Auto News 5

Johnson Controls is looking to buy more companies that specialize in components used in premium-seat making. The company wants to strengthen its supply chain and generate business for luxury cars from automakers such as Mercedes and BMW. Full story...

Skoda said it will post record sales this year, fueled by sales growth in Russia, China and India as well as further expansion in eastern Europe. Sales in the first 11 months rose 12.3 percent to 702,400 vehicles, the company said. Full story...

Shares of Volkswagen, PSA and Continental dropped after an automobile industry association said Chinese incentives for buying cars will likely expire at the end of the month. Full story…

PSA will offer its Citroen C-Zero to business customers through a car-sharing service. PSA expects fleet customers will represent a large part of its EV business in Europe. Full story...

There is a practical limit to braking performance, set by the ability of the tyre contact patches to transmit the forces involved without sliding. However, advances in tyre design, soon to be complemented by the ability of electronically controlled braking systems to distribute effort according to wheel load, mean that limit is now potentially very high, at least on dry road surfaces. This is throwing the onus very much back on the braking system developers. In this interview, Matthew Beecham talked with Vince Austin, director, global braking systems for TRW, about foundation braking systems. Full story...

Tata Motors will offer a four-year manufacturer's warranty on its Nano cars following concerns over the car's safety after several caught fire. Sales of the Nano, launched by Tata as the world's cheapest car, dropped to 509 in November. Full story...

Temporary workers at Hyundai Motor Co. today agreed to end a one-month sit-in that disrupted production of subcompact cars such as the Verna and the new Accent. Since Nov. Full story...

A federal judge in California tentatively rejected Toyota's bid to dismiss lawsuits claiming deaths and personal injuries caused by unintended sudden acceleration of its vehicles. Full story...

Ford will unveil a concept for a small minivan that will replace the Fusion at the 2011 Geneva auto show. Likely called the B-Max, the model will challenge the Opel Meriva, Europe's top-selling small minivan. Full story...

Toyota Motor Corp. will have to face lawsuits claiming deaths and personal injuries caused by unintended acceleration of its vehicles if a tentative ruling by a federal judge in California becomes final. Full story...

Ford will unveil a concept for a small minivan that will replace the Fusion at the 2011 Geneva auto show. Likely called the B-Max, the model will challenge the Opel Meriva, Europe's top-selling small minivan. Full story...

The Aston Martin One-77 supercar, the most exclusive model in the brand's upcoming lineup, has already sold 60 of 77 units to be produced... before the assembly line even started rolling. Full story...

If you've got enough money to buy expensive things, but not enough to get your own Bugatti Veyron, ORIGINTIMES has the perfect solution for you: the BIG BLOCK WINDER. Full story...

It seems BMW is offering Christmas gifts early this year, giving bright-eyed fans of the German manufacturer a special treat: images of the production version of the new 1-Series M! Full story...

Lac-Saint-Joseph, Quebec - The Subaru Forester is a vehicle for serious drivers. I'm thinking of people who are looking for a compact SUV - are real one. Not some exotically shaped machine (like the ZDX), one with visions of versatility that barely manages to accommodate your groceries. Full story...

Mark Webber has played down this week's news that he contested the last four races of 2010 with a fractured shoulder. Full story...

A gaffe by McLaren's communications department late on Wednesday left the British team with red faces and some members of the media venting their anger. Full story...

General Motors Corp.'s unwanted businesses in bankruptcy won approval of liquidation terms from a judge who overruled objections by Onondaga County, New York, over environmental contamination. Full story...

A federal judge in California tentatively rejected Toyota Motor Corp.'s bid to dismiss lawsuits claiming deaths and personal injuries caused by unintended sudden acceleration of its vehicles. Full story...

General Motors Co. has joined 10 companies, government agencies and universities to build hydrogen fueling infrastructure in Hawaii by 2015. Full story...