AUTO

General Motors Co has tapped recruiting firm Spencer Stuart to find a permanent chief executive with extensive global, manufacturing and turnaround experience, The Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday, citing people familiar with the matter.

Daimler expects fourth-quarter sales volume at its Mercedes-Benz passenger car division to rise considerably in the fourth quarter as weak year-earlier figures helped flatter growth rates in November.

Dutch grocer Super de Boer said on Monday the competition authority had approved its sale to rival Jumbo, and Chief Executive Jan Brouwer, who helped lead the company back to profitability, would resign.

Volkswagen took the second step in its multi-stage integration with Porsche SE, acquiring on Monday a 49.9 percent stake in its sports car business for 3.9 billion euros ($5.8 billion).

General Motors and its Chinese partner SAIC Motor are to make small cars and commercial vehicles in India, taking a successful 12-year Chinese partnership into one of the world's fastest growing auto markets.

GM will assign new responsibilities for Vice Chairman Bob Lutz, just a few days after the company’s board decided to replace its Chief Executive Officer.

General Motors Co and Chrysler proposed steps on Thursday to resolve complaints from terminated dealerships and head off potential congressional intervention.

Tesco Plc, Britain's biggest retailer, is set to join rivals in flagging solid pre-Christmas trading next week, but investors will be casting a wary eye on 2010 as the government unveils its budget plans.

A costly tie-up between PSA Peugeot Citroen and Japan's Mitsubishi risks landing Europe's number-two carmaker with a partner too small to exploit Asia's booming markets.

General Motors Co sees limited sales of electric cars over the next five years and will ramp up output of its much-anticipated Volt plug-in cautiously, the automaker's vice-chairman said on Wednesday.

Japan's Nikkei average climbed nearly 4 percent on Thursday to hit its highest close in five weeks as exporters such as Canon Inc (7751.T) jumped on a weaker yen, while metal shares climbed after gold hit a new record.

Sweden's SKF said on Thursday its automotive business had fared better than expected so far in the fourth quarter, but warned the phasing out of incentive schemes in Europe could dent sales going into 2010.

French carmaker PSA Peugeot Citroen could buy a large stake in Japanese peer Mitsubishi Motors Corp as part of a plan to deepen ties to ride out the industry's worst ever slump.

Not long ago, General Motors UM.UL as the biggest company in the United States could have attracted a legion of CEO candidates, but the automaker only looked within.

A group led by former Ford Motor Co executives has submitted a revised bid this week for Ford's Volvo unit and hopes to beat the offer by Chinese carmaker Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, the Wall Street Journal reported citing people familiar with the situation.

AutoNation Inc CEO Mike Jackson said he was surprised and concerned about the dismissal of Fritz Henderson as General Motors Co chief executive

General Motors Co's chief executive Fritz Henderson abruptly resigned on Tuesday, after the company's board decided the automaker needed to push its restructuring faster under new leadership.

General Motors Chairman Ed Whitacre has been named the interim Chief Executive Officer of General Motors today, just after Fritz Henderson resigned from the company today.

General Motors Co's chief executive, Fritz Henderson, abruptly resigned on Tuesday, after the company's board decided it wanted to chart a new course for the restructuring automaker.

Fiat SpA Chief Executive Sergio Marchionne hinted that government targets of a boost in production to 900,000 vehicles a year in Italy were achievable, but said he still planned to end car output at a Sicily plant.

Shares in German truckmaker MAN fell over 4 percent on Tuesday on market talk it may be pressured by major investor Volkswagen to make a bid for Scania.

Major automakers are expected to report flat U.S. auto sales for November from a year ago -- another sign the industry is on the mend after a bruising downturn that forced extensive restructuring early this year.

General Motors has regained full control over Opel after paying back a 1.5 billion euro emergency loan including interest, dissolving a trust that held a 65 percent stake in the European carmaker.

MUMBAI - Europe's second-biggest carmaker PSA Peugeot Citroen is exploring various entry routes into the Indian automobile market but has not yet taken a decision, a spokesman for the group said on Monday.

Tata Motors, India's biggest vehicle maker, reported a return to operating profit for its British Jaguar Land Rover unit on Friday, as cost cuts begin to bear fruit and new models attract buyers.

U.S. auto giant GM's Saab Automobile said on Friday it was talking to possible buyers, days after tiny Swedish sportscar maker Koenigsegg pulled out of a deal to take over the closure-threatened unit.

Subaru maker Fuji Heavy Industries continues to charge ahead in the key U.S. market with sales seen jumping by a fifth this month, but it faces a lot of work to boost its earnings power, its CEO said on Friday.

Zhejiang Geely Holding Group has agreed with Ford Motor on intellectual property rights issues in its bid for Volvo, clearing a major barrier to acquire the Swedish luxury car brand, state media reported.

Volkswagen, Europe's largest carmaker, plans to invest up to 6.2 billion reais ($3.5 billion) in Brazil from 2010 through 2014 as it aims to become the country's biggest carmaker, the company's Brazilian head said on Thursday.