GM confirms plans for Chevy Bolt production in Michigan.

Chevrolet this morning confirmed production of its next-generation pure electric vehicle, based on the Bolt EV concept. It will be built at General Motors’ Orion Assembly facility near Detroit.

GM North America President Alan Batey made the announcement ahead of the Chicago Auto Show. The Bolt EV concept was introduced last month at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

“The message from consumers about the Bolt EV concept was clear and unequivocal: Build it,” said Batey. “We are moving quickly because of its potential to completely shake up the status quo for electric vehicles.”

Leveraging the industry-leading battery technology found in the Chevrolet Volt and Spark EV, the Bolt EV concept was developed as a game-changing, long-range pure electric for all 50 states, designed to offer more than a GM-estimated 200 miles of range at a target price of around $30,000.

The progressively styled concept vehicle features selectable driving modes for preferred driving styles, such as daily commuting, and it was designed to support DC fast charging.

“We’re proud that Chevrolet has decided to produce the Bolt EV here in Michigan at the Orion Assembly facility,” Gov. Rick Snyder said. “Michigan unquestionably remains the global automotive leader. Chevrolet is tapping a skilled workforce that includes some of the most talented and hard-working people in the world for this cutting-edge vehicle. Chevrolet is an important part of our state’s automotive history, and Michigan-made products like the Bolt EV point to a bright future as well.”

Start of production and additional details will be announced later.

$200-million investment

GM’s Orion Assembly, home of the Chevrolet Sonic sub-compact and Buick Verano luxury compact,  and Pontiac Metal Center facilities are receiving a $200-million investment to support production of the next-generation electric vehicle. Orion will receive $160 million for tooling and equipment, and Pontiac will receive $40 million for new dies.

“As one of the most environmentally progressive facilities in GM’s global network, Orion Assembly is uniquely suited to build this game-changing electric vehicle,” said Doug Hanly, Orion Assembly and Pontiac Metal Center plant manager. “In partnership with UAW Locals 5960 and 653, we’re committed to building the highest level of quality into it.”

Located approximately 30 miles north of Detroit, Orion Assembly is powered by gas from two nearby landfills, which saves more than 6,300 tons of CO₂ from entering the atmosphere annually. It is also home to a 350-kilowatt solar array that produces the energy equivalent to power 165 homes and sends enough energy back to the grid to power about 45 homes.

“This is very exciting for our members who were facing the possibility of losing that plant during the auto crisis,” said UAW Vice President Cindy Estrada, director of the union’s GM Department. “Our members are also proud to have their plant chosen to produce what is sure to be another popular and dynamic Chevy product rolling off the line at the Orion Assembly Plant.”

Orion Assembly is the first GM facility to receive the Clean Corporate Citizen designation by the State of Michigan, and the Pontiac plant has earned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR^®Challenge for Industry three times.

REPORT HERE

USA - Nissan to import more Rogue Crossovers into the USA amid a sales boom for the model.

Renault-Nissan will export 38 percent more Nissan Rogue crossovers to the U.S. from South Korea in 2015 than planned earlier, to meet rising demand in North America.

The alliance will produce 110,000 Rogue crossovers at Renault’s South Korean factory for U.S. exports this year, from its previous plan of 80,000.

Nissan started producing the Rogue in South Korea and shipping it to the U.S. last year, a move that helped boost the factory utilization of Renault Samsung, the South Korean unit of the French carmaker.

Renault Samsung, squeezed by bigger rival Hyundai Motor Co. and German imports, saw its domestic sales nearly halve in 2012, although they have been recovering since then.

The Rogue, of which a new version was launched in 2013, is Nissan’s second best-selling model in the U.S. after its Altima midsize sedan, and posted a 13 percent rise in sales in January from a year earlier. Overall sales of compact crossovers rose 20 percent in the month.

Nissan also shifted the production of Rogue from Japan to the U.S. and started producing the model in Tennessee in 2013.

REPORT HERE

USA - All New FIAT 500 X is now available to configure online.

• U.S. customers can now configure their 2016 Fiat 500X
• Pricing for the all-new crossover begins at $20,000 MSRP
• The latest addition to the FIAT lineup, the Fiat 500X offers an available advanced all-wheel-drive system, functionality and an array of comfort, convenience, and safety and security features
• The 2016 Fiat 500X will arrive in FIAT studios in the second quarter of 2015

On the heels of the FIAT brand’s return to Super Bowl advertising, FIAT fans can now configure the 2016 Fiat 500X at www.fiatusa.com. Pricing for the all-new crossover, which will arrive in the U.S. market in the second quarter of 2015, starts at $20,000 MSRP.

“The Fiat 500X is the next step of FIAT expansion in the North American market,” said Jason Stoicevich, Head of FIAT Brand North America, FCA US LLC. “Personalization is a big part of who we are as a brand, so we are giving our customers a chance to jump-start the process and customize a Fiat 500X that fits their own needs and personality. Also, FIAT fans can now visit a studio to reserve a vehicle and be one of the first to own the Italian-made Fiat 500X.” 

The all-new Fiat 500X combines iconic Italian style with functionality, performance and available all-wheel-drive confidence. The vehicle is available in five trim levels. The Street series models, including the Pop, Easy and Lounge, feature the refined Italian style and design of the FIAT brand with a more urban appearance. The Trekking and Trekking Plus models feature a more aggressive and athletic look with unique front and rear fascia designs and satin silver accents. The base Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) for the 2016 Fiat 500X starts at $20,000 (excluding a destination charge of $900, taxes, title and registration fees):

• Pop: $20,000
• Easy: $22,300
• Trekking: $23,100
• Lounge: $24,850
• Trekking Plus: $27,100

The Easy, Trekking, Lounge and Trekking Plus models are all available with the Fiat 500X’s advanced all-wheel-drive system for an additional $1,900.

About the 2016 Fiat 500X

In the United States, the all-new Fiat 500X is available with the fuel-efficient 1.4-liter MultiAir Turbo engine paired with a six-speed manual transmission, with an output of 160 horsepower and 184 lb.-ft. of torque. The available 2.4-liter Tigershark MultiAir2 engine produces 180 horsepower and 175 lb.-ft. of torque, and is paired exclusively to a nine-speed automatic transmission on all-wheel-drive and front-wheel-drive models.

A disconnecting rear axle allows for reduced parasitic loss when available all-wheel-drive capability is not needed, improving fuel efficiency. The Dynamic Selector system allows the driver to choose from three modes (Auto, Sport and Traction +) for the most suitable vehicle configuration for different driving conditions.

The 2016 Fiat 500X offers up to 70 standard and available safety and security features.  Available features include Forward Collision Warning-Plus with full stop, LaneSense Lane Departure Warning-Plus, Blind-spot Monitoring and Rear Cross Path detection. Electronic stability control (ESC) with Hill-start Assist and electronic roll mitigation is standard on all models, as are seven air bags.

Loaded with technology and convenience, the Fiat 500X is available with features like Uconnect 6.5 radio with a 6.5-inch high-resolution touchscreen and navigation, Bluetooth streaming audio, Uconnect Access Via Mobile, a 3.5-inch color thin-film transistor (TFT) cluster display, Keyless Enter ‘n Go with remote start, and heated front seats and steering wheel.

The all-new Fiat 500X is crafted at the Melfi plant in Italy.

2014 saw serious growth on most markets to provide 2014 with one of the best years on record.

In December 2014, car sales increased in all major regions of the world with growth fastest in China, India and the USA. Europe also had a positive year with the market in the EU expanding for the first time in seven years. Although car sales were positive in Brazil and Russia in December 2014, full year numbers were down. In 2014, sales in India were flat while new passenger vehicle registrations in Japan increased by 3%. Growth in the USA and Europe was over 5% while China again led the way with a 13% increase in car sales in 2014.

Worldwide Car Sales in 2014 (January to December)

New light vehicle registrations in different major regions of the world as monitored by the VDA were as follows during the full 2014 calendar year:

Region	Dec 2014	% Change	Jan-Dec 2014	% Change	Jan-Dec 2013
Europe (EU+EFTA)	997,200	4.9	13,006,500	5.4	12,308,200
Russia*	270,700	2.4	2,491,400	-10.3	2,777,400
USA*	1,498,200	10.7	16,435,300	5.8	15,531,600
Japan	360,300	0.3	4,699,600	3	4,562,300
Brazil*	354,000	5.3	3,333,400	-6.9	3,579,900
India	209,000	12.4	2,570,500	0.7	2,554,000
China	1,969,100	19.2	18,368,900	12.7	16,303,700
Source: VDA			60,905,600		57,617,100
*USA, Brazil and Russia include light vehicles (trucks). % Change refers to same period the previous year.

Strong Car Sales in China in December 2014

China has been the largest car market most months during 2014 but sprung a final surprise with very strong growth in December. New passenger vehicle registrations in China increased by 19.2% in December 2014.

In 2014, new car sales in China increased by nearly two million cars to 18,368,900 cars – a 12.7% increase over 2013. German premium car brands mostly outperformed the overall market for another year of spectacular growth results.

Positive Car Sales in India and Japan in 2014

In Asia’s other two major car markets, the year ended positively after a changing year. In Japan, first quarter car sales were very strong in anticipation of a tax hike on April 1, 2014. Since then, the market has been mostly negative although often less so than was feared at the start of the year. Japan ended the year with a 3% overall increase in new passenger vehicle registrations but the outlook for 2015, especially in view of the very strong start to 2014, is negative.

India had a strong December with sales up 12%. However, car sales were negative many months in 2014 with the complete total up by less than a percentage point. However, India did overtake the Russian market by size in 2014.

Strong Car Sales in the USA in December 2014

The US light vehicle market had a difficult start to 2014 due to extreme winter weather but has been positive for most of the year. Sales in December 2014 were up 11% with lower fuel prices encouraging the market.

In December 2014, light vehicle sales (trucks and cars) increased by 11% to 1.5 million vehicles. Over the full year, sales increased by 6% to 16.4 million units – an increase of 60% since the crisis year in 2009.

In Brazil light truck sales increased by 5% in December 2014. The increase is largely seen as frontloading to avoid an increase in taxes in early 2015. For the year as a whole, car sales in Brazil were down 7%.

Car Sales Growth in Europe in 2014 (Full Year)

In 2014, the European Union and EFTA recorded the first annual sales growth since 2007. Car sales increased by 5.4% in 2014 to just over 13 million cars. Only six countries saw a decline in sales with the five biggest markets all recording positive growth, although in the case of France only just.

The UK alone contributed a third of the increase in sales in the EU during 2014 while Spain also saw a large increase in car sales. The British car market is poised to overtake the Russian market as the second biggest in the larger European region.

Sales of light vehicles in Russia increased slightly in December 2014 but this was probably due to rushed buying in anticipation of inflation and negative exchange rate effects in the near future. In 2014, the Russian car market shrunk by 10% and analysts expect a larger contraction in 2015.

RECALL - AUDI - various models recalled worldwide for fuel injection system faults.

Audi will recall 80,000 vehicles due to issues with the fuel-injection system, the automaker said, adding that about 35,000 are from China. The cars were made between April 2011 and April 2012, and "in rare cases customers may notice a smell of fuel in affected vehicles," Audi said in an e-mailed statement.

China's official Xinhua news agency, citing the country's quality watchdog, reported that Volkswagen's local joint venture, China FAW-Volkswagen Automotive Co. Ltd., will begin the recall on March 20, affecting various Audi A4, A5, A6, A7 and Q7 models.

China is Audi's biggest single market. Last year the automaker sold 578,932 vehicles there, a rise of 18 percent over 2013.

Last week, official data showed the world's second-largest economy grew at its slowest pace in 24 years in 2014 as auto sales growth halved to 7 percent from the year before.

USA - Playboy Mag announces Alfa Romeo 4C its Car of the Year for Sports & Convertible cars

With its race-inspired  performance and  advanced technologies wrapped by seductive curves that can only be handcrafted in Italy,  Playboy  magazine  named  the  all-new  Alfa  Romeo  4C “2015 Car of the Year – Sports Cars and Convertibles.” 

The annual award From Playboy represents a hand-picked list of their favorite vehicles in 2015.

“The gorgeous Italian exchange student you loved in high school isn’t coming back, but the stunning Alfa Romeo 4C is now here after years of being away,” said William K. Gock – Automotive Writer, Playboy. “This lightweight carbon-fiber-framed pistol uses flowing body curves, highly stylized alloy wheels and a monstrous engine roar to announce Alfa’s grand return. Behind the wheel it’s obvious the 4C is a machine built for high-speed cornering, not casual trips to the corner store, which is more than enough to earn our esteem.”

As part of the “2015 Car of the Year” selection process, William K. Gock spent time test-driving countless cars for Playboy and worked with the publication’s editors on the final list of winners.

“Playboy’s best sports car award speaks to the all-new Alfa Romeo 4C’s seductive styling, race-inspired performance and how hot it is in the marketplace,” said Reid Bigland, Head of Alfa Romeo North America. “With its sexy, head-turning mid-engine Italian design, each 4C represents more than 100-years of Alfa Romeo racing knowhow and Formula 1 inspired technologies – a combination we’re excited to offer North American enthusiasts and at a fraction of the price of other carbon fiber chassis supercars.”

Rolls Royce Motors breaks sales record again, for the fifth consecutive year.

• 4,063 cars delivered to customers in 2014 (+12%).
• Fifth consecutive record year and the highest sales in the marque’s 111-year history.
• Reaffirmation of leadership of super-luxury segment (>Euro 200,000 net).
• Bespoke personalisation at highest-ever levels.
• North America tops regional figures, ahead of the Middle East, Europe and China.
• United States is biggest individual market.
• 200 new jobs created over the past two years.
• Major expansion underway in Southern England.
• Results reaffirm Rolls-Royce’s status as the world’s leading super-luxury goods manufacturer.

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has today revealed record sales results for a fifth consecutive year, with 4,063 cars sold globally during 2014. This exceptional result means that sales have more than quadrupled since 2009.

Strong sales were reported worldwide, with double-digit growth in most regions, North America (up 30%), the Middle East (up 20%) and Europe (up 40%). The United States remained the company’s most significant individual market. Rolls-Royce’s home market, the United Kingdom, is the company’s fourth largest individual market (up 13%).

Europe saw strong growth in a number of markets with Germany up by 30%, while in Asia Pacific, Australia grew by 75%, Japan by 60% and Korea 20%. In the Middle East, highlights included Bahrain (up 50%), Kuwait (up 45%) and Oman (up 27%). Emerging markets such as Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Vietnam all showed promising growth.

The best-selling Rolls-Royce dealership in 2014 was Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Abu Dhabi. As part of the marque’s commitment to long-term sustainable growth, six new dealerships were opened in 2014, including Mexico City, Calgary, Canada and Gold Coast, Australia. A total of 127 dealerships are now in operation and further expansion is planned for 2015.

Torsten Müller-Ötvös, Chief Executive Officer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars said, “This fifth consecutive record year saw Rolls-Royce Motor Cars break through the 4,000 car sales level for the first time in its 111-year history. The result confirms that our strategy of balanced, sustainable and profitable growth is delivering and that Rolls-Royce remains the world’s leading luxury goods brand. This extraordinary success has been built on strong foundations: pinnacle products, dedicated people and a commitment to ensuring a balanced global sales picture.”

Sales were driven by strong orders for Ghost Series II, launched in November, and Wraith, which enjoyed its first full year of sales, while the incomparable Phantom remains the company’s pinnacle product.

Bespoke Collections including Waterspeed, Pinnacle Travel and Metropolitan, and unique creations such as the Maharaja Phantom Drophead Coupé contributed to Rolls‑Royce sustaining its leadership of the industry in the area of individualisation. In 2014, Rolls‑Royce once again sold more cars in the +Euros 200,000 net segment than any other manufacturer.

2014 also marked the first year in which every Phantom, and the great majority of Ghost and Wraith models, left the Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood in West Sussex, England with significant Bespoke personalisation. A record number of customers spent personal one-on-one time with Rolls-Royce’s Bespoke design consultants commissioning their personalised vehicles.

To meet such strong demand, particularly for Bespoke cars, the company has created over 200 new permanent jobs in the past 18 months. More than 1,500 people are now employed at the Home of Rolls-Royce.

Further evidence of Rolls-Royce’s commitment to expansion in Great Britain came in September when the company announced plans for its new Technology and Logistics Centre at Bognor Regis, close to Goodwood. Construction of the new 30,000m² facility, which is due to open in 2016, is well underway and around 200 new and existing staff in technical and logistics roles will be employed at the Centre.

Business Secretary, Vince Cable said, “Rolls-Royce motor cars are famous throughout the world with increasing numbers now exported abroad. The skill and dedication of its workers here in Britain has led to another very successful year.

“The UK’s automotive industry is thriving with a new car rolling off the production line every 20 seconds, and increasing levels of investment that’s helping to secure local jobs. Through our industrial strategy we are backing companies like Rolls-Royce Motor Cars as they go from strength to strength, giving them the right environment to invest with confidence and create high-skilled jobs”.

Historical sales:       

2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014
300	792	796	805	1010	1212	1002	2711	3538	3575	3630	4063

Rolls-Royce regions by sales in 2014:

1. North America
2. Middle East
3. Europe
4. China
5. Asia Pacific

Largest markets in the world for Rolls-Royce in 2014:

1. United States
2. China, mainland
3. UAE
4. UK
5. Saudi Arabia

Super-luxury segment definition. Above Euros 200,000 net.