Toyota Maintains World’s Number One Spot in Global Value Report

Toyota may have lost the first place in global sales to GM, one of the reasons being the lack of supply after the March earthquake, and it has seen the VW Group relegating to third place, but it still has a number one position to brag about.

Branding consultancy Interbrand has placed the Japanese carmaker in the top spot among carmakers, and sixth overall, in its latest global value report that was released today.

The report praised Toyota’s handling of the 2010 quality issues as well as the aftermath of the devastating March earthquake and Tsunami. It said: “Even though Toyota faced both an internal and an external crisis, the company forged ahead by focusing on safety and quality, modifying its leadership structure and capitalizing on its world-renown green efforts"

Interbrand’s overall brand value rankings are based on three aspects: the financial performance of products and services, the role of the brand in purchasing decisions, and the strength of the brand in securing earnings for its company.

 

 

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Bugatti Boss Says Galibier Hyper-Saloon on Track but Design has Changed Significantly

It's been a long time since we last heard about the upcoming Bugatti Galibier– in April 2011, to be precise when it was reported that the luxurious sports saloon received the green light for production from the VW Group's management.

But while the project seems to be on course, the new head of Bugatti Automobiles, Wolfgang Duerheimer, told Autocar Magazine that the Galibier's design has been "significantly altered".

“I will suggest we continue development, but there will be some remarkable changes from the original concept,” Durheimer told the British publication.

“The design will be different, especially from the B-pillar back, the ingress and regress to the rear seats will be improved, as will the legroom and ergonomics, the car will be a little longer, and the power of the engine will be at least four figures.”

Duerheimer pointed out that the company made the changes after receiving input from Bugatti's customers.

“Half of Veyron owners have been in the car already,” he said. “You will still recognize the design from the concept, but now this is a design I can be 100% behind.”

The Galibier, which made its first public outing as a concept at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show, makes use of a 16-cylinder engine that can run on biofuel as well as gasoline producing around 1,000 horsepower.

The luxurious sports saloon is estimated to cost around €1 million (US$1.34 million at the current exchange rates) when it arrives in the market in 2013 or 2014.

 

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