July 6, 2010

Toyota Is Changing How It Develops Cars
Toyota is stretching out how long its new models are tested before they go into production and reducing the number of outside engineers it uses in a bid to overcome a spate of quality problems. According to the Wall Street Journal, Randy Stephens, a senior Toyota engineer based in Ann Arbor, Mich., said company executives recognize that there were quality issues with the last generation of vehicles, which were developed while the company was in a global-growth mode. Executives began talking about making changes nearly a year ago, he said, but the recent recall problems have spurred the company to act. The changes in development follow Toyota's announcement that it will recall up to 270,000 Lexus models globally because of an engine problem that could cause stalling. It has recalled more than 8.5 million vehicles globally for problems related to unintended acceleration and tens of thousands more for steering, braking, and gas-tank flaws in vehicles across its lineup. Toyota is trying not to lengthen the overall development time for a vehicle, which is 21 or 48 months depending on when you start counting, Stephens said. The idea is that other parts of the process could be shortened to allow more testing time. Click here to read more on Toyota's plans to develop its cars.

2011 Model Year Preview
Take the time to click through a few recent automotive headlines and it quickly becomes clear that, by and large, the auto industry has survived the meltdown of 2009.According to MSN Autos, the first quarter of 2010 saw automakers such as Ford, Hyundai, Subaru, and Toyota post double-digit sales increases for the first time in more than a year. Behind the larger success stories, other automakers are reporting increased dealer traffic - something that was unthinkable a few months ago. Click here for AIADA's latest Market Watch international nameplate sales report. All of that good news breeds optimism, and as a result we're beginning to see a wave of new models just over the horizon. Domestic automakers such as Chevrolet and Ford are slated to release hotly anticipated vehicles such as the Volt and Fiesta, respectively, within the next 18 months, while Nissan is looking to introduce its all-electric Leaf. The trend of high-quality small cars and technology-laden fuel savers will continue in 2011, and that's good news for consumers everywhere. For a more complete look at all the latest vehicles coming down the pike, MSN Autos has compiled a comprehensive overview, listed by automaker, of what's new and what's been slightly modified or "refreshed" for the 2011 model year. Click here to check out the MSN's list, along with in-depth analysis.

New Kid on the Sales Block: McLaren Sets up Dealerships
The New York Times reports that for an upstart exotic-car company to make a credible run at Ferrari, its marketing had better be as compelling as its cars. McLaren, North America's youngest car company, will already be familiar to millions when it reveals its first product, the MP4-12C sports car, to America at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Élégance next month near Monterey, Calif. Click here for a photo of the performance car. The McLaren Group, based in Woking, England, is responsible for the McLaren F1, the definitive street-legal hypercar of the 1990s - and still on record as the fastest car ever with normal aspiration. McLaren also produced the jointly developed Mercedes-Benz SLR supercar of 2003-9, when Mercedes owned 40 percent of the McLaren Group. The McLaren Group recently established a North American subsidiary based in Midtown Manhattan, as well as a small nationwide network of dealers. The MP4-12C, to go on sale in the United States next summer, is envisioned as the first in an eventual "full line" of sports cars. Five dealers will be the brand's American beachheads: Miller Motorcars of Greenwich, Conn., the Auto Gallery in Beverly Hills, Calif.; the Park Place dealerships in Dallas; Lake Forest Sportscars outside of Chicago; and the Price Family Dealerships in Palo Alto, Calif. For the latest on McLaren's dealership plans, click here.

Land Rover Begins Push for Greener SUVs with Evoque
Land Rover needs to develop greener versions of all its models to sustain sales, the head of Indian owner Tata Motors Ltd. said. The lightweight Range Rover Evoque - a small, two-door SUV unveiled Thursday - must be followed by upgrades of the brand's bigger all-terrain autos producing less carbon, Tata CEO Carl-Peter Forster said in an interview. Click here for a photo of the Evoque at Autoblog. Tata's Jaguar Land Rover unit is targeting "strong growth" as demand for high- end vehicles rebounds, Forster said. The Evoque, aims to help lift annual sales to 300,000 units, up more than 50 percent from last year's total. U.S. sales begin in fall 2011. According to Automotive News, the Evoque, to be officially launched at the Paris motor show in September, is based on the Land Rover LRX concept car exhibited at the Detroit auto show in January, 2008. The car will go on sale next summer in two- and four-wheel drive versions and will likely attract drivers that would typically consider buying vehicles such as BMW AG's Mini and Audi's TT, Edwards said at a party in the ground of Kensington palace, celebrating the 40th birthday of the Range Rover brand. Click here for more on what's in store for Land Rover as it "greens" its vehicles.

Some Chrysler Dealers to Sell Fiats
Only a select few Chrysler dealers will earn the right to sell the diminutive Fiat 500 when it goes on sale in the U.S. in December, the company said Monday. According to the Detroit Free Press, Chrysler is inviting about 2,300 Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram truck dealers to bid for about 125 Fiat franchises to be located in 41 states. Dealers will need to make an unspecified investment. In addition, they will be required to find or build a showroom separate from their existing businesses, Chrysler spokesman Ralph Kisiel said. Fiat, which owns 20 percent of Chrysler, is planning to offer its first Fiat-branded vehicle in the U.S. since 1995 when it stopped exporting its Alfa Romeo 164 to the U.S. The 500, also known in Europe as the Cinquecento, will be assembled in Chrysler's Toluca, Mexico, assembly plant. It will be powered by a four-cylinder engine made in Chrysler's Dundee plant. Next year, Chrysler plans to introduce a convertible version of the car, followed by a battery-powered 500 in 2012. Click here for a photo of the vehicle. Kisiel said Chrysler won't choose dealers and locations until it evaluates the proposals. Dealership application guides will be sent to current dealers as early as this week. Chrysler plans to announce some of the Fiat dealers in September. Click here for more on Chrysler's plans to begin selling the Fiat 500 stateside.

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2011 Audi R8 Spyder 4.2 FSI Quattro - Official Info [Car and Driver]
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