- Jeep unveils its new Cherokee (which won’t be named any more Liberty in the United States). The change in aesthetics is important, since this model - which is inspired more  by  crossovers than SUV-, adopted a styling breaking with the  previous generations design. This change includes a new seven-bar design of the calendar..

- Built on the widened  and stretched platform of the Alfa Romeo Giulietta(hence the Dodge Dart), more compact and lighter than the previous generation, the Jeep Cherokee will be built  in the United States in the historic Toledo (Ohio)plant  and in one of the Italian Fiat plants (for cars to sell onto European market).

- For the first time in Jeep, Cherokee is available in a 2 wheel drive (in addition to 4-wheel drive version), evidence that the four-wheel drive are not decisive in the decision to purchase this type of vehicle (SUV). The old Cherokee had experienced a drop in sales in recent years (80 000 units in 2012, against 107,000 in 2007, 162,000 in 2006 and 220,000 in 2005) and the manufacturer is counting on this new generation to revive his career.

- Geely Holding, majority owner of Volvo Car Corporation (Volvo Cars) and Geely, will establish a Research and Development Centre in Gothenburg, Sweden. The Centre will develop a new modular architecture and set of components for future C-segment cars, addressing the needs of both Volvo Cars and Geely. The new R&D Centre will employ approximately 200 full-time employees, Swedish and Chinese. It will be operational in late 2013. The Centre will leverage on the Volvo technology leadership within Geely Holding.

- “The modular design allows several different vehicle platforms to be developed from one single architecture, thereby ensuring tailor-made solutions for both brands. This will be a showcase for cooperation between a Western world premium car manufacturer and a thriving Chinese automotive company.” stated Mats Fägerhag, C.E.O. of the new R&D centre.

- The modular architecture and set of components will not only deliver world-class product technologies and attributes, but also considerable cost savings in terms of development, testing and sourcing, leading to the rachievements of significant economies of scale.

- In parallel, Volvo continues to develop internally a flexible and scalable architecture for future models of the upper segments. The first car born of this architecture, new generation XC90 will be launched in 2014.

Data source : File #10 - Start of Production (SOP) of new and modified vehicles in Europe

- This car is very well adapted for dense inhabited areas commuters  (for instance driving daily trips home-work). 

- The Bluecar will continue to be manufactured in a first time at Pininfarina and then in a plant located in Quimper (France).

Data source : File #10 - Start of Production (SOP) of new and modified vehicles in Europe