Auto News 5

The six finalists for the prestigious North American Car and Truck of the Year award were announced today before the Detroit Economic Club. A group of 50 journalists from across Canada and the U.S. voted among 14 cars and 11 trucks, which had to be new-generation or feature substantial modifications. Three finalists were named in each of the two categories. Full story...

Shame, all this financial doom and gloom stuff lately. It's depressing sure- but it also takes away from some of the great new stuff our automakers are planning to bring to market. Example? Ford's latest hybrid- the Fusion. Powered by a newly hybridized version of the automakers latest 2.5 liter four cylinder engine, Ford engineers are saying that it will be the most fuel efficient mid-sized sedan in America- with at least a 6 mpg advantage over its key competitor, the Camry hybrid. Full story...

The end of the line for the current SLR comes next year, but it’ll be going out with a bang. Mercedes announced that the final chapter of this generation will debut at next month's Detroit auto show. Full story...

Chrysler has developed a number of significant partnerships in the area of powertrain. They can help to buffer risk and ensure maximum technology coverage to underpin competiveness. Bob Lee, Chrysler's VP for Powertrain Product Engineering, tells just-auto editor Dave Leggett how that works and also considers the challenges ahead for both Chrysler and the auto industry generally. Full story...

Gilles Michel, the managing director of the Citroen brand, is set to leave Europe's second-biggest carmaker PSA Peugeot Citroen to head France's strategic sovereign fund, the Les Echos newspaper said on Thursday. Full story...

Bob Carlson, the affable PR force who formed and shaped America's love of all things Porsche over a 24-year career at Porsche Cars North America, died on Thursday after a long battle with cancer. He was 60. Full story...

Chevrolet won't be rocking on New Year's Eve. The General Motors brand has withdrawn from sponsorship deals with major TV networks as well as any on-the-ground activities in Times Square on Dec. 31. Full story...

Detroit-area Nissan, Infiniti and Mitsubishi auto dealers plan to bring in vehicles off their lots and occupy the Detroit auto show space that was originally allocated to their company's corporate displays, says Joe Serra, the show's senior... Full story...

General Motors' revamped Chevrolet Equinox crossover will carry direct-injection engine technology across the line, boosting fuel economy in the base model while delivering the same amount of horsepower. Full story...

Toyota Motor Corp. is likely to report its first operating loss in half a century in the current year ending March 31 as a result of plunging sales and the strength of the yen, the Nikkei financial daily reported. Full story...

Chrysler LLC will not abandon the NASCAR racing circuit but will reduce spending, a top executive said today. Mike Accavitti, director of Chrysler's Dodge brand and motorsports, said the automaker would not end its involvement with the sport. Full story...

Battery and materials companies are teaming with the Argonne National Laboratory to develop manufacturing capability for advanced auto batteries in the United States. Full story...

We're hearing rumblings that General Motors is likely to show a Cadillac with the Chevrolet Volt's range-extending hybrid powertrain technology at the Detroit auto show. Full story...

General Motors is launching new direct-injection engines which will first appear in the 2010 Chevrolet Equinox crossover, set to hit the streets next summer. Full story...

The White House said today it is considering the option of an "orderly" bankruptcy as it weighs aid for U.S. automakers and Chrysler LLC prepared to shut down all of its 30 factories for a month. Full story...

President George W. Bush will not allow a "disorderly collapse" of the struggling U.S. automakers and will take into account Chrysler LLC's decision to halt production for a month as he weighs emergency aid, a spokeswoman said. Full story...

Magna International will spend US$108.7m on a Saint Petersburg factory by 2011 despite a downturn in the Russian auto industry. Full story...

Russian prime minister Vladimir Putin will tomorrow (19 December) announce measures to help the country's ailing carmakers, a local paper said on Thursday. Full story...

The short list for the 2009 North American Car and Truck of the Year awards is in, and diesels and Ford are looking good so far. Full story...

Ford Motor Co.'s Flex and F-150 pickup were among six finalists for the 2009 North American Car and Truck of the Year awards. The other cars were the diesel-powered Volkswagen Jetta TDI and Hyundai's Genesis luxury sedan. Full story...