. Full story...

Renault is breaking away from the angular styling favored by its former design chief, Patrick Le Quement. The automaker will show a concept car that highlight's the brand's more emotional design at the Paris auto show in October. Full story...

New-car registrations in Britain rose 10.8 percent in June to 195,226 vehicles, their 12th successive monthly increase, SMMT said on Tuesday. Full story...

Nissan Motor Co. said it aims to nearly double the mileage on its first hybrid car developed in-house compared with the gasoline-engine version, while keeping costs down with a simple, single-motor system. Japan's No. Full story...

Nissan Motor Co. said it aims to nearly double the mileage on its first hybrid car developed in-house compared with the gasoline-engine version, while keeping costs down with a simple, single-motor system. Japan's No. Full story...

Ford India has sent its first shipment of 1,200 Figo models to South Africa. The 1.4-litre petrol and diesel versions of the previous generation European Fiesta-based model will reach dealers in the middle of this month. Full story...

The second generation fortwo, introduced in the 2008 model year, is already up for a facelift. That's quite surprising given that the first-gen fortwo went almost 10 years with little in the way of changes. The game-plan then was to introduce special editions and concepts on a regular basis in order to maintain interest. This time around and as competition grows around the World in the micro-car segment, Mercedes has decided, wisely we would add, to keep the diminutive car fresh and interesting. Full story...

The 45 teams entered for the 33rd Edition of the Rallye Baie des Chaleurs, third round of the Canadian Rally Championship, will have to mind their wounds when they return home from their Gaspe Peninsula trip. Full story...

Zeewolde, the Netherlands - Spyker Cars N.V., manufacturer of premium automobiles under the Saab and Spyker brands, today confirmed it has paid the second and final instalment of the purchase price for Saab Automobile AB (''Saab'') to General Motors (''GM''). Full story...

Korea Auto Valley Operation (KAVO) has issued a press release on Tuesday that reaffirms that completion of the Korea International Circuit (KIC) is on schedule. Full story...

Well, June 2010 has already become part of history and for everyone concerned, that's a good thing. Why for everyone? Simple, those that have had a great first half of 2010 are looking forward to the next six months and those that have done very poorly, are hoping that the next half-dozen months will be better. See? Full story...