The Jeep brand and USA Basketball announced their partnership as the Jeep Wrangler was named the “Official Vehicle of USA Basketball.” The Jeep brand formed a global partnership with USA Basketball to support the men’s and women’s national teams. Accordingly, the Jeep brand will launch a full advertising and marketing campaign scheduled to begin Saturday, April 28. The Jeep brand also announced the introduction of a uniquely designed special edition model, the 2012 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Altitude Edition, which will be featured in the campaign.

The Jeep brand also named 2012 USA Basketball finalist and 2008 team member, Chris Paul, as its spokesman for this partnership. In this role, Paul will be featured in the Jeep brand’s advertising campaign and appear in a series of video vignettes that will give viewers a behind-the-scenes look at various facets of the partnership with USA Basketball.
“The Jeep brand has always been associated with the American spirit and as a member of the 2012 USA Men’s Basketball National Team, I am proud to serve as spokesman for Jeep’s partnership with USA Basketball,” stated Chris Paul. “The concept of the ‘Power Within’ is evidenced in my everyday life, both on and off the court.  It will be that power that will energize the USA Basketball and Jeep to maximize this global partnership in support of the Men’s and Women’s National Teams.”

In addition, the Jeep brand teamed up with the Jalen Rose Leadership Academy (JRLA), an open enrollment public charter high school in Detroit, to develop a multi phased development program to expose students to programs and events designed to enrich and develop their educational path. Elements of the partnership include a mentoring program between Jeep brand employees and students, field trips to several Chrysler Group facilities, including the Jefferson North Assembly Plant and the Jeep Design Studio, development of a marketing project and sponsorship of the academy’s boys’ and girls’ basketball teams. As part of its partnership with the JRLA, the Jeep brand will send the academy’s boys’ and girls’ basketball teams to a USA Basketball exhibition game in July.

The Jeep brand and USA Basketball also will hold a special basketball clinic with the JRLA students and select members of the USA Basketball National Team. “This trip is just one extension of the amazing partnership we have with the Jeep brand,” said Jalen Rose, JRLA Founder. “It is a privilege to have the Jeep brand support our efforts to have a positive influence on our future leaders.”

AutoWorld.com – Munich/New York. A fascinating retrospective and lots of promising future perspectives mark the appearance of the premium brand MINI at the New York International Auto Show (April 6th – 15th 2012). MINI was launched on the US automobile market ten years ago – the start of a rapid success story which led from the first premium small car to a family which has since grown to include six different models – now to be enriched with an additional member presented at the New York Auto Show itself. The tradition-steeped trade fair not only celebrates the brand’s US anniversary but also sees the world premiere of the MINI John Cooper Works Countryman.

Prior to the New York International Auto Show, Dr. Kay Segler, Senior Vice President MINI Brand Management, also announced the world premiere of a limited-edition motorsport model at the MINI United Festival in May in Le Castellet, France. Visitors to the meeting of the worldwide MINI Community will get to see the MINI John Cooper Works GP there for the first time. With a particularly high-performance turbo engine, racing-oriented suspension technology and exclusive, aerodynamically optimized body components, the MINI John Cooper Works GP follows in the footsteps of its predecessor, which caused a stir back in 2005 as the most powerful and the fastest road-approved MINI at the time.

US premiere: the MINI John Cooper Works Countryman.

The MINI John Cooper Works Countryman lines up for the start as an extremely sporty version of the first five-door MINI with four or five seats. For the first time, MINI merges the racing passion of a John Cooper Works model with the all-wheel drive system ALL4. “This is a remarkable automobile in many ways: it is the biggest MINI with the most powerful engine, it is fitted with all-wheel drive and it is the first John Cooper Works model to feature automatic transmission,” says Dr. Kay Segler.

The MINI John Cooper Works Countryman is powered by a newly developed 4-cylinder engine with Twin Scroll turbocharger, direct petrol injection and variable valve control. The 1.6 liter engine delivers 160 kW/218 bhp (208 hp in the USA) and generates a maximum torque of 280 Newton meters, which can be temporarily increased to 300 Newton meters using the overboost function. In combination with all-wheel drive, this makes for extreme driving fun over every terrain. The MINI John Cooper Works Countryman accelerates in 7.0 seconds from zero to 100 km/h. Its standard fittings include an aerodynamic kit, 18-inch light alloy wheel rims, a sports chassis including lowered suspension, a sports exhaust system with chrome tailpipe trim and exclusive design features for both exterior and interior.

Special model for the USA: MINI 10 Years Anniversary.

The second world premiere at the Auto Show in New York is dedicated to the tenth anniversary of MINI on the US automobile market. The MINI 10 Years Anniversary was designed especially for customers in the USA. Based on the MINI Cooper, the 121 hp 4-cylinder anniversary model expresses the pioneering spirit of the first premium small car as it set out to take the USA by storm. “As you would expect, it is available in three paint finishes: red, white and blue – the three colors which make up the national flag of the USA,” says Dr. Kay Segler.

In addition, MINI also presents three new vehicle characters at the New York International Auto Show based on the MINI and the MINI Convertible. Their exclusive design and equipment features give each of them a highly expressive and distinctive personality. The MINI Baker Street embodies the brand’s youthful, innovative and trend-setting style. The qualities particularly featured in the MINI Bayswater are athletic flair and a special talent for agile handling. The third model is the MINI Convertible Highgate, which expresses exclusivity and a modern interpretation of British style. More at AutoWorld.com

2.16 million vehicles delivered in period to March – 9.6 percent rise*
· 12.5 percent increase in month of March to 862,700 units*
· Group Board Member for Sales Christian Klingler: “The Volkswagen Group developed very well in the first quarter. Uncertainty continues, particularly on the markets in Western Europe.”

2.16 million vehicles delivered in period to March – 9.6 percent rise*· 12.5 percent increase in month of March to 862,700 units*· Group Board Member for Sales Christian Klingler: “The Volkswagen Groupdeveloped very well in the first quarter. Uncertainty continues, particularly onthe markets in Western Europe.”Wolfsburg, April 13, 2012 – The Volkswagen Group announced a strong rise indeliveries during the first quarter of 2012. The company delivered 2.16 (January-March 2011: 1.97; +9.6 percent)* million vehicles, surpassing the two million mark forthe first time in the first quarter of a year. The Group also reported record deliveriesfor the month of March: 862,700 (March 2011: 767,100; +12.5 percent)* vehicles weredelivered to customers for the first time ever in a single month. “The VolkswagenGroup developed very well in the first quarter. We produced another strongperformance in North America, China and Russia. However, uncertainty continues,particularly on the markets in Western Europe”, the Group Board Member for Sales,Christian Klingler, said in Wolfsburg on Friday.The Group brands delivered a total of 937,000 (908,300; +3.2 percent) vehicles on the overallEuropean market in the first quarter. 507,100 (531,900; -4.7 percent) customers took deliveryof a new vehicle in Western Europe (excluding Germany), currently a difficult market. In thehome market of Germany, Europe’s largest automotive group grew deliveries to 282,400(267,300; +5.7 percent) units. The company once again reported strong growth in the Centraland Eastern Europe region, handing over 147,400 (109,100; +35.1 percent) vehicles tocustomers there.The Group also announced encouraging figures for the Asia / Pacific region, delivering726,100 (621,800; +16.8 percent) vehicles there in the first quarter, of which 633,900(548,500; +15.6 percent) units were handed over to customers in China, the largest singlemarket. In India, deliveries increased by 21.6 percent to 34,100 (28,100) units.Deliveries also continued to develop well on the American continent. The number of vehiclessold in the North America region from January to March rose by 24.5 percent to 179,100(143,900), of which 124,400 (92,800; +34.0 percent) were delivered in the United States, theregion’s largest single market.

The Volkswagen Group handed over 229,400 (220,900;+3.9 percent) vehicles to customers in the South America region during the same period. More at AutoWorld.com

High-Performance SUV with 420 HP, Lowered Chassis and Improved Driving Dynamics

AutoWorld.com – ATLANTA – April 10, 2012 – Porsche is set to unveil the second-generation Cayenne GTS at the Beijing International Automotive Exhibition, also known as Auto China, on April 24, 2012.  Based on the Cayenne S, this new model is equipped with 20 additional horsepower, a 20 mm lower ride height and a lower final drive ratio for improved driving dynamics.

The latest Cayenne transmits power from its 420 hp V8 to an active All-Wheel-Drive system coupled to an eight-speed Tiptronic S transmission with integrated Auto Start Stop function. The specially tuned engine and transmission combination enable the Cayenne GTS to sprint from a standing start to 60 mph in 5.4 seconds and to achieve a top-track-speed of 162 mph.

The Cayenne GTS is recognizable from the outside by its high-gloss black trim, prominent side skirts and wider wheel arches as well as the hood and front fascia from the Cayenne Turbo.  20-inch RS Spyder wheels with a unique offset for the GTS are standard. Two new colors are available for the Cayenne GTS; Peridot Metallic and Carmine Red. A sport exhaust system with matte black twin tailpipes is standard.

Inside, the Cayenne GTS features exclusive GTS eight-way adjustable front sports seats with Alcantara accents.  For the first time in the Cayenne, a new Sport Chrono package is now available to monitor the improved performance offered by the GTS model.  Additionally, a Sound Symposer channels authentic engine intake sounds into the cabin.

The 2013 Cayenne GTS will go on sale in the U.S. in August 2012, with a base MSRP of $82,050, not including a $975 delivery charge.