Auto News 5

A combination of flexible manufacturing plants, global vehicles and a weak US dollar could see Ford exporting US-made vehicles, chief executive Alan Mulally has said. Full story...

Suzuki Motor on Monday tripled its net profit forecast for the financial year to 31 March 2010 to JPY15bn from an earlier projected JPY5bn on cost-cutting efforts, although the new figure represents a year on year fall of 45.3%. Full story...

Ford Motor Co. posted a surprise $997 million net profit in the third quarter and boosted cash reserves while saying it will be and#8220;solidly profitableand#8221; in 2011. Ford's pre-tax operating profit of $1. Full story...

Snatched shot reveals panoramic roof. Full story...

Could the Evora be going electric? A leaked Lotus presentation has revealed that the company is attempting to sell the model’s underpinnings to other manufacturers, while presenting them as the perfect platform for an electric car.Based on the success of the Elise chassis – which Lotus sold to Vauxhall to make the VX220 and, more recently, to Tesla to form the basis of that firm’s groundbreaking electric Roadster – it’s a shrewd move by the British company.The Evora is made largely from aluminium extrusions which can be cut to length – an ideal attribute for packaging the bulky batteries in an electric car.Lotus has two proposals for an electric layout. Full story...

New-car sales in Spain, France and Italy rose sharply in October, helped by subsidies for buyers. Spanish car sales jumped 26.4%, French sales rose 20.1% and Italy sales were up 15.69%. Full story...

New-car sales in Spain, France and Italy rose sharply in October, helped by subsidies for buyers. Spanish car sales jumped 26.4%, French sales rose 20.1% and Italy sales were up 15.69%. Full story...

New-car sales in Spain and France rose sharply in October, helped by subsidies for buyers. Spanish car sales jumped 26.4 percent while French car sales rose 20.1 percent. Full story...

Faurecia has signed a deal to buy EMCON Technologies, a Troy, Michigan-based US exhaust and emissions specialist. Full story...

First official pictures show the enormous scale of Ferrari theme park in Abu Dhabi

Full story...

Tata Motors is considering allowing other car companies to assemble its low-cost Nano and sell it under their own brand, the Business Standard newspaper reported on Monday. Full story...

Renault Chief Operating Officer Patrick Pelata said the company was backing near-bankrupt Russian carmaker AvtoVAZ with financial support for a shake-up, but had refused Russian demands for a big cash injection Full story...

Volkswagen's Russian subsidiary Volkswagen Group Rus wants to be the first foreign company included in the Russian government's list of some 300 companies that are integral to the economy, RBC Daily, a Moscow-based business newspaper, reported on Monday. Full story...

Engine note ‘menus’ on way for electric models Full story...

Renault will help near-bankrupt AvtoVAZ financially as part of the Lada carmaker's shake-up, but it won't be anywhere near as much as Moscow has asked for, chief operating officer Patrick Pelata said. Full story...

Talk about a one-horse race! The latest Mustang is the runaway star of the SEMA automotive modification show in the US.Seven Ford-backed tuner versions of the 2010 model ‘pony car’ are turning heads at this week’s annual Las Vegas extravaganza, heaping extra visual and engineering muscle on to the standard coupé. Full story...

Fresh details of Land Rover’s replacement for the legendary Defender have emerged. Auto Express has learned that an all-new off-roader is set to be launched in 2013. Full story...

Peugeot sees a strong end to 2009 as drivers flock to take advantage of scrapping schemes while they still can, deputy managing director Nicolas Wertans said. He expects the overall European market to reach around 14. Full story...

Hails stylish new design direction for firm. Full story...

Shares in SAIC Motor rose nearly 3.7% on Monday, outperforming the broader market, after a Chinese newspaper said the automaker may assemble BMW's 7 series sedan locally. Full story...