Auto News 5

EDITOR WES RAYNAL: This is a weird car. Itand#8217;s a polarizing shape for sure: Some love it and some said it was ugly. Itand#8217;s new enough in the market that it attracts some attention, but people donand#8217;t know what it is yet. Full story...

McLaren Group said Europe will provide at least half the buyers for its Ferrari-rivaling MP4-12C supercar as demand for luxury autos rebounds. Full story...

James McDonald, who served as president of General Motors Corp. under CEO Roger Smith in the 1980s, died on Sunday at the age of 87. Full story...

The European Commission is proposing to simplify European legislation for the type-approval of vehicles in the EU. Full story...

Over the last 37 years, ZF's transmission plant at Saarbrücken, in Germany, has manufactured a series of planetary automatic transmissions, for use in passenger cars. First came the 3-speed 3HP in 1973, followed by 4-speed 4HP in 1982, the 5-speed 5HP in 1990 and finally the 6-speed 6HP family in 2001. More recently, in 2006, ZF launched second generation versions of the 6HP family, which were more efficient than the first generation. Now Saarbrücken has embarked on the next phase of its life, in which the new 8-speed 8HP family will start to take over, with initial production having started in July of 2009. Full story...

Safety harmonisation measures have been proposed by the European Commission (EC) for all electric vehicles in member states. Full story...

Talk with any executive involved with hybrid- or pure-electric vehicles, and the conversation inevitably comes back to cost. Full story...

European carmakers' association ACEA has published data that shows demand for new cars in the EU declined for the second month this year in May by 9.3%. Full story...

Tata Motors sold 79,819 vehicles globally in May, 50 percent more from a year earlier. These included 19,053 vehicles sold by Jaguar Land Rover in the month, 72 percent higher from a year ago, the company said. Full story...

The just finished UK scrappage scheme should be viewed as one of the most successful ever collaborations between car manufacturers and government, according to Glass's. Full story...

A deal between Fiat and Italian unions on the future of the Pomigliano car plant can still be reached, Italy's welfare minister Maurizio Sacconi said on Tuesday. "I am and remain optimistic. Full story...

Bosch says it has extended its steering-angle sensor offering to include a new cost-effective model. Full story...

Striking workers at a parts maker supplying Honda's car plant in southern China agreed to return to work yesterday ending the latest in a series of strikes concerning wages and conditions. Full story...

General Motors chief Ed Whitacre says the giant US carmaker is now in better shape now than it's been in years although pushing ahead with an initial public offering this year may be tough. Full story...

General Motors chief Ed Whitacre says the giant US carmaker is now in better shape now than it's been in years although pushing ahead with an initial public offering this year may be tough. Full story...

Vauxhall reveals practical new family estate which gets more space and stronger efficiency than before. Full story...

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao urged better treatment of the nation's vast army of migrant laborers as employees at a Honda factory suspended the latest strike that has laid bare growing worker assertiveness. Full story...

Continental AG, Europe's second- biggest auto-parts maker, said it plans bond sales of as much as 4 billion euros ($4.9 billion) in several steps to reduce dependency on bank financing. Full story...

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao urged better treatment of the nation's vast army of migrant laborers as employees at a Honda factory suspended the latest strike that has laid bare growing worker assertiveness. Full story...

Volkswagen has long marketed German engineering and decidedly European technology--think turbodiesels--in cars. But for 2011, the Jetta sedan goes in a different direction--a more American one. Full story...