TOYOTA

Stock index futures pointed to a slightly lower open for equities on Wall Street on Friday, with futures for the S&P 500, the Dow Jones and the Nasdaq 100 down 0.02 to 0.2 percent.

Volkswagen AG, which sold 8.16 million vehicles last year comes second.

General Motors has once again grabbed the largest share of global sales and become the world's largest automaker, moving past sales of Toyota and Volkswagen in 2011.

Hyundai said Tuesday that it was proud to rank highest among automotive brands in the J.D. Power and Associates 2012 Consumer Retention Study, attributing the honor to an expanding model lineup and better perceptions of Hyundai's quality and appeal across the board in recent years.

DETROIT -- Three years ago at the North American International Auto Show, Nissan North America vice president Al Castignetti watched as most companies dismissed perhaps Nissan's biggest risk -- its electric concept vehicle, the Nissan Leaf.

Good stunt drivers are not daredevils, says Melissa Stubbs.

Japan's Nikkei share average climbed to a one-week high on Friday, rising above the key threshold of its 25-moving average after smooth European debt auctions prompted buying of exporters, while the market remained on edge ahead of U.S. corporate earnings.

The Toyota Prius c, which debuted at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, might be the biggest bang-for-your-buck hybrid out there-Toyota Motor Company said that it will have a list price starting at less than $19,000 and a driving fuel economy rating of 53 mpg.

The car group reports selling 8.16 million sales last year, more than Toyota. Car group sales in India more than doubled, but General Motors could outshine the German automaker.

Judges in the Eyes on Design awards said the Ford Fusion, beating production vehicle finalists the the Cadillac ATS and new BMW 3-Series, looked like an effortless design and appeared more expensive than it really is. Ford gave the Fusion, already a top-seller, a major redesign in an effort to breakthrough stiff mid-size competition from perennial leaders the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord.

DETROIT -- Soon after the earthquake and tsunami pummeled Japan last March, Nissan sent executives to their suppliers in Japan. They reported what parts had not been affected in what quantities.

Toyota Motor Corp's North American operations are looking to become a big exporter as the automaker gets hit by a strong yen that has eroded profits on vehicles shipped from Japan, a top executive said on Tuesday.

Buick, a GM brand, developed the new Encore to compete at a more upscale level than the Toyota RAV 4 or the Honda CR-V. Buick did not announce pricing for the Encore, but it is expected to be comparable with class products including the Audi Q3 and the BMW X1.

DETROIT -- Toyota introduced a plug-in hybrid concept vehicle Tuesday here in Detroit at the 2012 North American Auto Show called the NS4, separating it from the Prius family of vehicles and showcasing a new design the company plans to carry into the near future.

Ford's plans for Lincoln include more than well-designed and enginneered luxury product, Farley said. The brand plans to up the ante with a more customized personal service at its Lincoln dealerships, which have been asked to invest in upgrading facilities and overall grade. Lincoln hopes to grow to 800,000 units sold annually, as a formidable foe with other luxury brands including BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi and Lexus.

DETROIT -- As the music blared and the Dodge Dart rolled out to its debut, the stage shook underneath Dodge CEO Reid Bigland's feet before he stepped off.

The Detroit Auto Show 2012 has been so far a testament to value and design combinations, key elements that deliver winning car products. The Hyundai Elantra kicked off the first day of the North American International Auto Show -- as it's officially called -- Monday with a somewhat surprising win as Car of the Year. The compact Elantra, cited by voting jurors for its low price and high efficiency with 40 miles per gallon, beat the Ford Focus and Volkswagen Passat for the annual honor.

DETROIT -- When Joe Baker was doing research for the new concept car he was designing for Chevrolet, one piece of information stood out. Baker, who designed the Code 130R concept, looked most at United States Census data that said 80 million American consumers are approaching the age of 30.

General Motors Co will focus on maintaining profits, not defending U.S. market share gains made at the expense of Japanese rivals, the automaker's top executive said on Monday.

BMW posted record car sales for 2011 and forecast that a boom in luxury cars would keep it ahead of rivals this year as the world's biggest maker of premium cars enjoys strong demand from China and the United States.

DETROIT -- Ford chose a fitting venue to make the 2013 version of its midsize Fusion here at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit on Monday.