Japanese Automakers See Bumpy Road Ahead

Chrysler, VW saw huge gains

(NEWSER) - Americans may be worried about the economy, but they still need to get where they’re going. Auto sales beat expectations last month, rising 14% to 994,721, their fastest sales pace since August 2009, reports the AP . Chrysler led the pack: The automaker’s sales jumped 45%, Reuters reports. Close behind was Volkswagen, whose sales soared 41%; Hyundai, Nissan, and Ford also saw double-digit gains. More»

High-end models can stall while moving

(NEWSER) - Toyota is preparing yet another recall, this time because of engine problems with it's top-end sedans. The company says Crown and seven models of Lexus suffer a valve-spring problem that can cause the engine to stall while the vehicle is moving, the AP reports. No official recall has been announced yet, but Japanese media report that one will be announced within days, affecting 270,000 vehicles worldwide. Toyota says no accidents have been linked to the faulty engines. More»

Labor disputes test country's stability

(NEWSER) - In the latest in a string of labor disputes at factories across China, Toyota was forced to halt production yesterday at an assembly plant because of a strike at Denso, a parts supplier in southern China. The Denso plant also supplies Honda factories, which may also run out if the strike continues, a Honda spokesman tells MSNBC . More»

VW Beetles, small SUVs most popular for women

(NEWSER) - Women seem to agree on the cars they want to drive—just nine vehicle models have more female registrants than male, according to a survey of vehicle records. The top pick for women is the Volkswagen Beetle, and after that, a strong preference for small sport-utility vehicles emerges, the LA Times reports. The top 9:

1. Volkswagen Beetle
2. Nissan Rogue
3. Hyundai Tucson

Says company will announce steps soon on the Prius

(NEWSER) - Toyota's president apologized today to customers for the massive recalls and safety concerns about his company's cars. “I deeply regret that I caused concern among so many people,” said Akio Toyoda, grandson of the company's founder. "We will do our utmost to regain the trust of our customers.” Amid reports that the company will announce a big Prius recall, he said the company would announce steps soon regarding a potential brake defect, reports the New York Times . More»