From Autoblog: Report: Suzuki demand in US rises after bankruptcy

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Following word that Suzuki is ceasing car sales in America, it appears that demand for the Japanese automaker’s wares have increased. According to The Detroit News, American Suzuki Motor Corp. will import an additional 2,500 vehicles to quench demand that has jumped since the company announced that it was filing for bankruptcy and ending sales in America.

Dealers recently informed their sales personnel that no more vehicles would be produced and that this was the final push. With heavy incentives and a seven-year warranty as value-adds, November sales for Suzuki rose in November some 22 percent, up to 2,224 vehicles. December sales also rose, but neither month’s gains outweigh the long-term losses for the automaker. While Suzuki will sell roughly 22,000 cars this year in the US, it was selling about 120,000 annually before 2008.

As it stands, Suzuki will sell off the rest of its vehicle inventory, including the 2,500 additional units, and dealers will continue to provide parts an warranty work. With all of this negative news for the automaker, it’s impressive to see an interest in Suzuki vehicles even with the imminent shuttering of its North American car sales.

Suzuki demand in US rises after bankruptcy originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 26 Dec 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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From Autoblog: Report: New Vancouver bridge closed because design causes “ice bombs” to rain down on cars [w/video]

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Spanning 10 lanes of traffic, the Port Mann Bridge (shown in the rendering above) just outside of Vancouver, Canada is currently the widest bridge in the world. Unfortunately, it might also hold a new record for the shortest period of time a new bridge has remained open.

The cable-stayed bridge just opened to full traffic earlier this month, but on Wednesday it was shut down due to massive chunks of ice falling from the cables and striking vehicles, which sent at least two people to the hospital. According to CBC News, the bridge has since reopened to traffic, but apparently nothing has been done about the falling ice as the Vancouver area is slammed with a severe winter storm.

Construction of the bridge began back in 2009 at a cost of more than $3 billion, but it isn’t clear if any changes are needed to prevent this sort of damage from happening in the future. Images of vehicles posted on The Province show damage that ranges from shattered windows and windshields to some pretty intense body damage. Scroll down to watch a news report from CBC News as well as a time-lapse video of the bridge’s construction from August 2009 through January 2012.

Continue reading New Vancouver bridge closed because design causes “ice bombs” to rain down on cars [w/video]

New Vancouver bridge closed because design causes “ice bombs” to rain down on cars [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 22 Dec 2012 10:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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