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Mazda Motor Corp. hopes that quick midcycle makeovers and the addition of a compact crossover will lift the marque's brand loyalty rating closer to the industry average.

Jaguar Land Rover's partnership with Meridian is part of an intensifying competition among luxury carmakers to use high-end audio brands to enhance their vehicles' appeal. In December, Ford Motor Co.'

Some dealers say the pressures -- threats, even -- to the franchise system have never been greater. And some worry that those pressures could damage the dealer model beyond repair.

Mini USA expects a record year fueled by the redesigned Cooper hardtop and the new four-door hatch, said David Duncan, vice president of Mini of the Americas.

Alfa Romeo will resemble BMW in products and pricing when it offers a full lineup through 2018, executives at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles suggested last week during the Detroit auto show.

After struggling for years, Toyota's youth-oriented Scion brand aims to get back on a fast growth track by adding products that are more pragmatic and by gearing its advertising to a slightly older crowd.

In an hourlong discussion at the Automotive News World Congress, Tesla's Elon Musk offered several pearls of Elonthink and a few prized revelations about his personal life.

Tougher specs, more rugged designs and ample new trim levels -- all wrapped in copious red-white-and-blue marketing.

A showdown between Ford's GT and the Acura NSX supercars quickly became the talk of the Detroit auto show, after Ford's surprise entry managed to upstage the much-anticipated Acura.

Steve Cannon, CEO of Mercedes-Benz USA, says only about 40 percent of its 1,053 employees are likely to move when the U.S. headquarters moves from New Jersey to Atlanta. Mercedes has made offers to the employees it wants to keep.

Hyundai billed the Santa Cruz as a concept, but U.S. chief Dave Zuchowski can hardly hide his desire to lure "urban adventurers" with a funky compact truck.

Two dealerships in Grand Junction, Colo., hope a customer-appreciation promotion will generate nearly $200,000 worth of business for locally owned shops and restaurants in their hometown -- and sell some new cars in the process.

Staff Reporter Ryan Beene was on the floor at the 2015 Detroit auto show, judging the cafeteria cachet of the most talked-about vehicles.

Cadillac President Johan de Nysschen has had about five months since taking over the brand to assess the gaps in his vehicle lineup. He has found a lot of them.

Nissan's volume-leading Altima sedan is to get substantial midcycle changes for the 2016 model year. The company will not tip its hand on the details, but Nissan's North American product planner describes the planned freshening as "significant."

Buick's U.S. lineup -- threadbare five years ago -- has emerged as a place where General Motors can gamble on different body styles and explore market niches that its rivals either haven't yet discovered or don't care to.

With COO Mike Maroone's pending departure, AutoNation Inc. must complete its digital transformation without one of the plan's key architects.

From GMM

Fernando Alonso shelved his plans for a professional cycling team amid the turmoil of his switch from Ferrari to McLaren.

That is the claim of Paolo Bettini, a former cyclist who left his job as head coach of Italy's national team in order to help Alonso set up a team for cycling's top World Tour.

But during the course of last year, it became clear Alonso's plans were fading and eventually the Spaniard met with Bettini to apologise.

"We sat down in December," Bettini told the Italian sports daily La Gazzetta dello Sport. "It was a frank meeting, we looked each other in the eye and he apologised."

That is because Bettini, currently without a job, gambled everything on Alonso's dream, which for now has been put on the shelf.

"If he needs help again and calls me then we can see if I'm still free and if we can find the right agreement. Would I be wary? Inevitably, yes," he admitted.

Fernando Alonso, Ferrari. (Photo: WRi2)

Paolo Bettini said the main problem for Alonso's cycling plans was the timing, as turmoil began to build at Ferrari last year and his negotiations for a return to McLaren intensified.

"It all started in the wrong year for Fernando," he explained.

"His job is a formula one driver, so then the changes in Ferrari that everyone is now aware of began and he began to try to change teams.

"It was a crucial year for his career and he had to focus on that," Bettini said. "There was no room for another challenging project, fascinating as it was."

He said he has no intention of suing Alonso, even though his two-year contract to be the new cycling team's director was technically breached.

"There is no legal aftermath," said Bettini. "We are on stand-by. Fernando sees this team for the future.

"I know that may not seem credible, because there was also the attempt to buy Euskaltel, but we have talked so many times and I assure you that he is competent and passionate.

"He is also proud and does not want the story to end this way."

Hopes that Marussia could return to the Formula 1 grid in 2015 have been revitalized after the planned auction of the team's remaining properties was unexpectedly cancelled.

Sky Sports F1's sources have discovered that Marussia (Manor) is in serious discussions with a new group of investors about a takeover.

It is understood that it is a different group that the one that wanted to take control of the team prior to last year's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Sky Sports F1 says that talks continue with an (very) interested party.

“Marussia currently have debts of £60m (US $91m), but if they do continue in existence they are in line for £30 million (US $45m)  of prize money based on their performance last season."

Several Marussia race cars and race-day pit equipment were supposed to be auctioned this week, but the sale was suddenly cancelled without explanations.

Despite the tough times and difficulties, former Marussia F1 Team boss Graeme Lowdon is refusing to give up hope of the team returning for the new season after the FIA provisionally included Manor F1 on the 2015 entry list.

From GMM

Volvo has set its sights on a global open-wheel championship -- and it isn't F1.

The Swedish carmaker already races in Scandinavian touring cars and Australian V8 supercars, although chief Alain Visser recently hinted that Volvo is rethinking its commitment to motor sport.

"Look at Land Rover and Jaguar," he told the Swedish edition of Auto Motor und Sport. "Full premium brands that do not race. I still do not see that racing suits our DNA, as Volvo should convey safety and low consumption."

However, the direction in recent times of top racing series like formula one and Le Mans is very much towards safety and low fuel consumption.

"Yes," Visser acknowledged, "but that's completely different money. I would say that Le Mans is the absolutely dumbest racing class you could be in. It costs 20 million euros for one car and you get press coverage for 24 hours!"

Photo: FIA Formula E

As for the FIA's new all-electric single seater category Formula E, however, Visser admitted Volvo is interested.

"We have looked at this," he said. "There is no decision, but it's definitely something we are thinking about.

"The audience figures and press coverage is still quite limited but this is a motor racing concept that I absolutely believe can grow.

"We follow the series very carefully and have done some deep analysis but are yet to take a decision. When you have a limited budget to spend, one must consider carefully where you invest that money.

"In comparison to other motor sports, Formula E is much better value for money," added Alain Visser.