Toyota Going Strong Globally

There may be economic slowdown and low consumer confidence in the US but it is not affecting the business of Toyota that much yet. In fact, good time has come for Japanese auto companies including Toyota. Toyota saw increase in global demand in February 2008. So, in response, Toyota has increased and will increase its car production. Honda and Nissan are following Toyota too.

Read More: Toyota, Honda Raise Global Production on Higher Overseas Demand

Toyota may Fail to Meet the 2008 Sales Target as Sales Falling down in the U.S., Europe and Japan

Toyota is facing problems to meet the company’s global sales target. As sales in the U.S., Europe and its domestic market are falling down, Toyota might miss the sales goal of 2008. However, the good news is that the company is doing well in the emerging markets like China and Russia. To add, the price of the raw materials has also been increased. U.S. market is going to experience decline for the third year in a row. The economic slump in the U.S. is affecting the sales of the car manufacturers. The global sales target of Toyota this year is 5 percent up compared to that of last year.

Reuters reported:

"Frankly speaking, sales in the U.S., Europe and Japan are showing signs of slowdown. It will be difficult to meet the group's sales target of 9.85 million, although emerging markets such as China and Russia are active," Tokuichi Uranishi, executive vice president of Toyota, told reporters in Seoul.

Rising raw material prices are another concern to Toyota, the world's most profitable and valuable car maker, said Fujio Cho, chairman of Toyota, and Uranishi, who is one of the top executives at Japan's top automaker.

"The rise in raw material prices has been excessive this year. Coping with this is one of our top priorities," Cho said.

Global demand for cars, especially in the United States, is weakening due to a slowing economy and the ongoing credit crisis.

Toyota is now focusing on both luxury and general cars in order to capture more market share. The company is planning to launch Prius hybrid car in South Korean market, where Toyota has sold only luxury car. As the market is not supportive for auto makers, Toyota may have to move from their global target and focus on holding market share.

Toyota Raised Wages by 1000 Yen in Japan

Toyota failed to meet the demand of Union wage in Japan. Wage union demanded increase by 1,500 yen in a high inflation situation Japan faced recently. Toyota said that they would be capable of increasing the wages by 1,000 yen per month. The prices of consumers rose by 0.8 percent in January in the country. Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda also requested the companies to increase their wages so that the labor class people have enough purchasing ability.

Bloomberg reported:

``1,000 yen? That's a black joke. Is that going to buy you a new TV or a new DVD player? I don't think so,'' said Takehiro Sato, chief Japan economist at Morgan Stanley in Tokyo. ``The cost of living is obviously rising higher. That means real income is actually dropping.''

Japan's Prime Minister Fukuda on March 6 asked the Keidanren, Japan's biggest business lobby, to step up efforts to raise wages and stimulate consumer spending.

The current is not going to be a great year for the auto makers in the world as they are facing high price of gasoline and fuel in the international market. So, Toyota seems to go through a tough time this year. Now, let us see if the company can cope up with the situation well.

General Motors and Ford to Suffer Share Drop

The automotive sector of US will go through a rough patch in 2008 as the auto makers are facing high gasoline prices and the tightness in the credit market. Morgan Stanley 2008 U.S. industry forecast shows that GM and Ford will experience loss this year. General Motors is also facing strike of major suppliers. So, it is almost certain that Auto makers would have a tough time this year.

Guardian reported:

"Our industry view is based on expectations of lukewarm retail demand, weak mix, high raw material prices offset by growing strength in international markets and some progress toward attacking structural issues including overcapacity and legacy costs," Morgan Stanley said in a note to clients.

So, the shares of the companies will also be dropped significantly this year. GM would see 7.6 percent drop, while Ford will experience 8.07 percent drop this year. US economy is in recession which is affecting the automotive market of the country. Now, let us see how the companies like GM and Ford cope up with the situation and go on with their business activities.

BMW Expanding South Carolina Plant by Increasing Workforce and Space

BMW is going to increase its production in South Carolina plant. With the expansion of the plant, the number of workforce will also be increased by 500 in the plant. The plant will be enlarged by 1.2 million square feet in terms of production space. BMW board member for global production, Frank-Peter Arndt said that the plant will be used for the production of the X3 and X5 sport utilities and X6 sports coupe.

New York Times reported:

Mr. Arndt said BMW would add a new generation of its X3 sport utility vehicles to the site, making the plant the exclusive source for the X3 and X5 sport utilities, as well as the X6 sports coupe introduced this year at the Detroit auto show.

BMW recently declared that it had plans to reduce its workforce by 5000 in Germany, 600 in other countries, which is 7.5 percent of its total workforce. Now, BMW is increasing its production in South Carolina. BMW might have enough ground to take up such decisions. May be production cost of the units is less in South Carolina than that of Germany or may be BMW is going to manufacture the sport utility car for a particular segment of people in the country. Now, let us see if BMW can capitalize fully on the expansion of the South Carolina plant of BMW.

BMW Comes up with an Exclusive Offer for Motor Cycle Fans of Britain

Will you be excited if you are offered to learn some soccer skills from a star soccer player only for buying a soccer ball of a particular company? Of course, you will be. Well, it may not be possible at this moment as no company has not made this kind of offer ever as far as I know. However, it is possible for you to learn some off road motor-cycling skills from six times Dakar racing champion, Simon Pavey. All you need to do is to buy a motor cycle of a specific model of BMW.

This exclusive offer is limited to some particular models of BMW motor cycles. These are G650, F800GS, R1200GS, and the HP2 Enduro. The price would be a bit high definitely. The prices of these models are ranging from about $450 to $2,200. There would be variety of courses which will be run for different durations. However, this offer is now only available in Britain until now. If BMW gets satisfactory response then they will definitely think about it beyond Britain. Now, let us see if BMW can increase sales in the British territory though this offer. Only time will answer it.

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BMW Planning to Introduce Ecologically Compatible Car in US Market This Year

BMW is planning to introduce an electric car in the USA market this year. The German based auto maker, BMW, is widely known for their luxury cars. Now, the company seems to give focus on ecology. That is why; BMW is trying to manufacture the cars which will not need fuel or oil to run by. However, the company is not yet confirmed if BMW will take up the project alone or along with any other company.

BMW Chief executive, Norbert Reithofer, said that BMW would be considered a large vehicle manufacturer in the US from 2012. BMW is famous for their luxury cars and motor cycles across the world. However, now the company is trying to focus on environment friendly cars, which I think, will be beneficial for the company in the long run because people are getting habituated to the cars of this kind. However, now let us see if BMW becomes as successful on ecologically compatible cars as they have been on their previous marques.

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Racer Mat Jackson Receives Backing from BMW

Mat Jackson, British Touring Car Championship independent, has received the backing from BMW. So, he will race this year under the banner of BMW. He will have ex-Andy Priaulx BMW 320si to race with this season replacing the 2006 Priaulx which he race with last year. The new car was bought from the RVM team. Jackson said that getting the headline sponsor this year has allowed them to buy the car and they will have an engineer at every race from now on. However, Jackson expressed having no financial backing from BMW, though they are endorsed by the company as BMW Dealer Team UK. He admitted that sponsors helped his team to increase the budget this season.

Autosport reported:

"Having a headline sponsor on board for the first time has given us the resources to buy the car and to have an engineer at every race, which we didn¹t have last season," said Jackson.

"As BMW Dealer Team UK, we're endorsed by BMW, but there's no financial backing there. Our sponsors are responsible for our budget increasing this season."

Jackson finished seventh in the championship of last year winning two races. Now, this year he will have a new car and an engineer in every race. So, it is expected that Mat Jackson will have better performance this year.

General Motors Planning to Sell a Plant to Oklahoma County

General Motors is selling an old plant to Oklahoma County. The 3.8 million-square-foot plant would be used by the Tinker Air Force Base. General Motors stopped its production in the plant due to decreasing sales and rising production cost. The money of the $55 million deal would be generated from bond measure. Ray Vaughn, the commissioner of Oklahoma Country said that Tinker is very important for the state as 27,000 Oklahomans from 48 different counties travel and work on base.

Chron reported:

"Tinker is so important to our entire state, with more than 27,000 Oklahomans from 48 different counties commuting and working on base," County Commissioner Ray Vaughn, who has been working on the project for more than a year, said Tuesday. "The General Motors facility served as the worksite for thousands of Oklahomans over the years and everyone involved is anxious to see Oklahomans back in this facility, helping to grow our economy."

The county would lease the property and facilities to Tinker in a "low-cost, long-term lease agreement," Vaughn said.

General Motors is one of the global auto makers widely known across the world. However, they are currently going though a slump condition in the industry with decreased sales. The plant was not active for about two years in the county. So, it seems to a realistic decision of General Motors to sell the plant.

General Motors Introducing Environment Friendly Technologies Looking for Better Times in the Industry

General Motors is hoping to get over the hard times they are currently going though by the third or fourth quarter of the year. In their pursuit to increase their sales, General Motors is offering different technologies asserted in their vehicles. The company’s North America region president, Troy A. Clarke, expressed his hope regarding the future of GM in the coming quarters of the year focusing on the technologies his company is offering.

The technology GM is offering now includes E85 ethanol. The cars which run on E85 ethanol incorporate 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline, thus making the vehicles environment friendly.

AJC.com reported:

E85 is a fuel that blends 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline. It has been praised for cutting oil consumption and burning cleaner than gasoline.

It also has been criticized for driving up food prices, because much of it in this country is made from corn, demand for which has risen as more E85 production comes online.

E85 has also been criticized for its lack of availability in most of the country. Clarke says GM wants to address that problem but needs help.

Yes, these are the problems of E85 ethanol technology which, Mr. Clarke said, GM wanted to get over but they needed the help from government. Moreover, GM has some more technologies in their list including gas-electric hybrids car. Even the fuel-run vehicles of General Motors have improved gas mileage. Clarke expressed that GM wanted to sell what people wanted, not what they wanted.

GM is now facing some problems created by auto parts suppliers’ strike. However, GM Chief Executive Richard Wagoner did not admit that it was being affected heavily on the global sales of the company as the company dealers had enough vehicles in their lots. However, the reality is that due the striker many plants of the company have been shutdown. So, though General Motors will not understand the affect of it now, it will have an impact in the long run. I think, General Motors bosses should come to a compromise with the suppliers in order ensure a flawless production in the industry.

General Motors Conducting “CHEVROLET GOLDEN VOICE OF MYSORE”

You know that Chevrolet is the widely known brand of General Motors. Now, Chevrolet along with Hoomale Creations is conducting a talent hunt competition in Mysore in order to find out the talented singers. The competition is being held in two age based categories. In the senior category, the participants must be in between 15 and 30 years of age and junior category includes those who are10-15 years old.

Starofmysore reported:

About 2,600 contestants are already participating in the competition and the entries are still open. The finals of the event will be held at Kalamandira on Apr. 20.

Vinod Kumar, Sales Manager of Chevrolet said, “General Motors, World's No. 1 carmaker, is into a lot of social activities in India and around the world. In Mysore, Chevrolet is kicking off with this programme and in future, there will be plenty."

The local officials of Chevrolet are organizing the competition. So far, they have received enough responses as about 2,600 participants have already signed for the competition. The final of the competition will take place on 20 April. Hoomale Creations is a group of talented youngsters and they have already released an album. Now, they are planning to make their second album in which the winners of the competition will feature in the album.

BMW Planning to Launch Mini Car of Rs 20 Lakh in India

BMW is now planning to launch a mini car in Indian market. The car is expected to have price tag of around Rs 20 lakh. The market analyses for the car has been completed and they are just yet to finalize the launch with company headquarter. BMW president Peter Kronchnabi said that the company would bring BMW S6 on the road by 2009. Everything seems to be right except the car price.

Indian market is a price sensitive market. Price, in most cases, is a deciding factor in India. It is true that BMW may have targeted a particular segment of buyers who would be interested to get a mini car of BMW brand Rs 20 lakh. Indian based car maker Tata Motors has launched their promised car worth of Rs. 1 lakh. The car is titled Tata Nano, which would be seen in Indian road from September this season. The car has already created huge attention among the people in the country.

Now, let us see if BMW could bring out success with the mini car in India’s competitive and price sensitive market. Only time will say everything.

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Autoliv Received Toyota Award

Toyota has awarded Autoliv for the third successive year for its technological contribution. This year, Autoliv received the award because of its contribution to the development of inflatable side-impact curtain for Toyota Motor Corp.’s new Sequoia. The same company was awarded with the Toyota Value Improvement Award and the Technology award in 2006 and 2007 respectively.

The award has given at Toyota’s Annual Global Supplier Convention on 11 March in Nagoya, Japan. Autoliv introduced the inflatable curtain airbags for the first time in the world in 1998. The company produced 22 million inflatable curtain airbags for the cars of different models in 2007. From fall 2013, all the new cars must have side curtain airbags in 2013. This shows that Autoliv will receive a huge boost from that year. It is really praiseworthy that the company is contributing largely to the car industry and has already made an impact on it.

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Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupe Provides Comfortable Driving

Rolls-Royce has declared its latest model Phantom Coupe as the most driver oriented model in the Phantom Line. The car has sports button which gives longer gear facility to the drivers and increases the speed. The wheelbase is short which is also conducive for the drivers. It seems that besides giving a stylish appearance to the car, designer also focused on making driving more comfortable.

The two-door car uses V12 engine which creates 453 horsepower. Phantom Coupe is similar to the 101EX concept which was introduced in 2006. The latest model of Phantom has a gorgeous interior and exterior look.

Telegraph reported:

It also has the Phantom saloon line-up's 6.75-litre V12 engine, developing 453bhp and 531lb ft of torque at 3,500rpm. At 100mph ("where permissible", R-R hastily adds) the coupé's power reserve dial indicates that 90 per cent of the 453bhp is untapped.

The Phantom Coupe is getting popular among the non-Rolls-Royce owners. Two-third of its more than 200 sales orders so far have come from new buyers. So, it is definitely an initial success of Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupe. The new model is expected to bring the similar success for the company that Rolls-Royce’s earlier model Drophead brought last year.

Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupe Incorporates Style, Technology, But Highly Expensive

Rolls-Royce is not a brand of car for middle class people. It is one of the preferred brands for the rich. However, the latest model of Rolls-Royce unveiled in the Geneva Motor Show 2008 recently seems to be highly expensive. One has to spend $400,000 in order to own a Phantom Coupe. You might be thinking about what is so special in the model.

Well, first of all the model incorporates both style and technology which is a rare combination. Its hood, body, headlight, steering, brake and every other equipment give a gorgeous look to the car. The car uses V12 engine which develops 453 horsepower. The 6.75 liter engine is one of the notable features of the car.

Signonsandiego reported:

-- A 453 horsepower, 6.75-liter V-12, which Rolls claims will have a 25 percent wider cruising radius than the "Drophead Coupe," thanks to a larger fuel tank.

As an extended-ranger cruise, the coupe will be "agile, fast, long-legged and virtually silent."

The car has already attracted new buyers for Rolls-Royce. About two third of its sales orders has come from non-Rolls-Royce users. So, it is definitely a success for the company. However, the company could see much more success in the years to come. Rolls-Royce authority has got more than 200 sales orders for the model which exceeds the production limits of this year. So, it seems that the high price of Rolls-Royce does not seem to affect on its sales. That is what I mentioned earlier that Rolls-Royce is not a brand for middle class people.

Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupe Reflects Style and Technology

Rolls-Royce has recently been introduced in the Geneva Motor Show 2008. The Phantom Coupe is beautifully decorated with a gorgeous appearance. In terms of its interior and exterior design, Phantom Coupe is expected to attract people. Moreover, besides its stylish look, the new model of Phantom incorporates high technology as well. The car uses V12 engine which is capable of producing 453 horsepower. Phantom Coupe is similar to the concept of 101 EX. Though the car is very close to the functionality of a sports car, Phantom Coupe is not a sports car. The highest speed of the car is 155 mph.

Edmunds reported:

Styled under the direction of Ian Cameron, the design boss at Rolls-Royce, the high-waisted coupe incorporates all of the contemporary exterior design cues found on the Phantom convertible, including thin LED side markers, large round headlights, a gently raked grille and, naturally, the optional brushed-steel hood and matching windshield frame.

The car is very much stylish. Mingled with high technology and style, Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupe has already attracted the car buyers. The two door car is highly expensive. It is reportedly given a price tag of $400,000. It has already received more than 200 orders. Thus Rolls-Royce has completed its 2008 production targets for Phantom Coupe. Among the orders about two-third came from non-Rolls Royce owners. So, it has already become a success story for Rolls-Royce. Now, let us see if the car brings similar success that Phantom Drophead Coupe brought for the company last year.

Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupe Sets to Bring a Boom in the Overall Sales of Rolls-Royce

Rolls-Royce bosses are seeking for new market with their latest production Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupe which has been launched during the Geneva Motor Show 2008 recently. The Phantom Coupe is of the same concept of 101 EX which was introduced in 2006. Phantom Coupe’s earlier version Drophead brought a huge boom in the overall sales of Rolls-Royce last year as its world wide sales reached to 1010 in 2007.

Now, Phantom Coupe is expected to attract wider range of buyers. Rolls-Royce has already received 200 sales orders from different buys which exceeds the number of productions expected in 2008 with two-third orders came from non-Rolls Royce owners.

Autoblog reported:

Appearing very similar to the concept 101EX that debuted in 2006, the Coupe and its Drophead brother are also expanding the bottom line for RR. Sales for RR were a huge 1010 for 2007. This new model and the Drophead that it follows are taking on the Bentley Continental GT and GTC challenge with more of a focus on the driver. With help from parent BMW, it's understandable that these cars might be a little better on winding roads than one might suspect.

The new model of Rolls-Royce has a stylish look. The steering, brakes and the headlights seem to be gorgeous. You will find the starlight headliners of Phantom Coupe very attractive. So, it is expected that Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupe can bring about huge success for Rolls-Royce. Now, let us see if the prediction regarding the car comes true.

Rolls Royce Phantom Coupe Bringing New Buyers for Rolls-Royce Brand

Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupe is the latest of Rolls-Royce models. The two door car has been shown in the Geneva Motor Show 2008. The new model Rolls-Royce is largely attracting new customers who were not Rolls-Royce owners earlier. They have already sold more than 200 cars so far in which two third of the buyers have come for the first time to Rolls Royce brand. So, the expected production of Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupe this year has already been sold out.

Autoweek reported:

“Two-thirds [of the names] in our early order bank are from non Rolls-Royce owners,” said CEO Ian Robertson as he unveiled the new model. “It means we’re beginning to appeal to a broader audience.
“We’ve already sold a clear 200 or more,” Robertson said.

This is the first two door car of Coupe model since 1960. Phantom Coupe has some cool features which are attracting people most. The starlight headliner has given an exceptional look to the car. Moreover, buyers can choose from the option of polished metal hood and windsheld frame. Rolls-Royce launched Drophead Coupé last year. That model has been highly successful in terms of its demand in the market with all of its units being sold out till 2009. Drophead Coupé was sold out 250 units last year which helped the company post a 25 percent sales increase.

Now, it seems that Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupe is going to follow the same feat with its advanced technology and stylish look. Coupe can give a huge boost to the global sales of Rolls-Royce this fiscal year as well. Now, let us see if Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupe can meet the expectation of Rolls-Royce.

Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupe: The Latest Car of Coupe Model

Rolls-Royce covered off its latest coupe version, Rolls-Royce Phantom coupe in the Geneva Motor Show 2008. The car was officially launched in February 26 at a dinner hosted by Rolls Royce Company. Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupe is the first two-door Coupe model car since 1960. Designed by Ian Cameron, Phantom Coupe resembles a stylish look and speed. The car has more speed than Phantom saloon or drophead.

Financial Times reported:

BMW’s Rolls-Royce division will take the wraps off its coupe version of the Phantom luxury car – the first two-door coupe model it has built since the late 1960s. Much more sporting than the Phantom saloon or drophead, it will be priced near the rest of the range, at close to £290,000 in the UK. The world must wait until the next Geneva show for one of the most important cars Rolls-Royce has ever built – a so-called “baby” model based on BMW’s 7-Series.

I think, Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupe will bring about a huge success for Rolls-Royce. The car uses V12 engine. The headlights include hundreds of small LED lights which make the car more attractive to look at. The car has already received early bookings from the customers. The company wants to have two third of the total customers new to the Rolls-Royce brand.

Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupe Unveiled in Geneva Motor Show 2008

Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupe has been unveiled in the Geneva motor show 2008 yesterday. With the price tag of £285,000, the car is expected to be a major boost for Rolls-Royce this year. The company officials are expecting to attract new customers for the company.

Rolls-Royce is one of the widely known car brands from UK. Rolls-Royce Phantom is a popular model of the company and its latest version is the Coupe car which has been launched in the Geneva motor show 2008. It is expected that two third of its buyers would be new to Rolls-Royce brand.

Autocar reported:

Rolls unveiled its new Phantom Coupe to an expectant Geneva crowd. "Having released pictures of the car two weeks ago, we didn't expect such a big turn-out for the unveiling," said Rolls PR man Jon Stanley. "We don't tend to take orders at motor shows, but so far, the reaction has been overwhelmingly positive."

"This car should bring in a new type of customer for us," he continued, "the sort of owner who like the idea of a Rolls-Royce, but wouldn't opt for a limousine or a convertible. We expect two thirds of Coupe buyers to be new to the brand but, since they're likely to be the sort of people who own five or more cars, we're unlikely to be calling those 'conquest sales'."

The two-door car has a gorgeous look. The earlier version of the model was Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupé which was unveiled in 2007. Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupe has already attracted people with its technology and stylish look. The company received many bookings for the car already. So, Phantom Coupe seems to be a success story of Rolls-Royce.

Toyota Expects Sales Rise in the US Market This Financial Year

Toyota expects a slight rise in its US sales this year. Company president Katsuaki Watanabe expressed his hope that Toyota would experience a slight increase in the company’s vehicle sales in the US in 2008 compared to its sales in US market last year. Mr. Watanabe also indicated that the overall vehicle market of US would see some developments towards the end of the year though US market saw compressed sales in the last three months.

Market Watch reported:

"We will make every effort to improve sales this year... The overall U.S. market will probably be flat in 2008," Watanabe told reporters at the Geneva motor show, noting that the subprime crisis and high gas prices remain a drag.

Watanabe confirmed that the company's European division is expected to post a 5% sales rise in 2008 compared with last year.

High gas price has been instrumental behind the lower sales in the US market. Katsuaki Watanabe also expressed that the company was expected to increase its sales in European markets by 5% compared to the last year. Toyota and its Lexus brand posted 10 percent combined rise in Europe last year. Now, it is expected to see if Toyota can reach its goal this fiscal year.

Mitsubishi Electric Corp. Withdraws from Mobile Manufacturing Industry

Japanese mobile phone manufacturer Mitsubishi Electric Corp. has decided to stop its mobile phone operation. Japanese mobile phone market has become much more competitive with the presence of some big companies. There are some more companies who are going to withdraw their operations from mobile industry as the carriers are involved in a race to offer the most attractive price for the Japanese market.

Money.cnn reported:

But with the domestic market largely saturated, Japan's carriers are now engaged in an all-out price war and are cutting back on the handouts as profits fall. They are locking users into long-term contracts, and total new phone sales are suffering.

"Carriers are not protecting manufacturers any more," said Shigehiro Tanaka, a director at Japan market research firm BCN.

"There will be more withdrawals moving forward," he added.

Japanese mobile phones have fame throughout the world for the highly advanced technology and style associated with the sets. Mitsubishi Electric Corp still has target to generate 100 billion yen ($962 million) in revenue this fiscal year. The conglomerate will focus on other businesses in order to recover loses of mobile operations. Mitsubishi Electric was ranked 8^th in mobile manufacturing industry in Japan in the last fiscal year.

Toyota Motor Corp Planning diesel SUV in Indonesia

Indonesia is an important car market in Asia. Indonesia has the third largest people in Asia and it is strategically located in East Asia. Most of the major car companies of Asia are present in the country. Indonesia also exports car to other countries and this year, it is expected that Indonesia would be able to export $ 2.9 billion from exporting cars.

Toyota Motor Corp (TYO:7203) has a strong presence in the country and according to one report, Toyota controls 33.2% of car market in Indonesia. Now, Toyota is planning to increase its production capacity in the country so that it can produce more cars for the local market and increase export.

Xinhua reported:

The Japanese top automaker, Toyota Motor Corp, plans to assemble diesel sports utility vehicle Fortuner in its Indonesian plant and considers overseas sales, an executive said Saturday.

Local subsidiary PT Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indonesia (TMMI) has already produced and exported hundreds of petrol Fortuners to countries in the Middle East.

This is a welcome news for Indonesian economy.

Robot buddy PhoneBraver Cell Phone from Softbank Mobile Corp.

Japan has nearly 100 million mobile phone subscribers. This is a sizable market and in fact, Japanese mobile phone market is one of the top one for any mobile phone company considering the fact that Japan is one of the top 3 richest countries in the world. There is very strong competition among mobile phone companies to present unique services in the market.

Softbank Mobile Corp. has come out with a cool gadget that has created a lot of interest even before its arrival in the market. It is a Robot buddy Cell Phone. It will act like a small robot and will do the work of a traditional cell phone.

AFP reported:

Softbank Mobile Corp.'s new mobile line looks like a small humanoid with attachable arms and legs, with the screen showing various faces.

The PhoneBraver will be released in April after a character in an upcoming television drama series entitled "Cellphone Investigator 7."

The telephone comes with enough artificial intelligence to learn the user's habits.

If the user calls a particular person many times, a text phrase such as "You're calling her often these days, aren't you?" might appear coming out of the face's mouth, according to Softbank Mobile spokesman Katsuhide Furuya.

Japan is a very good market for new products. If PhoneBraver becomes a success then it will surely be exported in some other countries. So, the days are not so far when all of us can have a Robot buddy PhoneBraver Cell Phone.

Walt Disney with Mobile Service for Japanese Consumers

Walt Disney (NYSE:DIS) is not exactly a name that pops in to our mind when we think of mobile phone. Well, Disney has something called Disney Mobile and they were not so successful in the US. In fact, Disney bosses have realized that Japan was a better market for mobile service than the US or Europe. So, Disney has now focused on Japanese mobile phone market.

AFP wrote:

Walt Disney Japan, the local unit of Walt Disney Co., released three types of mobiles, made by Sharp, all covered with silhouette patterns of Mickey Mouse.

They also have a special online feature that allows subscribers to jump to Disney websites, while Disney's iconic characters can be used on standby screens and to decorate e-mails free of charge.

Walt Disney Japan has teamed up with Softbank, an Internet conglomerate and one of the nation's three mobile giants, leasing part of the networks and outlets owned by the Japanese firm.

Disney has become Japan's first so-called mobile virtual network operator (MVNO), or a company that buys capacity from another firm to provide cellphone services.

Disney has done a good thing here. Japan is one of the top markets of mobile phone. In fact, in Japan, almost everyone has a mobile phone and I don’t need to remind is you that Japan is one of the top 3 richest countries in the world. So, Japanese people can afford to spend money on mobile phone related services.