Auto News 5

Thousands of German buyers have used a government rebate intended to prop up the ailing local auto industry to buy new vehicles in Poland instead, revving up its eastern neighbour's car sales. Full story...

Russia's state-controlled bank VTB has extended a 4 billion rouble ($117.5 million) loan to carmaker AvtoVAZ, which has sought state aid amid a drastic slump in sales, the bank said on Thursday. Full story...

First-quarter sales at French supplier Plastic Omnium were down 30 percent when compared with the same period last year. Sales to automakers, which comprise about 80 percent of Plastic Omnium's total turnover, dropped by 32. Full story...

The US government is getting ready for a Chrysler Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing, US media reported last night. Full story...

The US government is getting ready for a Chrysler Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing, US media reported last night. Full story...

U.K. car production in March fell 51.3 percent from a year ago as falling demand forced manufacturers to cut output sharply, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders said on Friday. The number of cars produced in March was 61,829. Full story...

Engineers who developed the 2010 Porsche 911 GT3 call it “the best of all worlds” in the current 911 lineup: an unsurpassed mix of race, track-grade performance and acceptable street comfort. Full story...

Engineers who developed the 2010 Porsche 911 GT3 call it “the best of all worlds” in the current 911 lineup: an unsurpassed mix of race, track-grade performance and acceptable street comfort. Full story...

Magna International would be welcome as an investor in General Motors' Opel unit, a senior labor leader who sits on Opel's supervisory board told German television, reiterating that Opel labor opposed the idea of letting Fiat take control. Full story...

Valeo posted a first-quarter operating loss and a 33.4 percent drop in sales, and pledged to step up its cost-cutting plans in the face of the global automotive industry crisis. Full story...

After more than 20 years of relying on Honda Financial Services as a way to provide vehicle financing to its luxury-car buyers, Acura Division finally has its own captive finance arm. Full story...

Honda Motor Co. expects to see some recovery in U.S. auto sales by summer and expects its own inventory levels to normalize by June, the company's CEO said on Thursday. Full story...

The head of the Canadian Auto Workers union said he expects to have a cost-savings agreement completed with Chrysler LLC today. Full story...

The head of the Canadian Auto Workers union said on Thursday he expects to have a cost savings agreement completed with Chrysler by Friday morning. Full story...

Campagna Motors announced today that it is partnering with OptaMotive to compete in the Progressive Insurance Automotive X Prize. With a prize purse of over $10 million, this competitive American race is designed to inspire the development of super fuel-efficient vehicles. The partnership's objective is to build a commercially viable and appealing vehicle capable of getting the equivalent of 2.35 litres per 100 km or less (100 miles per gallon or more) while maintaining the performance of a race car! Full story...

Munich. A child suddenly runs out into the road from between two parked cars - it's every driver's nightmare scenario. BMW Group Research and Technology, in collaboration with leading research institutes in Germany, has now developed a system that can take the heat out of such situations thanks to so-called Car-2-X Communication. Full story...

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. - Grand Sport. It's one of the most storied monikers in Corvette's illustrious racing heritage and it is returning the lineup. Chevrolet announced the new, 2010 Corvette Grand Sport at the 12th annunal C5/C6 Corvette Birthday Bash, held at the National Corvette Museum, in Bowling Green, Ky. Full story...

Nissan Canada today announced pricing on the all-new 2009 Nissan cube, on sale across Canada for the first time this spring. With an MSRP of $16,998, the base model comes well equipped with standard air conditioning, privacy glass, full power features, vehicle dynamic control system (VDC), anti-lock braking system (ABS), cruise control and remote keyless entry. Full story...

It looks like the various education campaigns and increased police surveillance on the road are helping the province of Quebec post far better road safety stats over the first months of 2009. Full story...

Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. (FHI), the maker of Subaru automobiles, today announced the successful development of a prototype of its Subaru Plug-in Stella electric vehicle (EV), which will be introduced this summer in Japan. FHI will provide the Ministry of the Environment, Japan with fifteen units of the Plug-in Stella prototype for verification test which will be conducted by five prefectural and city governments. Full story...