Hyundai To Skip Tokyo Motor Show

Hyundai Motor Co. has decided not to participate in the Tokyo Motor Show next month, apparently as part of its cost reduction strategy, it has been learned.

Hyundai has already notified the organizer about its withdrawal from the auto show, which will start on Oct. 24 at the Makuhari Messe convention hall in Chiba, organizers said.

This year, the American "Big Three" and other major foreign automakers have also announced their absence from the event. With only two overseas companies -- German carmaker Alpina and British sports car manufacturer Lotus -- taking part in the upcoming show, organizers fear that it will lack excitement.

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Hyundai To Skip Tokyo Motor Show

Hyundai Motor Co. has decided not to participate in the Tokyo Motor Show next month, apparently as part of its cost reduction strategy, it has been learned.

Hyundai has already notified the organizer about its withdrawal from the auto show, which will start on Oct. 24 at the Makuhari Messe convention hall in Chiba, organizers said.

This year, the American "Big Three" and other major foreign automakers have also announced their absence from the event. With only two overseas companies -- German carmaker Alpina and British sports car manufacturer Lotus -- taking part in the upcoming show, organizers fear that it will lack excitement.

»»  READMORE...

VW to Buy SsangYong Motor?

It appears Volkswagen isn’t busy enough with getting Porsche and being its sole owner. VW is now bent on taking over the South Korean automaker SsangYong Motor, which is operating under bankruptcy protection.

Months ago, SsangYong suffered a vicious strike when hundreds of workers decided to occupy a factory and shut down production entirely. Volkswagen has neither confirmed nor refuted the reports so far but it is believed that SAIC, the former SsangYong owner, collaborated with VW through the Shanghai VW joint venture.

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VW to Buy SsangYong Motor?

It appears Volkswagen isn’t busy enough with getting Porsche and being its sole owner. VW is now bent on taking over the South Korean automaker SsangYong Motor, which is operating under bankruptcy protection.

Months ago, SsangYong suffered a vicious strike when hundreds of workers decided to occupy a factory and shut down production entirely. Volkswagen has neither confirmed nor refuted the reports so far but it is believed that SAIC, the former SsangYong owner, collaborated with VW through the Shanghai VW joint venture.

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Chrysler Plans Facelifts

Chrysler and Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne is preparing to present his so-called Five Year Plan to the company's board on Friday. Part of the plan is to revamp five current Chrysler models by 2011, including the Chrysler Town & Country, Dodge Grand Caravan, Dodge Caliber, Jeep Compass, and Jeep Patriot. Products currently in the pipeline include the new Chrysler 300 and Jeep Grand Cherokee. The Fiat 500 minicar will bow in the U.S. in 2011.

A facelift usually takes two to three years to complete, but Marchionne is set on having the projects done within 18 months. To hurry the redesigns, engineers and designers are expected to put in as much overtime as needed to complete the task on schedule.

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Frankfurt Motor Show

Mainstream debuts
Among the mainstream debuts, which totalled 82 world premieres on the first day, this year have been the brand new Vauxhall Astra, Ford's second generation C-Max, Kia's latest Ceed and all-new B-segment Venga. Mini also unveiled its Coupe Convertible and Raodster concepts which it confirmed will go into production at its plant in Cowley, Oxfordshire.

This year's main emphasis, however, has been on new generation electric and hybrid vehicles.

Electric warriors
Amost every manufacturer unveiled an electric car, from the intriguing Peugeot BB1 and Citroën REVOLTe, to the sporty Audi e-tron, while Renault promised that all four of its zero emission concepts were "in the production pipeline."

If they weren't unveiling electric cars, companies were unveiling hybrids or green sub-brands such as Kia's EcoDynamics - the name which will be applied to the most eco-friendly cars within each Kia model range, all around the world.

With so many cars announced before the show, there were few major surprises. Audi just about managed to keep the lid on the e-tron.

Audi says the e-tron is a clear indication that it will develop an electric car and it's likely to be a sports car. VW's L1 was also closely guarded and highly radical.

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Nissan Rogue Crossover's Price

Nissan North America, Inc. has announced pricing for the 2010 Nissan Rogue Crossover SUV, which is on sale at Nissan retailers nationwide. The 2010 Nissan Rogue is offered in four high-mileage models, each equipped with a standard 170-horsepower 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine, Nissan's advanced Xtronic Continuously Variable Transmission, Vehicle Dynamic Control, 4-wheel disc brakes with anti-lock braking system and six air bags.

The manufacturer's suggested retail prices (MSRP) are $20,340 for the S four-wheel drive model, $21,930 for the SL four-wheel drive model, $21,540 for the Rogue S all-wheel drive, and $23,130 for the SL all-wheel drive.

For 2010, Rogue S models are available with a new 360 Value Package that includes 16-inch aluminum-alloy wheels, privacy glass, integrated rearview mirror-rearview monitor, auto-dimming rearview mirror, rear spoiler and chrome grille. The 360 Value Package is priced at $1,040, a $1,000 savings compared to purchasing items separately.

Source

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