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Volkswagen may build more factories in western China after announcing plans to set up a new plant in Xinjiang province, the company's sales chief, Christian Klingler, said ahead of the Beijing show.

A survey of automotive dealerships in China conducted by JD Power has found that dealers are reporting lower profits due to the 'changing economic and regulatory environment, coupled with more products and dealerships'.

Between 2004 and 2010 Tata Motors-owned Jaguar and Land Rover sold 39,000 cars in China, last year it sold 42,000 and the numbers will continue to rise.

New vehicle sales in Thailand rose by 21.5% year-on-year in March to a new record high of 110,928 units, according to data released by the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI).

DRB-Hicom, owner of Lotus parent Proton, has issued a statement to say that it has not decided to sell Lotus.

Ford is considering introducing more models in the value segment to target consumers in China's smaller and less developed cities.

Ford is examining 'very closely' whether to form an indigenous brand in China, Joe Hinrichs, president of Ford's Asia Pacific and Africa region, said at the auto show in Beijing today.

I thought that I had a rough trip from my hotel to the opening of the Beijing auto show. Then I learned I got to the show with fewer delays than Fiat-Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne's police-escorted motorcade.

Dean Evans admits to taking a few potshots over the years at automakers' chief marketing officers. Now Evans is a chief marketer himself; he took over at Subaru of America in September.

For more than a decade, the Ford Escape has chugged along with a conservative, boxy design firmly rooted in SUV tradition. For 2013, the Escape has undergone a radical transformation, trading its squarish look for a sleek, curvy, carlike design.

Although fears of a nylon resin shortage appeared to ease last week, the flurry over nylon 12 exposed a lingering auto industry problem: In the lower tiers of the supply chain, a fire, flood or natural disaster that chokes off supply of an obscure...

Southern states have had tremendous success by drawing into broad teams to attract auto plants.

The market for hybrids, plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles is perking up, just when many were ready to write it off. In the first three months of 2012, U.S.

The shortage of trained service technicians plagues many U.S. dealerships. But for those in rural areas it's an even greater challenge, say dealers and industry leaders.

When introducing new vehicles to the media, carmakers fall all over themselves trying to choose a location that will wow journalists. But Ford outdid itself last week in launching the 2013 Escape.

Massive computing power and advanced graphics have revolutionized video games. Now they're doing the same to the auto industry. Engineers and designers are using computers to create and test new parts and vehicle technology at astonishing speeds.

After leaving the entry-luxury fray when it killed the RSX hatchback in 2006, Acura has returned with the 2013 ILX sedan. Like the RSX -- and the Integra that preceded it -- the ILX shares its bones with the Honda Civic.

From GMM

The calamitous Bahrain grand prix saga has not jeopardised the island Kingdom's future on the F1 calendar.

That is the strident claim of Bernie Ecclestone, after the F1 chief executive and FIA president Jean Todt displayed rare unity as they insisted the country's civil and political problems would not affect the grand prix.

But amid the bubbling Bahrain saga, Ecclestone had suggested that Bahrain might face trouble when it comes to negotiating a new contract, with the existing agreement only set to extend for three more years.

Start of the 2012 Bahrain grand prix. (Photo: Pirelli)

However, when asked by Reuters if F1 is going to keep returning to Bahrain despite this year's troubles, Ecclestone insisted on Sunday before leaving the Persian Gulf: "Absolutely. Forever. No problem."

Like Todt, he even played down the damage done to F1's reputation this weekend.

"I think it's good because people talk about things, you know. You know what they say -- there is no such thing as bad publicity," said Ecclestone.

In truth, reputation damage has undoubtedly been done. But Roger Benoit, the veteran correspondent for the Swiss newspaper Blick, admitted he is dismayed with how politics interfered with sport so strikingly this weekend.

"On all continents, somewhere, all hell is breaking loose. And as a formula one reporter, you're flying around this globe two or three times a year," he wrote.

"We go to countries that are politically explosive. Where human rights are violated, where poverty reigns. But we hardly talk about it -- not in China, India, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore or Brazil. In 2014, we're going to Russia. Years ago, our circus happily danced around in apartheid South Africa, and the military dictatorship of Argentina. Formula one is pure entertainment. Detached from the problems of the world. But here, in Bahrain, every reporter entered the political field, whether he liked to or not," wrote Benoit.


So that is why Ecclestone is unapologetic, after championing the Bahrain grand prix.

"Because, basically, the problems they have in Bahrain have nothing to do with F1," the 81-year-old told El Pais newspaper. "The relevant agencies gave the nod as far as security was concerned, and I think it is clear that they were not wrong."

He also sees no problem with F1 being used as a political tool.

"Governments want to have an F1 race for the same reason as they want the Olympics. We come to agreements with the promoters and, if that's good for the country, fine," said Ecclestone.

Thirty-one-year ago, the Ferrari 126C Formula 1 car contested a drag race against an Italian jet fighter. Here is a short video of the event.

It happened on November 22, 1981 at the Istrana military airport in Italy.

The Ferrari driven by Gilles Villeneuve was the 126C model, powered by the 580-horsepower, 1.5-litre, turbocharged V-6 engine.

The jet was a Italian Air Force F104 Starfighter. The drag race took place on one of the runways of the airport, covering a total distance of one kilometre from standstill.

After a first run, Villeneuve asked the Ferrari mechanics to remove the rear wing (that generates massive drag) in order to reach a better top speed.

The race ended with a clear victory of the Ferrari F1 car due to the fog that forced the jet fighter to take off with some extra weight and a bit more flap angle than normally needed.

Lamborghini brings the Urus SUV concept to the 2012 Beijing Motor Show, complete with 600 horses and seating for four, while offering the lowest emissions of any insanely powered luxury SUV. Powertrain details remain vague, but Lambo promises it will be the most powerful SUV on the road when it enters production, rumoured to happen for 2015.

Photo: Lamborghini

The Urus concept features variable ground clearance and permanent all-wheel drive along with versatile luggage space. The interior features Forged Composite, a carbon fibre-reinforced plastic developed in partnership with golf titan Callaway.

Lambo says they'd be looking at about 3,000 units annually with a focus on the US, UK, Germany, Russia, the Middle East and China.

The urus, or auroch, was a large, wild cattle whose last surviving example died in the 17th century. The name choice continues Lambo's penchant for all things bullish.