Auto News 5

Former General Motors purchasing chief Bo Andersson says his new company, Russian carmaker GAZ, is in talks with more than one potential Western partner as it targets a 25 percent sales rise in 2010. Full story...

Saab's North American operations won state aid to move its headquarters to the Detroit suburb of Royal Oak. The Michigan Economic Growth Authority today granted tax breaks for a $2.4 million investment by Saab. Full story...

Ferrari is set to return the evocative GTO (Gran Turismo Omolagato) name to its lineup on a limited-edition, two-seat version of the F599 Fiorano GTB. Full story...

Japan's automakers aim to cement their lead in electric vehicles by making Japanese recharging technology the global standard and bringing it to the United States. Full story...

ASSOCIATE EDITOR JONATHAN WONG: I have to say, this is a great-looking coupe. It's sleek and really stands out when rolling down the road. Full story...

Chevrolet is making a big splash at the South by Southwest Interactive conference now taking place in Austin, Texas, and it's just the beginning of the GM brand's planned 30 percent commitment to digital this year. Full story...

Visteon Corp. would keep pension plans covering about 21,000 employees and retirees intact under a revised Chapter 11 reorganization plan. Full story...

Completing the fuel-economy story for the redesigned 2011 Mustang, Ford said on Tuesday that the V8-powered pony car is rated at 26 mpg on the highway and 17 mpg in city driving. Full story...

As media speculation over the nature and extent of a possible tie-up between Renault and Daimler mounts, analysts in the investor community have voiced mixed reactions to the reports. Full story...

Two doomed General Motors brands--Saturn and Hummer--are getting their last hurrahs on the assembly line. Full story...

Industry-wide year on year vehicle orders in Europe were down as much as 30% to the end of February as buyers slow purchases without the lure of incentive programmes, Ford's European sales chief Ingvar Sviggum said. Full story...

The 2009 Los Angeles Auto Show has opened its doors to the press preview days. Showcasing an array of new products from Honda, Toyota, Volkswagen and GM's Cadillac division, North America's largest car market is the venue for approximately 30 vehicles making their World and North American debuts. As the first major North American auto show of the season, it will deliver a preview of how the recent changes in the industry, the environment and the economy will ultimately affect what consumers drive...

Aston's city car to offer unrivaled scope for personalisation

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Bugatti releases more official pics of Galibier super-saloon

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There are strong indications that the driver's account of a widely publicised alleged "runaway Prius" event near San Diego last week is inconsistent with the findings of the preliminary analysis, Toyota Motor Sales USA said last night. Full story...

Production of Chrysler vehicles in Brazil is under consideration, Fiat Group CEO Sergio Marchionne said during a visit to the country to open an expanded Case New Holland agricultural equipment plant. Full story...

Renault and Daimler are discussing acquiring mutual equity stakes aimed at adding the German company to the alliance which already includes Nissan Motor and Russian carmaker AvtoVAZ. Full story...

EA today announced the all-new Exotic Racing Series pack for Need for Speed SHIFT. On March 18th, gamers will have access to seven phenomenal new cars and an amazing new track in the game. Highlighting this exclusive pack of cars are the McLaren MP4-12C and the legendary BMW M1. Full story...

The R8 Spyder is not just a cabrio, it is a teasingly beautiful open-top sports car of the top class, a real dream car - in particular ABT Sportsline's version. Full story...

One of the trendsetters in the electric car industry, Chinese automaker BYD Co. has backed away from plans to mass produce electric cars by the middle of 2010 in its home country. Full story...