Brazil

Wolfsburg/Sao Bernardo do Campo, 14 August 2008 -- Volkswagen do Brasil has just been ranked Best Company of the Year by IstoÉ Dinheiro in the fifth edition of the business magazine’s “Top 500 Companies in Brazil” awards. The ranking by Trevisan, one of the largest and most widely respected Brazilian consulting firms, is based on an analysis of data for 2007 submitted by the top Brazilian companies.

London, Great Britain, June 27, 2008 -- A1GP World Cup of Motorsport has received influential backing for the series to hold its first race in South America. This came during a meeting in Brazil between A1GP ambassador, Emerson Fittipaldi, and Brazilian President, Luis Inacio Lula da Silva.

The Brazilian President pledged his support for A1 Team Brazil's quest to secure a home race after meeting with Fittipaldi, who is the team's seat holder. The meeting happened last week when Fittipaldi was racing in the Brazilian GT3 Championship with his brother, Wilson. The two influential Brazilians, along with the Brazilian Minister of Sport, Orlando Silva, discussed the team ahead of the new A1GP season, during which all the teams will use the new A1GP Powered by Ferrari cars.

SÃO PAULO, Brazil, June 19, 2008 – Honda’s automobile production and sales subsidiary in Brazil, Honda Automoveis do Brasil Ltda. (HAB), reached the 500,000-unit cumulative automobile production milestone, June 18, 2008.

HAB began auto production with the Civic model in September 1997, and added production of Fit in 2003. HAB has been supplying these models to customers in Brazil as well as customers in neighboring countries such as Argentina, Peru, and Chile. In 2006, to fulfill increasing demand for FFVs (flexible fuel vehicles) in Brazil, HAB added a FFV version of both Civic and Fit to the product lineup. The sales ratio of these FFV models to Honda’s overall sales in Brazil exceeded 40% in 2007, demonstrating the popularity of these FFV models.

Leading automotive supplier continues marketing strategy for passenger and light truck tires

Hanover & Zurich, 20 May 2008 -- International automotive supplier Continental AG is continuing its long-term marketing strategy for its premium tire brand Continental and has been named an Official Sponsor of the 2010 FIFA World Cup(TM) in South Africa in the tires product category. Continental also has an option to extend its sponsorship until the 2014 FIFA World Cup(TM) in Brazil.

Innovative vehicle development facility is first of its kind in South America

Wolfsburg/São Bernardo do Campo, 15 May 2008 - German Chancellor Angela Merkel was given a warm welcome in the Brazilian city of São Bernardo do Campo by Prof. Dr. Martin Winterkorn, Chairman of the Board of Management of Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft, during her tour of South America. In the presence of other representatives from industry and politics, the two dignatories officially opened the Virtual Reality Centre, an innovation in vehicle development and the first of its kind in South America, at the VW site near São Paulo.

27 to 29 (a.m.) October - Press days
30 October - 9 November - Open to public

Organizers:
Reed Exhibitions Alcantara Machado

Location:
Anhembi Park Exhibitions Pavilion

Web site: www.salaodoautomovel.com.br

DEARBORN, Mich., Jan. 14, 2008 /PRNewswire - FirstCall/ -- The highly popular Ford Edge midsized crossover will go on sale in Brazil later this year as Ford Motor Company continues its product offensive in South America and around the world.

Highlights:
- Building on Ford South America's business and product success, the Ford Edge midsize crossover will be added to the company's lineup in Brazil later this year.
- Edge quickly has become a hit and helped propel Ford's U.S. crossover sales by 63 percent in 2007, more than triple the industry average in America's fastest-growing vehicle segment.
- Ford of Brazil sales remain very strong - with 20.7 percent growth last year - led by new products.

Turin, 29 November, 2008 -- Just a few months after its South American launch, the Fiat Grande Punto was elected “Carro do Ano 2008” in Brazil by a panel of 37 journalists representing the national specialised press.

Organised by the magazine Auto Esporte and now in its 41st edition, the award is the most prestigious accolade for the Brazilian automotive industry, as testified by the top models in the running, which the Fiat Grande Punto beat with a total of 235 points: namely the Citroen C4 Pallas (208 points), Nissan Sentra (152 points), Renault Logan (146) and Chevrolet Vectra GT (134).

Friendship car exclusively designed for star NFL quarterback Tom Brady

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Dec 3, 2007 – Audi today (December 1st 2007) announced the upcoming auction of the Audi RS4 Friendship car at the eleventh annual Best Buddies Miami Gala on December 1, 2007 at Bicentennial Park in Miami. Since June 2007, Audi has been the official automotive sponsor of all Best Buddies events in the United States.

Tuesday 23rd October 2007 -- The Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team confirms that it has, via its UK governing body, the MSA, filed a notice of appeal to the FIA’s International Court of Appeal against the decision not to exclude cars 09, 10, 16 and 17 from the result of the 2007 Brazilian Grand Prix.