Auto News 5

Suzuki and Mazda have improved their annual profit forecasts bolstered by increasing demand in India and China as well as cost cuts. Full story...

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Net losses at AvtoVAZ, Russia's largest domestic carmaker, are projected to have widened year on year in 2009 and the company plans to cut costs by shedding 5,000 jobs in the next two months, company president Igor Komarov said. Full story...

Ford India has started production of its new Figo - an updated, previous generation European Fiesta - at its Chennai production plant following a USD500m investment. Full story...

German luxury carmakers Audi and BMW have both recorded significant increases in sales in China in January. Full story...

Car sales in Western Europe grew by a healthy looking 14.9% year-on-year in January, according to data released by JD Power Automotive Forecasting. Full story...

Toyota has known about accelerator problems in some of its cars since 2007, German newspapers reported on Friday. Full story...

Ten Toyota owners in Britain affected by sticking accelerator pedals have contacted a lawyer specialising in personal injury claims. Full story...

Fiat and its unions have been called to a meeting today (5 February) in Rome as industrial unrest continues to dog the Italian automaker concerning plans to close its Termini Imerese plant in Sicily. Full story...

Toyota Motor president Akio Toyoda on Friday apologised for the carmaker's growing recall crisis in his first scheduled public appearance (at 9pm Japanese time in Nagoya, near Toyota City) since the company halted US sales and production of its best selling models last month but did not announce a new recall, this time for the latest Prius. Full story...

Toyota Motor president Akio Toyoda will host an unusually late 9pm Friday Tokyo time press conference to address safety issues rocking his company as it now prepares to add the latest version of its iconic Prius hybrid to a recall list - for braking problems. Full story...

Toyota Motor president Akio Toyoda on Friday apologised for the carmaker's growing recall crisis in his first scheduled public appearance (at 9pm Japanese time in Nagoya, near Toyota City) since the company halted US sales and production of its best selling models last month. Full story...

Renault reveals new folding hard-top version of the Megane, and there's a hot GT version on way, too

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Second teaser shot for Kia's Chicago show car show's off the hybrid's front end

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Just days after launching a new B-segment two-seat coupe cabriolet called the Wind, that looks like an ideal replacement for GM's now defunct Opel/Vauxhall Tigra, Renault has revealed its redesigned C-segment Mégane four-seat drop-top - the range's sixth body style. Like its predecessor the latest car has a large, folding, electro-hydraulic, two-piece, glass roof. Full story...

The big cat is back at the most famous endurance race of them all with a GT2 version of its XKR

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Crewe, England - The design of the Mulsanne, Bentley's new flagship, is a compelling fusion of sportiness, solidity and coach-built elegance - created on a grand scale. Its sweeping bonnet and long overhang convey a sense of power and movement, enhanced by the muscular haunches and sharply sculpted lines flowing gracefully from the front wings to the rear. Full story...

There it is, just sitting there, quiet, smug but with impressive potential and a stance that gives onlookers a hint at what this behemoth is capable of. The 2010 4Runner has roots that run deep in the off-road and overland explorer's history. I'll venture a guess that if you are reading this review, you know what a Land Cruiser is, what it can do and what it has done. There are clear and present family ties between the two. Full story...

Virgin on Thursday became the first of F1's four new teams to get a car up and running. Full story...

The Bud Shootout could be even wilder than it has in the past due to a new NASCAR policy. Full story...