Auto News 5

The all-new 2012 Passat, looking to be a big player in the highly competitive midsize segment and the first car to be built at a new Chattanooga, Tenn.

Panoramic sunroofs stretching the length and breadth of a vehicle are becoming increasingly popular on both sides of the Atlantic. These designs give the best of both worlds: saving on cost (compared to a convertible) and adding to the versatility of the car. In this interview, Matthew Beecham talked with Thomas Schütt, director of product management, roof and body, Webasto and Walter Pecho, vice president, R&D, Webasto-Edscha Cabrio, Webasto Group.

Saab plans to restart its production line in Sweden on Friday after six weeks of being idle due to cash flow problems, the company's manufacturing chief told a Swedish business daily.

Saab plans to restart its production line in Sweden on Friday after six weeks of being idle due to cash flow problems, a Swedish business daily reported on Thursday.

Concerns that Russia's accession to the World Trade Organisation will lead to suppliers shifting production to the country from the EU have been dismissed by a leading Russian politician.

Automotive News Europe will host a Webinar highlighting the need for clear, streamlined business models . Hyundai Europe's Chief Operating Officer Allan Rushforth will be among the speakers.

VW aims to win German automotive supplier Bosch as a partner in developing battery technology, the carmaker's CEO said. Awarding Stuttgart-based Bosch the contract would give VW a second battery supplier next to Japan's Sanyo.

VW aims to win German automotive supplier Bosch as a partner in developing battery technology, the carmaker's CEO said. Awarding Stuttgart-based Bosch the contract would give VW a second battery supplier next to Japan's Sanyo.

VW has lowered the base price of the revamped Passat by about $7,000, placing the mid-sized sedan in a more competitive position to challenge the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord and Ford Fusion.

Honda today announced plans for the accelerated recovery of auto production in North America, following the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in Japan, which affected the whole supply chain. Plants across the continent will gradually increase capacity until they reach 100 percent in August.

When General Motors announced yesterday it would be moving production of the next-generation Chevrolet Impala from Oshawa to Detroit, the American plant's employees immediately jumped for joy. It was a rare victory for the fading automotive capital of the world. The workers of the Ontarian assembly plant, however, are worried.

Reports indicate that General Motors is about to shake up the Chevrolet Corvette as we know it in order to attract younger buyers and pose a more serious threat to Porsches, Ferraris and Lamborghinis.

Mazda Motor Corporation has announced that cumulative production of the Mazda3 (known in Japan as the Axela) reached three million units on April 26, 2011 - making it the fastest-selling model in the brand's current lineup of passenger vehicles.

In the not-so-distant past, Hyundai and Kia were considered by many as small potatoes. But with the arrival of Peter Schreyer and the complete overhaul of most of their products, the brands are now a force to be reckoned with. In fact, TrueCar.com is predicting in its most recent forecast that Honda and Toyota will be supplanted by the Korean duo in the U.S. in May.

Time to add another not-quite-sure-what-segment-it-fits-into-but-it's-still-cool-and-I-think-I-want-one vehicle to the market. Sitting squarely on the heels of its Touring uncles and pulling on the coattails of its older siblings, the brand new 2012 BMW X1 xDrive28i is the Bavarian giant's latest entry into the compact SAV (that would be Sport Activity Vehicle) segment.

Here is the official starting line-up for the 100th anniversary of the Indianapolis 500 mile race, round 5 of the IZOD IndyCar series.

Two-time World Champion Fernando Alonso set on Thursday the best time of the two practice sessions leading to the most prestigious Formula 1 race of the season, the Grand Prix of Monaco.

In early May, we reported that Best Buy was toying with the idea of selling EVs and had initiated discussions with several companies to that effect. It now looks like that probably won't be happening.

Amongst all the action and excitement surrounding the Indianapolis 500, let's not forget that 18 aspiring drivers have entered in the Indy Lights Firestone Freedom 100 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

When Nissan decided to unleash the Rogue in 2008 (in North America, at any rate, as it had been around elsewhere for a while), it was mostly to replace the X-Trail. The X-Trail was the quintessential SUV: squarish good looks, delusions of pickup truck grandeur, slightly stiff ride.