The car imports in January reached 2,500 vehicles spending $45 million, falling by 77.3 percent in quantity and 76.4 percent in value compared with last December, general Statistic Office reported.

On January 26, Nissan Vietnam Co., Ltd. (NVL) hosted a two-day, one-night test drive event that kicked off in Hanoi, with a destination of Doson Resort in Doson Town, Hai Phong. The new Nissan Grand Livina has been eagerly anticipated since late 2008 when NVL set up shop in Vietnam. A stylish MPV, Grand Livina has features of a sedan but with more flexibility than a sedan.

News that Toyota in the US has halted selling eight models due to accelerator and pedal problems have made many Vietnamese consumers puzzled.

Viet Nam possesses large market potential for both domestically-assembled and imported cars in Asia. Last year, the country reported a high sales volume of domestically-assembled and imported vehicles, which has already surpassed expections despite the presence of the global recession. Viet Nam News talks with Johannes Seibert, Managing Director of BMW Asia, about automobile issues in the country.

Motorbike traders have flocked to borrow high-interest loans in foreign currencies to import Air Blade scooters, a favorite product of Honda Motor Co. Ltd., from Thailand as the bikes have skyrocketed in price.

Contrary to all predictions, car prices have not increased as expected, even though the VAT has returned to 10 percent since January 1, 2010. Car dealers have even had to drop prices to boost sales.

Vietnamese automobile manufacturers, who are also car importers, want to keep the import price a business secret, rather than making the information open to the public.

Carmaker Toyota Motor Viet Nam Co Ltd (TMV) officially launched the Innova GSR on Monday.

The Vietnam Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (VAMA) has informed government agencies that the proposal by the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) to make 6-9 seat cars the strategic line is unreasonable.

Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai has allowed Ho Chi Minh City to pilot electronic road tolls for cars running through the city's center in an effort to ease traffic congestion, according to the government’s website chinhphu.vn.