Headlines for Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Audi's next-gen LED headlights hit Washington speed bump

Audi got some laughs on Sunday when, during the Super Bowl blackout, the luxury brand's official Twitter account joked that it would bring some of its signature LED headlights to help illuminate the darkened Mercedes Benz-sponsored Superdome. Read More »

Volvo adds ex-GM Europe boss Forster to board

Carl-Peter Forster, the former head of GM Europe and Tata Motors, has joined the board of directors at Volvo Cars. Forster will serve as a non-executive board member at Volvo. Read More »

U.S. new car gas mileage at record high, study says

New cars and trucks sold in the United States in January will average 24.5 mpg, a record high, researchers at the University of Michigan said on Tuesday. Read More »

Chevrolet looks to GAZ to help it keep Russia lead

General Motors is hoping its production alliance with Russia's GAZ Group will help Chevrolet remain the country's top-selling foreign brand. Read More »

First Shift: Toyota profit up 23%

Weaker yen aids bottom line as legal fees hurt N.A.; Ford turbo underwhelms CR; half-time Corvette?; dealer's prison mission. Read More »

Toyota posts 23% rise in quarterly profit; lifts forecast

Helped by strong sales in the United States, its biggest market, and a weaker yen, Toyota reported a 23.5 percent year-on-year rise in quarterly net profit and raised its annual profit forecast by more than 10 percent. Read More »

Euro zone car markets likely to stabilize by mid-year, VDA says

The German automakers association, the VDA, expects euro zone car markets to stabilize in the middle of the year. Read More »

GM again trims Malibu, LaCrosse output to ease excess

GM has idled the main plant where it builds the Chevrolet Malibu and Buick LaCrosse for two weeks, the second time in two months that GM has curbed production of the sedans. GM will suspend work at its Fairfax plant in Kansas City, Kan., this week and next, resuming the week of Feb. Read More »

Toyota suppliers: Weaker yen means more price cuts unlikely

Toyota suppliers said they expect the automaker will refrain from asking them to cut prices as a weakening yen boosts profit. Read More »

Chrysler takes patriotic road with popular Super Bowl ads

Chrysler was once again one of the big winners in the Super Bowl ad battle, scoring with a military-themed spot narrated by Oprah Winfrey and another highlighting farmers that underscored the automaker's attempts to rehabilitate its image by playing to viewers' patriotism. Read More »

Solid auto sales drive Sirius profits, revenue sharply higher

Sirius XM Radio, helped by robust auto sales, posted higher fourth-quarter profits and revenue on Tuesday and its interim chief executive told Wall Street not to expect big changes at the satellite radio provider under his leadership. Read More »

Toyota lifts annual forecast on 23% rise in quarterly profit

Helped by strong sales in the United States and a weaker yen, Toyota reported a 23.4 percent year-on-year rise in quarterly net profit and raised its annual profit forecast by more than 10 percent. Read More »

GM planning deals in China to reach 5 million sales goal, report says

The Chinese auto industry is overdue for consolidation and General Motors, with local partner SAIC, is interested in acquiring ailing automakers, people familiar with the companies’ thinking told Bloomberg. Read More »

AutoNews Now: Chasing Detroit's pickups

With Tundra and new Titan on the way, Japan's pickups still face uphill battle; GM milestone in China; Carl Benz: Comic hero? Read More »

Chevy SS to debut in Daytona on Feb. 16

Chevrolet will unveil the production version of the SS performance sedan a week before the Daytona 500, a General Motors executive said today. Spectators can see the SS before the Sprint Unlimited race on Feb. 16 in Daytona International Speedway’s fan zone. Read More »

Ford, GM turbo engine benefits overstated, Consumers Reports says

Consumer Reports said its tests of turbocharged cars from Ford and GM didn't support the companies' claims about fuel economy and performance provided by the powertrain technology. Read More »

Delphi posts lower Q4 results, but expects improved 2013 results

Parts supplier Delphi Automotive posted lower quarterly earnings and revenue in the fourth quarter, citing weakness in its European business, but forecast an increase in 2013 results. Read More »

PSA and Renault push on with restructuring moves

PSA won staff agreement for an early wind-down of its doomed Aulnay plant, as rival French carmaker Renault pressed unions to sign a new national labor deal. Read More »

Ford says 900 dealers will be EV-certified by spring

More than 900 dealers, about a third of the Ford-brand dealer body, will be certified to sell Ford-brand plug-in vehicles by spring, the company said today. That number of EV Certified Dealers has grown from about 200 dealers in November and is ahead of where the company projected it to be. Read More »

NSK saves fuel and space in new VW Up

NSK Steering Systems supplies its fuel-saving technology to the new Volkswagen Up. NSK developed the compact electric power assisted steering (EPAS) unit and fitted it to the Up's steering column to save space. Read More »

ZF to reduce size of board

German supplier ZF Friedrichshafen plans to streamline its leadership this year by reducing its management board to six members from eight and giving the remaining executives wider responsibilities. Read More »

PSA, Fiat, Opel, others at risk from LCV shake-up

Europe's light commercial vehicle sector is headed toward a major shake-up that is likely to put added financial pressure on struggling brands such as Peugeot, Citroen, Renault, Opel and Fiat. Read More »

Zetsche's next term turns on Mercedes passing BMW

Daimler's board is set to extend CEO Dieter Zetsche's contract by five years, handing him the chance to deliver on his goals or risk the Mercedes brand falling further behind its competitors. Read More »

Ally posts Q4 profit as U.S. vehicle sales increase

Ally Financial, the biggest auto lender in the United States, swung to a fourth-quarter profit as more consumers went shopping for cars and trucks Read More »

Chevrolet looks to GAZ to help it keep Russia lead

GM is hoping its production alliance with Russia's GAZ Group will help Chevrolet remain the country's top-selling foreign brand. GAZ started making the Aveo sedan today and will begin assembling the hatchback variant in late March with a goal of producing 30,000 units of the subcompacts this year. Read More »

Bentley SUV approved by VW board, report says

Bentley's new SUV has been approved for production by parent Volkswagen, a German newspaper said. Read More »