Auto News 5

Major updates to Mitsubishi's products are on the back burner as the company concentrates on developing small cars that can be sold around the world. Full story...

Ford's redesigned C-Max line will go on sale in the UK in October, priced from GBP16,745. The carry-over five-seater and the new seven-seat Grand will be launched in a simplified two-series line-up - Zetec and Titanium. The Grand Zetec is GBP18,745. Full story...

World-first glimpse of ultimate R8, range-topper promises 600bhp, lighter body and even more driver-focused performance Full story...

Nissan Americas is sacking the local Renault unit as its importer/distributor and replacing it with independent Manuel Antelo from the end of 2011. Full story...

Sweden's Vastra Gotaland region said Saab, owned by Dutch group Spyker, must pay its $15 million bill from the government by Sept. 20 or it will ask the public debt collector to enforce payment. Full story...

Naza Group, the ambitious hotels-to-motorbike company that signed a distribution agreement with GM in March, believes it could start to assemble the cars in Malaysia and export them to other Southeast Asia markets, CEO Faisal Nasimuddin told reporters on Monday without giving any indication of timings. Full story...

Toyota's Prius hybrid was the best-selling vehicle in Japan in August for the 15th consecutive month, according to data released by the Japan Automobile Dealers Association and the Japan Mini Vehicle Association. Full story...

India's largest car maker Maruti Suzuki, which has more than 50% of the fast-growing market, intends to hang on to that share by boosting output to 1.5m units a year. Full story...

Nissan has signed an memorandum of understanding with Jordan to promote zero-emission vehicles. Full story...

Daimler could pay investors a dividend for this year nearly twice as high as that distributed in 2008, the last time the luxury carmaker returned cash to shareholders. Full story...

A UK auto lobby group is urging the chancellor to ease access to credit for business and consumers, ahead of next month's Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR). Full story...

Suzuki will build a new factory in India after car sales in the nation jumped more than 30 percent this year. Full story...

UK new car registrations fell 17.5% in August to 55,305 units compared with scrappage scheme-fuelled August 2009. August is also a slow month ahead of the twice-yearly registration plate change on 1 September. Full story...

An application for financial aid targeted at redundant Spanish auto workers has been approved by the European Commission. Full story...

Sales of new cars in Britain declined 17.5 percent in August from a year ago, falling for the second consecutive month following the end of an incentive scheme to scrap old models, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders said on Monday. Full story...

Imperial Auto Industries (IAI) and Italian group Sogefi company Allevard Rejna Autosuspensions have formed a joint venture to manufacture elastic suspension components for the Indian and overseas market. Full story...

August registration data showed the New Zealand new vehicle sector was back on track with total industry sales up over 17% year on year, according to a trade group. Full story...

The Philippine government plans to offer additional incentives to encourage investment in vehicle production. Board of Investment (BOI) executive director, Efren Leano, said "we want to make the Philippines a more attractive investment destination for automobile production".The Philippine government plans to offer additional incentives to encourage investment in vehicle production. Board of Investment (BOI) executive director, Efren Leano, said "we want to make the Philippines a more attractive investment destination for automobile production". Full story...

Don Lee thinks he can make money with Fiat and Alfa Romeo at a vacant showroom next to his dealership. Full story...

No surprise: August's 21 percent auto sales drop, to the lowest level for the month in nearly 30 years, was dismal. Last month's numbers were dragged down by comparison with August 2009, when sales soared because of cash for clunkers. Full story...