Japan expects further market decline in 2009
Number of vehicles sold in Japan in 2008 was 4.5 per cent down and further falls are forecast for this year
Read more... January 2009

GM and Chrysler receive first federal loan money
A $4 billion loan to start with keeps GM liquid into the New Year and follows separate aid for its finance arm
Read more... January 2009

Chrysler announces that it too has received $4 billion in loans to start the New Year
Read more... January 2009

Tata funds may take pressure off JLR cash plea
Owner may put money in so UK government can take more time to decide on loans for Jaguar Land Rover
Read more... December 2008

Relief in Detroit as Bush funds GM and Chrysler
White House releases $13.4 billion loans for US automakers with $4 billion to come. But it isn't all good news: there's a March deadline to be met
Read more... December 2008

Delphi sells its exhausts business to Mexican group
It gets bankruptcy court go-ahead for deal with Bienes Turgos that will net it $17 million
Read more... December 2008

Antonov wins further deals and funds from China
Alternative transmissions maker signs up new customers and does deal with local authority over funds for plant
Read more... December 2008

Valeo wants cuts of 10 per cent from its workforce
Components group says it's lost 25 per cent of business and doesn't see much chance of recovery in 2009
Read more... December 2008

Chrysler shuts plants for a month and reopens talks
Manufacturing staff won't go back to work after this week till 19 January at the earliest. And GM merger may be back on
Read more... December 2008

Toyota aims for big growth in ecological plastics
It's aiming for 60 per cent plant-derived plastics in some vehicles by the end of 2009
Read more... December 2008

New car sales fall by a quarter in November
Figures for carmakers show a 25.8 per cent decline over November 2007, with Eastern Europe now following the West
Read more... December 2008

Seat extends its cutbacks to the end of June
It's idling parts of the Martorell plant in Spain for up to 29 days across the first half of the year
Read more... December 2008

Mercedes joins forces with German firm on batteries
Joint ventures with Evonik will see lithium-ion flat cells developed for automotive applications
Read more... December 2008

GM cuts Q1 2009 vehicle production by 30 per cent
Swingeing cutbacks take 250,000 vehicles out of market with idling of 20 plants in the US, Canada and Mexico
Read more... December 2008

Detroit staring into abyss as Senate rejects aid deal
Union failure to agree wage cuts is portrayed as final straw as legislators turn down aid package. But will the White House ride to the rescue?
Read more... December 2008

Sweden agrees loan support for its carmakers
Volvo and Saab get loans and loan guarantees in €2.6 billion deal intended to see they're not "disadvantaged"
Read more... December 2008

Ghosn takes on chairman role at Renault
Carlos Ghosn will become chairman and CEO from May as Louis Schweitzer, who led the group from 1992, retires
Read more... December 2008

France promotes scrapping policy to kickstart market
Anyone scrapping a car more than 10 years old for a new one will get a €1000 bonus under French government plan
Read more... December 2008

Big Three plans demand $34 billion in loans
GM, Ford and Chrysler produce plans for Congress as they seek loans from public funds to tie them over financial crisis
Read more... December 2008

EU comes up with deal on emission regulations
Compromise will see CO2 limits introduced on sliding scale from 2012 to 2015 and tough targets for 2020
Read more... December 2008

Ford's "re-evaluation" of Volvo may lead to sale
Strategic review ordered of Swedish carmaker and sale is "possible", announces troubled Detroit giant
Read more... December 2008

Whiplash test shows 80% of seats need improvement
Euro NCAP's new rear-end crash test indicates that even some five-star award winners need better front seats
Read more... November 2008

Commission talks tough over amending VW law
European Commission tells Germany to get rid of the law that enables state of Lower Saxony to block VW takeover
Read more... November 2008

Jaguar Land Rover cuts will affect engineers and IT
Around 850 agency and contract staff are to lose their jobs and engineering and IT functions will suffer most
Read more... November 2008

Carmakers hail Commission plan for economic recovery
European carmakers' body says €200 billion recovery plan is good news, but action is urgent
Read more... November 2008

Big Three sent home to devise workable aid deal
Washington legislators fail to come up with a package and give a deadline of 2 December for ideas to be put to them
Read more... November 2008

Honda set to cut 50 days from UK plant in 2009
Production of the Civic at Swindon will effectively be stopped for the whole of February and March
Read more... November 2008

PSA seeks 2,700 job cuts in its French plants
Demand is down 17 per cent in the fourth quarter it says, and the Rennes plant is suffering particularly
Read more... November 2008

Denso sets up powertrain control subsidiary in Japan
It's investing $91.5 million in testing and manufacturing for engine control systems
Read more... November 2008

After GM, now Ford sells stake in Japanese maker
Ford is cutting its stake in Mazda from 33.4 per cent to just over 13 per cent to raise $540 million in cash
Read more... November 2008

Opel chiefs' talks with Chancellor "precautionary"
Top execs from GM's German subsidiary talk to government leaders but say there's no liquidity problem
Read more... November 2008

MIRA appoints new CEO to lead international growth
Testing and design consultancy aims for expansion in new markets under next chief exec
Read more... November 2008

GM to sell its shareholding in Suzuki to raise $230m
General Motors' cash-raising continues, with the last 3 per cent of what used to be a 20 per cent stake now up for sale
Read more... November 2008

Renault cuts production in France, Romania and Spain
Aim is to bring inventory back to the level it was at this time last year, says the group
Read more... November 2008

Automotive glass makers hit with record EU fine
Saint-Gobain, Pilkington, Asahi Glass and Soliver are fined €1.38 billion for a five-year cartel on glass for carmakers
Read more... November 2008

Lotus turns in a £2 million profit and invests in R&D
Engineering consultancy gains and "steady" sportscar sales lead group to small profit for year ended March 2008
Read more... November 2008

Federal aid to US majors puts politicos in a fix
New president doesn't want to be seen as protectionist; but present aid ideas are linked to green issues. Tough call...
Read more... November 2008

"Dire" third quarter results for GM, Ford. GM in cash plea to US government, drops Chrysler talks
Ford's third quarter results were among the worst ever, until GM's came along hours later. Read how it unfolded and have your say too
Read more... November 2008

Denso consolidates starter business on Italian site
Move means closure for former Magneti Marelli operations in the UK Midlands
Read more... November 2008

GM opens its Russian assembly plant
Beleaguered carmaker reports 44 per cent growth in Russia as it opens $300 million plant in suburbs of St Petersburg
Read more... November 2008

Toyota reports sales and profits decline in first half
Revenues are down 6.3 per cent and net profit by 47 per cent, and full-year forecasts are worse than that
Read more... November 2008

Visteon completes transition in top jobs
Michael Johnston era ends as Don Stebbins takes over executive chairman role
Read more... November 2008

Slowdown increases losses for Visteon in third quarter
Parts maker reports $188 million net loss as North America woes and slowdown in Europe and Asia hit
Read more... October 2008