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DAILY REPORTS
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Mar 17
| Honda racked up 7,000 orders in Japan for its new CR-Z sporty hybrid (autospies.com) | | Honda Motor Co.'s new CR-Z sporty hybrid went on sale starting Feb. 25 but already, there have been 7,000 orders received in Japan. This figure is more than half of Honda's target of 12,000 units each year in its home market.
This many orders mean that there is a three-month waiting time for delivery in Japan. In the US, the model will arrive at showrooms this summer. The two-seater CR-Z is equipped with a 1.5-liter gasoline engine that's mated to an electric motor, resulting to a fuel economy of 36/38 mpg. Honda forecasts sales of 15,000 units in North America annually.
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Mar 04
| Small is beautiful: Japan's hand-made electric cars (AFP) | | While auto manufacturing giants spend millions to develop environmentally-friendly electric cars, one Japanese company has taken a more low-key approach, crafting hand-made "green" cars.
Takeoka Jidosha Kogei may be the antithesis of the world's Hondas and Nissans. The family-run business makes its cars from scratch in a garage workshop in the snowy foothills in the northwest of the country.
There are no industrial robots or assembly lines in sight. Instead just a dozen mechanics crafting each model by hand, right up to the finishing touch of adding a set of beady headlights to their "Milieu" range.
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Feb 26
| Honda launches world's first sporty hybrid car (Japan Times) | | Honda Motor Co. on Thursday rolled out the CR-Z, the world's first hybrid sports car. The car, which will hit domestic showrooms Friday ahead of its global launch, comes with an electric motor equivalent to 1.5 liters and a 2.0-liter gasoline engine for acceleration. Its fuel efficiency is rated at 25 km per liter, compared with about 12 for similar gas-powered Honda models.
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Feb 18
| Here comes the electric Nissan Leaf (CNN) | | Carlos Ghosn -- in shirtsleeves -- walks briskly into a conference room on the 21st floor of Nissan's global headquarters in Yokohama, Japan. Awaiting his arrival are 15 executives in two ranks of chairs. Subject of the meeting: how to spread the news about Ghosn's pet electric-car project.
His communications staff wants a traditional publicity campaign to build excitement, but Ghosn (rhymes with "phone") has other ideas. He believes that Nissan has a headstart over the rest of the industry -- and he doesn't want to tip his hand.
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Feb 17
| MMC plans ¥800,000 fuel-stingy compact (Japan Times) | |
Mitsubishi Motors Corp. is considering setting the price of its new fuel-efficient compact car at around ¥800,000, well under the roughly ¥1 million for the lowest-priced cars now available on the market, sources said. The automaker is planning to build the car, which is set for release next year, at low-cost plants in Thailand and China and to supply it to carmaker PSA Peugeot Citroen, which is looking to forge capital ties with Mitsubishi Motors, for sale under the French automaker's nameplate, the sources said.
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Jan 10
Japanese set for rare downbeat Detroit car show
(Reuters)Jan 10
Akio Toyoda to become president of Toyota
(Yomiuri)Jan 08
Japan races to build a zero-emission car
(AFP)Jan 06
Suzuki freezes plan to develop 3.6L 'Kizashi' sedan
(MarketWatch)Jan 05
Auto slump has deep impact on Japan
(Wall Street Journal)
| (AP) - This photo released Wednesday March 17, 2010 by the California Highway Patrol shows a Toyota Prius bumbper touching the Higway Patrol car after it was stopped with the help of a California Highway Patrol officer after the driver reported the vehicle's accelerator becoming stuck. Toyota representatives held a news conference Monday, March 15, and said this driver's account was substantially different from its findings. (AP Photo/California Highway Patrol) |
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Jan 03
Toyota reportedly working on entirely solar-powered car
(geek.com)Dec 29
Japan's carmakers slashing production
(detnews.com)Dec 27
Auto industry gloom crushing Japan's poor recyclers
(Reuters)Dec 26
Japan auto production marks worst drop since 1967
(AP)Dec 24
Honda's Hydrogen Car Now Leasing in Japan
(AutoChannel)
Dec 24
Hold your tears for Japan Inc.
(Fortune)Dec 22
Eco-friendly cars seen rescuing Toyota's fortunes
(Yomiuri)Dec 20
Now Honda Is Feeling the Pain, Too
(BusinessWeek)Dec 20
Trouble at Toyota--Spreading shock waves/Impact of cutbacks hits local government coffers
(Yomiuri)Dec 15
US auto woes spell trouble for Japanese makers too
(AP)
Dec 12
Japanese cars: Designs for a crowded globe
(BusinessWeek)Dec 10
Mazda Launches Freshened Roadster in Japan
(AutoChannel)Dec 10
Japan taps Better Place for electric car charging
(CNET)Dec 09
Show reflects how Japan is letting its culture shape its cars
(Japan Times)Dec 08
Mitsubishi Fuso aiming high with hybrids
(Yomiuri)
Dec 06
Toyota, Hit Hard Now But Equipped to Steer Clear
(Washington Post)Dec 06
Why Detroit's woes are bad for Toyota
(Time)Dec 04
Honda Introduces Revamped Accord Sedan in Japan to Spur Sales
(Bloomberg)Dec 02
'Clean' diesel cars may worsen air pollution
(Asahi)Dec 01
Toyota, Nissan lead biggest drop in Japan car sales in 34 Years
(Bloomberg)
Nov 29
Tradition and innovation at London Japan Car show
(Reuters)Nov 28
Japan creates electronic back seat driver
(telegraph.co.uk)Nov 27
Suzuki Introduces New Alto Lapin in Japan
(AutoChannel)Nov 25
Nissan Says U.S. Buyers Ready for All-Electric Autos, Infrastructure Isn't
(Bloomberg)Nov 25
Lexus LF-A Supercar Gets Track Time in Japan
(edmunds.com)
Nov 25
How Japan carmakers took different route
(CNN)Nov 22
Japanese carmakers continue downsizing
(AFP)Nov 21
Photos: 2009 Nissan Cube
(CNET)Nov 21
Stable Japan car market next year: Volkswagen
(Business Times)Nov 20
Nissan to bring EVs to U.S. by 2010
(Los Angeles Times)
Nov 20
Muscle cars giving 'otaku' new platforms to flex their fetishes
(Japan Times)Nov 19
'Saved By Zero': The Toyota Ad That Won't Stop
(Time)Nov 16
Road Test: Nissan Infiniti
(Independent)Nov 16
Japan Car: designing the drive of your life?
(Times Online)Nov 11
Hang on, GM ... for Japan's Sake!
(TechOn)
Nov 11
Nuclear boffins help Nissan's see oil flow
(just-auto.com)Nov 07
Suffering sales drop, Honda revamps Life minicar
(Japan Times)Nov 03
First Tokyo Motor Week revs up
(Asahi)Nov 02
Motor Week hits Tokyo, Yokohama
(Japan Times)Nov 01
Nissan offers zero pct loans on five models
(Reuters)
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