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Being number one is not cheap: Volkswagen supervisory board voted today in favor of the $ 86.1 billion spending set for the next five years in a very public search for the manufacturer to become the largest automaker in the world 2018.

Spending will focus on plants, vehicles and research and development for the nine brands that comprise the VW group, the company consolidated Chinese joint venture will invest another $ 19 billion.

China, now the largest global car market is obviously key to Volkswagen’s plans. The company will expand its model offerings for this market and others in the VW brand portfolio, which includes Audi, Skoda, Lamborghini, Seat and Bentley. The company has already announced plans for two additional plants in China, bringing the total to 11 and CEO, Martin Winterkorn, is said to reflect much more than that. Winterkorn told reporters in Frankfurt, Germany, which the auto is “undervalued” in China, even after the projection that 2.4 million vehicles will be sold in that market in 2011.

Fiat, Sergio Marchionne, CEO has bold plans for the automaker Maserati sports car unit luxury to increase annual sales of nearly tenfold to 50,000 units last 5675 years.

Three new models are the key to this medium-term objective and all are based on systems and components for Chrysler Group.

Maserati will introduce two new sedans to replace its Quattroporte flagship model using the technology of large sedans Chrysler, including the Chrysler 300 and Dodge Avenger.

The third new Maserati will be the first SUV from the company. Chrysler will build along with the Jeep Grand Cherokee at Jefferson North plant in Detroit.

Maserati officials say the new Chrysler models will not be renamed. Have different bodies and interiors as well as front and rear suspensions to new power trains and specific. The pieces to be shared will be the place where the customer does not see, like the Bentley Continental, which is a Volkswagen Phaeton rebodied.

Problem size Quattroporte

Two new Maserati sedans will be produced in the Officine Automobilistiche Grugliasco (OAG), the name of the new Fiat gave Carrozzeria Bertone factory ancient bought in 2009. Maserati will invest € 550 million ($ 774 million) for the renewal of the plant and the launch of the models.

The sedans will solve the problem of the current Quattroporte size. The car is too big for a car driver weight, but too small – especially in terms of rear legroom – to serve as either a driver’s car.

The problem will be solved by providing two vehicles: a “baby” Quattroporte, codenamed Quattroporte M157 and more, called M156.

The “baby” Quattroporte will be launched next year and is designed to be a car to drive and compete with rivals like the Audi A6, BMW 5 Series and Mercedes E class.

The project was initially conceived as a flagship model of the Alfa Romeo, Maserati changed but because this brand would make a point of higher pricing and already has a global distribution network.

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Much has been said about Ford quick response to profitability after the implosion in the industry, but outside of North America, in high growth markets in the world Asia-Pacific/Africa, Ford still struggling.

While Ford is right to point out that it was profitable in all regions – North and South America, Europe and Asia-Pacific/Africa – the claim is less impressive on closer examination. For the second quarter of 2011, which recorded $ 267 million in pretax profit in South America and $ 176 million in Europe. Question the most important growth market in the future, Asia-Pacific/Africa, Ford gains was barely $ 1 million. No, that’s not a typo: one million dollars.

Ford, however, recognizes the need for growth of the APA. Part of the reason for the low profit this quarter – Ford made $ 113 million during the same period last year – is a strong investment in new factories, marketing and initial costs.

North America is that Ford makes most of its sales, the region accounted for 84 percent of all pretax profits at Ford in the quarter.

The auction house Gooding & Co. will offer two legendary sports-racing cars – a 1957 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa and a 1963 prototype 289 Cobra Shelby factory team cars, one of which may set a record price for a car sold at an auction – for sale Gooding 20 to 21 August at the Pebble Beach Concourse.

“Being in the presence of the prototype 1957 Ferrari Testa Rossa is a visceral experience and impressive unlike anything I’ve ever met,” says David Gooding, president and founder of Gooding & Co. “We will all witness a historic day in this amazing car – one of the greatest race cars of all time – across our stage at Pebble Beach in August.

A 1957 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa, sold by RM Auctions in May, 2009 $ 12,402,500, is currently the most expensive car sold at auction.
The Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa 1957 Prototype, chassis No.

TR 0666, which began as the prototype and test bed for the line of Testa Rossa, which is undoubtedly the most successful series of sports car racing history. Based on 290 mm, TR prototype was assembled in 1957 with the classic V12 engine, Dion rear axle and steering wheel to the right.

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Nissan said Friday prices for the 2012 Altima sedan and coupe, which is for sale.

Stickers range from $ 20,410 for the Altima sedan $ 30,760 base for the platform up Nissan Altima coupe, plus destination and all the fine print.

New for 2012 Altima is a value package that includes Bluetooth, leather steering wheel and a HomeLink universal transceiver – all for $ 490.

For more information, click through the full press release.

Nissan announces U.S. The price in 2012 Altima Sedan and Coupe
Nissan North America, Inc. (NNA) today announced U.S. prices for the 2012 Nissan Altima Sedan and Coupe are on sale at Nissan dealers nationwide.

For 2012, Altima Sedan is again available in three well-equipped models designed to appeal to a wide range of buyers’ needs and budgets – the CVT CVT 2.5 and 2.5 S with a 175-horsepower 2.5-liter 4 cylinder and CVT SR 3.5 with a standard 270-horsepower 3.5-liter V6.

Enhancements to the new model year include a new value package, priced at a price of $ 490 includes Bluetooth (r) hands-free phone, leather-wrapped steering wheel audio controls on steering wheel, auto / on / off headlights and auto dimming rearview mirror with Home Link (R) Universal Transceiver. Also available is the rollup of last year’s special edition. Both are offered in the Altima Sedan 2.5 S. The Bluetooth (r) hands-free phone is now also standard on the 3.5 SR and included in the 2.5 S Convenience Package In addition, a dark slate-colored exterior metallic board replaces the previous one.

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The redesigned Chevrolet small car Sonic – which replaces the Aveo in the Chevrolet lineup – has a base price of $ 14,495 for the sedan and $ 15,395 for tourism, including shipping, when it goes on sale this fall.
Sonic The price tag of 2012 is a leap of $ 2,249 to $ 3,005 above the Aveo 2011, but Sonic is a new design that includes more standard equipment. Mounts to GM Gamma platform again.
The base engine is a 1.8 liter four-cylinder engine rated at 138 horsepower, which is also used in the Chevrolet Cruze. It is mated to a five-speed manual transmission with an optional six-speed automatic costs $ 1,070
Standard equipment on the base LS model includes 15-inch wheels, alloy wheels, 10 airbags, stability control, power door locks with keyless entry and steering wheel tilt / telescopic
LT adjustment adds an audio system, power windows and mirrors, cruise control, heated front seats and 17 inch wheels alloy. Stickers are $ 15,695 for the sedan and $ 16,495 for the hatchback.
Chevrolet said it will also be a LTZ trim level, but the company gave no further details.
A 1.4-liter turbo four-cylinder engine, also rated at 138 horsepower, is available on LT and LTZ levels of an additional $ 700.

The Nürburgring 24 hours endurance race started today, and Toyota use the event not only to the field of Lexus LFA supercar in the contest, but to show its new Hybrid Concept II GRMN – a vehicle whose DNA is expected to appear in the Toyota plans a future debate often sporty hybrid vehicle.

The GRMN second iteration is based on the now-discontinued MR2 platform and has a petrol engine mounted in the middle and the hybrid all-wheel drive, the gas engine provides 245 horsepower, while an electric motor provides an extra 50 horses to the front wheels. The whole thing weighs less than 3,300 pounds. – It’s not a fly by any means, but not bad considering the heavy weight of battery packs, lithium ion battery. The engine and hybrid drivetrain are the same as found in the Lexus RX 450h, while the battery comes from the Lexus GS 450h.

The elegant, picked-out GRMN II style echoes the M-86 sports car that Toyota is developing with Subaru, which is an advantage that this car will be the basis for the upcoming hybrid sport. Not that we really expect this vehicle to hit production in disguise anything close to this plate seriously sexy, of course. For better or for worse, that’s not the style of Toyota.

Hyundai will not offer all-wheel drive for its Genesis luxury sedan into the second generation car arrives for model year 2014. In the past, the CEO of Hyundai John Krafcik has indicated that the Genesis sedan and coupe as well as Equus, which offer an installation which is expected to drive all who come running as a complement to today’s cars. But besides this delay for the Genesis sedan, if the Equus and the Genesis coupe will still offer all-wheel drive variants, they also may have to wait for what we assume will be a platform gets refreshed.

The Genesis sedan has made significant inroads in the market entry-and mid-range luxury in the U.S., in line with strong sales and a high percentage of buyers of conquest. All-wheel drive should make a big difference in persuading buyers snow belt to put the car in his barn, and could help crack the big Hyundai 30,000 sales per year. For context, BMW 5 series was good for sales of around 40,000 in 2010, while the Toyota Avalon exceeded 28 thousand years past.

Although not included AWD, Hyundai recently announced a series of improvements in Genesis. You can read about further changes here, for those with little time, features a direct injection 333-horsepower V-6 engine for the base car, and, top of range R-Spec with a new model 429 – hp 5.0-liter V-8. Model cars and 4.6-liter V-8 to get a new gearbox, Hyundai designed eight-speed automatic, too.

Since we have to wait for AWD, we will take care to see if the settings of 2011 suspension models have solved one of our major complaints about the sedan Genesis, his walk weak.

Of the 20,000 sheets assigned to the U.S. Nissan in 2011, some 10,000 to 12,000 is expected to be sold, said Al Castignetti, Nissan division sales vice president.

While a sale by the rate of 50 percent or so is nothing to brag about, there are some unconventional methods to sell the only all-electric vehicle that can help explain the sales figures.
Sheets are sold through an online reservation process on the one hand, and Nissan closes the system last September after vehiclesthe allocation of all the vehicles had been claimed by a deposit of $ 99.
However, according to Automotive News, only 46% of the reserves has led the retail deliveries, at least in part because some of the reservations were made by people living outside the seven states where the vehicle is available .

In addition, customers of the blade is required to install a home charging station, which can cost thousands of dollars, even after tax credits applicable.

Despite this, Nissan will allocate another 20,000 vehicles from Japan for the year 2012, and has reopened the reservation system for 2011 models.

Mass production of the leaf, and the change of vehicle manufacturing in the U.S. to the U.S., is expected in 2013.

If you thought the weakening global economy and high gasoline prices might be hurting the world’s luxury car class, think again.
Since March, the editors of Auto Week have taken the wheel of not one, not two, but three of the crazy super performers else on the planet: the McLaren MP4-12C, Ferrari FF, and, more recently, the Lamborghini LP700- 4 Fan.
We see some common threads: a bunch of lightweight aluminum and carbon fiber materials, drilling motors of more than 590 boxes of hp, automatic, manual, and prices that put them against the average price of a three Breakfast in most markets. In fact, the cheapest model on the block is that of McLaren, with a base price of just $ 231,000 register.
We’re also seeing surprising refinement and drivability, as supercar makers have finally realized that many of these cars spend more time primping in Rodeo Drive to run laps at Laguna Sea.
We are focusing our attention this week (and in the May 30 print edition of Auto Week and IPAD) in the last race, the 2012 Lamborghini Aventador. This is a car that our trust named Best in Show at the Geneva Motor Show in March, and now we’ve driven, our faith has been rewarded
As the replacement for the Murcielago supercar, the Aventador is as important as the original Lamborghini Countach. But it is safe to say that Aventador – with its lightweight carbon monocoque all-new 6.5-liter, 691 horsepower, V12 engine from 509 lb-ft – is the challenge.
Although he never had the opportunity to test the car on the street in a recent record in Italy, registered dozens of laps on the Vallelunga circuit near Rome, running the car through its paces in each of its modalities: strada, corsa sport and the latter two in automatic and manual.
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