Byron Pope

Byron

Pope

Associate Editor

WardsAuto

Email: bpope@wardsauto.com

Byron covers Ford and the Mexican market.

Because of poor roads and rural conditions in areas where demand for armored vehicles is on the rise, International Armoring mostly modifies SUVs, including the Range Rover, Toyota Land Cruiser and Chevy Suburban.

Total light-vehicle sales in Mexico rose 16.0% to 69,760 units, with light-trucks up 9.5% and passenger-car deliveries jumping 19.9%.

Escalating gas prices and high unemployment rates are causing many car buyers to downsize their vehicle purchases, while still wanting the same interior amenities to which they have grown accustomed, a J.D. Power study finds.

“People want products that are consumed publically to be more reflective of their identity, because others see them,” says a professor of marketing at the University of Michigan-Dearborn. “Cars are very much for self-expression.”

Small-car buyers crave functionality, connectivity and safety from automotive interiors, industry experts say at today's conference.

All Class 8 manufacturers posted double-digit gains for the month. Standouts included Peterbilt, up 119.4%, and volume-leader Kenworth, up 81.8%.

Although the newly established Kentucky-Argonne Battery Mfg. Research and Development Center is focused on cutting battery costs and improving manufacturing processes, it takes about 10 years to put a new invention into production.

The industry veteran says auto makers and suppliers are working more frequently as partners, a dramatic departure from the past.

The facility is a collaborative workspace that offers a do-it-yourself workshop and fabrication studio where would-be inventors can access a vast array of equipment, including laser cutters, computer-aided design workstations and 3D printers.

The government says its new policy is an effort to spur innovation by forcing global car makers to invest heavily in Brazil. But critics call it a thinly veiled attempt at protectionism.

The Netherlands-based company recently inked a contract with Mazda to supply in-dash navigation systems for the newly launched CX-5 CUV and is negotiating to provide units to other vehicles in the auto maker’s lineup.

Ford’s total light-vehicle deliveries rose 7.0% on a daily-selling basis to 177,127 units. There were 24 sales days last month compared with 27 year-ago.

Audi A7 interior artfully blends high-end materials into a visually alluring and comfortable luxury interior.

The new CUV uses high-strength steel integrated into the dual-sliding doors and roof to replace a traditional B-pillar.

The auto maker remains strong in North American market, but says there are obstacles to overcome in Europe, South America and the Asia/Pacific and Africa regions.

Auto companies sold 6.56 million vehicles worldwide in April, a 3.4% increase over same-month year-ago, raising total deliveries for the first four months of 2012 to 27.2 million units.

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Byron Pope

Articles by Byron Pope

Navigation-system maker TomTom is offering downloads of celebrity voices (including some of these) to guide you on your route. Who would you like to have tell you where to go?

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