Category Archives: News

News

2025 Toyota GR Yaris TGR Italy Limited Edition

This year, Toyota celebrates 51 years since its first victory in the World Rally Championship (WRC), and on that occasion it revealed the GR Yaris TGR Italy Limited Edition. It is a version of their most powerful B-segment car, which will be offered only to Italian customers.

The GR Yaris TGR Italy Limited Edition will be powered by a 1.5-L turbocharged engine with 280 hp (206 kW), mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission and a GR-Four system that sends power to all four wheels. It sits on a set of 18-inch forged wheels in Heritage Gold wrapped in semi-slick Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R tires.

The car has a white body with red decals and a livery inspired by the car that took the first WRC victory at the Press On Regardless Rally in Michigan, the Corolla 1600 Coupe. The car has a unique plate with the TGR Italy logo and the number of the copy. It is equipped with the Tech Package that includes parking sensors, a blind spot monitoring system and a rear traffic warning system with automatic braking.

Toyota will produce only 51 cars and each will cost 67,500 euros. The first deliveries are expected by the end of this year, and those who want to pre-order the car must pay a deposit of 2,500 euros.

Source: Toyota

News

Stellantis will keep all its 14 brands

At the end of July, Stellantis announced that there is a possibility that it will shut down some of its brands. Many believed that Lancia and DS were in the greatest danger of being shut down, while some speculated that Maserati, Dodge, and Chrysler could be sold to avoid negative financial risk. However, according to the latest information, Stellantis will neither shut down nor sell any of its brands.

Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares previously stated: “If they don’t make money, we’ll shut them down. We can’t afford to have brands that don’t make money.” It would be a painful move for one of the world’s largest conglomerates, but not a surprise. Business results in the first six months of 2024 are devastating. In that period, Stellantis shares have fallen by over 20%, net revenues are down 14 percent, and net profit is down 48 percent. Also, operating income fell by 40 percent. The reason is bad sales results in North America, where 18 percent fewer vehicles were delivered in the first six months than in the same period in 2023.

In some markets, such as the Middle East and Africa, sales of Stellantis vehicles increased (+3%), but this can be attributed primarily to good demand for Fiat cars.

Some brands like Abarth have been operating independently for years and will continue to sell more powerful Fiat models, while Chrysler now only offers the Pacifica minivan after the 300C sedan became a thing of the past. Dodge has added the Hornet to its lineup, which is essentially an Alfa Romeo Tonale, and is also introducing a new Charger with an electric powertrain and 6-cylinder options, but no V8 engine.

It is certain that Stellantis will remain committed to all its brands, even those that are facing challenges.

Source: Stellantis

News

Will Ford vanish from the European market?

Ford finally realized that the discontinuation of models with internal combustion engines, on which the manufacturer built its image for many years, and a large investment of over two billion dollars in EVs was a failure. Now the American manufacturer is looking for the return of the ICE cars.

Gunnar Herrmann, Member of the Supervisory Board, believes that Ford’s survival depends on ICE cars and in a statement to the German press, he was more than clear that the current production at the factory where he is responsible is too small to justify two-shift operations. He also stated that he advised Ford managers in the United States that the focus in Europe should remain on ICE cars.

Why did Ford get into this situation? Well, the former head of the brand in Europe Martin Sanders, following the moves of other manufacturers, wanted Ford to take the best possible position in the EV market. However, his focus on Volkswagen, whose visionary chairman Herbert Diess realized that electric cars were the immediate future, was misguided. While the German company kept its strategy of selling ICE cars, Sanders hastened and discontinued the Fiesta and started preparations to do the same with the Focus in 2025. It was the wrong move.

While at Ford’s headquarters in the United States, they do not intend to reconsider this decision and save what they can, Ford is approaching total disappearance from the European market.

Source: Ford