Auto News 5

In some 70 years of car making, Toyota has never shut a major manufacturing plant - until now. But the automaker last night confirmed what had been expected for a couple of months - it would pull the plug on New United Motor Manufacturing, Inc (NUMMI), its joint venture with General Motors in Fremont, California, site of its first foray into vehicle manufacturing in the US. Full story...

EXCLUSIVE! First pictures as the all new Focus finally hits the road!

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After numerous postponements, Toyota's Brazilian subsidiary has started construction of its second plant here. Full story...

Imported from Uruguay and thus exempt from 35% import duty under the Mercosur trade accord, the Chinese Chery Tiggo is a new and very competitively priced entry in the Brazilian compact SUV market. Full story...

Ultimate E-Class wagon spotted on test, ahead of Frankfurt Motor Show debut. Full story...

The compact, car-derived pickup market is strongly contested here in Brazil by the four key automakers. It has all started back in 1978 with a model based on the Fiat 127/147. VW responded in 1982 with the Gol-based Saveiro, which soon took the lead. More recently came the Chevrolet Montana (Corsa/Gama II platform) and Ford Courier (based on the old Fiesta). Full story...

Germany's EUR5bn (US$7.1bn) fund to help consumers scrap old cars and buy new ones could run dry by 10 September, according to estimates from the Centre for Automotive Research at the University of Duisburg-Essen. Full story...

Jon Fogarty edged Scott Pruett by 0.012 seconds to win his season-leading fourth pole of the 2009 season Friday at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, and will lead the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series Daytona Prototype field to the green flag for Saturday's Montreal 200 at the 2.709-mile track. Full story...

OAK PARK, MI, - Azure Dynamics Corporation, a leading developer of state-of-the-art green technologies that address environmental and cost issues for the commercial transportation industry, announced on the 25th of August, that it has sold five Balance(TM) Hybrid Electric buses to Votran, the transit entity for Volusia County, Florida Full story...

Fernando Alonso in Belgium tried to put the brakes on reports of his impending move to Ferrari. Full story...

While BMW is still looking for a buyer for its Hinwil based formula one team, there is also a 'plan B' in the event that it has to close. Full story...

According to HPI Valuations, there are apparently more convertibles per head in the UK than any other European country, despite being one of the wettest countries in the continent. British wishful thinking? The true reason lies with a change in fleet policies some 8-10 years ago, which meant the hard roof and four door rule fell by the wayside. Full story...

Jenson Button came close to losing his temper in the Spa-Francorchamps paddock when meeting with English speaking reporters. Full story...

The Grand-Am Rolex and Formula 1600 cars were in action Friday on the Gilles Villeneuve circuit at the NAPA Auto Parts 200 in Montreal. Full story...

Here is a familiar three-wheeled light commercial vehicle for travelers who visit Italy: Piaggio's Ape Calessino. This one however has a silent ride and produces no emission because it is electric! Full story...

DALLAS, TX, - With President Barack Obama now in the White House, it's First Lady Michelle Obama who seems to be getting quite a bit of attention - and not necessarily for her politics. Full story...

Toro Rosso is likely to field an unchanged driver-engine package in 2010, team boss Franz Tost has said at Spa-Francorchamps. Full story...

Auto123.com had revealed last week that Alex Tagliani was going to become an IndyCar racing team owner and it is believed now that this announcement will be made today and that the name of the team will be FAZZT Racing. Full story...

Renault does not know why Sebastian Vettel has been the victim of multiple engine problems this year. Full story...

If you are looking at the Tiguan for the first time, it is a bit like the poem by John Godfrey Saxe, The "Six Blind Men of Indostan", who had never been able to check out a whole elephant. They had only been able to touch one part each and had very different opinions of what an elephant was. This created a great controversy amongst the men. The Tiguan is a bit like that. Each combination changes the nature of the vehicle. Full story...