Motoryzacja

UAW President Ron Gettelfinger defended the 2007 concessions allowing Chrysler, Ford and General Motors to pay new workers about half as much.

Ask four people on the street what the new 2010 BMW 5 Gran Turismo is, and you may get four different answers. Is it a hatchback, an SUV, a 5-series station wagon, maybe a crossover?

Distributors for Toyota recalled more than 424,000 vehicles because labels detailing the load-carrying capacity of tires were missing or less accurate than required.

WASHINGTON -- Amid partisan sparring, a House panel has advanced a sweeping auto safety bill that critics contend is too tough on the industry. The legislation, approved 31-21 by the House Energy and Commerce Committee in the wake of the large Toyota recalls, now goes to the full House, where lawmakers hope to pass it later this year.

The six big publicly traded U.S. auto retailers -- which own more than 1,000 auto dealerships and sold about 6% of the nation's 2.5 million new cars and trucks during the first quarter -- have been enjoying big gains in profits.

Since December, Michigan Assembly Plant -- which closed in 2008 and used to build big trucks -- has been evolving.

The BMW 5 Gran Turismo uses a new switchable alternator to reduce fuel consumption slightly. Conventional alternators are always engaged when the engine is running, whether the battery needs charging or not. That means they continually draw some of the engine's power, reducing the amount of energy that goes to moving the vehicle.

Land Rover plans to introduce its first front-wheel drive vehicle next year. The compact SUV borrows from the styling of the LRX concept Land Rover showed at the 2008 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Despite its compact size, the new model is to be called a Range Rover, the name Land Rover uses for its larger flagship model.

Nissan North America broke ground Wednesday for a lithium-ion battery plant as part of a plan to build a five-passenger all-electric car, the Leaf, and create up to 1,300 jobs in Tennessee. The automaker's top executive said it was a no-risk venture. "This is going to be a money-maker," Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn said.

The Ford Fiesta isn't available for sale yet, but Kelley Blue Book already has named it one of the 10 Coolest Cars Under $18,000. In fact, Kelley said it is the best domestic subcompact of all time.