Mazda opens new plant in Salamanca, Mexico

Mazda Motor Corp. chairman Takashi Yamanouchi opened the company's new small-car assembly plant in Mexico today, calling it the company's "most important global strategic base." The factory, which will produce up to 230,000 vehicles each year, is a cornerstone of the structural reform plan "upon which the very future of company hinges," Yamanouchi said in remarks prepared for the opening ceremony. "Mazda's Structural Reform Plan, upon which the very future of the company hinges, positions this plant as our most important global strategic base," Yamanouchi said of the factory, which is about three hours northwest of Mexico City in Guanajuato State.

Green car of the year finalists chosen

Green Car Journal named its top-five green cars for 2014 on Thursday, tapping the Audi A6 TDI, BMW 328d, Mazda 3 hatchback, Honda Accord and the new Toyota Corolla as its finalists. The winner will be announced at the LA Auto Show. Green Car likes the Audi A6 TDI due to its unexpected performance in a high-efficiency vehicle.

New Audi A2 EV Concept – first photos arrive

New Audi A2 EV Concept - first photos It wouldn’t be a car show without yet another electric car concept from Audi. The difference at Frankfurt is that the already teased EV from Audi isn’t another in the seemingly endless iteration of e-Tron, instead we’re to get an electric car with a proper Audi tag – the Audi A2 Concept EV. The shame is that Audi seem to have abandoned the range extender route they displayed with the Audi A1 e-Tron – a small Wankel engine in the boot to charge the batteries – and have instead gone down the costly cul-de-sac of a pure EV in the A2.