About European Cars

• Spyker Going Up

  10Dec
  Categories: News Comments: 1

  

  Spyker Cars, a Dutch luxury car maker, has posted a 72M Euros loss for 2007. The cause, they say, was in the sale of their Formula One and car business as well as GT racing activities. According to CEO Victor Muller, “2007 was a dramatic year, the likes of which the company had never seen before and which we would like to leave behind us as soon as possible.”

  This year maybe better. The company has also received a loan and capital contribution from Snoras Bank in Lithuania resulting in a remarkable turnaround in the first quarter. According to them they were able to produce 12 cars and sell 18 this first quarter and they’re expecting even better sales in the next one. On the third quarter, the Spyker C8 Aileron model will go into production.

  Source

• European Car Sales Down

  10Oct
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  According to the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA), new European car registrations went down by  9.5 percent in March. This was mainly due to the recent rise in oil prices, and uncertainty in economic stability. 

  The European car manufacturer most affected was Germany’s Volkswagen group: their sales fell by 12.5 percent. Included in the failing groups are: Fiat, Daimler, Ford along with France’s PSA Peugeot Citroen Group and Renault. 

  “In a context of economic uncertainty generated by the US financial crisis, car sales in Western Europe were affected most by the decline,” the ACEA said, noting that the early Easter holiday break also had hit car sales.

  The only European car maker that made an increase in sales was Munich-based BMW.

  Source

• Crysler Group’s riding on Fiat

  09Aug
  Categories: Automotive Comments: 0

  The Chrysler group is betting heavily on their partnership with European auto maker Fiat onto which their vehicles will be running on. Taking it literally, Chrysler’s brands such as the Dodge line will be shipped with Fiat engines in what is seen to be the testing ground for the medley of European technology with the well marketed and bought American brands.
  The move is a tedious one yet vital one for the company to continue its recovery, being one of the casualties of the US auto market turmoil that sent the Big 3 US Automakers into a tailspin. Markets are slowing yet people are still buying, but for how long. With further economic turmoil in sight more trouble in terms of sales will plague not only European markets but global markets as well.

• Ford Leads in European Markets

  09May
  Categories: Automotive Comments: 0

  Surprising as it may seem, the US automaker through it’s partners has gotten a huge slice of the European market mainly due to their diverse product lines and partnerships with other auto makers. That does not go to say they are not affected by the slowdown in sales due to a worsening economic environment but they are managing to keep customers coming in.
  Way back when they had in their group some of the best European brands such as Aston Martin, Volvo and BMW they were considered as one of the biggest globally but when the US auto market got into trouble, they were forced to shed them and focus on their native brands to survive. The current economic indicators shows a slowdown but as they say, people will need something to drive each and everyday.

• Volkswagen Leads the Pack

  09Apr
  Categories: Automotive Comments: 0

  With global sales on the dip, in Europe the Volkswagen group continues to lead the pack among some of the most exclusive auto makers in the world. European brands have long been known for their superb engineering at a price but the German automaker has succeeded in an area where others have miserably failed, in diversifying their products.
  From cars that cater to teens and yuppies to more mature models, they have something for everybody which makes them the best at what they do. They have been affected by the slump of markets globally yet they remain a figure in the auto industry as car markets continue to rise and slump. Volkswagen traces its lineage way back to a time when they were indistinguishable from Porsche with some of their earlier models having interchangeable parts. As they continue their lead in the global auto market, they lead with innovation and that ever present European flair to continue leading into the future.

• Volkswagen worldwide sales increase

  15Jan
  Categories: News Comments: 0

  
  Volkswagen, The largest carmaker in Europe, is predicting that its worldwide sales will increase by five percent this year.

  The German car manufacturer made this bold prediction after it posted record deliveries last year, mostly due to the marked growth of the car market in China and in other emerging countries. Officially, the company posted a sales increase of 14 percent in 2010, a figure that is nothing to scoff at. With anticipation that growth in sales in countries like Brazil, india, Russia and China will continue, the company is banking on this to further narrow the gap that separates it from Toyota as one of the most profitable car makers in the world.

  Tags: cars, europe, Volkswagen

• France-Germany Talks Progressing

  10Dec
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  What’s keeping France and Germany in making up their minds about the proposed EU limits on CO2 emission from cars? 

  According to an anonymous diplomat, “There are signs that they are very near to an agreement.” What makes these talks important is that since both countries are major-car makers, their deal might become the position for other EU states. 

  France carmakers have small vehicles, which makes it easy for them to follow the EU’s CO2 restrictions. German carmakers on the other hand are lobbying for an extended three-year deadline because their luxury car models emit the most emission than any other car. 

  EU environment ministers are due to discuss the issue when they meet in Slovenia on Friday and Saturday.

  Source

• Car Washing Myths Debunked!

  10Oct
  Categories: News Comments Off

  European Car Magazine whipped out a Meguiar press release debunking everything you thought you knew about washing your car.

  The article mentioned a lot of how we kill our loving cars everyday without knowing it. Here are just two out of the twelve myths we discovered:

  Myth 1: Dishwashing detergent is safe to use as car wash. It’s either we’re all too cheap to buy our hard-earned car, that we use a cheap dishwashing liquid to clean it or we’re too lazy to go out and buy a decent car washing liquid.

  Myth 11: Lighting a hood on fire, without damaging the paint finish, proves the protective qualities of a car wax. The one who started this must be crazy. The paint finish is not at all affected by the flaming alcohol anyway.

  Source

• The Uncrashable Car

  10Sep
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  With a budget of €50 million, 56 partners, and co-funded by the European Commission, PReVENT is the largest road safety research project ever launched in Europe.

  One of their long range goals is to create an uncrashable car. Although, still in its theoretical stage, it could become a reality soon. They have various sub projects, but two has received attention: the APALACI and COMPOSE.

  The APALACI system makes the car react faster than the driver. Examples of how this system works is through controlled braking maneuvers, controlled activation of the occupant restraint systems or pre-arming airbag systems.

  The COMPOSE on the other hand, aims more at keeping al the occupants safe. What it does is apply the brakes if a pedestrian steps onto the road, or extend the bumper, and raise the bonnet to enhance occupant protection.

  Source

• European Electric Car in the Gulf

  10Aug
  Categories: News Comments Off

  It’s interesting to know that an oil rich country in the gulf is interested in an environmentally friendly car.It’s been reported that Renault CEO Carlos Ghosn has stated that they are under negotiations to launch an electric car within a Gulf state. The company plans to roll out an electric-powered vehicle by 2010.”The electric car of the past was huge with a big battery … Today [they have] very attractive designs. [They are] sexy cars with attractive designs with no emissions,” he said.”An electric car has to be at normal cost or lower … [the] battery and electric charge has to be cheaper than gasoline. At 120 dollars per barrel, it will be very easy,” he added.Source