Auto News 5

Sales of the Volkswagen Golf were supposed to suffer last year ahead of the arrival of the new sixth-generation model last autumn. Full story...

The recession gripping the worldand#8217;s automakers hadnand#8217;t hit when product plans for many vehicles were hatched several years ago. Full story...

President Barack Obama has decided to form a government task force to oversee the restructuring of the struggling U.S. auto industry instead of naming a "car czar" with sweeping powers, a senior administration official said on Sunday. Full story...

Fiat is considering whether to export some Europe-built products to the US prior to starting local production there in mid-2011. Full story...

Italian premium brake-maker Brembo will lay off up to 1,840 workers as the auto sector downturn hits, pushing its fourth quarter to a net loss. Full story...

It's been a tough five months since Jean-Pierre Ploue took over as the first director of styling at PSA/Peugeot-Citroen. Full story...

Renault's planned 2012 launch of electric cars in Europe is based around the continuation of generous government purchase price subsidies and no new taxes on electricity used as vehicle fuel, a top executive said earlier this month. Full story...

President Barack Obama has decided to form a government task force to oversee the restructuring of the struggling U.S. auto industry instead of naming a "car czar" with sweeping powers, a senior administration official said on Sunday. Full story...

We like trucks, but unlike our southern neighbours, we don't feel the need to drive big ones. Let's face it, an SUV is practical, offers a higher view of the road and benefits from all-weather traction. Still, spending big bucks at the gas pump is not in our best interest. Full story...

Matt Kenseth wins the rain-shortened Daytona 500, opening round of the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup. Full story...

The Dutch bank and insurance company ING on Monday announced that it would end its formula one-sponsorship activities at the end of 2009. Full story...

Ken Anderson, one of the principals behind the prospective Formula 1 team USF1, has confirmed interest in signing Danica Patrick. Full story...

Think about water-slides, toboggans and snowboarding, and it's apparent that in the early years of everyone's life, a loss of traction was something to be looked forward to. Eventually, slipping and sliding is outgrown-- or even feared in one's adult life as a motorist. The same principle that amuses us as kids can be downright scary to grown-ups behind the wheel. Full story...

Team Williams will not deploy KERS technology until after at least the first six races of 2009, according to team driver Nico Rosberg. Full story...

Rumours that Bruno Senna has inked a contract to make his formula one debut with the team currently known as Honda next year are untrue. Full story...

This week, Auto123.com features the following road tests: The Volkswagen Passat wagon, a car that proves that luxury and flexibility can indeed coexist. The Honda Pilot, a spacious SUV that's as fun to drive as it is to ride in. The Mazda6 GT, a sedan that combines elegance and performance. Check out our video dedicated to the 2009 Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto, the biggest auto show in the country. Full story...

The Audi Allroad quattro sauntered off of the North American playing field some years back, though Audi is now officially building a new A4-based Allroad model for Europe. With European availability announced from this summer, the new Allroad would do battle with the likes of elemental off-road wagons like the Subaru Outback, Volvo XC70 and the upcoming Saab 9-3x. Full story...

Matt Kenseth wins the rain-shortened Daytona 500, opening round of the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup. Full story...

For many race fans, the unveiling of the Peugeot line-up for the endurance series last week was not welcomed news. Jacques Villeneuve and Ricardo Zonta, the former teammates at BAR F1 in 1999, would not be back this season. Full story...

After selling over 26 million units worldwide, including 400,000 in Canada, the Volkswagen Golf is back for a sixth generation. While executives of the German automaker talk about an evolution rather than a complete transformation, they did have a few surprises in store for journalists during the model's North American premiere at the CIAS in Toronto. Full story...