Bajaj launches new ultra-low-cost car

NEW DELHI, INDIA: Indian manufacturer Bajaj Auto unveiled an ultra-low-cost car on Tuesday 3 January, its first foray into the four-wheel market, pitching the vehicle as a solution to urban pollution and congestion. 6 Jan 2012 08:41

Shared battery technology may up demand for electric cars

The McGill Daily reports that Hydro-Québec, a Montreal-based, government-owned public utility that is responsible for the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity across Quebec, and Technifin, a subsidiary of the South African Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), have agreed to share the intellectual property (IP) rights to their respective lithium-based technologies. 2 Nov 2011 07:05

Electric cars for short hops in new scheme

LONDON, UK: Electric cars becoming an economically rational choice for short hop journeys and now 100% electric vehicles to be made available in pioneering pilot scheme for PwC. 26 Apr 2011 06:00

Emerging auto insurance and aggregator sites attracting meaningful market share

RESTON, US: comScore, Inc, a leader in measuring the digital world, has announced the availability of an expanded competitive set of insurers and aggregator sites for its online auto insurance benchmarker. In Q4 2010, these additional sites accounted for 724 000 submitted quotes, making up 8% of quotes submitted online. 8 Mar 2011 09:58

Vodafone Global wants your BIG IDEA

LONDON, UK: Idea Bounty, the South-African-based online crowd sourcing community, has loaded a cracker of a brief with a sizeable reward in the form of a brief for international telecommunications giant Vodafone Global - and the winning idea will be worth US$10 000 - that's about R70 000. 8 Mar 2011 09:02

Hassle-free sales environment revs vehicle purchases

CHICAGO, US: Black or silver? Sedan or coupe? Compact or hatchback? Consumers have much to consider when they're on the hunt for a new car. But, according to Mintel research, it's a hassle-free sales environment that really gets shoppers' motors running, as 27% of consumers who have bought a new vehicle in the past three years say they were influenced by the stress-free sales floor. 11 Feb 2011 10:58

Tendulkar bats for Castrol

MUMBAI, INDIA: Castrol, the world's leading lubrication company, recently announced the signing of cricketing legend Sachin Tendulkar as their global brand ambassador for the next two years. 1 Feb 2011 10:25

Renault to launch first iAd in Europe

BOULOGNE-BILLANCOURT, FRANCE: Renault, reputed to be the only carmaker in the world to offer a complete range of affordable electric vehicles beginning in 2011, will launch what is claimed to be Europe's first iAd today, Thursday, December 2 with a campaign for Renault Twizy, its new 100% electric tandem-style city car. iAd is Apple's new mobile advertising network. 2 Dec 2010 09:55

Land Rover takes to the road with RWC 2011 and RWC 2015

GAYDON, UK: Land Rover announced yesterday, 24 November 2010, its sponsorship of Rugby World Cup 2011 in New Zealand and Rugby World Cup 2015 in England. As part of the deal for both tournaments the company will supply vehicles to support the organisers, teams and officials. It is the first time that the leading car manufacturer has been involved with rugby's showcase tournament. 25 Nov 2010 09:44

GM restructures African business, seeking growth

[Michael Bratt] General Motors (GM) has announced a new strategy for African business, which it hopes will allow GM to capitalise on the growing opportunities around the continent. 23 Nov 2010 12:36

In-car electronics - Western Europe recovery

NUREMBERG, GERMANY: After a long dry season for the past two and a half years, in which a two digit decline rate was experienced in the in-car electronics market in Western Europe, there are finally signs indicating a recovery in the third quarter of 2010, according to findings of GfK Retail and Technology for Q3 2010. 18 Nov 2010 11:44

Live drive

NEW YORK, US: Mitsubishi needed to find a way to let eager motorists try out its new Outlander Sport model, without going to the showroom. It wanted a stunt that would use cutting-edge technology and reflect the progressive values of Mitsubishi itself - and so what's claimed to be the world's first online test drive was born. 18 Oct 2010 09:24

The talking newspaper

NEW DELHI, INDIA: Volkswagen brand awareness is notoriously low in India so to launch the Sedan Vento, Volkswagen needed something that would make them stand out in the highly competitive mass-market segment. 14 Oct 2010 09:59

German car buyers prefer used to new

NUREMBURG, GERMANY: Germans prefer to buy used, rather than new cars: a comparative study of the European car market in the aftermath of the scrappage scheme. The findings are contained in the 2010 GfK Consumption Trend Sensor survey conducted by the GfK Association. 5 Oct 2010 09:36