Auto
China's auto sales in April surge by double digits
China's monthly auto sales in April continued to grow by a double-digit pace as in the first quarter as new launches fueled demand.
Toyota is still No. 1 in global auto sales
Toyota held onto its status as the world's top-selling automaker in the first quarter of this year, although the three-way race with General Motors and Volkswagen is proving tight, as its sales fall in China and Japan.
Yamaha bets big on scooters to drive India sales
Japanese two-wheeler major Yamaha has set a target to sell 500,000 units this year as against 350,000 units in 2012, with half the sales expected to come from scooters.
China car sales in March rebound 15pc
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China's monthly passenger car sales in March rebounded by double digits after a slow February due to the Spring Festival holiday, the China Passenger Car Association said on Tuesday.
Ferrari surges in Japan amid economic revival
Japan is becoming Ferrari's next growth market. Registrations of Fiat's ultra-luxury brand rose 40 percent to 144 vehicles in Japan last quarter, according to the Japan Automobile Importers Association. That is more than twice the growth in the US market, while demand is slumping in China, at home, and across Europe.
Mercedes-Benz India posts 5.3pc sales growth
Luxury car maker Mercedes-Benz India has announced a 5.3 per cent growth in its sales number for the first quarter of CY 13. The company has sold 2,009 units during the January-March period against 1,908 units in the same period last year.
GM sees Cadillac sales in China tripling over next 3 years
The head of General Motors’ Cadillac brand expects its sales in China, the world’s biggest luxury car market, to grow by two-thirds this year and triple there by 2016. “We now expect Cadillac sales to triple over the next three years,” Bob Ferguson, vice president in charge of the Cadillac brand, said at a company event ahead of the New York auto show.
Volvo, made in China from mid 2013
Owned since 2010 by Chinese based Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co., Volvo won the approval of China’s main industry planner to start production of vehicles in the country. The authorization paves the way for Li’s Geely to offer Volvo cars at cheaper prices because vehicles produced in China aren’t subject to the nation’s 25 percent import duty. The government requires overseas automakers to work with Chinese companies in making cars.
Thailand's February vehicle sales up 36pc
Thailand's motor vehicle production rose by 36.4 percent year-on-year in February, with vehicle shipments up by 22.3 percent. Output for the month stood at 229,204 vehicles, down by 2.89 percent from January due to fewer working days, said the the Federation of Thai Industries' automotive industry club. Output over the first two months of the year totalled 465,229 units, up by 50.7 percent year-on-year.
Taking Stock: Informed car shoppers shorten buying cycle
Ninety-four percent of car buyers start their shopping experience online, Capgemini's new Cars Online study revealed. But the time they approach dealers or manufacturers, they have tapped information from websites, search engines and even social media, which were found to have influence over their purchase decisions.
With these better-informed customers, Capgemini said dealers are looking at shorter buying cycles, and must live up to the customer’s desire for an advanced, more personalized buying experience at the dealership, complete with interactive tools.
