Auto News 5

Scrapping incentives in four of Europe's five biggest markets helped boost European production of French minicars last month, but the gains were much too small to off set a decline of nearly 40 percent in the region's overall output. Full story...

Tata Motors will sell the first 100,000 of its ultra-cheap Nano through a lottery, the Indian automaker said today. Application forms for the 100,000 rupee ($1,980 1,455 euros) minicar will available in 1,000 cities in India starting on April 9. Full story...

Tata Motors will sell the first 100,000 of its ultra-cheap Nano through a lottery, the Indian automaker said today. Application forms for the 100,000 rupee ($1,980 1,455 euros) minicar will available in 1,000 cities in India starting on April 9. Full story...

British van maker LDV has warned that it will have to call in administrators within days if it does not get a loan from the taxpayer, but the government stuck to its view that its Russian parent should bail it out. Full story...

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...

Mumbai, March 23, 2009: Tata Motors today announced the commercial launch of the Tata Nano, keenly awaited across India since its unveiling on January 10, 2008. The Tata Nano is BS-III* compliant and comes with an all-new 2-cylinder aluminium MPFI 624 cc petrol engine mated to a four-speed gear box and will be available in three variants. The cars will be on display across the country at Tata Motors Passenger Car dealerships and other select authorised outlets from April 1st. Full story...

FRANKFURT (Reuters) -- 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...

British van maker LDV has warned that it will have to call in administrators within days if it does not get a loan from the taxpayer, but the government stuck to its view that its Russian parent should bail it out. Full story...

The UK government is working to make sure the vast majority of auto companies and their suppliers have a future, business secretary Peter Mandelson said on Friday as he visited a car factory. Full story...

The Russian government plans to bail out mostly state-controlled companies, first deputy prime minister and finance minister Alexei Kudrin has said. Full story...

Renault has revealed competitive pricing for its new Scenic model line that it hopes will help the automaker reclaim leadership in Europe's tough compact minivan segment. "We want the Scenic to be No. Full story...

A new study commissioned by the US-based Aluminum Association, showed that North American use of automotive aluminium is at an all-time high, averaging 8.6% of vehicle curb weight in 2009 calendar year vehicles, up from just 2% in 1970 and 5.1% in 1990. Full story...

The Obama administration's autos task force may have a framework plan in place as early as next week for restructuring General Motors and Chrysler LLC, two lawmakers said. Full story...

ISTANBUL (Reuters) -- Turkey will introduce new incentives in April that will grant the country's automotive sector "privileged status," Industry Minister Zafer Caglayan said on Thursday. Full story...

New-car registrations in Italy could start rising again in March helped by scrappage incentives, the country's industry minister said today. Full story...

With the electric Mini already on trial in the United States, BMW plans to launch a range of near-zero emission vehicles within the next few years. Full story...

Chrysler introduced soccer moms to the minivan over twenty-five years ago, and now Chrysler is once again leading the people-carrier market with the Chrysler Town & Country EV. This seven-passenger vehicle is a modern gas-electric hybrid version of the standard Town & Country. Full story...

German carmaker Opel and its U.S. parent General Motors have, to the knowledge of the German government, sufficient financing to see them through into April, a junior economy minister said today. Full story...

German carmaker Opel and its U.S. parent General Motors have, to the knowledge of the German government, sufficient financing to see them through into April, a junior economy minister said today. Full story...

Chrysler LLC has asked the Obama administration to lend its captive finance unit more money to ease a consumer credit crunch and help the carmaker survive, CEO Bob Nardelli said. A $1.5 billion bailout from the U.S. Full story...