Auto News 5

ASSOCIATE EDITOR JONATHAN WONG: Itand#8217;s nice to see some car companies still believe in the importance of offering a manual transmission. Full story...

Firm sets the specs for its new sub-Renaultsport warm hatch brand

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A tie-up between Renault-Nissan group and Daimler AG to cut costs and share development spending is moving closer, sources said, while analysts remain unconvinced of the benefits. Full story…

Renault will hold a special supervisory board meeting on April 6 to discuss cooperation with Daimler, sources said. Renault-Nissan and Daimler are considering taking symbolic stakes in each other. Full story...

Volvo Truck says that deliveries in February were up 5% compared to the year-earlier period. Full story...

Volvo Truck says that deliveries in February were up 5% compared to the year-earlier period. Full story...

General Motors Co. said it will add a third shift to its plant in Oshawa, Ontario, to help meet consumer demand for the Chevrolet Equinox crossover. Full story...

Toyota Manufacturing UK (TMUK) is to go ahead with its planned shutdown next week as it looks to compensate for the ending of scrappage schemes across Europe. Full story...

Toyota may halve production output at its UK plant from August to improve profitability at the factory according to a report in the Japanese Nikkei business daily. Full story...

Ultimate version of Focus RS to be unveiled next Wednesday

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Chinese Vice-President Xi Jinping will travel to Sweden this weekend, amid talk he will attend the signing of a deal for Geely to buy Volvo from Ford for as much as $2 billion, China's biggest ever overseas auto acquisition. Full story...

Chinese Vice-President Xi Jinping will travel to Sweden this weekend, amid talk he will attend the signing of a deal for Geely to buy Volvo from Ford for as much as $2 billion, China's biggest ever overseas auto acquisition. Full story...

Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping will travel to Sweden this weekend, amid talk he will attend the signing of a deal for Geely to buy Volvo from Ford for as much as $2 billion, China's biggest ever overseas auto acquisition. Full story...

Spanish firm's most powerful car arrives in the UK

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Spyker said its newly acquired Saab unit expects to increase its output by about 18 percent this year, as it takes on the challenge of bringing an automaker many times its size back to profitability. Full story...

General Motors in the UK is already eyeing potential fleet customers for its Vauxhall Ampera E-REV (electric range extended vehicle) ahead of UK market launch in 2012. Full story...

Analysts say a tie-up of partners Renault SA and Nissan Motor Co. with Daimler could be positive but warned against unchecked optimism. Full story...

Ford Motor Co. will be allowed to contribute $13.2 billion in company securities to its UAW retiree health-care trust fund under an exemption approved today by the U.S. Labor Department. Full story…

Volkswagen will raise net proceeds of about 4.1 billion euros ($5.46 billion) after issuing 64.9 million new preferred shares at a price of 65 euros each in its rights issue, the carmaker said on Thursday. Full story…

General Motors Co. said it will make its second loan payment to the U.S. and Canadian governments on March 31 and reaffirmed a plan to pay back its loans by mid-year. The automaker will shell out $1 billion to the U.S. Full story...