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Peugeot has revealed initial details of the 2008, a new crossover. This rival for the Ford EcoSport and Nissan Juke will be manufactured in France, Brazil and China. Its global debut is set for the Geneva motor show in March.

Kongsberg Automotive (KA) Pune in India has been awarded a contract for cable gear shift systems for manual transmissions from an unnamed Indian commercial vehicle manufacturer.

Automotive News Europe needs your help to find the Rising Stars in the European automotive industry.

Jay Guzowski was getting more nervous by the day. As senior product planner for the redesign of the 2012 Honda Civic, Guzowski was shepherding the compact car from design freeze to market.

It has yet to be shown that star designers can be transformed into heads of big car company divisions. So when designer Peter Schreyer was named president of Kia Motors over the holidays, we wondered about the wisdom of the move.

Audi is firming up plans for its plant in San Jose Chiapa, Mexico.

Daimler said global sales at its Mercedes-Benz Cars unit rose 0.4 percent to 132,589 in December as strong U.S. demand offset weaker deliveries in China and western Europe. Through December, sales rose 4.5 percent to a record 1.42 million.

If you want a true read on the strength of General Motors in the U.S. market, wait until mid-2014. That was the message last week from GM North America President Mark Reuss as he fended off questions about GM's 17.9 percent U.S.

They rarely say so in public, but automakers are worried about California's law requiring that zero-emission vehicles account for 15 percent of sales in the state by the 2025 model year.

U.S. auto sales may not surpass 16 million units for at least two years, but with most automakers already posting healthy profits and struggling to find production capacity to meet demand, few are in a hurry to get there.

Ford Motor Co. finished 2012 with a 5 percent sales increase. But industrywide sales grew 13 percent, so Ford lagged behind many major rivals and lost market share for the second year in a row.

Cars and light trucks are shrinking and shedding weight to save fuel, but automakers aren't neglecting good looks and speed.

Lots of vehicles overachieved like crazy in what was a big, booming sales year for the industry, but many failed to live up to expectations in 2012. Winners benefited from fresh designs with fuel efficiency and appealing technology.

Dah Chong Hong Ltd., a Chinese food and textile distributorship, survived World War II by relocating to avoid military occupation.

Is the theory of Win on Sunday, sell on Monday a myth? Alain Visser says yes. Volvo's sales chief is a diehard race fan, but he's also a realist when it comes to the true return on investment provided by a motor sports sponsorship.

Audi is firming up plans for its plant in San Jose Chiapa, Mexico.

It has yet to be shown that star designers can be transformed into heads of big car company divisions. So when designer Peter Schreyer was named president of Kia Motors over the holidays, we wondered about the wisdom of the move.

The revival of car production in the UK has prompted the government to take action to rebuild the country's supplier industry.

The FIA has introduced a series of small but crucial changes to the Formula 1 rules and regulations. Let's review what's new for 2013.

From Formula1.com

DRS use
For safety reasons, in 2013 drivers are only be able to utilise the Drag Reduction System (DRS) overtaking aid within the designated DRS zones during practice and qualifying. Previously drivers had been free to deploy the system as they pleased in these sessions.

Photo: WRi2

Active double-DRS systems outlawed
In 2012 Mercedes developed a clever concept whereby air was channelled through an opening in the rear-wing endplate when DRS was activated and then fed through the car to help stall the front wing. For 2013 active drag reducing systems involving the DRS, such as this, have been banned.

Stepped noses
Teams have the option of tidying up the aesthetics of their cars in 2013 with the introduction of new regulations aimed at improving the look of ‘ugly' stepped noses first seen in 2012. A small piece of laminate - nicknamed a ‘modesty' or 'vanity' panel - may now be used to smooth the nose section.

Crash testing
To make F1 cars ever safer, tougher new tests on roll structures and the survival cell have been introduced for 2013. Furthermore, every chassis that a team produces, as opposed to just one, will now be subject to a static load test of the survival cell.

Curfews
The team personnel curfew - which prevents team members from being in the paddock during specified periods - has been extended from six to eight hours on Thursday nights for 2013. The number of exceptions allowed during a season has also been reduced from four to two.

Front wing tests
For 2013 front wing deflection tests will be more stringent to lessen the possibility of flexible bodywork being used to enhance aerodynamic performance.

Photo: WRi2

Minimum weight
The minimum weight of the car and driver has been increased from 640kg to 642kg to compensate for the slightly increased weight of Pirelli's 2013 tires. The mandatory weight distribution has also been adjusted accordingly.

Force majeure
The ‘force majeure' allowance relating to when a car stops on the track during qualifying has been deleted from the regulations. For 2013 any car that stops on the track must have enough fuel for the mandatory one-litre minimum sample plus an additional amount proportional to the amount of fuel that would have been used in returning to the pits (determined by the FIA).

Qualifying
Not an actual regulation change, but as the official 2013 entry list comprises 22 cars - two fewer than in 2012 - six cars rather than seven will now be eliminated at the end of both Q1 and Q2.

Championship entry fees
Championship entry fees have been revised. Red Bull, as constructors' champions, were required to pay US$500,000 plus US$6000 for each point gained in the 2012 World Constructors' Championship to enter the 2013 championship. Every other team was required to pay a basic fee of US$500,000 plus US$5000 for each point scored in 2012.

The traditional curtain raiser for the NASCAR Sprint Cup season has been renamed “The Sprint Unlimited” after decades of beer sponsorship. Now Budweiser Speedweeks encompasses the entire NASCAR opening round.

As announced earlier in the year, the format for selecting the field of drivers in the invitation-only event will return to its roots for 2013. The eligible field of drivers will consist of pole winners from the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season and past winners of The Sprint Unlimited who have attempted to qualify for at least one race during the 2012 season.

Details of the event scheduled for February 16th at 8PM EST have not yet been released. This will be the first race for the Gen-6 Cup cars.

“Now more than ever, through our growing partnership with Sprint, The Sprint Unlimited will be the fans' race,” said Daytona International Speedway President Joie Chitwood III. “Sprint has been a great partner with Daytona and NASCAR, and they continue to raise the bar by engaging race fans in new and innovative ways.  We look forward to hearing about additional unique elements for this race in the coming weeks."

Photo: NASCAR

The eligible field for The Sprint Unlimited is currently at 22 drivers and features a who's who of NASCAR stars.

2012 Pole Winners:
Greg Biffle
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Carl Edwards
Denny Hamlin
Kasey Kahne
Mark Martin
Jeff Gordon
Martin Truex Jr.
Tony Stewart
AJ Allmendinger
Aric Almirola
Joey Logano
Marcos Ambrose
Jimmie Johnson
Matt Kenseth
Kyle Busch
Juan Pablo Montoya

Past champions of The Sprint Unlimited:
Kurt Busch
Kevin Harvick
Bill Elliott
Terry Labonte
Ken Schrader