Second quarter 2011: Toyota resists at tsunami

It was a blow to Toyota suffered by the tsunami of 11 March, the Japanese leader in the world market, has suffered a decline in profits of 99.4% and has seen revenues fall by 29.4% . In all, Toyota has reported a loss of 108 billion yen, a lot if you think that last year, in the quarter April-May to June, had received a budget of 211 billion yen in assets.

Despite everything, however, the Japanese giant is confident of getting more than expected from its sales through 2011 as sales in Asia were not significantly affected by the earthquake. Quite a challenge by a House that represents the spirit of a people.

• Toyota's spring profit dives 99% (01/08/2011)
• Toyota's quarterly profit plunges (02/08/2011)
• Toyota ekes out quarterly profit, raises forecast (02/08/2011)
• Toyota Raises Profit Forecast by Nearly 40 Percent (02/08/2011)
• Are Auto Sales Finally Recovering? (01/08/2011)

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BMW net profit doubles in second quarter 2011

Good news for BMW coming from the market, where the German group was able to double net profit in the second quarter of 2011 than the year before, reaching a total of 1.81 billion against EUR 834 million. With this performance, also grew by 83% operating profit, with more than positive outlook for the remainder of the year despite the evident difficulties of the industry in major markets, including the Italian one which recorded a significant decline in July.

Ford Fiesta: 35 years and 15 million units

It was in 1976 when the first Ford Fiesta rolled off the factory in Valencia. A geological era in the automotive world, but to count only 35 years, years in which the utilitarian Blue Oval has always been able to carve out an important role in the European market. In recent years has changed everything: design, materials, technology and sales strategy.

In 2011 Ford, in addition to the 35th anniversary of a sixth-generation model arrived today, also celebrates the piece number 15 million, came from the production lines in recent days. The globalization of today, however, has meant that the Fiesta is now also produced in Thailand, Mexico, China, Germany.

Ferrari sales and record revenues in the first half of 2011

At a time when sales of new cars in Italy are struggling to take off, the result stands out by Ferrari in the first half of 2011. The chairman of the board of directors, Luca di Montezemolo, took note of two records: the first is that of revenues, which reached 1.08 billion euro share representing a 19.6% over the same period of 2010 and the second concerns the number of cars delivered, registering a 11.8% to more than 3,577 total units.

Jeep is celebrating 70 years

It was July 15, 1941 when military Williys-Overland appeared for the first time. A true pioneer of the first model called 4x4 Jeep CJ-2A entered in production in 1945. In 1946, with Jeep Station Wagon, the brand was then transferred to the system of four-wheel drive on a wagon by introducing the concept of a sport utility vehicle.

In 1963, the Jeep Wagoneer, Jeep invented the Large premium SUV segment. So the Jeep - a name derived from the American pronunciation of the abbreviation "GP" general purpose was to indicate that the different possible uses of the car - now celebrating 70 years. A celebration that comes at a propitious moment for the brand, in Italy, in the first half of 2011, has already registered more cars of the entire 2010: 3,738 compared to around 3,617 last year.

Europe car market: in June, down 8, 1%

The car market in Europe confirms the world economy: in June new vehicle registrations fell 8 .1% in the 27 EU countries, for a total of 1,233,298 units, Fiat has managed to do even worse, with a fall of 8 .3% over the same period in 2010, with 91,181 units registered. After the resumption of the car market in May, the data provided by ACEA (European Automobile Manufacturers Association) show large differences in enrollment between European countries: the contractions ranging from -0.3% to -1.7% in Germany in Italy, to -6.2% in Great Britain, to -12.6% in France up to the worrying -31.4% in Spain.

Toyota maintained its leadership among manufacturers

Despite difficulties, the endless series of recalls last year who risked permanently in crisis to the brand image, to the earthquake related tsunamis in Japan, the Toyota group has returned to the top of the list of car manufacturers. Evidently, the typical Japanese stubbornness to rebuild everything with perseverance and sacrifice has paid off, so that the productivity level has returned to pre-earthquake levels, while the sales results of the first half of 2011 indicate a positive trend and Toyota in line with the goal of 1 million veicolivenduti later this year in Europe alone.

Alfa Romeo goes up in Europe: +45% in first six months

The arrival on the market, the Alfa Romeo Giulietta, 13 months ago, seems to have reinvigorated the brand of Alfa Romeo and, consequently, the entire Fiat group cars. Meanwhile, advances on sales data from the first half - which will be formalized by Acea next week - show that in the major markets of the Old Continent Alfa Romeo has gconsiderably rown: between Germany, United Kingdom, France, Italy and Spain (representing 70% of total), the 2-digit percentage increase is mainly due to the new Juliet, which has revived (and sales) with 61,788 units registered to Alpha with respect to total 42,618 in the first half of 2010 amounted to more than 45 %.

Microcar: boom in production in 2013

In recent years, the microcar market is undergoing a steady growth which according to industry analysts should become a real boom in 2013. Projections indicate that 30 manufacturers - including 7 in the top 10 car manufacturers in the world - will have a major role in the development of the sector microcar.

According to a careful study by the important international research group Frost & Sullivan, by 2013 the segment of small cars should see the introduction of more than 60 new models, including many quadricycles. About 10 automobile manufacturers are already in an advanced stage and have plans to launch 19 new models soon, but if we look at the recent past, at the Paris Motor Show 2010 Geneva Motor Show 2011 and were presented as many as 30 new models a microcar.

Range Rover Evoque: production began

After having walked the halls in the international scene, the Range Rover Evoque, signed the new trendy SUV Land Rover has finally come into production. In fact, Monday, July 4, at the Halewood plant, the first copy is out of the assembly line. With 18,000 orders already collected, of which 75% abroad, the Range Rover Evoque is a major challenge for the English House, and now, the market seems to have it accepted in the best way.

Morgan ThreeWheeler: 480 orders

According to some reports gathered by the British press, Morgan had already collected 480 orders for its new ThreeWheeler, the car with three wheels made inspired by the early production of the British brand, but which contained no shortage of modern theory to make the model attractive for today's fans.

After the presentation at the Geneva Motor Show, Morgan ThreeWheeler has a sales target of 1,000 units by 2011, a figure who, hearing the latest rumors, it seems plenty of scope, given the response at this early stage of pre-fans of the brand and those who want to own a vehicle so unusual and fascinating as unconventional as this.

Aston Martin cuts the Rapide production

The crisis continues to invest in the world of the car and apparently did not spare even the high and very high-end models. Proof of this is the decision by leaders of the Aston Martin, who indicated their intention to cut production of the Rapide, apparently for the difficulties encountered by the model on the market.

Market Car in Europe picking up in May: more 7.6%

After data permanently negative in recent months, the auto market is starting to show signs of recovery in the first: the data collected ACEA (European Automobile Manufacturers Association) show that in May new car sales in Europe increased by 7 , 6% over the same month of 2010, reaching 1,252,599 units.

GM denies selling Opel

A few hours from the rumors regarding a hypothetical sale of Opel by General Motors, sources close to the American manufacturer categorically deny the possibility of a sale of the House of Lightning. The voice of a possible sale of the Opel brand was about a possible interest by some car manufacturers in China and even the Volkswagen Group.

According to the German press because of the sale would be charged to the accounts in the red Manufacturer, released recently by heavy restructuring. These allegations were very insistent given no little annoyance to the CEO of Opel - Karl Friedrich Stracke - which speaks of "pure speculation" to the detriment of the company.

Tires: Bridgestone raises price

The tire maker Bridgestone announced a significant increase in list prices on its products, due to the continuing rise in raw material costs. According to an official statement issued by the Japanese manufacturer, from July 1 will be adjusted on the lists in various ways, depending on the countries where the products will be distributed and the type of groups they belong to the tires.

A detailed analysis of the rise in prices, we find an average increase of 12% for tires for heavy vehicles such as trucks and a bus, those of agriculture, off-road vehicles and for the retread products will be increased by 8%, while the tires passenger car, light commercial vehicles and motorcycles will increase by 5%.

Audi R4 confirmed: there will come in 2014?

Not even a month ago it seemed that the Audi A4 was destined to remain only a concept living room, at least according to reports coming from Ingolstadt on the group's plans for the near future. But now, after a few weeks, the name of the sport returns to be topical and not for the definitive cancellation of its project, but on his arrival on the market.

The top Audi have in fact approved the mass production of this model, which will probably arrive in dealerships by 2014 and in any case after the debut of the next generation of the Audi TT. Remain unknown, of course the technical content of this compact sports car, which would present an aluminum frame and a series of supercharged engines placed centrally, including the 2.0 TDI in the variant of 200 hp and the 2.5 TFSI with 340 horses have seen on TT RS and RS3.

Used market: in May grew by 7.15%

The month of May has brought a breath of fresh air for the second hand market which has increased its volume of 7.15% compared to the same month last year. A detailed analysis of the period between January and May of this year may well count 2,022,467 changes of ownership, compared to 1,933,173 in the first five months of 2010, or an increase of 4.62%.

Despite this positive note, 2011 is proving to be swinging a year whereas the decrease of 1, 3% used that struck in March. The negative trend continued in March was also in April with a further decline of 2.63%, before returning to profitability in the next month. Summing up the first quarter ended with a 6.4%, although this figure was distorted by incentives last year that "junkie" at that time the used car market.

Car market: in May to grow back in Italy

The auto market in Italy, after thirteen months of declines and after the worst since the last fifteen years to grow back. He informed the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transportation disseminating the data of May: registrations have marked the 3.58% increase, with 170,603 units compared to 164,704 the same month of 2010.

In detail, the Fiat car registrations increased by 4.58% (with 51,342 new cars sold against 49,091 in May 2010). In return, the share of the Group in Italy, which climbed to 30.1% from 29.8% in the same month last year. The improvement, confirmed by the Lingotto, is partly related to the renewal of the range, "have begun to produce positive (after the end of the stimulus and the output from the range of some important models available in 2010) the renewal of the range of marks will last all year and has already started with Fiat and Lancia Ypsilon Freemont, "says a spokesman for the House.

Renault Clio: In France, discounts up to 45%!

With the dramatic drop in May sales (minus 35% in France), Renault opens the month of June with special offers that in some cases, they come to almost half. In practice "summer sale": some versions of the Clio are sold by dealers across the Alps with discounts of 45% to help you out a check for € 7990 instead of a much heavier from € 14,100.

"We can not give an official data are published in May before the beginning of June," they said from its headquarters near Paris, adding that "actually in France, the May sales appear to have declined, partly because of the late ecoincentivi state." The latter ended with the last day of December 2010, although the last record (as happened in Italy 12 months earlier) were possible until 31 March.

Fiat Freemont: 3,000 orders in the first open house

Before the big announcements. Then the previews, pictures and features. Finally, advertising and finally here it is available to all. Under the eyes of the people to contact "vis-a-vis". Fiat Freemont landed in Italy, by the dealers for the first "open doors" which was held last weekend. Fiat declares a discrete appreciation by potential customers who visited the dealerships.

According to figures released by the House, on exposures 33.000hanno crossed the threshold of Fiat, were carried out test drive 6000 and 3000 orders were collected. The car that is defined in TV commercials "All the car you want" seems to have attracted because of its qualities of flexibility and functionality are guaranteed by the large size (489 cm long, 188 cm wide and 169 cm in height), from 7 number of seats and over 30 different configurations that are obtained by moving or tearing down the seats.