Nissan’s decision to produce its new Invitation model at its Sunderland, UK plant is likely to create 2000 jobs at the company and its suppliers. Production of the Invitation, which is a project totalling around £125 million, is due to start in 2013. Nissan says it will produce 100,000 of the cars a year when manufacturing gets underway.
"Although the new car market was down last month, it is positive to see an increase in private registrations highlighting that consumers are slowly coming back to the market." said Sue Robinson, Director of the RMI National Franchised Dealers Association (NFDA) which represents franchised car and commercial vehicle retailers across the UK, commenting on the SMMT’s new car registration figures.
ACEA, the European Automoblie Manufacturers' Association, has published figures showing that, in January, demand for new cars dropped by 7.1 per cent in the EU, compared to the same month a year earlier. In total, 968,769 new registrations were recorded in the region, with on average one more working day than in January 2011. These figures exclude Malta, for which data was unavailable.
Pirelli’s new Diablo Supercorsa SP (Sport Production) will be fitted to Ducati’s 195hp 1199 Panigale in 120/70 ZR17 (front) and the new 200/55 ZR17 rear size. Pirelli says the tyre’s SC – “Special Compound” – version will be used by Superstock 1000 FIM Cup riders this season. The announcement was made at the Yas Marina circuit in Abu Dhabi, the scene of the company’s recent 2012 season Formula One tyre launch.
JK Tyre and Industries Ltd, India’s number three tyre maker, has reportedly secured an OE supply deal to Daimler India Commercial Vehicles Pvt Ltd, supplying tyres for its Bharat Benz trucks.
“The latest original equipment manufacturer (OEM) client for us is Daimler India that will be rolling out trucks at its plant here,” Raghupati Singhania, vice chairman and managing director, told reporters on Monday 6 February, according local news sources. Daimler India is expected to launch its trucks sometime in the middle of this year.
Motorcycle manufacturer Triumph has selected Pirelli’s new generation Diablo Supercorsa as original equipment for its latest offering, the Speed Triple R. The new Triumph bike, which recently premiered at the EICMA, will feature the ‘SP’ or Sport Production version of the Diablo Supercorsa in size 120/70 ZR17 tyre for the front and 190/55 ZR17 on the rear.
Kia Motors Slovakia has produced the one millionth vehicle at its factory in Zilina – a white, diesel-engined cee'd SW. The car was immediately handed over to a Slovakian children's charity, the Red Nose Clowndoctors.
Titan Tire Corporation has entered into a three-year supply contract with earth moving machinery manufacturer Caterpillar. The tyre supply agreement begins this year and is valued at more than US$100 million.
A report in the UK press says that there are more charging points for electric cars in the UK than there are actual vehicles on the road.
With the first Chinese brand models set for sale in the UK and various European markets by the end of 2012, Chinese tyre manufacturers with OE-supply deals in their homeland could begin to see a very small amount of pull-through.
While some Chinese cars such as the Shanghai Automotive-owned MG brand are already driving on British roads under local monikers, Geely Automobile Holdings Ltd’s Emgrand EC7 family hatchback and saloon will be something of a first when it goes on sale in the UK. Geely, which is currently mid-way through a UK dealer recruitment programme targeting 40 dealers, appears to be trying to do what Hyundai and Kia have done in recent years and build a position quickly from scratch by offering “good quality, really good value for money and a long warranty.”
We are told that we are living in an age of austerity and belt-tightening, but this has not stopped Rolls-Royce Motor Cars announcing that 2011 was a record year for sales of the luxury marque. 3,538 cars were sold globally during the year, a 31per cent increase on the 2010 total of 2,711 cars. The figure represents the best sales result in the company's 107-year history; the previous record of 3,347 cars having been set in 1978 during the Silver Shadow II era.
Good news from the Volkswagen Group at the Detroit Motor Show, when it announced that global vehicle sales rose above 8m for the first time last year, passing Toyota and moving closer to expected number one General Motors.
The Range Rover Evoque has been named the 2012 North American Truck of the Year. The announcement, which was made at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, saw the Evoque triumph over tough competition from the BMW X3 and the Honda CR-V. The judging panel of senior US automotive journalists chose the Evoque as the winner after reviewing it against its competitors in six key categories: value for the dollar, innovation, handling, performance, safety and driver satisfaction.
Goodyear has given word that its Eagle F1 Supercar has been selected as original equipment on the 2012 Dodge Charger SRT8 Super Bee, which will begin arriving at dealers in the US early next year. In announcing the tyre’s supply, Goodyear commented that the “ultra-performance tread compound on Goodyear's Eagle F1 Supercar tyre helps provide exceptional dry traction and cornering grip to the 470-horsepower automobile.” Goodyear has not given specifics on tyre dimensions.
Hankook Tire America reports its selection as an original equipment fitment on Toyota’s iQ micro car, the company’s first deal with the Japanese car maker. Hankook Tire says that after “successfully satisfied Toyota's testing, tuning and customising process criterion” it will supply size 175/65R15 84S for the iQ; the tyre maker has not specified which specific Hankook tyre range will be fitted to the Toyota.
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