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Which car companies are creating new jobs in America?

Since January, automakers have announced investments totaling $9.5 billion in U.S. plants, creating or retaining more than 12,000 jobs. Some of those companies have yet to announce just how many jobs will be created given their investments, with the location of many of those jobs still to be determined. Specifically, the 4,000-job Toyota-Mazda joint venture plant still hasn't announced its location, with numerous states jockeying for it. Hyundai has plans to invest $1 billion but has not announced a jobs number yet. And likewise Ford is investing $1.2 billion in Michigan without specifying a number of jobs. Volvo this week announced plans to add a second line to its factory under construction in South Carolina, spending another $500 million and adding 2,500 jobs to the 2,000 it was already trying to fill. Then Thursday, Daimler announced a $1 billion expansion to its facility in Tuscaloosa, Ala., to produce EV batteries and electric SUVs, a move that will add 600 jobs to its hiring this year. Above, we've created a handy pie chart showing you which companies have announced new jobs and how many there will be. Reporting by Paul Lienert in Detroit News Source: Reuters Plants/Manufacturing BMW Chrysler Ford GM Honda Hyundai Mazda Mercedes-Benz Toyota Volvo jobs

Toyota mini doc chronicles Tundra towing Space Shuttle Endeavor

Toyota has worked up a quick video detailing the brand's involvement in the transportation of the Space Shuttle Endeavour last year. As you may recollect, the California Science Center ran into a hitch when it came to moving Endeavour from LAX to its new home. While most of the route would be covered by a robotically controlled transporter, one portion of the route directed the shuttle over an interstate. Unfortunately, the bridge across wasn't designed to stand up to the weight of the shuttle and its motorized sled.
The Science Center would have to remove Endeavour from its transporter and place it on a lighter, non-motorized sled. That's where longtime Science Center sponsor Toyota came in. As it turns out, the automaker had to prove to the California Science Center that a Tundra could actually tow the massive shuttle, so engineers put on a little demonstration with a stock truck pulling the equivalent weight over flat ground for the same distance. Once the Science Center was satisfied that the Tundra could pull it off, the move was green lit and the rest is history. Check out the short documentary below for yourself.

Toyota previews new C-HR crossover concept bound for Paris

We're now just a few weeks away from the start of the Paris Motor Show, and when the doors open at the Porte de Versailles, Toyota will be among the many automakers with new wares to show - including the new concept car pictured in this latest teaser image.
Called the C-HR, the concept is designed to represent an "innovative vision for a compact crossover model", incorporating "a new design language with an engaging driving experience and a hybrid powertrain." The Japanese industrial giant isn't saying much else, but the C-HR is set to debut alongside the finalized exterior design for its upcoming new fuel cell sedan.
Toyota, of course, became a pioneer in the compact crossover segment when it introduced the first-generation RAV4 way back in 1994. If the silhouette is anything to go by, however, the C-HR concept appears to adopt a far more streamlined form. Watch this space for more.