Chinese car firms decrease sales

According to the Wall Street Journal, Chinese car sales are now decreasing because of the way they copycat and the people not wanting them. Whereas foreign car firms are getting more sales growth in the Chinese market than the Chinese firms are doing.

The People's Republic of China has the largest car industry in the world with approx. 18 million vehicles being built in 2010. Until 2005, the American car industry (Ford, Chrysler and GM) was the largest before being beaten by the Japanese in 2006 and the Chinese in 2009.

By the Great Depression, America produced 90% of the world's cars (such as Ford Model T). But today, American is now the 3rd largest car producer.

Both the Americans and Japanese have never copied any car, unlike the Chinese. However the North Koreans are the worst. Their car manufacturer Sungri has produced a copycat of a Mercedes E-Class that is difficult to handle, since you can't close the doors properly. The car is called Sungri Paedukstan .

Saab leaves $2 million debt

According to the Wall Street Journal:

STOCKHOLM—Bankrupt Swedish car maker Saab Automobile AB left behind debts of $2 billion backed by assets of just $500 million, which suggests creditors are unlikely to get much of their money back.

The official receivers in charge of liquidating the 61-year-old auto maker said on Tuesday that 11.3 billion kronor of the company's 13 billion kronor debt was held by Saab Automobile and the remainder held by subsidiaries Saab Automobile Tools and Saab Automobile Powertrain.

The company's combined assets amounted to 3.6 billion kronor, according to receivers Hans L. Bergqvist, a partner at law firm Delphi, and Anne-Marie.

2013 Hyundai i30 CW

Hyundai has now confirmed that an estate version called Hyundai Elantra Touring in North America and Hyundai i30CW in the rest of the world will be released in Europe in the summer. It measures 4.48 metres long. It has a boot capacity of 528 litres and will have 2 diesel engines and 2 petrol engines.

Sonic Nendoroid figure available to pre-order in Europe

Following a recent announcement, the Sonic Nenderoid figure is now available to pre-order in the Europe via SonicMerchandise.com.

According to a description from that website:

Sonic the Hedgehog will live forever, and this new Nedoroid figure is the perfect way to celebrate the 20th birthday of this immortal video game icon.

This awesome figure comes with both standing and classic running poses, and interchangeable parts include face, hands, item box, point marker goal post, and a Chaos Emerald amongst others for maximum nostalgia factor. The PVC and ABS figure measure 10cm (3.9″) tall.

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Steam disables Sonic the Hedgehog: Episode II Beta from its website.

Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II has now been disabled on Steam

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If you’ve not been awake for the past nine hours, you’ve probably missed the news that Sonic 4: Episode 2 was leaked onto Steam and subsequently downloaded by those who had pre-ordered it, as well as by people rushing to snag an early copy.

However, if you did manage to download it, you might be in for a surprise when you try to re-launch the game.

We’re now being told that whilst the leak was plugged several hours ago to prevent early downloads of the Beta. Those who got the game before it was taken down are now discovering that it will not start up.

Many users are reporting that the play button on episode 2 has been disabled when they re-launch Steam on their system, even if previously they had been able to play episode 2 for a short period of time.

Obviously this sounds like the DRM or some other [insert a long techno babble tid-bit about disabling games that makes it look like he knows what he's talking about] has been activated to prevent anyone else from playing an unfinished version the game.

Chances are users will be able to re-download it once the game is officially released as this is what tends to happen if the ‘wrong’ version of a game is released on Steam, some people might remember a similar issue when Dead Island was released a few months ago. Just keep an eye on those bank statements to make sure you’re not charged twice when the game is released later in May.

Thanks to members of SSMB for confirming this and Kamicciolo for the image.

[Source: http://www.sonicstadium.org/2012/04/sonic-4-episode-2-beta-copies-disabl…

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Saab’s future Part 2

According to Wikipedia:

On April 10 2012 many documents regarding the bankruptcy became official and the deadline for final bids of Saab Automobile was reached. Since the first reconstruction in 2009, Saab has gathered a debt of approximately €1.3 billion. The total value of all assets have been found to be approximately €360 million. The potential sale of Saab will therefore mean that many with claims on Saab Automobile will be without money. GMs claim of approximately €220 million will be prioritized because it consists of preference shares. The handful of previous interested parties in buying Saab Automobile out of bankruptcy have all been confirmed to have handed in final bids and are all intending to produce Saab cars in Trollhättan in one form or another. The receivers hope to have a deal done before summer. The receivers have also found that the sale of the Saab Automobile property in summer of 2011 may not have been legitimate and the property may have to be returned to Saab.

But according to Saab's bankruptcy site, it says that they will be a meeting on Saab's bankruptcy on the 16 April 2012.

 

2013 Ford B-Max

Ford has introduced an small MPV based on the current Ford Fiesta, to replace the European market Ford Fusion (unrelated to the model sold in North America and South America), and measuring 4.06 metres (159 inches).

The range consists 4 petrol engines: two 1.0 litre engines developing 100HP and 120HP, a 1.4 litre engine with 90HP and a 1.6 litre engine with 105HP.

It also consists 2 diesel engines: A 1.5 litre diesel engine with 75HP and a 1.6 litre diesel engine with 96HP.

All models have a Start&Stop system included, 5-speed manual transmission (excepting the 1.0 litre version which has 6-gears) and rear-wheel drive.

 

Hirokazu Yasuhara joins Nintendo

Sonic co-creator Hirokazu Yasuhara is now working for Nintendo. This man is well-known for the game planner for various Mega Drive/Genesis and SEGA Saturn Sonic games, from Sonic the Hedgehog (1991) to Sonic R (Saturn: 1997, PC: 1998).

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2014 Kia K9: Kia’s new luxury/executive car

Kia has now revealed the K9 saloon car. However, I don't think, the K9 nameplate would be used outside South Korea, due to the Kia K5 and K7 being known as the Optima and Cadenza respectively outside South Korea. The car is more than 5 metres (196 inches) long. It will only be sold with a 3.3 litre V6 petrol (GDI=Gasoline Direct Injection) engine with 300HP and in Europe, the car will be the only executive model to have 7-year Guarantee (Waranty), as opposed to Kia's 10-year (100,000 mile) Waranty in the US and Kia's 5-year Waranty in Canada.

In Europe, the car will rival the Volvo S80 and several German models, while in it's home market (South Korea) it will rival the Samsung SM7 and Ssangyong Chairman.

Big the Cat to dissapear from Sonic the Hedgehog

Sonic Team is no longer going to use Big the Cat in Sonic the Hedgehog in the future, meaning it might be good day or sad day for Sonic fans. According to recent to interviews with Takashi Iizuka, he says:

“We just have not found a good use for him”. “We tried him as a fisherman and a strongman but nothing worked out.”

They have been various other Sonic characters that were killed off in the end:
These are:

-Mighty the Armadillo (Knuckles' Chaotix)
-Fang the Sniper/Nack the Weasel (1994-1996)
-Bean (Sonic the Fighters/Sonic Championship)
-Bark (Sonic the Fighters/Sonic Championship)
-Marine the Racoon (Sonic Rush Adventure)

Also, Dr. Eggman is said to die in an upcoming Sonic game.

However, Big the Cat will still make his role in the comics.

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