FUEL EFFICIENCY

The Elantra beat out other finalists the Ford Focus and Volkswagen Passat to win the honor. The Land Rover Evoque won the truck of the year award. The car and truck of the year awards, in a 19th year, are chosen by 50 automotive journalists. To be eligible, a vehicle must be all new or substantially changed. Finalists for the truck of the year award included the BMW X3, Honda CR-V and the Land Rover Range Rover Evoque.

It's about sustainability of profits, and sustainability through efficient products that contribute to both the broader environment and consumer benefit that will be at the heart of every automaker's presentations. America's Big Three, in particular, have revealed they are still among the biggest and best global forces to be reckoned with through profitability and strong, advanced product in the past year or two.

The Obama administration on Friday opted against closing a loan of as much as $730 million for steelmaker Severstal North America, whose financing bid to expand a plant for auto-steel production drew the attention of congressional investigators looking at U.S. Energy Department loan programs.

To kick sales of its ultra-low-cost Nano into higher gear, Tata Motors needs a lot more buyers like Vijay Govind Pisal, a sugar cane farmer in Ozarde in Maharashtra.

Bajaj Auto Ltd launched its first-ever four-wheeled vehicle on Tuesday, saying the RE60 would target commercial users and three-wheeled vehicle owners in India, and that production could involve Nissan and Renault.

Ford Motor Co. said Friday that vehicle sales of its brand topped the 2 million mark, making Ford the first automotive brand to reach the milestone since 2007.

With constant competition from the likes of Honda and other car manufacturers, Toyota is expected to gain an edge over other environmental or conventional vehicles owing to its fuel friendly variant.

Via Motors spokesman David West offers a bold comparison for his company's latest line of electric vehicles: the iPhone.

General Motors said Thursday that a new high-performance turbocharged, four-cylinder engine that will debut in Cadillac's new 2013 ATS compact luxury sedan. GM will unveil the ATS sedan at the 2012 North American International Auto Show in Detroit next month.

FedEx Corp. reported a higher-than-expected quarterly profit and said it is buying 27 new Boeing aircraft to update its fleet for fuel efficiency and cost savings.

Ford will begin production of the 2012 Focus Electric, the first five-passenger electric car to average more than 100 miles per gallon equivalent (MPGe) on the fuel efficiency scale.

This week’s bankruptcy of American Airlines parent AMR Corp. (NYSE:AMR), in which the company stated it would be seeking to renegotiate or cancel some of its current aircraft leases, is only one of the latest headwinds to buffet the aircraft financing industry that underpins the air transport industry as we know it today.

Tata Motors released an upgraded Nano model, the company said on Monday, as it looks to improve on well below-estimate sales of a product touted as the world's cheapest car.

Volkswagen has pressed U.S. regulators to change a proposal to double auto fuel efficiency, arguing the plan puts it at a competitive disadvantage and unfairly de-emphasizes clean diesel engines.

Oman Air, the Sultanate of Oman's flagship carrier, and Boeing (NYSE: BA) announced an order for six Boeing 787-8s at the Dubai Air Show.

A new study predicts that global oil demand is likely to peak by 2020, with internal combustion engine efficiency and the increased use of alternate fuels contributing to the peak.

U.S. auto dealers are working to undo the Obama administration's fuel efficiency agenda, replacing car companies that for years kept such mandates at bay with the help of allies in Congress.

Air France and Airbus have announced that they have completed the world's greenest commercial flight by combining the latest fuel and air traffic management technologie

Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry outlined plans on Friday to dramatically increase energy production and create 1.2 million jobs, taking aim at federal regulations he said are strangling the economy.

The U.S. government dangled a million-dollar carrot in front of the aviation industry to develop fuel-efficient aircraft and usher in a new electric airplane industry. On Monday, one competitor, team Pipistrel-USA.com of State College, Pa., came forth as the winner and grabbed the $1.35 million prize in the CAFE Green Flight Challenge, sponsored by search-engine hub Google and awarded by NASA.

Hybrid cars aren't totally in right now, but with fuel-economy standards kicking in, there may be a wave by 2025.