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Remember the Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid? Most likely not as it made up a sliver of overall Jetta sales - about one percent according to Volkswagen spokesman. For the 2017 model year, the Jetta Hybrid will dropped from the lineup. Some of reason as to why the Jetta Hybrid wasn't a big seller was the high price. According to Automotive News, the Jetta Hybrid only came in the top SEL Premium trim that starts at $31,940. This is slightly hard to ask when the base starts at $18,500. Also, hybrid and electric vehicles have been taking tumble due to low gas prices and consumers drifting towards SUVs and crossovers. But the big reason we believe is that like most other hybrids, the Jetta Hybrid was overshadowed by the Prius. We actually reviewed the Jetta Hybrid back in 2013 and really couldn't make the case as to why anyone should consider it Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required) Pic Credit: William Maley for Cheers & Gears View full article
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Remember the Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid? Most likely not as it made up a sliver of overall Jetta sales - about one percent according to Volkswagen spokesman. For the 2017 model year, the Jetta Hybrid will dropped from the lineup. Some of reason as to why the Jetta Hybrid wasn't a big seller was the high price. According to Automotive News, the Jetta Hybrid only came in the top SEL Premium trim that starts at $31,940. This is slightly hard to ask when the base starts at $18,500. Also, hybrid and electric vehicles have been taking tumble due to low gas prices and consumers drifting towards SUVs and crossovers. But the big reason we believe is that like most other hybrids, the Jetta Hybrid was overshadowed by the Prius. We actually reviewed the Jetta Hybrid back in 2013 and really couldn't make the case as to why anyone should consider it Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required) Pic Credit: William Maley for Cheers & Gears -
Back in December, we reported on the ambitious plan of Guido Dumarey, owner of the Punch International to buy General Motors' Elizabeth plant and the assets to the Commodore to build out a new range of rear and all-wheel drive vehicles in Australia. “Everything is planned. The next step is to inform all the parties with the right plan, and it happens next year. The announcement is that they will close in the end of 2017. In the first six months of next year we must work very hard to find solutions. Two thousand and sixteen is the key year. After ’16 we must not think about it, because all the programs have started to stop and it’s too late,” Dumarey told Motoring back in December. That ambitious plan has come to a halt. CarAdvice reports that General Motors and Punch International released a joint statement today stating that deal to keep producing vehicles at Elizabeth was “not possible in this case". The reasons are the same as to why Ford, GM, and Toyota are ending production in Australia; a lack of scale, high production costs, and a contraction in the supply base. Details of the plan and discussions cannot be discussed by either party due to a non-disclosure agreement. The joint statement is below. General Motors and Punch Corporation have undertaken and completed a detailed global evaluation of a proposal from Punch Corporation to continue manufacturing vehicles at Holden’s Elizabeth plant in South Australia. Both parties concluded that a viable business model was not possible for this case. Therefore the proposal will not be taken forward. GM and Punch have communicated on this decision. As discussions have been governed by a Non-Disclosure Agreement, neither party involved is able to discuss details of the proposal, nor the assessment. The challenges to domestic automotive manufacturing in Australia – lack of scale, high production costs, supply base contraction and increasing market fragmentation – persist and cannot be overcome for this business case. In particular, the wind down of the supply base following the manufacturing exit of the three existing car makers, and the critical production mass they represent, is insurmountable. GM thanks Punch Corporation for their proposal. GM will continue to consider Punch Corporation, along with other interested parties, to participate in the sale process of the Elizabeth plant and assets after GM ceases local manufacturing. Punch Corporation will continue to pursue other business opportunities in the Australian automotive sector. Source: CarAdvice View full article -
Back in December, we reported on the ambitious plan of Guido Dumarey, owner of the Punch International to buy General Motors' Elizabeth plant and the assets to the Commodore to build out a new range of rear and all-wheel drive vehicles in Australia. “Everything is planned. The next step is to inform all the parties with the right plan, and it happens next year. The announcement is that they will close in the end of 2017. In the first six months of next year we must work very hard to find solutions. Two thousand and sixteen is the key year. After ’16 we must not think about it, because all the programs have started to stop and it’s too late,” Dumarey told Motoring back in December. That ambitious plan has come to a halt. CarAdvice reports that General Motors and Punch International released a joint statement today stating that deal to keep producing vehicles at Elizabeth was “not possible in this case". The reasons are the same as to why Ford, GM, and Toyota are ending production in Australia; a lack of scale, high production costs, and a contraction in the supply base. Details of the plan and discussions cannot be discussed by either party due to a non-disclosure agreement. The joint statement is below. General Motors and Punch Corporation have undertaken and completed a detailed global evaluation of a proposal from Punch Corporation to continue manufacturing vehicles at Holden’s Elizabeth plant in South Australia. Both parties concluded that a viable business model was not possible for this case. Therefore the proposal will not be taken forward. GM and Punch have communicated on this decision. As discussions have been governed by a Non-Disclosure Agreement, neither party involved is able to discuss details of the proposal, nor the assessment. The challenges to domestic automotive manufacturing in Australia – lack of scale, high production costs, supply base contraction and increasing market fragmentation – persist and cannot be overcome for this business case. In particular, the wind down of the supply base following the manufacturing exit of the three existing car makers, and the critical production mass they represent, is insurmountable. GM thanks Punch Corporation for their proposal. GM will continue to consider Punch Corporation, along with other interested parties, to participate in the sale process of the Elizabeth plant and assets after GM ceases local manufacturing. Punch Corporation will continue to pursue other business opportunities in the Australian automotive sector. Source: CarAdvice -
Changes are afoot at Honda as they get ready for a massive product overhaul coming in the next few years. Autoblog reports that at the end of 2015 model year, the Civic Hybrid and Natural Gas models will be no more due to customer preferences changing. "These moves will allow greater focus on Civic's sporty new driving character," said John Mendel, Honda executive vice president and head of US automotive operations. The new Civic will go on sale sometime later this year in sedan, coupe, and hatchback forms. The Type-R which was announced to come to the U.S. sometime later has been given an arrival date of 2017. Source: Autoblog -
Changes are afoot at Honda as they get ready for a massive product overhaul coming in the next few years. Autoblog reports that at the end of 2015 model year, the Civic Hybrid and Natural Gas models will be no more due to customer preferences changing. "These moves will allow greater focus on Civic's sporty new driving character," said John Mendel, Honda executive vice president and head of US automotive operations. The new Civic will go on sale sometime later this year in sedan, coupe, and hatchback forms. The Type-R which was announced to come to the U.S. sometime later has been given an arrival date of 2017. Source: Autoblog View full article
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The Nissan IDx concepts received rave reviews from the press and public when they debuted at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2012. A modern interpretation of the iconic Datsun 510 from the 70's, the concepts were small, rear-drive coupes that could compete with the likes of the Scion FR-S and Subaru BRZ. The past year or so saw reports of a production model possible arriving in 2016. But since then, Nissan hasn't said anything about them. The Truth About Cars reports that plans for a production version of IDx has been canned. Speaking with Pierre Loing, Vice President of Product Planning for Nissan North America, he explained that the company doesn't have a small enough rear-drive platform to do a production IDx. The 370Z was a possible candidate, but it was deemed too big. What about developing a new platform for the IDx? “Small, sporty cars are very attractive for consumers but not in huge numbers. To do them properly – in our case – you can’t rely on an existing rear-wheel drive platform, because its dimensions are for a much larger powertrain. So, for us, it would mean developing a different rear-wheel drive platform and then we are bumping into the same obstacles every other automaker has: the volumes of a small, sporty car are not enough to justify the investment,” said Loing. So while the dreams of a rear-drive IDx have been dashed, the design of the IDx could be transferred to a front-wheel drive based model. “I think we may still have some room (to add a retro-inspired car). We have a wide lineup.” Source: The Truth About Cars View full article
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The Nissan IDx concepts received rave reviews from the press and public when they debuted at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2012. A modern interpretation of the iconic Datsun 510 from the 70's, the concepts were small, rear-drive coupes that could compete with the likes of the Scion FR-S and Subaru BRZ. The past year or so saw reports of a production model possible arriving in 2016. But since then, Nissan hasn't said anything about them. The Truth About Cars reports that plans for a production version of IDx has been canned. Speaking with Pierre Loing, Vice President of Product Planning for Nissan North America, he explained that the company doesn't have a small enough rear-drive platform to do a production IDx. The 370Z was a possible candidate, but it was deemed too big. What about developing a new platform for the IDx? “Small, sporty cars are very attractive for consumers but not in huge numbers. To do them properly – in our case – you can’t rely on an existing rear-wheel drive platform, because its dimensions are for a much larger powertrain. So, for us, it would mean developing a different rear-wheel drive platform and then we are bumping into the same obstacles every other automaker has: the volumes of a small, sporty car are not enough to justify the investment,” said Loing. So while the dreams of a rear-drive IDx have been dashed, the design of the IDx could be transferred to a front-wheel drive based model. “I think we may still have some room (to add a retro-inspired car). We have a wide lineup.” Source: The Truth About Cars -
William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com November 4, 2013 While the high price and slow sales led to end of the Aston Martin Cygnet last month, Aston Martin CEO Ulrich Bez said the decision to end the model is due to Toyota killing the iQ next year. The Cygnet was essentially a dressed up version of the iQ. “We stopped the Cygnet as Toyota itself will stop the iQ in 2014 and we don’t want to invest any more,” Bez told Autocar. “I think Aston did a good thing with the Cygnet and I’m disappointed it didn’t work out. It’s a great little car, particularly in London. It will be a cult car in the future and will be well looked after.” Bez also said that he had big plans for the Cygnet, but they never came to fruition. “I wanted to bring it to the US, but there was no support for it. I wanted a supercharged engine, but there was also no support." When asked for a comment, Toyota said there are no plans to end iQ and declined to comment further. Source: Autocar William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at [email protected] or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster. View full article
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Rumorpile: Aston Martin CEO Says Toyota iQ Will Be Canned Next Year
William Maley posted an article in Toyota
William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com November 4, 2013 While the high price and slow sales led to end of the Aston Martin Cygnet last month, Aston Martin CEO Ulrich Bez said the decision to end the model is due to Toyota killing the iQ next year. The Cygnet was essentially a dressed up version of the iQ. “We stopped the Cygnet as Toyota itself will stop the iQ in 2014 and we don’t want to invest any more,” Bez told Autocar. “I think Aston did a good thing with the Cygnet and I’m disappointed it didn’t work out. It’s a great little car, particularly in London. It will be a cult car in the future and will be well looked after.” Bez also said that he had big plans for the Cygnet, but they never came to fruition. “I wanted to bring it to the US, but there was no support for it. I wanted a supercharged engine, but there was also no support." When asked for a comment, Toyota said there are no plans to end iQ and declined to comment further. Source: Autocar William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at [email protected] or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster.
