Volkswagen Group Australia Sells 29,875 Vehicles in 2008

Volkswagen Group Australia has achieved a new record with 29,875 vehicle sales in a calendar year, its fourth straight year of growth. Volkswagen maintained its position as the 10th highest selling brand in Australia for the year, growing at 9% in 2008, the highest growth of the top 10 brands. Volkswagen also increased its market share from 2.6% to 3.0%. There were some stand out models in the range which performed well with significant increases over the prior year. Touareg +43.7%, Polo...

Read more Audi Sales Jump 30% Downunder

German luxury carmaker, Audi, has closed 2008 with a massive sales increase of 30.2 percent in Australia. To close a tough 2008, Audi Australia sold 598 cars in December, bringing the full year cumulative result to 9,410 units, compared with 7,225 for the previous year (2007). The result represents the fourth consecutive year of record growth, and a doubling of market share Downunder since 2004. In the same four year period sales volume has increased by 154 percent, from 3,700 units to...

Read more Mitsubishi Reports Growth in Imported Sales During 2008

Mitsubishi Motors Australia Limited (MMAL) has reported strong growth of their imported vehicle line-up during 2008, with a jump in sales of over 2,900 vehicles – an increase of 5.5 per cent over the previous year. This growth is an impressive achievement, particularly given the current economic and market environment, and the decision undertaken by the company to switch to full-line importing early in the 2008 calendar year. President and chief executive officer of MMAL, Robert McEniry...

Read more 2008 New Vehicle Sales Provide a Positive Start to 2009

Australian Automobile Dealers Association, Victoria (AADA-Vic) and VACC are encouraged by today’s release of the 2008 new vehicle sales figures. For the second year running, and only the second time ever, Australians bought more than one million new vehicles during a calendar year. Official VFACTS figures released by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) show that 1,012,164 passenger cars, SUVs and commercial vehicles were sold in 2008. “This is positive news for the...

Read more Mazda's Finishes 2008 On a Record High

Mazda Australia retailed 79,826 new vehicles in 2008, eclipsing the previous record of 77,734 set in 2007. Mazda retained its position as Australia's fourth biggest automotive brand and best-selling full-line importer with a 7.9 per cent share of the new vehicle market (up from 7.4pc in 2007). Mazda's 0.5pc market share growth was the one of the highest posted by a top-ten brand. Mazda ended 2008 with a new December benchmark (6,641 retails, 8.7pc share) and tightened its grip on fourth...

Read more Subaru Sails Past 11th Record

Subaru achieved a remarkable annual milestone of 11 consecutive years of record sales, according to official VFACTS figures released today. Sales of 38,492 Subarus have distinguished the Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive company in a difficult market where many competitors are in decline. Subaru sales for 2008 were up 0.1 per cent in an industry that dropped 3.6 per cent. Subaru's core strength was underlined by the success of new generation Forester, which regained its position as the...

Read more Sixth Straight Sales Record for Suzuki

Suzuki continues to be a shining star in the Australian automotive market after recording its sixth successive increase in annual sales. Suzuki sold 1730 vehicles in December, boosting its total sales for the year to 22,523. The record sales figure was a 4.4 increase on what was a record 2007 result, and continued the company’s remarkable run of six straight years of increased sales. Since 2004 the company has more than tripled retail sales to cement its reputation as one of the...

Read more Porsche to Take Over More Than 50% of Volkswagen

Porsche Automobil Holding SE, Stuttgart, purchased further ordinary shares in Volkswagen AG, Wolfsburg, and will increase its holding to 50.76 per cent of all ordinary voting shares in Volkswagen. As a result of passing the threshold of 50 per cent Porsche will acquire indirect control over Scania AB, Södertälje, and is required by Swedish law to launch a mandatory offer for the truck manufacturer. The Stuttgart-domiciled company is not bound by pre-acquisition prices and is only obliged to...

Read more Hyundai 2008 Sales Results

Hyundai Motor Company, South Korea’s largest automaker and part of the world’s fifth largest auto manufacturer, posted a 6.9 percent increase in its 2008 global sales, mainly due to strong demand for its cars in emerging markets. Overseas sales, including exports from Korea and sales from the company’s overseas plants increased 11.8 percent to 2,210,715 units in 2008, up from 1,977,042 units a year earlier. Domestic sales in 2008 fell 8.7 percent to 570,962 units from 625,275 units in...

Read more Tata to pump £670m into Jaguar Land Rover

Tata, the Indian-based company that owns Jaguar Land Rover, may have to pump at least £670 million into the ailing car brands to revive them, and is looking at ways to raise the cash. The sum is far higher than the ‘tens of millions’ Tata had recently suggested might be enough. The cash would also be in addition to any financial aid Jaguar Land Rover may receive from the UK Government, which is now unlikely until the New Year.

Read more Tata to inject cash into ailing Jaguar Land Rover

Indian industrial conglomerate Tata is to inject ‘tens of millions’ of pounds into Jaguar Land Rover to prevent an immediate cashflow crisis, while the Government continues to discuss a possible taxpayer bailout. Tata’s cash injection has brought the Government breathing space to respond to Jaguar Land Rover demands for multi-billion loan guarantees. The Times says that Tata’s decision came after Prime Minister Gordon Brown had decided to intervene to prevent the collapse of the carmaker...

Read more Toyota predicts first loss in 71 years

Japan’s biggest carmaker Toyota has forecast its first annual loss in 71 years due to plummeting sales and a surge in the value of the yen. The firm said it expected a loss of 150 billion yen (£1.1bn) in yearly operating profits - from its core operations. The carmaker recorded an operating profit of 2.27 trillion yen last year. Toyota said it still expected to make a profit on a net level for the year ended March but has cut its forecast sharply to 50bn yen, down from a previous estimate...

Read more Mercedes-Benz delivers 1.5 million current E-Class units

Mercedes-Benz has delivered 1.5 million units of the current E-Class series to customers since the model’s market launch six years ago. “The current E-Class and its predecessor models have been the ‘heart’ of Mercedes-Benz for more than 60 years now,” says Dr. Klaus Maier, Executive Vice President Sales and Marketing Mercedes-Benz Cars. “With its typical brand attributes that include safety, comfort, innovation, economy, and quality, the E-Class has delighted around 12 million customers...

Read more Ford's comments on approved bailout plan

Ford Motor Company said today that it welcomes action by the Administration to provide emergency funding for General Motors Corp. and Chrysler LLC. “As we told Congress, Ford is in a different position. We do not face a near-term liquidity issue, and we are not seeking short-term financial assistance from the government,” Ford President and CEO Alan Mulally said. “But all of us at Ford appreciate the prudent step the Administration has taken to address the near-term liquidity issues of GM...

Read more Chrysler approved bailout plan

Chrysler LLC Chairman and CEO Bob Nardelli said on behalf of the men and women of Chrysler and its extended enterprise, that he would like to thank the Administration and Treasury for their confidence in the Company.

Read more GM approved bailout plan

GM says: We appreciate the President extending a financial bridge at this most critical time for the U.S. auto industry and our nation's economy. This action helps to preserve many jobs, and supports the continued operation of GM and the many suppliers, dealers and small businesses across the country that depend on us.

Read more 2009 Ford Fiesta sales in UK

Nearly 11,500 new Ford Fiesta models have been snapped up in the UK in just 77 days since it went on sale on 1st October – and with more than 9,000 going to retail customers. That equates to almost 80 per cent – a substantial increase on the normal retail rate of 60 per cent. The Zetec model remains the most popular, taking 51 per cent of sales. Zetec models have been introduced with a £500 customer saving and free Bluetooth. The most popular color has been Panther Black (21 per cent)...

Read more There'll always be people crazy enough to buy a Ferrari!

Speaking at the annual Ferrari end of year media conference, Ferrari President Luca di Montezemolo has said that while other car makers saw profits and sales plummet in 2008, Ferrari has ignored the trend and recorded its best ever year for sales, earnings, profits and achievements in motorsport. “Enzo Ferrari said to me in the 1970’s fuel crisis we'd always find 1,500 people crazy enough to buy a Ferrari. Adjusting the numbers for 2009, I think that we'll continue to find 6,000 people crazy...

Read more BMW M Sales Increase Despite Difficult Market Environment

BMW M GmbH has increased sales by over 50 per cent compared to last year, despite the current difficulties in the market environment. A significant increase in sales compared to last year has resulted in 22,340 vehicles being sold worldwide as of November 2008. This means that BMW M GmbH has exceeded the previous year’s equivalent figures (14,092 units) by over 50 per cent.

Read more Jeremy Clarkson says No to Big 3 bailout

The ever outspoken Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson isn’t one to hold back saying what he feels and in the past has often given a mouthful to American made cars. However in recent times we’ve seen a change of heart as he’s grown fond of some of the meanest muscle cars to come out of the USA, for example the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 and the Cadillac CTS-V.

Read more Toyota Australia to Increase Prices from 1st of January

Toyota Australia has advised its dealers that new-vehicle recommended retail prices will increase from 1 January 2009 due to adverse currency movements. Price increases will average 2.4 per cent or about $900 across the range with variations by model and by grade. The recommended retail prices of Toyota's smallest car, Yaris, will rise by up to $800 with most models increasing $500.

Read more Ford looking to sell Volvo

Ford has publicly announced for the first time that it would like to sell Volvo. The news, which has been rumoured for a while now, came out in Ford’s latest strategic review which they need to take to US Congress tomorrow with the aim of receiving much need funding from the $25 billion government aid package.

Read more Aston Martin Announces Cutbacks

Aston Martin and its Trade Union partners have today begun consultation on a range of cutbacks to reflect the current downturn in the world economy and the corresponding fall in car sales. It is hoped to do this by minimising the impact on employees as far as possible, but the possibility of up to 300 permanent and a similar number of temporary job losses cannot be ruled out.

Read more Ford Reduces Stake in Mazda

Mazda Motor Corporation (Mazda) has announced today that Mazda and several of its strategic business partners will acquire a part of Ford Motor Company’s (Ford) shares in Mazda through market trading. As a result, the ratio of Ford’s ownership of Mazda stock will be reduced from 33.4 percent to just over 13 percent, with the new agreement allowing the two companies to continue their strategic relationship that spans nearly 30 years. “The sale of Mazda shares by our partner, Ford, will not...

Read more GETRAG seeks Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection

GETRAG Transmission Manufacturing LLC (GTM LLC) has filed for protection under chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code for its Tipton, Indiana facility. The GTM LLC facility in Tipton was being constructed for the sole purpose of manufacturing dual clutch transmissions for Chrysler LLC (Chrysler). This action is a direct result of a recent termination by Chrysler of contractual agreements related to the construction and operation of a dual clutch transmission manufacturing facility...

Read more Video: What happens if the Domestic Auto Industry Collapses?

From plants to parks. From dealerships to driveways. From gas stations to grocery stores. What happens in the automotive industry affects each and every one of us. In fact, the collapse of the U.S.-based auto industry wouldn't just impact the more than 239,000 Americans directly employed by the Big Three. One out of every 10 people in America is employed in a service that is related to the U.S. auto industry. If a plant closes, so does its suppliers, the local stores, the hot dog vendors, and...

Read more General Motors Sell Suzuki Shares

Suzuki Motor Corporation made an announcement today concerning the sale of Suzuki shares by General Motors Corporation with a mutual agreement to continue the implementation and expansion of the business relationship between the companies. Suzuki and GM have maintained a constructive business relationship that dates back to August 1981. The companies have agreed to be committed to continue promoting and implementing not only our existing projects, including development collaboration on...

Read more Suzuki Sales Soar in Australia Despite Financial Difficulties

Suzuki Australia sold 2042 vehicles in October 2008 making it the best October on record for the company. “Suzuki has clearly defied the market trend and is running well ahead of the overall industry. “Year on year, Suzuki sales are up nearly seven per cent, while the total market is in decline. “With new models like Alto and Kizashi coming on stream in the next 18 months Suzuki is set to continue to be one of the fastest growing brands in the country,” said Devers. Yearly sales to...

Read more Volkswagen Increases Operating Profit by 15% in the First 9 Months

The Volkswagen Group increased its deliveries, sales revenue and profit in the first nine months of the current fiscal year despite the adverse macroeconomic environment and the worsening financial crisis. Operating profit improved significantly by 15% to €4.9 billion. At €3.7 billion, Europe's largest automobile manufacturer exceeded its prior-year profit after tax by 28.5%. "Volkswagen has performed well so far in a difficult environment. With its young and environmentally friendly model...

Read more Piaggio brands lead Aussie Scooter Market

According to recently released FCAI industry data (September 2008 YTD), scooter sales continue to soar in Australia. The Italian scooter giant, Piaggio, continues to be the number one choice for scooters in Australia with almost 23% share of the market with the three distinctive Piaggio, Vespa and Gilera brands.

Read more Porsche Increases Its VW Stake to 35.14 per cent - (Global)

Porsche Automobil Holding SE, Stuttgart, acquired a further 4.89 per cent of the Volkswagen ordinary shares on Tuesday, 16 September. As a result, the total stake in the Wolfsburg-based car manufacturer now amounts to 35.14 per cent of the voting rights. This step ensures that Porsche has a lasting majority at the VW annual general meeting. Dr. Wendelin Wiedeking, Chief Executive Officer of Porsche, said: “Our goal continues to be to increase our stake in Volkswagen to more than 50 per cent....

Read more Mitsubishi Motors Announces Production, Sales And Export Figures For July 2008 - (Global)

Mitsubishi Motors Corporation today announced global production, as well as domestic sales and export figures for July 2008.

Read more Ferrari Races Ahead of Porsche - (Australia)

Ferrari is not only beating Porsche on the race track – Ferrari beat Porsche in the classic Spa 24 race at the weekend (2-3 August 2008) and the F430 dominates the FIA GT2 World Championship – but the Italian legend is also beating the Germans in Australian car showrooms, with Ferrari out selling the Porsche 911 in July, according to figures revealed today (5 August 2008) by VFACTS.

Read more Mitsubishi Motors Australia Announces Financial Results for FY2007/08 - (Australia)

Mitsubishi Motors Australia Limited (MMAL) has announced financial results for the period covering 1st April 2007 to 31st March 2008, highlights of which include a 44.2 per cent improvement over the previous fiscal year’s fiscal result (excluding extraordinary costs) and a $150 million turnaround in net current assets.

Read more Kia Motors posts 24.1% increase in July global sales - (Australia)

Kia Motors Corporation has announced global sales (export sales, domestic sales and sales from overseas plants) of passenger cars, recreation vehicles (RVs) and commercial vehicles totalling 122,230 in July 2008, representing a 24.1% year-on-year increase.

Read more Honda Australia 2007/08 Financial Results - (Australia)

Honda Australia Pty Ltd has recorded a consolidated profit of $82 million after related income tax expense on revenue of $1.95 billion for the financial year ended March 31, 2008.

Read more Mazda Bullish in Bear Market – New Sales Target: 82,000 - (Australia)

Mazda Australia is bucking the trend in a softening economy and revising its full year sales goal upwards by 2.5 percent.

Read more Mazda’s Economical Baby Drives Record July - (Australia)

Strong sales of Mazda Australia’s economical baby Mazda2 have snared the company a new July record, retailing a benchmark 6,508 new cars.

Read more Mitsubishi’s Imported Sales Show Solid Growth in 2008 - (Australia)

Mitsubishi Motors Australia Limited (MMAL) today announced sales results for July, with a total of 4,277 vehicles sold during the month. Compared to July 2007, this figure represents a slight drop in vehicle sales, due in the main part to limited availability of some popular product lines.

Read more Mazda Jumps to Record July - (Australia)

Mazda Australia has set a new sales record for the month of July, retailing a benchmark 6,508 vehicles.

Read more Mitsubishi Motors Announces First Quarter Fiscal 2008 Results - (Global)

Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) today announced its sales and financial results for the first quarter of the fiscal year ending March 31, 2009.

Read more Mitsubishi Motors Announces Production, Sales and Export Figures for June 2008 and First Six Months...

Mitsubishi Motors Corporation(MMC) today announced global production, as well as domestic sales and export figures for June 2008 and the first six months of calendar 2008.

Read more Skoda Sales Growth Up 17.9% - (Global)

Škoda Auto's sales over the first six months of 2008 have grown by 17.9% as compared with last year, reaching 366,686 vehicles in total. Škoda has dramatically increased the number of vehicles sold and delivered in Eastern Europe (63,684 vehicles; +40.1%), China (31,566 vehicles; sales started in June 2007) and India (9,556 vehicles; +61.6%).

Read more Hyundai sells its 700,000th vehicle - (Australia)

Hyundai has recorded its 700,000th vehicle sold since the brand was launched in Australia in 1986.

Read more Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group joins ranks of Global Top 5 Automakers - (Global)

With global sales of 3,961,629 units in 2007, the Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group has emerged as the world's fifth largest automaker moving up from sixth place in 2006, according to the recently published Automotive News' 2008 Global Data Book.

Read more Corolla Leads Toyota to Sales Records - (Australia)

Toyota has capped a series of industry sales records with news that its four-cylinder Corolla is Australia's best-selling car this year. It is the first time Corolla - or any Toyota - has topped the country's new-vehicle sales chart at the half-way point of a year.

Read more Honda Hits an All Time High - (Australia)

Honda Australia sold more vehicles in June 2008 than any other month in the company’s history. According to VFACTS figures released today Honda sold 6,217 vehicles, breaking through the 6,000 unit barrier for the first time.

Read more Economical Small Cars Propel Mazda to June Sales Record - (Australia)

Surging light and small car popularity has propelled Mazda to an all-time record first half sales total of 42,493, up 8.6 percent on the same time last year. Mazda is on track to exceed its full year target of 80,000 new vehicle sales.

Read more BMW Secures Record Sales in Booming Market - (Australia)

BMW delivered 2,258 new luxury cars to customers in June 2008, its best sales month ever.

Read more Subaru’s Record June - (Australia)

Subaru Australia has achieved an all time monthly sales record of 4116 vehicles according to official VFACTS figures released today.

Read more Suzuki’s Record-Breaking Run Continues - (Australia)

A record sales result in June by Suzuki has confirmed its position as one of the fastest growing brands in the country. A total of 2419 new Suzukis were sold in June, making it the best ever month in the company’s history and continues a remarkable run of 19 straight months of increased month on month sales.

Read more Mitsubishi Sales Skyrocket in June - (Australia)

Mitsubishi Motors Australia Limited has announced another outstanding month of sales during June, with a total of 8,346 vehicle sales, which netted the company a remarkable 7.8 per cent market share.

Read more No Price Rise for the Luxury of an Alfa Romeo - (Australia)

Alfa Romeo will protect its customers from the uncertainty surrounding the implementation of the new rate of Luxury Car Tax by holding its prices at the pre-tax rise levels during the interim period between the 1 July implementation of the next tax rate and when it becomes law.

Read more Toyota Sets All-Time Industry Record - (Australia)

Toyota has become the first car company in Australia to sell over 25,000 vehicles in a month. Sales figures released today show the company set an all-time industry record with customers buying in excess of 25,600 Toyotas in June. The result included more than 5000 Corollas, 4500 HiLuxes and strong contributions from Yaris and the locally produced V6 Aurion and four-cylinder Camry.

Read more Volvo To Absorb July 1 Luxury Tax Increase - (Australia)

Volvo Car Australia will absorb the proposed eight per cent increase in the Luxury Car Tax (LCT) from July 1 to protect new car buyers until a Senate Committee review takes place in late August.

Read more Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles Continues to Produce Record Results - (Australia)

The Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles brand reports a rise in deliveries worldwide of light and heavy commercial vehicles by 13.2 per cent to 216,133 and thus confirms record results for the year to date, i.e. January to May 2008.

Read more Mitsubishi Motors Announces Production, Sales And Export Figures For May 2008 - (Australia)

Mitsubishi Motors Corporation today announced global production, as well as domestic sales and export figures for May 2008.

Read more January to May: Another Delivery Record for the Volkswagen Brand - (Australia)

The Volkswagen brand delivered 1.57 million vehicles in the first five months of this year, an increase of 6.7 percent compared with January to May last year and at the same time a new delivery record for this period. In a difficult market environment, the Volkswagen brand delivered 318,600 vehicles worldwide (- 0.8 percent) in May, thus performing noticeably better than the overall market (- 2.9 percent).

Read more BMW M GmbH Races from 0-300,000 in 30 - (Global)

M’s been the word for supreme performance in the BMW lexicon for 30 years and 300,000 unique and exclusive vehicles.

Read more Audi: On Track for Record Sales in 2008 - (Global)

AUDI AG sold more than 426,200 vehicles worldwide from January to May, an increase of 1.5 percent.

Read more Mercedes-Benz Delivers 300,000 Units of the New C-Class in the Model’s First Sales Year - (Global)

In the year since its market launch, the new Mercedes-Benz C-Class is continuing the success story set by its predecessor. Globally, more than 300,000 customers have purchased either a sedan or estate variant of the award-winning new C-Class since its official international introduction on March 31, 2007.

Read more Nissan Builds Business with Industry Powerhouse - (Australia)

Nissan Australia has announced it will become the preferred vehicle supplier to the Housing Industry Association (HIA).

Read more Strong May Sales for Mitsubishi’s Imported Vehicle Line-Up - (Australia)

Mitsubishi Motors Australia Limited (MMAL) enjoyed strong results in May and an even stronger result on a year-to-date basis, despite a general slowing of sales in the Australian automotive market during the month.

Read more Chrysler Australia – May Vehicle Sales Up by 33% - (Australia)

Chrysler Australia recorded an amazing 33% increase over the same period last year. Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge each achieved a positive result in May 2008.

Read more Subaru Celebrates May Days - (Australia)

Subaru achieved best ever May sales of 3217 vehicles, according to official VFACTS figures released today.

Read more May Madness a Success for Suzuki - (Australia)

Suzuki continues to break records with its best ever May retail result, according to official VFACTS figures released today.

Read more Higher Fuel Prices Shape Luxury Car Market - (Australia)

Sales of Lexus hybrid luxury vehicles are running at record levels in the wake of rising fuel costs.

Read more Toyota Cracks The Ton - (Australia)

Toyota Australia has become the first car company to exceed 100,000 sales in the first five months of a calendar year.

Read more Tata Motors completes acquisition of Jaguar Land Rover - (Global)

Tata Motors today acquired the Jaguar Land Rover businesses from Ford Motor Company for a net consideration of US $2.3 billion, as announced on March 26, in an all-cash transaction. Ford has contributed about US $600 million to the Jaguar Land Rover pension plans. Mr. Ratan N. Tata, Chairman of Tata Sons and Tata Motors, was present at the handing over ceremony at the head quarters of Jaguar Land Rover at Gaydon in the UK along with Mr. Don Leclair, the Executive Vice President and Chief...

Read more Mazda Zoom-Zooms to a May record - (Australia)

Mazda Australia retailed a record 6,530 new passenger cars, SUVs and commercial vehicles in May. The result is up 3 per cent on the previous May record of 6,345 set in 2007.

Read more Kia cee'd production passes 200,000 units landmark - (Global)

Managers and staff at Kia's vehicle manufacturing facility at Zilina in Slovakia, Eastern Europe have celebrated another historic landmark - production of the 200,000th Kia cee'd. The historic car, a three-door Kia pro_cee'd, finished in Dakar Yellow, is destined for a customer in Germany.

Read more Proton Announces Bouyant Financial Results On Back Of Revitalised Model Line-Up - (Global)

The introduction of new models including the Persona and Saga and a revitalised model line-up has led Malaysian car maker Proton back into profit for the first time in two years.

Read more Mitsubishi Motors Announces Production, Sales and Export Figures for April 2008 - (Global)

Mitsubishi Motors Corporation today announced global production, as well as domestic sales and export figures for April 2008.

Read more Bentley Increases Profitability Despite Slight Decrease In Sales Revenue - (Global)

Bentley Motors has announced its financial results for the first quarter, ending 31 March 2008, reporting consistent profitability despite a slight decrease in sales. Bentley net revenue decreased by €15m or 4.4% to €338mn compared to the first quarter of 2007, primarily due to exchange rate effects. However, operating profit increased by €1m to €39m compared to the same period in 2007.

Read more Nissan Net Income Up 7.4% at 482.3 Billion Yen in FY2007 - (Global)

Nissan sold a record 3,770,000 vehicles worldwide in fiscal year 2007, an increase of 8.2%. In North America, sales were 1,352,000 units, up 1.3%; United States sales were 1,059,000 units, up 3.0%. In Japan, sales were 721,000 units, down 2.5%. In Europe, sales came to 636,000 units, up 17.9%. Sales in General Overseas Markets (GOM) were up 22.1% at 1,061,000 units, surpassing the 1-million mark for the first time.

Read more Tax Hike on Cars Inflationary and Blind to CO2 Emissions - (Australia)

Melbourne - The proposed 32 per cent tax increase on motor vehicles above $57,000 will add to Australia’s inflationary burden and penalise automotive brands and their customers who invest in technology to reduce greenhouse gases.

Read more Ford Australia Reports 2007 Financial Results - (Australia)

Ford Motor Company of Australia Limited* today reported a net after-tax loss of $87.2 million for its 2007 fiscal year.

Read more Hybrid And Safety Drive Lexus SUV Sales - (Australia)

Lexus Australia has posted its best-ever April sales figure of 853 vehicles, according to April VFACTS figures.

Read more Business Tax Cuts Welcomed by VACC - (Australia)

“Reduced payroll taxes, reduced land taxes, reduced WorkCover premiums and less red-tape, announced in the Victorian Budget are welcomed by VACC,” Executive Director David Purchase, said. “The intent to decrease taxes by 1.43 billion over four years, retain a budget surplus and provide for increased services to the community is a credit to Treasurer Lenders and Premier Brumby.”

Read more Toyota Hilux: Australia's Best-Selling Vehicle In April - (Australia)

Toyota's HiLux was the best-selling vehicle in Australia last month: the first time a ute has achieved the feat. Toyota also had the number two seller with Corolla, which has extended its lead as the top-selling car so far this year. It is the first time Toyota has achieved the "quinella" by having the two best-selling vehicles in the country in one month.

Read more Mazda Awesome in April - (Australia)

Mazda Australia has maintained its record-breaking momentum in April, notching 6,749 sales for an 8 percent market share. Australia's top-selling full-line importer has sold 28,439 new cars for far in 2008. That's 10 percent (or 2,604) ahead of the same period last year.

Read more Mitsubishi’s Imported Vehicle Sales Rise 31 per cent in April 2008 - (Australia)

Mitsubishi Motors Australia Limited (MMAL) has reported a 31 per cent increase in sales of its imported product line-up during the month, thanks to all-time record April sales of light commercial and sports utility vehicles. The April result consolidated the company’s solid growth through the 2008 calendar year, with a year-to-date increase of 19.6 per cent across the imported range.

Read more Subaru’s Record April - (Australia)

Subaru has achieved a new April sales record of 3158 vehicles, according to official VFACTS figures released today. Passing the previous record of 3015 set in April 2005, it puts Subaru sales 16.5 per cent ahead of the same month last year.

Read more Suzuki Sales Continue To Soar - (Australia)

Suzuki continued its remarkable run of sales success with another record month in April. Suzuki sales totaled 1626 units last month, making it the best April sales month for Suzuki Australia on record. The April sales result continued a remarkable run of 17 straight months of increased sales and confirmed Suzuki Australia’s position as one of the fastest growing brands in the country.

Read more Maerati Ignores Economy Fears with Four-Fold Sales Increase in April - (Australia)

Maserati has ignored the fears about the economy to record a massive four-fold increase in its Australian sales during April, lifting its year to date sales by more than 100 per cent. During April Maserati delivered 24 of its exclusive sports sedans and coupes, four times the figure for the same month last year, and this takes its year to date sales to 88, a 109 per cent increase over 2007.

Read more Fiat 500 Drives Fiat to a Sales Record - (Australia)

Despite doom and gloom about the economy, Fiat has recorded a record sales month in April with the Italian marque scoring its largest sales month since its Australian return in 2006 thanks to the new Fiat 500. “Good though it is to record a record month, if we could meet the demand for the 500, we could have more than tripled our April result!” says Edward Butler, the General Manager for Fiat cars in Australia. “Australian demand for the Fiat 500, as in every market in which this chic little...

Read more GM Europe: €9 Billion Investment to Strengthen Opel - (Europe)

General Motors Europe will invest a total of €9 billion into Opel through 2012, thus strengthening its core brand. €6.5 billion alone will be spent on the development of new vehicles and propulsion systems. In addition, the company is investing considerably into its German plants, Rüsselsheim, Bochum, Kaiserslautern and Eisenach.

Read more Bentley Increases Profitability Despite Slight Decrease In Sales Revenue - (Global)

Bentley Motors has announced its financial results for the first quarter, ending 31 March 2008, reporting consistent profitability despite a slight decrease in sales. Bentley net revenue decreased by €15m or 4.4% to €338mn compared to the first quarter of 2007, primarily due to exchange rate effects. However, operating profit increased by €1m to €39m compared to the same period in 2007.

Read more Mazda Motor Corporation Reports Record Profits in Fiscal Year 2007

In the first year of the Mazda Advancement Plan, Mazda’s FY2007 operating profit reached 162.1 billion yen, exceeding FY2006’s record results by 2 percent.

Read more Mitsubishi Motors Announces FY2007 Full-Year Results and FY2008 Forecasts

Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) today announced its full-year results for the year ending March 31, 2008, together with forecasts for the year ending March 31, 2009.

Read more Lucky 13 as Fiat Scores its 13th Successive Profit Boost - (Global)

The Fiat Group has recorded its 13th successive quarterly profit boost, with Fiat car sales climbing in Europe against the market trend, a record quarter for commercial vehicles and sales increases for Fiat agricultural and construction equipment combining to boost Fiat profits by 28.7 per cent while the car division lifted its profit gain by 53 per cent.

Read more Ford Makes Solid Progress On Plan -- $100 Million Net Income in First Quarter 2008 Preliminary...

Ford Motor Company [NYSE: F] today reported net income of $100 million, or 5 cents per share, for the first quarter of 2008. This compares with a net loss of $282 million, or 15 cents per share, in the first quarter of 2007. Ford’s first quarter pre-tax operating profit from continuing operations, excluding special items, was $736 million, up $669 million from a year ago. On an after-tax basis, Ford’s first quarter operating profit from continuing operations, excluding special items, was $525...

Read more Formal Closing of the “Daimler Hero Motor Corporation” Joint Venture

The Indian Hero Group and Daimler AG have signed a contract in Delhi that governs the establishment of the Daimler Hero Motor Corporation Ltd., a commercial vehicle joint venture.

Read more Mitsubishi Motors Announces Production, Sales and Export Figures for March 2008 & for...

Mitsubishi Motors Corporation today announced global production, as well as domestic sales and export figures for both for March 2008 and the 2007 fiscal year.

Read more Young Women Driving Ferrari Success in China - (China)

Speaking at the 2008 Beijing International Motor Show, Ferrari’s CEO has revealed that Ferrari’s success in China is being driven by young women and ten per cent of customers are already purchasing their second Ferrari “Last year, we grew 48 per cent in China with respect to 2006,” said Amedeo Felisa, Ferrari's CEO. “That percentage was also reflected throughout the Asia-Pacific region. In China, alone, we sold 180 cars and thus far have around 500 clients in China.”

Read more Mazda Global FY Sales Up 4.7pc

Mazda Motor Corporation has beaten its full-year sales forecast for fiscal year (FY) 2007, announcing that consolidated global retail sales exceeded 1.36 million vehicles. This is an increase of nearly five percent over FY2006 and is Mazda’s best recorded consolidated global sales result achieved since FY2000.

Read more Volkswagen Group Starts Second Quarter 2008 with Another Record: Deliveries Rise By 7% in April -...

The Volkswagen Group started the second quarter of 2008 with another global record: Under increasingly difficult market conditions, Europe’s largest automaker expects to deliver some 550,000 vehicles in April, an increase of 7.0 percent compared with April 2007.

Read more Toyota's $1 Billion Economic Contribution to SA on Display at Adelaide Motor Show

Toyota Australia's operations in South Australia generate at least $1 billion of economic activity per year, the company said today. Toyota's central region manager Michael Beros said details of the company's contribution to the SA economy would be on display at this year's Adelaide Motor Show. Mr Beros said Toyota and its SA dealers generated:

Read more Mitsubishi Consolidates Sales Growth in First Quarter 2008

Mitsubishi Motors Australia Limited (MMAL) has continued to consolidate sales growth during the first quarter of 2008, and has maintained its sales rate for the month of March.

Read more Hyundai's Q1 Global Sales Up 16.4%; Hyundai Australian Sales Up 14%

Hyundai Motor Company saw its first quarter sales grow by 16.4 percent to 712,529 units on a global basis. Domestic sales were up 10.8 percent to 158,338 units while overseas sales were up 18.1 percent to 554,191 units.

Read more Mazda's Momentous March

Another month, another sales record for Mazda… but not just any record.

Read more SUV's and Light Trucks Drive Strong First Quarter

Australian motor vehicle sales are continuing to run at record levels despite rising interest rates. Official VFACTS figures released today by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) reveal that the automotive industry ended the first quarter with total sales of 263,453 – up 8,385 or 3.3 per cent on the same period in the all-time record year of 2007.

Read more Mitsubishi Motors Announces Production, Sales and Export Figures for February 2008

Mitsubishi Motors Corporation today announced global production, as well as domestic sales and export figures for February 2008.

Read more BMW Group Heading Towards a Successful Year in 2008

The BMW Group intends to continue its successful business performance in the current year. “We are aiming towards a current year profit before tax -adjusted for the exceptional gain on the settlement of exchangeable bond on shares in the British aero engine manufacturer, Rolls-Royce, in 2007 - that is higher than in the previous year”, said Norbert Reithofer, the Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG at the BMW Group Annual Accounts Press Conference in Munich on Tuesday.

Read more Bentley Follows Sales Success With Record Profitability

Bentley Motors has announced its financial results for the year ending 31 December 2007, reporting record revenue and operating profit.

Read more Audi: Most Successful Fiscal Year of all Time

In the 2007 fiscal year, AUDI AG once again achieved record figures for production, vehicle sales, revenue and profit.

Read more Land Rover Australia's Fast Start To 2008

Land Rover Australia achieved 413 retails in February, its highest February result since 1999. This continues Land Rover Australia's fast start to 2008, after setting its best January result on record, with 433 retails, eclipsing the brand's best 2007 retail month. Overall, Land Rover is up 75% on last year's Australian sales YTD.

Read more Audi Strong in February

Following on from an historic result in January 2008, German premium brand, Audi, has ended the month of February with its second best-ever result of 765 units.

Read more Suzuki Sales Continue to Soar

A total of 2,102 Suzukis were sold in February, representing an increase of more than 14 per cent year on year.

Read more Mazda Fantastic in February

Mazda has reaffirmed its position as Australia’s top-selling importer, securing its 14th consecutive record month with 7022 new car sales last month. This is an increase of 10.3 percent on the company’s previous best of 6365 set in February last year.

Read more Car Market Accelerates Despite Interest Rates

Sales in both January and February have set records for those months, building on a record annual total of more than one million new cars in 2007. "The February sales result is very pleasing for the automotive industry and shows that underlying demand from private buyers and business remains very robust, reflecting continued outstanding levels of vehicle affordability," said FCAI Chief Executive Andrew McKellar.

Read more Mitsubishi Records Strong Sales During February

Mitsubishi Motors Australia Limited has announced strong results for February 2008, with a total of 5,423 vehicle sales recorded during the month. On a year-to-date basis, the company’s total sales of 10,507units were 9.2 per cent ahead of the 2007 total, and 2.0 per cent ahead of the whole-industry February market growth of 7.2 per cent.

Read more Fab Feb for Subaru Sales

Subaru sold 3371 vehicles in February, placing it 25.0 per cent ahead of its 2007 year-to-date sales, according to official VFACTS figures released today.

Read more Share in VW to go beyond 50 per cent

The Supervisory Board of Porsche Automobil Holding SE, Stuttgart, has given the go-ahead for an increase of the stake in Volkswagen AG to more than 50 per cent.

Read more Mitsubishi Motors Announces Mid-Term Business Plan: "Step Up 2010"

Having announced the Mitsubishi Motors Business Revitalization Plan on January 28, 2005, the company has been working on various measures toward revitalization based on the two pillars of recovering trust and restoring earnings. On the matter of trust, it has strived to improve employees' awareness, strengthen its quality management system, and create a thoroughly customer-centered culture. These achievements have all received favorable evaluations from the Business Ethics Committee, an...

Read more Volvo To Continue Sales Success In 2008

Volvo Car Australia heads into 2008 ready to build on the solid sales success of last year with increased depth and breadth from new model ranges the driving force.

Read more Strong Start in 2008: Volkswagen Group Delivers 11.1 Percent More Vehicles in January

The Volkswagen Group has rung in the year 2008 with a strong start. Europe's largest car builder delivered 11.1 percent more cars to customers throughout the world compared to the same month last year. The eight brands of the Volkswagen group sold a total of 485,500 vehicles. This is a record for the first month of a year.

Read more Lexus Sells Its 50,000th Vehicle in Australia

Lexus has sold its 50,000th vehicle in Australia, cementing the brand's position as one of Australia's most popular Luxury vehicle brands. The 50,000th vehicle, a Lexus RX 400h is the world's first hybrid SUV. It combines a powerful six-cylinder engine with Lexus' unique hybrid drive system to deliver what Lexus have dubbed "guilt free performance".

Read more Mitsubishi Motors Announces Production, Sales and Export Figures for January 2008

Mitsubishi Motors Corporation today announced global production, as well as domestic sales and export figures for January 2008.

Read more Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles Clinches No. 1 Ranking for New Registrations of Light Commercial...

311,594 newly registered city delivery vans and Transporters recorded for Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles in 2007. With a market share of 14.6 per cent in the European Economic Area (EEA) plus Switzerland, the brand has for the first time achieved the topmost ranking on the registration statistics for light commercial vehicles to five tons.

Read more Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles Off to a Successful Start in 2008

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles has got off to a successful start in 2008. In January, the company continued the positive trend of the previous year, delivering 36,830 passenger carriers, leisure vehicles, light commercial vehicles, heavy trucks and buses worldwide. This represents a rise of 16.6 percent.

Read more Ferrari Balance Sheet 2007: Excellent End of Year Results, a Historic Record for the Company

Ferrari has ended 2007 with all its key economic indicators significantly up and with record breaking results that are unprecedented in its history topped off by the Ferrari Formula One Team securing both the manufacturers’ and drivers’ championship titles, Ferrari’s board of directors were informed today. (12 February 2008)

Read more Mercedes-Benz Sales Grow by 16 Percent in January

Stuttgart - The Mercedes-Benz Cars division delivered 90,400 vehicles to customers all over the world in January 2008 (January 2007: 77,700). Sales of the Mercedes-Benz, AMG, Maybach, and smart brands thus rose by 16 percent to set a new record.

Read more Kia Motors Posts 13.3% Increase In January Global Sales

Kia Motors Corporation has announced that its global sales (export retail sales, domestic sales and sales from overseas plants) of passenger cars, recreation vehicles (RVs) and light trucks in January 2008 totalled 103,385, representing a 13.3% year-on-year increase.

Read more Audi AG Starts in 2008 with Strong Sales Results

Ingolstadt – AUDI AG successfully increased its worldwide sales by 4.7 percent in January, handing over a total of approximately 78,700 cars to customers. The brand registered rising sales in Europe and America as well as in the growth regions of Asia.

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