FROM BUSINESSWEEK:  Airbus SAS’s head of operations, Gerald Weber, is taking lessons from his former employers in the car industry to cut production time on the A350 model and avoid the years of delay the planemaker suffered on the A380 program.

Weber, who has worked at Daimler AG, said he helped cut back on customization of [...]

FROM DETROIT FREE PRESS:  More than four years into its turnaround plan, Ford has not only exceeded many of its own goals, it is now breaking through as a global industry leader — especially on image and quality.

Credit has largely gone to President and CEO Alan Mulally, who believes that a big, global corporation must [...]

FROM THE DETROIT NEWS:  Domestic brands outscored imports in a J.D. Power and Associates survey of new car owners that focused on how much they like their cars.

Ford Motor Co. had more standout vehicles than any other manufacturer, with five of the 20 models leading their segments in 2010 Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout Study.

General [...]

FROM USA TODAY:  If you’re waiting for a 2011 Ford Fiesta, you might have to wait a little longer.

Shipments of the subcompact car to U.S. dealerships are being delayed by 10 days to 2 weeks because of storm-damaged rail lines in Mexico, Automotive News reports.

Railroads in northern Mexico were put out of commission by Hurricane Alex [...]

 FROM DAILY FINANCE:  With the successful IPO of electric-car maker Tesla Motors – among many other factors — any company focused on the internal combustion engine would appear to be be far behind the times. Yet, some savvy investors still think its imminent demise has been greatly exaggerated. Particularly if the engine in question isn’t your [...]

 FROM CNN:  General Motors will guarantee the lithium-ion battery in the Chevrolet Volt for 100,000 miles of driving or eight years, whichever comes first, the automaker announced Wednesday.

The warranty is intended to ease concerns that the Volt’s high-tech battery might not last.

Popular hybrid car models currently on the market, including the Toyota Prius and the [...]

FROM THE INDEPENDENT:  Fiat is to sell 500 Prima Edizione Fiat 500 models in the US, the company has announced, ahead of the official launch of the Fiat 500 later this year.

The “First Edition” vehicles will be available only in white, red and grey and will be sold to long-term US Fiat enthusiasts, who will [...]

 FROM THE DETROIT FREE PRESS:  Ford said today its market share fell 1.2 points in June to 7.8% of industry sales in its 19 primary European markets as competitors aggressively increased incentives.

In Europe, the pace of industry sales has declined for three consecutive months because government incentive programs in many countries expired and the economy [...]

 FROM  ASSOCIATED PRESS:  A decade ago, the PT Cruiser roared onto the road with trendsetting looks and Al Capone swagger. In a sea of bland Honda Civics and Toyota Camrys, it was a retro hit. Chrysler could barely keep up with demand.

On Friday morning, the last Cruiser rolled off the assembly line in Mexico, finally killed [...]

FROM THE BOSTON HERALD:  What is a Chevrolet? That’s the question executives must answer as the brand returns to its rightful place at the heart of General Motors.

Getting it right will be a big step toward making GM a stable, profitable business. Blowing it raises fresh questions about the automaker’s management and the company’s future. [...]