Headlines for Thursday, December 6, 2012

AutoNews Now: Embracing stop-start

Ford, Chrysler part of 'micro hybrid' trend; Akerson on 'fiscal cliff'; GM pickup glut; plus, a city where Hyundai never sleeps. Read More »

UK overtakes France as Europe's No. 2 car market

The UK has overtaken France to become Europe's second-biggest car market following strong November and 11-month sales. Read More »

Ford C-Max, Fusion hybrids fall short of mpg claims, CR says

Ford's C-Max and Fusion hybrids fall about 20 percent short of their fuel economy claims, Consumer Reports magazine said today, after running real-world tests on both models. Read More »

First Shift: Honda ad-agency shakeup?

After 26 years with RPA, automaker places $700 million in accounts under review; A123 auction day; a big score for Volvo. Read More »

Investindustrial said to be close to buying Aston Martin stake

Private equity fund Investindustrial is near an agreement to buy an Aston Martin stake to shore up the finances of the British sports-car maker. Read More »

They slip by fast, but not all TV spots are so simple

The old rule of thumb in design is the KISS principle: “Keep It Simple Stupid.” Or, as some people write it, “Keep it simple, Stupid.” Either way. The advertising business long ago adopted the adage. The newspaper business tries to adhere to it as well. Read More »

NHTSA expected to require black boxes in all light vehicles

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is expected to propose in the coming days a rule requiring event data recorders -- the so-called black boxes in vehicles that record crash data -- in all new light vehicles. Read More »

A123 auction to kick off with at least four bids

A123 Systems, a bankrupt maker of batteries for electric cars, was expected to kick off its politically sensitive auction today pitting a United States bidder against at least three foreign rivals for a company that was partly funded with federal government money. Read More »

GM, Ford monthly sales rise in China on strong car demand

General Motors and its joint ventures sold 260,018 vehicles in China in November, up 10 percent year-over-year, the company said in a statement today. It was GM's best November ever and second-best month all-time in China, its largest market. Read More »

Michigan governor supports 'right-to-work' legislation

Republican Governor Rick Snyder said he wants Michigan to be the 24th state to adopt a "right-to-work" law making payment of union dues voluntary, setting up a confrontation with organized labor in the home of the American auto industry. Read More »

New-vehicle fuel economy remains at record high, researchers say

Fuel economy of new vehicles sold in the United States remained at its highest level in November, University of Michigan researchers said Wednesday. Greenhouse gas emissions in September, meanwhile, declined to their lowest level since researchers began tracking them in October 2007. Read More »

Daimler will sell half of EADS holding to focus on autos

Daimler is selling half its remaining stake in the European Aeronautic, Defence & Space Co. (EADS) to focus on cars and trucks. The sale will raise about 1.66 billion euros ($2.17 billion). Read More »

Customer Incentives

This is data compiled by the Automotive News Data Center and requires a Data Center subscription to access. Read More »

Renault-Nissan deal with AvtoVAZ expected next week

Renault and Nissan's $750-million deal to Renault effective control of Lada maker AvtoVAZ is expected to be signed next week. Read More »

BMW sees 3rd straight sales record in 2013, helped by 4 series

BMW said its vehicle sales will probably reach a third consecutive annual record next year, when the automaker will introduce the 4-series coupe. Read More »

Mercedes Nov. sales up 5% as U.S. demand offsets China drop

Daimler said vehicle sales at its Mercedes-Benz Cars unit rose 5.3 percent to 128,768 in November, as rising U.S. volumes offset a decline in China. Read More »

Expect another number surprise from BMW

BMW is expanding the numbering system it uses to identify its models. The 4 series will launch next year, but we can expect another new number. Read More »

Expect another number surprise from BMW

BMW is expanding the numbering system it uses to identify its models. The 4 series will launch next year but we can expect another new number. Read More »