Free Republic

Toyota said Monday it will stop making cars in Australia by the end of 2017, spelling a final blow to auto manufacturing in the country, where car companies say high production costs and tough competition have made the business financially unviable. […] In a statement, Toyota Motor Corp. said its decision was based on a combination of factors including the high Australian dollar, the high cost of manufacturing and competition. …

What's your sense on the state of modern auto and motor plant technology? Does CAD, modern tech, etc push the emotional 100,000 mile threshold, to a new higher number?

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) are known around the world for their rich oil reserves. The Emirates are starting to make a name for themselves in the automotive industry - which consumes the bulk of their output.

Volkswagen plans to build a car assembly plant in Russia's Moscow Region in 2006 at the latest, ITAR-TASS reported Friday, citing unspecified reports in the German media. Volkswagen is expected to officially announce its plans for the plant on December 20, the media reports said. Earlier this year, Volkswagen was reported to be considering the construction of a truck assembly plant in the Leningrad Region, as well as of unspecified production facilities in the Moscow Region.