Vietnam is estimated to have spent $1.294 billion import cars and components in the first half of this year, rising 27.6% from a year earlier, the government’s General Statistics Office said.

The Prime Minister has asked authorities to stop the import of cars whose Vehicle Identification Numbers (VIN) have been changed overseas.

Honda Motor Co said on Tuesday it would lift its production capacity for motorcycles in Vietnam by 500,000 units to 2 million a year through an investment of about $70 million.

July 1, 2010, Toyo Construction Co., Ltd Vietnam Representative Office, the Japanese leading marine contractor has started using car service of BigBigTrans, a member of Uni-Bros. Group.

The import of motorbikes and cars in June 2010 unexpectedly dropped after an impressive May increase.

The Japan-based Nidec Copal Co has received a license for investment project of a motor compact plant valued at $70 million in HCM City High-tech Park.

The lack of a supportive industry, continuous changes in tax policy and low domesticalization rate are obstacles to the growth of Vietnam’s automobile production. At the seminar in the sixth international exhibition on transportation means and supportive industries recently held in Hanoi, many experts express their concern about the development of the automobile industry in coming time.

LUXGEN, the first Taiwanese car maker, will enter the Vietnamese market through the on-going Vietnam Auto & Petrol Show 2010 in Ho Chi Minh City.

The 14th annual Viet Nam Auto and Petrol show kicked off yesterday at the Tan Binh Exhibition and Convention Centre in HCM City.

In the latest figures released by general Department of Customs, Vietnam spent total $39.45 million on importing 2,180 Complete Built Units (CBU) in the first half of June, dropping 7 percent in volume and 3 percent in value in comparison with the same period of May.