Auto News 5

General Motors could now cut 8,300 jobs in Europe with most losses at the Opel plants in Belgium and Germany sources have told a news agency. GME had previously said that 9,000 jobs were under threat and interim chief Nick Reilly said last week that the future of the Antwerp plant in Belgium future was "uncertain." Full story...

Daimler workers in Germany have walked out in protest at the company's plans, announced yesterday (2 December, 2009), to assemble Mercedes C-Class models at its US plant in Alabama and shift German production from Sindelfingen to Bremen when the next generation is launched in 2014. Full story...

A group led by former Ford executives this week submitted a revised bid to buy the Volvo Cars unit, according to the Wall Street Journal. Full story...

The future of Vauxhall's two UK plants is looking more secure, according to Vauxhall managing director Bill Parfitt. Full story...

Volkswagen is ready to complete the first stage of its planned integration with Porsche next week when it buys a 49.9% stake in the indebted group's profitable sports car business. Full story...

Maruti Suzuki, India's largest carmaker, plans to boost output by up to 75% to between 1.5 and 1.75m units a year by 2015 as it seeks to maintain its lead position in the fast-growing domestic market. Full story...

Volkswagen AG and General Motors Co. partner SAIC Motor Corp., China's biggest automaker, said on Thursday it suspended its trading on the Shanghai Stock Exchange as it plans a major asset restructuring. Full story...

We round-up the rest of the cars making the news at this year's LA Motor Show. Full story...

Chinese car and battery maker BYD Co. Ltd. has received 15 billion yuan ($2.2 billion) in credit from the Bank of China, the bank said on Thursday. Full story...

A look at the cars that really turned heads at this years Los Angeles expo.

Full story...

GM's director for its European electric vehicle implementation has told just-auto that the development schedule for its Opel/Vauxhall Ampera extended-range electric vehicle (E-REV - the same technology as that being employed for the Chevrolet Volt) is on track. Full story...

The recent US$3bn federally funded 'cash for clunkers' programme has created an unforeseen side effect in vehicle sales relating to owner loyalty, according to US analyst RL Polk & Co. Between July and August 2009, when dealer showrooms saw increasing traffic and vehicle sales, overall loyalty rates to a manufacturer dropped nearly six percentage points. Over the comparative two month period in 2008, owner loyalty rates stayed relatively flat. Full story...

Volkswagen AG will likely complete the first stage of its planned integration with Porsche Automobil Holding SE when it buys a 49.9 percent stake in the indebted group's profitable sports car business next week, VW said. Full story...

Starting as early as 2011, Fiat S.p.A. may extend the Chrysler brand name to models currently sold as Lancias in Europe. Full story...

Starting as early as 2011, Fiat S.p.A. may extend the Chrysler brand name to models currently sold as Lancias in Europe. Full story...

Starting as early as 2011, Fiat S.p.A. may extend the Chrysler brand name to models currently sold as Lancias in Europe. Full story...

France's PSA/Peugeot Citroen SA could buy a large stake in Japan's Mitsubishi Motors Corp. as part of plan to deepen ties to ride out the auto industry's worst ever slump. Full story...

PSA/Peugeot Citroen could buy a large stake in Mitsubishi as part of plan to deepen ties to ride out the auto industry's worst ever slump. Full story...

PSA/Peugeot Citroen could buy a large stake in Mitsubishi as part of plan to deepen ties to ride out the auto industry's worst ever slump. Full story...

A group led by former Ford Motor Co. Full story...