Volkswagen has launched a new platform called “People’s Car Project” debuting in China. This allows internet users in China to post ideas about cars of the future at zaoche.cn.

This project is hoping to inspire the Chinese with VW through the interactive content. The aim is for users to co-develop their Volkswagen model of the future as well as posting ideas which are then discussed and developed further by other users.

“With PCP we are listening very carefully to what our customers have to say and are building cars not only for, but also with people,” Luca de Meo, Director of Marketing, Volkswagen Group and the Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand  explained.

If the project becomes popular in China, there will be potential for launching the project in other markets as well, said de Meo. The PCP is initially scheduled to run for a one-year period.

[Source: Newpress]

In light of post-earthquake supply disruptions, Honda Civics may be a bit scarce where you are, but in Canada where the Civic has been the number-one selling car for 13 years straight, they now come in giant cereal boxes – or so a Vancouver ad agency would have you believe.

Honda is already marketing the car to a younger audience with fantastical themes, but this takes it to a new level, and may become a trend in trying to get peoples’ attention in an age where many think we’ve seen just about everything.

A similarly larger-than-life ad was a facade for a recent tall Hot Wheels ad on a real highway made to look like a car could do a quick loop along its way.

[Source: Adweek]

See video after the jump.

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The Obama administration will announce today it is buying 116 plug-in electric vehicles and will install charging stations in government buildings in five cities.

Of the 116 vehicles, 101 of them will be extended-range Chevrolet Volts. These vehicles are to be placed with 20 government agencies in five cities including Washington, D.C., Detroit San Diego, San Francisco and Los Angeles.

The purchase decision was made by the federal government after accepting competitive bids from automakers. The General Services Administration, which has already ordered 35,000 vehicles so far this year, claims there will be an overall average fuel efficiency improvement of 21%. The new cars will save 2.4 million gallons of fuel saving $9 million in spending. The GSA has doubled the number of hybrids in the federal fleet over the last two years.

President Obama has plans to cut oil imports by one-third by 2025 over 2008 levels and also wants to put 1 million plug-in vehicles on the road by 2015.

[Source: Detroit News]

Read AutoGuide’s 2011 Chevrolet Volt Review here

The Chrysler Group has repaid it outstanding debt worth $7.6 billion in loans to the U.S and Canadian governments. This ends nearly two years of public ownership of the third largest U.S automaker.

Chrysler made a payment of $5.9 billion to the U.S Treasury and $1.7 billion to Export Development Canada- finally ending loans that bailed Chrysler out of near bankruptcy in June 2009. It is impressive that the automaker managed to repay all debts six years ahead of schedule.

“Less than two years ago, we made a commitment to repay the U.S. and Canadian taxpayers in full and today we made good on that promise,” CEO Sergio Marchionne said in a statement. “The loans gave us a rare second chance to demonstrate what the people of this company can deliver and we owe a debt of gratitude to those whose intervention allowed Chrysler to re-establish itself as a strong and viable carmaker.”

The repayment became possible for Chrysler through its 16 new or refreshed models this year. The company reported a first quarter net profit for the first time since exiting bankruptcy under the control of Italy’s Fiat S.p.A

The automaker initially borrowed $5.1 billion from the U.S and $1.6 billion from Canada in June 2009 however the company racked up $1.8 billion in interest.

[Source: Automotive News]

Nissan North America announced today it will begin sharing information for Nissan and Infiniti vehicles with Carfax, in an effort to provide used-car shoppers with improved access to information on open safety and emissions recalls.

“We strive to have recall campaign work completed in a timely fashion,” said John Spoon, vice president, Parts and Service, NNA. “By working with Carfax we are making it easier for customers to determine if a vehicle has an open campaign and encouraging campaign service completion.”

The aim of this formation is to ensure that used car shoppers can access this important information through a convenient third-party database.

“Carfax and Nissan North America are committed to keeping our roadways safe,” said Larry Gamache, communications director at Carfax. “Adding Nissan and Infiniti to the list of manufacturers providing open recall campaign information to Carfax helps notify car owners and buyers and gets these cars into dealerships to be fixed.”

Hyundai will apparently launch a competitor to the Toyota Prius in 2013, but the new hybrid Hyundai will be a plug-in hybrid vehicle from the get-go, unlike its Japanese rival, which is slowly rolling out its own plug-in variant.

While the news came from an anonymous source within Hyundai, the Korean automaker is making a strong push in the hybrid segment, as rising gas prices and the launch of the Sonata Hybrid sedan have put Hyundai in an excellent position. Hyundai is also buoyed by Toyota’s hamstrung hybrid lineup, which has seen production difficulties due to Japan’s March 11th earthquake. Hyundai is projecting annual sales of 18,000 units for the Sonata Hybrid in South Korea.

[Source: Reuters]

For anyone who grew up with posters of the Countach or Diablo on their wall, the idea of an “everyday” Lamborghini is utterly laughable. By definition, a Lamborghini has always been a loud, crude, in-your-face supercar that makes absolutely no concessions in the way of comfort or convenience.

But Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann claims that things are about to change, with a new addition to the model lineup designed to be a daily driver. Speaking to the Reuters Global Luxury and Fashion Summit, Winkelmann said ”We are going to have a third model. It has to be an everyday car. We want to have a car which is able to be used on a daily basis.”

Details are practically non-existant, since Winkelmann seemed to state that the car has been recently approved, and would take another four years to hit showrooms. Lamborghini has previous previewed a 4-door sedan model, dubbed the Estoque (seen above), while Ferrari’s new four-seat, four-wheel drive FF pseudo-hatchback will be on sale in 2012.

[Source: Reuters]

Earlier today, Volkswagen launched its “Think Blue” campaign in the U.S. VW’s aim is to “encourage eco-friendly mobility and progressive ideas for responsible action in everyday life”.

This launch coincides with VW’s partnership with the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York, as well as the May 24th inauguration of VW’s plant in Chattanooga, TN, a facility that encorporates numberous energy- conserving systems and efficiency upgrades.

The idea behind Think Blue is to heighten broad public awareness for sustainable actions and encourage individuals to play an active tole. Eco-friendly technology and efficient production processes are of major importance but the key lies in addressing social and cultural issues.

Think Blue originated with VW’s “Think Small” slogan of the 1960s, which focused on how the VW Beetle played a role in “democratizing mobility.”

The Toyota Prius family could grow even larger as the automakers studies additional versions of the three row Prius.

The Japanese automaker wants to sell 1 million hybrids a year and in early 2012, Toyota will launch two more Prius family members. The members will include the Prius C compact hybrid and the Prius plug-in hybrid vehicle.

Toyota will be taking two paths with the hybrid section. The dedicated Prius platform, and optional hybrid variant of existing vehicles like the Camry, Venza and Sienna.

Bob Carter Toyota Division Manager said the three-row Prius would have to come from a dedicated hybrid platform, have the Prius’ aerodynamic shape, get at least 40mpg and have a modest price tag.

However, research and development costs for other hybrid vehicles are almost unaffordable for Toyota. In the next 20 months, 10 new or redesigned hybrids will be introduced in within the Toyota brand.

[Source: Automotive News]

Who is going to let a little thing like high gas prices stand in the way of a summer vacation? According to a new Gallup poll, about four out of 10 Americans are. The other six are going to pack up the family, fill up the tank and travel the roads in search of adventure and great memories.

71 percent of those surveyed said they would pay more than last summer to travel. Last year, when average gas prices were around $2.80 a gallon, about 39 percent said they would spend more on transportation when it was time to travel.

When asked about gas prices in the poll, 8 percent said that gas prices were the most important problem facing the country now. Last year, 25 percent of Americans said it was the top problem in the country (at a time when gas prices reached past $4 a gallon), so the latest numbers show that we aren’t as concerned as we were back then.

What about you? Are you still going to travel even with rising gas prices or are you going to enjoy a “stay-cation” this year? Let us know in the comments section below.

[Source: Consumer Reports]