Chinese automaker Dongfeng Motor Corp and U.S. Freescale Semiconductor plan to set up a joint automotive electronics design lab in China. The move aims at developing the electronic systems for next-generation vehicles for the Chinese market and for exports.

China's third-largest automaker Dongfeng Motor Group announced it fulfilled its 2008 operation targets, achieving sales of 1.3 million vehicles, up 16.12% year on year, sales revenue of 180 billion yuan ($26.35 billion), and profit higher than in 2007, Beijing Business Today reported.

Following the launch of its Nissan X-Trail SUV earlier this month, Dongfeng Nissan will expand its lineup further. The joint venture is likely to start making Nissan's luxury flagship Maxima sedan in 2009 to rival the Toyota Crown and Audi A4 in the Chinese market, said xinhuanet.com today.

Dongfeng Citroen will build an A-class sedan cooperatively with PSA, said Yves Moulin, managing director of Dongfeng Citroen, at the press briefing of C-Quatre VTS, xinhuanet.com said today.

Dongfeng Peugeot Citroen Automobile Co., Ltd. (DPCA) said it has cut this year's sales target to 200,000 units from the original target of 280,000 as sales fall, and has laid off 1,000 employees, state media Xinhua news agency reported today.

Dongfeng Yueda Kia Automobile Co, a joint venture between Dongfeng Motor Corp and Korean Kia Motors, will make and sell the all-new Kia Forte and Soul compact cars in China next year, reported the Beijing Times today. The upgraded Kia Optima is also likely to be made by the venture for its better sales in the China market.

Dongfeng Automobile Company has reported a fall in its third quarter net profit, despite a rise in turnover.

PSA Dongfeng Peugeot Citroen Automobile Co, a joint venture between Dongfeng Motor Corp and PSA Peugeot Citroen, plans to lay off more than 1,000 employees starting next month, Shanghai-based Oriental Morning Post reported, citing company sources.

Dongfeng Honda plans to independently develop a hatchback model by 2010, which will share the platform with the existing Civic sedan, xinhuanet.com said today.

Dongfeng Yueda Kia Automobile Company recently confirmed that Park Chong Ok, taking place of the retired Koh Ok Suk, will assume Korean general manager of the joint venture, said West China City Daily today.

A top executive of Dongfeng Honda said that the joint venture has raised its sales target for 2008 from 150,000 units to 160,000 units or more, based on the growing sales of its two models: the CR-V SUV and the Civic sedan, said xinhuanet.com today. The company has decided to develop a new hatchback model for its market growth.

Dongfeng Motor Co. Ltd reported its commercial vehicle unit sales for the first eight months of 2008. For the period, sales of the company’s commercial vehicles rose 22 percent from a year earlier.