Auto News 5

The 2010 Ford Taurus, a large family car, is the Institute's newest 2009 Top Safety Pick award winner. To qualify for Top Safety Pick, a vehicle must earn the highest rating of good in the Institute's front, side, and rear tests and be equipped with electronic stability control. Criteria to win are tough because the award is intended to drive continued safety improvements such as top crash test ratings and the rapid addition of electronic stability control, which is standard on the Taurus. Full story...

Hearst Magazines' Esquire; Harper's Bazaar; O, The Oprah Magazine; SmartMoney; and Town&Country will join forces with Infiniti to kick off The Infiniti Journey of Inspiration to preview the all-new 2011 Infiniti M and the North American debut of the Infiniti Essence Concept at the 59th annual Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. Full story...

Bernie Ecclestone hinted to Switzerland's Motorsport Aktuell magazine on Tuesday that Spa-Francorchamps might soon share its annual formula one hosting rights with another race. Full story...

TRG Motorsports will be at Watkins Glen International Raceway for this weekend's NASCAR Sprint Cup round with both a new driver and new sponsor on board. Full story...

Like every other market on the planet, Canada continues to suffer from the crisis in the auto industry and the economy as a whole. Overall, in July, passenger car sales dropped 14.4 percent while light-duty truck sales increased by 4.4 percent. In the U.S., the results are fairly identical with a drop of 12.2 percent during the same month. Full story...

According to www.ruefrontenac.com, former Formula 1 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve will compete in the Sprint Cup race held this weekend at Watkins Glen, New York. Full story...

Twenty-year old Nelson Phillipe will contest the Infineon Raceway and Homestead-Miami Speedway rounds with Eric Bachelart's team Conquest Racing. Full story...

Adrian Campos has rejected rumours his Campos-Meta team may not make its formula one debut as scheduled in 2010. Full story...

We just learned from Jacques Villeneuve himself that he will not compete in the NASCAR Sprint race this weekend. Full story...

The redesigned Mercedes-Benz E-class family is growing with the upcoming release of the wagon body style. Full story...

The board of General Motors Co. on Tuesday endorsed the automaker's direction and the focus of management after the first meeting of directors since GM emerged from a U.S. government-financed bankruptcy last month. Full story...

Exploding vehicle production demand because of the successful cash for clunkers program has prompted supplier giant Magna International Inc. Full story...

A 1935 Auburn 851SC Boattail Speedster led the way at an auction held in conjunction with the Meadow Brook concours, selling for $462,000 as the event raked in a total of $5.4 million. Full story...

A 1935 Auburn 851SC Boattail Speedster led the way at an auction held in conjunction with the Meadow Brook Concours d'Elegance, selling for $462,000 as the event raked in a total of $5.4 million. Full story...

Michigan is bidding to become the equivalent of Silicon Valley in the field of connected vehicles, panelists told the Management Briefing Seminars here today. Full story...

Customers have been flocking to Shuman Chrysler-Jeep for cash-for-clunkers deals. Thirty-three have their new cars, and their trade-ins are sitting at the back of the dealership in Walled Lake, Mich. Full story...

Electric vehicles made by China's Liu Zhou Wuling Motor Co. are headed to the United States. Earlier this year, the first batch of 100 Wuling-made small electric trucks and vans were exported to the United States. Full story...

Midwestern dealers are collecting most of the money in the federal government's cash-for-clunkers incentive program. The U.S. Full story...

For now, the Motor City will retain its spot on the calendar of international auto shows, as plans to upgrade the aging convention center where it's held annually will move forward. Full story...

Minnesota megadealer Paul Walser has done about 800 clunker deals so far and knows he is risking a lot of his cash with each additional day he participates in the program. Full story...