USA - Next generation Chevy Spark gets debut at Seoul and New York Auto Show.

Chevrolet’s redesigned global minicar to debut in Seoul and New York on April 2

The all-new 2016 Spark will debut on April 2 at the Seoul and New York auto shows, Chevrolet announced today.

A sleeker, more aerodynamic profile and a progressive take on Chevrolet’s signature design cues will give the redesigned Spark a more sophisticated aesthetic that reflects the changing tastes of the global minicar market.

“The new Spark’s design has evolved and grown up with the segment,” said Michael Simcoe, GM International vice president of Design. “The youthful whimsy of the original Spark is still in its genes, but it is conveyed in more traditional proportions that reinforce the customer’s refined expectations.”

Chevrolet has sold more than 1.1 million Sparks around the world since it went on sale as the Beat in India in late 2009. Today, the Spark is available in 71 markets worldwide, selling the most in South Korea, followed by the United States and Mexico.

Spark is attracting younger and first-time car buyers to Chevrolet with 26 percent being under the age of 35.

Sales of the Spark in the U.S. are up 32 percent in the first two months of 2015 versus the same period in 2014.

Latest generation Skoda Fabia estate has started production in the Czech Republic.

• Production at ŠKODA’s Mladá Boleslav plant; Market launch January 2015; UK launch March 2015
• Setting new standards in space, practicality, connectivity and eco-friendliness
• Emotive and functional: Fresh design, 17 Simply Clever solutions

Series production of the new ŠKODA Fabia Estate has started at ŠKODA’s main plant in Mladá Boleslav. The ŠKODA Fabia Estate is the most popular model in its segment. 

The completely redeveloped third generation model once again sets standards in terms of space, functionality and eco-friendliness. In addition, the model features advanced safety, comfort and infotainment systems from higher vehicle classes, including the new MirrorLink and SmartGate technology to connect the vehicle to your smartphone. The new ŠKODA Fabia Estate will be launched in January 2015, with a UK launch in March.

“The production launch of the new ŠKODA Fabia Estate is a key element of our comprehensive model campaign,” said ŠKODA Board Member for Production and Logistics, Michael Oeljeklaus. “As the best-selling vehicle in its segment, the Fabia Estate is a pillar of the ŠKODA growth strategy. With its outstanding features, it has everything to attract new consumer groups for both the model and the brand.”

The new ŠKODA Fabia Estate is being launched weeks after the start of sales of the Fabia hatchback. ŠKODA has undertakenextensive adaptation and modernisation at the plant in Mladá Boleslav for production of the new Fabia, including establishing a new, modern facility to configure new assistance systems, and renewing areas of the paint shop.

The new ŠKODA Fabia Estate offers plenty of space for up to five passengers and their luggage even with the car’s compact exterior dimensions. The boot has the largest capacity in its segment at 530 litres (1395 litres with the rear seat folded down). In addition, the third-generation model is more practical than ever with up to 17 Simply Clever solutions, 10 of which are on offer in the Estate for the first time.

The design of the new car is significantly more emotive than before. Just as with the hatchback, the new ŠKODA Fabia Estate features a modern, sharp design language, dynamic 

proportions, as well as design elements from the ŠKODA VisionC show car. Precise lines and sharp edges testify to the highest production quality and attention to detail. Crystalline elements and the striking interplay between light and shadow emphasise the strong appearance. The interior has also been completely redesigned, and offers an array of customisation options.

The new ŠKODA Fabia Estate now features innovative safety, comfort and infotainment systems from higher vehicle classes, including the innovative MirrorLink technology, displaying smartphone apps, such as sat-nav, on the infotainment system screen. The SmartGate function is also new. This technology enables data on the vehicle to be displayed and saved on your smartphone via special apps.

The small car sets new standards in terms of consumption and CO₂ emissions. The new Fabia Estate consumes up to 17% less fuel than the second-generation model. The most economical version will be the new Fabia Estate GreenLine, to be launched in the second half of 2015, with estimated consumption of 91.1mpg combined and CO₂ emissions of only 82 g/km.

The ŠKODA Fabia Estate has been a major part of the ŠKODA model range since 2000. To date, the manufacturer has sold more than 1.1 million to customers internationally, making the ŠKODA Fabia Estate the best-selling vehicle in its class.

Mitsubishi Triton L200 sales tip 1.1 million.

Mitsubishi Motors (Thailand) Co. Ltd. (MMTh) has announced a significant milestone when passing 1,100,000 global sales for the current generation L200^[1] pickup truck accumulated since launch in 2005.

As Masahiko Ueki – MMTh’s new President - detailed: “Over the last 9 years, 1,148,000 L200s have been sold with Thai domestic sales totalling 263,000 units and export sales 885,000 units.”

He added: “This 77% share echoes the warm welcome L200 has received in the 158 countries where it is available. This is especially true in Europe, the ASEAN and the Middle East with real customers’ trust and following.”

In details (2005 - April 2014):

Year	Domestic Thai Sales	Export Sales
2005	13,632	434
2006	25,327	77,578
2007	22,415	134,012
2008	17,718	135,007
2009	9,440	64,150
2010	20,344	110,011
2011	40,613	100,107
2012	61,012	117,717
2013	42,292	107,920
2014	10,644	38,567
Total	263,437	885,503

Since launch early 2006 until April 2014, Europe has remained MMTh’s largest export market for L200 with 198,530 units (excluding Russia and Ukraine) sold, the United Kingdom (54,900 units), Turkey (25,367 units), Germany (16,429 units), Italy (15,773 units), France (12,879 units) and Spain (10,216 units) forming the European Top Six.

Next Step…

L200 has played a significant corporate role in making Mitsubishi Motors the first automobile exporter in Thailand from its five local plants (to be supported by new local R&D facilities from 2015) and a strong profit contributor for the Corporation overall.

Longer term, this positive contribution should continue with the recently announced introduction of an all-new L200 pickup truck, scheduled for this coming autumn – a striking (low emission) vehicle taking many of its design cues from the acclaimed 2013 Concept GR-HEV show car.

^[1] ”Triton” in Thailand and some other world markets