AsiaOne Motoring

>> ASIAONE / MOTORING / NEWS / ARCHIVE

2009

Jan

Feb

March

April

May

June

July

Aug

Sept

Oct

Nov

Dec

2008

Asian auto industry faces slowdown Japan and Korea hit hard by weakening demand in the United States and Europe. -AFP		Bike riders most at risk Newly-released figures show that 108 motorcyclists and their pillion riders died last year. -ST

LTA's drive yields results Safety features installed at accident-prone spots made a difference.		M'sian motorists welcome end to fuel rebates Money can be better spent on 'more pressing issues.'

Viet holiday accidents kill 250 An average of 50 people a day were killed in transport accidents in Vietnam during the Lunar New Year celebrations. -AFP		More accidents and deaths on S'pore roads Motorcyclists and pillion riders remain most vulnerable users for 10 years running.

Under siege: Thailand's petrol stations Drivers, farmers vie for last drop at lower prices.		Local firm wins final Marina expressway contract $305 million bid pushes cost past $4 billion, costliest road here.

	The hypermiler iQ Toyota iQ breaks official mpg figures in a hypermiling challenge.		Fastlane: The bull wins Lamborghini overtakes Ferrari in sales, Panamera's details revealed and the Toyota RAV4 facelifted.

Peugeot, BMW weighing alliance? Delegation from BMW reportedly visited the offices of the French presidency, prime minister and finance minister. -AFP		Cabbie sues 3 drivers His taxi was sandwiched in a six-car collision along the CTE. -ST

	'Let Putin ride a handcart' Hundreds in Russia protest over used car tariffs as consumers prefer to buy foreign models.		BMW denies talks on cooperation with Peugeot Two sides only talked about electric vehicles and political cooperation on sustained mobility.

	S.Korea's Ssangyong resumes production It had mostly halted production at all plants, citing a shortage of parts.		Ford may need to access govt aid in late '09 Barclays Results a reflection of how quickly international markets have deteriorated.

	January car sales slide Japan new car sales down 28 perc ent, S.Korea sales down 35 per cent, Spain 41 per cent, France 8 per cent.		Million $ beauty joins stable: Spyker The Dutch exoticar, listed at $1.05 million, is making its official debut here under Auto Palace, a Hong Seh-owned company

	Seven car importers face tax evasion charges Buyers of affected cars may have their scrap values adjusted upwards.		More buyouts for GM, Chrysler Move to reduce blue-collar workforce as auto industry braces for further trouble ahead.

	Car ends up in the Pacific A prank to hang a Volkswagen Beetle from a major bridge failed.		Cabbies deliver books to disabled for free Cabby-Care Charity Group helps with home delivery service of library books for disabled.

Mitsubishi to cut 300 US jobs Mitsubishi is likely to log a group net loss of around 20 billion yen (S$337 million). -AFP			Creating the Artega GT was speedy It is expected to cost under $400,000 and arrive in the middle of this year.

	Drive to cut accidents at 'black spots' yields results Safety features installed include traffic lights controlling right-hand turns and tree pruning.		One in two pedestrians killed is above 60 Traffic Police says elderly fatalities were likely to be jaywalking.

	Young riders still most vulnerable They account for half of all road deaths.	US auto sales go from bad to worse 37 percent drop in January sales from a year earlier. -AFP

	Japanese city offers cash for buying Mitsubishi cars The municipal aims to promote car sales by offering residents $1,680.		Volkswagen pushing ahead with U.S. investment Volkswagen bullish on US plans despite recession. Consumers need incentives for fuel efficiency.

	BMW's designer Chris Bangle to leave carmaker Bangle plans to pursue his own design-related endeavours beyond the auto industry.	Small car premiums dip further Cat A closed at $1,020 down from $2,693.

	US auto sales hit 27-year low, topped by China GM sales down 49 percent; Chrysler off 55 percent.		Citroen says to launch new DS-inspired range The French automaker has plans to launch a new high-range line of cars.

	Fiat says Chrysler link is 'lottery' Alliance will be of no value if Chrysler fails to recover.		VM M'sia to spend more in '09 The company has signed on a four-year deal to be part of the Monsoon Cup.

	Number of CNG cars up 10 times High oil prices drove up car sales last year but demand may dip as pump prices drop.	Car explosion injures Arkansas doctor A car exploded severely injuring the chairman of the state's medical board. -Reuters

	Jaga kereta boys resurface in KL Illegal parking attendants who are notorious for extorting at public places are making a comeback.	School-bus driver charged with boy's death The car hit her vehicle, and Russell - a pupil of Pei Chun Public School - was thrown out of its back door. -ST

	Unveiled: Aston Martin's V12 Vantage at Geneva It will feature a 6.0-litre V12 engine producing 510 bhp and 570 Nm of torque.		Japan's Mitsubishi, Mazda and Subaru to sink into red Car automakers face double whammy of sliding sales and an appreciating yen.

	Honda sees Insight hybrid below $20,000 in U.S. Makes its first real attempt at selling gas-sipping hybrid cars in big volumes.		Lower flag-down fares for taxis Peak hour fares should also be reviewed, say smaller taxi operators.

Mitsubishi cuts Thai output It forecast a net loss of $992 million for the year to March. -AFP		3 friends killed in crash The car they were in rammed into the divider on Jelutong Expressway at 4.40am. yesterday.

	Court gives ailing S.Korea carmaker room to manoeuvre Debt-burdened Ssangyong gets temporary protection from creditors.		GM, China's FAW Group say in partnership talks US auto giant get a further foothold in the Chinese marketi with joint venture.

	Citroen says revamp, new DS will help it beat crisis The first in the range, the DS3, will go on sale from early 2010.		US auto suppliers seek government bailout Cash-strapped automakers requests for some $25 billion (S$37.8 billion) in assistance.

	U.S. hires advisers on auto restructuring Both GM and Chrysler face a Feb. 17 deadline to submit updated restructuring plans to the U.S. government.		Toyota warns of big annual loss But Toyota said it had no plans to close plants or further shrink its workforce.

Road closures in Chinatown The one-way Mosque Street will be turned into a two-way street during the road closures.		Roads closed for Thaipusam Police advise motorists to avoid the designated route as well as the peripheral roads leading to the affected areas.

F1 drivers slam license fee hike The GPDA has advised drivers to hold off signing this year's licences pending further talks.-Reuters			Freak accident kills man on platform He is believed to have fallen forward just as a train pulled in.

Rider and pillion injured Accident occured on Sunday night along Boon Lay Way involving a car and a motorcycle. -ST		French car industry gets aid Sarkozy announced state loans of almost eight billion euros (S$15.5 billion). -AFP

	Nissan sees first loss under Ghosn, to cut 20,000 jobs Nissan blamed the global economic crisis for an expected net loss of S$4.4 billion dollars in March.		Nissan seeks US gov't loans for electric cars Nissan is the first Japanese automaker to seek taxpayer-funded loans to facilitate its U.S. manufacturing plans.

	So many surcharges, so few passengers One cabby says his earnings down to $6 an hour amid recession.		France to loan Peugeot, Renault 3 billion euros each French automakers promised to safeguard French jobs in return, but Sarkozy's move drew criticisms from other EU states.

	Bob Lutz, GM's colorful product czar, to retire Tom Stephens, GM's current exec. VP of global powertrain and quality, will take over as GM for product development.		French car industry rescue may irk EU partners French government has a 15 percent stake in Renault but it is thought family-controlled Peugeot Citroen, could get funding too.

3 claim to be victims of bogus car dealer Customers allegedly lost thousands of dollars; police are investigating. -ST		F1 costs vastly reduced The sport has been in crisis since the world economic crisis got in full swing. -AFP

	Bus driver hurt in bid to stop robbers Robbers stole SBS driver's wallet, slashed him on the left shoulder and wrist.	GM Daewoo seeks help South Korean unit of General Motorsasked Seoul to provide support including financial help. -Reuters

	A ride so smart, it's spooky BMW's new 7-series will phone Munich if it senses that it needs a visit to the workshop.	Yamaha Motor faces loss It would cut hundreds more jobs to cope with the economic downturn. -AFP

GM may sell China stake It's US sales tumbled 23 per cent in 2008. -Reuters			Nissan eyes 4.6 pct rise in China car sales in 2009 Nissan's joint venture with Dongfeng Motor Co. last year kicked off a five-year business plan with a goal of selling 1 mil vehicles in 2012.

	Hyundai sees upturn in US auto sales late '09 Sales to climb to 12 million units per year after Q3, says CEO of Hyundai US.		Aerodynamics to drive auto design-GM There is still room to design sporty or roomy vehicles without sacrificing fuel efficiency, said GM's VP.

	Chrysler on track to meet viability plan date Chrysler, which has received a $4 billion government loan, said it is fine-tuning the viability package.	COE quota cut Total COE quota available to be reduced by 24 per cent.

Rolls-Royce reports $2b loss Full-year underlying pre-tax profit increased by ten percent to 880 million pounds. -AFP			Incentives to drive off-peak There are about 42,000 OPCs today, five times more than the 5,000 back in end-2005. -ST

Okay to foldable bicycles They will be allowed on trains and public buses during off-peak hours from March 15. -ST			Cab fare cheat strikes again Cab drivers around the island are suspecting that a familiar female fare cheat is making her rounds again. -AsiaOne

Pump prices up for 2nd time in a fortnight Caltex was the latest to up its rates. -ST			Next stop: New MRT stations Pioneer and Joo Koon open in 2 weeks, 5 on Circle Line in May. -myp

	Electric scooters for M'sian roads Scooters for M'sia can go as far as 70km at 45kph without recharging.	F1 boss to save Honda The Japanese manufacturer pulled out in December. -Reuters

How much is that petrol? An insight into how M'sia sets the price mechanism for petrol and fuel.		GM's 'car czar' retires Mr Lutz will stay on in an advisory capacity until the end of the year. -AFP

	Blueprint for bus networks in the works Profits and viability will not be sacrificed in the new network,	Four MRT lines in Marina Bay by 2018 MRT stations to be within 400m walking distance in Marina Bay.

Fast growth in public transport ridership Ridership grew by 7.4 per cent, the fastest growth rate in many year, says Transport Minister.		No change to road tax and registration fees Transport Minister says no change even if revenue from new ERP gantries might fall.

Transport Ministry highlights Good news for commuters - fares will be adjusted downwards this year.		Safety features to warn motorists at crossings Two principles guide implementation of safety features at pedestrian crossings.

Automakers should restructure This as General Motors and Chrysler prepared to present their plans. -AFP			Bright spark Chevrolet offers new subcompact, BMW 7-series launched in S'pore and VW unveils a new performance diesel-concept.

	Drawing in buyers or exhibitors a challenge As money gets tighter for consumers and car companies, show organizers find it hard to compete for the attention of both.		GM may need threat of failure to survive GM remains in talks with bondholders and the United Auto Workers union to win agreement on a sweeping restructuring that would wipe out some $28 billion in debt for the automaker.

	Worries abound for workers as auto deadline nears With lowest U.S. auto sales in three decades, GM and Chrysler have up to eight assembly plants that they no longer need.		GM, UAW talks resume as deadline looms UAW said they hoped the Obama administration would soften the auto loan terms imposed by former President George W. Bush.

Comfort may buy UK bus firm National Express has been holding talks to sell its London bus operations to Comfort DelGro.		Taskforce to revamp US autos Obama to form a government task force to oversee restructuring of the struggling auto industry. -Reuters

BMW to axe 850 Mini jobs Mini sales off by 35% this year. -AFP		Rivals to jointly make parts Agreement between luxury car rivals BMW and Daimler. -AFP

Renault sponsor ING pulls out Cost reduction programme ends F1 sponsorship. -Reuters		Space age car gears up The Aptera is an egg-shaped two-seater often likened to space-age car from 'The Jetsons'. -Reuters

1,500 more cars daily Nearly 1,500 cars a day have been added to Beijing's streets since the start of the year. -AFP		Germany to take Opel stake? Germany could take a holding in Opel if its parent company, General Motors, declares bankruptcy. -AFP

	Carve out Opel and Saab? Potential scenarios for General Motors' survival plan include selling Opel and Saab.		Transport giant's profits fall Profits down 10.3 per cent to $200.1 million due to soaring oil prices and foreign exchange losses.

	Off-peak car scheme to get a tune-up Govt to replace paper permits, relook rebate system and restricted hours.		Better cycling facilities in 5 neighbourhoods $43 million programme to promote cycling as a mode of transport.

Saab bankrupt this month? Saab could file for bankruptcy protection if the US automaker does not obtain support from the Swedish government. -AFP			GM, Chrysler seeks nearly $22 bln more U.S. aid Is GM, Chrysler throwing 'good money after bad?'

	Motor Image expects higher Subaru sales Subaru has grown its sales here every year for the past 10 years.	Toyota to restore production May should be a better month as new models such as the third-generation Prius comes online.

	Proton Exora to cost less than RM80,000 Bookings for Proton's maiden multi-purpose vehicle, Proton Exora, starts on Saturday.		Toyota's US workers avoid layoff threat for now But measures to reduce the workweek have been taken in the hopes sales will pick up.

	German Daimler warns of a tough 2009 Expected sales to fall further by another 10 percent in 2009.	China to offer rebates on green vehicles Government to offer cash rebates of up to 600,000 yuan.

Better safety markings for pedestrian crossings Road markings for pedestrians will be made more visible to motorists through two LTA initiatives.		Biker dies in road accident He was travelling along Bedok North Road when his bike skidded and crashed into the centre road divider.

COE premiums rebound Premiums increase across the board. Cat A rebounded by 337 per cent.		Hunt for best F1 photo Tourism board and Singapore GP are looking for the best picture that captured the buzz and suspense of last year's F1 race.-ST

Sweden will not rescue Saab This despite a warning from owner General Motors that the unit would go under without official help. -AFP		RON 97 price to be floated 'Regular' RON 92 will be phased out and new grade RON 95 to be introduced, says several retailers.

4.6% reduction in bus and train fares from April Reduction will more than offset the fare increases of the past three years combined.		Pump prices down Decrease of three cents per litre across all grades of petrol and diesel.

Road closures for Sunday's OCBC Cycle Singapore Some roads will be closed to traffic to ensure the safety of participating cyclists. -myp		Americans driving less Since the trend began in Nov 2007, motorists have travelled 185 billion fewer kilometres. -AFP

	Skoda Fabia Scout breaks cover The new addition to the Scout family will debut at this year's Geneva Motor Show.		Hyundai reveals three-door i20 New body style aimed at younger buyers.

	Cheers for the Circle Line Early opening of five stations, in May, improves access to Little India and Sri Ramakrishna Mission. -Tabla!		Who would buy a 60-yr-old automotive design? Apparently there are still some people who snapped it up despite the doubled price.

No collision, but driver still to blame She cut into a motorcyclist's path causing him to skid and fall off, but drove off.			Pump prices: 2nd drop in two days Pump prices have been reduced by four cents per litre for 98-octane and ultra-premium fuels.

Tenders for permanent Changi race track soon Finalisation of tenders for a permanent race track at Changi are over half a year later than originally scheduled.			Rolls-Royce unveils experimental 200EX The 200EX has a dynamic edge to its styling and is noticeably less formal than previous models.

M'sia: Pay more for RON97? The govt may increase the tax of RON97 in order to subsidise the production of the new RON95.			Saab on the road to independence Swedish court process to reorganise Saab into a fully independent business as funding is sought.

Brisk bookings for Proton MPV at sales launch The Proton Exora will be exported to Indonesia, Thailand and Singapore in July. -The Star/ANN		Digital eyes on the lookout for speed fiends Digital cameras will be installed along highways and accident-prone areas by this year to nab speeding drivers. -NST

Proton Exora orders pour in Designed for affordability, spaciousness and comfort, the Proton Exora will be powered by 1.6-litre CamPro engine. -NST			How much will you save on public transport? Bus and train fares fall for first time in 4 years but commuters aren't satisfied.

Poly students still want JC fare structure They aren't cheering even though they will pay $2 to $4 less for their fares each month.		Get paid $2,000 to discard your old cars M'sia proposes incentive to aid automotive industry and reduce number of old cars.

Honda names new president New president to come in June. -AFP			C&C pins LCV hopes on new Berlingo It will be offered in standard and extended body sizes. -BT

	Opel cannot be allowed to fail: German minister The collapse of Opel could cost German taxpayers up to three billion euros.		Saab CEO says unit eyed by other carmakers Its U.S. parent, General Motors, has said it wants to cut the unit loose.

	Survival of GM Europe brands depends on state aid Sweden rejected Saab's plea for state aid until its business plan is sound.	Woman hit by car in Jurong 33-year-old driver of the car is assisting police with investigations.

Suzuki recalls 130k vehicles Defect in rear tyre system may cause vehicles to roll over, says Japan's transport ministry.		No job? Try driving a bus; Govt could help Bus companies are short of drivers, and the job might even pay more than being a cabby, said PM Lee.

	Opel cancels lay-off plans, increases Corsa output Cost-conscious customers look at smaller and cheaper models because of recession.		Nano car launched next month Sporty-looking 4-dr Nano has drawn worldwide attention due to its planned price tag of $3,064.

Top up new ez-link with GIRO or credit card Top-up facilities rescheduled to be progressively available from April 16 onwards.		GM posts massive US$9.6b loss GM said results reflectedglobal economic crisis and industry-wide collapse in vehicle demand.

	BikeAsia 2009 attracts bigger, better brands There will be motorcycles and bicycles, apparel, accessories, as well as stunts galore.	Hyundai hybrid may hit roads in 2nd half Korean brand only the third to offer petrol-electric car.

	Warm response to Exora The new MPV received 800 pre-orders since booking opened on Saturday.	F1 begins sale of promotional tickets tomorrow The Malaysia F1 Grand Prix Sale will start tomorrow until April 5.

Japan auto output down 41% Exports of passenger cars, trucks and buses tumbled 59.1 per cent in January		2 Boon Lay stations open Stations expected to help cut travelling times by up to 15 minutes. -ST

Higher insurance for rental cars Illegal but some rental companeis are willing to take in private cars to rent out.			Germany ready for five billion euro Opel bail out Govt regard company's own rescue plan as unviable.

	GM bondholders expect to meet with US autos team Bondholders worried that automaker will become heavily indebted to the U.S. government.	Malaysia's Proton slides into the red in Q3 Lossese of S$31.1m compared with $4.3 million profit a year earlier.

Volkswagen to axe all 16k temps Permanent employees not at risk for the time being, says VW head.

We welcome contributions, comments and tips.
	a1motor@sph.com.sg
	9180 1253 (SMS)
	6319 8177