Auto News 5

Toyota Motor Corp said on Thursday its group-wide sales fell 27 percent to 1.767 million vehicles in the first quarter of 2009, keeping it ahead of Volkswagen group as the world's top-selling carmaker. Full story...

Amid the worst sales slump in 30 years and cascading financial problems, General Motors announced today that it will cut 190,000 vehicles from its production schedule for the second and third quarters. Full story...

Amid the worst sales slump in 30 years and cascading financial problems, General Motors announced today that it will cut 190,000 vehicles from its production schedule for the second and third quarters. Full story...

The U.S. Treasury has raised its offer to Chrysler lenders with just over a week remaining for the embattled automaker to reach deals to cut its debt and labor costs while reaching reach an alliance with Italy's Fiat SpA, sources said Wednesday. Full story...

General Motors will shut down its plant in Hamtramck, Mich., for six weeks this summer, a plant source confirmed today. Full story...

Like several other automakers, Porsche will be a no-show at the Tokyo Motor Show this fall. Full story...

The U.S. Treasury has raised its offer to Chrysler lenders with just over a week remaining for the embattled automaker to reach deals to cut its debt and labor costs while reaching reach an alliance with Italy's Fiat SpA, sources said Wednesday. Full story...

General Motors, battling a 49 percent decline in U.S. sales through March, plans extended shutdowns at most of its U.S. plants this summer, news reports said. Full story...

Political allies of the U.S. auto industry expressed serious concern on Wednesday to senior White House officials about possible carmaker bankruptcies, with Chrysler LLC facing an April 30 deadline to cement an alliance to avert probable insolvency. Full story...

This year Mercedes-Benz is celebrating the one hundredth birthday of the Mercedes three-pointed star and the Benz emblem with a particularly exclusive edition of the CL Coupé. This anniversary model shines with an extensive package of appointments and exquisite details. Full story...

This morning London's commuters were reeling from a 'rude' wake-up call, as 308 naked figures joined in the morning rush hour, with only scarves to cover up their modesty. Well, almost... On first inspection, much of London's commuters could have been excused for thinking a public exposure offence could have been in order but for the extremely minute, yet hugely important detail - their fellow commuters were wearing specially made bodysuits which gave the impression the commuters were naked. Full story...

Aston Martin has announced yesterday that the first public display of the complete One-77 concept will be held at the world renowned Concorso d'Eleganza event in the grounds of the Grand Hotel Villa d'Este on the shores of Lake Como, Italy on 24-26 April 2009. Full story...

General Motors Corporation announced today that, in order to Align Output with Market Demand, it is scheduling multiple down weeks at 13 assembly operations in the United States and Mexico. Under this plan, approximately 190,000 vehicles will be removed from GM's North American production schedule in the second and early third quarter of this year. Full story...

NASCAR announced Thursday that Las Vegas formally becomes the "Official Host City of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion's Week". Full story...

Brazilian driver Nelson Piquet has three more grands prix to convince Renault boss Flavio Briatore that he deserves to stay in formula one. Full story...

On Thursday new doubt fell on Donington's ability to host the British grand prix beginning in 2010. Full story...

Audi announced today in Ingolstadt, Germany, the launch of an ultra efficient compact luxury sedan : the A4 2.0 TDI e. It will be available at European dealerships starting in early June. Equipped with a 6-speed manual transmission, this sedan uses 4.6 liters of diesel per 100 kilometers (51.13 miles per U.S. gallon says the manufacturer). Full story...

It no longer looks like an overturned bathtub, and with the 'S' badge now available fixed to the Audi TT, no one's going to be dissing its numbers, either.The new TTS has both its looks and performance cemented in place. It's cheaper than a Cayman, more useful than an SLK, and even more urgent and energetic that its similarly-priced cousin, the S5. Full story...

Former Grand Prix winner Gerhard Berger is adamant that Spaniard Fernando Alonso will head to Ferrari at the end of 2009. Full story...

Ford Motor Company's (NYSE:F) MyKey(TM) teen-safety driving technology topped the American Automobile Association's (AAA) top technology picks for new vehicles and earned the 2009 Traffic Safety Achievement Award from a panel of judges at the New York International Auto Show's World Traffic Safety Symposium. Full story...