Auto News 5

Even though they were forced to retire of the last Tall Pines Rally, the defect of all the other contenders assured Maxime and Simon Losier the first Mitsubishi Cup of the Canadian Rally Championship. Full story...

Seven-time Formula One champion Michael Schumacher and four-time NASCAR champion Jeff Gordon will take part in the annual kart race organized by Ferrari's Felipe Massa. Full story...

Ilmor, the British independent race engineering company, is the frontrunner should Formula 1 become a single engine formula. Full story...

Former Formula 1 driver Gerhard Berger sold his 50 per cent share of the Toro Rosso team back to Red Bull because of the 'customer car' issue. Full story...

On November 18, we posted a story from the Daily Telegraph about Honda apparently being the team with the highest budget in Formula 1. Reading the numbers more accurately change the story dramatically. Full story...

When the Grand Vitara was redesigned for the 2006 model year, the 4-cylinder Vitara bit the dust. Suzuki's compact SUV was left with only one engine which was shared with the old XL7. For a few years, it was sufficient. Now, as SUV owners are downsizing, 4-cylinder trucks are the new trend. Toyota's RAV4, Ford's Escape and Mazda's Tribute have all received engine upgrades for 2009, so Suzuki didn't have much choice but to follow suit. And the Grand Vitara actually gets two new engines for 2009, a four and a more-powerful six. Full story...

LOS ANGELES -- American Honda Motor Co. is bagging the flashy formal press conferences at the Detroit auto show in January. The company says it will forgo traditional product unveilings because of depressed business conditions. Full story...

Shinichi Kurihara, who led Mitsubishi's U.S. product planning while sales rose in the late 1990s, has been tapped to run the automaker's struggling North American subsidiary. Full story...

General Motors is canceling its franchise make meetings at the 2009 National Automobile Dealers Association convention. Instead, GM will hold one general company meeting on Sunday, Jan. 25. Full story...

For the first time, two Chinese automakers will have main floor exhibit space at Cobo Center for the 2009 Detroit auto show. Chinese automakers BYD Auto Co. and Brilliance Jinbei Automotive Co. will occupy about 11,000 square feet on the main floor. Full story...

A congressional committee has scheduled a Dec. 5 hearing on the plans the Detroit 3 must submit to qualify for emergency federal aid. Full story...

A congressional committee has scheduled a Dec. 5 hearing on the plans the Detroit 3 must submit to qualify for emergency federal aid. Full story...

Lyle Dennis, one of the biggest fans of the Chevrolet Volt, is floating an idea that could jump-start production of the highly anticipated hybrid electric sedan and help General Motors out of its financial mess. Full story...

Ford Motor Co. leads all automakers with 16 )x("”",top safety picks” among 2009 cars and trucks, a new study says. Full story...

The Canadian government will not hand over public money to troubled automakers until they present a solid business plan, Industry Minister Tony Clement said today. Full story...

Subject to approval by competition authorities, Red Bull will again take over the 50 percent share of the Scuderia Toro Rosso Formula One team that has been owned by former F1 driver Gerhard Berger and Berger Motorsport since 2006. Full story...

Joe Greenwell, a former head of Jaguar Land Rover, will be the new president of the UK's automotive lobbying group. Greenwell said he will work hard to protect the automotive industry during its current difficulties. Full story...

Nissan Motor Co. will start producing a new compactcar for Chrysler LLC at its Aguascalientes assembly plant in central Mexico in early 2009, a Nissan spokesman said yesterday. Full story...

Unlike everyone else who's ever written about an Aston Martin, we promise to get through this DBS review without mentioning James Bond. Full story...

Metaldyne Corp. has bought back the bulk of $392.2 million in outstanding bonds, staving off bankruptcy. Full story...