Auto News 5

Bankrupt auto parts supplier Delphi Corp. is seeking court approval to disband its committee of equity securities holders, according to court filings. Full story...

Toyota Motor Corp. expects pre-sale orders for the new Prius hybrid to reach 40,000 units in Japan by the time it goes on sale in mid-May, a newspaper reported today. Such a pace would easily overtake Honda Motor's rival Insight model. Full story...

U.S. President Barack Obama offered a "fervent hope" for Chrysler LLC and General Motors' survival on Tuesday as GM bondholders said completing the automaker's restructuring outside bankruptcy has become increasingly less likely. Full story...

The Williams F1 team is not only planning to use its unique 'flywheel' approach to KERS technology in formula one. Full story...

With the world in recession, the pendulum may have swung back in favour of a Canadian grand prix on circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal. Full story...

The Niagara Falls Review has been busy in recent days investigating a story about the development of a $200-million, 65,000-seat international motor speedway in Fort Erie in the area. Full story...

As was widely predicted, the FIA's International Court of Appeal on Wednesday said it decided to "deny the appeals" against controversial rear diffusers. Full story...

Rüsselsheim. The high performance version of the Car of the Year 2009 will be unveiled on May 7, when the Opel Insignia OPC premieres at the Barcelona Motor Show, ten years after the launch of the first OPC model (Opel Performance Center). The heart of the Insignia OPC is its 2.8 V6 Turbo engine. Derived from the powerful gasoline engine already available on the top-of-the-line Insignia, this version reaches an output of 239 kW/325 hp. The increase in power was obtained by a special engine development and by reworking the exhaust, significantly reducing the counter pressure. And because sound is so important in the appreciation of an engine, the acoustic specialists worked on the exhaust of the V6 by adopting specific center and rear mufflers. Full story...

For 2009, the new Q7 Diesel will be available in two trim levels designated as the TDI Clean Diesel and the TDI Clean Diesel Premium. In more basic terms, think of the regular one as "The Feast" and the Premium one as "The Feast with Wine"! My reason for selecting this analogy is that the regular version has just about everything you could ever want in a luxury SUV. Adding extras that some will appreciate but are not needed to enjoy the vehicle is like adding a bottle of fine wine to an already outstanding meal. Not everyone wants or appreciates the wine, but the meal is a culinary experience by itself. Full story...

Test drivers Christian Klien and Alex Wurz will probably not travel to Barcelona for the Spanish grand prix next month. Full story...

NEW YORK-American Honda Motor Co., Inc. is demonstrating its prototype walking assist devices for the first time in the U.S. The devices will be part of a technical exhibition at the 2009 Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) World Congress at Detroit's Cobo Center April 20 - 23. Prior to the Detroit event, Honda will demonstrate the devices for selected media in New York. Full story...

When it was first rolled out three years ago, the Audi Q7 performance SUV immediately achieved a leadership position - as a sporty, comfortable as well as high-performance recreational and business vehicle on a grand scale. Now Audi is making it even better - more elegant and more efficient, with lower emissions: the Q7 3.0 TDI consumes only 9.1 liters per 100 kilometers (25.85 US mpg). And now it's also available in a new version as a TDI clean diesel, with the world's cleanest diesel technology and even lower fuel consumption of only 8.9 liters/100 km (26.43 US mpg). Full story...

The latest Elise and Exige models are the product of continuous improvement to give up to a 9% reduction in CO2 emissions and similar increases in fuel economy. Full story...

KIA Canada today announced that Maria Soklis has been named Chief Operating Officer and Vice - President. The announcement was made by Mr. Jay Chung, President and C.E.O. of KIA Canada. Full story...

On April 22, Honda will celebrate Earth Day in a most special way. That day, the Japanese automaker will begin sales of the 2010 Honda Insight, the car considered by many to be the first real competitor of the Toyota Prius. Full story...

NAPA Auto Parts confirmed on Wednesday that road racer Patrick Carpentier will be a competitor in the NAPA 200 to be held on the Gilles Villeneuve Circuit in Montreal next August. Full story...

Telesto Ventures is an investor group that has announced its intention to get their hands on GM's Saturn brand. The plan is to offer various car brands under one roof, and the store chain Best Buy is cited as an example--where you can purchase electronic items from a bunch of different brands. The Telesto group unsurprisingly has a preference for small and fuel-efficient vehicles. Full story...

The redone Audi Q7 will bow at the Shanghai motor show this month, with slight interior and exterior freshenings. It launches this fall as a 2010 model. Full story...

Chrysler LLC's first-lien lenders are preparing a counter-offer for the U.S. Full story...

U.S. President Barack Obama offered a "fervent hope" for Chrysler LLC and General Motors' survival today as GM bondholders said completing the automaker's restructuring outside bankruptcy has become increasingly less likely. Full story...