One of the first things they teach you about pulling / towing a vehicle is to stay as far away as possible from the chain or rope. Then they will tell you that there's a hook placed on both ends of a vehicle where you should connect the strap.

Well, these experienced trail trackers from Brazil, did none of the above. What they did is tie a rope around the around the corner of one their Wrangler's rear bumper, with two men standing right next to the Jeep as it was trying to free the other vehicle.

And surprise, surprise...the bumper broke off whacking one of the men in the head, fortunately, non-fatally, though, it could have easily gone the other way.

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Undeniably, the big stars at Chevrolet's North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) booth will be the seventh generation of the Corvette and the all-new Silverado pickup truck.

However, GM's best-selling brand will also showcase some of its global offerings sold in other markets outside the United States.

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One would think that 12 brands, which are currently owned by Europe’s number one and the world’s number three automotive group, would be enough. Apparently, they are not: VW Group executives must have had their fingers crossed behind their backs when they recently vowed to put an end to their brand shopping spree.

While VW is not going to buy another carmaker yet (as far as we know, at least) it is getting ready to launch a new global budget car brand that will compete with the likes of Dacia, Lada and Chinese companies like Geely.

It’s a shrewd move by the Germans as, by the end of 2012, entry-level cars costing up to €10,000 (US$13,000) will account for a global sales volume of 13 percent, or 8 million units.

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Italy's largest carmaker Fiat set new production and sales records in Brazil in 2012, posting its best ever results in the 36-years that it has been operating in the South American country.

The automaker said on Thursday that it sold 838,219 passenger and light commercial vehicles, representing an 11.1 percent increase over 2011 when it delivered 754,276 units, and a 10.2 percent increase over the previous sales record of 760,495 units that was set in 2010.

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As Brazil's economy grows (did you know that it surpassed the United Kingdom to become the sixth largest in the world in 2011?), so does the appetite of global automakers.

This is something that most major car companies made sure to point out to local consumers through their presence at the ongoing 27th São Paulo International Motor Show, which is open to the public from October 24 to November 4.

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Displaying an existing car in a new color at an international auto show is not something worth mentioning. The Bugatti Veyron, however, is as far as removed from 99.9 percent of the cars sold on the planet that it can afford to do so and still make headlines.

With the 1,182HP (1200PS) Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport being now the sole model in Bugatti’s range, the VW Group’s most exclusive brand is keen on launching one-off versions to keep interest going – and in the process, make a nifty profit.

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Brazil seems to be the new Eldorado (or Shanghai…) for carmakers, especially those active in the premium segments. The BMW Group is next in line to take advantage of the country's growing economy by building a new manufacturing facility to boost its local sales.

After a meeting with Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff in the capital city of Brasilia, on Monday, BMW board member Ian Robertson confirmed the company's plans.

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Hyundai is not the only brand trying to tap into the crossover market in the sub-compact category in Brazil, as at the 2012 Sao Paulo International Motor Show, Honda also lifted the covers off its own proposal in the guise of the all-new Fit Twist.

The tougher-looking version of the Fit, which is sold in Europe and other parts of the world as the Jazz, is Honda's first vehicle to be developed exclusively for the Brazilian market.

On the outside, the Twist sports plastic cladding on the front and rear bumpers and over the wheel arches and side sills, a matte aluminum finish for the protective guards, mirror caps and the taller roof bars, bigger 16-inch alloy wheels, a re-styled front grille, dark headlamps and clear tail lamp fixtures.

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It took Hyundai just over a month to expand the range of its Brazil-exclusive model, the HB20 sub-compact, with a new crossover version named the HB20X.

Both models made their first public appearance at this week's 2012 Sao Paulo International Motor Show in Brazil.

The crossover model, which will go on sale early next year, is part of Hyundai’s exclusive family of cars designed for and manufactured in Brazil at its newly opened plant in Piracicaba. All models will be badged under the name "HB" that stands for "Hyundai Brazil".

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As some of our readers pointed out earlier today, Volkswagen's new Taigun concept bears a certain resemblance to the Renault Group's Dacia Duster SUV, which becomes a bit more evident with the French firm's DCross Concept that was also revealed today at the Sao Paulo Motor Show.

In Brazil, Renault offers all Dacia models under its own nameplate, including the Duster. So, what is the deal with the DCross Concept?

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While the new Taigun small SUV Concept is the undisputed star of Volkswagen's stand at this week's São Paulo International Motor Show, the German automaker also unwrapped the three-door version of Brazil's bestselling passenger car, the Gol.

The world premiere of the Gol 3d follows the presentation of the redesigned five-door model in August.

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At this week's 2012 São Paulo International Motor Show in Brazil, Volkswagen introduced a new study for a small SUV that looks far more production ready than what the automaker would like us to believe.

The concept's name in Taigun, which as you have probably already guessed, is an anagram of "Tiguan", VW's SUV proposal in the compact segment.

The German company makes no effort to hide the fact that the Taigun not only resembles the styling but is also technically based on its New Small Family models represented by the Up! city cars, adding that if it were to be produced, it would round out the range "in an upward direction".

The Taigun is 3,859 mm (151.9in.) long, 1,728 mm (43.9 in.) wide and 1,570 mm (39.9 in) tall, which makes it significantly smaller not only from the Tiguan (4,432 mm or 174.5 in. long), but even the Nissan Juke (4,125mm or 162.4 in. long).

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The big surprise Nissan had been hinting at for the past couple of weeks was revealed today during the first press day of the 27th Sao Paulo International Motor Show in the form of its new Extrem concept study.

The Extrem is the first concept car from Nissan designed specifically for and produced in Brazil to underscore the company's commitment to the country where it recorded a significant sales growth claiming almost two per cent of the market in 2011, doubling its 2010 deliveries, and aims to account for five per cent of new car sales by 2016.

Nissan Design America (NDA) in San Diego, California, penned the small 2+2 crossover in collaboration with Brazilian designers

"We call it Baby Beast," said Robert Bauer, Senior Design Manager for the project at NDA. "We see it as an urban rally car, a tough little street fighter that can handle the urban jungle with agility and confidence."

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General Motors is looking to turn around losses in its South American operations with the introduction of a brand new model in the region's largest country, Brazil, which accounted for more than half of its sales in the continent last year.

At this week's 2012 Sao Paulo Auto Show, which opens to the public on October 24, Chevrolet will host the world premiere of the Onix subcompact designed to go head-to-head with the revamped Volkswagen Gol and Hyundai's new entry in the segment, the HB20, making up for as much as 30 percent of the brand's sales in Brazil by 2014.

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The only solution for any manufacturer to dampen a sales slump in its home market or region is to expand its operations on a global level. Ford, GM, Fiat and other mainstream carmakers have been doing it for years, and now, even higher-end companies like the BMW Group are joining in.

On Thursday, the BMW Group confirmed plans to erect a new assembly plant in Latin America's largest economy, Brazil, where the German brand has seen its annual sales increase by an average of 74 percent since 2009, to 15,200 deliveries last year.

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Renault has selected the 27th Sao Paulo International Motor Show in Brazil that opens to the public from October 24 to November 4 for the world premiere of its not-so-new, 2013 Clio Mercosur.

For those of you wondering, Mercosur is the name for South America's leading trading bloc that is made up of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela, while other associate members include Bolivia, Chile, Colombia and Peru.

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Nissan is making promises for some "real drama" at the upcoming 27th Sao Paulo International Motor Show that takes place in Brazil from October 24 to November 4, where it will host the world premiere of a new, and as-of-yet, unnamed concept model.

The Japanese automaker says that the "high-character concept will introduce a unique new genre to the automotive world" adding that it has not only been crafted specifically for the Sao Paulo show, but it was also made with the cooperation of Brazilian designers and built in the country.

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