Latest vehicle markets news and analysis articles 
Sales trends in regional or national vehicle markets
UK: Car sales in Western Europe down 8.7% in January
7 February 2012
Car sales in Western Europe fell by 8.7% year-on-year in January according to data released by LMC Automotive.
UK: January new car sales flat
7 February 2012
UK new car registrations rose 0.03% to 128,853 units in January according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
US: Chrysler's Eastwood ad attracts talk, not clicks - Edmunds
7 February 2012
Chrysler's two-minute Sunday night Super Bowl half-time ad featuring Hollywood icon Clint Eastwood may have prompted much chatter on- and off-line Monday about Chrysler’s follow-up to last year's 'Imported from Detroit' ad starring Eminenm but analysts at Edmunds.com reckon it did very little to "move the needle in consumer interest in Chrysler".
US: Fisker starts sales in Canada
6 February 2012
Fisker Automotive has started selling its electric Karma model in Canada where government funded subsidies are on offer to EV buyers.
FRANCE/ITALY: January car sales sharply down in France and Italy
3 February 2012
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.
SOUTH KOREA: Citroen to re-start sales
3 February 2012
Citroen is planning to re-enter South Korea in April with its DS3 models, according to local distributor Hanbul Motors.
SOUTH KOREA: New Mercedes chief arrives from Berlin
3 February 2012
Thomas Urbach took up his new post as president and CEO Mercedes-Benz Korea, replacing Harald Behrend, this week.
COMMENT: Where does the Chinese car industry really stand?
2 February 2012
Investment banker Meyrick Cox describes the development of the Chinese auto industry, its structure and offers a view on the challenges it faces in the future.
US: January light vehicles sales surprise
2 February 2012
January US light vehicle sales were stronger than anyone expected.
JAPAN: Mazda expects losses to worsen
2 February 2012
Mazda today (2 February) reported a group net loss of JPY112.84bn (US1.3bn) for the April-December period, blaming sluggish sales because of the yen's strength and Europe's debt crisis.
NEW ZEALAND: SUVs lead 2011 sales
2 February 2012
Sports utility vehicles have become the favourite family car in New Zealand, according to the local Transport Agency.
US: GM says January SAAR 13.5-13.6m
1 February 2012
General Motors said on Wednesday the US light vehicle sales rate was around 13.5m to 13.6m in January, an increase of around 8% year on year as the industry continued to recover.
PRODUCT EYE: Renault Kangoo Maxi Z.E.
1 February 2012
White Van Man might well be in danger of losing his innate haste and stress, should he get behind the wheel of the new EV version of Renault's Kangoo van.
FRANCE: Renault-Nissan alliance books record 2011 sales
1 February 2012
The Renault-Nissan Alliance sold a record 8,029,222 units in 2011, a 10.3% increase year on year, boosted by "robust" sales in emerging markets and the United States.
INDIA: Maruti January sales up 5.2%
1 February 2012
Indian car market leader Maruti Suzuki sold 115,433 vehicles in January, up 5.2% year on year.
January 2012 management briefing: 2012's growing vehicle markets
31 January 2012
The problems facing the European vehicle market were described in the last instalment of January's briefing. In this article, we consider the prospects for vehicle demand in other world regions.
US: Market recovery to maintain momentum – analyst
31 January 2012
The recovery to the US light vehicle market is expected to maintain momentum this year, according to a market analyst who spoke to just-auto.
January 2012 management briefing: world markets – Europe
27 January 2012
It is probably fair to say that the analysts and pundits are – in early 2012 - less certain about prospects for the year ahead than they were a year ago.
JAPAN: Mitsubishi Motors recalls 300,000 vehicles
27 January 2012
Mitsubishi Motors has recalled almost 300,000 kei-class small cars in Japan due to engine oil leaks.
JAPAN: Toyota ups Lexus 2012 target
26 January 2012
Toyota Motor aims to boost worldwide sales of Lexus models by about a quarter to 500,000-510,000 vehicles this year, bringing them back to levels before the global financial crisis hit demand.
SOUTH KOREA: Hyundai targets European market share increase
26 January 2012
Hyundai Motor targets European market share increase
JAPAN: Toyota confirms loss of top carmaker spot
25 January 2012
Toyota Motor confirmed Wednesday that its world group sales fell below the 8m mark in 2011, losing the firm its number one spot in the global carmakers' league.
FRANCE: Renault-Nissan chief Ghosn’s gloomy forecast for Europe
25 January 2012
Renault Nissan chief Carlos Ghosn said he expects vehicle sales in Europe to decline 2%-3% this year, adding he is particularly concerned about an expected 5%-6% drop in France.
NETHERLANDS: Mitsubishi Europe volume up 7% in 2011
25 January 2012
Mitsubishi Motors Europe (MME) boosted unit volume 7% year on year to 149,967 sales.
INDIA: Maruti Alto world's best selling small car
25 January 2012
India's largest-selling car, Maruti Suzuki's Alto, has emerged as the best-selling small car in the world for the second straight year in 2011, outpacing Volkswagen and Fiat models.
INTERVIEW: Nissan Mexicana president Jose Munoz
25 January 2012
Interviewed at Nissan's Americas media centre, Nissan Mexicana president Jose Munoz discusses his team’s achievements in 2011 and plans for 2012, including construction of a new manufacturing plant to be built in Aguascalientes. The facility, which will complement Nissan’s two existing Mexican factories, is scheduled to begin operations in late 2013. He envisions an environment where his team will be poised to achieve an unprecedented 30% share of the market in the future.
JAPAN/UK: Honda hybrid tally over 800,000
25 January 2012
Honda Motor has sold over 800,000 hybrid vehicles since the first generation Insight - a two-seat coupe - was launched in November 1999.
ANALYSIS: ASEAN sales up by 3.8% in 2011
24 January 2012
New vehicle sales in the ASEAN region’s six largest markets fell by 15.4% to 584,790 units in the fourth quarter of 2011, from 691,517 units a year earlier, writes Tony Pugliese.
UK: just-auto surveys the global auto industry
24 January 2012
just-auto has launched its latest annual survey of the auto industry to identify key trends and forecasts for the year ahead.
ASEAN: Q4 sales down 15.4%
24 January 2012
New vehicle sales in the ASEAN region’s six largest markets fell by 15.4% to 584,790 units in the fourth quarter of 2011, from 691,517 units a year earlier, writes Tony Pugliese.
