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RESULTS PREVIEW: Daimler to get trucks boost to end-year results Daimler is poised to post strong full-year financial results later this week (February 9) boosted by strong performances in its heavy trucks and financial services divisions.JAPAN: Mitsubishi closing Netherlands assembly plant in 2013 Mitsubishi Motors' NedCar plant in Born, the Netherlands, appears doomed beyond the end of this year after the automaker said it "would not allocate a new model" for its subsidiary European production site from "2013 and beyond".JAPAN: Suzuki nine-month profit falls Suzuki Motor nine-month operating profit dipped 5.1% to JPY87.7bn on sales down 6.7% to JPY1.8 trillion due to a volume fall in India, ongoing effects of the Japanese earthquake, and yen appreciation, the automaker announced.BELGIUM: GM could still have say with Youngman Saab 9-3 plan: CLEPA European automotive supplier body CLEPA, is cautioning General Motors could still be involved if prospective Saab bidder, Youngman, starts up production using the 9-3 model.GERMANY: Schaeffler places US$2bn bonds in capital markets Schaeffler says it has successfully placed EUR2bn (US$2.6bn) of bonds in the international capital markets, with the issue oversubscribed by around five times.US: Toyota Mississippi plant adds second Corolla shift Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Mississippi (TMMMS) on Monday (6 February) added a second shift to make the Corolla. Approximately 2,000 people are now employed at the plant which was mothballed for a time after Toyota's plans changed following the global financial crisis about three years ago.UK: Look, honey, we shrunk the hybrid powertrain A more compact version of Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive system used in larger models, like the Prius and Auris, will make its debut in Toyota Europe's Yaris hybrid due out later this year.US: Ford starts work on US$1.1bn Claycomo plant expansion Ford has begun construction in Kansas City, Missouri on a US$1.1bn expansion of its Claycomo Assembly Plant.CHINA: Mitsubishi Motors plans Pajero SUV JV with Guangzhou Automobile Mitsubishi Motors (MMC) plans to establish a joint venture (JV) with Guangzhou Automobile Group by the end of September, a media report said.US: Super Bowl truck ad pits Ford against GM A row between General Motors and Ford over a Chevrolet truck television ad aired during weekend Super Bowl football game coverage in the US has attracted considerable media coverage both there and abroad.GENEVA PREVIEW: Honda to launch new diesel engine Honda will launch a new 1.6-litre diesel engine at next month's Geneva motor show which it claims is the lightest in its class as well as having class-leading fuel economy and performance.GENEVA PREVIEW: Updated global debuts list [Nissan Invitation added] An updated version of just-auto's list of world premiere concepts and production models due to take a bow at the Geneva motor show's 6 March press day.US: Fisker starts sales in Canada Fisker Automotive has started selling its electric Karma model in Canada where government funded subsidies are on offer to EV buyers.CHICAGO PREVIEW: Updated global debuts list Various concepts and production models are due to be revealed at the Chicago auto show's 8 & 9 February media preview days. Our list continues to be updated as manufacturers confirm further debutantes.THE WEEK THAT WAS: A mixed start to 2012 The jury on the likely US sales tally for 2012 is still out after a January that (pleasantly) surprised our resident statistician Bill Cawthon and sparked off a bit of discussion at just-auto Towers this week - will the light vehicle market for the year break through 14m, as an increasing number of pundits suggest or will the remaining 11 months see it pegged back to the 13.5m-ish suggested late last year?US: Chrysler adding 1,800 Belvidere jobs Chrysler last night (2 February) confirmed it will add about 1,800 jobs at its Belvidere, Illinois assembly plant, including a third shift "and hundreds of jobs for the production of the new Dodge Dart", by the third quarter of 2012.JAPAN: Mitsubishi returns to profit in fiscal Q3 Reduced costs and an improved model line-up helped Mitsubishi reverse last year's loss to post a net profit in the nine months to December 2011.BELGIUM: CLEPA cautions Saab receivers not to sell assets to pay huge lawyer army Europe's automotive supplier body CLEPA, is urging Saab receivers not to sell off the bankrupt automaker piecemeal in order to pay a vast army of lawyers. FRANCE/ITALY: January car sales sharply down in France and Italy The year of 2012 is off to a poor start in terms of European car sales if the January results from France and Italy are anything to go by.JAPAN: Denso nine-month net income drops 71.9% Denso announced financial results for the nine months ending 31 December 2011 showing that onsolidated net income fell 72% year on year to JPY36.4bn (US$467.8m) and consolidated operating income was off 53% to JPY82.1bn on consolidated net sales down 6.1% to JPY2,214.4bn. |
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