Auto News 5

A123 Systems Inc develops and manufactures advanced lithium ion batteries and battery systems for the transportation, electric grid services and commercial markets. Headquartered in Massachusetts and founded in 2001, A123 Systems' proprietary nanoscale electrode technology is built on initial developments from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In this interview, Matthew Beecham talked with Jeff Kessen, director of automotive marketing, Automotive Solutions Group, A123 Systems. Full story...

EDITOR WES RAYNAL: What a nice car. What a nice luxury sedan. There's really nothing not to like here. Oh, I suppose one could quibble about the thin-film transistor gauges, but I like 'em. Full story...

Chery Automobile said on Friday it aims to sell 800,000 vehicles this year, up 17.3% year on year. Full story...

Fiat SpA does not have plans to list Ferrari, Ferrari's chief executive said. Full story...

Toyota, the world's largest seller of hybrid cars and light trucks, is developing an alternative motor for future hybrid and electric cars that doesn't need rare-earth minerals at risk of supply disruptions. Full story...

Volkswagen plans to assemble VW and Skoda vehicles at the facilities of Russian automaker GAZ if the automakers can agree an assembly deal, Marcus Osegowitsch, CEO of Volkswagen's Russian subsidiary, told Prime-Tass. Full story...

Delphi Automotive has the main management pieces in place to launch an IPO, but how and when is up to its private equity owners according to CEO Rodney O'Neal. Full story...

VW has filled two key senior management posts by hiring veteran Porsche executive Andreas Offermann to take charge of the group's national sales companies and naming Marcus Osegowitsch head of Russia operations. Full story...

Fiat has enough capital to increase its stake in Chrysler to 51%, company president John Elkann told the daily Corriere della Sera. Full story...

The US treasury may not have fully vetted the settlement of its interest in Chrysler Financial last year and not got a strong enough return for taxpayers, a bailout watchdog said. Full story...

Growth in the Indian automobile industry was second only to China in 2010 as car sales surged 31% to 1.9m units. In December alone, domestic passenger car sales jumped 28.9% to 148,681 units compared to 115,337 units in 2009. So OEMs are making fresh investment in their local production facilities in India. Full story...

Veteran Daimler executive Frank Deiss, will take up a new position with the automaker on March.1, as CEO of Beijing Benz Automotive Co. Deiss is currently chief of procurement for Mercedes-Benz cars and vans. He will replace Guenter Butschek. Full story...

Two thieves made off with a new US$94,000 (GBP59,350) BMW 750i xDrive sedan on Wednesday night after it was left idling outside the Westin Book Cadillac, one of Detroit's major hotels. Full story...

Toyota Motor Sales USA and advertising agency Saatchi & Saatchi LA have begun the marketing campaign for the new Prius family of vehicles with a campaign called Prius Goes Plural whcih challenges the public to help decide what you call more than one Prius? Full story...

Shares in Daimler rose on Friday on market speculation that ThyssenKrupp's CFO Alan Hippe, who the steelmaker said will leave the company on March 31, would join the German carmaker. A spokesman for Daimler said there was nothing to the speculation. Full story...

Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) has announced that sale of the European-specification i-MiEV electric vehicle is to start in 15 European countries - Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and United Kingdom. Full story...

Rocco Carella, one of the longest-serving workers at Mirafiori, Fiat's biggest factory in Turin, Italy, is willing to work as many as 120 extra hours a year and give up some strike rights. He says he has no choice. Full story...

Geneva Motor Show debut for concept version of Subaru’s rear-drive coupe.

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Chrysler staged another high-profile new model dealer driveaway as around 150 Dodge dealers from as far away as Kentucky each drove their first 2011 redesigned Durango SUV home from the MGM Grand hotel in Detroit on Thursday. Full story...

Ford said the redesigned Focus would be launched here in the UK in March in five-door hatchback and wagon forms only. The lesser spotted sedan version available in the previous range has been dropped but will be offered in other markets including the US. Full story...