Motor Trend named the Volkswagen Golf family—Golf 1.8T, Golf TDI Clean Diesel, Golf GTI and e-Golf models—as the 2015 Motor Trend Car of the Year. The Golf has won Car Of The Year (COTY) only once before, in 1985.
Tag Archives: 2015
Russia may extend car-buying subsidy scheme into 2015
Russia may extend incentives for new-vehicle purchases beyond 2014, the Industry and Trade Ministry said, in an effort to help the car industry weather an economic downturn.
The ministry said in a statement the scheme could be extended into 2015, citing industry minister Denis Manturov. It gave no details of possible additional funding of the program.
The government earlier earmarked 10 billion rubles ($244 million) to fund the trade-in scheme that will run through to the end of the year.
Russia’s auto market is in free fall with new-car sales plunging by 20 percent last month following a 26 percent drop in August, according to the Association of European Businesses lobby group.
Car sales are falling fast as Russia’s weak economy is hit by western sanctions over the conflict in Ukraine and buyers delay making large purchases.
In the first nine months, sales were down 13 percent to 1.78 million.
Under the existing scheme, buyers of new passenger cars are eligible for a discount of at least 40,000 rubles (€752) when scrapping or trading in their old vehicles.
The AEB said it expects full-year volume to be down 12 percent in 2014 to 2.45 million as the scheme helps slow down the rate of decline.
US auto sales expected to hit record high in 2015
Six years after the recession forced millions of Americans to postpone buying a new car or truck, a forecast released Wednesday predicted retail auto sales in the U.S. will climb to a record high in 2015.
Chinese-built Volvo S60L sedans start shipping to the U.S. and Russia in 2015
Volvo, with help from its Chinese owner Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, plans to start exporting Chinese-made cars to the United States and Russia as early as next year, said a Volvo executive, who requested anonymity because he is not authorized to speak with the media.
Hottest new cars and trucks for 2015
With automakers already having largely renewed their fleets of mainstream sedans and small cars, a bevy of all-new and completely redesigned sports cars, luxury sedans, SUVs and pickup trucks take center stage for the 2015 model year.
