Auto News 5

Ford is to offer Focus customers mobile WiFi internet connectivity when it launches its second-generation Ford SYNC system with MyFord Touch technology in Europe next year.

Renault will play a more important role in the management of its Dacia unit's designs as the company seeks to further differentiate the brand and to continue capitalizing on the low-cost division's sales success.

Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne won concessions from workers in exchange for a 500 million-euro ($739 million) investment to build Maserati models at a former Bertone plant in Grugliasco, Italy.

BMW's namesake brand outsold Mercedes in April to be the month's top-selling luxury brand in the U.S. and to take the lead for the year by just 29 vehicles.

Saab plans a global public relations blitz to introduce its new Chinese partner and its likely new investor, Vladimir Antonov from Russia. The plan will include Saab Chairman Victor Muller and will target major media and auto shows.

BMW's namesake brand outsold Mercedes in April to be the month's top-selling luxury brand in the U.S. and to take the lead for the year by just 29 vehicles.

BMW will not offer its compact X1 crossover in the United States until the end of 2012 because of strong demand for the redesigned version of the larger X3. Also, the X1 is selling well outside the United States so supplies are tight.

Great Wall Motor plans to build four more plants outside China by 2015 to assemble vehicles from kits, CEO Wang Fengying said.

Is the Citroen DS, built between between 1955 and 1975, the most legendary car of the past 13 decades? The car is among many classics nominated in the "Legends on Wheels" awards by Automotive News Europe and MSX International.

Beijing Hainachuan Automotive Parts Co., a Chinese parts conglomerate, has agreed to buy Inalfa Roof Systems Group BV for an undisclosed price. Inalfa, of Amsterdam, is one of the world's leading sunroof producers.

Renault CEO Carlos Ghosn emerged largely unscathed from the company's annual shareholders meeting after portraying himself as the victim of the the spy-claim fiasco that has rocked the French carmaker.

Mazda Europe has named Christian Blank to head up its European fleet operations. A veteran Mazda executive, Blank has been instrumental in shaping Mazda's long-term strategy in Europe.

Doug Speck, Volvo's top U.S. executive, has been named acting senior vice president for marketing, sales and customer service at Volvo Car Corp. in Gothenburg, Sweden, effective June 1.

Former Ford executive Tony Lewis has joined Infiniti as regional sales director for northen Europe. He will assume responsibility for driving sales of the Infiniti line-up in several key European markets.

Valeo shareholder Pardus Capital Management has called on the French car parts maker to overhaul its strategy again to boost its valuation, warning it to be cautious on acquisitions for now.

Saab Automobile AB plans a global public relations blitz to introduce its new Chinese partners and its likely new investor, Valdimir Antonov from Russia. The plan will include Saab Chairman Victor Muller and will target major media and auto shows.

Mr. Jean-Luc Desjardins, owner of the Desjardins Ford Ste-Foy dealership, today inaugurated the new point of sale located at 3330, avenue Watt, in the Ste-Foy area of Quebec City. The purchase and renovation of the 25,000-ft2 building, which began in September 2010, required an investment of $5.5 million and has created 50 jobs. Many guests and dignitaries were present for the occasion, including Mr. David Mondragon, President of Ford Canada.

Every part of an automobile serves a purpose. Engineers and designers aren't sitting around for months -- years even -- at a time discussing the ins and outs of a vehicular design if those ins and outs are only going to be a useless accessory in the end. Of course, some bits and pieces are more important than others; take the steering wheel versus the trunk cover on an SUV, for example. However, as a whole, the pieces that make up a car are all largely important to the vehicle and integral to driving it.

The new McLaren MP4-12C GT3 will make its race debut on May 22nd at Navarra in the second round of the Blancpain Endurance Series.

When satellite radio started to appear in our cars, two big players, Sirius and XM, fought to corner their share of the new market, then later decided to join forces. This induced several changes that made navigation and searching for channels pretty complicated. Hair Nation, for instance, was accessible on Sirius 23 or XM 44.