Auto News 5

Daimler has held talks with Chinese sovereign wealth fund CIC over a possible investment by Beijing, CEO Dieter Zetsche told the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper. Full story...

The European Union has closed a loophole that would have allowed car manufacturers to continue putting allegedly climate damaging chemicals in new vehicle air conditioners beyond a 2011 ban. Full story...

The 13th Shanghai Motor Show, which alternates with the Beijing Auto show, provides a glimpse into the Chinese car industry. Developing faster than any other market, China's varied brands and multiple new models take center stage at the event, but numerous European automakers (and the joint-venture companies they've spawned) are also unveiling a flurry of new models, making this one of the most important auto shows of the year. To see what Bertone, Porsche, GAC, Buick and Roewe unveiled read our highlights from the show press days below. We'll soon be publishing more highlights and an extensive photo gallery of all the cars from Shanghai Auto 2009 so watch this space. Full story...

Great Drive: 2009 Porsche Boxster S

On the ancient mountain roads of Sicily, the updated Boxster proves that it's a real Porsche.

Like many Porsche drivers, I've long loved 911s but felt a bit snobbish about the Boxster. Raw power was not in evidence, the original Boxsters sporting only 201 hp. And the styling? Granted, Porsches are about engineering rather than looks - they're like the smart, plain schoolgirl who wears no makeup because she knows that any boy who's going to get interested in her will have to pay closer attention than that - but even so, the early Boxsters resembled bugeye Sprites more than Carreras. The Boxster may have been Automobile Magazine's 1998 Automobile of the Year, but to me it smacked too much of the 914.

Photo Gallery: 2009 Porsche Boxster S - Porsche Sport Convertible Review - Automobile Magazine

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Sales of new vehicles in Malaysia fell 4.8% from a year earlier in March, an industry association has said. Full story...

Visteon Corporation has submitted a written formal proposal to the Unite union offering improved payments to former Visteon UK employees abruptly made redundant when three plants were placed in administration. Full story...

Daimler is reportedly in talks with potential investors from China. Full story...

Pirelli & C SpA, holding company for tyre and property businesses using the same name, has posted first quarter net profits of EUR1.1m on revenues of EUR1.04bn. Full story...

US dealers will invest US$300m in new and modernised facilities this year, BMW North America said. Full story...

Toyota Motor output in Japan is likely to fall below 3m units in the 2009/10 fiscal year ending 31 March, possibly hitting the lowest level in 31 years, company sources said on Tuesday. Full story...

Automotive wheel maker Hayes Lemmerz International Inc. expects its auditors to express "substantial doubt" about the supplier's ability to remain in business. Hayes Lemmerz made the disclosure in a U.S. Full story...

Automotive wheel maker Hayes Lemmerz International Inc. expects auditors to express "substantial doubt" about its ability to remain in business. The suburban Detroit supplier also said it would file its annual financial report late. Full story...

The chairman of the German research organisation, the Fraunhofer Society, Hans-Joerg Bullinger won't join the Continental supervisory board as planned, local media reports said. Full story...

Chinese carmakers Chery and Geely are reportedly considering market entry to Taiwan. Full story...

Honda Motor president Takeo Fukui said on Tuesday there were signs the key US market had bottomed out since the start of April. Full story...

General Motors has shut a pick-up and sport utility vehicle plant in central Mexico due to weak demand from the United States. Full story...

First-quarter financial results from Europe's crisis-hit carmakers could show the benefits of government sales incentives. Full story...

First-quarter financial results from Europe's crisis-hit carmakers could show the benefits of government sales incentives. Full story...

Hottest Octavia goes under the knife – and so does the Scout too!

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One-off creation based on Corvette ZR1 stuns Shanghai showgoers

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