TOYOTA

Toyota Motor Corp's (7203.T) Prius hybrid was Japan's best-selling car in July for a second straight month, underscoring robust demand for fuel-efficient vehicles.

Leading global automakers reported forecast-beating quarterly results on Tuesday, but continued to give cautious outlooks for the industry, which remains hard hit by weak demand and a lack of consumer credit.

Ford Motor Co (F.N) of Canada was the country's top-selling automaker for a second month in a row in July, when sales jumped more than 47 percent from a year earlier even as its main rivals recorded another month of declines.

Brilliance Auto, BMW's (BMWG.DE) partner in China, is preparing to ship its BS4 Wagon, designed in-house, to Europe after testing the waters there with two mid-sized sedans, company executives said on Wednesday.

The U.S. Senate will approve a $2 billion proposal to extend the cash for clunkers auto sales incentive by week's end, the Senate Democratic leader said on Tuesday.

Leading global automakers reported forecast-beating quarterly results on Tuesday, but continued to give cautious outlooks for the industry, which remains hard hit by weak demand and a lack of consumer credit.

Leading global automakers reported forecast-beating quarterly results on Tuesday, but continued to give cautious outlooks for the industry, which remains hard hit by weak demand and a lack of consumer credit.

Compact cars and hybrids have proved to be top sellers under the government's trade-in program, according to government data.

Leading global automakers reported forecast-beating quarterly results on Tuesday, but continued to give cautious outlooks for the industry, which remains hard hit by weak demand and a lack of consumer credit.

Toyota Motor Corp said its annual loss would be smaller than earlier forecast thanks to deeper cost cuts and government measures to jump-start sluggish global auto demand, but remained cautious on the prospects for a sustainable recovery.

Toyota Motor Corp reported its third straight quarterly loss, but beat expectations and said its annual loss would be smaller than earlier forecast, as deep cost reductions help make up for some of the slump in global vehicle sales.

The state parent of Brilliance China Automotive Holdings is in talks with Daimler AG to set up a joint venture in China making special purpose vehicles, executives at the parent company, Brilliance Auto, said on Monday.

More than 6,000 U.S. hourly workers have left General Motors Co under the automaker's latest buyout program intended to make it a leaner company after its emergence from bankruptcy.

Oil giant BP Plc reported Tuesday its net replacement cost profit declined 53 percent in the second quarter totaling $2.92 billion, but it surpassed analysts' forecast of $2.81 billion, according to Reuters. The decline was due to lower crude and gas prices and weaker refining margins.

Japan's Toyota Motor Corp plans to launch a hybrid compact for around 1.5 million yen ($15,760) in Japan in late 2011, broadening its hybrid car line-up, the Asahi newspaper reported on Tuesday.

Over 20 models of hybrid vehicles - including passenger cars and trucks - are eligible for purchase under the federal rebate program cash-for-clunkers which kicked off Monday to boost sales of vehicles in the strained U.S. auto industry.

Japan's top automakers will report weak first-quarter results hit by a stronger yen and production cutbacks, but most expect a steady improvement in coming quarters helped partly by government programmes to encourage car purchases and progress in cost-cutting.

Toyota Motor Corp will start talks to pull out of a California-based joint venture with General Motors , a Toyota executive said on Thursday.

General Motors [GM.UL] on Wednesday posted a 22 percent global sales drop from a year earlier for the first six months of 2009 amid the economic slowdown and the automaker's slide into bankruptcy.

Major automakers asked the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency not to approve higher blends of ethanol in gasoline until the agency has adequate test results showing the fuel would not damage vehicles.

Car manufacturer Nissan said on Monday it will invest almost $700 million in two plants to make batteries for electric cars in Britain and Portugal after securing financial support from their governments.