Author: autoevolution

The number of vehicles sold in January 2010 in Western Europe are 14.9 percent higher than the same month of last year, according to a report by JD Power Automotive Forecasting cited by just-auto.com. The growth, however, is not that relevant, JD Power say, given the fact that January 2009 was a very weak month.

This is because back then the crisis was at its peak and government incentives and scrappage schemes were not yet in place. The growth registered this month comes from Germany, Franc… (read more)

Kamui Kobayashi turned from a full-of-perspectives GP2 Series driver into a Formula One certainty in a matter of months. While testing for Toyota last season, he was given the chance to show himself in the TF109 when replacing Timo Glock for the final two races of the season.

His running in Brazil and Abu Dhabi showed everyone that he is in fact F1 material, as he scored his first points in the series in only his second race. Additionally, his aggressive racing style caught the eyes of most t… (read more)

If you wake up in the morning when the clock alarm goes off, brush your teeth, take a shower, dress with the already prepared clothes you readied last night, run to your car and accelerate to the office… then it’s no problem. It’s just a morning like any other.

When you have to get up two hours early in order to reach your office, when the previous evening you didn’t have time to pick what clothes to wear today and the hot water is running late, when you know that a dented car with the fue… (read more)

Following reports which surfaced in the German media, which claimed the Japanese carmaker knew some of its vehicles are experiencing sticking pedals since 2007, Toyota’s European division stepped forwards and denied the claim. Sort of, as their denial is more of a confirmation.

"We are aware of Germany newspaper reports and have investigated that thoroughly as it appeared yesterday evening," a Toyota Europe spokesman told just-auto.com.

Toyota does admit however the accelerator … (read more)

The National Motor Museum recently purchased two motorcycles featured in the 2008 Top Gear Vietnam Special, when Clarkson, May and Hammond were challenged to travel the entire length of the country in just eight days. The two machines, a 1967 Piaggio Vespa 150cc VBC Super and a 1973 Honda 50cc Chaly, are currently displayed in the museum’s World of Top Gear exhibition.

The three presenters started their adventures in Saigon and they were each given 15 million Vietnamese dong to buy vehicles. … (read more)

German premium sports car producer Porsche has set a 2010 sales target of 10,000 units for the Chinese market, which is the third biggest for the company, as Bloomberg writes.

This aim has been set in the context of the country’s rising economic situation – which will increase the luxury cars’s commercial potential.

Last year, Porsche’s sales on the Chinese market totaled 9,090 units, which represents a 13 percent increase, head of Porsche’s Chinese arm, Helmut Broeker told Bloomberg. Chin… (read more)

Petter Solberg revealed his new livery for the 2010 season of the World Rally Championship, as the 2003 WRC champion will switch to the title winning Citroen C4 for the entire campaign. The Norwegian stated plenty of times before that he will not continue his WRC career unless he’ll have a chance of clinching the title, and that’s exactly what his aim is for the upcoming WRC programme.

Having secured a Citroen C4 WRC ride from the late stages of last season, Solberg revealed his new car color… (read more)

Driving in London is about to become even more expensive, as Mayor Boris Johnson is trying to cover some budget deficit. The initial proposition was to increase all bus fares by 12.7%, but it seems that not everybody agreed. The London Assembly Green Group suggested important changes to the Mayor’s 2010/2011 budget:

The Green Group amendment seeks to reverse the Mayor’s increase in bus fares. The £75m that the Mayor aims to raise from the 12.7% bus fare increase would instead be raised mostly… (read more)

Spyker, one of the most popular news subjects nowadays, is making the headlines one more time through the opening of a new dealership in Los Angeles. Galpin Motors, well-known for the supercars it sells through its network, will serve as the exclusive Spyker dealership in Los Angeles.

"We’re very excited to have Spyker join our Premier Collection," said Beau Boeckmann, Vice President of Galpin Motors. "Spyker’s machine-turned touch-points and high-end design elements, to its ai… (read more)

Although there are only 2 more seats up for grabs for the upcoming season of Formula One – one with Campos Grand Prix and the other with US Grand Prix Engineering – Austrian driver Christian Klien refuses to let go of his chances to be on the starting grid of the Bahrain Grand Prix.

The former BMW test driver admitted that it won’t be a catastrophe if he’ll spent one more season test driving for a Formula One team, but revealed that his chances of inking a racing deal for the 2010 season are … (read more)

Following the most recent bump in Toyota’s road, the Prius recall in the making, the Japanese carmaker has reportedly begun investigating the same issue in the Lexus HS hybrid, which shares some braking components with the Prius.

"They have very similar braking systems and we are currently checking whether they have the same problem, Toyota spokeswoman Ririko Takeuchi said according to Autonews. Nothing has been decided.

The HS, which is the first dedicated hybrid in Lexus’ line-up, … (read more)

Austrian manufacturer KTM revealed the MX rider lineup and the new 350 SX-F machine for the 2010 World Championship racing season the past weekend. Company CEO Stefan Pierer is confident the team has what it takes to win both the MX1 and MX2 World Championship titles.

Our factory riders are proven talent and we as a company recognize that the real race is not just on the track but also off it. That is why we strive to produce cutting edge technology and to have it reflected in products like t… (read more)

Although the Spyker – Saab deal is yet to receive the final signature, dealers in the United States have started receiving orders for the 9-3X, a report by saabhistory.com informs. Curiously, there are no pricing details available at this point, as the American dealers are only receiving 9-3X orders "just in case…"

To be more specific, the 9-3X orders would be honored only if the Spyker – Saab deal gets completed. The deadline for this to happen is February 15, so Americans who’re… (read more)

Campos Grand Prix’s deadline to come up with the money for their Dallara chassis prior to the start of the 2010 Formula One season has been further extended by the Italian manufacturer until next Wednesday. The latest deadline for the payments expired last week, but it seems the Spanish team was given one more chance to pay up their 4M euro debt to Dallara before losing the rights for the car.

As we’ve reported last week, citing several media connected to the Campos-Dallara situation, the Ita… (read more)

The Japanese car manufacturer Nissan announced its eco-drive support system, Eco-mode function and Navigation-linked speed control have won the ANRE (Agency for Natural Resources and Energy) Director-General’s award in the 20th annual Energy Conservation Prize.

Anybody can win this award as long as it brings important innovation to energy conservation. This includes the use of new energy- and resource-saving or high energy-efficient materials, equipment and systems for non-military use.

Ni… (read more)

Israeli company Better Place has inaugurated its first electric vehicle (EV) demonstration center in Israel, a site built inside a refurbished oil tank to remind people of the global automotive power source shift.

Israel welcomes the world to come and experience the thrill of clean, electric vehicles, the company said.

During the event, the company announced a partnership with Dor Alon, one of the biggest gas station operators in the country, for the development of a battery replacement n… (read more)

Fiat is really keen on continuing its plans to close the Termini Imerese plant in Sicily and said, through the voice of its CEO Sergio Marchionne, that a local scrappage scheme won’t save the production facility. Basically, Marchionne claims that a potential scrappage campaign would only help the auto sector on a short-term schedule, as buyers would hurry to purchase the cars they would normally acquire in the next years.

"Rather than a temporary stimulation of demand, what is needed now… (read more)

Following Bill Clinton’s call for 100 trucks to be sent to Haiti, Penske Corporation announced it has donated over $1 million worth of diesel-powered flatbed trucks (40 units) to the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund. The trucks are needed because they are more maneuverable and better suited to deliver food and supplies to various regions of Haiti.

"The catastrophe that has struck Haiti is almost unimaginable," said Roger Penske, Chairman of Penske Corporation. "These trucks will assist … (read more)

Although Nick Heidfeld was signed as test and reserve driver for Mercedes GP this season, the German will not see too much of this year’s car prior to the season opening Bahrain Grand Prix. The former BMW racer will not get to test the new W01 for one day this off-season, as reported by the German news agency SID.

According to that report, Mercedes motorsport director Norbert Haug insisted that the team’s main drivers Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg will get as many testing mileage as pos… (read more)

The Zero Emissions partnership formed by French carmaker Renault and Japanese manufacturer Nissan has signed yet another agreement for the promotion of electric vehicles, this time with the city of Houston. The announcement of the partnership was made during the Houston stop of the Nissan Leaf Zero Emissions Tour.

"For more than 100 years, Houston has pioneered advances in the energy field. With the same spirit of innovation, Nissan and the Renault-Nissan Alliance are committed to lead t… (read more)