Tokyo - New car sales in Japan dropped the lowest in 34 years in 2008 as consumer appetite waned amid economic recession, the Japan Automobile Dealers Association said Monday.
The sales of new cars fell to 3,212,342 units in 2008, down 6.5 per cent from the year before, the association said. The figures exclude small car sales.
Annual sales in the record year of 1990 reached 5,975,089 units.
Sales of passenger cars fell 5.2 per cent, while truck sales declined 14.8 per cent and bus sales dipped 1.8 per cent.
Auto giants Hyundai and Honda reported positive growth in December due to selling vehicles at discounted prices and introducing new models. The recently announced excise duty cut on vehicles also helped to increase the vehicle sales of Hyundai, Honda Siel and SkodaAuto while other auto companies including Tata Motors and Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) have continued to slide following the low demand. Mahindra & Mahindra posted 30 per cent decline in sales by selling 10,665 units in December as compared to 15,316 sold last year.
Washington - The US government moved during the New Year's holiday to free up more money for auto loans and to start the emergency infusion of billions of dollars directly into the industry to keep it afloat.
While Chrysler Corporation was still waiting for its money on Friday, General Motors has received 4 billion dollars of the 13.4- billion-dollar lifeline promised by US George W Bush late in December, Bloomberg financial news service reported.
Vehicle sales witnessed decline in the month of December following the slow demand due to the global financial crisis. Sales of passenger as well as commercial vehicles posted slow growth rate. Maruti Suzuki, General Motors and two-wheeler makers Hero Honda and Bajaj recently released their sale figures which indicate the adverse state of automobile sector in the country.
Munich - BMW has given its Z4 sports car an extensive makeover, showcasing at the Detroit Motor Show in January the model that succeeds the Z4 Roadster and Z4 Coupe.
One of the many new technical features is a hydraulically- operated, retractable hardtop roof that opens and closes in 20 seconds. It also includes a glass rear window for improved visibility.
Retaining the basic design of its predecessor with the long bonnet and short rear, the new Z4 however comes with broader shoulders and more dominant kidney-shaped grille.
Tokyo - New car sales in Japan dropped the lowest in 34 years in 2008 as consumer appetite waned amid economic recession, the Japan Automobile Dealers Association said Monday.
Auto giants Hyundai and Honda reported positive growth in December due to selling vehicles at discounted prices and introducing new models. The recently announced excise duty cut on vehicles also helped to increase the vehicle sales of Hyundai, Honda Siel and SkodaAuto while other auto companies including Tata Motors and Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) have continued to slide following the low demand. Mahindra & Mahindra posted 30 per cent decline in sales by selling 10,665 units in December as compared to 15,316 sold last year. 
Washington - The US government moved during the New Year's holiday to free up more money for auto loans and to start the emergency infusion of billions of dollars directly into the industry to keep it afloat.
Madrid - Spanish car sales went down 28.1 per cent in 2008 in t
Vehicle sales witnessed decline in the month of December following the slow demand due to the global financial crisis. Sales of passenger as well as commercial vehicles posted slow growth rate. Maruti Suzuki, General Motors and two-wheeler makers Hero Honda and Bajaj recently released their sale figures which indicate the adverse state of automobile sector in the country. 
Munich - BMW has given its Z4 sports car an extensive makeover, showcasing at the Detroit Motor Show in January the model that succeeds the Z4 Roadster and Z4 Coupe.
