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Audi A4 allroad quattro hits shelves

FAW-VW Audi has launched a mid-size car, the all-new A4 allroad quattro, on the Chinese market with the quattro four-wheel-drive system as standard.

The new model, equipped with the carmaker's top technologies, joins the performance of off-road driving and the comfort of long-distance travel, according to the company.

It's lightweight design philosophy grants a better fuel efficiency and ground clearance has been increased.

Size: 4,750/1,842/1,493 mm, 2,818 mm wheelbase

Power: EA888 2-liter turbocharged engine matching 7-speed S tronic transmission, 185 kW, 370 Nm

Speed: 0-100 km/h in 6.1 seconds

Price: 423,800 to 468,800 yuan

Vehicles to be recalled for Takata airbags

Three carmakers in China have filed their recall plans for six models, involving a total of 102,114 imported and locally manufactured cars, for defective Takata airbags.

The country's quality watchdog announced last week that Subaru will recall 62,598 units of imported Forester, Legacy, Impreza, and Outback models beginning Jan 9, 2017.

Zhengzhou Nissan will start a recall of 30,603 localized Paladin on Jan 16.

Soueast Motor will recall 8,913 domestically made Mitsubishi Zingers.

These vehicles' airbags for front passengers may spray metal shards upon deployment, which could potentially cause injury.

Carmakers will replace the faulty parts free of charge.

VW bets big on mobility services

Volkswagen AG plans to expand its new mobility services division into a business with billions dollars in revenue as the German carmaker seeks salvation in ride-hailing, autonomous driving and electric cars in the wake of the diesel-emissions scandal.

Moia, the automaker's 13th brand, will initially focus on ride-hailing and car-sharing and will roll out its services in two European cities next year before possibly expanding to other regions.

Moia aims to be one of the world's three biggest mobility providers and to generate revenue of "a couple of billion" of euros in a few years.

Ford sells auto debt to boost tech spending

Investors piled into Ford Motor Co's first automotive borrowing in almost four years, allowing the company to slash interest rates on a $2.8 billion debt sale as it boosts spending on self-driving cars, mobility services and electrified vehicles.

The automaker sold 10-year and 30-year notes on Dec 5. Investors put in about $8.7 billion of orders for the bonds, letting Ford sell more than the $2 billion it initially anticipated. Ford's last automotive issue was for $2 billion in January 2013. The company said its auto business had $13.1 billion in debt at the end of September and net cash of $11.2 billion.

Fiat Chrysler to reveal new model at CES

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV will show a new model at CES in Las Vegas next month, the second consecutive year that one of Detroit's carmakers has spurned their hometown's North American International Auto Show to show off a new model.

This will also be the second time the former Chrysler Corp hasn't held a press conference at its hometown show since its 2009 bankruptcy and restructuring that combined it with Italy's Fiat SpA.

Motoring - Agencies

(China Daily 12/12/2016 page19)