Audi Hungaria begins production of new high-performance V6 engine in Győr plant On April 2, Audi Hungaria started producing a new high-performance gasoline engine at its Győr plant. The engine, called the V6 Otto EVO LK3, is the most powerful gasoline engine made there. It generates output for 375 kW, 600 Nm of torque, and was first introduced in Audi RS5. The engine is significantly different from earlier six-cylinder gasoline engines, with mo...

News  Updated at: 2026/04/02

GM to invest USD 150 million in Saginaw Metal Casting Plant for sixth-gen V8 blocks, heads On April 1, General Motors announced plans to invest more than USD 150 million in its Saginaw Metal Casting Operations to support the production of the sixth -generation of GM’s V8 engine blocks and heads used in its full-size pickup trucks with new equipment and tooling. This latest commitment builds on the approximately USD 5.5 billion in investments GM...

News  Updated at: 2026/04/02

Mercedes-Benz debuts new GLE and GLS in U.S., announces USD 4 billion investment for Tuscaloosa plant On March 31, Mercedes-Benz presented the new Mercedes-Benz GLE and GLS, and Mercedes-AMG GLE 53 HYBRID in their world premieres at their home plant in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, which is celebrating the milestone of the five millionth SUV to roll off the line over 30 years of production. Mercedes-Benz used the event also to announce that as part of a U...

News  Updated at: 2026/04/01

Volga rolls out first vehicle in Nizhny Novgorod plant, Russia On March 25, Volga announced that its first car has rolled off the production line at its plant in Nizhny Novgorod. The brand’s first model in the Russian market will be the K50 flagship crossover. It is built on a D-class platform and comes with a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine producing 238 hp of output. Based on Volga social media update...

News  Updated at: 2026/03/26

Toyota Land Cruiser FJ launched in Thailand; 84% local content, exports planned On March 21, 2026, Toyota Motor Thailand launched the Land Cruiser FJ under the “Bold & Unbound” concept, marking the first Land Cruiser to be mass-produced outside Japan. Production at the Ban Pho plant achieves 84% local content, with planned exports of over 40,000 units annually to around 60 countries, including Japan, and a first-year domestic target of 5,000 ...

News  Updated at: 2026/03/26

Toyota to produce all-new Hilux diesel and electric versions at Zarate plant in Argentina On March 23, it was reported that Toyota will begin production of the all-new Hilux midsize pickup in December 2026 at its Zarate plant in Argentina, including BEV version. The plant is also scheduled to start production of the next-generation midsize SUV SW4 in 2027. Both the diesel and fully electric versions were presented to Argentine dealers, indicating...

News  Updated at: 2026/03/25

AVTOVAZ, Russia starts production of M7 van under new SKM brand On March 20, AVTOVAZ JSC announced start of assembly of commercial and utility vehicles under the SKM brand. The first model, M7, will be offered as an all-metal van and a utility minivan. The new brand's models will share a production facility with commercial versions of the LADA Granta and NIVA and will be manufactured by its subsidiary, VIS-AUTO JSC. The SKM M7 vans and minivans w...

News  Updated at: 2026/03/23

Kim Long Motor opens new truck manufacturing plant in Hue Announced on March 17, 2026, Kim Long Motor officially inaugurated its truck manufacturing plant at the Hue Automobile Manufacturing and Assembly Industrial Park. The 10-hectare facility features a fully automated production line, including robotic welding systems, an ED electrostatic dip-coating line with 13 interconnected tanks, and a flexible assembly system capable of producing multipl...

News  Updated at: 2026/03/20

van, KIMAN9 light truck, and KIMLONG X9 Van. Priced at VND 480 million, the GK48-EV is a compact urban logistics solution (4,860x 1,750x 1,990 mm) with 6.2 cubic meters cargo capacity. It uses a 41.86 kWh BYD battery, delivering up to 305 km of range. The vehicle is assembled in Vietnam, with local production covering the body and chassis, while the battery pack is imported. The KIMAN9 light truck, available in 1.99 t and 2.49 t payload variants,...

News  Updated at: 2026/03/20

d ES 500e battery-electric (BEV) models arriving in U.S. dealerships in April, ahead of the upcoming 2026 ES 350h hybrid models. The all-new 2026 Lexus ES features new styling inside and out, on a platform capable of supporting internal combustion and all-electric powertrains. After recently ending production of the ES model line in Georgetown, Kentucky, the new Lexus ES is imported from the Toyota Motor Kyushu Miyata Factory in Japan. The 2026 E...

News  Updated at: 2026/03/20

Omoda C9 PHEV launched in Malaysia with initial CBU units, followed by CKD models from Shah Alam On March 18, 2026, the Omoda C9 PHEV was launched in Malaysia, priced at MYR 208,800 (OTR, excluding insurance). The model arrived as a limited 50 fully imported (CBU) units, followed by locally assembled (CKD) production units in Shah Alam. The C9 PHEV uses a Super Hybrid System with a 3-speed dedicated hybrid transmission (DHT), allowing the engine ...

News  Updated at: 2026/03/19

ent status and future outlook of the main product lineup in the powertrain sector? In the powertrain segment, TPR continues to expand globally with its three core product groups: cylinder liners, piston rings, and valve seats and guides (sintered products). Among these, cylinder liners for aluminum engine blocks, particularly cast-in liners featuring a proprietary structure with protrusions on the outer circumference, represent a unique, “only-...

News  Updated at: 2026/03/18

Great Wall Motor partners with AVTOTOR to produce Tank 300 SUV in Russia On March 16, Great Wall Motor Rus entered into a strategic cooperation agreement with AVTOTOR to begin contract production of the Tank 300 SUV at AVTOTOR’s Kaliningrad production facility. The production of the Tank 300 frame SUV is scheduled to begin in Q2 2026. The vehicle will be offered in Drive, Premium, City Drive, and City Premium variants. It is powered by a 2.0-li...

News  Updated at: 2026/03/17

Turkish vehicle sales down 3.0% and production up 0.6% in February The Automotive Manufacturers Association (OSD) announced that Turkish vehicle sales of 91,053 units in February 2026 represented a 3.0% decrease over February 2025. Passenger vehicles sales decreased 8.2% to 69,776 units, commercial vehicles sales increased 19.3% to 21,277 units. Due to the record-breaking sales increase in 2025, which brought demand forward, passenger car sales i...

News  Updated at: 2026/03/17

China Passenger Car Association analysis of production and sales volumes for February 2026 The China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) announced the production and sales volumes of passenger cars (including sedans, SUVs, and MPVs, excluding minivans) for February 2026. China passenger car production and sales volumes in February 2026 Retail February retail sales volumes of passenger cars totaled 1.034 million units, reflecting a year-over-year (y/...

News  Updated at: 2026/03/16

anges in the business environment concerning electric vehicles. As part of the company’s reassessment of its electrification strategy, Honda has decided to further strengthen its hybrid models, but cancel the development and market launch of three battery-electric vehicle (BEV) models planned for production in the U.S., including the Honda 0 SUV, Honda 0 Saloon, and Acura RSX. The decision will affect plants within the EV Hub that the company e...

News  Updated at: 2026/03/13

RAM returns to midsize-commercial van segment with 2027 ProMaster City On March 11, Stellantis announced that the all-new 2027 Ram ProMaster City commercial van has rejoined the Ram Professional lineup in the North American market as a right-size, work-ready option. Orders for the new 2027 Ram ProMaster City open in H2 2026 when production begins, with vehicles arriving at U.S. dealers in Q1 2027 at a starting price under USD 40,000. The new ProM...

News  Updated at: 2026/03/12

nsion in its long-standing partnership with Daimler Truck North America (DTNA) with the introduction of two advanced fully automatic transmission offerings for the Freightliner M2 106 Plus medium-duty truck. The Allison 3414 Regional Haul Series (RHS) transmission paired with the Cummins X10 diesel engine in M2 106 Plus trucks will enter production in January 2027. Additionally, the Allison 9-Speed transmission paired with the Cummins B6.7 Octane...

News  Updated at: 2026/03/12

Volvo Buses begins production of Volvo B13R UNVI XL in Portugal On March 10, Volvo Buses started serial production of the Volvo B13R UNVI XL, with body construction at UNVI’s facility in Porto, Portugal. The Volvo B13R UNVI XL is powered by a latest-generation 13-litre Euro-6 diesel engine paired with a 12-speed Volvo I-Shift transmission. It is a 12.8-meter-long, 4×2 single-deck coach designed specifically for the UK and Irish markets. It wi...

News  Updated at: 2026/03/11

camera, adaptive cruise control, and a panoramic roof. In Thailand, the vehicle will be available with two powertrain options: a BEV version equipped with a 64.4 kWh battery offering up to 480 km of range (NEDC), and a range-extended EV (REEV) combining a 31.9 kWh battery with a 1.5-liter gasoline engine, delivering a total driving range of up to 1,100 km. Dongfeng Forthing aims to establish Thailand as a key Southeast Asian market and a strateg...

News  Updated at: 2026/03/11