VOLKSWAGEN

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.

Volkswagen introduced a hybrid version of the Jetta this week at the 2012 North American Auto Show in Detroit, a vehicle the company said will be one of the most fuel-efficient vehicles on the market.

Samuel L. Jackson, Jay-Z and King Juan Carlos can all expect letters from Volkswagen AG's Bentley.

Infosys Ltd cut its full-year revenue outlook because of the debt crisis in Europe, sending down the shares of the No.2 Indian software services exporter by as much as 7.7 percent to their lowest in more than a month.

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.

Luxury carmaker Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Ltd said its U.S. sales could overtake China this year, revving up the British company for record global revenue in 2012.

Already, Hyundai is selling all the Elantra's it can make, said John Krafcik, the company's North American CEO. But that doesn't mean Hyundai won't leverage the Elantra's Car of the Year award to the benefit of the brand. Krafcik said it's an overall boost to the company's image with consumers, particularly in the small-car segment revealing that Hyundai has top of the line products.

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.

The name e-Bugster is derived from the obvious -- e is for electric, Bug is the nickname of the iconic Beetle, and speedster describes the open-top two seater, the company said.

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.

President and CEO of Volkswagen Group of America Jonathan Browning told journalists the company will use global resources and a focus on the U.S. is a global (company) priority.

Hyundai Motor Co's Elantra won car of the year honors at the Detroit auto show on Monday, a marketing boost for the car with the fastest sales growth in the Korean automaker's line-up.

Audi, the premium car brand of Volkswagen , posted record sales in 2011 as demand for luxury cars in China and Russia helped it gain ground on bigger rivals like BMW and Daimler's Mercedes-Benz.

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.

The Elantra beat out competing finalists Volkswagen Passat and the Ford Focus to claim the honor at the open of the 2012 North American International Auto Show at Cobo Center. Media days for the Detroit auto show began Monday morning, before it opens to the public on Jan. 14.

German exports bounced back in November boosting the country's trade surplus, a sign that Europe's largest economy may avoid a sharp slowdown in contrast to France which is expected to have run up a record trade deficit in 2011.

Volkswagen aims to sell more than half a million cars in the United States for the first time in 39 years, the company said on Sunday, building on its last year's global volume that topped the 8 million mark.

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.

BMW grabbed the top spot in the U.S. luxury auto market in 2011, edging out Daimler AG's Mercedes-Benz brand, as both German automakers took advantage of inventory problems for Toyota Motor Corp's Lexus lineup.

Claims against Porsche and Volkswagen filed with a German court have reached 1.8 billion euros ($2.3 billion), the court said, as compensation demands pile up for allegedly holding back crucial information from shareholders.