Press Releases Regarding Vehicles
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Tuesday July 11, 2:22 PM
Indonesia June vehicle sales down 50 pct
JAKARTA, July 11 (Reuters) - Indonesia's vehicle sales fell 50.26 percent in June from the same month last year, as the industry struggled with weak consumer spending and high interest rates, an industry official said on Tuesday.
Jodjana Jody, head of sales at PT Toyota Astra Motor, told Reuters that June sales volumes reached 24,564 units, recovering slightly from 23,022 units in May.
June's volumes took first-half sales to 149,829 units, down 49.34 percent from the same period last year.
The local unit of Toyota Motor Corp , the world's second largest car-maker, had said its June sales volumes were down 45.8 percent to 8,646 units.
Toyota Astra Motor, owned by the country's largest automotive firm, PT Astra International Tbk , is the distributor for Toyota vehicles in the world's fourth most populous nation.
Singapore's Jardine Cycle & Carriage Ltd controls Astra International.
Indonesia's auto sector is suffering from a government decision last year to sharply hike domestic fuel prices to scale back costly fuel subsidies following high international oil prices.
The country's automotive industry association has predicted sales would only reach between 370,000-400,000 units this year, but its chairman recently told Reuters it would be hard for the sector to book sales of 350,000 units in 2006.
The forecasts were far below record high sales of 533,910 units posted last year, when interest rates were at a record low.
Astra's shares have fallen nearly 3 percent since the start of the year, while the overall market has gained 15.2 percent over that period. -
Wednesday July 19, 10:17 PM
COEs drop for big cars but rise for small cars and open category
SINGAPORE: Results of the latest Certificates of Entitlement prices for vehicles are out.
In July's second bidding exercise, COEs for Category A, or cars 1600cc and below, have gone up to $10,803. That was an increase of $602 from the last bidding exercise.
In Category B, for cars above 1600cc, COEs fell to $10,600, registering a decline of $201.
COEs in the Open Category were up slightly from $10,803 to $11,101, an increase of $298.
There was a drop in the COE prices for Category C or for Goods Vehicles and Buses by $450 from $5,951 to $5,501.
Motorcycle COE prices also came down by $19 to $881.
The President of the Automobile Association, Mr Bernard Tay, commenting on latest COE results said though the Category A prices have gone up slightly, there was a drop in the number of bidders.
He noted that "While car price cuts and some new models have stirred up buying interest in the last round of bidding for this category somewhat, it did not sustain that interest. Car market for Category B is also quiet."
Mr Tay also observed that "existing car owners are hanging on to their cars as many can't sell their cars without having to top-up cash to pay off their loans. First-time car buyers are also adopting a wait-and-see attitude to see if COE prices will drop further." - CNA /dt -
Wednesday August 2, 10:17 AM
LTA relaxes rules on private hire cars
The Land Transport Authority has removed the 10-year statutory lifespan of rental cars.
It has also lifted the rule that only new cars may be registered for private hire.
This means imported second-hand cars and existing private cars may now be converted to or re-registered as private hire cars.
The LTA says the changes will give rental car companies more flexibility when sourcing for cars.
At the same time, the public will have a wider choice of vehicles for rent.
The changes take effect from August 1.
Previously, only new cars could be registered as private hire cars and they were subject to a 10-year statutory lifespan.
If such cars were later converted to private cars, their lifespan limit continued to apply.
LTA says it found that rental cars clock similar mileage as private cars.
They also undergo the same vehicle inspection requirements.
Thus the restrictions on the registration and lifespan of rental cars are no longer necessary. - CNA/ir -
Thursday August 3, 8:17 PM
Items stolen from five vehicles within 24 hours
SINGAPORE: Thieves stole items, worth thousands of dollars, from five vehicles across Singapore within 24-hours.
The four cars and one van had items like laptops, digital cameras and almost one thousand dollars in cash taken.
The first break in was reported to the police after 4pm on Wednesday at Upper Cross Street.
The driver had left his van running and unlocked for a delivery.
He returned five minutes later to find $600 and his mobile phone stolen.
The four cars all had one of their windows smashed.
The last case was reported at about one on Thursday morning. - CNA /dt -
Thursday August 3, 8:17 PM
Undergrad crashes car into mini mart at petrol kiosk
Workers at a petrol station along Jalan Bukit Merah had a fright on Wednesday afternoon.
A car crashed into the entrance of the mini mart at the Mobil petrol kiosk opposite Henderson Industrial Park.
The mini mart's display glass window was smashed, but no one was injured.
"When I came back, the driver was already out of his car. He looked quite calm. My staff were shaken. But I told them to seal the area and call the police," said the petrol kiosk manager.
Police arrived shortly at the scene and immediately sealed off the area.
Channel NewsAsia understands that the driver, an undergraduate at the Singapore Management University, is a regular customer at the petrol station.
Police are investigating the incident. - CNA/ir -
Friday August 4, 10:17 PM
ERP rates to go up at six gantries, mainly at CTE
SINGAPORE: Bad news for some motorists -- especially for those who drive on the already congested Central Expressway.
ERP rates are set to go up by 50 cents on the CTE north and south of Braddell Road, on the northbound CTE after the Pan-Island Expressway, as well as the PIE slip road into CTE.
Rates will also go up on the PIE at Kallang Bahru as well as East Coast Parkway at Fort Road.
The increased rates are for different blocks of the morning peak period and will kick in from Monday.
The increase comes after the Land Transport Authority's quarterly review of traffic conditions and is being imposed to maintain LTA's aim of an optimal speed range of 45 to 65 kilometres on expressways.
The next quarterly review will take place in November. - CNA /dt -
Sunday August 6, 10:17 PM
Man dies when car skids and overturns near Beauty World
SINGAPORE : A young man died early in a traffic accident in the early hours of Sunday morning.
At 3.15am, police received a call saying that a car had overturned at Jalan Anak Bukit, behind Beauty World, and that the driver was trapped inside.
Paramedics rushed to the spot, but pronounced him dead at about 3.35am.
The driver is believed to have skidded; his car then hit the central divider before overturning.
Police are appealing for witnesses to come forward with information. They can call 547-1818. - CNA /ct -
Thursday August 10, 10:17 PM
August COEs show rises for all categories of vehicles
SINGAPORE : The latest Certificates of Entitlement prices for vehicles in August are higher in all categories.
The last time buyers saw an across the board rise was in March this year.
The COE price for Category A, or cars 1600cc and below, is now $11,901, an increase of $1,098 from the last bidding exercise.
In Category B - for cars above 1600cc - it is now $12,501, up $1,901 while COEs in the Open Category are $1,598 higher at $12,699.
As for Cat C (for Goods Vehicles and Buses), the jump is $3,500 to $9,001 now.
Motorcycle COE prices followed similar trends, increasing by $176 to $1,057. - CNA/ch -
Green Transport Week 2006
LTA is pleased to once again support Green Transport Week which is an annual campaign organised by the Singapore Environment Council (SEC). One of the messages that SEC is conveying to motorists during this yearÂ’s Green Transport Week, which runs from 20-27 August, is to consider alternative modes of getting to their destinations, including tapping into the public transport system. This converges with LTAÂ’s strategic thrust of promoting public transport as the choice mode of travel.
Given limited land resources, public transport is key to the sustainability of SingaporeÂ’s land transport system. In fact, providing an attractive public transport system is the cornerstone of the Land Transport AuthorityÂ’s (LTA) land transport strategy.
LTA has been a supporter of the Green Transport Week since its inception in 2001 as Car Free Day. As a programme partner and to demonstrate its support, the Authority is encouraging those among its staff who drive daily to work to leave their cars at home during the campaign and commute to the office by public transport. This will be on a voluntary basis. Also lending their support will be LTAÂ’s Chief Executive BG (NS) Yam Ah Mee and his senior management team.
Motorists will be able to access real-time information on traffic and road conditions to help reduce unnecessary driving at www.onemotoring.com.sg. LTAÂ’s ONE.MOTORING portal is the official web partner for the campaign. -
Thursday August 17, 10:17 PM
Green Transport Week starts on Sunday
It's not that hard to be green - that's the message for Green Transport Week which starts on Sunday.
Into its fourth year, the campaign advocates eco-friendly modes of transport like taking the bus or train, cycling, walking or car pooling.
These are ways that can reduce carbon emissions that contribute to global warming and climate change.
The Singapore Environment Council would also like to see more Singaporeans buying fuel efficient and hybrid cars.
Howard Shaw, Executive Director of Singapore Environment Council, said: "We are a nation of car lovers. We are not saying, 'leave your car at home, forget about cars'. Cars form a very necessary part of our integrated transport system. But what we are encouraging people to do is to choose more fuel efficient vehicles if you have to drive, maintain your vehicle so that it emits less pollution, have better driving habits and use the car responsibly. If you are going to travel less than two kilometres, you might want to consider walking or using your bike."
This year's Green Transport Week will see a contest to spot fuel efficient cars on the road.
Owners of cars with fuel economies of at least nine kilometres per litre and who are under the Fuel Economy Labelling Scheme will receive decals and stand to win fuel vouchers if spotted.
And, SBS Transit will encourage more people to take public transport next week, by handing out free drinks at selected bus interchanges.
It is also encouraging motorists to give way to buses to ensure a smooth ride for commuters.
There will also be community activities beginning this Sunday, such as an "Eco Chase" which will see teams racing round the island via public transport.
The first event on Sunday at Changi Village will see the launch of the third edition of the Green Transport Guide which contains useful tips to help motorists reduce fuel consumption and save money.
Organisations and schools will also be able to pledge their support and submit their plans online for the Green Transport programme.
Since rebates for hybrid cars were introduced, more Singaporeans have been interested in buying them.
But while driving fuel efficient cars and taking public transport might be more environmentally friendly, Singaporeans Channel NewsAsia spoke to say cost and convenience are also major factors in their choice of transportation.
To learn more about Green Transport Week, you can log on to www.sec.org.sg/gtw. -
Wednesday August 23, 10:17 PM
BMW Group DesignworksUSA opens first Asian branch in Singapore
SINGAPORE : The next BMW car may be designed by a Singaporean in future.
The luxury car company is officially opening its first Asian design studio here on Friday and it already has plans to hire more designers from Singapore and Asia.
From blue print to reality, designers at BMW Group DesignworksUSA have been making that happen for over 30 years in studios at California and Munich.
The first design studio was opened in 1972.
Their latest design flagship in Singapore, a first in the region, is poised to tap into Asian culture and grow Asian talents.
"The client may want a specific view of Asia and the kind of products that are needed for this market and are accepted here may be a little bit different than in Europe and America. That might be an objective but I think generally, the design is universally accepted," said Nikolaus Von Saurma, director of the Singapore studio.
The studio started operations early this year with just four experienced international designers.
But plans are already in progress to hire from Singapore and Asia.
"We're also looking at Singaporean designers that we train internationally in our studios in Munich and Los Angeles. We're looking at Asia as a whole for talent, so that we don't just have the background of this region but other parts of Asia as well," said Von Saurma.
The studio will be officially opened on August 25.
- CNA /ls -
Originally posted by SMRT Buses:
better nt hire frm china man....
Wednesday August 23, 10:17 PM
[b]BMW Group DesignworksUSA opens first Asian branch in Singapore
SINGAPORE : The next BMW car may be designed by a Singaporean in future.
The luxury car company is officially opening its first Asian design studio here on Friday and it already has plans to hire more designers from Singapore and Asia.
From blue print to reality, designers at BMW Group DesignworksUSA have been making that happen for over 30 years in studios at California and Munich.
The first design studio was opened in 1972.
Their latest design flagship in Singapore, a first in the region, is poised to tap into Asian culture and grow Asian talents.
"The client may want a specific view of Asia and the kind of products that are needed for this market and are accepted here may be a little bit different than in Europe and America. That might be an objective but I think generally, the design is universally accepted," said Nikolaus Von Saurma, director of the Singapore studio.
The studio started operations early this year with just four experienced international designers.
But plans are already in progress to hire from Singapore and Asia.
"We're also looking at Singaporean designers that we train internationally in our studios in Munich and Los Angeles. We're looking at Asia as a whole for talent, so that we don't just have the background of this region but other parts of Asia as well," said Von Saurma.
The studio will be officially opened on August 25.
- CNA /ls[/b]
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Thursday August 24, 10:17 AM
COEs higher in all car categories
SINGAPORE : COE prices were higher in all car categories in the second Open Bidding Exercise for August.
Latest results showed cars above 1,600cc with COE price at $13,890, rising by $1,389. Smaller cars registered an increase of $1,088 to $12,989.
The Open category also increased by $906 to $13,605.
Goods vehicles and buses recorded the biggest increase of $1,805 to $10,806.
Only motorcycles saw a drop of $155 to $902. - CNA/de -
Thursday August 24, 10:17 PM
Stolen Malaysian cars smuggled into Singapore to be returned
SINGAPORE : Five Malaysian-registered vehicles seized during a joint Singapore-Malaysia operation will be handed to the Malaysian Police on Thursday.
The handover will take place during the visit of Malaysia's Deputy Director II CID (Bukit Aman), Syed Ismail Syed Azizan, to Singapore.
In 2004, Singapore Police, in close cooperation with their Malaysian counterparts, conducted two operations, arresting nine people in a crackdown of cross-border syndicates which brought stolen cars into Singapore to be exported overseas.
In the operations, police recovered the five Malaysian-registered vehicles valued at some RM$690,000.
Since 2000, a total of 159 stolen Malaysian-registered vehicles have been recovered in Singapore.
Police say the close cooperation between the forces has led to the successful crackdown of several motor vehicle theft syndicates in the last few years. - CNA /ct -
Thursday August 31, 10:17 PM
Nissan shares design experiences with Singapore experts, students
SINGAPORE : Japanese car maker Nissan is on an Asia Pacific roadshow to exchange ideas with experts and students in the design industry on the models it is coming up with.
It is all part of an effort to stress the point that design matters to the consumer.
It is called the Imagination Factory - Nissan's processes of automotive design from concept right through to completion.
With the support of Singapore's Design Council, Nissan has been meeting local and international designers to explore the many facets of design - something which has helped the Japanese car maker ride out difficult times in the 1990s.
Nissan says its company philosophy is driven by three Cs.
It says at the end of the day, whatever it does, it has got to be clear, consistent and creative.
Alfonso Albaisa, Product Chief Designer, Nissan Motor Company, said, "It is really to understand the culture and the people. And it's really for us to understand how they feel about the market, how they feel about their life today and their dreams today, and we will try to work with that and create a car so that when they see it, they never imagined it, but they can't imagine living without it".
Nissan is also looking into the impact of environment-friendly cars on design concepts. - CNA/ms -
Wednesday September 6, 12:17 PM
Close to 2000 vehicles allocated to ferry IMF/World Bank delegates
SINGAPORE: While arrangements have been made to facilitate smooth traffic for the IMF/World Bank delegates, Singaporeans should brace themselves for some inconveniences on the roads.
A transport operations centre has been set up at Suntec City to facilitate transport arrangements for the delegates during the meetings.
Other than monitoring the 500 BMWs, and the over 1200 limousine cabs, the centre will also track the movements of 210 shuttle buses which will be ferrying delegates from their hotels to the meetings.
A police officer will be stationed in each bus, along with a tour guide.
"44 hotels will be grouped into 4 hotel clusters. Red, yellow, green and blue, and we have actually sub divided it into 16 bus routes. We have actually worked out our bus services based on the transport demand during the meetings and the shuttle bus operates at a peak of 10 minutes, 20 minutes and 30 minutes frequency depending on the demand of the meetings," said Colonel Lim Sau Siong, Chairman, S2006 Transport Subcommittee.
With many roads closed, people are being advised to use public transport.
The road Temasek Boulevard will be closed, along with stretches of Nicoll Highway and Raffles Boulevard.
In addition, North Bridge Road and lanes along Bras Basah Road, St Andrew's Road, Coleman Street, Stamford Road, Beach Road, Raffles Avenue and Esplanade Drive will also be restricted during different periods of the event.
If the public needs to drive to the Suntec, they can take the ECP to Temasek Boulevard, or drive along Republic Boulevard and turn into Temasek Avenue.
Motorists coming from Orchard Road will have to make a detour along Bras Basah Road.
Certain carpark areas in Suntec City will continue to be open to public. - CNA /dt -
Thursday September 7, 8:17 AM
COE prices up, commercial vehicle COEs pass S$15,000 mark
Certificate of Entitlement prices have again risen, continuing the uptrend over the past few bidding exercises.
COEs for goods vehicles and buses shot up sharply by more than 40 percent to reach S$15,201 - an increase of S$4,395.
Observers say this is part of a last-minute dash to buy vans and trucks before a new emission standard kicks off from October.
Vehicles which comply with the new standard will cost 20 to 50 percent more than the current models.
The COE price in the Open category climbed by more than S$1,500 to $15,200, the highest in nearly half a year.
Smaller increases were registered in the other categories -
COEs for cars above 1,600cc cost S$811 more at $14,701 - a ten-month high while those for cars up to 1,600cc, COEs went up by S$14 to S$13,003.
Automobile Association President Bernard Tay said car buyers are adopting a wait-and-see attitude in the light of the upcoming mid-year quota review.
The COE price for motorcycles remained unchanged at S$902, which is also one of the highest so far this year. - CNA/ch -
Friday November 10, 6:17 AM
COE prices up for all categories
SINGAPORE : Latest COE results in the First Open Bidding Exercise for November saw an increase in prices for all vehicles.
The biggest increase was the COE price for Category A (cars 1600cc and below) - up by $2,469 to $12,979.
COE price for cars above 1600cc was up by $822 to $13,811, while those in the Open Category went up by $1,551 to $14,156.
In the Goods Vehicles and Bus Category, the COE price jumped $1,668 to $3,669.
Motorcycle COE rose $99 to $1,201. - CNA/de -
Thursday December 21, 8:17 PM
Vandals pour paint over 18 vehicles in Bishan carpark
SINGAPORE: Vandals struck a carpark at Bishan Street 22 on Thursday morning.
A total of 18 vehicles were smeared with white paint.
Some even had paint poured over the hoods.
Vandals targeted vehicles on the second and third levels of the carpark.
Even the walkway to a nearby block was not spared.
According to residents, it is the most serious case of vandalism so far.
Police went to the scene and left instructions for the vehicle owners to make a report.
But the victims felt more could be done to prevent such incidents again.
Joyce, whose Chevrolet Aveo was hit, said: "This is not the first time car vandalism has happened and this is at the expense of the car owners. So I hope the police can help us do something about this."
Her husband, David, said: "I think the best thing is to install a camera and look out for suspicious people walking around." - CNA/so -
Sunday December 24, 10:17 AM
Car mounts kerb and heads for coffeeshop at Upper Circular Road
SINGAPORE: Two car accidents occurred within an hour near Pasir Panjang Drive late Friday night, while another went straight for a coffeeshop, shocking diners on Saturday evening.
In the first accident, 39-year-old Tang Kai Cheong was driving along Clementi Road towards Pasir Panjang Road at 11.15pm when he lost control of his vehicle.
The car mounted a kerb before smashing into a tree, leaving it in a mangled heap.
Witnesses say Mr Tang had to be extricated from the wreck by officers from the Civil Defence Force.
He sustained multiple injuries and was taken to the National University Hospital where he died at around 1.50am.
Less than a kilometre away, at just past midnight, a car collided with a bus.
The driver of the car suffered head injuries and was also sent to NUH.
In the incident that happened on Saturday, a car mounted the pavement and headed for a coffeeshop along Upper Circular Road.
Police say two cars were involved in the minor accident which occurred at about 8.30pm.
No one was hurt in the incident. - CNA/so -
Friday January 5, 10:17 PM
COE price for Goods Vehicles and Buses category remains S$1
SINGAPORE: For the second round of bids in December for Certificates of Entitlements (COE), the price for the Goods Vehicles and Buses category remained at S$1.
The COE prices for smaller cars rose to S$11,704, which is an increase of S$2,099, while those for cars above 1,600ccs went up slightly by S$112 to S$13,001.
Vehicles in the Open Category saw COE prices drop to S$13,301, down by S$198.
The COE prices for motorcycles increased a notch - S$4 - to $1,214. - CNA/so -
Friday January 12, 8:17 PM
Driven to frustration
In September last year, sales manager Lionel Loh ordered a $70,000 Honda Stream from a parallel importer that promised delivery in the shortest time.
After paying the deposit of $3,000, Mr Loh looked forward to getting behind his new set of wheels by late October or early November.
But three months later, the 29-year-old is still waiting for his car — after being given various reasons for the delay.
"First, the salesman said my car was stuck at the port in Japan, then the next time, he said it was still being manufactured," said Mr Loh, who went to the parallel importer — Car Resources — as he wanted a specific model of the multi-purpose vehicle.
"I thought it would be quicker and cheaper going through a parallel importer but it turned out to be a nightmare," said Mr Loh.
Last month, Kent Corp, another parallel importer came into the picture.
It took over his case and told him his car was being inspected by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and would be ready on Jan 15.
Mr Loh has filed a formal complaint with the Consumers Association of Singapore (Case) to get back his deposit from Car Resources.
To do this, he paid $25 to become a Case member and a small administration fee, and authorised it to act on his behalf.
Last year, seven formal complaints were filed with Case against Car Resources and Kent, of which four have been resolved.
The number is much higher if informal complaints, in which someone just calls or shoots off an email to Case, are taken into account. Last year, the association received 24 complaints against Car Resources and two against Kent Corp.
In all, it received 41 complaints against parallel importers.
The complaints related mostly to misrepresentation and late deliveries.
For example, several clients claimed that the firms had informed them that the open market value of the car was higher than the one stated by the LTA. This information was not true, the clients said.
Repeated calls to Car Resources went unanswered.
When contacted by TODAY, Kent Corp general manager Vincent Wong, said there were delays for shipment of brand new cars and the company has resolved most of the complaints filed formally with Case against it.
"Most of the cases have been resolved and there are some that are being resolved right now," he said.
Customers who terminated the contracts got back their deposits and other money due to them, ranging from $427 to $3,000.
Case executive director Seah Seng Choon warned that the act of accepting money from customers without the intention of delivering the goods "amounts to a criminal offence".
However, consumers should first reason with the retailer or go to Case before taking more drastic action, he said. - /st -
Wednesday January 17, 8:17 PM
COE price for goods vehicles and buses stays at S$1
The Certificate of Entitlement for goods vehicles and buses has remained at S$1 for the third straight bidding.
The latest open bidding exercise shows the COE for small cars (Category A) rising to $11,881, up by S$177.
But prices in the other categories dropped.
COEs for cars above 1,600cc went down by S$1,001 to $12,000 while those in the Open Category dropped by S$702 to S$12,599.
COE prices for motorcycles also dipped - by S$25 to S$1,189. - CNA/ch -
Bidding Of Car Registration Numbers For SGT Series
http://app.lta.gov.sg/corp_press_content.asp?start=1731 -
Wednesday February 7, 8:17 PM
Car crashes into void deck at Simei Street 1
SINGAPORE: A car crashed into the void deck of Block 108 at Simei Street 1 on Wednesday.
Traffic police received a call at noon informing them of the accident.
The car was travelling along Simei Street 1 towards Simei Road when it mounted the kerb and collided into the building wall.
The driver and three passengers – a teenage girl, a 5-year-old boy and a 4-year-old girl – appeared unhurt.
But the children were conveyed to KK Women's and Children's Hospital.
The driver is assisting the police in their investigations. - CNA/so