FORD LEADS CANADA FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 50 YEARS; SALES UP 25%

June marks the company’s eighth consecutive month of market share growth

June Highlights:

* Ford vehicle sales posted a 25% increase over last year
* Oakville-built Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX sales rose 23% and 24%, respectively
* Ford Fusion sales were up 13%
* Ford Ranger sales increased 50%
* Ford Escape sales rose 41%
* Ford F-150 sales were up 59%
* Lincoln MKZ sales increased 42%
* Total F-Series sales were up 39%
* Total Lincoln sales rose 18%
* Ford SUV and CUV sales increased 41%
* Ford of Canada market share realized eight months of consecutive growth

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Hyundai Auto Canada Corp. aims for new ‘big three’ with continued sales growth

Double-digit increases continue while industry in reverse

MARKHAM, ON, July 2 /CNW/ - June was another tremendously successful month for Hyundai Auto Canada Corp. as the South Korean manufacturer recorded yet another month of significant year-over-year sales increases. With 10,104 units sold, overall sales for Hyundai in June 2009 were up nearly 26% compared to June 2008. Additionally, two of the company’s models doubled their sales volumes compared to last year. The Elantra sold over 2491 units in June,
marking a 120% increase over June 2008, and the Santa Fe more than doubled its June 2008 sales with 2254 units sold, an increase of 104%.
Hyundai’s sales climb has been a bright spot in the Canadian automotive industry throughout 2009. While other manufacturers have recorded decreases of over 30 and 40%, Hyundai Auto Canada Corp. has been recording double digits increases. For the first half of the year, Hyundai is up over 21% while the industry is down a similar amount.
Factors contributing to the company’s success are plentiful, ranging from brand new products to important recognition from industry watchers and analysts, and innovative marketing programs that make Hyundai products accessible to all Canadians. The Hyundai Genesis - winner of both Canadian and North American Car of the Year awards - has changed the way consumers think about Hyundai. Add to this the introduction of the 2010 Genesis Coupe and the
Elantra Touring, and the Hyundai line-up has a product to satisfy any taste.
On the marketing side, the Hyundai Smart Advantage program has been in effect for the majority of 2009, offering lower selling prices combinable with finance and lease rates as low as zero per cent.
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FASTEST JAGUAR EVER AT GOODWOOD FESTIVAL OF SPEED 2009

The fastest Jaguar ever will make its UK debut later this week at the famous Goodwood Festival of Speed. The Jaguar’s XFR Prototype made its record-breaking run at the legendary Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah last November, reaching a stunning top speed of 225.675mph.

The XFR Prototype, which will be driven by Rocketsports Racing owner, Paul Gentilozzi, the man behind the wheel at Bonneville, appears in Goodwood’s ‘First Glance’ category. A one-off Jaguar XKR will join the ‘Supercar run’, driven by Mike Cross, Jaguar’s Chief Engineer of Vehicle Integrity.

Mike O’Driscoll, Managing Director, Jaguar Cars, said: “The essence of the Festival is speed, making it the perfect venue for fielding Jaguar’s fastest car ever – the record-breaking XFR Prototype.

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FORD FIESTA TAKES ON ESPN’S X GAMES WITH ALL-STAR DRIVER LINEUP

The 2009 Olsbergs Motor Sports Evolution ROCKSTAR Ford Fiesta will be driven by Tanner Foust at ESPN’s X Games 15 from July 30 – August 2 in Los Angeles.

* Ford Fiesta, which will makes its U.S. motorsport debut with the Olsbergs Motor Sport Evolution race team at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in mid-July, has added a second North American event heading to ESPN’s X Games 15 on Aug. 2.
* All-star Fiesta driver lineup includes Kenny Brack, Tanner Foust and Brian Deegan.
* Ford makes its X Games debut in the new Ford Fiesta; production version set to hit showrooms in 2010.

DEARBORN, Mich., July 1, 2009 – The new Fiesta Rallycross cars have already created plenty of buzz in the enthusiast community with word of their North American motorsport debut in July’s Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in Colorado.

Now, the anticipation will be even greater as the Swedish Olsbergs Motor Sport Evolution (MSE) team has announced it will compete in ESPN’s X Games 15 in Los Angeles, Calif., July 30 – August 2. Olsbergs MSE is entering the race with the famous Swedish driver Kenny Brack. The team will also field two Ford Fiestas for ROCKSTAR Energy Drink with drivers Tanner Foust and Brian Deegan. All three Fiestas will comply with Rally America Open Class specifications.

Olsbergs Motor Sport Evolution will utilize BFGoodrich Tires at both the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb and at ESPN’s X Games 15.

“The new Fiesta is already creating headlines around the world,” said Brian Wolfe, director of Ford North America Motorsport. “The announcement that it would compete at Pikes Peak was greeted so positively by enthusiasts everywhere. Now, to back it up with competition at the X Games will just create even more buzz for the car.”

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Kia Canada scores another Koup - June sales up 37.9 per cent

MISSISSAUGA, ON, July 1 /CNW/ - Kia Canada retailed 5,200 vehicles this
June, up 37.9 percent from the same month last year, to record the best sales
month in the company’s ten year history in Canada. June marks the second
consecutive month that Kia Canada has surpassed the 5,000 mark and the third
month that Kia has posted record sales results.

June also marked a few other important milestones:

-  This is the best Quarter in KCI’s ten year history in Canada
-  The Quebec Region retailed over 2,000 units for the second month in
a row
-  The Central Region posted the best retail month in its ten year
history
-  The Western Region posted the second highest retail growth in the
country behind Quebec Region

Other Highlights:

Peter Schreyer, world renowned automotive designer and Kia Motors
Corporation’s Chief Design Officer will attend Kia Canada’s press event for
the launch of the much anticipated Forte KOUP in July.
Source Kia Canada

The Passat CC enchants the world with its style
Design awards in Germany and Australia
Wolfsburg, 01 July 2009 - International panels of design experts have chosen their winners and one Volkswagen model has made an exceptional impression: the Passat CC. Last night in Essen, Germany, Volkswagen’s four-door coupé was presented with the “red dot Design Award 2009 - Best of the Best”, once again highlighting Volkswagen’s first-class and attractive design concept. The elegant model has also sparked excitement down under in Australia, a statement backed-up by the fact that it has recently won the “Australian International Design Award”.

Last night the Aalto Theater in Essen provided the setting for a wonderful prize ceremony during which Martin Kropp, designer at Exterior Design Studio 1, accepted the “red dot Design Award” for Volkswagen. The “red dot Design Award” is one of today’s most coveted awards that a designer can win for a creative product. The prize has been awarded every year since 2000.

In March, the Passat CC was awarded the prestigious “iF Product Design Award 2009″ in Hanover. At the end of May the coupé also swept the board down under where it won the renowned “Australian International Design Award” in the “Automotive and Transport” category.
Source VolkswagenAG

BMW 7 Series lineup expands in model year 2010 with addition of two xDrive models
06/30/2009

Whitby, ON. BMW Canada is pleased to announce a milestone in the history of the flagship BMW 7 Series Sedan with two all-wheel drive 7 Series variants poised for introduction in the 2010 model year.
Just a year after the new 7 Series’ debut, the new all-wheel-drive models will represent a significant and purposeful evolution, with the latest generation of BMW’s sophisticated xDrive intelligent all-wheel drive technology that distributes driving torque between the front and rear axles, optimizing traction, handling and vehicle dynamics in all driving conditions.

Engine and drivetrain specifications of the 750i xDrive and 750Li xDrive are identical to the 750i and 750Li models.The two 7 Series all-wheel drive models are subtley identified by “xDrive” badging on the front quarter panels.

Further enhancing the performance and aesthetic appeal of all 2010 BMW 7 Series variants is a new optional M Sport Package (replacing the previous Sport Package), which features:

* Dynamic Drive (Active Roll Stabilization)
* Revised exhaust system with “tailored” sound characteristics
* 20-inch M Double Spoke alloy wheels
* M Aerodynamic Package
* Ceramic interior elements
* Available Exclusive M paint colour: Carbon Black metallic

With 750i xDrive and 750Li xDrive models joining the 750i and 750Li in the fall of 2009, and the previously announced BMW 760Li joining the lineup in parallel, the unprecedented complement of five 7 Series models will make for the most prominent 7 Series family in the history of BMW Canada.

Pricing and additional technical detail on the 2010 BMW 7 Series lineup will be made available closer to market launch.
Source BMW

Lamborghini Gallardo LP 550-2 Valentino Balboni – Driving fun with absolute precision
He has long been revered as one of the many legends surrounding the world’s most uncompromising sports car brand – Valentino Balboni, a remarkable test driver with his own personal cult status. Automobili Lamborghini now presents a model in his honour and bearing his name – the Gallardo LP 550-2 Valentino Balboni.

The latest version of the Gallardo, Lamborghini’s most successful model of all time - overall, more than 9,000 units of the model range have already been produced - boasts not only its own distinctive design and exclusive equipment, but its technology is unique too, as indicated by the model badge: the 550 stands for the power output in hp and the 2 is for rear wheel drive.

For several decades, Valentino Balboni has had a distinct influence on the character of the super sports car bearing the sign of the bull. With his fine-tuning and testing work, he has helped to shape many automotive legends, from the Lamborghini Miura of the 60s through to the current Gallardo and Murciélago models. Balboni was hired in 1967 by company founder Ferruccio Lamborghini himself. From early on, it was evident that the young Balboni had a special feel for cars, that most sensitive of all instincts that connects to the ‘life blood’ of an automobile and defines the soul of a test driver.

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Volvo official car when Sweden takes the EU presidency

When Sweden and its Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt take over the presidency of the European Union July 1, Volvo will become the official transport supplier to the government through its marketing company, Volvo Personbilar Sverige (VPS). Hertz Car Rentals, which has close ties with VPS, will be responsible for all logistics and administration.

“We are very proud and happy at being asked to be the only make recognised as the EU’s official car during Sweden’s presidency. We are also the company that sells by far the most green cars in Sweden to private customers as well as companies and public authorities,” says Thomas Andersson, President of Volvo Personbilar Sverige AB.

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GMC Announces Pricing on All-New Terrain

Well-Equipped Five-Passenger Crossover to Start Under $25K

* 2010 GMC Terrain FWD starts at $24,995; AWD version at $26,745
* Terrain offers class-leading fuel economy/rear-seat legroom with standard premium features
* Terrain arrives in GMC dealerships in September

DETROIT - GMC has announced that its all-new Terrain five-passenger crossover will arrive in showrooms in September sporting a starting price of $24,995 for the front-wheel drive model. An all-wheel drive model starts at $26,745. Both prices include a $745 destination and freight charge.

“The Terrain allows us to build on the evolution we started with the Acadia, applying the distinctive styling and capabilities that have always been a part of the GMC DNA to smaller, more fuel efficient vehicles that customers are seeking in today’s rapidly changing market,” said Susan Docherty, GM North America Vice President, Buick-Pontiac-GMC. “We think Terrain is a bold statement of GMC’s key role within the reinvented General Motors.”

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