In November, Toyota Motor Corp had recalled [...]]]>  FROM REUTERS:  Toyota said on Tuesday it would fix all Tundra pickups sold in the United States for the 2000 to 2003 model years to address a risk that part of the truck’s frame could corrode, causing spare tires or even the gas tank to drop to the road.

In November, Toyota Motor Corp had recalled 110,000 Tundras sold in 20 cold-weather states, saying exposure to heavy road salt could cause the corrosion. Toyota spokesman Brian Lyons was unable to say how many additional vehicles would be covered by the additional repairs.  MORE»

Although BMW  has yet to publish its accounts, it is almost certain that Audi surpassed its Bavarian rival, Daimler’s Mercedes-Benz and even future [...]]]> FROM REUTERS: German luxury carmaker Audi contributed the bulk of Volkswagen’s cash and earnings in 2009 and forecast better results this year as it launches a dozen new models, including the A1 subcompact.

Although BMW  has yet to publish its accounts, it is almost certain that Audi surpassed its Bavarian rival, Daimler’s Mercedes-Benz and even future sibling Porsche as the most profitable premium carmaker in the world — underlining its importance to parent VW. MORE»

Rumors suggesting a baby Bimmer, riding upon the same platform as the next-generation Mini, have [...]]]>

FROM AUTOMOBILE MAG:  Tradition holds that BMW vehicles are either rear- or all-wheel-drive, but that mantra seems to be shifting. Executives have confirmed that the company is developing a small car to slot underneath the 1-series, and it will be front-wheel-drive.

He underwent surgery to have pins and plates attached to his [...]]]>  FROM FOX SPORTS:  British motor racing legend Sir Stirling Moss was recovering in the hospital Monday after he was nearly killed falling down an elevator shaft at home.
Moss tumbled 30 feet and broke both his ankles, suffering four broken bones, gashes and four chipped vertebrae.

He underwent surgery to have pins and plates attached to his shattered bones after the fall from the third floor of his up-market pad in London’s Mayfair on Saturday. MORE»

It’s GM’s No. 1 brand in the important European market, with 1.2 million sales last year. That makes Opel GM’s second-biggest brand worldwide by a wide margin. [...]]]> FROM DETROIT FREE PRESS: Chevrolet is GM’s best-selling brand, the engine that drives the automaker’s U.S. operations, with 1.3 million sales in 2009. Opel, too, is vital to GM.

It’s GM’s No. 1 brand in the important European market, with 1.2 million sales last year. That makes Opel GM’s second-biggest brand worldwide by a wide margin. It exceeded Buick, Cadillac and GMC’s combined U.S. sales by more than 2 1/2 -to-1 last year.

Opel is the yin to Chevy’s yang. The brands are vitally complementary as GM shapes its new global strategy. Neither is complete — or able to compete with global automakers like Ford, Toyota and Volkswagen — without the other. MORE»

 FROM BBC NEWS:  It used to cost up to $400m (£266m; 292m euros) to set up and run a F1 team – a financial fact, which has created almost an oligopoly of three or four teams at the front of the grid.  MORE»

Chrysler officials would not verify the dates that appeared on a third-party Web site devoted to Chrysler [...]]]>

 FROM THE DETROIT NEWS: Chrysler Group LLC will start production of the final run of 500 Dodge Vipers on March 29 and wind up the year with the launch of the tiny Fiat 500, leaked production schedule dates show.

Chrysler officials would not verify the dates that appeared on a third-party Web site devoted to Chrysler matters. But company and union officials confirmed some of the dates including the launch of the iconic sports car, the all-new Jeep Cherokee and a family of rear-drive sedans. MORE»

The campaign pushes the idea that Toyota customers remain loyal, even as the company faces congressional inquiries and some reports that its repairs may not fix the problem.

The new campaign, [...]]]> FROM ASSOCIATED PRESS:  New ads for troubled automaker Toyota Motor Corp. are skipping the apologies and easing back into sales pitches — too soon, some say.

The campaign pushes the idea that Toyota customers remain loyal, even as the company faces congressional inquiries and some reports that its repairs may not fix the problem.

The new campaign, by Toyota’s main ad agency Saatchi & Saatchi, emphasizes what Toyota says are real satisfied buyers testifying that they still feel safe in their new Toyotas even after weeks of revelations about accelerator problems. MORE»

FROM REUTERS:  The parent of China’s Geely Automobile  said it has yet to sign an agreement in its ongoing bid for Ford’s Volvo car unit, but that its plan to purchase the brand are proceeding on track.

 hejiang Geely Holdings had previously indicated it expected to reach a formal deal last month, but company chairman Li [...]]]>  

FROM REUTERS:  The parent of China’s Geely Automobile  said it has yet to sign an agreement in its ongoing bid for Ford’s Volvo car unit, but that its plan to purchase the brand are proceeding on track.

 hejiang Geely Holdings had previously indicated it expected to reach a formal deal last month, but company chairman Li Shufu said an official agreement had not been signed yet.

“We haven’t reached a final agreement so far,” Li told reporters on the sidelines of the opening of the National People’s Congress in Beijing on Friday.  MORE»