Auto News 5

In this month's management briefing series we take a look at prospects for the auto industry in 2011. Dave Leggett surveys major market forecasts, prospects for companies and reveals the results of a survey of just-auto's global readership. The first instalment considers the global outlook with particular reference to the US, European and Japanese vehicle markets. Full story...

Daimler says it is "evaluating" production of more passenger car models in China, and it has reaffirmed a forecast that sales in mainland China will grow at least 10 percent in 2011. Full story...

Scania has received an order for 158 buses from Swedish public transport company Keolis Sverige. Full story...

Canadian James Hinchcliffe was the fastest among four IndyCar drivers who took to the Sebring International Raceway road course aboard a Newman/Haas Racing Dallara-Honda. Full story...

Red Bull has confirmed that its 2011 car, the RB7, will be revealed on 1 February. Full story...

The AT&T Williams Formula 1 team announced on Friday that is considering a stock market flotation. Full story...

If you want to know what are the latest trends in the automotive world, Detroit's North American International Auto Show is a must. Today, most manufacturers are developing hybrid and electric vehicles or technologies that reduce our car's pollutant footprint. Full story...

Former Grand Prix World Champion Kimi Raikkonen "will definitely be racing" this year on the World Rally Championship according to his management who have scotched rumours of the Finn's retirement from the sport. Full story...

Apparently, the lady scowling aggressively at me from her Prius wasn't impressed by the "V8 BITURBO" badge fixed to the side of the new CLS63 AMG. German posh-rocket hot-rods like this aren't doing Mother Nature any favors to be sure--but the folks at Mercedes-Benz's AMG division are digging in and doing their part for the environment, too. Full story...

Nico Rosberg is scheduled to give Mercedes' new 2011 car, the W02, its debut outing on the first day of the Valencia test next month. Full story...

Now that we've finally settled back into our routines at the office, we thought we'd look back on the latest Detroit Extravaganza and put together a few comments on some of the highlights and stars of the show. Here are twelve amongst many other that stood out from the crowd. Luc Gagné , Michel Deslauriers and myself got together and put the following comments on paper, based on whether we thought the vehicle was a hit or a miss. Full story...

Hyundai Auto Canada Corp. announced today that the 2011 Sonata Hybrid will be available at Canadian Hyundai dealers this spring with a suggested retail price of $29,999. Full story...

Seven days after the opening of the Montreal International Auto Show, Kia managed to get its hands on the new 2011 Optima EX for its Canadian debut. Those who still haven't visited the show will now get the chance to clap eyes on the new model over the last weekend of the event. Full story...

Starting now, BMW customers in the United States will have unique access to the creation of their custom-made BMW X3 via an online video portal. Full story...

Infiniti today announced the vehicles that will be on display at the 2011 Canadian International Auto Show (CIAS) in Toronto, highlighted by the Canadian premiere of the 2012 M Hybrid sedan. Full story...

Daniel Ricciardo is not getting excited despite his boss Helmut Marko saying the Australian is scheduled to make his F1 debut by 2012 "at the latest". Full story...

The BMW X1 will be an important player in the Bavarian's line-up. Compact SUVs and CUVs are all the rage at the moment and makers like Audi (Q5), Mercedes (GLK-Class) and Lexus (RX) can't seem to produce enough of them. As the market increasingly moves towards all-utility vehicles, manufacturers can do nothing else but feed this monster. Full story...

In the weeks leading up to the start of the IZOD IndyCar series 2011 season, the FAZZT Race Team's Alex Tagliani will be participating in the Rotax Max Series as part of the Florida Karting Winter Tour along with some of the top karting racers in North America. Full story...

Reigning Formula 2 series' champion Dean Stoneman has been sidelined due to an illness, which forced him withdraw from his Formula Renault 3.5 program this season. Full story...

Ferrari has disclosed the first technical specifications of the new FF, the Italian automaker's very first foray into the all-wheel drive world. Ferrari describes it as the most powerful and versatile four-seater ever. Full story...