Lotus is ripping through media today like a tornado. There’s reports of the company going into administration, reports of CEO Dany Bahar going on ‘leave’ (fired), and rumours of Zhejiang Youngman Lotus Automobile interested in buying out Lotus. Zhejiang Youngman Lotus Automobile is the official Lotus importer in China, so […]
Industry
Australian vehicle sales for March 2012 shows steady growth
The official VFACTS figures for March are out, and it’s the Mazda3 out in front once again. The popular small car went to 3818 new homes last month, followed by the Toyota HiLux (4×2 and 4×4 combined), with 3561 sales, and the Holden Commodore, going to 3187 drivers. Perhaps the […]
Holden to cut 200 jobs at its South Australian production line
Just over one week after Toyota Australia announced 350 job cuts, Holden is also reshuffling its operations to cut costs and adjust to the high Australian dollar. Holden says it is reducing the current two-shift pattern on the General Assembly line down to one shift, reducing production from 460 vehicle […]
Ford Falcon future secure until 2016, Holden Commodore future pending
There’s been a bit of nervous tension lately surrounding the future of Australian-made vehicles, with declining sales of icons such as the Ford Falcon and Holden Commodore only making the tension more unsettling. At the 2012 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, currently underway, both Ford Australia’s executives, and […]
Holden Commodore loses top spot in Australian sales for 2011
The Mazda3 has overtaken the Aussie Holden Commodore as Australia’s most popular vehicle, according to official 2011 VFACTS figures. The Commodore has been the country’s best-selling vehicle for the past 15 years. Holden made 40,617 Commodore sales in 2011, while Mazda sold 41,429 examples of its Mazda3. Both figures are […]
US drivers ditch V8 for four-cylinder efficiency
It appears the home of the brave and the land of the free is fed up with putting their hands in their pockets to power big V8 engines. Yes, US consumers are finally giving up on the V8 in favour of four-cylinder efficiency, according to IHS Automotive and J.D Power […]
Polycarbonate plastic windows for future cars and F1?
Everyone remembers the late and great Ayrton Senna and his final drive. Sad it may be, but incidents like this are not exclusive to Senna. The FIA Institute has announced it is looking into developing fighter-jet-style polycarbonate canopy windshields for future Formula One (F1) cars. In the past 50 or […]
EV Connect supplies Fisker with recharging stations
Fisker Automotive Inc., a car brand that specialises in performance electric vehicles (EVs), has announced a new deal with EV Connect which will see all 47 of Fisker’s showrooms fitted with charging systems. An agreement announced on Wednesday has sealed the deal for EV Connect, which will now be the […]