Auto News 5

Suzuki is reviewing its diesel engine sourcing from PSA Peugeot Citroen and Renault as it looks to strengthen its ties with Volkswagen, chairman and CEO Osamu Suzuki said on Friday. Full story...

Michelin has announced that it will close its Japanese plant, in Ota (Gunma Prefecture), which employs about 380 people, and move the production to other lower cost sites in Asia, Europe and North America. Full story...

A Toyota engineer wants the plug-in hybrid the automaker is developing for launch in mid-2011 to be offered at an 'affordable' price so it becomes popular. Full story...

Tata Motors' global vehicle sales grew 84% year-on-year to 74,707 units in December 2009, helped by a recovery to Jaguar Land Rover sales. Full story...

GAZ Group is holding talks with Daimler over the production of light commercial vehicles (LCVs), business daily Vedomosti reported today. Full story...

Chinese commercial vehicle maker Beiqi Foton plans to increase its annual production capacity of heavy-duty trucks to 160,000 units by the end of 2010. Full story...

Robert Bosch is to close its Cardiff, UK, auto electrical parts factory at the end of next year with the loss of up to 900 jobs. Full story...

My wife calls me the eternal optimist. I can't help it! I obviously love my wife, my job (notice how wife comes before job...) and am generally just a happy guy. Quite honestly, 2009 was a tough year for me too as the industry I adore went through a really rough patch. The mood in the business was so dismal last year, I did not bother going to Detroit, my first absence in five years. Full story...

Petter Solberg will drive a 2009-spec Citroën C4 WRC, this season. Two rally cars were bought from Citroën Racing, and Solberg will use both cars in the 2010 World Rally Championship. Full story...

Braun Racing, self-described as the largest independent Nationwide Series-only team will be advancing up to the Sprint Cup series for five races, beginning with the Daytona 500 with Reed Sorenson as driver of a Toyota Camry. Full story...

Carlos Sainz (Volkswagen) took victory in the 12th stage in the Dakar Rally, but his team-mate Al-Attiyah still puts pressure on the spanish driver, with two days remaining. Full story...

Nissan today announced an immediate $30,000 cash donation to the Red Cross to assist with earthquake relief efforts in Haiti. The cash donation is part of a multi-faceted relief program by Nissan in the Americas. Full story...

It's not often that $24,175 gets shoppers both a cool car and a piece of motoring history--unless you're talking about the Volkswagen New Beetle. With timeless looks, fun-to-drive manners and an available convertible model, the Beetle continues to bring value-priced fun to the motoring masses. Full story...

A Red Bull-Renault Formula 1 car will be driven on a sheet of ice on Sunday to celebrate the return of the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal. Full story...

LAMPO2 is an electric demonstration sports car conceived by Protoscar (www.protoscar.com), a Swiss company which has been developing CleanCar projects for 23 years including consulting of OEMs, power utilities and governments. Full story...

Montreal, QC - The Montreal International Auto Show (MIAS) Charity Preview evening, which took place January 14, 2010, helped raise $361,119.24 to benefit five (5) worthy causes within the Greater Montreal's medical community: Fondation du CHUM, Montréal Sacré-Coeur Hospital Foundation, MUHC - McGill University Health Centre Foundation, Pierre-Boucher Hospital Foundation and Santa Cabrini Foundation. This fund raising event was presented by the Montreal Automobile Dealers Corporation Foundation and the Palais des congrès de Montréal. Full story...

TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION (TMC) announces it plans to begin a gradual rollout in Japan in mid-2010 of its newly developed "G Sports"1 (G's) sports conversion car2 series. The series, to be sold through Toyota-brand dealers, is meant to offer to a wider range of people the "automotive seasoning" that TMC has pursued through its GAZOO Racing3 activities. Full story...

Primetime Race Group has signed 19-year-old Canadian driver Kyle Marcelli to co-drive alongside team owner Joel Feinberg in the 2010 American Le Mans Series in the Le Mans Prototype Challenge class (LMPC). Full story...

No auto show would be complete without its share of prototypes and concept vehicles presented with great pageantry and flourish by the major manufacturers. Full story...

Lotus has become the next F1 team to announce a launch date for its 2010 car. Full story...