General Motors of India is reportedly set to unveil a new mini car this coming December. The codename for the mini car is M300, a car that is undergoing its final round of testing and will be officially displayed at 2010 autoexpo in New Delhi. Production is set to commence at the Talegaon plant and may be priced somewhere in the Rs 4 lakh category. This car will go in line with the Chevrolet Spark and follows the recent launch of the Chevrolet Cruz.

(Source) Express India

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If all goes well with the technical evaluation of the Hyundai Genesis Coupe, we may soon see the European and UK release of the rear-wheeled drive coupe. This was revealed today as Hyundai Coupe has been put on an extensive evaluation program to determine the feasibility of holding an European launch for the said vehicle.

Although the top dogs over at Hyundai are convinced that the said Hyundai Genesis Coupe will be as successful in the UK markets, the best way is to approach it the proper way to avoid investing in a market where the car would be snubbed. Among the factors up for consideration are that of its right-handed navigation control and that of how the Hyundai Genesis Coupe would fare on UK roads. It looks like the Hyundai technical team have a lot of work to do if Hyundai is to penetrate a new market which could add to their list of Hyundai vehicle drivers.

(Source) Autocar

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Kia Motors America embraces the Facebook marketing pitch with the launch of the “Go Hamster Go” Facebook app that makes use of face-recognition technology as well to through the use of webcams for people who have one.

The highlight of the game is the 2010 Kia Soul urban passenger vehicle. The player controls the competition with his or her face using a virtual magnet that “connects” to his or her forehead. The object of the game is to grab a hamster with the magnet as it comes off of a conveyer belt and place it into a Soul as an onscreen clock ticks down.

Each hamster wears a colored t-shirt mirroring a Soul paint color (Java, Alien Green, Molten, etc.), and when the player successfully drops a hamster into a Soul, the car turns into that color and drives away, while the next empty Soul arrives. The exit window lists the final score as well as the many exciting personalization options the user managed to add to the Soul.

This new marketing strategy and ad campaign promises to be something that should build on the 2010 Kia Soul vehicle. With Facebook making strides and posing as a new form of promotional campaign, expect the Soul to benefit a lot from this new game like most products marketed via this popular social networking site.

(Source) Press

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Harman International has made good its promise to stay on top as the leader in automotive entertainment as it reports a successive launch of 13 major audio and infotainment platforms for the automotive industry. The list of car enhancements include custom in-car audio, navigation, hands-free communication and driver assist technologies.

Among the brands that have benefitted from this massive effort include marquee car brands like Audi, BMW, Chrysler, Hyundai, Mercedes, Porsche, PSA Peugeot Citroen, and Ssangyong.
(more…)

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Answering the need to be more eco-friendly as far as their business operations are concerned, Team Honda, Team Nissan and Team Toyota have announced the launch of their first carbon neutral dealerships in Lithia Springs, Georgia. After starting out with their tire and oil recycling measures, the auto dealers are now focusing their attention on offsetting their carbon footprint to become the first carbon neutral dealers in Georgia.

The concentration now is to bring down their energy use, a practice that has drawn prices and queries from their customers on where they can get one for their own homes or offices as well. Additionally, employees are given thermal porcelain cups in lieu of the usual Styrofoam which itself is an eco-friendly hazard.

All AutoNation dealerships, Team’s parent company, make it easy for car buyers to shop for more fuel-efficient vehicles with its E-Vehicle program. The program identifies cars and trucks that produce at least 28 miles per gallon or deliver 10 percent better fuel efficiency than average for their class. AutoNation also singles out what they call “F-vehicles” with a yellow leaf logo; these are cars and trucks that use flex-fuel technology.

With the combined efforts of these popular auto dealers, the call to lower carbon emissions and the various practices to attain it should be something customers and employees will learn from. Hopefully they will be the catalyst to improve on the call for better green living needed these day.

(Source) Press

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With the growing number of people looking for ways to improve their vehicle, here is a great online resource that can be a big help. Detailing.com has been something that has aided most car owners in improving their vehicles but now, you can easily do so by simply logging on to their site and see what you need for your car.

The company and new website caters to professional detailers and car care enthusiasts nationwide and offers the best selection of car care products and detailing supplies from the industry’s top brands including Meguiars, Mothers, 3M, Stoner Car Care, Eco Touch, Surf City Garage, PUR Car Care, SmartWax and dozens more.

And if you think advice is all you will get there, guess again. With the new launch, they are offering a 10% discount on purchases until the end of this month. All you have to do is apply the “10OFFJULY” during checkout.

(Source) Press

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With the Fourth of July weekend fast approaching, a lot of people will be traveling and spending a lot. But Kentucky Fried Chicken aims to be of assistance as they open their own “filling” station along I-80 which coincides with the launch of their $5 Fill-up Boxes.

Just for that day, the Big Ten Mart in Davenport, Iowa will be transformed into a KFC Filling Station. Patrons will pay $5 for up to 15 gallons worth of gas plus a KFC gift check for a $5 Fill-Up Box. All dollars collected at the KFC Filling Station will be donated to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, a not-for-profit charity dedicated to saving lives and reducing injuries on the roads via public education.

“Fourth of July travelers will log an average of 614 miles roundtrip this upcoming holiday weekend,” said Gail Weinholzer, Director of Public Affairs for AAA Iowa. “For just a $5 donation to AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, KFC will top off both gas tanks and stomachs to introduce their new $5 Fill-Up Box.”

(Source) Press

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Tata Motors kicks off one leg of its new found business, launching the Jaguar and the Land Rover in India. The re-branding prowess of Tata Motors starts by unveiling the two luxury car brands in Indian waters, launching three models of each brand.

Jaguar will be unveiling the XF, XFR and the XKR sedans while Land Rover will start its business with Discovery 3, Range Rover Sport and Range Rover sport utility vehicles. Being fully imported models, all the six cars carry a heavy price tag starting Rs 63 lakh and going up to Rs 92 lakh.

“The launch of Jaguar and Land Rover is something that is quite memorable in the context of our history and heritage of Tata Motors. This is a company that belongs to us and we are proud of it.”

While the economy is still in turmoil for most parts of the world, no sales forecasts were unveiled by Tata Motors just yet. Right now, all they can do is stay optimistic, similar to what most business are banking on today.

(Source) Business Standard

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A new dashboard design for the liquefied petroleum gas-electric hybrid version of the Avante has been released and will be installed upon the launch of the car for next month. The Hyundai Avante is the first hybrid car that makes use of a 1.6-litre LPG engine that manages 17.8 kilometers per liter of fuel.

One highlight of the new gauges is the image of a plant in the center of the speedometer which lights up if the car is well-maintained with the highest fuel efficiency.

The dashboard also has an Eco Guide display that tells the driver how economically the car is being driven.

(Source) Asia One

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JMobile offers a great fleet management solution with the launch of their JMobile GPS Vehicle Tracking System. Normally, the matter of trying to optimize and make sure that vehicles carrying out deliveries and the like would be a problem such as a broken down vehicle somewhere. Many have tried the manual means of close monitoring but have not shown accurate returns.

This time around, GPS technology can help monitor and determine slack time which was originally untraceable. The new Mobil-i JMobile software is a Java based application which means it can run on all of the popular mobile devices regardless of phone network or brand of device. Users can bring up their vehicles current location & status which can quickly be displayed & plotted onto either satellite view or map view.

“Using the Mobil-i tracking system we were able to pinpoint the broken down truck and give its exact location to the recovery service. This meant they got out to him quickly and were able to get him moving again in time to catch the ferry. This one example saved us over €1000 for that day alone” ” – Paul Brady, Owner of Hawkesbury Services Santry, Dublin 9, Ireland.

So it is a matter of addressing issues which normally relied on a phone call or worst, failure to deliver on time issue. This time around, whether your driver is just taking his sweet time for no apparent reason, companies can determine the problems included in the whole mix.

(Source) Press

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Renault has officially released the pricing for its Laguna 2010, the latest Hatch and Sport Tourer which was made available for pre-order last June 1 ahead of its expected launch on July 10, 2009. The new Laguna 2010 range will be priced from £16,795 to £25,650.

Featuring a new ‘GT’ sport look for the core-selling versions in the Hatch and Sport Tourer ranges, Laguna 2010 also introduces several new equipment features and ten eco versions. Emphasising the increasing growth of Renault’s eco programme, all eligible versions of Laguna 2010 will feature its badging, as well as the label as part of their full model name.

Among the changes with the new range is the launch of the new Carminat TomTom navigation system, combining Renault’s expertise with TomTom’s technology. Affordable, easy-to-update and user-friendly, it boasts a large 5’’8 colour display, with the accuracy of data and ergonomy of a fully integrated system.

Laguna 2010 also benefits from the 3D Sound by Arkamys system with Bluetooth, from the New Mégane range. Now offered as standard across the range, it will soon be joined by a Bose Sound system

(Source) TTKN News

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A day after the said launch of the UK’s car scrappage scheme, Toyota and Honda have reportedly held back, stating that they need exact figures on just how much they will be contributing before they actually participate in the said scheme.

The need for clarification and certainty seems to be demanded by the two car manufacturing giants, opting to see in black and wait just how much would have to contribute to the scheme, which was designed to kickstart moribund sales and revive the flagging industry.

To refresh your memory, Motorists who trade in their old car and buy a new model from participating manufacturers will receive a £2,000 discount, half of it paid by the government and half by the car industry.

Unless this issue gets resolved, sudden constraints have come up. And knowing how many motorists own cars under these two car giants, you know that something may eventually hinder the success of this car scrappage scheme in the United Kingdom.

(Source) Guardian

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The debut of the Lexus IS C With Retractable Hardtop convertible is said to be the new and playful personality of the Lexus, adding a totally new dimension to its IS line. And to make sure you don’t miss it, an integrated marketing campaign has been launched to emphasize the vehicle’s adventurous, playful personality and reach consumers looking for a thrill.

The launch campaign features three IS C broadcast spots and one IS full-line spot, as well as print, interactive, out-of-home and support at key Lexus-sponsored events. The TV spots titled, “Hop In”, “Running” and “Look Out”, feature the tag line, “Live a little, a lot.” Each highlights the thrill of driving the IS C, as the car hugs every curve on the road and the drivers experience the thrill of driving top-down in a Lexus.

The new 2010 IS C carries a retail price of $38,490 for the IS 250 C and $43,940 for the IS 350 C.

(Source) Press

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Everyone who is an avid follower of BMW knows for a fact that pricing and availability has already been announced last month. And following up that report, the BMW X5 Sports Edition is now officially available in the Middle East.

As we all know, Dubai has become the wise choice for debuting and targeting consumers who invest heavily on cars today. This is perhaps one of the reasons why the BMW group decided to push for the launch of the X5 series, knowing it can catch a good number of the car lovers market.

The BMW X5 Sport Edition takes the evolution of this class a step further by offering a range of features that further enhances the athletic appearance of this Sports Activity Vehicle. Available for the 4.8 and 3.0 engine variants, the Sports Edition delivers a number of M kit features, and high gloss BMW Individual roof rails.

While many BMW lovers are eagerly awaiting to get their chance of seeing this new BMW X5 Series made available in their own regions, the Middle East consumers get first crack at this latest luxury sports vehicle. How lucky can you get!

(Source) Eye of Dubai

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For the car repair establishments, here is something that should really assist in rendering ordered services for motorists on their car. Environmental Systems Products (ESP) today announced the launch of its SystemOne Garage Equipment line. An expansion of ESP’s full-service product offerings, the line includes high-performance lifts, tire changers, wheel balancers, and additional garage tools.

ESP’s SystemOne Garage Equipment includes a variety of two and four-post heavy-duty lifts, three levels of tire changers, and two levels of wheel balancers. All components are designed for ease of use, time efficiencies, and enhanced productivity.

ESP SystemOne Garage Equipment is launching in California, Texas, Georgia, Pennsylania, and Virginia.

(Source) Press

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