Auto News 5

SENIOR WEST COAST EDITOR MARK VAUGHN: First off, I like the looks of the 2011 Chevrolet Volt.

Volkswagen has begun production of the new Golf cabriolet at a former Karmann plant in Osnabrueck, Germany.

Global powertrain supplier BorgWarner on Friday said it would donate US$100,000 to the Red Cross toward disaster relief for the survivors of the recent earthquake and tsunami disasters in Japan. The company also would match all donations from its employees around the world.

Daimler is providing EUR2m as immediate aid for the victims of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

BMW's Mini has completed the field trials of its electric model with 40 cars being handed back to the brand's UK plant having been on the road since December 2009.

General Motors Co. Treasurer Dan Ammann, who takes over as chief financial officer on April 1, said the company is considering ways to expand into offering dealers loans for purchases of new inventory.

Reuters reported that Japanese engineers conceded on Friday that burying a crippled nuclear plant in sand and concrete may be a last resort to prevent a catastrophic radiation release, the method used to seal huge leakages from Chernobyl in 1986. Meanwhile, Mazda said it would restart "temporary production" on Monday and we've analysed why the yen went up.

Reuters reported that Japanese engineers conceded on Friday that burying a crippled nuclear plant in sand and concrete may be a last resort to prevent a catastrophic radiation release, the method used to seal huge leakages from Chernobyl in 1986. Meanwhile, Mazda said it would restart "temporary production" on Monday and we've analysed why the yen went up.

Reuters reported that Japanese engineers conceded on Friday that burying a crippled nuclear plant in sand and concrete may be a last resort to prevent a catastrophic radiation release, the method used to seal huge leakages from Chernobyl in 1986. Meanwhile, Mazda said it would restart "temporary production" on Monday and we've analysed why the yen went up.

In this interview, Matthew Beecham talked with Jonathan Shine, vice president of business development and co-founder of Evida. Evida Power Inc designs and manufactures energy solutions for the Electric Vehicle (EV) market, with operations in the US, Europe, Israel and China.

Largest shareholder in Renault, the French government, is insisting the automaker continues to pour its efforts into its electric vehicle programme to safeguard domestic employment.

Mazda Motor Corporation said on Friday (18 March) it would resume "temporary production" at its Hiroshima and Hofu plants from 22 March, "producing replacement parts, parts for overseas production and vehicles utilising 'in-process' inventories".

Ferrari said the first year of production of its new FF flagship model is sold out. Ferrari's first 4wd car replaces the company's 612 Scaglietti flagship.

Honda Motor Co. said today it will extend its earthquake-spurred production halt in Japan by three days, through Wednesday, while Mazda Motor Corp. said it will reopen plants on Tuesday.

Honda Motor Co. said today it will extend its earthquake-spurred production halt in Japan by three days, through Wednesday, while Mazda Motor Corp. and Suzuki Motor Corp. said they will reopen plants on Tuesday.

Renault signed an agreement to provide electric cars to Georgia starting next year, the former Soviet republic's economic development ministry said.

Senior French government ministers have demanded to know what caused the "dysfunction" at the heart of the Renault spy scandal.

France had a record 204,400 new car registrations in February, the highest since UK based analysts JATO's records began in 1980. Volkswagen's Golf remains Europe's best-selling car whilst Renault Clio takes second place.

After the devastation wrought by what is now officially known as the 'Great Tohoku Kanto Earthquake', Japan's currency rose in value. It's the last thing Japan's under-pressure economy needs - the high yen has been a serious bugbear for Japanese multi-nationals for some time. It seems a little counter-intuitive for the currency to be rising in value at this time, given the hit the Japanese economy will be taking. Share prices on the Tokyo Stock Exchange duly tumbled, so what's going on with the currency, asks Dave Leggett.

Daimler rejected suggestions that it may still create a truck alliance with Fiat Industrial, after a German magazine reported that Fiat's controlling family Agnelli, is prepared to reduce its 30 percent stake in the unit, in connection with a deal.