http://www.earthtimes.org The Earth Times online newspaper, serving the planet with automotive news that matters en-us PHP/4.4.4 http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/314956,the-problem-is-the-driver-toyota-strikes-back--feature.html New York - For two long months, Toyota endured a royal beating as the whipping boy for the car-crazy United States.... Cars,General Sat, 20 Mar 2010 01:54:53 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/314956,the-problem-is-the-driver-toyota-strikes-back--feature.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/314858,toyota-lawsuits-in-uscould-cost-billions-lawyer-says.html Hamburg - Toyota's recall debacle could cost the Japanese carmaker billions of dollars in compensation claims, the lawyer handling Toyota lawsuits in the United States told the German Financial Times on Friday.... Cars,General Fri, 19 Mar 2010 10:49:14 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/314858,toyota-lawsuits-in-uscould-cost-billions-lawyer-says.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/314853,vietnamese-company-to-sue-ford-over-acceleration-complaints.html Hanoi - A Vietnamese transportation company is to sue the national branch of US carmaker Ford Motor Company over automatic acceleration in its 2007 Transit vans, the company said Friday.... Cars,General Fri, 19 Mar 2010 10:08:35 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/314853,vietnamese-company-to-sue-ford-over-acceleration-complaints.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/314753,tehran-responds-to-united-states-push-for-tougher-fuel-sanctions.html Iran has revealed a new dual fuel car engine that will run both on gas and kerosene, a move set to bolster the country's ability to withstand international economic sanctions... Cars,General Thu, 18 Mar 2010 16:05:00 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/314753,tehran-responds-to-united-states-push-for-tougher-fuel-sanctions.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/314730,kia-motors-to-build-new-engine-plant-in-slovakia.html Bratislava - South Korean carmaker Kia Motors said Thursday it plans to build a new 100-million-euro (136.7 million dollars) engine factory near its existing plant in Slovakia. The new plant, to be located in the western city of Zilina, is designed t... Cars,General Thu, 18 Mar 2010 14:18:20 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/314730,kia-motors-to-build-new-engine-plant-in-slovakia.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/314689,daimler-to-invest-over-900-million-dollars-in-india-plant.html New Delhi - German carmaker Daimler AG is to invest 4.4 billion rupees (967 million dollars) over the next five years to set up a manufacturing plant in the southern Indian city of Chennai, news reports said Thursday. The commercial vehicles plant wo... Cars,General Thu, 18 Mar 2010 10:38:09 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/314689,daimler-to-invest-over-900-million-dollars-in-india-plant.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/314633,ford-says-acceleration-in-vans-not-bug-but-feature.html Hanoi - Ford Vietnam representatives said Thursday that automatic acceleration in a van that prompted complaints from drivers was an intentional feature, not a mistake, and that a recall was out of the question. Several passenger transit companies ha... Cars,General Thu, 18 Mar 2010 04:06:10 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/314633,ford-says-acceleration-in-vans-not-bug-but-feature.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/314528,bmw-to-boost-asian-business-amid-hopes-for-better-year.html Munich - The world's leading luxury carmaker BMW laid out plans Wednesday to bolster its business in Asia's booming auto markets as it recovers from the crisis that hit the global car industry last year. Speaking at the group's annual press conferenc... Cars,General Wed, 17 Mar 2010 12:15:17 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/314528,bmw-to-boost-asian-business-amid-hopes-for-better-year.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/314515,porsche-reports-profits-down-81-per-cent.html Stuttgart, Germany - Luxury sports carmaker Porsche warned Wednesday that it faced a loss this year resulting from the cost of its integration with Volkswagen, and after a sharp 81-per- cent drop in first-half profit. Releasing a report for the first... Cars,General Wed, 17 Mar 2010 11:37:14 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/314515,porsche-reports-profits-down-81-per-cent.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/314499,renault-nissan-open-first-joint-global-factory-in-india.html Paris/Chennai, India - French carmaker Renault and its Japanese partner Nissan inaugurated Wednesday in India their first joint factory dedicated to the global market, Renault said. The new site, in the city of Chennai, will begin production in May w... Cars,General Wed, 17 Mar 2010 10:35:07 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/314499,renault-nissan-open-first-joint-global-factory-in-india.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/314484,bmw-profits-at-210m-euros-for-2009-cautiously-optimistic-about-2010.html Munich - The world's leading luxury carmaker BMW said Wednesday that it was on a recovery course after auto sales slumped last year in the wake of the global economic crisis. The Munich-based group emerged better than expected from the recession to r... Cars,General Wed, 17 Mar 2010 09:36:13 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/314484,bmw-profits-at-210m-euros-for-2009-cautiously-optimistic-about-2010.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/314442,mercedes-looks-at-green-future-with-f800.html Geneva - Mercedes gave a preview of the design language for the new C-Class and green efficient-drive technology with the F800 research vehicle it presented at the Geneva Motor Show. Mercedes said the car was fitted with much of the technology that... Cars,General Wed, 17 Mar 2010 03:10:31 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/314442,mercedes-looks-at-green-future-with-f800.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/314441,renault-unveils-wind-roadster.html Geneva - Renault has unveiled its new two-seater coupe roadster, called Renault Wind, featuring a novel electric roof that opens in just twelve seconds with a system similar to that found in the Ferrari 575 Superamerica. Showcased for the first time ... Cars,General Wed, 17 Mar 2010 03:10:30 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/314441,renault-unveils-wind-roadster.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/314440,women-are-safer-drivers-study-finds.html Stuttgart, Germany- Women drive more safely, are less aggressive and cause fewer accidents than men, according to a study released by the Auto Club Europe (ACE). The organisation analysed more than 320,000 traffic accidents in Germany during the year... Cars,General Wed, 17 Mar 2010 03:10:28 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/314440,women-are-safer-drivers-study-finds.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/314439,audi-expands-electric-family-with-a1-e-tron-city-car.html Ingolstadt, Germany - Audi is expanding the e-tron family with an A1 electric drive vehicle that went on show at the Geneva Motor Show as a near series concept fitted with a combustion engine that recharges the battery for a transversally-mounted e... Cars,General Wed, 17 Mar 2010 03:10:25 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/314439,audi-expands-electric-family-with-a1-e-tron-city-car.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/314438,bentley-extends-flexfuel-technology-to-full-range.html Crewe, England - Bentley is extending FlexFuel technology across the complete 2011 Continental range, including the new Supersports Convertible, the company has announced. The W12 6-litre power unit can run on petrol, E85 bioethanol or any mix of the... Cars,General Wed, 17 Mar 2010 03:10:23 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/314438,bentley-extends-flexfuel-technology-to-full-range.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/314437,small-manufacturer-with-sports-cars-of-a-classic-beauty.html Duelmen, Germany - The small family car manufacturer Wiesmann stands out among the niche sports car makers with a classic and purist design, that contrasts sharply with the standard aerodynamically-streamlined shapes of the big competitors. At the re... Cars,General Wed, 17 Mar 2010 03:10:17 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/314437,small-manufacturer-with-sports-cars-of-a-classic-beauty.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/314402,honda-recalls-more-than-400000-cars-in-us-over-brakes.html Washington - Honda is recalling 412,000 vehicles in the United States over a problem with brake pedals, the Japanese carmaker announced Tuesday. Honda said it would recall 344,000 Odyssey and 68,000 Element models after receiving complaints from cust... Cars,General Tue, 16 Mar 2010 18:30:09 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/314402,honda-recalls-more-than-400000-cars-in-us-over-brakes.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/314318,european-car-registrations-slow-in-february--summary.html Berlin - New passenger car registrations in the European Union rose by 3 per cent in February compared with the same month last year, the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA) said Tuesday. Total car registrations for the month came t... Cars,General Tue, 16 Mar 2010 11:12:12 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/314318,european-car-registrations-slow-in-february--summary.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/314301,european-car-registrations-rise-in-february.html Berlin - New passenger car registrations in Europe rose by 3 per cent in February compared with the same month last year, the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA) said Tuesday. Total car registrations for the month came to 974,346 it... Cars,General Tue, 16 Mar 2010 10:12:12 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/314301,european-car-registrations-rise-in-february.html