Auto News 5

Ford Motor Co. said on Tuesday that it raised $1.4 billion through a 300 million share offer for $4.75 per share, a move that CEO Alan Mulally said was an important step toward getting profitable again. Full story...

The gates of a gray car factory in central Russia creak open, releasing hundreds of workers into the bright spring sunshine. The workday is over, but the mood is grim. Full story...

The redesigned 2009 Acura TL is a gorgeous car with all the ingredients to win over buyers. Competent, smart, powerful, sexy and extremely chiseled, it has only one unattractive feature: a puzzling set of teeth. While overall styling is remarkably well executed and in line with the sharper image of the latest Acura products, the front grille is another story. Full story...

Porsche AG, Stuttgart, the production of the new Panamera has started. On April 19, it was presented to the global public in Shanghai for the first time. The car will be launched in September starting with some European markets. Porsche is manufacturing the four-door Gran Turismo together with the successful sporty Cayenne SUV on one product line. Full story...

Renault has confirmed it would quit formula one at the end of 2009 if the new rules imposed by the FIA are not changed. Full story...

OAK PARK, MI - Azure Dynamics Corporation (TSX: AZD) - ("Azure") or (the "Company"), a leading developer of state-of-the-art green technologies that address environmental and cost issues for the commercial transportation industry, announced today that four Balance(TM) Hybrid Electric trucks were sold to the University of Alberta. The trucks will be predominantly used for campus mail delivery to over 100 buildings with more than 1,000 mail delivery and pickup points daily. Full story...

A ground-breaking tool for monitoring and invoicing electricity drawn from vehicle charging stations will debut at the Norwegian zero-emissions exhibition, EVS 24, today (Wednesday 13 May). Called 'EBConnect' - the latest technical innovation from British company Elektromotive - the system will make it easy to identify energy consumption and bill customers accurately. It will be installed in all Elektrobay charging stations, of which there are already over 160 across the UK. Full story...

DETROIT -- OnStar builds on its reputation for trailblazing emergency services by tapping technology from Microsoft Corp. to provide OnStar advisors with critical 3D details to more accurately guide first responders to hard-to-find or rural locations. Full story...

More and more people are voicing their concerns regarding the qualifying system in use for the Indianapolis 500 and, in those harsh economic times, many observers believed that four days of time trials is way too much. Full story...

A day after it emerged that Michael Schumacher was seriously injured in a pre-season fall, the seven-time world champion announced that his return to two-wheeled race action is close. Full story...

The FIA, Bernie Ecclestone, expert pundits, the press and fans alike are unconvinced about Ferrari's threat to quit formula one at the end of the year. Full story...

The redesigned 2009 Acura TL is a gorgeous car with all the ingredients to win over buyers. Competent, smart, powerful, sexy and extremely chiseled, it has only one unattractive feature: a puzzling set of teeth. While overall styling is remarkably well executed and in line with the sharper image of the latest Acura products, the front grille is another story. Full story...

SAINT-EUSTACHE, QC, May 13 - Nova Bus is very proud to present a city bus that is ready to comply with the 2010 environmental standards and that can operate with new-generation green propulsion systems. The vehicle, from the Nova LFS product line, has been extensively reviewed and developed over the course of recent years and constitutes a major breakthrough for Nova Bus and its clients. Full story...

Since April 20, Insight Canada 1 -- the first next-generation Honda Insight unit to be registered in Canada -- has been crossing the country on a journey that will take it from Victoria, British Columbia, all the way to St. John's, Newfoundland. Over 40 journalists are taking turns behind the wheel, with each pair driving hundreds of kilometers. Full story...

Each day, heroic acts randomly performed by truck drivers go unnoticed. Bridgestone Canada Inc. (BSCA), the company that began formally recognizing highway heroes in 1956, is now accepting nominations from the trucking community and public for its prestigious Bridgestone Canadian Truck Hero Award. Full story...

The Automotive Applications Council of AISI's Steel Market Development Institute (SMDI) announced today that it has selected the BMW X6 research and development team as the winner of its annual Automotive Excellence Award. The team was selected for its cost-effective use of ultra high-strength steels that meet new market demands for safety, fuel efficiency and emission standards. The award was presented today at the Great Designs in Steel seminar in Livonia, Mich. Full story...

The eight DTM drivers of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport, including Canadian Bruno Spengler, are prepared for the new season of DTM. Full story...

Louis Schuette first came to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway as a 16-year-old from Columbus, Ind., without a dime in his pocket. Some 72 years later, after taking a ride in the Indy Racing Experience two-seater May 12, Schuette left the famed 2.5-mile oval feeling like he hit the jackpot. Full story...

German car manufacturer Mercedes-Benz's racing director insists that rival teams' threats about quitting formula one are real, but for the time the Stuttgart marque is not following suit. Full story...

Charles Hurley, the Mothers Against Drunk Driving CEO who has been criticized by some environmentalists, has withdrawn from consideration as head of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Full story...