Auto News 5

German Economy Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg said on Saturday he was talking to potential investors in General Motors' Opel unit, rejecting a media report saying there were no serious bidders yet. Full story...

The big German automakers may not show up in October for the Tokyo motor show. Full story...

The German government is not aiming to take a stake in troubled carmaker Opel, but may give the General Motors' unit aid to help it survive, Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Sunday. Full story...

Kroymans Corp., General Motors' European distributor for Cadillac cars, has won court approval to suspend debt payments for four of its business units. Full story...

Labor leaders at troubled German carmaker Opel would oppose a takeover by an investor who was only interested in getting its hands on the company's technical expertise, works council boss Klaus Franz said. Full story...

Valeo said today CEO Thierry Morin was stepping down in a disagreement over strategy. The French supplier named ex-Saint-Gobain deputy CEO Jacques Aschenbroich as his replacement. Full story...

Valeo said today CEO Thierry Morin was stepping down in a disagreement over strategy. The French supplier named ex-Saint-Gobain deputy CEO Jacques Aschenbroich as his replacement. Full story...

This small Buick sedan, based on General Motors' re-engineered front-drive Delta architecture, is heading for China -- and might appear on U.S. roads in 2011. Full story...

Since its improbable beginnings in America selling motorcycles 50 years ago, and cars 40 years ago, Honda has thrived by doing the unexpected, time after time. Take Honda's first U.S. car, the N600. Full story...

After admittedly losing its way for years, Mercedes-Benz says it has a new determination to make the customer king in dealerships. Full story...

Denny Hecker's associates describe him as brilliant, reckless and "larger than life," with a knack for making powerful friends who have pulled him out of many crises. But there may be no way for Hecker to wriggle out of the tight spot he's in now. Full story...

The federal government has joined automakers in a frantic scramble to keep suppliers alive. Full story...

A new U.S. stimulus program is loosening credit for car buyers. Last week the finance arms of Ford Motor Co. and Nissan North America sold $4.25 billion in bonds to fund consumer auto loans. Full story...

For more almost two decades, Ken Zangara was a good soldier for Chrysler. For many years he was the largest Dodge dealer in New Mexico, and he served a term as chairman of the Dodge National Dealer Council. Full story...

Here are profiles of six of the 25 finalists in the 2009 Automotive News PACE Awards. Full story...

The future of Jeep in a 40-mpg world may lie in a pint-sized off-road vehicle already plying the back roads of Europe. The vehicle is called the Fiat Panda Cross and is available only in a 1.3-liter diesel version that gets nearly 40 mpg. Full story...

In a dismal year when industry sales slumped 18 percent, only a few dealership groups managed to boost revenues. According to Automotive News' annual survey of the nation's top 125 dealership groups, just 16 increased overall revenue in 2008. Full story...

The AMA Supercross series visited St Louis (MO) on Saturday as its two dominant riders, the steady Chad Reed (Suzuki) and main rival and quickest rider in the series James Stewart (Yamaha) lined up to do battle. Reed led the season championship from Stewart by only 6 points, after finishing first or second in every race so far this season. Full story...

To understand the success of Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive, you need to understand the company and the terminology the company uses. Hybrid for example is defined as the combination of two or more different things, aimed at achieving a particular objective. In this case it is two distinct methods of propulsion for an automobile aimed at reducing fuel consumption without reducing practicality. Another important definition is integration, which in this case is "data from one device or software to be read or manipulated by another, resulting in ease of use". The last major definition is Synergy which in its simplest terms means the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. Full story...

With mere days until the 2009 season opener, Formula 1 team Force India has become another team to make clear its current position regarding the new technology KERS. Full story...