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CAR TECH
Top French court overrules Mercedes sales ban
by Staff Writers
Paris (AFP) Aug 27, 2013


Honda's China venture recalls over 400,000 cars: officials
Beijing (AFP) Aug 27, 2013 - A Chinese joint venture with Japanese carmaker Honda will recall more than 400,000 cars in the world's largest auto market because of a problem with a component, China's quality watchdog said Tuesday.

Dongfeng Honda Automobile will begin the recall of its CR-V sport utility vehicles (SUVs) in China on Friday, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine said in a statement on its website.

The company, which is a 50-50 joint venture between China's Dongfeng Motor Corporation and Honda, offered to inspect the vehicles and change any of the defective components, which were named as "piston rods" for shock absorbers in the statement.

"In extreme circumstances, the piston rods may fracture," it added.

The CR-V model is one of the top 10 selling SUVs in China.

But sales of many Japanese cars in China have been hit over the last year amid a simmering territorial row between Tokyo and Beijing.

France's top administrative court Tuesday overruled a contentious government decision to ban the sale of some top-end Mercedes models on the grounds that they posed a threat to the environment.

The Council of the State said registrations of certain A, B and CLA-class models, frozen since June, should be resumed in two days.

"It does not appear that if these cars are put on the road in France...they will pose a serious threat to the environment," the ruling said, ordering the government to pay Mercedes France 3,000 euros ($4,000) in damages.

The court said the decision had cost Mercedes France dear affecting 60 percent of its sales in the country and 40 percent of its earnings. A total of 4,500 vehicles had been hit by the ban.

Mercedes France welcomed the ruling saying it "re-established an equilibrium in competition among European carmakers."

France's environment ministry had initiated the move in June, saying the cars use an air conditioning refrigerant the European Union believes emits excessive greenhouse gases.

Mercedes-Benz owner Daimler, which appealed against the ban, has insisted on sticking with an older coolant as it claims studies have shown that the new liquid catches fire more easily and puts cars at a greater risk of explosion in a crash.

Since January 1, European Union norms demand that car makers use a cleaner refrigerant, deemed less polluting than older products.

Daimler says it will continue with the older product with the hope that "in the next few years" a better version will be available. Japan's Toyota recently said it will not use the new coolant in its Prius Plus, Lexus, GS and GT86 models sold in Europe.

Daimler says no country besides France has raised an objection to the continued use of the older coolant.

laf/ach/

DAIMLER

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CAR TECH
Toyota joins Daimler in boycotting coolant
Francfort, Hesse (AFP) Aug 23, 2013
Japanese automaker Toyota has decided to join German rival Daimler in boycotting a new air-conditioning coolant deemed more environment-friendly in Europe, Toyota's German unit told AFP on Friday. Toyota will revert to an older coolant for its Prius Plus, Lexus GS and GT86 models in Europe, said a spokesman for Toyota Germany. Since January 1, EU norms demand that car makers use refrig ... read more


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