Intending not to let rivals outdistance it in emerging markets, Volkswagen may launch a new low-cost brand by about 2015. Surprisingly, one of the world's best small-car makers so far has lacked a major presence in important emerging markets such as India and Southeast Asia.

Now Volkswagen reportedly is aiming for a price range of $6,500 to $12,900 for the budget cars, which may include a minivan, wagon and small sedan. They would be aimed at the BRIC nations and also, perhaps, Europe. "We're regularly looking at new segments and interesting markets which also include so-called budget cars," Volkswagen Group America spokesman Eric Felber commented to Reuters. "But a decision has not been taken yet."Continue reading...

The trailers and clips for The Tourist depict a Euro-thriller high on style and low on commercialization. But like the twisted, all-is-not-what-it-seems plot of the film itself, The Tourist is engaged in some heavyweight, high-end, surreptitious onscreen selling.Continue reading...

Colgate Palmolive forecasts its global volume sales to increase between 4% and 7% in 2010. The household megabrand hopes to gain the loyalty of consumers in a number of rapidly developing nations such as Brazil, Russia, India, and China, this grouping of rising, populous contries known by the acronym BRIC.

"We're looking to grow faster in the emerging markets than we do in the developed markets ... the BRIC countries would be obvious areas of growth," said Ian Cook, the company's CEO.Continue reading...