Winter Finally Arrives

Although much of the U.S. and Europe has had a largely snowless winter to date, the temperature has finally started to feel seasonal and snowfall will certainly follow. Other parts of the northern hemisphere have been experiencing more wintry weather, such as Harbin, China, which opens its famous Ice Festival tomorrow, January 5. 

From the Far East to the Mississippi River, from Moscow to Stonehenge, here are some recent chilly scenes from around the world.

A horse carriage carrying tourists travels past ice sculptures during a lighting test for the the 13th Harbin Ice and Snow World in Harbin, China, on December 25, 2011. The Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival will be officially launched on January 5, 2012. (Reuters/Sheng Li) 

A leaf, covered in frost on November 13, 2011 at the "Planten un Blomen" park in Hamburg, Germany. (Christian Charisius/AFP/Getty Images)  

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World Chocolate Wonderland

Dubbed the world's first chocolate theme park," World Chocolate Wonderland (世界巧克力梦公园) will showcase more than 200 chocolate art pieces over 3,500 square meters in Shanghai's Himalaya Art Museum from December 16 to February 19, 2012.

Shanghai is the second stop for the traveling chocolate spectacular. Its debut show was held in Beijing in Janurary 2010, which ran for 73 days and attracted almost half a million visitors. The awe-inspiring chocolate exhibits drew inspiration from various cultures around the globe.

Signature pieces include Bumblebee from Transformers, Shanghai's Huangpu River (imagine that with chocolate), the Bund's architecture, Terracotta Warriors and LV handbags.

However, the organizer did not disclose exactly how many chocolatiers were involved in the production of the exhibits or who they are. All we know is these items were made by dozens of chocolate masters.

Besides chocolate art pieces, the indoor theme park will also invite chocolatiers to make different kinds of chocolate on the spot, from milk chocolate to truffle chocolate, or even wine chocolate. Visitors will also have an opportunity to make their own mix of cocoa, milk and sugar under the instruction of professionals.

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This Is Completely Insane Dude

While some people would find it unbearable to go anywhere near the edge of a cliff, these Chinese workers are building a 3ft-wide road made of wooden planks on the face of a mountain that's thousands of feet high. Once finished, it is hoped sightseers will flock to here to edge along and admire the views.

The 'road' - the width of a dinner table - they're assembling is on Shifou Mountain in Hunan Province and stands vertical at 90 degrees without any slopes or alcoves. What's more, these workers from China's eastern Jiangxi Province toil away on it with what appear to be few if any safety measures.

I always admire the Chinese, they can built anything out of nothing.

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China May Overtake Germany as World’s Number 2 Luxury Car Market This Year

Despite being the world’s biggest car market, China ranks third in the luxury segment, trailing both the U.S. and Germany. Analysts, however, predict that this is about to change soon; in fact, it could even happen at the end of 2011.

According to a report from Bloomberg, Jenny Gu, an analyst at research company LMC Automotive, estimated that the number of luxury cars sold in China in 2011 may reach 939,000 units, surpassing Germany’s estimate of 914,000 sales.

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Chrysler Group Opens New Mopar Parts Distribution Centers in China and Dubai

The Chrysler Group's Mopar division is expanding its operations to support growth in international markets with the opening of two new parts distribution centers in Shanghai in China and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). .

Compilation Of Best Panda Photos 2011

This is the cutest compilation. Collection of Panda photos that make the news in 2011.

Female giant panda Shin Shin eats bamboo at Tokyo's Ueno Zoo in April. (Getty Images / YOSHIKAZU TSUNO)

Giant panda cubs lie on a log at the Chengdu Research Base in China. (Reuters / CHINA DAILY)

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Court Approves Saab’s Bankruptcy, Appoints Two Receivers – But is it Really Over?

As expected, the District Court of Vanersborg accepted Saab’s request the same day, Monday December 19, and declared the Swedish carmaker bankrupt.

The company's CEO, Victor Muller, blamed General Motors for blocking every rescue attempt that involved the Chinese company Youngman Lotus Automobile, including its latest offer of a US$5 million funding to continue the restructuring process.

“That, basically, was the last nail in the coffin of this beautiful company”, said Muller only hours after requesting that Saab be declared bankrupt.

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Saab Files for Bankruptcy After All Rescue Plans Fail, This Could be the End

It is sad news for the automotive world to learn of the demise of a company. Unfortunately, Monday December 19, will mark the end of the road for Swedish carmaker Saab – and this time it looks like it is final.

Earlier this morning, Swedish Automotive N.V. (Swan) announced that Saab Automobile, Saab Automobile Tools and Saab Powertrain filed for bankruptcy with the District Court in Vanersborg, Sweden.

This comes after Youngman, the Chinese company which last week promised to pay for the carmaker’s restructuring, informed Saab that it cannot provide the funding necessary for the continuation of the process.

Therefore, Swan concluded that, with GM vetoing any proposed plan until now, and without the essential funding, it would be insolvent. Thus, it was better for its creditors to file for bankruptcy.

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How To Demolished Building In China

While the story behind the demolition of this apartment is quiet interesting, I was more interested in knowing how the hell they manage to get two excavators up there? I believe there might be three possibilities. 1 - They use crane to lift the excavator up. 2 - They dismantle the excavators into pieces and assemble it back. 3 - They actually store the excavators from the beginning. Chinese is great. Hohoohooohoho...

Excavators dismantle Chinese highrise from the top down. This 18-story residential tower in Taizhou, Zheijiang Province. The building was completed in January and was hailed as a luxury development with a 'perfect' ocean view. But months later it was found to be leaning.

Experts have suggested the ground beneath the highrise sank because the reclaimed land it was built on is unable to support such large buildings. Hu Zhizhong, an architectural researcher at Taizhou University, said reclaimed land commonly 'settles unevenly', but the sinking in this building was so severe that it could be that the land is simply unsuitable.

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Porsche Sets New Delivery and Order Records Worldwide, China Sales Up by 70%

Demand for its models may have dropped significantly in Northern European countries such as Spain and Greece due to the financial crisis, yet Porsche is still set to achieve its best-ever year in terms of sales.

From January until November, the Stuttgart-based carmaker has delivered 109,709 units of the 911, Boxster/Cayman, Cayenne and Panamera models, a 24.6 percent increase over the same period in 2010.

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Saab Changes Administrator, Awaits Monday’s Court Decision

The ongoing story that is the future of Saab looks set to have more episodes than The Young and the Restless – and the CBS TV soap opera has been running since 1973…

Guy Lofalk, the court-appointed administrator who oversaw the restructuring of Saab and last Tuesday proposed that the process be terminated, quit his post.

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Will China’s New Tariffs Really Harm Foreign Manufacturers Like GM?

Yesterday, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce announced that a new tax is imposed on U.S.-made vehicles with a motor capacity of 2.5-liters and above, effective today, December 15.

The so-called “anti-dumping” duties imposed not just on U.S. carmakers, but all companies that manufacture cars in the United States, were imposed because the Chinese authorities felt that U.S. imports were “damaging the local car industry”.

Most analysts, on the other hand, agree that this is China’s response to the World Trade Organization rejecting its appeal on U.S. duties on imported tires three months earlier.

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Mercedes-Benz Heading Toward New Production Record this Year

Europe may be facing troubles, but its luxury carmakers seem to be doing better than ever. Mercedes-Benz, for example, announced that it's on its way to produce more than 1.25 million vehicles in 2011, beating last year’s best-ever sales record and setting a new all-time high in its 125-year history.

“Mercedes-Benz is going on the attack”, said Dr. Wolfgang Bernhard, member of the Daimler Board of Management. “We are securing our path to the top by extensively investing in the expansion of our high-performance production network.”

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China Slaps New Duties on U.S.-Made Cars because it’s Damaging its Domestic Industry !

Another chapter in the tense relationship between the world’s two biggest economies, those of the United States and China, has opened today with the announcement by Chinese authorities of new duties on U.S.-made cars that are imported into the country. Reuters reported that the Commerce ministry of China said on its website that the measure, which imposes “anti-dumping” and “countervailing” duties on cars with an engine capacity of 2.5-liters and above, is effective tomorrow, December 15, and will last for two years.
The reason cited is that U.S.-based manufacturers have been, according to the statement, “dumping cars into the China market, causing damage to China’s domestic industry”.
It’s not just American carmakers but also foreign manufacturers that build cars in the U.S. that will be affected by this new tax.
GM, which has sold more than 2 million vehicles in China for the second year in a row, will have to face duties ranging from 8.9 to 12.9 percent. Chrysler’s duties range from 6.2 to 8.8 percent, while BMW and Mercedes-Benz will be hit with 2 and 2.7 percent respectively.
This movement is considered a retaliation against the U.S. government filing 12 trade cases against China since the latter joined the World Trade Organization on December 11, 2001.
China's Commerce Minister Chen Deming had said in late November that his country would fight back if other countries resort to trade protectionism.

Published by: Carscoop

PHOTO GALLERY

China Slaps New Duties on U.S.-Made Cars because it’s Damaging its Domestic Industry!

Another chapter in the tense relationship between the world’s two biggest economies, those of the United States and China, has opened today with the announcement by Chinese authorities of new duties on U.S.-made cars that are imported into the country.

Reuters reported that the Commerce ministry of China said on its website that the measure, which imposes “anti-dumping” and “countervailing” duties on cars with an engine capacity of 2.5-liters and above, is effective tomorrow, December 15, and will last for two years.

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Show Me the Money: Saab Receives $5 Million US from Youngman, More May Come

It’s true that this month is probably the worst in a really bad year for Saab. Its 9-5 ended last in Consumer Reports’ luxury sedan test, GM repeatedly vetoed any sale deal involving the Chinese, and the court-appointed administrator has asked for the restructuring process to be terminated.

Today, though, a ray of light shined in Trollhättan as Saab received a first payment from China's Youngman Lotus Automobile, ahead of the court meeting that will decide its future next week.

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VW Brand's Global Sales Reach 4.69 Million Units from January to November, Up 12.4%

It's been a good year for the Volkswagen brand with the German automaker reporting global sales of 4.69 million passenger cars from January to November 2011, a 12.4 percent increase over the same prior-year period (4.18 million).

For the month of November, the VW brand saw its passenger car sales grow 14.5 percent to 452,900 vehicles.

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A Chinese Man Builds an Eco-Friendly Hummer from Scratch for $630

Chinese regulators may have had little affection for the Hummer brand when they shunned the deal between General Motors and Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machines Co., Ltd. in early 2010, but there's at least one man in the world's most populous country that has a lot love left for the maker of the H1.

His name is Qu Zhibo and he is from the city of Zhigong in China's Hainan province. For three years, Zhibo worked on a special project to develop the most eco-friendly Hummer you will ever lay eyes upon.

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Dan Akerson Says GM is “Like Communist China in the ‘60s”, Starts Cultural Revolution by Laying off White-Collar Workers

Last month, General Motors posted a third-quarter profit of $1.7 billion US. Not bad for a company that, only just two years ago, was almost bankrupt and was saved thanks to a massive government bailout.

Yet its aim is to reduce costs and increase profits even more. GM representative Jay Cooney told the Detroit News: “GM is continually seeking ways to improve our operating performance and reduce complexity to deliver a world-class cost structure and profit margins.”

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Court-Appointed Administrator Wants Saab Restructuring Process Terminated

Less than 24 hours after General Motors stated once again, that it will veto any plan that includes a Chinese company acquiring a stake in Saab, the Swedish carmaker received more bad news.

Guy Lofalk, the court-appointed administrator who oversees Saab’s restructuring, announced that he will apply for a termination of the voluntary reorganization of Saab Automobile and its two subsidiaries with the Vanersborg District Court in Sweden.

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